Posted April 27, 201213 yr 003 by Zack Blackerby's Detroit, on Flickr 012 by Zack Blackerby's Detroit, on Flickr 015 by Zack Blackerby's Detroit, on Flickr 023 by Zack Blackerby's Detroit, on Flickr 030 by Zack Blackerby's Detroit, on Flickr 041 by Zack Blackerby's Detroit, on Flickr 045 by Zack Blackerby's Detroit, on Flickr 060 by Zack Blackerby's Detroit, on Flickr 059 by Zack Blackerby's Detroit, on Flickr 066 by Zack Blackerby's Detroit, on Flickr 069 by Zack Blackerby's Detroit, on Flickr 075 by Zack Blackerby's Detroit, on Flickr 081 by Zack Blackerby's Detroit, on Flickr 087 by Zack Blackerby's Detroit, on Flickr 106 by Zack Blackerby's Detroit, on Flickr 143 by Zack Blackerby's Detroit, on Flickr 147 by Zack Blackerby's Detroit, on Flickr 153 by Zack Blackerby's Detroit, on Flickr 165 by Zack Blackerby's Detroit, on Flickr 180 by Zack Blackerby's Detroit, on Flickr 182 by Zack Blackerby's Detroit, on Flickr 191 by Zack Blackerby's Detroit, on Flickr 203 by Zack Blackerby's Detroit, on Flickr
May 3, 201213 yr Nice. Im totally down with these kind of photo threads. My only grumble is...are Flickr photos always this size? Prob dumb question but I know nothing about Flickr. EDIT: Im guessing that Belmore Apt building has been razed for the new Belmore (CMHA Senior Citizen). Too bad
May 3, 201213 yr It was still there when I posted this set of pictures. Is it supposed to be demolished??
May 3, 201213 yr What's the purpose? Clevelanders exposing blight in Detroit and Detroit exposing Cleveland? We all need new hobbies, people live in these communities. I find the pictures offensive, let's see your damn neighborhood! I am so tired of Clevelanders and everyone else calling the east side of Cleveland, East Cleveland. They are two different places!
May 3, 201213 yr You find the pictures offensive? There's a genuine interest in blighted architecture and this thread shows that. This thread isn't to say an entire section of the city is "blighted" (or Detroit or anywhere else). We all know the east side of Cleveland has great areas as well. "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
May 3, 201213 yr ^Thank you. It was still there when I posted this set of pictures. Is it supposed to be demolished?? Zack, if you took the pictures the same time that you posted the photo thread then I must be wrong in assuming this has been razed. By mid-Feb (or earlier) the site for the new Belmore was cleared. If you took the shots in April, then the old apartment building must still be standing somewhere else in E. Cleveland.
May 3, 201213 yr I don't find the photos offensive, but the thread should probably be retitled. Not much of "Cleveland" in here. Appears that the shots are of East Cleveland, with the exception of maybe 1 or 2. I could be wrong, but the shots I recognize are East Cleveland, which unless some drastic annexation occurs is a lost cause.
May 3, 201213 yr What's the purpose? Clevelanders exposing blight in Detroit and Detroit exposing Cleveland? We all need new hobbies, people live in these communities. I find the pictures offensive, let's see your damn neighborhood! I am so tired of Clevelanders and everyone else calling the east side of Cleveland, East Cleveland. They are two different places! LOL! Offensive, really?? That's funny, because I tell people how much I like Cleveland all the time. And I know this isn't Cleveland, I agree I should've named the thread differently. I always talk about how much I love downtown Cleveland, but how many downtown Cleveland threads do we need? Not that I don't love seeing them. But I like to show the blight, the abandoned, the areas you don't normally see. If you really find my photos offensive, first of all something is wrong with you and secondly, don't look at them. I will somehow get over it! And per your request I will have a photo thread of my neighborhood tomorrow. Check the USA photo forum for the Lafayette Park neighborhood of Detroit.
May 3, 201213 yr Let's not get started. I don't care to see run down sections of Detroit or Cleveland; I lived in an area of the east side that saw white flight and slum lords turn most of the area into blight. Retitle your thread to reflect what you are posting, Exploring Cleveland? Get real! I stand by what i say and have no problem expressing it! Explore the Culture Gardens, the Rockefeller homes, East Blvd. Rockefeller Park. You knew exactly what you were doing when you wrote that title. :x
May 3, 201213 yr I am so glad urban blight is a photo fetish. I am sure the residence in those neighborhood find it fascinating too.
