Took these a few days ago and had them on SSP, figured people here had seen this stuff before... but in case anyone is interested... here they are.

 

@KJP, I almost took a right in stead of a left down South Park so I could get your dad's childhood home... which one is it btw, there is only three of four houses on the stretch... (IIRC his was on South Park due east of HB?)

 

@MTS, did I get your childhood home?

 

....

 

Today was a nice day for a run with the dog, 74 degrees, over cast with the sun trying to peak through and towards the end clouds turning an ominous gray. 

 

Shaker Heights is one of the earliest planned communities in the United States and is pretty unique in many ways... it has two streetcar/subway lines that take residents directly to downtown's Terminal Tower which was built by the developers of Shaker Heights as their HQ and main terminus for their project.  These developers, two brothers, Oris Paxton and Mantis James, Van Sweringen were ahead of their time in terms of gaging interest in planned suburban communities and purchased 1,400 acres of land from the North Union Community of the Society of Believers, aka The Shakers, in 1909. 

 

They never built homes themselves but constructed one of the most iron-clad community covenants known at the time and still some of the most well know, they are called, The Shaker Standards. 

 

They called their land with its gently rolling hills and scenic lakes, Valley of God's Pleasure.

 

Here is a few photos of the homes built by the Van Swerigens, including their own on my mid-day run.  These homes are in the Northern half of Shaker Heights, I will compile a thread of the Southern half sometime soon.

 

Starting on my street, Carlton Rd we come to a semi-major street, South Woodland Rd.  This home belonged to a former Secretary of State but I cannot remember whom at this time.

 

Taking a left and then another left...onto Courtland Blvd.

 

Taking a left of of Courtland we come to South Park Blvd... *arguably* the most famous residential street in the Cleveland metro.

-Danny Ferry, GM of the Cavs lives here, I often see him walk his daughter to the nearby all girls private school one block over-

 

 

Al Lerner's house, owner of the Cleveland Browns, founder of MBNA bank and affinity credit cards.  R.I.P. Marine!

 

 

Crossing Eaton Rd, continuing on South Park Blvd

 

 

The first floor in this house is 20 ft or so, very prominent art collector.

 

The Van Sweringen Mansion, both brothers had their own wings in the back.

 

 

 

This house is undergoing a major face lift, the plans for the landscaping are intense...

 

Side shot of a corner lot house, the front is on the other side...I chose this picture because of how the trees frame the bay window.

 

Decided not to go any further down South Park because I did not feel like a long run, turned right and went down North Park Blvd.

 

Down a winding stretch called Parkland Drive...

 

 

To what I consider to be the grand jewl of the city, the French Chateau inspired estate of Solomon Halle. The merchant who founded Halle Department store which was THE place to shop in early 1900s Cleveland... it was so revered for its luxury Halle Berry, from Cleveland, was named after the store.

 

Since it is early spring and the blossoms are blooming it is hard to get a look at this masterpiece...

 

A glimpse of the quality of the stone work on the facade... this is real deal sh*t.

 

Jumping back on North Park...

 

This is the former residence of the British Consulate, the Consulate had a large presence in Cleveland from the 70's-mid 90's when B.P. had their American HQ in Cleveland after they had purchased pieces of the former Standard Oil, Sohio empire. (thanks trust busters)

 

 

 

Well done.

Does anyone have a concise history of Shaker Heights?  I'm especially interested in the last 50 years.

 

Nice shots Ferrari.  A friend of mine took some shots  like that of a couple suburbs in Cincy, Dayton, Columbus, and Lexington that I've been meaning to post.

Nice!

This home belonged to a former Secretary of State but I cannot remember whom at this time.

 

Newton Baker; former "Secretary of War" as it was known back then.  More recently was home of the Goldberg family (owner of Ohio Savings/AmTrust until recent failure), I believe.

Damn StrapHanger! Nice info scoop, that sounds correct to me!

 

Does anyone have a concise history of Shaker Heights?  I'm especially interested in the last 50 years.

 

Nice shots Ferrari.  A friend of mine took some shots  like that of a couple suburbs in Cincy, Dayton, Columbus, and Lexington that I've been meaning to post.

 

This book probably is the earlier history... I had a copy but got lost in college...

http://www.amazon.com/Shaker-Heights-OH-Images-America/dp/0738540501

 

@ColdDay, showing love on not one, but two forums!  :clap:

any pic of the late Howard Metzenbaum's house? I worked in a restaurant while in college with a girl who lived next door to him.

