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CleFan 98: "Go to pages 2 and 3. The plans and renderings will answer most of your questions." ??? I've looked on pp. 2 and 3 in this forum and don't see anything about Lorain Avenue per se. Much about West 25 and possible new housing, however.

Regarding the sorry Hubbard House situation, I've been posting here and on Facebook, as well as writing letters, etc., probably since late winter (as soon as I had found out about it). On this page here, alone, are two photos of the very similar house on East 108th Street. I wish someone with "power" had done something earlier, like consideration for Landmark nomination back in the spring. Also, are the special architectural elements really already removed from the house? As I wrote above, a stained glass window is clearly gone from the lunette in the back of the house, though that might have been removed earlier. Just to reiterate a few important things, imho: Yes, the Hubbard was the Hubbard of Cowell & Hubbard Jewelers. Alumni House could have gone with attachment to house concept or possibly added on in the rear. In fact, they have a small addition there already which I heard was going to be demolished when the new building would be built. There are many other venues in University Circle alone that make splendid settings for the type of events Alumni House feels they need the new space for. The Hubbard House if one of the small number of very fine (in this case, outstanding) houses remaining of the original Wade Park Allotment. That stretch of Juniper was originally part of Magnolia Drive - a beautiful, winding boulevard. This house has unusual slate dormers and other distinctive features - on the outside alone. Does anyone now when a public meeting might be? I hope the house lasts that long and this is not a case of "demolition by accident." It really is a beautiful house and would make a wonderful single residence, for example. I just wish the university would sell it. There are so many in town who put so much into restoration/renovation of houses. Of course, I'd like to see the fire escapes go, but if that sort of thing makes the house remain, so be it. How about a club? A fraternity or sorority with a lesser home? Offices? Condos? Apartments? It can't need THAT much if the Police have able to have their offices there. Modify message Read more: http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php/topic,2492.4235.html#ixzz3oePZznMt

This is the first I've seen about a whole Lorain Avenue streetscape plan. When is construction supposed to start? What is the length it is to cover (between what streets)? Are there images of the plans on the web? Anything really different, like new street lights, planters?

Please see the dialogue on the Juniper Drive situation, and related attachments, scattered in this forum on pp. 69 and 70 - around posts 2407 to 2420 or so.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who cares. What are the chances, though, when CWRU owns the house? Does anyone on Landmarks care? Yes, what happened at the meeting? The original owners of 11320 were Mr. and Mrs. Addison T. Cowell; he was President of Cowell & Hubbard Jewelers. The address was originally 1685 Magnolia Drive. From what I can tell the Caines were at a difference address on Magnolia Drive.

So what happened to the Asiatown streetscape plan? It must be over five years, now....

Who knows - sometimes there is hope for this sort of "enlightenment" when enough show interest and there have been delays (I had heard the Police would be out and in the Heart Association buildling on East 115th by July). Thre's always the possibility of contacting the Linsalatas, too. Also, you can contact Cleveland Planning Commission's Design Review Committee to let them know this ain't too cool. Actually, that one might be the most likely to have any effect!....

I tried to publicize this sacrilege as soon as I found out about it maybe 7 or 8 months ago. As one of the original Wade Park Allotment houses, this former residence well represents the history of the area as a fine residential district and as such as a precious commodity that should be better respected. I sent some letters around and never got any responses, but if you want to try to do anything to show this situation as disgusting, please try contacting Chris Ronayne at University Circle, Inc., the Alumni group itself, someone high up at CWRU, Cleveland Restoration Society, and/or Cleveland Landmarks Commission. Yes, I know it's not a landmark nor quite in the Cleveland or national Historic District areas, but these individuals/organizations should have some feeling for this sort of development. Two things have made me feel slightly better. First, the addition is not horrible, if it's anything like the illustrations - at least it has the brick and a tingling of style, anyway. Second, there is a very similar house on East 108th street just ot the north of the Mt. Zion properties (the church's decision is a preservation success story!). Obviously the same basic floor plan was used, etc. I could post a photo here but no longer see how. Yes, I'm sure it would be possible for the Alumni House to expand with renovation of the mansion, which is even more distinctive than their current building, which they won a Celebration of Preservation Award a few years ago.

Two comments about previous posts: Doesn't Albert's always have "For Sale" signs on display in the windows? As for the building with the black glass, maybe it could be restored to its original exterior materials, if there's really enough there, but this is a case, imho, that the glossy facade is really striking, very '30s and '40s, and I'd like to see it stay - all cleaned and restored to its original appearance, of course.

Okay - I walked across the Hope Mem. bridge the other day and I now have it straight, noting there are two bridges west of the Hope bridge: the one over Columbus Road and and one over the railroad tracks. The big project described in the PD over a year ago would go from the west side of Columbus Road up the hill to Lorain Avenue. This area includes the acreage of that demolished long-vacant cafe, the demolished bunch of houses near Lorain, and the new townhouses on the west side of Columbus Road. :oops:

All confusing. I thought the big project (mixed use with residential, offices, etc.) described in the PD last year, if not 2013, was to go from Columbus Road up the hill to the Lorain Avenue level. But when that big announcement came, it was just the time that long-vacant restaurant right on Lorain was demolilshed, and the article said it was for this project, but that restaurant was to the east of Columbus Road. So were the houses that were just demolished. If the big project were to go from the west side of Columbus road up the hill to Lorain Avenue level, then aren't the new townhouses right on Columbus, nearly finished part of that project?

