Etheostoma Caeruleum

Yes, thank you very much. That is actually how my old shop used to be. I had an entire section dedicated to replications of Ohio streams. It was like a small nature center. You can see the photos on the "Aquatic Urban-Ohio" thread.

Maybe one day.... I may open up a custom aquarium design, installation and maintenance shoppe in one of these places. It will be a great show room.

There are some beautiful trees in these neighborhoods. In my opinion trees make a neighborhood. Even humble neighborhoods can look elegant with the right planting of stately trees. Too many are removed and not replanted. I heard that downtown is offering many incentives right now for potential small businesses. After looking at these photos, I feel it is a kind of 'national crime' to let any neighborhoods anywhere with houses like this fall apart. They are a testament to what little history we have as a nation in 230-plus years....and will never be duplicated again. 1/3rd of the steel used in WW2 came out of the Mahoning Valley. The river basically died for the cause... These and other reasons is why I feel there should be some sort of national moral obligation, for lack of a better way to put it.... to make maintaining the history of our 'original big cities' a priority. They, in themselves are a sort of 'national park'

Here is another little "secret" within a well known place, actually..... The gift shop in the Museum Of Natural History is fantastic! Many great books relating to geology, nature, and archeological sciences, astronomy, and so on. There are many other unique quality gift items here too. The setting is really nice. I remember years ago, we used to buy these pencils with fake shrunken heads on the top... Kind of morbid, but as a kid we couldn't get enough of these!

I know where there are a lot of old professionals....and young un-professionals. :-D

Ok, I thought that's what you were referring to. Yes, SY sucked away the scene of which we speak, making it more auto friendly than pedestrian. I don't think Steelyards is convenient at all in most cases. In terms of hardware for example... Unless I am building a house or doing a major job requiring a truck, I avoid a place like Home D. at any cost because... 1. Its hard to find help that actually knows what they are doing... 2. You need a GPS system to navigate through the place and a bull horn to call for help. 3. The attitude of many of the workers stinks.. 4. Too much choice is sometimes worse than not enough... making you spend more time hunting for something or getting sidetracked by some other impulsive buying lure...And... 5. If I need a basic thing like a light bulb, a power cord and strip, hinges, a small can of paint, a simple tool or brushes, standard plumbing fixture...or anything really quick and basic for home handyman things......to me, it is far more easier to use a small pedestrian friendly convenience style hardware store, than to deal with the nonsense. I can get in and out of something like that, on foot, far faster than I ever could going to the big box monstrosities. I have often found that they fail to carry some of the very basic things... and sell a whole lot of nothing. The hardware store at Coventry is a great example of what style I like for a neighborhood setting like 25th.

I would do anything to have our beaches, what little we have in Cleveland look this healthy...nice and cared for.

^ That's just what I feel as well. When you mention Dante's, do you mean the bank moved out that originally occupied that space..OR, the other one down the street? They didn't move, did they? But yes, making it more functional for daily life in the neighborhood for the residents. I don't know if this would work, but I think W.25th might benefit from a small hotel like The Park Hotel in Warren, in an historic building... Or not?

^ Yes, I miss the Buddha too. The Warehouse Dist, and maybe even 4th is evolving into just another Flats thing "part two" -- not appealing enough for the diverse and broader demographic needed to sustain a fully functional neighborhood. I too, agree with the retail mix but would like to keep the clone chains at a minimum. There is a Walgreen's/CVS/and Rite Aid type thing practically on every major corner these days. In Youngstown, they built so many that a few closed because of the cannibalization thing, while totally undermining the independent pharmacy jobs. I prefer something more locally owned or independent store scene on such an historic area. Make it really different from all the rest. Some good things that can blend in nicely with a 25th scene might be a small convenience style hardware store...a bit of a smaller higher end grocer that does not sell only rot-gut booze or lottery, maybe even a nice shoe store, special bakery, or more gallery type things. Basically, establishments that are more functional for residents too..and not just the 'out-on-the town' crowd.

Ok, so can I use your property for a dump?

STUNNING! Now THAT is what the lake beaches should look like!

That's what empty Snapple bottles are for... no need for fancy ashtrays. Exactly, I cannot comprehend why some people seem to think that just because there is no trash can...or now, no ash tray, available.... that it excuses pitching something on the ground.

^ Agreed. The same goes for soooo many of the people who fish at piers locally.. Just go look how littered they are at State parks like Mosquito and Edgewater... That is another issue, but similar scenario.

