Infrastructure Driving Growth

How a Cleveland suburb is using transit-oriented development and strategic partnerships to transform into a regional economic destination.

Four years ago, Garfield Heights faced a troubling reality: deep divisions within the community and few opportunities for residents to connect with one another. Mayor Matt Burke, the City’s first Asian-American mayor, recognized that systemic change required more than good intentions. “When I took over as mayor four years ago, there was a lot of division going on in our city, and I could recognize 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 first-of-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-million-dollar 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 Transit-Oriented 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 tandem with the Regional Transit Authority, County Department of Development and the City of Cleveland.”

The study examines a 2.25-mile corridor designed to create mixed-use opportunities that the City’s current zoning code prohibits. “The plan is designed to look at transit corridors in a different way, bringing people to where amenities are not only bike paths, shopping, retail, entertainment, and residential,” Lippus says. The approach includes street calming measures, reduced setbacks to bring retail closer to sidewalks, and parking relocated behind buildings rather than in front.

Mayor Burke envisions this development creating the downtown district Garfield Heights has never possessed. “I’m excited about that Turney Road TOD corridor, because we have never had a downtown district,” he states. “Once we connect Turney Road, there’s an intersection there that’s going to be a beautiful historic downtown district that’s going to offer connectivity, walkability, and community engagement.”

Housing Solutions and Neighborhood Investment

Garfield Heights confronts a housing challenge common to many older suburbs: an aging housing stock requiring strategic intervention to maintain community vitality. With 97 percent of the City’s housing built over 50 years ago and roughly 20 percent of residents aged 65 or older on fixed incomes, the administration has developed targeted programs addressing both immediate needs and long-term sustainability.

The City is pursuing comprehensive tax abatement for new residential construction, though implementation requires careful negotiation. “Most cities offer 100 percent tax abatement for a range of 10 to 15 years,” Tubbs explains. “ We in the City of Garfield Heights are working to establish a City-wide community reinvestment area, including tax abatements for residential and commercial new construction.”

Beyond new construction incentives, the administration has launched innovative repair programs funded through multiple sources. The City secured Community Development Supplemental Grant funding from Cuyahoga County, combined with $150,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funding, creating a $200,000 home repair grant program. Tubbs has expanded this initiative by partnering with a local family-owned roofing company to provide new roofs for seven homeowners living at extremely low-income levels (based on HUD Area Median Income Data).

The housing strategy extends to buyer education, including collaborations with lenders to conduct financial education sessions for future homeowners. “For the past two years, the City’s collaborated with local lenders to provide financial preparedness sessions for potential homebuyers.” Tubbs stated.  “The sessions are focused on personal finance fundamentals of budgeting, saving, debt management, and the importance of credit scores.”  These sessions aim to reduce the likelihood of default and foreclosures, which is beneficial for the homeowner, the lender and the community – creating sustainable homeownership patterns that strengthen neighborhood stability.

Infrastructure and Zoning Modernization

Garfield Heights has embarked on a comprehensive overhaul of its regulatory framework, recognizing that outdated zoning codes created barriers to modern development. The city’s zoning ordinances, last updated in 1962, predated fundamental changes in how communities function and businesses operate.

“Our code was written before we put a man on the moon and written before a personal computer was invented, the iPhone, and the internet and all those things we take for granted today,” Lippus observes. ” “Imagine trying to operate a city with a zoning code that was, in our terms, archaic in its structure and very prohibitive to moving the community forward.”

The administration partnered with OHM Advisors and Zone Co for an 18-month complete rewrite of the zoning code, addressing critical gaps that hindered economic development. Mixed-use development, essential for modern transit-oriented projects, was entirely prohibited under existing regulations.

Parallel to zoning reform, the City has addressed brownfield remediation through strategic advocacy. Mayor Burke’s lobbying efforts in 2021 resulted in $12.3 million in brownfield remediation funding for former industrial sites, creating 41 acres of shovel-ready development land. Kurtz Bros., Inc. and Industrial Commercial Properties, LLC have both completed environmental cleanup on their respective parcels, receiving state certification for future development.

Critical to implementation success is Issue 14, a charter amendment appearing on the spring ballot. Currently, land use changes require referendum voting, creating lengthy delays that discourage business investment. “If a business wanted to come to Garfield Heights and the potential property was not zoned for their use, they would have to wait until the next election cycle,” Lippus explains. The proposed change would streamline approvals through planning commission and council review, matching processes used by neighboring communities.

