2012 Legacy Award
WEEKEND IN OHIO CITY EVENT COMMITTEE

It has long been said that home is where the heart is, and Ohio City residents have long been opening their hearts by inviting the public into their homes.

However, the 25-year-old annual Ohio City Home Tour, now known as a part of Weekend in Ohio City, could not open any doors without its volunteer events committee.

The Ohio City Home Tour officially became an annual fundraiser in 1989 with profits benefiting Ohio City Incorporated and its precursor organizations. The title Weekend in Ohio City was coined in 1994 when Evening in Ohio City was added to the home tour. 
Through the years, hundreds of people have helped plan and run the tours, providing guests a sampling of local homes and businesses. Now, every third weekend in May, guests are served food and beverages from local establishments at six homes then tour six additional homes and one urban garden the following day with transportation from Lolly the Trolley.

 “I think we put out a positive image of an ever-changing urban neighborhood, filled with fascinating and diverse people, an amazing assortment of old and new homes, and an increasingly varied assortment of restaurants, bars, cafes, shops, museums and the market, which could rival the offerings of most any other sought out community,” committee member Susan Muglich said.

The varied group that makes up the event committee is united by their love of Ohio City.
“We all come ready to give of ourselves for the good of the community,” committee chairperson Margaret Latch explained. “I donate my time and energy because it makes me feel a part of the community and mostly because I think Ohio City Incorporated deserves the money we raise.”

She added that, regardless of the hours of planning the committee dedicates to the event, it is the volunteers who make it a success.

“Weekend in Ohio City has become an Ohio City Tradition that was started by a group of dedicated resident volunteers 25 years ago. The commitment and hard work of the Event Committee provides an opportunity for visitors to experience all that Ohio City has to offer year after year,” said Helen Smith, Board Vice President for Ohio City Incorporated. “On behalf of the Ohio City Board of Trustees, I can say that we are beyond grateful for the committee’s effort and dedication to showcasing this amazing neighborhood.” 

2012 Resident Leader Award
FRIENDS OF MONROE STREET CEMETERY

Rising from the quieted grounds of the final resting place of many of the area’s early settlers, a grass-roots group of volunteers has taken it upon themselves to restore a piece of history and preserve it for future generations.

Monroe Street Cemetery’s neighbors formed the Monroe Street Cemetery Foundation (doing business as The Friends of Monroe Cemetery) as a nonprofit organization to preserve the grounds at 3207 Monroe Avenue and educate the public. With a mailing list of more than 450 that stretches outside the city’s borders, 14 active members meet monthly andparticipate in ongoing fundraising, educational, and maintenance events. This common goal has brought together people spanning five generations and various lifestyles.

“We love where we live,” foundation president Linda Litto explained. “We take pride in our past and believe the past is what compels us to continue the pride and legacy within the present history of our neighborhood.”

The nondenominational, 13.63 acre cemetery officially opened in 1841, although some of its more than 31,400 burials are said to have occurred as early as 1818. Architect and foundation member Alan Fodor said the cemetery, Ohio City’s largest green space, is filled with treasures of stonemasonry, architecture, and poetry.

Although the City of Cleveland is officially responsible for the maintenance of the cemetery, the group knew the city needed help and has worked diligently to raise funds to assist in restoring the historic 1876 Gothic Revival stone gatehouse, among other projects.

The foundation also assists the city with landscaping, restoring damaged headstones and mausoleums, and providing historical tours, shifting the cemetery from a haven for vandals into a community gem.

“Our plans for the cemetery are for continued physical improvements and better maintenance,” Fodor said. “Education is [also] a prime goal of the Monroe Street Cemetery Foundation.”

“The Monroe Street Cemetery is one of Ohio City’s most historic assets as well as the best green space.  The tireless advocacy and dedication of the Friends of Monroe Street Cemetery to maintain this community asset is inspiring,” said Kathleen Knittel, Board President of Ohio City Incorporated.

2012 Preservation Award: Commercial
THE CLEVELAND HOSTEL

Come on over. Explore, and stay a while. Now that Ohio City hosts Cleveland’s only hostel, it’s as if the community has opened its arms to the world’s travelers.
After extensive travel and hostel stays cresting double digits, owner Mark Raymond wanted to share his hometown in a manner that encourages communication and shared experiences. And he wanted to live in Ohio City.

“Ohio City was the perfect spot because of its walkability,” he explained. “There’s lots to do and public transportation links to downtown, University Circle and the airport. It’s fun to be in this neighborhood; it’s exciting.”

He found the ideal spot on West 25th, which provides amazing views of downtown from its accessible roof. Then he spent more than $600,000 to renovate the turn-of-the-century Victor Tea Co. building, which was most recently a furniture warehouse, building floors, stairs, bathrooms, and kitchens, and updating utilities.

“It’s always better to use an existing building if you can,” Raymond said. “It’s customized and up to date on the inside, but we’re still respecting the area on the outside.”
Its location near the West Side Market inspired him to add a large kitchen specifically.

“Guests can go across the street, shop at the market, then come back, cook a big meal and share it with their fellow travelers,” he explained.

As the hostel’s proprietor and permanent resident, Raymond encourages guests to experience the neighborhood’s treasures as he provides free city maps, bike rental and storage, and lots of information on businesses and events.

