Recordpub.com - Teardown order for Mangiamo

By Matt Fredmonsky

Record-Courier staff writer

The owners of the fire-damaged Mangiamo restaurant in Twin Lakes have until the end of September to demolish the building, which remains standing after a Memorial Day fire gutted the structure.

The three-owner partnership, known as State Route 43 Holdings, is being pressured by the county, Franklin Township, surrounding residents and business owners to raze the 19th century landmark.

Robert Wrentmore, Portage County's chief building official, issued a letter to the owners informing them of a Sept. 30 deadline for demolishing the fire damaged building.

"After my on-site inspection, I have determined the structure is unsafe ... and shall be razed within 30 days of receipt of this letter, but no later than Sept. 30," Wrentmore wrote in the Aug. 27 letter. "We are saddened by the loss of a fine restaurant such as Mangiamo and hope you can now move forward to demolition and cleanup."

The initial results of a preliminary investigation into the fire by the Kent Fire Department, Portage County Sheriff's Office and State Fire Marshal's Office concluded the fire was deliberately set by an arsonist. No one has been charged, and the investigation continues with the state fire marshal's office acting as the lead agency.

Mike Beder, a co-owner in the restaurant operation, said the lengthy investigation has kept him and fellow owners Aaron Ruggles and Dave Tribuzzo from demolishing the building.

"If it was up to us, we'd have had this place down months ago, but the investigation was still going on and there was nothing we could do about it," Beder said. "It's really more so an insurance issue, because we have some coverage in our insurance policy that covers the building being taken down."

The problem, Beder said, is the on-going investigation is keeping his insurance company from paying the owners a damage claim and demolition costs. But the lack of funds from the partnership's insurance company may no longer hold up the former eatery's demolition.

Franklin Township Trustee Mark Beckwith said the township is weighing its options for razing the building and receiving reimbursement from the owners for the cost.

"The process is slow, our zoning inspector is following the letter of the law," Beckwith said. "Initially we thought insurance was going to take care of it and that it would already be done. We're very frustrated. It's an eyesore; it's dangerous, and certainly the township doesn't want to get stuck with a large bill, but we may have to pay and then be reimbursed."

Beckwith said estimates have averaged around $30,000 for the demolition, which could take several months for the township to initiate.

Inquiries about the building's fate have trickled into township officials along with complaints about its safety and appearance. The building's remains also have become a question among patrons to the Rusty Nail, which is located on the same lot behind the Mangiamo building.

Portage County Sheriff Duane Kaley said his office initially responded to the suspected arson but is no longer investigating.

"The state fire marshal is conducting the investigation as far as that goes," he said. "Arson investigations are not easy, as you can well imagine. You're sifting through a great deal of material to try to find the cause of origin. Certainly they can be lengthy cases."

The state fire marshal's inspector in charge of the case could not be reached for comment.

Kent Fire Chief James Williams said he is not sure when the investigation will come to a conclusion because polygraphs still are being processed for the building owners to rule them out as suspects.

"Really at this point we are kind of in a holding pattern," Williams said.

16.	Posted by tellnitlikeitis September 11, 2008
	gucci, you have some very valid points however I am not very angry toward the public. What does anger me is people that do not know the law or procedures and will argue that they know everything and tell you how it's done. It is okay not to be educated on a subject or to not know a whole lot about a subject, but when that's the case you shouldn't argue that subject. It just makes you look stupid first of all.(Not you, people in general). I don't know a whole lot about chemistry so I would certainly never argue with a chemistry professor and tell them how to teach or how the atom is made up just because I watched Bill Nye the science guy on PBS. It angers me when people are so quick to bash authority and jump right on the band wagon, especially when they have no personal knowledge of the case. As far as showing my chief I would gladly. You see it's not an intollerance for the "uneducated public" its intollerance towards the "uneducated public" that think they do in fact know everything. It's okay not to know everything, who does?, and certainly no one expects us to know everything but when we are ignorant on one subject or another we should leave it alone and not second guess, contradict, and belittle the decisions that are made or the way an investigation is handled. And by all means it's okay to second guess police officers from time to time, we do make mistakes, we are human as well but please let us do our job without you telling us how to do it.

15.	Posted by gucci September 10, 2008
	tellnt.... I think you are right on all your leagal points. They are logical and sensible and factual. I have a very high regard for cops and what they represent. I respect them and have a very, very special spot in my heart for them. However, I sure hope you are not the cop that stops me someday!! I would probably get a beat down and called and A$$hole because I asked you why you stopped me. You seem extremlely angry toward the public who you should reasonably understand does not have your education, bachground and experience. My opinion (because I can give it without recieving a police beatdown) Some sensitivity and angermanagement/stress trainng could be in order. Would you show your chief some of the things you posted on here that were removed for inapproprite content? I think not. If you are a cop, which is highly likely, then I do not think you should ever wonder wonder why people are suspicious of police motives and actions. You are your own worst enemy in establishing your disdain and intollerance for the uneducated public in your writing.

14.	Posted by tellnitlikeitis September 10, 2008
	misslinda I'm not sure I understand your comment as well as I'm not sure you even do. If you are implying that any of my knowledge is based off of dramatized crime scene television then you are sadly mistaken. My knowledge is first hand, it is derived from years and years of college and continuing education courses along with countless years of experience. I do not like tv crime scene dramas because as you can see from this and similar post after one season of csi everyone is an expert in the criminal justice system and can tell us exactly what we did wrong and how our investigations should have been handled, when in reality they don't have a clue as to how we actually handle things and how things work in the real world. And then to have the nerve(cactus) to use phrases such as "please educate yourself"...hahaha ok A$$hole, I appreciate the advice. Perhaps I'll take a class on arson investigation and learn how they work(sarcasm). Good day