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VFW acquires Knights of Columbus building
(by Sue Reid - September 15, 2010)
VFW acquires Knights of Columbus building
By SUE REID
For the first time in over 35 years, Solon Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1863 actually will be located in Solon.
The post, which had been on Pettibone Road in Bainbridge since 1974, has purchased the Knights of Columbus building on Melbury Avenue, off of Aurora Road (Route 43) in Solon's downtown shopping district.
"The Solon VFW was at the Pettibone location since 1974, but it was in Bainbridge," post Commander Jack Tesmer, of Solon, said. "A lot of us thought it was a good idea if the Solon VFW was actually in Solon." When the possibility of purchasing the Knights of Columbus came before the post, negotiations began taking place and lasted a year, he said.
"We've been looking since June 2009 and found out the Knights were having problems, and we offered to buy their property and their building," Mr. Tesmer said.
The VFW sold its building to Parkside Church, which allowed it to stay there rent free until the end of August. The VFW purchased the Knights building with funds from that sale. The purchase price was $500,000, Mr. Tesmer said.
As part of the agreement with the Knights, the VFW will allow that group to hold its monthly meetings at no charge, he said.
Mr. Tesmer said negotiations took so long because the Knights of Columbus, like the VFW, has a membership that must reach an agreement on such decisions. "They were going back and forth with their membership," he said. "Last month, we raised our price. I don't know if that's what did it."
The move to the Knights building will be a downsizing in space for the VFW, Mr. Tesmer said.
Hopes are for the VFW to be in operation at the new building by the first or second week of October, he said. The building will house the VFW's monthly meetings. Its liquor license will transfer to the Melbury Avenue building, and the bar will continue to be open to members only on a daily basis, he said.
The other two thirds of the building will be rented out for a party center. "Because we are a private club, and we don't have a lot of income, we are going to be renting that room out," Mr. Tesmer said. The hall rental manager is Sue Doherty, who can be reached at (440) 349-1863.
Comprised of over 500 members, the Solon post is one of largest in the state, Mr. Tesmer said. Active members are from throughout the area, including Solon, Bedford, Aurora and Twinsburg, he said. Membership numbers have decreased due to the fact that the World War II and Korean War veterans are dying off, he said.
"When I became a member in 1991, we had close to 1,200 members, and right now we're at 525," said Mr. Tesmer, a Vietnam veteran who served in the U.S. Navy.
He said the VFW has two meetings a month, held at 7:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Tuesdays. The ladies auxiliary meets at 7:30 p.m. the second Tuesday.
"Now that we are in Solon, we are very accessible, and we are looking to increase membership of our veterans," Mr. Tesmer said.
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