Neighborhoods

Donations for the Heights Food Bank were accepted at the door as friends and neighbors gathered to enjoy the 12th annual pancake breakfast at the home of Kathy and Dick Dawson. This childhood tradition was reinvented to honor the memory of a departed friend, and continues annually to celebrate friends, family, love, hospitality, and a commitment to tradition.

These houses and others on Scarborough Road have gotten into the Halloween spirit in a big way. Every year the neighbors create a scary scene for trick-or-treaters.

Cleveland Heights residents Scott Jackson (left), Coventry P.E.A.C.E. President Erick Kaufman (center) and Ray Gonzalez (right) replace handrails on apparatus at the top of the hill, during Playground Cleanup Day, Oct. 10. The twice-yearly maintenance of the playground is managed and funded entirely by volunteers, and attracted about 50 workers this year, including students from Case Western Reserve and John Carroll universities.

Kindernet invites preschool families to visit kindergarten teachers and classrooms, meet the principal, tour the building, and learn more about their neighborhood school. All elementary schools will be open Friday, Nov. 13 from 10 to 11:15 a.m. 

Kindernet is a joint project of the PTA, CH-UH Early Childhood Department, the cities of Cleveland Heights and University Heights, Reaching Heights and the Heights Parent Center. Kindernet offers free programs and events for preschool children living in the CH-UH City School District.

Driving down my street, the yellow and white colonial may have looked like just another abandoned house—one of the 1,000 or so in our city. But to me, it was an eyesore and an unsettling daily reminder of how things had gone so wrong. How the forces that were supposed to keep our social fabric intact had performed the bureaucratic equivalent of Nero fiddling while Rome burned. The new owner purchased it under questionable circumstances and lived there briefly; the house had been empty for five years. Despite the barred front door, the house had been broken into, the copper plumbing stripped; the back door and windows now boarded up. I wanted it torn down-boy was I wrong.

Every summer, for at least the last 45 years, Cumberland Pool in Cleveland Heights has hosted an annual water show. This year on Aug. 4, about 500 people enjoyed the evening show. 45 years ago, my wife was in the show, and for the last eight years my daughters and their friends have participated.

Based on photographic records, the tradition of a water show in Cleveland Heights dates back to 1944. At that time, the show featured elaborate sets and well-known movie stars. Today, the show features divers and synchronized swimmers who participate in the Cleveland Heights summer recreation program. The program is open to all ranging in age from 5 to 16.

From left to right  Cleveland Heights Council Members Dennis Wilcox, Ed Kelley, and Bonnie Caplan, Diane Wellman, Cleveland Heights Council Member Mark Tumeo, Mazie Adams, and Diana Woodbridge.

When Michelle Miller and Rob Patrick purchased their 1898 Victorian home, they instantly knew that their wedding would happen on the charming 40-foot porch.

Located on the northwest corner of Somerton and Middlehurst roads in Cleveland Heights, the yellow and white home features a welcoming porch and highly fanciful details, including a three-story turret.

With a little imagination, the entire setting (except for the valet parking to serve 150 guests) easily transported one back to the turn of the 19th century when outdoor summer weddings were the norm.

In recent years local citizens have nominated many Cleveland Heights homes for a spot on the National Register of Historic Places, an official listing of historic sites in the United States that are architecturally and historically significant and worthy of preservation.

The latest local effort was undertaken 18 months ago to rename the Forest Hill Allotment—the Grant W. Deming Forest Hill Allotment Historic District. With more than 650 homes, this would become the city’s largest historic district. The district comprises most of the area east of Coventry Road, west of Lee Road, north of Cedar Road, and south of Euclid Heights Boulevard and Superior Road.

The National Park Service has approved the Inglewood neighborhood's application to be listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The area is located north of Mayfield Road and is centered on Inglewood Drive and includes homes on Yellowstone, Oakridge, Quilliams, Glenwood and Cleveland Heights Boulevard.

The neighborhood will hold a celebration on Sept. 11.

Resident Diana Wellman completed the application, aided by neighbors Mazie Adams and Diana Woodbridge.

"Our history is something we can capitalize on," said Wellman, "It is what sets us apart from other communities."

