Misplaced Pages

#250749

76-712: Originally, in the 1990s there was to be a Westin Hotel built in Cleveland in The Flats and was to have 416 rooms; however this project never materialized. The Westin here then completes plans to have a Westin present in the central city since at least the late 1980s. The Westin was built as the Bond Court Hotel in the mid-1970s with the intent of being linked to the neighboring Penton Media Building but partially collapsed when originally under construction in 1974. On

152-419: A foundation. A semi-skilled dockworker's home (built prior to 1852) exhibited a deep foundation and a false facade of commercially manufactured brick. A middle-class professional worker's house had a sandstone foundation and wood frame construction, and was two and a half stories high. The limited photographic evidence available also indicates a community of well-constructed homes on level ground. Descriptions of

228-415: A history zone, with boardwalks over excavated archeological sites. From Riverbed Street to the shoreline would be a riverfront zone, with pedestrian promenade and man-made wetland. Paths would zigzag across the park, connecting the zones. A 22-foot (6.7 m) high canopy walkway in the neighborhood park and history zones would allow pedestrians to access residential areas on north of the park via an arch in

304-457: A number of temporary shacks were erected. The 80,000-square-foot (7,400 m ) Lederer Terminal Warehouse opened at 1530 Riverbed about 1920. A Hooverville grew up on the largely vacant Irishtown Bend in the 1930s. Most oral histories and written descriptions depicting housing here as a "shanty town" date to this period. Only five homes still stood in the area in 1952, and all of these had long been vacant. A garage made of concrete block

380-547: A residential community for Irish immigrants in the 1850s after the Great Famine of Ireland caused a massive wave of Irish immigration to the United States. By 1870, 10 percent of Cleveland's 100,000 residents were Irish. Nearly all the residents of Irishtown Bend after 1850 were predominantly unskilled laborers. Eighty residential parcels were laid out by the city. Irishtown Bend is frequently referred to in

456-603: Is the name given to both a former Irish American neighborhood and a landform located on the Flats of the west bank of the Cuyahoga River in the city of Cleveland in the U.S. state of Ohio in the United States. The landform consists of a tight meander in the Cuyahoga River, and the steep hillside above this meander. The neighborhood of Irish immigrants and Irish Americans emerged about 1830. Portions of

532-707: The Cleveland Museum of Natural History , began a three-year-long series of archaeological digs at Irishtown Bend. The archaeological dig generated interest in preserving the site and making it accessible to the public. After two years of work by six governmental planning agencies, the Cuyahoga County Planning Commission released a report in April 1992 that recommended an 18-mile (29 km) series of parks, protected areas, trails, and other new infrastructure to connect Lake Erie with

608-744: The Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati Railroad in Cleveland, but a crossing of the Cuyahoga was never effected. The Atlantic and Great Western Railroad leased the C&;M in July 1863, and agreed to complete the line within the Cleveland city limits. Work on a new passenger depot at the Scranton Flats began in August 1863, and the tracks to the new depot were completed on November 4. In March 1880,

684-680: The Cuyahoga Valley National Park to the south of Cleveland. The report advocated a series of biking and hiking trails at Irishtown Bend and "the Angle" to link the area with Whiskey Island to the north and the Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath Trail and other parks and trails in the south. With the instability of the Irishtown Bend making it increasingly clear that the area should not be used for important infrastructure,

760-529: The Detroit-Superior Bridge , a distance of about 2,500 feet (760 m). It extends from the shore of the Cuyahoga River up the hill to Franklin Avenue and W. 25th Street. The summit of the west side plateau is roughly 100 feet (30 m) above the river. The Irishtown Bend neighborhood was part of a larger Irish enclave in Cleveland known as "the Angle". The other section of the Angle

836-474: The Ohio and Erie Canal Corridor, is also being restored to provide jogging and bike trails for city residents and to preserve part of the Flats history. Whiskey Island has also been purchased by Cuyahoga County in hopes of making it more accessible to residents in the form of a lakefront park. The water quality of the river has also improved since 1970, with fish populations returning increasingly each year. In 2017, Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville opened on

SECTION 10

#1732787188251

912-493: The Rust Belt . LTV 's repeated bankruptcies finally led to the closing their plants in 2000 (including Cleveland's plant), until investors formed ISG and resumed scaled-back operations. Over the second half of the 20th century, much of the industry and manufacturing in the Flats closed, leaving decaying buildings and persistent pollution. The chemical-clotted Cuyahoga River caught fire several times; most recently in 1969. In

