Category: General Information

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Cleveland Police commander to retire after more than 30 years of service

STRAIGHT FROM CITY HALL NEWSLETTER

Mayor Jackson, Director of Public Safety Karrie D. Howard and Police Chief Calvin D. Williams announce that Cleveland Police Acting Deputy Chief Deirdre Jones is retiring after serving with the Cleveland Division of Police for over 30 years. Commander Jones currently serves as the Acting Deputy Chief of Administrative Operations, overseeing the Bureau of Communications and Property Control and the Bureau of Support Services, including the Communications Control Section, Logistics, Property, Personnel, Records and the Training Section.

“I congratulate Acting Deputy Chief and Commander Deirdre Jones on her appointment as Chief of Police/Director of Security at the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (GCRTA). Deputy Chief Jones has served the Division of Police in several key leadership roles,” said Mayor Jackson. “Additionally, she was the first female to supervise the Division’s Homicide Unit. Acting Deputy Chief Jones is also the first-ever LGBTQ Liaison to the Department of Public Safety, Divisions of Police, Fire and Emergency Medical Service, promoting equity and inclusion within public safety. It is for these reasons and more that I ask the citizens to join me in congratulating Acting Deputy Chief Jones, whom I know will serve GCRTA well in her new role. I wish her well in her new position.”

Jones was appointed to the rank of Commander of the Bureau of Support Services in 2016 and to Acting Deputy Chief of Administrative Operations in 2021.  She was the first female to supervise the Division’s Homicide Unit. Commander Jones is also the first-ever LGBTQ Liaison to the Department of Public Safety, Divisions of Police, Fire and Emergency Medical Service, promoting equity and inclusion within public safety.

“I am proud to have worked alongside Commander Deirdre Jones, and am happy to know that she will continue to serve the citizens of the City of Cleveland in her new role,” said Cleveland Director of Public Safety, Karrie D. Howard. 

Jones will officially retire from the Cleveland Division of Police in the coming weeks. She will continue to serve the citizens of the City of Cleveland as the next Chief of Police of the GCRTA Police Department. An Acting Deputy Chief of Administration will be appointed until a new member of the Cleveland Division of Police Command Staff is selected.

“Commander Dierdre Jones has been a dedicated member of the Cleveland Division of Police, bringing many new and forward thinking ideas to the table during her career,” said Cleveland Police Chief Calvin D. Williams. “I look forward to continuing to work with her in her new role as Chief, and know she will do well.”

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Conceptual plans presented for new West Park Plaza

Conceptual plans presented for new West Park Plaza

By Jerry Masek

Using a space as large as Public Square, conceptual plans for the new West Park Plaza were presented to the Far West Design Review Committee this morning. Developers said they have some retail commitments, but are not ready to offer names. Earlier, Ward 17 Councilman Charles Slife said plans included at least one national retailer.

Calling the plan “a work in progress,” developers proposed to:

* Divide the vacant Kmart building into three retail spaces.

* Add a drive-thru coffee bar near the intersection of Lorain Avenue and West 150th Street.* Demolish a 24,000 square foot building that housed Dollar General on the east end of the property, ay14651 Lorain Ave.. Build a new structure there, which will house a grocer. Rubin’s Deli, a popular eatery, plans to move to the north side of Lorain Avenue in the same area.

* Demolish the mixed-use Marquard Building, 14737 Lorain Ave.

* Add a ground-level landmark sign on the northwest corner, at West 150th and Lorain Avenue.

* Popeye’s Louisiana Kitchen will remain, as that site is not owned by the developers.

A community meeting to discuss the proposed development begins at 6:30 pm on April 14, hosted by West Park Kamm’s Neighborhood Development. To register for that meeting, go to http://westparkkamms.org/event/kmart-redevelopment-4-14-21/

The committee will vote on the proposed development after residents have had a chance to comment. Later, the proposal will move to the City Planning Commission.

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Two new electric vehicle charging stations to be installed in Cleveland

STRAIGHT FROM CITY HALL NEWSLETTER

In partnership with the Northeast Ohio Area Coordinating Agency (NOACA), the City of Cleveland applied for and received grant funding for two electric vehicle charging stations through the Ohio EPA’s disbursement of the Volkswagen Mitigation Trust Fund. These publicly accessible stations will be located at the City of Cleveland’s new Ward 1 Neighborhood Resource & Recreation Center and at the Red Lot at Cleveland Hopkins Airport. Both will be 240-V, Level 2 charging stations, which allow for 25 miles of range per hour of charging – or full charge in about 4-5 hours. Across Cuyahoga County, 22 charging stations received funding through the OEPA grant program and will be implemented over the next two years. Along with a $3 million allocation toward regional EV charging stations from NOACA, Sustainable Cleveland is hopeful that residents, employees, and visitors to the City will continue to see accelerated development in robust EV infrastructure.

