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132-493: Playhouse Square is a theater district in downtown Cleveland , Ohio , United States . It is the largest performing arts center in the US outside of New York City (only Lincoln Center is larger). Constructed in a span of 19 months in the early 1920s, the theaters became a major entertainment hub for the city for much of the 20th century. However, by the late 1960s, the district had fallen into decline and its theaters had closed down. In

264-455: A Wyndham Hotel at Playhouse Square . In an unprecedented move for a not-for-profit performing arts center, Playhouse Square established a Real Estate Services Division in 1999 to support the organization's arts operations. Playhouse Square is active in area development in order to give visitors a lively, welcoming and entertaining destination, while also creating a neighborhood with a robust business environment. In 2002, Playhouse Square opened

396-627: A statue of Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry commemorating the Battle of Lake Erie , a statue of Clevelander Jesse Owens , and the Cleveland Police Department memorial of officers killed in the line of duty. A major addition to the area is the $ 465 million Global Center for Health Innovation and Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland . Cleveland's financial district, the area around East 9th street from Lake Erie south to Prospect Avenue, serves as corporate or regional home to many firms in

528-565: A $ 45 million Center for Innovation in Health Professions. One block north of campus along Chester Ave, the privately developed Langston Apartments will add over 300 apartments units. The $ 54 million project opened Phase I in 2012, with Phase II opening in 2013. Relocation of the Cuyahoga County Administrative Headquarters, being developed by Geis Company, is spurring a $ 200 million mixed-use development at

660-464: A $ 500 million expansion. Recently completed projects include a new Student Center ($ 55 million), Euclid Commons Dorms (5 buildings costing $ 60 million), "College Town" (373 new residential units), Middough Building ($ 20 million) and College of Education and Human Services Building ($ 37 million). Upcoming projects include converting the Mather Mansion into a boutique hotel and the construction of

792-455: A 550 space parking garage. The Tower opened in 2020. Downtown Cleveland Downtown Cleveland is the central business district of Cleveland, Ohio , United States. The economic and cultural center of the city and the Cleveland metropolitan area , it is Cleveland's oldest district, with its Public Square laid out by city founder General Moses Cleaveland in 1796. Downtown Cleveland

924-409: A 750,000-square-foot Convention Center. The LEED Silver-certified Convention Center includes a 225,928-square-foot exhibit hall divisible into three halls, as well as 46,166 square feet of total ballroom space, made up of three grand ballrooms totaling 32,193 square feet and two junior ballrooms totaling 10,937 square feet. Views of Lake Erie from a 9,520-square-foot patio completes the northern border of

1056-503: A Junior League was established in London which was the first League established outside of North America (100 Years, 154-155). This prompted a name change with the organization official becoming the Association of Junior Leagues International, Inc. (History Timeline). The idea that women can meaningfully contribute to solving social issues and bettering communities through voluntarism has been

1188-685: A Seatube. The attraction was constructed around the building's architectural characteristics—including its smokestacks, columns and narrow hallways. Developers were not allowed to modify the structure or paint some walls because the old complex is on the National Register of Historic Places . The Greater Cleveland Aquarium was the first in the United States by New Zealand -based developer Marinescape NZ Ltd., who has built more than 20 aquariums in Europe , Asia , and Australia . Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica

1320-651: A concession stand that is well-known for certain menu items, including its pimento cheese sandwiches. The Par 3: Tea-Time at the Masters includes a recipe for "Four-Cheese Pimento Sandwiches" which is said to resemble the ones served at The Masters. Members of The Junior League obtain knowledge, skills, and experiences in areas such as: Leadership, Organizational development, Community needs assessment, Mentoring, Advocacy, Communications, Fund development, Strategic planning, Negotiation, Consensus-building, and Networking. "The Association of Junior Leagues International, Inc. (AJLI)

1452-538: A core tenet of the Junior League since its conception. In the Junior League’s 1906 Annual Report, Harriman Rumsey emphasized the organization’s imperative to alleviate civic ills: “It seems almost inhuman that we should live so close to suffering and poverty ... within a few blocks of our own home and bear no part in this great life” (100 Years, Introduction). This altruistic spirit inspired Harriman Rumsey to organize

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1584-494: A dozen other dining and retail storefronts. The neighborhood is home to hundreds of residents who live in the apartments and loft condominiums above the storefronts. East 4th is also adjacent to the historic Cleveland Arcade , the first indoor shopping mall in the United States, built in 1890. Originally an early residential neighborhood, the Warehouse District was built into a warehousing and shipping neighborhood during

1716-444: A form of community service for League members and as way of introducing live-performance to children who might not have experienced it otherwise. The Junior League of Chicago was the first to stage children’s theater in 1921, and by 1929, it hosted “America’s first conference on children’s theater” (100 Years, 57). Following the conference, the Junior League of Chicago produced a national tour of The Blue Bird by Maurice Maeterlinck, which

1848-454: A four-month run (100 Years, 57). As children’s theater grew into a national movement, it eventually evolved into other mediums like radio and television as well. The popular children’s television show Kukla, Fran and Ollie originated from puppet shows staged in Chicago by Burr Tillstrom and the Junior League in the 1940s (100 Years, 59). Fred Rogers’ daily television program The Children’s Corner

1980-600: A great deal, and CSU opened its second residence hall, a complete retrofit of Fenn Tower, in the fall of 2006. Over the past decade, CSU has partnered with the city and other area stakeholders to transfer technology research into startup companies and enterprises, improving the economy of the area and stimulating downtown life in the Quadrangle. As part of CSU, the Wolstein Center , formerly the CSU Convocation Center,

2112-536: A group of 80 young women to volunteer for the College Settlement on Rivington Street on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Every week, League members would teach classes, hand out library books and engage in other enriching activities for children at the settlement house. Eleanor Roosevelt , who joined the Junior League in 1903 and served as League secretary in 1904, also taught dance and calisthenic classes at

2244-623: A large public fountain. The Consulate-General of Slovenia in Cleveland (formerly the Consulate-General of Yugoslavia in the city) is located in the 55 Public Square building. Notable buildings on Public Square include the Terminal Tower , home to Tower City Center , 200 Public Square - the former BP Building (renamed in 2005), as well as Key Tower , the tallest building in Ohio and one of