988-529: The Slavic Village . The mills were the pillar of the city's economy and the largest consumer of water and electricity. Post-war recessions and production shifts to China and Europe hit the steel industry hard. Layoffs in the late 1970s forced many to find work elsewhere, or support from welfare programs. During this time, Cleveland, along with other industrial cities in the region like Youngstown , Pittsburgh , Detroit and Gary , had become known as

1064-834: The Atlantic & Great Western emerged from bankruptcy as a new company, the New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio Railroad (NYP&O). In the spring of 1886, the NYP&;O extended the old C&M route in Cleveland by crossing the base of the Scranton Peninsula, curving around Irishtown Bend, and crossing "the Angle" to reach and then bridge the Old Ship Channel. Trains began running July 4. Docks were built on either side of Columbus Road on Irishtown Bend. The rail yards extended for nearly 2 miles (3.2 km) along

1140-447: The Cuyahoga River in this area was so extensive, the C&MV had a rail yard eight tracks wide along Irishtown Bend to accommodate it. The navigable Cuyahoga River in and near Cleveland has a number of exceptionally tight meanders . As Great Lakes freighters became increasingly larger near the end of the 1800s, these meanders became a hindrance to river traffic. The city of Cleveland the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers worked together over

1216-582: The Cuyahoga River shoreline on either side of Columbus Road and slightly downstream of Columbus Road, the coal tipple near the Detroit-Superior Bridge, and the foundations of the Lederer Terminal Warehouse still exist. Much of the archeologically important evidence lies beneath 2 to 7.5 feet (0.61 to 2.29 m) of soil. This soil comes from grading of land after the demolition of adjacent properties, soil pushed over

1292-607: The Detroit-Superior Bridge (rather than descending all the way to the riverbank or up onto W. 25th Street). The proposed park design was submitted to the Cleveland Planning Commission on September 1, 2017. The state of Ohio approved $ 2.5 million ($ 3,000,000 in 2023 dollars) to support stabilization of Irishtown Bend in March 2018, half what had been sought by backers of the park. Cuyahoga County leased two acres (parcels 003-21-001 and 003-20-004) adjacent to

1368-585: The Dover River's northward flow. Water backed up, until it began to flow southward along the course of the ancestral Tuscarawas River . As the ice sheet retreated, it left behind a recessional moraine near Akron, Ohio . The ice sheet retreated further, then made a minor advance. This advance left behind another recessional moraine near Defiance, Ohio . These moraines acted like dams, trapping water between them. The ephemeral lakes that formed laid down extensive deposits of clay and silt . Streams flowing down

1444-574: The East Bank of the Flats is being developed and financed by the Wolstein Group and Fairmount Properties. Opening in June 2013, the $ 275 million first phase included a 23-story office tower, 8-story Aloft hotel , restaurants, and a 16,000 sq. ft. health club, The office tower has been named the " Ernst and Young building." The two anchor tenants include the law firm Tucker Ellis and West, and

1520-488: The East Bank of the Flats. Another mixed use development, Thunderbird, was announced for Scranton Peninsula, in June, 2018. In late 2021, radio station WKNR AM 850 moved its studios from the Galleria to a new location on the East Bank of The Flats. 41°29′31″N 81°41′46″W  /  41.492°N 81.696°W  / 41.492; -81.696 Irishtown Bend Archeological District Irishtown Bend

1596-527: The East bank, Cleveland Aquarium, a performance venue/bar on the West Bank, along with a piano bar, two breweries, a water taxi between the East Bank and the West Bank and many other upscale amenities have changed what was as recently as 2010 a ghost town. Apartments above the tourist area rent in the $ 2000 range, and activity in the Flats might now be surpassing its former glory. The canal's towpath , part of

SECTION 20

#1732787188251

1672-458: The Flats inhospitable with humid summers that brought airborne illness and harsh winters with strong winds and snowfall off Lake Erie . Many took to higher ground in current-day Downtown. Cleveland developed slowly until the arrival of the Ohio and Erie Canal , which brought a trade route from the Ohio River and other southern Ohio cities. The heavily Irish immigrant workforce that built

