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Information About

Garfield Heights, Ohio





GEOGRAPHY


Garfield Heights is located at 41°25'17" North, 81°36'10" West (41.421423, -81.602682).

According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 18.9 Km&2 (7.3 Mi&2 ). 18.7 km&2 (7.2 mi&2) of it is land and 0.2 km&2 (0.1 mi&2) of it is water. The total area is 1.09% water. The city has 4, 446 acres.

Garfield Heights is about 11 miles southeast of Downtown Cleveland and is on the buslines. The John Glenn Freeway cuts through the city. Most of Cleveland attractions are within a 10-15 mile radius of Garfield Heights.

Garfield Heights neighbors are
  • North: Cleveland

  • West: Cuyahoga Heights

  • South: Valley View

  • East: Maple Heights



ECONOMY

Garfield Heights's economy is based on having Marymount Hospital as its largest employer. The city is currently progressing a construction boom of the City View Center a $200,000,000 shopping complex built on old landfill. This project will encompass a new shopping, hotel, and office space within the next five years. There will another shopping complex called Bridgeview Center. The city also has light industry, technology, and a few service firms.

ODOT-or Ohio Department of Transporation has its District 12 Headquarters in the City.

Largest Employers:
  • Marymount Hospital 1,200

  • ODOT 500

  • City of Garfield Heights 370

  • Garfield Hts City Schools 350



GOVERNMENT

Garfield Heights has seven wards and a Mayor-Council form of Government. The city's charter went into effect in 1956.
The City also has a municipal court. The city maintains its own police and fire departments.

Police Chief: Thomas J. Murphy since 1992
; Police Strength: 66 patrol officers and 30 auxillary officers

Fire Chief: Tony Collova since 1993
; Fire Strength: 45 firefighters/EMTS

City Officials
Mayor: Thomas J. Longo(D) elected 1983
  • Council President: Vic Collova(D) elected 2005

  • Council president is also vice-mayor according to city charter


City Council
;Ward 1-Henry Warren
;Ward 2-Janet Farr
;Ward 3-Vincent Liotta
;Ward 4-Debra Sarnowski
;Ward 5-Joseph Suster
;Ward 6-Tracy Mahoney
;Ward 7-Michael Abella Jr.


EDUCATION

Garfield Heights has its own public school system comprised of 2 elementary schools, 1 Intermediate, 1 Junior high ("Middle School"), and 1 High School. There are 6 private schools in the city: 5 Catholic, 1 Lutheran. The City also has its own school board.

In 1996 The Garfield Heights City Schools were named a BEST district.

In 2001 , Garfield Heights finally passed a much needed Levy to build a new High School. Construction of the school soon began, and was completed in mid- 2003 . High School students were transferred to the new High School in January 2004 , Junior High students were transferred to what was the High School, and what was the Junior High School was torn down in June 2004 , to make room for the yet-to-be-constructed Arts and Drama building, which will be connected to the High School.

The High School's Mascot s are:
  • Trinity High School: Trojans

  • Garfield Heights High School: Bulldogs



HISTORY

; 1786 : Moravian settlers settle in the city.
; 1852 : St. John Lutheran becomes the First Church established in the City.
; 1904 : The Village of South Newburgh is Established
; 1910 : School Board is Established
; 1919 : The Village of South Newburgh is renamed Garfield Heights Village
; 1923 : The First Catholic Church St. Timothy is established.
; 1925 : Maple Leaf School opens and the First streetcars go into downtown
; 1926 : Sisters of St. Joseph establish their motherhouse
; 1927 : Garfield Hts gains two new churches (Sts Peter and Paul/St. Therese)Garfield Central school (now demolished) is opened
; 1930 : Garfield Heights achieves City status
; 1946 : Jennings Hall, the local home for the elderly, is established
; 1947 : Turney-Town Shopping Center opens
; 1949 : Marymount Hospital opens
; 1950s-1960s : New housing emerges as the city grows by leaps in bounds
; 1952 : St. Monica Church established and Elmwood school opens; Garfield Heights Baseball League Founded
; 1957 : William Foster opens and Trinity High school opens.
; 1960s : Construction of the I-480 Or "John Glenn Freeway" cuts through the city.
; 1974 : Garfield Mall opens.
; 1976 : 9 people die in a car crash on Granger Road hill. Made the National news. Crash caused by semi.
; 1991 : New City Hall opens.
; 1994 : Three police officers were killed in the line of duty. One officer died in a hostage standoff 15 August , and 2 were killed in car chase 8 December .
; 2003 : 29 December , Garfield Alloys, a magnesium processing plant, catches fire. The resulting explosions could be seen and heard for miles around; highly publicized by the news due to possible toxicity.
; 2004 : Garfield Hts opens its new high school and ground is broken on the new City View Shopping center.
; 2005 : Marymount Hospital breaks ground on a $25, 000, 000 addition
; 2006 : City View Shopping Center opens for business


COMMUNICATIONS

Garfield Hts is served by the Cleveland Television Stations, numerous cable and satellite providers also serve the city. The Cleveland Plain Dealer, Garfield-Maple Hts Sun, and the Neighborhood News-Garfield Heights Tribune are main newspapers. Radio Stations are also Cleveland market.


DEMOGRAPHICS

As of the Census of 2000, there were 30,734 people, 12,452 households, and 8,205 families residing in the city. The Population Density was 1,641.3/km&2 (4,253.0/mi&2). There were 12,998 housing units at an average density of 694.1/km&2 (1,798.7/mi&2). The racial makeup of the city was 80.72% White , 16.80% African American , 0.16% Native American , 0.93% Asian , 0.01% Pacific Islander , 0.43% from Other Races , and 0.96% from two or more races. 1.26% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 12,452 households out of which 28.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.5% were Married Couples living together, 15.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.1% were non-families. 30.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 3.04.

In the city the population was spread out with 24.1% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 20.7% from 45 to 64, and 18.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 87.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.4 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $39,278, and the median income for a family was $47,557. Males had a median income of $35,435 versus $26,472 for females. The Per Capita Income for the city was $18,988. 8.5% of the population and 6.0% of families were below the Poverty Line . 11.9% of those under the age of 18 and 9.2% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

The Ethnic groups of Garfield Heights include Poles, Slovenes, Italians, Irish,and Afro-Americans.


RELIGION

Garfield Heights is about 75% Roman Catholic and 25% Protestant.
There are 4 Catholic Churches, 1 Lutheran, and several other Christian churches.

Brief listing
1852-St. John Lutheran established
1923-St. Timothy Roman Catholic established
1926-Sisters of St. Joseph Mother House Roman Catholic established
1927-Sts. Peter and Paul and St. Therese Roman Catholic established
1946-Sisters of the Holy Spirt establish Jennings Hall
1949-Sisters of St. Joseph open Marymount Hospital
1952-St. Monica Roman Catholic Church established
1954-Hathaway United Methodist Established
1956-Garfield Hts United Methodist Established


EXTERNAL LINKS