SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio — The news caught neighbors — and public officials — by surprise on Thursday.
Akron Children’s Hospital had entered the winning bid for the Notre Dame College campus at a court-supervised auction, the culmination of two years of speculation about the property’s future. The hospital edged out the City of South Euclid and other bidders to strike a deal that still requires court approval.
“I was in the kitchen, and my wife audibly gasped and told me the news,” said Casey Miozzi, a neighbor who lives a few streets away from the 50-acre campus.
At first, he was disappointed. Miozzi had been rooting for the city to win.
“But upon reflecting,” he said Friday, “Akron Children’s has a really good reputation in Northeast Ohio. And so, I’m cautiously optimistic.”
Other community members are feeling upbeat, too.
In emailed statements and interviews, they expressed hope that the hospital will be willing to work with people who see the property’s potential — as a public gathering space, an economic engine and, perhaps, a place where there’s still an opportunity for education.
“All of a sudden, Akron Children’s Hospital comes along,” said Peter Corrigan, a former Notre Dame professor. “I thought that was a good solution — and yet still offers, possibly, mixed-use potential for the rest of the campus.”
In a written statement, the hospital said it views the property as “a great location for future pediatric specialty services in a vibrant, thriving community. Our goal is to improve access to high quality care in Greater Cleveland with a 100% focus on kids.”
An Akron Children’s spokeswoman declined to comment beyond that statement. Court records show the sale is expected to take place by the end of June.
At this point, it’s too early to say if the hospital has plans for all 14 buildings, including dorms, an athletic complex, a library, a dining hall, the former Regina High School and, in the middle, a nearly century-old office-and-classroom building that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Corrigan had an office in that Gothic Revival-style building, on the top floor.
The nonprofit college closed in May 2024, citing falling enrollment, rising costs and a heavy debt load.
Corrigan was part of a group that tried to fight the shutdown. Working with other former college staff members and alumni, he’s been seeking a way to keep the spirit of Notre Dame College alive.
RELATED: Sale push resumes for Notre Dame College; advocates still hope to revive school
At this point, they acknowledge, reopening the school isn’t possible.
But the Friends of Notre Dame College hope there might be a way to work with Akron Children’s to bring an educational use back to part of the campus — if there’s a building the hospital no longer needs.
“We don’t believe the fight is over with,” said Justin Tisdale, an alumnus who lives in South Euclid and serves on City Council. “We still believe we can be a great partner.”
Keith Ari Benjamin, the city’s director of community services and development, said Akron Children’s won the bidding with an $8 million offer. The city pursued the campus too, putting $7.9 million on the table in hopes of shaping the future of an important property.
RELATED: South Euclid bids on former Notre Dame College campus, setting stage for auction
South Euclid has been earmarked as the backup bidder, putting the city next in line to buy the property if the Akron Children’s deal falls through.
The auction was the result of a foreclosure lawsuit filed by Bank of America last year, after Notre Dame defaulted on more than $20 million in debt. The sale process was managed by a court-appointed receiver.
The other two bidders, a growing Jewish day school and a non-denominational Bible church, only wanted one building. They both pursued the old Regina High School, which Notre Dame acquired in 2011.
The church, New Community Bible Fellowship, is located on Washington Boulevard in Cleveland Heights. Nobody there responded to a voicemail from News 5.
The Jewish day school, Yeshiva Derech Hatorah of Cleveland Heights, initially pursued the campus with a partner, Seven Wells LLC.
RELATED: Jewish day school, partner offer $7.5 million to buy Notre Dame College campus in South Euclid
“We shared Yeshiva Derech Hatorah’s interest and goals with the winning bidder,” Rabbi Sender Stoll, the school’s executive director, wrote in an email Friday. “Although we were not the successful bidder, we are encouraged and enthusiastic that our goals can still be met.”
In a written statement, South Euclid Mayor Georgine Welo said the city’s decision to jump in was about protecting the community’s long-term interests. She stressed that any change in use or redevelopment of the Notre Dame property will require public reviews and approvals.
“I’m very impressed with the city’s ability to get involved,” Corrigan said.
Ethan Swift, one of Corrigan’s former students, happened to be wandering across the campus Friday afternoon.
At 22, Swift would have graduated from Notre Dame this spring. Instead, he ended up at Walsh University, one of more than 1,000 students displaced when the college closed.
He recently graduated from Walsh with a degree in cybersecurity.
But Swift returned to Notre Dame to take his graduation photos this week.
The campus in South Euclid, where he lived in the dorms as a freshman, still feels like home.
“I would love to see kids running around here,” he said. “I would love to see all the facilities being used.”
Corrigan echoed that, expressing hope that whatever Akron Children’s does will include the community — advocates who want to see the college’s century-long legacy of service, public access and learning live on.
“Of course, it’ll be theirs,” he said of the hospital. “They may come in and say ‘everybody out.’ But I don’t think so. I think they’re gonna want to work with people.”
Michelle Jarboe is the business growth and development reporter at News 5 Cleveland. Follow her on X @MJarboe or email her at Michelle.Jarboe@wews.com.
