Cleveland Landmarks Commission Approves Hessler Road Development

A controversial apartment complex proposal for Hessler Road in University Circle will move forward after approval from the Cleveland Landmarks Commission Thursday.

The Euclid Corridor Design Review Committee, which advises the Landmarks Commission, gave conceptual approval to the project in April, but could not come to agreement on a final approval earlier this month. The 7-2 Landmarks Commission vote allows the development to move forward.

Commission Chairwoman Julie Trott voiced concern over the scale of the building, but said the empty lot it is planned for could use a new life.

“In this neighborhood, particularly, that lot in both an aerial and a physical standpoint, feels like a missing tooth to me,” Trott said. “I feel development is appropriate at this site. The scale of this, though, is still… it feels large.”

Trott ultimately voted in favor of the apartment complex, but asked that the developer consider making additional changes to lower its overall height and help it blend into the neighborhood, though designers already made design changes to address height and other concerns.

The initial proposal was a four-floor building with 24 units. It was later downsized to three floors with 12 units. The developer has taken steps to incorporate feedback and make additional changes, said Cleveland Director of City Planning Freddy Collier, including considerations for matching the materials of other buildings on the street and changing the slope of the roof.

Buildings in the area already vary in size and scale, Collier said.

“It does not appear to be disruptive to that context,” Collier said. “You have to look at this site, and this proposal, in the context of the entire district. Not just with a focus on the adjacent properties.”

The development is planned for an empty block of land that currently serves as a backyard and parking area for surrounding buildings, as well as a site for neighborhood events like an annual street fair.

As part of the months-long campaign against the micro-apartments, residents sent a letter and presentation to the Landmarks Commission ahead of the Thursday meeting detailing their concerns. Their worries include a lack of windows on the building, lower potential for long-term residents, the removal of current parking, and potential damage to historic roadways during the construction process.

More consideration needs to be given to the potential negative impact of the development on the neighborhood, said architectural historian planner Jessica Wobig, who was asked to speak by Hessler residents. Community members want different options for how to use the space, she said.

“There’s differences of opinions, but everyone’s unanimous that this specific project is not appropriate as proposed,” Wobig said.