University Circle
Encyclopedia
University Circle, is a neighborhood located on the east side of Cleveland, Ohio
. It is best known for its world-class cultural, educational and medical institutions, including the Cleveland Orchestra
, Case Western Reserve University
, Cleveland Museum of Art
, Lakeview Cemetery, and University Hospitals/Case Medical Center
. The area is also referred to as 'The Circle' by locals. Encompassing approximately 550 acres (0.86 mi²), University Circle is bordered to the north by the Glenville
neighborhood, to the south by the Buckeye-Shaker
neighborhood, to the west and southwest by the neighborhoods of Hough
and Fairfax
(also known as Midtown) and to the east by the city of East Cleveland
.
While the population of University Circle ranks on the lower end of Cleveland's 36 defined Statistical Planning Areas (SPAs), it ranks near the top in importance to the city's economic sector. Neighborhood businesses and institutions provide the city with more than 30,000 jobs in a variety of fields, including averaging 1,000 new jobs per year since 2005. Nearby attractions draw approximately 2.5 million visitors annually. As the neighborhood's name implies, higher learning is a major part of the culture of University Circle, with over 13,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students attending the areas various institutions. University Circle Inc., a not-for-profit corporation established in 1957, serves as the neighborhood chamber of commerce
, providing many administrative and quasi-governmental functions for the area, including security, transportation administration, and marketing.
community. It is located from E. 119th to E. 125th streets on Murray Hill and Mayfield roads, situated at the city limits' eastern edge, along a long, moderately sloping grade that ascends in elevation approximately 300 feet. It is bounded to the east and south by suburban Cleveland Heights
, to the northeast by Lakeview Cemetery, and to the west by CSX Railroad tracks, which separates it from the rest of University Circle.
scene and many boutique shops. The best known historic structure is Holy Rosary Church
built in 1905. Culturally, the Alta House is the community center for the neighborhood founded in 1895. The private elementary and middle school is Montessori Elementary at Holy Rosary Church
. Tony Brush Park provides the neighborhoods green space and playgrounds.
Each August, the Roman Catholic congregation of the historic Holy Rosary Church
celebrates the 4-day festival for the Feast of the Assumption
, in which Little Italy stages Greater Cleveland's largest Italian-American street festival
. Every October, Little Italy hosts the city's Columbus Day
Parade. The neighborhood enjoys artwalks a few times a year, usually in June, October, and December.
took a special liking to the Italian immigrants of the neighborhood and commissioned the building of the community center Alta House, named after his daughter Alta Rockefeller Prentice
, in 1900. Little Italy is also home to the first Italian restaurant to open in the State of Ohio, Guarino's. The first hand-crank pasta machine was invented in Little Italy by Angelo Vitantonio, an Italian immigrant to Cleveland. He received a patent
for the product in 1906, and went on to found the Italian kitchenware manufacturer VillaWare, which continues to operate today.. In 1911 it was estimated that 96% of the inhabitants were Italian-born, and another 2% were of Italian parents. Ettore Boiardi
(Chef Boyardee) opened his first restaurant, Il Giardino d'Italia, in the 1920s. In 1993 the community dedicated Tony Brush Park, named for champion boxer and Little Italy resident Anthony Brescia, at Mayfield and Random roads. Major residential project expansions occurred in 2003 with the 20-unit Villa Carabelli, in 2005 with the 15-unit Random Road Lofts townhomes, and in 2011 the 27-unit 27 Coltman townhouses. The neighborhood bocci
courts are located at the Alta House, and in 2011 underwent a complete remodeling in a $110,000 project, being named in honor of Nick and Dorothy Lucarelli.
For a large part of its history, Cleveland was home to the largest Mafia organization between New York and Chicago. The Mayfield Road Mob was the name of gang which began around 1920 in Little Italy. This Mafia faction was even mentioned by its old name in the movie "The Godfather" as the Lakeview Road Gang, as Lakeview Cemetery borders Mayfield Road Hill.
article entitled 10 great places to discover Italy in America, Mario Batali
was quoted as saying, "Corbo's Bakery has the best cassata (cake) I have tried in the USA." The article listed Cleveland's Little Italy as a top ten Little Italy in America.
Askmen.com
ranked Cleveland's Little Italy #3 out of 10 in their list of Top 10: Little Italies.
, who settled his family and started a community here.
The name "University Circle" began to take shape in the 1880s. Western Reserve University moved its campus from Hudson, Ohio
, to Euclid Avenue in 1883. Case School of Applied Science moved from Downtown Cleveland
to a site next to WRU in 1885. Their relocation led to the birth of an educational center and the creation of a new community called University Circle, named in part after these new institutions - but also the circular street intersection and trolley turnaround located Euclid Avenue and Doan Brook Boulevard (Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard today).
By the 1890s, the Western Reserve School of Design for Women (Cleveland Institute of Art
) moved to University Circle, and the concept of developing a world-class arts and cultural center came to life. The concept became more concrete when Jeptha Wade
, a trustee of Western Reserve University, set aside land for the Cleveland Museum of Art
to be built in the Circle. The Historical Society (Western Reserve Historical Society
) joined these institutions before the turn of the century.
opened its doors in 1916. By the 1920s and 1930s, nineteen educational and cultural institutions were located in the area, from the Cleveland Museum of Natural History
to the Cleveland Hearing and Speech Center
to the Cleveland Botanical Garden
and others.
