The Heights L iving

Family is a strong reason why people move, stay, and thrive in the communities they live in. Some people are born into a community with history, and others continue the tradition started by their parents. Families with children often look to school districts to determine if they would enjoy living in a particular community. Others with deep roots linked to their family history have a variety of reasons why they stick around in their communities.

We spoke with three different families across The Heights to discuss the differences between Shaker Heights, University Heights, and Cleveland Heights, and what keeps families in the area.

Though these three communities have their differences in amenities and architectural structures, each one is a draw for families to raise their children and continue the tradition. Young couples are moving in to grow their families and continue the traditions of their parents, while also enjoying the time they have together in peaceful communities with style and vibrancy.

Liz, Johnny, and Ivory in Cleveland Heights

Liz Schreiber is a Shaker Heights native that grew up going to Shaker schools before moving to Vermont. The draw of family and the feeling of home is what brought her back to the area for good.

“I think when I came back in 2005 there weren’t a lot of people coming back to Cleveland yet,” Liz Schreiber says. “Once people started getting married, having kids, they all sort of started to come back. So I was like ‘see, it’s a good place to be.’”

Schreiber says their 100-year-old home in Cleveland Heights didn’t start off great to begin with, but it has good bones and her husband Johnny’s background in architecture made it a possibility. They love their front and back porches, charming character, and the uniqueness from the other homes on the street.

“The bones of an old house are very different from the bones of a new house, so that was definitely part of the appeal,” she says.

Liz Schreiber works for Cleveland Clinic as a nurse, another family with close proximity to one of Cleveland’s major health systems thanks to living in the Heights. She says the short commute is a big draw for living in the Heights, whether you work in healthcare or somewhere in downtown Cleveland.

Her parents emigrated to the U.S. from Europe and were sponsored by a family in Cleveland. Her mother still lives in Shaker Heights today. Johnny Schreiber is from Euclid and went to Euclid High School, and started to learn more about the east side while dating Liz.

“I guess you could say this is more landlocked than it is over there [in Euclid], but there’s just so much more to do here and we’re big outdoors people,” he says. “I’m a big cyclist and so is she so we ride out east — and it’s just lovely back country roads and the greenery you know, all that stuff. And we love the parks around here.”

Liz says the mild winter helped the family log 141 miles right near their home. Liz and Johnny enjoy taking 4-month-old Ivory on walks along the Bradford Road walkway, and going to nearby parks. They frequent several Cleveland Heights staples such as On the Rise, Gigi’s, and The Wine Spot on Lee Road. If they’re looking to cross the border, you can find them amongst the many families at Van Aken District or stopping at Bialy’s in University Heights for a bagel or two.

The couple are happy to have Church of the Savior right down the street on Bradford Road where Ivory will be going to daycare soon. A .6 mile walk from the house isn’t bad. The more convenience for families in the Heights, the better.

Teresa, Dan, Hilary, Damien, and Sylvia in Shaker Heights

Relocating from Gordon Square on the west side of Cleveland, Teresa Santin and Dan Carcioppolo searched for a home in Lakewood before taking a look at the Heights.

“We were looking to grow because we were in a condo, and there was really nothing available on the west side,” Santin says. “[Dan] texted me some links to some homes on the east side and specifically in Shaker, even though we weren’t familiar with it. Loved the homes that we saw. And this was actually the first link he sent — this house.”

Santin says her family fell in love with their home instantly, as well as the neighborhood and the sight of children playing outside. The close proximity to a playground was also a plus. Carcioppolo mentions their choice to move to Shaker Heights was a shot in the dark, but the Heights communities were somewhere he knew he wanted his family to live.

The homes along their road are lined with single-family brick, wood-sided, and shingle-sided homes. Teresa says her family was drawn to the brick exterior of their colonial home. It also came with several Shaker Heights home traditions, including built-ins, leaded glass windows, and beautiful hardwood floors.

The couple and their three children, Hilary (7), Damien (4), and Silvia (2) enjoy St. Dominic, a popular Catholic church and school in the city. Carcioppolo says Shaker Heights is a great location overall and its continued growth is appealing.

“It’s a pretty dynamic place for a suburb,” he says. “There’s a lot of busy people. There’s a lot of action, which I like a lot. We kind of bought on potential. I heard whispers that they wanted to do (Van Aken District, which now has been open since 2018). And now we have access to food, shopping, ice cream, parks, you know, everything — there are no really boring days.”

Jackie, Zach, Jonah, and one-on-the-way in University Heights

Jackie and Zach Salzbrun had a different reason for choosing University Heights as a place to raise a family — homegrown roots. Jackie Salzbrun grew up in University Heights on Miramar Boulevard near the inter

- CONTINUED ON PAGE 24 - i m p l e m e n t , i s b e i n g f o r m e d ” - D r M a r i a M o n t e s s o r i section where John Carroll University meets Gesu Catholic church and school. Though she and her husband Zach were looking across the three Heights communities for a home, a large part of choosing their tudor-style home in University Heights is due in large part to Jackie’s family still living in the area. Her family is large and close-knit with lots of aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and cousins to keep up with. Most surrounding family members live in either one of the Heights communities or a neighboring location.

The couple said University Heights and Cleveland Heights homes were more within their budget during their search, and they were excited to find an older home that matched their character.

“I like the architecture, I felt there was more of the older architectural details that a lot of the houses incorporate,” Zach Salzbrun says. “I always had something for slate roofs.”

He adds the curb appeal was one great factor, and the hardwood floors on the interior of the home were a big seller. Original fireplaces and other details you wouldn’t find in a newly built home were additional draws for the Salzbruns.

Living near Jackie’s family and finding a home on a welcoming street is a big plus to the couple, who made an addition to their family about a year and a half ago with their son, Jonah. They are expecting another little one soon.

“Now that we are growing a family it is nice to be in a neighborhood where there are other younger families — you see parents walking strollers around with babies and toddlers and young kids,” Zach Salzbrun says. “So in addition to the proximity to our actual family, a community that is welcoming has appeal to it.

Faith Boone has more than 15 years of experience as a journalist, public relations professional, strategic marketer, and entrepreneur. She has held several positions within the communications industry and also enjoys giving back to the community through her work with various non-profit organizations. She is the founder of Boone Logic, a Cleveland-based content development and marketing consultancy. She thoroughly enjoys living in Shaker Heights with her two young daughters, and loves visiting the surrounding Heights communities for added adventure.

The family enjoys walking the John Carroll campus grounds and the convenience of having Gesu so close by. Jackie, Zach, and Jonah also make their way over to Shaker Heights to visit the infamous Van Aken District, sometimes for ice cream and sometimes to make a trip to the pediatrician at University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children’s Suburban Pediatrics. If they’re visiting Cleveland Heights, they’ll find themselves at On the Rise on Fairmount Boulevard or checking out a restaurant near the Cedar Lee or even Cedar Fairmount areas.

The Salzbruns agreed both of them working at University Hospitals makes living in University Heights an easy commute.