Page 1 ExhibitAExecutiveSummary Cuyahoga Metropolitan

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Att II NeedDesignDeficienciesDocumentation
Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority
Att II NeedDesignDeficienciesDoc
ci ty arehi tee ture
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Urban DC5ign
July 29, 2011
RE:
ATTACHMENT 11: NEED-DESIGN DEFICIENCIES DOCUMENTATION
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Building Design Deficiencies
The 2-story units' designs are not conducive to the needs of today's residents. Approximately
64% of the Cedar Extension Estate residents are under the age of 18. The current unit mix
contains mostly 3 and 4 bedroom units, with all room sizes too small to accommodate minimum
living standards. The strong demand for 2-bedroom units cannot be met with existing units.
Additionally, the larger number of bedrooms results in disproportionate kitchen, dining and living
spaces. The average unit size is 720 s.f. for 2-bedroom units, 930 s.t. for 3-bedroom units and
1125 s.f. for 4-bedroom units. The common living space allocated in each unit does not serve
residents and negatively impacts the perception of "home."
Site Design Deficiencies
Of utmost importance is the lack of community identity that is underlined with the absolute
absence of streets that would support vehicular and pedestrian traffic to directly access housing
units. Currently, residents and visitors enter and park around the site's perimeter, forcing long
walks to many of the units. The lack of connectivity to the surrounding street network and, in
turn, to the neighborhood institutions emphasizes a sense of isolation and exclusion. The social
impacts of not feeling connected to one's community negatively impact the residents' quality of
life by enforcing the damaging stigma of public housing.
Cedar Extension Estate has very few units (17 out of 247, 7%) with front doors facing a street.
The inward-facing nature of the site misses all opportunities to connect with surrounding
institutions, whether Cuyahoga Community College, the Sterling Branch of the Public library
System, St. Vincent Charity Medical Center, or several schools that are immediate neighbors .
Because of the lack of streets, all open spaces are too large, not defined and are indefensible .
There are very little occasion where an "eyes on the streer' neighborhood mentality can occur.
Residents are not provided with smaller green spaces that could function as tot-lots, play areas,
picnic areas or recreational spaces. In fact, the current site creates "dark corners" (as described
by residents at community meetings) where criminal activities occur without any way of being
noticed by residents or authorities.
Today, equal access is not provided to all residents. Instead clusters of amenities activate
minimal zones throughout the site, leaving a majority of the outdoor space unoccupied, barren
and therefore, unsafe. Clearly, the brutal style of architecture, combined with a desolate site
inhibits any sense of neighborhood pride. In order to successfully create meaningful green
space and trash receptacles / dumpsters and other amenities, it is necessary to demolish the
existing townhouses and rebuild the housing to re-imagine Cedar Extension Estate as a
community connected to its Choice Neighborhood context.
In order to remedy the inefficiencies of the site design and create a safe environment, a
significant portion of the buildings would require demolition to integrate new streets and direct
access to the remaining housing units. The combination of reconstructing the site and
modernizing the units is cost prohibitive and will is not warranted. Complete demolition of the
Cedar Extension Estate townhouse buildings and rebuilding the neighborhood is a superior
solution.
Sincerely,
~616
State of Ohio license Number: 9209930
Euclid Avelllle
Suitt! 300
Cleveland, Ohi.) H II;
rh.me.lI6.SSI.2444
m:d16.SSL6713
www.dly:llcl1.com
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Attachment 17 – City and Neighborhood Maps
Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority
Att17CityandNeighborhoodMaps
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