by Lynette Filips

   (Plain Press June 2026) The pallets of orange Jersey barricades and piping which I mentioned in last month’s article, along with the fencing above them, have been installed around Pearl Road United Methodist Church, the former St. Luke’s United Church of Christ, and the Greenline Building(s) on the northwest corner of Pearl Rd. and Memphis Ave. in Old Brooklyn.

   An article in the May 9th edition of NEOTrans stated that on April 24th the City of Cleveland had issued a permit to allow the interior demolition of the buildings to begin, even though “the capital stack was not yet  finalized”, so that a $2.34 million Brownfield remediation grant from the State of Ohio could be used before it expires later this year. Some internet responses to the news expressed excitement. Many others expressed sadness and anger.

HISTORY DAYS

   But before I move on with more about that project, I want to promote something totally positive this month — the upcoming 2026 Cleveland History Days. The eleven-day celebration will take place from Thursday, June 18th, through Sunday, June 28th, and again some of the events will be taking place in Old Brooklyn. 

   As he has done for four previous years, Cleveland History Days partner and preservation advocate Tom Yablonsky will be talking about an aspect of advocacy for old buildings at Metropolitan Coffee, 4744 Broadview Rd., at the corner of Portman Ave. The exact title of this year’s talk, which will be presented with Antonin Robert from GBX, is “Preservation Advocacy: National Register of Historic Districts”. It will take place on Monday, June 23rd, from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. The speakers will address local listings and the economic impact that being on the National Register can have.  (This should be especially interesting because the buildings which the Old Brooklyn Community Development Corporation is intending to tear down at Memphis and Pearl are part of the “South Brooklyn Commercial District” on the National Register.) The publicity blurb for the free talk further states that Cleveland’s downtown ranks #1 in the nation in adaptive reuse and conversion of unused industrial spaces.  Space is limited so registration is required; it can be done via Canalway’s website, www.canalwaypartners.com or directly at www.ClevelandHistoryDays.com. 

TAKE-A-HIKE

   For the second time, the Historic Gateway Neighborhood Corporation has included Old Brooklyn in its “Take-a-Hike” series and two of those free walks around downtown Old Brooklyn will take place during Cleveland History Days. They will be from 1 to 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 20th, and Saturday, June 27th.  Registration is also required for the walk. Last year a staff member from the Old Brooklyn Community Development Corporation (OBCDC) led the hike. Park in the lot next to Nunzio’s cabinet shop, 4147 Pearl Rd., if you decide to attend. 

MONROE CEMETERY

   Another close-to-Old-Brooklyn Cleveland History Days event is at Monroe Street Cemetery on Sunday, June 28th, but really the best way to learn about ALL the offerings is to either pick up a booklet or visit Canalway’s website.  Metropolitan Coffee has an ample supply and probably local libraries do, too. They are among the thirty community partners we have to thank for their sponsorship of these interesting events. 

MEMPHIS & PEARL

   Now getting back to the Memphis Pearl project, over the past few weeks I have been trying even harder than usual to get definitive answers to many questions. Except for the excellent help I have received from the Cuyahoga County employees I contacted, it has been an exercise in frustration. The last Minutes of the Board which Old Brooklyn Community Development Corporation (OBCDC) posted were in November of 2025 and they were very much abbreviated compared to previous Minutes. My requests for information were not acknowledged by either the OBCDC or the City. I asked for very specific information — per the “Ohio Open Records Law (149.43)” — from Cleveland’s Department of Economic Development and heard nothing. Sales agents for local real estate offerings (e.g., the CVS and Theo’s buildings and parking lot, and the office/ retail space on the southeast corner of Pearl Rd. and Broadview Rd.) did not return calls either. 

   Thanks to a friend who attends — and records — Ward 4 Councilman Kris Harsh’s monthly meetings at Estabrook Recreation Center and who subsequently sent me the transcript, I did learn something about the former CVS property. I now have the answer for everyone who has wondered online why OBCDC doesn’t save the historic corner at Memphis and Pearl and build their desired apartments across the street. It’s because they already own (actually, were mostly given) the properties on the north side of Memphis Ave., but they would have to buy the CVS and surrounding area property. And the asking price is $2 million.

   And here’s something I learned after numerous conversations with the County. Although Cuyahoga County is listed on OBCDC’s website as one of the sponsors of the Memphis Pearl Project, they are NOT a sponsor and were surprised to see their name and symbol listed there. In addition, a tool on the County’s website called “MyPlace” has been a great help to me in looking up information (January 1, 1975, and more recently) about all the real estate parcels on OBCDC’s Memphis Pearl site.  All the facts I gathered could be the contents of a separate, future article, but for now I do need to correct something I wrote in last month’s article. I said that when it became available, OBCDC had purchased a lot on ‘Short’ Broadview to use for parking for their proposed apartments. In reality, the Cuyahoga County Land Reutilization Corporation — aka, the Land Bank — pretty much gave the property ($5 sale price, plus a $5 filing fee) to OBCDC on February 1st, 2022. That is exactly when OBCDC submitted an application for Low Income Housing Tax Credits to the State of Ohio; they were hoping to demolish everything on the corner except Pearl Road United Methodist Church and have a developer named NRP build low-income housing there. But the State did not award them the money.

   And getting back to the May NEOTrans article, if you have the interest, take the time to carefully read what Harrison Whittaker wrote. He is not the journalist who usually covers Memphis and Pearl and he does not write with certainty about what will happen after environmental issues are abated. He uses the word “could” and speaks of phases. This interior work is Phase 1. Phase 2 could happen by the end of the year.

   So far, things aren’t going well. OBCDC posted online that shortly after the barricades were erected the former St. Luke’s building was vandalized twice. Stained glass windows were ruined; $150,000 in damage was the amount cited.

   The barricades around the project make both vehicular and pedestrian traffic dangerous day and night. The lack of street lighting in front of the Greenline Building(s) makes it even more perilous at night. The stained-glass windows are irreplaceable, but the loss of human life there would be far worse.

And, would OBCDC actually start demolishing historic structures before all the money was in place to build something else? We were promised that no such thing would happen. 

   Till next month, if you want to refer to any previous Plain Press articles about this historic Old Brooklyn corner, access them on the Plain Press’ website, https://plainpress.blog, or on the HSOB’s website, www.oldbrooklynhistory.org.