Garfield Heights, Ohio

Garfield Heights, Ohio
City
Seal
Nickname:  City of Homes
Location of Garfield Heights in Ohio
Location of Garfield Heights in Cuyahoga County
Country	United States
State	Ohio
County	Cuyahoga
Settled	1786
Founded	1904
Established	1919
Government
• Type	Mayor-council
• Mayor	Thomas Longo
• City Council	Frank J. Wagner (Council President) Michael Dudley Sr. (Ward One) Nancy J. Marincic (Ward Two) Vincent Liotta (Ward Three) Debra Sarnowski (Ward Four) Joseph M. Suster (Ward Five) Tracy E. Mahoney (Ward Six) Michael J. Abella, Jr. (Ward Seven)
Area
• Total	7.3 sq mi (18.9 km2)
• Land	7.2 sq mi (18.7 km2)
• Water	0.1 sq mi (0.2 km2)
Elevation Template:GR	955 ft (291 m)
Population  (2000)
• Total	30,734
• Density	4,253.0/sq mi (1,642.1/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP codes	44105, 44125, 44128
Area code	216
FIPS code	39-29428Template:GR
GNIS feature ID	1064703Template:GR
Website	http://www.garfieldhts.org/

Garfield Heights is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. The population was 30,734 at the 2000 census. In 2003 the population was estimated at 29,881. [1]

Geography

Garfield Heights is located at 41°25′17″N 81°36′10″W (41.421423, -81.602682)Template:GR.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 7.3 square miles (18.9 km²).18.6(7.2 sq mi) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.2 km²) of it (1.09%) is water. The city has 4, 446 acres (1.80 km²). Garfield Heights elevation is 831 feet (253 m) above sea level at the Garfield Heights-Cleveland border, but the elevation gets higher at 972 feet (296 m) above sea level, this measurement is taken at Garfield Heights Justice Center.

Garfield Heights is about 11 miles (18 km) southeast of Downtown Cleveland and is on the buslines. The John Glenn Freeway cuts through the city. Most of Cleveland attractions are within a 10-15 mile radius of Garfield Heights.

Attractions within 10–25 miles from Garfield Hts.

Downtown Cleveland 8–11 miles Playhouse Square, Progressive Field, Quicken Loans Arena (The Q), Rock Hall of Fame, Great Lakes Science Center, Tower City, the financial center of Cleveland, and Cleveland State University.

University Circle 9–10 miles Cleveland Clinic Foundation, University Hospitals, Case Western University, Botanical Gardens, Natural History Museum, Art Museum, Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland Institute of the Arts, Cleveland Institute of Music, and Severance Hall

Hopkins Airport 12–15 miles Hopkins Airport, I-X Center

Cuyahoga Valley National Park almost in the neighborhood. A short 2-mile (3.2 km) ride down Rockside Road.

Brandywine and Boston Mills Ski Centers 15–20 miles in Northfield Center Township

Geauga Lake Waterpark 20 miles (32 km) in Aurora

Cedar Point is a 2 hour ride in Sandusky, Ohio

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 encompasses a new shopping center, hotel, and office space built within five years. There will be another shopping complex called Bridgeview Center. The city also has light industry, technology, and a few service firms.

The Ohio Department of Transportation has its District 12 Headquarters in the city.

Largest employers:

• Marymount Hospital part of the Cleveland Clinic 1,200
• ODOT 500
• City of Garfield Heights 370
• Garfield Hts City Schools 350

In 2007, Garfield Heights and its neighbor Maple Heights, Ohio 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.

Law and government

Garfield Heights, Ohio City Hall

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 City of Garfield Heights seal was created in 1971. The seal colors are a royal blue, white and royal gold color. The seal starts with a Native American arrowhead, this is symbolic because the Iroquios Indians were the first settlers in Ohio. Then there is silihoutte of the city's map. Then embedded in the map is an image of Garfield Heights's first city hall in 1904. On the sides reads Garfield Heights's nickname as the City of Homes a phrase coined in the 1950s. The seals are affixed to all Garfield Heights City owned vehicles to building permits.

City Officials Mayor: Thomas J. Longo(D) elected 1983

• Council President: Frank J. Wagner(D) elected 2007

Council president is also vice-mayor according to city charter.

City Council

Ward 1

Michael Dudley Sr.

