At Memphis Avenue and Pearl Road, the demolition of two historic commercial buildings could make way for a mixed-use development featuring 84 apartments over ground-level retail (Harrison Whittaker). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.
Progress Pics: Memphis & Pearl development, Pearl Road Residences, Metroparks Zoo renovations, more
At the center of Cleveland’s Old Brooklyn neighborhood, $2.34 million in interior demolition work is set to begin for Memphis & Pearl — a $42.3 million mixed-use development that could add 84 apartments next to retail uses in a renovated St. Luke’s Church.
A permit was issued on April 24 to allow for asbestos abatement and removal of non-structural elements at the 1903-built church building, 4216 Pearl Rd. Fencing was recently installed around the 1.4-acre development site.
A rendering of the proposed Memphis & Pearl development, looking northwest at the intersection of its namesake streets in Old Brooklyn (Desmone).
The project’s first phase, currently underway, is limited to site prep work including demolition and environmental remediation. That’s because Memphis & Pearl received a $2 million brownfield grant from the State of Ohio with funds that are set to expire in 2026.
Since the capital stack for the rest of the development is not yet finalized, new construction is expected follow later this year in a separate, second phase. That phase could break ground in late summer or early fall.
A proposed site plan for the Memphis & Pearl development in Old Brooklyn outlines new uses for the 1.4-acre site (Desmone).
In 2024, City Planning Commission approved the demolition of the Greenline building and an adjacent commercial structure at 3426-34 Memphis Ave. A vacant single-family home next door would also be razed.
Set to replace the Greenline building are six stories of workforce housing — revised to include an increased number of smaller, more affordable units compared to a previous proposal. To its north, the existing Pearl Road United Methodist Church building would remain.
The former St. Luke’s Church, center, is slated to be redeveloped at the northwest corner of Memphis Avenue and Pearl Road. The adjacent school building at right will be demolished (Harrison Whittaker).
St. Luke’s Church, which has been vacant since the congregation lost its tax-exempt status in 2014, would be transformed into a retail use such as a craft brewery. But its former Education Building, an addition built as the church’s school in 1927, was also approved for demolition and is planned to become a public plaza.
Memphis & Pearl is led by Desmone, a Pittsburgh-based architecture and development firm selected by the Old Brooklyn Community Development Corp. (OBCDC), with Tipping Point of Youngstown as its development consultant. Ozanne Construction of Cleveland has been selected as the project’s general contractor.
TurnDev is renovating two historic bank buildings on the east side of Pearl Road into 29 homes (Harrison Whittaker).
A number of smaller infill developments and renovations are also underway around the neighborhood. Directly across the street, Beachwood-based TurnDev is converting a pair of historic bank buildings into five townhomes and 24 apartments as the Pearl Road Residences.
The two projects in Old Brooklyn’s commercial district will anchor the south end of Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority’s (GCRTA) upcoming 3.8-mile MetroHealth Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) route, making them substantial transit-oriented developments. During peak times on weekdays, that location sees six buses per hour in each direction traveling to and from downtown.
A single-family infill home by FCI Design Build Inc. nears completion on Parkridge Avenue in Old Brooklyn (Harrison Whittaker).
Also in Old Brooklyn, the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo is transforming its former RainForest exhibit into a renovated and expanded Primate Forest. The multi-phase project, described as a “140,000 square foot world-class indoor destination,” is planned for completion in 2032 in time for the Zoo’s 150th birthday.
The project’s $60 million initial phase, including the Tropical Forest, an expanded Orangutan Forest and the CrossCountry Mortgage Forest Home, is scheduled to open in 2026.
Looking west from Pearl Road, work on the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo’s Primate Forest is seen wrapping up (Harrison Whittaker).
For more construction updates around Greater Cleveland, check out NEOtrans’ other Progress Pics articles.
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