6 projects that are changing MidTown Cleveland

CLEVELAND — One Cleveland community that admits it’s been more of a pass-through to between Downtown Cleveland and University Circle is quickly positioning itself to become a destination in its own right.

Here are six projects that are starting to bring Midtown Cleveland into focus:

Cleveland Foundation Headquarters: Euclid Avenue and East 66th Street

The Cleveland Foundation broke ground months ago on its new headquarters location at the corner of Euclid Avenue and East 66th Street, across the street from Gallucci’s.

RENDER EUCLID SE.png — Renderings show what the new Cleveland Foundation Headquarters will look like from Euclid, east of the campus.

The $21.8 million headquarters project is slated to be completed by the summer of 2022 and is trying to create a community-gathering location, provide space for local organizations, and bridge the gap between the Euclid corridor—which has seen hundreds of millions of investment dollars—and Cleveland’s Hough neighborhood.

There are also plans for a cafe that would be open even when the Cleveland Foundation offices aren’t open, giving the community an additional gathering spot. Ground floor meeting rooms are designed to be visible and open into the outdoor spaces to make the building more inviting.

RENDER GREEN CORRIDOR.png — The public space behind the new Cleveland Foundation Headquarters is intended to be an asset for the community.

Connecting along East 66th Street

The project’s impact will be broader than just the new building, because East 66th Street will be redesigned to include a multi-use path separated from the road by green space with on street parking on the opposite side of the road.

SCREET SCAPE E 66.png — A new street design will make it much easier for people who live near by to travel on East 66th Street in various different ways while safely getting across Chester Avenue.

The hope is to connect the headquarters to future projects on nearby parcels while also making it easier for people to travel on East 66th Street, across Chester Avenue, to the area around League Park.

New Hough Library Branch: Lexington Avenue and East 66th Street

Better connectivity to the area around League Park will come in handy when the new Cleveland Public Library Hough Branch is completed.

According to a press release, architects drew inspiration for the branch from the mythical Sankofa bird in Africa. The new building will have an improved children’s area, moveable workstations, meeting rooms and a welcoming outdoor space.

The project is part of Cleveland Public Library’s 10-year plan to build or renovate branch libraries to enhance the visitor experience, the release said.

“This is the first of four groundbreakings within the next two months,” said Executive Director of Cleveland Public Library Felton Thomas, Jr. “And this is the first of many groundbreakings that are going to come in the future.”

Warner & Swasey Building: East 55th Street and Carnegie Avenue

A $54.1 million project would convert the old Warner & Swasey manufacturing facility along East 55th Street into 20,000 square feet of office space and 140 apartment units with an eye towards helping residents find affordable housing.

The long, five-story, Warner & Swasey factory has plans to be turned into apartments on the upper floors and office space on the ground floor.

In early 2021, the Cuyahoga County Economic Development & Planning Committee enthusiastically approved of a $1,000,000 loan. The project is also trying to use other financing tools to make the project work.

Residential space would be reserved for the second, third, fourth and fifth floors while the ground floor will be turned into office space and residential amenities.

exterior 1939.jpg — A picture from 1939 shows the exterior of the Warner Swasey building.

The focus for that space is on training services for community members looking for a job or for seniors.

Chester 75: 1914 East 75TH Street

The one story building currently at the corner of Chester Avenue and East 75th Street is slated to come down to make way for Chester 75. That project will put townhomes along Chester Avenue with apartments along East 75th Street.

Chester 75 will bring residential units to Chester Avenue while giving them a view of Downtown Cleveland.

This is one of the first new residential projects to pop up just down the block from the new Dave’s Supermarket on East 61st Street which opened in early 2019.

Allen-Sullivan House Location: 7218 Euclid Avenue

The former location of the Allen-Sullivan House on Euclid Avenue will soon become an apartment complex with three buildings off Euclid Avenue with common space and retail along the historic boulevard. The three-story buildings will be walk-ups offering two-bedroom, one-bedroom, studio, and micro units.

Allen-Sullivan demolition.jpg — Demolition is underway at the Allen-Sullivan house in Cleveland.

The house originally belonged to Richard Allen and was among a slew of other large mansions that dotted Euclid Avenue. The 1898 Atlas of the City of Cleveland shows the Allen’s were neighbors with at least the Haserot and Hanna families.

Midtown Apartments: 3101 Euclid Avenue

Much closer to downtown Cleveland, the Midtown Apartments are already open and have residents living right next door to News 5 Cleveland.

“Our neighborhood has very much been a pass-through for many many years,” said MidTown Cleveland Vice President of Community Development, Joyce Huang.

The new sign above the entrance to The Midtown Apartments sits on Euclid Avenue.

She says the apartments at 3101 Euclid will give residents a place to live and no longer just pass through. It’s the first of many projects that will build up the population density near downtown but more than just a few blocks off Public Square.

The amenities haven’t arrived quite yet but the hope is that 2,700 and 17,000 square foot commercial spaces on the ground floor of The Midtown Apartments could be a start. The building’s owners say they’re open to any kind of business but admit it would be a solid place for the coffee shop that doesn’t exist in MidTown yet.

Have you ever noticed something interesting in Northeast Ohio and wondered, “Hey…what’s going on there?”

Us, too. We love learning more about what shapes the world around us — the buildings, the spaces and the ways we move between them.

Next time you’re wondering about some building, project or piece of land, send me an email at [email protected] and I’ll look into it for a possible story.

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