Standard Presorted U.S. POSTAGE PAID CLEVELAND, OHIO FREE PERMIT 1354 Vol. 47, No. 3 March 2020 PPlainlain PPressress CCleveland’sleveland’s NNearear WestsideWestside NNewspaperewspaper Residents discuss development’s benefi ts & risks at MetroHealth community meeting by Bruce Checefsky 27, 2020 hugging her constituents microphone, her face was fl ushed, Ward 14 Councilwoman Jasmin as the MetroHealth community and hair tousled. She looked around Santana circled the rotunda of the meeting was about to get under the room and thanked everyone for South Branch Library on January way. When she stepped up to the being there. The forty or so residents from Ward 14 and surrounding area sat back and listened as Santana introduced Greg Zucca, Director of Economic & Community Transfor- mation at The MetroHealth System. NEWS ANALYSIS “It’s truly a historic moment for Ward 14,” Councilwoman Santana said. “We’re getting so much in- vestment in the neighborhood. We want to make sure residents are involved and the investments are allocated to projects that refl ect the neighborhood needs.” “There’s a lot of rumors going around with MetroHealth and con- cerns about developers buying houses and buildings. I strongly encourage you to ask questions,” she added. Zucca began the meeting with a ‘high level overview’ update of the $1.2 billion campus transformation plan along with an overview on how MetroHealth plans to leverage and incentivize the plan to create devel- opment and wealth throughout the community. Specifically, he talked about two development projects that will break ground in 2020, including a 72-unit affordable housing project with a 5,000-square foot work force PHOTO BY DEBBIE SADLON development center on the fi rst fl oor February 18, 2020; Old Fashion Hot Dogs, 4008 Lorain Avenue: Plans where the Tri-C Access Center will are underway to raze the building that houses Old Fashion Hot Dogs be located for their educational to make way for a new building on the corner of Lorain Avenue and PHOTO BY CHUCK HOVEN and training programs. The second Randall. According to a July 7, 2019 article by San Bullard in Crain’s February 21, 2020; Old Fashion Hot Dogs, 4008 Lorain Avenue: Tom project, located on a 1.5-acre vacant Cleveland Business the plans by real estate developer Chad Kertesz call and Loretta Sorma, owners of Old Fashion Hot Dogs since 1987, behind greenfi eld lot on West 25th Street for 40 apartments with retail space on the fi rst fl oor. The article titled the counter where they have served up many hot dogs with the works across the Outpatient Pavilion, is a “Apartment projects would renovate two city corners” notes that over the years. The building that houses their business was sold in mixed-use project for MetroHealth Kertesz already owns the building next door at 4004 Lorain Avenue. October of last year to make way for a new apartment building. Loretta medical residents. MetroHealth th According to the Cuyahoga County Auditor’s records the building at says they will be closing the business on March 29 . Tom says they has about 400 medical residents 4008 Lorain was purchased from Raul Torres for $185,000 on October plan to retire. Prior to their purchase of the business, Emanuel “Mike” a year from throughout the region. and Irene Vasiliou, ran the business which was then called the Hot Dog 23, 2019 by My Place Lorain LLC. Inn. Hot dogs have been sold at this location since 1928. ccontinuedontinued oonn ppageage 1111 A wide variety of venues found a home on Denison Avenue over the years by Matthew Johns an industrial area, home at one time A wealthy businessman’s house, or another of aluminum and chem- a massive roller rink and Transylva- ical plants, including the Aluminum nian cultural center may seem like Co. of America (ALCOA) and the an odd combination, but they all Harshaw Chemical Co. Several found their place along a small strip large factories and other buildings, of a road on Cleveland’s west side at which overlook the steelyards in some point over the past 200 years. Newburgh Heights, still dominate The aforementioned road -- the area. Denison Avenue -- stretches from Travelers coming west over the the Cuyahoga River on the east Harvard-Denison Bridge at night to Lorain Avenue on Cleveland’s since October of 2014 are greet- west side. The portion of the road ed with lights emanating from St. between Fulton Avenue and Lorain Barbara’s Catholic Church at 1505 was named Denison Avenue before Denison Avenue. A letter written to 1884, and during this same time, the the Plain Press by Brooklyn Centre eastern part of the road was named resident John Baran published in the Newburgh Street. Some records November 2014 Plain Press