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SkyView Media LLC, Bay View, OH (2026)

09/04/2026

CHEEKZ BURGERS OPENS NEW SANDUSKY LOCATION
Cheekz Burgers opens its new location tomorrow at 212 Fremont Avenue, inside the former Original Margaritaville building.
The old orange exterior is gone, replaced with a bold black-and-gold look, and the setting along Cold Creek gives diners an up-close view of the waterfall.
It’s a fresh new chapter for Cheekz in one of Sandusky’s most recognizable restaurant locations.
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09/03/2026

PART 9: THE PROPERTY WAS BOUGHT. THE FINANCING WAS LINING UP. SO WHY DIDN’T CONSTRUCTION START?
By early 2023, the Tiffin Riverfront Development appeared closer to construction than it had been in years.
The revised apartment building had received city approval. Financing legislation had cleared City Council. Lenders were involved.
Then developer Eduardo Hernando took another major step.
Tiffin Riverfront Development bought the Kear property.
According to Tiffin City Council records, the property at 6 E. Market St. was purchased for $750,000 in cash, with no mortgage on the purchase itself.
Then-Law Director Brent Howard told Council that equity investors, a primary bank lender and PACE financing were involved in the larger development.
Lenders were already at the table
On Dec. 19, 2022, attorney David Rogers, representing the developer, told City Council that two financiers had presented loan options.
According to the official minutes, the developer had accepted both a senior loan term sheet and a PACE loan term sheet.
Rogers told Council that a first-quarter financial closing could allow construction to begin. He also said lenders wanted confirmation that the city would approve the PACE assessments and TIF legislation before proceeding.
Council did exactly that.
The TIF ordinance passed 7-0.
The PACE resolutions and accompanying ordinances also passed 7-0.
On paper, several major pieces appeared to be falling into place.
Then Hernando bought the site
By February 2023, the Kear property was no longer simply part of a proposal.
The developer owned it.
Howard told Council the $750,000 purchase had been a cash transaction and said additional lending information was expected soon.
At roughly the same time, the future of Kear’s Speed Shop became clear.
In March 2023, national racing publication Speed Sport reported that Kear’s was closing after 54 years and that the property was expected to become a six-story apartment development.
The project architect later described plans for retail and amenities on the first floor with five residential floors above it. Architectural Board of Review approval had already been received, and construction was at one point expected to begin in 2024.
But 2024 came and went.
The building never rose along the Sandusky River.
So what happened?
This is where the public record and Hernando’s account begin to meet.
In conversations with SkyView Media, Hernando has said the financing environment changed considerably while the development was progressing.
He said rising interest rates made financing increasingly expensive.
Hernando has also explained that PACE financing can create another difficulty because of its senior lien position, potentially requiring a conventional lender to accept a subordinate position.
Those are Hernando’s explanations. They do not establish that any one issue stopped construction.
But the public record does establish something significant:
There were lenders. There were accepted term sheets. City Council unanimously approved the requested TIF and PACE legislation. And Hernando’s company spent $750,000 in cash to buy the property.
Still, construction never started.
That changes the question surrounding this project.
It is no longer simply whether the Riverfront Development was ever a serious proposal.
Money was invested. Property was purchased. Approvals were obtained. Financing was pursued.
The question is what happened after the project reached that point.
That answer involves more than one decision, more than one person and more than one setback.
And that is where this investigation will end.
NEXT: PART 10, THE FINAL CHAPTER
After years of plans, approvals, opposition, redesigns and financing attempts, what actually held up the Tiffin Riverfront Development?
SkyView Media will put the public records alongside Hernando’s own account and separate what can be documented from what remains disputed.
Follow SkyView Media LLC and share this story with someone who has been following the Riverfront series. Part 10 will be the final chapter.
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09/02/2026

