Glenville-Wade Park

History
Glenville is rich in Cleveland history. This neighborhood was once a farming community. Because of its location near Lake Erie and its shady glens (Rockefeller Park,) Glenville soon became a favorite summer location for Cleveland’s elite residents. Grand summer homes and hotels were built, some remain today. During the 1940’s and 50’s, Glenville was known as the “Gold Coast,” with shopping, night clubs and dining along E. 105th Street. Musicians would stop here on their way to and from New York and Chicago. Notable residents from Glenville include Superman creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Schuster, gold medal Olympian Jesse Owens, playwright Jerome Lawrence and most recently Ted Ginn, Jr., a former Glenville Tarblooder.

In the 1960’s, the neighborhood gained recognition during the Civil Rights Movement when Dr. Martin Luther King addressed a crowd of 10,000 at Cory Methodist Church on East 105th Street. Later, Malcolm X delivered his famous “The Ballot or the Bullet” speech at the same podium.

Today, 22,000 residents call Glenville home. This neighborhood has amazing housing stock, a nationally acclaimed football team, beautiful Rockefeller Park and the Cultural Gardens and is conveniently located near downtown and all major Interstates. Neighboring University Circle, Cleveland’s center for culture and the arts, world class health care, medical research and museums are a stone’s throw away.

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Strategic Investment Initiative
Sponsored by Neighborhood Progress, Inc., the SII is a comprehensive approach to neighborhood revitalization that includes additional resources for land assembly, home improvement, community organizing, youth development and the creation of greenspace and community gathering places. Famicos is one of six CDC’s in Cleveland to be selected to implement the SII. Famicos’ SII area is known as the southern Glenville –Wade Park neighborhood, which is directly north of University Circle. This initiative relies heavily on the participation of residents in neighborhood planning efforts. Together, residents identified six areas that are leading the SII Neighborhood Plan, which was adopted in 2007.

Glenville-Wade Park SII Neighborhood Plan

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Transportation for Livable Communities (TLCI)
This planning initiative will have a dramatic affect on the Glenville-Wade Park neighborhood. With the Veterans Affairs Medical Center merger between the Wade Park and Brecksville facilities complete and expansion underway, the need for a traffic study and infrastructure planning became significant. Much more traffic will be entering and exiting the neighborhood daily. Residents are concerned about the increase in traffic and what effect it will have on their quality of life.

Famicos received support from the Transportation for Livable Communities to complete a traffic study. With help from NOACA and City Architecture, traffic patterns were studied and an improved infrastructure plan was designed. The plan was approved by the community in 2008 and will better connect the Glenville-Wade Park neighborhood with University Circle and create a more pedestrian friendly and walkable community.

Transportation for Livable Communities Transportation Plan
TLCI Introduction
TLCI Implementing the plan
TLCI Initiatives to enhance the public realm
TLCI A Bridge Uniting Institutions and Neighborhood
TLCI Realigning East Boulevard
TLCI East 105th Street - to Wade Park Avenue
TLCI East 105th Street - Wade Park to Superior Avenue
TLCI Proposed Roadway Network
TLCI Re-Engaging Rockefeller Park with the Neighborhood
TLCI Re-Engaging Rockefeller Park with the Neighborhood ii
TLCI Creating Bicycle Friendly Streets
TLCI Community Involvement

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