News, Info & Resources for the Cleveland Orthodox Jewish Community
(Cleveland.com)
As heavy snow fell outside, 10 residents made sure to attend a Wednesday evening meeting in which they were given an update on the school district’s plans for their neighborhood Millikin School building.
A month after a contract to sell the building to local private school Mosdos Ohr Hatorah was terminated, Cleveland Heights-University Heights School District Director of Business Services Stephen Shergalis addressed those gathered in the Millikin building
(Cleveland.com)(Ed: article mentions briefly a few new facts relevant to the progress of the Millikin-Mosdos and Oakwood-HAC deals)
City officials and the school board want to get on the same page — and possibly the same ballot — as they discuss the possibility of new tax initiatives next year.
The subject was broached again at an Oct. 28 joint meeting between City Council and the Cleveland Heights-University Heights School Board.
CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio — At least for now, the protracted negotiations have gone public between the CH-UH Board of Education and an Orthodox Jewish school that still wants to buy the old Millikin Elementary School.
Cleveland Heights-University Heights School Board President Ron Register says he and his colleagues are “mystified” by an “Open Letter” circulated last month by attorney Alan Rapoport, who represents Mosdos Ohr Hatorah school.
by Alan Rapoport[This was submitted to the Heights Observer for publication as an open letter to the CH-UH Board of Education.]
Mosdos has been negotiating with you privately to buy the old Millikin School property. Recent public comments made by your board president have been one-sided. They inferred that Mosdos had been nonresponsive and uncommunicative in negotiations, without mentioning that most delays were due to religious holidays that forbid the conduct of any business whatsoever by members of the Orthodox Jewish community.
by Alan Rapoport (from The Heights Observer)
To the Editor:
Mosdos Ohr Hatorah has learned that the CH-UH Board of Education proposes to convert its long-abandoned Millikin property into something other than a school. Mosdos is disappointed that negotiations with the board have so far been unsuccessful. It remains willing to negotiate further if and when the board changes its mind and agrees to sell the entire Millikin property without excluding the old stables. Otherwise, Mosdos could not develop a reasonable land use plan with adequate recreational area for children.
[Read more…]
(Heights Observer)
In a Jan. 10 news release, the CH-UH City School District identified the Heights Youth Theatre (HYT) as a potential tenant for its former Millikin School building. It also announced plans to explore installing a playground on the property, for neighborhood use, and moving some district staff to the building.
January 10, 2014
Cleveland Heights, OH
After years of trying to reach a mutually beneficial agreement with local private K-8 school Mosdos Ohr Hatorah for the use of the former Millikin School facility proved ultimately unsuccessful, the Cleveland Heights-University Heights School District plans on moving forward with other plans that will bring activity and use back to Millikin.
(Heights Observer)(Ed: Read on for something new on the Millikin story.)
The Cleveland Heights-University Heights Board of Education (BOE) has announced that it will hold a special meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 15. The board will first meet in executive session at 5:30 p.m., and then will meet in public session, beginning at 7 p.m. The meeting will take place at the CH-UH Board of Education building, 2155 Miramar Blvd., University Heights.
According to the revised meeting notice, released by the Cleveland Heights-University Heights City School District on Oct. 10, the board “will immediately convene in Executive Session pursuant to Ohio Revised Code Section 121.22(G)(2) for the purpose of considering the sale of property at competitive bidding since disclosure at this time would give an unfair competitive or bargaining advantage to persons whose personal, private interest is adverse to the general public interest.”
(Cleveland Jewish News)
The Cleveland Heights-University Heights School Board directed the school administration last week to enter negotiations with Mosdos Ohr Hatorah for the sale of the former Millikin School at 1700 Crest Road in Cleveland Heights. The former school has been vacant since 2006.
Board members said at a work session that the district should attempt to obtain a fair market value for the Millikin building and property. They set a deadline of Oct. 15 for negotiations to be completed.
Full Story >>
(Sun Press)
City Council members have expressed disappointment in the Cleveland Heights-University Heights school board’s failure to finalize a lease agreement with Orthodox Jewish day school Mosdos Ohr Hatorah for the former Millikin School property, nearly a year after a non-binding proposal was approved.
Mosdos has long eyed the 46,555-square-foot Millikin building at 1700 Crest Road, which closed in 2006 as an early childhood center.