Thanks Mayday- i definitely wasn't picturing that old beut'.  Ugh, so messed up.

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...

 

Good idea. How do we start?

National Register designation doesn't do anything to prevent demolition, local action is more important.

 

Looks like a great building.

Cleveland Landmarks designation, I believe, is more important, as it has some standing with local law.  National Register doesn't mean much locally if it's not on the local register.  Correct me if I'm wrong folks!

 

The buildings on E. 105 were a surprise to me.  I knew there had been a fire last year where several children died and they'd been boarded up since, but like someone mentioned above, they looked to be in decent shape from the outside.  I'd heard that the inside was pretty far gone on the fire damaged building.  Not sure about the other one.  I guess when you've got the wrecking ball on the block, it's that much easier to tear the whole mother down.  As far as landmarks district designation over there, I looked into it and the district basically wraps around East Blvd and E. 105th over there, so they were off the hook.  I'd imagine that the VA had some say in that...

 

photos forthcoming

e105th and wade park.  the two buildings on the southwest corner have been razed.

 

It's too late.  :cry:

View north on E. 105... the buildings on the left are gone:

Another view, from the east on Wade Park.  The demo'd building is in the middle:

These long-vacant buildings on East Boulevard are gone:

 

 

As is the "Magnolia" on E. 105.  Some elements will be resurrected as a bus shelter on E. 105:

Magnolia, RIP:

E. 105 & Wade Park, RIP:

 

 

Are these random demos or is this for the VA hospital (or other)?

 

*EDIT*

 

Specifically the building Mayday posted. I realize some of those are for the VA.

all the ones I posted are for the VA garage, domiciliary & office tower.  Although we've been debating on here the necessity of demo-ing the mixed-use buildings in the first few photos. 

 

The one that MayDay posted is owned by the Cleveland Clinic, about a mile south of the VA.

stupidly, I saw the fence go up around this and I thought "great, someone's going to fix these great old buildings up."  the next day I saw a pile of rubble.

ooooh, that burns.

 

problem is, no one really has jurisdiction over the VA.  They're kind of in international waters...

Can someone post again what is being built there (renderrings).  I think Musky did last time, but I can't seem to find them.

http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=13900.0

Those are some tough losses.

OK, I will be the jerk and say that these losses are probably for the better part of the community.  It is a huge project that is relocating several jobs to U Circle and alot of those properties were blighted.  Go ahead and start the attack on me. 

*EDIT* Thanks Map Boy.

OK, I will be the jerk and say that these losses are probably for the better part of the community.  It is a huge project that is relocating several jobs to U Circle and alot of those properties were blighted.  Go ahead and start the attack on me. 

 

No attack here.  Except for that "several" is the understatement of the year!  There are an expected 1,600 jobs coming as a result of the VA's expansion.  My complaint about the demo of these pre-war buildings is that they aren't going to build anything in their place in the near future.  Their absence may be convenient for construction staging, but I don't think their removal was necessary.  Bottom line is that I doubt the VA had any prospective use for them.  They probably just figured they'd get them out of the way now, rather than work around them for the next two years. 

 

They can redeem themselves by completing the project as they stated they would, with the addition of a retail front on E. 105, south of Wade Park.  While this clearly won't offset the massive influx of auto traffic that will be added to E. 105 and East Boulevard every day, it will make the area seem a little more walkable, which is important to the existing and future residents on East Boulevard and Heritage Lane, which is just north of the project.

OK, the unimaginative drones running the VA hospital like to knock down old buildings on land it might need someday, got it...but WTF, did they have to tear out all the big old trees lining East Blvd too?  It takes like 80 years to make new ones!  Is it too hard to staple on pre-fab brick panels in the shade of a tree?  Did they hire a Medina subdivision builder to do this thing?

 

From realneo.us: 

 

BEFORE:  http://realneo.us/system/files?file=Demo105Pan.jpg

AFTER:  http://realneo.us/system/files?file=EastBlvdDemoSite112007Pan.jpg

Man all of this is too pain full to look at...Thanks Map Boy and StrapHanger for posting these pictures.  I used to love walking past the "Magnolia" building and enjoying how unique it was.

 

Now here's the sadest thing of all.  In Map Boy's first two pictures. I was thinking "Man, I thnk they demo-ed the wrong buildings in the picture"....only to realize that the other buildings are artist renditions of what is going to be built.  :-(.

 

Really too bad the VA couldn't incorporate the streetscape into its crappy plans

 

I'm in total agreement with the saddness at the loss of the beautiful buildings and trees lost during the VA demo, but I have to correct a few points:

 

The building in the first two pictures of Mapboy's post has been built for a few years.  It doesn't look exactly like that, though it is still no beauty.

 

The VA isn't knocking down buildings on "land it might need someday".  It is knocking down buildings on which it is going to be expanding it's facilities in the near term.  There are already renderings on this site.  If you do a search, you will find them.  This is bringing over 1,000 jobs to the City of Cleveland from Brecksville- a notable upside in my opinion.

