How many neighborhoods in Lakewood?

Jim O'Bryan · Post by **Jim O'Bryan** » Wed Jan 21, 2009 8:31 am

Recently I have been traveling around Cleveland speaking with many civic leaders about their wards, and communities. In Cleveland Ward boundaries make very little sense if you look at the neighborhoods that are served.

Ward 17 has two distinct neighborhoods, one from the now, "Detroit-Shoreway" and one from the past "The Slaughterhouse." It also has a little of Ohio City and Clark. In Chicago it makes a little more sense with their political set-up.

In 1885 Clifton Park was the area it now occupies south along West Clifton to the River, all the way over to the border. Birdtown is pretty well defined, as is the Gold Coast. We know realize that the Downtown rebranding is from Bunts to Arthur along Detroit Road. Scenic Park Area, is the pocket that runs along the Detroit Extension.

As I mentioned earlier that is a movement afoot for the Emerald Canyon Historic District which runs from West Clifton, along the Scenic Park Zone, up Larchmont and McKinley to the Emerald Canyon. This was based on drawing from the 1885 and land ownership.

To understand Lakewood better, how many neighborhoods do we have?

What other neighborhoods can be named and defined?

Should each neighborhood enjoy their own "arts district"?

Random thoughts as I look at a map of Lakewood, Cleveland and Chicago.

FWIW

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Rhonda loje · Post by **Rhonda loje** » Wed Jan 21, 2009 9:15 am

Jim,
Have a conversation with Mazie (Lakewood Historical Society) she can help you.
Rhonda

Jim O'Bryan · Post by **Jim O'Bryan** » Wed Jan 21, 2009 11:53 am

Rhonda loje wrote:Jim,
Have a conversation with Mazie (Lakewood Historical Society) she can help you.
Rhonda

Rhonda

Please invite her to join the conversation.
http://lakewoodobserver.com/forum

she has a password already.

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Lynn Farris · Post by **Lynn Farris** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 12:29 am

Jim,

I don't know whether it is its own area or part of Scenic Park. But Georgetown Row used to define the area on the far west end of Detroit from around West Clifton to the Bridge. Of course it was because of Bonne Belle, but it had a nice ring to it.

Jim O'Bryan · Post by **Jim O'Bryan** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 8:40 am

Lynn Farris wrote:Jim,

I don't know whether it is its own area or part of Scenic Park. But Georgetown Row used to define the area on the far west end of Detroit from around West Clifton to the Bridge. Of course it was because of Bonne Belle, but it had a nice ring to it.

Lynn

As Bonne Bell threatened to pull out of Lakewood to get their way. I always go back to to others that have said, "If this is not done I am moving..." Well don't let the door hit you in the bum on your way out.

Communities are about consensus, and what works for all.

I think we will skip Georgetown Row, and let The Emerald Canyon historic District bump to the reformed Clifton Park and Scenic Park.

FWIW

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Lynn Farris · Post by **Lynn Farris** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 10:53 am

Well I think you may be right Jim, but, let's not forget that it was Junior that night that was so arrogant, not Jess, who did do a lot for Lakewood. In fact I find few people that don't speak positively about the founder.

Junior was convinced that night that he was way too good for Lakewood, but the thing that angered me most was how disrespectful he was to his father's legacy.

Jim O'Bryan · Post by **Jim O'Bryan** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 11:07 am

Lynn Farris wrote:Well I think you may be right Jim, but, let's not forget that it was Junior that night that was so arrogant, not Jess, who did do a lot for Lakewood. In fact I find few people that don't speak positively about the founder.

Junior was convinced that night that he was way too good for Lakewood, but the thing that angered me most was how disrespectful he was to his father's legacy.

Lynn

The Bell family was good for Lakewood. I had the pleasure of working with Jess on many, many projects. His love for Lakewood was nearly endless. I remember how upset he was when they had to go to Westlake for the factory.

Jim, while not his father is still a good man. Misguided at times, but a good man. But Georgetown Row, not on my map.

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sharon kinsella · Post by **sharon kinsella** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 11:19 am

I grew up on Graber - that part of Detroit was my hood when I was little. We used to sell lemonade to the workers at Bonne Bell and also to the bus drivers that worked out of car barns - where the Mayfair apartments now are. My dad and most of my friends dads lived there.

With four small streets everyone knew each other and many worked together. Most of us went to St. James and everyone's mother watched what you did. I used to go into the valley when I could sneak away.

The cliff is the most memorable thing for me about this neighborhood. We always wanted to go look and we always got our fannies reddened when we did.

But sometimes, at sunset, the moms and dads would take us up there and we'd watch the sun change the colors of everything.

I don't know why I brought this up, except that Georgetown Row? Not so much.

By the way Lynn and Donald I remember when the building you used to own housed a lot of older ladies that we used to drive nuts. We made too much noise for them.

Boy am I old.

Shawn Juris · Post by **Shawn Juris** » Sat Jan 24, 2009 1:43 pm

Jim O'Bryan wrote: But Georgetown Row, not on my map.

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Now that's what consensus is all about.

Jim O'Bryan · Post by **Jim O'Bryan** » Sat Jan 24, 2009 3:39 pm

Shawn Juris wrote:
Jim O'Bryan wrote: But Georgetown Row, not on my map.

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Now that's what consensus is all about.

Shawn

Always love to see you drop in especially to slap me around.

Please note I said not on my map, has nothing to do with others. However Georgetown Row, is merely the facade of one commercial building hardly a neighborhood.

No place to buy pants.

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