Tomorrow, Wednesday, Oct. 19, the official groundbreaking on Legacy at St. Luke’s will mark the beginning of a new, revitalized Buckeye neighborhood. Zaremba Homes will build 79 homes at 11327 Shaker Blvd. on Britt Oval, near the Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and E. 114^th Street intersection.

Lisa Saffle, director of sales and marketing for Zaremba, says the company is happy to be working on another Cleveland residential development project. “We are very pleased and feel proud to be chosen as the builder on this project,” she says, adding that Zaremba is just completing work on the Woodhaven project in the Fairfax neighborhood. “This is what we do – redevelop neighborhoods, create walkable neighborhoods in the city of Cleveland.”

The new two- and three-bedroom homes and townhomes will range from 1,700 to 2,400 square feet and have two-car garages and available patio space. They will sit on well-lit, tree-lined and landscaped streets.

The houses will be a 50-50 mix of market rate, starting at $170,000, and affordable lease-purchase options. They are the restart of a housing construction plan that launched in 2004 with the construction of 22 new homes along E. 111^th Street before the real estate market crash halted progress.

“The pause button was hit,” says Jeff Kipp, director of neighborhood marketing for Cleveland Neighborhood Progress. “We think the time is right and the market is ready. This will complete the renovation of the St. Luke’s campus.”

“It is exciting to see this development continue in the Buckeye neighborhood,” adds Joel Ratner, president and CEO of Neighborhood Progress. “Started over a decade ago, it was envisioned to be a new construction, mixed-income community that would provide new residential opportunities in the neighborhood.”

The 22 homes that were built in 2004 are full occupied, says Kipp. “This was first really new -  market rate new - construction that was built in the last 30 years in the heart of Buckeye.”

The additional homes being built this year will only add to the neighborhood’s renaissance, Kipp says. “This is an effort to really strengthen the real estate market. There are lots of assets in this neighborhood, but when you haven’t seen new construction that market needs a pickup.”

Assets include proximity to the neighboring Intergenerational School, the recently developed Harvey Rice Elementary School, the Rice Branch of the Cleveland Public library, University Circle, Shaker Square and the Larchmere Arts and Antiques District.

The gem of the neighborhood will be Britt Oval, which will be preserved as a one-acre plot of greenspace. Neighborhood Progress received a $250,000 grant from the Ohio State Operating Budget to develop the land. Kipp says they will consult with residents to determine final plans for the oval.

Legacy at St. Luke’s is a cooperative effort between Neighborhood Progress and Buckeye Shaker Square Development Corporation, both of which owned the land and sold it to Zaremba. “Now, along with our partners, we are able to realize this vision and complete the redevelopment of the Saint Luke’s campus,” says Ratner.

Neighborhood Progress and Buckeye Shaker Development solicited residents’ input on what they wanted in the neighborhood. The result is housing that will appeal to working class families and young professionals alike, with a bit more space and a more modern design. “We’re balancing the iconic landmark structure of the hospital with modern design,” Kipp explains. “It's an opportunity to highlight the benefits of city living and another urban neighborhood that has proximity and assets.”

The homes offer views of the St. Luke’s building and proximity to the RTA 116^th Street St. Luke’s Rapid stop, which is undergoing a $5 million renovation to be completed in spring 2018. The new homes will be eligible for tax abatement from the city of Cleveland and part of the Greater Circle Living incentive program for employees of Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland Museum of Art and Judson at University Circle.

Saffle says Zaremba met with the architect to finalize floor plans and they hope to officially start construction in the spring. The company is already taking reservations for the homes.

Cleveland mayor Frank Jackson and Ohio senator Sandra Williams are expected to join the groundbreaking ceremony tomorrow at 11 a.m., as well as representatives from Neighborhood Progress, Buckeye Shaker Square Development and Zaremba.