The Central neighborhood is one of Cleveland’s newer success stories. It is becoming a fully revitalized community, home to much new residential development and future retail development, and it has even won statewide recognition for its affordable-housing model, East Central Place. All this, and it’s centrally located just five minutes from downtown, University Circle, Luke Easter Park and world-class health facilities.
Neighborhood Gem
Central’s Homeownership Zone tells the tale of a struggling underdog with too much pride to give up. And, yes, it has a Hollywood ending. “Central was the most distressed neighborhood in Cleveland with the lowest home-ownership rates,” says Tim Tramble, executive director of Burton Bell Carr Development Corp., a community nonprofit developer. “But we’re turning that around.”
Today, Central’s Homeownership Zone is enjoying a massive amount of construction. Working with design guidelines that call for smaller homes and a greater volume of units, Burton Bell Carr has been able to construct 260 houses with plans to ultimately build 465. All of the units are for sale, and there are affordable components built into the units, making them priced to sell as low as $129,900.
The project began in 2001, with final construction planned for 2008. It is the most successful selling project in the City of Cleveland. Why? Because of what people get for their buck—new homes surrounded by other new homes, all constructed on newly paved streets and in a location minutes from all of Cleveland’s finest amenities. —
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