http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/21/travel/in-cleveland-adding-life-where-grit-once-prevailed.html 2014-09-19 18:26:52 In Cleveland, Adding Life Where Grit Once Prevailed The Gordon Square stretch of the old Detroit-Shoreway industrial area has been revitalized with galleries, bistros and residents. === About two miles west of downtown Cleveland, the gritty Detroit-Shoreway was once a vibrant neighborhood before it was hit hard by the exodus of big manufacturing companies in the early decades of the 20th century. Lately, new businesses, arts groups and residents have settled in the Gordon Square Arts District, a revitalized mile-long stretch of Detroit Avenue. A recent $30 million capital campaign included new streetscapes and signage. Visitors can catch a show at the Cleveland Public Theater, walk through galleries at 78th Street Studios or grab a late-night bite at XYZ Tavern. And this spring, the Near West Theater will have a $7.3 million new home. Yellowcake Valerie Mayen, a former “Project Runway” contestant, doubled the size of her corner boutique last year to display her women’s collection of feminine coats, structured dresses and mod tunics. 6500 Detroit Avenue; 216-236-4073; Toast Diners sit at communal tables or on a patio to sample big plates and seasonal small bites like house-made mozzarella and deviled eggs. The restaurant gets some of its fresh produce from a nearby garden tended by the chefs Jennifer Plank and Joe Horvath. 1365 West 65th Street, 216-862-8974; Sweet Moses Named after Cleveland’s founder, Moses Cleaveland, this retro shop features ice creams (try the bananas Foster) and chocolates made in-house and served by white-and-black suited soda jerks. For the adventurous eater there’s the 10-scoop Terminal Tower sundae, named after the landmark Cleveland skyscraper. 6800 Detroit Avenue; 216-651-2202; Happy Dog This corner bar serves Blue Ribbon Meats hot dogs and vegan Field Roast sausages, accented by 50 oddball toppings including cereal and Brie. At night, it becomes a place for concerts, lectures, debates, literary events and the occasional polka happy hour. 5801 Detroit Avenue; 216-651-9474; Capitol Theatre Built in 1921, this former vaudeville and silent-movie theater spent some two decades in disrepair until it reopened, renovated in 2009. Three theaters feature indie and foreign films. 1390 West 65th Street; 216-651-7295;