East Cleveland, Ohio

Infobox Settlement
official_name = East Cleveland, Ohio
settlement_type = City
nickname =
motto =

imagesize =
image_caption =


image_

mapsize = 250px
map_caption = Location of East Cleveland in Ohio

---

mapsize1 = 250px
map_caption1 = Location of East Cleveland in Cuyahoga County

subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = Ohio
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Cuyahoga

government_footnotes =
government_type =
leader_title = Mayor
leader_name = Eric J. Brewer
leader_title1 =
leader_name1 =
established_title =
established_date =

unit_pref = Imperial
area_footnotes =
area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 8.0
area_land_km2 = 8.0
area_water_km2 = 0.0
area_total_sq_mi = 3.1
area_land_sq_mi = 3.1
area_water_sq_mi = 0.0

population_as_of = 2000
population_footnotes =
population_total = 27217
population_density_km2 = 3383.0
population_density_sq_mi = 8761.8

timezone = Eastern (EST)
utc_offset = -5
timezone_DST = EDT
utc_offset_DST = -4
elevation_footnotes = GR|3
elevation_m = 210
elevation_ft = 689
latd = 41 |latm = 31 |lats = 54 |latNS = N
longd = 81 |longm = 34 |longs = 55 |longEW = W

postal_code_type = ZIP codes
postal_code = 44110, 44112, 44118
area_code = 216
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 39-23380GR|2
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 1064577GR|3
website = http://www.eastcleveland.org/
footnotes =

East Cleveland is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States, and is the first suburb of Cleveland, Ohio. The population was 27,217 at the 2000 census. In 2003 the population was estimated at 26,255. [http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/39/3923380.html]

History

East Cleveland incorporated as a village in 1895 and became a city in 1911. This charter included provisions for women's suffrage, which at the time was unheard of in all regions east of Chicago. Before the charter had passed, the city of Cleveland unsuccessfully attempted to annex the emerging municipality in 1910 and again in 1916.

Within East Cleveland sits Nela Park, the world's first industrial park.Fact|date=January 2008 Nela Park continues to operate today as the functional headquarters for GE Lighting and is the city's second largest employer. Huron Hospital, a satellite hospital of the Cleveland Clinic, is the city's largest employer. Huron Hospital is a notable health care facility, being the only Level-II trauma center between Cleveland's MetroHealth Medical Center, located on West 25th Street, and Hillcrest Hospital, located in Mayfield Heights.

East Cleveland includes a portion of Euclid Avenue, which from the 1860s through the 1920s was known as "Millionaire's Row". The many estates along this stretch of road in East Cleveland included the convert|248|acre|km2|sing=on home of the late John D. Rockefeller, Standard Oil founder and "the world’s first billionaire".

By the Great Depression a great number of homes along "Millionaire's Row" were demolished or abandoned. Although commercial properties and fast-food chains replaced many Euclid Avenue homes during the second half of the 20th century, East Cleveland is still home to 18 of the original "Millionaire's Row" homes, while only six are left in the city of Cleveland.

After World War II, development of other suburbs within the region brought a number of changes to East Cleveland. By the 1960s, African Americans constituted an increasingly large portion of the city's population. By 1984, East Cleveland was one of the largest primarily black communities in Ohio, with a population of 36,957.

Government and Politics

East Cleveland is a Charter city that is granted its authority under the home rule provisions of the Ohio constitution.

Prior to 1985 East Cleveland had been under the leadership of a Commission and City Manager. In 1985 voters grew frustrated with that form of government Fact|date=April 2008 after two commissioners were charged with theft in office, and after a revolving door of city managers resulted in little stability and a reduction in services. Citizens for Sound Government, a group of residents, led a petition drive to elect a strong mayor and to create a five-member city council. Attorney Darryl E. Pittman became the first mayor to lead the city since 1908. He was sworn in on January 1, 1986.

After two years on the job, in Pittman's second two-year term, Ohio's State Auditor declared on September 9, 1988 that East Cleveland was in fiscal emergency. The fiscal emergency designation came after the water and sewer fund had deficits in excess of $2 million. Pittman was defeated in 1989 by Wallace D. Davis, the council president and a funeral home owner. Prior to his defeat, Pittman convinced former U.S. Rep. Louis Stokes to support a congressional amendment that made East Cleveland a "direct entitlement city" under HUD. That designation gave the city the authority to receive more than $1 million a year in block grant funding directly from HUD.

