CONNECT: Woodhill Choice Neighborhood Transformation Plan

Woodhill Station East is Phase III of the Buckeye-Woodhill Choice Neighborhood Transformation Plan, continuing the implementation of one of Cleveland’s most significant neighborhood revitalization efforts. The 64-unit mixed-income, mixed-use development expands housing opportunities adjacent to the RTA Blue and Green Line station while reinforcing the vision for a connected, walkable neighborhood. Responding to the site’s significant topography, the building steps with the natural grade to minimize its visual scale while capturing views of downtown Cleveland. The project demonstrates how thoughtful design can transform a challenging site into a distinctive residential community that supports both neighborhood revitalization and transit-oriented development.

Originally constructed in 1941 as part of Cleveland's neighborhood recreation system, the Clark Recreation Center has been renovated to preserve its historic character while better serving the needs of today's community.

The project balances the restoration of significant architectural features with modern interventions, including a comprehensive interior reconfiguration that improves accessibility, comfort, programming, and operational efficiency. Building envelope repairs, a new roof, and upgrades to mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and technology systems extend the facility's long-term performance while addressing maintenance and safety needs.

The result is a renewed civic asset that honors its history while providing flexible, welcoming spaces that will continue to serve the Clark-Fulton neighborhood for generations to come.

CONNECT: Innovation Square

Located where Opportunity Corridor meets the Cleveland Clinic, Aura at Innovation Square is the first mixed-income apartment building in this historically smaller-scale residential neighborhood. Aura actualizes the goals of the 2017 Innovation Square Neighborhood Plan, which City Architecture co-authored with the Fairfax Renaissance Development Corporation, to expand neighborhood housing options, improve neighborhood walkability, and to create new urban connections for existing Fairfax residents.

At ground level, shared active spaces – such as the fitness center, community room, and offices – overlook the sidewalk through large storefront windows for pedestrian safety. The mix of 82 studio, one-, and two-bedroom units serve diverse resident needs, incorporating accessible and universal design features, while the fourth-floor resident lounge and ground-level outdoor patio create space for community.

89th Rising is a fresh approach and re-imagination of how vacant property can be redeveloped in Cleveland with a “Missing Middle Housing” approach. The idea is simple – develop multiple units in a house-scale fashion so that they are compatible with neighboring detached single-family homes.

East 89th Street has an incredibly rich history but has experienced disinvestment and blight. 89th Rising transforms several vacant lots and brings 6 new buildings on 3 separate sites. Each building contains 4 first-floor flats and 4 2-story units; altogether, 48 units have been introduced to a single block. The architecture and scale of the new buildings respects and celebrates the storied history of the neighborhood.

CONNECT: 121 Larchmere

City Architecture’s new office is located on the ground floor of First Interstate Properties’ 121 Larchmere mixed-use building. More than just a physical work environment, the studio serves as a dynamic addition to this vibrant neighborhood.

The office’s main entrance is located directly on Larchmere Boulevard, creating an active neighborhood street presence. Large windows line the building and animate the pedestrian experience while bringing sightlines and natural light into the office. This results in a transparent connection between the vibrancy of the neighborhood and the activity of our studio.

Inside, a bright lobby provides a welcome entrance for staff and visitors. An open-concept studio with high ceilings, an abundance of natural light and spacious work stations serves as the firm’s main hub. Each team member is stationed within this studio space. The intentional openness – free from cubicles, walls and other barriers – results in a social and collaborative environment while retaining designated spaces and functions.

Staff desks are connected yet private, central countertops provide a social space to gather or work, and offices and conference rooms are tucked to the side. This offers privacy while glass walls and doors allow for visible studio connections. Additionally, a large central kitchen and lounge anchors the office, providing a common space to have informal meetings, enjoy lunch or take a break.

In our mission to Create Space with Purpose, we will continue to grow into our new space. We are excited to maximize our communications and collaborations within both this studio and this neighborhood.

“The Marquee” at Cedar lee is currently under construction along Lee Road. The development includes 204 market-rate apartments and 8,500 square feet of commercial retail space on 5.2 acres of city-owned land. The site also incorporates intentional green space for both the residents of the apartment complexes and the public. Being in the heart of the Cedar-Lee district, new and current residents will be able to connect to the community’s wide amenities of food, entertainment and retail.

CONNECT: City Architecture Office

A new four-story mixed-use building, 121 Larchmere adds 88 apartments and an abundance of office space to Cleveland’s Larchmere neighborhood. With close proximity to the growing University Circle district, this development repositions vacant property while bringing new residents, investment and an active ground floor fronting Larchmere Boulevard.

Residential amenities include modern finishes, a fitness room, first floor conference rooms and coffee bar, and fourth floor lounge with views of Downtown Cleveland. The building is also in close proximity to Shaker Square and access to the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority’s Blue and Green Rapid Lines.

121 Larchmere adds to the neighborhood’s vibrancy while demonstrating commitment to new housing options and economic investment on the city’s east side.

The Pivot Center adaptive reuse of the previously underutilized Astrup Awning historic building creates a vibrant arts, cultural, and services hub that brings new investment, youthful activity, and vital services to Cleveland’s Clark-Fulton neighborhood. The building’s renovation has resulted in $12.8 million investment. This is significant for the surrounding neighborhood, which has faced decades of disinvestment and media attention following the 2013 neighborhood tragedy when three women were held captive for nearly a decade in a home that formerly sat contiguous to the Pivot Center’s site.

The scope of work for this ambitious adaptive reuse development was primarily an interior renovation of the former industrial property across three floors and four interconnected buildings. The re-configured spaces house tenants including the Cleveland Family Center for Missing Children and Adults, Cleveland Museum of Art, Inlet Dance Theatre, Cleveland Rape Crisis Center, LatinUS Theater Company and Future Ink Graphics with potential additional tenants to be added in the future.

In an effort to bring positive and catalytic attention to the neighborhood, the Pivot Center is much more than a redeveloped building – it is a transformative gathering space and an important civic anchor. The Center brings renewed space and healing activity to the community, while serving as a welcoming neighborhood asset.

The Foundry Lofts Development repositions a large swath of vacant land in Cleveland’s Midtown neighborhood, adding 242 new residential units, residential amenities, and a commercial storefront. Completed in two phases across five new buildings, the architectural design is reminiscent of the neighborhood’s historic industrial brick warehouses. A new private street with decorative crosswalks, communal public spaces, streetscape amenities, and landscaping adds to the development’s sense of place, while materials from a former historic home on-site are integrated throughout the site. Consisting of micro, studio, one- and two-bedroom apartment units, the development increases housing opportunities in the neighborhood while thoughtfully filling in a gap along the urban street frontage.

The EY-Nottingham Spirk Innovation Hub is a collaborative exhibition and think-tank workshop filled with leading technology including virtual reality experiences and software along with a wave-wand video wall. While limited in square footage, an existing service garage was transformed into a space that offers advanced, world-class innovation.

Nottingham Spirk resides in a formerly historic church building that they acquired in the early 2000s. During the original adaptive reuse, the garage was constructed primarily to provide storage, parking and a prototype spray booth workshop. A new floor was constructed within the existing service garage to nearly double the amount of floor space that was available for innovative and collaborative activities.

Within the transformed warehouse, an experience center includes the welcome room, focus room, experience zones, and the EY wavespace. Sleek design decisions are demonstrated in strategic lighting, graphic displays, and multi-story utilization. The EY think-tank workshop on the second floor has an interchangeable function; the open floorplan adapts to a variety of current needs. The hub functions efficiently and effectively while making the user feel comfortable enough to explore the possibilities of product potential and development.

Birthing Beautiful Communities’ mission is to address and improve the systemic and community structures that lead to poor birth outcomes, ensuring that pregnant people can deliver full-term, healthy babies. The construction of a new birth center represents the next evolution of their mission, providing a supportive environment where families can welcome new babies. Additionally, this will also be the organization’s permanent home.

The design team’s goals were to create a space that feels welcoming, joyful, and comfortable for the clients’ birth experience. This is accomplished through a palette of warm materials and bold pops of color. The development is one of the city’s first in their pilot Form-Based Code and required a thoughtful and creative approach to the site and building design to create a strong urban form and pedestrian-friendly environment.

The Cleveland Hearing & Speech Center is the nation’s oldest hearing and speech center and serves over 9,000 children and adults each year. As part of their efforts to increase accessibility to their services across Northeast Ohio, the Center moved their headquarters into the Link59 building in Cleveland’s Midtown Neighborhood.

City Architecture, in partnership with Slate Interiors Studio, was engaged to design the tenant build-out of their new headquarters. The Center includes speech therapy rooms, multi-purpose space for kids’ group work, an audiology lab, patient rooms, conference room, offices, as well as an open office space and kitchen area for staff. The design of the space is both modern and welcoming with warm tones, calming colors, and sound attenuating elements. There are also nods to the organization’s work and legacy demonstrated through intentional design features, such as the incorporation of sound waves into the front desk and entry way.

