CLEVELAND — Paulette Patrick has lived in the Buckeye neighborhood for more than 40 years. She’s seen her neighborhood go through a lot.
Right now, she’s happy about what the future holds.
“I think he has been doing a very good job. It has brought things out, it looks good and I am enjoying it,” said Patrick.
The “he” Patrick is referring to is business owner Brandon Chrostowski.
Chrostowski has spent several years revitalizing the Buckeye neighborhood.
Just last year, a home sat in the lot next door to Patrick’s home, but now in its place is a community playground.
“It has beautified it and it looks nice and it’s enjoyable,” said Patrick.
Chrostowski said putting a park into the neighborhood was important.
“With great support from the community as well we’ve resurrected this park. You know, it’s the closest park almost within a mile. So it’s a lot of fun for kids and of course our kids that are in the family housing,” said Chrostowski.
Chrostowski owns EDWINS Leadership and Restaurant Institute. The restaurant workers are mainly people returning to society from prison.
They take part in Chrostowski’s leadership institute before they’re released. Inmates are now able to access Chrostowski’s curriculum from 450,000 tablets at their facility.
“We’re covering 20% of the nation’s prison population. They have access to what we do and more importantly, the Cleveland Brown’s, our local football team, have pledged to help pay for someone traveling from wherever they’re coming from in the United States to get here to Cleveland to live in what we have here and go to the school that we have here,” said Chrostowski.
It’s all part of Chrostowski’s plan to continue investing in the Buckeye neighborhood.
In fact, he bought another building behind the playground and garden to house more students in his program.
“We’ve got another facility to house more of our students or graduates. Those who are in need of a safe place and a place that’s got a higher level standard of living. That’s what we’re really aiming and focused on,” said Chrostowski.
Chrostowski believes hiring the people from his program and helping them secure housing in the neighborhood will help Buckeye continue to grow and thrive.
“We’re driving not only some more residents here to help maintain the safety of the neighborhood because, you know, there’s more people walking and interacting. People who care, right, that’s going to help the neighborhood increase. They’re local consumers. They have to shop and eat too so, you know, the local consumer base is increased slightly,” said Chrostowski.
As for Patrick, she’s just happy to see someone doing good in the neighborhood she loves.
She’s especially excited about the community garden behind the playground.
“I’ll be glad when the tomatoes come up. I like fresh tomatoes,” said Patrick.