2376-543: A lecture on settlement movements that chronicled the works of social reformers such as Lillian Wald and Jane Addams , Harriman Rumsey organized others to become involved in settlement work. The organization's first project was working at the College Settlement on Rivington Street on Manhattan 's Lower East Side . These were the early days of privileged young girls and women leaving their sheltered lives in wealthy neighborhoods to volunteer their time with those who lived in crowded, poverty-stricken areas of cities. This started

2508-556: A leg up on reading before entering school (100 Years, 144). In 1914, the St. Louis Junior League mobilized to support women’s suffrage. They staged a demonstration – what the St. Louis women referred to as a “walkless, talkless parade” - at the 1916 Democratic National Convention , which ultimately resulted in the Democrats voting to include a plank for women's suffrage. The St. Louis League expressed their support in various ways, including reforming

2640-540: A legacy of volunteering and social activism that would continue for many decades. For many years the NYJL's clubhouse was located at 221 East 71st Street in Manhattan. Designed by architect John Russell Pope and opened in 1929, the building contained a swimming pool on the top floor, bedrooms for volunteers, a ballroom, a hairdressing salon, and a shelter for up to 20 abandoned babies. Marymount Manhattan College currently owns

2772-506: A local school teacher from financial ruin. The League staged a fashion show, barbershop quartet, and follies to raise funds, eventually securing enough resources to take over an abandoned day nursery for a nature center. By 1951, the League pitched in to help the museum move into a larger, $ 68,000 building (100 Years, 103). In 1959, the Junior League of the Palm Beaches founded and incorporated

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2904-530: A model for Junior Leagues in other cities, many of which sponsored their own residential hotels and services for working women (100 Years, 21). As Junior Leagues began to crop up in cities across the United States during the 1910s, the organization restated its mission with a focus on bolstering “an interest in all kinds of charitable and social effort” among its members, as well as supporting “already organized philanthropies” (100 Years, 27). This wide-ranging agenda would go on to encompass volunteering efforts around

3036-669: A non-profit group named the “Playhouse Square Association” with the Junior League of Cleveland, Inc . The cover of the February 27, 1970 issue of Life was a two-page pull-out of James H. Daugherty's The Spirit of Cinema America , a mural in the State Theatre's lobby. Plans to raze the Ohio and the State Theatres in 1972 and 1977 caused a public outcry, and in 1973 the newly formed Playhouse Square Foundation obtained long-term leases for

3168-720: A plan for organizing community volunteer initiatives entitled “A Central Volunteer Bureau in Defense," a plan for coordinating community volunteer efforts (100 Years, 80). The Junior League of the Palm Beaches grew out of the World War II effort when 15 women established a Junior Welfare League in 1941, focused on supporting the WWII training bases that had opened in Palm Beach County. The women hosted canteen events for soldiers and worked with

3300-598: A regional network including WCPN ) and WCLV , as well as TV station WVIZ , incorporated together as Ideastream Public Media . In 2008, the HealthLine opened with a station at Playhouse Square. The line connects Public Square to University Circle via the Cleveland Clinic . Also in 2008, the Hanna Theatre underwent a thorough renovation with improvements to its stage including a new hydraulic lift system. The Hanna

3432-556: A row of theaters on Euclid Avenue between East 14th and East 17th streets. Laronge and New York City business magnate Marcus Loew , among others, founded a partnership called Loew's Ohio Theatres to develop the area. The organization's first two theaters, the Ohio and State (now known as the KeyBank State), were designed by eminent architect Thomas W. Lamb in the Italianate style. It

3564-485: A shaky agreement evolved where Leagues could act on public issues locally (Volunteer, 100), however, this would continue to cause debate at League Annual Conferences. Early on Leagues began to form State Public Affairs Committees (SPAC) where Leagues within a state would cooperate on PACs (Public Affairs Committees), SPACs (State Public Affairs Committees) and LICs (Legislative Issues Committees) are individual, apolitical Junior Leagues or coalitions of Junior Leagues within

3696-646: A shopping mall, but today serves as a mix of small stores, office space, gardens under the glass , radio headquarters, and a food court. The 31-story One Cleveland Center is nicknamed the "silver chisel" due to its distinct shape. The seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cleveland , the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist , is located at the heart of the district on E.9th. There is a large cluster of high-rise downtown housing in this area, largely concentrated in

3828-486: A shortage of teachers, League members volunteered in diagnostic programs and those for gifted and challenged children. By the mid-1950s, over 100 Leagues established public play areas for children (100 Years, 104). In the 1980s, the Junior League participated in and led several campaigns for literacy. Along with other national organizations, the League joined in PLUS (Project Literacy US), a coordinated effort to expand literacy as

3960-413: A state that form to educate and take action on public policy issues relevant to The Junior League Mission. Having begun to take shape in the 1930s, they are collectively governed by their member Leagues and the methods by which they operate vary by state, as do the issues chosen for study and action. Junior Leagues played an important role in spreading children’s theater across the United States, both as

4092-585: A trustee at Teachers College, Columbia University (100 Years, 24). When a League was organized in Brooklyn in 1910, the members petitioned the Board of Education to provide free lunches in public schools and transform vacant lots into playgrounds (100 Years, 26). This advocacy work continued after World War II, when the Baby Boom created an additional need for resources to support schools, playgrounds, and teachers. With

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4224-483: A tuberculosis clinic and treatment center known as the Pine Health Preventorium, through which it provided assistance to 150 children between 1933-34 (100 Years, 65). In the wake of the 1952 polio epidemic, the Junior League played a critical role in promoting the use of the polio vaccine, discovered by Dr. Jonas Salk, and for advocating for the rehabilitation of polio patients. In recognition for its efforts,

4356-472: A way of preventing against the spread of homelessness (100 Years, 140). Later that decade, First Ladies of the United States and Junior League members Barbara Bush and Laura Bush founded The Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy. The Foundation granted over $ 6 million to more than 200 Family Literacy Programs across the country in its first decade of operations. Laura Bush spearheaded an initiative in early childhood development to help infants and children get

4488-607: Is a 500-acre (2.0 km ) downtown Cleveland neighborhood just east of the central business district. The district is bordered by Lakeside Avenue to the north, Broadway Avenue to the south, East 17th Street to the west and East 30th Street to the east. Members of the Campus District include Cleveland State University, St. Vincent Charity Medical Center, Cuyahoga Community College and more. Cleveland State University has in past years been derided as an open enrollment commuter school, but has moved to dispel that belief. The university

