Code,700008
Subject,Marlane Weslian
Date,
Interviewer,Jim Neundorf
Abstract,Marlane Weslian is the project coordinator and grant writer for the development taking place along East 71st in Slavic Village.  She has lived in Slavic Village since 1971.
Tags,"Slavic Village, housing, brownfield, Morgana Run Trail"
Special Notes,
minutes:,
0,"I introduce myself and Marlane introduces herself, find out where she grew up. Grew up in Strongsville but has lived in Slavic Village since 1971."
1,"Views the heyday of Slavic Village as the 40s and 50s, attributes this to post war prosperity. Talks about old architecture on Broadway as being worth saving but calls the buildings built in the 70s ""schlocky"""
2,"She was 21 when she moved to Slavic Village. Refers to the neighborhood now as ""exciting, uban, inviting with and incredible amount of investment.""  Also, speaks about the foreclosures and the loss of South High."
3,Continues to talk about the loss of South High and how to reuse the space.
4,Central Catholic development
5,Foundry buildings not there when she moved there in 71. Screen Arts building still there but foundry razed for years.
6,Clean Ohio Grant for money to clean the brown fields on East 71st. Planning for this began a couple years earlier.
7,Talked with Third Federal about planning process
8,Site development. 95 units.
9,"Rails to Trails grant, properties adjacent to trail. Zaremba is developer. Trail connects to two other Metroparks facilities."
10,"helped with land acquisition,market rate housing, community meetings."
11,"Refers to greenspace as pseudo savannah, in charge for 5 years."
12,"Green houses, 1400 sq.ft., tagged Millcreek."
13,"The trail to connect to Millcreek Falls, to find parcels together."
14,"Lost ""historical institution"" when older adults moved out of community. Trying to make it affordable for families."
15,"speculators and fraud hurt market. 51% owner, 49% rented, owner occupied tend to care for neighborhood better."
16,"New Aldis in old Tops location, Broadway Metro Health Center,  working with new owners of shopping center"
17,Looking at hopefull return of restaurants to help with events
18,Trying to make it affordable for families to live.  Looking for mom and pop to keep it more community oriented.
19,"Model blocks in area surrounding the Morgana East development, started a block club as well as community garden."
20,A lot of redevelopement of the houses as well as the community garden. Slavic Village got 7 Reimagining Cleveland grants.
21,No memorial for Shakira Johnson
22,"Concrete creates more runoff, problems with rainwater control, for Savannah.  Underground tunnels and tanks, found more than what was on maps."
23,four foot compliance so no basements
24,"Raingarden, looking at getting gutters of houses along savannah to drain into savannah"
25,"Tanks found had gasoline, Buster regulations, empty tanks or water, certain things not done because of no wells."
26,depending on tests may have to do more cleaning. Homeownwers association.
27,"Community excited, Third Federal very involved."
28,Third Federal has a foundation for the help of Slavic Village
29,Incentive for employees to live in area that they work in.
30,"Compares it to Mill Creek,  increase property values"
31,"Mill Creek Falls visitor center,"
32,"work with local companies for museum for industry, 5 square miles, still 5,000 manufacturing jobs. Steel starting in rolling mills along Broadway into Newburgh."
33,"difficulty in development because of market, Ohio leads the country to help clean up brownfield sites."
34,Held a workshop at office. Been and NPI grant recipient for years.
35,"discuss garden/lot vandalization, some that 30 years old and successful."
36,"Bring kids back to gardens,15 kids work the garden and get paid. Farmers market in area."
37,Discuss sharing of info between CDCs
38,Brownfield grants are written by CDC and submitted by city
39,"Vacant land recovery, technical assistance from NPI. Cleveland to ""set the bar"" as far as reimagining projects. 654 boarded up/vancant houses"
40,demolishing vacant houses versus rehabbing them
41,"already a savannah on Lester Ave, smaller lots given to other houses as yard expansions. Lester Ave. Marlane's first street."
42,"Only 6 houses left on street, 4 vacant lots in a row, hold land harmless until people ready to move back."
43,Old street causes mixed emotion of sadness and opportunity
44,time line of abandoned property.
45,Rehabbing lasts surprisingly long time
46,arson relatted to vacancies
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