Follow this link for a full list of OEPA grant recipients.  

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New West Park mural underway

A new mural is underway in West Park at Puritas Avenue and W. 161st St. 

Celebrating inclusivity, particularly concerning those with disabilities, the title and theme of the mural is “More Alike Than Different” and will be painted by Garrett Weider with help from the community. 

Weider was approached by those with the Bellaire Puritas Development Corporation as well as those with the organization the Up Side of Downs. Other organizations involved include Hyland Software and non-profit organizations North Coast Community Homes, The Arc of Greater Cleveland, UCP of Greater Cleveland, ADA Cleveland, Koinonia, Youth Challenge, New Avenues to Independence, Inc., and the HELP Foundation. 

According to Weider, those involved with the project who requested he design it initially liked his work called Bridge Blooms on Bridge Avenue and W. 48th St. in Ohio City. It is “this building covered by flowers,” he describes, calling it a “neighborhood beautification project.”

He says the Ohio City project concept translates well for what he envisions for the new West Park mural at Puritas Avenue.

“Symbolically it totally works,” he says. “I’m switching the design up a little bit. It’s going to have all kinds of colors and flowers and mixing in some of the logos of the sponsors.”

“Having a whole bunch of these flowers that are all of these different colors and things is kind of representative of all of humanity to me.” 

According to Weider, the splash of color this mural will bring is going to breathe new life into the area. 

The mural kicked off March 21st, also World Down Syndrome Day. Weider says the activity drew the attention of onlookers, who appeared curious and even excited — some even beeping and smiling while driving past. 

“Hopefully people want to slow down and take pictures in front of it,” the artist says. “I really want to make it a destination spot… That’s what happened with the Bridge spot. It’s really become sort of like a landmark, and I really want that for this as well.” 

According to Weider’s Instagram page: “…’More Alike Than Different’ will bring awareness and celebrates those with down syndrome and other disabilities. I’ll be working with the community throughout the summer and will finish by the fall… “

In addition to this new mural, another mural by Weider can be found inside The Wash House & Cafe at 15149 Lorain Ave.

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National retailer coming to Kmart site in West Park

National retailer coming to Kmart site in West Park, Cleveland, OH

By Jerry Masek   

“It’s exciting to know that a national retailer is coming to West Park,” Ward 17 Councilman Charles Slife says.    “Since I took office, the first question every resident asks me is — ‘What’s going to happen to the Kmart site?'”   

Today, Crain’s Cleveland Business and The West Park Times are releasing details of the project. Printed copies of Crain’s will be on newsstands Monday.   

The name of the retailer has not yet been released.   

Kmart, at 14901 Lorain Ave,, was a major player in West Park from 1982 until January 2018. That’s when Sears Holdings Corp, closed 45 stores, including 5 in Ohio. The store here had 89,000 square feet of selling space.    The store’s closing left a gap in West Park. The Kamm’s Corners Development Corp. (KCDC) and then-Councilman Marty Keane immediately began talks to bring a tenant to that site. Those talks continued last year with the West Park Kamm’s Neighborhood Development, and Slife, who replaced Keane on City Council. 

Project details

Crain’s talked with an attorney representing TLM Realty, owners of the site. He said TLM proposes:

  • Divide the vacant Kmart building’s 106,000 square feet among as many as three retail outlets.
  • Add retail uses in new buildings in the vast parking lot.
  • Demolish part of a largely empty building on the east side of the parking lot.
  • Demolish the Marquard Building. It contains first-floor retail space and apartments on Lorain Avenue.
  • Those moves would allow more space for free-standing retail buildings on the property.  

Two public meetings set

Residents will have two opportunities to learn about the project. At 9 a.m. Wednesday, April 7, the Far West Design Review Committee will hear four presentations, including one by Michael Oestreich of TLM Realty, The Committee is a neighborhood arm of City Planning Commission, which will hear the presentation later. The official agenda says the project will include “renovation and new additional buildings.” The project is still in the “conceptual” phase.    Slife said that although the Committee meeting is open to the public, there will be little or no interaction with residents.    That interaction will come a week later, in a community meeting at 6:30 p.m. April 14. Residents are encouraged to attend that meeting and bring their questions and comments. 

Background    

The Kmart site was formerly known as Herrington Farm. Before Kmart could build there, residents of a trailer park had to be evicted. 

