The City of Cleveland is taking bold steps to address the significant need for affordable housing by implementing innovative construction methods that prioritize speed Among these efforts is a new initiative focused on modular housing which involves constructing major components of homes in a controlled factory setting Modular housing offers a faster and more cost-effective alternative to traditional construction methods—without compromising on quality. According to a report from the National Housing Crisis Task Force (NHCTF) a bipartisan coalition working to identify and scale innovations in housing production and preservation modular construction has the potential to reduce residential construction costs by up to 30 percent and accelerate construction timelines by up to half.  In December 2024, the City of Cleveland, in collaboration with the Site Readiness for Good Jobs Fund (SRF), issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) to modular home manufacturers from across the country and around the world The goal of the RFP was to attract a manufacturer to establish a modular housing facility right here in Cleveland.  “Every Clevelander deserves access to safe affordable housing—and we're not going to let a tough development environment slow us down,” said Mayor Justin M “By embracing modular construction and working hand-in-hand with our residents smarter way to deliver homes and strengthen neighborhoods This is about building homes and building community at the same time.”  the City is partnering with Greater Cleveland Habitat for Humanity to install six homes this fall in the Buckeye and Clark-Fulton neighborhoods and some will be built with another innovative technology- structural panels that are constructed in a factory and assembled onsite These pilot placements will help city officials evaluate which modular or panelized designs and processes best serve Cleveland’s specific housing needs.  Community engagement has been a driving force behind this initiative In addition to funding the construction of these pilot homes with ARPA funding Ward 14 Councilwoman Jasmin Santana has played a key leadership role creating meaningful opportunities for residents to actively shape the project Through consistent outreach and collaboration she has ensured that community voices are not only heard but directly influence the planning and design of the modular homes coming to Clark-Fulton this fall.  “The response from residents has been very positive People are excited not just about the new homes but about being part of the process,” said Councilwoman Santana “This pilot shows what’s possible when we engage the community early and often—when neighbors feel heard The City expects to select a modular or panelized home manufacturer by the end of 2025 with production scaling up in the first quarter of 2026 This initiative not only addresses urgent housing needs but also supports economic development by activating thousands of vacant residential lots and creating new manufacturing jobs.  Cleveland’s investment in modular housing marks a significant step forward in reimagining how the city builds—and sustains—affordable high-quality housing for the future.  Cleveland City Council TV20 Watch Now 601 Lakeside Ave, Room 227    Cleveland, Ohio 44114 216.664.2000 MayorBibb@clevelandohio.gov Monday - Friday    9 AM to 4:30 PM         Privacy Policy  Sitemap By browsing our website, you consent to our privacy policy and the use of website cookies By Avery WilliamsPublished: Jan 2025 at 11:40 AM ESTEmail This LinkShare on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInCLEVELAND Ohio (WOIO) - Cleveland detectives are seeking tips about a suspect wanted for an assault in the city’s Clark-Fulton neighborhood Investigators say the person pictured below was involved in a felonious assault on Jan in the area of Clark Avenue and West 32nd Street and they are turning to the public for assistance in finding them Anyone with information is asked to contact Cleveland Police Second District Detective Dziuba at 216-623-2706 Nestled on Cleveland’s West Side, the Clark-Fulton neighborhood plays host to a vibrant Hispanic community, making it the perfect home for CentroVilla25 CentroVilla25 isn’t just a place to shop and dine—it’s a cultural hub designed to cultivate community celebrate heritage and create new opportunities for the people who call this neighborhood home.  director of the law school’s Community Development Clinic (CDC).  “Zeke saw a news story about work that we did for a similar organization and reached out to the clinic for help,” said Rossman and we’re now on the third team of students working with CentroVilla25.”  Clinic students work with a high level of autonomy and communicating with the CentroVilla25 representatives independently one such student working with CentroVilla25 this academic year “We have access to a ton of information that past teams in the clinic have worked on,” she explains “We even did a run-through of the initial client meeting with Professor Rossman We were really well-prepared for the work we would be doing This due diligence helped Cromwell and fellow intern Xavier Pei understand the project’s goals before making contact with their clients.  “We spent the fall semester working on the property tax exemption application,” Pei said “Most of the work is looking historically at prior applications or using statutes in case law to justify each section of the application A lot of our work involved condensing research into shortened memos The client is very busy and doesn’t always have time to review 10 pages of legal research so we had to work hard to cut that down to a three paragraph email For the law students involved in CentroVilla25—which consists of 13 different parcels that were acquired and consolidated—there’s been no shortage of work to be done.  “The students had to trace how [the parcels] were deeded to the organization and why each qualified for a charitable use exception from local property taxes,” Rossman explained “That process can be really complicated with a multipurpose space like this; at the same time it is a tremendous opportunity to learn about the care lawyers devote in assembling a strong application to a government agency.” “Every question on the application leads to subsequent questions and each subsequent question requires more research.”  Despite the complicated nature of the application Cromwell and Pei were able to submit it in late December just a few weeks after CentroVilla25 held its soft opening After their first visit to the construction site in September the students were invited to visit the partially opened space in January.  “We’ve been able to actually see the project come to life in a very tangible way,” Cromwell said “The space is gorgeous and the vendors are amazing try a street corn taco from Flying Pig and sample empanadas from Tumbao58.” CentroVilla25 was designed to emulate the vibrant streets of Puerto Rico bringing life and color to the streets of Clark-Fulton a perfumery and boutiques alongside a variety of cuisine offerings While they aim to completely open by summer the space is already hosting events and courses for small business owners and many of the vendors are open for business.   Cromwell and Pei are continuing their work with the space in the spring semester with Pei now undertaking a commercial kitchen agreement and Cromwell helping them obtain licenses.  “I’ve made such great personal connections with the people involved in CentroVilla25,” Pei reflected “I am proud to be representing them and I want others to see what a great space it is.” “It’s really beautiful that this community in Cleveland now has a space where they can showcase their culture and heritage,” Cromwell said “It’s going to be a pillar for the community as a whole.”  Interested in participating in a research study Looking for an upcoming event in your department Subscribe to The Daily Items that appear in the Community Postings section are submitted by visitors Posts are reviewed to ensure they are appropriate for our audience but typically are not edited by University Marketing and Communications Case Western Reserve University is committed to academic freedom and promoting diversity of thought The views of those who speak on our campus do not necessarily reflect the views of the university administration or any other segment of the university community On the ground floor at the northwest corner of the Northern Ohio Blanket Mills is the proposed location for a Neighborhood Family Practice community health center It is the third and largest commercial tenant for the former textile factory which opened this year with 60 low-income apartments on the second and third floors (Iryna Tkachenko) Although the new clinic will offer a variety of primary health care services to all one of its specialties will be for providing pre- and postnatal care That is reflected in the amount of space proposed to accommodate those services according to plans submitted to the city yesterday by design firm Dimit Architects LLC of Lakewood It isn’t yet clear if this center will be in addition to the seven clinics NFP already has or if it will be a relocation “We are proud to already be serving the midwifery and primary care needs of the Clark-Fulton community at our existing sites,” said Kimberly Kowalski marketing and public relations manager at NFP we are always exploring options to better serve our patients.” Plans for the Northern Ohio Blanket Mills site show several public venues in the future community health center Upon entering the center from the parking lot on the west side of the building lobby and children’s play area to the left To the right will be a 730-square-foot centering classroom for approximately 30 people Centering classes are a model of prenatal care that involves groups of pregnant women meeting together for