Mac Stephens. If you meet him, you will never forget him. At 6’3”, he’s a big guy. Yep, he looks like a football player. And, he is. But, what really strikes you is his serenity, gentleness and kindness. He’s motivational and inspirational. And, he loves kids. This man works around the clock in the service of athletes and non-athletes in his THREE jobs as director of recreation for The City of Euclid, head football coach for Cleveland Heights High School, and business owner of Mac’s Speed, Power and Fitness.

When asked how his love of sports began, he replies, “I had a brother seven years older, and I always tagged along. He threw me in there with the older kids, and I’d take my bumps and bruises. My mom was the one who required me to play organized sports, but dad wanted me to go to school. I was hyperactive, probably ADD or ADHD and on medication. I got into sports to burn some energy. In sports, I could easily see myself progress, while in school I was made fun of because I was tall, awkward and stuttered badly. One day, my mom came home to find me on the roof of our Colonial house throwing rocks at cars. Sports helped me to redirect my energy.” And, “redirect” he did! He excelled at basketball, football, track and boxing.

Stephens played professional football for three years with the Toronto Argonauts, New York Jets and Minnesota Vikings until he broke his fifth vertebrae. After recovering, he was offered a contract by the Detroit Lions but made the heart-rending decision to retire from pro ball to avoid breaking his back again. Since then, he has had 25 operations due to his years of playing football.

He took some time away from football before getting into coaching in order to get perspective and learn that everyone has different motives for playing, from being driven to play for the NFL to reasons that include playing because it’s what their friends doing to playing to enhance their popularity. Although playing football is a small portion of who he is, it gives him a platform through which to speak to youth about being a business owner; working for the government, nonprofits and large corporations; and volunteering, mentoring and giving back to the community.

Eventually, he made his way to the public sector. In 1999, he ran for city council but lost. Former Mayor Bill Cervenik encouraged him to stay involved. He joined the recreation advisory board for tackle football and coached soccer and football as a volunteer for three or four years. Then, Cervenik called him regarding some recreation department openings. Now, 13 years later, in his capacity as director of recreation, Stephens oversees 35 recreation programs, senior programs and the golf course.

At Mac’s Gym, started 5-6 years ago in the former Euclid Sports Plant, he originally offered specialized training for young athletes who wanted to be bigger, stronger and faster. Assistant Coach Germaine Smith became a partner, and they began to train the moms and dads of the athletes, which morphed the business into its current capacity as a full-service gym that offers personal training to all ages.

Kids continue to train at the gym from schools all over Northeast Ohio up to three times per week. And, although they come for speed and strength training and to work out, they end up talking about life lessons, such as respecting women, having goals, achieving in and out of sports, and considering career options.

He picks up the torch from a line of coaches who helped him. He says, “I can name every coach I ever had because they impacted me that much. I feel obligated to do what I do because had I not had similar coaches, I’m afraid to think of where I’d be. Utilized the right way, sports can change or impact any kid.” But, he says that there are kids who work out with him who have no athletic aspirations. Beyond athletics, he teaches kids to build self-confidence. He overcame his own stuttering challenge when he became more confident and has seen the same results in others who he has mentored. His goal is not to make a profit but to use athletic training as a tool to impact kids in other areas of their lives, such as making them job ready or helping them communicate better.

Stephens says, “I tell my kids, follow the blueprint and things will happen for you, whether that is getting into college or finding a decent job. Socially, do the right thing. Academically, do the best that you can. In sports, allow yourself to be coached.” This is advice that all of us can take to heart and apply in our lives. Thanks, Coach!

  The ongoing debate continues as to whether graffiti is art or vandalism, but either way, anyone who works in a manufacturing environment probably has seen the brightly colored spray paint on the walls of the buildings where you work.

Whether a form of expression, a political statement or an indicator of gang-related activity, people have been scribbling and scratching on the walls for centuries, including Stone Age cave paintings and Egyptian temple hieroglyphics.

We at HGR wanted to share some of the graffiti on the walls in its showroom at Nickel Plate Station where there used to be a paintball tenant. The owners were artists. They and their friends covered the walls in the offices and basement paintball arena with graffiti.

