Kamm's: Part 5

This was the fifth and final section run of the Kamm's neighborhood in West Park.

Distance This Section: 13.7 miles

Distance So Far: 569.5 miles

Puritas Nursery (19201 Puritas Ave) has been in operation for nearly a century. They are also home to the Puritas Nursery Holiday Trains display which takes place between Thanksgiving and the New Year. From Bill B on Google Reviews: "My favorite nursery in the Cleveland area! Friendly, knowledgeable, and caring staff that seem like a family running an Old fashioned nursery greenhouse. They have the best variety I've seen...by far."

The contrast of the messages had me intrigued as to what was going on here but then I realized some things are better left unknown.

Fire Station #43 was built in 1949 and is home to a 2020 model fire truck.

Riverside Park (17800 Parkmount Ave) features over 500 units of affordable housing through a mix of ranch-style, townhome and senior apartment buildings. The site was originally developed in 1944 as worker housing for WWII production near the airport and was eventually transitioned into affordable housing by CMHA after.

Riverside Park is part of Riverside Park Estates and offers a playground, ball/sports field and a wooded area for walking.

Child sidewalk art on a side street inside Riverside Park Estates.

Love Learning Center (4667 Rocky River Drive) is a 3-Star daycare and preschool located on the Riverside Park Estates campus.

Doris V. Jones Court (4609 Rocky River Drive) is a 3-story, 28-unit senior apartment building built in 2007.

Clara E. Westropp High School (19101 Puritas Ave) is a CMSD high school serving over 360 students. The school offers basketball, volleyball, band, special Olympics, drum line through Tri-C & Cleveland Youth Orchestra, a classical guitar program and We Run this City (youth running program in conjunction with the Cleveland Marathon), and extended day arts programming. The school's namesake was cofounder of Women's Federal Savings Bank and a leading supporter of Roman Catholic missions. Convinced women could bring to the business world an appreciation of home ownership, and recognizing the value of regular saving, Westropp and her sister began a savings and loan association directed and run by women in 1922, the first such institution in the country. Several of her papers are housed at Harvard and her death was read into the Congressional Record.

Al Ihsan School (4600 Rocky River Drive) is a private, Islamic-based K-12th school serving a little over 350 students.

Bella Pizza (4475 Rocky River Drive) is a Cleveland original pizza shop owned by the Bellisario family. The first store opened in 1977 on Fulton Ave across from St. Rocco's Church. In addition to this location, there is another on Memphis Ave in Old Brooklyn.

Puritas Park Townhomes (Puritas Park & Cyclone Drives) is a development located very near were the original park of the same name was located. The townhomes were constructed between 1985-1989. There is also a pretty active homeowners association.

McGinty-Jowett House (4666 Grayton Road) was built 1859 by Benjamin F. Andrews who was born about 1820 in the State of New York. In 1860 Benjamin lived in the house with his wife Mary, two sons and a daughter. Over the years the house changed hands many times. The Jowett Family owned it by 1898 and the McGinty Family owned it sometime after that. The house is one of the oldest in the area. (Special thanks to the West Park Historical Society for this information).

Douglass & Associates L.P.A. office building (4725 Grayson Rd) features 885 square foot solar panels. It also features waterless urinals, sensor lighting and a cistern which captures water which is then used for landscaping. All of this earned it a Gold LEED design certification. Bonus fun fact: this sandstone sign came from the Sandusky County courthouse.

This 400-tree Chinese Chestnut farm at 4555 Graton Road is owned by Alan Apelt. The property has been in his family's possession for over 100 years. For decades, it was series of greenhouses for growing cucumbers and tomatoes. Alan's goal is to turn the grove into a "pick your own chestnut" farm (Buckeye Chestnut LLC).

Pit Stop Deli (19609 Puritas Ave) is a popular stop for handcrafted soups, subs and sandwiches on the go (especially if picnicking or hiking at Rocky River Reservation which is just down the hill).

This home at 19165 Puritas Ave wins the gold star for nicest home on this run.