The rehabilitation of the historic Mayflower Hotel, now known as the Mayflower Manor Apartments, included updates to the apartment units, common interior areas, and the exterior of the building. With the last significant renovation occurring in 1979, the apartments were upgraded with new mechanical units, new kitchens, new bathrooms, and new interior finishes.

The 233-unit apartment building, which remained occupied during the renovation, also added additional residential amenities including a computer lab, updated fitness center, bicycle storage facilities, residents lounge, and management offices. The interior common areas were upgraded with new LED lighting, new finishes, new mechanical systems, restoration of historic terrazzo flooring, and restoration of and recreation of historic wood wall paneling and trim where it had previously been removed.

The exterior was improved by re-opening historic storefronts, replacing windows, replacing roofing, restoring masonry and terra cotta trim, and restoring the entrance canopy to its original lighting configuration. Additionally, a new accessible entrance and wheelchair lift were installed at the rear of the building to allow residents with mobility impairments to enter the building off the parking lot without having to go around the block to the front entrance.

The acquisition and renovation of this building have had a significant impact on downtown Akron. The commitment to keeping affordable housing in the heart of downtown Akron, in a location that is well connected to public transit, cultural assets, and entertainment venues, has been embraced by the city.

Northern Ohio Live Award of Achievement - Historic Preservation/Adaptive Reuse
Award of Merit for Historic Preservation - Ohio Historic Preservation Office
Adaptive Use of a Sacred Landmark Award - Cleveland Restoration Society
Preservation Recognition Award AIA Cleveland - Historic Resources Committee

The adaptive re-use of the historic First Church of Christ, Scientist in Cleveland creates a unique headquarters for the international renown industrial design firm, Nottingham Spirk. The Innovation Center reimagines the historic structure as a state of the art facility, seamlessly infusing technology throughout the complex. Miles of cabling are strategically placed behind original finishes to preserve its classic aesthetic and Beaux Arts architecture.

The original building was designed by world-reknownded Cleveland architects, Walker and Weeks and was constructed as a prototype for Cleveland's Severance Hall. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. City Architecture's services included preparing documents and applications for a variety of funding sources. The initiative qualified for federal rehabilitation tax credits, a conservation easement, Ohio, Cuyahoga County and City of Cleveland loans and traditional construction loans.

Offices and studios fill the dramatic and volumnous sanctuary and a new addition houses equipment used to create product prototypes and test ideas. The center captures the owners' creativity - illustrating what is possible when you challenge convention and discover how a company so rooted in technology can rethink an iconic historic structure.

City Architecture engaged with a local healthcare system to create a high-end membership-based medical office within an urban core. This newly conceived business model required an interactive design approach between the client and designers to ensure a serene and comfortable environment was created. The project consists of an office build-out within an existing building shell to create a calming oasis that is easily accessible to patients.

The Avenue District Townhomes completes a vision for Downtown Cleveland housing along Superior Avenue. Twenty-seven units are situated between East 14th and 15th Streets and Superior and Rockwell Avenues. There are a variety of townhome sizes, ranging from 1,900 to 2,800 square feet, and configurations to provide diversity in pricing and lifestyle. Four stories tall, they include varying layouts of penthouses and rooftop decks, plus attached garages.

The site configuration complements previous development phases and neighboring apartments while establishing a strong street presence on Superior Avenue, clearly delineating public and private areas. This type of development promotes a walkable urban neighborhood and will provide more inventory of sought-after for-sale housing in Downtown Cleveland.

NAIOP Awards of Excellence - Multi-Family Interior Renovation of the Year

Heritage Ohio Best Residential Rehabilitation Award

State Historic Preservation Office Award

Downtown Cleveland Development Award

The Statler, originally “Hotel Statler,” is a historic 14-floor building constructed in 1912. The building has seen several uses over its century-long history and was converted to an apartment complex in 2000.

Recent improvements for the building, which sits at the corner of Euclid and East 12th Street in Downtown Cleveland, include renovating the existing 295 apartments, upgrading corridors with new finishes and lighting, renovating the first floor lobby and community spaces, restoring empty storefronts to attract new retail tenants, reactivating the abandoned mezzanine level, and enhancing the building’s historic façade with new lighting, paint, and signage.

A partnership between the East Akron Neighborhood Development Corporation (EANDC) and the LeBron James Family Foundation (LJFF) led to the development of affordable housing for families in the I Promise School network. Located less than a half mile from the school, this new 50-unit apartment community provides two-, three-, and four-bedroom units financed through Low Income Housing Tax Credits and other public sources, helping expand housing stability within the neighborhood. Designed with families in mind, the development includes study rooms, a teen lounge, and a community room with a teaching kitchen to support education and connection. Outdoor spaces extend these opportunities through pedestrian-oriented site design and parking areas striped for informal pickup basketball games. The building creates a strong urban frontage while stepping down with the site’s topography to respond to the neighborhood. A neutral exterior palette accented with warm wood tones gives the project a welcoming, contemporary character.

City Architecture was engaged as a part of a design-build team for a growing medical practice in Chardon, Ohio. Upon understanding the goals and program of the new building, the team worked hand-in-hand to develop a site layout and building plan that accounted for the existing topography of the site and would serve the medical staff in delivering excellent care. The project was completed, from initial to design to end of construction, in approximately 12 months and on budget.

Architectural Design Award - NAIOP

City Architecture created a two-block redevelopment plan focused towards providing quality, mixed-income housing while contributing to the revitalization of the historic Over-the-Rhine neighborhood. This urban mixed-use development involves historic renovation and new construction, residential and commercial uses, condominiums and apartments as well as the integration of a new parking garage. The infrastructure and public spaces throughout the site have been designed to promote a cohesive, connected and vibrant neighborhood.

The site of the 15-acre former Eveready Battery plant and facilities, the Battery Park Development rebuilds this section of the Detroit Shoreway neighborhood by providing new residences of distinct character and quality. Situated on a bluff overlooking Lake Erie, the site affords excellent views of downtown Cleveland. The project extends the grid of the existing neighborhood and incorporates a broad range of residential options that build in scale and provide a complementary blend of new and old.

The 328 new units are comprised of a mixture of single-family homes, townhomes, and loft units. A range of public spaces provide access throughout the development to the surrounding neighborhood, views of the lakefront, and an easier, safer connection to Edgewater Park. Finally, the historic Powerhouse Building has undergone a complete renovation to include a restaurant, market/deli, fitness room, and community meeting space.

A popular definition of aging-in-place is “the ability to live in one's own home and community safely, independently, and comfortably, regardless of age, income, or ability level.” As one might imagine, a large percentage of adults over the age of 65 report that they would prefer to stay in their current residence as they age. Recognizing that many of Cleveland’s older neighborhoods do not have housing stock that supports these desires, the Cuyahoga Land Bank set out to develop a product to address this need.

The design needed to be compatible with the neighborhood while providing flexibility to support residents’ shifting needs as they age. Important features include a first floor bedroom and bathroom with walk-in shower, first floor laundry, 36 inch doorways, and adaptability for an entrance ramp to easily be constructed in the future. The open concept floor plan provides flexibility for furniture and maneuverability; and durable, low-maintenance finishes were intentionally selected. As the demand for housing that supports aging-in-place continues to rise, this prototype offers a flexible, adaptable, and attractive new construction option.

Click here to read about the community open house.

Depot on Detroit is planned to be a 4-story, 60-unit, affordable multi-family building with units and associated amenities including a community room and fitness room. Outdoor accommodations will include on-site parking, greenspace, and patio. Located next to the West Boulevard-Cudell RTA station, a currently underutilized and vacant development will transform into a space where residents will have access to affordable housing and public transit. Amplifying the future resident’s accessibility to the surrounding city even fur-ther, GCRTA is offering transit passes to each household, free of charge.

CONNECT:Woodhill Choice Neighborhood Transformation Plan

Woodhill Station West is Phase I of implementation from the Woodhill Choice Neighborhood Transformation Plan. With 120 mixed-income units, this first off-site phase in the nearby neighborhood provides access to the adjacent RTA Blue and Green Line station. This transit-oriented development approach is key to providing more connected housing options for residents while de-densifying the Woodhill Homes site.

High Performance Project of the Year - NAIOP Northern Ohio Chapter

Feature Project: Urban Land Institute Magazine - 10 Community / Recreation Centers Model

The LEED Gold Collinwood Recreation Center provides community gathering spaces, athletic facilities and a Natatorium within a long-time vacated big-box store. This creative transformation takes advantage of the building’s sound structural system, reducing the City’s construction cost and "recycles" much of the building's elements. This approach has gained national attention in identifying ways to repurpose large retail spaces as they are shuttered in our urban communities, often leaving behind blighted properties. The specific property was identified through an outreach process that included residents, neighborhood groups and City of Cleveland officials.