HGR currently is renovating this area and plans to preserve most or all of the original graffiti as part of the building’s history.

Show us your graffiti! What adorns the walls of your facility? What are your thoughts about graffiti as art or vandalism?

(Courtesy of Guest Blogger Justin Mobilian, HGR’s sales & marketing summer intern)

So, it’s June 27, and I have the first week of my internship under my belt. I was nervous coming in to a new organization. I had no idea who anybody was, did not know what my responsibilities were going to include, and I had a million other thoughts running through my head; however, the first week of my internship literally could not have gone any better.

My first day at HGR was spent with my team – getting to know one another and how each role plays into the marketing team. Each member was friendly and made me feel like I was already a part of the team (I felt like a huge rock was lifted from my back). Once noon hit, Matt took me to Harry Buffalo for lunch (my first time there and definitely not my last). I got back to the office and familiarized myself with marketing strategies, SEO and email marketing. Not bad for a first day.

I thought my first day went really well. Little did I know my second day would be even better; I was going to the Cleveland Cavaliers championship parade! I was excited for this for two reasons:

1. I missed Game 7 of the NBA Finals due to E.coli and sleeping through the game. This once-in-a-lifetime chance (because, let’s be honest, it’s Cleveland) was missed completely because I was sleeping. I was supposed to meet up with friends in Cleveland at 4 p.m. I woke from my “nap” at 8 a.m. the next day with 32 missed calls and texts, and a “Cleveland Cavaliers are World Champs!” headline on CNN. GREAT.
2. My friends, family members, and strangers called off work to go to this parade. I, however got to attend the parade FOR WORK.

I may have missed the game, but at least I get to celebrate in the land with my team. Not only do I get to celebrate it, but I get to celebrate it while working. Incredible.

My third day at HGR I met with each team throughout the organization and got to talk about what each person does. This was really helpful, as I was easily able to understand how each team helps one another complete business objectives. After lunch (Matt took me out AGAIN; now I’m certain I picked the right company to work for), I wrote an interview-like blog about myself and edited product videos for our graphic designer/videographer/photographer.

My fourth day, and last day of my first week, I began the day by meeting with the inventory team and working with them for a few hours – great group of guys who I enjoyed talking with (Tristan likes Kanye West and Jay Z; so, we became immediate friends). After lunch I completed research for the marketing communications specialist two blog interviews taking place the following week.

To top everything off, before heading home I received two FREE tickets to Cedar Point WITH parking AND food. This company is awesome! I’ve only been here for a week, but they’re treating me just like one of their permanent employees instead of an intern – I love it! It must’ve been too good to be true because I couldn’t go to Cedar Point due to trip to the ER on Saturday night with another health scare from the past weekend. First, I missed the Cavs championship game and now I missed a day at the best amusement park in the world with HGR. Did I make someone mad in a previous life?? Possibly.

Overall, my first week here has been awesome. The team is great and I’m excited for what this experience holds for me.

HGR Industrial Surplus’ Call Center makes more than 1,500 calls to per day to find equipment and supplies for our buyers to bid. That’s how we get all the great stuff in our showroom and on our website. Check out this short video to learn more and meet some of our Call Center folks who make it all happen.

(Courtesy of Guest Blogger Justin Mobilian, HGR sales & marketing summer intern)

If you didn’t know, Ohio has a regional search and rescue team. This team of elite responders are the ones who we call as our last line of defense in times of a disaster. Curious about what they do, I wandered over to ask a few questions while they used one of HGR’s empty buildings as a training facility.

The Ohio Region 2 Search and Rescue Team is the product of a rescue program that was started in 1990 to train responders on rescue procedures in the event of a building collapse or emergency situation that is beyond the ability of a local fire department or rescue team. The regional team was created as a result of 9/11 to increase the nation’s preparedness for disasters, both natural and man-made, and serves Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake and Lorain Counties. The disciplines taught to its members include rope rescue, confined space rescue, search and locate, vehicle and machinery rescue, structural collapse rescue, and trench rescue. They do it all.