Great pics - I love those houses!!  I enjoy checking out the $1,000,000+ houses on howardhanna.com to see the inside of the houses.  Here is the fourth one in your set of pics...

 

http://19201southpark.howardhanna.com

 

I can't figure out the link to it, but look up 15970 South Park on howardhanna.com.  Awesome!

 

 

any pic of the late Howard Metzenbaum's house? I worked in a restaurant while in college with a girl who lived next door to him.

 

She say what street?  I knew he had a house in Shaker but I didn't know which one... I think it is the second or third on North Park on the South side of the street, in from Courtland.  Not sure though.

Wow, great homes! Looks reminiscent of Oakwood in Dayton, and sort of a Hyde Park/Indian Hill mixture in Cincy.  Nice thread!

any pic of the late Howard Metzenbaum's house? I worked in a restaurant while in college with a girl who lived next door to him.

 

She say what street?  I knew he had a house in Shaker but I didn't know which one... I think it is the second or third on North Park on the South side of the street, in from Courtland.  Not sure though.

If she did say what street I don't remember since it was about a hundred years ago, but I do remember her name was Margaux Morgenstern (don't know if she was related to Rhoda--lol)

Thanks!!

Great photo thread

 

FE, you nailed it when you said this Corbusier-designed home for Salmon Halle was the best in Shaker (that's Cleveland architect J. Corbusier from the early 1900s). IMO it outdoes the Van Sweringen mansion. Like you said though it's hard to get a good look at it, even more so in the summer.

 

 

 

This one is the only other residence designed by Corbusier (other than his home in Hudson).

After studying gothic cathedral in Paris, he designed these homes and also many churches in Cleveland, Lakewood, Cleveland Heights, Akron and one in Washington DC. And also buildings in Hudson at Western Reserve Academy.

 

 

 

 

 

@KJP, I almost took a right in stead of a left down South Park so I could get your dad's childhood home... which one is it btw, there is only three of four houses on the stretch... (IIRC his was on South Park due east of HB?)

 

My father's house was the first one west of Warrensville. From the street it looks like the second one because there's a house between it and Warrensville, but that house has its driveway on Chesterton. He lived there from 1931 when the house was built to 1948 when he graduated from high school.

 

 

The Van Sweringen Mansion, both brothers had their own wings in the back.

 

 

In addition to sometimes staying downtown in their private residential suite (now the Greenbrier Suite) in Terminal Tower, the Vans had two mansions -- one was in Shaker Heights and the larger one was their country house in Hunting Valley called Daisy Hill. The estate was bounded by Shaker Boulevard, SOM Center Road, Old Kinsman Road and the Chagrin River valley. You can tell the old boundaries because the white fence still surrounds the estate. The estate has since been subdivided into multiple, but exclusive lots with large homes (one is a new English-style estate and gardens off South Woodland and is larger than the Vans' home). The Vans' mansion is visible from Roundwood Road just north of Old Kinsman Road, on the left-hand side as you drive north. The two gatekeepers' houses (one is on Shaker at Roundwood, the other not visible from Roundwood on Old Kinsman) are larger than most homes today.

 

Some of the Daisy Hill mansion can be seen here (note all 3 pages of photos):

http://www.hhirschmannltd.com/portfolio/index.html

Great photos!  The home for the new president of Cleveland State is also in that area, on Eaton, just off of North Park.

 

Like someone else said above, parts of Shaker Heights are similar to Oakwood near Dayton and Upper Arlington near Columbus.

 

Also, in regards to Al Lerner, I know that he lived in Shaker Heights, but a friend of mine swears that he also had a large estate further east (Pepper Pike, perhaps?) and we once went looking for it.

^Its right on South Woodland, but he never lived there.  The sole reason behind its construction was entertainment of guests and Randy's desire...  My friend who is a Shaker Police Officer responded to an alarm at Lerner' house a number of years ago... Al Lerner came out of the house and was apologizing that he had set off the alarm by accident... then this other guy comes from the guest house over the garage in boxers and a t-shirt saying no no it was his fault, he tripped the alarm when he got up to get a snack... that guy was Colin Powell.

 

So after that the decision was made to build a house for Randy and for entertainment of all guests etc... Al Lerner never intended to leave and wanted to die at his Shaker home which he ended up doing.

