Industrial Valley
Encyclopedia
Industrial Valley is a neighborhood and manufacturing district located along the Cuyahoga River
, south of downtown
in Cleveland, Ohio
. Roughly bounded by the river to the west and Northwest, Broadway Avenue and E.34th Street to the east, Orange Ave to the north and the now defunct Newburgh & South Shore Railway tracks.
and the eastern bank of the Cuyahoga River
being the terminus of the Ohio & Erie Canal, led to the rapid rise of Industrial Valley's manufacturing output.
The iron industry (which would eventually grow into the steelmaking industry in the 20th century), rapidly grew during the Civil War
era, as coal from Pennsylvania
and iron ore from the Lake Superior
region arrived at the centralized location along the river. By the 1870s, local industrial baron, John D. Rockefeller
of the Standard Oil Company, had built his oil refineries in Industrial Valley. The Grasselli Chemical Company (now part of DuPont
) soon followed Rockefeller, whose refineries used much of the sulfuric acid
produced by Grasselli's plant. By 1901, local foundries of the Otis Iron & Steel Company and the Cleveland Rolling Mill Company merged with the newly established US Steel. One of US Steel's subsidiaries, American Steel & Wire, made Cleveland the 'wire capital' of the United States. Along with US Steel the neighborhood would also see the arrivals of companies such as LTV Steel
and Republic Steel
. Production peaked in the 1950s when Cleveland ranked 3rd nationwide in steelmaking
and 4th in processed metal products. Until sea changes in nationwide manufacturing trends of the 1970s and 80s
, Industrial Valley remained at the heart of an industrial powerhouse. The recession of the early 80s witnessed LTV, Republic and US Steel all closing, relocating or merging operations, which led to massive unemployment numbers in the Cleveland area. Although still a prominent industry in the 21st Century, steel plays a much smaller role in the neighborhood than it once did.
A section of Industrial Valley, contains the east bank of an area known as The Flats. Historically home to much of the city's steel industry, today it is the mixed-use portion of Industrial Valley.
During the mid-1980s, the Flats grew to be an entertainment district. Music venues and clubs appeared on both the East Bank and West Bank, though, as evidenced by the decline of the East Bank in the late 90s, the latter side of the river proved to be the more commercially viable development. A combination of factors, including compliance issues with city health and fire code and an elevated crime rate, coupled with the rise of the Warehouse District
proved to be the demise of much of the entertainment district. Private developers such as Scott Wolstein and the now defunct Flats Oxbow Association have helped plan and redevelop the Flats through housing developments, which include new construction as well as renovated warehouse spaces, on both sides of the river.
Cuyahoga River
The Cuyahoga River is located in Northeast Ohio in the United States. Outside of Ohio, the river is most famous for being "the river that caught fire", helping to spur the environmental movement in the late 1960s...
, south of downtown
Downtown Cleveland
Downtown Cleveland is the central business district of the City of Cleveland and Northeast Ohio. Reinvestment in the area in the mid-1990s spurred a rebirth that continues to this day, with over $2 billion in residential and commercial developments slated for the area over the next few years...
in Cleveland, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. Roughly bounded by the river to the west and Northwest, Broadway Avenue and E.34th Street to the east, Orange Ave to the north and the now defunct Newburgh & South Shore Railway tracks.
History
Industrial Valley was built on what was once part of Cleveland Township, which the city annexed in 1850 and quickly developed into the heart of one of the nation's leading industrial centers. Several factors, including close proximity to Lake ErieLake Erie
Lake Erie is the fourth largest lake of the five Great Lakes in North America, and the tenth largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has the shortest average water residence time. It is bounded on the north by the...
and the eastern bank of the Cuyahoga River
Cuyahoga River
The Cuyahoga River is located in Northeast Ohio in the United States. Outside of Ohio, the river is most famous for being "the river that caught fire", helping to spur the environmental movement in the late 1960s...
being the terminus of the Ohio & Erie Canal, led to the rapid rise of Industrial Valley's manufacturing output.