4620-578: Is a 5000-seat outdoor amphitheater. In 2012, it underwent in $ 1 million upgrade that included a new entrance constructed 200 feet north of the old one, creating space for an expanded riverfront plaza. Other upgrades included new brick pavement for the plaza and new fencing. In the fall of 2010, the Trust for Public Land and the Cleveland Rowing Foundation successfully purchased seven acres of commercial riverfront land for $ 3.2 million. The partnership

4752-526: Is all Class A office space and features a green, open-air rooftop terrace. Two Waterfront Line Rapid stations , Settlers Landing station and Main Avenue station received $ 375,000 upgrades. Work at both stations includes replacing brick and concrete pavers, repairing the glass shelters, and demolishing ticket booths. At Settlers Landing , crews will restore eight etched glass panels that act as wind screens. The artwork depicts scenes of Cleveland's settlement and

4884-578: Is bounded by Lake Erie to the north, the Cuyahoga Valley to the west, and Interstate 90 to the south and east. It encompasses several subdistricts, and its diverse architecture includes the Cleveland Mall , one of the most complete examples of City Beautiful design in the United States . Downtown's residential population has grown significantly since the 2000s and especially 2010s, registering

5016-600: Is causing the population to continue to climb, along with some new construction—totaling over 1500 additional new units. Located in the east bank of the Flats , the 150-room Aloft Hotels -branded hotel opened in the summer 2013. The hotel is part of a $ 500 million mixed-used project known as the Flats East Bank . A $ 64 million renovation and new branding of the 484-room Westin Hotel was completed Spring 2014. Junior League It

5148-554: Is converting the vacant concrete-covered site into Rivergate Park , a new recreational center in the Flats. Officially opened in May 2011, the park preserves public access to the Cuyahoga River for access to activities including kayaking, canoeing, rowing and dragon boating. Long-term plans include a canoe/kayak launch facility, concessions, and public restrooms. Cleveland Metroparks will replace

5280-476: Is located in the Campus District, and serves as the home of CSU Men's Basketball and various concerts and special events throughout the year. Located north of Campus District is the Superior Arts District. The district once served as the center of Cleveland's garment industry in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, "second only to New York." However, as Cleveland's garment industry declined, many of

5412-765: Is now home to Great Lakes Theater, Cleveland's classic theater company which previously performed at the Ohio Theatre. Through a collaboration called “The Power of Three,” Cleveland Play House , Cleveland State University and Playhouse Square partnered to create the Allen Theatre Complex, featuring a reconfigured Allen Theatre (re-opened 2011) and two new theaters that opened in 2012. Cleveland Play House and Cleveland State University's Department of Theatre and Dance are now resident companies at Playhouse Square. The Cleveland Play House administrative offices and all of Cleveland State University's arts programs are now located in

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5544-435: Is progressing through a master plan to raise standards, enrollment, and rebuild its fortress-like campus. CSU plans to build a college town adjacent to downtown, including new retail, restaurants and housing to serve an increase of resident students planned to be in the thousands. The university's desire to attract more traditional college students and begin to raise its stature as a research university figure into these plans

5676-491: Is relayed over a regional network, including WCPN ( 104.9 FM ). Residents of the district also include Cleveland Playhouse and Cleveland State University performing arts. In spring 2014, a $ 16 million outdoor streetscape transformation was completed. Focusing primarily on lighting and signage, a centerpiece of a 4,600-piece LED crystal chandelier hangs over the Euclid Avenue and East 14th Street intersection 24-feet off

5808-791: Is the Justice Center Complex , consisting of the Cleveland Police Department headquarters and Cuyahoga County Jail. Other notable structures include Cleveland City Hall , Cuyahoga County and Cleveland Municipal Courts, Public Auditorium , Cleveland Public Library main buildings, the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland , the Howard M. Metzenbaum U.S. Courthouse , and the Cleveland Metropolitan School District administration building (now occupied by

5940-447: The 120th Anniversary Cookbook (2021). The Junior League of Augusta's cookbooks include the three volume, The Masters golf tournament themed Tea-Time at the Masters series: Tea-Time at the Masters (1977), Second Round: Tea-Time at the Masters (1988), and Par 3: Tea-Time at the Masters (2005). Some book collectors have taken to collecting cookbooks from various chapters of the Junior League. The Masters golf tournament features

6072-495: The 14th Street Theatre as a home for Second City Cleveland and a venue for improvisational comedy, musical comedy and avant-garde fare, often for extended runs. The venue was closed in 2013 and transformed into the private dining space Cibreo Privato, part of the Italian restaurant Cibreo operated by Driftwood Restaurant Group. In 2003, the area of East 14th Street near Playhouse Square was renamed Memory Lane- Bob Hope Way in honor of

6204-696: The Drury Plaza Hotel ). The Public Malls , Malls A, B, and C, also known as the Burnham Malls, hold public green space and gardens fronting the lake. The Fountain of Eternal Life , also known as the War Memorial Fountain, is centered on the Mall A. On the western edge, Willard Park is host to the controversial public art, known as the Free Stamp . On the eastern edge sits Fort Huntington Park, containing

6336-589: The PNC Center ) and the demolition of long-time Short Vincent establishments in the late 1970s. Home to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum , Great Lakes Science Center , FirstEnergy Stadium , Steamship William G. Mather Maritime Museum and the USS Cod , North Coast Harbor is the tourist district of downtown Cleveland. The North Coast District is home to the city's port, although there are long-term plans to move

6468-563: The 1940s and 1950s. Short Vincent became the "gathering place for gamblers, sports figures, racketeers, lawyers, and newspapermen" and "offered good food, underworld gossip, and the odds on anything." The street's Theatrical Grill served as the "headquarters" for notorious mobster Shondor Birns , but also hosted visiting celebrities such as Frank Sinatra , Marilyn Monroe , Dean Martin , Lauren Bacall , Tony Bennett , Judy Garland , and Milton Berle , among many others. Mobster Danny Greene and boxing promoter Don King were also regulars on

