• A look at some of the buildings in Old Brooklyn’s Historic District

    PHOTO COURTESY OF THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF OLD BROOKLYN The H. Krather Building, built in 1895, is one of several historic buildings in the South Brooklyn Historic Commercial District, near the corner of Pearl and Memphis. by Lynette Filips    (Plain Press December 2024) This month we continue to look at the history of the…


  • How the corner of Pearl and Memphis came to be included in the National Register of Historic Places in 2005

    GRAPHIC COURTESY OF THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE A map of the South Brooklyn Commercial Historic District from the United States Department of Interior National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places. by Lynette Filips      (Plain Press November 2024) This month we continue to look at the history of the northwest corner of Pearl Rd.…


  • Old Brooklyn’s Brookmere Cemetery included in nationwide cemetery tour

    PHOTO BY JOHN RAKAUSKAS Monday, August 5, 2024; Brookmere Cemetery, 3645 Broadview Rd., in the Old Brooklyn neighborhood of Cleveland: Cleveland residents as well as residents of other cities in Ohio and neighboring states attended an outdoor workshop demonstrating how to clean, repair and reposition headstones. The workshop was conducted by Jonathan Appell, founder of…


  • Are prominent citizens still buried at the Old Burying Ground at Pearl-Memphis intersection in Old Brooklyn?

    by Lynette Filips      (Plain Press May 2024) This month we continue to look at the history of the northwest corner of Pearl Rd. and Memphis Ave. which the Old Brooklyn Community Development Corporation (OBCDC) is seeking to “revitalize” with a $31 million new construction project. It is the most historic section of Cleveland’s Old…


  • Old Brooklyn residents’ research sheds new light on the history of a cherished corner slated for redevelopment

    by Lynette Filips    (Plain Press April 2024) This month we continue to look at the history of the northwest corner of Pearl Rd. and Memphis Ave. which the Old Brooklyn Community Development Corporation (OBCDC) is seeking to “revitalize” with a $31 million new construction project. It is the most historic section of Cleveland’s Old…


  • Pearl Memphis intersection has long history

    PHOTO BY CHUCK HOVEN November 18, 2023, Pearl Road at Memphis Avenue: This former St. Luke’s United Church of Christ sits on the site of a proposed new development in the Old Brooklyn Historic District. The building was one of the key factors in the Historic District receiving its designation on the National Register of…


  • Trailblazing from Cleveland’s past to a green future

    by Erik Ault      Every city is a work in progress. Cleveland has known many economic bumps and headwinds which can demoralize citizens and divert political focus. Many projects languish after years of frustration and hopelessness. But Tim Donovan and Tom Yablonsky saw the decline of industry along the Cuyahoga River valley as the opening…


  • Roundtable discussion with Mayor Justin Bibb sheds some light on City’s development agenda

    (April 2023, Plain Press) Mayor Justin Bibb and WOVU 95.9 FM radio station hosted a Community Media Roundtable on February 15th. The roundtable served as an opportunity for community news outlets to dialogue with Mayor Bibb on topics of concern in the neighborhoods they serve.      Managing Editor Chuck Hoven represented the Plain Press at…


  • New owner of the Variety Theater shares her vision for its future

    PHOTO BY CHUCK HOVEN Saturday, September 10, 2022; Variety Theater, W. 118th & Lorain Avenue: Westown Executive Director Rose Zitello says the Variety Theater has new ownership. The new owner, Kelly Flamos, former co-owner of Mahall’s in Lakewood, is working on the restoration of the entire building with hopes of opening the theater as a…


  • Tremont residents should examine how to maintain a diverse neighborhood

    Tremont residents should examine how to maintain a diverse neighborhood by Chuck Hoven (Plain Press, October 2022)  Tremont residents should be encouraged to participate in Ideastream’s Justin Glanville My Changing Neighborhood discussions where there is an examination of how to maintain a diverse neighborhood when gentrification is occurring.    The Tremont neighborhood could use some…