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The Return of the Flats

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appl1642.jpg

We venture into the Flats of Cleveland. At one time it was the industrial hub of the City, and later, the place for nightlife and entertainment. In the 90s that all came to an end, but now, thanks to a $2 billion shot in the arm from the public and private sectors, some say the Flats are back.

On a recent radio broadcast of the Sound of Applause on 90.3 WCPN, we decided to look into the resurgence of the area by setting up our microphones and cameras at a new restaurant called Merwin’s Wharf, located on prime real estate on the east bank of the Cuyahoga River. The restaurant is owned not by a celebrity chef, but by the Cleveland Metroparks. The Executive Director of the Metroparks, Brian Zimmerman, talks about getting into the restaurant business and expanding their services into the community.

And for insight into the future of the Flats, we venture into its past with historian John Grabowski.

Ten years before her grandmother passed away, Columbus-based photographer Jenny Fine began taking pictures of her. While there was no replacing the loss, Jenny found comfort from a stand-in.Brian Zimmerman, Cleveland Metroparks
John Grabowski, Western Reserve Historical Society
Jenny Fine, Photographer