The resulting imitative fills a void in the community and attracts thousands of multi-generational users. Programming and services cater to the diverse population, and the design aims to provide areas for all to interact as well as private spaces. The central corridor of the center is referred to and acts as a “Main Street,” connecting all the visitors with each adjacent spaces. These connections establish the Collinwood Community and Recreation Center as an anchor of the community and a true gathering space by serving as an extension of people’s living rooms, integrating all residents in this true public amenity.

Charles L. Edson Tax Credit Excellence Award for Public Housing - The Affordable Housing Tax Credit Coalition

Honor Award for Urban Design - Cleveland Chapter of the American Institute of Architects

Multi-Family Renovation of the Year - NAIOP Northern Ohio

Award of Excellence - Ohio Capital Corporation for Housing

The Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA) commissioned a master planning study for the former Garden Valley Estates, a public housing complex located in the southwest corner of Cleveland’s Kinsman neighborhood. The master plan demonstrates the ability to rethink outdated ideas on inward-facing, secluded public housing by constructing new streets and opening blocks to the surrounding neighborhood. Safe public spaces and re-orientated housing units address their streets and create a place that is authentic and vibrant.

Reconstruction includes new mixed-income townhomes, single-family homes, multi-family apartments and parks. Sustainable building and site design features are integrated throughout the entire development to ensure that the redevelopment is cost effective and practical to maintain. In addition to recycled / low VOC finishes and energy star fixtures, photovoltaic panels located on the roofs of the buildings, paired with such construction techniques as high efficiency insulation, serve to reduce resident’s utility bills. Bioretention cells located throughout park spaces and permeable paving utilized in driveways and sidewalks reduce stormwater management demand.

This multi-phased initiative has completely reconstructed a blighted neighborhood with new housing. Front doors face streets, porches offer residents private spaces, apartments are connected with community spaces and parks represent areas for recreational uses. Plazas and playgrounds are arranged around picnic areas, all in efforts to provide spaces for the intergenerational resident community. Heritage View's planning and architecture demonstrate CMHA's commitment to providing their residents with dignified and desirable housing options.

Celebration of Preservation: Renovation of Historic Housing Award - Cleveland Restoration Society

State Historic Preservation Merit Award

Fenway Manor is located along Cleveland’s historic Euclid Avenue in the growing University Circle district. Constructed between 1922-1923 and originally named Fenway Hall, the building has provided hospitality and living options for nearly a century. This $23M historic rehabilitation reflects commitment to neighborhood investment and to preserving affordable housing options. This commitment to ensuring affordability is important as real estate values and rents continue to increase in the district.

Fenway Manor’s comprehensive renovation ensured interior spaces were sensitively modernized while exterior renovations retained, and in some cases, repaired and replicated historic detailing. Its physical impact is also strongly important as a continuing catalyst for neighborhood improvement. Its role as an anchor of University Circle continues via this renovation as its updated apartment tower aids in maintaining the block’s historic character and is a link to the area’s cultural past.

City Architecture partnered with a local builder, Cleveland Bricks, to construct three 2,300 square foot, 3-story townhomes in the heart of Cleveland’s West Side. Located steps from the Gordon Square Arts District, Edgewater Beach, Red Line Greenway, and restaurants and nightlife, the townhomes are part of ongoing investments in the neighborhood. Each unit includes a 2-car garage, 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, home office space and an elevated rear deck.

Gold Medal Feature - Building of America Award / Real Estate & Construction Review Housing & Redevelopment Officials

National Award of Excellence - National Association of Housing & Redevelopment Officials

This Hope VI project provides new housing opportunities in Tremont by replacing an existing Cleveland public housing estate with a new urban neighborhood of multifamily housing. Tremont Pointe consists of townhomes and apartment buildings with community facilities. A unique feature of this project is its location on a slope, providing unique views of downtown Cleveland. The development’s new street pattern connects the site to its surroundings and creates intimately scaled residential blocks. This reinforces community values and establishes a livable and pleasant neighborhood. In addition, revitalization of historic Works Progress Administration (WPA) artwork has been carefully preserved and integrated into the neighborhood.

Smart Growth Community Excellence Award - Mixed-Use Development

Downtown Akron's emerging Northside District is a mixed-use neighborhood on the northern edge of Downtown Akron, overlooking the scenic Cuyahoga Valley National Park. This urban development serves an integral role in Akron's revitalization, offering new residents, shopping opportunities, restaurants and a hotel. A linear park threads the site, creating a series of plazas that serve as a promenade to the adjacent national park, the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath trail system and the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad Akron Station.

Northside's new construction includes a 60-unit mixed-use loft building, a 146-room hotel, and townhomes. The loft building's post-tensioned concrete structure allows each unit to be finished in an industrial aesthetic with exposed concrete floors and ceilings. The new 10-story hotel features enclosed parking, a restaurant, meeting space, pool, theater, and a fitness center and will be the first first hotel constructed in Downtown Akron in the past 40 years. Overall, the Northside redevelopment brings new activities to Downtown's edge, re-establishing the district's important role with its urban context and offering market-rate residential options within the metro area.

The Normandy Campus, situated on 32 acres in Rocky River, Ohio is comprised of The Normandy Apartments, a 150-unit Independent living facility, and The Normandy Care Center, a 150-bed skilled nursing community. City Architecture was engaged to analyze, research, and lead programming exercises to identify and prioritize improvements for the campus. Various options were explored to maintain the campus’ competitive edge and stay current with trends in senior living design. At the apartments, this led to the design and construction of a 5,000 square foot addition and nearly 30,000 of renovated space to provide enhanced dining options, modern fitness facilities, improved operational spaces, outdoor walking trails, and more. To fill a gap in the community’s continuum of care, City Architecture designed a new 80-unit, 70,000 square foot assisted living facility which includes a secure 40-unit memory care unit and ample support and community spaces.

Grand Award - 2011 Builder’s Choice Design & Planning Award - Builder Magazine

Honorable Mention for Urban Design - Cleveland Chapter of the American Institute of Architects

Preservation Award of Merit - Cleveland Chapter of the AIA & Cleveland Restoration Society

Award of Merit for Historic Preservation - Ohio Historic Preservation Office of the Ohio Historical Society

Renovation of the Year - NAIOP Northern Ohio Chapter

Gold Medal Feature - Building of America Award / Real Estate & Construction Review

The CSU Collegetown Plan establishes a dynamic mixed-use center to support the University community as well as provide a new urban destination in Downtown Cleveland. Development strategies promote new retail and housing and create a truly livable neighborhood that incorporates streetscape and public space improvements that promote a walkable college district. The plan identifies strategies for CSU's repositioning as an urban campus. Once an inwardly-faced campus, initiatives have opened access and view corridors, connecting campus interior courtyards and buildings to Euclid Avenue. Opening the campus' edge along Cleveland's Healthline (bus rapid transit system) has resulted in renewed activity. Collegetown's emergence as a downtown neighborhood brings new life to the city's core.

University Lofts, at the heart of the district was the first phase in the plan's implementation and represents one of Downtown Cleveland's first modern residential buildings constructed within the last decade. The pioneering $10M project builds on distinctive architecture already existing in the Euclid Avenue Historic District, with the corridor and its buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Two historic buildings are brought back to their original glory, and complemented by a striking new contemporary infill addition, faced with a floor-to-ceiling glass and metal panel exterior. The new structure establishes a precedent for contemporary architecture that rebuilds the fabric and rhythm of the historic street facades and reinvigorates the main street pedestrian experience. Ground floor areas are dedicated to new retail and restaurant spaces.

HGTV & The National Trust for Historic Preservation - Restore America Grant

Best Overall Renovation Exterior - Cleveland Choice Award - Home Builders Association

The Heritage Lane Homes renovation is the catalyst project for the planned redevelopment of East 105th Street in the Heritage Lane Neighborhood. Having been acquired by the local community development corporation, a series of vacant historic duplexes, part of the Wade Park/Magnolia National Historic District, are being restored to their original grandeur. In accordance with the neighborhood’s strategic vision, they are being converted to single-family, owner-occupied housing, requiring very careful detailing to ensure the retention of the original exterior character of each to meet the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation. The new floor plans for the homes incorporate modern plan features including larger kitchens and bathrooms, more open and flowing spaces where possible and in some cases the option of a two-story living room.

Affinity Missionary Baptist Church completed two phases of interior renovations as well the construction of a new satellite parking lot. Starting with a series of discovery meetings, our team worked together to identify needs and desires to develop a full vision for the campus. From there, priorities were established and it was ultimately decided that a gut renovation of the original 1970s portion of the church was in order to best facilitate ministry, outreach, and fellowship.

