Jennifer Coleman

 

Chair of the
Cleveland Landmarks Commission

 

by Antonia Payne, crew 6

 

 

Try to name five historic buildings in Cleveland? Can’t do it? Jennifer Coleman is working to change this. Jennifer Coleman is trying to make in difference in Cleveland. This can only happen if citizens get more into landmarks and learn more ways that they can help. She wants to make a better and exciting community. “I hope that people will become excited about the city that they live in,” Coleman said.

 

Jennifer Coleman is an architect and the chair of Cleveland’s Landmark Commission. She created the City Prowl digital walking tours of Cleveland. The tours have to do with what the city was like during the 20th century. They are about people who made differences and innovations that occurred in Cleveland during that time. When she gives tours she shows and tells people about some beautiful buildings in Cleveland. She said her favorite building to show is the Arcade.

 

Jennifer Coleman was born here in Cleveland. When she was younger she wanted to be a ballerina, a journalist, she was very good at art, and wanted and wanted to be a fashion designer. She said she’s the same person from when she was two years old and she takes a lot of pride in that. All of the things she wanted to be when she was younger contribute to her job today.

 

Jennifer Coleman said she loves her job.  She said, “I love it and I think it’s beautiful. I think it’s something we should value. It offers us an opinion and I have to make sure the conversations are balanced.” She thinks her job is important because she wants to teach people to care more about their buildings. If the city didn’t have the Cleveland Landmarks Commission today the community would not be the same.

 

Sometimes Ms. Coleman has to deal with controversial projects. There are buildings in the downtown area that the owners have asked to be torn down so that new things can occur. For example, the casino wanted to tear down two buildings. She said there were people who were opposed to this project. The process was interesting because she heard both sides of the argument.  She said at times people came in to offer their opinions, sometimes forcefully.  She and her team had to take the information provided and make an informed

 

Her work has had a big impact in our community. Jennifer Coleman says, “We need to dream bigger than we already do.” This is something she will change about Cleveland if she could. She wants us to be passionate about our city and Cleveland.  If this happens she believes that people will work more closely together. She wants Clevelanders to work together so that they can make sure that they city’s historic buildings stay beautiful. This is why her job has a big impact on the community.

 

Ms. Coleman hopes that more people will understand the importance of landmarks. She explained that landmarks really are a tie to our childhood or things that happen in our lives.  Even school buildings can be a source of pride for a community. People have an emotional attachment to where they grew up. She believes that her work at the Landmarks Commission is helping to preserve these important pieces of people’s lives.