University Circle is Cleveland's premier cultural and medical district, famously known as "Ohio’s most spectacular square mile" and the city's "second downtown." It serves as the home to world-class institutions like the Cleveland Museum of Art, the Cleveland Orchestra, and Case Western Reserve University. The neighborhood's heart is Wade Oval, a scenic green space that hosts major community events and is surrounded by several of the museums and institutions. Unsurprisingly, it's widely recognized as a premier destination for arts, culture, education, and healthcare not just in Cleveland but throughout Ohio and beyond. In fact, in 2021, USA Today ranked it as the #1 Best Arts District in America (and Top 3 in 2026).
Cleveland’s Little Italy was established around 1885 at the intersection of Mayfield and Murray Hill Roads by skilled Italian artisans. The neighborhood's growth was driven by Joseph Carabelli, a stonemason whose business employed many immigrants to carve monuments for the nearby Lake View Cemetery. To support these families, John D. Rockefeller funded the 1895 creation of Alta House, a settlement house providing essential social and educational services to immigrants. The community’s spiritual and social heart remains Holy Rosary Church, founded in 1892 to serve the largely Catholic population at that time. Since 1898, the neighborhood has hosted the annual Feast of the Assumption, a massive four-day street festival. Today, the neighorhood remains known for its Italian bakeries, classic restaurants, and art galleries.
Mayfield Road is the main street of Little Italy. From its origins dating back to the 1860s, it remains a remarkably well-preserved historic district and a vibrant hub for legit Italian cuisine, art galleries, and some of Cleveland’s oldest restaurants.
Holy Rosary Church (12021 Mayfield Road), founded in 1892, is the historic and spiritual heart of Little Italy. It's also Cleveland’s first Italian national parish. The current building is an architectural landmark, featuring a Baroque Revival design with a domed cupola. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. It is most famous for hosting the annual Feast of the Assumption, a massive four-day festival that draws thousands. Fun Fact: The church's pressed tin blue ceiling tiles were specifically chosen to enhance the building's acoustics.
The Little Italy–University Circle station on Mayfield Road has a history that spans nearly a century. The origins of the station date back to the 1920s.The Van Sweringen brothers - who developed the Shaker Heights Rapid Transit and Terminal Tower - originally intended to build a light rail line connecting downtown Cleveland to East Cleveland. They built a massive concrete "vault" under the railroad bridges at this location to serve as a future station. Due to the Great Depression, the East Cleveland extension was never finished, and the structure remained a "disused historic oddity" for decades. In 2015, the Greater Cleveland RTA officially moved the stop from East 120th Street to this location to improve accessibility and better connect the line to the heart of Little Italy. The $17.5 million project repurposed the original historic underground vault into a modern transit hub featuring unique public art that celebrates the neighborhood’s Italian heritage.
The station features several pieces of public art including this terrazzo flooring with a leaf pattern design by local artist Susie Frazier.
These chandelier sculpture elements in the headhouse, designed to resemble handmade lace doilies, by were done by artist Jennifer Cecere.
The bike racks at the station were also designed as a functional extension of the station's public art and urban design strategy. Rather than using standard "U-racks," the station created custom-designed elements which also include fun Italian words and phrases.
Across the street from the station along the bridge retaining wall is this faded but funky mural which was completed by Case Western Reserve University's art department in 1996.
Presti’s Bakery (12101 Mayfield Road) is a local staple that has been family-owned and operated since 1903. Originally established as a bread bakery, today it's a full-service café and deli known for authentic Sicilian recipes passed down through four generations.
While still known for its fresh Italian bread and rolls, Presti's is famous for its extensive array of desserts. Their cassata cake (a Cleveland original), tiramisu (above), and butter cookies are favorites.
The crowd queues up at the counter at Presti's.
Bold neighborhood branding in the heart of Mayfield Road.
The Italian American Museum of Cleveland (12111 Mayfield Road) opened in October 2020 to preserve and celebrate the heritage of Italian immigrants in Northeast Ohio. Located in a historic storefront on Mayfield Road that, over the years, housed Tringale's Fish Market (1929), the original location of Presti's (1950), and Gust Galluci's Italian Foods (1980s), the museum features a collection of oral histories, photographs, and artifacts that highlight the Italian community's contributions to the region’s culture and industry. It offers rotating exhibits and educational programs. A popular one is their neighborhood walking tours.
Speaking of programs, above architect Robert Maschke discusses several of his neighborhood projects with members of AIA Cleveland at an event I was able to catch during my time running the neighborhood.
The historic Mayfield Theater (12300 Mayfield Rd) is a designated Cleveland Landmark that opened in 1923. Originally built by Italian immigrant Michele Mastandrea who previously ran a dry goods store on the same site, it hosted Italian plays, political gatherings, and second-run Hollywood films. In 1975, it became the New Mayfield Repertory Cinema, famous for screening classic and foreign films. The theater closed for the final time in 1985 and has sat vacant ever since. The building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2013. In late 2024, the building was condemned due to severe decay. The current owner has expressed plans to convert it into a rooftop event center, though the building remains vacant and at risk of emergency demolition if significant repairs are not made.
Mama Santa’s Restaurant and Pizzeria (12301 Mayfield Rd) is a legendary, family-owned staple in Little Italy. Founded in 1961 by Guido and Nancy Scaffidi, it is famous for its "old-school" vibe—think wood-paneled walls, checkered tablecloths, and a cozy, nostalgic atmosphere. Oh, and their pizza. Their signature pie is a thin, crispy Sicilian-style crust. Fun Fact: The restaurant is named after Santa Ignazzitto, the mother of co-founder Nancy Scaffidi. Santa was a Sicilian immigrant who raised three children alone in Italy during WWII before moving to the U.S. The restaurant is currently in its fifth generation of family ownership.
A peek at pie prep through a storefront window on Mayfield.
Founded in 1994 by neighborhood local Nicole Laurienzo who grew up in the neighborhood, the Mayfield Smoke Shop (12307 Mayfield Rd) is known for its curated selection of hand-rolled cigars, specialty tobacco, and local chocolates, often enjoyed by patrons on its alleyway patio. The interior includes a lounge, television, chairs, table, and a space for a bigger gatherings. Over the decades, it has evolved from a simple retail store into a popular social hub in the neighborhood.
Guarino's is recognized as Cleveland’s oldest restaurant, operating in the heart of Little Italy since 1918. The story starts in 1898 when Vincenzo Guarino emigrated from Sicily to Cleveland. After years of working as a laborer, he saved enough money to purchase the building above at 12309 Mayfield Road. In 1918, he and his wife, Mary, opened a poolroom and tavern on the first floor. While Vincenzo ran the poolroom, Mary prepared Italian dinners in the back for neighbors and friends. The food became so popular that they eventually closed the poolroom to focus entirely on the restaurant. During Prohibition, Guarino’s operated as a speakeasy. To avoid police detection, they served homemade wine and liquor in coffee cups. As its reputation grew, Guarino's became a destination for such celebrities as Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin, who were frequent visitors. In fact, Martin even lived nearby in Cleveland Heights and was known to have two favorite round tables in the front. After Vincenzo died in 1954, his son Sam took over the family business, running things until he died in 1987. Following Sam's death, his wife, Marilyn, and a family friend, Nancy Phillips continued to run the restaurant before handing the business over to Phillips's children who run it today. The restaurant's most notable dishes include a lasagna made using a recipe that is over 60 years old (below), and a rolled Italian steak dish called Braciole. Fun Fact: Gaurino's still prepares their signature sauce on an antique stove in the kitchen.
And here's a slice of their popular lasagna. This was my celebratory dinner for finishing the running.
Founded by Italian immigrants Joseph and Antoinette Corbo, Corbo's Bakery (12210 Mayfield Road) has been a cornerstone in Little Italy since 1958. Known for its traditional recipes brought over from Sicily, the bakery is famous for its cassata cake, cannoli, and butterball cookies. They also offer popular homemade savory items like pizza, pasta and subs. Still family run, they also have a second location at Playhouse Square.
A shot of the bakery display case inside Corbo's.
A slice of their popular Cassata Cake. Cleveland has its own unique style which includes Italian sponge cake, strawberry syrup, fresh strawberries, custard filling, and topped off with homemade whipped cream. Fun Fact: In 2007, celebrity chef Mario Batali reportedly visited the bakery anonymously and noted that it was the best he'd had in the country. In fact, while writing this post, Corbo's was named to U.S.A. Today's 2026 10 Best Cake Shops.
Weekday nightlife on Mayfield in the heart of Little Italy.
Some fun patio decor outside La Dolce Vita. The restaurant was opened by Terry Tarantino in 1989 and features modern interpretations of classic Italian dishes, using local Ohio businesses for seafood and produce. Tarantino is also a graduate of Ohio State University with a degree in Horticulture. As a result, the bistro has an abundance of indoor greenery. One of its most distinct traditions is hosting opera nights, where live performers sing throughout the dining room. Fun Fact: The restaurant’s name and eclectic style were inspired by Federico Fellini’s 1960 film, La Dolce Vita.
"Bridging the Gap - The Evolution of the Matriarch" (2022) is a two-part mural project created by neighborhood business Snakes + Acey with artist Kelle Schwab. Its theme highlights generational evolution and the role of women in passing down Italian traditions. The murals use contrasting styles to represent grandmothers (Nonna) and granddaughters, acting as a bridge between past and present. The mural includes messages in Italian and English, including "love is immortal" ("l'amore è immortale", as see above), celebrating family and community. Here's a video of the making of the murals.
The Alta House (12510 Mayfield Road) has served as a vital community anchor in Little Italy for over 125 years. Founded in 1885 and officially dedicated in 1900, it was built by John D. Rockefeller due to the encouragement of Joseph Carabelli ("Father of Little Italy") and is named for Rockefeller's daughter, Alta Rockefeller Prentice. The Alta House initially started as a nursery and kindergarten for the community and then a settlement house for new immigrants. It added a public library in 1914 and expanded its youth programming. The goal was to provide services to families in the area, giving the youth of the community a place to learn and socialize while their parents worked. A devastating fire in the early 1980s resulted in the demolition of the historic settlement home (located where the bocce courts are above; here's a photo of the original structure). Today, the Alta House is home to Cleveland Montessori School and also serves as an Italian Cultural Center, hosting language and genealogy classes, wine tastings, and high-profile bocce tournaments.
A side view of Alta House from Farview Ave. It was originally the Alta Library and was a branch of the Cleveland Public Library. Rockefeller also funded the inclusion of a gym and pool. It survived the fire in 1980s and today is home to Cleveland Montessori School and the Italian Heritage Center, as mentioned above.
Northern Ohio Italian American (NOIA) Foundation hall of fame plaques line the fencing of the Alta House's bocce court area. Founded in 1995 by local business leaders, the foundation focuses on preserving Italian heritage and supporting the regional community. Since its inception, NOIA has raised over $3 million for projects such as support of local Italian churches, scholarships, Italian culture (e.g. Italian Cultural Garden), beatification projects in Little Italy, and grants to other groups.
Fairview Court is honorarily named after the Farinacci family who helped settle the area after the family emigrated from Gildone, Italy. Some of their family members have lived in the same houses for over 70+ years.
Mayfield Road has some pretty decent pedestrian safety infrastructure.
Wall of memories inside the Borgata Bar (12501 Mayfield Rd). Over the years, the building was home to a pool hall, hardware store, a bottle club ("Toy's"), and was home to the Italian American Brotherhood Club, which was founded in 1928. Fun Fact: Borgata is the original term given to the suburban townships, villages, and neighborhoods that surrounded Palermo, Sicily.
VIA126 is a collection of three luxury townhomes designed by the firm of architect Robert Maschke (mentioned above) to resemble a modern Tuscan hill town. The units feature a "city-within-a-city" layout centered around a private piazza, with four levels of living space that include elevators and rooftop terraces with views of the city and Lake Erie, given they're located on the neighborhood's highest elevation.
Lou's Tavern is a historic, family-run neighborhood landmark located at 1931 Coltman Road. Known as a neighborhood "time capsule," the bar features original 1930s decor and a vintage wooden bar that reflects that era of Little Italy. The house located next to Lou's was built in 1870. The bar came later, first as a store in 1922 and then converted into a bar a decade later. The tavern recently reopened after sitting empty for more than two decades, meticulously preserving its nostalgic vibe. Here's an IG video for a peek inside.
Inside Lou's for post-dinner drink.
27 Coltman (27 Coltman Ave) is a luxury townhome development, transforming a former industrial oil depot into a modern residential community. Before construction could begin, the 1.2-acre site underwent extensive environmental remediation to remove 29 abandoned underground storage tanks and contaminated soil. The units feature a contemporary "industrial edge" with loft-style interiors and private rooftop terraces. Despite launching during the 2009 recession, the project's proximity to the major employers in University Circle led to a successful sell-out within two and a half years. The development is considered a catalytic project for the neighborhood, bridging the gap between the historic streetscape and the adjacent railway. Fun Fact: The abstract sculpture art piece at the entrance of the townhouse complex above was created by David Deming, who is a former president of the Cleveland Institute of Art (1998-2010).
Founded in 1989 by Bernice and David E. Davis, The Sculpture Center is a nonprofit arts organization dedicated to the advancement of emerging sculptors by fostering artistic careers while promoting the preservation and maintenance of outdoor sculptures throughout Ohio. Its core programming includes the Window To Sculpture exhibition series, which provides solo show opportunities for recent fine arts graduates, as well as professional internships. Additionally, the Center manages the Ohio Outdoor Sculpture Inventory (OOSI), an extensive online database tracking publicly accessible, three-dimensional art. Beyond exhibitions, the center has historically coordinated major restoration projects for local monuments, such as the statues of Moses Cleaveland and Tom Johnson on Public Square.
"Surface & Structure: Contemporary Ceramics on the Edge of Form" was the current exhibit on display during my time running the neighborhood.
Next to the Sculpture Center is the Artists Archives of the Western Reserve. The center opened in 1996 by Sculpture Center founder David E. Davis and eight other local creators to document and protect regional art history. The spaces features a public art gallery and a climate-controlled storage space for its permanent collections. Beyond showcasing rotating public exhibitions, the archive manages equity initiatives to reduce financial barriers for regional artists of color and hosts regular professional legacy-planning workshops.
A few pieces from the exhibit.
There was also a discussion titled Plastics, an Acquired Taste which was about plastic pollution and some possible and promising solutions. Above, the unstoppable Eddie Olschansky of Trash Fish talks about his advocacy efforts.
An exhibit from Plastic, An Acquired Taste.
Founded in 1869 by prominent local business leaders like Jeptha Wade, historic Lake View Cemetery was designed as a "garden cemetery" to provide a park-like retreat for Cleveland residents. The 285-acre grounds were modeled after grand Victorian cemeteries in Europe and are famous for their landscapes and intricate architecture. It serves as the final resting place for over 100,000 people, including significant historical figures such as President James A. Garfield and John D. Rockefeller. As mentioned at the top of the post, the cemetery’s construction and demand for skilled stonemasonry contributed to the development of Little Italy. Today, it is recognized on the National Register of Historic Places and remains an active burial ground and major cultural landmark in Cleveland. Fun Fact: Every spring, a specific section of the cemetery known as Daffodil Hill explodes with over 100,000 blooming bulbs, creating a massive yellow and white carpet across the landscape.
The James A. Garfield Memorial is the crown jewel of Lake View Cemetery, serving as a massive, 180-foot-tall tribute to the 20th President of the United States. Completed in 1890 - nine years after his assassination - it was designed by architect George Keller and funded primarily through small public donations from across the country. Constructed of Ohio sandstone, the exterior features five panels depicting scenes from Garfield’s life as a teacher, Union general, orator, statesman, and president. Inside, the rotunda features elaborate gold-leaf mosaics and stained glass representing the 13 original colonies. At the center stands a life-sized marble statue of Garfield (below).
The 12-foot statue is carved from white Carrara marble sourced from Italian quarries. It was created by Ohio-born artist Alexander Doyle, who was known for his significant commemorative works of the era. Fun Fact: The statue's slightly upturned head captures a specific habit Garfield had during intense debates in the House of Representatives.
Unlike many presidential tombs, this memorial is the only one in the nation where the President's casket is on full public display.
A view of Cleveland from the lookout balcony of the monument. The downtown skyline can been seen in the distance.
The John D. Rockefeller monument is this granite obelisk that serves as the final resting place for the legendary oil magnate and his family. Though Rockefeller died in 1937, he commissioned the monument decades earlier. It rises approximately 66 feet, making it the tallest monument in the cemetery. It was chiseled from a single block of granite in the famous quarries of Barre, Vermont. The pieces were so large they required a custom railway car to be transported from Vermont to Cleveland. When the shipment arrived in 1899, the top spire became stranded near the tracks. Rockefeller hired Joseph Carabelli - founder of Little Italy as mentioned above - to oversee the assembly. It took Carabelli’s crew eight months to move the massive pieces up the hill and assemble them using a house-moving rig.
Visitors often leave coins on the grave (note the four dimes above), a nod to his lifelong habit of handing out dimes to people he met.
An example of the many ornate stone sculptures you'll find throughout the cemetery.
Wade Memorial Chapel was completed in 1901 as a tribute to Jeptha Wade, a co-founder of Western Union and the cemetery's first president. Every interior detail—from the floor tiles to the alabaster chandeliers—was designed by Louis Comfort Tiffany (yes, of Tiffany glass). The Chapel is still used for services and weddings.
