© Stuart Pearl 2011 - Click on Images to EnlargeIt was a stunning sight. Normally you see images like this on the news. They are buildings found in a war zone or a Hollywood movie. Sometimes they are the result of a violent bombing.
I couldn't help but think of that very sad day in Oklahoma City back in 1995. So I had an emotional jolt when I framed this image. The old Cleveland Cold Storage is one of 23 major structures that will have to be demolished to make room for the new Innerbelt Bridge. And once the visible floors have been removed, the basement areas will also have to be dealt with to insure stable terrain for pier construction.
As soon as the Cold Storage demolition has been completed, workers will begin stabilizing the hill that slopes down to the Cuyahoga. Over time the shifting hillside has closed the expansion joints on the existing bridge. It's then been necessary to jack up and reposition parts of the bridge to fix the problem.
By regrading the banks, pressure will be reduced on the river bulkheads which is critical to river traffic. To accomplish this it will be necessary to remove more than 200,000 cubic yards of earth. This equates to over 13,000 dump trucks.
Those Tremont residents close to the Cuyahoga can easily see the construction work as it approaches from the East. Pit excavation for support pier #8 is visible on the east bank of the river near the Norfolk and Southern railroad trestle.
Pier #8 Pit Construction
July 1, 2011This is why Cleveland Cold Storage had to go. It occupies the exact footprint where the new west bound bridge will land when it crosses the river into Tremont.
July 19, 2011As of mid July, only a rubble heap of concrete and rebar marked the spot where Cleveland Cold Storage looked out over the Flats.
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8 comments:
Stu - it's a good thing we have you to document this.
Nice snaps..and very proud feeling about you..watching nature while sitting @ home.
Very well done
Great job! I almost forgot the bulding was there when I drove downtown recently!
Your dad did this with his paintings, and you're doing a wonderful job of continuing this documentation with stunning photography.
Thank you all for your kind comments. I appreciate that you're following Clevland's evolution in this manner. At this point in the city's history there is plenty to visually document. There just aren't enough hours in the day to detail every construction location. Eric, my dad visited many of these areas decades ago during his Sunday morning painting trips. I wish he could see how things are changing today.
Stu I really enjoy all of your pics do you have an ongoing portfolio of all the changes you have snapped
Nice photos. It is sad when old buildings go. There is an la cold storage facility this reminds me of.
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