St. Luke's Foundation president and CEO Tim Tramble is close to completing a housing project in the Fairfax neighborhood that pays homage to the neighborhood’s history and culture.

Timothy Tramble, President & CEO, St. Luke's FoundationThe 89th Rising Housing Development on East 89^th Street, between Cedar and Quincy Avenues, will bring new energy to Fairfax, says Tramble, who is overseeing the endeavor under his We Rise Development LLC.

Tramble is not only the 89^th Rising owner and developer, but he is also an investor and a current East 89^th Street resident.

The team broke ground in March 2024 on the $10.5 million, six-building development, after project partners Cleveland Development Advisors (CDA) announced the closing on $4.5 million in loans to help finance construction of the modern, market rate rental development.

89^th Rising consists of 48 units in six structures. Each structure has four one-bedroom flats and four two-bedroom townhomes. Two of the buildings are now completed, and Tramble says the remaining four structures, with 32 units, are due to be completed by mid-January.

A street with an upscale history
East 89th Street holds historical and cultural significance in Cleveland's Black community. The neighborhood has long been regarded as a cultural hub with East 89^th Street historically considered an upscale street with the bigger lot sizes and bigger homes, compared to other streets in the area.

The new church building of Antioch Baptist Church in 1934, where the congregation still gathers today"It is a street that has history,” explains Tramble. “It is the street that's flanked by Boyd Funeral Home [at 2165 E. 89^th St.]—that's been here for over 100 years. Olivet Institutional Baptist Church [on Quincy Avenue, and led for 33 years by Pastor Emeritus Rev. Dr. Otis Moss, Jr.], and Antioch Baptist Church have also been in the community for over 100 years. And on the north and south ends of the street, we have the historic Karamu House that [has also] been here for over 100 years."

Tramble explains that East 89^th Street and the surrounding roads were historically known as home to the neighborhood's wealthy residents, while Karamu House and Fairfax hosted such greats as poet Langston Hughes, author Zora Neale Hurston, actor Robert Guillaume, and actress and activist Ruby Dee—just to name a few.

"It always has been the street where the affluent lived,” Tramble says. “If you go further back, it was where the white people lived within a Black community. If you go to the mid-1900s, it was where the affluent African Americans lived. But recently it has fallen into disinvestment.”

Today, 53.4% of Fairfax’s residents are living in poverty with a 36.8% unemployment rate.

There have been several efforts in recent years to revitalize Fairfax with projects like the March 2024 opening of Meijer Fairfax Market, which has a focus on selling goods made by local entrepreneurs, and the subsequent opening of mixed-income apartment building Aura at Innovation Square.

Additionally, Fairfax Renaissance Development had focused on new multiple development initiatives, led by executive director Denise VanLeer, who Tramble credits with the original vision for 89^th Rising.

Tramble predicts this latest endeavor will be the catalyst for changing recent disinvestment, saying, “The 89th Rising is the project that, I think, has signaled the turnaround.”

Finding the middle
Named in 1959 after Cleveland recreation superintendent Florence Bundy Fairfax, who was known for her community building, the Fairfax neighborhood is known not only as a cultural hub, but also known for its commitment to renaissance and revitalization.

Tramble and his wife, Latrice, know the neighborhood’s history, its recent struggles, and its potential. The pair were high school sweethearts—growing up in the adjacent Hough neighborhood and graduating from East High School in the late 1980s.

The Trambles married and settled on East 89^th Street. After considering moving to other Cleveland neighborhoods, in 2021 the couple made the decision to stay on East 89^th Street, build a new home, and commit to its redevelopment.

The development has six buildings, with each building holding eight rental units."When we got to that point of determining that we're going to build a house on the street—because I have an eye for community development, so I see things before they're actually built—I saw a vision for the street,” Tramble recalls. “And the vision was more than just the house that we were building. The vision was a totally transformed street. I just felt a calling to transform the street, to redevelop the entire street."

With that vision, Tramble started We Rise and launched the 89th Rising Housing Development. He refers to the endeavor as the "missing middle”—a development that both honors the street's historic character while addressing modern housing needs.

“In 2022 I formed We Rise Development and in 2024 we broke ground on the project,” recalls Tramble. “I figured since we like the street so much I should utilize my skills in community development to transform the vacant lots on it.”

