rockitect

The proper names is the 'Dona Brady Center for Parking and Transparent Government Accountability' see also: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dona-Brady-Center-for-Parking-and-Transparent-Government-Accountability/165481014087554

I do not know enough to say "never" if it wouldn't have gone this route, but it was a big factor. I think you pretty much have the idea regarding fire safety. Only time will tell regarding how "durable" this buildings end up being. There are plenty of wood framing wood houses 100s of years old... there are also a lot of wood houses only a few years old that are falling apart. Not familiar with any studies. This is a newer construction technique. The challenge with knowledge is that a lot of the loosing of codes allowing this construction technique is driven by well-funded advocacy by the wood construction industry - and studies touting it as safe are funded by the industry. On the same token, studies citing concern about stick over podium wood construction... have turned out to have been funded by steel/concrete industry interests. One additional thing worth adding is that the construction type of Centric and other projects is a lot different from developments in using heavy timber as the main structural framing for high-rise construction. A friend of mine in Portland was involved in the first timber high-rise in the US: https://www.bdcnetwork.com/TimberHiRisePortland & https://archpaper.com/2017/06/framework-portland-timber-tower/#gallery-0-slide-0

You are close and I believe correct about the IBC codes. That said, there is an important distinction that is often confused. Cities/municipalities have zoning codes. But for a few exceptions (NYC, Chicago), building codes are by the states. If you are building in Cleveland, Youngstown, Lima, or Middlefield - the same Ohio Building Code applies. But the state building codes are generally administered (as in construction documents are reviewed to receive a building permit) by local municipal building departments. If a project receives an adjudication letter (meaning plans were NOT approved by the building plans reviewer), then that can be appealed. In a larger city like Cleveland, we have a local board that reviews appeals. In smaller suburban and rural communities, you go to Columbus to the statewide board to make your appeal. The exceptions where a building permit is provided by the state are projects for publicly funded institutions (I.E. Kent State University) or quasi-governmental organizations (I.E. Cleveland Metroparks. Projects on their properties are reviewed by the state, not the town or city they are located within.

I'm no construction expert, by any means, but this seems to be a consistent method of framing living spaces in multi-unit residential buildings. Euclid 116, which recently opened their student apts around the corner, and the Van Aken Center residences going up, are using a similar method. The outer shell of these buildings, however, are sheathed in concrete, steel and often brick. The building is what is called "5 over 2", which means 5 stories of wood framing over a 2 story concrete "podium". This project went back and forth a million times (even back to when it Intesa) about whether it should be steel, concrete, or wood (or a 100 hybrids of the 3). Its more typical right now to see 4 over 1 - which is what the most recent phase at Crocker and Snavely's Ohio City project are. Some voodoo magic was able to pulled here to make 5 over 2 work, which is a big piece of what allowed this project to finally get built. Good stuff, and thanks for that ... Does Centric's compromise in any way compromise the integrity of the finished building? It is allowed per code. That said, its pretty hotly debated. For more reading: http://www.structuremag.org/?p=10934 https://www.bisnow.com/washington-dc/news/multifamily/wood-frame-apartments-gaining-popularity-with-developers-despite-fire-risk-74533 https://urbanland.uli.org/economy-markets-trends/increased-use-wood-reduced-parking-may-reduce-multifamily-construction-costs/ https://atlanta.curbed.com/2016/8/24/12617218/sandy-springs-bans-wood-construction-code https://ggwash.org/view/34118/a-hidden-height-limit-holds-back-affordable-mid-rise-construction-in-dc http://www.denverpost.com/2015/04/03/denver-is-a-great-city-so-why-the-bad-buildings/

I'm no construction expert, by any means, but this seems to be a consistent method of framing living spaces in multi-unit residential buildings. Euclid 116, which recently opened their student apts around the corner, and the Van Aken Center residences going up, are using a similar method. The outer shell of these buildings, however, are sheathed in concrete, steel and often brick. The building is what is called "5 over 2", which means 5 stories of wood framing over a 2 story concrete "podium". This project went back and forth a million times (even back to when it Intesa) about whether it should be steel, concrete, or wood (or a 100 hybrids of the 3). Its more typical right now to see 4 over 1 - which is what the most recent phase at Crocker and Snavely's Ohio City project are. Some voodoo magic was able to pulled here to make 5 over 2 work, which is a big piece of what allowed this project to finally get built.

CMD's data is often woefully inaccurate. I can assure everyone it is in this case too.

