CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio — An ongoing battle to keep the Coventry PEACE Building alive is now on a fast-approaching deadline of six months.
As News 5 reported earlier this month, the nine core tenants, nonprofits, renting space inside the building missed an April deadline to extend their leases by another 18 months.
The owner of the Coventry PEACE Building, Heights Libraries, voted against renewing their leases for another 18 months in May.
"The [Heights Libraries] Board... decided to allow a lease extension of six months, July 1 to Dec. 31. After that, the leases renew on a month-to-month basis thereafter until terminated by either party with 60 days’ notice," the Heights Libraries previously told News 5.
“We were definitely surprised to learn that our lease would be cut short by a year. Our budget had already been approved for next year and we were already jumping into some programming. It's just been kind of a nonstop time of trying to figure out what's the best way forward. We serve youth year-round, so we're really trying to figure out how to do that in the best way without disrupting it,” stated the Co-Founder and Executive Director of Lake Erie Ink, Amy Rosenbluth. “We can't really move forward on a month-to-month lease. That's not secure when you work with youth.”
The Coventry PEACE Building needs $2.8 million dollars worth of repairs. $1.8 million of that is to reportedly cover the HVAC units, per Heights Libraries.
According to Heights Libraries, it only collected $149,267 from the nine core tenants in rent last year.
“I think that the organizations have to meet us halfway and do some of this fundraising. It was always the intention from the very, very beginning of this partnership that they would do that. We have been disappointed they have not really done that,” stated Heights Libraries Director Nancy Levin.
Now, Heights Libraries is looking for the input of Cleveland Heights/University Heights taxpayers.
Public feedback began with a questionnaire asking the questions such as, but not limited to:
- Are you aware that the Heights Libraries owns the former Coventry Elementary School Building, also known as the Coventry PEACE Building?
- During the last 12 months, how many times have you visited the Coventry PEACE Building?
- Do you think Heights Libraries should pay for capital expenses for the Coventry PEACE Building?
- If the building were demolished, what do you think the library should do with the property?
One of the top answers to the questionnaire is asking the cities of Cleveland Heights and University Heights to fund the Coventry PEACE Building.
“We are a separate government entity, and the library receives public taxpayer dollars through their property taxes,” replied Levin when asked if that was truly an option.
Levin said if Heights Libraries was forced to foot the $2.8 million bill, then a levy would have to be imposed on taxpayers.
“We love our libraries, and we are grateful that they came in and bought the land and the building for a dollar from the Board of Education. Now it's their business decision not to continue. Our hope is that the next step would be that someone else, some other entity would own the building,” said Coventry PEACE Inc. Board President Krista Hawthorne.
News 5 asked Levin if Heights Libraries handing over the ownership of the building was an option.
“When you own a public asset, you can't just give it away. You really can't even sell it. It would have to be put placed up for bid and we would have to give it to the highest bidder if that's what we chose. Some of those highest bidders may not be the desirable outcome for this public property. It is also surrounded by our park. Someone would have to use the interior of the building and not the exterior of the building and we would share the parking lot with them. There would have to be a closer relationship than just a business relationship. Our bylaws also say that the property we own must be kept nonprofit,” explained Levin.
Hawthorne suggested handing over the reins to the nonprofits who rent spaces in the building. Those include:
- Artful
- Building Bridges
- Cleveland Heights Teacher’s Union
- Coventry PEACE Inc.
- Future Heights
- Grace Communion
- Lake Erie Ink
- Reaching Heights
- Singer’s Club
- People’s Choice Payee Services
- DanceCleveland
- Do Good Day Hub
Hawthorne said it would cut down expenses by a good chunk.
Levin said that option is likely not viable.
“They would have to at least pay us to replace the money that we've spent on the building, which would be $800,000 give or take. We would have to be made whole and I don't believe they have the money for that,” said Levin.
Levin estimates a decision on what to do with the building will be made in six months.
Hawthorne and Rosenbluth said that’s not enough time.
“That idea that we can come together as a community and offer the creativity and the support that is already there and then finding a creative solution is really what we're hoping for and not just to be shut down so quickly,” stated Rosenbluth. “We're very confused as to where that number came from. Why can't it be a year? It feels, to be honest, a little punitive.”
Hawthorne said the library could apply for grants to repair the building, but “it was a choice the library made not to do that.”
Demolition is up for consideration for the Coventry PEACE Building, according to Levin.
“There are pros and cons if you never want to demolish a building that might be of service. However, if it were not there, then there would be no future costs to maintain it either. I think that is being considered very soberly. We'll have to see if that becomes another option for us in the future. That's up to the library board,” added Levin.
The Heights Libraries held a public meeting at the Lee Road location Wednesday night where residents could express their opinions regarding the fate of the Coventry PEACE Building.
Everyone who spoke during public comment pled their case to the Heights Libraries on why the building and those nonprofits inside should remain.
“Do not tear that building down,” said Cleveland Heights City Council President Tony Cuda. “Let’s make sure whatever happens, we keep Coventry peace campus for the arts.”
“This place is a monument,” another speaker said.
“To pull the arts out of that is not a fair question,” someone else added.
“I can’t imagine a better use for this space,” another public commenter stated.
There will be another opportunity for Cleveland Heights/University Heights taxpayers to suggest resolutions regarding the Coventry PEACE Building. It’ll be on August 8 at the University Heights Branch.
“Our intentions are still very good, and we do think the different organizations are worthy of support. We just can't afford to spend $3 million of our budget on this and we are trying to be responsible to our taxpayers,” stated Levin.
Levin told News 5 there will be a pause on accepting new tenants as Heights Libraries would like to figure out what’s next for the Coventry PEACE Building first.
Right now, the Coventry PEACE Building is at 56% capacity.