Tramble says 89^th Rising addresses the "missing middle," which was created by 20^th Century developments that mixed single-family homes and large apartment complexes. He explains this formula is difficult—financially with maintaining the single-family homes, and with high neighborhood density created by the apartment buildings.

"This is a multi-family development with lower density," Tramble explains of 89^th Rising.

Tramble and We Rise are working with City Architecture and DSS Builders on design and construction, while FASS Realty Services is the leasing agent and property manager.

Curb appeal was a priority in designing the homes on East 89^th Street, as well as interior appeal to the tenants.

"Every unit is accessed through an isolated door from a porch,” Tramble says. “Every unit has a porch, and every unit has its own washer, dryer… and off street parking in the back.

“There are even garages,” Tramble continues. “There are 16 garages for those who prefer to have covered parking—they can pay an additional $35."

A kitchen in 89th Rising.Layouts and details
The 48 units at 89^th Rising include a combination of one-bedroom and two-bedroom units. One-bedroom, one-bathroom units range in size from 523 square feet to 559 square feet and rents start at $1,270 per month. Two-bedroom, 1.5-bath units range from 1,120 square feet to 1,245 square feet and rents start at $1,800 a month.

Inside, the apartments and townhomes offer amenities typically only found in single-family homes. Each unit includes quartz countertops and stainless steel appliances in the kitchen, high-end washers and dryers, free assigned off-street parking, and high efficiency heat and air conditioning.

Tramble says every unit is a corner unit, allowing for more windows, more natural light, and views from two sides of the units.

Honoring historic character
Tramble says he was intentional about re-creating the architectural beauty that once defined the street, and he says he set the bar high for the new construction with “large, beautiful single family structures with beautiful architectural features” that are based on old photos of houses that used to line East 89^th Street.

89th Rising’s six buildings mirror the Victorian architecture that once graced the street.

"These buildings are not typical new construction box type design—these buildings have character,” Tramble explains. “They have turret windows, they have brick columns, they have stone, they have brick foundations. I really wanted to make sure that we were consistent with the way that the buildings used to be built."

A model for neighborhood revitalization
The development has already had a positive impact on the neighborhood, Tramble says.

"Before we started [this], we consistently had homes for sale on the street,” he recalls of East 89th. “Once the development went up, and the renderings on the site went up, there have been no homes on the market on the street.

“It's amazing,” he observes. “People are improving properties, reinvesting in their properties."

Tramble says he sees the project as a potential model for other disinvested neighborhoods.

“I have a passion for neighborhood revitalization, and I’ve dedicated 20 years of my life to that work,” he boasts. “I do believe that [creating] vibrant spaces is a necessity in transforming the neighborhood.”

But there is more to the transformation than just motivation, he concedes. "I’ve learned that to really transform a neighborhood, there's two things that you need,” he says. One of those things is private investment. The second is economic integration."

Tramble explains that every Cleveland neighborhood that has gone through a successful revitalization received a significant amount of investment—adding that CDC leaders concede they can’t do it alone.

"When you look at University Circle, Ohio City, Tremont, Detroit Shoreway, all of those neighborhoods were transformed from private investment,” he observes. “There's no CDC that has totally transformed the neighborhood on its own. It's impossible because it takes way more.

Fairfax has long been regarded as a cultural hub, and upscale East 89th Street known for bigger lot sizes and homes.However, he says, "I do hope that this could serve as a model for the rest of disinvested low wealth neighborhoods."

Vision becomes reality
Two of the six buildings are completed, Tramble says, adding that he named the two model units “The Antioch” and “The Olivet.”

“Ten leaseholders have moved in with other leases secured,” he says. “The next step is to fully lease the units and make sure the residents have a wonderful living experience living at 89^th Rising.”

“Once we reach full occupancy, I will start construction on our new home, which will be located across from our existing home,” he says. “After our home is completed, I will build out the street with six new single-family homes.”

Tramble says when 89^th Rising is complete, he will step away from his role as a developer.

“At that point the street will be fully built out, and I have no other ambitions after that,” he claims. “The focus will be to be a great neighbor and enjoy the transformation.”

For more information on leasing 89th Rising, contact FASS Realty Services at (866) 861-4761. In-person tours can be scheduled through Apartments.com.