Four rehab projects in the works on W. 25th Street/Pearl Road in Clark Fulton and Brooklyn Centre neighborhoods

New Elk & Elk Law Office, Aragon Ballroom and Masonic Temple Buildings have begun rehab construction and Ganley Auto opens insurance claim shop

Elk & Elk, the Cleveland injury law firm has begun work to rehabilitate the two story commercial building at 3350 W. 25th Street. The project went through an extensive design and review process in October 2012.   The building ownership transferred in December and construction began this month.

The firm has operated in Ohio for nearly 50 years, is headquartered in Mayfield Heights and has offices throughout Ohio in Akron, Canton, Columbus, Cincinnati, Dayton, Toledo and Youngstown.

Total acquisition and construction costs are estimated at $500,000.

The Elk & Elk project is one of four recently started on the W. 25th Street/Pearl Road corridor.  The building is located adjacent to the American Pride Car Wash and fronts MetroHealth Drive.

Elk & Elk Building, 3350 W. 25th Street before photo (above)
and final design renderings (below).

Other buildings under construction include the former Aragon Ballroom (3179 W. 25th) also located in the Clark Fulton neighborhood and the former Masonic Temple Building (3800-3808 Pearl Road) located in Brooklyn Centre.  Ganley Auto Group has also recently opened an insurance claim repair shop following requests from auto insurance companies to locate a facility on the near west side.

(A) Aragon Ballroom, 3179 W 25th

(B) Ganely Auto, 3300 W. 25th

(C) Elk & Elk, 3350 W. 25th

(D) Masonic Temple, 3804 W. 25th

Aragon Ballroom, The work being done currently on the historic Local Landmark Aragon Ballroom is primarily stabilization and emergency repair, as the building's exterior and interior is still under design.  Designs will focus on maintaining the existing interior's significant open space and will also include a new commercial kitchen and updated office.  The exterior designs are will follow historical rehab standards based on the buildings previous historic designs, with materials and color selection yet to be determined.

Fortunately the building's main flat roof was replaced within in the last eight years and the spacious dance floor has been preserved, save a few minor damaged areas that will be restored.

The new owner, Ali Faraj owns and operates the La Villa Conference and Banquet Center, located at 11500 Brook Park Road.  Ali  and his team are recently credited for transforming what was formerly a U. S. Army Reserve Center into a 54,000 Square foot banquet facility located at 11500 Brookpark Road at Chevrolet Boulevard.

Plans for the Aragon are to restore the building and utilize it as an additional Conference and Banquet Center and possibly for performance arts.  More information will be provided on this project as it completes final concept, design and approvals.  Total acquisition and construction costs are estimated at $1.2 million.

The project was under consideration for utilizing historic tax credits but a decision to forego those resources was recently made and instead the project is being considered for the City of Cleveland's Storefront Renovation Project.

The Stock Yard, Clark Fulton & Brooklyn Centre Community Development Office (SCFBC) is providing technical assistance along with technical and design consultation form the Historic Warehouse District Development Corporation, Historic Gateway Neighborhood Corporation and Sandvick Architects, Inc.

The project also contracted services from well known local historical researcher Craig Bobby. Photos, articles and a history of the building and its former owners are expected to to be displayed once the building is completed. Building renovations are expected to be finished by the end of this year.

1905 rendering and announcement of the construction of the Pearl
Amusement Company, what would become the famous Aragon Ballroom.
the building was originally operated as the Pearl Roller Rink.

1937 photo, Aragon Ballroom, west exterior frontage at 3179 W. 25th.

The Aragon Ballroom name was debuted in September of 1937. Prior names and uses from 1905 to 1937 were: Olympic Roller Rink (1911-15); Olympic Winter Garden (roller rink,1916-23); Winter Garden (roller rink) & Olympic Hall (1924-1930); Shadyside Dance Palace (1931-33); and, Winter Garden Amusement Co. (1934-37, no roller rink or dance hall).