Hello all, I am part of the design team for an under-design project, the new Edgewater Beach House, for the Cleveland Metroparks at Edgewater Beach. Our goal is to create the premier beach of choice, not just in Cleveland Metroparks, but in all of Northeast Ohio. Join the conversation using #edgewaterbeachhouse Website: http://metroparksedgewater.mindmixer.com/

Hello all, I am part of the design team for an under-design project, the new Edgewater Beach House, for the Cleveland Metroparks at Edgewater Beach. Our goal is to create the premier beach of choice, not just in Cleveland Metroparks, but in all of Northeast Ohio. Join the conversation using #edgewaterbeachhouse Website: http://metroparksedgewater.mindmixer.com/

Expect to see some big news about this project soon

Thanks, all. Glad to help! Yea, lafont, its just not that simple re:the cupola, unfortunately. Believe me, if it would have made sense to restore it to what it was everyone involved in the project would have been for it. Again, there are often really complex factors at play, often out of the control of the team putting the project and deal together. I'd like to think what we are doing people are going to be quite happy and impressed with. I cannot understate how technically complex this project is on every level. I don't think it is hyperbole to say it might be the most complicated historic restoration project that has been done in downtown. No hotel guests will be going above floor 7. The hotel is using most of the ground floor (and basement), then has rooms on 2-7. Floors 8 through 14 are 55 apartment units. The views from the upper units, particular the apartment unit at the corner of the building at East 9th and Euclid, will be incredible. I think the 14th floor corner unit will be just about the best apartment in the city. The coolest part of the corner units at the East 9th and Euclid corner is that one will be able to stand in that part of the building and see down to Public Square out of the left side of your vision field (and feel like you can reach out and grab the Soldiers and Sailors Monument!), while looking straight ahead and you see right down East 9th to the lake, while out of the right of your vision, you see right down to Playhouse Square and CSU, while also seeing the Ameritrust Tower & Rotunda. Its a pretty incredible view. Because you aren't used to seeing such a wide panorama so high up, your mind actually tries to tell you that you must cantilevering out over the street, when you're obviously not. Its a really cool effect. Its possible because the City Club building next door steps back where it hits Schofield, allowing Schofield to have a window on each floor on the west side of the building where the City Club steps back. That and the curve of the building at East 9th and Euclid create the effect.

Sections of floors are being replaced as needed and infilled with new construction. Due to the age of the building, its using a hybrid system of a steel frame with a floor system made of clay tile. The tile acts, basically as a double barrel arch in between the main structural bays. This has ramifications when adding modern systems to the building interior, as one is quite limited on where and what size holes can be cut within these bays to run new chases for new MEP systems. In turn, its actually more practical to remove entire bays of the floor, and re-infill with a modern concrete on steel deck system. In short, the entire interior is getting turned into swiss cheese, only to be put back together again. Users of the building who did not see it under construction will have no idea, of course. VIP (I think they still have a big banner on the building scaffolding) is doing the historic masonry restoration, with a restoration specialist architect. I believe its been both a combination of photos, previous construction documents from the building, and speciality knowledge of knowing what types of profiles were typically used on a building of this style from this era. Its no small effort. The cupola, as it is technically called, on the corner of East 9th and Euclid, is not being restored back to the original. This is actually partially driven by the entities the project is getting historic credits from, and what state they would like to see the building "returned" to. As I understand it, they felt that the cupola had been removed for such a long time that returning would fall into creating a false sense of history, which both state and federal levels are adamantly against. There were and are other factors at play, but that is the long and short of it. Its important to keep in mind with projects like this, that while it might be a historic restoration of the building's exterior aesthetics, from a building systems standpoint, these projects are complete modernization efforts.

I am part of the architectural team working on this project. I'd be happy to answer anyone's questions regarding the project. Let me know!

They own buildings on both sides of the street. They are using 4516 as a warehouse / shop space (they have a very cool bike rack building program that will be housed there) and for employee and visitor parking. 4515 is where their main offices and most of their sub-organizations are going to be housed (Most of their sub-organizations have been spread all over the city for years). They buildings were both empty for a number of years. They had both warehouse / light manufacturing over the years. I don't think either were ever home to anything of significant note or cache. I believe they are moving in November.

lafont, North Presby Church is a tenant within the building. Most their congregation is homeless and/or receives social service assistance from LMM in one form or another.

I do not think anyone on here has posted anything about this project. Lutheran Metropolitan Ministries (and North Presbyterian Church as a tenant) are moving to a new home at 4515 Superior Ave, into a heavily renovated building. Check out pics below. Also, see here for more info about the project: http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2011/01/lutheran_metropolitan_ministry_1.html, http://www.clevelanddevelopmentadvisors.com/Projects/PrinterFriendly.aspx?id=50, and http://www.lutheranmetro.org/capital-campaign.html I happened to be on site this morning and snapped a few pics. See below:

This is getting passed around like hotcakes. I'm not sure where it orginates from, but the CUDC actually posted it on facebook. So I assume its fine to post here. Below is the list of architectural teams that submitted for the Kent State CAED building:

I have had friends "live" (as its not zoned for legal living currently) in that building over the years. Its an interesting place. Its pretty rough artists lofts at the moment. No real kitchens or bathrooms in the units, basically in the condition a lot of artists loft buildings are in in Midtown. It has a few oddball tenants, including a swingers club on the first floor. No AC, either, which makes attending parties in that place in the summer a sweat box. It does have some great views of downtown, provided you are on the downtown side of the building. Otherwise you're staring at a stone wall out your window in some of the spaces on the other side of the building. While it would make a great place for yuppies to live, I think quite a few people in my circles prefer it how it is...

