The school on Memphis Avenue is pretty much gone. To the city's credit, they used the building for emergency rescue training for a while before the actual demo work begun.

 

 

 

Nice pictures. We ran similar pictures in the Brooklyn Sun Journal (with an article) a couple weeks ago.

 

The bad - an overview of how the 5/3rd/Aldi project could have redeemed a very prominent corner (West 117th at Madison). Even as set back as the Home Depot is, there's a small outparcel plaza that although not pedestrian-friendly is at least somewhat accessible:

 

Old thread I know, but if you all want to take a look at a "clean slate" right in this area, check out the old Midland Steel property between 110th and 106th along Berea and Madison.  I've been working by it for a couple years and I've seen very little activity.  There's some small fenced off areas inside the overall fence, so there are probably some environmental issues.  But it has damn good road access and rail frontage as well.

Isn't this site that has newly found PCBs on it?

 

*************************

 

EDIT:

 

Never mind - wrong site.

 

http://blog.cleveland.com/business/2007/06/pcbs_discovered_at_cleveland_l.html

 

PCBs discovered at Cleveland land bank site

by Henry J. Gomez

June 22, 2007

 

A West Side site key to Cleveland's industrial land bank program is contaminated with high levels of a hazardous, potentially cancerous, chemical that could hinder city efforts to sell it later.

 

Brooke Furio, who heads the initiative to buy and clean up brownfields and then pitch them to developers, said workers recently detected the unsafe amounts of polychlorinated biphenyls on the property, located at 9203 Detroit Ave. The chemicals are more commonly known as PCBs...

The school on Memphis Avenue is pretty much gone. To the city's credit, they used the building for emergency rescue training for a while before the actual demo work begun.

 

 

 

I was surprised that the demolition finally happened.  Musky, what does the Ward 15/16 Master Plan call for at that site?

 

I wonder if Lightning Demolition still has the bomb shelter signs.  Probably not.

 

I was surprised that the demolition finally happened.  Musky, what does the Ward 15/16 Master Plan call for at that site?

 

I wonder if Lightning Demolition still has the bomb shelter signs.  Probably not.

 

You know, I'm not sure. I was part of the strategic planning committee for Old Brooklyn before they merged and have not heard anything about it since.

 

I bet if you go around the site you might find the signs. Most of the scrap has been placed in separate piles.

I was surprised that the demolition finally happened.  Musky, what does the Ward 15/16 Master Plan call for at that site?

 

If you want to stay informed, read Sun Newspapers! ;)

 

http://www.cleveland.com/sun/brooklynsunjournal/index.ssf?/base/news-0/118304926782570.xml&coll=3

 

Coming down Future unclear for Memphis School site

Thursday, June 28, 2007

By Ken Prendergast

Brooklyn Sun Journal

 

CLEVELAND - Now that the long-sought demolition of Memphis School is just about finished, city officials have a new question to answer - what next?

 

For the time being, the 2.4-acre site will remain greenspace that the city will maintain until a new user for the site is selected, Ward 16 Councilman Kevin Kelley said. However, he said such a large piece of land presents a big opportunity for the neighborhood.

 

"There's going to be a lot of interest in this property," Kelley said. "It's going to be easy to develop. They're taking the basement out and it's going to be a clean piece of land. It's the only plot of land in Ward 16 we can do something with."

 

Inquiries are already starting to come in for the city-owned parcel. Ideas include market-rate townhouses, condominiums and senior housing.

 

"We'd be interested in any ideas," Kelley added. "They can come to me. It (the site) will be put to productive use."

 

The closed school became a nuisance in recent years. Residents in the neighborhood near the school, located at Memphis Avenue and West 41st Street, complained of kids pulling boards off the windows and going inside to cause mischief. Fires were set in the building and thieves stole metal fixtures, conduits and pipe from it.

 

The former elementary school was to be demolished last year and the city budgeted $120,000 to tear it down. But all the bids from demolition contractors came in higher than the city's budgeted amount. The demolition work had to be re-bid.

 

Lightning Demolition and Excavating Contractors Inc. from Cleveland's East Side won the contract to raze the structure, remove debris and level the land. But its work was delayed by the Safety Department's desire to do fire rescue training in the building. Department officials said the vacant, city-owned building offered a unique opportunity to do the training.

 

Demolition work finally got under way with the first swings of a wrecking ball last week.

 

The Cleveland Municipal Schools closed the building in 1997 and sold it to the city for $1. The city sold the property to a businessman who opened a charter school and other uses, but the site fell into disrepair after the business failed. The city used eminent domain to take back the school several years ago and has been vacant ever since.

 

###

Here's the Memphis School demolition in progress (from a few weeks ago)...

