there were barriers,” Mayor Burke explains. “We recognized that there really was not anything that would allow them to engage or the City wasn’t doing things to allow them to engage with one another.” The transformation began with a simple philosophy: lead by example and create platforms for resident participation. Mayor Burke established monthly town hall meetings featuring different city departments and local businesses, complete with refreshments and an informal atmosphere designed to encourage dialogue. “If I’m going to ask people to engage one another, I have to be more engaging than anyone else in this community,” he says. “That’s the reason why I put on so many different events to show people that I’m going to lead by example.” Assistant Economic Development Director Janice Tubbs points to collaboration as the City’s defining strength. “Our superpower is collaboration – collaboration on a business level, on a residential level, and on a community level,” she notes. The approach has yielded tangible results, from a firstof-its-kind Transit-Oriented Development Corridor Study on Turney Road, a City-based Home Repair Grant Program, to launching the annual Taste of Turney food festival after a local bakery owner pitched the idea directly to the City’s Leadership. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND DOWNTOWN VISION Garfield Heights is in the midst of an ambitious transformation, moving from a traditional suburban community into a regional economic hub. The City’s strategic location in Cuyahoga County has attracted over 50 new businesses, including nine multi-milliondollar corporations, under Mayor Burke’s leadership. This growth reflects a broader shift from what was once known as “The Community of Homes” to an active business recruitment destination. Central to this vision is the Turney Road TransitOriented Development study, a collaborative effort between the City, Cuyahoga County Planning Commission, and the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority. Economic Development Consultant John Lippus explains the scope: “We’re working collaboratively with the County’s Planning Commission on the Turney Road TOD Study, in 109 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 06 GARFIELD HEIGHTS, OH
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTI5MjAx