^Sorry, my post wasn't clear- the demos on land the VA "might need someday" was a reference to the former buildings on the corner SW corner of Wade Park and 105, which are NOT part of the site plan of the VA's imminent project; I was just trying to tie the seemingly needless tree removal to these seemingly needless demos which were discussed in the immediately preceding posts.

 

All to say, new jobs: great!, demo and tree removal that seems like overkill even in light of new jobs: boo!

Ahhh, ok.  Agreed.

FYI... I found a picture of the large buildings at East 66th and Euclid at Cleveland Memory. The link to the photo is:

 

http://images.ulib.csuohio.edu/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/press&CISOPTR=1307&REC=5

FYI... I found a picture of the large buildings at East 66th and Euclid at Cleveland Memory. The link to the photo is:

 

http://images.ulib.csuohio.edu/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/press&CISOPTR=1307&REC=5

 

Nice find.  Notice how cars are dominating the scene, now that the street cars are gone? 

 

If a rail line under Euclid had been built (damn I sound like Clvndr now) I wonder if the deterioration on Euclid would have taken place?

The National City Bank at Stearns & Euclid is down, as of Friday, I'm pretty certain.

 

They moved up Stearns to open up that corner for a better use and gateway, although I'm sure others here have more info than I do.

.

Yep, that's next to the Dunham Tavern.

RTA is marketing that site as a possible TOD, though the amount of money it would take to bring this facade-less building back on line must be staggering!

FYI... I found a picture of the large buildings at East 66th and Euclid at Cleveland Memory. The link to the photo is:

 

http://images.ulib.csuohio.edu/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/press&CISOPTR=1307&REC=5

 

Beautiful image.  Here's one from last year, pre-face demo:

 

 

And yes, the horrid old NCB at Stokes/Euclid has been replaced by a slightly less offensive one that fronts Stokes and leaves the prominent corner open to redevelopment opportunities (likely still some time off):

 

 

 

 

Beautiful image.  Here's one from last year, pre-face demo:

 

 

And pre-demo of the the 3-story part on the corner of 66th :(.

yes, sorry, I could've mentioned that. 

.

oengus, I see that you wrote the above post at 1:29am. You must have been sleepy. Care to edit it a bit so that we understand it better?

It's a little more coherent than some of Edsiou's posts, but that's not saying much.

We make fun of the Russians…we are just as corrupt, look at this, it is true.

in russia, fun makes russia of you. 

I don't know if it's corruption or just incompetence, but Frank Russo's craptacular county auditor site is missing the sales price for this property RTA paid even though it shows the sale.

 

Redevelopment along Euclid was not a secret to anyone.  Whether it was the dual hub or something else, the world knew something was going to happen to Euclid at some point, so I don't know how insider-y the 1990 purchase was.  Even so, after the County Admin Center debacle, I'm a little less trusting of the integrity/competence of our public servants, so I wouldn't be shocked of oengus is 100% correct.

 

What I'd like to know more about is RTA's decision to get involved with the property in the first place (and presumably its role in the demolition of the western portion of the bldg and front bay of the remaining portion).  Was the need to widen Euclid at this point due only to the fact that they wanted to locate a station there?  I'd be superbly pissed if that was the case.

We make fun of the Russians…we are just as corrupt, look at this, it is true.

in russia, fun makes russia of you. 

 

never thought I'd see a yakov smirnoff joke on UO.......

.

Sounds like 310 Prospect is a "various demolition" in the making. I *think* this is the old Goldfish stores building. What a shame if true.

 

http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20080526/FREE/443901592/1004&Profile=1004

 

Parking company adds to holdings

 

By STAN BULLARD

 

4:30 am, May 26, 2008

 

A partnership led by a Los Angeles-based parking company has increased its holdings near Quicken Loans Arena and the East Fourth Street neighborhood of restaurants and apartments in downtown Cleveland.

 

L&R Group, through LR 310 Prospect Investors LLC, paid $1.4 million for the parking lot on the southwest corner of East Fourth and Prospect and the empty building at 310 Prospect.

 

David Damus, L&R CEO, said the company wanted to expand its holdings beyond its adjoining block-long parking lot and parking garage because the area is growing with redevelopment.

 

^Barf.

Well, you can kiss the 310 Prospect Building goodbye.  Damnit.  What a horrible company.

Sounds like 310 Prospect is a "various demolition" in the making. I *think* this is the old Goldfish stores building. What a shame if true.

 

http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20080526/FREE/443901592/1004&Profile=1004

 

David Damus, L&R CEO, said the company wanted to expand its holdings beyond its adjoining block-long parking lot and parking garage because the area is growing with redevelopment.

 

 

I am going to take a very naive and hopeful reading of this as to mean they are going to plan to build a larger parking structure with attached residential and/or retail space (because they want to help be a part of the development) as opposed to my initial, cynical reading, which sounded like "Hark! On the horizon! Cheap, easy, predictable income source that can leech off of near by development without having to do much of anything at all!"

 

With that said, I can't wait to see a rendering of the stunning new multi-level parking/residential/office/retail facility that will be coming shortly! :-D

This isn't the goldfish building... it's the kind of black granite building on the corner... I am trying to get some more information on this.

