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Council approves $500,000 forgivable loan to Famicos Foundation for mixed-use rehab on East 105th Street
Summary
Cleveland City Council’s finance committee approved an emergency ordinance authorizing a $500,000 forgivable loan from the Neighborhood Transformation Initiative to Famicos Foundation to help restore a deteriorated, mixed‑use building at 1355 East 105th Street into ground-floor commercial space and apartments above.
Cleveland — The city’s finance committee on Aug. 5 approved an emergency ordinance authorizing a $500,000 forgivable loan to Famicos Foundation to help partly finance acquisition and rehabilitation of a mixed‑use building at 1355 East 105th Street.
The loan will come from Neighborhood Transformation Initiative funds and is intended to cover interior and exterior improvements and associated redevelopment costs so the center‑street storefront can be reactivated with commercial space and residential units above.
Why it matters: The property sits on the East 105th Street corridor near Glen Village, an area council members and city staff cited as a focus of neighborhood revitalization. Supporters said the project will catalyze nearby investment and provide space for local retail and services.
City economic development staff introduced the item and described the building as “in a fairly deteriorated state” and a priority because it sits across from the Glen Village development. John Analipo, identified in the meeting as representing Famicos Foundation, said the building “at the moment, it's a nuisance in our neighborhood” but that the foundation prefers rehabilitation over demolition.
Analipo said the property has a difficult local history — he recounted that a 14‑year‑old girl, Gloria Pointer, was murdered there in 1984 and that some neighbors had called for demolition, while others, including the victim’s family, asked that the building be preserved with a memorial. He said Famicos aims to “save the building, put it in good use” and that the project would include a memorial marker for Gloria Pointer.
Famicos and city officials described plans to white‑box the ground floor for a potential restaurant and to create parking using adjacent land‑bank lots. Khalip Hawthorne, identified as the Famicos Foundation director of real estate, described the project as part of a longer, multi‑phase effort to restore the corridor and estimated the development will be roughly a $1.5 million investment in the immediate block.
Council members spoke in favor. Councilman Kevin Conwell asked about adjacent land‑bank lots and was told Famicos is working to secure deeds for side lots to build parking. Councilman Mike Polincic and others urged that funds flow promptly once approved, citing past delays in dispersal of city incentives. City staff said the department has reduced contract processing time by adopting DocuSign and other tools and is working to shorten approvals.
The committee approved ordinance 819‑2025 on Council President Griffin’s recommendation; the measure was advanced for full council consideration.
What wasn’t decided: The committee approved the loan authorization; specifics such as tenant agreements, final construction timelines, the precise parking layout and tenant selection were discussed as future steps. Council members and Famicos said they would keep residents informed as projects progress.
Provenance: Excerpts of the committee discussion are recorded in the meeting transcript, including the department summary of the loan, John Analipo’s remarks about the property’s history and Famicos’ plans, and council members’ questions about land‑bank lots and project timing.
