Garfield Heights, Ohio
Encyclopedia
Garfield Heights is a city in Cuyahoga County
, Ohio
, United States
. The population was 28,849 at the time of the 2010 census.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 7.3 square miles (18.9 km²), of which 7.2 square miles (18.6 km²) is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²), or 1.09%, is water. The elevation of Garfield Heights is 831 feet (253.3 m) above sea level at the border with Cleveland, but it is 972 feet (296.3 m) above sea level at the Garfield Heights Justice Center.
The Ohio Department of Transportation
has its District 12 Headquarters in the city.
Largest employers and number of employees:
In 2007, Garfield Heights and its neighbor Maple Heights
were mentioned by CNN
/Money
as two of America's affordable communities.
The Garfield Heights Chamber of Commerce
was established in the 1960s and includes over 250 business members from the area.
The seal of the City of Garfield Heights was created in 1971. The seal colors are a royal blue, white and royal gold. It shows a Native American arrowhead as a symbol of the Iroquois
people, who were the first settlers in Ohio. A silhouette of the city's map appears atop the arrowhead, and embedded in the map is an image of Garfield Heights' first city hall, built in 1904. On the sides is Garfield Heights' nickname, the "City of Homes", a phrase coined in the 1950s. The seal is affixed to all vehicles owned by the city of Garfield Heights and to building permits.
City officials
The council president is also the vice-mayor, according to the city charter.
City Council
The city has a network of emergency warning sirens installed in 2006. A Community Emergency Response Team
is in place. Garfield Heights uses traffic signal preemption
, installed in 2004.
As of the 2010 census, the population decreased by -6.9% and the racial makeup of the city has changed to 69% white, 27% African American, and only 4% counted as "other".
There were 12,452 households out of which 28.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.5% were Marriagemarried couples living together, 15.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.1% were non-families. 30.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 3.04.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.1% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 20.7% from 45 to 64, and 18.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 87.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $39,278, and the median income for a family was $47,557. Males had a median income of $35,435 versus $26,472 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,988. About 6.0% of families and 8.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.9% of those under age 18 and 9.2% of those age 65 or over.
The ethnic groups of Garfield Heights include Poles, Slovenes, Italians, Irish, and African-Americans.
. There are three private schools in the city, two Catholic and one Lutheran. The city also has its own school board.
In 1996 the Garfield Heights city schools were named a BEST district.
In 2001, Garfield Heights imposed a levy
to build a new high school. Construction of the school began soon thereafter and was completed in mid-2003. High school students were transferred to the new high school in January 2004; junior high students were transferred to what was the high school, and what was the junior high school was torn down in June 2004 to make room for the arts and drama building, which is connected to the high school.
In 2006, ground was broken for the construction of the high school arts and drama complex, a $5 million building. Construction of the 750-seat Garfield Heights Matousek Center for the Performing Arts started in November 2006. The goal was to open the center by the 2007-08 school year. The performing arts center opened on November 3, 2007. Schools throughout the district gathered together and on the grand opening day they all performed in the new building.
In 2010-11 school year both Elmwood Elementary and Maple Leaf Intermediate were renovated and Maple Leaf School gained more classrooms and a bigger gym. Maple Leaf School is the Garfield Heights City School District's oldest building built in 1925 and was the smallest until the current reconstruction
The high schools' mascot
s are:
on the northwest corner of Plymouth and Turney roads. Nutt will remain in business here until his retirement in 1979.
Garfield Heights has a restrictive height of 90 feet (27.4 m) for most of its buildings. This height restriction was made into law on 25 March 1962. Cellular or wireless towers are the exceptions.
Marymount Hospital Campus 1949–present
Jennings Hall Campus
Marymount Place Campus
In the 1970s, Marymount added mental health services and renovated the hospital tower. This renovation took from 1972 to 1979 and cost of $30 million. In the 1990s, Marymount again grew by adding a new medical office tower and new services.
In the 2000s, Marymount grew due to the closing of St. Alexis/St. Michael's. The hospital has added more intensive-care unit beds and more emergency room capacity in a new state-of-the-art tower which opened in 2007. In 2003, Marymount joined the world renowned Cleveland Clinic
as part of its system. JCAHO, the Joint Commission of American Healthcare Organizations, certified Marymount as a primary stroke
center. Marymount is the largest employers in Garfield Heights with 1,200 workers. Marymount has 310 beds and 200 doctors.
