MuRrAy HiLL

Drone Tour of Cleveland's Massive Industrial Valley

And where the Guardians of Traffic were carved :) https://orderisda.org/culture/old-school/italian-immigrants-gave-rise-to-clevelands-iconic-guardians-of-traffic/ Those famous photos with the sculptors on and next to the heads were from inside this building.

Greener pastures await as Big Creek Connects merges with West Creek Conservancy Published: Jan. 08, 2025, 7:12 a.m. By John Benson, special to cleveland.com PARMA, Ohio -- After nearly two decades of serving Brooklyn, Parma and Cleveland, Big Creek Connects merges with West Creek Conservancy. The nonprofit’s mission was focused on linking the Towpath Trail along the Cuyahoga River with Big Creek Reservation in Parma via a 6.5-mile greenway and trail through Cleveland and Brooklyn. West Creek Conservancy boasts a mission to enrich the lives of all people in Northeast Ohio by conserving natural habitats, restoring the ecological value of the region’s lands and waters and expanding opportunities to connect people from all cultures to experience nature and discover the great outdoors. https://www.cleveland.com/community/2025/01/greener-pastures-await-as-big-creek-connects-merges-with-west-creek-conservancy.html

Not just a great story, but notable mention of a new retail story and possible USCRI collaboration: 15301 Waterloo Road, Cleveland OH 44110 Afghan refugee women find community through weaving at Praxis Fiber Workshop Updated: Jan. 02, 2025, 6:56 a.m. By Joey Morona, cleveland.com CLEVELAND, Ohio -- In Praxis Fiber Workshop’s bright and colorful studio in the Waterloo Arts District on a cloudy November morning, a group of Afghan refugee women gathers around looms to learn and practice weaving for three hours. The class isn’t about crafting a table runner, a pillow or a piece of art. Its purpose runs deeper: to create a sense of belonging and help them adjust to their new lives in Cleveland. “One of the Congolese women said to me, ‘This is what I want to do for work,’” she recalled. The comment resonated with Pinsky and got her thinking about potential ways Praxis and USCRI could team up to provide resources beyond weaving and sustain the community she helped nurture after class is dismissed. With apartments above the studio and plans underway for a Praxis retail store, she wonders if the partnership could be expanded to include housing, workforce training and jobs. “I want them to be here forever,” Pinsky said. https://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/2025/01/afghan-refugee-women-find-community-through-weaving-at-praxis-fiber-workshop.html

Pace Cafe is finally open at 2670 West 14th Street Pace Café opens in Tremont with local, organic food and raw juice options (photos) Published: Jan. 02, 2025, 8:49 a.m. By Paris Wolfe, cleveland.com CLEVELAND, Ohio --Ameen Khadair and Sabrina Quinones are bringing a new organic kitchen concept to Cleveland’s Tremont neighborhood. Pace Café, which launched in late 2024, is open for breakfast and lunch, serving organic, locally sourced options. The menu revolves around its handmade bagels and Middle Eastern-inspired items. Clean eating is not new to Khadair, who owns three-year-old Socially Raw juice company. Socially Raw, which opened on January 1, 2022, follows the old milkman delivery model. Only instead of dairy products, Socially Raw delivers glass bottles of fresh juice products to homes once per week. https://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/2025/01/pace-cafe-opens-in-tremont-with-local-organic-food-and-raw-juice-options-photos.html

How cool is this: Cleveland Institute of Art’s new Interactive Media Lab aims to position school at forefront of art, design and tech Published: Jan. 01, 2025, 5:30 a.m. By Joey Morona, cleveland.com CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Institute of Art is scheduled to open the doors on its new $13 million Interactive Media Lab in late March. Located in the Midtown Collaboration Center at E. 66th St. and Euclid Ave. in the city’s resurgent Hough neighborhood, the state-of-the-art space is poised to give CIA a competitive advantage in arts education and expand the institution’s role in the local economy. The college sees the lab as a vital part of the emerging MidTown district and broader economic development in the city. Through creativity and collaboration, the project seeks to bolster Cleveland’s reputation as a hub for innovation. Heidemann refers to it as their “enterprise campus.”` https://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/2025/01/cleveland-institute-of-arts-new-interactive-media-lab-aims-to-position-school-at-forefront-of-art-design-and-tech.html

Photos in link from “Share the River” When it's 61 degrees and sunny in late December, go out for a bike ride! December 30, 2024 https://sharetheriver.com/blog/2024/12/30/when-its-61-degrees-and-sunny-in-late-december-go-out-for-a-bike-ride