prenatal and postnatal visits The groups are supported by a prenatal provider such care is offered under the auspices of the nonprofit Centering Healthcare Institute of Boston Four ground-floor commercial spaces at the Northern Ohio Blanket Mill are shown here with the planned space for the Neighborhood Family Practice’s community health center shown in red and marked with a red star (Dimit) Next to the centering classroom will be a 1,300-square-foot community center with enough room for at least 36 people to gather and sit at tables In the midst of 20 exam rooms are planned two nurses’ stations vaccine administration space and laboratory Midwives provide instructions on many aspects of childbearing Rounding out the floor plan is a break room for about 32 people Total cost of improvements are estimated at $2.54 million to build out a 14,506-square-foot commercial space on the ground floor of the Northern Ohio Blanket Mills according to Dimit’s building permit application submitted to Cleveland’s Building Department It is the largest commercial space among the four offered at the former factory built from 1889-1895 to make woolen horse blankets and carriage robes Listed on the National Register of Historic Places the 112,000-square-foot textile factory had its upper floors converted to 60 low-income apartments by Levin Group of Cleveland and the Metro West Community Development Organization for $35 million A clinic had been considered for the site for a long time When the current project was getting started in 2016 and tax credits were being sought by Levin Group from the Ohio Housing Finance Agency a spokesperson for the developer said the commercial space would be “ideal for a neighborhood health clinic.” The seven existing community health centers operated by Neighborhood Family Practice are shown here The NFP clinic shown at West 117th Street will move west down Lorain Avenue to West 130th Street in the coming months (Google) The move will expand access to primary care Vincent Charity Community Health Center on East 22nd Street The practice has 22,000 patients and has been growing a lot in the past decade fueled by the Affordable Care Act and the expansion of Medicaid NFP opened its fourth community health center in Cleveland’s Bellaire-Puritas neighborhood in 2014 and it its fifth in 2015 at West 117th and Lorain NFP began offering dental services at its Ridge Community Health Center and moved to a larger location in Bellaire-Puritas A 2019 merger with North Coast Health in Lakewood led to the establishment of NFP’s sixth location North Coast Community Health Center at 16110 Detroit Ave Only one ground-floor commercial space remains available at the Northern Ohio Blanket Mills — a 7,300 square feet of loft-style While the new health clinic would be on the northwest side of the Northern Ohio Blanket Mill this 2021 rendering shows the south side of the complex which has 60 low-income apartments (Dimit) Metro West will also be one of the building’s ground-floor commercial tenants even though it is moving from just a few hundred feet away at its current home at the Lin Omni Square which was built as part of the blanket mills It will be leasing 3,208 square feet and investing $336,840 to build out the space for its new offices according to plans filed in June with the city Its offices will look out onto Paris Avenue which has 15 spaces of on-street parking Another 12 spaces of on-street parking are on West 33rd Street There are 104 spaces of off-street parking divided among two lots At roughly the same time as Metro West’s filing another incoming tenant submitted plans to locate in the Northern Ohio Blanket Mills development Little Steps Bilingual Enrichment Center will lease 7,950 square feet at the L-shaped building’s east end It will invest about $914,250 to build out its space according to a separate permit application filed with the city Little Steps is currently located at 4732 Lorain Ave but is pulling up stakes to make way for a mixed-use redevelopment by Forest City Shuffleboard owner and developer Jim Miketo chief executive director of the Spanish American Committee which operates Little Steps cautioned that there is still much work to be done before a move can happen The future of our Website depends on revenue from our readers Friday, January 17, 2025 – Cleveland – Today, the City of Cleveland is pleased to announce the selection of Pennrose, LLC to lead the redevelopment of the McCafferty Health Center site This redevelopment will help address a growing need for affordable housing in the Ohio City neighborhood The 19,000-square-foot McCafferty Health Center building with approximately 25 percent of the space occupied by the Cleveland Department of Public Health The relocation of the public health center services offers a unique opportunity for reinvestment in the 1.3-acre site on Lorain Avenue—a thriving commercial corridor in Cleveland’s Ohio City neighborhood “Ohio City has seen a lot of market rate and ‘luxury rental’ development in recent years,” said Trudy Andrzejewski Cleveland's Bureau Chief for Neighborhood Revitalization so does the need to increase the focus on affordable housing especially for Clevelanders on fixed incomes A thriving neighborhood balances growth with preservation and a big part of that is keeping longtime residents who built the community within the community.” LLC’s project vision includes a proposed 72-unit senior affordable housing development with space for non-profit organizations on the ground floor The project will pursue 9% Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) from the Ohio Housing Finance Agency Pennrose will partner with area community development corporation to co-own and co-manage the new development and the local community to help achieve a shared vision of high-quality affordable housing in the Ohio City neighborhood,” said Geoff Milz “The Lorain Avenue redevelopment will create a tremendous housing opportunity for local seniors complete with easy access to public transportation Transforming this city-owned site to meet the neighborhood’s affordable housing needs has long been a part of Councilman Kerry McCormack’s vision and Ohio City’s Strategic Plan. This initiative is further supported by the Cleveland 2030 Housing Equity Plan and national studies that validate the need for affordable housing due to the rising number of households that pay high percentages of their income toward housing costs To ensure this redevelopment is place-based and rooted in community voice and the City of Cleveland have continued the model of community engagement laid forth prior to and during the RFQ process last year hosted a community engagement event at the Urban Community School during which Pennrose LLC’s development team shared their project vision and solicited feedback and questions from Ohio City community members In addition to meeting directly with Block Clubs in the area Pennrose and OCI plan to hold another community engagement event on February 10 at 6 p.m "We are extremely grateful for the leadership of Mayor Bibb and Councilman McCormack to prioritize affordable housing for the reuse of McCafferty Health Clinic." said Ben Trimble "We look forward to continuing to work with our Ohio City neighbors and Pennrose on planning these new high-quality affordable homes with a commitment to equity that suits the history of service of this important site." “The Blanket Mills building is a project that I’ve been passionate about since I first joined the Council,” said Ward 14 Councilwoman Jasmin Santana “Bringing the Cleveland Department of Public Health to our neighborhood will be a great addition to this historic building and will benefit our community along with the other partners on the first floor.”   A rendering for an early phase in the multi-building Hub 27 development at the north end of Cleveland’s Clark-Fulton neighborhood named after the streets Barber-Vega-Queen in that area (BDCL) There’s an underutilized 50-acre area on Cleveland’s near-West Side dubbed the BVQ District Tremont and the La Villa Hispana section of Clark-Fulton BVQ has been walled off from that activity by Interstate 90 and the Red Line tracks with up to 400 mostly affordable housing units among a half-dozen apartment buildings already in the planning pipeline Not bad for a triangular-shaped district that few people have ever heard of and has largely been neglected until the waning days of the 2010s Even fewer people know why it’s called the BVQ District That’s an acronym for three avenues in this enclave — Barber Cleveland developer Ben Beckman called his 2019 remake of the J And another development followed for a lower-end of the market That 68-unit transitional housing property was opened in 2020 by Front Steps Housing and Services to get out of the way of the now-under construction Irishtown Bend Park Originally, Hub 27 was to be a market-rate development with ground-floor retail including a potential grocery store But after the city reduced its tax abatement incentives in hot neighborhoods to try to redirect investor interest to less fortunate ones the site’s market-rate developers dropped the project low-income and affordable housing developers stepped in three phases of Hub 27 offering 200 apartments total have been disclosed but more are in the works senior vice president of development-Midwest Region Developing the site with Pivotal is the Metro West Community Development Organization Ground-floor retail is no longer proposed in Hub 27 Pivotal and Metro West announced a $22 million building this past week via its application for Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) from the Ohio Housing Finance Agency (OHFA) It will be a five-story building for general occupation including families 10 will be three-bed suites and 15 are to be two-bedroom units Another phase, a 69-unit workforce apartment building