Its not the smoking ban that "causes" this, per se.......Rather, its ignorance from people who should know better than to pitch crap out of their car window. Yes, we have seen an increase in that, I will be the first to say that and agree...But, we cannot blame what should be personal responsibility, on the fact that there is no smoking inside, and keep making excuses to evade a scenario that is really about personal responsibility. Being a "tosser", and pitching butts...is littering and is illegal anyway. These (butts) accumulate until what seems like a little thing is actually a big thing. (look at the photos on the Edgewater Clean-Up group thread) Just look at exit ramps with traffic lights and see all the butts people throw out at stops. Its disgraceful and piggish and shows absolutly no pride whatsoever. This is what the ash tray is for. Then, when you get home, you empty it into a garbage can--NOT a parking area. I saw a sticker that said... "The earth is not your ashtray, please keep your butt in the car"

^ I know...its shameful. When one goes through Fairfax...along Euclid, it is a far cry from so much of the actual residential segment. In other words, far more to the place than the clinic campus. Those homes have solid structure though...and can stand the test of time to be renovated. Can you imagine how cheaply housing is built now lasting this long if it fell into trouble! The right thing to do would have been to give the homes back to the people..let them keep them, instead of bailing out who caused the problem by setting up so many people to fail, or in such a way that this would likely be the result---for the sake of making a nice fat commission.

Yes, I was thinking, that in order to focus the light energy onto the building and instead of wasting it into the sky....if they were somehow affixed to shine down...on the building instead of up...much in the same way a lot of signs are doing to not waste any of the light effect.

When there is little to nothing left... there is one thing that is free.. PRIDE! Good job getting it going to help make a different reality for residents.

I think it will look nice. If subtly lit in the evening, that would be impressive.

I don't know... But I agree about the vacancies. When you theme any given area with too much of the bar/fancy bar theme, or any ONE theme, it eventually gets old, and people start to lose interest. There needs to be a mix. Perhaps more functional businesses that serve the needs of people who actually live downtown--anything that would eliminate the need to get in the car and drive somewhere would be a good rule of thumb.

I agree... Cleveland can look at these and see what better lake/shoreline stewardship might look like and do for the image....and what bettering that image will do for the economy.

Great place..one of Ohio's best kept preserves... Beautiful area too...

AFAIK, they had to build the new school where they did because the old school was still being used while the new school was being built. One of the early ideas for the facade was to dismantle it and rebuild it on the new school, but they quickly realized that this was going to cost much more than the $1 million the district had set aside for "historic respect." There are rooms behind the facade. But, by law, they can't be used. EC, the school board and superintendant played a huge role in the decision to not save and use the auditorium. I had to generate the contract documents for most of the school buildings that have been demolished in Warren, and the building that I'm most ashamed of working on is Garfield Elementary. Yes..... Hellweg has got to go...so does Bolino and Faulkner... They are turning this district into one that places all academics/arts, etc.. as secondary in priority to athletics, sending the message that its all the students can be. The athletic director is living his dream through the students and forcing this sports agenda/identity on the whole community, only further type-casting Warren. Nice new building for the new school...But its turning out a rotten product. While I live in Cleveland.... I still travel out to Warren for a few days a week to help a family member and I still have a vested interest in the system. Flaviani and Wilson need to get on this board. I and about 200 others have had 3 major issues with this school board in one year and all falls on deaf ears. So, while I just ranted on here... I felt it important to note some of that because considering the priorities of the board and the mindset (no accountability).... I am not surprised by this kind of decision we see to tear down so much of this beautiful old school.

Will the red brick in the back be cleaned?

Yes, that's what they'll be saying.

^ You're exactly right about the hearing, hit the nail on the head--always having to have something stuffed in their ear canals--never knowing what it is like to appreciate having an independent thought alone or some quiet time. Such is actually a little known to the general public addiction, and it is growing worse. Dr. Hagler, MD in Oakland California, specifically an Audiologist, I believe---and other audiologists have called this phenomenon "Vibral Acoustic Over-Stimulation" which presents a scenario that makes one so used to hearing something in their ears, that the moment they get silence, it is like a withdraw of the "drug" The results will be a lot of hearing impaired.... I wonder the cost levied on society on that one....hence why I am considering an investment in hearing aids. Their whiny nasally voices were like acoustic sewage; an operator in the 1930's saying "NUMBERRR PLEEEASEEE!" UGH! Someone actually thanked me for saying what I said.