Design + Build

Trend watch: Cohousing makes its way to Cleveland
About two or three years ago, Cleveland Heights resident Mary Kelsey and some friends began talking about the concept of cohousing—a community of homes that are clustered around shared spaces like a common house and outdoor areas. While there are fewer than 200 cohousing communities across the U.S., Kelsey says there are “quite a few” are in progress, including right here in Northeast Ohio.
Historic Hessler Road townhomes are becoming modern-day living apartments
As president of Berusch Development Partners, Russell Berusch converts college campuses into neighborhoods that are convenient and accessible for the typical college student, such as University Circle’s Uptown neighborhood and Euclid 116 student apartments.

Now Berusch is taking on an historic neighborhood on Hessler Road in University Circle.
University Circle's Magnolia Clubhouse completes major renovation in historic home
Since 1961, Magnolia Clubhouse has been a place where people with mental illness can go for friendship, counseling, help finding employment, and even just to get a good meal. Situated in two neighboring early 1900s houses, Magnolia Clubhouse is located at 11101 and 11027 Magnolia Drive in University Circle—and about to enter the final stages of a $3.85 million renovation effort.
 
Model Shaker Heights home saved from demolition, restored to real estate gem

When Oris and Mantis Van Sweringen were developing Shaker Heights in the 1920s, and Cleveland was expanding after the completion of the Rapid between downtown and the new suburb, The Van Sweringen Company began building model homes to promote development in Shaker and demonstrate the standards that were expected of the homes.

Most of the model homes remain standing to this day. But one historic model home at 2834 Courtland Blvd. was dangerously close to demolition a few years ago before the Cleveland Restoration Society (CRS) and the City of Shaker Heights got involved.

Read about how this historic house was saved from the wrecking ball here.

After cleanup and demolition, development group is ready to start Cleveland Athletic Club conversion
When Joe DiGeronimo first walked into the former Cleveland Athletic Club, he was shocked by the state of the historic property. The club was a shell of its once-thriving self, ravaged by water damage and years of severe neglect. Now he's at the helm of a $62 million renovation project to restore the building to its historic grandeur and turn it into apartments, retail, and office space.
Bocce and bowling officially coming in May, as Pinstripes breaks ground at Pinecrest
In November, Dale Schwartz began digging up his past when he officially celebrated the groundbreaking of Pinstripes just down the street from his native Beachwood. The bowling, bocce, and bistro establishment will be based at the Pinecrest mixed-use development currently under construction at I-271 and Harvard Road in Orange Village. Read more about the chain's growth and its opening, slated for mid-May, here.
Volunteers team up to beautify neighborhood around 2100 Lakeside shelter
Ohio's largest homeless shelter just became more of a home. On Saturday, Nov. 4, more than 50 volunteers and organizers gathered at 2100 Lakeside—the men’s homeless shelter run by Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry (LMM)—to build a gazebo on land donated by the Cuyahoga Land Bank at 2138 Lakeside Ave. and clean up the surrounding neighborhood.

Read more about their efforts here.
25 years in, Cleveland's Ritz-Carlton shines in its new polishing
The Ritz-Carlton re-established itself as one of Cleveland’s most luxurious hotels last week with the near-completion of a 18-month total makeover.

“It’s like a jewel that you’ve had for a long time, and when you shine it, a diamond comes out,” says Ritz-Carlton general manager Yael Ron, who led last Friday's ribbon-cutting ceremony with Mayor Frank Jackson and other notables. “It’s super exciting.”

Read more about the extensive renovations here.
Storytelling by design: Christine Wisnieski works her branding magic in Cleveland
It's fitting that designer Christine Wisnieski kickstarted her career designing love notes for Kate Spade, because her Cleveland-based branding and collaborative design studio is a love letter of sorts to the city itself.

Over the last six years, Wisnieski has worked with a long list of local icons—from the West Side Market to Majestic Steel to RTA to Trentina—on redefining and refreshing their brands. "At the core, most people hire us to reimagine their organization and assist in repositioning themselves for growth," shares Wisnieski. "In a small way, [the studio has] been able to help shape the way the city presents itself to the world.
Intergenerational Playscape brings folks of all ages together for innovative play

Oversized chess and checkers boards, a concrete ping-pong table, and a figure-eight walking track are just a few features of Cleveland's newest playland for kids—and kids at heart. As of this Thursday, Oct. 19, a group of people spanning multiple generations will have a new place to play, learn, and socialize when Cleveland Neighborhood Progress (CNP) dedicates its Intergenerational Playscape and Garden on the front yard of St. Luke’s Pointe in the Buckeye-Shaker neighborhood.

The playscape is one of the final steps in the transformation of the historic St. Luke’s hospital building campus, which has truly become an intergenerational learning center. Read about the dedication ceremony here.

