Volume 5 - Issue 2 - Summer 2013

The West Cleveland Kiwanis Club recently celebrated the founding of a new charter at an event held April 10th at Market Garden Brewery on W. 25th Street.The new club will serve the Ohio City and Detroit Shoreway neighborhoods.

Local members have already been active in supporting neighborhood improvement projects. This spring, The West Cleveland Kiwanis Club partnered with The Lakewood Kiwanis Club to conduct a spring cleanup of the beautiful garden at Malachi House.  The garden serves as a peaceful location to relax, reflect and pray. During the cleanup, volunteers discovered a fountain beneath the leaves and winter debris that is notoperational. The club has now set its sights on its next goal - fixing or replacing the fountain.

New to Ohio City, Town Hall offers a variety of fresh, healthy foods and juices along with an extensive selection of beer, wine and cocktails. The restaurant also offers three different restaurant experiences for guests, who  can enjoy their food in a casual cafe, full-service dining room or seated on the beautiful front or back patios.

After spending a few years in Florida, Cleveland native Christa Fitch returned home to open Town Hall. This isn’t Christa’s first time opening a restaurant, but this is her first time opening a restaurant in Ohio City. Along with being passionate about Town Hall, Christa is passionate about the Ohio City community and wants  Town Hall to add a unique component to the culture and excitement of the area.

Are you from the Cleveland area?
Yes, I grew up in Rocky River. I attended Bowling Green State University, lived in Southwest Florida for 3 years and now I’m back in the Cleveland area, living in Lakewood.

2012 Legacy Award
WEEKEND IN OHIO CITY EVENT COMMITTEE

It has long been said that home is where the heart is, and Ohio City residents have long been opening their hearts by inviting the public into their homes.

However, the 25-year-old annual Ohio City Home Tour, now known as a part of Weekend in Ohio City, could not open any doors without its volunteer events committee.

Most college students probably prefer to leave simple living behind when they graduate and seek a full-time job. Yet it’s fair to say members of the Jesuit Volunteer Corps are not your typical college graduates.

For a one-year stint, the young people who sign up to participate in the JVC program scrimp on worldly delights to help the poor. The JVC is a national service program that places young people at nonprofit agencies and schools in order to serve marginalized communities in the U.S. and in developing countries.

For over 40 years, 6-8 JV’s have moved to Cleveland annually to join the program. For the past 30 years, the Cleveland JV’s have lived in a Church Avenue home owned by longtime Ohio City residents Bill and Jean Merriman. 

When school bells ring across Ohio City, many local students are making productive use of their time. They’re joining Saint Ignatius High School students for after-school programs over the course of the school year.

From Monday through Thursday, students in the third through eighth grades join nine after-school programs on the St. Ignatius campus. These programs recently concluded until the start of the school year in September, yet the relationships built through these mentoring programs remain as vibrant memories for everyone involved. 

Leading Cleveland real estate company Abode has donated six new Cleveland Select Pear trees to Market Square Park, along with bronze bench placards that serve to commemorate Cleveland history.

Each of the donated Cleveland Select Pear trees symbolizes a key Ohio City stakeholder or event that has helped to shape one of Cleveland’s most vibrant, well-loved neighborhoods. 

According to Justin Campbell and Andrew Brickman, Partners with Abode, the donation of trees “symbolizes Abode’s commitment to Cleveland as a world-class city. When you can make urban living eco-friendly, it has appeal.”

The partners add, “We’re excited that the Ohio City community shares our vision.”

Abode is well-known as the developer of modern luxury townhome communities that include 27 Coltman, Eleven River and Clifton Pointe. The firm is known as a forward-thinking, creative company on the leading edge of sustainable homebuilding.

The summer months are arguably the best and busiest time time of year in Ohio City. There is something for everyone, every day of the week, from live music and unique outdoor entertainment to family-friendly programming that makes good use of wonderful neighborhood parks like Fairview and Greenwood. Take advantage of all of the summer happenings in our neighborhood!

Developers have broken ground on a new, single-family home on West 45th Street between Bridge and Franklin, the first new single-family home to be built in Ohio City since the Great Recession.
The home, being developed by a partnership between David Fragapane of Civic Builders and Keith Brown and David Sharkey of Progressive Urban Real Estate, is part of a four-unit development on a stretch of empty lots that have grown weeds for well over a decade. 

The developers intended to break ground before the recession hit, but the project stalled out in 2008. Recently, it’s come back to life with the uptick in the housing market, which improved with the economy.
“The house has a very efficient, open floor plan with hardwood floors,” says Sharkey. “This is a big lot for the city, and there will ultimately be four contiguous homes on West 45th.”

Quietly tucked away in the northeast corner of our neighborhood sits one of the most storied churches in all of Ohio. St. John’s, built in 1836, is the oldest church in Cuyahoga County, and one of the oldest in the state. For the past 177 years, St. John’s has been a spiritual home to mayors, senators, ambassadors, and captains of industry – but its real significance is for serving as a home to those without power, prestige, or prominence. St. John’s – through its abolitionist parishioners and the citizens of Ohio City – became known as Station Hope, a temporary refuge for those seeking freedom along the Underground Railroad. Yet, this national landmark has sat empty for too long.

Ohio City will once again be transformed on Wednesday nights this July as the Cleveland Museum of Art launches a free summer arts series. CMA Ohio City Stages, presented by Charter One, will bring acclaimed global music artists to a stage on the blocks surrounding The Transformer Station.

In addition to the diverse, award-winning musicians, films by contemporary artists will be shown on the Transformer Station lawn at West 29th and Church. Food and beverage will be available for purchase at the event.

CMA Ohio City Stages has been spearheaded by Bellwether, a project of CMA’s Contemporary Arts Society.