Urban Community School and Urban Squash Cleveland to build new Youth Development Center on Lorain Avenue

(Plain Press, December 2017)      Urban Community School and Urban Squash Cleveland broke ground in late October for Urban Squash Cleveland’s Youth Development Center. Urban Community School President Tom Gill says the new 10,000 square foot building will be on Lorain Avenue at W. 47^th Street. Gill says the brick on the new building will be similar to the brick on Urban Community School and will front on Lorain Avenue.

Urban Community School purchased the former Sunrise Food Mart and the used car lot next door to make way for the project which will represent over $3 million in investment on Lorain Avenue, says Gill. Plans call for the new facility to be ready by the end of the Summer of 2018, says Gill.

Urban Squash Cleveland’s website says the new building will house four squash courts, a classroom for 60 students, an office for Urban Squash Cleveland, and boys’ and girls’ locker rooms.

Urban Squash Cleveland describes itself as “a youth development organization.” Urban Squash Cleveland’s website describes the program as providing “academic support, instruction in the sport of squash, community service, as well as mentoring, and life skills opportunities to transform the lives of middle school and high school students in Cleveland.”

Squash is a sport played with rackets on an indoor court. Urban Squash Cleveland says it works closely with schools to identify fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth grade students to be enrolled in its program. Their website says, “Students are chosen to be part of the team through a tryout and selection process based largely on attitude, effort and commitment.”