Like a boss: Boss Dog to open after extensive overhaul of Lee Road spot
It’s been more than 18 months since brothers Josh and Jason Sweet bought the former Lemon Grass restaurant space at 2178 Lee Road in Cleveland Heights. But this month, Boss Dog Brewing Company will finally open the doors to its 10-barrel brewhouse and restaurant.

Find out all the details and exactly when Boss Dog's doors will open here.
Cloudy with a chance of mermaids: Sherwin-Williams sets the tone with its Color of the Year
Before hunkering down to hibernate, redecorating may be in order—especially if your walls reflect those increasingly gray skies. Though gray has been popular for the past five or six years, the tide is turning, says Sherwin-Williams’ director of color marketing Sue Wadden, who recently announced that the vibrant blue Oceanside (SW 6496) is Color of the Year 2018.
Same vibe, different location at new Parnell’s on Cedar Hill

When the iconic Charles Stewart Parnell's Pub closed on Sept. 20 after two decades on Lee Road, regulars came out to party and toast good memories of the place.

Patrons knew it was not a farewell, but a celebration of what is to come with the new location at 12425 Cedar Road in the former Ten Thousand Villages space on Cedar Hill.

When is the new location opening? Find out here.

Local artists help beautify NEORSD green infrastructure project in Buckeye

Buckeye trees rooted to Woodland Hills / water flows as cascading streams / Lake Erie awaits clean raindrops” reads a passage of Dawn Arrington’s poem, which will be inscribed on a wall along E. 104th Street within the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District’s (NEORSD) Buckeye Green Infrastructure project.

Set for completion by January 2018, the project is part of Project Clean Lake—a 25-year plan to reduce pollution in Lake Erie by four billion gallons per year. Learn about the public artists involved in the project here.

Have a slice and read a good book at the new home of Visible Voice and Crust Pizza Kitchen

While some people may see a morbid link to it, the fact that the Komorowski building at 2258 Professor Ave. in Tremont used to be a funeral home has never creeped out the building’s new owner Dave Ferrante.

“From the moment I bought it, I never experienced any negative feelings,” he says. “It has a peaceful feel to it. And the positive part is I got 26 parking spots.”

Ferrante bought the building last year to re-open Visible Voice Books, which had closed three years ago. Read about Visible Voice's re-opening in a new location with Crust Pizza here.

Harness Cycle’s historic downtown digs open today
Fresh on the heels of the long-awaited opening of Marble Room Steaks & Raw Bar comes another establishment in the historic Garfield Building that fans have been anticipating. Today Harness Cycle's second location opens next door on the corner of E. 6th Street and Euclid Avenue.

Read more about the downtown version of the Hingetown spinning studio here.
Harbor Verandas project is next step in lakefront community living downtown

For decades, the hot topic among Clevelanders has been “what to do with the city’s lakefront,” comparing Cleveland’s lakefront use, or lack thereof, to other Great Lakes cities like Chicago, Milwaukee, and even Buffalo.

With the groundbreaking of Harbor Verandas at North Coast Harbor last Tuesday, Aug. 29, the City of Cleveland and Cumberland Development are proving that lakefront community living is a feasible reality.

Cumberland CEO Dick Pace says the development of North Coast Harbor as a mixed-use community has been a concept in the making since the 80s when George Voinovich was mayor and backed a lakefront development plan.

Read about how North Coast Harbor is taking shape as a lakefront community here.

Tremont’s Olney mansion and gallery coming back to life
Despite its storied past as a historic grand mansion and Cleveland's first public art museum, Olney House & Gallery has long sat abandoned at 2241 W. 14th St. in Tremont—until now. A comprehensive restoration effort is almost complete, bringing the two buildings back to their original 1800s glory. Read about the restoration process here.
Negative Space celebrates a new, larger arts oasis with its Saturday grand opening
Artists’ shows, open mic nights, jam sessions, and sketch nights: for the past six years, Negative Space has established itself as a non-profit creative oasis for artists, musicians, and community supporters at E. 39th Street and Superior Avenue in AsiaTown.

On Saturday, the studios and gallery will double down by moving into a warehouse space twice the size of its original home—and it just happens to be right next door at 3820 Superior Ave. At 4,000 square feet, the space is­ capable of housing even more art and entertainment.

Read more about the new Negative Space here.
Moving on up: The Edge on Euclid is downtown's first off-campus student housing high-rise.
A 262,000-square-foot, 11-story luxury apartment building is not only the newest addition to the skyline, but the first of its kind in downtown Cleveland—meeting demand for both high-end off-campus student housing and affordable urban apartments for the young professional crowd.
 
Enter the Edge on Euclid (1750 Euclid Ave.), which sits just adjacent to Cleveland State University and Playhouse Square. Along with close proximity to campus and culture, the building also offers a quick commute to schools like Case Western Reserve in University Circle and a central location for recent graduates just launching their careers in Cleveland.