Topic: Shaker Heights: Random Development News & Info

[FerrariEnzo]

Shaker Heights plans an orchard to replace a condemned house.

SHAKER HEIGHTS, Ohio -- The city is going back to its roots to keep a neighborhood from going to seed.


Shaker Heights plans to plant an orchard, mostly of apple trees, on a vacant lot where a rundown house used to stand.

Orchards were a standard feature of Shaker religious settlements like the one established in 1822 that became Shaker Heights.

The new orchard will occupy a 13,000-square-foot wedge of land at the corner of Avalon and Kenyon roads, a half block south of Shaker Towne Centre.

The city Planning Commission accepted the idea last week. It goes to City Council on Monday, April 26.

more at:  http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2010/04/shaker_heights_plans_an_orchar.html

[theguv]

I like this idea a lot and as the article point out, orchards have a place in Shaker's history.  Further, I appreciate how an orchard can become a seasonal gathering place for activities focused around the harvest; i.e. cider pressing.

[FerrariEnzo]

Only a few blocks away from Shakers first community garden which replaced another torn down home: www.gardensofshaker.org

[edale]

Forgive my ignorance, but why are there condemned/run down homes in Shaker Heights? From the thread you posted FerrariEnzo, it seems very odd that there would be condemned homes in such a wealthy area.

[jam40jeff]

There are parts of Shaker Heights which are not so wealthy.  And even in wealthy areas, a house can become run-down for various reasons.  This is only one house, I wouldn't say it's an epidemic in Shaker Heights.

[Clueless,Ohio]

Yes, Shaker has all ranges of dwellings...apartments, condos, starter homes, multi-family, large single-family, and mansions/estates etc.
Almost all of it is older.
The area of this story is near the heart of Shaker's southern commmercial district (Shaker Town Center and other retail in the Chagrin-Lee-Avalon area). There is some renewal going on with new loft condos (Avalon Lofts) replacing dated apartment buildings. And probably other things too replacing some of the multi-family homes, in addition to this orchard (maybe someone who lives in Shaker or the surrounding area knows more than I do).
FE's photo thread was specifically of North Shaker Heights (i think he even called it that).
That is where a lot of the classic big homes are.
But they're actually everywhere scattered throughout the city.

[FerrariEnzo]

^Agreed, as a rule of thumb, if you live North of South Woodland/Parkland it is in a great neighborhood.  North of Van Aken is firmly middle class and some pockets up upper-middle class.
North of Chagrin between Van Aken is middle class.  South of Chagrin is a healthy mix of incomes and ethnicities and I would say lower middle class to middle class.  There are exceptions but the general rule of thumb is the farther north you go the better.  I remember reading awhile back that the are between N. Shaker and S.E. Cleveland Hts has the highest concentration of historical mansions in the nation.  Could be wrong though.

This area is as Clueless pointed out within eye shot of Shaker Towne Center and has some homes that while smaller than some others are very well kept up, there are some gems on Scottsdale for example which is the street where the N-S roads are blocked off from Cleveland and Warrensville Heights.

All in all it is not an epidemic by any stretch and in many cases (I will see if I can find the article) Shaker has chosen to buy these homes and demolish them and offer them to neighbors as "side lawns" thus making the parcel a "double-wide".  I'll see if I can get some pictures sometime soon to illustrate this.

[edale]

^Thanks for the explanation, everyone.  I love the idea of having an orchard on a vacant lot, btw.  It sounds like a similar concept to the urban farming movement that is so popular right now.  Maybe they will be able to incorporate programming and community involvement in the orchard.

[Clevelander17]

I have a hard time believing that this is the only run-down/dilapidated house in the southeast part of Shaker Heights.  I'm not sure how much I like the idea of city governments getting involved in things like this, especially when I'm fairly certain it's just a drop in the bucket.

[MyTwoSense]

I have a hard time believing that this is the only run-down/dilapidated house in the southeast part of Shaker Heights.  I'm not sure how much I like the idea of city governments getting involved in things like this, especially when I'm fairly certain it's just a drop in the bucket.

Oh sh!t...here you go again with some BS.

[StrapHanger]

I have a hard time believing that this is the only run-down/dilapidated house in the southeast part of Shaker Heights.  I'm not sure how much I like the idea of city governments getting involved in things like this, especially when I'm fairly certain it's just a drop in the bucket.

Please feel free to post a photo thread of this bucket-full of "run-down/dilapidated" houses in southern Shaker Heights to prove me wrong, but I think you have a misconception of southern Shaker Heights.  It's not fancy and it's suffered from several foreclosures, but it's not physically falling apart en masse.

[MyTwoSense]

I have a hard time believing that this is the only run-down/dilapidated house in the southeast part of Shaker Heights.  I'm not sure how much I like the idea of city governments getting involved in things like this, especially when I'm fairly certain it's just a drop in the bucket.

Please feel free to post a photo thread of this bucket-full of "run-down/dilapidated" houses in southern Shaker Heights to prove me wrong, but I think you have a misconception of southern Shaker Heights.  It's not fancy and it's suffered from several foreclosures, but it's not physically falling apart en masse.

This is on par with similar communities throughout the country.

[kayteeohh]

I don't visit Shaker often, but I would definitely love to see how this turns out. I think that it's great that a city wants to "return to it's roots" and bring back more of a historical sense than to build more houses, apartments buildings, etc. I think this will be a wonderful addition to Shaker

[Clevelander17]

I have a hard time believing that this is the only run-down/dilapidated house in the southeast part of Shaker Heights.  I'm not sure how much I like the idea of city governments getting involved in things like this, especially when I'm fairly certain it's just a drop in the bucket.

Oh sh!t...here you go again with some BS.

What, no cliche, marginally funny picture to respond?  What, exactly, was wrong about what I've said?

[Clevelander17]

I have a hard time believing that this is the only run-down/dilapidated house in the southeast part of Shaker Heights.  I'm not sure how much I like the idea of city governments getting involved in things like this, especially when I'm fairly certain it's just a drop in the bucket.

Please feel free to post a photo thread of this bucket-full of "run-down/dilapidated" houses in southern Shaker Heights to prove me wrong, but I think you have a misconception of southern Shaker Heights.  It's not fancy and it's suffered from several foreclosures, but it's not physically falling apart en masse.

No, I don't have any misconception about that part of the city.  I'm familiar with the area, maybe I will do a photo thread one day to familiarize people with the other side of Shaker Heights.  Heck maybe I'll do Cleveland Heights, too.  If the city government is getting involved in things like this, it has a lot of work to do.

[Hts121]

maybe I will do a photo thread one day to familiarize people with the other side of Shaker Heights.  Heck maybe I'll do Cleveland Heights, too. 

Just make sure to stay in your car with your windows rolled up   We won't hold it against you if there is a glare present in your pictures.

[StrapHanger]

No, I don't have any misconception about that part of the city.  I'm familiar with the area, maybe I will do a photo thread one day to familiarize people with the other side of Shaker Heights.  Heck maybe I'll do Cleveland Heights, too.  If the city government is getting involved in things like this, it has a lot of work to do.

I hope you do investigate, honestly.  I haven't been in that part of Shaker in a couple years (I don't live in NEO).   I suspect that your wrong if you think that dilapidation is so wide spread that targeted interventions like this are pointless, but photos showing large clusters of highly distressed properties (the "bucket" this would be a drop in) would change my mind.

I have to admit your reaction kind of surprised me.  You seem to be dissatisfied with the efforts by the City of Cleveland Hts to preserve neighborhood quality of life, yet you piss all over a low tech effort like this to remove blight.  I guess it makes sense if you think the neighborhood is already "too far gone" (which again, I suspect is really not the case here), in which case you'd think this is just a waste of money- even though it's not being funded with local tax money.  You've got a very strange edge.  I know you think it's just "the truth," but I think you kind overcompensate a bit if you see yourself as counteracting some sort of mindless "all is good" viewpoint.

[MyTwoSense]

No, I don't have any misconception about that part of the city.  I'm familiar with the area, maybe I will do a photo thread one day to familiarize people with the other side of Shaker Heights.  Heck maybe I'll do Cleveland Heights, too.  If the city government is getting involved in things like this, it has a lot of work to do.

I hope you do investigate, honestly.  I haven't been in that part of Shaker in a couple years (I don't live in NEO).   I suspect that your wrong if you think that dilapidation is so wide spread that targeted interventions like this are pointless, but photos showing large clusters of highly distressed properties (the "bucket" this would be a drop in) would change my mind.

I have to admit your reaction kind of surprised me.  You seem to be dissatisfied with the efforts by the City of Cleveland Hts to preserve neighborhood quality of life, yet you piss all over a low tech effort like this to remove blight.  I guess it makes sense if you think the neighborhood is already "too far gone" (which again, I suspect is really not the case here), in which case you'd think this is just a waste of money- even though it's not being funded with local tax money.  You've got a very strange edge.  I know you think it's just "the truth," but I think you kind overcompensate a bit if you see yourself as counteracting some sort of mindless "all is good" viewpoint.

He's another debbie downer and nothing will ever be good enough for him.

[Clevelander17]

maybe I will do a photo thread one day to familiarize people with the other side of Shaker Heights.  Heck maybe I'll do Cleveland Heights, too. 

Just make sure to stay in your car with your windows rolled up   We won't hold it against you if there is a glare present in your pictures.

Obviously.

[Clevelander17]

No, I don't have any misconception about that part of the city.  I'm familiar with the area, maybe I will do a photo thread one day to familiarize people with the other side of Shaker Heights.  Heck maybe I'll do Cleveland Heights, too.  If the city government is getting involved in things like this, it has a lot of work to do.

I hope you do investigate, honestly.  I haven't been in that part of Shaker in a couple years (I don't live in NEO).   I suspect that your wrong if you think that dilapidation is so wide spread that targeted interventions like this are pointless, but photos showing large clusters of highly distressed properties (the "bucket" this would be a drop in) would change my mind.

I have to admit your reaction kind of surprised me.  You seem to be dissatisfied with the efforts by the City of Cleveland Hts to preserve neighborhood quality of life, yet you piss all over a low tech effort like this to remove blight.  I guess it makes sense if you think the neighborhood is already "too far gone" (which again, I suspect is really not the case here), in which case you'd think this is just a waste of money- even though it's not being funded with local tax money.  You've got a very strange edge.  I know you think it's just "the truth," but I think you kind overcompensate a bit if you see yourself as counteracting some sort of mindless "all is good" viewpoint.

He's another debbie downer and nothing will ever be good enough for him.

Not true.  It's just that I don't live in Shaker Square, so I haven't lowered my expectations.

[Clevelander17]

No, I don't have any misconception about that part of the city.  I'm familiar with the area, maybe I will do a photo thread one day to familiarize people with the other side of Shaker Heights.  Heck maybe I'll do Cleveland Heights, too.  If the city government is getting involved in things like this, it has a lot of work to do.

I hope you do investigate, honestly.  I haven't been in that part of Shaker in a couple years (I don't live in NEO).   I suspect that your wrong if you think that dilapidation is so wide spread that targeted interventions like this are pointless, but photos showing large clusters of highly distressed properties (the "bucket" this would be a drop in) would change my mind.

I have to admit your reaction kind of surprised me.  You seem to be dissatisfied with the efforts by the City of Cleveland Hts to preserve neighborhood quality of life, yet you piss all over a low tech effort like this to remove blight.  I guess it makes sense if you think the neighborhood is already "too far gone" (which again, I suspect is really not the case here), in which case you'd think this is just a waste of money- even though it's not being funded with local tax money.  You've got a very strange edge.  I know you think it's just "the truth," but I think you kind overcompensate a bit if you see yourself as counteracting some sort of mindless "all is good" viewpoint.

Actually, I have a problem when local governments overreach.  Both CH and SH are guilty, though you're right, it's in different ways.  Just about every bit of engineering that these cities have tried in recent years has backfired. 

The one thing I would support would be more barriers cutting off these cities from their troubled neighbors (like the ones in south Shaker Heights off of Scottsdale Rd.), since we know that the crime problems in these cities are mostly caused by inner-city Cleveland residents.

[StrapHanger]

^"Engineering"?

As to overreach... I understand your point, but I don't agree with in this case.  The city has access to federal neighborhood stabilization program funding because of its very real foreclosure problem in its SW neighborhoods.  It can buy and demo this problem property and turn it into a neighborhood amenity while spending very little of its own money.  Buying private land and developing park space is one of the oldest government functions around- in that sense, this is hardly overreach at all.

[Clevelander17]

^"Engineering"?

As to overreach... I understand your point, but I don't agree with in this case.  The city has access to federal neighborhood stabilization program funding because of its very real foreclosure problem in its SW neighborhoods.  It can buy and demo this problem property and turn it into a neighborhood amenity while spending very little of its own money.  Buying private land and developing park space is one of the oldest government functions around- in that sense, this is hardly overreach at all.

If this is funded by Federal money, than perhaps I'm okay with SH taking advantage of it, since if they don't, it will be lost (though the idea of Federal money in general going to such projects is sickening).  That said, I doubt the Avalon Station debacle was funded by the Feds.  That came out of the SH taxpayers' pockets if I recall correctly.

This still doesn't mitigate the fact that that area of the city needs more than what can be provided by one orchard.

[Hts121]

The one thing I would support would be more barriers cutting off these cities from their troubled neighbors (like the ones in south Shaker Heights off of Scottsdale Rd.), since we know that the crime problems in these cities are mostly caused by inner-city Cleveland residents.

"Barriers"?

Do you mean measures such as erecting police stations at the borders and entering into mutual aid contracts that allow the patrol to extend into the bordering neighborhood?

[StrapHanger]

He's referring to the street barriers severing the side streets that would otherwise run from SH into Cleveland, like this:


'17, no one thinks that a new orchard is going to turn southern SH into an upper middle class paradise.  But I have no idea what you mean when you mention what this neighborhood "needs."  As lower middle class/middle class neighborhoods go [2-fam houses, small sf houses], this one strikes me as pretty intact and stable (though the foreclosure rate has been pretty high, so its HO rate may be in decline). 

Seriously though, if you see evidence that this neighborhood is physically falling apart, to the extent that blight elimination is as pointless as you claimed, please share the photos.  I agree with you that a photo thread of the more modest parts of SH would be a good contribution- the income diversity of the city is pretty astonishing and not very common in this country.

[Htsguy]

I just clicked on to this thread for the first time and I'm thrilled to see that Clevelander17 has moved on from attacking Cleveland Hts. and is focusing on Shaker now.

[Clevelander17]

I just clicked on to this thread for the first time and I'm thrilled to see that Clevelander17 has moved on from attacking Cleveland Hts. and is focusing on Shaker now.

No one is attacking SH (or CH).  The area needs more people to offer constructive criticism and less cheerleading.

[StrapHanger]

Here's some more projects you'll like, '17:

http://blog.cleveland.com/sunpress/2010/04/shaker_heights_plans_to_revamp.html

Chelton Park — The city plans to expand Chelton Park north onto a vacant lot where a house was demolished, with additional fencing, Weevo playground equipment, a basketball backboard, benches and landscaping to be added, at a projected cost of $58,850.
Menlo Tot Lot — Improvements and a variance for an artist-designed fence at a vacant lot where a dilapidated house was torn down. Play equipment targeted for 2- to 5-year-old children will be installed to serve the Menlo/Scottsdale area of the Moreland neighborhood.
Ashby Play Lot — This city-owned vacant lot will be an open grassy play area for children, about 12,800 square feet in size.
Kenyon Walk — This work would cover improvements to a walkway that connects commercial businesses on the south side of the Chagrin Boulevard commercial district. The existing walkway, stairs and surrounding landscaping will be expanded and enhanced. The site is about 19,000 square feet including the existing walkway, lighting and landscaping, and the work would also include another artist-designed fence

[Clevelander17]

It looks like those projects are all being funded by the Federal government.  I guess I'm okay with that, because like I said above, if SH weren't getting it, it may be going to some town in Florida or Texas.  But in reality I think we'd all be better off if the Feds weren't taking all of that money to begin with and then making us jump through hoops to get it back.