Cleveland, OH
Residences at 700 in Former United Church of Christ Building Downtown Set to Begin Construction After Receiving State Tax Credit
Mark Oprea
With funding secured, construction of the Residences at 700 will begin, K&D said, in October.
Prospect Avenue downtown is about to seem a little less quiet.
On Wednesday, K&D Development, the owners of the property once home to the United Church of Christ, announced that they received a $4 million Ohio State Historic Preservation Tax Credit. That money will cap off K&D’s fundraising push for what’s a $46 million conversion from offices into apartments. It was one of 11 Northeast Ohio projects that received awards this week.
The reactivation of the Electric Building will bring some 120 apartments into the eight-story building, previously home to a collection of office spaces. Construction is slated to begin in October.
That $4 million, K&D spokesperson Aaron Price told Scene, should allow the Residences to keep its rents at so-called market-rate. Namely, one-beds and studios starting at $1,200 and “focused on downtown workers.”
Such a tax credit “allows us to get the price down a lot,” Price said Wednesday. “We’re not really doing anything that’s like ultra luxury, so that’s cool.”
The Residences’ greenlight, as Price framed it, will help to activate a street in Cleveland’s Gateway District that’s had its highs and lows over the past half decade.
In October of 2021, the Winking Lizard’s Gateway spot shuttered, citing pandemic-era staffing issues and unsuitable rents; in late 2023, the Fitworks gym across the way went. And the May Co. Building down the block has struggled to fill its ground-floor retail since its rehab wrapped up in 2020.
Last summer, Geraci’s Restaurant opened up a throwback Slice Shop across the street, with great fanfare and nighttime hours, though hours have turned sporadic this year.
The 124-year-old Electric Building, recognizable for its fiery-red brick facade and tall dark windows overlooking the sidewalk, will also be host to, Price confirmed, an “elevated sports bar concept” that K&D and broker CBRE will wrap up with a deal in mid-July. Price hinted the restaurant is a “national chain” that “will make downtowners happy.” (And “not another BW3,” he joked.)
Despite relatively rough economic headwinds, Downtown Cleveland has seen its share of developmental triumphs in the past two, three years.
The Residences at 700 will join surrounding complexes turning vacant or unused century-old buildings into white-walled towers touting city living—from the City Club Apartments off Euclid Avenue, to the Ten60 Bolivar near Progressive Field, The Bell in the idled Cleveland One Center and hundreds of new units (mostly for theater workers) at the Bulkley Building in Playhouse Square.
And just on Tuesday, the idling Rose Building, once home to Medical Mutual, was put on the conversion train as well. Developers Spark GHC announced their intentions to rehab one of Downtown’s first office buildings into a mixed-use complex of apartments, hotel rooms and a long-awaited retail space.
The Residences at 700, Price said, will see its first tenants move in next spring.
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CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – The Cleveland Division of Fire was dispatched to a structure fire Monday evening.
According to Cleveland Fire, crews responded to the 3300 block of E 134th Street.
Two adults were transported by Cleveland EMS to MetroHealth in stable condition for evaluation after inhaling smoke.
The fire is currently under investigation, Cleveland Fire said, and the Fire Investigation Unit personnel remain on scene.
The estimated total damage is $85,000 and it also damaged a neighboring home due to radiant heat exposure.
Cleveland Fire said the American Red Cross was requested to assist the five adults and one child displaced from the fire.
Copyright 2026 WOIO. All rights reserved.
Cleveland, OH
Northeast Ohio task force arrests 13 in sex-buying sting tied to trafficking crackdown
LORAIN COUNTY, Ohio (WOIO) – The Lorain County Sheriff’s Office shared Saturday morning that task force partners engaged in the statewide Operation Spring Cleaning during the week of May 11.
The Huron County Sheriff’s Office, the Erie County Sheriff’s Office, Ashland County Sheriff’s Office and the Lorain County Sheriff’s Office (HEAL) participating in the state-wide operation to actively combat sex trafficking by focusing on illicit massage parlors offering sexual activity for sale.