Instead of the money being a blessing to the struggling city, it was badly mismanaged under the Davis administration when he hired Emmanuel W. Onunwor, who would later defeat him as mayor in 1997, to lead the Department of Community Development. Not only did Onuwnor mismanage millions in federal funds, his leadership of the Department of Community Development led to hundreds of properties being boarded-up Fact|date=April 2008 and HUD demanding a return of its funds after two derogatory state and federal audits.

Davis also borrowed $2.5 million that had to be paid back in eight years to get the city out of fiscal emergency. His administration made the last payment in 1997, but the city remained in fiscal emergency throughout Onunwor's eight-year term in office, and after he was indicted and convicted on federal charges of racketeering and corruption in 2004. Onunwor was sentenced to nine years in federal prison in September 2004. He was temporarily replaced by then Council President Saratha Goggins, who was later exposed by the media for having stabbed an ex-boyfriend to death while she was married.

Current Mayor Eric J. Brewer became the city's fourth elected CEO on January 1, 2006, and now presides over a city that was removed from fiscal emergency one month after he took office. Mayor Brewer - an investigative journalist and newspaper publisher who had served as a Special Assistant to retired Cleveland Mayor Michael R. White, and as Onunwor's Chief of Staff before he went to federal authorities to report incidents of corruption - has worked to restore normalcy to city hall.

Mayor Brewer successfully negotiated an agreement with Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson to takeover East Cleveland's water department on January 8, 2008; a 25-year agreement that lowered water rates from $47 to $27 per convert|1000|cuft|m3. He also convinced Cuyahoga County Sheriff Gerald McFaul to send eight deputies to assist the city's police department, in addition to hiring 26 new police officers to patrol the city's streets. Mayor Brewer keeps residents informed about the city through a weekly, televised town hall meeting.

Demographics

USCensusPop
1880=2876
1890=2876
1900=2757
1910=9179
1920=27292
1930=39667
1940=39495
1950=40047
1960=37991
1970=39600
1980=36957
1990=33096
2000=27217
estyear=2007
estimate=24790As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 27,217 people, 11,210 households, and 6,423 families residing in the city. The population density was 8,761.8 people per square mile (3,379.0/km²). There were 13,491 housing units at an average density of 4,343.1/sq mi (1,674.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 4.56% White, 93.39% African American, 0.22% Native American, 0.22% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.17% from other races, and 1.43% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.76% of the population.

There were 11,210 households out of which 28.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 21.2% were married couples living together, 30.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.7% were non-families. 38.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 3.20.

In the city the population was spread out with 29.7% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 26.6% from 25 to 44, 21.4% from 45 to 64, and 13.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 79.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 72.1 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $20,542, and the median income for a family was $26,053. Males had a median income of $26,123 versus $21,960 for females. The per capita income for the city was $12,602. About 28.0% of families and 32.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 45.5% of those under age 18 and 22.5% of those age 65 or over.

Geography

East Cleveland is located at coor dms|41|31|54|N|81|34|55|W|city (41.531701, -81.581948)GR|1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.1 square miles (8.1 km²).3.1 square miles (8.1 km²) of it is land with a small pond and waterfall located in Forest Hill Park.

Parks

The convert|248|acre|km2|sing=on Forest Hill Park boasts three baseball diamonds, tennis courts and walking trails that have retained the natural green space as intended by John D. Rockefeller, Jr. when he deeded the park to East Cleveland and the City of Cleveland Heights. Forest Hill Park is the largest single body of green space between two large metroparks on the far east and west sides of Cleveland, Ohio. The city also features Pattison Park and Hawley Park. cite web
url=http://eastcleveland.org/welcome
publisher=City of East Cleveland
title=Welcome to the City of East Cleveland
accessdate=2006-05-23]

Government and politics

The city of East Cleveland is a home rule city with its own charter. City government consists of a mayor, five members of city council and a municipal court judge. The city school district underwent a $100 million renovation of all its public school buildings between 1998 and 2007. Shaw High School, Heritage Middle School (formerly Kirk Middle School) and Mayfair Elementary School have all been rebuilt. Prospect, Chambers, Superior and Caledonia elementary schools have all been renovated.