6600-457: The 1970s, the district was revived through a grassroots effort that helped usher in a new era of downtown revitalization. For this reason, the revival of Playhouse Square is often locally referred to as being "one of the top ten successes in Cleveland history ." Following World War I , local developer Joseph Laronge, who had previously opened the Stillman movie house on East 12th street, envisioned

6732-479: The 2020 census, there are 7,244 occupied units in Downtown out of a total 9,569 units, which is a 75.7% occupancy rate and, despite Crain's optimistic numbers, the census also reports 13,338 people living in the Downtown area. The demographic composition of Downtown in 2020 was 53.1% white, 32% African American, 10.1% Asian and Pacific Islander, and 4.9% mixed and other groups. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 5.3% of

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6864-512: The Association was to focus League energies towards their purpose of fostering interest among their members in the social, economic, educational, cultural and civic conditions of their own communities and to make efficient their volunteer service (this is quoted in Volunteering, 97 but is cited from AJLA Yearbooks https://archives.lib.umn.edu/repositories/11/archival_objects/490625 ). The 1930s were rife with disagreements on this issue and eventually

6996-623: The Denver Children’s Museum. In 1950, the Junior League of Miami opened the Junior Museum of Miami, a small house that brought in more 2,000 children in its first three months and eventually evolved into the Miami Museum of Science. League members also mobilized to secure funds and necessary resources for children’s museums. In 1946, the Junior League of Charlotte stepped in to save a small but popular Children’s Nature Museum thought up by

7128-560: The Don’t Wait campaign garnered wide-spread attention – President George Bush called the program “a point of light” (100 Years, 166). Despite the Women’s Suffrage movement fueling the establishment of a number of Junior Leagues, the official stance on engaging in public policy efforts for the Association in the early 20th century was to avoid any partisan issues and stay away from public arena (Volunteering, 97-98). The official position of

7260-809: The East 12th Street area. Alexander Mann's U.S. headquarters and Medical Mutual headquarters are present here. The City Club of Cleveland is housed in the City Club Building, which is at the corner of East Ninth and Euclid. WKYC , the local NBC affiliate , has its broadcast center on Lakeside Avenue on the northern end of the district. WOIO , the CBS affiliate, and WUAB , the CW affiliate, both owned by Gray Television are housed in Reserve Square on East 12th Street. Good Karma Broadcasting houses its station, WKNR , inside

7392-513: The East Bank as an extension of Downtown. Historically significant, the Flats served as the location of Moses Cleaveland 's first landing when he founded the city. It was also the location of some of the earliest populations of Cleveland. Lorenzo Carter , the first permanent European settler in the city, built his cabin on the banks of the Cuyahoga in the Flats. Throughout much of Cleveland history,

7524-484: The Euclid Avenue streetscape, rebuilding the street from storefront to storefront, removing old vaults and streetcar tracks, and building new sidewalks, lighting, and landscaping. The project included a large public arts component, with different areas of the Euclid Corridor route being addressed by local and national artists. The project is expected to spur investments in residential, retail, office, and mixed-use redevelopments, including over 4,000 residential units along

7656-438: The Flats area was almost entirely industrial. By the 1980s, it had become a popular nightlife district in Cleveland. Its demise in the early 2000s spurred a complete redevelopment where a majority of the existing buildings were demolished. In its place, an 8-story Aloft Hotel and a 21-story office tower were built. Restaurants, apartments, and a riverside promenade are planned for Phase II of this mixed-use project. The West Bank of

7788-457: The Flats contains the majority of the district's residential population, primary stemming from a set of apartments and condos known as Stonebridge. The areas also boasts bars, restaurants, jet ski rental, strip clubs, and, most recently, the home of the Greater Cleveland Aquarium . The current state of the Flats is in mixed-use redevelopment. In December 2020, Crain's Cleveland Business estimated Downtown's population to be 20,000. According to

7920-433: The Galleria at Erieview . Short Vincent , located between East 6th and East 9th Street, is short street that once served as one of Cleveland's major entertainment districts and a center for the city's nightlife. Densely packed with restaurants, dive bars, jazz clubs, and bounded by the risqué Roxy Burlesque Theater and the art deco Bond Clothing Store, the district first emerged in the late 1920s and reached its height in

8052-411: The Hanna Theatre was the only one of the group not to close in 1968 or 1969, it was overshadowed by the revitalization of the Euclid Avenue theaters during the 1980s, and closed in 1989. However, the Hanna reopened in March 1996 – the 75th anniversary of its original opening. In 1999, the Playhouse Square Foundation acquired the Hanna, making it the fifth and last of the original theaters to be purchased by

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8184-498: The Idea Center, the facility includes high definition television studios, control rooms, radio studios, and performance space fronting Euclid Avenue, as well as a variety of high-tech business startups and other tenants located on the building's upper floors. Since 2005, Ideastream's broadcast properties have been located at the Idea Center; this includes PBS station WVIZ (channel 25), NPR member WKSU ( 89.7 FM ) and classical music / jazz outlet WCLV ( 90.3 FM ). WKSU also

8316-433: The Junior League of Montreal was the first to spring into action, initially by raising money for refugees. Almost all Leagues in the U.S. became involved by 1916, despite the nation’s stated neutrality which lasted until April 1917 (timeline). In addition to fundraising efforts, Leagues organized classes, including those focused on home nursing, as well as “preparedness” initiatives that were often organized in coordination with

8448-410: The League received the March of Dimes Service Award in 1957 (100 Years, 101). In the 1990s, the Junior League played a pivotal role in advocating for children to have greater access to health care. In 1991, the League launched Don’t Wait to Vaccinate, a public awareness campaign focused on encouraging early childhood immunization (100 Years, 11). All 276 Leagues joined in to distribute information about

8580-492: The League was supplying schools with visiting teachers and volunteer tutors (100 Years, 23). School and Home Visitors, which began as a pilot project, was ultimately so successful that in 1910, New York state absorbed responsibility for the program and expanded its funding and reach. Nathalie Henderson, a League co-founder and chair of the organization’s Committee on Visiting Teachers of the Public Education Society, went on to chair New York’s joint Committee for Education and serve as

