Lakewood's Cove Church Redevelopment Moves Forward

LAKEWOOD, OH — Three teams have been short-listed for the Cove Church redevelopment project. The city wants to convert the former church into an intergenerational community center.

The city said it received 11 submissions from companies all looking to lead the project. The submissions were reviewed by a resident-led selection panel.

The three teams which were short-listed and invited to the next round were:

• ­Infinity Construction and Moody Nolan
• Ruhlin and DS Architecture
• ­Krill and Bialosky

All submissions received by the city have been shared online.

The intergenerational community center would consolidate the Department of Human Services into one building, while expanding the services offered by the city. The department is currently housed in three municipal properties across Lakewood.

The new community center would include a flexible meeting space for residents to connect with programming, like the Family Room; capacity for on and off-site meal delivery; and a general purpose community gathering space.

Officials said the site would also aid Lakewood's stormwater management infrastructure and the city's compliance with the Clean Water Act. The Cove Church site has been incorporated into the city's Integrated Wet Weather Improvement Plan, which was submitted to the federal and state EPA.

The Cove Church property is a 1.77-acre site. The building was constructed in 1969 and is approximately 18,000 square feet, the city said. Lakewood City Council approved the purchase of the site in June 2019.