A local historian gives an overview of the chapel to visitors.
Before being installed in Cleveland, the chapel's centerpiece stained-glass window, The Flight of Souls, was exhibited at the Exposition Universelle in Paris, where it won a gold medal.
The 32-foot-long by 8-foot-high mosaic walls, designed by Frederick Wilson for Tiffany Studios, are masterpieces of Favrile glass depicting the Voyage of Life. Installed in 1901, the west wall (above) represents the Old Testament ("River of Life") and the east wall represents the New Testament ("River of Death").
The Haserot Angel Herman Matzen
This is the mausoleum of Marcus Alonzo Hanna,
The memorial monument of Elliot Ness. Ness was a famous American Prohibition law enforcement officer who led a team of other officers nicknamed "The Untouchables" to dismantle Al Capone's bootlegging empire in Chicago. He later served as the public safety director of Cleveland, reforming the local police department and modernizing law enforcement. He also oversaw the investigation into the infamous Torso Murders. The marker above is technically a cenotaph (a memorial monument) rather than an actual grave. When the famous Prohibition lawman and leader of "The Untouchables" died of a heart attack in 1957, he was cremated. His ashes remained with his family for four decades until September 10, 1997, when they were officially returned to Cleveland and ceremoniously scattered over Dempsey Pond on the cemetery grounds. (Note the bottles of liquor left at the base of the stone, a nod to his Prohibition days).
Grave site of Harvey Pekar, the influential comic book writer and a proud working-class intellectual who is best known for American Splendor, a groundbreaking, autobiographical comic book series about ordinary life in Cleveland. He was also an accomplished music critic. Despite gaining widespread cultural acclaim and making confrontational, unforgettable appearances on Late Night with David Letterman, he kept his day job as a Cleveland VA hospital clerk until retirement, never accepting a promotion. His life story was made into an award-winning, Oscar-nominated 2003 biographical film starring Paul Giamatti. As seen above, visitors leave pens, pencils, and markers on top of his granite headstone, a custom that began spontaneously shortly after his death in 2010 and has become a long-standing tribute to his career.
Memorial of Alan Freed, known as the "Father of Rock 'n' Roll" for popularizing the term and organizing the historic Moondog Coronation Ball in 1952 at the Cleveland Arena. His ashes were permanently interred here on May 7, 2016. Prior to this, his remains had a long journey, moving from New York to a display at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, where they stayed for over a decade before being relocated to the cemetery. Suggested by musician Steven Van Zandt, the back of the marker looks like a classic jukebox (seen above). The front features a portrait of Freed alongside a description of his musical legacy. Like with Harvey Pekar's site, visitors frequently leave music memorabilia, guitar picks, and wristbands from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Resting place of Levi Scofield, a prominent Cleveland-born architect, sculptor, and Civil War captain who helped shape Ohio's landscape in the late 19th century. He is best known for designing the Cuyahoga County Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument, which he also sculpted and helped fund, and the iconic Ohio State Reformatory in Mansfield (where The Shawshank Redemption was filmed). He was the first from Cleveland to join the American Institute of Architects and designed numerous institutions, schools (e.g Central HS), and private residences. Two of his signature projects are the Schofield Building (E. 9th & Euclid Ave) in downtown Cleveland and the "These Are My Jewels" monument at the Ohio Statehouse. Fun Fact: The mausoleum was used as a temporary resting place for president Garfield in 1881 while the construction of his memorial was underway.
Behold, a mighty "Moses Cleveland Tree," a collection of trees in Cuyahoga County that were already standing in 1796 when Moses Cleaveland founded the city in 1796. As of 2021, there were 260 such trees identified. Lake View Cemetery has seven, the largest single location in the Cleveland area.
This building at 12404 Euclid Ave was built in 1908 for M.E. McMannis, a major property owner in the area at the turn of the 20th century. During the mid-1970s, it was the first home of the Food Co-Op, a volunteer buying club which later evolved into a professional natural foods grocer with multiple locations and millions in annual sales by the mid-1990s. In 2016, the building was the location of a proposed 57-unit apartment development called Zen124 which never materialized.
The Circle East District is a $122M revitalization project spearheaded by the Cuyahoga Land Bank which seeks to totally transform a 30-acre neighborhood on the border of Cleveland and East Cleveland (just past Lake View Cemetery). Over 150 abandoned structures were demolished to clear land for the new development. The plan calls for the building of 200 eco-friendly single-family and townhomes as well as a pedestrian-friendly linear park with a shared-use path connecting several streets. The plan also includes a massive tree-planting initiative. A cornerstone project is the $3.5 million renovation of a former 25,000-square-foot building on the corner of Euclid & Woodlawn Ave (above), which will serve as a community hub, design center, and local café.
As part of my work at the Cleveland Foundation, I was able to attend the ribbon cutting celebration for Phase I of the project. Above is the Cuyahoga County Land Bank staff, all smiles.
Two recently completed single-family homes as part of Phase I of Circle East. Existing residents also received an average of $19,000 per home for needed home repair such as new roofs, siding, and porch stabilization.
The MCCo Solar Generating Facility (12435 Euclid Ave) is a 1-megawatt solar farm located on the border of Cleveland and East Cleveland. Built on a 5-acre former brownfield site, the farm is operated by the Medical Center Company, a non-profit district energy cooperative formed in 1932 to serve other non-profit institutions in University Circle such as Case Western Reserve University, University Hospital and several of the major museums. The farm also serves as a research hub, partnering with local university experts to study solar cell durability. 100 years ago, the site was home to the F.B. Stearns Motor Company which produced a line of luxury cars. Here's a photo of the building.
For decades, this warehouse was the operational engine where Sidari Italian Foods manufactured its famous homemade cavatelli, gnocchi, and ravioli. Over the years, the company grew and added new product brands. They are still going strong on Lakeview Ave. Today, the building above at 1921 E. 119th Street is a production facility for Connecticut-based Nuovo Pasta. However, the Sidari ghost sign remains.
Coltman Ave.
Entrance to Tony Brush Park (12002 Mayfield Road). The park space was originally established in 1972 and was rededicated in 1993 and named after Anthony Brescia, a champion boxer and local resident known by his ring name "Tony Brush." The park features a playground, baseball field, and statues honoring Italian-American figures like Cleveland baseball legend Rocky Colavito.
Speaking of the Rocky Colavito statue, here it is! Colavito was a legendary outfielder and nine-time All-Star best known for his powerful bat and a cannon-like throwing arm that made him a beloved icon in Cleveland. Over his 14-season career, he belted 374 home runs—including a historic four-homer game in 1959—and was the first American League outfielder to complete a perfect, error-free season. Rocky went to serve as a coach and broadcaster in later years. This statue was dedicated to him on August 10, 2021, his 88th birthday, in which he was in attendance for the ceremony. He died several years later in 2024 at the age of 91.
This loose paver was made in the 1890s in Malvern, Ohio, and is among some of the first pavers in the state. In 1893, this "Blue Granite" type was awarded a medal for quality in a brick paving competition at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. After receiving the medal, which featured the likeness of Christopher Columbus, the company began including the medal's design on the block. Perhaps that's why they were a chosen building material in Little Italy? They are uncommon finds these days.
Established in 1919, the Ohio Cut Stone Company was formed through a merger of several regional operations to capitalize on Northern Ohio's status as the "Sandstone Center of the World." The company operated a significant facility above at 2066 Random Road, where skilled Italian stonemasons carved massive blocks of Berea sandstone. Their most enduring legacy is the creation of the iconic "Guardians of Traffic" statues for the Hope Memorial Bridge (yes, they were made right here). In 1929, the firm was absorbed by the Cleveland Quarries Co.
This Ohio Historic Marker is located outside the former Ohio Cut Stone Co. factory site and tells the story of the “Guardians of Traffic” statues which where then hauled to the Hope Memorial Bridge (photo). The marker is the first in Ohio in English and a foreign language (Italian).
Completed in 2019, the five-story Quattro (2044 Random Road) features 26 luxury units. Its design serves as a "bridge" between the neighborhood's past and future. The building is situated directly adjacent to Tony Brush Park and a community garden. 100 years ago, the site was home to a branch of the Standard Sanitary Manufacturing Company.
Murray Hill is the historic and cultural heart of Little Italy. The cobblestone street is a vibrant hub lined with historic homes, Italian restaurants and bakeries, coffee shops and art galleries. It's also a main artery for the neighborhood's signature festivals such as the massive Feast of the Assumption as well as the Summer Art Walk. Fun Fact: The first manual pasta making machine was invented on Murray Hill in 1906 (more on that later).
The historic Murray Hill Public School (2087 Random Road), constructed in 1908, served as as the neighborhood's public school for nearly eight decades. The school is architecturally significant as a city landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It made medical history in 1908 when it opened the very first public school medical dispensary in the United States. During the civil rights era, it became a significant site of protest when the United Freedom Movement challenged racial segregation there in 1964. By 1987, the building was permanently closed as a public school and redeveloped into Murray Hill Galleries and Condominiums. Today, the building continues to serve the community as a mix of residential units, art galleries, and retail spaces.
A school room-turned-artist studio space inside Murray Hill Galleries.
The former St. John's Beckwith Memorial Church was a Protestant mission established in 1890 to serve the Italian immigrant population in Little Italy. Originally starting as a Sunday school in an orchard near Lake View Cemetery, the church above at Murray Hill Road and Paul Street was dedicated in 1907. Despite growing to 125 members by the early 1960s and maintaining services in both English and Italian, the church faced ongoing financial and internal struggles. It was officially dissolved and sold in 1963. In 1987, the Murray Hill Company acquired the church as part of a larger project that included the adjacent Murray Hill School. The company re-purposed the site into a mixed-use complex featuring residential condominiums and commercial spaces. Today, it's home to a picture framing business, personal pilates, an environmental organization, and an apartment.
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The Italia Building (2063 Murray Hill Road) was built in 1910. The 9-unit, 2-bedroom structure is well known for its towering white columns that command the streetscape along Murray Hill.
Inside Murray Hill Market (2072 Murrary Hill Road), a neighborhood staple offering authentic Italian deli items, made-from-scratch Italian sausage sandwiches, and other local goods. Founded by Billy and Michelle Buckholtz in 2011, the inspiration for the market came from Michele’s childhood memories of small, family-owned groceries in Cleveland's Collinwood neighborhood. The structure dates back to around 1904 and formerly housed an art gallery and dress shop.
The grocery sells the neighborhood's own pasta sauce made by Murray Hill Foods. The company was founded by a Sicilian immigrant family in 1920 who commercialized their family recipes into the popular retail brand "Cleveland's Own Little Italy" pasta sauces and cheeses. Today, these products are widely distributed in Northeast Ohio grocery store chains.
One of the tasty deli sandwiches at Murray Hill Market.
Some of the historic housing on the 2000 block of Murray Hill. The home above was built in 1890 for William Baxter by architect George Kauffman. A portion of the block was owned by Issac N. Pennock who was an Ohio industrialist and entrepreneur best known for founding the Minerva Car Works (later known as the Pennock Car Co.) in nearby Minerva, Ohio. Pennock, himself, lived on Euclid's "Millionaire's Row."
Founded in 1987, Art Etc Picture Framing (2144 Murray Hill Road) is a full-service custom frame studio that specializes in everything from dry mounting and simple poster frames to hand-wrapped silk mats and gold leaf gilded frames for items like diplomas, family photos, textiles, and fine art prints.
Michaelangelo's (2198 Murray Hill Road) is an upscale Italian restaurant known for its creative, chef-driven menu and extensive wine selection. Led by executive Chef Michael Annandono - a James Beard Award semi-finalist - the restaurant focuses on enhancing traditional dishes with seasonal ingredients using Northern Italian themes. It is on the short list of many top Italian restaurants in the city.
Keller Art Glass (2151 Murray Hill Road) is a decorative art glass studio. Established in 1973, the studio has spent decades crafting unique, one-of-a-kind works of art utilizing glass, metals, and various other materials. They specialize in custom creations for specific corporate, public, and private installations, ranging from architectural windows to decorative vases. Artist Jerry Keller is also well-known for handcrafting vibrant, illuminated glass guitars and other musical instruments. One of his most famous series includes realistic, colorful musical glass replicas of guitars, which are highly sought after as luxury gifts and music industry awards. Other notable pieces include a massive 11-foot by 8-foot etched glass map of the world for MSNBC headquarters at Rockefeller Center; etched glass lighting for both the Library of Congress in D.C. and the Atlanta State House; and local pieces for the Cleveland Museum of Natural History and Hopkins International Airport. Notable collectors include Jerry Seinfeld, Michael Jordan, Edward Norton, and the late Ray Charles.
Lounge Leo is a cozy neighborhood bar located at 2161 Murray Hill Road. Despite its famously compact size, it has an energetic vibe with interesting drinks, fresh food and is known for its signature white leather couches. It's a go-to, late-night hangout for local service workers and neighborhood residents (open 6pm to midnight).
Algebra Tea House (2136 Murray Hill Road) is a beloved, Palestinian-owned café. It was founded in August 2001 by Palestinian-born artist Ayman Alkayali, who transformed an abandoned bike shop into a unique community space featuring his own "curvism" design philosophy and handmade ceramics. It's known for its eclectic and bohemian atmosphere, featuring custom-built wooden furniture, colorful, handmade ceramic mugs, and an active fireplace plus an extensive menu of loose-leaf teas and made-from-scratch Middle Eastern cuisine. It has served as a welcoming community hub and popular study spot for Case Western Reserve students and neighborhood residents for over two decades.
Vitantonio-Previte Funeral Home (formerly Conti-Vitantonio) is a multigenerational, family-owned pillar of Cleveland’s Little Italy for nearly a century. The business has deep roots on Murray Hill Road, providing funeral services for generations of Italian-American families connected to nearby Holy Rosary Church. The Vitantonio family holds deep ties to the neighborhood, with descendants still residing and raising families across the street from the funeral home today.
The historic Baricelli property was built in 1896 by Dutch architect John Grant. It is best known as the former home of Dr. Giovanni Baricelli, a notable early 20th century physician, and his wife, then-Western Reserve University professor Dr. Orfea Baricelli. After decades of sitting empty, the Minnillo family purchased the historic building in 1981 and spent four years meticulously renovating it. It reopened as The Baricelli Inn in December 1985, operating for 25 years as one of the city’s premier fine-dining locations before shifting back to residential use.
This artistic home improvement find on tiny Arey Ave put a smile on my face.
Tutto Carne is an Italian-inspired boutique steakhouse located at the corner of Murray Hill and Edge Hill roads. The name roughly translates to "whole meat" as dishes utilize more of the animal. The menu features upscale Ohio-raised meats, traditional Italian pastas, and rare classics like veal sweetbreads, aged in the chef's own Mayfield Heights butcher shop. The building was built in 1920 and has been home to numerous restaurants over the years.
The Piscopo Building (2187 Murray Hill Road) was built in 1914. For decades, it was home to the beloved Theresa's Italian Restaurant which was known for its "old-world" feel as well as its basement wine cellar room, which featured standalone candelabras. Here's an old matchbook. Theresa's closed in the early 1990s and after sitting vacant for nearly two decades, the building underwent a massive revitalization and was transformed into Rising Star Coffee Roasters. Today it's home to Blue Sky Brews, which operates as a cafe by morning and serves a robust selection of draft and bottled craft beer by the afternoon.
A shot inside Blue Sky Brews, a popular spot for Case Western Reserve University students.
Believe it or not, behind this CWRU fraternity house now stands was the site of where the world's first manual home pasta machine was created. In 1906, Italian immigrant Angelo Vitantonio patented the invention and revolutionized home cooking by mechanizing the tedious process of rolling and cutting pasta dough. He went on to create the Vitantonio Manufacturing Company and started making his pasta machines on this site (here's a photo of the building). Over the years, his business expanded to produce a variety of specialty Italian kitchen gadgets through the well-known VillaWare brand.
The South Residential Village at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) recently completed a 600-bed project featuring the new Mary Chilton Noyes House (above) and the John Sykes Fayette House (behind Noyes). As Ideastream's Steven Litt puts it: "Unlike the national trend of building bland, short-term student housing through public-private partnerships, CWRU chose to entirely self-finance and control the project to ensure architectural excellence and longevity. The new dorms feature high-quality mid-century modern design elements, rich brickwork, ample natural light, and spacious communal areas built to last for a century. While the university’s approach bypasses the outsourced real estate model popular at other local institutions, it allowed CWRU to maintain total design control and create a structure that elevates the campus and surrounding neighborhood." For many decades, the site was home to a massive surface parking lot.
Behind the new dorms above are the "elephant stairs," a massive, covered outdoor staircase that connects the lower level (Murray Hill Road) to the upper "Top of the Hill" level (Carlton Road) in the South Residential Village of CWRU. They get their name from their massive, awkward proportions and a shape that resembles an elephant's trunk. An average-sized person usually needs to take two or three steps per stair to climb them. Built in 1968, they remain a rite of passage of sorts for students and are often used for intense cardio training (like above).