8712-425: The Middough Building on Playhouse Square's campus, adding to the vibrancy of the neighborhood. Playhouse Square welcomes more than 1 million guests to 1,000+ performances and events each year. Its KeyBank Broadway Series season ticket holder base (more than 45,000) is the largest in the country, making Cleveland one of fewer than 10 markets that can support a three-week run of a touring Broadway show. Improvements to

8844-436: The Museum of the City of New York, which was staffed by volunteers and financed by the League (100 Years, 103). Beyond the 1950s, the Leagues continued to meet the needs of communities around the country by opening children’s museums. In 1976, the Junior League of Pittsburgh contributed to the founding of the Pittsburgh Children’s Museum, and in 1982, the Junior League of Chicago organized around fighting cutbacks in funding for

8976-486: The New York League organized the first network of volunteers in an outpatient department in New York City through the Children’s Clinic at Bellevue Hospital (100 Years, 38). During the Great Depression, Junior Leagues ramped up efforts to care for infants, children and families in need. Junior Leagues established and operated milk stations and nurseries for the children of working women, and also ran soup kitchens (100 Years, 65). The Tampa Junior League supported and built out

9108-412: The Palace Theatre, now known as the Connor Palace, opening in November 1922 in the Keith Building , which at the time was the tallest in Cleveland. There was a great promotion for the theater's opening: the largest electric sign in the world was turned on to show that the Palace was open for business. Built by Edward F. Albee in honor of his friend and business partner, B.F.Keith, the Palace was billed as

9240-402: The Palace, Ohio and State Theatres, while Cuyahoga County commissioners purchased the Loews Building. Also in 1973, the musical revue Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris opened in the State Theatre lobby. Expected to run two weeks, the show instead played for two and a half years. In 1978, Playhouse Square was added to the National Register of Historic Places . Emboldened by

9372-432: The Playhouse Square neighborhood - including a digital signage network, upgrades to U.S. Bank Plaza, a retro signage feature and the GE Chandelier, the world's largest outdoor chandelier , located above the intersection of Euclid Avenue and East 14th Street - were completed between April 2013 and April 2014, culminating in a ceremony on May 2, 2014, entitled "Dazzle the District." In 2014 a $ 100 million capital fund campaign

9504-648: The Red Cross (100 Years, 39). Perhaps even more so than the first world war, World War II galvanized Junior Leagues into action. In July 1940, as awareness spread that the United States would join the war, the AJLA called a special meeting to mobilize all Leagues in the United States to form central volunteer bureaus. This movement built off of capabilities already developed during the Depression that matched volunteers with agencies in need of help. In August 1941, all Leagues were sent

9636-509: The Red Cross. In the United States and Canada, volunteer efforts for the war took on many different forms. Junior League members organized blood drives, worked for the Red Cross, volunteered in daycare centers, sold US Treasury War Bonds and Stamps, and performed for servicemen at the USO and other venues (100 Years, 86). Overseas, League Members volunteered with various organizations, including an 125-person unit of Junior League Members who served with

9768-715: The Rivington Street Settlement House (100 Years, 21). The Junior League House for Working Girls (Junior League Hotel) grew out of the organization’s early volunteer work with settlement movements. Dorothy Payne Whitney , president of the New York League from 1907 to 1909, and League members began to engage in conversations around how they might best support working women in the city. There was an interest in creating affordable, sanitary and comfortable accommodations solely for women – an alternative to tenement housing that would also protect against discrimination on

9900-500: The Rock Hall, and serves as a commuter and business airport that reduces small aircraft traffic at the larger Cleveland Hopkins International Airport , located southwest of downtown. The district fronts Lake Erie on the north and also includes Voinovich Park and a fishing pier. Plans for the city's lakefront include adding thousands of housing units, retail shops, a marina, and other amenities to North Coast Harbor. The Campus District

10032-510: The Short Vincent. The north side of the street was considered the "respectable" side, while the south side was a center for the numbers racket and was "studded with girlie shows." The pavement between the two sides "was referred to as the Gaza Strip." The area fell into decline by the 1960s and 1970s and disappeared as an entertainment district with the expansion of National City Bank (today

10164-535: The South Florida Science Museum, today known as the Cox Science Center and Aquarium . The museum opened in 1961, and in 1964 added a new wing housing the planetarium which was dedicated by and named after astronaut Buzz Aldrin . In addition to opening new museums, Leagues also worked with existing museums to support children-friendly sections. This was the case for the “Please Touch” Gallery at

10296-458: The WAAC, Hobby was promoted to Major Hobby. As director, Major Hobby was charged with mobilizing and training women to be soldiers, and, “making available to the national defense the knowledge, skill, and special training of the women of the nation" (100 Years, 84). The WAACs under Major Hobby’s charge initially took on roles ranging from clerks and secretaries to aircraft warning observers. However, as

10428-514: The Wolstein Group and Fairmount Properties. Opening in June 2013, the $ 275 million first phase included a 23-story office tower, 8-story Aloft hotel , restaurants, and a 16,000 sq. ft. health club, The office tower has been named the " Ernst and Young building." The two anchor tenants include the law firm Tucker Ellis and West, and the largest tenant, Ernst and Young . The 450,000 sq. ft. office tower

10560-772: The YMCA in France (100 Years, 80). As volunteerism flourished, Junior League members also took on more official responsibilities in war efforts. It was through the work of Oveta Culp Hobby, member of the Houston Junior League and Director of the Women’s Interest Section of the War Department, that the Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps (WAAC) was formed in 1941. After President Roosevelt signed the bill establishing

10692-602: The area. Today, the mixed use area serves as a live-work district for local artists, and includes several apartments, bars, restaurants, and cafes. The Cuyahoga River splits The Flats into two halves: the East Bank of the Flats and the West Bank of the Flats. Although the Cleveland City Planning Commission considers most of the area to be part of the Cuyahoga Valley neighborhood, it also defines part of

10824-463: The basis of nationality or religion. In 1909, the Junior League erected a six-story building on the corner of 78th street and East End Avenue, which would serve as the Junior League Hotel until its closure in 1931. At a rate of $ 4 to $ 7 a week, residents were provided a range of amenities including a library, roof garden, laundry, and tennis and basketball courts. The Junior League Hotel served as

