Pre-Civil War structure razed in historic district

by Dan Holland

A structure originally built as a home in 1854, located at 3930 Broadview Rd., in the Richfield Village Historic District, was razed on Dec. 22. Over the years, the building, located next to Richfield Auto Center, served as a sawmill, cider mill, grain mill, basket factory, antique shop and coffee shop.

A covered front porch and side and rear additions were added to the building over time, which was built on stilts and featured large double-front entrance doors, according to Linda Fleming, president of the Richfield Historical Society. 

“It was built on stilts so that a farmer could back up his wagon or truck, and whatever they were going to mill, they could carry through those double doors,” explained Fleming. “It was reduced to a single door during the 1950s but the original doorframe could still be seen.”

A small Gulf gas station, owned by the Pedigo family, once stood next door to the building.

Fleming said the milling operations could be heard throughout the town center.

“Max White ran the mill, and you could hear it running all over town on Saturday mornings. It was wood, cider and grain, as there were eight orchards here at one time,” she said. “After the mill closed, it was a basket factory where they would make bushel baskets, peck baskets and half bushel baskets that were made of thin pieces of oak, I believe.”

An antique business set up shop at the locale in the late 1950s, Fleming noted.

“It housed an antique shop starting around 1959,” said Fleming. “Later on, Cousin’s Corners, owned by Sally Gerbasi – which had been located at Route 303 and Brecksville Road – moved there in 2001 and offered antiques, gifts and coffee.”

The “antique store” – as it was referred to – was one of the stops on the “History of Richfield Walking Tours” sponsored by the Richfield Historical Society. 

In 2011, The Richfield Town Trust gave the property owner, Michael Gerbasi, a $7,500 grant to make improvements to the building, as it had been left untended for several years. Gerbasi repaired the roof but did no other repairs to the building and never re-opened it.  

Over time broken windows could be seen from the roadway, portending water damage to the interior. 

Gerbasi, who owns the brick building on the corner of routes 303 and 176, sold the property to his brother, Steven, in 2022. 

According to Richfield Village Planning and Zoning Director Brian Frantz, the village approached the owner multiple times about property maintenance, which ultimately resulted in a court filing that led to the demolition.

Property owner Steven Gerbasi was granted approval by the planning commission in October 2025 to demolish the building. During the meeting, Gerbasi did not convey any specific plans to redevelop the property. He agreed to grade and seed the .19-acre lot following demolition.

In response to an email inquiry, Steven and Sharon Gerbasi told The Richfield Times that the property was acquired for an anticipated expansion of L’unico Bridal, currently located at 4663 W. Streetsboro Rd., which is owned and managed by the Gerbasi’s daughter, Jillian Bujnak. A timeline for the building project is yet to be determined, said Steven Gerbasi.

Mayor Michael Wheeler said the village worked with the owner to try to save the building, but it was in bad shape when he bought it. Fleming, a lifelong resident and renowned historian, expressed concern over structures in the historic district being taken down. “It’s a pity to take down everything in the historic district, as you could see evidence of the old days as part of our town walk,” she said. “The center of town seems to be endangered with the way they’re taking down things in the district.” 

Photo caption: A building in the Richfield Historic District that dated back to pre-Civil War days was razed in January. Read about its history when Richfield was just in its first half-century. Photos courtesy of Richfield Historical Society and by S. Serdinak.