Construction on Top of the Hill to begin

As construction on the Top of the Hill garage begins, the city has identified temporary parking spaces for permit holders and patrons of Nighttown.

Construction on the mixed-use Top of the Hill (TOH) project is expected to begin the first quarter of 2020. The project—on approximately four acres of city-owned property at the corner of Cedar Road and Euclid Heights Boulevard, at the top of Cedar Hill—is highly visible and serves as a gateway between the Heights and University Circle. Its development has been a longtime goal of the city.

The city’s Architectural Board of Review approved final design drawings for the $84-million TOH project in October 2019. The project calls for 261 market-rate luxury apartments, more than 11,000 square feet of first-floor commercial space, approximately 25,000 square feet of green space, a 550-space parking garage, and additional surface parking.

Since the demolition of Doctors' Hospital in 1969, the site has primarily been a surface parking lot, known as Municipal Parking Lot #9 (MPL #9) , serving residents of nearby apartments and condominiums, as well as patrons of local businesses, such as Nighttown.

The developer, Flaherty & Collins Properties, has prioritized the construction of the TOH parking garage during the first stage of the project. Garage construction is expected to take 9–12 months. Upon completion, the new garage will replace the 225 surface spaces currently on the site (including 175 city parking-permit spaces), and add an additional 325 spaces to accommodate the new TOH residents and visitors.  

MPL #9 was due to close Jan. 1, so that construction could commence; however, according to the city’s website, “as a result of unforeseen delays in the start of construction of the Top of the Hill project, the closing of Lot #9 has been postponed. MPL #9 will remain open Jan. 1, 2020 until further notice.”

The city approved a Temporary Parking Plan in July 2019 that assigns permit holders spaces in nearby lots during construction. The city’s plan identified 333 temporary permit-parking spaces in nearby lots and surrounding streets, as shown on the map.

Nighttown patrons will be able to park in a designated private lot containing 50 spaces situated on the construction site, immediately west of the restaurant, adjacent to the Nighttown patio. Brendan Ring, owner of Nighttown, said that the lot will be fenced and gated. “There are 52 metered spots at present,” said Ring. “So Nighttown will actually be in a better position during construction in regard to parking. I anticipate zero parking discomfort for Nighttown customers during this very exciting time for the Cedar Fairmount Business District.”

Residents of the Buckingham Condominiums will be able to park in a lot situated on the construction site.

In 2019, the city expanded Municipal Parking Lot #22, located at 2171 Bellfield Ave., from 19 spaces to 64, in order to provide additional spaces for permit parkers during construction.

Brian Anderson, business development manager for Cleveland Heights, said that the city has been in direct communication with the permit holders affected, and will be in touch with them again as soon as the construction timeline is finalized, to give them adequate notice of parking changes.

For more information regarding the TOH project and temporary parking, visit www.clevelandheights.com/988/Top-of-the-Hill, contact Anderson at 216-291-2617, or Economic Development Director Tim Boland at 216-291-4857.

Deanna Bremer Fisher

Deanna Bremer Fisher is executive director of FutureHeights and publisher of the Heights Observer.

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Volume 13, Issue 1, Posted 10:16 AM, 01.03.2020