CLEVELAND — Neighborhoods around some former Cleveland Metropolitan School District buildings are gearing up for upgrades.
The city of Cleveland and CMSD agreed to sell some vacant schools and properties so developers can build something new.
"I went to school here [at Mound Elementary] when I was a little kid," North Broadway resident Jason Majors said. "It just sits here. Nobody does [anything] with it. Nobody even plays in the field."
Schools that were once filled with the sounds of students and staff have become silent, and are getting ready for a makeover.
"To me, it's just sitting there, a waste," Dwayne Griffin remarked.
City Hall on Wednesday approved tentative agreements with various developers to transform 12 school buildings and seven vacant lots. Some of the properties will become much-needed housing, some for seniors and at market price. Other properties will become parks or retail spaces.
"Whatever they do is going to be an uplift to my neighborhood, without a doubt," Jerry Fitzpatrick said.
"It'll be nice to have something, some improvement around here," Majors added.
The properties sold for over $2.5 million, according to the city. In a statement, Mayor Frank G. Jackson said:
"CMSD and the City of Cleveland have collaborated to establish an unprecedented process to transfer buildings and properties no longer being used for CMSD purposes. Through this effort, CMSD will be relieved of liability and maintenance costs and the City's neighborhoods will benefit from private investment in these properties, several of which have significant architectural value."
Clevelanders told 3News Thursday that seeing the space revitalized is what they like to see.
"I feel good about it," Nasmo King said. "Either way, it would probably make me happier than being vacant."
This is a three-phase process. According to officials, developers now have to submit designs for the new spaces along with how they'll finance the project. For a breakdown of what developers are working on which property, how much they sold for and what the plans are, click here.