Brand new classrooms with first-class technology, a small performance space, and a teen lounge were constructed on the upper floor Junior Church, and the Horton Hall fellowship space on the lower floor was completely reconfigured. An elevator was installed to provide access to these split level spaces, ensuring these spaces could be used and enjoyed by all.

The second phase of interior renovations focused on creating a lobby space reflective of AMBC; improving aesthetics, acoustics, and technology in the sanctuary; and reconfiguring the administrative offices to best serve the congregation. New finishes, lighting, and wayfinding throughout the campus provide a modern refresh for all that experience the spaces.

To meet the parking demand of this thriving congregation, a new 43-space parking lot was constructed west of AMBC’s main campus, with secure fencing, pole lighting, and landscaping.

The Bluestone Community is a residential development in Cleveland Heights that occupies a long, narrow site along Mayfield Road across from Severance Town Center. Responding to the proportions of the property a new road was created that leads into the site. The development lays out an arts and crafts style apartment building and Chicago-style townhomes along the street frontage. The interior of the site is includes six cluster home buildings, each arranged around a private auto court. A total of 88 units make up the Bluestone development upon its completion.

NAIOP Awards of Excellence - Mixed-Use Architecture Project of the Year

As the first project in the City of Cleveland Mayor’s Neighborhood Transformation Initiative, the new construction of this mixed-use building reclaims multiple vacant parcels along an emerging corridor in the Glenville neighborhood. Public review meetings with the city, neighborhood stakeholders and residents were integral in the development of the design and site plan of this project. Consisting of mixed income apartment units and a commercial incubator space for seven local businesses, the building is set tight to the sidewalk to facilitate pedestrian activity along its new shops. Complemented by public enhancements to the streetscape and construction of a park at the south end of the site, this facility advances the connections between the University Circle and Glenville neighborhoods. Designed to meet LEED silver certification, the construction includes indoor and outdoor bicycle storage, LED lighting throughout, low-flow plumbing fixtures and a green recycling program.

Preservation Achievement Honor Award - Cleveland Restoration Society - AIA Cleveland

Historic Preservation Office Award - Ohio Historical Society

Renovation of the Year - NAIOP Northern Ohio Chapter

Heritage Ohio Historic Preservation Award

Building the Circle Award - University Circle Inc.

Restoration of the Tudor Arms Hotel preserves and repositions an important structure in Cleveland's history. This highly visible landmark punctuates one of the City's main corridors and helps define its University Circle District. Overcoming years of neglect, work included extensive masonry repairs, renovating beautiful leaded glass windows and the restoration of world class interior woodwork.

The adaptive re-use as a hotel is operated as a Double Tree by Hilton and offers a boutique hotel experience for visitors. Modern decor rooms accentuate the historic architecture and integrate amenities and guest accommodations. Grand ballrooms serve as community rooms, and serve guests as well as large-scale events.

Using a collection of historic buildings dating back as far as 1870, the West 25th Street Lofts repurposes six historic, connected structures into a new mixed-use complex featuring 54 indoor parking spaces, 4 retail spaces and 83 loft apartments. The renovation includes four new interior floors constructed in an old factory space, new skylight atriums exposing interior industrial crane rails, apartments within an old brewery warehouse featuring exposed wood ceilings, exterior restorations and renovation of the Baher Brewery family’s original residence.

The West 25th Street Lofts represent a catalytic investment north of Ohio City's Market District. The renovation brings new residents and activity to a long-time under-served segment of the streetscape. This essential investment expands the West 25th Street District and makes an important connection to the emerging Hingetown District and Detroit Shoreway Neighborhood.

Multi-Family Renovation of the Year - NAIOP Northern Ohio

Best Adaptive Reuse Project - Heritage Ohio

The Community Impact Award - Cleveland Restoration Society & AIA Cleveland

Award of Merit for Historic Preservation - Ohio Historic Preservation Office

Historic Preservation of Affordable Housing Award - Ohio Capital Corporation for Housing

Located in Cleveland’s Glenville neighborhood, Doan School was constructed in 1904 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Community non-profit leaders, the Famicos Foundation, purchased the property to adaptively re-use bring renewed life back to the neighborhood.

Large common areas are dedicated as public spaces for the building’s residents and take advantage of the school's large assembly spaces and auditorium. The $8.6 million rehabilitation project contains 45 apartments and exemplifies the value in recycling an old building and preserving history in a beloved Cleveland neighborhood.

CONNECT: Woodhill Choice Neighborhood Transformation Plan

Woodhill Center East is Phase II of implementation resulting from the Woodhill Choice Neighborhood Transformation Plan. With 77 units among a multi-family building and townhomes, Phase II is adjacent to Woodhill Estates. Like Phase I (Woodhill Station West), this location provides new housing in close proximity to the Woodhill Homes site while allowing a reconfiguration of the property to better serve the neighborhood.

This unique historic landmark located at the juncture of Lake Erie and the Cuyahoga River is being restored to foster freshwater research and engage the public in the appreciation and stewardship of water quality. In addition to serving as an environmental research facility and laboratory, the building is also envisioned to provide public recreation and assembly space tied to the future terminus of the Towpath Trail, Wendy Park and Lake Erie. Emanating from a partnership between the City of Cleveland, University of Akron, Case Western Reserve University, Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District and many others, this project seeks to become a focus for Lake Erie and Cuyahoga River watershed research, create a public and private community facility, protect and maintain this historic gem and to create an iconic Cleveland landmark and source of pride for our community. Laboratories, sleeping quarters, classrooms and meeting areas will provide a place for extensive water and environmental research.

Award of Merit for Historic Preservation - Ohio Historic Preservation Office

Preservation Achievement Honor Award - Cleveland Restoration Society & AIA Cleveland

Best Residential Rehabilitation Improvement - Heritage Ohio Annual Awards

Historic Preservation / Adaptive Reuse Finalist - Northern Ohio Live Awards of Achievement

Smart Growth Community Excellence Award - Multifamily Development

Smart Growth Community Excellence Award - Best in Show

Building the Circle Award - University Circle Inc.

Renovation of the historic Park Lane Villa apartments was an opportunity to reinvest in one of Cleveland’s most unique neighborhoods, all within walking distance of University Circle. The 1923 apartment building fronts Rockefeller Park, overlooking Cleveland's Cultural Gardens and links to the many cultural institutions throughout the district. The project involved the renovation of the original hotel structure into apartment units and the seamless integration of structured parking. The restoration of the building included repairing the slate roof, ornamental copper detailing and the cast stone base, along with the painstaking recreation of ornamental plaster and woodworking on the interiors.

New residential units are designed with sensitivity - a great deal of care was taken to ensure that existing plasterwork and detailing worked in conjunction with the new rooms to maintain the historic charm of the building while providing residents with modern amenities and layouts. A historic ballroom was also restored to its original state and is used for occasions and celebrations. Park Lane Villa's success as luxury residences is attributed to its grand architecture combined with upscale amenities. A fitness center, billiards room and community spaces offer residents opportunities to relax, recreate and recharge.

Listed as contributing structures to the Nelsonville Historic District, the Commons includes two school buildings and a connector hallway. Constructed as a High School in 1907, a second building was added in 1924 to accommodate the growing student population. Having sat primarily vacant for 15 years, the structures were rehabilitated into new apartment units and common use spaces. The $8 million renovation restored the deteriorated structures to their original glory, maintaining a significant amount of the historic fabric including chalk boards, wood floors, metal tin ceilings and wooden storage closets. Common spaces, including a community room, fitness center and offices occupy the former auditorium space in its original configuration. A small addition provides accessible entrances and an elevator to bring the complex to current accessibility standards.

Kent State University's new Institutional Advancement Building (IAB) redefines an important gateway to the university's campus and consolidates multiple agencies into one facility. The University's Alumni Center, its Foundation and associated administrative offices for outreach are housed in the new building. City Architecture led programming processes that determined how the different functions and operations can be strengthened through strategic physical relationships. The IAB balances private offices with several board and banquet rooms that must be public in nature. In addition to the daily operations, fundraisers and benefits will be housed at this state-of-the-art facility, and the building's design, finishes and "presentation" are intended to represent the KSU's values.

The design considers the site's role within its greater context. Topographical challenges have led to a design solution that better connect portions of the existing campus through new links and pathways, including a series of modern canopies that provide cover to visitors. Its presence on this prominent site is accentuated by a rich materials palette. Masonry, including stone and brick, is complemented by metal panels and large expanses of glass. Contemporary materials and details are utilized in the traditional form - all in efforts to create a timeless addition to Kent State University's campus. The center's design and systems achieved LEED Silver Certification and demonstrates the University's commitment to sustainable design principles.

The Institutional Advancement Building plays a significant role in the campus' future, both administratively and physically, and City Architecture is honored to have played an integral role in this fast-tracked design and construction process.

