WARRENSVILLE HEIGHTS, originally part of Warrensville Twp. (see HIGHLAND HILLS VILLAGE), incorporated as a separate village in 1927 and as a city in 1960. Southeast of Cleveland, it occupies 4.5 sq. mi. and is bounded by Highland Hills Village and SHAKER HTS. on the north, NORTH RANDALL, BEDFORD HTS., and MAPLE HTS. on the south, Cleveland on the west, and ORANGE on the east. The township was named after one of the area’s earliest settlers, DANIEL WARREN. During the late 1920s and early 1930s, the village was recognized as the "Geranium Center of the U.S.," with 8 large greenhouses on Emery and Richmond Roads (see AGRICULTURE). In 1985 only 2 greenhouses remained. The postwar migration to the SUBURBS turned the agricultural region into a modern residential suburb. Between 1940 and 1970, the population increased more than 1,500%, from 1,175 to 18,925 (the city’s peak). The city has operated under the mayor-council form of government. The Warrensville Hts. School System also included Highland Hills Village and North Randall. Other services include police and fire protection, the CLEVELAND CLINIC SOUTH POINTE HOSPITAL, and a branch of the CUYAHOGA COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM. In the 1980s, Warrensville Hts. had approx. 100 light commercial and industrial concerns along the Emery Industrial Parkway, engaged primarily in the fabrication of metal alloys, chemical and oil derivatives, plastics, electronics, and food services. Other major enterprises included the BP AMERICA (OHIO) Research Center, which closed in 2000. By the early 21st century, the city had lost many of its largest industrial employers. Most new development was in the service sector, notably a conference hotel, shopping center, and restaurants in the CHAGRIN HIGHLANDS corporate park. In 1980 75% of the more than 16,000 Warrensville Hts. residents were AFRICAN AMERICANS. By 2010, the ratio increased to over 93% African American out of a total population of 13,542. The estimated population in 2018 was 13,216.
Updated by Mark Souther
Last updated: 7/19/2019