Moreland
RISING
Take Note:
Lee Road Storefronts
are Looking Good
Next time you drive down Lee Road, pump the brakes and take a look around. On the
stretch between Chagrin and Scottsdale boulevards, seven buildings have received
funding in the last two years to improve their curb appeal through the Lee Road Storefront
Renovation Program (SRP).
Grant funds for the program come from the Cuyahoga County Department of
Development, with additional funding available from Citizens Bank. Projects can be signageonly,
or full-façade including tuck-pointing, painting, new doors and windows, lighting,
signage, awnings, and landscaping.
Thus far, after two rounds of SRP funding availability, $214,818 in public and
private curb appeal improvements have been made.
Shaker Cigar (3581 Lee Rd.) This building had been vacant for many
years when the property owner took a leap of faith and participated
in the first round of the SRP, investing a total of $30,000 in
façade upgrades. His goal was to improve the building and
attract a quality tenant. It paid off. Shaker Cigar leased
the property in 2017 and in turn, the business owner
completed a signage-only project through the SRP.
The refined sign and the complete storefront
improvement speak to the image of both the
business and Shaker Heights.
Shaker Heights Animal Hospital (3612 Lee Rd.)
When the new owners of the Shaker Heights Animal
Hospital purchased both the business and the building, they
knew they had a historic diamond in the rough on their hands.
Through the SRP, the owners worked with the City’s design
specialist to insure that the project scope was historically sensitive
to the building’s original design, and would incorporate modern, durable
materials to lower maintenance costs. The total project cost was $40,845,
including more than $24,000 in private investment and $17,000 in grants. The
general contractor for this project was CarTeCor, a new Lee Rd. business.
Process Canine (3706 Lee Rd.) After winning the Win-Win Business Challenge
in 2016, the owner of Process Canine worked with the Shaker Heights Development
Corporation to identify the perfect space for her dog daycare business. The former Lee
Road Nursery site fit the bill. The business owner received $16,327 in grants to pay for
signage, fencing, and landscaping. The total private investment in the façade improvement
project was more than $16,000. The business owner also made an additional $20,000
investment in non-SRP-related property improvements. SL
A vintage view (circa 1937) of the
original Shaker Heights Veterinary
Hospital – now Shaker Heights
Animal Hospital.
8 SPRING 2018 | WWW.SHAKER.LIFE
/WWW.SHAKER.LIFE