New World Techno Boy

RE: Lincoln building/Parking garage at SE corner of E6 & St. Clair: The very corner of the building on the SE corner of E6/St. Clair used to house Pat Joyce Tavern/Taverne on the Mall. Boards went up over these windows about 2-3 weeks ago. Knowing what I know about this building, this corner spot is not conducive to parking and I don't think it will be added to the already existing parking. It is a very small spot, but may be good for a small cafe, coffee shop or other retail that could feed off the Westin/Druary traffic. The current parking garage entrance is on the south side of St. Clair about half way between E6/E9. The garage was always in trouble with the City because during busy times, parkers would get backed up on St. Clair, causing traffic jams - The garage is self park for 1st floor, but floors 2-5 are valet ONLY, which really slows things down during crunch times. Since 2011 the garage has been trying to open a new entrance on E6, just south of where Pat Joyce/Taverne on the Mall used to exist. Ironically, this is the original parking garage entrance - dating back to when the garage was built in the 1920's. Unfortunately, this area of the garage has been modified so heavily, it is very difficult for the owner to make it the main entrance again - supply pipes, drain pipes, wiring, etc, all must be moved. This is a very old garage - it was built in 1925 and at the time was one of the largest parking garages in the world. Ok, I'll shut up now as this is not really about the Westin, but I feel it is related as this this garage will likely see a renaissance from the Westin, Druary, and convention traffic.

No DM4 - pgn711 is referring to the corner part of the Lincoln Building/Parking garage where the Pat Joyce Tavern used to be. Boards went up over those windows in the past couple weeks. The new entrance to the garage is South of there. I hope it is going to be a new restaurant or some type of retail to coincide with the Westin opening. I used to work/park in this building up until a few months ago, so I was always up on what was happening. Unfortunately, I've lost all of my contacts at the building. Everything at this building happens at a snails pace. The new entrance to the garage has been under construction since at least December of 2011.

I'd love more history on how this marker came to be... I'm a fanatical plat map researcher and the current WHD was once indeed an incredible hotbed of cutting edge clothing factories in the 1880's. It is sad that Cleveland lost this distinction, but I am glad to see that somehow this marker brings this awesome fact out to the public.

I really enjoy exploring and meandering about Lake View Cemetery on a quiet Sunday morning. There is so much to see. Making note of grave-site names and then researching the family involvement in Cleveland history is an amazing endeavor. There was such an incredible concentration of amazing human beings that created Cleveland in the 1800's and early 1900's. Reading about the bankers, industrialists, shippers leaves me in awe. Sadly, it seems around the time of the Great Depression, most of them passed on or left Cleveland and we've been left with the aftermath of their industrial wasteland that was a side-effect of their prosperity...

I suppose the mods are going to complain about the course of this thread... but I have one more semi-related photo to the divergent tail of this thread that I couldn't resist sharing...A photo of the original First Baptist church original clock tower later re-purposed for Hickox...I'm not seeing the resemblance, but it is an interesting story... I like to track how many different structures have been at a location over the past 200 years, and this corner is near the top of my list with four documented structures (First Baptist [1855-1899], Hickox [1900-1946], Bond [1946-1978], NCB/PNC [1978-eternity]). Likely there were one or more structures before First Baptist, making this one of the most rebuilt corners in the city...

Thanks for the window picture pgn711! I love matching historical details and these windows are pretty darn close to the original double-hung windows that this beauty had... Sadly, it looks like the new windows do not open like the original double hungs. Guess we can't have everything... I work just around the corner from this awesome project, but the view is completely blocked by the Huntington Building on 9th/Euclid, so I much appreciate the photo updates!

Hilliard/Westwood Theater in Lakewood is not looking good. In the past week the city posted 'vacate' signs and big 'X' signs all over the building. I took a good photo walk around the building this morning. It has been described as the most gorgeous non-ecclesiastical building in Lakewood. Sadly, it is in horrible horrible shape.

Thanks MayDay - I was out of town this weekend and missed this awesome event. Your photos helped me feel like I was there! This area is full of such strong emotion for me - I have Ukrainian, Russian and Hungarian roots reaching deep in Cleveland...

Having spent most of my life in the Cleveland area, I'm really amazed by photos and Google street views of Cincinnati - it is a *radically* different urban area than Cleveland. The 3 & 4 story historic brick buildings that are *everywhere* in Cincinnati, are extremely rare in Cleveland. So, my actual question - I see that many many historic Cincinnati buildings have a very tiny top row of windows (See posted photo for example) Can any one tell me how these windows are configured in the building - is there a floor that only has these windows? Does top floor of the building have extra windows for a vaulted ceiling? Any history on why these are so prevalent in Cincinnati? This feature is extremely rare in the Cleveland area and it is really cool to see it all over the place in Cincinnati...

Hi All, been away for a while. My company recently moved out of the Lincoln building across from the Westin re-development. I miss watching the daily progress... I had the opportunity to visit the Terminal Tower Observation Deck today and got a really nice shot of progress at the Westin. I used to have a birds-eye view from the 6th floor of the Lincoln building, but this is even better! Last I saw, the laborers were cracking the old windows out by drilling a hole in the middle and then taking the glass out, on chard at a time. Freaking insane. Looks like all/most of the new windows are in now, and they look really good. The new ballroom area is really shaping up and I see framing for the new exterior going up too. Over in my new home in the former Diamond Shamrock building (now rechristened 'Oswald Centre'), (guess where I work), I'm anxiously awaiting the East Ohio Gas building conversion...

