Location. District 4 covers the southeast side of Cleveland, encompassing 11.3 square miles. It is comprised of six neighborhoods (or “Statistical Planning Areas”): Kinsman, Woodland Hills, Mt. Pleasant, Union-Miles Park, Corlett and Lee-Miles. District 4 includes all of Ward 1, most of Wards 2 and 3, and parts of Wards 4, 5 and 6. It is bordered by Shaker Heights and Warrensville Heights to the east, and Maple Heights and Garfield Heights to the south. Four major streets provide direct access from the southeast side of Cleveland to Downtown: Kinsman Road, Shaker Boulevard, Buckeye Road and Woodland Avenue. Interstate 480 is the District’s southern boundary and is accessed via the Broadway/Lee Road interchanges. The northern section of the District is served by rapid transit service.
Population. Having been home, at one time or another, to many different European immigrant groups, the District is now 97% African-American. In 2000 the total population of District 4 was 87,327. But while this figure represents a drop of 10% from the 1990 number, the rate of decline has greatly decreased. In 2000 the median household income was $25,128, about $800 below the City average, but varied widely by neighborhood. The median income of Lee-Miles of $36,400 was almost triple the Kinsman neighborhood’s figure of $12,500. Neighborhoods with higher incomes also have higher home ownership rates. As a whole home ownership throughout the district was 56% for occupied units.
Development Patterns. District 4 is a predominantly residential area located on, and at the top of, the hillside (the “Portage Escarpment”) that rises to the eastern suburbs. The western edge of the District which lays at the base of the hillside, however, is largely industrial, occupied by uses that located along the rail corridors that traverse the City’s near east side. These industrial areas and the adjacent residential neighborhoods are interspersed with numerous vacant properties. Up the hill the residential neighborhoods are much more solid and the hillside affords many areas, including LukeEaster Park , with beautiful views of the downtown skyline. MLK Boulevard, a wide tree-lined boulevard that was established as part of the City’s first parks master plan, emanates from University Circle and runs north-south through the center of the District. Many of the residential structures, especially in the northern and western portions of the District, are two-family homes. These neighborhoods are served by commercial districts and plazas along main streets such as Buckeye, Kinsman and Lee Roads. A narrow band of industry developed along the southern edge of the district. The rail line which they developed around is rarely used now. Interstate 480 is currently the main regional access for businesses. The City established a modern industrial park near its southeastern boundary to capitalize on this access.
District 4 Neighborhood links:
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