Community Meeting Called To Discuss Coventry School Sale

CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, OH —The city will host a community meting on the development of the Coventry School site on July 27 at the Community Center, 1 Monticello Blvd., at 7 p.m. The Cleveland Heights-University Heights School District announced in early May that it would look to sell the property. The city subsequently announced that it would purchase the property from the district and then sell it to a developer.

The meeting will give residents a chance to discuss what they would like to see done with lot, located at 2843 Washington Blvd. The city is close to sending out a request for proposals (RFQ).

CH-UH Superintendent Talisa Dixon has said the Coventry School building, originally built in 1974, is in desperate need of repairs. She has also said the district had no desire to invest more money in the property.

The city has released its RFQ to the public and in the document the development goals for the property are listed as:

1. Creates a dense, vibrant, pedestrian friendly and unique residential / potentially mixed use development that leverages the placemaking opportunities of the site; such as, but not limited to an arts centered development;
2. Dovetails with the architecture and aesthetics of the surrounding Coventry Village area;
3. Complements and is harmonious with adjacent residential neighborhoods;
4. Creates positive economic and fiscal benefits for the neighborhood and City;
5. Incorporates greenspace, including integrating the existing area or portion thereof known as “P.E.A.C.E. Park”, into the design and construction of the development;
6. Achieves LEED certification or implements sustainability best practices;
7. Effectively incorporates community feedback into the design; and
8. Encourages the inclusion of minority-owned business enterprises in the construction of the development.

Current tenants of the Coventry School were moved to a month-to-month lease on June 1. The school district said it would work with tenants to help transition them to a new space.

"It is our hope the CH-UH School Board shares our commitment to the community and understands the benefits of having an institution such as Ensemble Theatre present within their district," the Ensemble's Board said in a statement shortly after the announcement of the building's impending sale was made.

The RFQ document can be viewed here.

Read more on the Coventry School sale and development:

• Coventry School Building May Be Sold
• Coventry School Sale To Be Aided By City of Cleveland Heights
• Ensemble Theatre Comments On Lease Change

Photo from Google Earth