Billow Beach History (unfinished)

 

Billow Beach Ashtabula, OH is a small cottage community on the sorth shore of Lake Erie, home to twenty nine summer and year around property owners and there families and friends.

The original deed came as a piece of vacant land consisting of about 4 acres and lying north of Lake Road and south of the shoreline of lake erie at its high water mark as delineated in 1912. The original deed was granted to Claudine B. Hubbard and Anna M. Uline as a simple legal description for the entire tract that existed prior to the survey know as the Hubbard and Uline Plat recorded in Volume 7, Page 10 of the Ashtabula County Plat records. The Plat was recorded in 1915 and lots sold off in the allotment over the course of the next 15 years. Besides the original lots shown on the plat, additional acreage was added to the north of lot 28; to the north of Lot 2; to the south of Lot 19; and, to the south of Lot 18. The southerly boundaries of the latter two lots approach what use to be the ravine on the property.

In the case law involving easements, there are two catagories of easements that should apply to Billow Beach. One class of easements are known as "easements by necessity" and the other class as "easements by implication". In order for Ms. Hubbard and Ms. Uline to sell lots on the northerly end of the allotment, they must have authorized people to cross the remainder of the land from the public highway in order to have access. The same scenario applies to lots 30 through 36 on the east side of the allotment.

Based on these principles of law and the fact that a parcel of land is not permitted by law to be landlocked without access to a public highway, the implication is that there is an easement that exists that permits everyone to go to and from Lake Road.

In the deed from Anna M. Paine fka Anna M. Uline to Pauline L. 'Hommedieu in 1944 the language at the end of the first paragraph of the description: "...excepting therefrom the driveways to the lot owners in the Hubbard and Uline Plat as they are now established." It apperas that Pauline L. 'Hommedieu originated the restaurant on the acreage that lies west and south of the Hubbard and Uline Plat. The deed from Mrs. Paine is a clear indication that there are easements to access the entire development. All the deeds in the allotment contain the same right to cross the parkway north of the allotment to the beach and lake. The parkway is the strip of land between the top of the slope and the northerly line of lots 28, 29, 1 and 2 (extended).

(excerpted from Attorney Douglas Neuman email 6/9/2009)

 

Lou's Billow Beach (unfinished)

 

A deed is tranferred from Pauline L. 'Hommedieu to Louis and Helen Dehelian in 1952. On the second page in the first full paragraph it states "...giving and granting unto the Grantee, her heirs and assigns, the right to use three (3) private drives shown on the recorded Plat of the Hubbard and Uline Plat for access to the beach of Lake Erie, together with the right to use the so-called parkway and beach for recreational purposes. Said parkway and beach being on the land shown on said recorded plat lying between the sublot in said plat and the waterline of Lake Erie." This deed is consistant with the concept of an easement by necessity or an easement by implication. The deed transers the gross acreage lying west and south of the platted lots where the restaurant is located and it gives this owner the right to cross the platted and unplatted roads and parkway to reach Lake Erie.

 

SAYBROOK TOWNSHIP - - The building is locked, there are no signs of life and Valentine's Day decorations can still be seen through the dark windows of Lou's Billow Beach. Although there are no postings indicating the restaurant's closure, a community landmark seems to have met it's demise. The Star Beacon received reports that employees were given their final paychecks Monday and told the restaurant was closing. The lake-front hot spot is co-owned by Gib Shanley and Rich Phinney. Shanley, a Cleveland sports personality, could not be reached for comment Thursday and Phinney's phone number is no longer in service. As the restaurant's closing happened rather abruptly and without notice, customers are concerned about gift certificates they purchased and whether their money will be refunded. The restaurant ran a promotion during the Christmas season giving customers a $10 gift certificate when they purchased $50 in gift certificates. The restaurant's existence dates back to at least the early 1950s. In 1964, then owner Louis DeHelian, who had owned the establishment for 12 years prior, expanded the restaurant to include a bar and renovated the upstairs to accommodate large parties. DeHelian also changed the name of the restaurant from Lou's Billow Beach to Lou's Stagecoach when it re-opened after the renovations were complete, according to Star Beacon files. The name was changed back to Lou's Billow Beach when Tracy Coates took over ownership in the late 1980s or early 1990s. Saybrook Township trustees were very surprised to hear of the restaurant's closing. "It's a big loss for the township," said Norm Jepson. "It's a historical restaurant that's been in the township for as long as I can remember." Jepson said it is unfortunate to see any business leave the area and it came as a great surprise that a long-standing restaurant of it's quality was closing. He said he had not heard if the restaurant was struggling financially. "The area is great for development with the new condos and housing developments going in," Jepson said. "Hopefully it won't be vacant for long." Trustee Peggy Carlo said Lou's Billow Beach was kind of a hot-spot known for it's good service and good food. "If it truly closed it will be greatly missed by the township and the people who went there," she said. "It was always packed in the summer and winter months." Carlo said she thinks the restaurant was a big draw because it was on the lake. "It was just a great place," she said. (By permission of Star Beacon 2/25/07)

