April 19: Cleveland City Planning Commission
Covered by Documenter Mildred Seward (notes)
Income-based affordable housing for seniors
An affordable housing complex for seniors is coming to the Bellaire-Puritas neighborhood.
The Cleveland City Planning Commission granted Puritas Senior Apartments final approval for its design. The building is intended for people 55 and older and will include 48 units. Eligibility is income-based.
Greg Baron of Volker Development said that people making 30% to 80% of the area median income would be eligible. According to Baron’s presentation, the 2023 income limits would be between $18,990 and $50,640 for one person and between $21,720 and $57,920 for two people.
Baron said the building will also have features such as a fitness room with senior-appropriate equipment. The commission also made it a condition of its approval that the developers consider ways to incorporate bike storage space for residents.
The apartments will replace an existing commercial and residential building in the area. Baron said people are currently living in the residential building. He added that the project received money from the Cleveland Housing Trust Fund, which includes federal dollars. Because of this, developers are following the Uniform Relocation Act. Baron said they are working with the tenants to relocate them to comparable housing.
Correction: An earlier version of this article incorrectly credited the Puritas Senior Apartments rendering.
Decision delayed on land for Habitat for Humanity
A Greater Cleveland Habitat for Humanity project in North Collinwood is on hold. Commissioners delayed a decision on moving forward Cleveland City Council legislation that would let the city sell land for housing. They asked that city officials explain why the land should be used for housing instead of a park.
An official from the Mayor’s Office of Capital Projects said the land was the site of the Grovewood Pool. Now, it is a vacant lot.
The commission’s chair, Lillian Kuri, confirmed that the land fell under the jurisdiction of the Department of Public Works rather than the Cleveland Land Bank. She said the city has a policy of not selling park land or public open spaces. She said she wants the city to provide an explanation of why the land isn’t appropriate for use as a park or open space. Kuri said the city’s reasoning should also show that Cleveland’s Parks and Recreation Master Plan was considered. The plan aims to increase parks and public space throughout the city.
The commission plans to revisit the case on May 3.
A literal Man of Steel
The commission also approved public art celebrating Superman and his creators at the Huntington Convention Center.
According to Architect Nick Slaughterbeck from Moody Nolan, the Siegel and Shuster Tribute Plaza will feature an 18-foot-tall steel sculpture of Superman. This will include a base that holds up the sculpture as it “flies.”
Three bronze figures modeled after Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel, who created the comic book while living in Cleveland, and Joanne Siegel, who served as the inspiration for Lois Lane, will be pointing at Superman as he takes off.
Slaughterbeck said they also received DC Comics’ approval for the statue.
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