A few weeks ago a drive through the Cleveland Metroparks took me to 2 different towns along the way:

 

Gates Mills, OH. This village looks little different than it did around 190 years ago. Set in the idyllic Chagrin Valley on the east side, it is Ohio's most New England-looking town... A LOT of Greek Revival / Western Reserve architecture.

Also pictured (as close as I could get) is the only Marcel Breuer RESIDENCE ever built in the state of Ohio.

 

Bedford, OH. This city is an inner-ring east side suburb. Even though it is heavily commercialized and industrial (its biggest claim to fame now is having Ohio's largest automobile shopping strip), it has retained its historic town square and has some nice residential. The founder of Gates Mills built one of the prettiest houses around just off the town square of Bedford.

 

the North Chagrin area

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

An early school building

 

Post Office

 

Town Hall

 

Cuyahoga County Library

 

Some of the retail

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pedestrian bridge and arboretum

 

 

Chagrin River

 

St. Christopher's church

 

Village homes

 

 

 

 

Chagrin Valley Hunt Club

 

 

more houses

 

 

 

 

Marcel Breuer house

 

 

Yes this house is a small Gates Mills cottage but the trees are E-NORMOUS and the lightposts are as tall as the house

 

A couple pics from the South Chagrin Metroparks on the way to Bedford

 

 

Entering Bedford

 

Bedford's beautiful old town hall (now a museum, I believe)

 

 

Historic Dunham house

 

 

old rail station

 

retail  on Broadway Ave...the main strip

 

 

 

Mr. Gates' Bedford Victorian

 

 

 

more houses in the older part of town

 

 

 

Metroparks entrance not far from town square

 

 

Broadway Ave. (original) commercial strip

 

Driving back to downtown, the sunset from Cedar & Taylor Roads in Cleveland Hts

 

 

 

Really charming area.  It looks similar to some of the Eastern suburbs of Cincinnati.

Great photos... That's not normally what I think of when I think of Cleveland. (Admittedly, my experiences of Cleveland are limited to passing through town on I-90 or on Amtrak.)

 

Agree with edale... Reminds me a bit of the areas out along Wooster Pike east of Cincy.

Wow...I'm going to have to check these places out.

Gates Mills looks posh.  I have  friends from LA who moved their years ago and love it. They thought for years all of Ohio looked like that! 

 

 

Gates Mills looks posh.  I have  friends from LA who moved their years ago and love it. They thought for years all of Ohio looked like that! 

 

 

Posh?  No.  CH, SH & PP are posh. Gates mills, just woods-y

Looks posh compared to what I could afford.

 

Nice tour; the autumn light is great, and the area is beautiful.

Gates Mills looks posh. I have friends from LA who moved their years ago and love it. They thought for years all of Ohio looked like that!  

 

 

 

Definitely posh.  One of the highest income census tracts in the Cleveland area and Ohio (in 2000, it was 868th highest income tract in the country, per http://higley1000.com/about-this-site/methodology/neighborhoods-by-metro, which is a really interesting web site, by the way).  And definitely beautiful. 

 

Though I'm not sure Clueless is right that it is essentially unchanged over 190 years- according to the excellent Johanson Cleveland Architecture book, the town was sort of reinvented by wealthy Clevelanders around the turn of the 20th century to be an idyllic New Englandy spot.

I seem to recall that around thirty years ago there was a plan to extend the Rapid to Gates Mills via mostly-existing ROW, but that fell through.

Gates Mills looks posh.  I have  friends from LA who moved their years ago and love it. They thought for years all of Ohio looked like that! 

 

 

 

Definitely posh.  One of the highest income census tracts in the Cleveland area and Ohio (in 2000, it was 868th highest income tract in the country, per http://higley1000.com/about-this-site/methodology/neighborhoods-by-metro, which is a really interesting web site, by the way).  And definitely beautiful. 

 

Though I'm not sure Clueless is right that it is essentially unchanged over 190 years- according to the excellent Johanson Cleveland Architecture book, the town was sort of reinvented by wealthy Clevelanders around the turn of the 20th century to be an idyllic New Englandy spot.

 

Income doesn't equate to "posh".  Parkland, Fairmont, chestnut Hills, S. Woodland are far more posh than many streets/areas in GM.  To each his/her own.

I seem to recall that around thirty years ago there was a plan to extend the Rapid to Gates Mills via mostly-existing ROW, but that fell through.

 

IIRC the train would have only gone to I271.