Transportation Corridor and Regional Growth

The centerpiece of Garfield Heights’ development strategy involves extending Transportation Boulevard to unlock significant economic opportunities across the region. “The Transportation Boulevard and I-480 corridor is significant to the City and regionally, as that intersection is 7.5 hours from 60% of the U. S. Population.”, Tubbs explained. 

“Right now, the state of Ohio is on the map because of Intel coming in, and other manufacturers that work along with Intel are looking at Ohio now,” Mayor Burke explains. “So, while we’re on center stage, we better get our stuff together to make sure that we are making the best use of that.” The Transportation Boulevard extension would create an unobstructed corridor for solar energy development, taking advantage of the area’s elevated topography and renewable energy potential.

The project gained urgency with the arrival of the $889 million Cuyahoga County Central Services Campus, scheduled for completion in late 2028. This facility will bring approximately 1,100 employees to Garfield Heights, creating immediate economic impact and long-term development opportunities.

Lippus emphasizes the broader development implications: “The opportunity for land redevelopment along that corridor could create a long transitional boulevard for development, increased employment opportunities, and possibly energy-related industries.” The extension would potentially connect to Rockside Road, establishing a comprehensive development spine that positions Garfield Heights as a regional manufacturing and logistics hub.

Revenue Strategy and Community Investment

Garfield Heights faces a critical decision about fiscal sustainability as major economic development projects reshape the City’s revenue landscape. The arrival of 1,100 county employees presents an opportunity to address long-standing budget constraints while maintaining competitive tax structures that attract business investment.

Mayor Burke has proposed raising the City’s income tax from 2 percent to 2.5 percent, aligning with rates paid by incoming county employees throughout the region. “When those jobs transfer to Garfield Heights, our local income tax is 2 percent. I’ve asked the residents to keep an open mind and to tell me if they think it’s important that we raise our income tax to 2.5 percent to match the rate the County employees are currently paying, he explains.

The revenue increase could generate approximately $4 million annually, enabling the City to eliminate various fees while expanding services without borrowing. Mayor Burke frames the proposal strategically: “That $4 million could eliminate residents’ current rubbish fees and frontage fees for sewers. We could offer more services, possibly do more streets without having to borrow money, resulting in the reduction of the City’s financial burdens.”

Recent experiences have shaped residents’ understanding of municipal finance. A failed November ballot initiative for traffic cameras on Interstate 480 demonstrated missed revenue opportunities. “Had those cameras passed on I-480, the amount of potential revenue that could have been generated could have eliminated the sewer line frontage fees, saving residents nearly $250 a year,” the Mayor notes. Property tax increases from rising home values have created urgency around alternative revenue sources, with residents increasingly recognizing the connection between municipal investment and service quality.

Looking Ahead: A Destination City

Mayor Burke’s vision for Garfield Heights goes beyond traditional suburban development toward creating a regional destination for residents and businesses. The transformation involves shifting community identity from a bedroom community to an active, trendy location where people choose to live, work, and visit.

“I think our resident base is perfect in Garfield Heights. They’re just waiting for an opportunity to support something new, because currently they have to go elsewhere to dine at a sit-down table cloth restaurant,” Mayor Burke observes. The city’s strategic positioning near Cleveland Metroparks, combined with restored facilities like Garfield Pond and new trail systems at Wargo Farms, creates recreational assets that distinguish the community regionally.

The Mayor identifies two primary objectives for the next 24 months: securing the Transportation Boulevard extension and implementing sustainable revenue strategies. “The major focus right now is determining a way to continue Transportation Boulevard and connect it to Rockside Road. I recognize, and I think others in the state and the county recognize that it’s a major area for growth, not just for Garfield Heights, but for the state and the county as well,” he states.

The Mayor draws inspiration from established affluent communities, noting that resident investment drives municipal success. “When I remind them that the residents of Westlake and Independence and Beachwood support these things, the lesson there is that the residents had enough pride in their community to support that type of thing,” he explains.

Garfield Heights represents a case study in proactive municipal leadership, demonstrating how strategic vision, community engagement, and regional collaboration can transform suburban communities into economic development catalysts. Mayor Burke’s approach suggests that successful municipal transformation requires both bold infrastructure investment and sustained community partnership.

AT A GLANCE

Who: Garfield Heights, Ohio

What: Cleveland suburb of 29,014 residents undergoing comprehensive economic transformation

Where: Central Cuyahoga County

Website: www.garfieldhts.org