As I mentioned I am going to that Reclaiming Vacant Properties conference, being held at that Rennassiance Hotel at Terminal Tower.  I will arrive on Tuesday, and be in the convention on Wed, Thur, & Fri, and remain in town on Saturday and depart Sunday.  So I will have one weekend and a bunch of weekday evenings and afternoons to explore.

 

Im thinking about what to do in the afternoon/evenings after my convention workshops and seminars are is over, downtown Cleveland and nearby. 

 

I do a lot of walking for fun and for fitness, usually 3 to 4 miles a day.  I'd like to keep this up while in Cleveland.  I was wondering how walkable it is across to Ohio City and Tremont.  By the map I think I can walk across that Detroit/Superior bridge to Ohio City but was wondering if there are any things to do there...specifically a restaurant, coffee shop, etc.  I know West Side Market is there but what else?  Usually when i do these walks I stop off at a coffee shop for a latte or capuccion and then head back...or for lunch or dinner at a restaurant....so looking for something like this.

 

I know I can take the Rapid to the station by West Side Market but am wondering how walkable it is to and through the Tremont area?  Looking at the map it seems Abbey Avenue connects the station with Termont...actually right to that Sokolowski place.  Is that do-able as a walk?

 

Also, any good local/indy coffee shops downtown? 

 

I will be in Cleveland on Friday and Saturday nights, so would like some good venue recommendations for live music.  As I mentioned in my Akron/Youngstown thread Im looking for a places that do acoustic/folk/singer songwriter stuff, and also original live indy/alternative rock (and would prefer a city location..not interested heading out to suburbia for this).

 

This conference will be giving me a tour of the local urban ag scene the first day, so I should see plenty of that.  But also a question.  In terms of physical age, whats the oldest neighborhood in Cleveland (the "Oregon" or "German Village" type place..pre 1900 building/housing stock).

 

I'm looking forward to returning to Cleveland.  This will be my longest stay in the city, too.  So should be interesting and informative.

 

 

 

 

If you want to try something other than 4th street or the WD.....Try the new Flaming Ice Cube right on the square ("Cube on the Square!") in the Park Building.... Independent...freshly brewed coffee's (fair trade/organic)teas...great cd's and cards......great home made baked goods, soups, sandwiches, salads, and much more......all yummy,and a fantastic charming view of the Soldiers and Sailors Monument! Nice atmosphere while still in the process of decorating. Prices are very reasonable.

for a cool old housing stock check out Tremont

My first recommendation is if you want to do the downtown to Ohio City walk, do it on Saturday in the morning and grab lunch in the West Side Market vicinity (if not in the Market itself).

 

"I do a lot of walking for fun and for fitness, usually 3 to 4 miles a day.  I'd like to keep this up while in Cleveland.  I was wondering how walkable it is across to Ohio City and Tremont.

 

I know I can take the Rapid to the station by West Side Market but am wondering how walkable it is to and through the Tremont area?  Looking at the map it seems Abbey Avenue connects the station with Termont...actually right to that Sokolowski place.  Is that do-able as a walk?"

 

From the southeastern edge of Ohio City (West 25th and Lorain, location of the West Side Market and West 25th rapid station) to the northwestern edge of Tremont (West 11th at Abbey, by Sokolowskis) is very walkable via Abbey Avenue. I tend to "hoof it", but I've done it in about 5ish-10ish minutes. I think it's fine, but some might find it rough around the edges - there's a lot of traffic (vehicular and otherwise) so it's safe during most hours. The view of downtown from Abbey Avenue bridge is pretty cool.

 

"By the map I think I can walk across that Detroit/Superior bridge to Ohio City"

 

Yes, you can. I might also recommend a walk south on Ontario to the Lorain/Carnegie bridge (aka Hope Memorial Bridge); Detroit/Superior is a great walk as well but once you are on the west side of the bridge, there aren't a lot of amenities. You have to walk south on West 25th and the northern portion of that street needs some work - again, a busy street so it's safe but it's not "scenic". Plus, I prefer the views from Lorain/Carnegie, not to mention you end up just down the street from the West Side Market.

 

"if there are any things to do there...specifically a restaurant, coffee shop, etc.  I know West Side Market is there but what else?  Usually when i do these walks I stop off at a coffee shop for a latte or capuccion and then head back...or for lunch or dinner at a restaurant....so looking for something like this."

 

In the immediate area, you have plenty of options - the West Side Market Cafe is great and affordable, there are a variety of vendors who sell food ready to eat - if you go that route, I ***HIGHLY*** recommend getting your food and make your way to the bench in the balcony level (ask the folks at City Roast - they're right by the doorway leading to it). If not, you have great Middle Eastern at Nate's on West 25th. If you want to try Great Lakes Brewing and check out the bullethole in the bar from the days when someone took a shot at Elliot Ness when he was downing a pint, that's right across the street. If you like pale ales or beers with a little bit of a bite, I recommend the Burning River Pale Ale (my personal favorite).