The arrival of University Hospitals in 1931 (founded in 1866) led to health care becoming another center of innovation in University Circle. Less than one mile away from University Hospitals, the Cleveland Clinic
had been serving its patients since 1921. Also in 1931 Severance Hall
, home of the Cleveland Orchestra
, was constructed at the corner of Euclid and East Blvd. By 1950, 34 institutions had chosen University Circle as their home. In 1967, Case School of Applied Science and Western Reserve University confederated to become Case Western Reserve University
.
, and circulators. Unique from other Cleveland neighborhoods, it contains two train stops on the RTA
's Red Line
, the Euclid Ave - E.120 Rapid Station and the University Circle-Cedar Rapid Station
. The CircleLink shuttle service
(colloquially known as the "Greenie") provides free public transportation within University Circle. The new BRT HealthLine
, which opened on October 24, 2008, is the newest option to the neighborhood, being a major destination on the line along Euclid Avenue that connects Public Square
to Louis Stokes Station at Windermere
in East Cleveland
. In a $197 million project, Euclid Avenue was rebuilt during construction, with the installation of public art, new lighting, and sidewalks along the entire length of the HealthLine, along with dedicated bus lanes. There are seven HealthLine
stops in University Circle and runs 24 hours. Additionally, many bus routes have stops in University Circle, including bus numbers 7, 8, 9, 10, 32, 38, and 48/48A.
The neighborhood is the best connected area to Public Transportation outside of Downtown Cleveland
.
and University Circle Inc. Its location will create a true center to University Circle.
On August 2, 2010, a mixed-used "Phase I" broke ground, which will have 102 apartments above first floor retail and cost $44.5 million.
Additional anchors of the project currently under construction include the $66 million expansion of the Cleveland Institute of Art
and the $32 million new home for the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA)
. The new MOCA is designed by the London architect Farshid Moussavi
. The surrounding pedestrian plaza is designed by James Corner Field Operations
, the same landscape architecture firm who designed the NYC High Line. Later phases plan to include a hotel, more apartments, condos, more retail, and a new Euclid – East 120th (RTA Rapid Transit station).
, combining old and new styles. At a total cost of $350 million, it is the largest cultural project in the history of the state of Ohio and one of the most comprehensive renovation and expansion projects in the museum field in the nation.
In Spring 2012, Case Western Reserve University
campus will undergo the construction of $50 million student center in the center of campus. It will be known as the Tinkham Veale Student Center designed by Ralph Johnson
of Perkins + Will
. It will encompass 82,000-square-feet, have 24/7 student access, and be environmentally friendly—with a green roof to absorb rainwater and windows designed to prevent excessive heat from sunlight. The second project will be known as the Wyant Field House, enclosing the last open portion of Case Field. The Wyant Field House will be approximately 24,000 square feet and will serve as a facility for varsity athletes and the 2,500 students who reside at The Village. The facility will include weight training and cardiovascular areas, a Varsity Club lounge, and multipurpose space.
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
. It is best known for its world-class cultural, educational and medical institutions, including the Cleveland Orchestra
Cleveland Orchestra
The Cleveland Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Cleveland, Ohio. It is one of the five American orchestras informally referred to as the "Big Five". Founded in 1918, the orchestra plays most of its concerts at Severance Hall...
, Case Western Reserve University
Case Western Reserve University
Case Western Reserve University is a private research university located in Cleveland, Ohio, USA...
, Cleveland Museum of Art
Cleveland Museum of Art
The Cleveland Museum of Art is an art museum situated in the Wade Park District, in the University Circle neighborhood on Cleveland's east side. Internationally renowned for its substantial holdings of Asian and Egyptian art, the museum houses a diverse permanent collection of more than 43,000...
, Lakeview Cemetery, and University Hospitals/Case Medical Center
University Hospitals of Cleveland
University Hospitals is a major not-for-profit medical center in Cleveland, Ohio, United States. Case Medical Center is the primary affiliate hospital of Case Western Reserve University - a relationship that was first established in 1896...
. The area is also referred to as 'The Circle' by locals. Encompassing approximately 550 acres (0.86 mi²), University Circle is bordered to the north by the Glenville
Glenville, Cleveland
Glenville is a neighborhood on the east side of Cleveland, Ohio. It is roughly bounded between Rockefeller Park between on the west and Lakeview Road on the east, and by the Cleveland Memorial Shoreway on its the north and Wade Park Avenue to the south....
neighborhood, to the south by the Buckeye-Shaker
Shaker Square
Buckeye-Shaker is a neighborhood on the East Side of Cleveland, Ohio. It encompasses the old Buckeye neighborhood and Shaker Square neighborhood, the latter of which is centered around an historic shopping district and an eponymous rapid transit station, located at the intersection of Shaker and...
neighborhood, to the west and southwest by the neighborhoods of Hough
Hough, Cleveland
Hough is a neighborhood situated along the midtown corridor on the east side of Cleveland, Ohio. It is one of the city's oldest neighborhoods. During the American Civil Rights era in the mid-20th century, the neighborhood received national attention as a flashpoint of racial tensions, when the...
and Fairfax
Fairfax, Cleveland
Fairfax is a neighborhood on the east side of Cleveland, Ohio. Roughly bounded between Euclid Avenue to the north, Woodland Avenue to the south, E.71st Street to the west and E.105th Street to the east, the predominantly poverty stricken neighborhood is overlapped by the city's cultural and...