This is certainly one of my favorite drives, especially in autumn, with a different discovery each time with the various lanes etc.  Gates Mills, Hunting Valley, Moreland Hills and Chagrin Falls, just gorgeous.  There are certainly many posh country estates and horse farms.  Many rather "Old English" types.  Some of the newer stuff that creeps in, Bleh...  But it has retained its charm.

 

I have never really been into Bedford.  Thanks for the tour. 

This is certainly one of my favorite drives, especially in autumn, with a different discovery each time with the various lanes etc.  Gates Mills, Hunting Valley, Moreland Hills and Chagrin Falls, just gorgeous.  There are certainly many posh country estates and horse farms.  Many rather "Old English" types.  Some of the newer stuff that creeps in, Bleh...  But it has retained its charm.

 

I have never really been into Bedford.  Thanks for the tour. 

 

The seventies ranch stuff is horrible.  Massive lots and a tiny one story ranch, with a pool.  WTF? :wtf:

^It's definitely a mixed bag, that's for sure.  The drive down the length of Gates Mills Blvd is kind of a horror show, IMHO.  An endless, monotonous parade of expensive 1950s-1980s blah until you get to the top of Mayfield Hill. 

 

But I'm with you willy; driving down River Road through Gates Mills and Hunting Valley and points south is awesome.  There are some amazing pre-war estates on that stretch, in addition to the scenic old farm houses [and yes, some McMansions and other junk].

 

Great photos, Clueless.  That Greek Revival house (right after the plaque photo) is incredible.

very nice job & a perfect time of year to show off this area. i highly recommend every one should at least date somebody from this area - heh!

 

factoid -- the new englandy styled st. chris was built in 1853.

 

This is certainly one of my favorite drives, especially in autumn, with a different discovery each time with the various lanes etc.  Gates Mills, Hunting Valley, Moreland Hills and Chagrin Falls, just gorgeous.  There are certainly many posh country estates and horse farms.  Many rather "Old English" types.  Some of the newer stuff that creeps in, Bleh...  But it has retained its charm.

 

I have never really been into Bedford.  Thanks for the tour. 

 

The seventies ranch stuff is horrible.  Massive lots and a tiny one story ranch, with a pool.  WTF? :wtf:

 

And to think people called that the "American Dream" is even scarier...

 

Those houses are hideous.  That crap started in beachwood and there is a small section of woodmere and Pepper Pike with those tacky a$$ houses.  My cousin in beachwood lives in a house that could have been in the move ruthless people.  Ugh...I'm sick thinking about them.  I don't know how people live in those homes, but to each his/her own.

Speaking of Gates Mills, nr.  What's the deal with these high rise apartment blocks right on the border?

 

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=gates+mills&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Gates+Mills,+Cuyahoga,+Ohio&gl=us&ei=ssoKS8yGBMj5nAfenLnECw&ved=0CAgQ8gEwAA&ll=41.520242,-81.433153&spn=0.014861,0.020878&t=h&z=16

 

The look like they have all the charm of communist housing blocks to me whenever I have driven by on I-271 (seriously, they look way out of place)

Speaking of Gates Mills, nr.  What's the deal with these high rise apartment blocks right on the border?

 

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=gates+mills&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Gates+Mills,+Cuyahoga,+Ohio&gl=us&ei=ssoKS8yGBMj5nAfenLnECw&ved=0CAgQ8gEwAA&ll=41.520242,-81.433153&spn=0.014861,0.020878&t=h&z=16

 

The look like they have all the charm of communist housing blocks to me whenever I have driven by on I-271 (seriously, they look way out of place)

IIRC, they tried to instutue something like shaker, where all apartment homes and apartment developments would be in on shaker square in the Cleveland portion.

 

Is that GM towers?  I rarely drive on Mayfield east of Severance.

Speaking of Gates Mills, nr.   What's the deal with these high rise apartment blocks right on the border?

 

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=gates+mills&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Gates+Mills,+Cuyahoga,+Ohio&gl=us&ei=ssoKS8yGBMj5nAfenLnECw&ved=0CAgQ8gEwAA&ll=41.520242,-81.433153&spn=0.014861,0.020878&t=h&z=16

 

The look like they have all the charm of communist housing blocks to me whenever I have driven by on I-271 (seriously, they look way out of place)

 

They're on the other side of that border, in Mayfield Heights.  They are definitely hideous- part of the I-271 commercial sprawl zone.