1748-575: The Irishtown Bend. Between 1987 and 1989, the Department of Archaeology at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History began excavations at the site of three former homes in the Irishtown Bend residential district. The histories of the three families were documented using archival and genealogical sources, and the artifacts from the sites revealed the economic status of each family. The archaeological dig generated interest in preserving

1824-490: The Superior Viaduct to the park planning organizations in April 2018. The terms of the lease are $ 1 per year, with an initial term of 25 years. It is renewable for an additional 50 years, up to a total of 99 years. The planning organizations have an option to buy, but the county will retain an easement to allow inspection of the former bridge. The Irishtown Bend Archeological District is a historic site located on

1900-525: The Westerly Low-Level Interceptor about 30 feet (9.1 m) below Riverbed Street. The tunnel was poorly designed, and constructed in an area known to be prone to subsidence. In 1914, construction began on the Detroit-Superior Bridge at the north end of Irishtown Bend. The railroad tracks ran beneath one of the arches of the bridge. The railroad dock was moved 200 feet (61 m) upstream in 1917 to accommodate construction of

1976-411: The area as a "shantytown" appear to be rooted in anti-Irish sentiment, rather than fact. Between 1860 and 1880, the nature of Irishtown Bend had changed. Instead of Irish immigrants, most residents of the area were first-generation Irish Americans. Beginning in 1880, Irish residents were displaced by immigrants from Eastern Europe, primarily Hungarians . Although Irish Americans continued to own most of

2052-409: The area became industrial in the late 1800s. By 1900, most Irish residents had left the area, and it became an Eastern European immigrant enclave. The neighborhood went into significant decline for several reasons, and what little remained of it was razed at the end of the 1950s. No commercial or residential buildings existed at the site by the 1980s, when archeological digs began. In 1990, a portion of

2128-490: The banks of the Cuyahoga River . In 1796, Moses Cleaveland and his survey party landed on the banks of the Cuyahoga upon their arrival from Connecticut . Early settlers included Lorenzo Carter , whose land holdings included much of what makes up today's East Bank entertainment district, including Whiskey Island , which was created when the mouth of the river was straightened by the Corps of Engineers . Early residents found

2204-689: The canal took residence on the West Bank of the Flats and neighboring Ohio City . Ohio City's rise, fueled by the produce that flowed from Medina County farms along U.S. 42 to the West Side Market , was soon viewed as a threat to Cleveland's development. In response, Cleveland destroyed its half of a floating bridge at Main Street (Main Street Bridge, located near the Cleveland Memorial Shoreway crossing) which

2280-407: The city of Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, several nonprofits, and landowners at Irishtown Bend began parallel discussions in 2006 about the future of the area and the abandoned railroad tracks. In January 2009, these groups issued a report, the "Flats Connections Plan", which advocated turning the abandoned trackbed between Kingsbury Run and Whiskey Island into a biking-hiking trail. The plan also included

2356-558: The city of Cleveland, the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority, and the nonprofit park advocacy group LAND Studio in a planning effort to begin the work of designing the park and the trail that would run through it. The now-17-acre (69,000 m2) park included the summit of hillside, an area occupied by Ohio City Farms, four buildings, and a parking lot. Public meetings about the park design began to be held in June 2017. A revised park design

Westin Hotel Cleveland - Misplaced Pages Continue

2432-524: The cliff onto the hillside during construction of the CMHA housing, illegal refuse and soil dumping, erosion, and possibly disturbances during squatter occupation of the site during the Great Depression . Despite being covered by fill dirt and regraded extensively, most archeologically important evidence still remains undisturbed in the historic district. The Irishtown Bend Archeological District

2508-407: The construction of a new pedestrian bridge over the Old Ship Channel of the Cuyahoga River to reconnect the tracks with the old rail yard on Whiskey Island. Another of the plan proposed converting the Irishtown Bend hillside into a park, playgrounds, and wetlands. Initial design work for trail began in 2009. The Cuyahoga County Planning Commission took over planning for the pedestrian bridge linking

2584-493: The cry of "Two bridges or none," marched on the new bridge with guns, axes, and other tools. They met a mob of Cleveland residents ready to fight; the ensuing "Bridge War" was put down by county sheriff's officers. The courts ultimately forced Cleveland to rebuild its half of the Main Street Bridge, but the damage had been done, and Ohio City soon became the first area to be annexed by the larger city. A recession in