(also known as Midtown) and to the east by the city of East Cleveland
East Cleveland
East Cleveland is the name of the following places:*In the United States of America:**East Cleveland, Ohio**East Cleveland, Tennessee*In the United Kingdom:**East Cleveland, UK...
.
While the population of University Circle ranks on the lower end of Cleveland's 36 defined Statistical Planning Areas (SPAs), it ranks near the top in importance to the city's economic sector. Neighborhood businesses and institutions provide the city with more than 30,000 jobs in a variety of fields, including averaging 1,000 new jobs per year since 2005. Nearby attractions draw approximately 2.5 million visitors annually. As the neighborhood's name implies, higher learning is a major part of the culture of University Circle, with over 13,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students attending the areas various institutions. University Circle Inc., a not-for-profit corporation established in 1957, serves as the neighborhood chamber of commerce
Chamber of commerce
A chamber of commerce is a form of business network, e.g., a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to advocate on behalf of the business community...
, providing many administrative and quasi-governmental functions for the area, including security, transportation administration, and marketing.
Little Italy
Little Italy (known locally as "Murray Hill" or "The Hill") is an ethnic enclave that serves as the historic center of Cleveland's Italian AmericanItalian American
An Italian American , is an American of Italian ancestry. The designation may also refer to someone possessing Italian and American dual citizenship...
community. It is located from E. 119th to E. 125th streets on Murray Hill and Mayfield roads, situated at the city limits' eastern edge, along a long, moderately sloping grade that ascends in elevation approximately 300 feet. It is bounded to the east and south by suburban Cleveland Heights
Cleveland Heights, Ohio
Cleveland Heights is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States, a suburb of Cleveland. The city's population was 46,121 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Cleveland Heights is located at ....
, to the northeast by Lakeview Cemetery, and to the west by CSX Railroad tracks, which separates it from the rest of University Circle.
Points and events of interest
Little Italy is known for its several culinary, historic, and cultural sites. Its biggest attractions are the restaurants, bakeries, and pizzerias. It also home to a thriving art galleryArt gallery
An art gallery or art museum is a building or space for the exhibition of art, usually visual art.Museums can be public or private, but what distinguishes a museum is the ownership of a collection...
scene and many boutique shops. The best known historic structure is Holy Rosary Church
Holy Rosary Church (Cleveland, Ohio)
Holy Rosary Church is a historic Roman Catholic church in the Little Italy neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio. It is the center of the annual Cleveland Feast of the Assumption Festival....
built in 1905. Culturally, the Alta House is the community center for the neighborhood founded in 1895. The private elementary and middle school is Montessori Elementary at Holy Rosary Church
Holy Rosary Church (Cleveland, Ohio)
Holy Rosary Church is a historic Roman Catholic church in the Little Italy neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio. It is the center of the annual Cleveland Feast of the Assumption Festival....
. Tony Brush Park provides the neighborhoods green space and playgrounds.
Each August, the Roman Catholic congregation of the historic Holy Rosary Church
Holy Rosary Church (Cleveland, Ohio)
Holy Rosary Church is a historic Roman Catholic church in the Little Italy neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio. It is the center of the annual Cleveland Feast of the Assumption Festival....
celebrates the 4-day festival for the Feast of the Assumption
Assumption of Mary
According to the belief of Christians of the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, and parts of the Anglican Communion and Continuing Anglicanism, the Assumption of Mary was the bodily taking up of the Virgin Mary into Heaven at the end of her life...
, in which Little Italy stages Greater Cleveland's largest Italian-American street festival
Cleveland Feast of the Assumption Festival
The annual Feast of the Assumption Festival takes place each year in Cleveland's Little Italy neighborhood. The festival is held each year on the Catholic holiday of the Feast of the Assumption , commemorating the Virgin Mary's assumption into heaven...
. Every October, Little Italy hosts the city's Columbus Day
Columbus Day
Many countries in the New World and elsewhere celebrate the anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the Americas, which occurred on October 12, 1492, as an official holiday...
Parade. The neighborhood enjoys artwalks a few times a year, usually in June, October, and December.
History
Little Italy began in 1895 when immigrant Joseph Carabelli saw the need for monument work in Cleveland's Lakeview Cemetery and established what soon became the city's leading marble and granite works. Local Cleveland industrial billionaire John D. RockefellerJohn 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...
took a special liking to the Italian immigrants of the neighborhood and commissioned the building of the community center Alta House, named after his daughter Alta Rockefeller Prentice
Alta Rockefeller Prentice
Alta Rockefeller Prentice was the third daughter of oil tycoon John D. Rockefeller and his wife Laura Celestia "Cettie" Spelman . Alta married Colonel Ezra Parmalee Prentice , a prominent Chicago attorney, son of Sartell Prentice and wife Jemima Parmalee, in 1901...
