The owner of the former Westgate Plaza in Lorain said renovations at the site are stalled after one tenant refuses to vacate his building.
Yaser Etayem purchased the eight-acre property in March 2021 on the west side of Lorain at the intersection of West 21 Street and state Route 58.
Etayem moved in his first tenant, Auxilio, in July 2022.
Auxilio handles the bus transportation for Lorain City Schools.
The company was working out of the easternmost building which contains 16,774 square feet while the western building is 31,750 square feet.
The fleet of buses was parked on the east side of the parking lot. Company mechanics repaired buses in the parking lot, which Etayem claims caused between $40,000 and $50,000 in damage.
Now, Auxilio has moved to a new location in the city, but Etayem says its refuses to remove possessions from the building it was leasing.
Most of the company’s belongings have been moved out, but some office supplies and kitchen items remain, he said.
“I feel like they’re trying to stop the rebuilding of the neighborhood,” Etayem said.
He said he retained an attorney to assist him in dealing with the issue, but realizes it’s a long process.
A representative from Auxilio was contacted by The Morning Journal on Aug. 23 and said he would call with further information regarding the matter.
The Morning Journal called again Aug. 25 and still did not get a comment.
Etayem was born in Ohio and has said he has spent his life learning about the construction trade from his father.
He said he used those skills to build plazas, such as the one in Lorain, in several other states.
Years ago, Westgate Plaza was a booming shopping spot.
When Etayem bought it, he decided to maintain the original name of the plaza since it has been known as that for many years.
There were three buildings on the property until last year when the middle portion was torn down.
The building had been damaged beyond repair years ago in a fire, so Etayem said he spent between $60,000 and $70,000 to remove the 18,750-square-foot retail space in the middle section of the plaza.