2660-546: The early 1990s, the Flats had the highest concentration of bars in the Midwest , with both locally owned bars, nightclubs, and national restaurant chains lining both sides of the river from the mouth to the Oxbow bend. The Flats and Cleveland had soon become an entertainment mecca and destination for the region. The Flats Oxbow Association was formed to help redevelop the Flats, and housing development soon followed on both sides of

2736-465: The emergence of medium fault scarps have occurred along Riverbed Street to the water, indicating the failure of the toe of the slope (likely due to failure of 1950s-era bulkheads) and increased water in the soil. There is evidence that a failure plane exists about 100 feet (30 m) behind the surface of the hillside. The Irishtown Bend landform is located on the west bank of the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland, Ohio. It runs from Columbus Road downstream to

2812-425: The glass shelters, and demolishing ticket booths. At Settlers Landing , crews will restore eight etched glass panels that act as wind screens. The artwork depicts scenes of Cleveland's settlement and the evolution of transportation. Several restaurants, bars, a 1200-foot boardwalk, and apartments opened as a part of Phase 2 in 2015. By 2017, the Flats was once again vibrant and tourist friendly. New restaurants on

2888-413: The hillside to be unstable. About 15 feet (4.6 m) above the mean water line, the shear strength is 1,000 pounds per square foot (48 kPa), while at the top of the hill the shear strength is 2,000 pounds per square foot (96 kPa). Geological data indicate that the hill is sliding into the river at a rate of about 2 inches (51 mm) per year. Extensive fill dirt was placed on the slope from

2964-499: The hillside. Road and sewer repair, the construction of a "lake link" trail through the area, and the establishment of a large new public park at Irishtown Bend were put on hold while funding was sought for the stabilization effort. Funds raised for the $ 28 million ($ 34,800,000 in 2023 dollars) bulkhead restoration project totaled $ 10.5 million ($ 13,100,000 in 2023 dollars) by November 2017, with several funding sources still being sought. In 1987, Dr. Alfred M. Lee, an archaeologist at

3040-783: The land at Irishtown Bend, fully half the residents of the area were of Eastern European descent by 1900. By this time, Irish Americans still living in Irishtown Bend were skilled or semi-skilled workers, and the new immigrant residents of the neighborhood appear to have chosen the Bend as their new home because they, too, were skilled or semi-skilled. At its height, Irishtown Bend had 119 buildings, including 78 residences housing 138 families. Beginning about 1898, Irishtown Bend began to be abandoned as residents moved into better homes elsewhere and strict national immigration limits meant there were few immigrants to replace them. A third of all residences had been demolished by 1912. Many more were vacant, and

3116-454: The largest tenant, Ernst and Young . The 450,000 sq. ft. office tower is all Class A office space and features a green, open-air rooftop terrace. The initial opening restaurants and bars included Ken Stewart's, Lago, Flip Side and Wileyville. Two Waterfront Line Cleveland RTA stations , Settlers Landing station and Main Avenue station received $ 375,000 upgrades. Work at both stations includes replacing brick and concrete pavers, repairing

Westin Hotel Cleveland - Misplaced Pages Continue

3192-520: The late 1950s to the early 1960s. This increased pressure on the soil below, turning what had been a dormant or slow slide into an accelerated one. Regrading of the hillside occurred afterward, after which significant slope instability began. Fault scarps (ranging in size from a few inches to several feet) exist at the top of the slope (where the slope meets the West Side Plateau) and along Franklin Avenue. Since about 2004, subsidence and

3268-664: The lead in identifying a solution for stabilizing the soil at Irishtown Bend in October 2012. In 2009, the Corps of Engineers estimated that stabilizing the hillside would cost $ 219 million ($ 311,000,000 in 2023 dollars). A 17-month study of the site by the Port Authority led to a new estimate of just $ 49 million ($ 63,000,000 in 2023 dollars) in February 2015. Ohio City Inc. (a nonprofit community development corporation ) led

3344-598: The main line of the now-removed railroad track. Problems with water saturating the northern end of Irishtown Bend and worsening the hill's stability problems were first identified in 1960, when the Erie-Lackawanna Railroad tracks north of the Lederer Terminal Warehouse subsided significantly and had to be repaired. An investigation by the CMHA concluded that saturated soil was the culprit, and blamed either an unspecified nearby broken water line or an unknown natural spring. A landslide occurred in 1966, which