with a $23.15 million price tag, was first submitted to OHFA for LIHTC funding last year as a 53-unit building. Its unit count was expanded and received a preliminary LIHTC award 25 two-bedroom units and nine three-bedroom suites a $20.7 million senior affordable apartment building sought in partnership with St was also first proposed as a 53-unit project It was bumped up to a 64-unit property for residents ages 55 years and older It is still seeking a LIHTC award from OHFA Crews cleaned up the Hub 27 development site in 2022 the site was home to the Walworth Run Foundry Co. an iron-making industry at the north end of West 27th Street Many manhole covers still visible in Cleveland streets were made here (KJP) No site plan for Hub 27 has been released publicly Schwiegeraht said the workforce building will go through the city’s design-review process this spring BDCL Architects of West Chester will design Hub 27 OH will build it and Pivotal will manage the properties when finished “We hope to close (on financing for the first building) and start construction in summer of 2025,” he said “Units will be available by fall of 2026 We will apply for additional funding in 2025 to complete the other phases.” A surprising change to the proposed land uses in BVQ District appeared in OHFA filings this past week OH revealed that it is seeking LIHTC funding for a $19.65 million 60-apartment refugee housing development called Depot Lofts at 30th It is proposed to be located at 3119 Train Ave That’s the same address where Sixth City Glazing of North Royalton proposed to replace an abandoned junkyard with a $3 million, 23,000-square-foot window manufacturing facility Sixth City co-owners Alex Euse and Rob Strickland bought the 1.9-acre property in 2022 for $250,000 “We were moving forward and things were looking wonderful for us there,” Euse said “It wasn’t anything bad that happened we realized it wasn’t enough.” A conceptual rendering for the Depot Lofts at 30th This refugee resettlement housing is proposed by a Central Ohio developer to rise at the southwest corner of West 30th Street and Train Avenue in the BVQ District (RDL) Sixth City Glazing is moving in July into an existing building at 6600 Clement Ave in Cleveland’s Slavic Village neighborhood their new home will be more than double the size of what they had sought on Train Avenue It comes with the price of minor interior renovations to the building’s offices Euse said neither he nor Strickland tried to find a buyer for the Train Avenue site The owners didn’t even list the site for sale It shows why the BVQ District is suddenly so popular — but apparently not with local developers “I think for that area that’s a very good sign,” Euse said of the unsolicited interest “There was a lot of out-of-state interest This (buyer Wallick) was the only one in Ohio who reached out to us We threw feelers out to local developers but didn’t get much of a response.” “The project design will offer one three-story congregate building,” wrote Jimmy McCune vice president of development at Wallick in a Feb he noted that “Wallick will be partnering with The May Dugan Center in an effort to provide needed affordable housing to working refugees and their families.” But there is at least one local developer interested in the BVQ District — the one who started the renaissance here has plans to do more than just sit on his success of developing the BVQ Lofts private homes were demolished on Barber Avenue in Cleveland’s Clark-Fulton for Seaton Woods’ Joy Court development This is just west of the BVQ Lofts seen in the distance that was delivered by the same developer in 2019 and started the redevelopment of the BVQ District (Google) The largest of these plans is Beckman’s Joy Court development and demolished structures for a new 100- to 120-unit apartment building plus for-sale townhomes He also envisions a future multifamily building on Vega south of the BVQ Lofts the Joy Court project will move into some preliminary designs and a neighborhood charrette,” Beckman said in December he said he had no updates to share on that project yet Beckman said he wants to invest here because of the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority’s (GCRTA) pending $50 million MetroHealth Line project GCRTA officials said they plan to finish design work in 2025 and pending the availability of federal funding start construction in 2026 on the 4-mile bus rapid transit project along West 25th from Detroit Avenue in Ohio City to downtown Old Brooklyn Another potential redevelopment site, this one at the west end of the BVQ District, is back on the market. The former Leisy Brewery property is a 5-acre parcel just east of Fulton Road and includes some historic structures left over from the 19th century brewery Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInCLEVELAND Ohio (WOIO) - A man is in critical condition after a motorcycle accident involving another vehicle on Fulton Road near the Cleveland Police’s 2nd District The man in his 40s was taken to MetroHealth Hospital Check back with 19 News for the latest on this story a proposed 52-unit affordable housing development for seniors is planned on a vacant lot on Clark Avenue next to a Rally’s fast-food restaurant at Fulton Road City planners said they hoped the project will lead more although few developments have been economically feasible here in recent years (RDL) A planned affordable senior housing development at 3517 Walton Ave in Cleveland’s Clark-Fulton neighborhood won universal praise Friday from the City Planning Commission the commission considered it a potential game-changer for the neighborhood and especially Clark Avenue which in this growing La Villa Hispana community is lined with car-centric land use patterns One of the first things that makes this 52-unit apartment building on Clark different is that its vehicular entrance isn’t proposed to be on Clark Reducing the number of curb cuts on Clark — a haven of fast-food restaurants all with curb cuts and parking lots by the street — is seen by the commission as essential to improving that street’s walkability and urbanity like it once had five former residential parcels in the 3500 block of Clark that were vacated over the last 30 years were proposed to be developed in 2022 with a Taco Bell The 1-acre site has become home to a parked boat-on-trailer that has sat there for five years next to a Rally’s at the Clark-Fulton intersection That fast-food joint was built on the site of Zannoni’s Food Service Distributors that was lured by tax abatement to North Ridgeville in 2007 “It’s an extraordinary project,” said City Planning Commission Chair Lillian Kuri It could honestly change the game once built for what will come after it and how people are going to feel about that intersection.” also was very supportive of seeing the site redeveloped with affordable senior housing said City Planning Director Joyce Pan Huang Some of the comments from the neighborhood panel urged more landscaping by the entrance additional glazing on the southwest side and brightening the materials Next step for the design is to go back to planning commission for a final review shows how the driveway from Walton Avenue with 18 parking spaces along it would go behind the Dollar General on Fulton Road and into the senior housing development on Clark Avenue This image was rotated 90 degrees from the original to adjust to this Web site’s format Some of the labeling was also rotated for clarity (RDL) this is going to set the bar and change people’s perspective about what people could imagine I do love that the driveway is off Walton because I think a curb cut on Clark is just more of the same,” Kuri added The driveway to the Walton Apartments would have 18 parking spaces along it But it would also require demolition of a vacant house on the site That property is owned by the Cuyahoga Land Bank The parcels on Clark are owned by E&J Investment Properties an affiliate of the Serrat family of Westlake which owns the neighboring Rally’s property plus the Marathon gas station across Clark WI has purchase agreements pending with the land owners and would develop the site Völker’s managing director of development for the Midwest region is overseeing the project He told the planning commission he has some history with that site “The project is very near and dear to my heart,” Baron said “I previously worked for Metro West (Community Development Organization) for about five or six years (2010-16) So I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about the potential of this site Fast forward to this year (when) we were successful in receiving an allocation of Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC).” Völker won conditional approval in May from the Ohio Housing Finance Agency for a highly coveted and competitive 9 percent LIHTC that would subsidize about 70 percent of the Walton Apartments’ $15.9 million development cost Völker will team up with Marous Brothers Construction of Willoughby to build the project of the proposed Walton Apartments and its context to nearby buildings are visible in this slide from the Völker/RDL presentation given Friday to the City Planning Commission The commission enthusiastically approved the preliminary design with few conditions (RDL) said the proposed apartment building’s placement and layout seeks to restore some of the former street wall of buildings that once made this neighborhood safe and accessible for pedestrians and transit users is placed next to the sidewalk and its first-floor residential amenities will be located toward the front of the building along Clark to give it more of a street presence “Looking at the front elevation (along Clark) with this massing we’re using a different color different texture to kind of break up the massing,” Hung said you see that recess and the recess of the entry to highlight