“I wish it was mine,” proclaimed Cleveland Heights author and longtime resident Marian Morton, referring to a recently renovated home on Westover Road. 

She was among more than 200 people who attended the Aug. 13 open house hosted by the Home Repair Resource Center (HRRC), the Cleveland Heights nonprofit that spearheaded the reclamation of this previously neglected property.  

The celebration marked the completion of an 18-month effort by HRRC’s subsidiary, Home in the Heights, to restore the house. During a brief ribbon-cutting ceremony by Mayor Ed Kelley, HRRC Board Chairman Mike Gaynier thanked the many partners for making the project possible. Then Project Manager David Hunter turned they keys over to new owners Nadelane Joseph and Mark Finkenbine.

The Inglewood neighborhood has received word that its application to be listed in the National Register of Historic Places has been approved by the National Park Service. The area is located north of Mayfield Road and is centered on Inglewood Drive and includes homes on Yellowstone, Oakridge, Quilliams, Glenwood and Cleveland Heights Boulevard.

The neighborhood will hold a celebration on Sept. 11.

Resident Diana Wellman researched the neighborhood, aided by neighbors Mazie Adams and Diana Woodbridge, and prepared the application.

"Our history is something we can capitalize on," said Wellman, "It is what sets us apart from other communities."

University Heights has to be the block party capitol of the country. Just telephone the University Heights Community Coordinator Walter Stinson and you are on your way. It can be as small as a few families pulling out a grill, lawn chairs and games for the children or as elaborate as neighbors chipping to rent rocket cars and clowns. If a police patrol car and fire engine are available, they will be there for children to explore, learn about and have tons of fun. And maybe, they will even get to blow the horn.

University Heights is less than two square miles in size, but what a pool we have! In fact, we have a complex of pools, waterfalls, a waterslide and a 2-meter high diving board. It is hot, it is sunny and there is lots of room for in and out of the water for everyone. Purvis Park Pool is the place to be for University Heights residents this summer. Come on in!

Anita Kazarian is a resident of University Heights and is a candidate for UH city council this fall.

Fun was had by all who attended the Noble Nela Street Festival in June. Photos by Deborah Edwards.

Let's face it. The current economic status has everyone tightening their belts, and that means less of us are spending time at the mall. But thanks to some enterprising Cleveland Heights neighbors, not all of us have to go without.

On Saturday, June 6 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., several streets in the Coventry area are holding simultaneous garage sales. Over 20 families on Berkshire, E. Overlook, Edgehill Roads and Lincoln Boulevard will be doing their part to stimulate the local economy.

So if you're looking for a deal on tools, furniture, clothing, toys, and electronics, be sure to set aside time on June 6 to browse these beautiful neighborhoods and to pick up some bargains in the process!

Members of the Severance Neighborhood Organization are concerned about the condition of the former Millikin Elementary School building, 1700 Crest Road, Cleveland Heights. They say the grounds look unkempt and that, about two weeks ago, vandals broke windows and painted graffiti on the building.

The building is owned by the Cleveland Heights-University Heights Board of Education and the City of Cleveland Heights does not have jurisdiction over it. The structure has been vacant since the school was closed at the end of the 2005-2006 school year.

Fifty Oxford residents invited Cleveland Heights Councilman Mark Tumeo to hear their concerns about crime, unruly youth, and distressed properties the other night, and he vowed to go to bat for them at city hall.

During a March 30 meeting at Oxford Elementary School, Tumeo and Assistant City Manager Susanna Niermann O'Neil spoke candidly with the group about daily challenges in the community and how citizens and the city can work together to meet them.

Come to the Coventry Street Fair Fundraiser, A Taste of Coventry, at the B Side Lounge on Friday May 1st at 7 p.m. Tickets are $25 in advance, $30 at the door. Send a self-addressed stamped envelope with check or money order to CVSID, 2533 Euclid Heights Blvd., Cleveland Hts., OH 44106. Tickets also available at select Coventry merchants and restaurants.

Severance Neighborhood Organization, a new nonprofit with the mission of strengthening and revitalizing the Severance area of Cleveland Heights, held a panel discussion on crime on March 26 in Cleveland Heights City Council Chambers. More than 40 people attended.

