In the St. Clair-Superior neighborhood, a pair of newly constructed houses were now sit in the massive shadow of what was once the largest clothing manufacturing plant in the country. 

The duplexes, built by Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry (LMM),PadSmart and in partnership with Cuyahoga Land Bank and Cuyahoga County, mimic the modest homes that once dotted the neighborhood outside of the 638,000 square foot/17 acres footprint of the Richman Building.

The four 500 square foot, high-efficient, solar-powered efficiencies mark the initial phase of LMM’s $2.2 million Breaking New Ground housing initiative and the first foray into new construction for the organization. 

“These four units are special for (LMM). As our first new build, they round out our own housing continuum which consists of shared housing for singles, now efficiencies for singles and houses for families,” LMM President and CEO, Maria Foschia told attendees at a ribbon cutting for the nearly completed homes.  

The new construction on Luther Avenue, Foschia said, was funded by investments from personal, family and corporate foundations using land and financial help from the city and Cuyahoga Land Banks, Foschia explains. 

As a philanthropic organization focused in part on housing equity, the goal is to build homes for those in need while also revitalizing the neighborhood, devastated by the Richman closure in 1992 and housing crisis in 2008, around LMM headquarters. 

“This project comes on the heels of our housing rehab project. Just down the road from here, our affordable housing portfolio will reach over 36 units by this time next year,” she added. 

SOLAR HOMES  

The studio-style units on Luther Avenue are also serving as a pilot program. The units were constructed using extra insulation and come with a rooftop covered in solar panels. The design aims to lower utility costs, which along with below market rent makes the units affordable for tenants transitioning from homelessness.  

The 500-square feet space is comprised of a lofted living/dinning space which includes a full-kitchen. In addition, there is an accessibly-designed bathroom with a walk-in shower and a utility room outfitted with a dual washer/dryer. 

The aptly named “Solar Houses” are located on land owned by Cuyahoga Land Bank and Cleveland Land Bank and uses panelized construction built by workers, some of whom have experienced homelessness themselves. 

LMM partnered with Cleveland-based PadSmart, the company that designed and eventually constructed the walls and roof panels at an off-site warehouse 

Co-founder Packy Hyland said the wall and roof panels have a combined total of 10 inches of insulation, and the buildings have highly efficient HVAC systems. The homes are also outfitted with all-electric appliances.  

The combination of thick insulation and solar panels are expected to cut energy consumption by at least half of that of a traditional home. The panels are expected to provide enough energy to power the entire building for about eight months out of the year. 

“We are projecting these to be net zero, with the houses producing as much energy as they consume,” Michael Searing, LLM Chief Program explains. “These homes will save about 15% of the (traditional) costs, over $100,000 over the next 20 years, making them affordable for our tenants, who will be moving in by year’s end.” 

Combining the off-site construction cost savings with lower utility payments and using Land Bank property allows LMM to offer rent under the market rate, Searing explains. 

Searing added that the development will serve as a pilot allowing LMM to analyze the energy data, efficiency and costs associated with the four units. The plan is to scale the project to building out more units on the street and eventually other areas of the city. 

The homes come just as the city of Cleveland and St.Clair Superior Development Corporation embark on an expansive Community Building Project, which includes street scape, intersection and business “frontage” improvements down East 55th Street or the “West Gateway” district. 

The plan is to attract a civic or business anchor to build a walkable commercial district around and increase the number of homeowner residents from the current 35% to at least 50%.  

Ricardo León, Cuyahoga Land Bank CEO said the Land Bank is interested in partnering on building out Luther Avenue, along with other parts of the St. Clair Superior neighborhood, with more solar-powered, efficient, panelized duplexes.  

“It is exciting that LMM is willing to break the mold and push forward using this new strategy in neighborhoods where there is not typically much new development,” León said.  

The Land Bank along with the Cleveland Foundation, Cuyahoga County Council, Dollar and US Bank donated to LMM’s Solar Houses and upcoming 3-D printed housing pilot projects.  

León said he believes LMM’s “innovative” approach to figuring out how to make housing in low-income communities in need of revitalization is scalable.  

“This is about forward-thinking, and my hope is that this will be a model for how we can build more in our city, our county and our region,” León said.