that (entrance).” Plans show the west façade will feature fibercement lap siding with corrugated metal siding near the windows and especially along the first floor Utility brick would be used on the eastern half of the façade would have some of those same materials albeit with greater use of vinyl siding The difficulty in delivering on the city’s desire for more affordable housing and density along and near Clark is evident. So far, only one such development has been achieved in recent years — the Northern Ohio Blanket Mill renovation The 60-unit apartment building over ground-floor commercial spaces required a $1 million direct cash infusion from the city to bring it across the finish line earlier this year Two other projects fronting Clark have been elusive despite their sponsorship by reputable developers One was Marous’ conversion of the former Pilsener Brewing Co The Community Builders sought to construct a new 50-unit apartment complex called Alta Villa Flats on 1 acre of mostly vacant land at the northwest corner of Clark and West 32nd Street Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application He was born to Joseph Myron and Annie Sue Fulton Clark on August 10 Clark was a well-known businessman and resident of Stuart He graduated from Stuart High School and Randolph-Macon College He proudly served in the United States Army spending most of his tour in Germany and then served in the reserves several years thereafter he was preceded in death by his sister Barbara Clark Baughan.  Victoria “Vicki” Clark Baker of Roanoke A memorial service will be held on Thursday A visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at the funeral home memorial contributions may be made to the Stuart Rotary Club Scholarship Fund at P.O Online condolences may be made by visiting www.moodyfuneralservice.com Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors CLEVELAND — It's been almost one year since ground was broken on CentroVilla25 turning a vacant warehouse into a cultural hub in the heart of Cleveland’s Clark Fulton neighborhood There’s a possibility the doors will open by this fall Dayana Pizarro gives her customers a taste of home “There's Dominican and Puerto Rican in this way even flavored it's not as spicy and all that stuff her reach will go beyond the walls of her current shop in Broadview Heights to the heart of the Clark Fulton neighborhood in CentroVilla25 CentroVilla25 has been years in the making from the digital prints to the groundbreaking Now it’s hard to miss the colorful painted 32,000 square foot warehouse shining down West 25th Street “It's intended to be a place where culture and community meet and engage and celebrate the rich Latino history and culture right here in our city,” said Jenice Contreras the president and CEO of Northeast Ohio’s Hispanic Center for Economic Development Major progress is underway inside the building where they’ll have indoor and outdoor event spaces a commercial kitchen as well as multiple business opportunities “There will 20 micro retailers in the kiosks spaces pizza shop or bar operator,” said Contreras Contreras hopes to see Northeast Ohio’s rich Latin community come together I think that's something anyone that leaves their country of origin always longed for as well as really celebrating the culture and the vibrancy of our community,” said Contreras People like Pizarro can finally experience a place of their own here in Cleveland to be with all my Latino community all together getting together and offering them our appetizer food and all this stuff,” said Pizzaro CentroVilla25 could be fully running by the end of the year Fulton County Director of Public Works David Clark talks with Joe Petrie about major improvements at Fulton County Executive Airport and how they're preparing to serve an influx of travelers for the 2026 World Cup.  the City of Cleveland announced funding for seven public art and place-making projects to bolster artists and strengthen neighborhoods News 5 first reported on the transformative arts fund in January “it's an opportunity for artist to partner with corporations Color shot out of a can and paint dabbled onto a bush is part of Ariel Vergez’s calling "For me art is like breathing,” Vergez said His project is one of seven awarded between $300,000 and nearly $500,000 each to bring their talents and work in various mediums to public space across the city’s diverse neighborhoods “It's like hey- how can we start bringing in beauty so that you know the people in that neighborhood can feel pride and being there,” Vergez said His project includes creating several sculptures murals and an arts center in the Clark-Fulton neighborhood “The mural that I think encapsulates the vision of the neighborhood is this sunflower with a spine attached to it,” Vergez said “The sunflower itself follows the sun… follows the light So it's that idea that we can be like the sunflower and have our focus on the light always.” Perseverance is part of LaTecia Delores Wilson Stone’s testimony "I am a former resident of CMHA (Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority) housing and I did not know how much theater could change my life,” she said “And then I got exposed to it at Cleveland School of the Arts." Her plan is to develop an immersive theater program in the Central/Fairfax neighborhood “Ultimately immersive theater consists of audience members coming in and they are taking a role in the production,” Wilson Stone said Productions will work with residents from Outhwaite Homes and students and families connected to East Technical High School to tell their life experiences “And within those stories we will blend them together so that we create a true reflection of the community and what they have for their needs and things that we should bring attention to the to the wider community,” Wilson Stone said "Highlighting the beauty- the beauty of the resilience within the community.” Wilson Stone said the entire process thus far has been emotional "Just honoring my journey and my path and knowing that committing to the arts did reward me in a way that I never would have imagined," Wilson-Stone said "I cannot say thank you enough to the transformative arts fund." Brown said there is excitement across Cleveland for the upcoming projects She wants the transformative arts fund to inspire residents businesses and organizations to support arts in the city “Creating a project in communities and doing the work that they have presented is not only going to transform them it's going to transform the entire ecosystem,” Brown said Brown discussing her upbringing in the arts The city said it received 103 applications that were vetted by the Transformative Arts Fund Committee The city provided the following information on awardees MEET THE AWARDEESThe following seven projects have received initial notifications of funding that are contingent upon execution of final grant agreements 9314 Sophia Ave: A Choreographed Deconstruction and Performed Maintenance of the Built EnvironmentLead Artist: Malena GrigoliInstitutional Partner: Redhouse studioNeighborhood(s): WoodhillMedium(s): Architecture Artist + Design Project Recycling a HouseFunding Amount: $364,000 Portals of KnowingLead Artist: LaTecia Delores Wilson StoneInstitutional Partner: Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing AuthorityNeighborhood(s): CentralMedium(s): Immersive TheaterFunding Amount: $312,185 For Those Who Call Here Home: Transforming Asia Town with an Outdoor Community Space—Lead Artist: Jordan WongInstitutional Partner: The Sculpture CenterNeighborhood(s): St Clair/SuperiorMedium(s): Place-Making – Fabricated Installations and SculptureFunding Amount: $449,750 Phoenix Project: Murals to Uplift the Human SpiritLead Artist: Ariel VergezInstitutional Partner: Metro West Community Development OrganizationNeighborhood(s): Clark-FultonMedium(s): Artist Renaissance – Live Garden Murals and Handmade SculpturesFunding Amount: $393,700 All My Babies Birthing the AfrofutureLead Artist: Jameelah RahmanInstitutional Partner: Cleveland Clinic—Langston Hughes CenterNeighborhood(s): FairfaxMedium(s): Immersive Interdisciplinary Arts ExperiencesFunding Amount: $482,125 IMPART216: Breathing Creativity into CommunityLead Artist: Robin RobinsonInstitutional Partner: IngenuityNeighborhoods: Mt and CentralMedium(s): Mural Making and Breath WorkFunding Amount: $393,397 For Art's Sake® – Empowering Diverse Creatives Our City & the YouthLead Artist: Kumar AroraInstitutional Partner: Campus DistrictNeighborhoods: Hough University CircleMedium(s): Festivals & Activations Music A private home was demolished earlier this year on Barber Avenue in Cleveland’s Clark-Fulton just east of the BVQ Lofts seen in the distance that was delivered by the same developer five years ago Now the developer is turning his attention to a new construction project on the vacant land on the north side of Barber west of West 25th Street and south of Train Avenue (Google) An early indicator of an emerging real estate development is to see a request for unused public rights of way to be vacated Another is a mass of properties being acquired by the same company in the same area Yet another is to see decaying structures in that area be demolished All three of those conditions are occurring on Barber Avenue at West 30th Street where Cleveland’s Ohio City neighborhood meets Clark-Fulton As Ohio City increasingly lacks land north of the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority’s (GCRTA) Red Line to affordably redevelop developers are looking to adjoining areas where they can invest One of those areas is south of the tracks and the parallel Red Line Greenway trail But he’s had his eye on a couple of follow-on projects nearby — one is a small multifamily project on Vega Avenue The other is a mixed development of perhaps a dozen for-sale townhouses and a