Historic hospital transformed into 21st Century housing
WASHINGTON2012 National Trust/Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary’s Award for Excellence in Historic Preservationto Saint Luke’s Manor in Cleveland, Ohio. The project is one of 22 award winners to be honored by the National Trust during its 2012 National Preservation Conference next week in Spokane, Washington.
The Award for Excellence in Historic Preservation recognizes efforts that both advance the nation’s historic preservation goals and provide affordable housing and economic development opportunities for low- and moderate-income residents. Cleveland’s Buckeye-Shaker neighborhood was a thriving, close-knit community in the first half of the 20th century, and at its heart was St. Luke’s Hospital. Built in 1927, the 390,000 square-foot complex served the citizens of Cleveland and made major contributions to the city’s health-care industry.
However, the neighborhood deteriorated as many of its residents fled to the suburbs in the late 20th century, and Saint Luke’s was eventually abandoned. The building remained empty for 12 years, and was repeatedly vandalized over the years as numerous development attempts stalled. Finally, building owners Neighborhood Progress, Inc. found the partner it needed in Pennrose Properties, and together they set out to turn the building into affordable rental housing for seniors and office space for local non-profits. Saint Luke’s Manor is now anchoring a 20 acre revitalization effort in the Buckeye-Shaker neighborhood.
Financial support for the project came from the City of Cleveland, the Ohio Housing Finance Agency, the Ohio Department of Development, Enterprise Community Investment, and PNC Bank. The project also utilized both low income and federal and state historic tax credits.
“Thanks to this innovative public-private partnership, Saint Luke’s is once again serving as a vital center of community life in Cleveland,” said Stephanie Meeks, president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. “The former hospital, once known for nurturing patients, is now fostering new life in the community.”
“The redevelopment of St. Luke’s Hospital speaks volumes about the kind of community we want to live in while preserving where we’ve come from,” said HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan. “By respecting the past, the development team is breathing new life into a neighborhood where roots run deep and where the residents continue to aspire to a brighter future.”
The award will be presented to Pennrose Properties, LLC at the Trust’s National Preservation Awards ceremony in Spokane, Wash., on Friday, November 2.
Co-recipients are: Artography Studios; The City of Cleveland; Enterprise Community Investment, Inc.; Mistick Construction Company; Neighborhood Progress, Inc.; Ohio Development Services Agency; Ohio Housing Finance Agency; PNC; Wallace Roberts & Todd, LLC.
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