This scenery is truly spectacular at all times of year.  It has long been one of my development (anti-development?) dreams that the North and South Chagrin reservations would be connected as on the west side.  Only a sliver of land next to Chagrin River road, maybe 400' wide would be necessary.  Chunks of this are already in public or quasi public hands.  We would then have a green, continuous  96 mi. loop all around the city with tendrills moving into the city.  This would be one of the most scenic bicycle tours in the country excluding the mountain loop tours of the West and Northwest.  Certainly one of the most scenic in the east.  A great tour too, challenging but nothing extreme.  It would support restaurants, bakeries and bed and breakfast places and would attract cycle tourist from all over the midwest and probably some from Europe (UK especially).  It would eventually pay for itself in enhanced property and income tax revenue while creating a timeless public asset. 

Tedolph, I always wondered about this dis-connected part of the metroparks.  Is it in the future plans to complete this link that you know of?  It would be the missing piece for an otherwise amazing and beautiful park system.

One of my favorite homes in all of Greater Cleveland is in Gates Mills.  I believe Bob Feller owned it at one point.  It is on a rolling hill lot on the northeast corner of Chagrin River Road and Brigham Road.  I can't seem to load up google street view to post a link, but will try again later.

 

Speaking of Gates Mills, nr. What's the deal with these high rise apartment blocks right on the border?

 

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=gates+mills&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Gates+Mills,+Cuyahoga,+Ohio&gl=us&ei=ssoKS8yGBMj5nAfenLnECw&ved=0CAgQ8gEwAA&ll=41.520242,-81.433153&spn=0.014861,0.020878&t=h&z=16

 

The look like they have all the charm of communist housing blocks to me whenever I have driven by on I-271 (seriously, they look way out of place)

 

They're on the other side of that border, in Mayfield Heights. They are definitely hideous- part of the I-271 commercial sprawl zone.

 

I believe you are referring to the Marsol Apartments which are between the highway and Rt. 91, south of Mayfield Road.  Pretty standard both inside and out.... much like Gates Mills Towers and the apartments that are on the north side of Mayfield across SOM from East Gate Shopping Center.  One of my long-time buddies lived in the Marsol Apts during high school and another lived in the Gates Mills Towers at that same time.  Motivation for living there is usually cheap rent (relatively speaking), a good school district (probably the most common reason) and highway access.  VERY heavy former soviet immigrant population in those parts for better or worse.

It is my understanding that Gates Mills opted out of the metropark plan in the 1930's.  I have sent letters and e-mails to Cle. Metroparks about this but have never gotten anything back that suggested this is a hot topic.  On the other hand, you never know what has been going on behind the scenes.  The West Creek initative flew under the radar for a long time.  I have noticed that there have been some relevant property acquisitions. Mostly by local municipalities that seem to be moving in this direction.  However I have no testamentary knowledge to the effect that there is a concerted plan to close the loop.  Figure in the integration with the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, the towpath trail to the someday Canal Basin Park/Wiskey Island, North Coast bikeway and the completion of this link would be a tremendous regional asset. 

Regarding a connector between the reservations; you may want to contact the Western Reserve Land Conservancy (absorbed the Chagrin River Land Conservancy in 2006) or look into their portfolio of protected property.  If it ever happens, they'll probably have had a significant part in laying the groundwork.

Fantastic shots - I never knew about the Breuer house.

 

The Breuer home is for sale, I believe...unless it's been sold. I know it was for sale anyway.

 

After I posted this thread I realized there was a caption that I wanted to put in but forgot.

Maybe everybody already knows this ,but in the GM "retail" section there is a close-up of a door...brick bldg...with a flag. The store is called Cindy Halle. It's a woman's clothing store owned by of course Cindy Halle.

It is the last remnant of the venerable Halle's Dept. Store downtown.

I'm pretty sure some of the Halles have always lived in GM.

 

The Breuer home is for sale, I believe...unless it's been sold. I know it was for sale anyway.

 

After I posted this thread I realized there was a caption that I wanted to put in but forgot.

Maybe everybody already knows this ,but in the GM "retail" section there is a close-up of a door...brick bldg...with a flag. The store is called Cindy Halle. It's a woman's clothing store owned by of course Cindy Halle.

It is the last remnant of the venerable Halle's Dept. Store downtown.

I'm pretty sure some of the Halles have always lived in GM.

 

IIRC, she's a Halle by marriage.  She's Chisholm's grandsons wife.  This isn't a vestage or Halle's, but borrowing the Halle name.  Their family was huge there were like 8 kids, not including the Sherwin Kids.  Just filthy rich!

 

IIRC, the Halle's lived in CH, SH and Pepper Pike and had/have a country estate in Waite Hill.

