Beachwood 2025

Grand openings and an upcoming summit fuel Beachwood’s tech rise.

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Buying into the Future

Both properties are strategic investments we’re making into the future of the city.”

— MAYOR JUSTIN BERNS

The City of Beachwood has acquired two major parcels of land as part of an overarching development plan. Here’s what to expect.

BY SARAH WEBB

The City of Beachwood has decided to control its destiny with the recent land acquisitions of the 43-acre Chagrin Highlands site and the 17-acre Fairmount Temple parcel.

“Both properties are strategic investments we’re making into the future of the city,” says Beachwood Mayor Justin Berns.

The Future of Fairmount Temple

When the city purchased the Fairmount Temple site in summer 2024, Mayor Berns and Beachwood City Council engaged the public to determine the future of the property, says Ben Lombardi, communications manager for the city.

Through surveys and a public engagement forum, residents voiced their desire for increased housing options, particularly senior housing.

While there is no age requirement for the development, the housing will be targeted toward seniors, featuring smaller square footage footprints and floorplans, with first floor primary bedrooms.

“Families that have lived in Beachwood in single-family homes whose kids have flown the coop can now sell their homes and move into something smaller and more manageable,” Lombardi says.

Catherine Bieterman, economic development director for the city, adds that this will open opportunities for young families to move into those single-family homes.

While plans are still in flux, the site will include approximately 70 to 90 units, and once completed, the homes will incorporate some design elements of the temple.

Elevating the Chagrin Highlands

“I think Cuyahoga County has been developed heavily ... and there are few buildable sites left for development,” says David Leb, vice president at Cushman & Wakefield | CRESCO Real Estate.

The City of Beachwood resolved this problem by recently purchasing 42.94 acres in the Chagrin Highlands from the City of Cleveland and the Jacobs Group for $3 million in March 2025.

“This was a really smart acquisition because Beachwood can now control what’s going to happen in their backyard,” says Leb.

Zoned for light industrial usage, Bieterman says the site provides an ideal headquarters spot for companies in industries such as advanced manufacturing, medical technologies and life sciences, cybersecurity, IT and more. The site is located next to the city’s Commerce Park.

“This is a great example of how Beachwood plans to expand an already strong business park and allow more businesses to come in and conduct activities that create jobs,” says Paul Herdeg, director of the development department for Cuyahoga County.

To complement the project, Bieterman says the city has planned for a roadway that would go from Harvard Road to Mercantile Road.

“We acquired a building at Commerce Park to be able to facilitate the interconnection of that roadway,” Bieterman says.

Economic Opportunities Abound

Overall, the site will provide numerous benefits for the community, including new job prospects and more revenue opportunities, says Christine Nelson, vice president of project management and site strategies for Team NEO.

“We have the benefit of the real estate tax going to the school system and the county as well as the income tax going to the communities,” Nelson says.

Moving forward, the Cushman & Wakefield | CRESCO Real Estate firm will continue as the listing broker representing the city, find end users and bring the lead opportunities back to the city, says Bryce Sylvester, managing director at Cushman and Wakefield | CRESCO.

He adds that it may take about one to two years to narrow down the opportunities that will shape the project.

We made a commitment to develop our Northeast Ohio location, so we put all of our existing personnel in Northeast Ohio under one roof now, and we’re investing and growing in that facility.”

— JOSEPH CHUHRAN, MILLENNIUM CONTROL SYSTEMS

Smart Moves

With major investments in artificial intelligence and a community-wide embrace of technology, Beachwood serves as a haven for the next era of progress. BY SARAH WEBB

Fueled by bold investments in artificial intelligence (AI) and a techforward spirit that courses through the city, Beachwood has become a springboard for the next wave of progress.

“We have industry leaders here within Beachwood that are spearheading some of today’s modern innovation and that will continue to drive more opportunities for similar companies,” says Catherine Bieterman, the city’s economic development director.

Here’s a look at how the City of Beachwood is fostering technological developments.

A Global Summit and Local Grand Opening

Millennium Control Systems, a division of Grenzebach, boasts multiple locations within North America, Europe and Asia, but its Beachwood location topped the list

as this year’s destination for its International Value Summit, held June 24 and 25.

Established in 1997 in Cleveland, Millennium Control Systems provides engineered control systems and software solutions to industries such as manufacturing, power and energy, with consistent attention to glass, building materials, metals, tires and rubber.

This was the first time the summit had been held within the U.S., and about 35 personnel were in attendance.

“We’re a global group, so we talk about the geopolitical situation and how that will affect our businesses,” says Joseph Chuhran, president and CEO of Millennium Control Systems. “We talk about synergies for business and market trends and how we can best position our companies to take advantage of those.”

