The home at 9413 Sophia Avenue in Cleveland’s Buckeye-Woodhill neighborhood stands as a quiet testament to a bygone era. Built around 1900, it’s one of the last remaining on a block that, according to historical Sanborn maps (see below), was once bustling with activity. Imagine a neighborhood with houses lining the streets, a bowling alley at the corner of Woodhill and Sophia, a machine shop across the way, and the prominent Weldon Tool Company just a block over. Even the address itself hints at a different time, with the now-gone “Woodhill Ct.” alleyway behind the property explaining the street’s unique layout.
But 9413 Sophia’s story doesn’t end with the past. It’s entering a new chapter, one of transformation and rebirth, thanks to a year-long project funded by the City of Cleveland’s Transformative Arts Fund and Cleveland City Council. The house, which was condemned due to its collapsed condition, was carefully deconstructed in October 2024, marking a unique approach to demolition.
This wasn’t your typical wrecking ball scenario. The Cuyahoga Land Bank sought a contractor skilled in alternative demolition methods, one who could methodically disassemble the house and choreograph the deconstruction. The goal? To showcase the power of biocycling and the efforts of Cleveland communities to revitalize vacant structures and reuse existing materials. This meticulous process involved carefully sorting debris into compostable and non-compostable streams, a far cry from simply bulldozing the structure.
The real magic happens with the wood and other compostable materials, like asphaltic and cellulose claddings. Sorted, chipped and treated with mycelium microbes, the compostable materials are being biocycled into usable building components – essentially bricks grown from mushrooms. These unique bricks will eventually form an artistic installation on the site, a testament to the house’s transformation.
Malena Grigoli, the artist behind the project, envisions it as a “durational performance and participatory art project,” a process of deconstruction that reveals the house’s interior and structural elements over time, culminating in a skeletal state before its final removal. This project is a demolition unlike any other the Land Bank has undertaken, a living experiment in repurposing and reimagining.
More than a demolition and art installation, this project is a community endeavor. Through workshops on topics like lead awareness and mushroom cultivation, local residents are actively involved in the process. The project team, comprising artists, scientists and a filmmaker, is documenting these alternative approaches to demolition debris disposal and urban land use, capturing the essence of this unique undertaking.
The project is currently in its participatory design phase, engaging with local residents through conversations and design sessions. Workshops are underway, and documentation is ongoing. The design process is expected to continue until late March or early April of this year, with fabrication beginning around April and installation slated for June or July.
The transformation of 9413 Sophia is a powerful reminder of the life cycle of buildings and the potential for renewal. It’s a story of deconstruction, not just of a house, but of conventional thinking about demolition and waste. It’s a story of community coming together to reimagine their neighborhood. And it’s a story of art, transforming discarded materials into a lasting symbol of hope and transformation.
Learn more about the project HERE.