10956-480: The building. In 1950 the NYJL clubhouse moved to the former Vincent Astor townhouse (Astor House) at 130 East 80th Street, where it remains as of 2020. The League quickly branched out and in 1907 became the Junior League for the Promotion of Neighborhood Work. Under President Dorothy Whitney, the League introduced formal training on “social problems” and expanded the scope of their work to include civic issues such as

11088-779: The buildings of the May Company, Taylor's, and Halle's are popular downtown apartment complexes, while the Higbee's building has been home to the Jack Cleveland Casino since 2012. Revitalization of Cleveland's Historic Gateway District began in the 1990s with the Gateway complex, which included construction of Progressive Field and Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse , the homes of the MLB Cleveland Guardians , NBA Cleveland Cavaliers , and AHL Cleveland Monsters . The Gateway complex

11220-420: The city in the form of the HealthLine . The project involved a total reconstruction of Euclid Avenue from Public Square to beyond University Circle (located approximately 4 miles (6.4 km) east of downtown), and included bus-only lanes with center-median station boarding, priority signaling, and fast commute times. In addition to transit and road improvements, the transportation project also invested heavily in

11352-569: The city, and has hosted presidents, vast congregations of people, and a free annual 4th of July concert by the Cleveland Orchestra . At one time, Public Square was fenced off and inaccessible to vehicles. In 1860, the Perry Monument , a memorial to Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry 's victory in the Battle of Lake Erie in the War of 1812 , was dedicated in the center of Public Square. In 1892, it

11484-725: The city’s public schools by helping to establish the Chicago Children’s Museum. In 1961, the Junior League of Chicago co-founded the Art Institute 's volunteer Docent Program to revitalize and expand "programming for children." In 2017, the Association of Children’s Museums granted the 2017 ACM Great Friend to Kids Award to the Junior League in recognition of the organization’s contributions to advocating for children and their education and for their work developing children’s museums. When World War I broke out in Europe in 1914,

11616-554: The civic role for women, police, and immigration (100 Years, 25-26). During this time, a number of sister leagues formed in cities including Brooklyn, New York and Portland, Oregon although there was no formal affiliation with the first New York league. A number of other debutante circles, like the Sewing Circle League of Boston began to emulate the League in New York and focus on local social issues (100 Years, 26). Eleanor Roosevelt

11748-596: The complex. Reconstruction of the Allen Theatre lagged behind the rest, partly because some felt that three theaters were enough for the district. However, in 1993 the Playhouse Square Foundation agreed to rent the theater with the intention of purchasing it, which it did in 1997. This acquisition made Playhouse Square the largest performing arts complex outside of New York in the United States, with more than 10,000 seats. The Allen re-opened in 1998. Although

11880-470: The complex. The project was funded by a 0.25 percent increase in Cuyahoga County sales tax. Permanent tenants include Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society , Philips Healthcare , GE Healthcare , Johnson Controls , the Cleveland Clinic , and University Hospitals . A multiphase, $ 500 million mixed-use redevelopment along the East Bank of the Flats is being developed and financed by

12012-464: The concrete and gravel on their land and replace it with grass, trees and other park amenities. Cleveland's Crooked River Skate Park will be built on 15,000 square feet of city owned land. It is located along the river and adjacent to the Cleveland Metroparks new Rivergate Park. The total cost is projected to be $ 758,000. Groundbreaking will occur in 2013. CSU's campus continues to undergo

12144-421: The corner West Sixth and Superior Ave erected by John D. Rockefeller . Home to the second-largest performing arts complex in the U.S., Playhouse Square is downtown's cultural heart. The area is dominated by five historic theaters built during the 1920s – State , Palace , Allen , Hanna , and Ohio theaters are all located in a cluster near the intersection of Euclid Avenue and E. 14th Street. Additionally,

12276-459: The corner of Euclid Avenue and East Ninth Street. The properties involved include the 29-story Ameritrust Tower , the attached 1010 Euclid Avenue building, the historic Cleveland Trust Company Building , and the so-called "P and H" buildings, located on the Prospect Avenue side of the complex. Additionally, two parking garages on the south side of Prospect Ave along East Ninth Street will anchor

12408-614: The corridor. In addition to the BRT line, the Downtown Cleveland Alliance funded a study on retail feasibility on the avenue, focusing on the area between CSU and Public Square. A $ 465 million Global Center for Health Innovation, previously known as the Medical Mart , and Cleveland Convention Center opened in the summer of 2013. The 1.1-million-square-foot campus consists of a 235,000-square-foot Global Center for Health Innovation and

12540-522: The country related to education, voting rights, child welfare and historic preservation, among other areas. Over the early years of the League’s development, education emerged as a central aspect of the organization’s efforts to advance social causes. Through the School and Home Visitors program, the League sponsored teachers to assist with bolstering communication between schools and immigrant parents, and by 1909,

12672-525: The county needs to expand in the future. A proposed hotel on the lower floors of the 29-story tower is being considered. Since 2015, the Cleveland Trust Company Rotunda and 1010 Euclid Avenue ground floor has housed a full-service Heinen's grocery store for downtown residents. Downtown Cleveland had the largest percent population growth in the 2010 Census for the entire city of Cleveland . Conversion of old office space into residential

12804-428: The district's buildings became vacant and abandoned. Bruce Madorsky and Dan "Daffy Dan" Gray were the first to see the potential in developing the area. Beginning in the 2010s, Madorsky and Gray began selling their investments in the district, creating the conditions for additional revitalization. In 2016, the Superior Arts District was formally split from the Campus District to "promote safety, growth, and vitality" in

12936-491: The evolution of transportation. A $ 33 million Greater Cleveland Aquarium opened on Jan 21, 2012, located at the FirstEnergy Powerhouse as the only freestanding aquarium in the state of Ohio . The aquarium takes up 70,000 square feet in the powerhouse's basement and contains over a million gallons of water in 42 tanks. The main feature of the aquarium is Marinescape's Seatube®, a 145-foot-long clear tunnel, known as

13068-406: The financial, business, legal, communications and publishing sectors of the city's economy. Architecturally, the area is characterized by large, glass office towers built predominately in the 1950s to 1980s. The tallest is Erieview Tower at 40-stories, the centerpiece of the largely unbuilt Erieview Urban Renewal Project of the 1960s. The Galleria was added to the tower in the 1980s originally as