And, it is illegal to demolish a building for a surface parking lot downtown UNLESS you advance a proposal for developing the property for non-parking uses within a specified time frame (I think it's two years?), or get an extension from the city.

^It's a pretty low hoop to jump through though, no?  It's not like the city can take your property because your "redevelopment plan" mysteriously fell through two years after demolition.

 

Lower prospect is such an underachiever- this ain't gonna help.

^By the way that press release says nothing about demolition.  It says they acquired the parking lot and building because they wanted to expand (as in increase) their holdings because the area is growing.  Perhaps we should wait for a little more info before going postal.

this thread is depressing

 

i get really frustrated at the destruction of this city.  theres a lot of pointless demolitions going on in this city.....most structures arent beyond saving and are replaced by nothing. if theyre replaced, its by some crap thats less urban or a surface lot.

 

those apartments by east blvd being knocked down.....just ridiculous. its always the most urban and best residential architecture that gets knocked down too. "oh its just 1 building its not the end of the world"........1 here 1 there and soon you have nothing left. cleveland doesnt exactly have a plethora of dense old building stock left now so there shouldnt be ANY more of these buildings being knocked down now. not to mention the random stuff that gets destroyed in house fires. the city should be urbanizing itself, not de-urbanizing. youve got suburban crap being built a couple miles outside of downtown while the best architecture gets destroyed and lost forever. go look at google street view.....THERE AREN EVEN SIDEWALKS IN SOME OF THESE DEVELOPMENTS.

 

the only residential stuff i actually like (outside of downtown) that has been built recently is the stuff in tremont, if youre going to build a new development of single family homes thats how you should do it. problem is.....its gentrified with the homes costing $300k-400k

 

im sick of it. why do we let this happen to our city? i cant even put my thoughts together right now about this because it just makes me so mad

 

progress my ass

I can agree, but lets look at both sides of the equation.  Do we know the history of each of the homes being demolished? 

 

A love the buildings on East Blvd. as much as the next guy, but I feel part of the problem is they are rental not owned and so there isn't much "community involvement" to build support for saving or rehabbing, if its cost prohibitive.

 

Lets be clear though.  I traveled to DC, Atlanta, Miami, Dallas, Phoenix, San Diego, St. Louis and Indianapolis over two days last week with several divisions working on a huge story on the foreclosure/mortgage situation. (I'll comment on that later in the foreclosure thread)  Demolitions are not just happening in Cleveland.  In NYC developers want to level the Lower Eastside;  In DC they are leveling part of SE and NE DC to make way for developments that don't have two legs to stand on;  Atlanta tore down buildings for no reason but to tear them down and they have a glut of TALL AND EMPTY TOWERS.  So from a personal observation, our situation is not as severe as other cities, some even which they had the activity and steady residential appreciation in their central core as we do, yet that doesn't make it right.

 

What developments specifically do not have sidewalks?

 

What type of projects would you build and what would accomplish building them?  I'm not trying to condemn you but understand your point of view.

Having been a student at Case for the last six years, I can tell you that I have been in A LOT of those turn-of-the-century apartment buildings.  Most of them have been horridly maintained, which is sad, but that's often the case with rental properties.  Renovating would probably be exceedingly cost prohibitive as a lot of these buildings are sagging in areas, floors, ceilings, and walls completely uneven....  In one of my friend's apartments, she could see clear down to the floor below her from the gap between the baseboard and the floor.  You can rag on the people who demo them all you want, but the truth is that they'd just cost too much to save.  If anyone, blame the landlords who haven't kept up with maintenance all these years.

I'd be happy to hear otherwise from a knowledgeable contractor or architect, but I'm actually a little skeptical that renovating these old apartment buildings is off the charts expensive.  I suspect the problem is more that there isn't much of a market for the units where they still exist.  East Cleveland is like a horror show of incredible pre-war apartments of every shape and size and a huge portion is going to be demoed as soon as EC gets a chunk of federal money to pay for it.  But if you could teleport lots of those buildings en masse to University Circle to create the kind of critical mass you see up the hill in Cleveland Heights...oh that would be nice.

I'd be happy to hear otherwise from a knowledgeable contractor or architect, but I'm actually a little skeptical that renovating these old apartment buildings is off the charts expensive.  I suspect the problem is more that there isn't much of a market for the units where they still exist.  East Cleveland is like a horror show of incredible pre-war apartments of every shape and size and a huge portion is going to be demoed as soon as EC gets a chunk of federal money to pay for it.  But if you could teleport lots of those buildings en masse to University Circle to create the kind of critical mass you see up the hill in Cleveland Heights...oh that would be nice.

I think it would be difficult for a contractor or architect to give a ball park figure without seeing the inside of those units.  Even then it's a toss up as you realy don't know whats up until you open up a wall.

 

I think that theses units and units built for sale that resemble them would sell well in UC because of the location to the lagoon and CC.  Cleveland has got to start turning from a SFH market to a multi dwelling thinking city.  Lots of people want to live in the city but the type of housing offered isnt there.