Read Crain’s story, subscription needed www.crainscleveland.com/real-estate/west-cleveland-shopping-center-redo-talks-loom

Register for April 7 meeting planning.clevelandohio.gov

Register for April 14 meeting http://westparkkamms.org/

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Making Veggie Eating Easier

City Fresh, Veggie Recipes, Vegetables, Shares, Cleveland, OH, CLE

From the City Fresh newsletter

Subscribe here

One of the big barriers a lot of folks have to CSA shares is, well, all the vegetables. For some, shares don’t have enough veggies, but those tend to be few and far between. For most, shares can sometimes be a LOT. Even the most culinarily nimble among us can encounter struggle when shares are a little bit extra. This is why we try to source recipes that focus on being quick and easy. After a long day of work, cooking needn’t be a huge chore. No one wants to find themselves saying, “but I just made dinner yesterday!”

The good news is that your friendly neighborhood City Fresh volunteer is likely an old hat at all of this and will have lots of good advice for you at your pick up. We’re also geared up to offer simple, fast pointers each week in this very newsletter. Here’s some tips and tricks to making the most of your shares this season.

The grill is your friend: Especially in summer months when temps are at their highest, turning on the oven is not something we often want to do. Using a grill therefor solves multiple issues. Vegetables can be cut in large piecesrather than finely chopped, or sometimes grilled whole. You can use a grilling basket or make a foil envelope and toss chopped veggies in oil and the seasonings of your choice. There are even things that you might not think to grill – like romaine lettuce.

Prep veggies ahead of time: Lots of things can be prepared in advance of actually using them. Just like buying a bag of chopped veggies in the grocery, you can simplify your approach. Be sure to focus on eating the most delicate items first (and brush up on proper veggie storage). Wash your lettuce and greens and have them spun and ready to go for salads and sautes all week. Future You will thank you.

The miracle of a sheet pan dinner: There are tons of recipes that are practically just “chop it all up, coat it in oil, throw it in the oven.” If you find a recipe that has veggies you don’t have, feel free to substitute. Start mixing by color and texture. Combine a starch, something green, and a protein, toss in olive oil and your favorite seasonings and bake at 350° until the smell is right. This approach can keep you going for months.

Eat a salad for dinner on pick up day: On the day you pick up your share, you might not feel up to cooking once you get everything home. This is a great night to make a salad and top it with whatever you’ve got in the fridge: leftover meats, a hard-boiled egg, some cheese, etc. You finish your greens and minimize your time in the kitchen.

There’s no one right way to eat your veggies. Part of the adventure of CSA is playing fast and loose with the rules in the kitchen and getting really really familiar with all the seasonal fare we offer. Join us on Facebook or Instagramand share your ideas for keeping things easy!
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Photo credit unsplash.com
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Ward 16 Resurfacing

STRAIGHT FROM CITY HALL NEWSLETTER

During the week of March 29, 2021, the City of Cleveland’s Residential Resurfacing Program will begin in Ward 16. Advance notice signs will be posted to advise the public of road improvements.  The following streets will be resurfaced and completed by the end of April, 2021.

Street PrefixProject NameFROM:TO:
W139thSherryBelleshire
W149thJustinPurtias
BenningtonWest 130thEnd

One lane of traffic will be maintained for local traffic for the duration of each project and no detours are expected. Access to all businesses, residences and side streets will be maintained during construction. On-street parking will not be allowed during construction.

2021 Road Resurfacing Project Description:

  • This work represents an investment of $12 million in the City’s Residential Roadways.
  • With the completion of the Pavement Management Study in 2017 and the continued evaluation of the City’s roadway network, the City has a grading system that allows streets in the greatest need of resurfacing to be selected for repair. The City is using the ‘worst first’ approaches for road resurfacing.

Questions? Contact the City’s Administrative Manager, Cherita Anglen at (216) 420-7605.

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Palm Sunday in West Park

(Photo featured is of Palm Sunday at Blessed Trinity in April of 2019, and was taken by Jerry Masek for the West Park Times).

According to Wikipedia: “Palm Sunday is a Christian moveable feast that falls on the Sunday before Easter. The feast commemorates Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, an event mentioned in each of the four canonical Gospels…

In most liturgical churches Palm Sunday is celebrated by the blessing and distribution of palm branches or the branches of other native trees representing the palm branches the crowd scattered in front of Christ as he rode into Jerusalem…”

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Ohio Department of Job and Family Services warns of unemployment fraud

STRAIGHT FROM CITY HALL NEWSLETTER

The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services has reported that thousands of new unemployment claims are being investigated as potential cases of fraud.  According to the ODJFS, in the week ending Feb. 6, there were 140,444 new unemployment claims filed in the state. That’s a 194% increase from the prior week.

