WILLOUGHBY, OH — The owner of Shoregate Towers in Willowick was sentenced Tuesday to community service and probation for a slew of code violations after the complex's parking garage collapsed during severe weather last year.
News 5 is committed to following through on the stories impacting your communities. We first told you about Shoregate Towers in Willowick in August of 2023 when the parking garage collapsed. Since then, we’ve been back several times after hearing a slew of complaints from residents.
We don’t just report the initial story—we follow through to its conclusion. Read and watch our previous reporting on this story below and see more stories that we've followed through on here.
The owner, Lemma Getachew, was sentenced after being on trial for a laundry list of building code violations.
He was sentenced to community service and three years probation.
The trial was not about the collapse but about the complaints that came in from renters afterward.
People who lived there complained about rats, piles of trash, unsafe balconies, and broken elevators.
In addition to community service and probation, Getachew also received a $1000 fine and was ordered to pay court costs.
If the building problems persist, he could face additional fines and even jail time.
Watch: Shoregate Towers owner on trial for building code violations
