The over 100-years old -- historic Transfiguration Church (built in 1902) located on Euclid Avenue and East 86th Street in Cleveland, Ohio has undergone a senseless destruction and will be replaced with a Cleveland Clinic Hotel – possibly operated by Holiday Inn.
May the names of all those who facilitated this senseless destruction forever live in infamy!
HISTORIC CHURCH:
Location: Euclid Ave. and East 86th Street in Cleveland.
Owner: Episcopal Diocese of Ohio.
Church sat empty for a number of years as the congregation had moved to the suburbs.
Formerly known as Emmanuel Episcopal, the 1902 Gothic Revival Church was designed by Architect, Bertram Goodhue.
DEMOLITION PERMIT:
The owner of the historic church asked the Cleveland Landmarks Commission for a demolition permit for the landmarked church. The Commission deliberated for nearly two months and finally granted a permit on 11-26-13. The owner agreed to salvage a few pieces that will be used or displayed in other locations, or stored.
CLEVELAND LANDMARKS COMMISSION:
Mission Statement: "To encourage the preservation of historically and architecturally significant buildings and historic districts within the City of Cleveland".
However, on 11-14-13, the Landmarks Commission voted unanimously to demolish an irreplaceable piece of grand architecture.
Based on the above, the Commission should be renamed the Cleveland Landmarks (Demolition) Commission.
WHAT BALONEY:
Minor exterior deterioration was observed on the eastern and two other faces as viewed from outside the fence on 09-24-13.
Yet, the owner had posted a “Building in Danger of Collapse” sign and had not provided any exterior or interior bracing to warrant posting of danger sign.
If the Church building was really in “Danger of Collapse” – then why was heavy equipment, as the photograph shows, needed to tear it apart?
MORE BALONEY, THIS TIME, COMING FROM A CLEVELAND POLITICIAN:
Cleveland City Councilwoman, Mamie Mitchell, who was worried that the Church building was unsafe, told the Cleveland Landmarks Commission on 09-12-13: "because I have to be responsible for 25,000 people or so in Ward Six, I would hate for someone to get crumbled by falling debris."
It appears the falling debris would really have to fly, beyond the fence, in large chunks and at tremendous speeds to crumble (heaven forbid) any Ward Six resident.
No flying debris was observed as I walked by the fenced church on
09-24-13 and no-resident passing by was observed to have been “crumbled”.
O.M.G. RETIRED STRUCTURAL ENGINEER (Satinder P. S. Puri) NOT WEARING HARD HAT!
(And definitely does not look crumbled by the fictional falling debris)
WHAT WE WERE UP AGAINST IN SAVING THE HISTORIC CHURCH:
Those of us who wanted the historic church to be preserved – did not stand a chance when we are up against elected representatives who use utter nonsense to make a case for demolition and owners who cannot justify the claim of imminent collapse and a compliant majority in the Cleveland Landmarks Commission who get their marching orders from the rich and powerful in our city.
IS THE CLEVELAND CLINIC A LAND GRABBER?
The land, under the demolished church, is being purchased by Cleveland Clinic for a hotel that may be operated by Holiday Inn.
The Clinic known for innovations in the medical field – and with deep pockets -- wanted to do nothing to save the historic church and re-purpose it for their own use. But sure as hell, the Clinic wanted the Episcopal Diocese to demolish the historic church and sell them the land.
THOSE WERE THE DAYS!
CLEVELAND CLINIC GARAGE AND HISTORIC TRANSFIGURATION CHURCH C0-EXISTING IN APPARENT HARMONY!
REFERENCE LINKS:
*”Historic Cleveland church taken down piece by piece, WKYC, 01-10-2014”
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=6&sqi=2&ved... [1]
*”Demolition starts at Historic Church near Cleveland Clinic, after records, artifacts are removed”, Michelle Jarboe McFee, The Plain Dealer, 01-11-2014
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&v... [2]
*Additional Photographs of the Senseless Demolition, 01-11-2014
http://www.artographyonline.com/blog/2014/01/11/church-of-the-transfigur... [3]
*“Historic churches near Cleveland Clinic campus at center of debate over preservation, land-banking” Michelle Jarboe McFee, The Plain Dealer, 01-22-2012
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CCcQ... [4]
*”Episcopal Diocese seeks demolition of Euclid Avenue church, after Cleveland Clinic emerges as land buyer”, Michelle Jarboe McFee, The Plain Dealer, 09-06-2013
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=5&cad=rja&v... [5]
*“Cleveland Clinic aims to build hotel, possibly a Holiday Inn, on Euclid Avenue church land” Michelle Jarboe McFee, The Plain Dealer, 09-12-2013
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&cad=rja&v... [6]
*“Cleveland Landmarks Commission signs off on Historic Church demolition near Cleveland Clinic”, , Michelle Jarboe McFee, The Plain Dealer , 11-14-2013
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=4&ved=0CEIQ... [7]
*Additional references are available. Please do a google search on “Historic Transfiguration Church in Cleveland, Ohio”.
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