 

Breuer house is still for sale

 

http://www.howardhanna.com/property/property.asp?PRM_MLSName=NorthernOH&PRM_MLSNumber=3057326

 

 

 

Breuer house is still for sale

 

http://www.howardhanna.com/property/property.asp?PRM_MLSName=NorthernOH&PRM_MLSNumber=3057326

 

 

 

Thats dirt cheap for a 3000+ sq foot home on four acres.  Somethings wrong.

Its great to get some exposure to this area!

Wow...I'm going to have to check these places out.

 

We will have to include this on our East Side Tour.  I haven't even checked out these places..

 

Though I'm not sure Clueless is right that it is essentially unchanged over 190 years- according to the excellent Johanson Cleveland Architecture book, the town was sort of reinvented by wealthy Clevelanders around the turn of the 20th century to be an idyllic New Englandy spot.

 

Straphanger I was going to send you a PM but your inbox is full  :-)

 

Yes I do realize that GM was very much desired by early 20th century Clevelanders and they sort of morphed the village center back to its nascent appearance. At one time there was some bonafide industry (1800s-style) going on down there at Old Mill Rd and the Chagrin River area.

 

It's interesting because Holsey Gates had mill operations in Bedford too, and I'm guessing that at one time (a short time) GM and BF were probably peers in "industry". Their evolutions since then are completely different. Now BF is an aging inner-ring heavily commercialized and developed suburb whereas GM has reverted back to a more "rural" and bucolic village.

 

BTW, that Victorian in BF is still lived in by the great-grandson of the founder of GM, of course he is now a very elderly man himself. I was able to talk to him...he was raking leaves in the front yard. Absolutely pleasant and down-to-earth. He did tell me that the house will become property of the Western Reserve Historical Society when he passes on.

"Breuer house is still for sale"

 

My retinas and soul have been scarred after seeing how they've decorated the place :cry:

"Breuer house is still for sale"

 

My retinas and soul have been scarred after seeing how they've decorated the place :'(

 

You're too kind.  Think about that properties target audience.  Over 40 (second home purchasers/upgraders), 2/3 kids, 150-200k household income.

 

I mean, it's a split level.  That alone should tell you the type of tacky folks that would gravitate to that type of home. 

Hmmm....I just looked at those Breuer house photos and I'm not quite sure how I feel about it.  Certainly, the interior decor is not to my taste.  I do like the pool.  The whole thing seems kind of, well, bland.

Hmmm....I just looked at those Breuer house photos and I'm not quite sure how I feel about it.  Certainly, the interior decor is not to my taste.  I do like the pool.  The whole thing seems kind of, well, bland.

 

As I've said before, housing with character seemed to cease east of Warrensville.

Just seeing these photos now...I really love the Chagrin Valley in the fall.  My friends were married at St. Christopher's in October and the reception at The Country Club...great setting for a wedding!

 

Breuer house is still for sale

 

http://www.howardhanna.com/property/property.asp?PRM_MLSName=NorthernOH&PRM_MLSNumber=3057326

 

 

 

Thats dirt cheap for a 3000+ sq foot home on four acres.  Somethings wrong.

you're thinking in terms of NYC area prices. You, of all people, should know better! :wink:

 

Breuer house is still for sale

 

http://www.howardhanna.com/property/property.asp?PRM_MLSName=NorthernOH&PRM_MLSNumber=3057326

 

 

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Thats dirt cheap for a 3000+ sq foot home on four acres.  Somethings wrong.

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you're thinking in terms of NYC area prices. You, of all people, should know better! ;)

[/quote]

 

No i'm not.  Look at the prices in the surround areas in Cuyahoga county.  Houses that size in CH, SH, PP are all asking 1.25-2.5 million.  And those homes are on smaller lots.

^ I dunno, I just did a quick search of homes in Shak Hts on homes.com and only a small handful broke the $1M mark, and they appeared to be much larger than this one. I guess the architectural pedigree of Marcel Breuer only goes so far, and 3,000 sq ft isn't considered that large these days. Again, I think your NY mindset might be clouding your judgement (just a little?--lol).

In that school system, the land alone (4 acres) should fetch a couple hundred thousand. 

^ I dunno, I just did a quick search of homes in Shak Hts on homes.com and only a small handful broke the $1M mark, and they appeared to be much larger than this one. I guess the architectural pedigree of Marcel Breuer only goes so far, and 3,000 sq ft isn't considered that large these days. Again, I think your NY mindset might be clouding your judgement (just a little?--lol).

 

No I'm in a cleveland frame of mind.  Homes.com isn't a good gauge.