Hessler Court and Hessler Road Historic District is Cleveland's first Landmark District and for more than fifty years, host of the Hessler Street Fair, an event rooted in the preservation of historic and affordable housing on Hessler Court and Hessler Road. In 1971, the Cleveland Landmarks Department was born out of work done by us, the Hessler community. We have fought for decades to preserve and protect the place we affectionately call "Hessler,” which is now enveloped within a cultural, educational and medical district. We are home to Hessler Court, Cleveland’s last woodblock road, a site we got listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. 

Hessler Road is a short, narrow, one-way, red-brick road nestled among trees, stone curbs, stone sidewalks, and architecturally diverse early twentieth century dwellings. It’s only egress is the even smaller Hessler Court. At one hundred and fifteen years old, The Hessler Court and Hessler Road Historic District is a fragile place and we want the City of Cleveland to help us protect it from neglect, excessive vehicular activity, tree canopy loss, water run-off, gentrification, construction impacts and irresponsible developers.

In the spring of 2021, with no plan in place to protect Hessler’s historic infrastructure and Street Fair, the City of Cleveland approved the demolition of a recently restored historic two car garage and the construction of a micro-unit apartment building in the rear yard of a historic home within the district. The land was sold by the local development corporation, University Circle Incorporated, to developers with a known history of causing damage in and around the district during their prior projects.

We have tried to get our voices heard, but City officials have been reluctant to acknowledge our concerns about the development proposal, the planning process and the devastating impacts the development could have on the district without a preservation plan in place – even in the face of overwhelming support to protect Hessler.

Join us. Urge the City of Cleveland to take every step possible to preserve and protect Hessler by working with us to safeguard the Hessler Court and Hessler Road Historic District.

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