The saga of Shaker Square: Divisive politics in Cleveland’s Ward 4
The proposed plan to save the iconic Shaker Square garnered widespread support from most Cleveland City Council members, so how did it end up back at square one at the 11th hour?
The proposed plan to save the iconic Shaker Square garnered widespread support from most Cleveland City Council members, so how did it end up back at square one at the 11th hour?
The City of Cleveland wants to spend $12 million to rescue Shaker Square from receivership, turn it over to nonprofits for repairs, and sell it to a new owner. Some critics, though, say the city is overpaying for the center and it’s a waste of precious tax dollars. With repair needs looming and tenants leaving the square, City Council is set to vote on a deal as early as next week.
Along with the many issues facing Cleveland as a whole, Ward 4’s city council candidates also have to address the scars left by the corruption of their community’s longtime council representative.
With loud chants of “Open up now!”, Buckeye-Shaker Square residents held a rally Tuesday, May 11 calling for the reopening of their local post office branch, which closed suddenly following a robbery six months ago and has not reopened since then.
Owner Rakefet Landes, who was a real estate agent and property manager in New York before moving to Cleveland three years ago, plans to move forward with renovations after receiving a $250,000 state historic tax credit last month.