3420-421: The mid-1980s, the Flats saw a resurgence as an entertainment destination. Underground music venues appeared on the East Bank, while mainstream development first took place on the West Bank. The Powerhouse, built to power the city's cable cars, was renovated to include multiple bars, restaurants, and an outdoor music venue. Other warehouses and buildings were also renovated into nightlife destinations. At its peak in

3496-477: The mid-19th century caused the Cleveland Centre mixed commercial and residential plan to collapse, and the land was purchased by industrialists connected to the canal and growing railroad lines. The cities' poor Irish lived along the West Bank in the " Irish Ghetto " near the intersection of Columbus, Carter, Franklin, and Riverbed Roads. Shipmen would find services at establishments like the "Flat Iron",

3572-467: The next six decades to implement a plan to widen the river in a number of places, especially where the meanders were tight. Irishtown Bend was one of the key trouble spots. The first extensive cuts on the west bank of the river occurred in August 1940. Steel sheet bulkheads were driven vertically into the riverbed at the shoreline to help hold back the land above. The widening was only partially completed when World War II broke out and delayed completion of

3648-600: The northern section of the trail (from the Detroit-Superior Bridge to the Old Ship Channel) in August 2016, and it opened on June 9, 2017. Work on the middle section of the trail was delayed pending stabilization of the Irishtown Bend hillside. Cleveland Metroparks said it would seek bids to build the Whiskey Island pedestrian bridge before the end of 2017, and hoped to complete work at the end of 2019. The Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority took

3724-488: The oldest Irish Bar in the Flats, which was originally a four-story cafeteria and inn. Lumberyards lined the river with freshly cut wood waiting to be shipped. John D. Rockefeller 's Standard Oil Company on the East Bank was putting Cleveland on the map as an industrial power. The Flats' industrial legacy, however, would be defined by its steel mills , located along the river south of the Tremont neighborhood and west of

3800-512: The preglacial Teays River and Dover River carved most of the ancient Cuyahoga River valley into the Devonian and Permian bedrock of Ohio. At least four major glacial periods covered Ohio in ice during the last two million years. The glaciers that swept over the land left behind unsorted till and sorted outwash . Between 25,000 and 14,000 years ago, the Wisconsin glaciation blocked

3876-536: The press and popular histories as a " shanty town ". Nelson J. Callahan and William F. Hickey, historians of Cleveland's Irish community, state that nearly all the homes in Irishtown Bend were "shanties" (shacks), their riverside ends built on stilts over the steep ground. Archeological evidence from a Cleveland Museum of Natural History investigation in the 1980s indicates a starkly different picture of solidly built wood frame homes, built on level ground and many with concrete or stone foundations. The neighborhood

SECTION 50

#1732787188251

3952-422: The project. A 15-year postwar battle to win funding for completion of the river widening project finally concluded in the 1950s, and the west bank once more widened and bulkheaded in 1958. Although records are scanty, a brick sewer was built along what is now Riverbed Street some time about 1900. In 1947, Cleveland sewer district engineers built a 60-inch (150 cm) brick and concrete sewer tunnel known as

4028-580: The remains of the Superior Viaduct in 2005. In September 2010, Cleveland Rowing Foundation closed a deal to reclaim 6.5 acres (2.6 ha) of vacant, industrialized land to create Rivergate Park, a public park devoted to rowing , canoeing, kayaking and dragon-boating . The Greater Cleveland Aquarium opened its doors on Jan. 21, 2012 in the FirstEnergy Powerhouse on the West Bank of the Flats. The 70,000-square-foot building

4104-423: The river, with new construction and warehouses being converted into condominiums and apartments . The Flats' 20th century heyday as an entertainment destination was short-lived. Three drowning deaths in one month in 2000, along with a city crackdown on fire and health code violations led to the closing of many bars. Patrons becoming scared off due to safety concerns led to a sharp decrease in business. While this

4180-498: The shores of Lake Erie near the mouth of the Cuyahoga. This area, which later became known as Whiskey Island , was a peninsula which in 1827 was cut off by the creation of a new mouth of the Cuyahoga River. In the 1830s, the rapidly-expanding Cleveland economy had drawn more Irish to the area, doubling the size of the enclave and establishing "the Angle" as an adjunct to the Irish community on Whiskey Island. Irishtown Bend emerged as

