Cleveland Heights City Council Considers $400,000 for Coventry Village Revitalization

With a third of its commercial properties vacant, historic Coventry Village in Cleveland Heights is battling a sea change. While new restaurants and shops have debuted or will soon open their doors, closures have stacked up leaving the charming neighborhood feeling emptier than it has in a long while.

Help looks to be on the way thanks to $460,000 from the city.

The proposal, submitted jointly by the Coventry Village Special Improvement District (CVSID) and the Coventry Vacancy Working Group (CVWG) to Cleveland Heights City Council, would fund the revitalization with ARPA dollars.

“I definitely think that it’s worthwhile to help them out on this stuff,” said Cleveland Heights City Council President Melody Joy Hart.

According to a statement from CVSD executive director Mallory Kent, the revitalization strategy will fund:

Public Art Initiatives: Including commissioning three murals and temporary art in the windows of vacant storefronts, aiming not only to beautify but also to support local artists and embrace the region’s rich artistic heritage.
Placemaking and Pedestrian Improvements: Envisioning the construction of four parklets or similar pedestrian-oriented gathering spaces and enhancing pedestrian safety along Coventry Road.
Improving Safety: The introduction of a “beat cop” during peak evening hours from Wednesday to Saturday, addressing the recent rise in vandalism and ensuring evening safety.
Activating Spaces with Pop-Ups: To facilitate local entrepreneurs and merchants in establishing short-term pop-up stores in vacant storefronts, potentially leading to long-term tenancies.
Securing New Tenants: Offering grants for tenant improvements to attract robust new businesses to the district and providing smaller grants for existing businesses to uplift the overall appeal of Coventry Village.

“I do believe that we have more vacancies than we’ve ever had since I’ve been there,” Grog Shop and B-Side Liquor Lounge owner Kathy Blackman told Cleveland Magazine. “(Coventry) always had its ups and downs. You know, it’s sort of like a roller coaster. Unfortunately, I would say right now we’re at the bottom of the hill and hopefully on our way up.”

In 2021, Cleveland Heights was awarded nearly $39 million in ARPA stimulus funds to combat the economic fallout of the pandemic. In a Friday meeting, Council reviewed appeals for how to spend remaining funds.

“Our cherished Coventry Village is grappling with commercial vacancies, impacting morale and our unique cultural identity,” said Kent. “Together, we can rejuvenate Coventry Village, stimulate our local economy, and assure our constituents that their concerns and visions are mutual priorities.”

Although Coventry Village’s proposal seems likely to gain approval, Council has yet awarded the remaining ARPA funds. Discussions will continue at a meeting on Friday, September 15.

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