potential 100- to 120-unit multifamily building And while this is all still very preliminary In the BVQ (Barber-Vega-Queen) section of Clark-Fulton two potential development sites are highlighted in red while Seaton Woods’ BVQ Lofts are highlighted in blue (Google-KJP) For a long time, he has been acquiring properties north of Barber and west of West 30th for a potential townhome development those parcels amount to nearly 2 acres of land — a large piece of urban land Recently he put them all under the name of Joy Court Fee Owner LLC and under the development charge of his Seaton Woods Ventures LLC That’s where two former alleys would be vacated and absorbed by their adjacent property owners City Planning Commission voted last month to support vacating the pair of public rights of way — Joy Court and Day Alley Beckman said he would also like to develop a 0.24-acre parcel he acquired five years ago as Vega Zone Assembly LLC at 2802 Vega Ave. He considers that part of what he calls the BVQ (Barber-Vega-Queen) neighborhood “We are still working on preliminary land assembly for the Joy Court project so plans are highly contingent at the moment,” Beckman said “The overarching goal of my business is to create population density by providing new or renovated unsubsidized middle-income housing along major transit corridors to support mass transit and public education.” A remake of the West 25th Street corridor with bus rapid transit is what has encouraged Seaton Woods to increase its investment along this corridor This view looks north on West 25th Street from Interstate 90 and Vega Avenue (Google) Beckman said he wants to invest here because of GCRTA’s pending $50 million MetroHealth Line project GCRTA officials said they plan to finish design work in 2025 and start construction in 2026 on the 4-mile bus rapid transit project along West 25th Street from Detroit Avenue in Ohio City to downtown Old Brooklyn More than half of the funding for that project has been raised but additional federal funds are needed for GCRTA to reach its goal GCRTA will rebuild West 25th with a new streetscape improved waiting environments for bus passengers and traffic signal prioritization for buses to speed up transit trips “We are excited about the impact of those improvements on the BVQ neighborhood,” Beckman said Beckman has been encouraged by the leasing at his BVQ Lofts which offers middle-income apartments close to restaurants He said the market has room for more housing in this enclave Looking north on West 30th Street toward the intersection of Barber Avenue BVQ Lofts is on the right while the Joy Courts townhome site is just beyond Barber and to the left of West 30th (Google) “The Joy Court project will build on Seaton Woods’s completed BVQ Lofts building at 2801 Barber Avenue and our upcoming add-on multifamily project,” he said “We hope to have a for-sale and a rental component to the project both focused on our target middle-income demographic.” He said he’s pretty much done with property acquisitions to move forward and has conducted land clearance and site prep work That includes taking down the last house in the development site “We are always open to opportunities but conceive of the project as being bounded by both Barber and West 30th Street,” Beckman said “All structures on land we own were demolished in Spring 2024 the Joy Court project will move into some preliminary designs and a neighborhood charrette.” Look for more details on this project in the coming months including how and where to participate in the design charrette You are using an outdated browser. Upgrade your browser today or install Google Chrome Frame to better experience this site The FHAct50 Building Opportunity Fund was named in honor of the 50th anniversary of the Fair Housing Act This fund was designed to build mixed-income neighborhoods by developing affordable housing in areas seeing a rise in market rate housing The Opportunity Fund provided Ohio's three largest cities with dollars to target substantial investment into a single neighborhood in order to counteract the decrease in affordable housing supply the Clark-Fulton neighborhood will see three new housing developments The city of Cleveland received $3 million in housing tax credits Cleveland leaders then determined which projects would receive this funding and the developers of the respective projects would have to submit a final application to OHFA for final review and credit allocation Cleveland approved three total projects for this purpose: Northern Ohio Blanket Mill MetroHealth Gateway and the Arch at Saint Michael Northern Ohio Blanket Mill is being developed by the Levin Group The site involves the historic preservation of what previously was one of the world’s largest manufacturing centers of woolen horse blankets and carriage robes and historical preservation is an important part of Cleveland’s FHAct50 funding decisions Northern Ohio Blanket Mill will include 60 multifamily housing units ranging from one to three-bedrooms A key feature of this development will be the supportive services provided to residents and the local community early childhood education and job training services These services will be accessible on the first floor of the building MetroHealth North is one part of a larger development of the MetroHealth campus transformation located on the corner of West 25th and Sackett Ave This project is being developed by Cleveland-based NRP group NRP is partnering with CCH Development Corporation which was formed under the directive of the MetroHealth system to provide real estate development services to the Clark-Fulton neighborhood surrounding the hospital MetroHealth North will include 72 units of affordable housing aimed at families Economic Opportunity Center for job training and other community services including a Tri-C access center in partnership with Cuyahoga Community College these services will be accessible to the residents of MetroHealth North and the community The Arch at Saint Michaels is the last and final project approved by Cleveland for the FHAct50 program and will be submitted to OHFA for final approval in August 2021 CHN Housing Partners will be the developer to preserve the historic school building and convent This Victorian Gothic-style building was built in 1906 and will be repurposed into a senior independent living community with 46 income-restricted one and two-bedroom apartments Residents will enjoy multiple common areas including community rooms and a wellness center Each development should be open by the end of 2023 providing much needed affordable housing in the Clark-Fulton neighborhood on the west side of Cleveland Columbus and Cincinnati developed their own target area plans to determine which neighborhoods would receive similar investment Metro West Community Development Organization and The MetroHealth System announced the completion of a public art project that splashed vivid colors across Cleveland’s Clark-Fulton neighborhood with a collection of murals and other artwork celebrating the vibrant culture and rich heritage of the people who live there The project engaged local artists to create nine murals and a series of pole banners to be positioned in high-visibility locations and community gathering spaces Wayfinding stencil kits also were designed and distributed to residents and businesses for use throughout the neighborhood The $235,000 project was funded by MetroHealth and LAND studio and is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts Coordinators sought input from Clark-Fulton residents and business owners throughout the project’s planning process The resulting artwork is a display of the neighborhood’s pride in its Latinx identity and provides a distinctive sense of place “This artwork reflects the neighborhood,” said Greg Zucca MetroHealth’s Executive Director of Community Transformation people drive through the neighborhood down West 25th Street or down Fulton Road and most don’t really know about the richness of the people and the culture that exists here The artwork is a way to celebrate and honor the people who live here Associate Director of Metro West Community Development Organization said the project also promises to have a positive economic impact on the Clark-Fulton neighborhood “We believe this project will activate underutilized spaces improve the conditions of our commercial corridors and foster an environment that is welcoming and uses art to accentuate liveliness and economic value,’’ he said pride and community and hang along streets throughout the neighborhood The Clark-Fulton Wayfinding Stencil Kits were designed by Jen Craun to give residents a chance to have a hand in creating temporary art installations “Public art is a critical tool in community building and instilling pride and a sense of belonging for residents,” said Greg Peckham “But it’s important that the community itself has a say in the medium The work spans an array of themes and styles and a neighborhood art committee and other neighborhood stakeholders helped us develop a theme of hope and resilience welcoming brightness and color and inclusivity.” The murals of various local artists can be seen on buildings and in park spaces along West 25th Street Director of MetroHealth Center for Arts in Health to be completed at the Vía Sana housing development at a future date Project coordinators also are developing ideas for an art installation featuring the repurposed steeple from St Nicholas Belarusian Orthodox Church as part of the transformation of MetroHealth’s main campus Additional support for the Clark-Fulton Public Art Project comes through the MetroHealth Foundation, the Cleveland Foundation’s Creative Fusion Program and Cuyahoga Arts and Culture. To watch a video about the project, click here CLEVELAND - A vibrant Clark-Fulton that embraces current neighborhood residents strengthens