
Cleveland’s Detroit-Shoreway neighborhood is enjoying a transition from industrial decline to cultural richness marked by artists’ studios, theaters, and new development, including The NRP Group's Edison at Gordon Square apartments.
“People began to ask, ‘Oh, have you been to Gordon Square [Arts District]?’ ” says Aaron Pechota, senior vice president of development for the locally based apartment developer.
When several parcels became available near Lake Erie in 2012, the firm became interested in building in its own backyard, after working in more-active growth markets like Charlotte and Raleigh in North Carolina and in Dallas. Many challenges—such as Detroit Shoreway’s former industrial base and the need for remediation involving old sewer lines and century-old easements—dictated a long process of obtaining approvals and working with the community to move the project forward after NRP purchased the close-to-downtown site in 2014.

New Class A
Because downtown Cleveland lacked new Class A multifamily rental buildings, NRP decided to construct one with an array of amenities to attract the young professionals the company envisioned leasing there. At The Edison at Gordon Square, these include views of the lake, a large lawn, a resort-style swimming pool with night lights and fountains, and a trail that connects with a public system winding through the site to downtown. Also available are a conference center, club lounges, a gym, a billiards room, and communal kitchens. Additionally, NRP offers activities to encourage socializing, including yoga on the lawn, wine tastings, and visits from food trucks.
Green Is Good
City leaders have made going green an important initiative to make Cleveland a healthier place to live as well as to help developers gain tax abatements. So NRP encouraged its architecture/master plan team, Cleveland-based Dimit Architects, to use Green Communities—a program similar to LEED—as its benchmark. Accordingly, the team’s efforts ranged from reusing the industrial site to employing low-VOC paints and salvaged materials to specing low-flow plumbing, a high-efficiency HVAC system, and LED lights. The team also cleaned and remodeled an existing water tower to lease, says architect Paul M. Glowacki, LEED AP, and a principal at Dimit.
Vintage Twist
Because of the area’s affordability, NRP decided it didn’t need to build a dense complex, so it constructed four buildings, each four stories, plus 18 three-story townhouses with attached garages, for a mix of square footages and bedrooms. “You want to hit as many price points as possible,” says Pechota.

The buildings were sheathed in brick and cement fiberboard painted lively hues to make them fit the neighborhood’s vintage residential look and appear less massive. The apartments run from 560 square feet for a junior one studio to just under 2,000 square feet for a three-bedroom. Rents range from $1,410 to over $3,000. The building is 95% occupied.
Go Small, Live Large
As with other buildings favored by millennials, although The Edison’s units are small, there are numerous shared spaces in which to congregate. Designer David Hawkins, principal of his eponymous Akron, Ohio, firm, walked the neighborhood to ensure that his design ideas would blend in. The overall sense is of a warm, industrial yet modern vibe.
“We tried to bring back the flavor of what had been there by using steel in a reception area, wood planks in the leasing area, salvaged trusses by the pool, and new versions of old lighting outdoors,” he says. A neutral palette lets local artwork and furnishings shine.

“We’re proud of the sensitive connections, pedestrian and vehicular, that were established in the neighborhood,” says architect Scott M. Dimit, managing principal. “The architectural expression took cues from the surrounding industrial context, largely masonry and metal siding.”
The project has helped Gordon Square succeed, says Carrie Carpenter, executive director and president of the Gordon Square Arts District. “The Edison has brought to the district more than 400 new residents, who have quickly become patrons of the theaters, art galleries, shops, and restaurants. The residents increase the foot traffic and have a positive impact on the economy of the arts venues and businesses here,” she says.