The Music Settlement at Coventry Village FAQs

What has been done to assess the Coventry Site in determining which operations will be conducted there?
The Music Settlement engaged the architecture firm of Westlake Reed Leskosky (WRL) to conduct an in-depth site evaluation and analysis of its University Circle campus and the Coventry School to determine how the two sites might accommodate initiatives put forth in The Music Settlement's Strategic Plan.

WRL conducted an extensive analysis of the Coventry School's capacity as it relates to state grading requirements for buildings dedicated to early childhood programs as well as the mechanical and electrical systems of the existing building. Upon completion of the evaluation by WRL, it was determined that the Coventry School site presented an ideal opportunity and location for The Music Settlement to expand its early childhood programs.

What segments of The Music Settlement's operations will move to the Coventry location?
The Music Settlement intends to develop a state-of-the-art early childhood learning and training center that features community-shared spaces reserved for public participation and arts education programming. The new building will allow us to grow our most popular program to more than triple its current size while still ensuring the programs on which our reputation has been built remain of the highest standards and quality. The plan involves moving the entirety of The Music Settlement's early childhood programs to The Music Settlement at Coventry Village.

The shifting of our Early Childhood operations to the Coventry Site will also enable The Music Settlement to grow and expand our offerings in Music Therapy and Music Instruction at our current University Circle location.

Why is a move of early childhood programming to Coventry needed?
Since 1955, we have been dedicated to the education of the children of Cleveland. During those 54 years, our Early Childhood program has garnered a reputation for excellence in providing the vital learning experiences for educational success. We are recognized by the State of Ohio as a three star program under its Step Up To Quality program. Step Up To Quality is a voluntary Three-Star Quality Rating System that recognizes and promotes early care and education programs that meet quality benchmarks over and above minimum health and safety licensing standards. We are committed to building a program for the Coventry Village neighborhood which exceeds these requirements.

The current Early Childhood building at The Music Settlement University Circle location was renovated and expanded in 1990 to provide additional classroom space and a dance studio. However, over the years, the program has dynamically changed and an increased need for early childhood care, primarily 3-5 year-olds has become apparent. The most significant issue facing our Early Childhood program is the inability to expand in our current location. As a result, the opportunity to create of a state-of-the-art center dedicated to early childhood learning and training became an increasing priority. The Music Settlement regards the former Coventry Elementary site as the ideal location to continue our next century of service to our community.

Are there plans to renovate your University Circle location?
This is a multi-phase project with phase one focusing on our expansion into the Coventry Village neighborhood while phase two focuses on improvements to our location in University Circle.

Why is it necessary to tear down the Coventry Elementary school? What are the advantages?
In our Master Plan, provided by WRL, it was determined that adaptive reuse of the Coventry Elementary school would be approximately 80-90% of the cost of a rebuild. Building a new structure, dedicated to early childhood education, affords us the opportunity to build spaces that meet or exceed the stringent state requirements for early childhood programming. Additionally, the stringent requirements of the state regarding buildings dedicated to early childhood programs meant that a good portion of the existing building could not be used for these purposes.

The Music Settlement is committed to identifying and implementing green building construction solutions that meet LEED certification guidelines. In the long-term, a new "green" building will be the most energy efficient model and will allow us to utilize materials that are environmentally friendly to our children, families, employees, and community.

How will the new structure impact access and parking in the area?
We are in ongoing dialogue with the city and the Cleveland Heights police department to address access, parking and traffic flow issues. Our goal is to design a structure in which traffic flow is minimized.

Will this bring new jobs to Coventry?
We are projecting a conservative estimate for the creation of 60-90 new jobs with a total of $1.5 to 2 million in salaries and associated expenditures.

How much will the project cost?
The direct costs associated with the acquisition, tear-down, and building of a new facility in Coventry Village is anticipated to cost between $16-19M dollars and will come from a combination of private and public funding sources.


What are the projected hours of operation for the site?
Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Saturday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Sunday, closed

What impact will University Hospital's rental of the Coventry Elementary School have on the project?
We have been informed of, and endorse, the decision made by the Cleveland Heights-University Heights School District to lease parts of the Coventry Elementary School Building to the University Hospital System commencing in January, 2010. We applaud the district's decision to create partnerships and opportunities which will generate revenue for the district while our negotiations to purchase the building continue. The Music Settlement is absolutely committed to the Coventry site and looks forward with great anticipation to the day when The Music Settlement at Coventry Village is, in fact, reality.

What can I do to help?
A variety of ways to assist us with the project will become available. If you are interested in helping out, visit the Coventry page on our website at www.themusicsettlement.org and submit your information.

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