A vision 35 years in the making is hitting critical mass as the community of La Villa Hispana takes shape with a renewed sense of community and a flurry of new development. Long known to Greater Clevelanders as Clark-Fulton, Cleveland's near west side has long played home to the state’s largest concentration of Hispanic residents—but is now branding itself with the identity to match.
FreshWater Cleveland will have a unique vantage point from which to follow the neighborhood's progress as we embark on a 12-week On the Ground reporting initiative covering La Villa Hispana. Long-time FreshWater contributor Mark Oprea is acting as lead writer, keeping "office hours" at Las Tienditas del Mercado and reporting from within the neighborhood.
The La Villa Hispana community reporting project is being made possible by partnerships with Dollar Bank, Hispanic Business Center, Esperanza Inc., Greater Cleveland Partnership, Cleveland Neighborhood Progress, and Cleveland Development Advisors.