 

 

 

It makes me sad to see schools getting wrecked. Obviously this one was a problem, but look at that thing, it's built like a tank. I was in Akron a couple months ago and I drove by the Fairlawn Elementary School, which was a beautiful old school in an affluent part of town. They had apparently knocked it down and replaced it with some modern atrocity. I was sick!!

KJP, any word on any of the proposed uses for the site?  Not knowing where this is, what can you say about its potential?

It looks like a pretty solid residential area... near the zoo and metroparks.

Memphis School is in a residential neighborhood, but is midway between commercial districts at Fulton/Memphis and the Pearl/State area. The latter is the geographic and commercial heart of the Old Brooklyn neighborhood.

 

As for future uses, a developer of senior housing has approached the city about acquiring and building on the site. That was told to me off-the-record, so don't tell anyone, OK?  :-D

good think only me, you and 1 Guest are viewing this thread.

It makes me sad to see schools getting wrecked. Obviously this one was a problem, but look at that thing, it's built like a tank. I was in Akron a couple months ago and I drove by the Fairlawn Elementary School, which was a beautiful old school in an affluent part of town. They had apparently knocked it down and replaced it with some modern atrocity. I was sick!!

 

Maple Heights did a nice job renovating the old Granger School into their board offices. That's probably the first architectural good move they made since they built Wylie Athletic Center.

 

On the other hand, there's West Junior High, which has been mothballed (poorly) since the early 80s.

From the Sun News:

 

Building has seen better days City officials want former factory building on West 85th torn down

Thursday, December 21, 2006

By David Plata

West Side Sun News

 

Demolition appears to be in store for the 1920s-era MarshAllan Building, a former factory where scenes were filmed for "The Light of Day," the 1986 movie starring Michael J. Fox and Joan Jett.

 

Half of the roof of the two-story building, covering some 150,000 square feet, collapsed about three weeks ago, and the city is seeking to raze the structure. No one was in the building, which has been closed for more than a decade.

 

Two buildings are on the site, at West 85th Street, just south of Franklin Boulevard. Rail lines run behind the property.

 

Councilman Matt Zone, D-17, in whose ward the building is located, said the dilapidated roof fell in on its own, without help from rain or wind or snow. He said the city building department is in talks with the owners, seeking to have it torn down.

 

"It's a safety hazard," he said. "The building is old and deteriorated. It hasn't been occupied for 10 or 12 years."

 

The building, just south of rail lines, was opened in the 1920s by Harry Bedol, who named the MarshAllan Manufacturing Co. for his twin sons, Marsh and Allan. The company made TV trays, steel skillets, housewares, and promotional and novelty items.

 

The company also was said to be the world's largest producer of barbecue grills.

 

Ed Rybka, city building and housing director, said the city is in discussion with the two brothers, who still own the property, to have the building razed.

 

"They're planning on bringing this building down," he said. "We think it's beyond salvaging."

 

Rybka said the city will do an environmental assessment of the property. He said if the city has to tear it down, it will bill the owners for the work.

 

Jeff Ramsey, director of Detroit Shoreway Community Development Organization, said there were plans about three years ago for a housing development on the site. There are two buildings on the property one with two stories, where the roof collapsed, and another with four stories, just to the east.

 

The plans were put together by Rysar Properties, which also was developing the 20-unit Painters Loft condo development on Franklin Boulevard, between West 80th and West 84th Streets, just across from the MarshAllan property.

 

While Rysar was tied up with the Painters Loft project, Ramsey said, the Bedols retired and closed their business. He said they sold the four-story building, which would have been redeveloped as condos, while the two-story building would have been razed and replaced with stand-alone units.

 

Instead, the four-story building is now used for storage, he said.

 

Ramsey said it would be difficult to redevelop the two-story building alone as housing.

 

"The site is not big enough to have enough units where it would feel like a residential setting," he said, adding that the site would be surrounded by industrial and commercial properties.

 

He said the best redevelopment probably would be as some type of manufacturing or warehouse use.

 

"The back wall is buckling and looks like it's ready to collapse," he said. "If that wall collapses, it could fall on a train that's going by, it could collapse onto 85th Street and hurt pedestrians. It appears to be a pretty serious safety hazard."

 

I drove by today and noticed that this building is about halfway through demolition.

I noticed a commercial structure on the corner of State/Pearl in Old Booklyn next to "Theo's" restaurant was torn down.  I can only assume that it was one of the vacant store fronts - but it now leaves a gaping hole in what was a continuous line of storefronts.

 

I don't recall reading anything in the Old Brooklyn News about this.  Anyone recall seeing anything in the city zoning or planning commission minutes?

Hadn't heard a peep about it. I will make inquiries.