At the top of the elephant steps are the older sophomore dormitories (Howe, Kusch, Glaser, Staley, Tippit, Alumni and Michelson Houses) as well as Greek houses. These buildings were built in the late 1960s. Combined with the new units at the bottom of the hill, the South Residential Village can now accommodate all sophomore students. Over 100 years ago, the site was home to Carlton Park. Developed around 1910, it was an exclusive cul-de-sac straddling Cleveland and Cleveland Heights that featured sixteen finely crafted mansions. Notable residents included social reformer Myrta L. Jones, and Women’s City Club founder Mrs. Henry L. Sanford. At least six of the homes were designed by the prominent Cleveland architectural firm Walker & Weeks. Nearly all homes were demolished to build the dorms, Greek houses and a dining hall for CWRU.
"Grid-14" by Jon Fordyce (1983). According to the Sculpture Center, the piece consists of 4 flat, vertical steel poles coming straight out of the ground, each on one side of a square. Each pole supports a perpendicular horizontal beam. Each beam meets in the middle at an "origin" of sorts. A series of bent pipes, paddles, and disks tangle about in the middle, like advanced circuitry or wiring. Fordyce uses a number of different shapes and sizes to convince the eye that the piece is much more complex than it actually is. Fordyce is often considered one of the first sculptors to use computer design as a tool. It was during his study on how to utilize and create computer generated sculpture forms that he created Grid #14. Interesting Fact: Between 1927-1959, this site was home to Ursuline College, one of the oldest institutions of higher education for women in the United States and the first Catholic women's college in Ohio. Now located in Pepper Pike, in 2024, the college announced it would merge with Gannon University. It held its final commencement this year, ending its 155 year run as an independent institution.
The First Church of Christ, Scientist building was designed by the renowned architectural firm Walker and Weeks. Completed in 1931 at a cost of $1 million, it was famously the first $1 million church ever constructed in the city. The iconic structure features a distinct, minaret-like semi-detached bell tower that is now utilized solely as a smokestack. Following a decline in congregation size, the church was purchased and renovated by the design firm Nottingham Spirk. Today, the preserved structure serves as the Nottingham-Spirk Innovation Center, a world-renowned product design and commercialization firm. The center serves as an end-to-end "invention machine" that brings consumer and medical products from initial concept to the retail market. They hold over 1,500 commercialized patents and boast a remarkable 95% commercialization success rate. Fun Fact: Some of their notable inventions include the Dirt Devil bagless vacuum, Swiffer Sweep + Vac, The Arm & Hammer SpinBrush, and the Sherwin-Williams Twist & Pour. Yes, that's right. All of those popular household items were invented in Cleveland and in this building.
The Edgehill Townhomes (2315-2351 Edgehill Drive) project consisted of nine unconventional units built on a steep, narrow, and wooded hillside. Designed by City Architecture and built by Snavely Construction in the late 1990s, the project successfully brought modern architecture to a traditionally conservative market. The design uses a mix of four different brick colors that complement the surrounding neighborhood while visually breaking up the building's mass.
The home at 11425 Glenwood Ave was built in 1910 and designed by Willard Hirsh, a prominent early 20th-century Cleveland architect. Hirsh previously worked for legendary local architect Charles Schweinfurth (more on him later) before opening his own highly regarded standalone practice in 1910. The property is well-known locally for its terraced gardens. It features long-established peonies, junipers, ferns, and Japanese Maple trees. Unsurprisingly, that's because in the early decades of the 20th century, the home was occupied by Bernard P. Grunauer who was a notable local figure that published specialized advice regarding lawn maintenance and urban agriculture from this address. Fun Fact: The house is located on Glenwood Ave. However, prior to 1912, the street was named Blue Rock due to the Blue Rock Brook branch of Doan Brook. The Blue Rock Spring House was located just a block north. Blue rock refers to Euclid Bluestone which was quarried in the area to make sidewalks and bathtubs among other items. (If you really want to geek out on all this, watch this video).
Across the street is Cedar Glen Park, a small (1.3-acre) green space located along Cedar Glen Parkway at the edge of University Circle and the Cedar-Fairmount district in Cleveland Heights. Although it feels very much like a park and features some walking path and some benches and , it is technically not listed as a City park and has no signage. Interesting Fact: Before it was culverted, the Blue Rock Doan Brook ran right through the park almost exactly along where the current walking path exists.
The Cedar-University station, a major GCRTA Red Line transit hub serving the University Circle and Case Western Reserve University, originally opened on March 15, 1955, as the "University Circle" station. It underwent an $18.5 million, state-of-the-art reconstruction, reopening in August 2014 with its current name. Today, it remains one of the busiest transfer points in the system, connecting rapid trains with major bus routes serving the nearby hospital systems and universities.
Across the street from the RTA station is 200' mural designed by acclaimed local artist Hector Vega. It showcases iconic Cleveland landmarks and geometric cityscapes in his signature colorful style which is rooted in his Puerto Rican background. It was painted in September 2015 as a community collaboration project during Case Western Reserve University’s annual "Case for Community Day," where students, staff, and university leadership volunteered alongside the Vega to complete the piece. Here's some photos.
The border of Cleveland Heights which rests about half up the Cedar Glen Parkway, locally known as "Cedar Hill." In 1896, suburban developer Patrick Calhoun - grandson of former U.S. President John C. Calhoun - donated a massive tract of land to the city's park system to transform the rutted, steep, muddy wagon road into a wide, modern, multi-lane parkway. However, the donation carried a condition: Calhoun retained the rights to run a double-line electric street railcar along the new parkway to serve his new Euclid Heights development. The increase in visitors made possible the construction of the Cedar Fairmount retail district at the top of the hill. The sign and multi-use path above are where the railcar tracks once existed. Here's a photo from 1930.
The Cedar Glen Apartments (11424–11432 Cedar Glen Parkway) is a prominent historic apartment building. Completed in 1927, the structure was designed by famed local architect Samuel H. Weis. and served as a luxurious visual gateway connecting the lower urban plains of Cleveland to the affluent enclave of Cleveland Heights. By 1992, the building had aged significantly and faced threat of demolition. Recognizing its cultural value, a group of preservation-minded buyers purchased the complex, renovated it, and converted the luxury apartments into condominiums. The building was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places on June 17, 1994. Fun Fact: One of the building's most notable residents was Feargus B. Squire, the former secretary of Standard Oil. However, he's likely better known to locals as the creator of "Squire's Castle."
2181 Ambleside Drive is the location of Judson Park, a historic senior living community on the border of Cleveland Heights and University Circle. The campus originated in 1939 when the Baptist Home of Northern Ohio purchased the seven-acre Warren & Anne Bicknell estate. Warren was a highly successful railroad, construction, and transit executive, and Anne authored a illustrated children’s flower identification book titled Flower Folks (1936). To meet growing senior housing needs, the ten-story Jordan Gardner Tower was constructed at the Ambleside address and dedicated on December 8, 1974. Following this expansion, the entire property was renamed Judson Park in honor of missionary Adoniram Judson. Today, the high-rise campus operates as a premier retirement community offering independent living, assisted living, and skilled nursing. Fun Fact: The campus's narrow, terraced gardens — featuring a sunken swimming pool and fountains — were designed by the renowned Olmsted Brothers.
Ambleside Tower (2190 Ambleside Drive) is a 14-story affordable senior high-rise managed by the Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority. It opened around 1979, providing over 200 subsidized one-bedroom units for elderly and disabled residents. In 2015, the tower underwent a massive modernization. At the turn of the 20th century, the land where this building as well as Judson Park and Cedar Glen buildings were part of what was known as "Buell Place" which hosted eight homes and a brick apartment building called “Amblerside.”
All this talk about "Ambler," so just who was this family anyway? Dr. Nathan Hardy Ambler arrived in Cleveland in 1852 after making a fortune as a dentist during the California Gold Rush. He and his family amassed massive real estate holdings in this area. They built a historic mansion called "Rock Rest" on a hill which is now the site of the Baldwin Water Treatment Plant (he also built this observation tower). Around 1900, his adopted son Daniel Caswell developed the land into the Ambler Heights Historic District, which remains one of Ohio's premier suburban developments. Ambler died in 1888 and the undeveloped land nearby where Doan Brook ran through was designated as "Ambler Park" in 1892. In 1894, Dr. Ambler’s widow, Martha Buell Amber (note the connection to "Buell Place" above) donated 25 acres of land south of what is now North Park Boulevard to officially establish Ambler Park (above). This was a critical donation as it allowed the City to issue bonds to make improvements. Then, the City combined Martha Ambler's acreage with a massive donation from John D. Rockefeller and the Shaker Heights Land Company to create a continuous emerald greenway from Shaker Heights all the way to Lake Erie. One this happened, legendary landscape architect Ernest W. Bowditch was hired to map out the vision for the entire Doan Brook valley. Today, Ambler Park functions as a bit of a hidden-gem in that footprint, largely having slipped into obscurity compared to the more developed Rockefeller Park to the north and Shaker Lakes to the south. However, it features open green space mixed with a steep ravine with rugged dirt footpaths, flowing Doan Brook, and crumbling, moss-covered stone stairs built by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) during the Great Depression, thanks to the efforts of the women's garden club. It's also home to an important link of the Lake-To-Lakes Trail. Here's a nice post with some good interior photos.
Within Amber Park is the the Rodgers Memorial Scout Park. It was dedicated in May 2004 to honor long-time inner-city Boy Scout master Rudolph "Rudy" Rodgers. The park was historically used by Rodgers as a training ground for local scouts. The memorial above honors Rodgers legacy of youth leadership and volunteerism. Fun Fact: Troop 983 in Cleveland is one of the oldest African-American units in Cleveland. It's chartered by Mt. Olive Baptist Church and has been very active since 1986 when Rogers re-introduced scouting to the church.
Just west of Ambler Park is Stokes Blvd. The road originated in the 19th century as Fairmount Street which was an important connection linking the Shaker Heights to the heart of University Circle. Its modern configuration was originally constructed in the early 1930s (notably built in sections through 1932, see marker above) over what was formerly known as East 107th Street. It grew into an affluent apartment and streetcar corridor. In the late 20th century, the city renamed the thoroughfare to honor the political legacy of Cleveland-born brothers Carl and Louis Stokes. With over 1,000 new residential units coming online in the next several years, the roadway will soon undergo an upgrade to include road dieting, bike lanes and improved crosswalks and intersections.
This sandstone retaining wall lines the Lakes to Lake trail along Stokes Blvd. It's current being repaired in sections by the City. The Baldwin Water Treatment plant can be seen in the background.
Located on the southeast corner of Ambler Park is North Park Place, a modern townhome development constructed in 2022. It features 34 luxury townhomes spread across six multi-story buildings. Well over 100 years ago, the site was the grand home of Alfred Henry Wick, a family member of the prominent industrial and financial industrial barons of Youngstown and Cleveland.
Located at the corner of Fairhill Road and MLK Jr. Boulevard, the Fairhill–MLK Green Infrastructure Ambassador Project is a $5.9 million stormwater initiative constructed by the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District (NEORSD). It involved laying approximately 9,000 feet of separate storm sewers across 50 acres. This included added a large water-collection basin and new underground storm pipes to keep 17 million gallons of rainwater out of the local sewer system every year. It uses natural plants and soil to soak up and filter the water, keeping the neighborhood clean and green. In addition to managing floodwater, the area features a public park-like setting with a plaza that includes benches, trees, bike racks, a new bus shelter and educational displays.
This section of Woodhill Road leading to the Fairmount Reservoir at the Baldwin Water Treatment Plant has been around since the 1850s! It's had different names over time - Newburgh Road (1850-1880s), Woodland Hills Ave (1880-1910s), Woodhill Road (1910s-present). Street car lines were removed sometime in the mid-20th century but a remant of that era can still be seen above.
Above is the Baldwin Pumping Station. From 1885 to 1925, the plant property was the site of the 80-million-gallon Fairmount Reservoir and Pump Station. The pump station resembled a castle of sorts (photo) and was demolished to construct the building above in 1925. The reservoir - located across the street - was built in Shaker Heights using Berea sandstone. The large slabs were hand-chiseled into tight-fitting blocks to hold water without using mortar. Because the stones spent over a century holding water, they featured naturally variegated shades of corals, blues, browns, and grays, with textures sculpted by water and time. When the reservoir was dismantled in 2010, over 6,000 stones were sold to locals for their homes (photos).
Born out of a 1950s breakthrough that changed underground construction, Specrete (10703 Quebec Ave) began as a specialized chemical division in Cleveland. The company creates secret-sauce concrete additives that prevent water from leaking into surrounding soil during massive building projects. Today, their unique formulas remain essential for keeping deep foundational structures incredibly strong and stable. 100 years ago, the building was home to the Ensign Products Company whose roots date back to the 1880s in Cleveland. It was at this location that they made their their popular "Polishem" varnish, which is now a highly sought after collectable by antique advertising and petroliana collectors. Yes, that apparently is a community. To each their own. The things you learn during this project.
Opened in 1955 as an original piece of Cleveland's $29.5 million municipal rapid transit system, the E. 105-Quincy RTA Rapid Station has been moving commuters for over decades. The station completely changed its footprint in 2005 when its main entryway was shifted off East 105th Street over to a brand new station house on Quincy Avenue. It underwent another massive transformation between 2017 and 2019, triggered by the construction of the Opportunity Corridor roadway project. This final overhaul brought a secondary entrance back to East 105th Street.
The station is dedicated to the memory of William Harry Alexander, a local media executive who served as the president and co-publisher of the Cleveland Call & Post from 1981 until his death in 1988. He came to Cleveland in 1935 to work single-handedly as the circulation department for the African American paper. Alexander was also appointed to the first GCRTA board in 1975, serving until 1987. While on the board, he worked to increase use of local and minority businesses by the transit agency. He was also a board member of the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District. Alexander was a resident of the nearby Fairfax neighborhood and a regular user of the transit system.
These two homes on Frank Ave may be the two oldest homes remaining in the area south of Cedar Ave (and last standing). County records list them as being built in 1900 but maps show they may date back as far as 1881. The architecture would suggest this as well. They may also have been the residence of Andrew Platt, who owned the entire block as far back as 1874. Frank Ave dates back that far as well. Not sure who Frank was, though.
New construction on the dead end of largely vacant Aruthur Ave. Certainly an unexpected find.
Reese Consumer Health is a fourth-generation, family-owned business founded in 1907. Over its nearly 120-year history, the company evolved from a neighborhood drugstore into a major national player in select over-the-counter medicines. In 1907, pharmacist George W. Reese opened a small independent drugstore at East 59th Street and Woodland Avenue in the Fairfax neighborhood. Recognizing a local demand for remedies, Reese began compounding and mixing his own custom medicine formulas in the basement of his shop. As word spread, other Cleveland-area pharmacists began ordering his products. High demand prompted him to phase out retail operations and focus strictly on manufacturing for pharmacies nationwide. Today, their flagship national brand, Reese’s Pinworm Medicine, is a leading over-the-counter treatment and sold at major chains like CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, and regional grocery stores. Their main headquarters has been located at 10617 Frank Avenue (above) since 1937. However, in 2025, they announced plans for a new $18M headquarter building on Woodland Ave near the Opportunity Corridor.
This non-descript property at 10620 Cedar Avenue originated as an early-to-mid 20th-century industrial and equipment manufacturing facility. Case Western Reserve University later acquired and converted it into the Cedar Avenue Service Center. Over the decades, it has housed the university's library archives, sustainability offices, and main procurement operations. Today, it also serves as a critical technological anchor, deploying fiber-optic infrastructure to provide high-speed broadband to the surrounding community. Over 100 years ago, the site was home to Loyola High School, which served as a Catholic college-preparatory school during the early 20th century. The school was a contributor to the evolution of John Carroll University.
Originally built in 2018 for IBM’s Watson Health division, this 43,000-square-foot building at 10500 Cedar Avenue sat vacant for years following a failure to be able to stand up the initiative. In February 2025, the City of Cleveland approved a major tax incentive package that paved the way for Canon Healthcare USA to acquire the property for its new national headquarters through a $33.7 million investment. Today, the facility features a first-floor medical imaging research center and outpatient clinic beneath second-floor offices.
This small church tucked at the corner of Frank Ave and Colonial Court actually has a lot of historical significance in Cleveland. Built in 1900, it has anchored the local African American faith community for over a century. The site originally served as a foundational launchpad for the now-historic and politically powerful East Mount Zion Baptist Church, whose congregation famously worshipped in a canvas tent on the property in 1910 while the building was being completed. East Mount Zion would become the first African American congregation to establish itself on prestigious Euclid Avenue. The church building above would later become the long-term home of Mount Lebanon Baptist Church. Today, it's home to Balm in Gilead Missionary Baptist Church.
Founded in 1998 and spanning a single but vibrant acre on Petrarca Road is Vel's Purple Oasis Garden. The urban farm was launched by founders Vel and Don Scott after traveling to West Africa. Prior to the starting the farm, the couple ran a popular bowling alley and night club called the Red Carpet Lounge on Euclid Ave from 1963 to 1986. After the Cleveland Clinic bought their building, they built a new venue nearby which has since been demolished. Vel also owned her own court reporting business. The farm has expanded over the years, offering youth and adult educational programs, farming workshops, wellness events, and community meals from produce grown on site. Across the street sat the "Don Scott House," an educational center named in honor of Vel's late husband that serves as a community hub for canning parties, soul cuisine cooking classes, and fresh food preparation. Groups such as Case Western Reserve University, Oberlin College, and local youth environmental clubs frequently partner with the farm to volunteer labor and conduct agricultural research. Over the years, the site has also hosted yoga sessions, sweet potato pie contests and canning events. Vel has also become her own nutritrian consultant (Vel's Healthy You). Fun Fact: Vel's late husband Don was an avid bowler and was the first Clevelander to become a member of the National Bowling Association.
