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The Mayfield JCC going, going … gone
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By: TED S. STRATTON Staff Reporter
Crowds filed in and out of the Jewish Community Center on Mayfield Road Sunday, many of them hoping to cart away a bargain, discover a buried treasure, or reclaim some piece of a long-lost memory.
It was the last day the Mayfield "J" was open to the public, and auctioneers were selling the building to its bare walls, brokering items from treadmills to toilet paper at prices that often hovered around $1 or less.
For the first time since the Mayfield JCC ceased operations earlier this summer, the building was a hive of activity: Scrap dealers, small-business owners, and curious onlookers tromped through room after room, snapping up odd chairs, computer printers and cleaning supplies.
At 10 a.m., the crowd lining up for bidding numbers consisted of equal parts nostalgia seekers and serious buyers.
"I'm here to say goodbye to the building," said Dave Gorski, 52, an accountant from Euclid. Gorski met his wife at the "J" in 1985. She was working at the reception desk, and he came by regularly to play racquetball.
But by the end of the day, Gorski hadn't bought anything, content to sit among the piles of children's toys in Mandel Hall and share memories of the "J" with anyone who would stop and listen.
The auctioneer, a clean-cut man in a shirt and tie and sporting a handheld public address system, barked out bids in a rapid-fire patter that left some inexperienced buyers confused. He was noticeably upset at some of the low prices items were fetching.
"I haven't been having much luck with all these chairs," he lamented before passing on a lot of toddler seats.
Some pieces, however, sparked small bidding wars. A mint condition ping-pong table went for $180. A 60-inch big-screen TV went to a very happy new owner for the bargain price of $600. Suprisingly, a grouping of four pristine leather couches from the senior lounge fetched only $50.
A few day care owners were ecstatic at the prospect of outfitting their facilities at a fraction of retail price. Carita Cordell of Richmond Heights Academy flipped through an educational supply catalog as she inspected a wooden kitchen playset. Her boss had given her a $1,000 budget to work with, and Cordell hadn't even spent half of it.
"This normally costs $186," she said finding the listing for the playset. When the auctioneer came down the line to the piece, she snapped it up for $10.
But the mood among some of the customers was more somber. They observed a building that was in a noticeable state of disrepair and neglect, a far cry from the sparkling new facility that opened in 1959. Room after room was littered with the detritus of the building's past life n crude magic marker drawings, unfashioned lumps of clay, a poster of Jewish holidays.
"It's not supposed to be trashed," said a Beachwood woman who asked not be identified as she salvaged an Israeli flag and stand for $20. "There are Hebrew books lying around in the library," she noted.
Later, she rushed into the main room with a discovery: a stack of mimeographed letters written by Cleveland Holocaust survivors. The auctioneer didn't know what to make of them, but one good Samaritan bought the whole lot for $54.
The lower-level physical education center, unused since 2001, smelled of wet, mildewy carpet. Left-behind personal possessions like bathing suits, shoes and shampoo sat in the wire baskets that used to pass for lockers.
"I had designs on some of the exercise equipment, but we got here too late," said Brad Steinberg of Shaker Heights, who owns three Curves fitness centers on the East Side. Instead, he got some file cabinets and a stepladder for his office.
The oddest purchase of the day may have been the small "Family Place" sign from the child care center. Steven Rosen, who was there with his wife and two young daughters, bid $1 for a memento of preschool times. "Anything my daughter learned, she says was in Family Place," said Rosen.
Demolition of the JCC site is scheduled for the third week in August, says Rysar Properties director of development Rob Namy (waiting for confirmation). Auction buyers had until Monday, July 25, to haul out their winnings; anything left after that will go down with the wrecking ball.
The JCC transfers ownership of the property to the developers July 30. At that point, the process of moving the Mayfield JCC's activities will be complete, says JCC director of marketing and membership Doug Levin. The adult programs have been moved to Council Gardens next door, and the early childhood programs are at Park Synagogue.
The total revenue from auction sales minus the auctioneer's fee and commission, _____ (get $ weds.), will be used to offset moving expenses for the other programs, says Levin. "We've already taken everything we want to take" to the new facilities, he added.
For many, the auction was a disappointing dénouement for a place that held so much nostalgia and history for them. Dave Gorski, while reminiscing, says he isn't a member of the Mandel JCC and he doesn't plan to become one. The toys and games on sale didn't interest him either.
"I just want a brick," he said.
