Description. The neighborhood was originally incorporated as the Village of Glenville in 1870 and was annexed to Cleveland in 1905. Shady, thick glens through which little streams tumbled gave the area its picturesque name. During the late 1890s the area was known for its farm produce and was also a vacation spot for wealthy Clevelanders. Major development occurred in the neighborhood between 1900 and 1930. The neighborhood is predominantly residential with many streets a mix of single-family, two-family and small multi-family buildings.
Assets. Among the neighborhood’s most significant assets are:
- Rockefeller Park in the Doan Creek Valley, home to the Cleveland Cultural Gardens, the City Greenhouse and the Harrison Dillard Bikeway
- the concentration of churches along East 105 th Street
- the Glenville Towne Centre commercial district featuring the East Side Market and Glenville Wall of Fame
- proximity to the institutions of University Circle
- proximity to Lake Erie, Gordon Park and Dike 14
- historic residential districts adjacent to Rockefeller Park and University Circle
Challenges. Among the challenges faced by the Glenville neighborhood today are:
- vacant lots scattered throughout the neighborhood
- areas of large aging houses that are expensive to maintain and heat
- limited variety of housing options
- deteriorated storefronts, vacant lots and unattractive streetscape in retail districts
- the largely vacant former White Motor Company site north of St. Clair, near East 79th
- capitalizing on the proximity to University Circle, Rockefeller Park and Lake Erie
Vision. Make Glenville a neighborhood of choice by building on its unique location near University Circle, Lake Erie and Rockefeller Park and the strength of its religious institutions. Among the development opportunities and initiatives proposed are the following:
- implement the Heritage Lane housing development along East 105 th Street, just north of University Circle
- create housing options for residents that offer variety in size, style, price-point, and housing type
- target housing programs around streets near University Circle and Tanner Court
- undertake streetscape enhancements along the major neighborhood arterials of East 105 th, Superior, and St. Clair to complement housing and institutional investments and promote new retail investment
- focus retail at nodes at East 105 th/St. Clair, East 105 th/Superior and Garrett Square
- renovate and redevelop the White Motors site at East 79 th and St. Clair into a regional retail center
- restore the 88-acre Dike 14 into an accessible natural resource area on the lakefront
- make Gordon Park more accessible and better connected to the lakefront and Rockefeller Park by extending and realigning MLK Boulevard at its northern end and by creating a more substantial land bridge connection over the shoreway
- pursue improvements to make Rockefeller Park more user-friendly and advocate for the addition of an African-American Cultural Garden
- capitalize on the heritage of Glenville residents through arts and cultural initiatives celebrating the accomplishments of its many famous residents
Printable version: can be downloaded here.
Maps (current as of May 2007): Assets, Development Opportunities, Land Use (existing and proposed), and Retail Strategies are available here. (PDF)
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