CLEVELAND — Cleveland’s Glenville neighborhood is getting a much-needed boost as local leaders gathered to break ground on Emerald Senior, a 62-unit supportive housing apartment building for seniors at East 111th Street and Superior Avenue. A development is designed to offer affordable housing and supportive services to veterans and seniors experiencing homelessness and a disability.
“One of the reasons we're doing this development is because for seniors and veterans it's become increasingly hard to be able to pay for their housing,” said Kevin Nowak, President and CEO of CHN Housing Partners which is working with Emerald Development and Economic Network (EDEN) on the $21 million project, their 12th project and their first in this part of Cleveland.
“We wanted to meet people where they were and those that we need to serve as well as to find a site that helps to reactivate a neighborhood,” said Novak.
Long vacant and underutilized, the site sits less than a mile from the VA Medical Center. That's why 25 of the 62 units in this new building will be reserved for veterans.
“Our partners Benjamin Rose as well as the VA will be operating on site to meet the needs of those residents which could range from medical support to mental health, physical health, just anything that they might need to safely enjoy their new home,” said Emma Petrie Barcelona, EDEN’s Chief Operating Officer.
Supportive services will include client-centered, holistic services designed to assist in recovery from trauma, space and support to achieve goals related to housing stability, education, healthcare and wellbeing, skill development to increase self-sufficiency outside of support housing, as well as case management, counseling, healthcare, life skills training and educational linkages.
“We'll have four facilities connected to the VA Hospital,” said Cleveland City Councilman Kevin Conwell of this latest boost to the Glenville neighborhood. An investment he believes will only encourage future growth.
“It will also foster more development in the Glenville community on 111th Street,” said Connell. “To the stores and the businesses and the homes throughout this area."
