Spring Grove Cemetery's existing columbarium walls are nearly tapped out, and Medina officials are moving to build a much bigger one. The original wall built in 2005 has sold every one of its 120 niches, the second wall from 2019 has just a single niche left, and the third wall, completed in 2025, still has 74 of its niches available. Now the city is planning its biggest expansion yet: a 1,120-niche columbarium wall built in phases four through 10.
According to Cleveland.com, Medina City Council approved legislation to move forward with the new columbarium at Spring Grove Cemetery, including a design services agreement with Behnke Associates Inc. Behnke submitted two design proposals to the city, offering both phased construction and single-phase construction options, and the cemetery commission voted to proceed with the single-phase approach. Officials believe building the project in one phase may make it more attractive to potential bidders and will shorten the duration of construction-related disruptions in the area.
Design Costs and a Price Tag in Dispute
Medina Parks and Recreation Director Jansen Wehrley said the design cost for the project is estimated at $42,500. The overall construction cost carries conflicting figures depending on the source: Cleveland.com reports the project is estimated to cost $1.3 million, while Your Ohio News describes it as a proposed $1.2 million project. City records listed in Medina's 2026 ordinances separately show a transfer of $1,335,380 from the General Fund to the Cemetery Mausoleum Fund.
Wehrley also said constructing all seven columbarium walls as a single project could cost approximately $200,000 less than completing them separately, a savings that helped steer the cemetery commission toward the single-phase option. Council has approved advertising for competitive bids and awarding a construction contract, and city officials expect the construction project itself to be awarded in 2027.
A Long-Term Bet on Rising Cremation Demand
If every niche in the new wall eventually sells, Wehrley said the project could generate approximately $3.4 million in revenue over its lifespan. That kind of return reflects a broader shift at the cemetery: according to Behnke Landscape Architecture, the site's master plan calls for expanding columbaria and inground cremains sections as cremation becomes more common, while also focusing on reducing operating costs and preserving the cemetery's Victorian character.
Spring Grove Cemetery, which sits on South Spring Grove Street, was established in the 1880s and spans 34 acres, per the City of Medina. Earlier phases of the cemetery's master plan, per Behnke, included restoring the Civil War Memorial entry area with Victorian plant beds and local sandstone, re-excavating an abandoned pond, and adding columbaria to the grounds. Medina maintains two cemeteries overall, Spring Grove and Old Town Graveyard, according to the city.
Fees Under Review as Niches Run Low
The push for more niche capacity comes as Medina's cemetery operations face separate financial scrutiny. The Medina Gazette has reported that Wehrley requested City Council increase fees for Spring Grove Cemetery as the department works on constructing its third columbarium wall. With the original and second walls essentially sold out and the third wall still carrying available niches, the city is betting that a much larger, single-phase build will both meet demand and streamline the construction process for years to come.