Vel Scott is such a neighborhood icon she has her own vinyl wrap. She was also named as one of Cleveland Magazine's Most Interesting People of 2026. Fun Fact: Vel's son, Don, works in TV and movies and wrote the movie Barbershop.
Across the street from Vel's is the Uqbah Mosque Foundation (2222 Stokes Blvd). Uqbah has served as a central community hub for Cleveland's Muslim community for over 30 years. It started decades ago as a small, neighborhood prayer space near the Cleveland Clinic to give local Muslims a place for daily worship. Over time, it grew rapidly alongside the local population to offer Islamic education, youth programs, and family support services. Today, it's known for its diversity of membership and building strong relationships with non-Muslim neighbors.
St. Marian’s Catholic Church (2208 Petrarca Road) was established in 1905 to support the rapid influx of Italian immigrants migrating to the East Side. However, it was the second Italian parish established on the East Side, following Holy Rosary Church (1892) in Little Italy (mentioned earlier in the post). It added a school behind the church in 1954. However, massive post WWII suburban sprawl took its toll on the parish, leading to its closure. In the late 1960s, the Diocese of Cleveland utilized the empty St. Marian school building to house Project Bridge. Funded by the Ford Foundation, the initiative was intended to help heal local racial tensions and violence following the Hough Riots. The initiative's most notable outcome was the birth of Urban Community School. Then, in 1968, Icabod Flewellen used a tiny classroom inside the old school building to officially open the African American Museum of Cleveland, which is now located in the Cleveland Public Library's historic Treasure House building in Hough.
Petrarca Ave is named for Pfc. Frank J. Petrarca who served as a medic with the 37th Infantry Division during World War II. He was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor - the military's highest honor - for his extraordinary bravery during the Solomon Islands campaign. On his 25th birthday in 1943, he was killed attempting to rescue and treat wounded soldiers. It was his third such instance of bravery that week. Petrarca grew up in the neighborhood and attended school at St. Marian's. Fun Fact: Petrarca is 1 of only 13 Medal of Honor recipients from Cleveland.
The Cleveland Clinic Tree Park, located at 10720 Cedar Avenue, represents a neighborhood-level micro-example of the intersection of urban forestry, community development, and healthcare. Originally a standard commercial plot, the parcel was strategically transformed by the Cleveland Clinic into this pocket green space rather than another surface parking lot. Today, the park holds a Level I Accredited Arboretum designation (very high), featuring a collection of several dozen distinct, labeled tree and woody plants. If you are a tree lover, this is truly an awesome spot.
An info placquard for one of the trees, which tells you the species type, some facts, and the environmental value to the local community. The QR takes you to a site with even more info. So cool.
This property at 2155 Stokes Blvd in University Circle began its life as a bustling 20th-century industrial hub and residential lot. For decades, the site was anchored by the Dairymen’s Milk Company, a household Cleveland staple that famously grew from horse-drawn delivery wagons into a massive regional milk empire. Following that era, the site transformed into an epicenter for the Civil Rights movement and local entrepreneurship. It served as a long-time base for the Cleveland NAACP and housed the Pinkney-Perry Insurance Agency, Ohio's oldest and largest minority-owned insurance business. In 2019, the site was convered into the CDC Center for Dialysis Care.
While the land has since transitioned into a modern medical complex, this commemorative plaza was built to permanently preserve and honor the site's deep African American heritage.
The Skyline on Stokes (2132 Stokes Blvd) is 261-unit contemporary apartment complex that officially opened in the summer of 2025. Previously, the site primarily served as a sprawling employee parking lot for the Cleveland Clinic and Case Western Reserve University. As part of the project, the developers had to acquire adjacent land along Cedar Avenue. This chunk of the plot previously held a historic, century-old brick rowhouse structure at 10713–10723 Cedar Ave, which was built around 1908 and stood through the area's mid-century transition into a prominent African American community. Because the cost to renovate the deteriorating townhomes exceeded $374,000 per unit, the city approved their demolition in 2022 to make way for the development above.
"Game of Jacks" is located outside the Skyline on Stokes. The installation was created by local artists Darius Steward and Ron Shelton alongside architect Andrew Seargent to celebrate childhood play and community. It depicts a young girl interacting with oversized, traditional jacks game pieces. Fun Facts: While researching, Shelton noticed that the shadow of a playing jack resembles the West African Andinkra Tabon symbol, which signifies strength, confidence, and persistence. Darius designed the central four-foot bronze sculpture of a young girl, drawing direct inspiration from his daughter.
Built in 1936, the building at 2130 E. 107th Street served as Cleveland's Garfield (GA) telephone exchange, routing local calls during the era of named phone prefixes. Its historic exchange code became a cultural staple in Northeast Ohio, most famously remembered through a long-running, iconic local television commercial jingle.Today, the operates as a network routing facility maintained by AT&T. Notable Fact: The relief above the door is a classic piece of mid-century Bell System corporate architecture designed to give a human face to an otherwise utilitarian, secure utility building.
Located at 10802 Cedar Ave, the Club Togo building stood as a centerpiece of the city's historic Black nightlife and community gathering for decades. George Dixon III originally established the club, making it as a companion venue to his iconic Lancer Steakhouse on Carnegie Ave and shuttling guests between the locations for big events. Following a temporary closure, local entrepreneur Monte Madden took over ownership in the early 2010s and successfully transformed the club into a lounge for the over-40 crowd before its final closure.
Built in 1900, this building at 10714 Cedar Ave originally served as the headquarters for The Salvation Army's No. 6 Corps. In August 1952, it transitioned into a house of worship when the Union Grove Baptist Church relocated from E. 38th Street to make it its permanent home. After decades of serving that congregation, the building became home of the Lily Baptist Church, which continues to host services and local outreach programs today.
The historic Tudor Arms Hotel building in Cleveland was completed in 1933 after 4 years of construction. It first served as the "Cleveland Club," an exclusive, upscale men’s athletic club that featured high-end amenities like an indoor swimming pool, bowling alley, squash courts, and a prominent exterior stone carving of city founder Moses Cleaveland. Infamous mobster Al Capone was a regular guest at the property before the Great Depression forced the club into bankruptcy, leading to its reopening as a luxury hotel in 1939. During its mid-century heyday, the venue became a legendary nightlife hot spot where icons like Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong performed in its Empress Room supper club. After later stints as a Case Western Reserve University graduate dormitory and a Job Corps training center, the building underwent a massive $22 million renovation to reopen as a DoubleTree by Hilton hotel in 2011. Fun Fact: When it was completed, the 12-story structure held the title of the tallest building in the University Circle area, a far cry from some of today's neighborhood buildings.
Cleveland's historic John Hay High School opened in 1929 as a specialized trade school. Because it focused on clerical and business skills, the initial student body was mostly female. During the 1960s and 1970s, the campus became a major site for student protests and federal school desegregation battles. The building underwent a massive $36 million rehabilitation that completely rebuilt the interior between 2003 and 2006. For the next twenty years, the campus operated as three separate, specialized mini-academies under one roof. In 2026, the school district began merging these individual programs back into one unified high school campus. The school’s most notable alumni include NBA All-Star Charles Oakley, Olympic gold medalist runner Madeline Manning, Outland Trophy-winning NFL lineman John Hicks, and prominent civil rights attorney James L. Hardiman. Fun Fact: When it was a clerical school, the school's nickname was the "Bookkeepers." Students later voted to change it to "Hornets" to sound more competitive.
Nearby Deering Ave is honorarily named after NBA great and John Hay HS alumni Charles Oakley, as mentioned above.
Opened in July 2018 as the city's first new high-rise residential tower in over 40 years, One University Circle (10730 Euclid Ave) is a 20-story luxury apartment building featuring . The building occupies the former site of the Children's Museum of Cleveland, which operated here from 1986 until it closed on in 2016. Before the museum, the location hosted the 11-story University Circle Motor Lodge and Howard Johnson's restaurant (photo), which opened around 1962. In the 19th century, the intersection was known as Doan’s Corners, a transit hub established after Nathaniel Doan built a tavern and blacksmith shop on the site in 1799. Fun Fact: The tower's semi-circular shape is a nod to the 1880s streetcar turnaround that birthed the name "University Circle". In fact, the driveway above is virtually the same footprint of that section of the "circle".
The Parkside Dwellings building (2040 Stearns Road) was constructed in 1909 as a five-story residential apartment building designed by architect Edson Cass, who lived in the building himself. Positioned near University Circle, the building has served for over a century as a housing hub for students, academics, and medical professionals. The structure is a Cleveland Landmark and underwent ownership transitions in 1995 and 2010 before a flood damaged its first floor. In December 2021, a group of investors purchased the property for $1.7 million to renovate the 28 units and preserve the building. Fun Fact: At the time of its opening, the building was widely marketed for its state-of-the-art infrastructure. It featured a fully integrated central heating plant and a rare central passenger elevator, which were major modern luxuries in 1909.
Prior to 2007, University Circle's wayfinding system was a fragmented, confusing maze of uncoordinated institutional signs that overwhelmed drivers and created visual barriers. To resolve this, University Circle Inc. (UCI) launched a master wayfinding initiative in 2007, partnering with local agency Guide Studio and Wagner Electric Sign Company to design a unified, artistic branded signage project. Above is an example. The sign uses an innovative perforated metal mesh framework that maintains transparency. As the neighborhood grew, this branding framework expanded to include pedestrian-scaled, modern retail blade signs in the dense Uptown corridor.
Built in 1967, this buiding at 11000 Cedar Avenue originally served as a collaborative hub for regional medical and research initiatives, briefly hosting the independent Cancer Center of Northeast Ohio in the mid-1970s. Around 2001, Enterprise Development, Inc., partnered with local universities and hospital systems to turn the property into the headquarters for the Cleveland Biotechnology Park. Known for years as the BioEnterprise Building, it provided affordable lab and office space to commercialize regional bioscience and technology research. Today, the facility is fully owned by Case Western Reserve University and operates as the 11000 Cedar Startup Incubator. Located in Cleveland’s Innovation District, it currently houses over 30 healthcare startups, wet labs, and advanced research facilities like the Human Fusions Institute. Fun Fact: The artwork is an anonymous, untitled mid-century metal sculpture likely commissioned in the 1970s as public art to modernize the building when it served as the Cuyahoga County Archives.
Case Western Reserve University launched the Sears think[box] in 2012 as a tiny engineering basement workshop. To expand, the university transformed a nearby 1913 cold storage warehouse originally built to store the heavy freight of wealthy Cleveland rail travelers.The building’s massive industrial concrete pillars made it uniquely capable of supporting multi-ton machinery on its upper floors. Because the unheated structure lacked old insulation, it was entirely free of asbestos, saving millions in renovation costs before its 2015 opening. Today, the seven-story facility stands as the nation’s largest open-access makerspace, guiding projects from raw ideas to commercial businesses for free.
The David E. Davis Sculpture Garden is a public park in Cleveland's Rockefeller Park at Stearns Road and the Harrison Dillard Trail. The site contains abstract, geometric three-dimensional artworks placed along park's pathways between the park's ravines and the Case Western Reserve University campus. It honors sculptor David E. Davis (1920–2002), a former American Greetings executive who founded the nearby Sculpture Center and Artists Archives of the Western Reserve (mentioned previously). The piece above, titled "BOING!", is a nearly 6-foot-tall steel public sculpture created in 2011 by Cleveland Institute of Art graduate Michael Grucza. Inspired by children's pop-up books and drawings, the red, white, and black piece features spiral cutouts that viewers can walk through, offering a completely different visual experience depending on the viewing angle.
Also located in the Sculpture Garden is this 1901 public monument by Andreas Toth which honors Hungarian politician Louis Kossuth. The statue depicts the statesman in 19th-century attire with a cape and a sheathed sword that symbolizes his authority and fight for freedom. Captured mid-speech with his right hand gesturing skyward, the dynamic pose commemorates his legacy as an orator and leader of Hungarian democracy. Some interesting facts: 1. Cleveland's Slovak and Slavic immigrant communities successfully blocked the monument from being placed in Public Square, viewing the Kossuth as a representative of their historical oppressors and forcing its relocation to this spot in University Circle. 2. Prior to the monument's 50th-anniversary commemoration of Kossuth's visit to Cleveland in 1852, every county in Hungary sent soil from historic battlefields and landmarks to be mixed into the monument's foundation. 3. The monument was dedicated on September 27, 1902 in front of a massive ceremony that drew tens of thousands and featured an honor guard of six surviving veterans from the 1848 Hungarian Revolution.
"Across the circle" from the Kossuth statue is this one of Marcus Alonzo Hanna, whose moseuleum is featured above in the Lake View Cemetary photos above. The monument was dedicated in 1908 and designed by renowned sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens, who was considered the most celebrated American sculptor of the Gilded Age.
The Cleveland School of the Arts (CSA), founded in 1981, is a public magnet high school that provides college-preparatory academics with intensive training in visual arts, theater, dance, creative writing, and music.The school has earned national acclaim for its student productions and consistently achieves a 100% post-secondary acceptance rate. Students get rare access to professional facilities and mentorship through direct institutional partnerships with neighboring icons such as the Cleveland Museum of Art, the Cleveland Institute of Music, and The Cleveland Orchestra. Notable alumni include R&B singer Avant, soulful vocalist Conya Doss, hip-hop duo Men at Large, and Ohio State Representative and current Cleveland City Councilmember Stephanie Howse-Jones.
Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) was formed in 1967 through the federation of Western Reserve University—originally founded in 1826 in Hudson, Ohio—and the Case Institute of Technology, established in 1880.
Built in 1881, Adelbert Hall was funded by Amasa Stone as part of the relocation of Western Reserve College to Cleveland. Stone was a railroad tycoon and bridge engineer who was later known for his responsibility for the tragic 1876 Ashtabula River Railroad Disaster which killed 92 and was considered the worst train wreck of the 19th century. The then-college and building was named after his late son who died in a swimming accident in 1866. Architect Joseph Ireland blended Italianate and Romanesque styles into the four-story sandstone structure, earning it a spot on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. For its first decades, the building functioned as the entire campus under one roof, housing all classrooms, administrative offices, and the library. In June 1991, an attic fire caused the roof to collapse and gutted the upper floors. Following a $12.4 million restoration that preserved the historic stone walls, the building reopened in 1993 and remains the central administrative headquarters for Case Western Reserve University today.
Built between 1909 and 1911, the Amasa Stone Chapel is a historic landmark on the campus of CWRU. Designed by renowned architect Henry Vaughan, the Indiana limestone structure features a 121-foot tower that overlooks Euclid Avenue. The chapel was gifted by Clara Stone Hay and Flora Stone Mather to honor their father, Amasa Stone (mentioned above). Its intricate exterior includes a sculpted keystone of Stone’s likeness and a legendary campus gargoyle that has fueled decades of university folklore. Today, the enduring monument serves as a vibrant hub for academic convocations, musical performances, and alumni weddings.
Opened on November 12, 1926, the Allen Memorial Medical Library was built on the campus of what is now CWRU. It was established by Elisabeth Severance Allen Prentiss to honor her late husband, Dr. Dudley P. Allen, a prominent Cleveland surgeon and co-founder of the Cleveland Medical Library Association (CMLA). Designed by the renowned architecture firm Walker & Weeks, the building features a pink Georgia marble base and an Indiana limestone facade. Today, it serves as the center of operations for the Cleveland Health Sciences Library and houses the Dittrick Medical History Center, which preserves an extensive collection of rare books and historical medical artifacts.
Founded in 1866 as the Cleveland City Hospital Association, University Hospitals (UH) originally focused on providing charitable medical care to the city’s poor. It established a formal academic partnership with Western Reserve University’s Medical Department in 1895, establishing its mission of combining healing, teaching, and clinical discovery. In 1925, the organization officially consolidated with several other hospitals —including Lakeside Hospital, Maternity Hospital, and Babies & Children's Hospital—into University Hospitals of Cleveland. Over the decades, the system has been responsible for major global medical innovations, including perfecting the manufacture of nitrous oxide gas in 1910, performing the world's first successful surgical treatment for coronary artery disease in 1935, and inventing revolutionary modern CPR techniques. Today, its network spans more than 20 hospitals and over 50 health centers across Northeast Ohio. Its landmark facilities consistently earn premier honors, including UH Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital (below) being historically ranked among America's top pediatric centers and UH Seidman Cancer Center operating as part of a National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center.
The historic Lakeside Hospital building at 2065 Adelbert Road serves as the anchor for University Hospitals (UH) medical campus.Originally operating downtown on Lakeside Avenue, the hospital was relocated in January 1931 following a massive capital campaign led by industrialist Samuel Mather to consolidate Cleveland's medical care, education, and research into a single hub. By physically bridging the gap between Western Reserve University’s School of Medicine and hands-on patient care, the institution became a national standard for the "teaching hospital" model. The hospital's success ultimately paved the way for a formal 1940 merger with Maternity and Babies’ & Childrens’ hospitals, legally creating University Hospitals as we know it today. Throughout the mid-to-late 20th century, the site became an international leader in medical innovation, hosting vital World War II clinical research and pioneering professional training for nurse anesthetists. Today, the building above remains seamlessly integrated with newer facilities around it, continuing to house clinical, administrative, and academic spaces.