4256-491: The sides of the moraines left behind alluvial fans and deltas . This left the ancient Dover River valley buried beneath as much as 500 feet (150 m) of various types of soil. About 10,000 years ago, several streams joined together north of the Defiance moraine and eroded their way through the buried Dover River valley to Lake Erie . Headward erosion eventually breached both the Defiance and Akron moraines and tapped into

4332-730: The site and making it accessible to the public. The Irishtown Bend Archeological District was added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 25, 1990. It is bounded by Riverbed Street, Russia Street, Franklin Avenue, and Columbus Road. These streets (some of which no longer exist) defined the residential area during the 19th century. Construction of the Lederer Warehouse Terminal and CMHA public housing essentially destroyed any archeological evidence which may have existed north of Russia Street or west or south of Franklin Avenue. Remnants of coal docks on

4408-588: The site where the Westin now stands used to be the Auditorium Hotel, which was razed to make way for the Bond Court Hotel in the early 1970s. The property was formerly known as the Sheraton Downtown (when Sheraton took over operation in the 1980s) and Crowne Plaza Downtown Cleveland until the mid 2000s. In serious decline since the 1990s, The Crowne Plaza hotel was renovated in 2013–2014 and

4484-678: The site, known as the Irishtown Bend Archeological District , was added to the National Register of Historic Places . Beginning in 2006, efforts began to stabilize the soil of Irishtown Bend, preserve the archeological history of the site, and convert the area into a park, with construction beginning in 2023. During the Mesozoic Era and until the end of the Tertiary period of the Cenozoic Era,

4560-657: The southward flowing Tuscarawas River. As water levels receded, the northward-flowing Cuyahoga separated from the Tuscarawas (which still flows southward to this day). Irishtown Bend reflects the complex geology created over the last 252 million years. The Devonian shale bedrock of the area is overlain by 40 to 60 feet (12 to 18 m) of compact glacial till, followed by 20 to 30 feet (6.1 to 9.1 m) of stiff clay, 30 feet (9.1 m) of weak clay, 20 feet (6.1 m) of silt, 10 feet (3.0 m) of sand, and 10 to 20 feet (3.0 to 6.1 m) of fill dirt . These layers cause

4636-491: The southwest bank of the Old Ship Channel, around Irishtown Bend, in Tremont, and east of Broadway Avenue in Cleveland's North Broadway and South Broadway neighborhoods. Docks were built just north of where the tracks curved westward to pass under Detroit Avenue. The railroad built a new, steam-operated dock in 1912 near what is now the Detroit-Superior Bridge. It was designed by a local firm, Wellman Engineering. Traffic along

SECTION 60

#1732787188251

4712-542: The street from the Cleveland Public Hall to its west. 41°30′12.7″N 81°41′29.3″W  /  41.503528°N 81.691472°W  / 41.503528; -81.691472 The Flats The Flats is a mixed-use industrial, recreational, entertainment, and residential area of the Cuyahoga Valley neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio , U.S. The name reflects its low-lying topography on

4788-461: The street in January 2006, major cracks reappeared only two weeks later. The city ordered the street closed as a safety measure. Throughout 2007, the subsidence worsened, with the eastern half of Riverbed Street dropping by more than 4 feet (1.2 m). After seven years and several studies, local authorities settled in February 2015 on a $ 49 million ($ 63,000,000 in 2023 dollars) plan to stabilize

4864-600: The trail to Whiskey Island, and was considering four design finalists by October 2014. A design by Miguel Rosales / Schlaich Bergermann Partner / Osborn Engineering was chosen as the preferred alternative in June 2015. The George Gund Foundation gave $ 2 million ($ 2,700,000 in 2023 dollars) to the project in November 2011, and The Cleveland Foundation made a $ 5 million ($ 6,400,000 in 2023 dollars) gift in August 2014. In honor of The Cleveland Foundation gift, Cleveland Metroparks (designer, builder, and eventual maintainer of

4940-520: The trail) said the path would be renamed the Cleveland Foundation Centennial Lake Link Trail. The Cleveland Foundation Centennial Lake Link Trail was constructed in three phases. Work began on the south leg of the Cleveland Foundation Centennial Lake Link Trail (from the head of the Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath Trail to Columbus Road) in the fall of 2014, and it opened on August 13, 2015. Work began on

