(East Cleveland, Ohio / April 16, 2024)
The Circle East District redevelopment project in East Cleveland has been awarded $2.3 million from a federal bill that was passed in early March. U.S. Representative Shontel Brown and U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown both championed the bill.
The $2.3 million award includes $1 million towards home repair for existing homeowners in the neighborhood, $500,00 towards the construction of the greenway and park, and the remainder for other infrastructure needs.
“We are grateful to Representative Brown and Senator Brown for their support in this important work to help East Cleveland and its residents. Projects like this can only be successful with public and private partnerships and the support of all levels of government.” said Gus Frangos, Cuyahoga Land Bank’s President and General Counsel.
The Circle East District project is a phased, five-year plan to revitalize the 30-acre East Cleveland neighborhood directly adjacent to University Circle on the eastside of Euclid Avenue. The City of East Cleveland asked Cuyahoga Land Bank to take the lead in implementing the community plans developed for this neighborhood in 2015. The community’s stated goal is a mixed income, racially diverse neighborhood consisting of new homes, a revitalized Euclid Avenue commercial corridor, and new above- and underground infrastructure.
“The plan is to create a sustainable, green neighborhood that showcases housing built for the future that includes features such as rooftop solar and EV chargers, meeting the needs of both current and future buyers,” said Dennis Roberts, Cuyahoga Land Bank’s Director of Real Estate Development.
Phase 1 of this project includes:
- The renovation of existing homes in the neighborhood through $10,000 grants
- A $3.5 million dollar renovation of a 25,000-square foot commercial building that will bring new jobs to the city
- The opening of the city’s first café
- The building of 12 new townhomes and 22 new market rate single-family homes
- The construction of a new greenway
- The installation of new waterlines, sewers and streetscape on Euclid Avenue, Woodlawn Avenue and Penrose Road
“This funding will support a transformative project that aims to fuel our ongoing efforts to enhance the city’s infrastructure, foster economic growth and enrich the lives of our citizens,” said East Cleveland Mayor Brandon King. “We are deeply appreciative of the investment in the city.”
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The Cuyahoga Land Bank is a private, non-profit, government-purposed entity formed following passage of Ohio Senate Bill 353 in 2009, which granted county land banks the special community development powers needed to improve neighborhoods. The mission of the Cuyahoga Land Bank is to strategically acquire properties, return them to productive use, reduce blight, increase property values, support community goals and improve the quality of life for county residents. Now in its 15th year, the Cuyahoga Land Bank has several initiatives specifically designed to support the revitalization of Northeast Ohio communities, including, Realty Reimagined (a nonprofit real estate brokerage) Land Bank Charities