Description. Puritas-Longmead takes it name from two streets located in the neighborhood which form an east-west line near its center. It became a part of Cleveland with the annexation of the Village of West Park in 1923. The northeast corner of the neighborhood was originally part of the Linndale development that was laid out at the end of the 19th century by real estate developer George Linn and which became a train switching center. Most of the housing, however, dates from after World War II and is predominantly single-family homes. A few multi-family complexes are located along Puritas and Bellaire Roads. The rail lines and highways that traverse it break the neighborhood into a number of distinct residential enclaves. The largest concentration of industrial parks in the city is located near Interstate 480.
Assets. Among the neighborhood’s most significant assets are:
- sections of the Chevy Branch of the Big Creek which flow above ground through parts of the neighborhood
- excellent access to Interstates 71 and 480
- numerous businesses located in the industrial parks within the neighborhood
- the Puritas Road business district
- the 1 st District police headquarters
Challenges. Among the challenges faced by the Puritas Longmead neighborhood today are:
- deteriorating housing and high crime concentrations in some areas
- high concentrations of juvenile crime around Bellaire and West 130 th Street
- need for commercial revitalization along parts of West 130 th Street
Vision. The Puritas-Longmead neighborhood is a solid, middle-class neighborhood that is facing pressure to maintain its quality of life. Targeting programs to stabilize deteriorating parts of the neighborhood is essential to containing and eliminating negative conditions. Among the development opportunities and initiatives proposed are the following:
- target housing programs on the streets off Bellaire Road, east of West 130 th Street
- implement the Ward 19 PACE Project in the Bellaire/West 130 th area
- the Puritas Wetlands project, a wildlife enhancement in a stormwater retention basin off Industrial Parkway
- discussions on implementation of a design review district on Puritas Avenue
- identification of industrial/commercial lands that could be redeveloped for alternative energy component manufacturing and brownfield remediation technologies
- undertake bike route improvements along Bellaire and Puritas Avenues
Printable version: can be downloaded here.
Maps (current as of May 2007): Assets, Development Opportunities, Land Use (existing and proposed), and Retail Strategies are available here. (PDF)
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