Hawthorne School Redevelopment
This former school in Cleveland’s Jefferson neighborhood of West Park is being completely made over into affordable market rate apartments by Sustainable Community Associates. The project will be catalytic by adding high-quality, market rate apartments in the neighborhood to diversity housing mix, build market confidence and draw more people to live in the area. The location is expected to spur investment in the Lorain Avenue commercial corridor. The 37 apartments range from one to four bedrooms. The project includes fitness and community rooms and will preserve the green space around the school. Bellaire-Puritas Development Corporation, the CDC for the area, is supporting the project. Sustainable Community Associates, a Tremont based developer which has built several high profile apartment communities in the city, purchased the school for $45,000. The school was built in 1917, with additions in 1920 and 1927. It was closed in 2013. Sustainable Community Associates is a small, mission driven, neighborhood based development group that has leveraged more than $100 million of investment into mixed-used, mixed-income projects across Northeast Ohio. Their historic renovation projects have included Fairmount Creamery, Mueller Lofts and Wagner Awning.
Neighborhood Revitalization
This project is a 1st in a collaborative effort between the city of Cleveland and the Cleveland Metropolitan School District to revitalize surplus school sites. Additionally, the project aligns with the Jefferson-Puritas West Park CDC middle neighborhood plan by stimulating investment along the Lorain Avenue commercial corridor.
Executed Community Benefits Agreement
The project sponsor has committed to quantifiable community impacts by executing a Community Benefits Agreement.