Founded in 1887 by nine Cleveland women, the Rainbow Circle of King's Daughters opened "Rainbow Cottage" in Glenville as a summer respite for sick and poor children. Meanwhile, the Babies Dispensary and Hospital was established in 1906, introducing infant nutrition through a specialized milk laboratory to help reduce infant mortality. In 1925, the Babies and Children's institution relocated to a new facility in University Circle to partner with Western Reserve University and Lakeside Hospital. Rainbow Hospital moved its recovering patient and polio care operations from South Euclid to University Circle in 1971, bringing both institutions under one roof. The entities consolidated in 1974, creating UH Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital (above). The hospital achieved major medical milestones, including establishing a national treatment model for cystic fibrosis in 1957 and developing intensive care units for pediatric and neonatal patients. Today, it remains a globally recognized leader in pediatric healthcare, consistently ranked among the nation's best by U.S. News & World Report.
Designed by prominent Cleveland architect Charles F. Schweinfurth (more on him later) and opened in 1896, this historic sandstone building at 4125 Adelbert Road originally served as Case Western Reserve University’s first permanent law school facility (Backus Law School). The Renaissance-style structure features a distinctive biblical inscription on its exterior cornice and underwent multiple expansions over the decades, which included a brief stint as a military barracks during World War II. After the law school relocated to a larger building in 1971, the building above was designated an official City of Cleveland Landmark to preserve and protect its architectural heritage. Today, it serves as the university's Department of Mathematics, Applied Mathematics and Statistics.
Built in 1927 during University Circle’s pre-Depression apartment boom, the Payne Apartments at 2085 Cornell Road is a Tudor Revival building featuring half-timbered accents and its name carved above the stone entryway. Designed by Mayock & Company for developer Samuel H. Kleinman, the four-story brick walk-up was originally built to offer dense urban living to professionals and students tied to Western Reserve University and the local hospital system. Over the decades, the property transitioned from a residence for young urbanites into student housing while maintaining its original facade.
These historic, early-1900s homes on East 115th Street became a target for institutional expansion in the mid-1970s when University Circle Inc began land banking the properties. A massive four-lane campus "loop road" initially threatened the block, but pushback from neighborhood activists and students successfully defeated the roadway plan. In 1985, ownership of the properties was transferred to University Hospitals, beginning a multi-decade period of institutional leasing. Under the leadership of Chris Ronayne (now County Executive) from 2005 to 2021, UCI actively managed and leased the homes to students and local workers to deliberately shield them from demolition. Following Ronayne's departure and the pandemic, UH systematically vacated the properties by late 2022 and issued utility shut-off notices. Today, the 15 remaining historic homes sit entirely vacant (with the exception of the Cleveland Transplant House) and face rapid structural deterioration from "demolition by neglect." Before this post was finished, it was announced the homes would be demolished. Notice how UH looms over the homes in the background above. A picture can sometimes can tell a story better than the written word.
The Cozad-Bates House, built in 1853, is the only remaining pre-Civil War structure in University Circle. Constructed by abolitionist Andrew Cozad for his son Justus, the home stands today as a powerful symbol of the Underground Railroad. While researchers lack definitive proof that this specific house sheltered freedom seekers, the Cozad family’s fierce anti-slavery activism is well documented. During this era, Cleveland served as a critical escape waypoint to Canada, operating under the secret code name "Hope." After decades of neglect and use as a boarding house, a major community restoration effort saved the historic property. Today, the building serves as an educational interpretive center, honoring those who fought for freedom.
In the lawn of the Bates-Cozad House is the "Bench by the Road" monument. Installed in 2016, it's the 19th marker dedicated by the Toni Morrison Society. It honors the courage of enslaved freedom seekers and the local abolitionists who helped them along the Underground Railroad.
The Centric is a seven-story, 272-unit apartment building located at 1999 Circle Drive on the border University Circle and Little Italy. The property sits on land owned by University Circle Inc., which holds a 99-year ground lease. Before breaking ground, the development underwent multiple years of delays and was originally proposed as a $100 million mixed-use commercial concept named Intesa. The development officially opened for occupancy in August 2018 to serve medical professionals, faculty, and graduate students. 100 years ago, the site was home to the Eulid Ave Lumber Company.
The American Cancer Society Hope Lodge opened in July 1995 after founder Jeannette Silber provided a gift to honor her late husband's legacy. The facility provides completely free lodging for cancer patients and caregivers traveling for treatment. Over the decades, it has provided more than 210,000 free nights of care to thousands of families, saving them millions of dollars. To meet a growing waitlist, the lodge completed a $7.3 million expansion in September 2024 to increase its capacity. Today, it operates as a 43-room facility featuring specialized transplant suites and communal spaces for guests.
Opened in 1978 at 11501 Mayfield Road, the 13-story Abington Arms high-rise provides 152 affordable apartment units for seniors and disabled residents. The building sits directly across the street from the historic Cozad-Bates House. Fun Fact: During Fall 2019, first-year students at nearby Cleveland Institute of Art (CIA) partnered with residents at Abington Arms over a seven-week period in which the students interviewed the residents about their lives to create custom portraits or sculptures based on notable memories and family photos.
The Triangle Towers are a CWRU-owned residential complex located in the uptown district (historically known as the Mayfield Triangle, hence their name). The buildings offer studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom floor plans designated for upper-class undergraduate, graduate, and professional students. Residents utilize campus wireless internet and student ID cards for building access, while receiving security coverage from the CWRU campus police. The property features an on-site fitness center and ground-floor retail spaces within walking distance of campus facilities and public transit.
Built in 1926, the University East Building (11308-11330 Euclid Ave.) is a historic Cleveland landmark. Located in University Circle, it has served as a retail and apartment hub for a century. A recent $4 million renovation modernized its 48 apartments into workforce housing while preserving its street-level shops.
The historic 13-story Commodore Hotel opened in 1924 as a luxury Tudor Revival residential hotel, famously housing local professionals and early Cleveland Browns players before converting to apartments in 1964 and eventually into moderate-income senior housing in 1972. In 2015, non-profit developer The Community Builders acquired the property and completed a multi-million dollar green rehabilitation that wrapped up in late 2021. It was also officially entered into the National Register of Historic Places in 2016. Ultimately, the meticulous upgrade earned the prestigious ACHP/HUD Secretary's Award for preserving the structure's iconic architectural heritage while securing long-term affordable housing.
The Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland (moCa) began in 1968 when Marjorie Talalay, Nina Castelli Sundell, and Agnes Gund opened a storefront space called The New Gallery inside a former dry-cleaning shop. Leveraging Sundell's connections as the daughter of legendary New York art dealer Leo Castelli, the women introduced Cleveland to then-emerging icons like Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, and Cindy Sherman. The institution became a non-profit gallery in 1974, changed its name to the Cleveland Center for Contemporary Art in 1984, and officially became moCa in 2002 while operating out of a rented space at the Cleveland Play House. Throughout this evolution, the museum maintained a non-collecting model to eliminate the high maintenance costs of a permanent collection, allowing all resources to fund rotating exhibitions. This strategy led to a $27.2 million capital campaign to build its current 34,000-square-foot, 84-foot-tall home (above) at the corner of Euclid & Mayfield. It was designed by internationally acclaimed British-Iranian architect Farshid Moussavi as her first completed U.S. project. Today, the museum continues this legacy by changing its exhibitions several times a year and offering free admission to the public. Notable Historic Fact: The museum sits on the site of the famous Jazz Temple which was founded in 1962 by Black entrepreneur Winston Willis. The venue was a popular, interracial coffeehouse in University Circle that hosted legendary icons like John Coltrane and Miles Davis. Despite its success, the its brief run tragically ended in 1965 when a dynamite explosion destroyed the building amid a campaign of racially motivated intimidation.
Judy's Hand Pavilion is a 21-foot-tall, 7-ton fiberglass and steel public sculpture located on Toby's Plaza outside moCa Cleveland. Artist Tony Tasset created the piece in 2018 by making a hyper-realistic, enlarged casting of the right hand of his wife, painter Judy Ledgerwood. The permanent installation was commissioned for the inaugural FRONT International Cleveland Triennial to serve as a public shelter and community gathering space. The massive hand is anatomically detailed down to the fingernails and skin creases.
Speaking of Toby's Plaza, I was invited to present on Every Street Cleveland at Pecha Kucha Cleveland back there back in October 2022. At the time, I had just completed the West Side (literally that day). Here's the audio from that presentation if interested.
During the presentation, I asked the audience to raise their arms and yell "Cleveland" just so I could take this photo and include it in this very post one day. Here we are.
The Uptown district along Euclid Ave is considerd the “main street” of University Circle. It evolved from a historic retail and theater corridor into a modern district that features ground-floor commercial retail, restaurants, a grocery store, institutional academic and arts facilities, public plazas, transit infrastructure, and apartments. By the late 2000s, the area had become an underutilized gap separating CWRU from the major medical centers. To fix this, city leaders, University Circle Inc., and private developers launched a massive $200 million redevelopment project in 2010. This transformative initiative introduced the RTA HealthLine bus rapid transit system (in action above) to connect the neighborhood directly to downtown Cleveland.
The Cleveland Institute of Art was founded in 1882 as the Western Reserve School of Design for Women by philanthropist Sarah Kimball. The school became co-educational in 1892, renamed itself the Cleveland School of Art, and officially became the Cleveland Institute of Art in 1949 after granting formal Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees. Throughout the 20th century, the institution moved across several neighborhood facilities and contributed to the region through industrial design, federal arts projects, and wartime medical illustration. For decades, the college operated a split campus until acquiring a historic 1915 Ford Model T assembly plant above on Euclid Avenue in 1981. A $75 million facility modernization in 2015 unified the entire college into this single location (George Gund Building).
The Peter B. Lewis Theater is a 300-seat cinema located inside the Cleveland Institute of Art's George Gund Building. Opened on August 1, 2015, the theater was named after Cleveland philanthropist Peter B. Lewis following his $5 million campus expansion donation. It features a 36-foot-wide screen and advanced projection capabilities. Today, the venue serves as the home the reknown CIA Cinematheque and hosts various student showcases and public lectures.
Speaking of the Cinemateque, it was co-founded in 1984 by John Ewing, Ron Holloway, and George Gund III to screen alternative, foreign, and classic films. After hosting its inaugural 1985 screening at CWRU, the theater took up permenant residance at the Cleveland Institute of Art in 1986. As mentioned above, it moved to the state-of-the-art Peter B. Lewis Theater in August 2015. Highly acclaimed, the theater has been recognized by The New York Times as "one of the country's best repertory movie theaters". On a personal note, this is one of my places in Cleveland. If I could do anything, I would probably plant trees and watch every movie at Cinemateque. Above is a photo collage I put together during the screening of Hundreds of Beavers back in 2024, which remains once of its all-time best attended screenings.
This mural is located on the Uptown Parking Garage across from the Cinemateque but I couldn't find much information about who created it (presumably someone at CIA). Regardless, it's a nice edition to this stretch of E. 116th.
The historic Euclid Tavern opened back in 1909, starting out as a classic local watering hole. By the late '70s, it turned into a legendary, gritty music hub anchored by a massive, packed-house residency from local blues icon Mr. Stress. The vibe here was famously laid-back—if the bartenders got slammed, trusted regulars were known to just step behind the counter and pour their own drinks. In the '90s, the tavern cemented its spot in rock history by hosting then-underground touring acts like Green Day, Pavement, Helmet, The Jesus Lizard, Queens of the Stone Age, and other 90s icons. It even caught Hollywood's eye as the main set for the 1987 Michael J. Fox and Joan Jett movie Light of Day, which featured a pre-fame Trent Reznor jamming in a background band. Film crews actually gifted the bar its iconic front neon sign for the movie, a piece of history that was later salvaged and moved 500 miles away to a Nashville rooftop bar. After a brief final run as a Happy Dog outpost on the east side, the beloved neighborhood staple finally closed for good. Fun Fact: Green Day was paid a whopping $100 for their perforance in 1992. Two years later, they would sell 20 million copies of their breakout record, "Dookie".
J&L Market & Garden (11734 Euclid Ave) is a beloved, muliti-generation family business that has operated in this location since the early 1960s. The open-air market is famous for its seasonal transitions, shifting from summer produce and autumn pumpkins to hosting one of Ohio's largest fresh-cut Christmas tree selections.
This mural at the former Little Italy RTA Redline station at the corner on Euclid Ave & Coltman Road was created by Cleveland native and LA-based street artist WRDSMTH in August 2021 as part of his city-wide "How Do I Love Thee Tour". The tour was sponsored by local art org Graffiti HeArt and was inspired by a 1940s love letter written by the founder's mother. Fun Fact: Coltman Road is named after Ora Coltman, a Cleveland-based artist, sculptor, and writer best known for his light-hued watercolor urban landscapes and for painting "The Dominance of the City," Cleveland's first New Deal mural. It can be seen on the third floor on the Cleveland Public Library's main branch downtown.
Circle 118 is a modern rental complex built by WXZ Development at the corner of Euclid Avenue and East 118th Street. The project started in 2010 as a small group of luxury townhouses on land bought from University Circle Inc. Developers later added 1-bedroom and micro-apartments to meet the high demand. The site was a former bus turn around area for RTA. The bright red and blue Bonus Fact: The townhomes were explicitly marketed as the first new residential green community in University Circle, and feature sustainable materials such as bamboo flooring.
The John and Mildred Putnam Sculpture Garden was established on East 118th Street near Euclid Avenue as part of a campus-wide art collection founded at Case Western Reserve University in 1981. The specific park space transformed what was once an empty urban lot into a quiet, open-air amphitheater. It serves as part of an "eastern gateway" to the university campus and is highlighted by Dancers (above), a bright blue steel sculpture rising over 30 feet tall that was designed by award-winning local architect Richard Fleischman, who designing over 400 projects known for their clean geometric shapes and massive glass windows. His work focused on creating bright, open spaces, which he used to design 70 modern churches, pioneering open-plan schools (Villa Angela Academy), and high-tech facilities like the University of Akron's Polymer Science Building and the updated Akron-Summit County Library.
The East Cleveland Township Cemetery was established in 1859 by the local township to serve as a public burial ground. Tucked away on East 118th Street, the historic property is now run by a nonprofit formed in 2003 after brokering a deal between Cleveland, Cleveland Heights, and East Cleveland, after surviving decades of municipal shifts and near-abandonment. Its most notable burials include Timothy Doan, an influential pioneer who settled in the area in 1801, and Alonzo Silsby, a Civil War soldier who died from wounds suffered at the Battle of Gettysburg. The grounds also contain a historic receiving vault built in 1891, which was used to store bodies during the winter when the ground was frozen solid. Today, the location serves as an important outdoor museum that preserves the early history of Cleveland's frontline settlers and veterans.
Built in 1914 by the renowned architectural firm Meade & Hamilton, the property above at 1689 E. 115th St. originally served as a grand estate for Cleveland civic leader Emil Joseph. Joseph was a prominent 19th- and 20th-century Cleveland attorney, philanthropist, and civic leader who served as the long-time president of the Cleveland Public Library Board of Trustees and amassed a vast 5,000-volume private library in this home. The building later transitioned into an institutional facility, operating for over a decade as the regional headquarters for the American Heart Association. Following an extensive renovation, it reopened in April 2023 as the command center for the CWRU Division of Public Safety.
The Village at 115 and DiSanto Field opened at Case Western Reserve University in August 2005 as a $126 million complex that combined student housing with athletic facilities. The project replaced an old neighborhood and former sports fields to build seven apartment houses shaped like a horseshoe around a stadium. These buildings now house about 800 upperclassmen and feature a 1,200-space parking garage and varsity locker rooms built directly into the basements. At the center is DiSanto Field, a 2,400-seat stadium named after former athlete and trustee Fred DiSanto and his wife Brittan. The facility includes a modern press box with a suite named for Hall of Fame coach Bill Edwards, plus an eight-lane track named for legendary coach Bill Sudeck. The football team played its first game at the stadium on September 10, 2005, beating Denison 20-6.
Nobby’s Ballpark opened in the spring of 2006 to serve as the home for the Case Western Reserve University baseball team. The facility was named after Norbert "Nobby" Lewandowski, an alumnus and former minor league pitcher who funded the project to fulfill a lifelong personal goal of having a stadium bear his name. Over the next few years, additional donations added more features to the 500-seat stadium, including a custom public address system, a state-of-the-art scoreboard, and a fully equipped press box. To counter the unpredictable Cleveland weather, the university upgraded the complex to a high-performance AstroTurf infield in 2018. Nobby's is considered one of the finest Division III baseball stadiums in the nation.
Mather Park ( 1644 Mistletoe Drive) is the home stadium for the CWRU softball team. The ballpark opened on April 15, 2009, and holds up to 250 spectators. The university named the facility to honor the Flora Stone Mather Alumnae Association after the group transferred its endowment to the athletics program. The field uses Hilltopper artificial dirt on the infield to prevent rain delays, while the outfield consists of natural grass. The complex includes chairback seating behind home plate, dugouts, batting cages, an electronic scoreboard, and a press box funded by Vice President Glenn Nicholls in memory of his wife, Peggy.