So, what was this team doing at HGR? Training. Lots of training. With the exception of a lunch break, Ohio Region 2 Collapse Search and Rescue team trained 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on building stabilization, collapse, breaching, breaking, lifting debris and moving heavy equipment. Sound like a challenge you might be interested in? All you need are a few hundred hours of training, followed by another thousand or so hours (I get tired from walking from my desk to the car; so, count me out).

When asked what he wants his team to walk away with once training is over, Team Leader Brian Harting says, “I never focus on how we do our job, but on why. There’s two things: One, it’s all about math and physics. Once you understand that, you’ll be successful. It’s very important. Second, we care about the lives of others.” We thank them for their bravery and service.

(Courtesy of Guest Blogger Adam DeAnseris, regional buyer, HGR Industrial Surplus)

I started in a territory where there was only one buyer for 18 years and have been the New England buyer for three years now. The market was saturated due to the prior buyer’s hard work; so, I picked up where he left off and started to create my own relationships, too. We have had only two buyers serving the same customers who have been loyal for 18 years. When they call me, I almost know for sure we will buy their surplus.

People want to buy from or sell to people they like. It’s a reciprocal relationship. I make sure to describe the process to them, schedule a meeting, take a few pictures, and get an offer back quickly. Our competitive advantage is that we can be a big resource to small, medium and large companies. We get everything out in one fell swoop and don’t pick and choose what to buy!
I work with facilities managers and operations managers. They know that we do what we say, while many companies don’t. For example, the call center cold called a potential customer that had equipment to sell. I went to bid on a lot and saw some other stuff that I wanted to make an offer on. The manager said another company was under contract to buy it, but it was supposed to be moved the prior week.

I purchased the equipment that I came to see (half a semi load) and left the other lot for the surplus buyer who was under contract. About four months later, our call center followed up with the customer to see if it had additional surplus for sale. That original lot was still sitting in their plant. They tore up the bid contract with that buyer for failing to follow through on the contract due to lack of financial resources, and we took it (a packed semi load). We picked it up on time and payed immediately. The equipment was already loaded into a trailer but the prior buyer did not have the assets to pay for it. We have 12 buyers in the country who can buy as much surplus as they want and average $55,000 per month per person. That’s $660,000 per month or almost $8 million per year.

It’s all about customer service. We sell a service, because the manufacturer can sell equipment to anyone. But they get burned by people who don’t do what they say they’re going to do. They’ve invested in new equipment and need the old to go because the new is coming in. It costs time and money if what they sold is not out of there on time. With our customer service and financial backing, we pick up within 24 hours or less in order to meet our customers’ needs.

On Monday, July 4, our showroom and office are closed to observe Independence Day.

We will be closed on Monday, July 4, in observance of Independence Day.

And, in case you missed the blog post last month, as of July, HGR only will be open on weekends for one Saturday per month on the second Saturday of each month. The dates for the rest of the year are:

• July 9
• August 13
• September 10
• October 8
• November 12
• December 10

So, we are not open this month on Saturday, July 2, 16, 23 or 30.

On our June 6 blog, we ran some “before” photos of the interior construction underway at HGR for new offices, conference rooms, kitchen and restrooms. In less than one month, look at the progress Turner Construction, Special Projects Division has made.

According to Josh Stein, Turner’s project manager, they are on target to finish 99 percent of the work by the end of July. They will need to leave one bay door open to fit air handling unit through that currently is on order to be delivered in August. In mid-August, they will install the air handler and frame in the door for use as a people door for access to the offices. At that time, the construction will be complete, and HGR will be able to put in office furniture and appliances for a September relocation of its executives and administrative staff. Sales and marketing will remain in the front offices to greet customers.

(Courtesy of Guest Blogger Brian Krueger, CEO, HGR Industrial Surplus)

Nope, HGR Industrial Surplus is not getting into the used car business, but DriveTime, a new national automotive tenant, will be joining HGR Industrial Surplus and NEO Sports Complex at Nickel Plate Station, 20001 Euclid Avenue, Euclid, Ohio, in September.

The company is based out of Arizona and sells used cars. It currently has 139 dealerships throughout the country and is planning to open 10 more by the end of the year. Its geographic region started in the west and is expanding to the East Coast.  It employees more than 1,000 people. The company’s largest competitor in the area is CarMax.