and creates new community places and designations and attracts new residents and businesses are the key tenets of a master plan that is the first-ever developed for this diverse near west side Cleveland neighborhood the Cleveland Planning Commission will convene in the Clark-Fulton neighborhood in the Pivot Center for Art Dance and Expression at 2937 West 25th Street to review and adopt the Clark Fulton Together Plan This represents the culmination of an unprecedented two-year collaboration of residents Five partnering organizations collaborated with neighborhood stakeholders to create the Clark-Fulton Together Neighborhood Plan A community engagement process was launched just months before the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted business as usual creative and resolute in adjusting plans on how to receive meaningful public engagement Metro West Community Development Organization The MetroHealth System and Cleveland Foundation are committed to continuing those conversations even after the plan is approved to ensure the plan’s vision meets the needs of the neighborhood and becomes a lived reality “This blueprint is the brainchild of many dedicated public private and nonprofit professionals to empower residents,” said Councilwoman Santana “I would like to thank the folks who have put their thoughts and passions into this project Collaborative leadership is an important part of community building The stakeholders may not have all agreed on everything but we shared the vision of a higher quality of life for residents and home owners.“ “Creating places where people can live and well-connected environment are the basics of any community; however opportunity is not equally distributed across communities due to past policies systems and unfair practices,’’ said Freddy Collier will require additional supports to right the wrongs of the past by ensuring that residents have access to the resources and amenities needed to lead a healthy life The Clark-Fulton Together Neighborhood Plan embraces community desires and it will serve as the playbook for creating opportunity and equity in the community.” Executive Director of Metro West Community Development said the plan “represents a culmination of over two years of work in collaboration and community leaders have charted a new path for our community We have laid the foundation for a more equitable and inclusive community and we look forward to continue building together.” “The residents of Clark-Fulton have led a bold exciting roadmap to shape the future of their community,’’ he said “A neighborhood’s social and economic conditions can have more impact than doctors and hospitals to the health of its people This master plan will help to build a vibrant community that can improve the lives and circumstances of those who live there MetroHealth is committed to continuing our efforts to make a meaningful impact on the neighborhood by improving the social determinants of health.” The master plan highlights what it calls “Catalyst Sites” new business and new community connectivity The new MetroHealth Park along West 25th will be a key addition to Clark-Fulton and would provide a series of public “rooms’’ along the main park trail All rooms would have the potential to accommodate seasonal events like markets as well as permanent facilities such as a playground The Master Plan Core Team applauds the Clark-Fulton Together Community Ambassadors for their dedication to both the plan and the community President of the Jones Home Neighborhood Association; Rhonda Jones Vice President of the West 73rd Stockyard Community Coalition; Ebonie Joiner and Julie Miragliotta co-founders of the Brooklyn Centre Community Group; and Yomarie Gonzalez Community Development Program Assistant and Prayer Leader for Building Hope in The City The ambassadors went through extensive training in 2020 and 2021 CEO of the Cleveland Foundation noted that “For more than 100 years the Cleveland Foundation has served as a friend convener and thought partner to neighborhoods across the city but the vision and collaboration seen here has been unprecedented This body of work and its associated learnings will inform the foundation’s engagement in the Clark-Fulton neighborhood and serve as an accountability measure for future collaborations.” The plan will also serve as a tool to prioritize and align the implementation of key ongoing and planned investment initiatives focused on Clark-Fulton over the next several years After an extensive review of proposals received from urban master planning firms Roberts and Todd (WRT) was selected to create the master plan based in part on their understanding and commitment to executing the partners’ vision for a culturally competent On the heels of the approval of the first master plan in the history of Cleveland’s Clark-Fulton neighborhood Cleveland is now home to the newest certified EcoDistrict in the nation and the first anywhere that is anchored by a hospital The Clark-Fulton/MetroHealth EcoDistrict is the first certified in the state and one of only four in the country The MetroHealth System began the process of certification in 2018 in collaboration with the City of Cleveland the Metro West Community Development Organization and the Cleveland Foundation – the same core group that led the master planning process Together the team aligned the plan and the EcoDistricts certification process to create a bold and long-term vision to improve the health and lives of its neighbors by addressing the complex and intertwined issues of neighborhood conditions EcoDistricts are a tool for creating comprehensive measurable change at the neighborhood level and present a unique way to integrate health equity into planning EcoDistricts are a new and higher urban planning standard being used by urban and community development leaders worldwide EcoDistricts strengthen cities or neighborhoods with development that promotes equity and sustainability. The districts consider social and cultural issues to ensure that growth doesn't compromise the quality of life for existing and future generations It is a method of development that leverages the collective impact of many partners and stakeholders to safeguard that development reflects the voice and needs of community residents “The Clark-Fulton/MetroHealth EcoDistrict is a game-changer and a dynamic and authentic community-driven partnership to spark long-term equitable and sustainable development,’’ said Rob Bennett “Given the unprecedented investment in hospital and healthcare campus redevelopment throughout the U.S. MetroHealth is an inspiration for other healthcare systems to follow." Akram Boutros said: “Living a healthy life is so much more than just having medical care Where we live -- the zip codes that we are born into – shape our opportunities and our health throughout our lives and access to economic opportunity can have more of an impact than doctors and hospitals." Some of the key elements of the MetroHealth/Clark-Fulton EcoDistrict that will shape future urban planning efforts include: · Equity – access to education · Food – access to grocers that sell healthy food · Mobility – improved access to jobs and amenities The first significant step of the EcoDistricts process was a declaration of collaboration by stakeholders that resulted in the Clark-Fulton Together Master Plan the first-ever comprehensive master plan for the neighborhood Recently approved by Cleveland's Planning Commission the master plan proposes many visionary long-range projects The plan seeks to strengthen community places and mixed-use corridors build new ones without displacing residents and provide equitable access to the internet MetroHealth and the City of Cleveland place a great deal of emphasis on the social conditions that shape the health and wellbeing of people Often referred to as the Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) these non-clinical conditions impact not only the health of individuals but also the health and wellbeing of communities MetroHealth launched the Institute for H.O.P.E.™ (Health and Empowerment) to analyze and address the root causes of health problems And the City of Cleveland incorporated the principles of SDOH into the Mayor’s Neighborhood Transformation Initiative The newest certified EcoDistrict spans nearly 600 acres bounded by Interstate 90/490 to the north Collaborative projects are already underway fulfilling the EcoDistrict Roadmap and Clark Fulton Master Plan a 72-unit affordable housing project on MetroHealth’s campus a mixed-use affordable housing project on Fulton Avenue being co-developed by Metro West and The Levin Group Here’s what partners are saying about the EcoDistrict Certification: Director of MetroWest Community Development: “Past community development initiatives have often operated in silos with limited collaboration Through genuine collaboration and partnership the EcoDistrict team will create true collective impact and will improve the quality of life for every member of our community.’’ and Community Development Initiatives at Cleveland Foundation: “The certification of an EcoDistrict in Clark-Fulton exemplifies the value of compounded planning and investment that cultivates equitable development for our neighbors We look forward to the collaborative spirit of this plan.” Councilwoman Jasmin Santana: “At the core of the master plan is community and residents Our EcoDistrict Roadmap outlines how to make the master plan’s visions achievable And the most important part of that is the input of our residents.’’ City of Cleveland: “The establishment of an EcoDistrict signifies the commitment by The MetroHealth System and all partners to implement place-based solutions that address population health The work ahead will require the entire ecosystem working together.” CentroVilla25 aims to be a cultural anchor for Cleveland’s Clark-Fulton neighborhood establishing a space to house local Latin businesses and programming city and development leaders celebrated the groundbreaking of the new market following four decades’ worth of work toward making a community market in Clark-Fulton political leaders and the project team spoke about what the project will mean for the neighborhood — and noted its impressive fundraising status: $11,564,751 (and some change) out of its $12 million goal “I say this is like the Moses Project 40 years in the making,” said City Councilwoman Jasmin Santana “Maybe we won’t see it completely but our kids will I feel so honored to be part of CentroVilla25’s development and I’m so grateful for all the community leaders that throughout the years have just never wavered and kept going.” Santana and other leaders praised Jenice Contreras the Executive Director of the Northeast Ohio Hispanic Center for Economic Development the organization which developed and owns CentroVilla25 Contreras led much of the recent effort to make CentroVilla25 a reality and we're not looking at scarcity," Contreras said at the event Contreras spoke about her own upbringing in the neighborhood and about seeing the warehouse rooftop from her family apartment’s balcony at West 30th and Clark Ave “I sat there and I dreamt of all the things I would do — all the places I would travel “So to be able to have the dream realized Construction begins in early September and is slated to finish in 12 to 15 months Ohio’s most dense Latino neighborhood CentroVilla25 will offer new opportunities to local Latin businesses and entrepreneurs about 48,699 Hispanic or Latino people live in Cleveland The $12 million development has received $1 million from the county’s American Rescue Plan Act funds and a $1.5 million grant from Cleveland City Council along with donations and funding from local corporations Project organizers also highlighted its Power100 campaign encouraging leaders to donate $5,000 or more “It is so exciting to be here today to celebrate what I think is one of the best investments Cleveland City Council has ever made in its history,” said Cleveland City Council President Blaine Griffin CLEVELAND — Eight years after Amanda Berry, Michelle Knight, and Gina DeJesus were rescued from Seymour Avenue in 2013 the Clark-Fulton neighborhood that was rocked by their disappearance is showing the world it’s ready to thrive Old San Juan Jewelers has been on Clark Avenue just a few blocks away from Seymour Avenue for roughly two decades cementing its place in the community by the time the girls were found in 2013 I remember taking flowers to their porch,” said Alexandra Pagan “It was just something so emotional for us because we did experience that loss with that family.” Ricardo León is the Executive Director of the Metro West Community Development Organization today but he grew up around Clark-Fulton in 2013 the neighborhood was clearly in a tough spot,” said León I think a lot of folks thought this neighborhood might not be the right neighborhood to invest in.” He estimates investment projects were delayed by about two years Clark-Fulton is dotted with recently completed projects and property that developers have their eyes on it feels like people want to be here,” said León They want to work with the [Community Development Corporation] they want to work with elected officials.” “The investment that’s coming to the neighborhood is based on what the residents have been asking for for years,” said Ward 14 Cleveland City Council member Jasmin Santana. She says a big focus needs to be on affordable housing so that residents who have been in Clark-Fulton for decades have a place to go which really is affordable to the neighborhood,” said Santana The MetroHealth System is investing a billion dollars in a renovation to its main campus location that will build a new 11-floor hospital anchoring an EcoDistrict nearby MetroHealth Director of Economic and Community Transformation Greg Zucca says the investment happening in Clark-Fulton is playing out the way planners imagine in their dreams “[MetroHealth’s investment] really sent a signal to other developers to the financial community that this is not a community that we’re going to abandon that this is not a neighborhood that should be abandoned,” said Zucca On top of the investments in medical facilities, MetroHealth is also investing $60 million in a residential development called “Vía Sana,” translating to “healthy way.” The project will bring 72 affordable apartments and 5,000 square feet of space for the MetroHealth Economic Opportunity Center where residents will be able to train for jobs in the medical field or other professions Zucca says the goal of that investment is to improve other “social determinants of health,” like housing if we really want to drive better health outcomes we need to make investments in those areas as well,” said Zucca The former Astrup Awning Factory has been converted into a new community and art space dedicated to cleansing negative perceptions of the Clark-Fulton community It’s almost directly behind the land Berry and DeJesus were rescued from and already includes offices for the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center and will soon house an office for Councilwoman Santana The Lofts at Lion Mills turned a former industrial warehouse into “36 units of affordable housing for families,” right down the street from the corner of West 25th Street and Clark Avenue one of the busiest intersections in the neighborhood An old factory in Clark-Fulton is being converted into 60 units of affordable housing with 31,000 square feet of commercial space with a social service provider on the ground floor That project is a $32 million investment and is expected to be finished at the end of 2022 The Northeast Ohio Hispanic Center for Economic Development is rising more than $9 million to buy the former HJ Weber warehouse on West 25th Street to turn it into CentroVilla 25 and opportunities for businesses to thrive “We’re addressing the issue of space and we’re addressing the issue of affordability by being able to have multiple businesses in one location,” said Northeast Ohio Hispanic Center for Economic Development Executive Director Jenice Contreras The excitement around the massive amount of investment is tempered by the fact that new development has often preceded negative consequences for people who live nearby to be honest because we don’t want gentrification to take over,” said Pagan “The Latino community has been displaced from so many surrounding neighborhoods and so it is so important to create a sense of place here which we’re doing because they have no place else to go,” said Santana Displacement sometimes happens when new development leads to new businesses that are too expensive for the population that lived in a community before “Folks can’t get priced out of a grocery store because we don’t even have one,” said Contreras “This neighborhood is still a food desert.” The property tax issue has been talked about before Councilwoman Santana says a working group could come up with legislation to address it within the city In Columbus, Senator Hearcel F. Craig (D-Columbus) introduced Senate Bill 159 called the Property Tax Relief and Local Government Support Act which would cap property tax increases on qualifying homes at 5% from one year to the next on April 13 it was only assigned to a Senate committee a few weeks ago we’re in a neighborhood where development has happened to people and not with them,” said León “We need to create interventions to stop that displacement from happening and The Cleveland Foundation are working on a comprehensive development plan for the community that will consolidate feedback from residents into a “playbook” for future developments When new developers come into Clark-Fulton they will be able to reference that plan to see what residents want and need and then shape their plans around those concerns León says the plan is to submit a final version to the city in the next few months so that it can become an official part of the development planning process in Clark-Fulton You can find more information and sign up for updates on that program here A national organization that has established a new standard for neighborhood resilience has honored The MetroHealth System, the City of Cleveland, Metro West Community Development Organization and the Cleveland Foundation for efforts to build the Clark-Fulton neighborhood in an equitable and sustainable manner The Clark-Fulton/MetroHealth EcoDistrict received a CityMaker Award from EcoDistricts, Inc. The award comes as community partners launch a forward-thinking Master Plan in support of Mayor Frank Jackson’s Neighborhood Transformation Initiative and on the heels of MetroHealth’s $1 billion Campus Transformation Plan MetroHealth Transformation Plan includes building a new hospital along the West 25th Street corridor opening 25 acres of new green space A new 12-acre public park for the benefit and health of the neighborhood within the new green space will be a key focal point and new community asset EcoDistricts is a Portland-based national non-profit dedicated to a new model of urban regeneration and community development rooted in social The Clark-Fulton/MetroHealth EcoDistrict will be the first EcoDistrict in the world to be anchored by a health system MetroHealth and their partners have embarked on an important an intentional community-building process spurred by a $1 billion redevelopment of the MetroHealth campus,” according to the award a long-term partnership was formed among key institutional and neighborhood stakeholders to ensure the EcoDistrict systemically addressed the needs challenges and opportunities of the Clark Fulton neighborhood.” MetroHealth President and CEO Akram Boutros said: “We have said from the beginning of this