Notice of Finding of No Significant Impact and Notice of Intent to Request Release of Funds
May 6, 2022
City of Cleveland
Department of Community Development
601 Lakeside Ave., Room 320
Cleveland, OH 44114
(216) 664-4000
These notices shall satisfy two separate but related procedural requirements for an activity to be undertaken by the City of Cleveland.
REQUEST FOR RELEASE OF FUNDS
On or about May 23, 2022, the City of Cleveland, Department of Community Development will submit a request to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for the release of Community Development Block Grant/Section 108 Loan Guarantee funds under Section 212(a)(1) of Title II (42 U.S.C. 12701 et seq.) of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act (as amended), to undertake a project known as:
The Centennial
1100-1102 Chester Ave., Chester Ave. and 909-925 Euclid Ave.
Associated Permanent Parcel Numbers: 101-36-001, 101-36-002 and 101-36-013.
The Centennial project is an adaptive reuse of the current Centennial Building, which will result in the development of apartments and associated tenant amenities, restaurant, hotel, retail space, office space, event space and museum. The project site consists of an existing retail/office space structure, witha 24 story main structure and a five (5) story annex, totaling approximately 1.4 million square feet. The project has frontage on Euclid Ave., E. 9th St. and Chester Ave.
At completion, the project will contain the following uses and approximate square footage: apartments/tenant amenities will comprise 770,713 square feet, restaurant will comprise 10,595 square feet, hotel will comprise 83,776 square feet, retail space will comprise 36,020 square feet, office space will comprise 56,225 square feet and event/museum space will comprise 45,330 square feet. Residential units will be contained on floors 4 through 20 in the main structure and will be garden or flat style serviced by existing elevators. Of the 868 apartments proposed, 588 will be leased to households at or below 60% AMI and will be contained on floors 4 through 15. The remaining units will be market rate and contained on floors 16 through 20. Approximately 61 suites will be associated with the hotel. An existing parking garage located north of the project site, accessed via an underground walkway, will be available for residential parking.
The total scope includes rehabilitation of the existing main and annex structures, rehabilitation of interior space, conversion of floors 4 to 20 from commercial space to residential units, development of tenant storage space and minor work to the parking garage walkway. The project site has applied and received federal and state historic tax credits; so rehabilitation, new construction and conversion will be conducted in such a way as to maintain the historic significance and content of the project. The project is designed to address and mitigate sub-slab soil gas contamination, lead hazards, asbestos hazards and elevated site noise. All rehabilitation, new construction, conversion and environmental remediation will be conducted to ensure the health and safety of all construction workers, Huntington National Bank tenants and future residents. The project will receive a No Further Action status and a Covenant Not to Sue from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency upon completion.
Both structures currently owned by HH Cleveland Huntington L.P. Low income housing tax credit apartments will be sold to Centennial OH TC, LP.
The total project cost is approximately $519,373,009 and the City of Cleveland is providing approximately $15,000,000 in Community Development Block Grant Section 108 Loan Guarantee funds to the project.
FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT (FONSI)
The City of Cleveland has determined that the project will have no significant impact on the human environment. Therefore, an Environmental Impact Statement under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) is not required. Additional project information is contained in the Environmental Review Record (ERR) on file. You may review this record at 601 Lakeside Ave., Cleveland, OH 44114 by making an appointment at (216) 664-4094, or by visiting the City of Cleveland, Department of Community Development website at:
https://www.clevelandohio.gov/CityofCleveland/Home/Government/CityAgenci...
You may also review the environmental review by visiting HUD’s Environmental
Review Records page at:
https://www.hudexchange.info/programs/environmental-review/environmental...
PUBLIC COMMENTS
Any individual, group, or agency may submit written comments on the ERR to the City of Cleveland. All comments received by May 22, 2022 will be considered by the City of Cleveland prior to authorizing submission of the request for release of funds. Comments should specify which Notice they are addressing.
ENVIRONMENTAL CERTIFICATION
The City of Cleveland certifies to HUD that Martin Bielat, in his capacity as Compliance Manager, Department of Community Development, consents to accept the jurisdiction of the Federal Courts if an action is brought to enforce responsibilities in relation to the environmental review process and that these responsibilities have been satisfied. HUD’s approval of the certification satisfies its responsibilities under NEPA and related laws and authorities, and allows the City of Cleveland to use Program funds.
OBJECTIONS TO RELEASE OF FUNDS
HUD will accept objections to its release of funds and the City of Cleveland’s certification for a period of 15 days following the anticipated submittal date or its actual receipt of the request (whichever is later) only if they are on one of the following bases: (a) the certification was not executed by the Certifying Officer of the City of Cleveland; (b) the City of Cleveland has omitted a step or failed to make a decision or finding required by HUD regulations at 24 CFR Part 58; (c) the grant recipient or other participants in the development process have committed funds, incurred costs or undertaken activities not authorized by 24 CFR Part 58 before approval of a release of funds by HUD; or (d) another Federal agency acting pursuant to 40 CFR Part 1504 has submitted a written finding that the project is unsatisfactory from the standpoint of environmental quality.
Objections must be prepared and submitted in accordance with the required procedures (24 CFR Part 58, Sec. 58.76) and shall be addressed to the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Columbus Field Office at: CPD_COVID-19OEE-COL@hud. Potential objectors should contact Department of Housing and Urban Development, Columbus Field Office via email to verify the actual last day of the objection period.
Justin M. Bibb, Mayor
City of Cleveland
Martin Bielat, Compliance Manager
City of Cleveland
Department of Community Development
