Lakeview Terrace

Originally conceived as private apartments in 1932, lack of financing during the depths of depression stopped the project. However, since all the plans and designs were prepared, Ernest J. Bohn, Cleveland Metropolitan Housing Authority’s first Director, took Lakeview’s plans, along with those of Cedar and Outhwaite Homes to Washington upon passage of the Public Housing Act of 1935. These three Cleveland housing projects were among the first to be constructed in the country.

Construction of Lakeview Terrace Estate began in 1935 and the estate was opened for occupancy in 1937. The 27-acre Lakeview site contains 44 residential buildings, numbering 620 original dwelling units in addition to the Community Center. The opening of Lakeview Terrace was considered so important that Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt, then the First Lady, came to dedicate this estate. A high-rise, built to provide housing for the elderly, was constructed with 214 units in 1973.

The urban design and architecture at Lakeview is unmatched in any public housing project anywhere. The buildings are placed in stair-step fashion down the 80-foot slope so views of the lake can be obtained from all buildings. Lakeview Terrace also benefited from the WPA artists’ projects during the depression. Lakeview was perhaps the recipient of more artwork than any other project in the country.

Charles Campbell and Earl Neff were commissioned to paint murals inside the Community Center building. On the exterior, two major wall decorations were designed by and executed under the direction of William McVey, a noted sculptor. For the West 25th street façade, a line mural was incised into specially cast, solid bricks. This mural shows the colonization with Indians on one side and Moses Cleveland and colonists on the other. For the great north wall, facing Lake Erie, McVey designed a huge stone base-relief of Paul Bunyon, legendary creator of the Great Lakes, with six smaller panels showing his exploits.

RECENT MODERNIZATION HISTORY AND FUTURE PLANS

CMHA began an aggressive modernization at Lakeview by investing over $8,000,000.00 to renovate 151 units in the mid 1990’s. Recognizing the need for additional funding to address the remaining units, CMHA applied for and received a HOPE VI Grant in 1996 for the renovation and conversion of 185 units to 120 units.

The first phase of this project was completed at a cost of $6,972,000.00, and construction is underway on the next phase, which will cost $8,769,000.00. Additional renovations include the total restoration of the historic Community Center and major site improvements to be completed by December of 2006 and the renovation of 66 row house units.