Cedar Road reopens as demolition of fire-damaged Cedar Lee building begins
Two months after the fire that destroyed part of the Marquee building at Cedar and Lee, and days after the demolition of the building began (this week), the City's Safety Services announce the re-opening of Cedar Road at the site today, Friday, March 28.
Cedar Road has been closed between Lee and Goodnor roads since the fire occurred on January 24, due to safety concerns including possible collapse.
The City, State Fire Marshall and Marquee developer, Indianapolis-based Flaherty & Collins, announced the conclusion of the fire investigation last week, with the official cause listed as 'undetermined' meaning no suspicious activity was involved.
With the conclusion of the investigation, the developer contracted with a demolition company which was on the site Wednesday, March 26, starting demolition of the northern half of the project (the Lee Road building is separate and fully intact).
Crews made considerable progress in the first half-week of demolition, allowing for all four lanes on Cedar Road to safely reopen today.
Thank you for your patience as the site is cleared, and please use caution when driving in the area, taking advantage of all that Cedar-Lee has to offer!
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Noble neighborhood site of Severance plan open house
Ryan Porter, Principal of MPACT Collective – a New York firm with experience redeveloping downtowns who signed an agreement with the owner of Severance Town Center to produce a redevelopment plan – held an open house at the Noble Road Library this week, both attended by residents and live streamed.
Porter was drawn to the project because of previous work with Cleveland Heights Planning, Neighborhoods and Development Director Eric Zamft, who was brought into the conversation about developing Severance after years of effort by Mayor Seren to create an integrated development department, placing Economic Development activities under a single director along with Community Development and Planning. The ultimate result was the agreement with Severance owner Namdar to develop a plan for the property before the end of 2025.
MPACT’s process is to hear from as many people living in Cleveland Heights – in this case, directly from the Noble neighborhood – what they would like to see on the site.
“MPACT is interested on how the Severance redevelopment benefits the community,” said Cleveland Heights Community Development Assistant Director, Brian Iorio. “[Porter] wants to reach out to the community, particularly in the Noble neighborhood, and find out, ‘What are the current barriers for the community in using Severance?’ So that the redevelopment can overcome them."
Porter explained that he will continue to meet one-on-one with businesses, community members, and elected officials. MPACT has also launched a ‘crowdsource’ website for individuals to post their ideas for the redevelopment of Severance. He added that MPACT will review input and determine if there is market demand, or if concepts are financeable.
Comments on the redevelopment of Severance are being collected online.
For more information about the Severance Town Center redevelopment plan – including a housing market analysis and MPACT’s Recommended Action Plan – click here.
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Loose leaf pick-up begins Monday, March 31
City will follow neighborhood schedule; please pile leaves on tree lawns
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City crews will resume loose leaf (bulk) pick-up on Monday, March 31 and follow a neighborhood pick-up schedule through April.
We request that residents place their loose leaves in piles on the tree lawn area between the street and sidewalk in advance of their scheduled collection week.
The City publishes an online map with expected pick up dates that it regularly updates as crews make their way by neighborhood.
Please do not rake or blow leaves into the street where they are a safety hazard and could also block drains.
Read more.
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Bike share to launch in Cleveland Heights
Cleveland Heights will have a bike share system as soon as this spring, starting with twelve stations holding 100 bikes and scooters dotted throughout the city. They will be connected to a network of more than 200 stations located in Cuyahoga County where residents will be able to rent, ride and drop a bike or scooter off at the end of their trip.
Eight of the bike share locations in Cleveland Heights will have bike racks installed adjacent to sidewalks in the heart of the Coventry, Cedar Lee, Cedar Fairmount and Noble commercial districts. The four remaining ‘stations’ will be virtual, ‘geofenced’ areas demarcated on the app of the two companies operating in Cleveland Heights, Veo and Bird.
The installations in Cleveland Heights will coincide with installation of bike share stations at destinations throughout Cuyahoga County, including more than 30 new stations announced this week destined for commercial districts in South Euclid, University Heights, East Cleveland and Cleveland.
Bike share is a transportation option that is app driven, with bikes and scooters rentable by the minute. Fees vary, but according to the City of Cleveland’s Shared Mobility web page, most rides cost $1 to start and then $0.15 to $0.31 per minute until you end your ride.
The regional bike share program is sponsored by Cuyahoga County.
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A message from your Cleveland Heights Forester
We have come to the end of the winter Oak tree pruning season that’s scheduled during dormancy to minimize the risk of the spread of Oak Wilt to our species of green lush White and Red Oak trees in our Urban Forest full of significant value. Oak Wilt is a fungal disease that can rapidly decline and kill Oak trees. It can spread by sap-feeding beetles, which are more active during the growing season (April-October). Fresh cuts attract these beetles, leaving Oak trees vulnerable to infection. Our best practice is to avoid routine maintenance during Spring, Summer, and Fall seasons. Some exceptions are hazardous tree removals or storm damage-related cleanup trimming within the first few hours of a weather event. Maintenance Oak tree pruning will resume in late November. So, in this case, we will lean on science to guide our Forest City.
Be well,
City Forester, Andre Trapp
Certified Arborist ISA OH-6538
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Demolition begins on the fire-damaged remains of Cleveland Heights apartment complex at Cedar Lee
| | 🌈✨ Happy International Transgender Day of Visibility! On Monday, March 31, Cleveland Heights will celebrate the incredible resilience, strength, and beauty of the transgender community, with Mayor Seren raising the Transgender Pride Flag at City Hall at 9:30 am. Let’s uplift each other with love and support while shining a light on our journeys. 💖 Be proud, be seen—your truth is valid! #TDOV2023 #TransVisibility #Pride 🌟💪 |
Restoration of Doan Brook at Horseshoe Lake nears final design
Virtual and in-person public meetings next week will review plans
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The Northeast Ohio Sewer District will host two public engagement events next week, one virtual and one in person, to discuss the Restoration of Doan Brook (at the former Horseshoe Lake). The virtual meeting will be held Monday, March 31 at 6 pm. via Zoom (registration required). An in-person open house will be held at the Cleveland Heights Library on Lee Road for the project on Wednesday, April 2 (11 am-1 pm and 5-7 pm, no registration required). If you’d like to learn more about the project and milestones ahead, we hope to see you there.
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The Cleveland Heights Spring Egg Hunt is April 12, 10 am - noon, at the Community Center, 1 Monticello Boulevard.
Get ready for a day of fun, laughter, and community celebration! Mark your calendars, and expect:
- A bountiful egg hunt
- Face painter
- Balloon artist
- Magician
- Craft station
Please bring your own basket to carry eggs!
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The Northeast Ohio Area Coordinating Agency (NOACA)--the transportation and environmental planning agency in Greater Cleveland--will be holding an open house for Cleveland Heights residents to provide information about planned projects in the next few years. Residents are encouraged to attend and give feedback.
Where: Heights Library Lee Road Branch
When: Friday, April 4, 2025, from 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM
No registration required.
| | | Spring Soccer is here! Cleveland Heights High School Hall of Fame Coach and Educator Has Led Heights Youth Soccer Academy Since 1994 | |
City Council's meetings may be viewed live on YouTube.
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