The facility in Euclid will be used as an inspection and distribution center. DriveTime will buy used cars and ship them into Euclid for service and detailing. From there, they will be sent to one of its retail locations for sale.  The inspection center will have more than 20 car lifts, mechanics area, spray booths, wash stations, and other car service features.  The center will be its largest in the country, eventually feeding at least 11 retail locations.  The retail locations will stretch from Detroit to Erie, Pennsylvania.

The inspection center will process approximately 56 vehicles per day.  It will utilize the large parking lot for unfinished and finished cars. The center will employee between 85 to 100 people.  The company will be conducting a fit out for new offices and bathrooms within the facility and will be investing more than $2 million into its operation.

Rob Marrott, a photographer and owner of RPM Images, contacted me to see about using HGR’s showroom in a photo shoot for safety products manufacturer Brass Knuckle.

He said they wanted to simulate a manufacturing facility and show models working around industrial equipment. This was a pretty cool opportunity for both Marrott and HGR. He has been here before conducting shoots for other industrial clients. So, on June 15, Marrott and his assistant, two reps from Brass Knuckle’s advertising agency and four models came in to shoot some photos.

Not only do our customers need used industrial surplus to keep their businesses running, but other types of businesses in the community, such as schools, bloggers and photographers, value what we do and can make use of our showroom.

In the heart of the Collinwood neighborhood in Cleveland, Ohio, I was sitting on a sofa in Twelve Literary and Performance Arts Incubator chatting with Poet Daniel Gray-Kontar about manufacturing and poetry. In our conversation, I brought up the poetic words of Erin O’Brien, editor of Fresh Water Cleveland, from her blog post “Tears and steel:”

I mourned for the Bridgeport milling machines as they carved a jagged skyline over this splendorous field of iron and steel. I mourned for the lathes waiting by patiently. I mourned for the stoic presses, so many silent soldiers. Clients browsing grinders and cutters eyed me curiously, then looked away when I set my camera upon the bed of a 20,000-pound press brake, removed my glasses and wiped my eyes with my sleeve. I mourned for all of it, but mostly I mourned for the men who wore heavy boots and carried their midday supper in a brown paper sack. They drank Carling’s Black Label at Joe’s Bar after a day spent machining things to a thousandth or better.

Daniel and I were brainstorming the idea of hosting a poetry event at his venue that showcases Cleveland’s history, old and new. In his words, “Cleveland history is all but gone. There’s the old Cleveland and the new Cleveland. There’s a new zeitgeist. Let’s launch the conversation between the post-industrial poets and the post-modern poets.”

The next challenge: How to find the post-industrial blue-collar workers who may not even identify as poets? There are a number of local poets who are known on the scene and who write about manufacturing and industry in The Rust Belt, including Larry Smith, Ray McNiece, Michael Salinger, Dave Snodgrass, Milenko Budimir, Mark Kuhar and Maj Ragain.

But, I mentioned that years ago I had seen some steel-mill poets read out at The James Wright Poetry Festival at The Martin’s Ferry Public Library on the border of Ohio and West Virginia. These weren’t well-known, published poets. These were salt-of-the-earth guys who worked in the steel mills, or used to work in the defunct steel mills. They wrote poems of grit and grime, hard work, family, loyalty, their roots, their teams, and the women who took care of them.

That’s in stark contrast to Generations Y and Z who are self-inventors, open to possibility, constantly reinventing themselves, technologically driven and have a compulsion for change and agility, and often are accused of an attitude of self-entitlement.

We talked about how to start a poetic conversation in Cleveland between these groups and about what unifies both post-industrial and post-modern writers, where they intersect and cross-pollinate, what their commonalities are. These are different people facing the same challenges with similar goals.

Daniel mentioned a great musical illustration: hip hop. According to him, “It’s the music of recycled sounds.” You take music that’s already there and repurpose it to find a unifying sound. What unifies these poets? Their voices. The importance of what they do. Their part in Cleveland’s history. The issue of uncertainty.

Then, a light bulb went off. What is Collinwood? What is the Waterloo Arts District? An old, residential area that housed factory workers and is in the process of reinventing itself as a modern arts district full of makers.