, in 1900. Little Italy is also home to the first Italian restaurant to open in the State of Ohio, Guarino's. The first hand-crank pasta machine was invented in Little Italy by Angelo Vitantonio, an Italian immigrant to Cleveland. He received a patent
Patent
A patent is a form of intellectual property. It consists of a set of exclusive rights granted by a sovereign state to an inventor or their assignee for a limited period of time in exchange for the public disclosure of an invention....
for the product in 1906, and went on to found the Italian kitchenware manufacturer VillaWare, which continues to operate today.. In 1911 it was estimated that 96% of the inhabitants were Italian-born, and another 2% were of Italian parents. Ettore Boiardi
Ettore Boiardi
Ettore "Hector" Boiardi was the Italian-born chef famous for his eponymous brand of food products, named Chef Boyardee.-Early life:Boiardi was born in Piacenza, Italy, to Giuseppe and Maria Maffi Boiardi...
(Chef Boyardee) opened his first restaurant, Il Giardino d'Italia, in the 1920s. In 1993 the community dedicated Tony Brush Park, named for champion boxer and Little Italy resident Anthony Brescia, at Mayfield and Random roads. Major residential project expansions occurred in 2003 with the 20-unit Villa Carabelli, in 2005 with the 15-unit Random Road Lofts townhomes, and in 2011 the 27-unit 27 Coltman townhouses. The neighborhood bocci
Bocci
Bocci is a contemporary design and manufacturing company based in Vancouver, Canada, with a satellite office in Berlin, Germany . Founded in 2005 by entrepreneur Randy Bishop, who continues to own and operate the company along with its Creative Director Omer Arbel, Bocci operates with a network of...
courts are located at the Alta House, and in 2011 underwent a complete remodeling in a $110,000 project, being named in honor of Nick and Dorothy Lucarelli.
For a large part of its history, Cleveland was home to the largest Mafia organization between New York and Chicago. The Mayfield Road Mob was the name of gang which began around 1920 in Little Italy. This Mafia faction was even mentioned by its old name in the movie "The Godfather" as the Lakeview Road Gang, as Lakeview Cemetery borders Mayfield Road Hill.
Notoriety
In a 2007 USA TodayUSA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
article entitled 10 great places to discover Italy in America, Mario Batali
Mario Batali
Mario Batali is an American chef, writer, restaurateur and media personality. In addition to his classical culinary training, he is an expert on the history and culture of Italian cuisine, including regional and local variations. Batali co-owns restaurants in New York City, Las Vegas, Los Angeles,...
was quoted as saying, "Corbo's Bakery has the best cassata (cake) I have tried in the USA." The article listed Cleveland's Little Italy as a top ten Little Italy in America.
Askmen.com
AskMen.com
AskMen.com is a free online men’s web portal, with international versions in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, and Australia.-History:...
ranked Cleveland's Little Italy #3 out of 10 in their list of Top 10: Little Italies.
Notable University Circle institutions and landmarks
Points of interest in the University Circle neighborhood include:- Case Western Reserve UniversityCase Western Reserve UniversityCase Western Reserve University is a private research university located in Cleveland, Ohio, USA...
- Severance HallSeverance HallSeverance Hall is a concert hall located in the University Circle neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio. The hall has been the home of the Cleveland Orchestra since its opening on February 5, 1931...
(Home to the Cleveland OrchestraCleveland OrchestraThe Cleveland Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Cleveland, Ohio. It is one of the five American orchestras informally referred to as the "Big Five". Founded in 1918, the orchestra plays most of its concerts at Severance Hall...
) - The Cleveland Museum of ArtCleveland Museum of ArtThe Cleveland Museum of Art is an art museum situated in the Wade Park District, in the University Circle neighborhood on Cleveland's east side. Internationally renowned for its substantial holdings of Asian and Egyptian art, the museum houses a diverse permanent collection of more than 43,000...
- The Cleveland Museum of Natural HistoryCleveland Museum of Natural HistoryThe Cleveland Museum of Natural History is a natural history museum located approximately five miles east of downtown Cleveland, Ohio in University Circle, a 550-acre concentration of educational, cultural and medical institutions...
- The Cleveland Botanical GardenCleveland Botanical GardenCleveland Botanical Garden, located in the University Circle neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio, in the United States, was founded in 1930 as the Garden Center of Greater Cleveland. It was the first such organization in an American city...
- The Cleveland Institute of ArtCleveland Institute of ArtThe Cleveland Institute of Art is a private college of art and design located in University Circle, Cleveland, Ohio. It was founded in 1882 as the Western Reserve School of Design for Women. From 1891 until 1948 it was named Cleveland School of Art. During the Great Depression the school...