What’s more, the event coincided with the grand opening of the company’s Beachwood location.

Taking advantage of the presence of international executives, the grand opening included speeches and a ribbon-cutting ceremony, followed by tours and a family day for employees.

While the company was previously scattered throughout three separate buildings in Northeast Ohio, it was beginning to outgrow those spaces due to the fast-growing power and energy segment, fueled by AI machine learning. It’s now located at 23550 Commerce Park Road in Beachwood.

“Team NEO and the City of Beachwood made it easy for us to make this big decision,” Chuhran says. “We made a commitment to develop our Northeast Ohio location, so we put all of our existing personnel in Northeast Ohio under one roof now, and we’re investing and growing in that facility.”

At the Forefront of AI

Larger companies like Millennium Control Systems aren’t the only ones on the cutting edge of AI.

Smaller companies such as MIM Software, a GE HealthCare Company; Insight2Profit and AIDAN are also integrating AI and technology to drive revenue and optimize ROI, Bieterman says.

“It’s these forward-thinking companies that are growing, innovating and guiding the future of our existing and emerging industries here within the region,” Bieterman says.

She adds that Beachwood’s strong workforce is interwoven with nearby colleges, including Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C) and its Corporate College, John Carroll University and Case Western Reserve University, to name a few.

One such company that’s using AI is AIDAN Systems, which is short for Artificial Intelligence Discovery and Action Network.

AIDAN focuses on transforming operations in health care and manufacturing. In health

care, the company uses predictive analytics to anticipate patient needs, optimize staffing and reduce inefficiencies. In manufacturing, the company’s AI control tower helps streamline operations, improve quality and understand what drives sales and growth.

“We’re not just building tools. We’re building intelligence that acts,” says Quentin Fisher, CEO of AIDAN. “Since 2017, we’ve delivered AI-powered industry solutions that help organizations move from reactive to

proactive operations. For smaller companies, that’s hard to do because there are a lot of pieces to make AI work.”

AIDAN’s AI Fit Assessment helps organizations identify high-value, easy-toimplement use cases to get started with AI and build momentum.

The company works out of Beachwood’s Co-Hatch space, which Fisher says has served as a launchpad for the business.

“It’s a place where we can host clients, run workshops and build community — all essential for a company like ours that thrives on collaboration and rapid iteration,” Fisher says. “It places us in the heart of Northeast Ohio’s innovation corridor, close to clients, partners and talent. The collaborative environment fosters spontaneous idea exchange, and the flexibility of the space supports our hybrid work model.”

Putting the Tech to Work

To further embrace the technological advancements happening within Beachwood, the Beachwood Chamber of Commerce and Solon Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C),

will host the Artificial Intelligence Summit on Thursday, Oct. 23, from 8 a.m. to noon at TriC’s Eastern Campus Mandel Theatre (4250 Richmond Road, Highland Hills).

Centered around the practical application of artificial intelligence and geared toward smallto medium-sized businesses, the summit is designed to help entrepreneurs, executives and professionals discover how AI can deliver realworld solutions for growth and efficiency.

“Everyone is excited about AI and technology, but we’re seeing that smallto medium-sized businesses are getting left in the dust because they don’t always have the staff or sophistication to utilize AI beyond something like ChatGPT,” says David Lapierre, executive director of the Beachwood Chamber of Commerce. “Often, these types of companies are one-man bands and don’t have the resources to dig into the details of AI”.

To address this gap, the summit will feature a robust program including a keynote presentation by Chris Berry, president & CEO of OhioX, a statewide nonprofit building Ohio into a top tech hub. Attendees will also hear from Rob Buchwald, founder & CEO of Akron Innovations, and engage in a panel discussion moderated by Jessica Colombi, director for the future of work at Tri-C. Panelists include Alfred Cowger (attorney and author), Jeff Dennis (CEO, TRNSFRM), Rocco Cuffari (tech consultant, AHEAD Consulting), and Travis Grundke (EVP, Ashton Solutions).

Topics will focus on how AI can be applied to sales, accounting, marketing, manufacturing cycles and more.

“It’s meant to be very informative, and it’s meant to create awareness for small- to medium-sized business owners about what’s out there and the practical applications of AI for their businesses,” Lapierre says. Networking will also play a central role in the event.

Admission is $25 for chamber members and $35 for non-members. Sponsors include Moreland Connect, TechnologyXperts, Inc., Verizon and Crown Castle. For registration and sponsorship details, visit beachwood.org or email director@beachwood.org.

