Garfield Heights, Ohio

This article is about the city in Ohio. For the neighborhood of Washington, D.C., see Garfield Heights (Washington, D.C.).

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	Victor Collova
• City Council	Frank Geraci (Council President) Michael Dudley Sr. (Ward One) Nancy J. Marincic (Ward Two) Mike Nenadovich (Ward Three) Debra Sarnowski (Ward Four) Joseph M. Suster (Ward Five) Tracy E. Mahoney (Ward Six) Thomas Vaughn (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.

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.

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 has recently become bankrupt. It is unfinished, and will remain unfinished until further notice.

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: Victor(Vic)Collova(D)11/3/2009

• Council President: Frank Geraci(D)11/3/2009

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

City Council

Ward 1

Michael Dudley Sr.

Ward 2

Nancy Marincic

Ward 3

Mike Nenandovich elected 11/3/2009

Ward 4

Debra Sarnowski

Ward 5

Joseph Suster

Ward 6

Tracy Mahoney

Ward 7

Thomas Vaughn elected 11/3/2009

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		Democrat
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(being phased out slowly) 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

City has a network of emergency warning sirens installed in 2006.

Garfield Heights has a Community Emergency Response Team in place.

Garfield Heights uses traffic signal pre-emption. This was installed in 2004.

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. 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

The high schools' mascots are:

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

History (timeline)

Location of Garfield Heights in Ohio

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1910	1,273		—
1920	2,550		100.3%
1930	15,589		511.3%
1940	16,989		9.0%
1950	21,662		27.5%
1960	38,455		77.5%
1970	41,417		7.7%
1980	34,956		−15.6%
1990	31,739		−9.2%
2000	30,734		−3.2%
2008 (est.)	27,734

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 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

School Board is established

1919

The Village of South Newburgh is renamed Garfield Heights Village. 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 1550 in 1920 to nearly 16000 in 1930. This overdevelopment will cause an 80% forclosure 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 will use a bookmobile beginning this year as a library

1926

Sisters of St. Joseph establish their motherhouse in the 106 hundred block on the south side of Granger road.

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

Thirty six year old City Councilman Otto Bicker is appointed as the city's first Fire Chief. Bicker was instrumental in organizing the citys first fire department and through his efforts the American Legion John Lawrence post #304 enabled the city to acquire two motorized fire engines, a pair of 1929 American Lafrance open cab ladder trucks. The city will donate 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 Rd entrance of Garfield Park. It will later be melted down for scrap during world war II. The city's first auto repair/Texaco filling station is opened at the corner of Turney and Plymouth Rd by Budd Nutt. This single room brick building with its ornate canope and outside service bay will remain in service until Nutts' retirement in 1979.

1938

The city's first library is constructed in the basement of Garfield Park school

1939

The city purchases its first ambulance. A used Miller Meteor for $275.00

1941

The American Legion post 304 donates a 1936 Packard ambulance which will be housed at fire station #1, then located near the 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 Rd. 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 as is overuled.

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 sixth as Jennings Hall burns

1947

Four new Ford police cars are purchased and equipt with the city's first two-way radios

1948

The Garfield-Bedford Busline starts service between Bedford and Garfield Heights into Downtown Cleveland. Jennings Hall is reopened on May eighth 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 north west corner of Turney and South Highland avenue. A new fire station is built on the south east corner of Turney and McCracken which is an extension of the old bus garage. Turneytown shoping center opens in October.

1952

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

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. In June Founding Fire Chief Otto Bicker dies. City leaders are proud of the fact that the national problem of juvenile deliquency has not effected the city.

1957

William Foster Elementary School opens and Marymount High school opens. In March, the citys first traffic fatality is that of a 33 year old father of four who dies after colliding with a dump truck on the Warner Rd bridge. Councilman Charles Nespor unsuccessfully runs for Mayor. Nespor was known for being one of the most dynamic politicians in the citys history. Raymond Ave, 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 which, a ten year old boy, dies as a result of his injuries. 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 in June. (now known as Angelos Restaurant)

1963

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

1964

On December 28 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.

1965

Garfield Hts Recreational Center is opened, 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.On

.

1966

A major fire at TurneyTown shopping center destroys several stores, Municipal swimming pool is opened at Rec Center. The cities first fleet of black and white police cruisers, 1966 Fords, are purchased. Garfield Hts will continue using primarily Ford Interceptors until 2009.

1967

The Garfield Hts Historical Society is created. Fire station #2 is built across the street from the previous location on E-131st Street in November.

1969

Cardinal Karol Woltya(Pope John Paul II) of Krakow, 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 Rd 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 Hts Gang" promote street drag racing

1973

Marymount High goes coed as 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 losing 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. [1]

1985

Ex Marine and Vietnam veteran 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

New City Hall opens.

1994

Three police officers are killed in the line of duty. One officer died in a shootout on 15 August, and two 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" although Wal-Mart owned the building and had it built to their own specifications; 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.

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 10/22/2009, the Ohio EPA and the ForeSite Realty Trust who owns CityView agree to place a methane gas mitigaton system at CityView, by late year or Early 2010 this will be in place. 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 11/3/2009 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 Hts 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 fifteen dollars per houshold for trash collection.

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
• 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. 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 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 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.

In 2010, Marymount will expand the main hospital campus with a future cardiovascular surgery center so open heart surgeries can take place. Currently Marymount Patients have to go to Hillcrest Hospital or the main Cleveland Clinic for these procedures. Marymount is aiming to a middle-2010 announcement on renovation.

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. In the past, the city underwent the publishing of a weekly paper featuring "more news about Garfield Hts then any other newspaper in the world". Oddly enough, this was not meant as a joke.

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