Ward 2

Nancy Marincic

Ward 3

Vincent Liotta

Ward 4

Debra Sarnowski

Ward 5

Joseph Suster

Ward 6

Tracy Mahoney

Ward 7

Elving Otero

Mayors of Garfield Heights

Term of Service	Name	Life Dates	Party
1941-1945	Raymond Ring	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-present	Thomas J. Longo		Democrat

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

Fire Chief: Thomas Nemetz June 20, 2007

Fire Strength

45 firefighters/EMTS

Mayor Thomas J. Longo is a member of the Mayors Against Illegal Guns Coalition, a bi-partisan group with a stated goal of "making the public safer by getting illegal guns off the streets." The Coalition is co-chaired by Boston Mayor Thomas Menino and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

Education

Public Schools Logo

Garfield Heights has its own public school system comprising 2 elementary schools, 1 Intermediate, 1 Junior high ("Middle School"), and 1 High School. There are 3 private schools in the city, 2 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 soon began, 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. Currently the foundation and some of the walls are being built. The goal is to open the center by the 2007-08 school year. The performing arts center was scheduled to open on November 3, 2007.

The high schools' mascots are:

• Trinity High School: Trojans
• Garfield Heights High School: Bulldogs

Several alumni associations have websites including:

Class of '66 - www.ghhs66.net

Class of '67 - www.ghhs1967.org

History (timeline)

Location of Garfield Heights in Ohio

1786

Moravian settlers 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 Familys to

create Newburgh Park

1896

Newburgh Park is renamed Garfield Park.

1904

The Village of South Newburgh is Established

1910

School Board is Established

1919

The Village of South Newburgh is renamed Garfield Heights Village

1920

Rapid real estate development causes the population to grow from 1550 in 1920 to nearly 16000 in 1930. This overdevelopment will cause an 80% forclosure rate during the depression.

1923

The First Catholic Church St. Timothy is established.

1925

Maple Leaf School opens and the First streetcars go into downtown. The city will use a bookmobile begining this year as a library

1926

Sisters of St. Joseph establish their motherhouse

1927

Garfield Hts gains two new churches (Sts Peter and Paul/St. Therese)Garfield Central school (now demolished) is opened. This year will also see the building of Garfield Hts High School

1929

City purchases its first motorized fire engine, a 1929 American Lafrance open cab latter truck. The city will donate this vehicle to the Cedar Point Amusment park in 1966.

1930

Garfield Heights achieves City status.

1931

A 30 millimeter Howitzer is donated and displayed at the Turney Rd entrance of Garfield Park. It will later be melted down for scrap during world war II

1938

The citys first Library is constructed in the basement of Garfield Park school

1940

The intersection of Turney and Littleton is used in the opening sequence of the film "The Greaps of Wrath".

1941

Garfield Heights purchases its first ambulance, a 1939 Packard which will be housed at fire station #1, then located near the corner of Turney and Granger Roads

1942

The Municipal Library now occupies two storefronts on Turney Rd.

1945

Twenty eight year old PFC William Foster of Garfield Hts is killed by diving onto a hand grenade to save several fellow Marines. He is awarded a postumus medal of Honor.

1946

Jennings Hall, the local home for the elderly, is established

1947

Turney-Town Shopping Center opens. Four new Ford Police cars are purchased and equipt with the citys first two way radios

1948

The Garfield-Bedford Busline starts service between Bedford and Garfield Heights into Downtown Cleveland. The citys well worn 1939 Packard ambulance is replace by a 1941 Buick ambulance.

1949

Marymount Hospital opens. 100 new stop signs are installed throughout the city as well as red light signals at all major intersections.

1950s-1960s

New housing emerges as the city grows by leaps and bounds

1951

A new Library is built on the north east corner of Turney and South Highland avenue.

1952

St. Monica Church established and Elmwood school opens; Garfield Heights Baseball League Founded

1954

Fire Station #1 is relocated to a new facility at the corner of Turney and McCracken roads. The new building is an extention of the old Garfield Hts bus garage.

1956

City purchases Ford/Gerstenslager Vanette ambulance. This vehicle will stay in full time service until 1967. City leaders are proud of the fact that the national problem of juvenile deliquency has not effected the city.

1957

William Foster opens and Marymount High school opens.

1958

A new city hall is built at 5555 Turney Road.

1963

A new Highschool is completed at 12000 maple leaf drive leaving old Highschool to be used as the Junior High School serving grades 7 through 9.