MARGARITAVILLE IS GONE IN SANDUSKY: CHEEKZ BURGERS TAKES OVER THE LANDMARK PROPERTY
For decades, Margaritaville was part of the Sandusky summer experience. The waterfall. The huge deck. Live music. Crowded nights along Cold Creek. Now, the name is disappearing from 212 Fremont Avenue.
But this property’s story goes back much further than Margaritaville.
Historical accounts trace a flour mill at this site to 1811, making it one of the older commercial sites in the Sandusky area. The mill used the steady flow of Cold Creek for power and became part of the early community of Venice.
By the mid-1900s, the mill property had become The Old Mill, a restaurant and tavern. Historical accounts say portions of the original mill were incorporated into the restaurant.
Then, in the early 1980s, the property became The Original Margaritaville.
It wasn’t part of Jimmy Buffett’s restaurant chain, but it developed an identity all its own in Sandusky. The waterfall, outdoor deck, live entertainment and summer atmosphere turned the property into a place generations of locals and visitors remember.
Now another chapter is beginning.
Cheekz Burgers has announced it is closing its downtown Sandusky location and moving into the former Margaritaville property at 212 Fremont Ave.
A ribbon cutting is scheduled for Sept. 5 at noon, with the downstairs restaurant opening at 4 p.m.
So while the Margaritaville name is disappearing, the property itself continues a pattern that goes back more than 200 years:
Flour mill. The Old Mill. Margaritaville. And now Cheekz Burgers.
What do you remember most about Margaritaville in Sandusky, Ohio?
SkyView Media will continue following changes at this historic property and throughout Sandusky and Northwest Ohio.
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09/01/2026

PART 8: “WHO WANTS A LITTLE MIAMI?” KALNOW, HUSS AND THE RIVERFRONT OPPOSITION
“Who wants a little Miami look to Tiffin?”
Andrew Kalnow wrote those words in November 2019 while urging Tiffin’s Zoning Board of Appeals to reject a nine-story version of Eduardo Hernando’s Riverfront Development.

Kalnow argued the building was too large for historic downtown. But his letter went further. He said he wanted to continue investing in Tiffin through historic renovations and projects such as the East Green, then wrote that he would “quickly lose interest” if downtown were irreparably changed by high-rise buildings or large developments he believed didn’t belong there.

That stands out because Kalnow was an existing downtown investor asking a government board to reject another developer’s proposal while discussing whether he would continue investing his own money in Tiffin.

Kalnow had already been publicly promoting his own vision for the city. In the Spring/Summer 2018 edition of the Tiffin Historic Trust’s Preservation Post, Kalnow appeared on a panel called “Riverfront and Downtown Properties: From Sad to Spectacular.” The Trust wrote that “Andrew Kalnow spoke of his vision for the future of Tiffin” and said he liked to “combine the old with the modern,” while highlighting his development work around Frost Parkway and the future East Green.

This also wasn’t the first major downtown development debate where Kalnow pushed for a different direction.

During the earlier Joint Justice Center debate, Kalnow opposed placing the new center on Courthouse Square and advocated using East Tower, a property he owned, instead. His arguments included preserving green space, historic character and downtown sight lines. A 2015 proposal even included a $500,000 contribution from Kalnow/National Machinery if the Justice Center was located at East Tower. County commissioners ultimately chose Courthouse Square.

By 2019, Hernando’s Riverfront project had become the new fight.

Months before the “little Miami” letter, Kalnow had referred to Hernando in writing as the “Miami Florida developer.” Hernando was based in Miami. Kalnow never explicitly said the later phrase was directed at Hernando because of that connection, so SkyView Media will not claim that was his intent. But the two documented statements are worth reading together.

Kalnow wasn’t alone.

John Huss also submitted written opposition to Hernando’s nine-story height variance. Huss questioned whether the additional height was necessary, whether it fit historic downtown and whether approval could establish a precedent for future tall buildings. Fred Shelt and Michael Daniel also raised concerns about portions of the proposal.

At that same hearing, Tiffin-Seneca Economic Partnership President and CEO David Zak was making nearly the opposite argument.

Zak supported Hernando’s requests and pointed directly to Tiffin’s own Downtown Strategic Growth and Development Plan, arguing that the Riverfront proposal incorporated many of the things Tiffin had already said it wanted, including housing, mixed-use development and investment along the riverfront.