The iron industry (which would eventually grow into the steelmaking industry in the 20th century), rapidly grew during the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
era, as coal from Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
and iron ore from the Lake Superior
Lake Superior
Lake Superior is the largest of the five traditionally-demarcated Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded to the north by the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of Minnesota, and to the south by the U.S. states of Wisconsin and Michigan. It is the largest freshwater lake in the...
region arrived at the centralized location along the river. By the 1870s, local industrial baron, John D. Rockefeller
John D. Rockefeller
John Davison Rockefeller was an American oil industrialist, investor, and philanthropist. He was the founder of the Standard Oil Company, which dominated the oil industry and was the first great U.S. business trust. Rockefeller revolutionized the petroleum industry and defined the structure of...
of the Standard Oil Company, had built his oil refineries in Industrial Valley. The Grasselli Chemical Company (now part of DuPont
DuPont
E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company , commonly referred to as DuPont, is an American chemical company that was founded in July 1802 as a gunpowder mill by Eleuthère Irénée du Pont. DuPont was the world's third largest chemical company based on market capitalization and ninth based on revenue in 2009...
) soon followed Rockefeller, whose refineries used much of the sulfuric acid
Sulfuric acid
Sulfuric acid is a strong mineral acid with the molecular formula . Its historical name is oil of vitriol. Pure sulfuric acid is a highly corrosive, colorless, viscous liquid. The salts of sulfuric acid are called sulfates...
produced by Grasselli's plant. By 1901, local foundries of the Otis Iron & Steel Company and the Cleveland Rolling Mill Company merged with the newly established US Steel. One of US Steel's subsidiaries, American Steel & Wire, made Cleveland the 'wire capital' of the United States. Along with US Steel the neighborhood would also see the arrivals of companies such as LTV Steel
Ling-Temco-Vought
Ling-Temco-Vought was a large U.S. conglomerate which existed from 1969 to 2000. At its peak, its component parts were involved in the aerospace industry, electronics, steel manufacturing, sporting goods, the airline industry, meat packing, car rentals and pharmaceuticals, among other...
and Republic Steel
Republic Steel
Republic Steel was once the third largest steel producer in the United States.The Republic Iron and Steel Company was founded in Youngstown, Ohio in 1899....
. Production peaked in the 1950s when Cleveland ranked 3rd nationwide in steelmaking
Steelmaking
Steelmaking is the second step in producing steel from iron ore. In this stage, impurities such as sulfur, phosphorus, and excess carbon are removed from the raw iron, and alloying elements such as manganese, nickel, chromium and vanadium are added to produce the exact steel required.-Older...
and 4th in processed metal products. Until sea changes in nationwide manufacturing trends of the 1970s and 80s
1980s
File:1980s decade montage.png|thumb|400px|From left, clockwise: The first Space Shuttle, Columbia, lifted off in 1981; American President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev eased tensions between the two superpowers, leading to the end of the Cold War; The Fall of the Berlin Wall in...
, Industrial Valley remained at the heart of an industrial powerhouse. The recession of the early 80s witnessed LTV, Republic and US Steel all closing, relocating or merging operations, which led to massive unemployment numbers in the Cleveland area. Although still a prominent industry in the 21st Century, steel plays a much smaller role in the neighborhood than it once did.
The Flats
During the mid-1980s, the Flats grew to be an entertainment district. Music venues and clubs appeared on both the East Bank and West Bank, though, as evidenced by the decline of the East Bank in the late 90s, the latter side of the river proved to be the more commercially viable development. A combination of factors, including compliance issues with city health and fire code and an elevated crime rate, coupled with the rise of the Warehouse District
The Warehouse District
The Warehouse District is a nationally recognized historic district located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio. It is roughly bound by Front Avenue, Superior Avenue, West 3rd Street, and West 10th Street....
proved to be the demise of much of the entertainment district. Private developers such as Scott Wolstein and the now defunct Flats Oxbow Association have helped plan and redevelop the Flats through housing developments, which include new construction as well as renovated warehouse spaces, on both sides of the river.