Located in Downtown Youngstown the Wick building was constructed in 1906 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. This thirteen-story masonry building with terra cotta detailing has a grid of large windows with an arch top, which is reminiscent of the Romanesque style. The restoration and renovation design consists of retail space on the first floor, tenant storage on the basement level and 36 residential units on the upper levels. Each unit has large windows with outstanding views to the south and the west. Many historic features and finishes are retained and celebrated in the new design, including the restoration of the original corridors which include marble wainscoting and flooring along with many of the original doors. One of the most notable features is the original glass enclosed elevator with a steel and marble stair surrounding it.

City Architecture and Osborn Engineering are working with GCRTA to design the reconstruction of the existing light rail station to address accessibility, update the station’s dated appearance and integrate the facility into the Woodland Hills and Buckeye-Shaker neighborhoods. To create an ADA-compliant accessible route the new station will utilize a precast concrete bridge ramp structure covered with a light sculptural canopy. The project also includes the replacement of deteriorated platforms, the rehabilitation of the track structure, new signage and way-finding, and new landscaping.

Honor Award for Architectural Design - Ohio Chapter of the American Institute of Architects

Honor Award for Architectural Design - Cleveland Chapter of the American Institute of Architects

High Performance Design of the Year - NAIOP Northern Ohio Chapter

City Architecture was engaged by the City of Beachwood to develop an implementation strategy and design for a significant renovation and expansion program for their Municipal Center. The resulting building complex redefined the center’s image, reflects this progressive community and serves as a gateway to the larger civic campus. The center includes City Hall offices, Council Chambers, Police Department and Jail, and Service Department facilities. Extensive reprogramming sessions were conducted with all departments and an overall master plan was prepared for the redevelopment of this complex. The project involved strategic demolition of antiquated construction, the sensitive inclusion of major additions, and the integration of varying technologies, requiring a well-conceived phasing strategy to minimize disruptions to the municipality's daily operations.

Strategies were considered throughout all tasks of the project’s development to ensure such systems as geo-thermal heating and other green building technologies were fully integrated into the facility's design and construction. Iconic sun shades help create an identity for the building while reducing solar heat gain. The center's grand lobby connects all aspects of the facility and is defined by its custom wood panel and metal ceiling. Council chambers offer a modern interpretation of "courtroom" and seamlessly integrate data and technology systems.

City Architecture is a proud partner of this state-of-the-art complex, as it demonstrates how a civic institutional building's design can capture and promote a community's values and character.

Two related initiatives - the North Coast Harbor Marina Amenities & Bridge Operator’s Buildings - offer new uses and amenities into one of Cleveland’s most important areas of development, the North Coast Harbor. The plan for the harbor, which is located adjacent to Cleveland’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, called for 53 slips, a floating amenity building to encourage boaters to travel to and visit downtown via Lake Erie and a new bridge operator’s building. City Architecture developed designs that are exciting and reminiscent of waterside buildings. A rich materials palette is utilized to complement the surroundings, reflect the nautical character and stand the test of time.

The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority constructed a new Red Line Station where the train line crosses Mayfield Road to service both University Circle as well as the Little Italy neighborhood. City Architecture designed the new station to be constructed within an existing hillside site that contained a vacated train bridge and concrete vault within the bridge abutment. The station design includes methods of utilizing natural sunlight through solar panels on the platform roofs, sunshades within the summer months and thermal mass collection areas within the winter months to naturally heat and cool the headhouse. Working in conjunction with surrounding development, the Mayfield Road Station provides a multi-modal transit hub defining a true Transit Oriented Development district.

Award of Excellence - NAIOP Northern Ohio

Working as part of a collaborative architectural team, City Architecture served as design architect for the new $17.5 million Third District Police Station and City-Wide Communications Center. Richard L. Bowen and Associates provided programming services and is the architect-of-record for the initiative. As an integral part of a greater district master plan, the new station will respond not only to existing neighborhood conditions, but will also take into account the future public and private investments that will surround it.

The building’s architectural language creates an animated and inviting civic structure while its layout ensures the security and privacy inherent of its use and complex scope. Meeting rooms, training facilities, holding rooms, community spaces and communications centers on three floors create a balance between public and private uses and integrate sustainable design features throughout.

The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority has renovated the University Circle Station at Cedar Road, which is conveniently located in close proximity to the existing University Circle bus depot, for passenger transit. City Architecture has designed these shelter canopies to replace the existing shelter which has fallen into disrepair over the years. The canopies are to provide continuous shelter from inclement weather from the train station at grade to the bus depot, as well as at E. 114th Street and Glenwood Avenue, which has a prominent presence along Cedar Road. To create a cohesive language of elegance and style befitting the design of the train station, City Architecture has created a simple, post-industrial structure with exposed steel, metal roofing and curved beam/column transition to mimic the swooping curves on the train station. Further enhancements, include a bioretention garden facing Cedar Road to soften and beautify the streetscape, providing a welcoming presence to the entrance of the train station.

As a manufacturing company in need of additional office space and new lab/testing facilities, the Parker Hannifin Corporation saw the potential in the conversion of a large, 150,000 s.f. factory building to a state-of-the-art facility. Working closely with the company, City Architecture was able to adaptively re-use a substantial portion of this factory space into new world headquarters office for the growing Hose Products Division and the Industrial Hose Division. In addition to office space, this project also involved the relocation of highly technical laboratories that the company utilizes for testing its specialized products.

A Parker retail store was incorporated on the building facing the main street, further activating the front facade and providing a showcase model and prototype for future retail stores. City Architecture’s high level of service, understanding of client needs and inspired designs for multiple facilities have led to an ongoing relationship with Parker Hannifin. We have partnered on four expansion plans together and pride ourselves of the strength of this long-standing professional and personal relationship.

CONNECT: Central Choice Plan

Working with the Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA), the City of Cleveland, institutional stakeholders, community groups and a wide array of residents, City Architecture previously assisted in the creation of a Choice Neighborhoods planning grant for the Cedar Central Neighborhood. The Central Neighborhood and the Cedar Extension Estates were both positioned to take advantage of their direct connections with Downtown Cleveland and major employment hubs, as well as their proximity to a number of medical, educational and community services facilities. The first two phases of the plan’s implementation include a 60-unit multi-family building with resident amenities for the neighborhood, as well as 50 townhome units, new parking, a new street and a new linear park and playground. The neighborhood was renamed Sankofa Village by the residents. The third phase added an additional 75 townhome units, 2 new parking lots and continue the linear park and playground.

LIHTC Major Community Impact - Novogradac Journal

Multi-Family Architectural Design of the Year - NAIOP Northern Ohio

A partnership between Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA) and Fairfax Renaissance Development Corporation has resulted in Ohio’s first public housing community exclusively for intergenerational families. This development, which is only the seventh of its kind in the country, is designed to address the specific needs of senior citizens who are caring for children, offering an affordable, innovative, sustainable, and supportive environment for both youth and seniors. Units are situated near commercial and retail development, including University Circle - Cleveland’s cultural hub, and in close proximity to several major medical centers and local schools. The project consists of 40 units in a mix of two, three and four bedroom townhomes to address various housing needs and provide living options to reflect a 21st century family.

City Architecture led an interdisciplinary team for the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority to develop a community-driven Transit-Oriented Development plan for Cleveland’s Broadway Corridor. In anticipation of future Bus Rapid Transit along Broadway, the plan connects housing, jobs and neighborhood services to transit while creating a framework for walkable, mixed-use development and reinvestment along the corridor.

A family of transit station designs responds to varying sidewalk widths, adjacent development and intersection conditions along Broadway. Shaped by community input, the designs incorporate rider amenities and raised platforms that allow sidewalk-level boarding while integrating each station into the surrounding streetscape.

The team combined community engagement with land use, infrastructure, transportation and market analysis to identify priority development sites, advance affordable housing strategies and recommend policies that support reinvestment. The plan pairs long-term development strategies with near-term street improvements, including curb extensions and roadway restriping, to calm traffic and create safer connections to transit along the corridor.

City of Cleveland Mayor’s Office of Capital Projects

City Architecture led the development of a strategic engagement plan for the City of Cleveland’s Mayor’s Office of Capital Projects (MOCAP), creating a more consistent approach to how residents are engaged throughout the life of a capital project. Through interviews across City departments, the team documented project types, funding sources and engagement requirements to understand where processes differed and where a shared approach could strengthen communication. At the center of the plan is a commitment to building community trust through clear, timely and predictable communication.

Implementation began with closer coordination among the departments responsible for planning and delivering capital projects. City Architecture worked with an established Community Cohort to test engagement materials before launching a pilot program, then co-hosted community sessions with MOCAP staff. Feedback from those sessions helped refine the tools and practices for future projects.

The resulting toolkit pairs adaptable engagement templates with a user manual that helps City staff plan, communicate and facilitate an inclusive community engagement process.