Eric J. Brewer is East Cleveland's current mayor. Brewer, a Democrat, earned 55 percent of the vote in a four-person October 2005 primary, defeating the incumbent mayor and city council president. Brewer then went on to defeat his Republican opponent with a landslide 85 percent margin in the November 2005 general election.

Education

Shaw High School, Chambers Elementary School, Prospect Elementary School, Mayfair Elementary School, Caledonia Elementary School, and Heritage Middle School* serve the residents of East Cleveland. *note: "A wave of public opinion (source???) has surfaced to change the name of Heritage Middle School back to W.H. Kirk; the name the school had for nearly 100 years."

Transportation

East Cleveland is a major public transportation center for northeast Ohio as a staggering 80 or one-third of the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority bus routes begin and end inside the city.

The GCRTA's Red Line's eastern terminus is located at the Windermere Rapid Station, located on Euclid Avenue in East Cleveland. Destinations along the Red Line include University Circle, Cleveland State University, Tower City Center/Public Square, the West Side Market, Edgewater Park and Hopkins International Airport. Passengers boarding GCRTA buses with stops in East Cleveland have access to an even wider range of employment, educational, recreational and cultural destinations throughout the Cleveland area.

East Cleveland is situated close to the world class Cleveland Museum of Art, a place now undergoing a $350 million renovation. East Cleveland residents can attend The Cleveland Orchestra or visit the Natural History Museum, the Crawford Automotive Museum, the Children’s Museum and attend plays at the Cleveland Playhouse and Karamu, and be entertained by national and internationally-renowned recording artists and comics.

The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority buses and trains also connect East Cleveland to several institutions of higher education, including Case Western Reserve University, the Cleveland Institute of Art, the Cleveland Institute of Music, the Ohio College of Podiatric Medicine, Cleveland State University, John Carroll University, Myers College and Cuyahoga Community College.

Notable natives

*John D. Rockefeller, Founder of Standard Oil; world's first billionaire
*Laura Spellman-Rockefeller, Wife of John D. Rockefeller, Sr. and "funder" of Spellman College in Atlanta, Georgia
*Bertram Wolstein, Founder of Diversified Developers; world's largest retail shopping center developer
*Joe Ditchman, Managing Partner Collier's; worldwide real estate management firm
*Jerome Corsi, controversial Conservative columnist known for his anti-Semitic, anti-Islam, anti-Democrat viewpoints
*John Henton, Actor and comedian; best known as "Overton" on Living Single
*Zakee Rasheed, Vice President / Comcast; partnered with Al Quarles and Brown's legends Thom Darden and Ben Davis to develop East Cleveland's first cable television system
*Eric J. Brewer, Mayor; first Shaw High School alumnus to be elected Mayor
*Darryl Waters, New york music producer
*Wayne Dawson, FOX8 news anchor and Shaw High School alumnus
*Jack Marschall, WKYC news reporter
*Yvette Nicole Brown, American actress
*Darryl Talley, Former NFL Football Player (Buffalo Bills - LB)
*John Talley, Former NFL Football Player (Cleveland Browns - TE), and Celebrated QB for Shaw High School (Class of 1983)
*Dwayne Bray, ESPN & Journalist
*Marc Gordan, Original Member and only survivor of R & B singing group "Levert">

Notable people born at Huron Hospital

*Frank Jackson, Mayor of Cleveland

ee also

*Nela Park

urrounding Communities

Geographic Location
North = Cleveland
West = Cleveland
Center = East Cleveland
East = Cleveland Heights
South = Cleveland Heights

External links

* [http://eastcleveland.org/ Website for the City of East Cleveland]
* [http://www.eccourt.com/index.html East Cleveland Municipal Court]
* [http://shawhighonline.com/index.html Shaw High Online] (Unofficial Website Created by Anita Carter, Class of 1979)

References

*cite web
url=http://ech.cwru.edu/ech-cgi/article.pl?id=EC
publisher=Case Western Reserve University
title=Encyclopedia of Cleveland: East Cleveland
date=June 15, 2003