We’re looking for the machinists, welders, engineers and technicians who go to work every day then come home to write about it. We know you’re out there. If you’re interested in being part of a poetry event in Euclid where we have an intimate poetry reading then a panel discussion, give a shout out. If you aren’t able to make it, are shy or not in the area, feel free to share your poem here. Keep it clean, since this is a company blog!

Starting in July, HGR Industrial Surplus will be open only one Saturday per month instead of on every Saturday  as in the past to give employees more time to spend with their families.  Store hours will be 7:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. on the 2^nd Saturday of each month.

We still will be open Saturday, June  25. Our only open Saturday in July will be July 9; so, mark your calendar!

From chatting with him a few times, it is clear that Dennis Althar, president and CEO of Althar Audio (www.altharaudio.com), is one part Renaissance Man, one part self-professed Maker, one part technology fiend with a dash of philosopher thrown in. He is a people person and storyteller extraordinaire with a variety of interests and passions that revolve around technology and electronics.

You have been involved with FIRST Robotics for 13 years. Tell us about your work with them.

I had a friend who was a mentor to one of the schools involved. I found out that they needed someone to inspect the robots to make sure they met specifications. As an inspector, you need experience in electronics or technology. Then, in the last two years, I have worked as a judge. It’s not as technical because you are judging professionalism, interaction, how the team helps other teams, community involvement, the team’s Web page, the safety of its booth, documentation, and its video presentation.

It costs about $25,000 to do a robot. The students have to find mentors and sponsors. Each robot is built from the same basic kit and software but the students write their own code; so, there is opportunity for innovation in the traction system and performance of the robot, and the uniqueness of the idea.

“For inspiration and recognition of science and technology” is what FIRST stands for. Our country graduates about 70,000 engineers per year as compared with 350,000 in India and 600,000 in China (Cse.msu.edu). We need to close that gap.

What is your opinion of STEM versus STEAM programs? 

Art is integral to design. Some things may work and do the same job but the artistry is important and what distinguishes one product from another. For example, there is a difference between one website and another. How does it look and interact with the user? Some design elements to think about that could use improvement:

• Elevators have the button on the wrong side. Now, there are kiosks with smart technology so that you push the floor button before you get on the elevator. The technology brings the correct elevator that is going up and to that floor.
• If you turn on the windshield wipers, your car’s headlights should go on.
• If you only have one printer, it should print immediately when you click “print” instead of having you click to print on the right printer.
• When you put a CD in the CD player, it should start playing without having to hit “play.”
• Why are the controls for a shower under the spray head where you need to reach through the freezing or scalding water instead of on the other wall or the side of the shower?

User experience is the art part.

What other student-mentoring opportunities are you involved with? 

I speak at Cuyahoga Community College, Case Western Reserve University and Youth for Christ about careers and electronics since I’ve been doing technology since Apple II’s in the late 70s and electronics since I was five.

Tell us about when your love for technology started.

At age 5, I read books on electronics and science fiction at the library to get away from my home life. I started repairing stereos at about age 6 but never just repaired them; I modified them and improved them. The tubes took time to warm up; so, I would put a solid-state diode across the power switch to make them instant on.

Record players used to have 30 watts with one channel driven and only 20 with both driven. I would take the cartridge and flip one channel’s wires so that one was positive and one negative to change the polarity then flip the wires on one speaker. That way, I was able to get 30 watts per channel with both channels driven rather than 20 basically increasing the power by flipping two wires on each end, one pushing and both pulling back. Technology is about understanding what things do.

Then, I drove a car as a teenager with a knocking rod. This usually blows up within an hour. I pulled the spark plug wire so it wasn’t firing, took off the valve cover, removed the push rods from the intake valves and took the spark plug out so it didn’t suck fuel. The car ran on seven cylinders instead of eight and missed a little on the freeway but I drove it like this for months. I had a broken tie rod end and drove the car backward to get home to get it off the road. You can’t push it forward. Again, it’s knowing how things operate. Going back to the previous question, that’s what STEAM and STEM are: understanding the basic principles of how things work. To design, a person has to have a basic understanding of servicing things and the ability to look at the product as a complete system during its whole lifetime. They have to be able to service it, whether a robot or a TV, to see how things integrate.