Thurgood Marshall Green transformed a vacant 2.6-acre lot into a vibrant community park in Cleveland’s Hough neighborhood, demonstrating the power of collaboration between residents, civic leaders, and design professionals. Led by City Architecture in partnership with LayerCake, the park was shaped through an extensive community engagement process. Residents envisioned an intergenerational space that balances active recreation with areas for gathering and reflection.

Community priorities included safe walking paths, a playground for all ages, shaded seating areas, and landscaping that complements the adjacent Thurgood Marshall Recreation Center. Delivered within a $2.3 million construction budget, the park includes accessible pathways, a community pavilion, and more than 100 newly planted trees that will provide up to 80 percent shade coverage as the landscape matures.

Today, Thurgood Marshall Green serves as a welcoming neighborhood destination and a strong example of resident-driven design and community investment.

Photo Credit: LayerCake (Aerial) and D kendrick C Photography

Comprehensive Planning (Small Jurisdiction) Ohio Chapter Planning Awards - American Planning Association

CONNECT: - Jackson Street Pier, Shoreline Drive

City Architecture led the process of creating a community wide five-year strategic plan and comprehensive physical master plan for the City of Sandusky in order to position the city for long term growth and prosperity. Community engagement played a critical role in City Architecture’s planning process. The Sandusky 2018 Plan included a number of innovative outreach initiatives, including a waterfront boat tour, neighborhood meetings and tours on city buses, one-on-one interviews, focus groups, a social media campaign, videos, and community surveys. The resulting support for the plan led to productive work sessions and implementation strategies that were resident driven, helping to ensure the plan continues to influence decision-making and build momentum as it moves beyond adoption to implementation. City Architecture’s active involvement in this waterfront community’s renaissance extends beyond our planning work – as our team has been selected to implement the top priority initiatives outlined by the plan.

Downtown Development Award - Downtown Cleveland Alliance

Ohio Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects Merit Award

NAIOP Northern Ohio Chapter Awards of Excellence

City Architecture completed a master plan to re-envision the public space and plazas that make up the Tri-C Metropolitan Campus. The main goal was to unite and revitalize the system of plazas and internal and external connections to campus to create a unique and engaging place for students, faculty, staff and visitors to experience and enjoy. In a process that entailed a great amount of interaction and involvement with the campus community, the Plaza Feasibility Plan reaches beyond general visions to concrete design ideas that are economical, feasible and implementable. Initial goals that drove the plaza space design include greening the campus, reconnecting the campus to the street, creating continuous spaces, remodeling circulation, re-using storm-water, enhancing outdoor spaces with programming and signage, and promoting campus identity and pride.

Smart Growth Community Excellence Award, Urban Development Proposal

Honor Award for Urban Design and Planning - Ohio Chapter of the American Institute of Architects

Best Urban / Infill Development Award - Home Builders Association Cleveland Choice Award

Downtown Development Award - Downtown Cleveland Alliance

The Avenue District Neighborhood is comprised of a series of four urban sites that previously housed surface parking lots. City Architecture led a planning process to study and determine the sites' highest and best land uses. The resulting development rediscovers the potential of these 10 acres through their conversion into a 10-story mixed-use apartment building, townhouses, ground floor commercial spaces, parking garages, green spaces, and new streets. The Avenue District plan has been designed to support a wide variety of highly attractive housing that will be constructed as part of a uniquely enjoyable downtown mixed-use environment. Streetscape reconfigurations and enhancements complement the urban environment and completely redefine the once "uncrossable" East 12th Street. The 140' right-of-way now includes on-street parking, bike lanes and wide sidewalks to promote interaction and activities. Public Art elements, including custom fencing and paving patterns, highlight outdoor "living rooms" and highlight the Avenue District as a downtown residential neighborhood.

https://www.greatercle.com/cleveland-development-model/

Greater Cleveland Partnership (GCP) sought to create a centralized tool that captures public and private development in and around downtown Cleveland and the investments’ impacts on the city’s physical and economic landscape. City Architecture worked with GCP to develop a digital, GIS-based, interactive, three-dimensional map that covers the Central Business District and portions of the Ohio City, Midtown, Hough, Fairfax and University Circle neighborhoods. Neighborhood stakeholders provided project statistics that were incorporated into the model and are updated as initiatives evolve and new information becomes available.

CONNECT: Opportunity Corridor and Aura at Innovation Square

The Fairfax Strategic Investment Plan envisions the revitalization of the Innovation Square development as a mixed use, mixed income, walkable urban community. Plans, building from planning efforts focused on the Opportunity Corridor, include leveraging assets and nearby investments, such as walkable access to transit, proximity to growing economic hubs and the ability to revive underutilized land through strategic partnerships. Innovation Square is positioned to revitalize the Fairfax neighborhood by developing a pedestrian-friendly urban residential community inclusive of all income levels and life stages and providing opportunities to attract new residents while retaining Fairfax’s long-term and committed residents. Large-scale catalytic investments are paired with single-family infill homes, aimed to stabilize neighborhood streets adjacent to the development’s core area. The plan creates multiple living options within a connected and sustainable campus. Healthy Lifestyles are encouraged via walking trails, community gardens and playgrounds.

CONNECT: Woodhill Station West, Woodhill Center East, Woodhill Station East

The Woodhill Choice Neighborhood Transformation Plan is a HUD-funded planning initiative that leverages significant public and private dollars to support locally driven strategies that address struggling neighborhoods with distressed public housing. The planning work continues the momentum that has already begun around the edges of the Woodhill and Buckeye neighborhoods through other city initiatives - providing an unprecedented opportunity to transform this isolated core with improved connections, beautiful homes, economic development and comprehensive services that meet the real needs of the community.

This comprehensive approach to addressing neighborhood needs and priorities is intended to build off the strengths of the community, support existing residents and build an equitable future for all. An intensive community process has elevated resident voices to create a vision that has already begun to spur support, investment and early implementation.

City Architecture was tasked with a streetscape renovation and improvement of the City of Wadsworth’s Downtown core. Identified as primary catalyst project in the Wadsworth 2017 Downtown Visioning Plan, the main aim of the project was to design an unmatched Downtown experience.

Key design elements include replacement of century-old utilities, re-alignment of roads into downtown to improve pedestrian safety, navigation and traffic flow, increased focus on the pedestrian experience with wider sidewalks, outdoor dining, pubic green space and “outdoor living rooms” (seating areas all throughout downtown), addition of downtown public green space for gathering, events and leisure, and celebration of Wadsworth’s icons (such as a gazebo and sculpture) by making them more prominent and accessible.

2013 Project of the Year - American Society of Highway Engineers

Project Recognition – 2014 Greater Cleveland Trails and Greenways Conference

After completion of the Cleveland Waterfront District Plan, City Architecture, collaborating with the Ohio Department of Transportation, led the initial phases of implementation by developing the Lakefront West Plan. The $200M infrastructure plan extends from Edgewater Park on the west side to East 25th Street on the east, and proposes to transform this under-utilized highway to a grand tree-lined byway, complete with 2 miles of continuous lakefront bike path that link existing neighborhoods and waterfront parks. The initial phase included creating accessible pedestrian connections via a series of ramps, stairs and tunnels between surrounding neighborhoods and Lake Erie's shoreline. Public art installations, combined with creative landscaping, soften the environment and create two grand entries to one of Cleveland's most utilized parks.

Heritage Ohio Historic Preservation Award

Historic Preservation Office Award - Ohio Historical Society

Honor Award for Urban Design - Cleveland Center of the American Institute of Architects

Preservation Award - Cleveland Chapter of the AIA & Cleveland Restoration Society

The League Park Redevelopment Plan represents a neighborhood initiative to identify areas of improvement in the neighborhood immediately surrounding the historic League Park site in Cleveland’s Hough neighborhood. The project area is defined by Superior Avenue to the north, Chester Avenue to the south, East 55th Street to the west and East 79th Street to the east. The planning process has involved the identification and analysis of vacant and under-utilized properties, the design and coordination of a range of new residential projects (tax-credit and market rate), the design of new neighborhood identification elements and infrastructure improvements, and the identification of new commercial and institutional opportunities. A significant amount of community interaction has helped to guide the neighborhood reinvestment strategies that are a part of this plan. Neighborhood improvements are intended to complement the planned reconstruction of the League Park baseball stadium.

The renovation of League Park repositions this national icon as an historic attraction, community park and Hough neighborhood gem. City Architecture worked closely with the City of Cleveland and the neighborhood’s development corporation to develop programming and a master plan for the district, capitalizing on the energy created by the ballpark’s reconstruction. The project includes the adaptive re-use of the historic ticket house as the Baseball Heritage Museum, the bleacher wall's stabilization, a new visitor center building that serves as a community facility and the reestablishment of the baseball field itself into a fully functional facility. The field's layout and orientation matches its famed 1920 World Series configuration. The construction of the "Great Wall" towers over Lexington Avenue and serves as a reminder that Babe Ruth hit his 500th home run at League Park. This reinvestment into the Hough neighborhood extends beyond the ballpark, but signifies momentous district-wide investments that enhance residents' quality of life and adds to Northeast Ohio's richness and regional history.