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AI IN THE CLASSROOM

In Beachwood, the power of AI is also reaching beyond boardrooms and into the classroom.

In September 2024, Beachwood Schools began using MagicSchool, an AI-powered platform that’s designed to support educators and students in the work they do each day, according to Gregory Murphy, director of communications for Beachwood City School District.

Conversations to implement the technology began during the 20232024 schoolyear.

The platform offers tools to encourage classroom engagement for students, which includes building chatbots, creating skits and giving tailored writing feedback.

“MagicSchool allows teachers to tailor instruction for students and also offers many other engaging tools for students to enhance experiential

learning and classroom engagement,” Murphy says. “Also, automating resource creation AI frees up teachers’ time, allowing them to focus more on direct instruction and personalized student interactions.”

However, Murphy stresses that it’s important for students to maintain their role as critical thinkers while using AI and only use it as another tool in the toolbox rather than the only tool.

To ethically use AI, Beachwood schools have several precautions in place to ensure that AI technologies are employed responsibly and safely.

First, students only engage with AI-powered tools such as MagicSchool under supervision. Also, the schools are continually developing AI training programs for both teachers and students.

“These programs are designed to equip them with the knowledge and skills needed to navigate AI tools effectively and ethically,” Murphy says.

Overall, the goal is to create a safe learning environment that fosters responsible AI use while supporting educators in meeting the diverse needs of students.

“AI is poised to become an integral part of education as we continue to move forward into the future,” Murphy says. “By using these platforms, students are able to develop the necessary skills needed as AI becomes an integral part of everyday life.”

Dining Done Right

BY LESLIE BASALLA MCCAFFERTY

In Beachwood, dining out is always on the table. The city boasts an abundance of restaurants catering to every craving — from fine dining to quick bites. If you’re looking for inspiration for your next meal, here’s a sampling of some of the city’s tried and true and fresh and new restaurants.

Culinary Classics

Few restaurants in Northeast Ohio can boast a track record like Giovanni’s (25550 Chagrin Blvd.). Owner Carl Quagliata opened the Italian institution in 1976, setting off a nearly 5-decade run.

“Giovanni’s is old-school Italian fine dining with tableside service and classic dishes,” Executive Chef Zach Lardner says. “But we also remain current with our flavors and techniques.”

The restaurant, Lardner says, is proud to be a Beachwood landmark and a go-to destination for its guests’ milestones and celebrations.

“We stay here in Beachwood because we have built a following that extends across multiple generations of loyal patrons,” he says.

Not far behind in the long game is Hyde Park Prime Steakhouse (26300 Chagrin Blvd.) The restaurant launched in 1988 in Cleveland Heights, moved to Moreland Hills

and finally settled into its current Beachwood perch in 2004.

“We always looked at it as a New York or Chicago-style steakhouse,” says owner Joe Saccone. “The food itself is boutique — chef-driven. We serve prime steaks, Wagyu beef, prime seafood — it’s just dependable.”

While Hyde Park’s footprint continues to expand, Saccone says the restaurant never forgets its local roots.

“A lot of people who live in Beachwood have been our customers for 35 years, and now it’s their children who are our customers,” he says. “We have the parents, now the children and someday, we’ll have the grandchildren.”

Beachwood’s thriving retail scene was a deciding factor for restaurateur Rick Doody and his partners when they were shopping for a location to open Cedar Creek Grille (2101 Richmond Road) in 2012.

“We love being part of Beachwood — we like the town; we love how we’re being received,” Doody says.

The restaurant, which Doody describes as a “classic American grille,” fills a cozy niche among the area’s dining op tions. With its warm wood fin ishes, lively bar and white tablecloth-topped booths, it feels upscale but not formal or stuffy, and the food is approachable but always prepared with an eye toward quality.

“We have everything from a couple of great burgers to prime steaks, to seafood that we hand cut daily,” Doody says. “Everything is prepped in house. We

make our own soups, our own dressings, our own salads and our own sauces.

“And,” he adds, “we try to provide it in sort of a timeless ambiance.”

Savory Startups

Changes to the dining landscape as a result of restaurant successes and growth created an opportunity for Sidonna Turner to bring Jamerican Kitchen Cafe (3365 Richmond Road, Suite 125), which she originally opened in Cleveland Heights in 2019, here to Beachwood.

Dr. Britni Skoda

Rachel Beckett

“I knew I wanted a smaller spot, and this was a chance be closer to home, closer to my son’s school and to pour back into my community,” Turner says.