13200-560: The foundation. The Cleveland Theater District Development Corporation (CTDDC), now the Playhouse Square District Development Corporation (PDDC), was established in 1998 as a business improvement district to foster development in the theater district. The reopening of the State, Ohio and Palace Theatres encouraged further development at Playhouse Square, including the $ 40 million Renaissance Office Building and

13332-570: The ground. According to the Guinness Book of World Records , it is the largest outdoor chandelier in the world. Other additions include four gateway signs spanning entry points, a large 1920s-era "Playhouse Square" sign at East 13th Street and Euclid Avenue intersection, a fire pit at Star Plaza, a 28-foot-tall digital display, and architectural lighting to show off details of the historic buildings. The Civic Center district holds Cleveland's governmental and public buildings. The most visible structure

13464-681: The importance of vaccination, utilizing multilingual radio announcements, billboards, and handouts to spread the message. Along with these efforts, the Leagues tackled problem areas such as the lack of health clinics, insurance and language barriers that they recognized as factors in preventing wider-spread immunization (100 Years, 101). To eliminate these barriers, Leagues identified the issues that were most relevant to their own local populations and then deployed educational materials and collaborated with health agencies and other Leagues to create effective children’s health programs (100 Years, 161). The success of

13596-427: The industrial rise of Cleveland, Within the past few decades, it has been converted again back into an entertainment, dining, and residential hub. The Warehouse District is the largest downtown neighborhood by population, and continues to grow with an assortment of shops, clubs, bars, and loft condos/apartments . West Sixth Street is known as the heart of the district. Famously, the 17-story Rockefeller Building sits on

13728-455: The largest population growth, by percentage, of any Cleveland neighborhood over that time. The heart of downtown, Public Square was laid out by city founder Moses Cleaveland in 1796 and has remained largely unchanged. Based on the New England town square , it consists of a large open space, cut into quadrants by Ontario Street and Superior Avenue. Public Square is the symbolic heart of

13860-524: The last year of the second World War, Leagues staged 36 live radio programs for children (100 Years, 87). As was the case of children’s theatre, Junior Leagues were also instrumental in opening children’s museums to help expose children to science and technology, art and nature. By the end of the 1950s, Leagues across the country – from San Francisco to Jacksonville, Florida – established or entered into partnerships to open up museums for children in their own communities (100 Years, 102). The Denver Junior League

13992-568: The longtime Cleveland resident to commemorate the entertainer's 100th birthday. Playhouse Square and Cleveland's public broadcasting stations conducted a joint capital campaign to transform the One Playhouse Square Building into the Idea Center at Playhouse Square. Opened in 2005, it is now the home for Playhouse Square's community engagement and education programs and the downtown headquarters for radio stations WKSU (simulcast over

14124-549: The organization as The League of Women Voters, a new group (100 Years, 36). One year after Congress passed the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution , the Junior League held its annual conference in St. Louis. With discussions swirling around women’s suffrage at the conference, the League decided to form Legislative committees that would focus on “city or state laws, especially those affecting

14256-447: The parking aspect. The P and H buildings will be razed and the site will become the home of a new, eight-story Cuyahoga County headquarters building, in which the county will lease for 26 years. Building size is expected to be 220,000 square feet. The plan calls for creating 210 high-end apartments in the former office tower and part of the building at 1010 Euclid, although portions of the building will be retained as office space in case

14388-595: The population. The median household income was $ 54,834. Downtown's foreign-born population was 17.2% in 2019. Reinvestment in the area in the mid-1990s spurred a rebirth in Downtown. Between 2010 and 2014, Downtown Cleveland saw more than $ 4.5 billion in residential and commercial developments. As of 2000, 100,000 people worked in the district, which in 2012 contained more than 16 million square feet of rentable office space. The $ 197 million Euclid Corridor Transportation Project connected downtown, Midtown, and University Circle by introducing bus rapid transit (BRT) to

14520-414: The port west of the river and open up the area for housing and lakefront development. North Coast is also the former home of Cleveland Stadium . Cleveland Stadium was torn down after the former Cleveland Browns franchise left the city in 1995, and was replaced with FirstEnergy Stadium , which serves as the home of the reborn NFL football franchise. Cleveland Burke Lakefront Airport is located east of

14652-505: The site. In the golden age of department store retail from the late 19th century to the 1980s, Cleveland's major stores extended from Public Square east along Euclid Avenue . They included Higbee's , Bailey's, the May Company , Taylor's , Halle's , and Sterling Lindner Davis , which collectively represented one of the largest and most fashionable shopping districts in the country, often compared to New York 's Fifth Avenue . Today,

14784-401: The smaller theaters include the 14th Street Theater, Kennedy's Theater, Westfield Insurance Studio Theater, Second Stage, and Helen Rosenfeld Lewis Bialosky Lab Theatre. Ideastream Public Media teamed up with Playhouse Square to renovate the former Playhouse Square Building, transforming it from an empty office building to One Playhouse Square, a downtown broadcast headquarters. Now known as

14916-518: The social welfare of women and children” (100 Years, 37). Junior Leagues have historically advanced causes related to the well-being of women and children in various ways. Leagues across the country pioneered these efforts. Tucson, Arizona established the city’s first day nursery, and Cincinnati established the Junior League Welfare Station, a clinic created to care for the children of indigent families (100 Years, 50). In 1917, members of

15048-475: The tallest in the United States. Public Square is also home to the historic Old Stone Church , completed in 1855. The west side of Public Square was to become the headquarters of the Cleveland Trust Company, then called Ameritrust, but the project was cancelled after Ameritrust was purchased and merged into Key Bank , leaving that side of the square open to this day, with only a surface parking lot on

15180-459: The theater faces East 14th Street, it is still part of Playhouse Square. It was named for the prominent Cleveland Senator Mark Hanna . Meanwhile, the Bulkley Building housing the C. Howard Crane -designed Allen Theatre was being built next door. Completed in early April 1921, Jules and Jay Allen's Pompeiian -style theater was sold to Loew's in 1922. The last theater to be constructed was

15312-409: The theaters soon became known unofficially as “Playhouse Square.” The Euclid Square Association, a civic group, tried to rename the district “Euclid Square,” although these efforts were ultimately unsuccessful. The area is now officially designated as "Playhouse Square." The theaters successfully showed a variety of serious theater, vaudeville shows, and movies for more than forty years. However, during