The "Start" statue is a steel sculpture created by Cleveland artist David E. Davis in 1981, located in the North Residential Village of Case Western Reserve University. Davis built the artwork using a geometric grid system that folds and unfolds into angles, with a color shift that moves from red at its base to cooler tones at the top. The piece originally stood at the intersection of Bellflower Road and Ford Drive before workers moved it to Juniper Road in the 1990s. Today, it serves as a landmark where first-year students meet, though campus residents have given it the nickname "the ugly sculpture."
The "Inner Circle" statue is a stainless steel sculpture created in 2007 by David Deming, who served as the president of the Cleveland Institute of Art. Deming modeled the piece after a Chacmool, which is a type of reclining statue from Mesoamerican history that rests on its elbows with its head turned. Demming made this piece to honor his art history teacher, Frannie Taft, who taught Mesoamerican art and used hands-on methods for students. The sculpture includes a metal dome that reflects the nearby trees, buildings, and grass.
This historic property at 11310 Wade Park Ave was built around 1914 by the prominent Cleveland architectural firm Dercum & Beer. Its original occupants were newlyweds Irving Putnam, an industrial parts entrepreneur, and Ruth Bradford Putnam, a descendant of early Cleveland settlers (Cozads, mentioned previously). In 1917, the Putnams sold the home to Hungarian immigrant Moris Wuliger, owner of the fledgling Ohio Mattress (now Sealy Mattress, and now one of the largest bed mattress manufacturers in the world). In the 1950s, the home became the residence and laboratory of Carl Schugt, a former employee of General Electric at Nela Park. Carl launched Euclid Glass Engineering Laboratory using his home's basement to transform glass and quartz into scientific instruments for Standard Oil, NASA, and other clients. From 1970 until 2015, the 4,500-square-foot structure transitioned from a private residence to the Fellowship Christian Church. After sitting vacant for nearly a decade, Case Western Reserve University purchased the property and invested $2.3 million to open it in late 2024 as the Wade Park Community Engagement Center. Bonus Fact: Architect Hermann Dercum is best known for creating the ornamental iron gate for Cleveland's German Cultural Garden; the Penton Publishing Building; and the Cudell Clock Tower on West Boulevard.
Built in 1902, Bellflower Hall originally served as a private family residence for Henry F. Lyman and later brewery heir Fred W. Gehring (Gehring Brewing), featuring a large music room with a pipe organ. The building transitioned away from a private residence in 1944, operating as a nursing home for over a decade before becoming a Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity house during the 1960s. In 1972, it shifted into a prominent contemporary art gallery that hosted major exhibitions by famous artists like Christo and Keith Haring. Case Western Reserve University took ownership in the late 1990s, relocating its Writing Resource Center to a portion of the building in 1999. Today, the facility has expanded to encompass all three floors to house both the Writing Resource Center and Writers House, serving as a campus hub for workshops, readings, and letterpress printing sessions.
Located at 11430 Bellflower Road, this property originally featured a three-story wood-frame house that served as the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity from 1947 to 1949. After the land was acquired by University Circle Inc., the original structure was cleared to make way for a completely new building. In 1988, the home above was constructed for George L. Forbes, the powerful first African American president of the Cleveland City Council. Forbes was also a Marine Corps veteran, lawyer, and later served for decades as the leader of the city's NAACP chapter. He is considered one of the most powerful and influential civic figures in Cleveland's history. Bonus Fact: The home was designed by Robert Corna, who, in 1985, who proposed (unsuccessfully) the Cleveland Hexatron, a multi-purpose, six-sided stadium with a retractable glass roof designed to house both the Cleveland Browns and the Cleveland Indians.
The Hessler Court & Road Historic District is a small enclave that holds the honor of becoming the city's very first designated historic district in 1975. The district is most famous for containing Hessler Court, a short, 275-foot-long road that stands as the last remaining street in Cleveland paved entirely with specialized wooden blocks rather than asphalt or brick. Originally laid down by local landowner Emery Hessler - a Civil War veteran and medical equipment salesman, the unique street surface was recently restored using durable black locust wood blocks to preserve its structural legacy. Surrounding the wooden road are tightly clustered, historic homes built between 1907 and 1927 that showcase a mix of architectural styles. Beyond its physical charm, the district has historically been a major hub for grassroots activism and counterculture, having famously launched the annual Hessler Street Fair in 1969 to protect the tight-knit community from neighboring campus expansion. It ended its 50 year run in 2019 but announced a return in 2026!
A close-up of the 19,000+ wooden blocks that make up Hessler Court. In 2023, the City invested $680K to restore and preserve the road. Here's a post with some interesting photos and information about restoration efforts, both past and present.
Speaking of tiny courts, Bellflower Court is a historic alley originally built in the 19th century as a service lane for the mansions on Bellflower Road, allowing carriages and delivery wagons to reach the back of the properties. Over time, the area changed as CWRU grew around it. Instead of being torn down, the alley and its old carriage houses were preserved. Today, the court is a pedestrian walkway, and its historic buildings are used by local businesses.
Undoubtably, the most notable establishment on Bellflower Court is L'Albatros, a French restaurant which opened in 2008 inside an old 19th-century carriage house that once served the mansions on Bellflower Road. The restaurant was created by local chef Zack Bruell, who designed the interior with concrete floors and modern lighting to contrast with the original brick walls. The kitchen serves traditional French dishes alongside a dedicated cheese station with a staff expert. Outside, the restaurant has a large stone patio used for dining during warm months. Outside of Little Italy, its the go-to spot for fine dining in University Circle.
Next to L'Albatros is a slighly less fancy place to grab a bite. The Den by Denny’s is a fast-casual campus diner that opened in August 2011, serving up evening breakfast. Before its transformation, the site was home to the Silver Spartan Diner, and the building still kept that classic, shiny metal diner exterior.
Founded in 1888 as a women's liberal arts division of Western Reserve University, Flora Stone Mather College existed until its merger in 1972. Renamed in 1931 to honor Flora Stone Mather, its central campus is preserved today as a National Register Historic District within Case Western Reserve University. The "Mather Quad" features Gothic Revival architecture, including the Florence Harkness Memorial Chapel and Clark Hall - the only Cleveland design by architect Richard Morris Hunt, considered the architect of the elite during the Guilded Age. The college's educational legacy continues today through landmarks like Mather House and the university's Flora Stone Mather Center for Women.
Built in 1902 by architect Charles F. Schweinfurth and located in the heart of the Mather Quad, Haydn Hall originally served as a women's college student center and dormitory. Today, it serves as the home of the Department of Music, housing offices, classrooms, multiple practice rooms, and specialized Historical Performance Practice studios. The facility also features "The Haven" student lounge and "The Core" computer lab, a collaborative space offering high-end audio, video, and visual design hardware and software to the university. Notable Fact: The building is named after honor of Hiram Collins Haydn, the fifth president of Western Reserve University, pastor of the Old Stone Church, and the individual most active in convincing Western Reserve College to move to Cleveland.
Guilford Hall (11112 Bellflower Road) was built in 1892 and was originally constructed as the very first women's dormitory for the Women's College. Today, the four-story, yellow-brick structure serves as the main home for CWRU's Department of English andmodern languages and literatures.
Clark Hall was built in 1892, it contains classrooms, lecture spaces, and the university's humanities institute. As mentioned above, it was designed by Gilded Age legendary architect Richard Morris Hunt. Note: Not to be confused with Clarke Tower, which is a student dorm building.
Built between 1900 and 1902, the Florence Harkness Memorial Chapel was designed by architect Charles F. Schweinfurth to honor Florence Harkness Severance and features beautiful details like high arches, antique oak and Georgia pine woodwork, and Tiffany stained-glass windows. While it was originally built for religious purposes, it was named a Cleveland Landmark in 1973 and turned into the main performance space for the CWRU Department of Music. Today, the space fits about 400 people and is known for its great acoustics, hosting concerts, recitals, lectures, and a limited number of special events.
The Mather Memorial Building is one of the more historic academic buildings on the CWRU campus. Built in 1913, it was funded by Samuel Mather as a permanent tribute to Flora (his wife) who died in 1909 of breast cancer. Also designed by Charles F. Schweinfurth, the three-story brick and stone building features a unique exterior tower carved with biblical verses honoring the virtues of women. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it serves as the central academic and research hub housing the departments of Psychological Sciences, Sociology, and Anthropology, alongside specialized facilities like the PTSD Research and Treatment Program and the Center for Research on Tibet. Bonus Fact: The building is also the historic home of WRUW-FM 91.1 — a station originally founded in the building's basement in 1946 by the Flora Stone Mather Radio Club that has since evolved into a powerful 15,000-watt station renowned for its long-running, outdoor Studio-A-Rama live music festival held annually in the building's courtyard since 1982.
The Mary Chisholm Painter Memorial Gateway is a historic stone arch built in 1904 by Charles F. Schweinfurth. It was paid for by William Chisholm, and his wife, to honor their daughter Mary after she died young in 1901. Mary was well-known for helping start a kids' medical center that eventually grew into today's famous UH Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital. Back in the day, the arch was the main front entrance to the university's College for Women, and today it remains a beloved CWRU campus symbol.
The Church of the Covenant (11205 Euclid Ave) is a historic Presbyterian congregation formed in 1920 by the merger of several 19th-century churches. Its landmark sanctuary (above) was completed in 1911 by renowned architect Ralph Adams Cram who also helped designed St. John's in NYC. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. The church features a 51-bell McGaffin Carillon (added in 1968) and maintains strong ties to CWRU, serving as a campus ministry center, a student gathering space, and a venue for university events. It also holds a proud legacy of progressive activism, notably electing its first woman elder in 1957 and advocating for civil rights during the 1960s.
"Turning Point" is a modern public art installation designed by renowned architect Philip Johnson as his very first foray into pure sculpture, dedicated in 2001 when he was 90 years old. The piece features five tall, putty-colored geometric elements with curved surfaces, angular edges, and rectangular cutouts, which are joined by four additional pieces to comprise the Turning Point Garden. Noteable Fact: In his January 2005 obituary, The New York Times described Johnson's works as being "widely considered among the architectural masterpieces of the 20th century".
The Peter B. Lewis Building houses CWRU's Weatherhead School of Management. Opened in 2002, the facility was designed by architect Frank Gehry and named after the Progressive Insurance chairman who funded it (mentioned above with the Cinemateque). The exterior uses 1.7 million pounds of curving stainless steel ribbons alongside traditional red brick walls. The interior layout replaces rectangular classrooms with an open, multi-story atrium and sloping walls to encourage interaction. Bonus Fact: Gehry was a famous architect who changed modern design with his uniquely shaped, wavy buildings like the Peter B. Lewis. He also used unusual materials like titanium and metal to create world-famous masterpieces, including the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao. In 1989, he won the Pritzker Architecture Prize, which is often referred to as the Nobel Prize of architecture.
CWRU's Tinkham Veale University Center opened in August 2014 following a $20 million donation from alumnus Tinkham Veale II. Designed by golbally elite architecutal firm Perkins&Will, the 82,000-square-foot "landscraper" structure features three distinct wings, an expansive glass facade, and a sloping green roof. The facility sits on a site that previously served as a flat parking lot next to the Thwing Center (see next photo). It achieved LEED Gold certification by incorporating a green roof, solar panels, radiant heating, and an energy-efficient curtain wall. Today, it functions 24 hours a day as a campus hub housing student organization offices, dining areas, and a ballroom for university events.
Built originally as the Excelsior Club for men in 1913, Thwing Student Center opened in November 1980. It was formed by joining two older buildings, Thwing Hall and Hitchcock Hall (originally a residence), with a new glass atrium (above). Thwing was was acquired by the University in 1931 for use as a library, and later as a gathering place for students.The facility was named after Charles Franklin Thwing, who served as president of Western Reserve University from 1890 to 1921. Notable components include the Excelsior Ballroom, which originally served as a men's club venue built in 1913. Bonus Fact: Thwing is home to The Jolly Scholar, a popular campus brewpub. Originally founded in 2005 as a franchised quick-service joint named Wack A Doo's, owner Matt Vann rebranded it in 2006. In 2017, he transformed its basement into a commercial brewing operation, eventually earning coveted Ohio Brewery of the Year honors. Today, the brewery distributes across Cleveland and runs community initiatives like an 8-hour student brewing class and a collaborative lager honoring local Cleveland stadium legend Les "The Beer Guy" Flake. Since the beer was launched during the pandemic and staduims were closed, Les actaully delivered the beers to people's homes as an cool promotional tactic. Here's a fun music video of Les delivering his famous "The Beer Guy's Here!" line.
The Magnolia-Wade Park Historic District dates back to the late 19th century when Western Union founder Jeptha Wade donated his farmland for a park-like suburb. In fact, around 1905, the Wade Realty Company heavily marketed the neighborhood to elite families looking to escape the creeping commercialization of Euclid Avenue's famous "Millionaires' Row". It quickly became the new spot for Cleveland's old-money industrialist families. But the district has had its challenges. It enforced racially exclusionary covenants, which led to high-profile bombings against African American residents and institutions trying to move in. Today, the area is officially historically protected, featuring a mix of restored community centers and residential spaces still fighting for preservation.
In 1909, attorney George W. Grandin (co-founded the Cleveland Museum of Natural History) hired Bohnard & Parssons to build a 16-room, brick Colonial Revival mansion at 10723 Magnolia Drive. In early 1954, the Mt. Zion Congregational Church purchased the estate to serve as its new home. Due to racial prejudice, the property was bombed later that same year. Instead of leaving, the Black congregation stayed, broke ground in 1955, and dedicated their new sanctuary on September 30, 1956. Today, the Grandin mansion is used for church offices and a parsonage, remaining a symbol of civil rights and resilience. In 2011, the property became the center of a local preservation debate when the church proposed replacing its historic homes with a new community center. This sparked the creation of a local historic landmark district (above) to protect the area’s architectural history.
Mt. Zion later expanded by purchasing the adjacent 1908 property at 1574 E. 108th Street. Known as the Pilgrim House, it was designed by J. Milton Dyer, the famous architect behind Cleveland City Hall. For decades, it's hosted progressive social programs, including a day nursery for working mothers, the Friendly Town summer initiative, and the Urban League's Street Academy high school. This was a house saved from demolition by the preservationists, as mentioned above.
The Sally & Bob Gries Center for Experiential and Service Learning is one of several facilities on Magnolia Ave operated by Hawken School. Hawken School was founded in 1915 by James A. Hawken as a boys' elementary school in Cleveland's Hough neighborhood. After moving to the suburbs in 1922, Hawken returned to its inner-city roots by opening the Gries Center (above) in 2010 and the Mastery School of Hawken (below) in 2020. The Gries building is a state-of-the-art learning space that focuses on off-campus community partnerships with partners like the Cleveland Museum of Art and University Hospitals on hands-on academic projects and community service. It was named in honor of prominent Cleveland philanthropists Sally Gries and her late husband, Bob. Fun Fact: Originally built in the early 1900s, the structure was designed by the son of U.S. President James A. Garfield.
The Mastery School of Hawken opened in August 2020 at 11025 Magnolia Drive. The building was constructed in 1910 as a two-story brick stable and carriage house for the neighboring Ambler-Harvey mansion. It features a slate roof, arched entryways, and large windows that originally served the carriage bays. The Cleveland Hearing & Speech Center acquired the property in the 1950s, using it for offices and therapy rooms for nearly 70 years. Hawken purchased the site and converted the interior into an open-concept school, preserving the exterior brickwork while adding glass walls, movable furniture, and collaborative labs.
The Otis House is a grand brick mansion built between 1910 and 1918. Following decades as a single-family residence, the property was converted into luxury residential condominiums in the 1980s before being transformed into a student dormitory by the Montessori High School at University Circle in 2008. After the Montessori school closed due to financial challenges in 2018, the Hawken School purchased it as part of their portfolio of campus properties.
This brick mansion at 10831 Magnolia Drive was constructed in 1909 as a private residence for Jeptha Homer Wade II, grandson of Jeptha Homer Wade I (creator of Wade Park). By 1957, competition for land among local colleges and hospitals sparked the creation of the University Circle Development Foundation, an organization designed to coordinate area growth and pool neighborhood resources. Reorganized as University Circle Inc. (UCI) in 1970, the non-profit organization eventually adapted this historic residence into its main headquarters. Operating from this building, UCI expanded its role from basic land banking to a full-scale community force that introduced dedicated neighborhood police, public transit planning, and the "Uptown" retail district (noted earler). Today, the converted mansion serves as the operational nerve center guiding one of the densest concentration of cultural, medical, and educational institutions in the world. Notable Fact: Current Cuyahoga County Executive Director Chris Ronayne served as president of UCI for 16 years (2005-2021) after serving as Chief Planner for the City of Cleveland.
Members of APA Cleveland learn about UCI's "Connecting The Circle" plan, which provides a vision for the neighborhood's public spaces and routes.
UCI is also one of the only neighborhood development organizations that has dedicated staff for transportation planning. Here's a sign for their Project Yield initiative.
The Music Settlement (11125 Magnolia Drive) is a non-profit community arts organization that provides accessible music education, music therapy, and early childhood programs to people of all ages and backgrounds. Blind musician and educator Almeda Adams founded the org in 1912 to offer affordable music instruction to new immigrants and working families. Over the decades, it broadened its scope into early childhood education and music therapy, eventually acquiring the historic 1910 Edmund S. Burke Jr. mansion as its home. Making headlines today, the organization broke ground on a $12 million expansion, backed by a $3.3 million grant from the Mandel Foundation. Notable alumni include grammy-winning singer/songwriter Tracy Chapman and Nathaniel Ayers, who the movie The Soloist is based on.
