Quote:
Originally posted by Ideal08
Yeah, this is my old neck of the woods. I lived on Brookfield and would walk to Kings Highway to meet my friends then walk to school. And y'all know that's outta the way. But if it meant I'd be safe, that's what I did. Cuz in the winter, it's DARK in the morning. And you can't run from nobody in the snow and ice.
Now, the Cleveland thing... it's sad, but CT4 and I were JUST talking about it after Labor Day weekend. Cleveland has been on a steady decline since we left for college. Now, here's the thing. I thought that it was going thru gentrification, but I guess I was wrong. I remember when I was in college, they cleaned that Hough area up REAL nice; built some new homes, I was impressed. I was wrong, cuz the last ime I went home, I saw nothing great. NOTHING. Even Warrensville looks run down and poor. It's a sad, sad shame, it really is. 
I mean, why don't they make use of all that open space. Where Zayre's used to be on Northfield, up the street from the high school, that's been empty since I was a KID. I mean, when's the last time you heard of Zayre's??? Then like CT4 said, that Holiday Inn on Emery and Northfield. What's up? Now you got the old LTV building... do they still use that or what? I mean, what is going on??????
When we went to the Kappa's Konclave that year, I thought my hometown was trying to creep on a come-up. New clubs in The Flats and on Public Square (was never no clubs on Public Square, lol), the R&RHOF, the new Ritz Carlton... WHAT HAPPENED, MIKE WHITE, WHAT HAPPENED?? Jane better handle her business.
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For those that don't know, I lived between Emery and Miles right by East Ohio Gas on Miles. So that Holiday Inn is an empty eyesore and has been empty for at least 15 years. It could easily have been turned into a homeless shelter or a new high school or SOMETHING.
Here is something I shared with my crew after my visit home Labor Day weekend:
I went home this weekend for the first time in almost a year. I have noticed before but this time it hit me a lot harder. Cleveland has greatly deteriorated. I hate where my mother lives. The neighbors are loud as hell at 3 in the morning for no other reason than they can be. The houses (if you can call them that are in such shytty conditions). My mother and my grandmother live less than a mile from each other and driving back and forth between their houses saddened me. My grandmother was raised in the home she lives in. It is probably the best looking house on the street. There is a house that caught on fire about 2 years ago that still stands in its burned state. There are homes that used to appear so majestic to me that look horrible. Paint peeling, chipped, etc. Bumpy ass streets. Bad ass kids. Bumpy ass streets. Potholes everywhere.
Then I went to my mother's church, near Superior. The homes there should all be condemned. Some look so horrible I just could do nothing but stare. I rode past the drive in non Miles Ave. we used to go to as kids and teens. Last time I was there was in 1997. . .It is now closed. It stands there on a main street looking war torn. The Holiday Inn that sits on the corner of Northfield and Emery that has been closed since I was in high school still sits EMPTY. EMPTY EMPTY. It could very well become a school or a homeless shelter or apartments. Yet they are building "luxury apartments" down the street by my old job and elementary school. Luxury my ass. How you gonna have luxury apartments built within a school system where at least 95% of ALL the STUDENTS are on free or reduced lunch. How you gonna have luxury anything when kids can't read worth a damn.
It saddens me to see what used to be my home and to me in eyes beautiful look like pure dee shyt. I mean I drove back to my beautiful apartment and it no longer seemed so beautiful when my mother lives somewhere that it just ain't safe to walk down the street after 8:00p.m. I have to get her out of there. She deserves better. No one deserves to live like that. No one. Our world is messed up and folks trying to governmentize (not a word but this is a rant so f it) other countries but here at HOME folks killing each other because they were shut out of a party (WTF go to another party).
Mike White (former BLACK mayor of Cleveland) really helped ruin the East side of Cleveland which is predominantly Black.
The empty Zayres (been empty since late 80s) could have been turned into a rec center or a skating rink.