 

Lou's Billow Beach II

 

SAYBROOK TOWNSHIP — The purchase of Lou’s Billow Beach, 5205 Lake Road W., may be in the final stages as the Saybrook Township trustees voted Tuesday night, during their regular meeting, not to stand in the way of the purchaser obtaining a liquor license. “Ed Dunlap is in the process of purchasing Lou’s Hospitality Corp. (Lou’s Billow Beach) and has three issues to resolve first,” said Chairman Robert Brobst. “He has to get zoning cleared for a restaurant at the property, and that will be resolved at a May 8th meeting; he needs to obtain a liquor permit, and we just voted not to impose a hearing or stand in the way; and he wants to also purchase the house in the back of the property,” he said. On Feb. 18, 2007, Lou’s Billow Beach, a once-very-popular restaurant and bar, closed without notice. It was co-owned by Gib Shanley, a Cleveland Sports personality, and Rich Phinney, according to reports.

“Mr. Dunlap’s plans include completely gutting and remodeling the inside, but the outside will have the same appearance, just re-done,” Brobst said. “He also plans to tear down the house in the back to enlarge the parking lot, to lessen liability of people having to walk across the street from the other parking lot south of Lake Road,” said Trustee Jane Hawn-Jackson. “That parking lot is planned for the restaurant staff.” It is Mr. Dunlap’s intention to open a restaurant, said Trustee Norman Jepson.

In other business, trustees: n Examined and discussed proposed plans for renovations and expansion to Saybrook Fire Station No. 2, 4986 Carpenter Road. The township hopes to apply for the grants necessary to be able to staff the station and have fire equipment housed there, better to meet the needs of the township. (By permission of Ellen Kolman of Star Beacon 4/14/10)

 

Lou’s Billow Beach, 5205 Lake Road W., will not return to its glory days as a popular area restaurant, but the property will be renovated to possibly house other businesses. “We are not going ahead with the plan to re-open the restaurant,” said Jeff Staats, of Painesville, who is the project manager for Ed Dunlap of Pittsburgh, the owner of the Lou’s Billow Beach property.

“In light of the present economy, Mr. Dunlap has decided to fix up the outside so it looks nice and market the inside for possible offices,” Staats said. Saybrook Township Chairman Robert Brobst said he spoke to Dunlap and the restaurant will not re-open because of the poor economy. “He told me he is closing two of his restaurants in the Pittsburgh area and that stand alone restaurants are not doing well,” Brobst said. “This project is a $3 million investment for him and I can’t blame him for that decision.”

“Does Saybrook lose? Yes. I always believed business brings in more businesses, but he is the one investing the money,” he said.

Dunlap purchased Lou’s Hospitality Corp. (Lou’s Billow Beach) in May. The building and the surrounding property make up of about two acres, Staats said. On Feb. 18, 2007, Lou’s Billow Beach, restaurant and bar, closed without notice. It was co-owned by Gib Shanley, a Cleveland Sports personality, and Rich Phinney, according to reports. (By permissio of Ellen Kolman for Star Beacon 12/2/10)

 

 It’s two years in the making, but Lou’s Billow Beach at 5205 Lake Road W., will be reopening in mid-May.

New owners Harry Glitz and Ed Dunlap say servers, cooks, hosts, bartenders, bussers and dishwashers have been hired, landscaping, structural work and decorating have been done at 50-year establishment, if you don’t count the time the eatery abruptly closed in early 2007. Giltz of Canton teamed up with his long-time friend, Dunlap, a former Ashtabula resident. Glitz said that they have been working on the building and property for about two years. During the restoration, the owners said they had great cooperation with the township and helpful input from local residents. Several changes have been made to the appearance of Lou’s Billow Beach. The new interior décor highlights Lake Erie and Ashtabula Harbor. The outdoor patio/bar has a Key West motif. Glitz said Mike Crislip, president of Herschman Architects in Cleveland, did the architectural work. Crislip is a former Saybrook Township resident. Giltz said that the complete food and beverage menu will be available when dining inside or alfresco. The restaurant/bar will feature casual dining with a family oriented atmosphere. The moderately priced menu will include seafood, steaks and cocktails.

In 1964, the former owner, Louis DeHelian, added a bar to Lou’s Billow Beach and remodeled the upstairs to accommodate large parties. The restaurant was renamed Lou's Stagecoach when it re-opened after the renovations. The name was changed back to Lou's Billow Beach when Tracy Coates took over ownership, about 20 years later. It was more recently co-owned by the late Gib Shanley, a Cleveland television sports personality, and Rich Phinney. (By permission of Lori Panelli of the Star Beacon 5/7/2013)