In a couple of years, this proposed apartment building could be overlooking Herman Park in Cleveland’s Gordon Square neighborhood. It is the second multifamily development proposed next to the park and the latest of many in the immediate area (Dimit). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.
Gordon Square industrial sites turning residential
Herman Park may be in need of updating, but its presence is enough to attract a second proposed apartment building to rise next to it. Conceptual designs for that building, located at 6400 Herman Ave. in Cleveland’s Gordon Square neighborhood, were approved yesterday by a neighborhood design-review panel and referred to the City Planning Commission’s Design Review Committee.
Building on its success at The Welleon, located nearby at 5454 Detroit Ave., the Bond Street Group of Pepper Pike plans to demolish a two-story industrial warehouse on the site. In its place, the developer wants to construct a four-story, 143,483-square-foot apartment building offering about 135 housing units — 114 one-bedroom apartments and 21 two-bedroom suites.
Plans show that, in the middle of the reverse C-shaped building footprint will be a 137-space parking lot. Most of the spaces will be uncovered but 40 of the parking spaces will be “tucked under” the building from the back. Another six on-street parking spaces will be available.
The three wings of the building would be sited to accomplish different things. The southernmost wing along Herman would give the apartment complex a street presence and expand the street wall. The eastern side, with its many balconies, is intended to engage with Herman Park.
This ground floor plan also represents a site plan for Bond Street Group’s proposed 6400 Herman apartment complex. This is called the Soap Site because of its prior uses, which most recently was Products Chemical that made soaps among other items (Dimit).
The northern flank is sited diagonally along a former industrial railroad spur that may be converted into a hiking/biking trail to Edgewater Park. At the very northern tip of the irregularly shaped parcel is where a swimming pool is proposed to be located, according to conceptual plans presented to the Far West Design Review Committee by Dimit Architects of Lakewood.
The ground floor of the wing facing Herman will be mostly co-working spaces. The building’s lobby and a coffee bar is planned at the southeast corner of the complex, where the building, street and the park meet. Just north of that and facing Herman Park will be the apartment complex’s fitness center.
For the other development overlooking Herman Park, NEOtrans has learned that progress continues to made by TurnDev on developing a 193-unit housing complex at 5901-6001 Breakwater Ave. on the Premium Metals factory site. That development, dubbed Breakwater Residences, won design approval from the city a year ago and could see construction next year.
To be demolished for the Bond Street Group’s apartments is a 51,675-square-foot brick warehouse. The 1931-built structure and its 2.2 acres of land are currently owned by Rosemary Stibrick of Westlake. Multiple real estate listing Web sites show the property to be under a purchase contract.
Bond Street Group’s proposed Soap Site development as seen from the corner of Herman Avenue and West 61st Street. At far right is a corner of Herman Park. The apartments facing the park have balconies so the building engages with the park (Dimit).
The property was most recently offered for sale four years ago at $1.85 million and removed from active listings three weeks ago. Cuyahoga County appraised the property at $642,100 for tax purposes. The building is vacant.
In its previous 93 years, the property has had many different owners and users, including FC Russell Co., Kerden Co., Parts Associates, Dory Co., Young Chemical and Strib Industries, Inc., doing business as Products Chemical — the last user. Products Chemical made aerosols, carpet care, deodorizers, disinfectants, sewer treatment, herbicides, plus hand and face cleaner products.
Because of its most recent use, the new development is referred to as the “Soap Site” in Dimit’s design-review presentation. Bond Street Group Principal Justin Strizzi opened but has not yet responded to two e-mails from NEOtrans seeking more information about the proposed project.
Bond Street’s latest building, The Welleon, opened in August 2024. It leased out — meaning more than 90 percent of its 127 apartments were spoken for — in less than a year. And it achieved that despite having top-of-the-market rents ranging from $3 to $5 per square foot.
END
