Each month, we feature an Ohio City as part of our Ohio Community Spotlight series. This month we feature the “Streetcar Suburb” of Cleveland Heights.
Nestled just east of Cleveland, Cleveland Heights is a city rich in history and brimming with revitalization efforts that honor its past while embracing the future.
Founded as a streetcar suburb in the early 20th century, Cleveland Heights boasts a vibrant history evident in its diverse neighborhoods and stunning historic homes. Its walkable streets lined with mature trees reflect the city's charm.
In the 1950s, Cleveland Heights saw the influx of many merchant class and professional Jewish people leaving Cleveland. In 1961, 35% of the Jewish population of Cuyahoga County lived in Cleveland Heights, which coincided with the city’s peak population of 62,000. Today, around 45,000 call Cleveland Heights home.
North Building - Taylor Tudors | Image Source Tim Evanson
Just west of Cleveland Heights, University Circle has long stood as a district renowned for its rich tapestry of cultural, educational, and medical institutions. Such institutions include Case Western Reserve, the Cleveland Museum of Art, the Cleveland Botanical Garden, University Hospitals, and the Cleveland Clinic.
University Circle blends culture, education, and healthcare, making it a dynamic and enriching destination for residents and visitors alike – and many residents of Cleveland Heights find employment in the area.
Today, Cleveland Heights is embracing mixed-use development, walkability, and commercial revitalization, especially around the city’s busy commercial corridors to spur revitalization and continue transforming the city to meet the needs of its residents and visitors.
This includes the recent announcement of planning to repurpose the Severance Town Center. Once Ohio's first enclosed mall, Severance Town Center has been underutilized in the city’s core for many years. A joint venture of public and private sector collaboration will refresh this 40-acre site, addressing long-standing vacancies and reimagining it as a community hub.
Cleveland Heights emphasizes sustainability with ample parks and recreation spaces, supporting active lifestyles and community wellness. The city's ongoing investment in infrastructure promotes bike-friendly and pedestrian-friendly streets. In total, the city has 5 parks with over 135 acres of greenspace.
Iconic venues such as Cain Park host summer concerts, theater performances, and arts festivals, serving as community cornerstones and cultural magnets.
Spanning 22 acres, Cain Park hosts six tennis courts, a basketball court, playgrounds, a skatepark, and plenty of walking paths and greenspace. In the winter, the park holds a sledding hill for residents to enjoy the snow!
The City regards its residents as a key asset, and embraces the opportunity to welcome visitors into the city to call it home. In 2019, Cleveland Heights and the County Land Bank started the FutureHomes Program to rehab 20 homes in low- and moderate-income neighborhoods.
The City has also implemented the “Grow” program, a tax savings plan that extends tax benefits to eligible residential and commercial properties. Created in 2018 as a City-wide Community Reinvestment Area, Grow was created as a tool to help support reinvestment in existing buildings and also encourage new construction.
More than 500 small businesses call Cleveland Heights home, and the city is committed to supporting and expanding opportunities for small business growth. As part of the city-wide CRA, commercial and mixed-use projects are now eligible for property tax incentives for both new construction and remodeling/renovation.
The City has established the Job Creation Grant Program, offering incentives to businesses for establishing or expanding employment in Cleveland Heights. The Storefront Rehabilitation Program is targeted towards transformative exterior improvements of buildings in commercial districts. It combines rebates of up to $25,000 and no interest loans of up to $100,000. Also included is free design services from consultants contracted by the City
The city offers additional programs to foster economic development in the city, including a Microenterprise Loan Fund, an SBA Grant Program with the County, and other Commercial Loan Programs. This is all part of the city’s Economic Development Toolbox to meet the financing needs of local businesses.
With its embrace to grow and adapt, while holding true to the city’s unique founding, Cleveland Heights exemplifies how a city can honor its historical roots while proactively shaping a vibrant, inclusive future. Through strategic development, community engagement, and a commitment to sustainability, it stands as a model for urban revitalization in Ohio.