As the restaurant’s name suggests, Jamerican Kitchen dishes out a mix of traditional Jamaican cuisine and American comfort food. Wings, wraps and a full breakfast menu mingle with oxtails, jerk chicken, callaloo and escovitch.

“It’s a nice location, where you feel safe and at peace, she says. “We want you to be comfortable experiencing something new.”

Widely lauded as home to one of Cleveland’s best burgers, Heck’s (3355 Richmond Road) expanded its string of neighborhood cafes into

Beachwood in 2023, and brought along a new concept: Antica Italian Kitchen + Bar

“Beachwood is one of the best places to visit, shop and live, and it was a natural next step for Heck’s expansion to the East Side,” says owner Fadi Daoud.

Alongside those famous burgers, Heck’s serves an array of salads, sandwiches, entrees and brunch, many with a Mediterranean influence.

Antica, meanwhile, blends Italian tradition with culinary creativity.

“Every dish is crafted from scratch using a blend of local and imported Italian ingredients — everything from handmade pastas and pizzas to premium steaks and fresh seafood,” Daoud says.

Also new on the Beachwood scene is No Fork (3365 Richmond Road, Suite 150), a casual joint that serves a variety of comfort food that you can eat with your hands (think po’ boys, fried chicken, burgers and Philly cheesesteaks). A hearty breakfast menu is also available, and there’s no shortage of creativity when it comes to signature dishes like the Big Back Brunch Burger, featuring American cheese, bacon and a fried egg with two Belgian waffles acting as the “bun.”

No Fork’s Owner, Jason Houser, is a recent graduate of the National Urban League and the PepsiCo Foundation Restaurant Accelerator — a program that offers mentorship and investment to Black restaurateurs.

Anchored by established favorites and energized by fresh concepts, Beachwood’s dining scene continues to drive the city’s reputation as a destination for commerce, community and culinary excellence.

Faces of Beachwood

BY SARAH WEBB

Beyond the Badge: Police Chief Daniel Grispino

With an updated badge on his chest and a passion for mental health protocols in his heart, Beachwood’s new Police Chief Daniel Grispino is poised to make a positive impact in the community.

“Being the chief is not about my title but rather the increased impact I can have on the community, the officers and the profession,” Grispino says. “I am humbled that Mayor (Justin) Berns and the City of Beachwood have entrusted their confidence in me with this critical role.”

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Grispino touts 23 years of experience as a police officer, 18 of those in Shaker Heights, where he worked in nearly every aspect of the police department.

As the City of Beachwood’s police chief, Grispino envisions a new strategy of policing that focuses on mental health.

In 2024, Grispino authored a federal grant that helped create Ohio’s first Regional Mental Health response program, and he served as the law enforcement liaison for the program, conducting training with the supervisory clinician at each of the police departments for all of the new cities that joined.

The program is known as First CALL (Crisis Assistance and Local Linkage). It includes an alternative crisis response team comprising behavioral health clinicians and peer support staff who engage with individuals experiencing mental health distress and substance use disorders.

“The intersection of mental health and policing has long been a complex and sensitive issue,” Grispino says. “From personally responding to many mental health calls in my career to experiencing the origination of the pilot mental health response team in Shaker Heights, I knew more could be done.”

Grispino adds that diverting calls that don’t require police intervention ensures that individuals in crisis receive the care they deserve and allows officers to remain

available for emergencies where their skills are most needed.

“By embracing these solutions, we can create a system that better serves our communities, reduces unnecessary burdens on law enforcement and ultimately saves lives,” Grispino says.

In addition to his goals of focusing on mental health within policing, Grispino strives to ensure the department adheres to professionalism and preparedness.

“We will continually look for new ways to engage and serve our community more effectively, ensuring we are forging new relationships and fostering the ones we currently have,” Grispino says. “Lastly, (we will focus) on preparedness through training to ensure our entire community feels safe, vibrant and welcoming.”

When he’s not wearing his uniform, outside of work, Grispino enjoys camping with his family, visiting various Ohio state parks in his travel trailer and kayak fishing.

Grispino is focused on mental health, professionalism and preparedness

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Beachwood

Behind the Counter: Jen Ferns and Saree Doyle

Snack Shack co-owners Jen Ferns and Saree Doyle, the 2025 contracted operators of the concession stand at the Beachwood Community Family Aquatic Center, serve up much more than sweet treats for pool and playground patrons. The Snack Shack is a place where friends can meet up during rest periods to enjoy a cold treat on a hot summer day, where families can gather to catch their breath and where kids can regale their friends with tales of their latest adventures on the diving board or water slide.

Longtime Beachwood residents, Ferns and Doyle took over the Snack Shack at the beginning of the 2025 season.