notes show the Newburgh portion of the the lighting was part of the Sacred road being named Ridge Road – a Landmarks Steeple Lighting Pro- present adjacent road -- until the gram. In the letter, Baran says, “The mid-1800s. four sides of the St. Barbara Church The road’s origins date back to Bell Tower, along with the Statue 1811 when the it was fi rst laid out. It of St. Barbara located at the front is unknown for which Denison family exterior of the Church, and the “St. member the road was named. Barbara” Grill Work over the main The eastern end of Denison runs front exterior entrance of the Church PHOTO BY DEBBIE SADLON into the Harvard-Denison Bridge as doors, both facing Denison Avenue, Tuesday, October 7, 2003; Denison Avenue Bridge, at Denison Avenue between Ridge and W. 73rd. This it crosses the Cuyahoga River and have now been illuminated and photo from the Plain Press archives was taken after the announcement that the landmark bridge with three becomes Harvard Avenue. This is ccontinuedontinued oonn ppageage 5 large metal trusses would be demolished in 2004 to make way for a new bridge. 2 Plain Press • March 2020 Primary Election set for Tuesday, March 17th The Primary Election will take days through March 6th from 8 a.m. place on March 17, 2020. Polls will to 5 p.m.; Saturday March 7 from be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7: 30 p.m. 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; weekdays from Registered voters can also choose March 9 – March 13 from 8 a.m. to vote early in person at the Board to 7 p.m; Saturday March 14 from of Elections at 2925 Euclid Avenue. 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.; Sunday March 15 Hours for early voting are on week- from 1-5 p.m.; and Monday March Ward 11 gets new City Council 16 from 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. Representative To view your ballot ahead of In February 2020 Brian Mooney time, go to the Cuyahoga County was appointed to Cleveland City Board of Elections website at beo. Council to represent Ward 11 which cuyahogacounty.us. Select the includes parts of the Edgewater, Cu- election date, City of Cleveland, your dell, West Boulevard, Jefferson and ward, your precinct and choose a Bellaire-Puritas neighborhoods. He political party. replaces Dona Brady who resigned The primary ballot includes can- her position. didates for president, judicial po- Mooney will be serving out the re- sitions, County prosecutor, City of mainder of Dona Brady’s term which Cleveland Charter Amendments expires on January 1, 2022. If he and the Cuyahoga County Health wishes to try to remain in Cleveland and Human Services Tax Levy. City Council, he will have to run for The ballot is published in English election in November of 2021. and Spanish. Cleveland Public Power fails to consistently offer payment plan as an option by Jacie Jones told to pay their balance in full imme- This article is the third in a series diately or their power will be shut off. PHOTO BY STEVE WAGNER based on issues that came out of the People who are behind on their bills are Cleveland Public Theatre presents the world premiere of the production Breakout Session (or Frogorse) Cleveland End Poverty Now Coalition’s often forced to borrow money to keep by Nikkole Salter, directed by Beth Wood. The play, inspired by Cleveland’s Consent Decree with the October 17th public hearing about util- their heat and lights on, only making a U.S. Department of Justice will run through March 14th. Pictured (from left): Jess Moore, Enrique Miguel, ity shutoffs through Cleveland Public diffi cult fi nancial situation even more Nicole Sumlin*. *Actor appears courtesy of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors Power (CPP). precarious. and Stage Managers in the United States. The fi rst article focused on the issues Kimberly Armbruster, a CPP custom- story of an attorney who risks his career that customers face when applying for er, states; “In July of 2019 my power and family to uncover a dark secret assistance to avoid shutoffs. The second was disconnected… I went down to hidden by one of the world’s largest highlighted the lack of due process and CPP on Lakeside Avenue to work out a corporations and to bring justice to a proper notifi cation. This article focuses payment plan. I was told by a Cleveland community dangerously exposed for decades to deadly chemicals.” Starring on the absence of affordable payment Public Power supervisor that CPP had Academy Award nominee Mark Ruffalo plans. Future articles will discuss no payment plans and that I would need and Academy Award winners Tim Rob- electricity being turned off for people to pay in full to have it restored”.