Heights Arts pulls away from Coventry idea

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 Arts board of directors cited the need for a slower process to build the community’s interest in, and support of, a dedicated arts facility.

Director Peggy Spaeth said the intense growth needed to lead a multi-tenant project would be a challenge for the organization, considering the short timeline and criteria required to submit a letter of interest to the CH-UH Board of Education. "I am hoping we can keep the idea of a community arts center alive," she said. "Our vision has always been to have a community arts center. Unfortunately, we just don't fit the criteria."

Heights Arts hopes to conduct a community survey and review process to get a stronger picture of what the community desires in an arts facility.

The CH-UH Board of Education, which retains ownership of the empty building in the Coventry Village neighborhood, recently published a request for letters of interest in the property.

The district seeks a qualified tenant for lease and adaptive re-use of the 61,000 square foot open floor plan building. Letters of interest are due by October 15 and can be found online at www.chuh.org/boe/coventry_committee.

Sarah Wean is a Coventry Village resident.