How did you get involved in your current line of work, and what did you do in the past? 

I left home when I was 14. A high school guidance counselor turned me onto Upward Bound where I went to college in the summer to be away from my bad home conditions. II was paid a $7 per week stipend and got to live in the dorms in the summertime. I just kept on going from there. I stayed with friends the rest of the time and was emancipated when I was 17. I slept in cars and anywhere I could, and I finished high school.

I also was in a foster home at 8 for about a year. There, I saw a different kind of life and could see possibilities. I was told I would never amount to anything or drive a nice car. I have owned Jaguars, Porsches and a limo. What doesn’t kill you motivates you; it gave me a heart for mentoring and foster programs. Although I knew electronics, I joined the Air Force so others would believe it, and I went through 2.5 years of training in eight weeks.

Out of the Air Force, I got involved with medical equipment and large-system computer equipment repair. Then I started my own business doing graphics systems for Bobbie Brooks; laser equipment for Richmond Brothers; research equipment for General Tire, BFGoodrich and all the rubber companies; and medical electronics repair and sales, Including the first ultrasound machines and heart stress testing. We then went into manufacturing.

I beefed up VCRs to work in cardiac cath labs to take in non-standard video and play it back on the monitors. After working with that ultrasound technology for years, I used it to apply to sound systems.

Tell us how that came about. How are they being used and where? 

I had a separate business selling high-end home theater and laser discs in the 1990s.  After 911, I let the medical stuff go as it went to big network PAC systems moving away from film. I went full time into sound system technology based upon medical technology. I basically retired after 911 and hung out and did fun stuff until three to four years ago.

But I would still repair the things I built and support my customer base. I never want satisfied customers. Satisfied customers go to McDonalds, pay the buck, get a hamburger and are satisfied. They also would buy from Burger King. Loyal customers go to Rally’s, not anywhere else, because they are excited and are evangelists.

Our current markets are churches, gyms, warehouses, factories, football fields and auditoriums. The systems are being used by St. Edwards, Central Catholic, Independence High School, Notre Dame, Gilmour Academy, Beachwood, Warrensville, Ursuline, St. Thomas Aquinas, Western Reserve Academy, Toledo, Riverside High School, Lear Romec Crane, AkzoNobel, Musicians Alex Bevan and Dan Bode, and on mobile billboards as the trucks drive around sporting and political events.

Communications are about getting what’s from my mind to your mind with as little destruction as possible, which you know well if you are married. You need a universal translator from Star Trek so that what goes out of someone’s mouth and into the other person’s ears is in synch. Our mission is to make intelligibility in communications, whether visual or aural. Your brain tries to make things fit to its experience. You can seldom have lossless transfer of ideas.

As an HGR customer, how did you hear about HGR? What do you come here to purchase and why? 

For the deals and because it’s a one-stop shop. If you’re building a maker’s space like Dan Moore at Team Wendy and need a drill press, lathe, vacuum, etc., you can get it all in one place, save money, and keep items from going to landfills and scrapyards. HGR is full of more than just metal; they’ve made it so people can compete who couldn’t afford to buy a $200,000 spray booth. Companies may go out of business but something is still left in the ashes.

I was a customer of HGR’s founder’s prior company. I did work with Reliance Electric. One of its locations was across from that company, and I saw sign about surplus, which is my middle name. This was before the Web, and I wouldn’t have known it existed. It was serendipity, then I found out about HGR from word of mouth. We have bought electronics, lighting, lockers, carts, power supplies boxes, containers, a wire stripper, test equipment for our engineering lab, and material handling equipment. The place is full of too many cool things. For instance, I bought three skids of hardcover foam-lined cases made for ultrasound probes and found a use for them. I bought an ultrasound machine and donated it to The Cleveland Pregnancy Center. Sometimes, I buy an item because it looks cool then find a use for it later on. I seldom buy things that don’t work but if they don’t you can return them. What you guys get is eclectic; it’s like you say, you do sell everything.