Let's, please, keep referring to the building as the "New York Spaghetti House building," and the restaurant has been gone many years and I wouldn't want someone to come across a post and think it's still going..... As the building is one of the oldest downtown, and would fit well into the Warehouse District, I hope it is not the next historic threat for demolition! :police:

As I've said before, let's not be so hasty in calling the downtown Heinen's the most beautiful grocery store in the world. The U.S., perhaps. But Europe.... A few months ago I showed photos of the Food Hall at the Harrod's flagship store in London. This is about the Yeliseyevsky grocery store in Moscow: https://www.likealocalguide.com/moscow/yeliseyevsky-store I had thought our Mayfield Heights Yeliseyevsky's, which is a great store for a local ethnic food place, was named for a local individual, but it turns out it must be named for the Moscow emporium.

Is the project totally dependent on this funding? Another six months of no progress?

So what happened with the 6/30 round?

Does anyone know the date the new Rapid Station on Mayfield is supposed to open to the public?

I just wanted to announce that the entire "The 9" project was a winner in the Celebration of Preservation Awards program on May 28th. The title of this particular award was "Outstanding Preservation Achievement" and it was offered, dramatically, as the last award of the event, held in the Allen Theatre. I was on the Jury; there were some negative comments about the decorating and some other items, but there was plenty of discussion about how the achievement of the whole complex is a tremendously successful ending to what had been an extremely sorry chapter in Cleveland and Cuyahoga County history. Outstanding features of the restoration work included rebuilding the Metropolitan's main floor facade's wall where the restaurant is. Wonderful work all around. It's definitely a so-called "win-win" solution. http://www.clevelandrestoration.org/awards/past-years.php

As a preservationist I happen to almost always detest "siding," myself. The question here, of course, is what's underneath where there had been siding? A lot of the original clapboards and shingles that were covered over have plenty of life in them yet and, when necessary, will need only minor work. Ditto windows, but I won't get into that now. :-(

We already have about the greatest cluster in Greater Cleveland: the ever-changing West Side Market!

I like the design, too. A nice, smooth, sleek, horizontal emphasis where every piece fits together nicely, like with puzzle pieces. So it looks '60s; I like it better than a lot of recent Post-Modern-related townhouses that try to combine five styles in various colors.... jmicha - In the case of East 118th Street, "respectful of [what] neighbors?" The new apartments have been swallowing what remains of the old houses. I wonder if the new housing will continue up the street towards Wade Park Avenue. That part of Wade Park was always "plainer" and the houses might still not go for that much.

Very glad Schofield will be in the name, though can't it be "Schofield Monaco" or "Monaca Schofield" or whatever line it's to go into? Are any of them named like that? Yes, I shall always miss that clock tower - very much a ca. 1900 period piece that would be about the most distinctive feature of the facade. After a thousand years Old Stone Church got its steeple again, and now it's getting the patina that actually makes it look vintage....

So where's the "Sphere" sign?

Someone probably was told that the site was formerly the Cleveland Institute of Art, which it was....about 90 years ago. Since then a Howard Johnson's hotel has come and gone and now is the Children's Museum. I imagine that the News Dept. was thinking of the current CIA site and sent the hapless reporter there. Research, research, research!! That's incorrect. The former Cleveland Institute of Art, at that time called the Cleveland School of Art, was where the dormitories are that broke up Magnolia Drive when they were built. The address was often given as "Juniper and Magnolia." Now what became the eastern segment of former Magnolia Drive is considered part of Juniper Road. It was sort of a Flemish-style building constructed in 1904 and designed by Hubbell & Benes. Interestingly, the corresponding art college in Baltimore still uses a building of similar design. In the vicinity of the site of One University Circle was that of an earlier Western Reserve Historical Society. It opened in 1898 and remained there as the Society's main building until it moved into the two mansions on East Boulevard in 1939-40.

Concerning that beautiful Juniper Road mansion threatened for demolition for an addition to the CWRU Alumni House, I was heartened today to notice that 1568 East 108th Street, just to the north of the Mt. Zion Congregational Church, is close to a twin, in reverse. There obviously was a strong connection in the construction of the two mansions. One feature is a little nicer of one, another feature of the other is nicer. The East 108th house, fortunately, is in two historic districts - those of the City's and the National Register. The City's designation is the more restrictive. The threatened house has particularly exquisite leaded glass sidelights flanking the main entrance. I'd like to think if the house goes someone will have the smarts to save these. The attached photo is of 1568 East 108th Street: :-)

Urbanophile, please let us know if and when your letter to the campus paper appears in print (or on their website). Thanks! I wish some group, such as people in the Art History Department at Case, would get involved in this issue. Case has a lot of responsibility because they own the threatened building. UCI is supposed to be very interested in what gets built or threatened in their turf. Again, this is like 50 years ago, when hardly anyone seemed to care about saving a 20th century building, but now buildings of this type are over a century old! I recall when they were about 50. Were hits destruction not to take place, Case could sell the property and all sorts of possibilities might materialize. Or Case could rent to someone else (organization, department, housing tenants, etc.),though I believe the Police are really being forced out.