Neighbors helping neighbors was the theme of a recent meeting of Oxford School district residents.

Quality of life issues and a recent uptick in illegal activity in their neighborhood spurred over 30 residents to gather on March 22 at the home of Peggy Van Buskirk of Montford Road. The group represented a large area of streets bordered by Quilliams, Northampton, Montford, and Monticello roads.

A meeting to talk about neighborhood crime, and what to do about it, will be held on Thursday, March 26 at 7 p.m. at Cleveland Heights City Hall. A Cleveland Heights police officer, a member of City Council and Jim Chriss, Cleveland State University sociology professor and expert on policing, will meet with residents answer questions and address neighborhood concerns. Police Chief Martin Lentz was invited to attend but at press time had not replied.

Many Heights area homes have adjustable loans that make them a foreclosure risk, according to a project initiated by the nonprofit organization Neighborhood Progress Inc. The organization took information provided by a title company database to create a list of all adjustable rate mortgage loans in Cuyahoga County that would reset to a higher rate between July 2008 and August 2010. Over 1,000 of these loans are on homes in Cleveland Heights and University Heights, according to the database. Historically, these types of loans have a much higher foreclosure rate, as homeowners often default after the loan resets and payments increase

Every year, Tom Sperl, bassist for the Cleveland Orchestra and Scarborough Road resident, invites several hundred of his closest friends, associates and absolute strangers to a donut party on his front lawn.  Orchestra folks, church friends, Oberlin bass students, neighborhood pals and an occasional politician turn up to enjoy hot, fresh donuts with delicious toppings, hot cider and coffee.  Sperl's donut machine makes approximately 400 donuts per hour.  Photographer Jay Levan took these photos of the Sperl familiy's annual gift to the community. More photos at Phodoz.com.

The city of Cleveland Heights has chosen a troubled section of East Derbyshire Road, one block between Lee Road and Cottage Grove Road, as the focus of a housing initiative that will convert existing two-family homes into renovated condominiums.

Eighteen-month-old Vivian Portner of Kingston Road takes explores her Cleveland Heights neighborhood on a sunny fall day with her grammy's dog Nicoise.

According to Unity Marketing Company Americans spent a whopping $3.2 billion on Halloween decorations in 2006.

Halloween decorations are in full swing in Cleveland Heights. These photos are just a slice of the great stuff you'll find on a walk or drive around town.

Cleveland Heights’ wealth of historic houses provides one of the most compelling reasons so many residents choose to call it home. Many of these homes date to the early part of the last century and represent an unusually complete architectural expression of that era. A combination of devoted citizens, stringent city inspections, enduring craftsmanship, and a long sluggish economy have made Cleveland Heights’ built environment remarkably resilient by national standards. Yet the architectural legacy we have inherited is not sacrosanct. The recent wave of foreclosures and the ongoing public debate over the planned demolition of two World War I–era houses to enable a reworking of the traffic flow in and out of Zagara’s Marketplace illustrate that our city’s architectural fabric is a fragile resource that underpins our quality of life.

Heights area residents, visitors and business people can now benefit from a free wireless network covering five square miles of University Circle and parts of Cleveland Heights, thanks to OneCommunity and Case Western Reserve University.

During the summer Heights residents hit the streets to celebrate. This year, seven street festivals were hosted by the commercial districts of Cedar-Fairmount, Cedar-Lee, Coventry and Noble-Nela. Each fair showcased the unique character and style of its neighborhood and attracted a multi-cultural, multi-age audience to enjoy free entertainment just a short walk from many of their homes. From sidewalk sales to culinary treats, from local bands to area nonprofits, from a pet parade to a fire juggler, Heights summer festivals offered an authentic experience like no other.

John Zagara, owner of Zagara’s Marketplace on Lee Road, wants more parking for his customers and better traffic flow in his parking lot.

Zagara held a meeting July 23 at the CH-UH Main Library and presented a plan for easing parking lot congestion at his grocery store. He also received ideas and input from about 25 neighbors in attendance.

On July 22. Cleveland Heights arts organization Heights Arts stepped away from its idea of using the former Coventry Elementary School as a multi-tenant arts and nonprofit facility.