RELATED COVERAGE: More than 100 people arrested in statewide human trafficking sting, including Cleveland firefighter
During the statewide operation, 122 suspects were arrested with 13 of them being local. Four survivors of sex trafficking were also rescued.
During the week, the human trafficking task force executed a search warrant at King Me Massage Parlor at 35111 Royalton Road in Eaton Township.
The sheriff’s office said the search warrant executed was part of an ongoing multi-state investigation into the parlor for illegal activity.
Money was seized, several women were interviewed and victims were referred for services. The business was closed by HEAL and the investigation is ongoing.
The women were brought to the U.S. under a ruse they would be part of a work-study program to obtain higher education degrees, but instead, they were forced into an illicit sex trade operation involving multiple massage parlors across the country.
The HEAL task force provided the victims with temporary housing and means to be reunited with their families in their home countries.
Additionally, the sheriff’s office said the task force carried out another operation on Friday at various locations around Lorain County, which focused on the exploitation of human victims forced to engage in commercial sex acts.
Stark County Human Trafficking Task Force arrests 9 in local sting
During the operation, investigators arrested 13 individuals who were allegedly seeking to engage in commercial sexual activity with adults and minors.
The men arrested (starting from the top left to right) are:
- Forest Gullet, of Grafton: Procuring use of premises for prostitution
- Joshua Deblasis, of Parma: Trafficking of persons – commercial sex acts
- Luke Ilersich, of Cleveland: Procuring use of premises for prostitution
- Brent Mitchell, of Elyria: Procuring use of premises for prostitution
- Jeffery Buckhannon, of Elyria: Engaging in prostitution
- Bo Dunigan, of Parma: Engaging in prostitution
- Shamar Malik Lucky, of Elyria: Procuring use of premises for prostitution
- Terry Paugh, of North Olmsted: Procuring, soliciting prostitution
- Veli Lavikka, of Rocky River: Procuring use of premises for prostitution
- Matthew Hoke, of Tiffin: Engaging in prostitution
- Ronald Morgan, of Cleveland: Engaging in prostitution
- Vincent Digennaro, of Elyria: Engaging in prostitution
- Labar E Kittleberger, of Avon: Procuring use of premises for prostitution
All the suspects were transported to the Lorain County Sheriff’s Office where they were charged.
In addition to the arrests, investigators seized two firearms from individuals encountered during the operation. The presence of firearms underscores the dangers associated with these illicit transactions, the sheriff’s office said.
Of significant interest, investigators rescued a 43-year-old woman originally from Lorain County who had been trafficked into illicit sex-for-hire operation in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The victim was brought to Lorain County, not to return home, but to continue to be engaged in forced sexual activity for hire, the sheriff’s office said.
She was recovered by investigators at a local hotel, and is being provided humanitarian and legal services.
Lorain County Sheriff Jack Hall praised the efforts of HEAL on social media, and thanked all of the agencies who were involved.
The investigations remains ongoing, the sheriff’s office said.
Anyone with information regarding human trafficking or suspicious activity in Huron, Erie, Ashland or Lorain County is encouraged to contact the HEAL Human Trafficking Task Force at (440) 284-0615, Inspector Coll at (440) 329-3861, or Agent Aviles at (440) 329-3850.
Copyright 2026 WOIO. All rights reserved.
CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – The Cleveland Division of Police is asking for the public’s help in locating a missing man Saturday.
Calvin Bostick was reported missing Thursday and last seen in the 5600 block of Linwood Avenue.
Police say Bostick is autistic but able to work.
Bostick is 22 years old, 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighs 154 pounds.
He has black hair and brown eyes.
The individual who reported Bostick’s disappearance said she dropped him off at his job on the 11400 block of Bellflower at 9:25 a.m. and hasn’t seen him since.
The reporter believes there is a chance Bostick will come home because his belongings are there.
Anyone with information on Bostick’s whereabouts is encouraged to contact the Cleveland Police Third District at (216) 623-5300 or (216) 621-1234
Copyright 2026 WOIO. All rights reserved.
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