In 2010, Marymount will expand the main hospital campus with a future cardiovascular surgery center so open heart surgery can be performed. Currently, Marymount patients have to go to Hillcrest Hospital or the main Cleveland Clinic for these procedures. Marymount is aiming for a mid-2010 announcement on renovation.
Marymount has several offices in Garfield Heights, Marymount South in Broadview Heights, and Bainbridge Township.
Cuyahoga County, Ohio
Cuyahoga County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. It is the most populous county in Ohio; as of the 2010 census, the population was 1,280,122. Its county seat is Cleveland. Cuyahoga County is part of Greater Cleveland, a metropolitan area, and Northeast Ohio, a...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 28,849 at the time of the 2010 census.
Geography
Garfield Heights is located at 41°25′17"N 81°36′10"W (41.421423, -81.602682).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 7.3 square miles (18.9 km²), of which 7.2 square miles (18.6 km²) is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²), or 1.09%, is water. The elevation of Garfield Heights is 831 feet (253.3 m) above sea level at the border with Cleveland, but it is 972 feet (296.3 m) above sea level at the Garfield Heights Justice Center.
Economy
Marymount Hospital is the city's largest employer. CitiView Center, a $200,000,000 shopping complex, was recently built on old landfill space. This project went bankrupt before completion and remains in an unfinished state.The Ohio Department of Transportation
Ohio Department of Transportation
The Ohio Department of Transportation is the organization of state government responsible for developing and maintaining all state and federal roadways in the state of Ohio with exception of the Ohio Turnpike. In addition to highways, the department also helps develop public transportation and...
has its District 12 Headquarters in the city.
Largest employers and number of employees:
- Marymount Hospital, part of the Cleveland ClinicCleveland ClinicThe Cleveland Clinic is a multispecialty academic medical center located in Cleveland, Ohio, United States. The Cleveland Clinic is currently regarded as one of the top 4 hospitals in the United States as rated by U.S. News & World Report...
: 1,200 - ODOT: 500
- City of Garfield Heights: 370
- Garfield Heights City Schools: 350
In 2007, Garfield Heights and its neighbor Maple Heights
Maple Heights, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 26,156 people, 10,489 households, and 6,964 families residing in the city. The population density was 5,039.1 people per square mile . There were 10,935 housing units at an average density of 2,106.7 per square mile...
were mentioned by CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
/Money
Money (magazine)
Money is published by Time Inc. Its first issue was published in October 1972. Its articles cover the gamut of personal finance topics ranging from investing, saving, retirement and taxes to family finance issues like paying for college, credit, career and home improvement...
as two of America's affordable communities.
The Garfield Heights Chamber of Commerce
Chamber of commerce
A chamber of commerce is a form of business network, e.g., a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to advocate on behalf of the business community...
was established in the 1960s and includes over 250 business members from the area.
Law and government
Garfield Heights has seven wards and a mayor-council form of government. The city's charter went into effect in 1956. The city also has a municipal court.The seal of the City of Garfield Heights was created in 1971. The seal colors are a royal blue, white and royal gold. It shows a Native American arrowhead as a symbol of the Iroquois
Iroquois
The Iroquois , also known as the Haudenosaunee or the "People of the Longhouse", are an association of several tribes of indigenous people of North America...
people, who were the first settlers in Ohio. A silhouette of the city's map appears atop the arrowhead, and embedded in the map is an image of Garfield Heights' first city hall, built in 1904. On the sides is Garfield Heights' nickname, the "City of Homes", a phrase coined in the 1950s. The seal is affixed to all vehicles owned by the city of Garfield Heights and to building permits.
City officials
- Mayor: Victor (Vic) Collova (D) 3 November 2009
- Council President: Frank Geraci (D) 3 November 2009
The council president is also the vice-mayor, according to the city charter.
City Council
- Ward 1: Michael Dudley Sr.
