Another serious drive by on Roxbury... they happen every day

Submitted by Norm Roulet on Mon, 05/05/2008 - 22:16.

One great thing about a gravel driveway is you can hear them coming.

This afternoon, Claes and I were chilling at home in East Cleveland, minding our own business, when we heard that crunch of rocks under heavy tires. Then the slam of a car door, and heavy feet on the front porch... another drive-by had arrived. It's been happening regularly since we started renovating the house on Roxbury, late last Summer.... especially on a beautiful day like today.

First the neighbors, and then complete strangers, stopping by. They all want to see our great house - they love our neighborhood - they all want to live here... around here. I didn't expect that.

Today's visitor was a nurse from Huron Hospital who wants to live in one of these great old houses a few blocks from work. I did what I always do... gave her a tour of our home, and talked about the great homes in the area, and encouraged her to invest in and move to East Cleveland. We talked about the great home town feel, and how all the neighbors have lived here for decades, and are committed to their homes and community, and how the small East Cleveland government is so much better than the dark halls of Cleveland. I pointed out that police and EMS response times in East Cleveland are the fastest in the region, and that was before the police replaced 6 aging Crown Victorias with much faster but more fuel efficient Chargers. And I gave the Huron Hospital nurse my name, email and phone number and told her to get in touch if she needs any help finding a great home here, or low interest loans, or historic renovation assistance, or lead eradication funds, or meeting anyone who may help. I made her feel as welcome as she will feel if she lives in my neighborhood.

She said all the doctors and nurses at Huron are saying the same thing...why spend so much time and money driving back and forth to the suburbs, when you can live in such amazing homes in such a great location - get rid of a car and put the $10,000 a year for payments, gas and maintenance into owning a better home.

And the drive-by ended... lunch-break was over and the nurse went back to work, and Claes and I went inside our beautiful East Cleveland century home, and Claes took a peaceful nap.

If you would like to drive-by 1894 Roxbury, feel free... but please email in advance to make sure we are home... norm [at] realneo [dot] us

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what a beautiful child/what a great idea

Claes is such a beautiful child! You are a lucky Dad.  

It is wonderful to hear that staff at Huron are seriously considering living in this neighborhood. It makes sense that this would become a neighborhood inhabited by hospital workers employed at Huron, UH and CCF. With the Silver Line coming to the area, CCF employees could even jettison their cars, using public transport and CityWheels (now with an office on Euclid at Ford). How long will it take to make that stretch of Euclid between Superior and Ford a walkable neighborhood? I wonder.

 

I love your idea of getting something groovy into Mickey's. These things happen slowly, but it is good to see such a smart urban pioneer as you beginning the process in this neighborhood. I think many people have had the idea to move into that gorgeous neighborhood over the years, but have been reluctant to be the first. As usual, reluctant to make change is not in your bag of tricks.

 

Thank you for seeing the value and acting on it. Good things will follow in time.  I suppose it is like waiting for the bread dough to rise. It's amazing (when I don't, as I have several times, scald the yeast) to see what can come from a good start with patience.

More drive bys... how about an open house

After posting this, Evelyn said somebody stopped by to ask about the house, and I talked with some of my neighbors and they feel very good about the neighborhood, and then I got a nice email from someone who saw my posting on realneo and has family down the street and asked if they may stop in. So I invited them over tomorrow, Friday, at 2PM, when I expect Jim O'Bryan and some of the EC Observer crew will be here. If you would like to join us, feel free to stop by - 2-3 PM tomorrow, Friday, May 9.

I'm sure that will become a regular thing on Roxbury - Summertime is coming.

Disrupt IT