The Committee on Development Planning and Sustainability convened on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, to address three primary ordinances. The meeting featured presentations on designating a historic bank branch as a landmark, updating fees for the Board of Building Standards, and securing an option agreement for a new affordable housing development in Ohio City. In the absence of Chair Santana, the committee proceeded with approval of all three items following Q&A sessions with staff, project sponsors, and council members.
Today is Tuesday, February 3rd. We're going to call the Committee of Development Planning and Sustainability to Order. Madam Clerk, could you take the role present? Thank you, Madam Clerk. Um, please excuse Chair Santana. She is out on a family issue today. Uh we have a rather light agenda, so we're just going to get rolling with it. Um, and I guess we will start here with ordinance 1451, 2025, which is an emergency ordinance designating the Cam's Corners Bank Building, the former Cleveland Trust Company West Park branch as a Cleveland Landmark. Mr. Carl Brunes. If I am terrible with names, but I think I have your name memorized. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Carl Brunges. Good morning. Welcome to Cleveland Landmark staff. Yes, sir. Uh, we have one new member of council on this committee today, Councilman Davis. So I think you might know a lot of these folks already, but um if not, I want to make sure that everybody knows everybody. So uh met at some point. Uh this is your show. I hand it over to you. Thank you very much. Uh the Cleveland Landmarks Commission nominated the building for landmark status on February 13th, 2025. Uh since written consent from the owner was not received, a public hearing was held on August 18th. Uh we've made multiple attempts to contact the owner, but they have not commented either for or against the designation. The building is located at the northeast corner of Lorraine Avenue and Rocky River Drive at Cam's Corners. The Cleveland Trust Company had its origins as a planned safety deposit box company in 1893. In 1894, state laws were modified, allowing for trust companies to also conduct safety deposit and banking business, so as long as they kept those set activities separate. Taking residence in the newly built Garfield Building, the bank officially opened in September 1895. The banking business took over a portion of the first floor while the trust business and safety deposit vaults remained in the basement until 1898. After a merger with the Western Reserve Trust Company, the main banking room moved down the street to the corner of Euclid Avenue at Public Square in the Williamson Building. The acquisition of the Windermere Savings Bank also at this time became the first of many as they looked to expand to have a bank in every neighborhood. And by mid-1920, there were 23 branches. There were 52 branches. A prominent location in the growing community was ideal. He designed several renovation programs for the company and new buildings in Bedford, Cleveland Heights, Painesville, and Lakewood. This was an important style for banks at the time, which implied both stability and strength. The building was opened on June 11th, 1927. At the end of the year of completion, there were now 57 branches. The building is constructed of limestone. Ionic columns flank the central entrance on Lorraine Avenue. Simple classic piers separate the bays, and a central classicized parapet rises above the entrance. A rear addition, likely for drive-thru banking, was added in 1960. By 1977, there were 120 branches and five billion dollars in assets. Ameritrust ceased to exist when it was acquired by Society National Bank in 1991. The building was restored in conjunction with the city storefront renovation program. There's a view post that renovation. The OB McClintock Company was a successor to the McClintock Loomis Company and produced bank clocks of this nature from 1917 to 1949. This clock was previously installed at the first National Bank of Gettysburg in about 1926, which is pictured here.