- Ward 2: Nancy Marincic
- Ward 3: Mike Nenandovich, elected 3 November 2009
- Ward 4: Debra Sarnowski
- Ward 5: Joseph Suster
- Ward 6: Tracy Mahoney
- Ward 7: Thomas Vaughn, elected 3 November 2009
- wARD 15: Sparky the Sun Devil
Mayors of Garfield Heights
| Term of Service | Name | Life Dates | Party |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1920–1929 | Oliver D. Jackson | ||
| 1930–1931 | Raymond Ring | ||
| 1932–1937 | Martin O'Donnell | ||
| 1937–1939 | Don Cameron | ||
| 1940–1947 | Raymond Ring | ||
| 1947–1949 | Grant Weber | 1884–1948 | |
| 1950–1955 | Charles F. Wing | ||
| 1956–1961 | Neil E. Bowler | 1902–1995 | Republican |
| 1962–1964 | Jack Donovan | ||
| 1965–1969 | Frank Petrancek | ||
| 1970–1979 | Ray Stachewicz | ||
| 1979–1983 | Theodore S. Holtz | ||
| 1983–2009 | Thomas J. Longo Thomas Longo Thomas J. Longo is an Ohio politician of the Democratic Party, and Mayor of the city of Garfield Heights, Ohio.Mayor Thomas J. Longo worked as an employee of the Ohio Bell Telephone Company. In 1975, he was elected to the Garfield Heights City Council member representing the city's fourth ward. In... |
Democrat Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous... |
|
| 2009- | Victor(Vic) Collova |
Public safety
The city maintains its own police and fire departments.- Police Chief: Thomas J. Murphy since 1992
- Police strength: 66 patrol officers and 30 auxiliary officers
- Police vehicles: Ford Crown Victorias (slowly being phased out) Dodge Chargers, Ford Explorers
- Fire Chief: Thomas Nemetz June 20, 2007
- Fire strength: 45 firefighters/EMTS
- Fire houses: 2
- Fire equipment: 2 ladders, 1 engine, and 3 ambulances
The city has a network of emergency warning sirens installed in 2006. A Community Emergency Response Team
Community Emergency Response Team
In the United States a community emergency response team can refer to* one of five federal programs promoted under the umbrella organization Citizen Corps, which is funded in part by the Stafford Act;...
is in place. Garfield Heights uses traffic signal preemption
Traffic signal preemption
Traffic signal preemption is a type of system that allows the normal operation of traffic lights to be preempted, often to assist emergency vehicles...
, installed in 2004.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 30,734 people, 12,452 households, and 8,205 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,641.3/km sq (4,253.0/mi sq). There were 12,998 housing units at an average density of 694.1/km sq (1,798.7/mi sq). The racial makeup of the city was 80.72% White, 16.80% African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.93% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.43% from Race (United States Census)other races, and 0.96% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.26% of the population.As of the 2010 census, the population decreased by -6.9% and the racial makeup of the city has changed to 69% white, 27% African American, and only 4% counted as "other".
There were 12,452 households out of which 28.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.5% were Marriagemarried couples living together, 15.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.1% were non-families. 30.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 3.04.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.1% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 20.7% from 45 to 64, and 18.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 87.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $39,278, and the median income for a family was $47,557. Males had a median income of $35,435 versus $26,472 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,988. About 6.0% of families and 8.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.9% of those under age 18 and 9.2% of those age 65 or over.
The ethnic groups of Garfield Heights include Poles, Slovenes, Italians, Irish, and African-Americans.
Education
Garfield Heights has its own public school system comprising two elementary schools, one intermediate, one middle school, and one high schoolGarfield Heights High School
Garfield Heights High School is a public high school located in Garfield Heights, Ohio, about 10 miles southeast of downtown Cleveland, Ohio. It is part of the Garfield Heights City School District. The school currently contains approximately 1500 students. The mascot is the Bulldog and the school...
. There are three private schools in the city, two Catholic and one Lutheran. The city also has its own school board.
In 1996 the Garfield Heights city schools were named a BEST district.
In 2001, Garfield Heights imposed a levy
Tax
To tax is to impose a financial charge or other levy upon a taxpayer by a state or the functional equivalent of a state such that failure to pay is punishable by law. Taxes are also imposed by many subnational entities...
to build a new high school. Construction of the school began soon thereafter and was completed in mid-2003. High school students were transferred to the new high school in January 2004; junior high students were transferred to what was the high school, and what was the junior high school was torn down in June 2004 to make room for the arts and drama building, which is connected to the high school.
In 2006, ground was broken for the construction of the high school arts and drama complex, a $5 million building. Construction of the 750-seat Garfield Heights Matousek Center for the Performing Arts started in November 2006. The goal was to open the center by the 2007-08 school year. The performing arts center opened on November 3, 2007. Schools throughout the district gathered together and on the grand opening day they all performed in the new building.