Founded in 1961 as Hill House - Ohio's first adult psychiatric rehab center - the Magnolia Clubhouse occupies two historic, early 1900s homes at 11101 Magnolia Drive. The non-profit bought these properties to create a permanent member sanctuary. Recent multi-million-dollar expansions physically joined both buildings, blending the historic architecture with elevators, a café, and multi-floor units for mental health recovery. Notable: Members and staff work side-by-side (work-ordered day) as equals to run daily operations, including a video production lab, a culinary unit, and financial administration.
Built in 1913, this home at 10819 Magnolia Drive is a Georgian Colonial that transitioned from a private home into a venue for non-profit and educational institutions over the last 50 years. Located within the historic district, it served as The School on Magnolia in the early 1970s, the original India Community Center starting in 1976, and the headquarters for the Junior League of Cleveland from 1988 until its sale in early 2024 (privately owned). Fun Fact: Graduates of the School on Magnolia included the film and video director Robert Caruso (who produced Green Day's "Longview" music video), ceramic artist MaPo Kinnord, and Arctic historian and novelist Russell Potter.
The Linsalata Alumni Center serves as CWRU's primary hub connecting its network of over 110,000 alumni. The facility originated as a private mansion constructed in 1910, later transitioning into a fraternity house for Phi Gamma Delta. In 2007, the university undertook a major revitalization project funded by alumnus Frank Linsalata, expanding the footprint to transform the property into a venue for university activities, board meetings, and community events. Today, it blends alumni relations with things like academic conferences, corporate seminars, and private weddings. Interesting Fact: Roughly 20% of the materials used in the Foster-Castele Great Hall addition (left side of photo)—including the steel plumbing, carpeting, and wood wall paneling—consist of recycled content sourced within 500 miles of campus.
The Coffee House at University Circle operates inside a historic home built in 1907 by the founder of Central National Bank (Jeremiah Sullivan). The bank founder later gave the building to Case Western Reserve University, and it spent years serving as both a fraternity house and the university's architecture school. In 1969, the property's carriage house briefly hosted a winter location for the Cleveland Food Co-op's "Porch Store." The building transitioned into a cafe in 1991 when it opened as one of Cleveland's first Arabica Coffee House franchises. The business separated from Arabica in 2009 to become the independent coffee shop today. Notable: The long-time owner of the shop, Mark Balogh, also owned the iconic Cleveland Schvitz. Sadly, Mark passed away in 2022.
Built in 1909, the Glidden House is a historical mansion constructed by Francis K. Glidden, son of the founder of the Glidden Paint Company. Glidden lived there until his death in 1933. His wife, Mary, and her sister, Ida, resided in the home until Mary passed away in 1939. Ida remained there into the early 1950s. CWRU purchased the property in 1953, using it for its Psychology Department and a Law School annex until the building entered the National Register of Historic Places in 1988. Converted into a hotel in 1989, the property retains its original carved bookcases, fireplaces, and plaster details, and joined the Historic Hotels of America in 2024.
Founded in 1930 as the nation’s first civic garden center, the 10-acre Cleveland Botanical Garden is an all-seasons plant museum built on the historic site of Cleveland’s original Wade Park Zoo. It features ten distinct outdoor areas—including a Japanese Garden where the old bear pit once stood and the Hershey Children’s Garden, which local kids helped design—alongside a massive indoor glasshouse. Indoors, the Eleanor Armstrong Smith Glasshouse recreates the distinct biomes of Madagascar’s spiny desert and Costa Rica’s rainforest with exotic plants, free-flying birds, and live butterflies. Today, the garden also houses the historic Eleanor Squire Library—which grew out of a single 1916 book donation—and operates as part of Holden Forests & Gardens, one of the largest public botanical organizations in the country.
The history of the Kelvin Smith Library (KSL) traces back to the early collections of Western Reserve College in 1826 and then its move to Cleveland in 1882. Following the 1967 merger of Western Reserve University and the Case Institute of Technology, the university’s collections remained divided across multiple campus locations. To unify these resources into a central hub, construction began on a state-of-the-art facility in 1994, officially opening in 1996. Named in honor of Case alumnus, industrialist, and Lubrizol co-founder A. Kelvin Smith, the library features a neoclassical limestone exterior and a bright, skylit interior designed to serve as the technological and intellectual heart of campus. Over the years, KSL has evolved from a traditional book library into a modern center for collaborative research and digital scholarship, remaining the main library for Case Western Reserve University. Notable: The library holds over 60,000 rare books and manuscript collections, featuring first editions by Galileo Galilei, John Milton (Paradise Lost), and Walt Whitman (Leaves of Grass), as well as original works by Cleveland writers like Langston Hughes and Charles W. Chesnutt.
Opened in 1931, Severance Hall was built to give the Cleveland Orchestra a permanent place to perform in the University Circle neighborhood. A wealthy industrialist named John L. Severance paid for most of the construction as a tribute to his wife, Elisabeth, who died right before the project started. The outside of the building was designed by the local firm Walker and Weeks using classic limestone, but the inside features a colorful mix of Art Deco, Egyptian, and Victorian styles. The main concert hall is famous for its incredible acoustics, which were improved in 1958 with a special wooden stage shell and preserved during a major $36 million renovation in 2000. Today, the venue is officially known as the Severance Music Center and remains one of the premier concert venues in the world.
The Dittrick Medical History Center originated in 1898 when the Cleveland Medical Library Association formed a historical committee, led by Dr. Dudley Peter Allen, to preserve donated medical artifacts and historical books. The collection found its permanent home on the third floor of the Allen Memorial Medical Library when the building opened in 1926. It expanded rapidly under its first curator, Dr. Howard Dittrick, and was officially named in his honor in 1945. During World War II, the museum space safely sheltered the rare books of the National Library of Medicine. Today, it operates as an interdisciplinary study center under Case Western Reserve University, housing over 60,000 artifacts—including a renowned history of contraception collection—and exploring how the patient experience has evolved over time.
The Cleveland Museum of Natural History is a premier scientific institution founded in 1920 with roots tracing back to an 1836 collection known as "The Ark." Housing millions of specimens across anthropology, paleontology, mineralogy, and zoology, the museum is famous for its role in the 1973 discovery of "Lucy"—a 3.2-million-year-old hominin—discovered by former curator Donald Johanson. Its world-class collection also includes Balto the sled dog, the sauropod "Happy", Devonian fossil fish (Dunkleosteus), and the extensive Hamann-Todd skeletal collection. In addition to indoor planetarium and observatory facilities, the museum features the outdoor Perkins Wildlife Center showcasing native Ohio wildlife and unique public art like Steggie the Stegosaurus. Following a major $150 million expansion completed in late 2024, the institution now spans 375,000 square feet dedicated to research, conservation, and community education. It recently earned a Top 5 ranking in USA TODAY's 10 Best New Museums of 2026 and international acclaim on the Prix Versailles list of the World's Most Beautiful Museums.
An otter swims freely in the Perkins Wildlife Center & Woodland Garden.
Founded in 1920 with composer Ernest Bloch as its first director, the Cleveland Institute of Music (CIM) is an elite music conservatory. It trains roughly 350 college and 1,500 preparatory students, offering undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees in performance, composition, and audio engineering. CIM maintains a close partnership with The Cleveland Orchestra, whose members make up much of its faculty, and runs joint degree programs with nearby CWRU. Renowned for its Suzuki and Dalcroze method programs, CIM has produced famous alumni like pianist Daniil Trifonov, cellist Alisa Weilerstein, and jazz guitarist Jim Hall, while hosting hundreds of free public concerts each year. In fact, it's one of the largest presenters of free public concerts, masterclasses, and recitals in the entire Midwest.
Founded in 1867 as part of the Western Reserve Historical Society, the Cleveland History Center is Cleveland’s oldest cultural organization. The center preserves millions of local artifacts, historic clothing, and two stunning 1910s mansions. A major highlight is the fully restored Euclid Beach Park Grand Carousel, which visitors can actually ride inside the glass pavilion pictured above. It is also home to the Crawford Auto-Aviation Museum, featuring over 170 classic cars, rare airplanes, and famous vehicles like LeBron James’ high school Hummer. Together, these exhibits offer a comprehensive look at how Cleveland grew from a small frontier town into a major city. Fun Fact: The center designs and mints a brand-new custom token every year for visitors to use on the Euclid Beach Park Grand Carousel.
The African American Art/History Walk is a free, outdoor mural installation on East 108th Street next to the Cleveland History Center that uses large portrait panels by local artist Jerome T. White to honor Black Clevelanders who achieved major national milestones. The display highlights trailblazers like Dr. Julian M. Earls, who rose from radiation physicist to director of NASA's Glenn Research Center, and architect Robert P. Madison, who opened Ohio's first Black-owned firm and helped design the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. It also celebrates global diplomat Zelma Watson George, appointed by President Eisenhower to the United Nations General Assembly in 1960, and acclaimed classical composer Dr. H. Leslie Adams, Jr., whose orchestral music has been performed internationally from Prague to Iceland.
Built between 1908 and 1911 in Cleveland, the Hay-McKinney Mansion was designed by architect Abram Garfield—the youngest son of President James A. Garfield—for wealthy widow Clara Stone Hay. Although Mrs. Hay carefully oversaw its construction, she never actually lived in the 20,000-square-foot home, leaving it vacant until steel magnate Price McKinney purchased it in 1916. The McKinney family lived there until 1925, making them the only occupants to ever inhabit the grand estate. In 1938, the Western Reserve Historical Society acquired the property and converted it into a museum that displays Gilded Age furniture, decorative arts, and domestic artifacts. Today, it is the only historic mansion in Cleveland regularly open for public tours, featuring standout preservation details like an ornate wooden staircase brought over from the Hays' original home on Millionaires' Row.
The life-sized bronze statue of Stephanie Tubbs Jones in Wade Oval honors the trailblazing Ohio politician and legal professional, recognized as the first Black woman to serve as a Cuyahoga County prosecutor and as a U.S. Representative from Ohio. Created by David Deming, it shows her smiling on a park bench to welcome visitors. The location is special because she grew up nearby and graduated from Case Western Reserve University (twice). She is also honored with a second, abstract steel sculpture at the downtown transit center.
Speaking of Wade Oval, the 7-acre public park is considered the heart of University Circle. It was originally donated to the city in 1882 by Western Union telegraph co-founder Jeptha H. Wade. Before becoming the cultural campus it is today, the land served as Cleveland's very first zoo (mentioned previously), housing deer, lions, and even a sea lion pool until 1907. Wade's donation came with the requirement that an art museum be built on the property, which led to the opening of the Cleveland Museum of Art in 1916 (see next), followed by the Cleveland Museum of Natural History and the Cleveland Botanical Garden. Today, the park is a lively community hub hosting major annual events like the Parade the Circle arts parade and the weekly WOW! Wade Oval Wednesdays summer concert series (pictured above). To make the park even more welcoming outside of big events, a new master plan outlines future upgrades, including a permanent covered pavilion stage, year-round public restrooms, and a dedicated winter market space.
These outdoor musical instrument stations at Wade Oval in University Circle are located in an interactive installation called Harmony Park. Positioned on the open lawn between the Cleveland Museum of Art (next) and the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, these public stations feature durable, weather-resistant percussion instruments like xylophones, marimbas, and chimes. The area is completely free and open to the public daily from dawn to dusk, allowing families, children, and museum visitors to experiment with sound and make music together, like the two guys above who were jammin'.
Opening in 1916, the Cleveland Museum of Art is a world-renowned art museum founded with the mission to exist "for the benefit of all the people, forever". True to this goal, the museum provides free general admission to its permanent collection year-round. It houses over 68,000 works of art that span 6,000 years of human history, with famous collections in Asian and Egyptian art, in particular. The museum features Pablo Picasso's "La Vie", a famous masterpiece from his early Blue Period. The campus blends old and new building styles through several large updates over time. Architect Marcel Breuer added a modern concrete wing to the property in 1971. Later, architect Rafael Viñoly led a $320 million expansion from 2005 to 2013 to connect the structures. This massive renovation created the 39,000-square-foot Ames Family Atrium, a giant glass-roofed indoor plaza where visitors gather. Bonus Fact: In 1970, the radical anti-government group known as the Weathermen bombed the The Thinker sculpture (picked above) as a political protest against the Vietnam War and elitism. The Museum chose to leave the piece unrepaired, making it the only cast in the world to display the scars of political violence. You can see the visable damage if you look closely at the legs.
Inside the museum sits a smaller and undamaged version. The piece is from about 1880. From the plaque: "(Artist August) Rodin orignally conceived The Thinker as an idealized representation of the poet Dante sitting above a doorway for this monumental work titled The Gates of Hell. From his lofty perch, Dante contemplates a vast array of figures writhing in agony, representing humanity conemned to eternal suffering. Rodin admired the figure enough to produce it as an idependent sculpture in various sizes."
A shot inside the Ames Family Atrium. The massive, three-story glass-enclosed space connects the historic and modern wings. It's designed as both a daily public assembly space (featuring a cafe, cocktail bar, and gift shop) and a venue that can host massive gatherings from as few as 100 up to 2,000 guests.
The Fine Arts Garden in Wade Oval was designed by the famous Olmsted Brothers landscape architecture firm and opened in 1928 to transform a formerly neglected area of land into a grand "front yard" for the Cleveland Museum of Art. The garden features a symmetrical layout that's centered around a sunken, hedge-lined lawn called the Zodiac Garden, which holds twelve stone pedestals carved by artist Chester Beach to represent the signs of the zodiac. At the heart of the garden is Beach's 1927 "Fountain of the Waters," a stone fountain decorated with flanking figurative sculptures that symbolize the mythical forces of nature. This public park serves as a seamless connection to the adjacent Wade Lagoon (below), where visitors can walk along stone pathways lined with Japanese cherry blossom trees that draw massive crowds every spring.
Building on that setting, Wade Lagoon serves as the central body of water within the park. Originally created on land donated to the city by industrialist Jeptha Wade in 1882, the lagoon was later re-engineered as part of the Olmsted Brothers' 1920s master plan. Their design centered the water directly with the Cleveland Museum of Art to reflect its marble facade across the surface. A gravel walking path encircles the perimeter of the lagoon, providing access to stone bridges, waterside benches, and the grove of cherry trees. The lagoon also acts as a natural stormwater management feature. Today, it serves as a central public space that connects the museum area directly to the surrounding district.
The Nord Family Greenway is a 15-acre, 2,200-foot-long pedestrian park that connects CWRU's main and west campuses, linking the Hough neighborhood to University Circle. Completed in May 2018 for $15 million, the 300-foot-wide landscaped path starts at East 105th Street by the Maltz Performing Arts Center (below), passes the Chinese Cultural Garden, crosses Martin Luther King Jr. Drive via terraced grass steps, borders the Cleveland Museum of Art, and ends at Freiberger Field on CWRU's campus. The greenway features over 275 new trees on wide public lawns. The university allows the public to use the lawns year-round and reserve them for free to host community events, performances, and outdoor art installations. Notable Fact: The Cleveland Foundation (TCF) served as a major financial donor and planner for the project, contributing $1.5 million in construction grants and a $1 million neighborhood engagement grant. Additionally, TCF pushed for the open-air design by funding the original landscape competition that shifted the project away from an expensive pedestrian bridge.
The Roque Court history plaque inside the Nord Family Greenway marks where popular courts for roque—an American version of croquet played on hard, bordered courts—stood in the early 1900s. The plaque explains that Wade Park and Rockefeller Park built these courts to offer different sports for different social classes. When the greenway was built, developers kept part of the original court structure and an old brick building next to it. These historic features are now part of the Smith Family Gateway, a newer park path that runs along Doan Brook near the Cleveland Museum of Art (seen in the background).
Red Bud trees in full bloom at the Chinese Cultural Garden, which was dedicated on September 21, 1985, as a gift from its sister city, Taipei, Taiwan. Unlike other local cultural gardens, it was built specifically inside Wade Park to face the Cleveland Museum of Art and its famous collection of Chinese imperial artifacts.
The Elysium opened in 1907 at the corner of East 107th Street and Euclid Avenue. Built for $150,000 by Dudley Humphrey and his brothers, who also owned Euclid Beach Park, the arena was named through a public contest and briefly held the undisputed title of the world's largest indoor ice rink. It was an engineering pioneer as the first artificial U.S. rink to embed its refrigeration pipes directly into a concrete floor. During the winter months, the venue provided skating sessions to live band music, but it also enforced strict racial segregation. This discrimination led to two high-profile civil rights lawsuits in 1939 after Black patrons were denied entry. The arena later became a major sports venue for international figure skating and served as the home rink for the Cleveland Falcons professional hockey team. Because the building lacked the seating capacity to handle growing hockey crowds, the team moved to the new Cleveland Arena on Euclid Ave in 1937, and the Elysium closed for skating in 1941. Over its lifetime, its operations were interrupted to serve as military barracks for the Case Institute during World War I, and the building was later used as a bowling alley and a used car showroom. The city finally demolished the structure in 1951 to widen nearby Chester Avenue. Above is an artistically-designed utility box depicting a family enjoying the venue (which was located in the greenspace in the background).