If you suspect that your personal information has been stolen and/or you received a 1099-G tax form from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services and did not apply for unemployment benefits in 2020, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services encourages you to do the following:

Step One: Report Identity Theft to ODJFS 
Visit https://unemploymenthelp.ohio.gov/

  • Click “Report Identify Theft”
  • Click “Report Identify Theft Individuals” 

Complete the secure online form and submit. The ODJFS will issue confirmation emails to everyone who files a report with information about identity theft and protection. The agency will process the reports, conduct investigations and, if necessary, issue corrections to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) on 1099s issued to victims. You can also call the Ohio Unemployment ID Theft Hotline at (833) 658-0394. 

Step Two: 

How to File Your Taxes (if you received a 1099-G): Please follow the IRS guidance to taxpayers on identity theft involving unemployment benefits. You can find it here. 

Step Three: Protect Your Identity 
Many resources are available for victims of identity theft to help them protect their identities. ODJFS strongly urges anyone who suspects they may be a victim of identity theft to take appropriate action to protect themselves. Here are some recommended resources: 

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45th Cleveland International Film Festival Announces Program Lineup

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The 45th Cleveland International Film Festival (CIFF45 Streams) program lineup is now live at clevelandfilm.org. 

CIFF45 Streams will take place entirely online April 7-20, 2021 at clevelandfilm.org. The Festival will showcase 116 feature films and 182 short films – 46% of which are made by female filmmakers – during its extended 14-day run. Most films in this year’s lineup will be accessible nationwide, and they will be available on demand, on a first come, first served basis, through the end of the Festival. Be sure to continue to check clevelandfilm.org for program updates between now and April 20th. 

Tickets go on sale to members on Monday, March 22nd at 11:00 AM ET and to the public on Friday, March 26th at 11:00 AM ET. If you are not yet a member, you can become one by visiting clevelandfilm.org/membership. Two of the three membership levels include all-access passes.

Ticket are $8 for CIFF members and $10 for non-members, with the exception of Opening Night, which is $20 for CIFF members and $25 for non-members. Once on sale, tickets can be purchased at clevelandfilm.org.  CIFF45 Streams Opening Night is sponsored byDollar Bank. 

CIFF45 STREAMS

In addition to the hundreds of films being offered, CIFF45 Streams will consist of filmmaker conversations and Q&As, audience voting, filmmaker awards, the annual Challenge Match, podcast episodes, and merchandise, as well as audience engagement activities and events. For more information, please visitclevelandfilm.org. 

The Cleveland International Film Festival is supported in part by the residents of Cuyahoga County through a public grant from Cuyahoga Arts & Culture. Also, theCleveland International Film Festival is made possible in part by state tax dollars allocated by the Ohio Legislature to the Ohio Arts Council (OAC). The OAC is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally, and economically.

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Shift to hybrid moves into second phase

COURTESY CMSD NEWS BUREAU

The second phase of the CMSD reopening plan began Monday as students in preschool through second grade and ninth and 12th graders returned to school for hybrid learning.  

At William Rainey Harper School, music, balloons and a blue walkway were just some of the accessories staff used to welcome students back to the building.  

“I’m nervous,” Leighanna Rollins said as she dropped her son off at school. 

With mixed emotions, parents said goodbye to their children with hugs and kisses.  

“It is about time,” Kristin Gardener said while walking her daughter, who is in kindergarten, to the front door. 

The return to school building comes almost a year to the day that Gov. Michael DeWine sent children home for remote learning to slow the spread of COVID-19.  

“We have been preparing and planning for their return ever since,” Principal Ajayi Monell said. “I am so excited.” 

Safety precautions, including temperature checks when students enter the building and requirements to wear facemasks and maintain social distancing, are in place at all CMSD school buildings.

Students whose families chose hybrid learning have been grouped into cohorts, with some attending in person on Monday and Tuesday, others Thursday and Friday. They will work remotely on other days.

At East Technical High School, students who have returned are eager to learn, even if things are different.  

“It just brought me more joy to be in the school,” said Za’Nya, a ninth-grader who was experiencing her very first day attending high school. “It felt so amazing.”

Now that the District has transitioned to hybrid learning, some students, like Omarion, feel their grades will improve.   

“I wasn’t doing so good in the classes online because of lack of focus,” said Omarion, a senior. “So now that we are back in school I can write stuff down and turn it in to my teachers.” 

CEO Eric Gordon has said that some students thrived in remote learning but acknowledged that others had difficulty adjusting.    

“A lot of kids struggled,” he said.  “They need to see their teachers and have that interaction.”  

