Cleveland is trying to turn four long-vacant school buildings from neighborhood ghosts into working community anchors, with a new redevelopment push aimed at mixing historic preservation with fresh investment on the East Side. The targets: Audubon Middle, Mount Auburn Elementary, Central High and Empire Junior High, all locally designated landmarks that have sat empty or largely idle for years.
The effort is centered on the Landmark School Sites request for qualifications, or RFQ, posted in March. The city is asking development teams to submit their qualifications by June 6, 2026, and is pitching the sites as historic-preservation plays tied directly to neighborhood revitalization, according to the City of Cleveland. The RFQ calls for proposals that “preserve and reactivate” the buildings for nearby residents, and it asks respondents to lay out their track record, financial capacity and community engagement approach.
In a press release reported by Cleveland 19, Michele Pomerantz said the initiative is meant to boost neighborhood revitalization while keeping the city’s architectural history intact. Community leader Joevrose Bourdeau-Small framed the RFQ as a chance to put locally designated landmark buildings back into productive use, the outlet noted…