Feb. 7: Cleveland City Planning Commission
Covered by Documenter Marvetta Rutherford (notes)
Senior affordable housing project takes next step
Seniors and veterans who are housing insecure may have a new option for housing on Cleveland’s East Side. Earlier this month, the city’s planning commission approved designs for Emerald Senior, a new affordable housing development set to provide apartments and access to services for seniors — including veterans.
Set to be built on vacant land in Glenville, the 62-unit building would house 37 seniors and 25 veterans. CHN Housing Partners and EDEN have teamed up with Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to move the project forward.
During the Feb. 7 City Planning Commission meeting, Brian Grambort, an architect with Hiti, DiFrancesco and Siebold, Inc., presented designs and discussed offering residents on-site support services. For example, plans include access to meals and behavioral health services through a mobile clinic.
Construction could begin as early as May, Grambort said.
‘United and Rising’ sculpture to be created by Cleveland artists
The commission also approved the next step toward standing up a sculpture across the street from LaSalle Theatre on East 185th Street. The project is led by local artists – mostly from Collinwood – including Robert Gatewood and sculptor Jerry Schmidt.
The sculpture is called “United and Rising” to convey the depth of the community’s “culture and history and the rising nature of our shared future,” according to the presentation by Gatewood and the city’s public art coordinator, Tarra Petras.
Although the project started with just one artist, it has since morphed into a group of seven to eight Clevelanders, Gatewood told the commission. Cleveland City Council Member Michael Polensek, who represents that part of Collinwood, has been supportive, he said.
The sculpture is still in progress but is made out of aluminum, steel and weather safe vinyl. The sculpture also includes a compass-style base, with each section led by one local artist in collaboration with youth and community members, according to the presentation. The main colors are inspired by the original work done on the “Streetscape Totems” on East 185th.
Gatewood has coordinated with the new owner of the LaSalle Theatre and a ribbon cutting ceremony is in the works, he said.
Are you feeling Lucky… Park?
The commission also gave its signoff on Cleveland City Council legislation that would greenlight an expansion of Lucky Park in Tremont. The Department of Parks and Recreation plans to purchase land parcels to increase the size of the park, according to Julian Wilson, a project manager for the Mayor’s Office of Capital Projects.
The park – located at Starkweather and Professor Avenue – will be maintained by Tremont West Development Corp. In the past, residents have also helped keep the park in nice condition, Wilson said.
City Council has final approval over the legislation.
Read the notes from Documenter Marvetta Rutherford
Watch the full City Planning Commission meeting on YouTube.
Read more from Cleveland Documenters
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