This rendering illustrates the south façade of the planned Mandel Music House. Its design was revised to use a lighter color to visually transition between the addition and a historic home (Perspectus). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.
Mandel Music House to include technology lab, music patio, and new classrooms
On Friday, The Music Settlement (TMS) held an official groundbreaking for a $12 million expansion of its campus in University Circle. The project will restore and expand the historic Gries House, 1560 Mistletoe Dr., into the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Music House.
“This landmark project will dramatically expand TMS’ capacity to serve students, artists, and neighbors across Greater Cleveland — bringing music, creativity, and connection to the heart of University Circle,” the organization stated last week in a press release.
The nonprofit community music school has raised $10 million toward the cost of the project thus far, following a $3.3 million gift from the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Supporting Foundation. That’s the latest in a series of donations from the foundation to various local organizations — including the largest gift in Ohio history, granted to nearby Case Western Reserve University.
This aerial view depicts the project site for The Music Settlement’s expansion within the context of its University Circle campus and the surrounding neighborhood (Perspectus).
The Mandel Music House was designed by Cleveland-based Process Creative Studios and Perspectus Architecture, who presented it to the Cleveland Landmarks Commission on December 11.
A two-story addition will expand the existing Gries House from 13,000 square feet to 17,000 square feet. The expansion will increase the number of teaching spaces on campus from 28 to 42 and doubling the school’s instructional capacity.
New classrooms would feature professional sound dampening, while a community technology lab would be equipped with “entrepreneurial music tools, beat-making equipment, and music production technology.”
At the northeast corner of the Mandel Music House, a music patio will host outdoor performances (Perspectus).
The addition will require a porch and garage on the west side of the Gries House to be demolished. The rest of the structure will be renovated, restoring historical features including trim, roofing, brickwork and doors.
Accessibility improvements, including an elevator and ADA-compliant entrances, are another major focus of the project.
The Mandel Music House will expand the Gries House, requiring the demolition of a porch and garage. An outline of the addition is shown (Perspectus).
On the north side of the building near Wade Park Avenue, a music patio would be built to accommodate outdoor performances, and an existing playground would be improved.
Marous Brothers Construction of Willoughby is serving as the project’s general contractor. Construction is expected to take around 13 months, with the Mandel Music House planned to open in Fall 2027.
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