May 3, 201213 yr ZachariahDaMan, thanks for the pictures! I understand exactly what you were doing and I love it. I drive through this area for work every day, and I love it. I've always wanted to explore the observatory on Taylor that you posted. Many of us take a real interest in the side of cities which you show. Most of the photo threads focus mainly on the up and coming or well-maintained neighborhoods, but these areas exist too and they're fascinating. There's a real difference between posting pictures to say that a city is rundown and showing the urban blight which many people on this board are interested in just like you. I think it's clear which of the two you try to do. Keep up the good work!
May 3, 201213 yr Really cool perspectives, especially the shots of the skyline. Nice views! Your photo threads seem pretty cool, and what I have seen of your Detroit threads seem much worse than this. Cleveland's blight isn't nearly as bad as Detroit's, but still very cool to look at. How are you able to get into all these buildings?
May 3, 201213 yr ZDM - as usual I enjoyed the pics. Nice work! I drive by the EC observatory regularly and think about shooting it. Glenville - not that this changes your opinion, but he called it "exploring" because "urban exploring" is the practice of photographing old and abandoned buildings. I am a big fan of urban exploring (not that that's probably much of a secret around here). For one, I think there is a lot of beauty in decay and observing what happens to buildings when left for nature (and looters) to take their course. Also, I think it is important to document what was once and what now is. When I have been in abandoned buildings I always imagine what it must have been like when they were bustling with activity.
May 3, 201213 yr When I have been in abandoned buildings I always imagine what it must have been like when they were bustling with activity. That would be a cool movie scene. Show modern day and have it transition into the past showing the place in its prime.
May 5, 201213 yr I am so glad urban blight is a photo fetish. I am sure the residence in those neighborhood find it fascinating too. Wow you paint with a broad brush as well. I can certainly agree there will be some people in Cleveland's neighborhoods that may not appreciate it. But in the case of Detroit, I've heard at neighborhood meetings residents saying they are happy these buildings are being brought to light. Same here in Chicago. However, it's fine to be selfish in this case. Architecture and photography is his hobby and he can choose whatever subject he pleases. Zach has been posting photos for probably 7 years now. When you see these threads, this is what you'll expect. I think that's great. If you have a problem, post your own damn thread instead of being a distraction. Yes, let's see your neighborhood. Just shy of 60 posts, you haven't put in any work around here showing what you want us to see. I'm sure Zach puts alot of effort into his hobby and for you to come up in here with nothing thoughtful to say is insulting and a waste of our time.
May 5, 201213 yr ZachariahDaMan has been doing this for years. It's his thing -- I find it kinda cool; kinda interesting. (I doubt, personally, I'd have the guts to enter some of those condemned hulks he enters; don't know how he does it). There is indeed a certain beauty in old architecture, most of it in ruins -- it's anthropological studying the ruins and population and commercial shifts in industrial urban America ... I'm hardly offended by it. Quite the contrary, it's uplifting that an educated guy who probably has moved out of/doesn't have to deal with such areas, takes an interest in them where they are not even on the radar screens of most people; these neighborhoods are all but totally forgotten except by the people who still live there.
May 5, 201213 yr ZdM: What is the story with #165, is it in the process of rehab? Where is it? Thanks. Glenville, posting photos like these here on urban ohio is more of a call for action to the people who care, rather than sensationalizing "blight porn". I hope they will be used as "before" photos within 20 years. Personally, I know I nearly had a seizure this week when I got a google alert that Huffington Post had a photo essay of Euclid Avenue. When I saw it there were a few photos, and a story of how Euclid Ave is a wasteland especially near East Cleveland (aka University Circle). Now, all that guy was doing was trying to hawk some pics on his website. All I see from this thread is AMAZING possibilities. Maybe its been my time here in New Orleans, but I have seen structures much, much worse than these be transformed into amazing homes and businesses.
May 5, 201213 yr I think this is a great post, and it brings to light the dismal condition of many of the great old buildings in Cleveland and East Cleveland. I also think it's silly to say that Cleveland and East Cleveland are two different places. Yes, they may be separate municipalities, but there's no greenbelt or moat between them. I think chronicling the gradual disappearance of some of our great neighborhoods, regardless of whether they are inside or outside of the completely artificial borders of the City of Cleveland is important.