The city plan did not specifically call for a nine-story building. But the contrast is hard to miss.

Tiffin had spent years encouraging riverfront redevelopment. When a developer proposed a major project there, some influential downtown voices argued it was too much.

Hernando won the 2019 vote. The Zoning Board approved the nine-story, approximately 103-foot height variance 3-1.

But the opposition continued.

In May 2022, Kalnow personally appeared before the Architectural Board of Review and again raised concerns about the apartment building’s size and scale. That version failed on a 3-3 vote, with John Huss, Jodie Reinbolt and Jessica Wirth voting no.

More discussions and revisions followed. By June, the building had been reduced to six floors and approximately 73 feet. It finally passed 5-1.

Huss was the lone no vote.

Not every Riverfront delay can be blamed on opposition. Financing, construction costs and other issues also played roles.

But the documents show opposition was part of the story. Objections continued for years, one version failed to receive approval, and the project became smaller.

Kalnow had his vision for downtown. Huss had concerns about height and precedent. Hernando had another vision, one Tiffin’s own economic-development organization argued matched many of the goals already established for the riverfront.

Somewhere between those competing visions, the Riverfront project changed.

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08/31/2026

SHADY GROVE TAX BREAK HEADS TO THIRD READING: 75% FOR 15 YEARS
FINDLAY, Ohio — A proposed 15-year, 75% property-tax abatement for the large apartment development planned at the former Shady Grove Golf Course is headed to third reading before Findlay City Council Tuesday night.
The proposal has drawn attention because it could affect how much new property-tax revenue local schools, the library and other public services receive from the development for years to come.
The Sept. 1 City Council agenda lists Resolution 033-2026 for its third reading. The resolution would approve a Community Reinvestment Area agreement between the City of Findlay, VC Links LLC and Vision Acquisitions LLC for what the city now describes as an approximately 454-unit multifamily residential development.
The proposed agreement calls for a 75% property-tax exemption on qualifying new improvements for 15 years.
That does not mean 75% of every property tax tied to the property disappears. The exemption applies to qualifying new value created by the development. Taxes would still be paid on the remaining 25% of that new value, along with property value that is not covered by the agreement.
The potential value of the incentive is still significant.
The project has previously been estimated at approximately $94.5 million in total investment. Using that amount as a benchmark, Ohio's 35% real-estate assessment ratio and current Hancock County tax rates, a SkyView Media calculation estimates the completed development could generate roughly $1.29 million per year in property taxes if the full new value were taxable.
Under a 75% exemption, roughly $965,000 per year could potentially fall within the exempted portion, leaving approximately $321,000 taxable.
If you simply carried that estimate across 15 years, the exempted amount would approach $14.5 million.
But that should not be viewed as a guaranteed final number. Construction cost does not always equal taxable market value, the project will be built in phases, tax rates can change and the Hancock County Auditor will determine the property's actual assessed value.
Who receives the property-tax money?
The property remains in the Van Buren Local School District, but the tax revenue reaches far beyond the school district.
Property taxes from the development would normally help fund Van Buren Local Schools, the Findlay-Hancock County Public Library, Hancock Park District, Hancock County government, developmental disabilities services, ADAMHS mental-health and addiction services, Agency on Aging and Children Services.
During the abatement period, those entities would receive property taxes on the portion of the qualifying new value that remains taxable rather than the full amount that would be collected without the exemption.
Exactly how much each entity could receive or forgo will depend on the final property valuation and tax rates during the life of the agreement.
That puts more behind Tuesday's vote than simply whether a developer receives a tax incentive. Council will also be deciding how much of the new property value created by this project will be taxed and how much will be exempt for the next 15 years.
The Shady Grove development has already moved through several other city approval steps.
Documents from June show 222 apartments planned for Phase 1.
The Findlay Board of Zoning Appeals approved a variance allowing 12 of those apartments to contain 355 square feet of living space instead of the city's normal 500-square-foot minimum.
The board also approved reducing required parking from two spaces per apartment to 1.75 spaces per unit.
Findlay staff supported both requests.
Now the tax agreement moves to the front of the discussion.
Resolution 033-2026 is officially listed for third reading at the Tuesday, Sept. 1 Findlay City Council meeting. Council could vote on the agreement that night, although members could also table it or delay action.
For residents watching the Shady Grove project, Tuesday's question is straightforward:
Should 75% of the qualifying new property value be exempt from property taxes for 15 years?
SkyView Media will continue following the Shady Grove development and Tuesday night's City Council action, bringing you the records, numbers and facts behind the decision.
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08/30/2026