In 2010-11 school year both Elmwood Elementary and Maple Leaf Intermediate were renovated and Maple Leaf School gained more classrooms and a bigger gym. Maple Leaf School is the Garfield Heights City School District's oldest building built in 1925 and was the smallest until the current reconstruction
The high schools' mascot
Mascot
The term mascot – defined as a term for any person, animal, or object thought to bring luck – colloquially includes anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name...
s are:
- Trinity High School: Trojans
- Garfield Heights High School: Bulldogs
History (timeline)
- 1786: MoraviansMoravians (ethnic group)Moravians are the modern West Slavic inhabitants of the historical land of Moravia, the easternmost part of the Czech Republic, which includes the Moravian Slovakia. They speak the two main groups of Moravian dialects , the transitional Bohemian-Moravian dialect subgroup and standard Czech...
settle in the city. - 1852: St. John Lutheran becomes the first church established in the city.
- 1895: Land is purchased from the Carter, Dunham and Rittberg families to create Newburgh Park.
- 1896: Newburgh Park is renamed Garfield Park. At this point the city becomes known as "Newburgh Hamlet".
- 1904: The Village of South Newburgh is established.
- 1910: A school board is established.
- 1918: Garfield Central School (later Garfield Elementary) is opened.
- 1919: South Newburgh is renamed Garfield Heights. The village, which is largely still a farming community, is equipped with one Ford "Model T" fire truck.
- 1920: Rapid real estate development causes the population to grow from 1,550 in 1920 to nearly 16,000 in 1930. This overdevelopment causes an 80% foreclosure rate during the first depression.
- 1923: The first Catholic church, St. Timothy, is established.
- 1925: Maple Leaf School opens and the first streetcars go into downtown. The city use a bookmobile as a library beginning this year. Warren "Bud" Nutt begins operating a Texaco filling station/repair garage-with one outside lift
on the northwest corner of Plymouth and Turney roads. Nutt will remain in business here until his retirement in 1979.
- 1926: The Sisters of St. Joseph establish their mother house in the 106 hundred block on the south side of Granger Road.
- 1927: Garfield Heights gains two new churches (Sts. Peter and Paul/St. Therese). This year also sees the building of Garfield Heights High School.
- 1929: 36-year-old City Councilman Otto Bicker is appointed as the city's Fire Chief. Bicker was instrumental in organizing the city's first fire department and through his efforts the American Legion John Lawrence post #304 enabled the city to acquire a pair of 1929 American Lafrance open cab ladder trucks. The city donates one of these vehicles to the Cedar Point Amusement park in 1966.
- 1930: Garfield Heights achieves city status.
- 1931: A 30 millimeter howitzer is donated and displayed at the Turney Road entrance of Garfield Park. It is later melted down for scrap during World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. - 1938: The city's first library is constructed in the basement of Garfield Park school.
- 1939: The city purchases its first ambulance, a 1930 Meteor.
- 1941: American Legion post 304 donates a 1936 Packard ambulance to be housed at fire station #1, then located near the northwest corner of Turney and Granger Roads.
- 1942: Jennings "Rest Home" begins operating on July 2. The Municipal Library now occupies two storefronts at 4663 Turney Road. In September, Mayor Ring demotes Police Chief Gannon to Patrolman after Gannon and two officers use a police car to go on a seven hundred mile trip to a police convention in Michigan. Gannon appeals this demotion and is overruled.
- 1945: Twenty-eight-year-old PFC William Foster of Garfield Heights is killed by diving onto a hand grenade to save fellow Marine, Melvin Hauge. He is awarded a posthumous Medal of Honor.
- 1946: Fourteen die on July 6 as Jennings Hall burns.
- 1947: Four new Ford police cars are purchased and equipped with the city's first two-way radios.
- 1948: The Garfield-Bedford bus line starts service between Bedford and Garfield Heights into downtown Cleveland. Jennings Hall is reopened on May 8 in a new brick facility. Charles Nespor and Ted Flick open a Standard Oil service station on the northwest corner of Turney and Granger.
- 1949: Marymount Hospital opens. 100 new stop signs are installed as well as red lights at several major intersections.
- 1950: The city purchases a new American LaFrance "Quad" fire engine. The county immediately places a lien against the truck due to back taxes.
- 1951: A new library is built on the northwest corner of Turney and South Highland avenue. A new fire station is built on the southeast corner of Turney and McCracken as an extension of the old bus garage. Turneytown shopping center opens in October.
