Kamla Lewis, senior housing development project manager for the Cuyahoga Land Bank, watched on a recent chilly Friday morning as bulldozers broke through a slightly frozen surface to break ground for phase one of the Circle East District single-family homes and townhouses along Woodlawn Avenue in East Cleveland and Cleveland.
This is the start of another phase of redeveloping four streets east of Woodlawn Avenue. The Cuyahoga Land Bank, which owns approximately 30 acres at the site, will soon see its vision come to fruition with 12 new townhouses and 21 new single-family homes.
“The Circle East District is a collaboration with the cities of East Cleveland and Cleveland, coming out of community studies done in 2015 and 2020,” Lewis said. “The study identified that East Cleveland and its residents wanted to start their revitalization, and they all agreed that where to start is in this neighborhood because of its proximity to University Circle. They wanted to draw off the energy and economic development that was happening there eastward along East Cleveland. The whole goal is to bring new private investment into East Cleveland. So, the land bank has worked to get private sector builders willing to invest in the city responsibly and share the vision set forth.”
Last June, the Land Bank cut the ribbon on the newly renovated Mickey’s building on Euclid Avenue. Verdynt Biotech plans to purchase the 25,000-square-foot commercial property, bringing in approximately 100 tech jobs. Ismail Samad, owner of Loiter Café, who rented space on the first floor of Mickey’s building, took legal action in 2024 against the Land Bank charging he had been locked out of his business, while Land Bank accused Samad of failing to open according to the terms of the lease. The parties reached an agreement last November. The café’s owner recently moved to another location.
When East Cleveland officials determined it was time to halt the city’s decades-long decline, they called on the community to forge a vision and the Land Bank to implement it. The idea called for the development of 30 acres of land and the Mickey’s building. As the master developer, the Land Bank met with the community for their input.
“Studies found that residents wanted a variety of housing types, as well as a rebuilt community that would attract a diverse group of residents,” said Lewis. “Woodlawn is split between East Cleveland and Cleveland. There are four builders involved in Phase 1, including the Land Bank, which is constructing the homes that you see breaking ground today. Developers will build four homes on the East Cleveland side and one on the Cleveland side.”
Cleveland Bricks will build townhomes closer to the corner of Woodlawn and Euclid avenues. Permits for that project are in the works, and the groundbreaking is scheduled for April. The homes will feature rooftop solar panels and electrical vehicle (EV) chargers in the garage.
According to Lewis, on average, all single-family homes are about 1,700 square feet with three bedrooms and two and a half bathrooms. Per the city’s request, developers will build in a variety of styles ranging from cottage and contemporary to traditional. A green space will encompass the whole complex.
Although the rendering for the development is attractive, going further east beyond the 30-acre perimeter, there’s still blight. However, officials hope this project will be a catalyst for further redevelopment in East Cleveland and Cleveland.
“When the community looked at and studied their situation in 2015 and 2020, it was clear that you can’t do the whole city at one time,” said Lewis. “Most cities start in one place to gauge whether private investors will show interest in that community. Once you feel confident that companies will invest, then you create a market.”
The dwellings will range in cost from approximately $350,000 to over $400,000. Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland Clinic employees are eligible for the Greater Circle Living program, which offers down payment assistance up to $20,000. The Land Bank is also working with lenders on a plan to help buyers with financing. It may sound like gentrification to some, but Lewis points out that gentrification displaces existing residents.
“We started with assisting existing residents to repair their homes with the very goal of trying to ensure they could remain safely in their home,” she said. “We gave grants of on average $17,000. We also have offered them assistance if they are tax delinquent. The increase in property taxes from the most recent appraisal are a greater danger for displacement than is our project. Our home repair increases the value of these homes, giving the residents increased instant equity, i.e. builds wealth, giving them options they never had before.”
Like a mom watching her child score their first goal in a soccer game, Lewis watched as the earth movers continued to dig.
“Who knew that watching an excavator dig a hole could bring so much joy?” asked Lewis. “But this hole represents one step closer to the reality that the community envisioned as far back as 2015. Thanks to all who have made this possible.”
This story was published in partnership with The East Clevelander Magazine.
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