Project Information

Bid Title

Landmark School Sites

Issuing Agency

City of Cleveland

Location

Ohio

Published Date

May 7, 2026

Closing Date

Jun 6, 2026

Government Level

State & Local

Status

Closed

Original Source

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Bid Inquiries

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Bid Documents

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Project Description

Landmark School Sites

The Landmark School Sites RFQ invites professional real estate development project teams to reinvest in the former Audubon School (3.1 acres), Mount Auburn School (1.6 acres), Central School (4.5 acres) and Empire School (2.1 acres). Project Teams are invited to submit their qualifications, along with brief, site-specific redevelopment visions for consideration by an evaluation team comprised of representatives from the City and the Cleveland Metropolitan School District.

Opening Date/Time: March 6, 2026
Closing Date/Time: June 6, 2026
Dept/Div: Department of Community Development
Contact: Asset Redevelopment Office
Contact Email: assetredevelopment@clevelandohio.gov

Landmark School Sites RFQ

Attachment Preview

1

Request for Qualifications

Redevelopment Opportunity for

Landmark

School Sites

Landmark School Sites RFQ

ARO/#05/2026

RFQ Released:

May 6, 2026

Question Period:

May 13–May 25, 2026

FAQ Released:

May 25, 2026

2

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS

Landmark School Sites Redevelopment Opportunities

I. Audubon School – Ward 3 (3.1 acres)

II. Mount Auburn School – Ward 3 (1.6 acres)

III. Central School – Ward 5 (4.5 acres)

IV. Empire School – Ward 9 (2.1 acres)

Project teams must indicate if their response is for more than one site.

RFQ Responses Due:

June 10, 2026

Final Selection:

July 22, 2026

CONTACT

AssetRedevelopment@

clevelandohio.gov

City of Cleveland,

Dept. of Development

601 Lakeside Ave., Rm.

320 Cleveland, OH

44114

FOR RELEASE May 6, 2026

Landmark School Sites RFQ

ARO/#05/2026

3

Table of Contents

Mission and Vision Statements ............................................................................ 4

Letter from Director Joevrose Bourdeau Small, Development ............... 5

Letter from Councilmember Deborah Gray, Ward 3.................................... 6

Letter from Councilmember Richard Starr, Ward 5 .................................... 7

Letter from Councilmember Kevin Conwell, Ward 9................................... 8

Part I: Context

Introduction ...................................................................................................... 9

Background........................................................................................................ 9

Sites Information ............................................................................................ 11

Part II: RFQ Scope

Development Preferences and Requirements .................................... 11

Audubon School Site Development Preferences ............................... 11

Mount Auburn School Site Development Preferences ................... 12

Central School Site Development Preferences .................................. 12

Empire School Site Development Preferences................................... 13

General Development Requirements ..................................................... 13

Development Preferences ........................................................................... 14

Submission Requirements .......................................................................... 14

Comprehensive Qualifications Evaluation Criteria.......................... 14

Submission Process ....................................................................................... 17

Evaluation Process ......................................................................................... 17

RFQ Schedule.................................................................................................... 17

Post-Selection Process ................................................................................. 17

Contact Information ...................................................................................... 18

Disclaimers ................................................................................................................... 18

Appendix ......................................................................................................................... 20

Audubon School One-Pager

Mount Auburn School One-Pager

Central School One-Pager

Empire School One-Pager

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4

Mission and Vision Statements

City of Cleveland Mission Statement

We are committed to improving the quality of life in the City of Cleveland by strengthening

our neighborhoods, delivering superior services, embracing the diversity of our citizens,

and making Cleveland a desirable, safe city in which to live, work, raise a family, shop,

study, play and grow old.

Asset Redevelopment Office Mission Statement

The Asset Redevelopment Office is dedicated to fostering community-centered

neighborhood investment through proactive, equitable, and place-based development

strategies. We aim to preserve and enhance all Cleveland neighborhoods by increasing

access to development opportunities through collaborative partnerships with residents

and stakeholders.

Southeast Side Promise Mission Statement

Mayor Bibb's Southeast Side Strategy is a multi-faceted plan to address the issue of

concentrated disinvestment in the neighborhoods of Cleveland's southeast side. Our

mission is to revitalize the area, providing residents with safe, equitable, and vibrant

community they deserve.

Central and Kinsman Community Health Needs Assessment

A community-engaged approach was adopted to conduct a neighborhood-level

Community Health Needs Assessment with the primary goals of raising awareness of the

drivers of neighborhood health trends and informing decision-making that can improve

community health by responsively addressing neighborhood specific drivers of health

opportunities.

myGlenville Neighborhood Revitalization Master Plan

A neighborhood revitalization plan that focuses on the entire Glenville neighborhood,

beyond the Cleveland City Council ward boundaries. Through collaboration with residents

and stakeholders, key themes were developed, which include maintaining Glenville’s

cultural identity, making Glenville work for current residents as well as newcomers,

returning a strong sense of community, promoting healthy lifestyles and restoring

economic vitality.

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Letter from Director Joevrose Bourdeau Small

Dear Project Teams,

On behalf of the City of Cleveland, the Department of

Development is pleased to present this Request for

Qualifications seeking professional real estate development

teams to enhance four (4) former Cleveland Metropolitan

School District Schools, in Cleveland’s Central, Kinsman,

Mount Pleasant and Glenville neighborhoods.

Building upon initiatives like the Mayor’s Southeast Side Promise and the City’s

renewed commitment to creating opportunities for neighborhood-based

investment, we welcome responses that bring new life to these important landmark

school buildings. In recent years, the City of Cleveland has supported the

redevelopment of former Cleveland Metropolitan School District buildings into

affordable and market-rate housing, as well as the new MAGNET headquarters. We

aim to continue this momentum by creating long-lasting assets that strengthen the

neighborhood fabric surrounding the Audubon, Mount Auburn, Central and Empire

school buildings. We envision an exciting future for neighborhoods across the City,

one that expands opportunities and invites more individuals to call Cleveland

“home”.

Thank you for your interest in the Landmark School Sites Request for Qualifications

process. We look forward to answering your questions along the way and to

reviewing your submissions in the weeks to come.

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