- 1952: St. Monica Church is established and Elmwood school opens; Garfield Heights Baseball League is founded. The city purchases a 1942 Buick ambulance.
- 1955: Andrew, Julius and Steve Homolak purchase a Standard Oil mechanical shop and service station on the northwest corner of McCracken and Broadway.
- 1956: The city purchases Ford Vanette ambulance. This vehicle will stay in full time service until 1967. Funds to purchase and equip this vehicle are generated largely from a pancake festival. Through the efforts of Fireman Charles Mentkowski this vehicle is purchased as an empty van for $3,100 and equipped as a state of the art ambulance for $10,000. In June, founding Fire Chief Otto Bicker dies. City leaders are proud of the fact that the national problem of juvenile delinquency has not affected the city.
- 1957: William Foster Elementary School and Marymount High School open. In March, the city's first traffic fatality is that of a 33-year-old father of four who dies after colliding with a dump truck on the Warner Road bridge. Councilman Charles Nespor unsuccessfully runs for Mayor. Nespor was known for being one of the most dynamic politicians in the city's history. Raymond Avenue, a subdivision formerly known as Prophits Hill Grove, is completed featuring state-of-the-art ranch homes. In July and August three children are struck down by cars within a four-week period at the intersection of South Highland and Turney roads, one of whom, a ten-year-old boy, dies as a result of his injuries. The city council forms an ineffective "safety council" to correct this problem.
- 1958: A new city hall is built at 5555 Turney Road.
- 1962: Eddie Leitson opens Turney Restaurant (now known as Angelos Restaurant) in June.
- 1963: A new high school is completed at 12000 Maple Leaf Drive, leaving the old high school to be used as the junior high school, serving grades 7 through 9.
- 1964: On December 28 16-year-old Beverly Jarosz is found murdered in her Thornton Avenue home. The killer is never found, this being one of the strangest cases in criminal history. Detective Captain William Horrigan claims to be certain as to the identity of the killer, but without evidence he will take this secret to his grave.
- 1965: In January Michael Lindley Bane dies by his own hand in his E-88th street home. As police investigate, it is decided that this is not related to the Jarosz murder. Also in January a Mother and daughter are struck and killed while crossing Turney Road near Tonsing Avenue. Garfield Heights Recreational Center opens, the main focal point being the new library. The original fire station as well as Koppers Hardware and Felix Bicycle shop near the northwest corner of Turney and Granger are razed. Among the city's worst traffic accidents is that of an eight-year-old boy crushed by a truck on the Whitehouse crossing bridge in July.
- 1966: A major fire at TurneyTown shopping center destroys several stores. In June a municipal swimming pool is opened at the recreation center. The city's first fleet of black and white police cruisers, 1966 Fords, is purchased. Garfield Heights will continue to use primarily Ford Interceptors until 2009.
- 1967: The Garfield Heights Historical Society is created. Fire station #2 is built across the street from its previous location on E-131st Street in November.
- 1969: Cardinal Karol Woltya (later Pope John Paul IIPope John Paul IIBlessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
) of KrakowKrakówKraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...
, Poland, visits Garfield Heights. The city purchases five Pontiac Police cruisers, which are found to perform poorly. - 1970: Sam Boyas purchases and expands the Rockside Road dump. Myron L. Twiggs purchases the Sohio station on the northeast corner of Granger and E-98.
- 1972: Automotive enthusiasm grows as local groups such as the "Park Heights Gang" promote street drag racingDrag racingDrag racing is a competition in which specially prepared automobiles or motorcycles compete two at a time to be the first to cross a set finish line, from a standing start, in a straight line, over a measured distance, most commonly a ¼-mile straight track....
. - 1973: Marymount High goes coed as Trinity High School is established.
- 1974: Garfield Mall opens. Construction of I-480Interstate 480 (Ohio)Interstate 480 is a loop highway that connects the Ohio Turnpike with suburban Cleveland, Ohio. The highway is officially designated the Outerbelt South Freeway, but it is rarely referred to by that name....
, the John Glenn Freeway, begins. - 1975: The Garfield Heights-Bedford bus line is absorbed into the newly created Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority. The bus line becomes the 76x/f route.
- 1976: On August 8, eight people die in a car crash on Granger Road hill, caused by the failure of truck brakes. The driver of the truck survives to face conviction on four counts of vehicular homicide.