In the United States, education reform has been underway since the 1990s to prepare our youth to be more globally competitive in their careers by integrating science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subject areas in the curriculum. It was felt that the U.S. has fallen behind its global counterparts in the classroom and that fewer students had been focusing on careers in these fields. As a result, the National Science Foundation coined the STEM acronym and began encouraging an implementation program in the schools, and in 2009 President Obama’s administration announced the “Educate to Innovate” campaign to inspire students to excel in STEM subjects and teachers to educate in these subjects in order to move American students from the middle of the pack to the top of the international arena. (1)

There also is an effort to attract women and minorities to STEM careers. This website has audio files of women who work in President Obama’s administration talking about their personal female heroes from STEM fields in order to encourage young women to pursue a career in the sciences.

(1) Horn, Elaine. “What is STEM education?” Livescience.com. Web. 19 April, 2016.

(Courtesy of Guest Blogger Allison Lukacsy, community projects manager, City of Euclid)

On a gorgeous late spring afternoon on June 9, 2016, the City of Euclid and the Euclid Landmarks Commission dedicated an Ohio Historical Marker at the Euclid Police Mini-Station on HGR Industrial Surplus’ property at 20001 Euclid Avenue, Euclid, Ohio, to formally recognize the site at the center of the U.S. Supreme Court case The Village of Euclid vs. Ambler Realty Co. (1926).  

Euclid v Ambler Realty is known nationally for establishing the constitutionality of zoning and land-use regulations throughout the country. The subject property consisted of roughly 68 acres of land located between Euclid Avenue and the Nickel Plate Rail Line. The site ultimately was developed for industrial purposes during World War II.

Today, the historic property is owned by HGR Industrial Surplus, which operates an industrial supply showroom and distribution center at the site. The Cuyahoga County Land Bank helped facilitate HGR’s purchase of the property through foreclosure, and now the site has a bright future, with HGR investing millions and attracting major new tenants. The site also is home to the NEO Sports Plant and the Euclid Police Mini-Station.

The dedication featured a keynote address by Paul Oyaski, former mayor of the City of Euclid, and remarks by Ohio House District 8 Representative Kent Smith and Ohio Senate District 25 Senator Kenny Yuko. In his address, Oyaski painted a picture of Northeast Ohio circa 1926 and made fascinating the details of both the local and Supreme Court cases.

In her welcome address, Mayor Kirsten Holzheimer Gail commended the Euclid Planning Commission for continuing the legacy of thoughtful planning in Euclid as well as the Landmarks Commission that helped prepare the marker application.

A representative from the Ohio History Connection delivered a proclamation to kick off the ribbon cutting by city officials, council and committee members, and representatives from the American Planning Association.

The marker purchase and dedication event were made possible through the generous support of the Ohio Chapter of the American Planning Association, the Cleveland Section of the American Planning Association, Calfee, Halter & Griswold LLP and a grant from the Ohio History Connection – Historical Markers Program.

The Euclid Historical Society and Museum, 21129 North Street, Euclid, Ohio, is a great place to visit and learn more about the Euclid v Ambler Realty case and the rich history of the City of Euclid.

Marker text:

By 1922, the Ambler Realty Company of Cleveland owned this site along with 68 acres of land between Euclid Avenue and the Nickel Plate rail line. Upon learning of the company’s plans for industrial development, the Euclid Village Council enacted a zoning code based on New York City’s building restrictions. Represented by Newton D. Baker, former Cleveland mayor and U.S. Secretary of War under Woodrow Wilson, Ambler sued the village claiming a loss of property value. In 1926, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of Euclid and upheld the constitutionality of zoning and land-use regulations by local governments. The federal government eventually acquired the Ambler site during World War II to build a factory to make aircraft engines and landing gear. From 1948 to 1992, the site was used as a production facility by the Fisher Body Division of General Motors.

On June 8, 36 baseball (and Euclid Chamber of Commerce) fans attended the chamber’s luncheon at Classic Park, 35300 Vine Street, Eastlake, Ohio, to root on the Lake County Captains. A good time was had by all as we watched them bring home a victory at 14-12 against the Lancing Lugnuts. The Captains have been a minor-league Class A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians as part of the Midwest League since 2009.