BECOME PART OF SKYVIEW MEDIA
SkyView Media has always been about more than simply posting what I see. It’s about finding the answers people are asking for, showing you places from a perspective you normally don’t get to see, and following stories that matter to our communities.
Now I want to bring you even closer to that process.
SkyView Media memberships are now available for $4.99 a month through Facebook Subscriptions.
As a member, you’ll get exclusive drone photos and videos, behind-the-scenes updates, early looks at stories I’m working on and something I think is even more important: a stronger voice in what SkyView does next.
Have a property you want to see from the air? A construction project you’re curious about? A local question you think deserves an answer? A place with a story that hasn’t been told?
Tell me.
Members will have opportunities to suggest stories, ask questions, share ideas and help influence where the drone flies and what SkyView investigates next.
I’ve already started adding exclusive content to the Subscriber Hub, so there’s something waiting for the first members who join.
And nothing is being taken away from everyone else. SkyView Media’s regular news, videos and local reporting will remain free. This is not a paywall.
Membership is simply a way to get closer to the work, support independent local reporting and become a more active part of SkyView Media.
You’re not just following SkyView. You’re helping shape where SkyView goes next.
Look for the Subscribe button at the top of the SkyView Media page to become a member.
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08/29/2026

WHAT DO YOU WANT SKYVIEW MEDIA TO LOOK INTO NEXT?
This Saturday evening, I’m turning the page over to you.
Is there something happening around town you want answers about? It doesn’t have to be in Tiffin. Maybe there’s a property, construction project, development, business location, or piece of land you’ve been wondering about.
Is there a place you’d like to see filmed from the drone?
Have a question about city government, public spending, development plans, or something you’ve heard but can’t get a straight answer on?
Put your ideas and questions in the comments.
SkyView Media will take a look, dig into the records when necessary, ask the questions, and bring you the factual information we can verify.
That’s what this page is about. Your concerns. Your questions. Your input. Facts you can use.
SkyView Media has built a reputation for finding local developments early and bringing them directly to you, often before they appear anywhere else. No rumors passed off as facts. No political spin. Just an effort to find out what’s really happening in the communities around us.
Some of the best SkyView Media stories have started with a simple question from a reader. Your question could be the next one.
Follow SkyView Media, like the page, and share this post so we can hear from more people across Northwest Ohio.
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08/28/2026

OAK HARBOR’S RAILROAD BRIDGE ONCE SWUNG OPEN
The railroad bridge crossing the Portage River in Oak Harbor has a feature many people may never have noticed.
Wheeling & Lake Erie railroad records list the bridge as being built in 1918 and describe its main section as a 150-foot manually operated swing span. The center portion could rotate horizontally to allow boats to pass through the river.
The large center base still visible beneath the bridge once supported the pivot that allowed the entire center span to swing open for passing boats.
That movable design made sense at the time. Before railroads became dominant, the Portage River was an important commercial route for Oak Harbor, with multiple vessels sometimes docked in town at the same time.
The Smithsonian even has railroad photographs of this bridge dating back to the 1930s.
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08/27/2026

