June 13: Cleveland Landmarks Commission
Covered by Documenters Sarah Kinley (notes), Carolyn Cooper (notes) and Nick Ventura (live-tweets)
Grantwood Avenue homes to stay standing
Three homes on Cleveland’s East Side proposed for demolition will stay standing, according to the Cleveland Landmarks Commission, which denied all three requests on the basis of wanting to preserve as many homes as possible in the city’s historic districts.
The commission preserved vacant homes at 10834 and 10924 Grantwood Avenue in Glenville and a home in the East Boulevard Historic District at 1077 E. 97th St.
Jillian Bolino of the Cleveland Department of Building and Housing’s Demolition Bureau presented on the three properties. The Grantwood properties are in control of the state because of unpaid taxes.
Landmarks Commission Secretary Daniel Musson explained the Landmarks staff’s thoughts on demolitions in the Grantwood Allotments Historic District in Glenville. Citing the “destabilizing effect” of demolitions in historic districts, Musson said there is concern that many empty lots are absorbed into the Cleveland land bank and then offered as lot extensions to neighboring properties, preventing future development on the land.
Musson said the Landmarks staff considers the area a “threatened historic district.”
Commissioner Michele Anderson suggested the homes could benefit from Welcome Home Ohio, a state program established last year that offers grants and tax credits for rehabilitating properties in land banks. It requires that properties rehabbed with program money be sold to buyers with incomes at or below 80% of the area median income.
Commissioner Chris Loeser said he had “extreme issues with continuing demolition in this neighborhood” and could not support the proposals.
The commission voted unanimously to deny the three demolitions.
Former CMSD school set to become language academy
The former McKinley Elementary property in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District is poised to become a Mandarin and Spanish immersion school. Global Ambassadors Language Academy acquired the property at 3349 W. 125th St. from CMSD in 2021.
A project representative presented the Landmarks Commission with preliminary concept design plans showing renovations to the current structure and its auditorium and plans to build a new playground. Commission members said they look forward to reviewing the final plans for this project.
New appointment to Ohio City Design Review Committee
The Cleveland Landmarks Commission also appointed attorney Alex Frondorf to the Historic Ohio City Design Review Committee for a two-year term. Frondorf was nominated for the position by Ward 3 Cleveland City Council Member Kerry McCormack.
The final vote was approved eight to one, with Commission Chair Julie Trott voting no, saying she was “struggling” with the appointment due to Frondorf being an Ohio City development organization’s board president.
Read the notes from Documenter Sarah Kinley:
Read the live-tweet thread by Documenter Nick Ventura:
Read the notes from Documenter Carolyn Cooper:
