Park Arts on Pause as Council Focuses on Charter Ballot Measures
On Tuesday night, September 2, the Council Chambers filled with the rhythms of a regular meeting—roll call, reports, and a full legislative agenda. But one item many residents have been watching closely did not move: financing for Park Arts, the proposed transformation of the historic Mendelsohn Building on the Park Synagogue Campus into a regional education and arts hub.
City Council advanced charter-authority measures for placement on the November 4, 2025 ballot. City Council has not publicly provided a rationale for declining to act on the ordinances at the September 2 meeting.
A Landmark of Jewish Cleveland
For generations, the Park Synagogue campus at 3300 Mayfield Road has been a touchstone of Jewish communal life in Cleveland Heights and the wider region. Park Arts proposes to honor that legacy by preserving a landmark synagogue and activating it as a living arts and education campus—a place where history, creativity, and community meet every day.
“In Cleveland Heights, preserving a landmark synagogue as a living arts campus is more than construction—it’s a visible affirmation that Jewish history and creativity belong at the heart of our civic life.”
“Residents expect progress, not process. On Tuesday, Council chose to enlarge its own authority while Park Arts—a project that preserves a landmark, creates classrooms and stages, and puts people to work—sat on the sidelines. A modest City loan unlocks much larger private and philanthropic dollars. Let’s not miss the build window—put it on the agenda and let’s get to work.”
—Mayor Kahlil Seren
What Happened at the Meeting
Two Park Arts items remain on Second Reading and are eligible for action at a future meeting:
ORDINANCE 167-2025(PD) — City Loan
Would authorize a $1,250,000 commercial development loan to Park Landlord LLC (a subsidiary of Sustainable Community Associates IX, LLC) for improvements at the Park Synagogue Campus.
ORDINANCE 168-2025(PD) — Site Improvements Grant
Would authorize a $750,000 grant to Friends of Mendelsohn for trails, walkways, sidewalks, site lighting, and landscaping at the Campus.
The Story Behind the Numbers
How the loan is structured (Ordinance 167-2025(PD))
- Amount: Up to $1,250,000
- Term & Rate: 30 years at 2%
- Payments: Interest-only for the first 10 years, then level monthly principal & interest on a 30-year amortization
- Maturity: Balloon payment at term end
- Security: Guaranty by Sustainable Community Associates IX, LLC
What the grant supports (Ordinance 168-2025(PD))
- $750,000 to Friends of Mendelsohn
- Use: Trails, walkways, sidewalks, site lighting, landscaping—site work that makes the campus navigable, safe, and welcoming when doors open.
Together, these tools pair building restoration with public-facing site improvements, so historic preservation is matched with accessibility and everyday use.
Why Timing Still Matters
Construction seasons are short and costs are sensitive to delay. The City’s participation is designed to unlock larger private and philanthropic dollars; those partners plan around clear legislative milestones. Tenants, funders, and contractors all rely on predictable schedules to keep the entire capital stack moving.
What Park Arts Could Mean for Cleveland Heights
- Preservation with purpose: Keep a landmark of Jewish Cleveland alive through daily use.
- Education & culture: A regional draw for classes, performances, and public programming.
- Jobs & local spending: Construction and operations that circulate dollars in our community.
- Corridor momentum: Visible progress that encourages nearby reinvestment and small-business activity.
What’s Next
The Administration is prepared to re-calendar Ordinances 167-2025(PD) and 168-2025(PD) at Council’s direction and provide any materials requested ahead of a future vote. When the items are scheduled, residents will be able to review agendas, watch the meeting, and offer public comment.
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Infill Housing Plan Moves Forward in a CEJST-Designated Neighborhood
At Tuesday’s Council meeting, Mayor Seren introduced two ordinances to activate long-vacant city-owned property, the majority of which are located in a 2025 Qualified Census Tract and/or Census Tracts identified as Disadvantaged based on metrics compiled by the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool.
The pair of ordinances—175-2025(PD) and 176-2025(PD)—authorize the sale of 46 lots to FutureHeights, Inc., and 19 lots to YRM Corp., respectively. “This is vacant-to-vibrant,” said Mayor Kahlil Seren. “By focusing new homes in a CEJST-identified area, we pair equity with common sense—clean up legacy risks, add quality housing choices, and give families a reason to plant roots in Cleveland Heights.”
The collaboration with FutureHeights, Inc. serves as a unique public-private partnership among the City, the CDC, and Rebuild Cleveland LLC, a local private-sector home builder with deep roots in the community. This approach will see FutureHeights, Inc. lead a dynamic community engagement campaign in partnership with Rebuild Cleveland LLC, bringing depth and experience in residential construction, finance, and real estate.
Seth Task [Principal, Rebuild Cleveland LLC] added, “The market responds to decisive action and clear momentum. This revitalization effort will build on the work underway along South Taylor as well as the work soon to begin at Park Arts. We are excited to complement these developments by offering unique new housing typologies that will open doors for first-time buyers and long-time residents interested in right-sizing their home to align with their lifestyle. Together, these decisive actions are turning policy into shovel-ready projects—accelerating homeownership, stabilizing neighborhoods, and signaling that Cleveland Heights is unequivocally committed to equitable, neighborhood-scale reinvestment and long-term community wealth."
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Why Continuity Matters for Cleveland Heights’ Infrastructure
Before most of us pour the first cup of coffee, City crews and contractors are staging cones, checking permits, and lining up inspections. What you see is the work: fresh pavement, open catch basins, fewer backups. What you don’t see is the clock that makes it possible. Our streets, sewers, and waterlines don’t run on slogans—they run on schedules, compliance, and funding that can vanish if we miss deadlines.
Cleveland Heights has secured significant external funding to repave streets, modernize its sewer system, replace aging waterlines, and upgrade environmental equipment. These funds come with schedules, compliance milestones, and match requirements. Meeting project milestones keeps those dollars here and work moving forward.
From the Mayor
“When we meet our deadlines, we keep millions working here in Cleveland Heights - on safer streets, cleaner sewers, and more reliable water service. All of these systems work together, so we must be diligent about efficiently coordinating multiple project timelines.”
—Mayor Kahlil Seren
Over the last three years, Cleveland Heights has assembled a mosaic of outside funding to move long-planned infrastructure forward—grants, reimbursements, and loan forgiveness that stretch local dollars and accelerate repairs. Some awards pay only for design, others for construction, and several rely on ARPA matches not itemized below. Each one comes with a timeline.
Why the timeline matters
Infrastructure money travels with rules: bid windows, environmental compliance, match requirements, and closeout dates. Miss a window and you can face re-bids, higher prices, or lost opportunities. Hit your milestones and you keep those outside dollars working here—on our streets and under our feet.
What residents get for it
- Safer streets & smoother commutes on key corridors through resurfacing and citywide striping.
- Flooding & backup relief via SSO control, pipe repair, and catch basin work.
- Reliable water service with targeted waterline replacements—and full street restoration after trenching.
- Lower local costs thanks to grants and loan forgiveness, which reduce the burden the City must shoulder alone.
A few highlights (2022–2025)
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Roads & Streets: Warrensville Center (County 50/50 • $224,913 • awarded), Lee Road Rehabilitation (ODOT • $554,870 • complete), Euclid Heights Blvd (County 50/50 • $250,000 • awarded), plus ongoing pavement striping.
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Sewers & Stormwater: CH-28 Lee/Cumberland (ARPA • $1,167,417 • complete) and (MCIP • $281,702 • complete); Cedar Glen Pkwy sanitary (MCIP • $619,300 • complete); Hampshire illicit connection & SSO control (MCIP • $999,625 • awarded); SSO CH-9/32/57/58 (Ohio EPA DEFA loan forgiveness • $2,758,505).
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Waterlines (SWMRP & ARPA): Edgerly ($411,524), Clarendon ($789,211 • complete), Altamont ($801,615 • under design), Brinkmore ($395,624 • under design), Mount Laurel ($397,390 • under design), East Fairfax (under construction).
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Environmental & Equipment: Recycle Ohio front loader ($200,000), H2Ohio brine/chloride reduction ($63,949), County preventive maintenance reimbursement ($11,742), Community Recycling Awareness ($6,000).
What’s underway right now
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Under construction: SSPRPs Phases 1–2, East Fairfax, North Park SSO, Yellowstone separation & waterline.
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Design → Bid next up: SSO CH-30, SWMRP Altamont, Brinkmore, Mount Laurel.
At a glance: Over $ 10.5 M in outside funding since 2022 is tied to specific schedules. Staying on schedule protects those dollars—and keeps service improvements moving.
Jargon, decoded
ARPA: Federal gap/match funding for major infrastructure.
MCIP: County Member Community Infrastructure Program (competitive).
ODOT: State roadway funding.
County 50/50: County–City cost-share for local roads.
DEFA loan forgiveness (Ohio EPA): Principal forgiveness for qualifying sewer projects.
SWMRP: Cleveland Suburban Water Main Renewal Program with Cleveland Water.
Source notes: Figures reflect documented awards/forgiveness to date; some amounts are pending confirmation. The status reflects departmental updates as of July 16, 2025, and will evolve as work progresses.
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Mayor Seren Hosts City Hall Briefing for Mayoral Candidates
To support an informed transition, Mayor Kahlil Seren hosted an informational City Hall briefing for all Cleveland Heights mayoral candidates on Friday, September 5. The Mayor’s office invited every candidate by email, requested their availability, and also provided a Zoom option for those unable to attend in person. This was not a candidate forum and does not constitute an endorsement by the City; it was an open, informational session. Candidate Marty Gelfand attended; Laura Hong had expressed interest and potential availability that day; Dana Bermer-Fisher indicated she would be available after September 9; Councilman Jim Petras opted to watch the recording; and Vice President Davida Russell had not responded by the start time.
Topics covered (highlights):
- Public Works: automated refuse/recycling; bulk pickup scheduling; leaf collection (including a leaf-vacuum pilot); winter response; and exploring LiDAR road-condition mapping to spot problems earlier.
- Workforce: staffing capacity and recent labor agreements aimed at recruiting and retaining front-line talent.
- Infrastructure: the City’s investigate-and-repair approach under the federal sewer consent decree, and how funding choices—including ARPA allocations—affect future sewer rates.
- Parks & Recreation: Denison Park improvements (field and splash pad); Cain Park’s new accessible “strand” seating with the sledding hill preserved; the rebuilt North Rink now operating; and options under review for the South Rink (e.g., an indoor turf field with flexible use).
- Community Access & Organization: resident access questions related to the Heights High pool; and organizational changes that brought building/permitting back in-house within a consolidated Planning, Neighborhoods & Development department.
Watch the full briefing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3b9dWjfr70
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Youth Violence Prevention: Moving From Reaction to Prevention
In 2023, Cleveland Heights was awarded a $300,000 Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) grant to launch a youth-focused violence prevention program. The design centers on violence interruption—partnering with experienced community practitioners to de-escalate conflicts, support victims and families at key moments (including hospital bedside outreach), and connect 15–25 year-olds most at risk to services and non-violent paths forward.
"I haven't given up on finding ways to prevent violence instead of just cleaning up afterward," Mayor Kahlil Seren said at the August 28 Community Town Hall. "This work is about interrupting cycles and helping young people resolve problems without retaliation."
What the Program Does
Violence Interruption & Outreach: Community-based responders engage youth and families after incidents to defuse tensions and stop retaliatory harm.
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Hospital-Based Response: Trained teams meet victims and families at the moment of highest risk to offer support and alternatives.
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Youth Focus (15–25): Prioritizes those most likely to be impacted by serious violence.
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Partnership Model: Collaboration with the Cleveland Peacemakers Alliance and alignment with Cuyahoga County's violence prevention efforts; targeted participation from specific CHPD officers who have strong relationships with youth and neighborhoods.
"We'll involve well-placed officers with a track record of positive community connection—working alongside outside experts—to make sure this effort is trusted and effective," the Mayor said.
Why It's Taken Time
Standing up a federal grant the right way has required behind-the-scenes fixes:
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Grant Administration Handoff: The City resolved technical barriers (including federal ID verification) and transitioned grant administration away from the police chief to a team that includes Finance so that funds can be drawn down and tracked properly.
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No "Double-Funding": The original plan blended two federal sources; BJA required a redesign to avoid duplication.
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Program Redesign: After the award, federal guidance changed elements of eligible work. The City is finalizing a compliant design that preserves the core mission.
"People are concerned about us losing the money. Unless the next administration abandons this, we won't lose it. BJA has told us extending the grant period is straightforward—they want to see this work happen," the Mayor said.
What's Next
Finalize the Updated Design: Lock in roles for community partners and designated CHPD officers; confirm compliance steps with BJA.
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Launch & Learn: Build in knowledge-sharing with peer cities that have driven significant reductions in violent crime through holistic approaches (e.g., Baltimore, Chicago, Birmingham) and adapt best practices to a first-ring suburb context.
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Measure Results: Track engagements, de-escalations, service connections, and long-term outcomes for youth and families.
"We're setting the stage so the next administration can hit the ground running—with relationships, compliance, and funding already in place," the Mayor said.
Cleveland Heights' violence prevention program is active, funded, and moving forward. It is designed to meet young people where they are, calm the hottest moments, and connect our neighbors to help before harm escalates—so fewer families carry the lifelong cost of violence.
| | Street crews pour a new crosswalk on Yellowstone Road near Monticello Middle School | |
Cleveland Heights Resurfaces 14 Roads in One Summer Paving Season
Public Works wraps the 2025 street resurfacing schedule
Cleveland Heights’ Public Works Department has completed a busy summer of street improvements—resurfacing 14 roads as part of the City’s 2025 Resurfacing program.
“Every year, a determination is made based on a pavement rating score. Roadways are added or removed based on other related projects, and limits are adjusted to stay within budget,” said Virginia Carter, Assistant Public Works Director.
Streets resurfaced in 2025
- Bayreuth Rd (Brunswick Rd → City Limits)
- E. Scarborough Rd (S. Taylor Rd → Canterbury Rd)
- Euclid Heights Blvd (Coventry Rd → Cedar Glen)
- Goodnor Rd (Cedar Rd → Superior Rd)
- Hanover Dr (Brunswick Rd → City Limits)
- Kingston Rd
- Maple Rd (Mayfield Rd → Wood Rd [north intersection])
- Marlindale Rd (Cedar Rd → Superior Rd)
- North Park Blvd (MLK Blvd → Delaware Dr)
- Northampton Rd (Quilliams Rd → Montford Rd)
- Parkhill Rd
- Walden Rd (Eastwick Dr → City Limits)
- Whitby Rd (Windsor Rd → Greyton Rd)
- Yellowstone Rd (Oakridge Dr → Monticello Blvd)
What the work included
The scope of work included grinding and milling the roadway, as well as replacing the base and surface courses.
The City thanks residents for their patience and cooperation throughout this construction season.
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