PART 7: THE FIRST MAJOR RIVERFRONT FIGHT
The first major public fight over Tiffin’s Riverfront project wasn’t about financing, parking or apartments. It was about whether the Kear’s building should come down at all.
On July 2, 2019, developer Eduardo Hernando went before Tiffin’s Architectural Board of Review seeking approval to demolish the Kear’s Speed Shop property at 8 E. Market St.
Hernando viewed the property as a critical piece of the larger River Walk development. Connecting the Kear’s site with surrounding riverfront property would allow the project to include residential development, a hotel, green space, walking paths and other uses along the river.
But the demolition request quickly became the first significant public test for the project.
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BUILDING
Several concerns were raised during the July 2 meeting.
Among them were the historical value of the Kear’s property, whether complete demolition was necessary, the absence of an independent engineering report on the building’s condition and what demolition could do to the adjoining river wall.
The building did have history.
Portions of the property dated to the early 1900s and had been used over the decades for a livery, automobile sales and service, dealerships and auto-related businesses before becoming Kear’s Speed Shop.
Hernando took a different view of the structure itself.
He maintained that the building was not historically significant enough to preserve, was not structurally sound and could not practically be incorporated into the new Riverfront development.
There was also a question about whether demolishing the building could affect Tiffin’s Main Street status.
Downtown Main Street Manager Amy Reinhart told the board it would not, because the property was outside the Downtown Historic District.
Tiffin-Seneca Economic Partnership President and CEO David Zak also submitted support for the demolition and Riverfront proposal, pointing to the city’s earlier development plans and the recently completed housing study.
THEN ANDREW KALNOW ENTERED THE DEBATE
Andrew Kalnow submitted a written letter raising concerns about the project and its potential effect on development already underway elsewhere in downtown Tiffin.
Kalnow did not argue that Kear’s should never be demolished.
Instead, he said he could support tearing down part or all of the building “only on an entirely conditional basis.”
His proposed conditions included proof that the Riverfront project was fully funded, construction deadlines and necessary repairs to the river wall.
The Architectural Board of Review did not approve or reject the demolition that day.
Instead, the board tabled the request so members could inspect the exterior of the building.
According to a Tiffin Historic Trust account of the proceedings, board members viewed the outside of the property following the meeting but were not given permission to inspect the interior.
One week later, they met again.
JULY 9: DEMOLITION APPROVED
When the ABR reconvened July 9, members of the public and board were again given an opportunity to comment.
The board then approved a Certificate of Appropriateness allowing full demolition of the Kear’s building.
The vote was 5-1, with Lisa Swickard voting against approval.
But the approval came with conditions.
The project had to secure sufficient financing and receive approval of its proposed design plans before demolition could occur. City Engineer Matt Watson also outlined additional steps that had to be completed as the development moved forward.
So the record is clear on one point:
Hernando received permission to demolish Kear’s in July 2019.
He did not receive permission to immediately knock the building down regardless of what happened next.
The approval was tied to the larger project moving forward.
A NORMAL REVIEW OR THE BEGINNING OF SOMETHING LARGER?
Looking back on the Riverfront process today, Hernando believes the repeated objections and approval battles became part of a larger pattern.
In a recent conversation with SkyView Media, he said he believes a series of events surrounding the project contributed to “delays” and “obstruction.”
That is Hernando’s interpretation of what happened over the years.
The board raised questions that fall within the type of issues architectural and preservation boards are expected to consider. The Riverfront project was also ultimately granted the demolition approval Hernando requested only one week after the first meeting.
But July 2019 establishes something that becomes increasingly important from this point forward.
Formal opposition to Hernando’s Riverfront plans had begun.
Kalnow was now submitting written conditions.
Preservation concerns were being raised.
The river wall was part of the discussion.
And the project was entering a city approval process that would continue for years.
Was the Kear’s review simply normal scrutiny of an old downtown property?
Or was this the first sign of the much larger battle that was coming?
The next parts of this series will provide a lot more evidence to consider.
NEXT: THE ARGUMENT GETS BIGGER
The dispute would soon move beyond whether an old building should be demolished.
The next fight would center on what Hernando wanted to put in its place, including the height and scale of the Riverfront development.
And that is where some of the strongest written opposition to the project appears.
SkyView Media LLC will continue examining the documents, meeting records and direct accounts from the people involved in the Tiffin Riverfront Development.
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