Gordon says brighter days are ahead now that students are returning to the classroom.  

“It has been a long year for all of us,” he said. “But our kids are back. This is a great day. We are finally seeing our way through this pandemic.”

The third and final phase of the transition to hybrid will come next week with the return of students in the third through eighth grades and 11th and 12th grades. 

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TV20 to air previous St. Patrick’s Day celebrations for 24 hours

STRAIGHT FROM CITY HALL NEWSLETTER

Although we are unable to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day like we have in past years, we can still celebrate the day by reflecting on parades from previous years. TV20 and the City of Cleveland are bringing viewers a 24-hour St. Patrick’s Day Parade Marathon, featuring 12 parades from years past. The marathon starts at 12:01 a.m. on March 17. There are several ways to watch TV20:

·       Through your cable provider: Spectrum channel 1020; Att-Uverse channel 99

·       Through the PEG.TV app/channel on Roku

·       Via livestream at www.tv20cleveland.com

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Suspects connected to multiple carjackings arrested

STRAIGHT FROM CITY HALL NEWSLETTER

On March 9, 2021, the Cleveland Division of Police conducted a city-wide operation targeting multiple suspects wanted for vehicle thefts and carjackings throughout the city and surrounding suburbs. The initiative was directed by the Fourth District Violent Crimes Reduction Team and was assisted by the five neighborhood police districts, the Neighborhood Impact Community Engagement Unit, Gang Impact Unit, Canine, Aviation, and partnering law enforcement agencies.

Three juvenile suspects were apprehended. They and approximately seven others are suspected in over 30 Grand Theft a motor Vehicle and Aggravated Robberies, at times shooting at or striking their victims. The suspects range in age from 14-19 years old.

Investigators continue to seek out other offenders. Anyone with information regarding criminal activity is asked to contact law enforcement or Crimestoppers by calling (216) 25-CRIME. Information can be reported anonymously.

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Know Your Rights: Tax credits and free professional tax preparation and filing opportunities

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Tax season is once again in full swing, but the lasting economic impacts of COVID-19 linger. Here’s what you should know about available resources that may provide direct financial relief:

  • If you were one of millions of people who still have not received one or both of your Economic Impact Payments, more commonly known as a stimulus check, filing your taxes is an opportunity to claim that missed income. When you file your taxes, you can claim that missed payment or payments as a tax credit. For example, if you were set to owe $2,600 for this upcoming filing, but did not receive $2,600 in Economic Impact Payments, your liability drops to $0. 
  • Working families and individuals may qualify for a larger refund via the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). The EITC is designed to provide a tax break for workers with low-to-moderate incomes and their families. You may qualify for the EITC if you are:
  • A grandparent caregiver
  • A foster parent
  • A victim of abuse
  • Earning a low income at work and have no children
  • A family or individual with excessive debt
  • A person with disabilities earning a low income
  • Recently unemployed
  • A person with limited English proficiency earning a low income

Think you may qualify? Visit https://apps.irs.gov/app/eitc/ to use the IRS’s official EITC to see if you qualify to learn more. 

  • If taking advantage of these opportunities seems intimidating, don’t worry. You may be eligible for free tax preparation from a licensed professional. Here’s how to access these services in Northeast Ohio:
    • Cuyahoga County residents can receive free tax preparation and filing via the Cuyahoga Earned Income Tax Assistance Coalition, which is part of the IRS’ Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program. This free filing service is available for those with household incomes under $57,000 who don’t own rental properties. “We save a taxpayer on average 300 to 450 dollars that they’d otherwise be spending on a paid preparer,” said Andre Ross, Volunteer and Outreach Coordinator for the Coalition. Visit RefundOhio.org to schedule an appointment. Virtual and socially distant in-person consultations are available. 
    • Lorain County residents looking for free tax preparation should contact the Lorain County Free Tax Prep Coalition. Most families and individuals making under $60,000 are eligible. Call 211 to have your questions answered and be scheduled for an appointment at the appropriate location. To learn more, visit https://www.loraincountyfreetaxprep.org/
    • Lake County residents looking for free tax preparation can schedule an appointment by calling 211, which is sponsored by Lifeline, Inc. 
    • If you live in Ashtabula, Geauga, or another county and are interested in free tax preparation programs, you can use a site locator tool on the IRS’s website (www.irs.gov). The tool allows you to type in your zip code and find professional free filing opportunities near you. 

Remember: the deadline to file your 2020 taxes is April 15, 2021.

If you are dealing with a legal issue related to taxes, contact Legal Aid for help by visiting lasclev.org/contact – our online intake is open 24/7.  Or, you can call Legal Aid’s toll-free number 888-817-3777 and apply for help during most business hours.  Legal Aid has a Low Income Taxpayer Clinic that helps people who face controversies with the IRS.  

