CLEVELAND — Cleveland has a number of hotspots in town including, Tremont, Ohio City and even downtown. But now, there’s an east side neighborhood hoping to attract your attention.
The St. Clair-Superior neighborhood near East 55th street has at least one business that thinks it can happen.
Rick Semersky is the owner of Sterle’s Country House, and recently they’ve opened up other businesses as part of the Hub 55 project. The project includes plans for office space, a brewery set to open in a few months and Cafe 55, which is open today.
Jeff Jarrett is the General Manager of the project, and he says revitalization of a neighborhood has to start somewhere. And this, is a great start.
“You’ve got to start somewhere. Every neighborhood wants to be revitalized,” said Jarrett. “And somebody has to take a chance, just like someone did in Ohio City. So we say, why not us?”
Jarrett says there’s also plans to open another flagship restaurant that he’ll run. It’ll be located on the Southwest corner of St. Clair and 55th Street. While business is doing well for the established properties, he encouraged other owners to move in to help push things forward.
“Hopefully we get more restaurants and businesses coming this way once they see what we can do in this neighborhood,” said Jarrett.
Council Jeff Johnson also sees the potential in this neighborhood. He says they hope to develop a “Midtown” neighborhood, on St. Clair from East 55th to East 72nd. He wants to see small shops move in to compliment what’s there, as well as a bike lane to the center of the street to attract people who ride nearby bike paths.
“Investment shouldn’t be in a few neighborhoods in this city,” said Johnson.
Johnson believes the key is to make the area more “walkable.”
Neighbors believe the city also needs to cut down on crime in the area. While the area isn’t known as a trouble spot, some are apprehensive about the idea of being a hotspot without decreasing crime levels even more.
Johnson says he understands, and he is working with police commanders to solve the problem.
“First and foremost, we want somebody to get off their bike and walk down to the nearest street corner and feel safe,” said Johnson.
The councilman added that they are in the early stages of turning the neighborhood around, and so far, he’s heard positive feedback.
“Just like the Detroit Shoreway, just like Tremont, many years ago they were at a point where they were moving up. That’s where we are with St. Clair-Superior. We’re at the beginnings,” said Johnson.