I was a typical rehabber, like so many builders who do a few houses and then quit the business, said Lurie.
Community groups can be a vital link to the city and neighborhood residents.
Now, I couldn t imagine operating without a CDC as my partner. Lurie formed his company, Rysar Properties, shortly after the failure of his family s business, where he had been employed since graduating from college. Although he knew little about house renovation, a friend approached him about buying and rehabilitating two dilapidated houses on Cleveland s East Side. They didn t make much money and the partnership dissolved, leaving Lurie to contemplate whether he wanted to continue in the business. It was a difficult start, said Lurie.