I noticed a commercial structure on the corner of State/Pearl in Old Booklyn next to "Theo's" restaurant was torn down.  I can only assume that it was one of the vacant store fronts - but it now leaves a gaping hole in what was a continuous line of storefronts.

 

I don't recall reading anything in the Old Brooklyn News about this.  Anyone recall seeing anything in the city zoning or planning commission minutes?

 

Is that the storefront that used to have a tile walkway to a recessed entryway? 

 

I drove by the north side of the Pearl near Broadview on Friday night, and I guess a guy that does airbrush art of people now occupies the space next to the store that sells the rims.  I guess that's OB's version of an art gallery.  As a resident, I'm thinking Downtown OB is looking pretty bad.

 

Found out that is was a long-vacant building that had fallen into disrepair. Theo's and Mr. E's bar are considering jointly using the vacant parcel as a patio. I may have an article next week about it and another demo at 4297 State Road that's coming up in the next two weeks.

Thanks KJP...

 

since i don't forsee a new building taking its place anytime soon, a Patio sounds like a good idea.  With a nice black fence and landscaping, it could do wonders for that block.

 

The main drag of OB is in serious need of a makeover.  I know both Cummings and Kelley (15/16 Councilmen) want to rejuvinate that area and I believe some of the citywide plan funding was set aside for it.  I hope they can attract some new business onto Pearl/State/Broadview to make that area more attractive. 

I guess I have to see the demo to really have an opinion.  It'd be nice to have a place in the neighborhood with an outdoor patio, if they do it correctly.  I can't think of any restaurants or bars in OB that have one (besides something like a Zeleznik's).

 

Looking at "the Gateway to the Zoo," what is there that would appeal to people coming to/from the zoo?  We have a discount furniture store, Family Dollar, some check cashers, a hardware store that looks like a hurricane hit it, and a couple of places that sell chrome rims.  I hate knocking my neighborhood, but there isn't a whole lot happening in Downtown OB.

 

Do we have an OB thread here on UO?   

Do we have an OB thread here on UO?

 

^Don't think so, but it might be a good idea to create one.  I only have a vague sense of its boundaries, and know nothing else about it besides that.  At the very least, it would help people like me learn a little bit about it and the projects that are going on within it.

Done:

http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=13801.msg209281#msg209281

Some demolition debris in Buffalo is reclaimed and reused -- not a bad idea.  Seems like it would go well with the Habitat for Humanity building products store here in Cleveland.

 

Check out their websites:

 

http://clevelandhabitat.org/Restore/

http://www.buffaloreuse.org/

 

this thread is depressing as hell

 

just goes back to what i say about tearin down everything good in this city to replace it with new crap

 

have we heard of preservation, rehab, adaptive re-use in cleveland?

I noticed a commercial structure on the corner of State/Pearl in Old Booklyn next to "Theo's" restaurant was torn down.  I can only assume that it was one of the vacant store fronts - but it now leaves a gaping hole in what was a continuous line of storefronts.

 

I don't recall reading anything in the Old Brooklyn News about this.  Anyone recall seeing anything in the city zoning or planning commission minutes?

 

 

I went and saw it.  It was the storefront I was referring to in my previous post.  But actually, there were two.

 

I have these photos from April 2006.  The storefronts that were demo'ed are between Theo's and Mr. E's.

 

 

 

I drove Pearl and was amazed at how much commercial vacancy there is in OB.  My guess is that more than 50% of the spaces on the street are empty. 

 

this thread is depressing as hell

 

just goes back to what i say about tearin down everything good in this city to replace it with new crap

 

have we heard of preservation, rehab, adaptive re-use in cleveland?

 

No.  The Arcade is was never restored, neither were the theaters at Playhouse Square.  Remember when we tore down all the old housing in Ohio City and Tremont?  Oh how grand that was!  There is no adaptive reuse in the Warehouse District, or in Gateway.  There aren't artists lofts popping up in warehouses throughout the Near East Side, which isn't being rebranded as an artist's district.  Ten property owners haven't applied for historic preservation state tax credits just along Euclid Ave.  We aren't one of the national leaders in National Register Historic Buildings and Districts and in usage of Federal Historic Preservation Tax Credits.  I could go on about all the other projects that aren't happening- Gordon Square, Gospel Press, etc., but I guess there really isn't anything to talk about.

I wouldn't be suprised to see a lot of old buildings near bars get torn down over the next year or so to build either patios or parking that replaces spots lost to patios.  There's an incentive to build them now. 

It may be two storefronts that were demolished, but it's one building. You can see that its one building in the second photo cd-cleveland posted.

^ Yep, there was one building.  The facade looked pretty consistent throughout, though.

The rest of the city is pretty well kept, it confuses me why the downtown looks like that.  I always thought a Mally's down there for the zoo people alone would draw some other stores around it.  Could be such a nice downtown with just a little work...