May 5, 201213 yr To add onto my post above, I think you will start seeing a lot more of stories like this Couple restores 1905 home in East Cleveland http://www.cleveland.com/insideout/index.ssf/2012/04/couple_restores_1905_home_in_e.html She pointed out all the special details -- the marble fireplace discovered under faux brick, pocket doors, rough-hewn ceiling beams in the dining room, a fireplace in the master bedroom and closets on the third floor. The house was in foreclosure when the couple purchased it. No copper plumbing, no running water. No heat or light fixtures. The walls tested positive for lead paint. "The house, even as a board-up, was always clearly a gem," Norm said in an email. "Built over 100 years ago, by real craftsmen, the construction couldn't be duplicated today. The materials -- hardwoods and solid original hardware -- are stronger, heavier and more solid than most building materials available today."
May 6, 201213 yr Great pics, Zack! I haven't really seen an urban exploration tour of Cleveland's abandoned buildings, but these pics turned out great. The skyline shots are great!
May 6, 201213 yr I believe that CWRU owns that observatory dome. Wonder why they haven't done anything with it? I'd also be curious to find out where that Belmore apartment building is located. Looks like it has some really cool architecture that I'd love to see renovated and resided in again someday.
May 6, 201213 yr NorthAndre, I have posted my neighborhood pics. I am not a distraction, I am a person who grew up on the east side of Cleveland, and day in and day out heard about my neighborhood in a negative light. I now appreciate posts on University Circle, Midtown and other great neighborhoods on the east side. My issue was with the thread title; it was misleading and in many cases not even Cleveland, but a neighboring inner suburb, East Cleveland. I checked out Zack's neighborhood and it was one I was familiar with and saw urban renewal, parks and new construction. My dislike is of Clevelanders taking pictures of Detroits blight and vice versa. UrbanOhio is for photographers, urban planners, and even me ,Glenville, a novice who discovered the page, loved it and posted only 60 posts. I have messaged Zach personally about the thread title...............
May 6, 201213 yr I believe that CWRU owns that observatory dome. Wonder why they haven't done anything with it? I'd also be curious to find out where that Belmore apartment building is located. Looks like it has some really cool architecture that I'd love to see renovated and resided in again someday. FWIW, the Scene had a little write-up about it a couple years back: Warner and Swasey Observatory WHERE YOU'LL FIND IT: 1975 Taylor Road, in the wilds of East Cleveland — but in the nicer wilds, near the Cleveland Heights border. HISTORY: Two amateur astronomers, Worcester Warner and Ambrose Swasey, flush with wealth from their machine tool business, built a backyard observatory between their adjoining residences in the early 20th century. They gave it to Case Western Reserve University in 1919, and the university added to it over time — an auditorium, classrooms, exhibit hall, library, and more. The university stopped using it in 1985 because the surrounding area gave off too much light. Since then it has had several owners, the latest being Nayyir Al Mahdi, who planned to convert it into a residence before a pesky mortgage fraud conviction derailed his plans in 2007. That same year he transferred title to his own development group, which county records indicate is still the owner. VALUE: Purchased by Mahdi and Associates for $115,000 in 2005; transferred to another corporation owned by Mahdi in 2007. The county auditor values the property at $164,300, with an outstanding tax balance of 24,666, which has been accruing since 2007. STATE OF DECAY: Partially boarded up, but with many missing windows and one of the observatory domes left open, it has been open to the elements for several years. WHAT IT'S GOOD FOR: "It would make a wonderful restored observatory or a fabulous residence," says architect Volpe. "I don't know who is going to pull either of these off." In other words, the place is ripe for development by anyone with a few million extra bucks and mad-scientist fantasies. http://www.clevescene.com/cleveland/the-beginners-guide-to-dead-zones/Content?oid=1913204
May 6, 201213 yr Glenville, with all due respect this is a silly premise that you're taking. Are you going to sue Google streetviews or Bing's bird's-eye views for having the audacity to include streets in neighborhoods like Glenville, Forest Hills, Woodland Hills, Buckeye, etc. etc.?? There's nothing to hide, and if you don't like it just turn the channel, to use a TV metaphor.