- The Cleveland Institute of MusicCleveland Institute of MusicThe Cleveland Institute of Music is an independent music conservatory located in the University Circle district of Cleveland, Ohio, United States and is overseen by president Joel Smirnoff and Adrian Daly, dean....
and the Cleveland Music School Settlement - Cleveland CinemathequeCleveland CinemathequeThe Cleveland Cinematheque is an alternative film theatre located in Cleveland, Ohio. Founded in 1984, it is a part of the Cleveland Institute of Art. It releases a film schedule every other month.-External links:*...
- University Hospitals Case Medical CenterUniversity Hospitals of ClevelandUniversity Hospitals is a major not-for-profit medical center in Cleveland, Ohio, United States. Case Medical Center is the primary affiliate hospital of Case Western Reserve University - a relationship that was first established in 1896...
- Rainbow Babies & Children's HospitalRainbow Babies & Children's HospitalRainbow Babies & Children's Hospital is a 244-bed children's hospital located in Cleveland, Ohio. It is a part of University Hospitals Case Medical Center, formerly University Hospitals of Cleveland. It is consistently ranked as one of the top three pediatric hospital in the Midwest and a top 10...
- Seidman Cancer Center
- MacDonald Women's Hospital
- Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital
- The Louis Stokes Veteran's Administration Medical Center
- The Western Reserve Historical SocietyWestern Reserve Historical SocietyThe Western Reserve Historical Society was founded in 1867, making it the oldest cultural institution in Northeast Ohio. WRHS is located in Cleveland, Ohio, USA.-About:...
and Crawford Auto-Aviation MuseumCrawford Auto-Aviation MuseumThe Crawford Auto-Aviation Museum, is a museum in the University Circle neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio. Part of the Western Reserve Historical Society, it was founded by industrialist, Frederick C. Crawford, of TRW and opened in 1965... - The Children's Museum of ClevelandChildren's Museum of ClevelandThe Children's Museum of Cleveland, in the University Circle area of Cleveland, Ohio, is dedicated to helping young children develop physically, emotionally, and socially. It also encourages adults to aid children in their development. One permanent exhibit, Splish! Splash!, is designed to teach...
- The Dittrick Museum of Medical HistoryDittrick Museum of Medical HistoryThe Dittrick Museum of Medical History is part of the Dittrick Medical History Center of the College of Arts and Sciences of Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio. The Dittrick Medical History Center is dedicated to the study of the history of medicine through a collection of rare...
- Lake View CemeteryLake View CemeteryLake View Cemetery is located on the east side of the City of Cleveland, Ohio, along the East Cleveland and Cleveland Heights borders. There are over 104,000 people buried at Lake View, with more than 700 burials each year. There are remaining for future development. Known locally as "Cleveland's...
- Rockefeller ParkRockefeller ParkRockefeller Park is a city park named in honor of oil magnate John D. Rockefeller Sr., located in Cleveland, Ohio. Part of the Cleveland Public Parks District, Rockefeller Park is immediately adjacent Wade Park on its the southeastern, and across Euclid Ave on its northwestern border...
- James A. Garfield MemorialJames A. Garfield MemorialThe James A. Garfield Memorial was built in memory of the 20th U.S. President, James A. Garfield, who was assassinated in 1881. The memorial is located at 12316 Euclid Avenue in Lake View Cemetery in Cleveland, Ohio...
- The TempleThe Temple (Cleveland, Ohio)The Temple built in 1924 is a historic synagogue building located on University Circle at Silver Park in Cleveland, Ohio. In 1963, a branch synagogue, Tifereth-Israel, was established in suburban Beachwood, which is now the main place of worship...
- Cozad-Bates HouseCozad-Bates HouseCozad-Bates House, is the oldest and only surviving pre-Civil War structure in University Circle, Cleveland, Ohio, located at the Mayfield Road and East 115th Street intersection. It is historically known for its involvement in the Underground Railroad. Abolitionist Andrew Cozad built the house...
- John Hay High SchoolJohn Hay High SchoolJohn Hay High School — also known as the John Hay Campus — is a public high school located in Cleveland, Ohio. John Hay is part of the Cleveland Metropolitan School District, with grade levels including 9th through 12th. The neoclassical school was designed by Cleveland Schools architect George...
- Cleveland School of Science and Medicine
- Cleveland School of Architecture and Design
- Cleveland Early College High School
- Cleveland School of the ArtsCleveland School of the ArtsCleveland School of the Arts is a public high school located in the University Circle neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio. It is a magnet school and part of the Cleveland Metropolitan School District.-External links:*...
- Montessori High SchoolMontessori High School at University CircleMontessori High School at University Circle, also known as MHS, is a private high school located in the University Circle neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio. The school opened in August 2008 as the first private high school in the nation with the Montessori name...
- Hawken School University Circle campusHawken SchoolHawken School is an independent, coeducational, college preparatory day school in Northeast Ohio.Hawken currently has two main campuses, the Lower and Middle Schools in Lyndhurst and the Upper School in Gates Mills, plus a third, an urban campus in University Circle, The Sally & Bob Gries Center...
- Montessori Elementary at Holy RosaryHoly Rosary Church (Cleveland, Ohio)Holy Rosary Church is a historic Roman Catholic church in the Little Italy neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio. It is the center of the annual Cleveland Feast of the Assumption Festival....