- 1978: The I-480 twin span bridge opens to traffic. It is 4025 feet (1,226.8 m) long and 212 feet (64.6 m) high. Its footing begins in Garfield Heights and ends in IndependenceIndependence, OhioIndependence is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 7,133.-Geography:Independence is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
. This bridge has become the scene of many suicides. In 1994 an auto plunged into the valley below. - 1979: The Garfield Heights Branch Library experiences a fire in its building; the cost of fire damage totals $210,000. Also in 1979, Marymount Hospital completes a $30,000,000 renovation of its campus. The infamous dump finally closes.
- 1981: Alfred Antenucci jumps on John Hinckley, Jr.John Hinckley, Jr.John Warnock Hinckley, Jr., attempted to assassinate U.S. President Ronald Reagan in Washington, D.C., on March 30, 1981, as the culmination of an effort to impress teen actress Jodie Foster. He was found not guilty by reason of insanity and has remained under institutional psychiatric care since...
during the assassination attemptReagan assassination attemptThe Reagan assassination attempt occurred on Monday, March 30, 1981, just 69 days into the presidency of Ronald Reagan. While leaving a speaking engagement at the Washington Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C., President Reagan and three others were shot and wounded by John Hinckley, Jr...
on President Ronald ReaganRonald ReaganRonald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
. Antenucci, a labor union official, was outside the Washington Hilton Hotel where he noticed Hinckley with a handgun. Antenucci is honored for this act and a street is named after him. http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=off&q=Antenucci+Blvd%2C+Garfield+Hts%2C+OH+44125&btnG=Search - 1985: Ex-Marine and Vietnam veteranVietnam veteranVietnam veteran is a phrase used to describe someone who served in the armed forces of participating countries during the Vietnam War.The term has been used to describe veterans who were in the armed forces of South Vietnam, the United States armed forces, and countries allied to them, whether or...
Jeffery Lawrence shoots and kills neighbors Jesse and Cheryl Mooney and wounds two others on August 25. Police had been called to the house twice concerning a loud party emanating from the Mooneys' garage. Lawrence simply walks away and turns himself in to Lyndhurst Police two days later. This is Garfield Heights' first double homicide. Lawrence is convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison. - 1986: Ohio's Metropark system assumes management and subsequent renovation of Garfield Park.
- 1991: A new city hall opens.
- 1994: Three police officers are killed in the line of duty. On August 15 Garfield and Maple Heights police respond to a shooting at an apartment complex at East 88th Street. Sergeant Dennis Glivar is fatally shot by Don Mits, who is captured after a four hour shootout with police from Garfield Heights and four other cities giving mutual aid. Mits is convicted and sent to death row. In December officers Brown and Stefanov are killed during a high speed chase into Cleveland when their cruiser is broadsided and collides roof first into a steel utility pole.
- 2002: Sam Boyas dies.
- 2003: 29 December, Garfield Alloys, a magnesiumMagnesiumMagnesium is a chemical element with the symbol Mg, atomic number 12, and common oxidation number +2. It is an alkaline earth metal and the eighth most abundant element in the Earth's crust and ninth in the known universe as a whole...
processing plant, catches fire. - 2004: Garfield Heights opens its new high schoolGarfield Heights High SchoolGarfield Heights High School is a public high school located in Garfield Heights, Ohio, about 10 miles southeast of downtown Cleveland, Ohio. It is part of the Garfield Heights City School District. The school currently contains approximately 1500 students. The mascot is the Bulldog and the school...
, and ground is broken for the new City View Shopping Center. - 2005: Marymount Hospital breaks ground for a $25,000,000 addition.
- 2006: City View Shopping Center opens for business. In September 2006 it is offered for sale. New York grocer Thomas Klein purchased the retail complex for $100 million. City View has a Wal-MartWal-MartWal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...
, OfficeMaxOfficeMaxOfficeMax , is an American office supplies retailer that was founded in 1988 and is headquartered in Naperville, Illinois.-History:On April 1, 1988, OfficeMax was founded in Cleveland, Ohio, by Bob Hurwitz and Michael Feuer. Hurwitz served as executive chairman and chief executive officer and Feuer...
, Circuit City, JoAnn Fabrics, Bed Bath and Beyond, AJ Wright, Dicks Sporting Goods, Giant EagleGiant EagleGiant Eagle, Inc., is a supermarket chain with stores in the U.S. states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, and Maryland. The company was founded in 1918 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Supermarket News ranked Giant Eagle No. 21 in the 2009 "Top 75 North American Food Retailers" based on 2008...
