The Heights Observer

12/15/2025

Opinion: This is perhaps the most important development decision that has ever been made in Cleveland Heights. Severance is located right in the heart of the city and is well over half empty. It is owned by a company, Namdar, that has been very successful buying distressed shopping malls at drastically reduced auction prices, harvesting what revenues are there, spending absolutely nothing on the properties, then cutting them into smaller parcels to be sold off when cash flow is no longer acceptable.

For years, the citizens of Cleveland Heights have strongly endorsed transforming Severance into a walkable village built around a large central park which incorporates multiple attractions for all ages (playground, splash pad/ice skating rink, shaded seating areas, art and performance venues, open meadows, etc.) and fronted at street level by a food court, locally owned restaurants and businesses, with apartments or offices above. There has been interest in a possible school of nursing across from MetroHealth, perhaps a small boutique hotel and many other possibilities. Housing (probably 700+/- 100 units) would be both rental and owned, accommodating all income levels, and with a focus on the elderly as they comprise the most significantly underserved niche housing market.

On Dec. 10, the Cleveland Heights Planning Commission decided to refer to CH City Council the form-based Severance Overlay Zoning (SOZ) proposed by New York-based development organizer MPact, with a recommendation that council vote to adopt before the end of the year. While it is impossible to know...

12/15/2025

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12/15/2025

The city of Cleveland Heights is currently considering zoning changes proposed by developer MPACT Collective that could pave the way for redevelopment of the site next year.

Ryan Porter of MPACT Collective has emphasized the need for timely action in order to facilitate positive development at Severance, which has been mostly vacant for decades. Some community members and stakeholders, however, have said the changes are premature, may not meet the city’s and community’s objectives for redevelopment, and should not be rashly considered without further exploration and analysis.

Consider attending or watching one or more of these upcoming meetings, to be held at CH City Hall, in Council Chambers:

Monday, Dec. 15, 5 p.m. – Council Public Hearing on the Proposed Zoning Code Amendments – Council Committee of the Whole Agenda. No action will be taken. *Public Comment Opportunity*

Monday, Dec. 15, 7:30 p.m. – City council consideration of adoption of the Zoning Amendments – City Council Agenda. Action may be taken. *Public Comment Opportunity*

Wednesday, Dec. 17, 6 p.m. – City council consideration of adoption of the Zoning Amendments. Action may be taken. *Public Comment Opportunity*

There’s a lot happening when it comes to Severance Town Center, one of the most critical development sites in Cleveland Heights, and now is your chance to get involved and have a voice in the process. The city of Cleveland Heights is currently considering zoning changes proposed by developer MPACT...

12/15/2025

Filmed over the course of eight months by Heights High Career Tech Education (CTE) students working alongside Emmy Award-winning director Kara White and producer Adam White of Hemlock Films, the project chronicles both the original creation of Coventry P.E.A.C.E. Park in 1993 and the recent remarkable effort to revitalize it.

“Our students aren’t just learning in the classroom—they’re telling real stories that matter to their community,” said Building Heights Executive Director Jennifer Holland. “Seeing their work on PBS is an extraordinary achievement.”

Through interviews, archival footage, and stunning visuals, the film captures the spirit that has made the park a cherished Cleveland Heights landmark for more than three decades.

After captivating local audiences at its summer premiere, “Coventry P.E.A.C.E. Park: A New Beginning” will reach an even wider audience when it premieres on PBS Western Reserve on Friday, Dec. 12, at 8:30 p.m. To mark the PBS broadcast, Building Heights will host a free community watch party ...

12/15/2025

Opinion: Like many Cleveland Heights residents, we’re relieved to be done with 2025’s high-stakes municipal election. Although this column does not endorse candidates, we are pleased with the results. We appreciate the leadership of interim mayor Tony Cuda and interim city administrator Sharon Dumas during the post-Seren transition and look forward to a new era beginning in January.

Amid the often contentious discourse around the primary and general elections, we were struck by the various reasons voters gave for their choices. Conversations in person and on social media revealed everything from purely emotional takes by low-information voters to well-informed insights by highly active longtime residents.

Like many Cleveland Heights residents, we’re relieved to be done with 2025’s high-stakes municipal election. Although this column does not endorse candidates, we are pleased with the results. We appreciate the leadership of interim mayor Tony Cuda and interim city administrator Sharon Dumas duri...

12/15/2025

Opinion: Our democracy is still suffering from the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol in 2021, when Donald Trump and his followers used violence to block the orderly transition of power. They were not willing to accept the outcome of a fair election. When violence didn’t work, they started a relentless attack on the election process, claiming the election was stolen.

Wendy Deuring, who chairs the Cleveland Heights-University Heights Chapter of the League of Women Voters, had her third stint as a polling-location leader this November. Deuring helps to administer elections because of what she refers to as the purity of the vote. The count decides who wins—a simple and profound rule. Casting doubt on the process undermines democracy.

I have several other friends who also step into this civic role at election time. They are political activists who believe in democracy and treasure the election as the centerpiece of representative government. When they take their commitment to democracy into a polling location, a nonpartisan space, they welcome every person who passes through the door. Their own political views are not relevant. Democracy is the guide.

Our democracy is still suffering from the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol in 2021, when Donald Trump and his followers used violence to block the orderly transition of power. They were not willing to accept the outcome of a fair election. When violence didn’t work, they started a relentless attack on...

12/15/2025

The cooperative agreement will open the pool to the public for—at the outset—limited use of the pool Monday through Friday, 6–7:30 a.m. The schedule may be amended in the future to provide for increased access to the pool for use by Heights residents.

