KJP - are the Wade Park Manor and Judson Manor one in the same?

A big part of Cleveland's pessimism is a reaction to its stunningly poor leadership (with exceptions) which is fueled by a residual anti-business/pro-poverty streak, or "progressivism" left over from the industial boom of the early 20th century.  Most Clevelanders, and suburbanites in particular are aware that Cleveland has vast unrealized potential.  The decade after decade inability to capitalize on that potential is what depreses them. 

 

Eaton's move to the suburbs is a good example of a fanstastic lost opportunity.

 

What did I tell you about this? I am so sick of this broad brush generalization of Cleveland being "anti-business"  Why? Because they cannot always have their way at any cost? Whaaa!  The attitude is like adult spoiled brats who never had to abide by rules. This "anti-business" label....after business has ruled the city for most of its history, making The Flats into an industrial wasteland. That evidence (landscape) does not look too "anti-business" to me. Looks like they pretty much had their way, turning the river into a toxic sewer in the process, that the cost to clean up has been levied upon all of us in many ways.

 

Tired of the confusion: The ideology that expecting big businesses to be accountable and socially responsible, being interpreted by many conservatives as simply "anti"... (Whaaaaa!!!, they whine.)  Such unaccountability brought us the burning river, and I could mention another current event but that opens a whole new can of worms) Oh...But I know....I guess we should let those minds run the whole ship and all will be just fine..if we just get off their backs and let them do the right thing, huh?

 

Well they had that chance and failed at the privilege, so thus, regulation was born, the nature of the kind of restraints you now complain about and label "anti-business". Its analogous to the development community labeling environmentalists as "all anti-"progress"...when in reality, it is not about blind opposition to progress, it is about opposition to blind progress.

 

Now back on cue...

KJP - are the Wade Park Manor and Judson Manor one in the same?

 

Yes. In fact I posted pictures of both before I realized my mistake.

^That's what I thought.  If you ever have the opportunity (and have not been), the rooftop deck for Judson Manor has some of the best views of the downtown skyline that can be had.  Very similar sightline to Mayday's favorite spot on the Garfield monument but closer.  The lobby is also impressive (it has maintained a lot of its original features).

 

For those who may be wondering, Judson Manor is located in UC on the corner of E 107th and Park Ln.... right between Wade Lagoon and Park Lane Villa.  It was originally a hotel (I believe), but is now used as an assisted living facility.   

It's a shame we went through Shaker Square so quickly ... there really is quite a bit of midrise 1920s - 1950s midrise there. Moreland Courts alone takes up an entire city block just east of the square: http://www.morelandcourts.org. There are also some midrises tucked away just southeast of the big bus/train intersection we went through as we entered University Circle (Cedar Circle), but the tree canopy probably blocked the view from the trolley.

 

As far as density goes, I agree, it does seem like Cleveland has less existing dense midrise/highrise residential than some of our peers. But as far as population density goes, we're pretty much on par. The Trust for Public Land estimates that, as of 2007, both Cleveland and St. Louis have a density of 8.9 residents per acre. Pretty much all of the major industrial city peers have similar density: Buffalo at 10.5, Detroit at 10.3, Pittsburgh at 8.8, all in the intermediate-high density classification. We just pack 'em in differently :) Milwaukee is a little lower at 6.1 (more comparable to Columbus' 5.4 and Cincy's 6.7), but none of us in the Midwest represent the extremes on the coasts (42.3 in New York) or our friends in Alaska (0.2 in Anchorage!). http://www.tpl.org/content_documents/citypark_facts/ccpe_PopulationDensity08.pdf

 

 

My point is that the vast majority of older major cities built large upscale apartment houses and apparently Cleveland did not, at least not to the same degree.  I wonder why that is?  Did Cleveland's later boom manifest in a greater preference for single-family dwelling? 

 

 

 

historically speaking, meaning if you consider the iconic duckbill doubles and the almost unbeliveable amount of (rather massive if not tall) apt buildings that were in hough and elsewhere, i dont see cle city as having a preference for single-family housing vs other cities. and of course you have the large apt building examples as seen above, although most were not really super luxury, but some were.

 

today of course its a mixed bag, you have the eastside "rustbelt/shrinking city" suburban redevelopments like around hough, but at the same time you have just about anything left in downtown being redeveloped into apts. so its not like clevelanders havent embraced apt building living either in the past or today.

 

luxury apt living is another story. historically the original wealth was of course famously concentrated along the strings of mansions along euclid avenue. then the rich went off to the burbs. so yeah i guess you could most say very wealthy clevelanders have preferred their large homes over apts. even i can remember downtown used to get pretty grungy and err, pungent when the steel plants were going strong, so cant say i blame them.

 

good news today is that a demand may be (or may not be?) slowly and steadily building for apt ownership and perhaps luxury apts downtown, so we'll see what happens.

 

 

ps jive -- i have to say your photothreads are excellent and even more that they are inspiring. i especially love how you use portraits instead of long-range zooms on people (those creep me out!).  :clap: thanks for the visit and observations of the cleve and keep up the good work!