(grocery store), PetsmartPetSmartPetSmart, Inc. is a retail chain doing business in the United States and Canada engaged in the sale of specialty pet supplies and services such as grooming and dog training, PetSmart PetsHotel dog and cat boarding facilities and Doggie Day Care.- History :...
, and a future Home Depot. Wal-Mart closes on three occasions due to suspected methaneMethaneMethane is a chemical compound with the chemical formula . It is the simplest alkane, the principal component of natural gas, and probably the most abundant organic compound on earth. The relative abundance of methane makes it an attractive fuel...
gas leaks, though the problem is later attributed to cleaning equipment exhaust. - 2007: The Marymount Hospital Emergency Room addition opens. Construction of Bridgeview Commons Shopping Center commences. This shopping center features a TargetTarget CorporationTarget Corporation, doing business as Target, is an American retailing company headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the second-largest discount retailer in the United States, behind Walmart. The company is ranked at number 33 on the Fortune 500 and is a component of the Standard & Poor's...
Store, a Lowes and other new stores. An article in a local free newspaper chronicles the high mortality rate due to cancerCancerCancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
among the residents of Valley ViewValley View, OhioValley View is a village in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. The population was 2,034 at the 2010 census. It is a suburb of Cleveland with a town council form of government. It is part of a school district that also includes nearby Cuyahoga Heights and Brooklyn Heights...
and cites the former landfill (now City View) as the cause (see Controversy, below.) The city council introduces a ban on pit bullPit bullA Pit bull is any of several breeds of dog in the molosser breed group.Many jurisdictions that restrict pit bulls, including Ontario, Canada,, Miami, Florida, U.S...
dogs. - 2008: The Ohio E.P.A. and Attorney General file a multimillion dollar lawsuit against the city and owners/developers of Cityview due to improper maintenance and methane gas leaks. Construction of Bridgeview is halted as a direct result. Several retailers pull out of CityView. Joann Fabrics closed their store earlier in the year, citing poor sales and the failure to complete the extension of Transportation Blvd. to Rockside; Wal-Mart abruptly closes its store in late September citing an independent contractor's report listing several potential "safety issues", although Wal-Mart owned the building and had it built to its own specifications; in October Petsmart announces that it is closing the CityView store because of lease issues. On October 14, the State of Ohio's auditor office declares the city to be in fiscal emergency. This is only the third city in Cuyahoga County to ever have this designation since Ohio adopted fiscal rankings in 1979. Cleveland and East Cleveland have been the only other cities in the county under fiscal emergency, but both have since returned to solvency.
- 2009: Mayor Thomas J. Longo announces his retirement as mayor after 26 years.
- City View goes into receivership with new owners, as the Klein Interest of Monsey, New York default on their loan.
- On October 22, the Ohio EPA and the ForeSite Realty Trust who owns CityView agree to place a methane gas mitigation system at CityView by late in the year or early in 2010. Once this system is in place, the EPA will permit CityView to grow. All new construction at CityView will be required to have mitigation systems.
- On November 3, Garfield Heights elects its first new mayor in 26 years. The winner is Victor (Vic) Collova.
- Garfield Heights police begin phasing out the Ford Crown Vics in favor of the Dodge Charger due to economic factors dealing with the Chargers' six cylinder fuel economy. The Garfield Heights Historical Society elects former councilman Vince Liotta as its new president beginning December 1st.
- 2010: Giant Eagle blocks efforts by the city to establish a convention center at City View in the former and vacant WalMart. The city begins using camera vans to monitor speed and issue citations to violators. The city also begins charging forty-five dollars per household per quarter (and half that for seniors) for trash collection. Citizens of Garfield Heights vote to remove the speed cameras by eighty votes (but not the trash pickup charge, which was upheld by an exact vote of 4,606 for and against).
- 2011: On February 25, G.H.P.D. responds to the Marathon Gas Station on Broadway Ave./McCracken Rd. after a call was placed by an employee stating that a man had entered the store carrying weapons, including a nightstick and a knife, and that he had begun drinking an alcoholic beverage and eating candy from the store shelves. Upon arrival, Sylvester Gavin, 50, of Garfield Heights, was ordered to drop his weapon and fall to the ground. Gavin complied, but as officers approached to arrest him, he grabbed the weapon and lunged at the officers, which resulted in both officers firing and striking Gavin, who was pronounced dead at Marymount Hospital a short time later.