1965

Garfield Hts Recreational Center is opened, the main focal point being the new library. In January, sixteen year old Beverly Jarosz is found murdered in her Thornton Ave home. The killer is never found, this being one of the strangest cases in criminal history.

1966

A major fire at TurneyTown shopping center destroys several stores, Municipal swimming pool is opened at Rec Center

1967

The Garfield Hts Historical Society is created.

1969

Cardinal Karol Woltya(Pope John Paul II) of Krakow, Poland Visits Garfield Heights. The city purchases Pontiac Police cruisers which are found to perform poorly

1970

Sam Boyas purchases and expands the Rockside Rd dump.

1972

Automotive enthusiasm grows as local groups such as the "Park Hts Gang" promote street drag racing

1973

Marymount High goes coed and Trinity High School is Established

1974

Garfield Mall opens. Construction of I-480, The "John Glenn Freeway" begins.

1975

The Garfield Hts-Bedford Busline gets absorbed into the newly created Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority. The busline becomes the 76x/f route.

1976

8 people die in a car crash on Granger Road hill, caused by a semi loosing its brakes

1978

The I-480 Bridge opens to Traffic. The bridge is a twin span bridge. It is 4,025 feet (1,227 m) long and it is 212 feet (65 m) tall. Its footing begins in Garfield Heights and ends in Independence. This Bridge has been 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. during the assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan. Antenucci, a labor union official, was outside the Washington Hilton Hotel where he noticed Hinckley with a handgun. Antenucci is honored and a street is named after him. [2]

1986

Ohios Metropark system assumes management and subsequent renovation of Garfield Park

1991

New City Hall opens.

1994

Three police officers were killed in the line of duty. One officer died in a shootout on 15 August, and 2 were killed in car chase on 8 December.

2003

29 December, Garfield Alloys, a magnesium processing plant, catches fire.

2004

Garfield Hts opens its new high school and ground is broken on the new City View Shopping center.

2005

Marymount Hospital breaks ground on 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-Mart, OfficeMax, Circuit City, JoAnn Fabrics, Bed Bath and Beyond, AJ Wright, Dicks Sporting Goods, Giant Eagle (grocery store), Petsmart, and a future Home Depot. Wal-Mart closes on three occasions due to suspected Methane gas leaks, though later attributed to cleaning equipment exhaust.

2007

Marymount Hospital Emergency Room addition opens. Construction of Bridgeview Commons Shopping Center commences. This shopping center will feature a Target Store, a Lowes and other new stores. An article in a local free newspaper chronicles the high mortality rate due to cancer in the residents of Valley View, Ohio and cites the former landfill (now City View) as the cause (see Controversy, below.)

City council introduces a ban on pit-bull dogs.

2008

The Ohio E.P.A. and Attorney General file a multi-million 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 sales and the failure of the extension of Transportion Blvd to Rockside being completed; Wal-Mart abruptly closes their store in late September citing an independent contractor's report citing several potential "safety issues"; October: Petsmart announces they are closing their CityView store, but not because of safety issues, rather 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.

Controversy

Recently much controversy has been raised around the issue of the City View Shopping Center being built on the site of a former landfill. Such accusations include the period when the landfill was being moved, when local residents complained of the smell that would cloud over the area, to the extreme of a sudden rise of rare cancers in Valley View, just downhill from the site.

Buildings

Name/Year Built/Floors

Garfield Heights has a restrictive height of 90 feet (27 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
• 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

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. Marymount Hospital 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 base radio system and using a MRI system.

In the 1970s, Marymount added mental health services and renovated the hospital tower. This renovation lasted from 1972-79 at a 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 ICU 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 or the Joint Commission of American Healthcare Organizations has 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.

Marymount has several offices in Garfield Heights, Marymount South in Broadview Heights, and Bainbridge Township.

Churches

• 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 1/2008
• St. John Lutheran(1852/1964)600
• Garfield Heights Church of the Nazarene
• The Rock Community Church

Media

Garfield Heights is served by the Cleveland television stations. Numerous cable and satellite providers also serve the city. The Cleveland Plain Dealer, the Garfield-Maple Heights Sun (formerly on Thursdays, but recently publication ceased), and the Neighborhood News-Garfield Heights Tribune (Wednesday) are the main newspapers.

References

• Garfield Hts History c 1976 Garfield Hts Historical Society
• More information at Garfield Heights city data at City-data.com
• Cuyahoga Public Library - History of Garfield Heights Library

External links

• City of Garfield Heights, official site