Because of North Shore Collinwood’s lakefront location, proximity to University Circle, Downtown and Lake County, “We have seen a migration of folks from the inner ring, and I’m very happy about that,” says Councilman Michael Polensek, representing Ward 8.
The neighborhood is home to four longstanding Catholic churches — the only neighborhood where one did not close — along with a base of schools; two miles of lakefront beaches; three Metroparks, including Euclid Beach, Villa Angela and Wildwood; and a connector bike path coming online that will connect the three Metroparks.
“We have all this potential,” Polensek says, adding that code enforcement is essential to stabilization.
Polensek, as the “dean” of city council and longest-serving member since 1978, has been engaged in four decades of various redevelopment initiatives, and now middle neighborhoods. He says he hopes the program will help “build a foundation of homeownership,” where residents become stakeholders and work to help stabilize communities.
Necessary steps: shoring up unpaid property taxes, preventing teardowns and promoting quality of life necessities including public safety, along with leveraging middle neighborhood investments.
Developers are taking interest in the neighborhood, such as Rebuild Cleveland’s Seth Task, who also leads a team at Berkshire Hathaway. Habitat for Humanity is applying for permits to construct 10 modular ranch homes here.
Polensek is passionate about his ward, which encompasses Collinwood Nottingham to the south, North Shore Collinwood, Collinwood Village and the eastern section of Glenville. Mortgage assistance and gap financing has been on his radar to create a market. “Our parents owned homes here. Our grandparents owned homes here.” He wants this to continue. “I’ve never lived anywhere else," he says. I am supportive in any way possible.”