- On May 2 the Ohio Supreme Court reverses a lower court decision and sends Don "Harry" Mits back to death row for the 1994 murder of Police Sargeant Dennis Glivar.
- July 15 Mayor Vic Collova Announces that Transportation Blvd will be expanded after years of meeting EPA rules of adding methane gas control and monitoring systems. Construction will resume in fall 2011 and will be completed by middle to late 2012.
- 2011 the Cuyahoga County Public LibraryCuyahoga County Public LibraryCuyahoga County Public Library has 28 branches that serve 47 communities in Cuyahoga County, Ohio. It was ranked the number one public library in the United States among libraries serving populations of more than 500,000 by the Hennen's American Public Library Ratings 2010...
announced that Garfield Heights will be having a new 30,000 sqft2 branch library which will be built on the site of current 1965 library. Garfield Hts has one of smallest branches at 12,500 sqft2. The new Garfield Library will be completed in late 2012 or early 2013. Vincent Liotta resigns as president of the Historical Society in disgust. Robert Sackett is promoted to Police Chief, he is the city's fifth Chief. In August City Council votes down a bill to approve a billboard that will bring the city a much needed $476.000 on the premis that a few residents object to the placing of the billboard. As a result scores of residents are outraged and vow to elect several new members through the November elections.
Buildings
Name/Year Built/Number of FloorsGarfield Heights has a restrictive height of 90 feet (27.4 m) for most of its buildings. This height restriction was made into law on 25 March 1962. Cellular or wireless towers are the exceptions.
Marymount Hospital Campus 1949–present
- Hospital (1949/1979) 7
- Surgical Center/new entrance 4 (under construction 2013 opening)
- Medical Building (1995) 5
- Emergency tower (2007) 3
Jennings Hall Campus
- Jennings Hall One (1999) 4
- Jennings Hall Two (2002) 4
- Jennings Manor (2005) 4
- Saint Rita Hall (2010) 4
Marymount Place Campus
- Marymount Place (1989) 4
- Villa St. Joseph (2007) 4
- Garfield Heights High School (2004) 3
- Trinity High School (1957/1992) 3
- Garfield Heights City Hall (1991) 3
- Garfield Heights Middle School (1962/2004) 3
- Derby Professional Building (1978) 3
- Infinity Corporate Center (2002) 3
- St. Monica School(1954/1957) 3
Marymount Hospital
Garfield Heights is home to Marymount Hospital, which was established by the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis in 1949. The hospital was built at a cost of $2.1 million between 1946-49. It was dedicated in October 1949. In the 1950s with Garfield Heights and its neighbors expanding, Marymount expanded too. In 1966 Marymount grew by adding the first ambulance to the base radio system and using a MRI system.In the 1970s, Marymount added mental health services and renovated the hospital tower. This renovation took from 1972 to 1979 and cost of $30 million. In the 1990s, Marymount again grew by adding a new medical office tower and new services.
In the 2000s, Marymount grew due to the closing of St. Alexis/St. Michael's. The hospital has added more intensive-care unit beds and more emergency room capacity in a new state-of-the-art tower which opened in 2007. In 2003, Marymount joined the world renowned Cleveland Clinic
Cleveland Clinic
The Cleveland Clinic is a multispecialty academic medical center located in Cleveland, Ohio, United States. The Cleveland Clinic is currently regarded as one of the top 4 hospitals in the United States as rated by U.S. News & World Report...
as part of its system. JCAHO, the Joint Commission of American Healthcare Organizations, certified Marymount as a primary stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
center. Marymount is the largest employers in Garfield Heights with 1,200 workers. Marymount has 310 beds and 200 doctors.
In 2010, Marymount will expand the main hospital campus with a future cardiovascular surgery center so open heart surgery can be performed. Currently, Marymount patients have to go to Hillcrest Hospital or the main Cleveland Clinic for these procedures. Marymount is aiming for a mid-2010 announcement on renovation.
Marymount has several offices in Garfield Heights, Marymount South in Broadview Heights, and Bainbridge Township.
Churches and membership
- Sts Peter and Paul (1927/1960) 1,000
- St. Therese (1927/1960) 1,100
- St. Monica (1952/1964) 1,500
- St. Timothy (1923/1927) 800, renamed Holy Spirit Parish January 2008
- St. John Lutheran (1852/1964)600
- Garfield Heights Church of the Nazarene
- The Rock Community Church