CONNECT: Sandusky Bicentennial Vision Plan

Great Places in Ohio Award - American Planning Association - Ohio Chapter

Honor Award - American Council of Engineering Companies of Ohio

Public Space Architectural Design of the Year - NAIOP Northern Ohio

Sandusky’s Jackson Street Pier is a nearly 4-acre space on the waterfront that provides scenic views of Sandusky Bay, opportunities for fishing and docking for ferry boats that take travelers to Canada and the Lake Erie Islands. Its primary use as a large surface parking lot was seen by the City and many residents as an underutilized asset and key piece to the downtown revitalization process, which was highlighted in the City’s Bicentennial Plan.

City Architecture and Osborn Engineering were engaged to lead a community-focused design process to create a new urban park on the pier that would accommodate current uses while providing new amenities and opportunities for programming. The resulting design includes a flexible pavilion space, reconfigured boardwalk along the perimeter, a great lawn that slopes up to create a set of seating terraces for lake viewing, improved fishing facilities and new picnic areas, along with the maintenance of parking and ferry access. The design creates an exciting new space for residents and visitors to enjoy Lake Erie.

Implementations: Sankofa Village

Working with the Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA), the City of Cleveland, institutional stakeholders, community groups and a wide array of residents, City Architecture assisted in the creation of a Choice Neighborhoods planning grant for the Cedar Central Neighborhood. The Central Neighborhood and the Cedar Extension Estates are both positioned to take advantage of their direct connections with Downtown Cleveland and major employment hubs, as well as their proximity to a number of medical, educational and community services facilities. Through this initiative, City Architecture managed a diverse range of public and private partners to develop a plan that proposes residential redevelopment, commercial growth, institutional expansions, parks and recreation amenities, infrastructure improvements, crime prevention programs and safety initiatives directed to impact resident groups and issues identified through a comprehensive analysis.

Neighborhood Improvement Award & Community Partner Award - Detroit Shoreway Community Development Corporation

The Gordon Square Arts District streetscape plan creates a central focus on the West 65th Street intersection, the heart of the district, and extends east to West 58th Street and west to West 73rd Street. The design is reflective of the emerging Arts District, and the roadway was narrowed to provide for additional sidewalk width. Wider sidewalks allow for the integration of new street trees and landscaping, the burial of the overhead utilities and the inclusion of a concentrated public art program which included collaborating with another designer for the creation of stainless steel bus shelters. The streetscape’s identity is strengthened by unique elements designed by award-winning artist, Susie Frazier - custom concrete benches are fitted with LED lighting so they glow red in the evening, specialized patterns are created via laser-cut red and yellow pavers as crosswalks, and pavers are cast with the Gordon Square logo that was developed as a part of the streetscape design. The “G” thumb-print pattern has become part of the district’s brand and logo.

Ohio Chapter of the American Planning Association Great Place Award

The Downtown Cuyahoga Falls Transformation Project centered on the reconfiguration of three blocks of the city’s Front Street, a historic main street that was converted to a pedestrian mall in 1978. By reintroducing through traffic to the street, the intent was to improve visibility and access for local businesses while creating a signature space for locals and visitors alike. City Architecture’s work focused on the development of a streetscape concept and designs for Front Street, considering character, visibility, and the creation of a balanced environment for pedestrians and automobiles. Lighting, street furniture, special paving and considerable landscaping elements come together to create a distinctive and lively environment for the private reinvestment and new businesses that this project has inspired.

Greater Cleveland Trails and Greenway Conference Award

The City of Barberton's Southside Plan results from the award of an Akron Metropolitan Area Transportation Study (AMATS) planning grant. The Connecting Communities Grant studies the City's bicycle infrastructure and the potential to capitalize on the existing amenity of the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail. The new trail system, extending from the Towpath to downtown's core, creates a multi-modal connection for cyclists and walkers. An involved steering community, led by the community foundation, city officials, private land owners and residents identified the importance of creating an implementable trail design.

Core to the design, is the tenet that the trail will enhance every component of the landscape it interfaces with. Increased landscaping, wayfinding elements and specialized signage create a beautiful and functional linkage that clearly demonstrates Barberton's commitment to its cycling community and the greater region. The route is determined by logical connections and integrates protected bike lanes, off-road trails and utilizes paths around the city's beautiful Lake Anna Park. The park attracts thousands of visitors per year and is home to several festivals and events - clearly serving as downtown's cornerstone of activity.

The new "Magic Mile" trail, a name coined by officials to celebrate Barberton's "Magic City" persona, is a downtown loop that extends the Towpath's reach into the city for novice and experienced cyclists alike. It's design emphasizes safety and provides an intuitive link for families and recreational users. The enhanced connection strengthens the City's identity along the 100-mile Towpath, creating a new asset and amenity to travelers along one of the state's longest and most scenic bikeways.

City Architecture served as the community engagement lead for Vision for the Valley, a NOACA Transportation for Livable Communities Initiative (TLCI) funded effort led by the City of Cleveland, Cleveland Metroparks, Port of Cleveland, and Flats Forward to re-imagine the Cuyahoga River Valley. Within this initiative’s large footprint, we were able to introduce a non-traditional form of community engagement that was aimed at meeting people where they are. Rather than hosting community meetings at a singular location during a specified date and time, we facilitated multiple events on different days of the week (including nights and weekends), throughout the project study area. These small pop up events were held in publicly accessible places and spaces, adjacent to activity generators within the community. This type of engagement helped bring out both the traditional and non-traditional community meeting attendee, allowing us to obtain an array of perspectives and input that was truly reflective of the residents, visitors, employees, and stakeholders.

There are many unique attributes that provide Erie’s West Bayfront community its character and identity. The Our West Bayfront Community Plan was initiated to facilitate a focused approach to reversing recent trends of disinvestment and disconnection, and identifying a new path towards a shared-vision for this downtown neighborhood’s future. Founded on intensive community-outreach and feedback, the planning team’s work was continuously directed and shaped by residents and stakeholders. City Architecture conducted a process that identified the concerns, hopes and goals of the community, explored opportunities to create positive and sustainable change and provided a road map for the people of West Bayfront to guide its growth. Recommendations further focused on incremental change – forged in Action Items - to continue discussion and momentum.

The process for the Our West Bayfront Plan was designed to function very much from the ground up - focusing on neighborhood desires and aspirations. The community’s voice drove the planning work and formed the foundation of the plan’s recommendations. The community’s thoughts, concerns and visions were critical in understanding the neighborhoods and creating responsive initiatives to support them. This is a place for people from a wide variety of backgrounds, and a successful planning process must reflect their voices

CONNECT: Sandusky Bicentennial Vision Plan

Shoreline Drive connects Downtown Sandusky to a range of waterfront recreational, industrial and residential uses. Its recent history, however, has been utilitarian in nature – a place for deliveries, dumpsters for downtown businesses, etc. To support the redevelopment of adjacent Jackson Street Pier, the City saw an opportunity to re-envision Shoreline Drive as more of a front door for visitors arriving via water and an important connector to an evolving range of waterfront uses.

The street’s right-of-way has been redistributed to accommodate rear-angled parking, outdoor dining and amenity spaces for downtown businesses and a new multi-purpose path that will support pedestrian movement and the Bayfront Connector bike trail. Landscaping, pocket parks and seating will encourage strolling and a comfortable connection between the city’s impressive set of waterfront amenities.

Led by the Akron Civic Commons, the City of Akron and the Ohio and Erie Canalway, the Summit Lake North Shore Implementation project focused on building upon a vision that had been established by the local community and bringing it to life. Through community-centered engagement and discussion, the desires for Summit Lake’s North Shore were honed and refined by resident voices. Investment in Summit Lake’s North Shore is just one component of a collection of investment that continues to be realized in the neighborhood. This reflects an extension of broader goals to better connect Summit Lake’s natural environment with the surrounding community, particularly members of the black community who have historically experienced the impacts of racism, while providing them with the opportunity to co-design this re-imagined park experience.

The Cuyahoga Community College East Campus Master Plan Update project considers the feasibility of six key initiatives from the colleges 2014 Master Plan: Vehicular and pedestrian circulation improvements, the development of a new central campus green, athletic field enhancements, a new amphitheater, parking lot reconfiguration and the creation of a 3.1 mile multi-use recreational path. This work is intended to set the stage for longer-term campus improvements, including student housing and supportive mixed-use development.

