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Pre-apartment years
Wherein we trace the prior ownership of the
land we own.
Indian tribes
The Erie and Huron tribes populate the land, but for
reasons unknown depart by early in the 18th century, leaving the
area virtually uninhabited.
Charles II
In 1662 Charles II, King of England, issues a
charter to
Connecticut that grants it a 100 mile north-to-south "slice" of land from the 41st parallel
to north of the 42nd parallel, from present-day Connecticut all the
way west to the Pacific coast.
Connecticut
In 1786 the state of Connecticut cedes its western lands to the federal
government, but retains the land from the border of Pennsylvania 120
miles west to Sandusky Bay. It calls this area its
"Western
Reserve".
Connecticut Land Co.
In 1795 the
Connecticut Land Company buys the 3,450,000 acres of the Western
Reserve at an auction for 40 cents per acre. They soon send Moses Cleaveland to look around.
Samuel Phillips Lord
In 1796 this Connecticut tavern owner buys many lots at $3,000 per
lot (or $19 per acre), including the 158-acre lot 21 in township
seven of the 11th range. His 4,200 acres near Youngstown become "Lordstown".
Alfred Kelley
In 1819 owns lot 21 of what was then called
Warrensville Township.
North Union Shakers
In 1811 Jacob Russell, a Revolutionary War
veteran buys 473 acres of land and moves from Connecticut to
Warrensville Township. In 1821 his son Ralph, who now owns 114 acres
of this land, wants to join the Union Shakers near Lebanon, Ohio.
They convince him to start a settlement on his own land. In 1822
Ralph's land, plus the gifts of one of his brothers and others, form
the North Union Shaker Society. By 1829 lot 21 is jointly owned by
Alfred Kelley, Elisha and Ebenezer Russell. By 1851, the Shaker
community owns all of lot 21's 158 acres.
Union Shakers
In 1889, the North Union Shaker
community closes. (Some say its early demise was due to its
closeness to the distractions of nearby Cleveland). Control of its
land passes to the
Shaker
community in Lebanon, Ohio.
Gratwich & Albright
In 1892, the Shaker Community in Lebanon Ohio, in financial
difficulties due to land speculation and expansion in Georgia, sells
the land of the former North Union Shaker community for $316,000
($231 per acre). The buyers are Gratwich & Albright, land developers in Buffalo, N.Y.
Van Sweringen
In 1905 brothers
Oris P. and Mantis J.
Van Sweringen, young
Clevelanders who have been selling Shaker Heights lots for two
years, get financial backing to buy the remaining 1,200 acres for
$1,000,000 ($831 per acre). By 1924 ownership has changed four
times, all within Van Sweringen interests. The Van Sweringen real estate and
railroad empire collapses in the depression, but title to our land
stays with the Shaker Company.
Charles Shane, Sr.
In June 1947 Charles Shane Sr. acquires the 1.2 acres on which
Shaker Towers will be built for $95,000 ($79,200 per acre) and in
April 1949 he sells it to the ShaneShaker Company for the same amount.
The apartment years
Shaker-Coventry Corp.
- 1949 Shaker-Coventry Corporation
buys the land for
$100,000 ($83,300 per acre).
- 1952 Shaker Towers, designed by architect
Joseph Ceruti, is built.
It is Cleveland's most modern and tallest apartment
building.
- 1969 In a non-taxable
transaction, Carl Glickman becomes owner.
Albert Weisberg
On February 1977 Albert Weisberg buys Shaker Towers with a goal of
converting it to a condominium.
Condominium Association
In September 1978 the land and building are bought by the Shaker Towers Condominium
Unit Owners Association, but about 20
percent of the units are bought by investors, not residents. In
December 1979 the Association changes its name to the "Shaker Towers Condominium Association".
Written in 1995 for the Shaker
Towers Handbook by Arnold Berger.
From county land records, the Plain Dealer archives, and other
sources |