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Council approves 30‑year lease of former Fire Station 26 to Vanguards of Cleveland for community resource center and museum
Summary
The finance committee approved an emergency ordinance authorizing the director of public safety to lease the soon‑vacated Fire Station 26 at 7818 Kinsman Road to the Vanguards of Cleveland to operate a community resource center and a minority public‑safety museum under a 30‑year lease with two 30‑year renewal options.
Cleveland — The finance committee approved an emergency ordinance authorizing a long‑term lease of the former Fire Station 26, located at 7818 Kinsman Road, to a nonprofit group, Vanguards of Cleveland, for use as a community resource center and a minority public‑safety museum.
The arrangement will begin after the fire division opens a new Fire Station 26 at 90th and Kinsman and vacates the older facility. The lease the committee approved allows a 30‑year term with two 30‑year renewal options exercisable by the director of public safety.
Antoine Cruz of Vanguards of Cleveland told the committee the group intends to offer community programming, training, partnership programs with Cleveland Metropolitan School District and youth training that could support recruitment into public‑safety careers. The group said it would be responsible for utilities, maintenance and upkeep under the lease terms and is comfortable maintaining the older building.
Council members welcomed the proposal but cautioned that operating an older building can be costly. Councilman Mike Bilinski urged Vanguards to maintain another property the group owns on Grovewood, where complaints have been raised about overgrown weeds. Councilman Charles Liff asked whether the vanguards would assume all repairs; city staff replied the lease places maintenance responsibility with the tenant.
The committee approved ordinance 560‑2025. City staff said the administration does not want to place the nonprofit in a position to fail and will work with Vanguards on reasonable lease terms and support where appropriate.
Provenance: The committee transcript records the department presentation, Vanguards representatives’ remarks and the committee vote on ordinance 560‑2025.