 

Interesting note about that house, the new Lerner estate that is, I know the guy who put in the driveway... Mrs. Lerner was getting out of a car after the house was complete, she slipped on some ice and fell... they ended up ripping up the WHOLE driveway, replacing it with a heated one with new imported stone that better conducted the heat... to the tune of $3 million dollars!

 

(If you want to find it, just keep heading down South Woodland till you cross over SOM, its about 500 yards down on your left... you know it because they planted FULLY mature trees along the property line... most of which are evergreens but a few broad leafed species... you can only see the gates and for just a moment, the house BARELY.  I haven't been invited so I don't know what it looks like on the compound or interior... I am sure it is unreal.

^Its right on South Woodland, but he never lived there. The sole reason behind its construction was entertainment of guests and Randy's desire... My friend who is a Shaker Police Officer responded to an alarm at Lerner' house a number of years ago... Al Lerner came out of the house and was apologizing that he had set off the alarm by accident... then this other guy comes from the guest house over the garage in boxers and a t-shirt saying no no it was his fault, he tripped the alarm when he got up to get a snack... that guy was Colin Powell.

 

So after that the decision was made to build a house for Randy and for entertainment of all guests etc... Al Lerner never intended to leave and wanted to die at his Shaker home which he ended up doing.

 

Interesting note about that house, the new Lerner estate that is, I know the guy who put in the driveway... Mrs. Lerner was getting out of a car after the house was complete, she slipped on some ice and fell... they ended up ripping up the WHOLE driveway, replacing it with a heated one with new imported stone that better conducted the heat... to the tune of $3 million dollars!

 

(If you want to find it, just keep heading down South Woodland till you cross over SOM, its about 500 yards down on your left... you know it because they planted FULLY mature trees along the property line... most of which are evergreens but a few broad leafed species... you can only see the gates and for just a moment, the house BARELY. I haven't been invited so I don't know what it looks like on the compound or interior... I am sure it is unreal.

 

I think there's a street that runs perpendicular to South Woodland, and it has an incline, so if you go up the street, and look towards the estate, you can sort of see over the privacy fence/bushes.

Wasn't there also a lawsuit with the Plain Dealer (or maybe it never went that far) because they wanted to see the building plans that were submitted to Hunting Valley in the course of its construction (arguing at submission they were a public record then).  The Lerners objected for security reason (and why exactly was this news expect for the fact it was a huge house).

(If you want to find it, just keep heading down South Woodland till you cross over SOM, its about 500 yards down on your left... you know it because they planted FULLY mature trees along the property line... most of which are evergreens but a few broad leafed species... you can only see the gates and for just a moment, the house BARELY. I haven't been invited so I don't know what it looks like on the compound or interior... I am sure it is unreal.

 

That's the house I referred to in my prior message: (one is a new English-style estate and gardens off South Woodland and is larger than the Vans' home).

 

I was looking at the new Lerner house with Bing birdseye views and rotating around the house. There also looks like something is below the ground to the east of the house.

 

BTW, with Bing birdseye, you can check out a lot of the mansions in that area, including some that are very secluded. One large home is on the cul de sac of Creekside Drive (off Shaker east of SOM Center). While it is much larger than many of the other mansions (it also has a large guesthouse/servants quarters), the landscaping in the backyard is absolutely amazing. It's the one with the lone tennis court.

(If you want to find it, just keep heading down South Woodland till you cross over SOM, its about 500 yards down on your left... you know it because they planted FULLY mature trees along the property line... most of which are evergreens but a few broad leafed species... you can only see the gates and for just a moment, the house BARELY. I haven't been invited so I don't know what it looks like on the compound or interior... I am sure it is unreal.

 

That's the house I referred to in my prior message: (one is a new English-style estate and gardens off South Woodland and is larger than the Vans' home).

 

I was looking at the new Lerner house with Bing birdseye views and rotating around the house. There also looks like something is below the ground to the east of the house.

 

BTW, with Bing birdseye, you can check out a lot of the mansions in that area, including some that are very secluded. One large home is on the cul de sac of Creekside Drive (off Shaker east of SOM Center). While it is much larger than many of the other mansions (it also has a large guesthouse/servants quarters), the landscaping in the backyard is absolutely amazing. It's the one with the lone tennis court.

 

So the Lerner estate in Hunting Valley is actually on the grounds of the old Van Sweringen estate (Daisy Hill)?  That's really cool information, I never really put that together!