19th Century
University Circle was known during the early 19th Century as Doan’s Corners, after Nathanial Doan, a member of the Connecticut Land CompanyConnecticut Land Company
The Connecticut Land Company was formed in the late eighteenth century to survey and encourage settlement in the Connecticut Western Reserve, part of the Old Northwest Territory. The Western Reserve is located in Northeast Ohio with its hub being Cleveland. In 1795, the Connecticut Land Company...
, who settled his family and started a community here.
The name "University Circle" began to take shape in the 1880s. Western Reserve University moved its campus from Hudson, Ohio
Hudson, Ohio
Hudson is a city in Summit County, Ohio, United States. The population was 22,262 at the 2010 census. It is an affluent exurban community and is part of the Akron, Ohio Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, to Euclid Avenue in 1883. Case School of Applied Science moved from Downtown Cleveland
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...
to a site next to WRU in 1885. Their relocation led to the birth of an educational center and the creation of a new community called University Circle, named in part after these new institutions - but also the circular street intersection and trolley turnaround located Euclid Avenue and Doan Brook Boulevard (Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard today).
By the 1890s, the Western Reserve School of Design for Women (Cleveland Institute of Art
Cleveland Institute of Art
The Cleveland Institute of Art is a private college of art and design located in University Circle, Cleveland, Ohio. It was founded in 1882 as the Western Reserve School of Design for Women. From 1891 until 1948 it was named Cleveland School of Art. During the Great Depression the school...
) moved to University Circle, and the concept of developing a world-class arts and cultural center came to life. The concept became more concrete when Jeptha Wade
Jeptha Wade
Jeptha Homer Wade was an American industrialist, philanthropist, and one of the founding members of Western Union Telegraph....
, a trustee of Western Reserve University, set aside land for the Cleveland Museum of Art
Cleveland Museum of Art
The Cleveland Museum of Art is an art museum situated in the Wade Park District, in the University Circle neighborhood on Cleveland's east side. Internationally renowned for its substantial holdings of Asian and Egyptian art, the museum houses a diverse permanent collection of more than 43,000...
to be built in the Circle. The Historical Society (Western Reserve Historical Society
Western Reserve Historical Society
The Western Reserve Historical Society was founded in 1867, making it the oldest cultural institution in Northeast Ohio. WRHS is located in Cleveland, Ohio, USA.-About:...
) joined these institutions before the turn of the century.
20th Century
The Circle began to grow rapidly in the early 20th century. The Cleveland Museum of ArtCleveland Museum of Art
The Cleveland Museum of Art is an art museum situated in the Wade Park District, in the University Circle neighborhood on Cleveland's east side. Internationally renowned for its substantial holdings of Asian and Egyptian art, the museum houses a diverse permanent collection of more than 43,000...
opened its doors in 1916. By the 1920s and 1930s, nineteen educational and cultural institutions were located in the area, from the Cleveland Museum of Natural History
Cleveland Museum of Natural History
The Cleveland Museum of Natural History is a natural history museum located approximately five miles east of downtown Cleveland, Ohio in University Circle, a 550-acre concentration of educational, cultural and medical institutions...
to the Cleveland Hearing and Speech Center
Cleveland Hearing & Speech Center
Cleveland Hearing & Speech Center is a non-profit organization based in Cleveland, Ohio specializing in providing hearing services, speech-language and learning, and interpreting and advocacy services through its Community Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing program...
to the Cleveland Botanical Garden
Cleveland Botanical Garden
Cleveland Botanical Garden, located in the University Circle neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio, in the United States, was founded in 1930 as the Garden Center of Greater Cleveland. It was the first such organization in an American city...
and others.
The arrival of University Hospitals in 1931 (founded in 1866) led to health care becoming another center of innovation in University Circle. Less than one mile away from University Hospitals, the Cleveland Clinic
Cleveland Clinic
The Cleveland Clinic is a multispecialty academic medical center located in Cleveland, Ohio, United States. The Cleveland Clinic is currently regarded as one of the top 4 hospitals in the United States as rated by U.S. News & World Report...
had been serving its patients since 1921. Also in 1931 Severance Hall
Severance Hall
Severance Hall is a concert hall located in the University Circle neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio. The hall has been the home of the Cleveland Orchestra since its opening on February 5, 1931...
, home of the Cleveland Orchestra
Cleveland Orchestra
The Cleveland Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Cleveland, Ohio. It is one of the five American orchestras informally referred to as the "Big Five". Founded in 1918, the orchestra plays most of its concerts at Severance Hall...
, was constructed at the corner of Euclid and East Blvd. By 1950, 34 institutions had chosen University Circle as their home. In 1967, Case School of Applied Science and Western Reserve University confederated to become Case Western Reserve University
Case Western Reserve University
Case Western Reserve University is a private research university located in Cleveland, Ohio, USA...
.
21st Century
University Circle remains Cleveland's center for cultural, educational, religious, and social-service institutions. The area is currently undergoing a large number of construction projects with many institutions expanding, and private development of residential and commercial dwellings.Public Transportation
University Circle is served by multiple forms of transportation, including rapid train, bus, BRTBus rapid transit
Bus rapid transit is a term applied to a variety of public transportation systems using buses to provide faster, more efficient service than an ordinary bus line. Often this is achieved by making improvements to existing infrastructure, vehicles and scheduling...