LOVE this photo angle: https://www.cleveland.com/resizer/v2/3XGSZ2V7ENCWXOFB57K6H7E5DY.jpg?auth=db98307ebb729ca1de2c127d862345f10a3a0f2ccec2acee4fdff638b4ecfa85&width=1280&quality=90 New Fidelity Hotel hopes to bring buzz back to downtown Cleveland’s Short Vincent (photos) Published: Dec. 25, 2024, 5:30 a.m. By Susan Glaser, cleveland.com The $64 million project, in the works since before the pandemic, features 97 guestrooms, including 11 suites. It’s located inside the 11-story historic Baker Building, built in 1919 for the Fidelity Mortgage Company, at the intersection of E. Sixth Street and Vincent Avenue. It’s the first new traditional hotel in downtown Cleveland in nearly a decade, since a flurry of new properties opened just before the Republican National Convention in 2016. It’s also downtown’s first independent hotel – that is, not affiliated with any of the big hotel chains, including Marriott, Hilton and IHG. https://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/2024/12/new-fidelity-hotel-hopes-to-bring-buzz-back-to-downtown-clevelands-short-vincent-photos.html

Really good feature … the “Rick Steve’s of Ireland”

GRAND OPENING this weekend. (we’ll be there!) As seen on the TODAY show today:

Nice! Frank “Doc” Kelker was a big influence at that branch for a many years… including during the race riots. I know of him because he was an All-American football player at Western Reserve … during era when the teams were undefeated and had guys like Steve Belichick, Bill’s dad, on the team. Doc also mentored both Stokes (Louis and Carl) who frequented that YMCA as youths: Doc was the longtime executive secretary of the Cedar Avenue Branch, where the brothers Louis and Carl Stokes were among the youths he mentored. By the time he retired in 1981, he oversaw all of Cleveland's urban branches. Doc’s full life story: https://case.edu/artsci/artsci-fall-2009/kelker.html A lot of Cleveland Black History from that building.

Cranes and updates:

Jesse Owens house (still with no historic marker) sits alongside all the Clinic new expansion:

What is this … Seattle?! Sooooo cool seeing all these cranes. Hopefully the Cleveland Clinic thread gets unlocked soon … have several photos from today of the new construction there.

Interesting building correction that happened recently. “Case” had been covered up with the addition of a staircase decades ago. Note the white block(s). “Case” was just relocated above.

Some sort of support structure already going in… side note: crazy to be able to see the Rockefeller Building from this side of the street.

A few more different angles from today

A few more angles

Some more refreshed pictures from today…quick trip to Galucci’s across the street … the orange building will house the brewery once complete (patiently waiting).

Checked out Loiter Cafe for lunch … 10/10 …GREAT addition / renovation to EC… and next door is the “Development Coming Soon” sign. Recommend the Honey Turmeric Latte :D

The Darl Center for the Arts FB page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61568807100606 Place continues to see improvements and build traction.

Cleveland Hotel thread is locked…. So I’ll put it here: Two new hotels planned for land across from Cleveland Hopkins airport Published: Nov. 25, 2024, 11:42 a.m. By Susan Glaser, cleveland.com CLEVELAND, Ohio – A local development group plans to build two new hotels, along with two restaurants, across Brookpark Road from Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. Included in the $60 million development: Two new extended-stay hotels, including a 124-room WaterWalk by Wyndham, which would be new to the Cleveland market. The second hotel could be part of the Marriott brand, perhaps a SpringHill Suites, said Richard Marshall, vice president of LaPine Legacy LLC. Construction is likely to start next summer, with completion on the WaterWalk in late 2026 or early 2027. https://www.cleveland.com/travel/2024/11/two-new-hotels-planned-for-land-across-from-cleveland-hopkins-airport.html

Nice! New Fidelity Hotel in downtown Cleveland is taking reservations, sets opening date Published: Nov. 01, 2024, 7:00 a.m. By Susan Glaser, cleveland.com CLEVELAND, Ohio – The 97-room Fidelity Hotel, downtown Cleveland’s first new traditional hotel in nearly a decade, is taking reservations for stays starting in late January. The hotel is located in the 11-story Baker Building on East 6th Street just off Euclid Avenue. In addition to 97 rooms and suites, the hotel will feature a full-service restaurant, bar, meeting space and more. Rooms are available to book for stays starting on Tuesday, Jan. 28. Rates start at about $225 per night. https://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/2024/11/new-fidelity-hotel-in-downtown-cleveland-is-taking-reservations-sets-opening-date.html

Not sure if this link has been posted yet? https://www.theriverfront.com

Question — how does the Brook Park Rapid Station connect in to all of this? And will it need expanded? And wasn’t there talk of having the Amtrak 3C train stop here too?