The Mt. Sinai Health Foundation grew out of a grassroots fundraising effort by the Young Ladies' Hebrew Association in 1892, which led to a 29-bed hospital in a private home before opening a major facility in 1903 to give Jewish doctors a place to work free from antisemitic discrimination. Over nearly a century, the hospital integrated with Western Reserve University to train medical professionals, pioneered the city's first emergency medicine residency, operated the only Level I Trauma Center on Cleveland's east side, and achieved clinical breakthroughs like inventing Metzenbaum surgical scissors and completing the first successful separation of conjoined twins in 1952. Facing severe financial challenges within the changing healthcare economy, the medical center sold its operating assets to a for-profit company in 1996 and officially closed its hospital doors in 2000. To preserve the hospital's charitable legacy, its remaining assets were used to establish foundation in 1996, which shortened its name and moved to its current headquarters above at 10501 Euclid Avenue in November 2021. Today, the foundation continues its mission by awarding millions of dollars in grants to support public health initiatives like the Lead Safe Cleveland Coalition, an major community impact that earned the foundation the prestigious Charles Eisenman Award from the Jewish Federation of Cleveland in May 2025.
In addition to sharing space with the American Cancer Society, the foundation's headquarters sits on the exact site of the 1967 Cleveland Summit, where a historic meeting of Black sports stars took place. In October 2023, the monument above called The 1967 Cleveland Summit Statue was unveiled right outside the building. It is a life-sized replica of the press conference table used during that historic day. It honors the attendees - which included Muhammad Ali, Jim Brown, Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and future Cleveland mayor Carl Stokes - who gathered there on June 4, 1967. They met to interview Ali about his religious beliefs and ultimately stood together at that table to publicly support his decision to refuse the Vietnam War draft. It is considered a major turning point in both the Civil Rights Movement and American sports history.
This historic church building at 10515 Chester Avenue was built between 1918 and 1920 by architects Briggs and Nelson as the Fourth Church of Christ, Scientist, featuring an Neoclassical exterior with a massive limestone staircase. In 1980, the Pentecostal Church of Christ - Cleveland's oldest Pentecostal congregation, which grew from a 1935 living-room group and a popular 20-year radio broadcast - purchased the vacant structure to save it from decay. Under Bishop J. Delano Ellis II, the beautifully preserved building rose to national prominence as the headquarters and cathedral for the entire Pentecostal Churches of Christ denomination. Today, it is an official City of Cleveland Landmark and remains active for local ministries and neighborhood outreach programs.
The block of Chester Ave is honorily named after Bishop Ellis (mentioned above) for his leadership.
Fenway Manor opened in 1923 as Fenway Hall, 13-story residential apartment-hotel designed by George B. Post & Sons. In its heyday, Fenway Hall catered to affluent residents and travelers with 192 furnished suites, a ground-floor shopping arcade called "Peacock Alley," and its famous Jade Room supper club, which regularly broadcast live dance band performances over WTAM radio. It was also known for its unique lifestyle amenities, including an indoor golf school, and served as home to players from the Cleveland Falcons hockey team (who played across the street at the Elisium) as well as actors, singers, and celebrities performing at nearby venues. The property changed uses over the decades, operating as the Fenway Motor Inn in the 1960s before CWRU purchased it for graduate student housing. Today, it stands as the final remaining structure from the Doan's Corners era and operates as affordable senior housing. Interesting Fact: The 1966 purchase of a nearby property by Case Institute of Technology and Western Reserve University, prompted by a high-profile crime, acted as a catalyst for their 1967 merger into Case Western Reserve University.
The former Martin Luther King Jr. Branch Library building (1962 Stokes Blvd) opened in 1970 as a major cultural hub for African American literature and community events in University Circle. In January 2025, the facility closed following a property swap between the Cleveland Public Library and Midwest Development Partners to make way for the multi-phase Circle Square development (more on that below). The Cleveland City Planning Commission approved the demolition of the structure in April 2026 to clear land for a high-rise retail, parking, and hotel tower. Operations have since transitioned to a new 30,000-square-foot facility anchoring the nearby Library Lofts building at 10601 Euclid Avenue, which carries forward the original branch's community legacy.
And here's the new library which officially opened on January 25, 2025. The $21.9 million Library Lofts features a central community stage called the "Table of Brotherhood" inspired by Dr. King's famous speech. It holds the prestigious Anisfield-Wolf Book Award collection, which highlights books that focus on diversity and racism. The two-story space includes modern laptop bars, separate teen and children's areas, and a 24-hour outdoor locker for picking up books at any time. The desing is a result of an international competition launched by the library in 2017, supported by a $93,000 grant from the Cleveland Foundation. Above it is the Library Lofts, which holds 207 apartments. Fun Fact: Spanning nearly 30,000 square feet, it's the largest library building outside of the historic Main Library in downtown.
With the building came new roads, including this one dedicated to the library.
The Artisan is a 24-story, 298-unit luxury apartment building located at Chester Avenue and East 106th Street. Built at a cost of roughly $80 million in 2023, it's part of the broader Circle Square project, $417 million, multi-phase, mixed-use redevelopment project featuring high-rise apartments, public green spaces, retail, and the new MLK library branch + apartments (Library Lofts) mentioned above. 100 years ago, the site was home to Fairmont Junior High where which both comic legend Bob Hope and Olympic great Jesse Owens both attended (here's Owens's team photo). Fun Fact: At 267 feet tall, it is the tallest building in Cleveland outside of Downtown.
Founded in 1831, University Circle United Methodist Church evolved through a series of key mergers, including the 1889 birth of the global Epworth League youth movement at one of its founding churches. Completed in 1928, the church's iconic Gothic building (above) features a copper spire modeled after Mont Saint Michel (Normandy, France), which housed a rare 80-rank echo organ inside its tower, one of only a few such instruments ever installed in the United States. The spire earned the structure its famous local nickname, the "Holy Oil Can." It adopted its current name in 2010 after merging with First United Methodist Church, uniting two of Cleveland's oldest historic congregations. Notable: Renowned architect Bertram Goodhue - who designed such buildings as the Nebraska State Capitol and Los Angelos Public Library - passed away suddenly in 1924 shortly after accepting the commission. It was completed by local Cleveland firm Walker & Weeks, who built Severance Hall and the Cleveland Federal Reserve Bank.
The Wade Park Manor opened on January 4, 1923, as a $4 million luxury hotel designed by the famous architects George B. Post & Sons, immediately becoming the crown jewel of Cleveland's high society. Located at 1890 East 107th Street, the 11-story building featured 400 rooms, marble hallways, and a rooftop sunroom that attracted legendary guests like Walt Disney, Babe Ruth, and Eleanor Roosevelt. The New York Yankees regularly used it as their team headquarters when playing baseball games at nearby League Park. Following financial struggles after the Great Depression, the property was sold in 1964 and eventually transformed into Judson Manor by Judson Retirement Community in 1983. Today, it operates as an upscale senior living community that still preserves its original 1920s plasterwork, woodwork, and grand architectural charm.
Across from the Wade Park Manor building is Virginia Havens Park. Before it became a park, the land was just an empty, overgrown vacant lot. It was completely transformed thanks to Virginia “Ginnie” Havens, a passionate local inner-city school teacher, international traveler, and nature lover who lived her final years at Judson Manor and pushed to beautify the neighborhood. Today, the park features brick-paved walking paths and comfortable benches surrounded by a lovely garden. It does not have typical park amenities like playground structures, public restrooms, or picnic tables. Instead, it serves as a peaceful urban oasis where neighborhood residents, hospital visitors, and local students can sit and relax in nature.
The Park Lane Villa in Cleveland’s University Circle neighborhood opened in 1923 as a luxury "apartment hotel" for the city's wealthiest families. Designed by architect Reynold Hinsdale, the grand building featured an ornate ballroom that served as a major social hub for high society. However, it fell on hard times after World War II, eventually turning into a rundown, federally subsidized low-income housing complex that was condemned and completely emptied in 2003 due to failing utility systems. In a dramatic turnaround, real estate developer The Finch Group bought the abandoned, boarded-up property from the city for just $10 and launched a massive historic restoration. They gutted the cramped, original 184 rooms to create 96 modern luxury apartments while preserving the historic lobby and exterior facade.
The Ronald McDonald House Charities of Northeast Ohio building originally opened its doors down the street on September 25, 1979, by transforming the old College Motel at Euclid Ave & Cornell Rd into a 25-family suite for those traveling to nearby hospitals. By 1994, the organization broke ground on the location above at the historic Euclid Ave & E. 105th Street intersection, creating a modern 53-family stay that includes gardens, communal dining spaces, and family lounges. However, long before McDonald's showed up, this exact ground was the epicenter of Doan's Corners, historically celebrated as "Cleveland's Second Downtown" as noted throughout this post. In the early 1800s, Nathaniel Doan built his log hotel, tavern, and blacksmith shop on this spot. By the 1920s, the intersection had evolved into a bustling entertainment district, home to the 3,000-seat Keith's 105th Street Theater—the vaudeville stage that famously launched comedian Bob Hope - as well as the Alhambra Theater. This corner even made global history in 1914 by installing the world's very first electric traffic signal to manage the chaotic mix of streetcars and early automobiles. Decades later, Winston E. Willis (mentioned earlier in the post) transformed the block into a Black entertainment and retail strip before those historic structures fell to urban renewal wrecking balls, leaving behind a vacant lot that the Cleveland Clinic eventually sold to Ronald McDonald House for just $1.
This section of E. 105 is named in honor of Jamie Ireland who was a prominent Cleveland businessman and civic leader who dedicated his life to supporting the city's cultural institutions, particularly in the University Circle. A descendant of the historic Mather family, he worked as a managing director in venture capital and private equity while serving in major leadership roles, including chairman emeritus of University Circle Inc. and president of the Musical Arts Association, which runs The Cleveland Orchestra. Following his death in 2015 at age 65, his family carried on his legacy of philanthropy by directing memorial gifts back into the arts and community organizations he championed throughout his career.
The Maltz Performing Arts Center was built in 1924 as a grand Byzantine-style synagogue for The Temple–Tifereth Israel, which quickly grew into the largest Reform Jewish congregation in the United States under the famous Rabbi Abba Hillel Silver. The unique seven-sided building features a massive golden dome and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. After the congregation shifted its focus to the suburbs, Case Western Reserve University partnered with them to rescue the decaying landmark through a massive donation from Milton and Tamar Maltz. It was transformed into a state-of-the-art cultural hub, featuring the 1,200-seat Silver Hall concert hall, modern theaters, and classrooms, while still hosting the congregation for special religious services.
CWRU's Sun Farm is a unique outdoor solar laboratory built right where the old Mt. Sinai Hospital (mentioned above) used to stand. Instead of just generating power, this field serves as a live testing ground for the SDLE Research Center to study how weather degrades solar panels over time. In a clever twist, researchers actually use statistical methods inspired by medical epidemiology to "diagnose" panel health, and they feed this real-world data into a multi-million dollar AI project called ArgoPV to predict solar failures before they happen. Supported by motorized tracking racks that follow the sun, this research hub works alongside CWRU's other green features—like the solar roofs on the Tinkham Veale University Center and Adelbert Gym—to advance clean energy data science.
Mt. Sinai Drive connects Hough Ave to E. 105 and is named after the former hospital that was located along it.
The Richard and Annette Bloch Cancer Survivors Plaza is a quiet, 1.8-acre park built to give hope to people fighting cancer. Its main feature is a massive, 50-foot-tall centerpiece column made of sculpted brick that stands out over the landscape (above).
Also part of the plaza is this bronze sculpture by artist Victor Salmones which depicts eight life-sized human figures walking through a maze of doorways, capturing the emotional journey from fear to full recovery. There is also a walk along a curved pathway lined with inspirational plaques meant to build a positive mental attitude, or rest in the peaceful setting. It is one of more than 20 similar plazas built across the country by the co-founder of H&R Block after he survived his own terminal cancer diagnosis.
The Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center started in 1943 as Crile General Hospital, a temporary, 1,000-bed military setup built in Parma Heights during World War II. The Veterans Administration took it over in 1946, but local leaders spent over a decade fighting to move it to its current University Circle spot above, which finally opened in 1964 as the Wade Park VA Hospital. In an unusual setup, it merged with a massive, separate psychiatric VA facility in Brecksville in 1971, forcing the two campuses to share a single budget and split up patients by their medical needs. Today, the fully consolidated hospital overlooks Rockefeller Park and handles a massive daily workload, filling nearly 13,000 prescriptions every single day. It also holds the distinct title of running more specialized Centers of Excellence than any other VA medical infrastructure in the entire United States. The hospital is named after Louis Stokes, who was a World War II veteran and prominent civil rights attorney. Brother of Carl, he became Ohio's first Black congressman, serving Cleveland in the U.S. House of Representatives for 30 years.
University Towers (1575 East Blvd) occupies a prominent architectural corridor bordering Rockefeller Park. Originally constructed during the early 20th-century boom of dense brick apartment blocks and known as Hotel Sovereign, the building suffered severe disinvestment following the social and economic upheavals of the 1966 Hough Uprising. To prevent potential demolition, the Famicos Foundation acquired and completely rehabilitated the building in 2013, converting it into a cornerstone of their neighborhood preservation strategy. Today, the complex serves as a senior affordable housing community.
Located next to University Towers is the Cleveland VA Domiciliary, a residential care facility managed by Volunteers of America in partnership with the adjacent Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center. Built in 2011, the center specializes in helping homeless and vulnerable male and female veterans rebuild their lives. Residents can stay at the facility for up to six months, during which time they receive a full range of supportive services including mental health counseling, substance abuse assessment, job training, and legal assistance. To maintain the area's early-20th-century streetscape, project incorporated the preserved architectural elements of the historic Wade Park Avenue apartment buildings that once occupied the site. The apartment building's brick and stone facades, along with their original arched stone entryways, were structurally integrated into the front exterior of the new building which you can see above. Bronze historical markers are mounted directly onto these sections as well.
The section of Rockefeller Park starting at East 105th Street and heading north to Wade Park Ave (border of University Circle) functions as a historic recreational and cultural gateway that transitions University Circle into a quiet, wooded ravine. Immediately north of this intersection, the parkway features the Rockefeller Park Lagoon for neighborhood fishing, the Judge Jean Murrell Capers Tennis Courts, and the paved Harrison Dillard Bikeway for cyclists and runners/walkers.
The Judge Jean Murrell Capers Tennis Courts, located in Cleveland's Rockefeller Park at East 105th Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, have served as a historic sports hub and official city landmark since the site was established around 1910. In 1952, the courts became the permanent home of the Forest City Tennis Club, which was founded in 1912 and is recognized as the nation's oldest continuously operating Black tennis club. Originally nicknamed "The Rock," the city officially renamed the facility in 2012 to honor Judge Jean Murrell Capers, who was the first Black woman elected to Cleveland City Council in 1949 and the first Black woman to win the Greater Cleveland Tennis Championship in 1938. Most recently, the City of Cleveland completed a major $1.5 million modernization project in August 2025, completely rebuilding the historic complex with premium repaved courts, updated fencing, and state-of-the-art LED lighting.
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The courts have long hosted Cleveland’s leg of the historic Tri-City Tennis Tournament - a regional competition rotating annually between Cleveland, Detroit, and Chicago since 1946 - as well as the annual, USTA-sanctioned Forest City Open, traditionally held over Memorial Day weekend. Following the City's major upgrade of the courts in 2025 (metioned above), the venue expanded its tournament portfolio by hosting the inaugural Chambers/Wiley Tennis Classic in August 2026 (pictured above).
The Wade Park Avenue Bridge is a massive sandstone arch bridge built around 1900 to serve as the grand entrance to Rockefeller Park. Famous architect Charles F. Schweinfurth (mentioned earlier in the post) designed it using money donated by John D. Rockefeller, who wanted a beautiful parkway for the city. Schweinfurth built unique, curving stone staircases right into the side of the bridge so people could easily walk between the upper street level and the lower park paths (as demonstrated by my partner Christine above). It was also designed specifically to keep fast horse carriages on top completely separate from quiet walkers down below. Today, the historic bridge stands directly over Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and serves as the official southern gateway to the Cleveland Cultural Gardens.
The Jesse Owens Olympic Oak Plaza is a public memorial park in Rockefeller Park that honors track star Jesse Owens. Opened in September 2023, the plaza features a young English Oak tree that is a direct genetic clone of the original tree Owens planted at Cleveland's James Ford Rhodes High School after winning four gold medals at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. The plaza includes a 200-meter paved running track (above), distance markers showing Owens’ historic long jump, and a decorative tile wall featuring his quotes. Visitors can read historical plaques along the path that detail his childhood in Cleveland, his athletic achievements, and his lifelong work for civil rights.
And finally we end with this peaceful shot of the Rockefeller Lagoon, which ties together the park's nearby landmarks mentioned above. Originally built in 1894, this artificial pond sits right across the street from the historic tennis courts and is home to Jesse Owens Plaza. In its early days, the lagoon was twice its current size, featuring a boathouse with rowboats and serving as a major regional hub for winter ice skating. However, in 1953, the city's controversial removal of those rowboats sparked intense civil rights protests over racial discrimination just as the local Glenville community was changing. Today, the scaled-down water feature is still a neighborhood anchor, regularly stocked with trout and catfish for community fishing that takes place right along the water's edge.
Total Distance (Neighborhood): 34.25 mi
Total Distance (So Far): 1,078.75 mi
Progress Map
Progress Map