CLEVELAND — In a community like the Clark–Fulton neighborhood, life blooms in some parts, while others, like a building on West 25th Street, are regaining what has been lost.
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"I'm so excited," said Clark-Fulton resident Sandra Rueda.
Until recently, the structure has been vacant.
But within the next year, it will address a big problem in this area.
"You have to go all the way to Dave's, and that's well down there, and then you have the other Save-A-Lot up there, and it's well up there, so right here is a very good spot," said Clark-Fulton resident, LaNiece.
There are some neighborhoods across Cleveland, like the Clark-Fulton community, where it can be challenging for some people to access fresh food and produce due to specific socioeconomic barriers.
But, there is a new development in the making that has plans to change this narrative.
"We've been waiting very anxiously," said Clark-Fulton resident Donna Lenz.
"She (Donna) even went last week to check it out," said Rueda.
We first told you about the new market, which will be called CentroVilla25, last month when Cleveland City Council approved $1.7 million in ARPA funds.
Now as the community prepares for its introduction, Cleveland Public Health Director Dr. David Margolius calls this a step in the right direction to helping solve food apartheid.
"For many people and parts of Cleveland, including the Clark-Fulton neighborhood, you have to drive out of your neighborhood to get the food that you want, or you just have to settle with, you know, whatever's there, which is usually not all that great," said Margolius. "So, to create opportunities for food justice in these neighborhoods, it's a big deal."
Margolius has been an advocate for addressing the lack of access to fresh food in various Cleveland neighborhoods through steps like hiring a new Food Systems Strategies Coordinator to address these food barriers.
"She will be starting in a couple of weeks," said Margolius.
But he says when neighborhoods like Clark-Fulton take matters into their own hands, the impact is much more significant.
"This neighborhood, we help each other out. We look out for each other," said Rueda.
"Yeah, it's really a good neighborhood. It's just going to get better," said Lenz.