15444-461: The time of the incorporation (100 Years, 61). AJLA continued to expand in the number of Leagues and in programming. By the middle of the 20th century there were over 150 Junior Leagues located in the United States, Canada, and Mexico (100 Years, 10). There was also a noticeable demographic shift in League members. More and more league members were young, working women or were older, suburban housewives as opposed to debutantes (100 Years, 94). In 1985,

15576-546: The unprecedented success of Jacques Brel, restoration of the theaters began in earnest. Various public-private partnerships collected some $ 40 million for the project. Because of extensive fire damage, the Ohio Theatre was originally intended to be the last of the theaters to undergo renovation, but those plans were accelerated so that the theater could become the home of the Great Lakes Shakespeare Festival, now Great Lakes Theater . The $ 4 million project

15708-477: The war progressed, WAACs assumed a broader range of primarily communication and clerical responsibilities overseas. By 1943, the initiative had garnered such success that the WAAC was elevated to Regular Army and afforded pay and privileges equal to what was granted to male soldiers (100 Years, 85). Junior League chapters have produced a number of cookbooks. The New York Junior League's cookbooks include New York Entertains (1974), I'll Taste Manhattan (1994), and

15840-489: The years following World War II , suburbanization and the rise of television led to the decline of the theaters. Fire broke out in the Ohio in 1964, and the other Playhouse Square theaters were struck by vandalism. Between May 1968 and July 1969, all the theaters closed except the Hanna. Plans to reopen and restore the theaters began almost immediately. In 1970, Raymond K. Shepardson, a Cleveland Public Schools employee, formed

15972-652: The “Showplace of the World.” Headlining the opener was America's favorite mimic, Elsie Janis, who shared billing with Eduardo Cansino, Rita Hayworth's father. Albee invested over $ 2 million in the vaudeville venue, which became known as the “…swankiest theater in the country.” Designed by the Chicago architectural firm of Rapp and Rapp , the Palace was a regional flagship of the Keith-Albee chain of vaudeville theaters. The area surrounding

16104-430: Was an early member of the NYJL, joining in 1903 when she was 19 years old. In 1921, thirty Leagues joined to form a national association. Until this point, Leagues were only connected by a Bulletin, containing updates about various leagues, and an annual conference. The national association was named the Association of Junior Leagues of America, Inc. and acted as an umbrella organization (Volunteer, 61). A new Constitution

16236-479: Was begun at the end of 1981 and completed in less than nine months. Work began on the State Theatre in May 1979, and was completed in the summer of 1984, after the addition of a new $ 7 million stagehouse. Renovation of the theater's three lobbies was completed in 1987. Restoration of the Palace Theatre began in 1987, and was finished the following year. As part of the project, expanded parking facilities were added to

16368-572: Was built on parking lots on the site of the former Central Market. The baseball stadium and basketball arena are connected to Tower City Center, and RTA 's rail transit system , via an enclosed walkway. The neighborhood includes retail, housing, and a large variety of restaurants. East 4th Street is a popular restaurant and entertainment street adjacent to Prospect Avenue, Cleveland's historic " Radio Row ." East 4th encompasses Cleveland's House of Blues , Iron Chef Michael Symon 's Mabel's BBQ, comedy club/restaurant Pickwick and Frolic, as well as

16500-541: Was considered essential for the theaters' marquees to face Euclid Avenue, but because of space constraints the State Theatre was built at the back of the lot, although its lobby shares the Euclid frontage with the Ohio Theatre. Construction began in 1920, and the pair opened in early February 1921. Across Euclid Avenue, Charles A. Platt 's Hanna Theatre , part of the Hanna Building complex, opened in late March 1921. Although

16632-630: Was developed with help from the League, and Margaret Hamilton, who would go on to play the Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz, got her start in children’s theater as a member of the Junior League (100 Years, 60). In addition to providing enriching entertainment, Leagues were also cognizant of the comfort that theater could bring to children during times of uncertainty. From 1944-45, Leagues put on 783 theater performances for nearly 370,000 children. And in

16764-714: Was founded in 1901 in New York City by Barnard College debutante Mary Harriman Rumsey . The first Junior League was founded in 1901 in New York City as the Junior League for the Promotion of the Settlement Movement . This original chapter is now known as the New York Junior League (NYJL). Its founder was then 19-year-old Barnard College student and debutante Mary Harriman Rumsey , sister of future Governor of New York W. Averell Harriman and daughter of railroad executive Edward H. Harriman . Inspired by

16896-470: Was initiated with a $ 9 million gift from the Chris Connor family of Cleveland. In honor of their gift the Palace Theatre was renamed Connor Palace. In honor of a $ 10 million gift from KeyBank in 2017, the State Theatre was renamed KeyBank State Theatre. In April 2018 Playhouse Square began construction on The Lumen , a 34-story apartment tower. The tower adds 318 apartments to downtown Cleveland and contains

17028-524: Was moved out of the square, which by then had the fences removed after lobbying by commercial interests. Public Square is also home to the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument , which commemorates residents of Cuyahoga County who served in the Civil War . Public Square also features a statue of Cleaveland; a statue of Tom L. Johnson , the city's most famous mayor; a large amount of shrubbery and other landscaping; and

17160-491: Was staged in 15 cities and seen by 35,000 children. While children’s theater started in Chicago, it quickly spread to Leagues across the country. By 1931, children’s plays were staged by 80 Leagues, and almost all of the 148 Leagues put on some form of children’s theater, marionette or puppet shows by 1938. The Junior League of Chicago even had a presence at the Chicago’s World Fair where they presented weekly shows over

17292-542: Was the first to open a children’s museum in 1945. Co-sponsored by the Denver Art Museum, the Denver Children’s Museum was such a success that its opening weekend brought in 10,000 visitors. Ultimately the museum served as a pilot project, both for the nation and for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) (100 Years, 103). Many other Leagues followed the example set by

17424-525: Was written, and the Board was tasked with acting as an information bureau for the leagues, as well as continuing to publish the Bulletin and coordinating the annual meeting (100 Years, 47.) After serving as New York City's Junior League president from 1907 to 1910, Dorothy Payne Whitney was nominated as the first president of AJLA. Despite the name, there was membership of Leagues located both in America and Canada at

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