Code,951014
Subject,Bill Morris
Date,8/25/2006
Interviewer,Nina Gibbons
Abstract,"In this 2006 interview, Cleveland architect and Shaker Heights native Bill Morris discusses the evolution of Cleveland, particularly Euclid Avenue, throughout the twentieth-century from an urban development perspective.  He shares childhood memories of Euclid Avenue and laments the decline of Euclid Avenue's Millionaires Row and Downtown movie theaters.  Morris also points out missed opportunities such as the 1948 Downtown Subway Plan and mistakes like the Erieview Project, while offering suggestions for improvements (particularly on the city's lakefront) to attract more tourists and residents.  Throughout, Morris talks about the broader topics of architecture and urban design, discussing his education at Auburn and Cornell, the importance of his early work as a building contractor, and what he sees as the value of an architectural education."
Special Notes,"architecture, urban design, millionaires row, suburban movie theatres, subway plan"
minutes:,
0,introduction and background
1,"growing up in shaker heights, education, World War II experience"
2,
3,
4,
5,education/architectural training (Cornell and Auburn)
6,
7,
8,
9,
10,
11,
12,studying in europe 1950
13,work in israel
14,"return to cleveland, early work experience (as building contractor)"
15,zoning/building codes in cleveland suburbs
16,
17,early career: value of working as a building contractor
18,
19,
20,"Architects, Cleveland: Paul Westlake"
21,
22,
23,
24,
25,Bill Coster
26,
27,Bruce Lynch
28,
29,Baptist Church (E18th)
30,Millionaires Row: creative use prior to demolitions
31,Mather Mansion
32,"Rochester, NY managed to restore/preserve old mansions"
33,decline into the era of used car lots
34,"suburban ""mcmansions"" will eventually suffer the same fate"
35,zoning/deed restrictions
36,"Euclid Avenue:  ""it was Mainstreet USA"""
37,"Case Western Reserve University: ""they had [a college town] and they tore it all down"""
38,"Pennsylvania Railroad:  ""it cut right across Euclid avenue… it caused a domino effect"""
39,"Downtown Movie Theatres and The Rise of Suburban Movie Theatres: landmark lawsuit, 1955"
40,
41,Mayfair Casino at Playhouse Square
42,
43,Downtown Movie Theatres and The Rise of Suburban Movie Theatres: economic impact
44,"Downtown Subway Plan, 1948:  importance of Union Terminal and  Euclid Avenue"
45,Downtown Movie Theatres and The Rise of Suburban Movie Theatres: economic impact
46,
47,
48,"favorite buildings:  terra cotta buildings, quality building materials"
49,"favorite buildings: old buildings on BP Building site, Old Stone Church"
50,Euclid Avenue: anecdote about childhood trips downtown with father
51,
52,
53,Arcade: 1890s architecture
54,Architecture: Bouzart vesus Bauhaus schools
55,
56,"Cleveland Clinic:  Crile Building, other buildings"
57,
58,"Rockefeller Building (W6 and Superior): ""a perfect example of the Chicago style"""
59,Rose Building: excellent view of lake front from dentist's chair; Lake Front: houses
60,Lake Front: houses
61,
62,Education: encouragement from 5th grade teacher
63,
64,"classroom visit by local Shakers (religious group), interest in history"
65,
66,"Cleveland, urban issues: loss of Fortune 500 headquarters"
67,
68,"Downtown Subway Plan, 1948:  original plan"
69,"survey of local businesses to determine proper route, survey is discarded"
70,Euclid Avenue should have been central to plan
71,"conflicting visions, basis of Erieview Plan"
72,Euclid Avenue should have been central to plan
73,Euclid Corridor Transportation Project [72:45]: bus versus rail transit
74,"streetcars, possible failures of the project"
75,"Urban Design: Vancouver, BC as successful model"
76,
77,Lake Front
78,"need for expanded/redesigned bicycle path, parkland"
79,"Urban Design: training at Cornell, American city planning failures"
80,Chicago's Millenium Park
81,Lake Front:  need for lake front housing
82,"Whiskey Island: need for Whiskey Island housing, connect Terminal Tower to Whiskey Island"
83,"Industrial Flats/Hewlitt Ore Unloaders: ""should be turned into an industrial disneyland"""
84,
85,"Cleveland, tourism: utilizing waterways as an attraction"
86,"Architecture:  value of broad education (academic, technical, artistic, etc.)"
87,
88,
89,license examination
90,Architecture: Frank Lloyd Wright homes
91,
92,
93,other homes
94,end