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Cuyahoga County Democratic lawmakers issue joint statement as Biden administration taps Cleveland to host mass vaccination site at Cleveland State’s Wolstein Center

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House Democratic lawmakers Reps. Juanita Brent (D-Cleveland), Janine Boyd (D-Cleveland Heights),Jeffrey A. Crossman (D-Parma), Stephanie Howse (D-Cleveland), Phil Robinson (D-Solon), Michael Skindell (D-Lakewood), Kent Smith (D-Euclid), Monique Smith (D-Fairview Park), Bride Rose Sweeney (D-Cleveland), and Terrence Upchurch (D-Cleveland) issued the following statement as the Biden administration announced today that Cleveland State’s Wolstein Center has been chosen as a mass vaccination site, with the ability to administer 6,000 vaccine doses each day over eight weeks beginning March 17. 

“We’re encouraged by today’s announcement that the Biden administration has tapped Cleveland to host a mass vaccination site, and appreciate President Biden’s strong leadership as we continue to undertake the largest single vaccination program in history. 

“Today’s announcement reaffirms the commitment this administration has shown to acquire, distribute and administer the coronavirus vaccine in record time, especially within our most vulnerable populations and those who need it the most. 

“We’re hopeful that this site will speed our vaccination schedule and reiterate the importance to all Ohioans to get vaccinated as soon as they can. We will continue working with the administration and our state and local health partners to do everything we can to end this virus.”

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City of Cleveland & CMSD release RFQ for redevelopment of 19 vacant CMSD sites

STRAIGHT FROM CITY HALL NEWSLETTER

The City of Cleveland and the Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD) have today jointly issued a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to select real estate development project teams for the redevelopment of 12 vacant school buildings and seven sites of vacant land owned by CMSD.

“These vacant school buildings and vacant land parcels provide opportunities for economic development in neighborhoods across the City of Cleveland,” said Mayor Frank G. Jackson. “The City of Cleveland looks forward to collaborating with the Cleveland Metropolitan School District on repurposing these assets to foster redevelopment and equity in our neighborhoods.”

The intent of the RFQ process is to identify qualified real estate development project teams interested in each site. Teams are invited to submit site-specific redevelopment proposals for consideration by the City and CMSD. Interested developers will be able to participate in an information session and tours of the building to learn more about the sites. The RFQ and selection process will be facilitated by the City of Cleveland.

“When we developed a plan for the future of our programs and facilities in 2019, the Board of Education asked that we also look at the future of our vacant buildings and property. We are excited to be partnering with the City of Cleveland in redeveloping unused properties and turning them into neighborhood assets,” said CMSD CEO Eric Gordon.

The RFQ calls for redevelopment plans to be guided by principles of racial equity and inclusion with respect to neighborhoods and/or include neighborhood wealth-building initiatives.

Click here to view the RFQ.

RFQ TIMELINE:

City & CMSD Release RFQ                                                  March 1, 2021

Informational Session w/Developers                                   March 16 and 17, 2021 (RSVP by March 12)               

Deadline to Submit CMSD Documentation Request            March 19, 2021

Building Tours                                                                       March 22, 23 and 24, 2021 (RSVP by March 19)

Questions Due                                                                       April 12, 2021 (Answers by April 16)

RFQ Responses Due                                                                April 30, 2021

Respondents Notified of Preliminary Selection                  May 31, 2021

Following preliminary selections, project teams will work through due diligence and predevelopment before any properties are sold and transferred from CMSD to the selected development entities

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March 2021 on-site exhibitions and virtual event listings for the Cleveland Museum of Art

MARCH 2021 ON-SITE EXHIBITIONS AND VIRTUAL EVENT LISTINGS FOR THE CLEVELAND MUSEUM OF ART

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On-site Exhibitions

Stories from Storage

Through May 16, 2021

The Kelvin and Eleanor Smith Foundation Exhibition Hall and Gallery

Stories from Storage represents the CMA’s creative response to adversity. When the pandemic upended international travel in March 2020, temporarily delaying projects that had been in development for years, the museum reimagined its schedule of exhibitions by drawing on its own resources. This exhibition offers a thoughtful and focused examination of multiple important themes through seldom seen works of art carefully selected by each of the museum’s nearly two dozen curators. It conveys not a single, linear narrative but multiple stories that complement one another.