The agreement calls for Cleveland Heights to fund 75% and University Heights to fund 25% of the cost to hire lifeguards and provide supervision by the city’s Aquatics Coordinator. Funds for the lifeguards were previously approved by CH City Council in 2024, when it adopted legislation allocating $25,000 for them.

Anyone who has a pass to the Cleveland Heights Recreation Center may swim at the pool at no additional cost; otherwise, a small fee applies.

On Oct. 20, Cleveland Heights City Council voted unanimously to adopt Ordinance 213-2025, introduced by Council Vice President Davida Russell, for an agreement to be signed between the city and the CH-UH City School District to allow public swimming at the indoor pool located at Cleveland Heights Hi...

12/15/2025

This past fall, the city of Cleveland Heights passed legislation to sell 45 vacant lots in the Cain Park and Cedar Lee neighborhoods to FutureHeights and Rebuild Cleveland for the purposes of building future housing.

FutureHeights is the community-engagement partner on the project, and Rebuild Cleveland is the developer. Now, the partners are moving ahead with their plans to build new, for-sale, modular homes on these lots and are seeking community input.

They will host a community meeting on Thursday, Dec. 18, 6–8 p.m. at the Lee Road Library.

All are welcome to attend. To RSVP, visit www.futureheights.org.

This past fall, the city of Cleveland Heights passed legislation to sell 45 vacant lots in the Cain Park and Cedar Lee neighborhoods to FutureHeights and Rebuild Cleveland for the purposes of building future housing.  FutureHeights is the community-engagement partner on the project, and Rebuild Cle...

12/15/2025

Heights native Daniel Pease-Kerr is a proud product of Heights High, Roxboro Middle School and Fairfax Elementary School. He recently returned to the Heights after living and studying in Kyoto, Japan. Together, Hexagon Books and Pease-Kerr are offering “Japanese For Everyone”—a new, in-person, beginning language class.

“Knowledge of languages is the doorway to wisdom,” said Pease-Kerr. “Study Japanese, and you don’t just learn a language, you learn a different way to see the world.”

The classes will meet twice a week, for eight weeks, starting in January. Students of all ages will have the opportunity to learn the Japanese language, with useful vocabulary and essential phrases; discover Japanese culture and its people; explore Anime and Manga; and write calligraphy.

Hexagon Books opened at 2184 Lee Road in July 2024. With literature from all over the world and classes in Spanish, Italian and French, owner Manuel Chinchilla is now bringing Japanese to his Cleveland Heights shop. Heights native Daniel Pease-Kerr is a proud product of Heights High, Roxboro Middle....

12/15/2025

According to Stanford University’s Waste Reduction Program, U.S. household waste increases by more than 25% from Thanksgiving to New Year’s, adding roughly 1 million tons of trash to landfills each week.

Unwanted gifts add to the problem. In 2024, Finder.com projected that 140 million American adults would receive a gift they did not want, averaging $72 each. When returning or regifting fails, about 16% of these gifts become waste, especially clothing, accessories, and household items.

To avoid becoming part of this statistic, practicing “mindful gifting” can be the answer. Mindful gifting is the practice of giving gifts with intention, thoughtfulness, and sustainability in mind, rather than out of obligation or consumer-driven habits.

To make mindful gifting easier, the Cleveland Heights Green Team (CHGT) is publishing a “Guide for Mindful Gifting in the Heights” on its website, featuring local businesses and sustainable ideas. The Green Team’s message: Choose gifts that offer emotional significance, durability, and environmental responsibility.

‘Tis the season for family gatherings, lights, eggnog, and joyful giving. It is also the season for millions of extra tons of waste—food, packaging, decorations, and unwanted gifts. According to Stanford University’s Waste Reduction Program, U.S. household waste increases by more than 25% fro...

12/11/2025

Opinion: When I first enrolled my 3-year-old in the CH-UH preschool program in fall 2024, I was a little nervous about how he would do and he was, too. After orientation, we placed our “Tiger sign” in our front yard and he was on his way. Now, a year and a half later, I am just beyond grateful and impressed by this program as I watch my now 4-year-old continue to flourish.

Over the last year and a half, I have witnessed a truly magical preschool program at CH-UH. My son’s teachers at both Gearity and Noble have created a warm, safe, and stimulating environment where he feels completely comfortable and confident.

When I first enrolled my 3-year-old in the CH-UH preschool program in fall 2024, I was a little nervous about how he would do and he was, too. After orientation, we placed our “Tiger sign” in our front yard and he was on his way. Now, a year and a half later, I am just beyond grateful and impres...

12/11/2025

Opinion: Here are some personal observations about the recent November election in Cleveland Heights:

First, money mattered. Adam Dew and Anthony Mattox Jr. had interesting messages. But they were not received by most voters. Neither spent enough money on advertising. They failed to compete meaningfully in the arena of ideas. No candidate can be credible without spending enough. And competing can be expensive.

Second, money was not all that mattered. Davida Russell spent a lot of money on her campaign, much from sources outside the city. Jim Petras also spent plenty, although much less than Davida. Davida and Jim each communicated effectively. Voters received plenty of opportunities to compare messages from them. Each ran a slick campaign with mailings, yard signs, social media, and phone calls. In the end, voters chose Jim despite his spending less money than Davida. They must have preferred his message.

Here are some personal observations about the recent November election in Cleveland Heights: First, money mattered. Adam Dew and Anthony Mattox Jr. had interesting messages. But they were not received by most voters. Neither spent enough money on advertising. They failed to compete meaningfully i...