Pride runs deep and a sense of ownership is tradition in Lee-Harvard, known as “the suburb in the city.” Most of its post-World War II single-family homes are family nests for African Americans who embraced an opportunity to raise their families in a community where neighbors look after neighbors.
“The community is built on legacy and culture,” says Elaine Gohlstin, president and CEO of Harvard Community Services Center. “We’re a community with high standards, and many people have lived here since the 1950s and 1960s.”
Given Mayor Justin Bibb’s focus on the southeast side and middle neighborhoods in Cleveland, economic development investments are infusing Lee-Harvard and neighboring wards with small business and housing development incentives.
Gohlstin, who raised her kids in Lee-Harvard and has served the Harvard Community Services Center since 2007, says more than 25 years had passed before a renewed interest in securing and bolstering the neighborhood.
“Our mayor has been very diligent about making sure that small businesses have dollars to help them sustain and grow,” Gohlstin says. "The study area focuses on the Lee Road corridor from Invermere Avenue to Miles Avenue, Harvard Avenue from East 142nd Street to Cleveland city limits, and Miles Avenue from East 131st to Cleveland city limits.
Projects align with a master plan developed by the Harvard Community Services Center and stakeholders that have this vision: “to create a vibrant, welcoming and safe walkable environment for residents of all generations, with attractive commercial corridors that enhance the community’s unique character and foster economic growth.”
Doc's on Harvard
Kolnita Riggins-Walker entered the Harvard dental practice her father-in-law ran for 65 years, never turning his back on patients for lack of funds. He made house calls and was often a go-to source of wisdom.
Kolnita went to the dental office for a rote task: to gather the mail.
But what unfolded before her eyes was not an empty practice, but instead a lively, soulful scene with music, aromas from a kitchen, guests gathering and her husband’s dad smiling from a table. “
Her husband Bill’s dad soon turned over his practice facility so the Walkers could transform the space into what is now Doc’s on Harvard.
It’s the community’s only upscale sit-down restaurant, and now it has a generous patio for summer dining. “We are bringing back the Black excellence Lee-Harvard is known for,” Kolnita says of a fine-dining menu built on fresh ingredients, high-quality meat and seafood, and the type of “cooking with love” she knew from her grandmother, who always served meals on china.
The same is true at Doc’s, where its Signature Whitefish includes pan-seared walleye, Israeli couscous with blistered tomatoes and spinach served with lemon beurre blanc. The Berkshire pork chop in 10-, 12- or 14-ounce servings also garners rave reviews, she ways.
Doc’s opened in June 2024 and has since created 15 new jobs. Most team members live in the neighborhood, Kolnita says. A new apprenticeship program is supported by the Greater Cleveland Partnership and National Restaurant Association. Doc’s also linked up with The Westin Cleveland Downtown to be included on its digital concierge board.
Word is spreading and Doc’s has become a catalyst for transformation in Lee-Harvard.
Kolnita is always surprised to learn a patron from out-of-state found Doc’s from a Google search. “We are just a little gem, tucked away,” she says.
Mayor Bibb told Cleveland Magazine, “We know that one restaurant, one art gallery, one amazing small business could change the trajectory of a community.”
