Cleveland Selected Developers for Nine Closed Schools

The city has tapped eight development groups to transform shuttered public school buildings into neighborhood assets.

Updated on Sept. 28, 2026 in Commercial

Screen-print poster illustration of a red-brick schoolhouse building undergoing revitalization, rendered in warm mustard, teal, and brick tones. — Cleveland has finalized agreements with eight development groups to repurpose nine shuttered public school buildings, aiming to revitalize neighborhoods and preserve local infrastructure. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Do you support converting closed local school buildings into housing or community service spaces?

Cleveland has successfully selected development teams to repurpose nine of the 18 school buildings closed by the district. The city aims to advance local neighborhood growth while preventing these sites from being sold to charter schools.

Why it matters

By repurposing these vacant properties through targeted city-led redevelopment, Cleveland seeks to stimulate community revitalization and keep neighborhood infrastructure in public-interest use. This strategy directly combats urban blight while providing developers with tax abatements and grants.

The city received 29 proposals from developers to revitalize the 18 shuttered school buildings. Currently, nine sites have been assigned to eight different development groups to initiate redevelopment projects.

The players

ThirdSpace Action Lab

This group was selected to lead the redevelopment of the Michael R. White school site.

Winn Development

This firm was selected alongside First Interstate Bank to manage the transformation of Collinwood High School.

MCM Co.

This development company was chosen to oversee projects at the Charles A. Mooney and Mary Church Terrell schools.

The Finch Group

The firm was selected to redevelop the Kenneth W. Clement Boys' Leadership Academy.

Sustainable Community Associates

This team was selected to handle the redevelopment of the Tremont Montessori site.

The details

The city and school district will execute land swaps to transfer ownership before conveying the sites to selected developers, with two projects utilizing a sale and lease back agreement. The selection process involved 230 residents who shared feedback during neighborhood listening sessions that began earlier this year.

February 2026: Neighborhood listening sessions began.
September 29, 2026: The school board is scheduled to vote on the first property swap.

Culture Shift

This initiative follows the documented trend of city-led repurposing of surplus public school infrastructure to prevent site blight. Cleveland is positioning these redevelopment projects to prioritize neighborhood needs over the historical pattern of selling vacant facilities to independent operators.

Residents can expect future opportunities for public feedback as selected developers finalize their project plans for the neighborhood schools. These projects may eventually provide new housing or community services that reshape the utility of school buildings in various city neighborhoods.

The takeaway

Cleveland is attempting to breathe new life into vacant district assets through strategic partnerships that keep ownership tied to community-focused developers. Residents should monitor upcoming board votes to see how these transitions may affect their local neighborhood services.

What happens next

The school board is scheduled to vote on the first land swap transfer on September 29, 2026, and will consider trading three additional school buildings for fire and EMS use in the coming weeks.