1969 photo, Aragon Ballroom dance floor.
[Photo credit: Cleveland Press Collection of  CSU's Library Special Collections]

Masonic Temple, new owners August Garofoli and John McCartney have worked in recent months on rehabbing portions of the interior.  They are utilizing office space for their own operations and plan on increasing the tenancy and utilization of building for primarily retail and offices.  Exterior and additional interior rehab work is being planned and will follow with new leases and the attraction of new tenants.

Photo of Masonic Temple, 3804 Pearl Road.

Ganley Auto Group recently opened an auto insurance claim repair shop in a commercial structure that has been very well maintained by owner Nicholas Pandapas.  The building located at 3300 W. 25th Street needed some minor updating and construction and opened for business earlier this year.

SCFBC Service Area Block Clubs, Community Associations and Community Gardens

What does community engagement look like?  Here it is mapped out for the Stockyard, Clark Fulton & Brooklyn Centre Community Development Office's service area:

For more information about SCFBC see here. And, click on the map below for the interactive Google Map version.

Block Clubs, Community Associations

Please call the SCFBC for information on any group you are interested in attending or learning more about.  [See full report for more detailed information and meeting schedules]

1. Brooklyn Centre Community Association
2. Bush Ave Block Watch
3. Fenwick Neighbors Block Club
4. Fulton West Block Club
5. International Village
6. Jones Home Historic District Community Association (formerly Daisy Area)
7. Library, and Poe Ave. Meeting location: Jones Home Building Basement, Applewood Center Mapledale Ave Residents
8. Stockyard Connection
9. Village People
10. Unity Block Club
11. W. 33rd Street Block Club
12. W. 33rd and Bradwell Ave Residents
13. W. 73rd & Neighborhood Coalition

Community Interest Groups

1. Brooklyn Centre Naturalists
2. Cleveland TimeBank
3. Community Forum
4. Community Gardens
5. Community Leaders Committee
6. Economic Development Committee
7. Greenspace & Land Reutilization Committee
8. Housing Committee
9. Mix & Mingles Open House
10. Near West Community Council
11. NeighborCircles
12. Safety Committee
13. Stockyard Steppers

Gardens and Green Space

1. Frontier Garden
2. New Hope Garden
3. Fenwick Garden
4. Brooklyn Centre Community Orchard
5. Daisy Ave Green Garden
6. W. 58th St Garden
7. W. 58th St Orchard
8. International Village NatureHood Native Plant Garden
9. International Village Garden 4
10. International Village Garden 1
11. International Village Garden 2
12. International village Garden 5
13. International Village Orchard
14. La Placita
15. Placemark 16
16. Arkansas Arbor
17. Stockyard Community Schools
18. Clark Elementary
19. Boys and Girls Club
20. Taking Root
21. 2902 Archwood Ave
22. New Hope Community Garden
23. W. 73rd and Community Coalition Pocket Park
24. PoPce Pocket Park
25. W. 44th and Storer Cottage
26. BCN Urban Dye Garden
27. Bigelow Victory Garden
28. El Sol
29. East of Eden
30. Lincoln West Garden
31. NxGen Perserve 63
32. BCN Polar Plot
33. BCN Garden
34. Maggies Farm
35. Jardin de Milegros

For information on any of the above community groups or programs, please contact the SCFBC office at (216) 961-9073, 3167 Fulton Road, #302, Cleveland, Ohio 44109

How do Cleveland’s community development organizations rank nationally?

Excerpts from a study and ranking of 23 cities

Although the study referenced here is more than a decade old, the methodology and comprehensiveness of issues covered is very useful in understanding the role and impact CDCs can have in a city.

I've been active for the past decade within the industry having directed a CDC and now involved in policy and funding CDC activities.  My observation is that in the last decade, CDCs in Cleveland have continued to evolve in handling even more complex real estate projects and at the other end of the spectrum, some are involved in a renewal of activities related to community outreach and capacity building.  In addition, cooperation and in some cases consolidations have occurred and the scope of services is expanding to include more social issues such as education and economic issues such as workforce.

I encourage you to look at the whole study and to share your perspective on the successes, opportunities and challenges CDCs in Cleveland face.

And, if you're in a outer-ring or outlying suburb what are your resources, both within your city government and your neighborhood or community wide civic wide organizations?