Cleveland Heights-University Heights City School District News Article

Heights High Renovation Receives Community Impact Award From Cleveland Restoration Society

L-R: Board Vice President Jim Posch accepts the award; Looking on: Board member Dan Heintz, FutureHeights Executive Director Deanna Bremer Fisher, BSHM Architect Gary Balog, RP Madison Architect Sandra Madison, BSHM Architect John Orsini, Gilbane Project Manager Scott Bindel, and Gilbane Project Engineer Tommy Hasson. (Photo by Rob Erick)

June 3, 2019 -- The recently-renovated Heights High School building was honored with the Community Impact Award from the Cleveland Restoration Society and the Cleveland chapter of the American Institute of Architects.

Board members and renovation project partners represented Heights High School at the CRS/AIA 2019 Celebration of Preservation event on May 22 at the Ohio Theatre.

“While I thank our great team of planners, architects, engineers, construction experts, and contractors, this project was only possible because of the generosity of our Cleveland Heights and University Heights residents,” said Board Vice President Jim Posch upon accepting the award for the district. “Our taxpayers overwhelmingly supported this project.  Our community leaders set a project vision with priories that included maintaining the historical integrity of the building.”

Board member Dan Heintz also represented the CH-UH City School District at the event, along with Deanna Bremer Fisher, executive director of community partner FutureHeights. Representatives from project partners Gilbane Building Company, BSHM Architects, and Robert P Madison International joined the district in accepting the award.

Since reopening in the fall of 2017, the Heights High building has received a number of awards and widespread acclaim. The renovation project was honored by Heritage Ohio last October with its “Best Public Building Rehabilitation Award”. Karpinski Engineering won an Outstanding Achievement Award in April 2018 for their contributions to the Heights High project.

The Heights High School building at Cedar and Lee originally opened in 1926 and included several additions throughout the past century. Beginning in 2015, the building received a massive renovation. The original 1926 building remained, while the additions were removed and new spaces such as a natatorium, cafeteria, and media center were added in their place. 

What resulted is a stunning transformation that gives the CH-UH community a beautiful blend of historical architecture with a 21st-century learning space. The building was officially reopened in August 2017.