Battery Park is an urban redevelopment project that has used the existing infrastructure to completely transform the space and surrounding neighborhood. Located in Cleveland, Ohio, Battery Park is an incredible example of what it means to utilize monuments of all types to create a landmark that attracts activity from both residents and visitors.
Transforming a Space and Neighborhood
The Eveready Battery company’s Edgewater Plant originally opened in the 1890s. The plant produced batteries until the late 1980s before closing for good in 1999, at which point the building and area around it deteriorated. The landmark smokestack was one of the elements that helped compel a redevelopment effort in 2004 which saw the building rehabilitated as well as the entire space utilize a “U” shaped design. This endeavor has totally transformed the area as well as the historic building itself.
As part of this development, the Eveready Powerhouse as been turned into a space that can host commercial and community activities. The exposed brick walls, open rafters and unobstructed views of Lake Erie have provided tenants with the room and opportunity they need to customize the space as needed.
Numerous other features have been installed around the building to further transform the entire space. Most prominent of them is the bronze sculpture series of Cleveland boxing champion Johnny Kilbane. They depict Kilbane as a boy, as a boxing champion, and when he served as Cleveland’s clerk of courts. Each features a quote from Kilbane that is associated with one of the three-time periods of his life and are collectively known as Johnny Kilbane: Fighting Heart. This celebration of a Cleveland legend has further connected the community to the space.
Large patches of grass with paths and benches have also been setup around the historic building. These installations have helped cultivate the Battery Park neighborhood that consists of 108 townhome condominiums and 20 detached, single-family homes. Offering scenic views of Lake Erie that provides walkable access to Gordon Square Arts District, Lake Erie beach and Edgewater Park, there are numerous reasons that Cleveland residents have chosen to make Battery Park their home.
All of these developments showcase what it means to transform what would otherwise be an empty building and abandoned space into a true neighborhood that cultivates interest from all across the city.
Enabling a Legacy That Spans the Past and Future of Cleveland
Battery Park is one of the most prolific housing developments in the city of Cleveland. It showcases what it can mean to utilize the literal and surrounding history of an area to create community and cultivate a legacy that is simultaneously about the past and future of an entire region.