Ah, I remember Neighbors in Action as the group that came up with come outstanding reuse options for the Church and then out of nowhere changed course and suggested demolishing the church. I'm just a layman that doesn't really understand these types of things though. Just trying to understand....

Can anyone help me understand the relationship between Carnegie Companies and Neighbors in Action? Neighbors in Action is the PR division of Carnegie?

Wow, this site that KJP linked to is pretty impressive (http://www.savefifthchurch.com/) Whoever put that together presents a pretty compelling picture of what could be... The link to the Walgreen's that went into a very similar structure in Chicago's Wicker Park area completely blew me away - this was one of the most amazing repurposing's I've ever seen. The site also has several Cleveland area repurposings that could be applied to this location. Personally, I think we have another demo at hand - after all, this is Cleveland and the developers decide what happens and the developers like clean slates. I'll shut up now before I say what I really think of developers in Cleveland...

bjk: The trucks parked on St. Clair between E 6th & E 9th have nothing to do with the hotel project - they are part of a sewer lining project and should be gone by Wednesday. They are apparently lining the sewers with styrene, from which the very strong smell permeated the area today and brought me back to the days I used to work at a styrene factory in Ashtabula....

Westin Demo Work Update: Crews have started removing the horizontal and vertical steel supports on the 6th & 7th floor facade. Looks like they are using an acetylene torch to slice through the beams. Fencing just went up on the 2-5 floors and I'm guessing this is because the old rusted out steel guard rails are going next. More brick removal on the 8th floor. Looks like some interior work is starting but it is very hard to see anything through the filthy windows...

Westin Demo Work Update - Photo from today Based on the remodel renderings, most of the old brick that is going to be removed is now removed...The large and small 6-story brick columns on the West, South and East sides are pretty much gone. Outside demo workers have had a really rough week between the frigid cold, rain, wind and snow, but they kept rockin' like it was nothing. I'm anxious to see what the next steps are at this point... Somewhat related to the 'hotel' thread of these theme, I noticed another potential hotel site around the corner from the Westin had 'Auction' signs put up this morning - the Cleveland Board of Education building will apparently be auctioned off in March. I really hope it gets the TLC it needs and is converted to a hotel or residential...

Superior Ave east from of the Inner-belt is one interesting area. There are indeed a lot of hidden gems in this area. Ironically, the Vogt building has been VERY high on my radar recently and I was very pleasantly surprised to see it being recommended for landmark status, along with many of the other fabulous buildings in this area.

Ummm, JivecitySTL, WOW.... You have a photographer eye and some serious talent. Get yourself a good camera and you can do some awesome stuff. You clearly have a VERY good command of urban St. Louis and know how to photograph the interesting areas and make them look interesting. This was an exceptionally cool post that I really enjoyed. I've always thought Cleveland and St. Louis were similar... Your photoset firmly embedded that concept... Thank you, keep up the good work.. NWTB

Westin Update: Latest demo photos from Thursday, January 17, 2013. It is a lot of fun to watch the demo and try to see how the conversion will look in the end. Sadly, my office is moving a couple blocks East in August 2013, so I won't get to watch the last part of the new construction. Does anyone know what is in the two floors above the parking decks? Presumably a ballroom? My senior prom dance was held here in 1985 and I remember a large ballroom...

re: Westin on St. Clair - I can tell you the demolition crew is busting their a$$'s to get this thing moving. My office window overlooks the project and this is my first hand observation...Watching how labor intensive this thing is, I can't help but wonder if it would have just been easier/cheaper/faster to implode this 1970's piece of crap and start from scratch...watching the demo team rip the 1970's crap bricks off one at a time is amusing.

Thanks w28th. I had not seen those particular photos before. These photos ~REALLY~ give a sense to what once was in this area. I was aware that things changed a lot, but these photos really drive it home at the street level.

A couple birds-eye photos of the Westin conversion progress. These guys are doing some crazy stuff - taking down the old facade in a very random and sometimes very dangerous looking way. Without exaggerating, the ground is shaking like a minor earthquake on a regular basis from large items dropping from the building. I've not seen this kind of conversion, so I don't know if this is normal or not... Seems EXCEPTIONALLY labor intensive, random and like an accident waiting to happen (from my non-industry view)...The workers will cut away large portions of brick and then there is a very large noise and ground shaking. When the took the ugly glass shield off the entrance the team first tried to pull it off with straps attached to machinery and then attempted to smash it and finally just knocked it down in a glorious boom and explosion sound. Wish I had video of that one... Bottom line, it is a LOT of fun to watch this thing in full swing from my office window...

Thanks smith, excellent set. If you ever want to team up on an exploration, please PM me...I don't have the guts to do one of these on my own...

(re: Stanley Block) Ok, one more comment and then I'm letting this one go. I had to stop by one more time early this Sunday morning. The crushed building has been scooped away, exposing the basement, which to me, is always one of the most interesting parts of an old house/building. The sight reminded me so much of some old photos I'd seen of when the old Forest City house was demo'd for the Cleveland Union Terminal project. I presume they'll leave the old sandstone and brick basement walls in place and just fill in the basement with fill dirt. That will make for an interesting archeological dig at some point in the future... The smell of pine that is always so strong at Cleveland demo sites, was very strong this morning - there was still some leftover timbers crushed in the wet snow. I grabbed some pictures. Then I made sure the cops on the corner were not watching me and I jumped the barricades and grabbed an in tact brick to add to my collection of bricks from recently demo's Cleveland landmarks. Of all the bricks I've collected, this one is the heaviest and most solid. RIP Stanley Block.

Nice photos smith, but you don't say where this is...(here or at your blog site) and I don't recognize it - care to share location with us?