Its appropriate for the amount of traffic MOCA will get, IMO. Its around 4' wide, if my memory is correct. There is also an elevator and a couple other stairs throughout the building, including one that actually runs underneath the main, open stair. At points it scissors off of itself allowing, one way up and one way down from certain floors that have main gallery spaces. Its quite the ingenious design solution, actually. While MOCA is expecting a significant increase in the number of attendees, the place isn't going to turn into CMA, either.

The RFQ for A/E teams for Kent State's new College of Architecture & Environmental Design Building just got released yesterday. Check out here: http://ci.oaks.ohio.gov/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=VAdu8eiv-d0%3d&tabid=67

I've always noticed this. Glad someone else has else, too. I should have responded sooner. It was a construction eff up, obviously. The gap exists because the concrete column leans out slightly (I think its leaning in two directions) as the building goes up. It appears no one knew how to fix the problem, so its just been left. I'd have to imagine its going to get fixed eventually. Knowing how Construction Administration goes on projects, its probably in a battle of what trade is responsible for fixing it or more so, paying for the fix. It shouldn't be an expensive fix (obviously, they can't do anything with the concrete column). When you're building with a concrete frame, this kind of thing will happen. Usually something like this ends up hidden, but on Uptown, with the exposed columns and the way the cladding engages them, any kind of mistake is super obvious. I wouldn't say this is a horrible, horrible screw up. This kind of thing happens when you are building with concrete. I consider it more of a problem with how the building is detailed, which I've had concerns about. Very little room was left for any kind of margin of error in the way a lot of tectonics were handled, so when a column is a little out of plumb, it looks like hell and no one knows how to fix it. My guess with your other concrete comments is that while businesses are moving in, the buildings have not yet been "punch listed", which is when the architect handling construction administration goes through the project, makes note of things like that gap between the siding and column, or the stained concrete and gets the contractor responsible to go fix it before they get final payment. Generally, you wait until the end of the project and get everything all at once, instead of doing it item by item as they come up, particularly on a project this large. I would guess in July / August you'll start to some of things magically get fixed, before the official unveiling, which I believe is in September.

Haha, don't thank me, thank Photoshop. Although I do think how it will put the photos together when I'm taking them, I don't think its a "skill" compared to my many photographer friends who have actual talent. Hts12 Its not glass, its polished metal panels. They appears that way because of the way the sun reflects off it, in conjunction with the geometry of the building. I think its pretty cool in person, as it changes character as you move around the building. As as part of the tour I was on last week, it was mentioned that the waviness of the panels (in the building industry its called "oil canning") was a purposeful design decision by Farshid Moussavi. The panels are the same texture / finish around the whole building. The waviness or oil canning and changing reflections depending on your view and time of day were a purposeful design intention, not an accident. The panels look like and are doing what they were designed to do. Thanks for the clarification. If that is correct, then the sun really creates a stark contrast around the building. It had to have been close to 9:00pm when I rode by and stopped to take a look.... and even at that time as the sun was setting, the contrast between the segment of the facade i was referencing and the segments on either side of it really jumped out at you. Weird If you look at Farshid Moussavi's work, while it often varies in aesthetics or building form from project to project, the consistent has always been about the play between affect and effect. MOCA is no different, and may end up being her most successful project in that regard. Seeing it in person (and I don't think commuting past most days counts), made me realize just how much one will need to stop, slow down, and admire the nuances of the design. It is a building to be experienced, not looked at in pictures or driven past in traffic, to really understand the design. Hopefully people take the time to do so when it opens and don't pass judgement without doing so. I'll be nerdier and describe the interiors as being Piranesi-esque. Screw Escher.

Thanks. I didn't grab a pic, but they are also cutting a hole that will be open to the public through the existing building on the left side of the alley (in my pic looking towards MOCA) that is on axis with the one portal through Uptown that connects the alley to Euclid. Its a nice little urban design move. I'll try to get a couple pics that show it better, soon.

Its not glass, its polished metal panels. They appears that way because of the way the sun reflects off it, in conjunction with the geometry of the building. I think its pretty cool in person, as it changes character as you move around the building. As as part of the tour I was on last week, it was mentioned that the waviness of the panels (in the building industry its called "oil canning") was a purposeful design decision by Farshid Moussavi. The panels are the same texture / finish around the whole building. The waviness or oil canning and changing reflections depending on your view and time of day were a purposeful design intention, not an accident. The panels look like and are doing what they were designed to do.

Some photos of MOCA Cleveland (from June 14th): http://www.flickr.com/photos/t_ferringer/sets/72157630202693928/ Fourth Floor Gallery: Main Stair: Interior Corner Detail: Entrance Lobby: Main First Floor Public Space: Main Stair: Looking up at main stair: Main Stair: Window Detail:

Some recent pics of Uptown: