Chinatown is one of Cleveland's most exciting -- and least publicized -- neighborhoods. When I first moved back a few months ago, I was stunned by how extensive the area is, stretching from the E. 20s to the E. 50s and beyond along St. Clair, Superior and Payne avenues. I have heard that it offers the largest collection of Asian retail between New York and Chicago.
Making the neighborhood even more irresistible is an emerging population of artists and artisans living in the area's old loft buildings, some of which have been legally rezoned as live-work spaces.
Cleveland has had a Chinatown since the 19th century. Early on, it was downtown, in what's now the Warehouse District. It later moved to Rockwell Avenue around E. 21st Street, and then to its present location along St. Clair, Superior and Payne avenues between the E. 20s and E. 50s.
I was out this morning taking photos for a class I'm in, and couldn't resist snapping a few extras of the neighborhood to show you guys. It was snowy out, as you'll see in the photos, but I thought that added to the charm. Here, then, is the tour -- consider it my holiday gift to the board!
First,
"old" Chinatown -- Rockwell between E. 21st and E. 24th and environs.
A street sign.
The Rockwell streetscape.
Shanghai Restaurant, open til 11 p.m.
Chinese Merchants Association building.
The beautiful mosaic entrance to the Chinese Merchants Association's building.
Detail of the building.
Cleveland Asian Youth Club.
Gold Coins Restaurant.
A nice, dense streetscape looking south on E. 21st Street toward Cleveland State University.
Welcome to (old) Chinatown sign, seen from the parking lot of Phoenix Coffee.
Phoenix Coffee on E. 21st and Superior, a local brewer since 1976.
Superior Avenue streetscape looking east from E. 21st. Most of these are live-work.
The famous Tower Press building at E. 18th and Superior.
Now on to
"new" Chinatown, reinhabiting a traditionally Eastern European neighborhood between the E. 20s and E. 50s.
Evidence of the transition: an Asian seafood restaurant abuts the famous Slyman's deli -- home of Cleveland's largest corned beef sandwich.
Vestiges of an old Croatian neighborhood remain (Croatian Tavern at E. 33rd and St. Clair).
Asia Food Company, a large Asian supermarket.
Inside Asia Food Co.
Asia Food Co. customers load their car with purchases. In the background is the old St. Josaphat Roman Catholic Church, which has been freshly converted to an art gallery and artists' studios.
Daniel's Home Furnishings, Payne Avenue and E. 27th.
#1 Pho, a fantastic Vietnamese restaurant, Superior and E. 30th.
The gorgeous Mueller Building, being converted to loft apartments, E. 31st between Superior and Payne.
Cleveland hero Dave's Supermarket. This is their first location in the city, on Payne at E. 36th; a new facade is being constructed.
Factory Xpress, a clothing store at E. 37th and Payne.
A cold shopper on Payne Avenue.
The just-opened Payne Commons, featuring Garden Cafe, Koko's Bakery and a hair salon.
Next door, Friendship Auto Service.
Adaptive reuse in its purest form: A pizzeria becomes a Korean restaurant. Next door is a convenience market.
The beautiful Payne Avenue Lofts, just-completed loft conversions at Payne and E. 37th. Half the units pre-sold.
Just down the street is this beauty; inquiring urbanist minds want to know when it will be converted!
Asian Evergreen Apartments -- housing for Chinese senior citizens, E. 38th and Payne.
Shovelworks, a live-work building on E. 40th between Payne and Superior.
Detail -- I love this building.
Flying the banner of City Artists at Work, an organization of Cleveland artists in the live-work district (
http://www.cityartistsatwork.org)
Tenant mix at Shovelworks.
On the same block, Graphic Arts Centre.
Also on the same block, the beautiful Loftworks building, which is legal live-work.
North Presbyterian Church, E. 40th and Superior.
The Tyler Village building, discussed in another thread, dating from about 1880. At Superior and E. 36th.
Right across from Tyler on Superior are more Asian retailers. China Merchandise Exhibit.
Next door, Korean House Family Restaurant.
Korean House also has a billiards hall.
Sweethearts, a new Asian candy store that is just about to open its doors, on the other side of China Merchandise Exhibit.
Hi-Low's Pub, serving the area's warehouse employees. Right next to Sweethearts on Superior.
Asian Town Center, coming to E. 38th and Superior. I don't like all the surface parking fronting on Superior, but oh well... (
http://www.asiantowncenter.com for more info)
Tink Holl, Chinatown's largest market, in Man Kam Plaza. The plaza itself is a renovated factory building, on E. 36th between Payne and Perkins.
The entrance to Tink Holl.
The Chinatown destination probably best-known to whites and suburbanites: Asia Plaza, at E. 30th and Payne.
Inside Asia Plaza, a mix of Chinese herbalists, general merchandisers, restaurants and businesses.
Inside Asia Plaza.
Making a sale at Tak Yuen Tong, a Chinese herbal store at Asia Plaza.
A bulletin board at Asia Plaza advertises houses for rent, a piano for sale... and who knows what else???
That's the end of the tour. As you can probably tell, I love this neighborhood...
