The apartment tower 9410 Hough has cleaned up nicely thanks to a $47 million renovation and construction project. Not only does work include restoring the 10-story tower and its 106 apartments, but it also involves new construction of The Hub community center next door, seen at right (Harrison Whittaker). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.
Leasing starts, as does developer’s next project
Some said 9410 Hough Ave. couldn’t be saved. Others doubted the development team’s ability to move the rebuilding project forward. But Gina Merritt doesn’t succumb to those who doubt her or the endeavors she pursues.
Instead, she pressed ahead on a $47 million redevelopment of a 10-story tower of affordable apartments — a building that had been vacant for a decade. Its bombed-out condition stood in stark contrast to Cleveland’s redeveloping Hough neighborhood.
Here, fast-rising rents next to Cleveland’s booming University Circle now threaten to push out residents who stayed and stabilized Hough after nearly 90 percent of its residents had moved out in the decades following the 1966 race riots.
The redevelopment of 9410 Hough is intended as an antidote by not only offering affordable housing, but by providing guidance to the community on how to climb out of poverty and leave it far behind.
Merritt’s Washington DC-based Northern Real Estate Urban Ventures (NREUV) and her development team that includes Texas-based Sullivan Land Services Co. (SLSCO) announced that 9410 Hough is accepting applications for leases with occupancy tentatively scheduled for early 2026.
Vandals and Mother Nature were reclaiming 9410 Hough in July 2021, a month after the development team signed a deed transfer that would lead to the building’s redevelopment (Google).
When complete, 9410 Hough will feature 116 one- and two-bedroom units that will serve households earning 60 percent of the area median income – $41,760 to $53,700 annually.
“Our team’s persistence and commitment to this project has helped us overcome several hurdles the last couple of years and we are so excited to provide the Hough community with investment and opportunities it deserves,” Merritt said last year.
The building, previously called Kingsbury Tower, was built in 1973 and financed by the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD). Because of that, HUD’s affordable-housing restrictions ensure the property remains affordable in perpetuity. Rents will range from $900 to $1,200 per month.
A model apartment has been provided for tours by appointment. One- and two-bedroom apartments are available with every unit having a full kitchen in open-floor concept, meaning the kitchen and living room are not walled off from each other. A laundry room is included in the building.
The living room for the model unit at 9410 Hough shows the bright finishes and larger windows letting in natural light (Josh Rice Photography).
The redevelopment includes a newly built community amenity center called The Hub. The 5,040-square-foot building next door will provide residents with mental and physical health services, education, training, financing literacy, entrepreneurship development, employment services, and arts and music programs.
Those interested in applying can visit the 9410 Hough Web site, text (216) 230-3898 or email leasing@ninetyfourten.com to request more information.
Condemned by the city, the building and its property were acquired SLSCO bought the building in June 2021 for $1.5 million in a story broken by NEOtrans. SLSCO pursues large federal government projects including disaster response efforts and distressed federal properties.
In July 2024, Northern Real Estate Urban Ventures closed the $47 million deal and broke ground on the project in September 2024. Merritt, founding principal of NREUV, led the financial structuring of the complex deal, which includes 14 types of public and private funding.
A clean, comfortable and affordable home is offered by the redeveloped apartment tower 9410 Hough which is offering one- and two-bedroom apartments. This is a model apartment now available for showing in the renovated building that’s due to be completed early next year (Josh Rice Photography).
The capital stack includes $8 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds from the City of Cleveland and $1.1 million in financing from Enterprise Community Partners. Other lenders and investors include JLL, Freddie Mac, Citizens Bank, CREA LLC, Ohio Housing Finance Agency (OHFA) and Village Capital Corporation.
WFL Collective, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that leverages a network of social service, educational and training providers, to help underestimated individuals to access employment opportunities and create career pathways, is partnering with NREUV on the project.
The non-profit organization secured $2.8 million in total funding from The Cleveland Foundation ($1.5 million), The George Gund Foundation ($500,000), the State of Ohio ($557,000), and Cleveland Development Advisors ($250,000).
NREUV will partner with WFL Collective and Project Community Capital to provide economic empowerment services to the Hough community including skills training, job placement, entrepreneurship acceleration, barrier removal and housing support.
The Hub is a two-story community center on the west side of the 9410 Hough development site. The Hub will provide residents with services that help get them out of poverty or keep them out of poverty with education and training programs (Harrison Whittaker).
NREUV has partnered with Famicos Foundation, a Cleveland-based community development non-profit whose mission is to improve the quality of life in Greater Cleveland, to provide children’s programming at the center.
NREUV is also redeveloping MLK Plaza, 9300 Wade Park Ave. It includes constructing 149 multi-family units, along with 7,500 square feet of commercial space and 6,700 square feet of live-work space.
Future phases of this Hough redevelopment will include townhomes and multi-family housing, along with 50 units of family housing on a vacant lot across the street from 9410 Hough.
Merritt is seeking highly competitive 9 percent Low Income Housing Tax Credits from OHFA. If awarded, they would subsidize up to 73 percent of the project’s $20.65 million total development cost. Hard construction costs are estimated at $14.34 million.
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