The City of Cleveland has selected modular housing specialist MMY US as its preferred off-site construction manufacturing partner in a move expected to create up to 150 manufacturing jobs while accelerating the delivery of affordable housing.
The announcement forms part of a wider industrial strategy that will see MMY establish operations in the historic Wellman-Seaver-Morgan Engineering Company building, subject to the completion of state and local incentives. The project has also secured $2.56m in Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credits to support the redevelopment of the long-vacant industrial site.
The proposed manufacturing facility will occupy the 185,000 sq ft Wellman-Seaver-Morgan building at 7000 Central Avenue, transforming one of Cleveland’s best-known historic industrial landmarks into a modern modular housing production hub.
The investment supports Cleveland’s Housing Innovation District, an initiative spanning the Central, Hough and St. Clair-Superior neighbourhoods that aims to increase housing delivery through modern construction methods, streamlined planning processes and infrastructure improvements.
“This decision brings advanced manufacturing and good-paying jobs to Cleveland while creating the capacity to produce the homes our city needs,” said Mayor Justin M. Bibb. “It is a powerful example of how we are tackling our housing challenges head-on and building a stronger, more affordable future for Cleveland families.”
The city selected MMY following a competitive “Off-Site Construction Manufacturing in Cleveland” request for proposals process designed to identify a manufacturer capable of expanding the region’s off-site construction capacity.
Robin Bartram Brown, CEO of MMY US, said the company looked forward to becoming part of Cleveland’s manufacturing future.
“At MMY, we believe quality housing creates stronger communities, and that the best outcomes are achieved through innovation, skilled manufacturing and strong partnerships,” she said.
The redevelopment also represents a major milestone for the Midline initiative, a long-term programme to transform more than 350 acres of former industrial land into a modern employment district, innovation corridor and greenway.
Founded by inventor Samuel T. Wellman, the Wellman-Seaver-Morgan Engineering Company became internationally recognised for designing some of the world’s largest material-handling systems, including Cleveland’s famous Huletts ore unloaders. The building has been recognised for its historic significance by the Ohio State Historic Preservation Office and has received Cleveland Landmark designation, with National Register of Historic Places consideration expected later this year.
The $2.56m tax credit forms part of a nearly $26m funding package that will finance the rehabilitation of the site into a next-generation manufacturing facility.
Brad Whitehead, managing director of the Site Readiness for Good Jobs Fund, described the project as an opportunity to reconnect Cleveland’s industrial heritage with its economic future by attracting investment, supporting housing production and creating jobs for decades to come.
The project reflects growing momentum behind off-site and modular construction in the United States, with cities increasingly turning to factory-built housing to address affordability challenges while creating skilled manufacturing employment. For Cleveland, the initiative combines industrial regeneration with housing delivery, demonstrating how historic manufacturing assets can be repurposed to support modern production and urban renewal.
