Beachwood, OH

An affluent suburb of Cleveland, Beachwood is home to more than 12,000 residents. In 2005, Cleveland Magazine named Beachwood the best suburb in northeastern Ohio. Beachwood is known for its excellent school system and its shopping malls. Legend has it that Beachwood was named "Beechwood" until an early Village Hall clerk inadvertently changed an "e" to an "a" on some official documents.

COMMUNITIES

Beachwood is about 86 percent Caucasian, about 9 percent African-American and about 3 percent Asian. Latinos (of any race) accounted for a mere 0.78 percent of the population. A large percentage (17 percent) of Beachwood residents claim Russian ancestry. More than 15.5 percent of the population is foreign born - a remarkable difference from Ohio's average of 3 percent.

The city also has a sizeable Jewish population. Beachwood is home to a number of temples and the new Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage. More than 80 percent of Beachwood residents are Jewish.

Beachwood is an older community, with a median age of 52 years and 35.4 percent of the population 65 or older. However, the population still encompasses residents of all ages (with a notable gap for people in their early 20s).

NEIGHBORHOODS AND DISTRICTS

There are nearly 3,000 houses and 2,500 apartments and condos within the city's roughly six square miles of land. Beachwood housing tends to be on the expensive side, although the southern section is much more affordable. The city can be broken up into four major sections:

• Highland Hills: The Highland Hills area is the city's southernmost neighborhood. The area features mostly apartment and condo complexes. The area draws a mix of renters and owners. The area is mostly quiet with smaller homes.
• City Center: The City Center area of town is a wealthy section that draws a mix of ages but has pockets that appeal especially to seniors. The area is composed mostly of single-family homes, although it has some condo and apartment complexes and some rowhouses.
• Shaker Boulevard/Sulgrave Road: The city's northwestern section offers mostly medium-sized houses, with some large houses of four bedrooms or more mixed in. This area is popular with executives and other professionals and the residences are mostly owner-occupied.
• Richmond Road/Village Lane: The city's northeastern side is its most expensive. It consists of mostly apartment and condo units with one or two bedrooms. The area draws residents of varying ages, although some parts are more popular with seniors and others draw young professionals.

ECONOMY AND INDUSTRIES

Beachwood boasts more than 3,000 businesses, including Aleris International, a Fortune 500 company. A comprehensive city plan keeps commercial development confined to certain areas.

The city's largest employer is Bank of America, which has about 1,800 employees working in its multibuilding campus on Science Park Drive. The Cleveland Clinic operates in the campus' other three buildings.

The city boasts the Beachwood Business Development Center, an unusual collaboration among the chamber of commerce, the city and Cleveland State University Nance College of Business Administration. The BBDC is a business accelerator that handles the administrative and business development details for member companies. This allows startup companies to focus on developing the business. The BBDC operates out of a large facility in the city's business corridor and works with more than 20 domestic and international firms.

SHOPPING

Beachwood has two high-end shopping centers that serve as destinations even for those outside of the city:

• Legacy Village is a new open-air mall with a wide variety of big-box stores, small specialty shops, fashion boutiques and home goods stores. Several high-end restaurants are also located in the pedestrian-friendly mall.
• Beachwood Place is an upscale indoor mall with more than 150 stores and specialty shops, including three major anchors. The focus here is on fashion and beauty goods.

FOR VISITORS

The Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage, opened in 2005, features the story of Cleveland's Jewish community through exhibits, oral histories and artifacts.

FAMILY FUN

The city's recreation department offers a multitude of classes for residents to enjoy, including several geared toward the community's large senior population. It also hosts several recreation sites around the city:

• Beachwood City Park: The park offers nearly two miles of trails, a sledding hill and great bird watching.
• Family Aquatic Center: The center features several pools, lap swim areas, a tube slide and an in-pool tot play area.
• Tennis Courts: Eight tournament-size courts are open to residents.

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

• Beachwood Arts Council: This organization sponsors various arts-related events and hosts a permanent art gallery.
• Beachwood Recreation Community Theater: The city's recreation department hosts the community theater, which is open to all.