City Architecture was charged with calming traffic and refocusing the Cedar-Fairmount District towards the pedestrian to create a more balanced approach to the district’s infrastructure. Through a series of public meetings, three options for the roadway configuration were developed. Working with our traffic consultant, plans included the removal of travel lanes in each direction to make way for wider sidewalks. This provided ample room for activities such as outdoor dining, corner bump-outs to reduce pedestrian crossing distances, unrestricted on-street parking to better serve the commercial district, vibrant landscaping, and gateway elements that act as a front door to this first-ring suburb. As the Cedar-Fairmount District looks to grow through the Top of the Hill Development and take full advantage of opportunities of infill development, it is crucial to plan for the future land-use and density. This study explored conceptual designs for several sites throughout the district to show potential and to inform the traffic system design.

Market Square Park is located in the heart of the Ohio City neighborhood, across from Cleveland’s historic West Side Market. Developed through a highly community-driven process, the design creates an active destination that builds upon its context and establishes a real sense of place. The plan’s influence extends across the perimeter streets to the West Side Market in order to integrate surrounding activity and provide flexible spaces that are home to outdoor markets, festivals and concerts. Dramatic diagonal axis are defined by special paving and directional landscaping. They connect the park's corners with a large central plaza, which also serves as an open seating area for the performance stage at the park’s north end.

Like many of our designs, public art plays a significant role in the park's identity. Sculptures, including customized seating, and murals on surrounding buildings accentuate the aspects of "harvest" and celebrate the West Side Market's role as a nationally recognized farmer's market. Market Square Park's role within the neighborhood preserves and enhances beautiful open space while complementing the iconic West Side Market.

CONNECT: Opportunity Corridor

The focus of the East 79th Street Corridor Study was better connect the Opportunity Corridor with the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority’s Red, Green and Blue Line rapid transit stations as well as Kinsman Avenue. By developing roadway and streetscape enhancements along this key corridor in Cleveland’s Kinsman and Fairfax neighborhoods, a more welcoming, multi-modal and pedestrian-friendly neighborhood connector can be created. Key elements of the study include recommending sites for future Transit Oriented Development and integrating new public spaces. With a goal of increasing the quality of life for residents, the planning process prioritized ways to re-imagine land use adjacent to the corridor while creating a safer, more connected street experience for all users.

As a result of a combined effort between the City of Cleveland Heights and the stakeholders along Coventry Road, a new streetscape was designed to capture the eclectic “village” street. Due to the festive and unique nature of the district, public art elements accentuate enhanced sidewalk areas. Art installations include signage, fully customized ornamental fencing around landscaped areas, planters, and benches that highlight gathering spaces. Sidewalk areas are expanded due to the narrowing of the street. These expanded areas encourage interaction, provide space for outdoor dining and include beautifully landscaped areas. Crosswalks, on-street parking and new light fixtures were located by the Coventry Village Special Improvement District stakeholders, ensuring the new streetscape promoted the character of its place and increased safety for pedestrians.

The East 66th Street Implementation Plan is focused on developing a prototype for a 21st Century street in Cleveland’s Hough neighborhood. The design incorporates details that support sustainability, green and complete streets, Vision Zero, social justice, smart streets and universal accessibility. A unique community-focused process gave voice to resident priorities and visions, bringing community empowerment to the forefront. The completed street will re-balance movement through our neighborhoods, providing safer alternatives for all.

MetroHealth Systems partnered with Old Brooklyn Community Development Corporation to consider options for the hospital’s function within the community. The study area included a portion of the neighborhood’s major commercial corridor, currently underutilized and burdened by vehicles, MetroHealth Old Brooklyn campus, senior housing, and a new facility for MetroHealth Systems with no direct connection to the campus.

The plan focused on connecting roads, parking lots, green spaces and healthcare amenities to create a comprehensive and pedestrian-focused campus accessible to the entire community. Final recommendations included converting underutilized parking, alleyways, and the eastern portion of Devonshire Road into a network of pedestrian pathways and parks.

The result was a comprehensive campus plan that provides amenities for the community, grants seniors an accessible route around their neighborhood, uses green space and infrastructure more efficiently, and positions MetroHealth Systems as a community builder.

The myGlenville Neighborhood Plan process involved developing an appreciative approach to the Glenville community. The team organized outreach efforts into four quadrants and met community members where they live. We asked our community partners questions that framed Glenville’s history and its desired future. Outcomes were community-based solutions that provided planners with residents’ voices - ensuring the master plan was reflective of the community’s wants and needs. This informed the planning team with an inventory of items that Glenville needs, areas of concerns regarding housing vacancy, crime / safety, green space and access to education, quality healthcare and employment opportunities. Several impactful themes emerged: providing options for shopping, maintaining Glenville’s cultural identity, restoring Glenville as a great place to live and work, and ensuring that the community works for everyone. Strong community partners like Glenville’s residents show what can happen when a true partnership exists in community development.

Our firm has called MidTown Cleveland "home" for over 25 years, and our involvement in planning for the district's future has spanned decades. Recent plans focus on transportation systems and the assembly of redevelopable parcels. The Euclid Avenue / East 55th Street Plan combines transportation network planning, large-scale redevelopment scenarios and public green space enhancements. Each initiatives aims to fill gaps along the streets, build synergy within the activity centers and increase the walkability of MidTown though linked green spaces - all with the purpose of defining and creating a meaningful and memorable identity for the Health-Tech Corridor.

A focal point of the plan is a new vision for the blocks surrounding the East 55th and Euclid Avenue intersection. Once the site of the Pennsylvania Passenger Rail Station and a hub of energy and excitement, a lack of investment surrounding the intersection has resulted in large tracts of vacant land. A new system of parks and public spaces integrated with public art upgrades to the railroad bridge, public transit stop improvements, a bike route, the renovated Agora Theater, new entertainment venues and realizable proposals help transform underutilized and blighted properties into valuable redevelopment opportunities. The neighborhood that will emerge from this vision will be an inspiring and active place that embodies the soul of a mixed-use Health-Tech Corridor business and entertainment district.

As our home for several decades, we at City Architecture have been active participants in MidTown's resurgence. Our team has led clean up days, planted gardens and painted fences - all in efforts to demonstrate and accentuate the best that MidTown has to offer. This hands o" approach captures who we are - a committed studio that is willing to kick start initiatives with our own hard work, sweat and dedication.

The Rocky River Streetscape improvement plan was initiated from a city-wide plan, led by City Architecture. City officials and stakeholders prioritized the reconstruction of the Old River District's right-of-way as the City's "Main Street".

Eclectic shops and restaurants attract visitors of all ages. The design expands the sidewalk areas to accommodate outdoor dining, seating spaces and landscaping. Iconic green archways define the district along with signage kiosks, pedestrian light fixtures and amenities that are unique to the Old River District.

CONNECT: Innovation Square, E79th Street Plan

The Opportunity Corridor Area-Wide Brownfields Planning Program was the first of its kind in Ohio. City Architecture co-authored the USEPA federal grant application with the City of Cleveland. One of only 23 pilot plans awarded in the country, the Opportunity Corridor plan aimed to define the true "opportunity" that should result from the planned $330M infrastructure investment. Guided by community development groups, social advocacy agencies, the Ohio Department of Transportation and City officials, the planning process focused on maximizing job creation through strategic economic development. Inclusive outreach efforts led to a community supported plan that re-imagines approximately 450 acres of vacant and blighted land. Every parcel was inventoried, analyzed and classified into determined environmental categories. Development yields and potential clean-up resources are all assembled and synthesized to provide a prioritized implementation strategy that can be used to attract investment along the new 3 mile road. The resulting data has been integrated into the City's GIS system, providing integrated planning information for future initiatives. Since the completion of the brownfield pilot program, City Architecture was hired to expand the planning footprint to include the entire corridor's impact area.

This project involves the development of streetscape designs for three existing streets and one new street in the Chagrin-Lee District of Shaker Heights. Through an intensive design process, this project has involved the development of a design language intended to pull the district together and create a strong sense of neighborhood identity. The design incorporates a significant public art component including an art wall and artist-designed custom light pylons, street furniture, pedestrian-scale lighting, new street trees, gardens, and special paving details. Through this combination of public and private improvements, a new and unique town center is emerging for the City of Shaker Heights that builds upon development activities already underway.

City Architecture has been charged to lead the planning and design of a Transportation for Livable Communities Initiative (TLCI) along Cleveland’s Buckeye Road corridor. Spanning a length of 1.4 miles, the project is a community-led vision to implement roadway and streetscape improvements. Through a series of stakeholder and resident surveys, virtual community meetings and an interactive website, community engagement is at the forefront of the design process. In the age of social distancing, the team was intentional about creating inclusive and interactive virtual platforms to engage with the community in meaningful and fun ways. Recommendations for the corridor include reconfigured right of ways to calm traffic, flexible on-street spaces for interventions like bike lanes and parklets, the transformation of vacant lots into parking lots and multi-modal hubs with green infrastructure buffers, and comprehensive streetscape beautification.