May 6, 201213 yr NorthAndre, I have posted my neighborhood pics. I am not a distraction, I am a person who grew up on the east side of Cleveland, and day in and day out heard about my neighborhood in a negative light. I now appreciate posts on University Circle, Midtown and other great neighborhoods on the east side. My issue was with the thread title; it was misleading and in many cases not even Cleveland, but a neighboring inner suburb, East Cleveland. I checked out Zack's neighborhood and it was one I was familiar with and saw urban renewal, parks and new construction. My dislike is of Clevelanders taking pictures of Detroits blight and vice versa. UrbanOhio is for photographers, urban planners, and even me ,Glenville, a novice who discovered the page, loved it and posted only 60 posts. I have messaged Zach personally about the thread title............... He's "Exploring Cleveland." As in the area in general. There's no problem with the title. We aren't ignorant. This is UrbanOhio. I'm sure the majority of people that visit this site know these photos aren't representative of the entire city. "My dislike is of Clevelanders taking pictures of Detroits blight and vice versa" If you don't like it, there's a BACK button on your browser.
May 6, 201213 yr @NorthAndre, as an Ohioan, and Clevelander, I will continue to voice my opinion, I see you didn't press the back button.
May 6, 201213 yr I'm not sure what I find more interesting, the photos or the commentary - I guess I understand Glenville's gripes and I agree that some more descriptive text would be appropriate, just so those who aren't too familiar would know that these images represent a small area of our region. That said, these photos represent a part of our collective reality (those of us who are proud to call Cleveland 'home'). Ignoring the appalling conditions of our more downtrodden neighborhoods won't make them better, and neither will coddling the behaviors and whatnot that made them that way and continue to keep them that way. clevelandskyscrapers.com Cleveland Skyscrapers on Instagram
May 7, 201213 yr I'm not sure what I find more interesting, the photos or the commentary - I guess I understand Glenville's gripes and I agree that some more descriptive text would be appropriate, just so those who aren't too familiar would know that these images represent a small area of our region. That said, these photos represent a part of our collective reality (those of us who are proud to call Cleveland 'home'). Ignoring the appalling conditions of our more downtrodden neighborhoods won't make them better, and neither will coddling the behaviors and whatnot that made them that way and continue to keep them that way. ... and as was pointed out earlier by another forumer, the term, "urban exploring," is generally understood among those who participate in urban photography forums to refer to the activity of exploring and photographing abandoned and often decaying sites. Many, but not all, of these are industrial. Abandoned railroad stations, hotels, hospitals, apartment buildings, and residences also attract urban explorers. When you see "Exploring" in a topic title, you can expect to see abandonment and decay. It's an established way of identifying threads on this and other forums, and anyone who feels a need to crusade against something should find more dangerous dragons to slay.
May 7, 201213 yr also - one other thing - ZDM hails from Detroit (I think). As he is not from Cleveland, to him exploring the city and inner ring suburbs is "Cleveland." It's the same if I went to Detroit to shoot - I would call it a trip to Detroit, regardless of whether some of the pics were taken in the suburbs.
May 7, 201213 yr I personally am tired of seeing photos of unoccupied buildings in blighted areas and I will try to explain why. I am originally from Detroit and it was sad to see a once thriving city suffer so much. For some of us it's personal. Would I post pictures of a relative dying? Would this be considered insensitive? I realize it is part of the city and for those with an interest in urban planning, it may be interesting, but there is a certain segment of the population that focus on the decaying and blighted neighborhoods to the exclusion of the rest of the city. It's a bit like people that stop and gawk at auto accidents. Are they helping by stopping and looking?
May 7, 201213 yr For those of us who shoot the blight it's personal too!!! I live in Cleveland (well CH) and I'm not happy a building in Cleveland is abandoned, but it's there and I will shoot it. And yes, I find beauty in it. Would I prefer it was a thriving center of business? Of course, but that's not the case. As to shooting a relative dying? I don't think that is insensitive if they give permission. I recently saw (and just tried to find it but couldn't) a blog by a photographer originally from Cleveland who documented his wife dying of breast cancer. It was sad and moving and honestly great photography. I was appreciative that the shooter shared this with us as his audience just as I am the ZDM showed us these pics. EDIT: found the blog - http://angelomerendinophoto.com/
May 7, 201213 yr I see these photos more as photos from your loved ones life that you hang on the wall after they are gone to remember them by. It is a way to celebrate the history and architecture of our cities rather than mourning their decline.
May 7, 201213 yr @NorthAndre, as an Ohioan, and Clevelander, I will continue to voice my opinion, I see you didn't press the back button. Unlike you, I don't need to. I come to this section expecting a diversity of subjects and give the photographer the compliments they deserve. I don't care where you're from, respect is universal. I don't entirely disagree with your argument. Your opinion and argument DO have merit, but your delivery sucks. There's a different way to approach this.
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