 

"Also, any good local/indy coffee shops downtown?"

 

Erie Island on East 4th Street, and Phoenix on West 9th in the Warehouse District.

 

I'll update this post with maps, links, etc. but wanted to give you some ideas. 

I also walk from the W. 25 rapid station to Tremont regularly, and I agree that it's about a 10 minute walk, on average.

 

 

This conference will be giving me a tour of the local urban ag scene the first day, so I should see plenty of that.  But also a question.  In terms of physical age, whats the oldest neighborhood in Cleveland (the "Oregon" or "German Village" type place..pre 1900 building/housing stock).

 

 

Ohio City has the most pre-1900 housing stock.  Tremont has a few gems, too (especially right around Sokolowski's) but the majority was built 1910-1920.  There's also a little bit of 19th century housing (and commercial) in the Flats.

 

Since you like walking, I highly recommend a walk THROUGH Ohio City (meaning more than just W. 25.)  Hopefully by the time your conference rolls around, the leaves will have started changing, because a walk down Jay Ave. with colorful foliage is just sublime.

 

I'm sure an UrbanOhioan or two would be happy to meet up and do the walk with you, too!

I would also recommend:

 

Ohio City -- Great Lakes Brewery FREE tours: http://www.greatlakesbrewing.com/brewpub/customer-perks/tours-and-tastings

 

Downtown/Public Square -- Soldiers and Sailors Monument (built 1894) http://www.soldiersandsailors.com/

 

Downtown/Public Square -- Terminal Tower Observation Deck (open weekends): http://terminaltowerodeck.eventbrite.com/

Be sure to spend some quality time looking at the lake, it sometimes gets left out on things to see in the city

Local music venues (in the order I frequent them, as a west sider):

 

Brothers Lounge - on the Cleveland/Lakewood border at Detroit Ave and W 116th. (RTA #26 from Public Square).  Good mix of live blues/rock/Americana. Thursdays they're starting a blues jam night; Mondays there's a 17 piece big band. The October weekend band schedule isn't online yet.

http://www.brotherslounge.com/

Here's a youtube on its restoration and reopening in 2008:

 

The Winchester - same part of town but over the border into Lakewood at 12112 Madison Ave (RTA Red Line to W 117th and walk west on Madison, or #26 to W.117th & Detroit then south 2 blocks to Madison and west a few short blocks).  Old school looking tavern/music hall - I'll be there this Friday to hear Michael Allman.  http://www.thewinchester.net/concertschedule.html

 

Barking Spider Tavern - University Circle on Case's campus.  (RTA Healthline to Euclid/Mayfield then walk north on Ford Rd, right on Juniper and it's behind the coffee house in a converted carriage house with outdoor patios).  Variety of music from blues/folk/jazz/gospel in an intimate setting - nice place to relax on the patio or at the fireplace with a pint.  www.barkingspidertavern.com

 

Beachland Ballroom - in Collinwood on Waterloo Rd. (RTA #1 to East 152nd & St.Clair, then transfer to #37 to Waterloo Rd - This is one venue where I'd probably take a cab at night due to the need to transfer buses.) This place used to be an ethnic Croatian club with ballroom, now featuring local and national live music since 2000.  www.beachlandballroom.com  Tonight there's a harp tribute to Metallica (www.harptallica.com) :wtf:

You could also consider taking the Healthline (our new BRT system) down Euclid Ave. to University Circle.  Keep in mind that the art museam is free.  You can stroll from there up into Little Italy.  Walking round trip from the intersection Euclid/Mayfield to the Coventry neighborhood in Cleveland Heights is probably right within your range.

 

But try this route - take the Healthline from downtown to the Martin Luther King Dr. stop.  Briefly head east on Euclid and make a left on East Blvd.  Left on Wade Oval Dr.  Right to get back on East Blvd.  Veer left onto Ford Dr.  Cross over Euclid and Ford Dr. becomes Mayfield Rd.  Take Mayfield into Little Italy and poke around the main strip if you like.  Take a right on Murray Hill.  Right on Adelbert Rd. and you will eventually end up on Euclid about where you started.

 

Probably right around 3-4 miles I would think.  The route will take you right by Wade Lagoon, Cleveland Museam of Art, Severance Hall, Cleveland Institute of Art, Cleveland Museam of Natural History, Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland Institute of Music, the Botanical Garden, the Glidden House, Gehry's Peter B. Lewis building, the future sites of our Museam of Contemporary Art and the Uptown mixed use development, right through the heart of the Little Italy neighborhood and, finally, a glimpse of the University Hospitals campus.

I would print out MayDay's post and just follow it around, except I like Commodore Perry more than Burning River as a Pale Ale is concerned (Island roots perhaps giving me a bias) but prefer Eliot Ness to all of them ;)

 

Not much of a live music person, but I have been to Brothers and it seemed like a cool place for the local band type of thing.

You could also take the train to Shaker Square, then hit up Coventry, then check out Little Italy and wind up in Univ. Circle.

 

Since you like walking, I highly recommend a walk THROUGH Ohio City (meaning more than just W. 25.) Hopefully by the time your conference rolls around, the leaves will have started changing, because a walk down Jay Ave. with colorful foliage is just sublime.

 

 

He's coming here next week. Unless it's cold enought to snow this weekend, the sap won't start receding in the trees, especially after a week in the 90s. :)

 

But you're right that if you want to walk in a pre-1900 neighborhood, then Ohio City is probably the best place (so is the area around Lincoln Park in Tremont which was the site of Camp Cleveland during the Civil War). Many of the homes south of Franklin, west of W. 25th, north of Lorain and east of W. 45th, date from the Civil War or even earlier. There are also some old (1830-1850) homes along Denison Avenue near W. 25th in an area still called Brooklyn Centre. Many of its residents came here from Connecticut (this area was the Connecticut Western Reserve).

 

There were pre-Civil War neighborhoods just east of downtown but most of those are long gone, replaced with larger buildings around the turn of the century or with commercial/light industrial buildings since.

 

He's coming here next week. Unless it's cold enought to snow this weekend, the sap won't start receding in the trees, especially after a week in the 90s. :)

 

 

I didn't know October was next week.  My how time flies! :)

 

I will be in NE Ohio for the "Reclaiming Vacant Properties" conference, which is in Cleveland in October.  I will be spending most of the week in Cleveland (at the hotel @ Terminal Tower).

 

http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php/topic,24344.msg508994.html#msg508994

 

 

Sorry, I didn't see October mentioned. I was going by what Jeffrey posted. He apparently meant to say he would be arriving on a Tuesday. The way he wrote it, it meant this Tuesday....

 

As I mentioned I am going to that Reclaiming Vacant Properties conference, being held at that Rennassiance Hotel at Terminal Tower.  I will arrive on Tuesday, and be in the convention on Wed, Thur, & Fri, and remain in town on Saturday and depart Sunday.  So I will have one weekend and a bunch of weekday evenings and afternoons to explore.

 

I thought it was this Tuesday/this week as well.  I was going to suggest brothers lounge on friday as my co-worker's band is playing there - Evil Ways, they are a VERY good santana "tribute" band so anyone who actually is here this week, go check them out fri night.

 

The west side market has a cafe that would be a good place for a snack, coffee, etc. It's not fancy coffee type coffee, but if the market itself is open, you can get that type of coffee at the cityroast stand.  Grab a coffee, and a falafel sandwich from maha's falafil (sic) and head up to the 2nd floor so you can watch the market in action, that's my preference - there is a door right next to cityroast that takes you to the 2nd floor.

 

Alternately, I suggest the traditional cuban sandwich at leolai bakery which is just N on 25th, not even a block, on the R hand side of the street.  Great homemade flan as well.

 

re: the lake, there's a good biking/walking trail that starts next to the rock hall and goes for miles alongside burke lakefront airport.  Great for fitness walking.

Whoops...so sorry.  This will be the week of Columbus Day..in October.

 

But thanks for the suggestions so far (and I've been perusing the posts on some of the other threads, too).  I am not sure about heading beyond close-in parts around downtown, but I am thinking of riding the Shaker Rapid as a railfan thing.  There used to be an excellent used bookstore near Shaker Square, from what I recall from a previous trip.

 

But you're right that if you want to walk in a pre-1900 neighborhood, then Ohio City is probably the best place (so is the area around Lincoln Park in Tremont which was the site of Camp Cleveland during the Civil War). Many of the homes south of Franklin, west of W. 25th, north of Lorain and east of W. 45th, date from the Civil War or even earlier.

 

Excellent!  Thank you..this is just want I'm looking for!

 

 

"There used to be an excellent used bookstore near Shaker Square, from what I recall from a previous trip."

 

Still there, and depending on the time of your last visit, they've expanded. Loganberry Books - an *incredible* bookstore about a 5 minute walk north of the Shaker Square Rapid station http://loganberrybooks.com/

I am not sure about heading beyond close-in parts around downtown, but I am thinking of riding the Shaker Rapid as a railfan thing.

 

Not sure if this can be considered a 'railfan thing' but our new BRT certainly would fall within a 'mass-transitfan thing'.  It really is a fascinating system which cities are considering last I heard.  It pretty much operates just like light rail.

 

Very interested, as probably most Clevelanders, to hear how your week was in Cleve?

 

Well, it wasn't a full week,and once again I feel I just scratched the surface of this complex city/metro area.  I'll post a stand-alone thread with some notes/observations soon.