The MetroHealth System and The NRP Group have teamed on a 72-unit affordable housing development and community services hub in Cleveland, Ohio.
Vía Sana—meaning "healthy way" in Spanish—is the first $15 million investment in MetroHealth’s $60 million mixed-use development off of West 25th Street, aimed at improving both the physical and economic health of people who live in the community adjacent to its main campus.
"When we embarked upon our campus transformation, we also committed ourselves to building a better life for the people who live in the Clark-Fulton neighborhood we call home," said Dr. Akram Boutros, president and CEO of The MetroHealth System. "Safe, high-quality affordable housing is a critical part of that equation and the start of creating a new legacy for this community and creating better opportunities for its families."
Government officials and community leaders, including Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and Mayor Justin Bibb recently got a firsthand look at the new development.
In addition to the affordable housing, Vía Sana will be home to the MetroHealth Opportunity Center that will be operated by a partnership between Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C) and MetroHealth’s Institute for H.O.P.E., offering job training, financial and digital literacy training, and access to Tri-C classes. The center is expected to be complete in October.
"This center embodies what Tri-C has been working to do for the past several years: removing barriers to education and workforce development by taking training into the community," said Michael Baston, president of Tri-C. "The center may only be 4.5 miles from our main campus, but for people with limited access to transportation, with limited time, it can be a significant hurdle. We must and will bridge that divide."
Once completed, MetroHealth’s mixed-use development will include more than 250 affordable and market-rate apartments and 36,000 square feet of retail space.
MetroHealth’s nonprofit affiliate, CCH Development, is partnering on the project with developer The NRP Group. No taxpayer funds that go to MetroHealth are being used in the project.
The residences at Vía Sana will soon be available to individuals and families earning between 30% and 80% of the area median income.
"NRP is dedicated to creating affordable communities that provide residents with opportunities for long-term success," said J. David Heller, president and CEO of The NRP Group. "Vía Sana is a continuation of our efforts to partner with health care providers to increase resident access to health care and other services, such as financial literacy workshops and career training. We’re thrilled to celebrate the opening of Vía Sana with The MetroHealth System and CCH Development Corp.—each of whom have played an instrumental role in identifying services and programs that will cater to the needs of residents and the Clark-Fulton community at large."
Funding for the project, which was designed by RDL Architects, was provided by KeyBank, the state of Ohio, and Cleveland’s Housing Trust Fund.