process that we’re not just trying to build a hospital we’re trying to build a good life for everyone who lives here We’re gratified others recognize our efforts to transform the community and to do it in a sustainable way that will help make our community healthier.” EcoDistrict CEO Rob Bennett presented the awards at the EcoDistrict Summit in Pittsburgh earlier this month MetroHealth/Clark-Fulton was one of only five EcoDistrict neighborhoods honored at the event “I'm thrilled to announce that the Clark-Fulton / MetroHealth EcoDistrict is part of our inaugural crop of Citymakers Awards winners,” Bennett said MetroHealth has been committed to the Clark-Fulton community from the beginning and the dedication and authenticity in your work shines through showcasing how large scale institutional and public sector driven sustainability can and should happen.” civic and community partners have been brought together across sectors to launch Projects already in the works include the MetroHealth Line bus-rapid-transit system and the addition of affordable and market-rate housing that includes relocating MetroHealth’s police headquarters out into the neighborhood Executive Director of the MetroWest Community Development Organization said: “Through our partnership with The MetroHealth System we are working to improve the quality of life for all Clark-Fulton residents while uplifting the existing culture and inviting new investment program officer at the Cleveland Foundation added: “This recognition is a testament to the power of collaboration and the democratization of neighborhood development – and we believe this is the moment the Clark-Fulton neighborhood has been waiting for,” she said “While this is just the beginning of the effort we appreciate the efforts by all partners to put the power in the hands of residents and empower them to create their own narrative and determine how place will manifest.” Councilwoman Jasmin Santana said the EcoDistrict Protocol followed higher standards for community development and planning and would be the guiding tenet behind the neighborhood’s upcoming master planning effort “This will be a highly-coordinated and inclusive effort to chart a new direction for the Clark-Fulton neighborhood,” she said “EcoDistricts represent a thorough new process to create healthy vibrant sustainable communities that greatly improve the lives of current residents attract new residents and businesses and support sustainable development.” The swollen joints and high fevers started sometime before Patty Esparza moved out of El Paso She’d been living with her husband and son José for years working as a healthcare liaison for the Mexican Consulate traveling across the border to Juaréz to visit her mother Harassment from Chihuahuan gangs pushed the Esparza family to Cleveland Esparza finally began two years of kidney dialysis “I was very sick,” she says, sitting in a small office cubicle at the Spanish-American Committee University Hospitals doctors told Esparza she needed a kidney transplant the Esparzas were insured: two years of hemodialysis and her 2013 operation cost roughly $500,000 Then came the anti-rejection drugs—about $2,500 a month—along with the psychological effects of high blood pressure and weight gain Esparza kept a family mantra in mind: Si no tienes salud With Hispanic-Americans almost twice as likely to be diagnosed with diabetes than non-Hispanic whites, reaching the Hispanic community seems requisite for local healthcare providers In Clark-Fulton—which is roughly 40 percent Hispanic—food ministries and healthcare coaches are actively engaging in specialized efforts to not only provide low-cost services but prevent such diseases in the first place Esparza is among their ranks as the head of the Northeast Ohio branch of La Ventanilla de Salud (“Window of Health”) a healthcare referral service bankrolled by the Mexican government She hosts free screenings every final Wednesday of the month at the Spanish-American Committee where EMS personnel administer blood pressure readings and three-minute finger-prick tests for diabetes Esparza drives an hour to Lorain or Painesville—cities dense with Mexican immigrants—to set up “Mobile Consulate” stands at local events Esparza believes La Ventanilla de Salud's presence is much-needed due to the misconstrued skepticism of doctors she finds in the Latino community In the Cuyahoga County Board of Health’s 2017 “Supermarket Access Assessment” study it was found that nearly half of Clark-Fulton lives in a “distressed” food-desert area—signifying low vehicle access and high poverty—with roughly 60 percent of the neighborhood focus area 0.6 to two miles away from the nearest major grocery chain (the Save-A-Lot on Clark Ave With half of Clark-Fulton’s residents under the poverty line a $300 monthly grocery bill isn’t just implausible “Hey, food’s expensive,” says Stan Sifers, founder of CityReach Church on 38th and Clark “And I know I like to have more choices in my life than Save-A-Lot or a Family Dollar.” Sifers, the former owner of a food ministry in Arizona, started ramping up his produce giveaways after monthly events started to bring in over 100 families a week. With grant assistance from the Greater Cleveland Food Bank Sifers is able to “fill in the gaps” in a health-conscious Most of the food Sifers offers—pastas and fresh soups—is not only given out without quotas to attendees shame-free (“It’s not a hand out but also accompanied by a package Sifers believes is of utmost importance: organic recipes along with a stocked-full grocery bag “Maybe 10 percent of [attendees] don’t know how to cook squash Most people just don’t know in the first place.” they made Hispanic cuisine—and gravely change their lifestyles “Their blood pressure dropped,” she says “There was a 50-pound weight loss collectively Ramos says it's little wonder that the Latino community suffers from diabetes and obesity considering the starchy A professional chef with Puerto Rican background, Ramos first assumed what she calls a "conscious awareness" about Hispanic cooking after seeing depressing statistics about heart disease from the Cuyahoga County Health Department She knew the age-old empanadillas recipes from the island had to go—science beckoned for a re-evaluation of tradition "[willingness to] look at what your blood is saying versus what your grandmother did in the kitchen.” VIDA!’s popularity helped fuel MetroHealth’s decision to open the "Food as Medicine Clinic" in Outpatient Care last September a fully-stocked pantry of produce and dry goods—currently in its pilot stage—that supplies 100 enrollees with monthly groceries Director Jennifer Bier says the food pharmacy acts as a “stopgap measure for people who simply don’t have enough access to food.” It was about two decades after kicking his drug addiction and ending a 13-month prison sentence when Henry Flonnoy decided to become a pastor. He’d lived most of his life on Cleveland’s east side and founded Drama Free Ministries in Clark-Fulton after meeting his wife Junia Flonnoy witnessed a growing concern in the neighborhood: more and more residents were going day-to-day without sufficient resources “People don’t start seeking help until they’re desperate,” says Flonnoy who also works as a drug dependency specialist you can say I’ve heard it all.” Flonnoy began setting up a 10-foot by 10-foot tent on one Sunday per month offering those in need fresh fruit and vegetables “just name and contact information.” In 2018, Flonnoy contacted newly elected councilwoman Jasmin Santana to see if she could help ramp up food offerings at Drama Free Ministries She responded by awarding Flonnoy a $1,500 grant to help buy equipment and supplies for the ministry’s pantry expansion project (Flonnoy’s construction company is covering the $10,000 build-out.) “This screams to me that she needs help,” Flonnoy says “And that we can be a part of her voice.” they plan to open the hot food pantry in September and Drama Free Ministries will also be hosting a one-day health clinic with free blood pressure screenings and diabetes checks as the first of what the Flonnoys hope will be many free health-centric community events It's all part of a bigger push to empower and educate Clark-Fulton residents around better health from all angles Says Ramos, “This is bigger than food access It’s a community working together for the health and wellness of its people.” Ohio — At least two people were rushed to the hospital after a head-on crash that resulted in a fire near a fast-food restaurant on Cleveland's West Side The intersection of Clark and Fulton road remains closed to all-thru traffic as accident investigators piece together the scene News 5 followed Cleveland Fire and EMS as they surrounded the Rally's at 3502 Clark Avenue They were called to the intersection around 3:15 a.m Monday after workers felt the building shake and heard an explosion seconds later Our Overnight NewsTracker captured a black sedan that burst into flames And finally here in Cleveland at Clark and Fulton a very high speed crash sent 3 to the hospital around 3:15. The car caught fire and damaged the Rally's. CPD has the entire area for blocks in each direction closed. Working on injury information. Terrible scene pic.twitter.com/nnbiEv7c1R The make and model of the vehicle were not clear The impact of the crash caused the car to come to rest on the sidewalk steps away from the Rally's A white pickup truck with all of the airbags deployed was located in the street Workers say the driver of the white pickup truck hit the sedan head-on Pieces and car parts are scattered across all four streets in the area A portion of Rally's is heavily damaged—as the vehicles crashed into fencing and a sign fell off the building and broke in half Police are asking drivers to avoid the area Stay with News 5 for the latest breaking developments.