More than one historical building in the City of Cleveland has changed its name recently. The Gund Arena changed its name to the “Q”, named after the company Quicken Loans. The former TRW Automotive Valve Plant, located at 1455 East 185th Street in Cleveland has now been renamed, “The Richard Melvin Building”.
The new owner, Jamie Melvin, has named the building after his father, Richard, and older brother, Rik, who have recently deceased during the past two years.
“Both of these gentlemen have had a great influence in my life for inspiration and accomplishment,” said Melvin who currently resides in Westlake. Jamie’s older brother, Rik, who the building is named after was instrumental in the clean-up that has made this older industrial site environmentally clean today.
“We are here to assist the community by bringing in new jobs, a new tax base and an opportunity to create new industry replacing the loss of yesterday’s manufacturing jobs that have left Cleveland. This property is the cleanest that it has been in the last fifty years,” said Melvin.
There are already three tenants occupying the building; Talan Products, Meyer Snow Plows and The Worm Digest. There are three more companies signed to make this property a useful and productive place of business. Among them is Melvin’s Sansai Environmental Technologies, LLC, which will be the first environmental company of its kind to operate in a major municipality in the United States. Sansai plans to make Cleveland its national headquarters.
On Thursday afternoon, November 10, 2005, Collinwood High School Color Guard led by Sergeant Major Beasley, hoisted the American Flag to the music of the Star Spangled Banner as seventy (70) well wishers stood at attention.
On a sunny blustery day, blessings were led by Roger Gries, Auxiliary Bishop of Cleveland, Ohio. Bishop Gries is a Brother of the Order of Saint Benedict. He intoned an initial blessing for all who enter and work in the building. He read that by respecting justice and charity they will see themselves as working for the common good and find joy in contributing to the progress of the earth.
Bishop Gries held the ceremonial ribbon for Jamie Melvin to cut, evident of the new positive goodwill transition of the building.
There was a ceremonial gift, by Tim Seale to Jamie Melvin, of a symbolic headstone for the burial of a time capsule which reflected the current state of events which were buried and sealed for future generations.
Bagpiper John Patrick McNea, led the throng up the steps, through a network of hallways into a large two acre bay lit up by natural sunlight.
Impromptu moderator, Maureen Browne, introduced Reverend Lorn Snow, who is currently the associate pastor at Gesu in University Heights, Ohio. Father Snow was majestic when reading a blessing that originated from Gustavo Garcia-Siller, Auxiliary Bishop M.Sp.S of Chicago, Illinois. Bishop Garcia-Siller is a Episcopal Vicar of Vicariate V. His statement blessed human labor, the work of hands and of minds, and asked for all who plan and conduct business within the building for guidance and support to come to right decisions and carry them out fairly.
Belinda Freeman, stood tall and clearly recited a blessing from Reverend Debbie Gibbons of Nottingham United Methodist Church, of Cleveland, Ohio. Her blessing asked God for a new beginning to be forged and a source of new life to spring forth from old life.
Fr. Thomas L. Weber, Pastor and Fr. Robert Lorkowski, Parochial Vicar of St. Bernadette Church in Westlake, Ohio were also present to add their blessings. Fr. Weber, in an emotional moment, spoke how he personally knew Rik Melvin and his father Richard and spoke about remembering both of them and what they stood for. “Rik stood for dreams, vision, support and ideas. His dad was active in the church,” stated Fr. Weber. Father Bob recited an eloquent blessing relating to the scriptures and spoke of laboring in the vineyards. He blessed the work of the laborers hands. He blessed their success. He blessed The Richard Melvin Building spreading love, peace, joy, justice, grace and benefits to all.
Guru Athmo Bhundari, who represented the Buddist Hindu tradition united the crowd with a participating closed eyed blessing that asked for the positive energy of the universe to flow through the building and through all of the people who were present to allow the energy to become one.
The last blessing was of the Native American tradition and offered by Maureen Browne. She asked the creator for permission to use one of his creations, the earthworm, in an honorable way by using resources of the land that humans cannot eat and using it in a way where we can produce a potting soil that can grow healthy food.
As the bagpiper echoed through the voluminous eighteen acre under roof building, people traveled towards an administrative conference room where sandwiches and refreshments were awaiting. Desserts were prepared by Colleen Seale.
The event was culminated with a tour throughout the facility guided by Joe Browne for all that attended.
“Today’s event was very spiritual. I witnessed seven blessings from different people of faith. I never experienced anything like it before. I wish these people who are going to work here great success,” stated a woman who wished to be anonymous. She said she lives in the nearby neighborhood. “I have lived here for over twenty years and I have never been inside this building. It is an awesome sight.”
Yes, and this reporter agrees with the anonymous neighborhood woman. It is an awesome site, and there are several people involved with this building who also have awesome sight.
Wilson Meyers is a free lance photo-journalist who just returned to the United States from Iraq.
Select from the list to see the ten minute Photo Movie of The Richard Melvin Building Dedication and Blessing Event. Turn on your speakers to listen to the music. All versions are mpeg4/divx files.
(Please be patient this photo download could take up to 20 minutes)
Latest News 