Stories from Storage features an anthology of 20 short stories told by the museum’s director, chief curator, curators and director of academic affairs and associate curator of special projects, all of whom communicate surprising new insights about the objects they have chosen from the CMA’s vaults. At times philosophical, humorous, contemplative, playful and historical, each story reveals a unique element within the museum’s encyclopedic collection, representing human creativity across the globe, from the ancient world to today.

Major support is provided by the Sandy and Sally Cutler Strategic Opportunities Fund and Malcolm Kenney. Additional support is provided by Astri Seidenfeld. Generous support is provided by Russell Benz, in memory of Helen M. DeGulis, by Carl M. Jenks, and by Robin and Andrew Schachat.

Last Chance! Exhibition Closing This Month

Second Careers: Two Tributaries in African Art

Through March 14, 2021

Julia and Larry Pollock Focus Gallery

Second Careers explores the connections between historical African art and contemporary practices through a selection of exemplary highlights from the museum’s African collection and loaned works. CMA objects from nine cultures in Central and West Africa—male and female figures and masks, a masquerade costume, a hunter’s tunic and a prestige throne—are juxtaposed with large-scale installations, sculptures and photographs by six leading contemporary African artists.

The exhibition considers the status of canonical African art objects when they begin their “second careers” upon entering museum collections. It simultaneously examines contemporary modes of artistic production in Africa that employ mediums that once served other purposes in everyday life.

Generous support is provided by Ben and Julia Brouhard.

Now Open!

Laura Owens: Rerun

CMA at Transformer Station

Through May 30, 2021

Laura Owens (b. 1970) is known for her ranging and experimental approach to the medium of painting. Her work embraces a breadth of sources from the avant-garde to the popular to the decorative. Owens grew up close to Cleveland in Norwalk, Ohio, and as a teenager spent many hours studying the CMA’s encyclopedic collection. Having lived in Los Angeles for the past three decades, she now returns to Cleveland to develop an exhibition in collaboration with high school students participating in the CMA’s Arts Mastery program, Currently Under Curation. They are Jamal Carter, Xyhair Davis, Skylar Fleming, Yomi Gonzalez, Joseph Hlavac, Agatha Mathoslah, Arica McKinney, Maya Peroune and Deonta Steele.

Owens was recently the subject of a mid-career retrospective at the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York (2017–18), which traveled to the Dallas Museum of Art (2018) and the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (2018–19). Other recent solo exhibitions were at the CCA Wattis Institute for Contemporary Arts, San Francisco (2016); Secession, Vienna (2015); and Kunstmuseum Bonn, Germany (2011). Owens studied at the California Institute of the Arts and the Rhode Island School of Design.

Major support is provided in memory of Myrlin von Glahn.

Transformer Station, the CMA’s sister contemporary art museum
1460 West 29th Street
Cleveland, OH 44113

For hours and other information, visit transformerstation.org.

Gustave Baumann: Colorful Cuts

Through June 27, 2021

James and Hanna Bartlett Prints and Drawings Gallery

Like many Chicago artists in the first years of the 20th century, Gustave Baumann discovered the beauty of rural Brown County in Indiana. While living in Nashville from 1910 to 1916, he produced his first important set of color woodcuts. In 1917 he headed east before traveling the next year to New Mexico, where he spent the rest of his life. Exhilarated by the state’s natural beauty, he settled in Santa Fe and over the next five decades produced complex color woodcuts that captured the area’s intense sunlight and arid atmosphere. Baumann’s prints portray not only stunning mountain scenery but also Indigenous adobe architecture and scenes representing Native American and Hispanic cultures. Over the years, Baumann made numerous trips around New Mexico, Arizona and California searching for additional picturesque venues, such as at the Grand Canyon and among giant sequoias, all of which became subjects of beautiful color woodcuts.

Principal support is provided by Kenneth F. and Betsy Bryan Hegyes, Leon* and Gloria Plevin and Family, and the Print Club of Cleveland. Major support is provided by the Ann Baumann Trust.

*deceased

Fashioning Identity: Mola Textiles of Panamá

Through January 9, 2022

Arlene M. and Arthur S. Holden Textile Gallery

The mola is a key component of traditional dress among the Indigenous Guna (formerly Kuna) women of Panamá. Guna women have been sewing mola blouses since the turn of the 20th century, and they have become powerful symbols of their culture and identity. During the Guna Revolution of 1925, Guna people rallied around their right to make and wear molas as a statement of their independence. They ultimately gained sovereignty over their territory, an archipelago of hundreds of small islands along Panamá’s Atlantic coast, known collectively as Gunayala.

