Akron Children’s Hospital is expected to further expand its Greater Cleveland presence with the purchase of a historic college campus in Cuyahoga County.
The hospital system has placed a successful bid for the purchase of the nearly 50-acre Notre Dame College site in South Euclid, Akron Children’s spokesperson Kathy Johnson said via email.
“We believe the campus is a great location for future pediatric specialty services in a vibrant, thriving community,” Johnson said. “Our goal is to improve access to high quality care in Greater Cleveland with a 100% focus on kids.”
Akron Children’s bid $8 million in the May 7 auction and was declared the winner, said Keith Benjamin, South Euclid’s director of community services and development and clerk of council.
Johnson declined to share the hospital system’s specific plans for the site.
Akron Children’s expanding pediatric services in Greater Cleveland
Akron Children’s expansion in Cuyahoga County also includes the December purchase of a Rocky River property for $2.85 million and plans to open a primary care center at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Ohio’s main office south of downtown Cleveland. Elsewhere in the county, it provides services in Beachwood, Brecksville and Mayfield Heights.
Benjamin noted Akron Children’s “outstanding reputation.” Though he’s not aware of the extent of pediatric care needs in the city of South Euclid, he said he believes the hospital system has established “that there’s a need in the Greater Cleveland area for additional pediatric care.”
“We’re aware that they have been looking to expand into the Greater Cleveland area for some time,” Benjamin said. “And we are certainly open to and excited to hear what their plans are and look forward to working with them as development of the site proceeds.”
City of South Euclid, Jewish educational institution placed bids
The city of South Euclid placed a $7.9 million bid on the property and was declared the backup bidder, Benjamin said.
If Akron Children’s planned property purchase, which is subject to court and closing procedures, does not go through, the city would take ownership of the property, Benjamin said.
Yeshiva Derech Hatorah, a Jewish educational nonprofit organization that operates private schools in South Euclid and Cleveland Heights, made a $7.5 million bid, Keith said.
Rabbi Sender Stoll, Yeshiva Derech Hatorah’s executive director, said via email that the organization was glad to participate in the auction and called the Notre Dame College site a “wonderful property.”
“Immediately following the Notre Dame College campus auction, we shared Yeshiva Derech Hatorah’s interest and goals with the winning bidder,” Stoll said. “Although we were not the successful bidder, we are encouraged and enthusiastic that our goals can still be met. We look forward to continuing this process and moving forward toward a bright future, and we hope to share more detailed information in the coming weeks.”
Notre Dame College closed in 2024. Court proceedings continue
The Sisters of Notre Dame established Notre Dame College as a Catholic liberal arts college in 1922 in Cleveland, before acquiring land in South Euclid in 1923 and 1924, according to Case Western Reserve University.
In 2024, Notre Dame College succumbed to financial issues that it had been experiencing over the previous few years and closed, according to Cleveland State University.
The May 7 auction followed the filing of lawsuits against the college by Bank of America, which seeks to collect more than $20 million in debt in a federal court, and Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, who alleged the college misappropriated $2.1 million in restricted donations.
School property such as lab equipment; sports, workout and lab equipment; furniture; artwork and religious artifacts will be auctioned May 18 and May 19, according to court records.
Patrick Williams covers growth and development for the Akron Beacon Journal. He can be reached by email at pwilliams@usatodayco.com or on X @pwilliamsOH. Sign up for the Beacon Journal’s business and consumer newsletter, “What’s The Deal?”
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Akron Children’s plans to buy former Notre Dame College property
Reporting by Patrick Williams, Akron Beacon Journal / Akron Beacon Journal
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