Creating Art – Preserving History
With the Narthex deconstructed and the Religious Education and Church Offices wing demolished, work began on the demolition of the Nave.
Four massive columns and flying buttresses provided incredible structure to the Nave’s Chancel.
Once the structural members were removed, the roof came down quickly.
After the removal of the cornerstone, demolition was quickly completed. All that remains is removal of the foundation and site clean-up.
The demolition of the Church of the Transfiguration (Formerly known as Emmanuel Episcopal Church) is nearly complete. Before the demolition crew could complete their task, the crew from WR Restoration, responsible for the deconstruction of the Narthex needed to remove the cornerstone. It was believed that the cornerstone concealed a time capsule, set in place in 1902.
Experience gained in the deconstruction of the Narthex suggested that the Cornerstone might be six to eight inches thick, with the time capsule set behind it, but as work progressed, it became apparent that this was a massive stone.
Finally, the stone was free and rigged for removal from the wall.
Once the stone was removed from the wall, inspection of the stone’s bottom revealed the location of the time capsule.
Even the frigid wind could not temper the excitement of the crew that had labored for three hours to in single digit temperatures to preserve this piece of history.
The time capsule will be opened, and its contents catalogued in the coming days.
How do you pronounce HUBBELLBENESBREUERVINOLY? I pronounce it AMAZING!
If you are within range of Cleveland broadcast media, you have no doubt heard the spots from the Cleveland Museum of Art, with its AMAZING tag lines. So what, then, is HUBBELLBENESBREUERVINOLY? It is the confluence of the inspired architecture of Hubbell & Benes’ 1916 building, Marcel Lajos Breuer’s 1971 addition, and Rafael Viñoly’s new additions that began in 2005, and have just been fully opened to the public. Gone are all vestiges of the 1958 J. Byers Hays (Hays & Ruth) addition.
The sweeping roof of the Atrium seems to reach back nearly a century to pull in the neo-classical design of the stately 1916 building. The Atrium itself is a wonderful space to relax, refresh, and admire the amazing work of Hubbell & Benes, Marcel Breuer and Rafael Viñoly.
As a post-script, amazing does not end with the architectural accomplishment. Of course the collections are amazing. The way- and fact-finding of Gallery One redefine amazing.
Following a brief ceremony honoring the life of the Church, demolition of what remained of the deconstructed Narthex was begun.
With a blanket of fresh snow on the ground, the demolition of the church offices and Religions Education wing were accomplished with the same care and respect as had been shown during the deconstruction of the Narthex and the removal of the Church’s artifacts.
Mansfield Reformatory was built between 1886 and 1910, and remained in full operation until 1990. The original design was by Cleveland architect Levi Schofield, whose projects included the Soldier’s and Sailor’s monument on Public Square, and the office building that bears his name on the south west corner of Euclid Avenue at East 9th Street. Initially a facility for juvenile offenders, Mansfield Reformatory became home to some of the State’s most dangerous criminals. The six-tier East Cell Block remains the largest free-standing steel cell block in the world.
The facility has been used for the filming of a number of movies, including Shawshank Redemption, Air Force One, Harry and Walter go to New York, and Tango and Cash.
Today, the Mansfield Reformatory Preservation Society is slowly renovating the prison. The Warden’s Quarters and the Guards’ Room have been restored, and a new roof has been installed. The Society hosts tours and haunted prison experiences.
Electric street-lighting had its roots in Cleveland. On April 29, 1879, Charles F. Brush demonstrated the potential of outdoor electric lighting when 12 arc-lamps were lighted on Cleveland’s Public Square. In 1880, the Brush Electric Company was formed and a factory was built at what is now 45th Street and Commerce Avenue. In 1889, the company was bought by Thompson-Houston Electric Co., which merged with the Edison General Electric Co. in 1891, forming General Electric. The factory was expanded by General Electric. Today it is vacant, pending environmental clean-up.
The first commercially manufactured automobile was built in a corner of the building in 1898, in space rented by Alexander Winton, for his Winton Motor Carriage Company
The Brush arc-lamp on the Society for Savings Building, Cleveland’s first skyscraper, is held in wrought iron work designed for Charles Brush by the building’s architect, John Root. The building is now dwarfed by Cleveland’s tallest building, Key Tower. (See: below)
The Adams-Bagnall Company was formed in the mid 1890′s by employees of the Brush Electric Company, who left after Brush was purchased by Thompson-Houston. Adams-Bagnall used the same ring design as that of the first Brush arc-lamps, combining it with an enclosed arc design for superior performance. This Adams-Bagnall arc-lamp hangs outside the former John Q Steakhouse in front of 55 Public Square, and is often mistakenly, and understandably, thought to be a Brush lamp.
As always, your comments are most welcome!
The first to occupy the land bounded by what are now Professor and Jefferson Avenues and West 7th Street, was Cleveland University. Cleveland’s first institution of higher learning was founded in 1851. The founding President, Asa Mahan, had been terminated from his position as president of Oberlin College, and brought loyal faculty members and students with him. Cleveland University’s conferred degrees to 8 members of its first (and only) graduating class in June, 1852. Cleveland University closed in 1853.
The Humiston Institute, a co-educational proprietary boarding and day school occupied this location from 1859 until it closed in 1868. The Western Homeopathic College and Hospital occupied the property from 1868 until 1907 when the Gospel Worker’s Society made the complex its headquarters, and published under the name of Herald Publishing House.
In 1922 the name was changed to the Union Gospel Press, which relocated to a larger property on Brookpark Road in 1950. The Cleveland Board of Education operated a printing plant in the building for a number of years. The buildings then became home to vagrants and artists until the 1980s when the complex was purchased for a welding studio and gallery. In 2003 the current owners purchased the property and converted it to up-scale apartments.
Forest City Brewing Company, located at 6920-22 Union Avenue, opened in 1904. Under the direction of brewmeister John Silhavy, the brewery featured a Select Pilsner. After the brewery closed, the building became home to Distributors Furniture Warehouse, and it was demolished in February, 2012.
Opened on February 15, 1912, the home of the West Tech Warriors is now home to the Brick Lofts. The school was closed in 1995, and found new life in 2003. My memory of West Tech goes back to 1960 when I participated in the West Tech Relays as a member of the (Cleveland) Heights High track team. What an incredible meet it was!
The auditorium was heavily damaged by arson shortly after the school was closed.
The massive gymnasium now contains a three-story structure housing apartments.
Familiar sights such as long corridors lined with lockers remind the residents and visitors of the rich history of West Tech High School.
Centennial Article on Cleveland.com
Alumni Website
Alumni Facebook Page
Yearbook Reprints on Amazon
This series of photographs as made in the spring of 2011. I hope some day to return to photograph the buildings after renovation for some new use. Hough Bakery was a part of my life as a child between 1950 and 1966, and that of my children from 1970 until its closing.