5016-678: The western abutments of the bridge. In December 1959, the Cleveland Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA) purchased 22 acres (89,000 m ) of land along the Irishtown Bend with the intent of building public housing on the site. The area encompassed by the purchase was bounded by Bridge Avenue, W. 25th Street, Detroit Avenue, and the railroad tracks. CMHA's 15-story Riverview Towers opened in January 1964. Another 15 three-story "garden apartments" were built around Riverview Towers between W. 25th Street, Bridge Avenue, and Franklin Avenue. Extensive fill dirt

5092-413: Was working class , not poor, and most homes were "1 or 2 story, single family, frame structures." One excavated structure (probably from the 1850s or 1860s) featured a look-out basement with walls of dressed sandstone and a brick floor. A poor widow's home (built prior to 1872) had a brick foundation and wood frame construction, and was two stories high. It also had two wood frame outbuildings, each with

5168-556: Was a boon for the redevelopment for the Warehouse District , the area just up the hill from the East Bank, it sent shock waves through the Flats' redevelopment. Most of the East Bank went "dark" due to the number of businesses that have closed. In the early 2000s, The West Bank fared better than the East Bank with longtime businesses like Shooters and the Harbor Inn remaining open, and the construction of condominiums at

5244-466: Was bounded by W. 28th Street, Division Avenue, and the river. People of Irish descent first settled in Cleveland in large numbers about 1825. Most of the men had been workers on the Erie Canal , and as work on the canal ended they settled in Cleveland and moved their families to the small but growing town. Anti-Irish discrimination was strong, and the Irish were forced to settle on high ground along

5320-442: Was built at Irishtown Bend between 1952 and 1954, but this appears to be the only new construction in several decades. What was left of Irishtown Bend was razed in the mid to late 1950s. The Cleveland and Mahoning Railroad (C&M; later the Cleveland and Mahoning Valley Railroad ) was founded in 1848 and authorized to build a line from Cleveland to Warren, Ohio , and then into Pennsylvania. The railroad intended to connect with

5396-476: Was constructed in the late 19th century to generate electricity for the city’s cable cars. Plans were first unveiled in the summer of 2005 include leveling most of buildings in the East Bank and creating a new "neighborhood" that included mixed use live/work spaces, a movie theatre, shopping, a grocery store and riverwalk. The project was delayed by the 2007 Recession and court battles of property acquisition. A multiphase, $ 500 million mixed-use redevelopment along

5472-569: Was later attributed to water saturation caused by either a broken water main or sewer line. The following year, drains and a gutter were constructed from W. 25th Street down to the river's edge to help guide runoff away from the slope. By 1989, extensive water seepage had begun to flow out of the hill and over Riverbed Street. About 2004 or 2005, the Irishtown Bend hill began to subside at a significantly higher rate. In November 2005, major cracks appeared in Riverbed Street. The city repaved

5548-423: Was placed on the slope from the late 1950s to the early 1960s, and the hillside regraded. The fill dirt reactivated and accelerated existing slides, and initiated several new ones. Additional infrastructure changes on the hillside included relocated the intersection of Franklin Avenue and W. 25th Street farther north in 1965, and widening one-lane Riverbed Street to two lanes in 1985. The new eastern lane covered

5624-453: Was rechristened a Westin, before opening in May 2014. Though the hotel marked its 40th birthday in 2015, the building has not been in continuous use for nearly that many years, for at least two years in the 2000s, the property sat unused. The color facing of the tower was changed during this time from dull brown to off-white in keeping with the new "tidy" look of the structure. The hotel is across

5700-490: Was the sole river crossing. Cleveland then built a new bridge further downstream (Columbus Road Bridge) which connected Cleveland Mayor John W. Willey and developer/friend Jas Clark's "Willeyville" and "Cleveland Centre" developments along the newly constructed Columbus Road. The new bridge diverted the produce trade from the West Side Market to the new Central Market. Infuriated Ohio City residents, rallying with

5776-484: Was unveiled in late August 2017. A primary entry plaza was planned for the intersection of Franklin Avenue and W. 25th Street, with a secondary entry plaza and cultural center near the Detroit-Superior Bridge. The proposed park had four zones. At the summit on the south was Ohio City Farms, which would be integrated into the park. North of the farms was a neighborhood park and playground. The hillside above Franklin Avenue and between Franklin Avenue and Riverbed Street would be

#250749