Daniel DeAngelo [1]
State DOD Funding Will Pay to Demolish 16 Beautiful Historic Homes on E. 115 St.
And I think that’s ridiculous.
The houses are all over 100 years old. They all exhibit exceptional craftsmanship and quality of construction that cannot be recreated today, with wood shake siding, leaded glass windows, and charming architectural details like dormers and bay windows. The apartment building at 2032 E. 115 St. with its remarkable, castle-like, rounded exterior brick form is irreplaceable.
The houses and the street as a whole are eligible for National Register of Historic Places designation.
It is ridiculous that UH is planning to demolish these gems.
And even more ridiculous that they have the nerve to ask the State Department of Development to fork over our tax money, MY tax money, to pay for the destruction of our heritage.
When you look at the homes that other counties are using this demolition program for, the homes are typically in an extreme state of disrepair, with sagging foundations, failed roofs, and sometimes severe fire damage. That is not the case with the 16 solid houses on E. 115 St. The country, and Cleveland, have a housing affordability crisis. The beautiful houses on E. 115 St. could provide needed housing to families in a highly desirable neighborhood that sits between the character of Little Italy and the amazing cultural amenities of University Circle. One could imagine UH offering the houses as an enticement to lure the best and brightest doctors or interns and their families to work at the hospital.
University Hospitals has been mum for over a decade about what those plans are. They said 3 years ago that “We will continue to analyze and incorporate the changing nature of how health care is delivered and health care needs in Greater Cleveland . . . as we map a path forward for the area along E. 115 Street. UH is deliberate and thoughtful in its planning and the potential impact on the surrounding community. Any work done on East 115th Street will embrace the same philosophy.”
Right. Demolishing an entire street of historic homes shows just what they think of their surrounding community.