Ludlow Early Learning Center
Originally Constructed: 1922
Original Architect: Charles S. Schneider
Building History:
Initially occupied as a Shaker Elementary, this neighborhood school played a significant role in the initial integration of Shaker Heights and the Shaker Schools.
Ludlow School was one of four schools closed by the Board of Education in 1987. It was later leased for use by the Positive Education Program (PEP), with that use continuing until Spring 2023.
Costs for renovation of Ludlow School for use as the Ludlow Early Learning Center were funded by a portion of the bond levy approved by voters on the November 2023 ballot (Issue 13). This ballot issue also included a 3.0 mill operating levy for this Pre-K, yielding approximately $2.8 million annually.
2025 Enrollment: 141 preschool students
Building Capacity: +/-200 students
Funding: The Ludlow renovations were funded by the 2023 Issue 13 levy. This preschool facility is a Shaker Schools initiative without co-funding from the State of Ohio.
Playground: The 2025 renovations included construction of a new playground, with equipment added that can serve community children of all ages in addition to the preschool-aged children.
The playground area is approx. 6,300 sq. feet
(5,575 sq. ft. playground, 725 sq. ft. paved play area).
Other Site amenities: The Ludlow property includes a play field with softball diamond and backstop and open field areas. The smaller dimensions of this field do not allow regulation play for older children, but are appropriate for T-ball and soccer events for younger players as well as general community use.
The District maintains a page with information about the Ludlow Preschool renovations here.
Renovation Architect: GPD Group
Architectural services $995,771
(7.1% of const. budget)
Reimbursible expenses $335,000
09.12.2023 GPD Group Contract Authorization
Construction Manager: Gilbane Building Company
Site Area: 3.60 acres total
Building Area: 38,462 sq. ft. existing
766 sq. ft. additions
39,228 sq. ft. total
Project Construction Budget:
Initially approved: $14,025,000
At Construction Start $14,780,969
(+5.39% above initial amt.)
Change Orders: $ 1,091,216
(+7.38% additions)
Current Cost: $15,872,185
(+13.17% compared to initial budget)
Unit Cost : $405 per sq. ft.
Project Schedule:
Design Start October 2023
Demo Start October 21, 2024
Planning Approval December 3, 2024
Construction Start January 14, 2025
Scheduled Finish August 1, 2025
Actual Finish Work still incomplete
Completion Delay 13 months and counting
School Start
Initially Scheduled August 21, 2025
Actual September 15, 2025
Estimated tuition loss
due to delayed start: $112,000*
*Details on lost tuition were requested from Shaker Schools but not provided. It is our understanding that September 2025 tuition was not charged due to the inconvenience of the delayed start.
Estimate above assumes 70 students at full $1000/mo. full-rate tuition, and 70 students at $600/mo. IEP rate.
Shared facilities: The building includes a small gymnasium which has been designed to accommodate community use. The gym can be accessed directly from the new building entry and includes restroom access, so the space can be used without accessing the rest of the building. The building also includes a small auditorium with a stage.
Key Project Issues
Completion Delays Enter Second Year
When Ludlow opened in September 2025, the District noted that incomplete work still remaining would be finished over the 2025-26 school year. This estimate was later revised to say the open items would be finished over the summer of 2026.
A District facilities newsletter on August 28, 2026 indicated that multiple items still remained, including equipment installation as well as roof and masonry repairs. They now say these items will be completed on nights and weekends over the 2026-27 school year.
Ludlow Construction Resuming Summer '26
At the March meeting of the City's recreation committee, a School District representative indicated that construction will be resuming after the school year finishes and is expected to continue for most of the summer due to the significant scope of unfinished items and other punch list work required. The Champions 'Champ Camp' originally scheduled to be at Ludlow will be relocated to Onaway.
Teachers Report Quality Issues
The February '26 SHTA newsletter includes reported concerns from staff working in the building: flooring "falling apart", "crumbling glue", "peeling", "chunks...missing" and "coming up in sheets". The report (see excerpt) also alludes to challenges with building climate controls, a recent power outage, and additional details about the recently discovered mold.
Neighborhood Impacts
The Construction Manager failed to establish unloading areas for material deliveries. As a result, Ludlow Road traffic was regularly obstructed. Construction vehicles detoured around the blockages by driving on residential yards across the street from the site. This resulted in existing slate sidewalks crushed in multiple locations. These sidewalks remain unrepaired.
Tree Impacts During Construction
Required tree protection fencing was not installed in a timely fashion. Contractors drove heavy equipment across tree roots, and stockpiled soil and materials in these sensitive areas.
City inspectors issued a stop work order to mandate correction of this oversight. Damage to tree health likely resulted, but may not be apparent for several years.
Schedule Delays
With required Planning approvals not secured until early December 2024, less than seven months was allowed for renovation work. Evening and weekend overtime work throughout the summer was not adequate to recover the schedule and families were impacted by the delayed start. Construction work on incomplete items has continued through the fall and winter of 2025/26, including during times the school is occupied by preschool children.
Window Upgrades
The original scope assumed retaining existing single-glazed windows with poor energy performance. A decision to upgrade the windows was made well after the start of construction. While the change was prudent decision to save operating costs and improve comfort, the delay in implementation contributed to unnecessary schedule impacts as well as a cost increase of well over a half-million dollars, an amount that could have been reduced with a more timely decision.
Design Approvals
The design team struggled in achieving required design approvals. The project appeared before the Architectural Board of Review seven times, and the City Planning Commission five times before obtaining the required sign-offs on the design of the site layout and design of modest building additions.
Parking
Initial site designs maximized parking and severely limited greenspace and playground area. The community pushed for using existing street parking instead. WIth the building now operational, there is ample street parking remaining and no congestion issues at drop-off and pick-up times.
Tree Survey
Initial site layouts did not take into account existing grading or sensitive root locations for legacy oak street trees. The Planning Commission required a detailed tree assessment, setting a precedent for future school projects.
