Own a piece of Westlake history

The Asher Cooley House on Dover Center road, built in 1828, is one of nine century buildings for sale in Westlake.

In preparation for Westlake’s Bicentennial in 2011 we began tracking buildings that would have their 100-year birthdays that year. There were 184 buildings determined to meet that criteria. Several were torn down before the Bicentennial even arrived and in the five short years since the Bicentennial, nine have been torn down, one re-muddled, three restored and three have seen significant incremental re-investment.  

The high rate of demolition is primarily because many are homes that are on major streets in commercial or multi-family zoned districts. Now that Westlake is almost built out with less available vacant land, there is more interest in re-developing properties.

Most of the century buildings that have survived are in pretty decent condition. For those that aren’t and which are still used residentially, Westlake participates in the Heritage Home Program for owners of older homes. As long as the structure is used residentially (whether owner or rental occupied), and is at least 50 years old, the owner is eligible for technical assistance and low interest loans to make many of the typical improvements necessary on an older home. Help is available at 216-426-3116 or at heritagehomeprogram.org. This program is also available for Bay Village residents.

Currently at least nine century buildings are for sale in Westlake. Several have been featured in this publication before. All nine are listed here by address and include their approximate date of construction with their zoning and current use. If they are located in Single Family Zoning they can only be used as a residence, with at most an incidental use as a home occupation. If they are located in General Business or Multi-Family zoning it is possible that they can be converted to a limited commercial use with approval of a Conditional Use Permit by Westlake City Council. If you have questions about what any of these buildings could be used for please call my office in the Westlake Planning Department at 440-617-4309.

• 1119 Bassett Road, circa 1873, zoned Exclusive Industrial, Office Use
• 1463 Bradley Rd., c. 1890, zoned Single Family, Single Family Residential Use
• 3956 Bradley Rd., c. 1900, zoned Single Family, Single Family Residential Use
• 27060 Center Ridge Road, c. 1803 or 1830?, zoned General Business, Single Family Residential Use
• 28359 Center Ridge Road, c. 1897, zoned Multi-Family, Single Family Residential Use
• 29819 Center Ridge Road, c. 1865, zoned Multi-Family, Single Family Residential Use
• 27402 Detroit Road, c. 1890, Zoned General Business
• Guild House, 2650 Dover Center Road, c. 1863, zoned General Business and Office Building, Office Use
• Asher Cooley House, 2871 Dover Center Road, c. 1828, zoned Single-family Residential, Single Family Residential Use. Located nearly across from the Dover Center Road entrance drive to Porter Library and built by one of the first families of Dover Township and listed on the Ohio Historic Inventory, this home has been owned by the Powers family, who have sold vegetables out of the circa 1890 barn for many years.