Lakewood’s First-Ever Habitat Home Dedicated on Dowd Avenue

The journey that began a year ago to build the first-ever Habitat for Humanity home in Lakewood ended on Saturday, when the house at 2070 Dowd Avenue was dedicated.

More than 60 people attended the event, including the new owner Valerie Stuart and her family.

The home marked only the second time that Habitat for Humanity has built a home outside of the city of Cleveland.

Construction of the home at 2070 Dowd Avenue — the same address of a home deemed a “persistent blight” and demolished in 2009 — began first, in June.

A second Habitat project, at 1549 Lakewood Avenue, began in August. That home, sitting at the corner of Lakewood Avenue and Franklin Boulevard, sits at the site of a former apartment complex deemed a “nuisance” by the city and demolished in August 2011.

Most of the construction work — on both projects — was completed by volunteers.

The Stuart-Galvin family will assume ownership of the Dowd Avenue property from Habitat now that construction is complete.

Mayor Michael Summers and John Habat, the director of the Greater Cleveland Habitat for Humanity office, opened Saturday's event with remarks. Mary Leigh, the city’s program manager, was also given a nod for her work on the project.

“We want to thank Habitat for Humanity for partnering with us on this wonderful project,” said Summers in a press release.  “This is another example of our Housing Initiative at work.

"A property that was beyond repair and an eyesore to the neighborhood has been replaced by a beautiful, new home and new neighbors.”