Tuesday, November 22, 2005
Developer Envisions "A Place For Us"
(Link) A Cleveland, Ohio real estate developer's vision: a housing project for the GLBT crowd of all ages. With condos in the half-a-million range, your neighbors will more than likely be the "loaded lesbians" from yesterday's article. But did we mention it'll be in Cleveland?
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By Barb Galbincea
Cleveland Plain Dealer
For years, Linda Krasienko has dreamed of a haven where gays and lesbians can live safely and comfortably, without fear of discrimination or disapproving neighbors.
Now the president of A Place for Us Development Inc., wants to know how many other Greater Clevelanders share her vision. The group is gauging interest in a housing project catering to the area's gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) community.
The condominiums, planned by Marous Development for Cleveland's Warehouse District, would be available to people of any sexual orientation. But Krasienko wants to market the three buildings as a home for GLBT people of all ages.
"As we know, discrimination is still an ugly shadow for anybody that's different," she said.
Krasienko said the project would incorporate educational and cultural opportunities, along with services to deal with specific needs of the GLBT community.
Her group is conducting an online survey at www.aplace4us.org to find out how many people are interested in purchasing such homes. Once the results are compiled, open houses could be held in December so prospective buyers could see models of the condominiums, Krasienko said.
Debra Kraus, director of marketing and sales for Marous, said that depending on the response, construction of the first 68-unit building could begin in the spring or summer. The District Park project is slated for West Ninth Street, between the National Terminal Building on the north and the Bingham Building.
Kraus said prices for the condos, which will take roughly a year to build, will range from about $200,000 to $700,000.
Retail space would be included at street level, and Marous plans to incorporate amenities such as a fitness center; concierge and valet service; dry cleaning and grocery delivery; and a 24-hour doorman.
The second- and third-phase buildings would add more than 250 condos.
Tom Mignogna, manager of housing development for Cleveland's Community Development Department, said Krasienko's interest in a planned community and Marous' District Park project seemed like a match.
"It's a great idea and a great concept," said Mignogna, whose office helped link the group and the developer.
Around the country, there are other housing projects catering to gays and lesbians. Among them are two developed by former Cincinnati residents Gina Razete and Cathy Groene.
Carefree Cove, in Zionville, N.C., is the second gay community created by their CGR Development Corp. The first was The Resort on Carefree Boulevard in Fort Myers, Fla., a 278-site community that they began in 1994 and sold out in six years.
The appeal of a gay community includes the chance to live openly with a same-sex partner, she said.
"You can walk down the street in your neighborhood holding hands. Especially for some of the older people, they've been saying for years that the person they live with is a sister or a cousin," said Razete.
For more information, go to www.aplace4us.org or contact Krasienko at FGVlinda@aol.com.
Cleveland. Dear God. I don't care if it's allegedly paved in polished skull sections of Focus on the Family Board members, I ain't movin' to Ohio!
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