Moving a historical archive is no small feat. For decades, the Cuyahoga County Archives were housed in the Robert Russel Rhodes House, a stunning Victorian mansion built in 1874. While the building exuded character, it wasn't designed to handle the ever-growing collection of historical records, maps, and documents spanning the company's history. When the decision was made to move to a modern facility, archivists faced a monumental challenge: how to organize and protect this priceless collection while preparing it for its new home.
Though the old home was a Victorian gem - complete with tall ceilings, long windows, and even a few chandeliers - it wasn't the ideal spot to house the thousands of records that helped tell the story of Cuyahoga County. County Archivist Judith Cetina, who had joined the archives fresh out of graduate school, witnessed firsthand how the collection expanded while the available storage space shrank year by year.
“The records were kept in an addition to the building, which would have been completed somewhere between 1915 and 1917,” said Cetina. “We tried to keep the records organized – whether they originated from the Board of County Commissioners, the court system, with the county recorder, the auditor, or the treasurer — but as time went on, there just wasn’t sufficient space. Records, maps, and other items had to be placed somewhere else, either in another room or perhaps in another part of the building.”
As the collection grew, so did the challenges. The lack of space created a breakdown in shelving and storage continuity, which made it harder for researchers to navigate the archives. Researchers and visitors might have appreciated the mansion's history, but the cramped rooms and dim lighting were becoming major obstacles.
“We were trying to keep its ‘feel’ as an old Victorian home after all, so we avoided modern lighting like Klieg lights,” Cetina added. "But in the end, it just wasn't practical for what we needed."
Starting Fresh in Midtown
For years, the archivists knew they needed more space. Every so often, real estate pros and county officials would meet with them to discuss possibilities, but no option ever felt quite right. It was like the stars just weren't aligning.
A few years ago, archivists learned that the county was going to divest itself of the mansion, along with several others, as part of an expense-cutting move. Once the Archives knew that a new home was a necessity rather than just a wish, a county commission was put together to help find the right fit. The “winner” was a warehouse in Cleveland’s Midtown area. Previously having served as a warehouse for the now-defunct Halle Brothers Department Store chain, the building boasted six floors of wide-open space. Destined for the 3rd floor of the repurposed warehouse, the Cuyahoga County Archives had found a new place to start the next chapter of its history.
That all changed a few years ago when the county announced it was selling the mansion — as part of a cost-cutting plan — along with several other properties. Suddenly, what had always been a "someday" goal became an urgent mission. A commission was put together to find the perfect fit, and after plenty of searching, they landed on a six-story warehouse in Cleveland's Midtown Area.
Once used by the Halle Brothers Department Store, the building had wide-open floors and plenty of potential. The third floor was selected as the archives' new home, offering a chance to start fresh and finally have the space they'd been dreaming of.
“When I first walked into the space, I just couldn’t imagine how such a wide-open place could be re-imagined,” said Cetina. “I don’t have an architect’s vision, but thankfully we worked with some great people: architects, interior designers, and Patterson Pope.”
At first glance, the space was overwhelming — a blank canvas about the size of two football fields. But with some creativity, collaboration, and the right tools, the team turned the space into a practical, well-organized home for the county's collection.
Archive shelving played a starring role, providing a storage system that was not only functional but also adaptable to the archives' diverse needs.
Surveying Records, Building Solutions
John McLaughlin, a Patterson Pope account representative, remembers the Cuyahoga County Archives project as one of the largest surveying jobs he's ever done.
"My first job was to survey everything they had — and that was a lot," McLaughlin said. "In addition to material for the Archives itself, there are records and other media pieces from nearly 30 sub-agencies. I wanted to get a good sense of what was there. I weighed everything to make sure we'd have shelving to accommodate the loads. I also measured things in detail. They have a fantastic collection of oversized volumes and maps. Some plat maps I saw were three or four feet square. Remarkable stuff."
With detailed blueprints of the warehouse's layout and input from the archivists, Patterson Pope designed a storage system tailored to the archives' needs. The archive shelving played a key role in the transformation, offering a perfect balance of practicality and adaptability. McLaughlin's attention to detail and ability to build strong relationships with the staff was key to making the space work as seamlessly as possible.
"This project was unique in an interesting way," said McLaughlin. "We used all Spacesaver for this one. All the shelving is 4-post stationary shelving, plus some custom cabinetry. We ended up with about 30 to 40 different shelving elevations to handle the wide range of items. They've got books that weigh a pound and old maps that weigh 40-50 pounds each. We had to right-size the shelving to handle the variety. Then we worked closely with the architects to ensure the shelving fit within the lighting and HVAC layouts."
Specialized storage solutions went beyond just shelving. The steel shelving was carefully selected for strength, and even the boxes were chosen to match the collection's unique needs. Archive shelving was planned with frequent access in mind, ensuring researchers could navigate the space with ease.
"We really thought about how the space would be used — how often items would be accessed and by whom," said County Archivist Judith Cetina. "We have books, maps, and all sorts of media here. Not only did John help us get the right shelving, but he also helped ensure that we had the right sized boxes for things, the right gauge steel for heavier items, and we even had horizontal 'slots' added to parts of the shelving to allow maps to be rolled out and looked at. It's elegant, practical, and it works beautifully."
Several units of Spacesaver’s Viking museum cabinetry were also added. These house real estate appraisal cards – items accessed quite frequently. They had previously been stored in old green filing drawers, often stacked floor to ceiling. The new cabinets provide better safeguards and easier access for researchers.
Museum cabinets were another game-changer, providing a secure and accessible home for real estate appraisal cards that had previously been stored in old green filing drawers stacked floor to ceiling. The new cabinets offer better protection and easier access for frequent use.
By September 2017 Patterson Pope had finished installing the archive shelving and cabinetry. The archivists spent another year carefully moving the collection into its new home, organizing every detail to ensure the space was ready for researchers and staff. By Labor Day 2018, the archives were fully operational in their new space — a true "home sweet home" for Cuyahoga County's history.
A Blueprint for Government Storage Success
The Cuyahoga County Archives is a goldmine for anyone researching the area's history. From birth and death records to marriage licenses, land grants, naturalization documents, and even coroner's files, the archives hold a truly staggering amount of information. You'll also find city directories, maps, atlases, tax records, wills, estates, and both civil and criminal court records. And that's just the beginning!
The new archive spans the 3rd and 5th floors of the building, totaling over 30,000 square feet. The space includes a thoughtful mix of public areas for researchers and private spaces for the team to manage the collection, serving the needs of the entire community.
“We are all so thankful to John and everyone at Patterson Pope who helped this project come to fruition,” added Cetina. “They’ve been great. They always answered our questions and continue to be a resource for us when in need.”
History happens in moments big and small. It’s true at the Cuyahoga County Archives, as well.
“We’re in the process of putting together a shelf list so that we know where every book and box is. We’re getting used to it, and we love it. I guess you could say this is just one happy success story.”
We’re gonna archive that compliment.
For more information on this project, please check out our Case Study.