“Growing up in Beachwood and spending many summers here as a camp counselor at Kidz Camp has allowed me to observe the necessity and significance that this has on our community,” says Doyle, who also previously worked at the snack bar one summer. “Working there gave me a sense of being a central part of the community during the summer. I was able to build

relationships with members of the community I wouldn’t typically interact with.”

The menu is similar to those in years past with items like candy, soft drinks and quick bites such as pizza, chicken nuggets, wraps and more. However, this year, there’s a new feature: Doyle and Ferns developed an app for online ordering that’s available for both Apple and Android.

“Every rest period, there were long lines, which caused a delay in ordering and a wait for food,” Ferns says. “That would cause chaos in the small vicinity where people are sitting to eat their food. With the app, we’re trying to reduce the line and wait time and speed up the process overall.”

Doyle and Ferns believe the updates to the Beachwood hangout will help better serve pool and playground visitors.

“The Beachwood Snack Shack is a place where two families decided that they could collaborate together with their backgrounds and create a new summertime destination,” Doyle says. “Whether you are trying to afford a family meal within a budget or just want to come see the weekly specials, the Beachwood Snack Shack should be on your top-priority to-do list this summer and for summers to come.”

Sustainable City

Beachwood’s commitment to sustainability shines through citywide initiatives.

BY JILL SELL

Waste Not

Americans annually spend $218 billion on the growing, transportation, processing and disposing of food that is not eaten, according to Cleveland-based recycling company Rust Belt Riders.

But, there are ways to lessen the environmental impact of scrap food. The City of Beachwood, for example, has partnered with Rust Belt Riders to offer a composting program that results in an organic soil blend for plants. The process also keeps mountains of uneaten food out of landfills.

(Tilth soil, the finished recycled material created by Rust Belt Riders, has been added to the Beachwood Community Gardens.)

Chris Arrietta, public works director for Beachwood, collaborated with Beachwood City Council and others in the community to offer the free program to residents, beginning in April 2024. Registered participants use 5-gallon buckets to collect food scraps that are

Currently we have 297 members in the community who are part of the program, and we have recycled about 71,000 pounds of food in one year.”

— CHRIS ARRIETTA, BEACHWOOD PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR

then deposited in locked bins that open only with a code. The bins are located behind the Beachwood Community Center.

“Currently we have 297 members in the community who are part of the program, and we have recycled about 71,000 pounds of food in one year,” says Arrietta. “We are looking for even more residents to participate.”

The food scrap recycling program is one of many sustainability efforts that Beachwood has embraced to limit its environmental footprint. But effective sustainability in a community is a balance and can be challenging, according to Arrietta, who has been researching the possibility of a city-owned rubbish truck. But Arrietta knows that while it is important to be “in the front of sustainability practices,” that “a city does not want to become behind in its services,” either. For now, the truck is on hold.

It’s Electric

In addition, the city has purchased a Ford Mustang Mach-E, an all-electric vehicle for the police department. The choice was based on “rigorous testing related to police use,” and serves as a pilot to determine if additional electric vehicles would be beneficial for the department. Thirteen additional hybrid vehicles for five other city departments were also purchased. And don’t be surprised to see two police e-bikes around town, ridden to promote community presence and enhance mobility where larger vehicles can’t go.

Small, electric landscaping tools for city ground work have also been added.

“We are also looking at a long-term sustainability plan with Cuyahoga County,” says Mayor Justin Berns. “It’s still in the planning process, but we know the county is looking to expand its efforts and is looking at communities to move forward. We are going great with our programs that we have now. But we are always looking for new programs and welcome community engagement.”

Seeing the Light

Beachwood’s Solar Street Light Pilot Project has been in operation since April. Twenty-nine solar-powered SmartLights were installed along Beachwood Boulevard and Ranch Road. The $114,576 price tag was 68.7% funded by

a NOPEC Energized Community Grant with the city covering the remainder.

The lights are said to be environmentally friendly, made with recyclable materials, emit zero emissions and reduce light pollution.

Energy efficiency is achieved through adaptive brightness based on sunrise and sunset. The design and structure of the lights may also result in maintenance savings for the city.

“We are looking to see if the lights are effective over the next few years. If yes, we will probably look to expand the program,” says Arrietta.

NOPEC is dedicated to securing affordable energy rates for residents and small businesses in 243 member communities across Ohio. Since 2001, we’ve helped our customers save hundreds of millions of dollars on their electricity and natural gas costs. Plus, our online energy-savings center provides valuable energy-saving tips to help you save even more. Together, we’re building stronger communities through smarter energy choices. Learn