, and circulators. Unique from other Cleveland neighborhoods, it contains two train stops on the RTA
Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority
The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority is the public transit agency for Cleveland, Ohio, United States, and the surrounding suburbs of Cuyahoga County. RTA is the largest transit agency in Ohio, providing over 44 million trips to residents and visitors of the Cleveland area in 2010...
's Red Line
Red Line (Cleveland)
The Red Line is a rapid transit line of the RTA Rapid Transit in Cleveland, Ohio, running from Cleveland Hopkins International Airport northeast to Tower City in downtown Cleveland, then east and northeast to Windermere...
, the Euclid Ave - E.120 Rapid Station and the University Circle-Cedar Rapid Station
University Circle (RTA Rapid Transit station)
University Circle is a station on the RTA Red Line in Cleveland, Ohio, USA. The station is located in University Circle at the foot of Cedar Hill along Cedar Glen Parkway . It includes entrances on both sides of Cedar, with bus loading lanes along Cedar on each side...
. The CircleLink shuttle service
Greenie Bus
The Greenie Shuttle Bus is a colloquial name given to the shuttle buses that operate in the University Circle area of Cleveland, Ohio. The majority however, are blue; the name comes from their original green color...
(colloquially known as the "Greenie") provides free public transportation within University Circle. The new BRT HealthLine
HealthLine
The HealthLine is a bus rapid transit line run by the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority in Cleveland, Ohio, United States. The line runs along Euclid Avenue from Public Square in downtown Cleveland to the Louis Stokes Station at Windermere in East Cleveland...
, which opened on October 24, 2008, is the newest option to the neighborhood, being a major destination on the line along Euclid Avenue that connects Public Square
Public Square
Public Square is the central plaza in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It takes up four city blocks; Superior Avenue and Ontario Street cross through it. Cleveland's three tallest buildings, Key Tower, 200 Public Square and the Terminal Tower, face the square...
to Louis Stokes Station at Windermere
Louis Stokes Station at Windermere
Louis Stokes Station at Windermere is a rapid transit station on the RTA Red Line in East Cleveland, Ohio, USA. It is located on the northwest side of Euclid Avenue between Bryn Mawr and Doan Roads...
in East Cleveland
East Cleveland, Ohio
East Cleveland is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States, and is the first suburb of Cleveland, Ohio. The population was 17,843 at the 2010 census....
. In a $197 million project, Euclid Avenue was rebuilt during construction, with the installation of public art, new lighting, and sidewalks along the entire length of the HealthLine, along with dedicated bus lanes. There are seven HealthLine
HealthLine
The HealthLine is a bus rapid transit line run by the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority in Cleveland, Ohio, United States. The line runs along Euclid Avenue from Public Square in downtown Cleveland to the Louis Stokes Station at Windermere in East Cleveland...
stops in University Circle and runs 24 hours. Additionally, many bus routes have stops in University Circle, including bus numbers 7, 8, 9, 10, 32, 38, and 48/48A.
The neighborhood is the best connected area to Public Transportation outside of Downtown Cleveland
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...
.
Events
University Circle is known for its year-round cultural events:- Hessler Street FairHessler Street FairThe Hessler Street Fair is an annual arts and music festival held each May on Hessler Road, in the University Circle neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio, United States. The first festival took place in 1969 and was held each year until 1984; following a ten-year hiatus festivals resumed in 1995...
(May) - Parade the Circle (Jun)
- Summer Solstice Party (Cleveland Museum of ArtCleveland Museum of ArtThe Cleveland Museum of Art is an art museum situated in the Wade Park District, in the University Circle neighborhood on Cleveland's east side. Internationally renowned for its substantial holdings of Asian and Egyptian art, the museum houses a diverse permanent collection of more than 43,000...
) (Jun) - International Folk Festival (Jun)
- WOW! Wade Oval Wednesdays (Jun-Aug)
- Feast of the AssumptionCleveland Feast of the Assumption FestivalThe annual Feast of the Assumption Festival takes place each year in Cleveland's Little Italy neighborhood. The festival is held each year on the Catholic holiday of the Feast of the Assumption , commemorating the Virgin Mary's assumption into heaven...
(Aug 15 weekend) - Showcase in the Circle and Home Tour (Sep)
- Cleveland's RIPE! Fest (Botanical GardenCleveland Botanical GardenCleveland Botanical Garden, located in the University Circle neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio, in the United States, was founded in 1930 as the Garden Center of Greater Cleveland. It was the first such organization in an American city...
) (Sep) - Little Italy Columbus DayColumbus DayMany countries in the New World and elsewhere celebrate the anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the Americas, which occurred on October 12, 1492, as an official holiday...
Parade (Oct) - Holiday CircleFest (Dec)
Construction and Expansion Projects
University Circle is undergoing $2 billion in construction and renovation projects.Uptown project
The Uptown project is a multi-phase, $150 million-plus retail, entertainment, restaurant and cultural project under development by MRN Ltd. of Cleveland, and sponsored by Case Western Reserve UniversityCase Western Reserve University
Case Western Reserve University is a private research university located in Cleveland, Ohio, USA...
and University Circle Inc. Its location will create a true center to University Circle.