Molas are masterfully hand-sewn cotton panels that are made in pairs and sewn into blouses. They feature a wide array of vibrantly colored compositions, with designs ranging from geometric abstraction to imaginative scenes inspired by popular Western culture. This exhibition presents both individual mola panels and complete mola blouses from the collections of the CMA and Denison University in Granville, Ohio. The molas on display span distinct periods of Guna history, from the era of the 1925 revolution to the 1980s.

This exhibition was supported in part by the Ohio Arts Council, which receives support from the State of Ohio and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Bruce Davidson: Brooklyn Gang and the contemporary art galleries are closed for reinstallation until April 20, 2021.

Virtual Events

The following events are part of the museum’s free, dynamic digital initiative Home Is Where the Art Is, which showcases the CMA’s globally recognized digital resources and offers a variety of newly created fun and engaging programs for people of all ages. These sustainable digital experiences continue to complement the in-person museum experience now that the CMA has reopened. Visitcma.org/digital to access all of the available programming. 

Education Series: Desktop Dialogues

Every first and third Wednesday at noon, listen as curators, educators, community leaders, artists and others offer new ways to look at and understand artworks, special exhibitions and museum-specific issues. Past Desktop Dialogue programs are available at cma.org. 

Storytelling in Japanese Art  
Wednesday, March 3, 2021, noon, EDT, FREE

Join Andrew Cappetta, curator Sinéad Vilbar and CMA intern Jeanna Lopez for a close examination of an illustrated handscroll of the family drama The Saltmaker’s Story (Bunshō Zōshi).

Vilbar and Lopez reveal the meaning of important narrative details, share their investigative research process and discuss how mentor-mentee relationships drive innovation in museum scholarship. 

Desktop Dialogues: An Art Anthology 

Wednesday, March 17, 2021, noon, EDT, FREE

For this special series of Desktop Dialogues, organized in collaboration with Literary Cleveland, four local storytellers offer a creative interpretation of select works from the special exhibition Stories from Storage. 

Chapter One

Playwright Eric Coble (The Velocity of Autumn, Bright Ideas) draws from photographs of popular tourist locales to create the dramatic monologue “That Which Can Be Held.” Watch Coble’s live performance and afterward join him and curator Barbara Tannenbaum for a conversation about the fantasy and romance of travel in image and spoken word. 

Upcoming

Chapter Two

Wednesday, April 7, 2021, noon, EDT, FREE

Historian Sarah Lohman

Chapter Three

Wednesday, April 21, 2021, noon, EDT, FREE

Musical collective Mourning [A] BLKstar

Chapter Four

Wednesday, May 5, 2021, noon, EDT, FREE

Poet Kamden Hilliard

From Creation to Collection: Making and Marketing Drawings in 19th-Century France

Thursday–Friday, March 11–12, 2021, 2 p.m., EDT, FREE, ticket required

Please view the detailed scheduled here.

In anticipation of a major exhibition and publication focused on the Cleveland Museum of Art’s holdings of 19th-century French drawings in spring 2022, scholars from across the globe present new research related to the materials, function and collecting of drawings during this period.

To reserve free, general admission tickets, or for more information about the museum’s new safety procedures, visit cma.org.

The Cleveland Museum of Art is open Tuesday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The museum is closed Mondays.

The Cleveland Museum of Art is funded in part by residents of Cuyahoga County through a public grant from Cuyahoga Arts & Culture.

All exhibitions at the Cleveland Museum of Art are underwritten by the CMA Fund for Exhibitions. Major annual support is provided by the Estate of Dolores B. Comey and Bill and Joyce Litzler, with generous annual funding from Mr. and Mrs. Walter R. Chapman Jr., the Jeffery Wallace Ellis Trust in memory of Lloyd H. Ellis Jr., Ms. Arlene Monroe Holden, Eva and Rudolf Linnebach, William S. and Margaret F. Lipscomb, Tim O’Brien and Breck Platner, the Womens Council of the Cleveland Museum of Art, and Claudia Woods and David Osage.

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About the Cleveland Museum of Art

The Cleveland Museum of Art is renowned for the quality and breadth of its collection, which includes more than 63,000 artworks and spans 6,000 years of achievement in the arts. The museum is a significant international forum for exhibitions, scholarship and performing arts and is a leader in digital innovations. One of the top comprehensive art museums in the nation, recognized for its award-winning Open Access program and free of charge to all, the Cleveland Museum of Art is located in the University Circle neighborhood.

The museum is supported in part by residents of Cuyahoga County through a public grant from Cuyahoga Arts & Culture and made possible in part by the Ohio Arts Council (OAC), which receives support from the State of Ohio and the National Endowment for the Arts. The OAC is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally and economically. For more information about the museum and its holdings, programs and events, call 888-CMA-0033 or visit cma.org.