Since opening in August, the hostel has housed visitors from 40 countries, five continents and all walks of life. Raymond expects the business to add a different flavor to the Ohio City streets with people from all over the world enjoying his neighborhood and spending money.

“Mark Raymond and his family have made an incredible investment in the Ohio City neighborhood with The Cleveland Hostel,” said Tom McNair, Director of Economic Development at Ohio City Incorporated. “We view the hostel as an anchor institution that the entire community will benefit from. We are thrilled that they have decided to call Ohio City home.”

2012 Presidential Award
DR. BRIAN DONLEY, LUTHERAN HOSPITAL

A community, like any living organism, needs all components working as a cohesive system to remain healthy, which is something orthopaedic surgeon and Lutheran Hospital President Dr. Brian Donley knows well. Donley has shown strong community interest and support on behalf of Lutheran Hospital in the little over a year since he has taken the latter position.

“Lutheran Hospital is a community hospital,” he explained, “so a vital part of its mission is to bring healthcare and wellness to the community. We are motivated by listening to what the community needs out of a hospital. We heard the community’s need for an excellent emergency care system, and because of that, we are planning a $17 million emergency room renovation.”

In addition to aiding the community by investing in the hospital itself, Lutheran Hospital, under Donley’s direction, has also contributed financially to Ohio City, including sizable donations for the Special Improvement District whose service area does not include the hospital.

Donley said, however, that it is the partnerships he has built rather than the contributions he has made that pleases him most.

“I’m mostly proud of the excellent working relationship among the community leaders, business leaders and the hospital,” he said. “We are all able to put the community’s interests above our personal interests because we realize that we win individually when the community wins.”

He added that the relationship between the hospital and community is symbiotic in a sense, and he is excited to be located in a vibrant, energized place.

“The success of Lutheran Hospital will be tied directly to the success of Ohio City,” Donley said, adding that he foresees a bright future for both. “It is an honor and a pleasure for me and the hospital to be part of the success of Ohio City.”

“Dr. Donley is an incredible neighborhood champion. He’s been here a short time but his enthusiasm and leadership make you feel like he has been here forever,” said Eric Wobser, Executive Director of Ohio City Incorporated.

2012 Preservation Award: Residential
THE PECKHAMS

No community would be able to thrive without people investing time, effort, attention and money into its structures. Renovating old buildings as opposed to replacing them preserves the area’s character and history. So when residents choose to restore old homes rather than build or buy newer ones, they are making a cultural contribution to the community by preserving the city’s architectural legacy.

Although neither Greg nor Tana Peckham grew up in Ohio City, after renting in the area in 1999, the couple came to feel at home in the community. They made the decision to build a life here.

After initially purchasing a small Ohio City home, the Peckhams eventually required more space for their family of four. They found two vacant houses that were in foreclosure on John Avenue near Randall Road. After a year and a half of challenging work acquiring the houses from their previous foreclosures, the Peckhams were the proud new owners of two old homes. However, they were also responsible for bringing them up to code.

With Cleveland Action to Support Housing (CASH)’s guidance and the assistance of Ohio City Incorporated, Councilman Joe Cimperman, and First Merit Bank, the Peckhams began renovations on a double home and another single family one, including replacing stripped plumbing. Although the exteriors will end up as gussied-up versions of their former selves, the interiors will be new and energy efficient.

“The Peckhams’ renovation of the two houses on John Avenue are a model of how to successfully preserve the historic nature of Ohio City’s housing stock,” said Ben Trimble, Director of Residential Development at Ohio City Incorporated. “They have transformed the corner from a blighted intersection to one that displays some of the most beautiful houses in the neighborhood.”

2012 Arts & Culture Award
THE TRANSFORMER STATION

Like artists creating something irreplaceable from raw materials, art collectors and philanthropists Fred and Laura Bidwell have transformed a local historic building into a priceless community treasure.

The Bidwell Foundation opened the Transformer Station in early 2013. The couple has a long history of supporting innovative artists, and Fred said the building had the perfect space for a museum and the neighborhood offers the diversity, culture, and restaurants to make it a destination.

He credits their volunteers (many of whom are Ohio City residents) and free admission with making the facility both welcoming and inspiring. 

Established in 2011, the Bidwell Foundation sponsors inventive art projects. They will develop half of the Transformer Station’s exhibits, which will at times include pieces from the Bidwells’ eclectic personal photo collection. The Cleveland Museum of Art will develop the remaining half, granting them an important presence in a new area. The Bidwell Foundation has promised the facility as a future gift to the museum.

“Bringing the Transformer Station to the West Side starts to bring cultural critical mass to this side of town,” Fred explained, “and it already seems to be encouraging East-siders to come over the bridges and explore what’s happening here.”

The West 29th Street facility, which includes two galleries and the foundation’s office, consists of a modern portion behind a historic building. Built in 1924 as a streetcar transformer station, it was one of sixteen substations built by the Cleveland Railway Company. The renovation has inspired further investment in the area.

“Our neighborhood couldn’t be friendlier, and we are excited about all the new development and improvements that are happening around us,” Fred said. “We hope that the Transformer Station will encourage others not only to visit but to live close by and start up businesses here.”

“The Transformer Station is an amazing cultural addition to the Near West Side. We are thrilled to welcome the Bidwells the neighborhood,” said Virginia Houston, Director of Marketing and Development at Ohio City Incorporated.