On August 2, 2010, a mixed-used "Phase I" broke ground, which will have 102 apartments above first floor retail and cost $44.5 million.
Additional anchors of the project currently under construction include the $66 million expansion of the Cleveland Institute of Art
Cleveland Institute of Art
The Cleveland Institute of Art is a private college of art and design located in University Circle, Cleveland, Ohio. It was founded in 1882 as the Western Reserve School of Design for Women. From 1891 until 1948 it was named Cleveland School of Art. During the Great Depression the school...
and the $32 million new home for the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA)
Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland
The Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland, better known by its acronym, MOCA, is a contemporary art museum located in Cleveland, Ohio. Founded in 1968 by Marjorie Talalay, Agnes Gund, and Nina Castelli Sundell as The New Gallery, the museum was renamed the Cleveland Center for Contemporary Art in...
. The new MOCA is designed by the London architect Farshid Moussavi
Farshid Moussavi
Farshid Moussavi is an architect, founder of Farshid Moussavi Architecture and Professor in Practice in Practice of Architecture at Harvard University Graduate School of Design. She was co-founder and co-principal of Foreign Office Architects until June 2011.-Early career:Moussavi was born in...
. The surrounding pedestrian plaza is designed by James Corner Field Operations
James Corner
James Corner is a Landscape Architect and theorist with numerous works to his credit which explore the contemporary meaning of architectural landscaping, with a focus on "developing innovative approaches toward landscape architectural design and urbanism." His designs of note include Fresh Kills...
, the same landscape architecture firm who designed the NYC High Line. Later phases plan to include a hotel, more apartments, condos, more retail, and a new Euclid – East 120th (RTA Rapid Transit station).
Cleveland Museum of Art expansion
On March 7, 2005 the Cleveland Museum of Art embarked on a multi-year project to renovate and expand into the next century. The project is designed by architect Rafael ViñolyRafael Viñoly
Rafael Viñoly is an Uruguayan architect living in the United States.-Biography:He was born in Montevideo, Uruguay to Román Viñoly Barreto, and Maria Beceiro ....
, combining old and new styles. At a total cost of $350 million, it is the largest cultural project in the history of the state of Ohio and one of the most comprehensive renovation and expansion projects in the museum field in the nation.
University Hospitals/Case Medical Center Expansion
Three new facilities and structures opened in summer of 2011. They include the $250 million Seidman Cancer Center, $41 million Center for Emergency Medicine, and a $30 million new parking structure.Residential
There are four main residential construction projects as of Fall 2011:- Uptown Phase I Apartments (102 units)
- WXZ Circle 118 Townhomes (17 townhomes)
- 27 Coltman Little Italy Townhomes (27 townhomes)
- WXZ Hazel 8 Apartments (59 units)
Hotels
Two new hotels are being added to the area:- Tudor Arms Hilton Doubletree Hotel—11-story, 157-room hotel (completed Fall 2011)
- University Circle Courtyard Mariott Hotel—8-story, 150-room hotel (to be completed late 2012)
Louis Stokes VA Medical Center Expansion
Totaling a $526 million expansion, this project includes a seven-story administrative office tower, living space for 122 homeless veterans, a 2,000-car parking garage, and a seven-story tower with 222 patient beds. Among the other parts of the project are the renovation of the hematology/oncology unit, expansion of the radiation area, building two floors on top of the atrium to accommodate various services, and an expanded operating room.Case Western Reserve University Expansion
Two major new construction projects are readying to break ground:- Tinkham Veale Student Center
- Wyatt Field House
In Spring 2012, Case Western Reserve University
Case Western Reserve University
Case Western Reserve University is a private research university located in Cleveland, Ohio, USA...
campus will undergo the construction of $50 million student center in the center of campus. It will be known as the Tinkham Veale Student Center designed by Ralph Johnson
Ralph Johnson (architect)
Ralph Johnson is a prominent Chicago-based architect. He is and a design principal and board member for Perkins+Will. Ralph has been with Perkins+Will for 30 years. In the past decade, his buildings have been celebrated with over 30 design awards, including five national Honor Awards and more than...
of Perkins + Will
Perkins and Will
Perkins+Will was founded in Chicago in 1935 by and ., on the belief that design has the power to transform lives and enhance society...
. It will encompass 82,000-square-feet, have 24/7 student access, and be environmentally friendly—with a green roof to absorb rainwater and windows designed to prevent excessive heat from sunlight. The second project will be known as the Wyant Field House, enclosing the last open portion of Case Field. The Wyant Field House will be approximately 24,000 square feet and will serve as a facility for varsity athletes and the 2,500 students who reside at The Village. The facility will include weight training and cardiovascular areas, a Varsity Club lounge, and multipurpose space.
External links
- Little Italy Redevelopment Corporation
- Little Italy Cleveland
- Little Italy Guide at Cleveland.com
- University Circle from The Encyclopedia of Cleveland History
- University Circle Incorporated
- University Circle Guide