The Heights Observer is seeking writers from University Heights to send in stories, events, and photos.

Spread the news, connect your neighbors, and strengthen your community.

Easy online article submission at www.heightsobserver.org "Member Center" or call the Heights Observer office for info: 320.1423.

Stories abound these days about urban gardening and transforming that big green square that is your lawn. With food prices on the rise, community gardening is ready for a comeback.

Cleveland Heights has three gardens of our own: the Canterbury Garden, the Oxford Garden, and the Hampshire Road Garden. That number could increase according to Lois Rose, master gardener and leader of the Hampshire Road Garden.

John Zagara, owner of Zagara’s Marketplace on Lee Road, wants more parking for his customers. The store’s parking lot needs more spaces, the traffic flow in the lot can be chaotic at times, and delivery trucks need more space to maneuver, he says. He has some planning ideas to ease the congestion, and he is inviting neighbors and residents to discuss them on Wednesday, July 23, 7:00 pm, at the CHUH Main Library.

With hundreds of residential units, and more than 1 million square feet in commercial space, Severance Town Center is “just what the doctor ordered,” as far as the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (RTA) is concerned.

Expanded service to Severance Town Center on the Route #821 Circulator bus is an added benefit for riders of this route.

 

Among the many cuts made by Cleveland Heights City Council to balance the budget were the landscaping, plantings and flower baskets that add to the quality of life in Cleveland Heights. This year, we won’t see the baskets of flowers gracing the gateway to Cleveland Heights on Cedar Glen or plantings on the medians on our boulevards, among other touches of beauty around the city that we have grown accustomed to.

Cleveland Heights residents Ruth Anna Carlson and Dianne Hunt have organized to raise money to fund flower baskets for the city. In previous years the city had installed 120 hanging flower baskets at gateways, major streets, the pathways through Cain Park and commercial areas throughout the city. City employees had watered them daily. Eight of the baskets had hung along Cedar Hill, marking the entrance to the city. The program was cut from the city budget after the defeat of a proposed income tax increase in March 2008.

The Coventry School Study Committee, meeting the public for the first and last time on May 13, will take back to its deliberations a good bit of citizen input. About 40 interested residents attended the meeting and many spoke to what they'd like to see the school become and how they perceive the work of the committee.

“Phaaaaa, Phaaaaa” she shouted out to her neighbor who lived across the road. Erma had lived on Oak Road in Cleveland Heights for many years. She was true, and she was timeless. She asked her neighbor if he could make a small casket for her. She knew that he could do it for her, as it was for her pussy cat that had passed on.

The Coventry School Study Committee will open its work to public comment on Tuesday, May 13th, at 6:30 pm. at the school.

If residents living near Superior Park Drive in Cleveland Heights have felt dormant, recent criminal activity has been enough to produce some unpleasant wake up calls.

The Coventry School Study Committee continued to explore use recommendations for the empty building in Coventry Village at its April 22 meeting.

The City of Cleveland Heights will soon boast a new National Register Historic District. According to the Ohio Historic Preservation Office, the new district will be the eighth nationally listed district that is in whole or in part located within the city boundaries. It will join Ambler Heights, Euclid Golf Allotment, Fairmount Boulevard, Overlook Road Carriage House, Fairhill Road Village, Forest Hill and Forest Hill Park historic districts. Sometimes referred to as “Pill Hill,” because of the abundance of doctors that once lived there, the Inglewood Historic District will include houses on Inglewood, Yellowstone, Oakridge, Quilliams, Glenwood and Cleveland Heights Boulevard. Originally developed by the Van Sweringen brothers as part of the Shaker Heights Improvement Company‘s subdivisions number four and six, the district is centered around Inglewood Drive, North of Mayfield and East of Taylor Road, behind Lutheran East High School.

The second meeting of a six meeting schedule for the Coventry School Study Committee is scheduled for Tuesday, March 18, at 6:30 p.m, at the CHUH Board of Education Building, 2155 Miramar Boulevard in University Heights. On the agenda are professional evaluations from architectural, development, and municipal experts regarding the building’s viability and future use.