 

Does anyone know where/when the next OB ward 16 meeting is?

 

Has anyone eaten at Theo's?  I have driven past that place a million times and never been in...

The rest of the city is pretty well kept, it confuses me why the downtown looks like that.  I always thought a Mally's down there for the zoo people alone would draw some other stores around it.  Could be such a nice downtown with just a little work...

 

Does anyone know where/when the next OB ward 16 meeting is?

 

Has anyone eaten at Theo's?  I have driven past that place a million times and never been in...

 

Malley's is a great idea.  Take the wife and kids to get ice cream or a treat after the family visits the zoo.  The one on the Towpath on Rockside Road seems to be doing ok.  The probably is that, with retail, no one ever wants to go in alone. 

 

Ward 16 Club was Tuesday, August 14th, according to OBCDC's newsletter.  You just missed it.

 

I've been to Theo's before.  It's decent.  I think the appearance of the building leads you to think that it's a Tremont-type restaurant.  It mainly has a pretty basic menu of American dishes (from what I can remember).

The probably is that, with retail, no one ever wants to go in alone. 

 

Seems with the sheer amount of visitors and traffic on that road it could support more than what is there...

 

I would happy to get that old go kart place torn down... or at least the sign...

I'm going to take this discussion over to the Old Brooklyn thread.

Anyone know when the crumbling apartment buildings across E83rd Street from the Playhouse parking lot were demoed?  Maybe years ago but I only noticed they were gone when dropping by the awesome arch exhibits at the Cleveland MOCA last week.  They may have been too far gone but a shame to lose some potentially great units so close to the ECP and the clinic.  What else is new.

They were demolished 3-4 years ago.

Thanks X. 

You're welcome.  Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

oh the thread we love to hate. 

 

e105th and wade park.  the two buildings on the southwest corner have been razed.  brick storefronts and an apartment building.  all vacant, but all still in good shape before being taken down.  visible on google maps.  these are just around the corner from the ugliest apartments in cleveland, on the corner of east blvd and wade park. 

 

is this the site of the new va hospital bed tower, or am I getting confused?

 

as a small side note, the building on the other corner is the worst sort of ass to the sidewalk new construction I have seen in a long time.  where there should be an entrance, there is a threshold, and then an unbroken corner.  hilarious.

^I think it is.  But the streets around there get me confused.  VA is at E Blvd and E105...I think.

as a small side note, the building on the other corner is the worst sort of ass to the sidewalk new construction I have seen in a long time.  where there should be an entrance, there is a threshold, and then an unbroken corner.  hilarious.

 

I absolutely agree. How do they come up with this stuff?

I was speaking with one of my part time employees who works in marketing for the Cleveland Clinic and she indicated that the plan is to soon demolish the US Bank branch on Euclid and some if not all of the buildings behind it including a the former school building that the Clinic uses as offices.  She could not say what if anything was going up.  She works in one of the buildings and her department is being moved out to Beachwood (I think part of the old MBNA campus).

The former school building??? That is the original Hathaway Brown.

^Whoa, help me out with this.  Which building is this?  Where on Euclid?  Don't like the sound of that.

 

oh the thread we love to hate. 

 

e105th and wade park.  the two buildings on the southwest corner have been razed.  brick storefronts and an apartment building.  all vacant, but all still in good shape before being taken down.  visible on google maps.  these are just around the corner from the ugliest apartments in cleveland, on the corner of east blvd and wade park. 

 

is this the site of the new va hospital bed tower, or am I getting confused?

 

as a small side note, the building on the other corner is the worst sort of ass to the sidewalk new construction I have seen in a long time.  where there should be an entrance, there is a threshold, and then an unbroken corner.  hilarious.

 

According to the plans Musky posted at http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=13900.msg214211#new, these buildings did NOT need to be demoed for the VA hospital.  That's really, really irritating, especially considering how much money has been pumped into E105 just north of there to create a nicer residential neighborhood.  The ass-faced institutional ghettofication of UC continues. :(

It's typical Clinic; build a building and then knock down the next block to keep a moat of vacant land surrounding the campus.

"^Whoa, help me out with this.  Which building is this?  Where on Euclid?  Don't like the sound of that."

 

whaaaaat? oh no no no.

^ Demo it, it's too old!

How can that building not be listed/designated as a Cleveland Landmark or even on the National Register?  It's gorgeous (although the inside has been stripped of a lot of its history, and "cubicalized", from what I remember from being there over 10 years ago.  Maybe we as UrbanOhio should nominate the building for designation on the National Register, or at least to the Cleveland Landmarks Commission, before it's too late...

Yeah, OK. Let's demolish a beauty like that and put up a parking lot or your typical architectural pieces of shit. F*ck you Cleveland Clinic.