Staff reporter Lila Hanft contributed to this report.
The oddest purchase of the day may have been the small "Family Place" sign from the child care center.
It was the last day the Mayfield "J" was open to the public, and auctioneers were selling the building to its bare walls, brokering items from treadmills to toilet paper at prices that often hovered around $1 or less.
For the first time since the Mayfield JCC ceased operations earlier this summer, the building was a hive of activity: Scrap dealers, small-business owners, and curious onlookers tromped through room after room, snapping up odd chairs, computer printers and cleaning supplies.
At 10 a.m., the crowd lining up for bidding numbers consisted of equal parts nostalgia seekers and serious buyers.
"I'm here to say goodbye to the building," said Dave Gorski, 52, an accountant from Euclid. Gorski met his wife at the "J" in 1985. She was working at the reception desk, and he came by regularly to play racquetball.
But by the end of the day, Gorski hadn't bought anything, content to sit among the piles of children's toys in Mandel Hall and share memories of the "J" with anyone who would stop and listen.
The auctioneer, a clean-cut man in a shirt and tie and sporting a handheld public address system, barked out bids in a rapid-fire patter that left some inexperienced buyers confused. He was noticeably upset at some of the low prices items were fetching.
"I haven't been having much luck with all these chairs," he lamented before passing on a lot of toddler seats.
Some pieces, however, sparked small bidding wars. A mint condition ping-pong table went for $180. A 60-inch big-screen TV went to a very happy new owner for the bargain price of $600. Suprisingly, a grouping of four pristine leather couches from the senior lounge fetched only $50.
A few day care owners were ecstatic at the prospect of outfitting their facilities at a fraction of retail price. Carita Cordell of Richmond Heights Academy flipped through an educational supply catalog as she inspected a wooden kitchen playset. Her boss had given her a $1,000 budget to work with, and Cordell hadn't even spent half of it.
"This normally costs $186," she said finding the listing for the playset. When the auctioneer came down the line to the piece, she snapped it up for $10.
But the mood among some of the customers was more somber. They observed a building that was in a noticeable state of disrepair and neglect, a far cry from the sparkling new facility that opened in 1959. Room after room was littered with the detritus of the building's past life n crude magic marker drawings, unfashioned lumps of clay, a poster of Jewish holidays.
"It's not supposed to be trashed," said a Beachwood woman who asked not be identified as she salvaged an Israeli flag and stand for $20. "There are Hebrew books lying around in the library," she noted.
Later, she rushed into the main room with a discovery: a stack of mimeographed letters written by Cleveland Holocaust survivors. The auctioneer didn't know what to make of them, but one good Samaritan bought the whole lot for $54.
The lower-level physical education center, unused since 2001, smelled of wet, mildewy carpet. Left-behind personal possessions like bathing suits, shoes and shampoo sat in the wire baskets that used to pass for lockers.
"I had designs on some of the exercise equipment, but we got here too late," said Brad Steinberg of Shaker Heights, who owns three Curves fitness centers on the East Side. Instead, he got some file cabinets and a stepladder for his office.
The oddest purchase of the day may have been the small "Family Place" sign from the child care center. Steven Rosen, who was there with his wife and two young daughters, bid $1 for a memento of preschool times. "Anything my daughter learned, she says was in Family Place," said Rosen.
Demolition of the JCC site is scheduled for the third week in August, says Rysar Properties director of development Rob Namy (waiting for confirmation). Auction buyers had until Monday, July 25, to haul out their winnings; anything left after that will go down with the wrecking ball.
The JCC transfers ownership of the property to the developers July 30. At that point, the process of moving the Mayfield JCC's activities will be complete, says JCC director of marketing and membership Doug Levin. The adult programs have been moved to Council Gardens next door, and the early childhood programs are at Park Synagogue.
The total revenue from auction sales minus the auctioneer's fee and commission, _____ (get $ weds.), will be used to offset moving expenses for the other programs, says Levin. "We've already taken everything we want to take" to the new facilities, he added.
For many, the auction was a disappointing dénouement for a place that held so much nostalgia and history for them. Dave Gorski, while reminiscing, says he isn't a member of the Mandel JCC and he doesn't plan to become one. The toys and games on sale didn't interest him either.
"I just want a brick," he said.
Staff reporter Lila Hanft contributed to this report.
The oddest purchase of the day may have been the small "Family Place" sign from the child care center.
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