lafont

Perhaps this is already discussed here but I don't know what search terms to use. I've been noticing the big sign in the window of the large restaurant space at Euclid and E. 4th is gone; I was really looking forward to that very large restaurant opening there! All these workmen were in there today, as usual; I asked them if the restaurant is still coming, despite the sign removal, and one guy said something to the effect the restaurant is still coming but is to be facing Fourth instead. I said something about how I was looking forward to a really large, busy restaurant right on this corner (following several failed restaurant attempts) and he said the one mid-block is to be as large but for some reason the management preferred the E. Fourth space. I said something about there's really no space left on Fourth as large as on the corner and he then seemed to agree, I guess. Anyway, would someone please shed some light on this? Where would the restaurant now go on E. Fourth? I hope he didn't mean it's one of the restaurants already there, with a different name. What does anyone know and when might this take place? There's no storefront on E. Fourth right now where work is obviously being done to create a new restaurant space.

Regarding the last post, the individuals who are to maintain the new planters are not the same as those who maintain the general landscaping, so perhaps the planters will be better maintained. Just walked the whole stretch between 13th and Public Square. I see the work last evening was not as I had expected, which was planters being installed in sections, with ones installed filled with the plantings (as per article posted here). Instead I see planters were spread out all the way to Public Square area, with the ones west of somewhere around E. 9th Street left on the wooden crates (is that the word?). However, there are stretches skipped over which, according to the pattern, are eligible for planters (and, indeed, there are uncovered chalk markings in some cases). I guess they'll be spread out better when all are officially installed directly on the pavement. No plants are planted yet at all, but assumably all will be done by Mon. a.m. regardless.

Yes, plenty of plants yet to come in rest of season. I did see the chalk markings on the brick walks yesterday. Hope they have evergreens or that cabbage or whatever all winter. :clap:

Sure. I would never have expected them to be planted immediately but that's what the article said so I'm looking forward to it. And it is already June. Good chunk of our "growing season" spent already. This must be about the last significant art already planned for the Corridor? Does anyone know of more planned? Around Univ. Circle, perhaps? I know some special projects were proposed for that area but so far the public art there doesn't seem to really stand out more than anything else there. :type:

Found that Steven Litt wrote last fall the planters's upkeep is secured for the first five years, so assumably that answers my question of several posts ago. If anyone has more current or accurate information please respond. Meanwhile I hope someone here, at this early moment, uploads some photos of the new planters. I see the individuals doing the installations of these 1,700-lb. planters last evening came through, as they are now installed from E. 17th westward, but I see so far (as of 7:45 a.m.) without any plantings, despite the update posted yesterday stating plantings would be done "simultaneously." In any case, it would be really great if it is all done by Monday a.m.! As the planters are filling in the areas where there are no rows of trees, or other obstructions, I see it turns out they're basically in clumps of their own. I kind of like that rhythm. So far so good. I recall many years ago (1973, I believe), the main street of Syracuse - Salina Street - was rebuilt and they did the trees in an irregular pattern, too. I liked it! Wonder how long it will take for the PD to have a photo, etc. Didn't see anything today about it at all. Opinions on the new planters, please! :|

McCleveland - Thanks for all the info. on the current project. I sent it on to staff here, but one asked what the planters and their upkeep will cost "taxpayers." I see there are all those donors but is it to remain "privately funded?" Thanks. :clap:

Not the best photo of the Maganificent Mile plantings, but I think I can get away with using it:

punch: perhaps you meant you'd like to see a photo of the plantings in the middle of N. Michigan Avenue in Chicago? In any case, I'd like to post one, if I find one that can be posted....

Thanks! The design seems a tad wierd, but with the right plantings they might come off well. I guess Euclid can use something that is distinctive and I hope they give a really colorful effect. chicago's North Michigan Avenue (Magnificent Mile) plantings down the center of the street "in season" are truly magnificent. But so are many of the buildings, the shops, and the crowds, even on a Sunday afternoon!

About those artsy planters I was asking about a few months ago, it's now past June 1st, the date we were told, and still no sign of new planters. The only thing done was the removal of vegetation from the three initial planters, by the Park Building. What's going on?

So what the h is going on with the Euclid Avenue facade??? Scaffolding has encompassed the facade for many months, and drivers have been greatly inconvenienced for months and months with a lane - on this already not-too-wide main commercial street - cut off entirely. I see absolutely nothing new except for that one "model" window, so is it a matter of workmen gradually removing any broken or chipped terra cotta that is to be replaced, with nothing added yet? What exactly is the new material to be? I can hardly believe it is true, authentic terracotta, such as was used ca. 1910. When is the facade supposed to be basically finished? I know the Prospect side is charging ahead, but how about the main side - Euclid? :oops:

Enough about the lights along Euclid that are just crooked, of which I had been mentioning my dissatisfaction. Or the spans in the Clinic area where there are no tall poles on the sidewalks; this is obviously now the permanent design. I'm now just asking what everyone's opinion is of the silvery contemporary fixture? I often regret the powers-that-be didn't either bring back the grand old light poles or aim at duplicating them, as as has been done in many a city or village. I'm particularly thinking of the area from E. 17th west, or if nowhere else perhaps around the Theater District. Oh well - it's water over the dam, but what you think of the design anyway? Or the vertical tubular ones in the Cleveland Clinic vicinity? I know there was a compromise in that LED fixtures weren't used - assumably financial.

Last September I had commented that streetsigns along Euclid, where they had been removed and side streets (e.g. East 75th) were left unidentified were once again given signs, and that some of the new signs were really small. Now I notice these have been replaced with the current Cleveland streetsign - quite large, and this includes E. 75th sign. Wonder why they particularly small ones were installed in the first place. I had thought it was part of the overall Euclid Corridor design - to actually not have these very large, dominating blue signs. Guess not. Of course the more major intersections have the huge over-the-streets ones, but I had thought for some reason the planners wanted particularly small ones at the others.

Of course I'm totally in favor of the downtown one remaining open. It also happens to be what is probably the most architecturally gorgeous BB interior in the world.... But the general pattern here is for stores of that ilk to leave downtown, and I have heard the guys there worry about it. It also recently gave up its Sunday hours. Apparently some are already assuming the Eton would replace Beachwood, but there doesn't seem to be any concrete evidence this is the plan, yet. Saw the Eton space last evening - impressive.

Well, I suggest you ask JG about it. 8-)

McCleveland - for the Greater Cleveland retail study please call Jonathan Giblin at NOACA: (216) 241-2414 ex. 346.

Oh Crain's - Could you get into this, please? :wave:

Does anyone have anything specific on the Brooks Brothers inquiry of my first post? All my guys would divulge at the Tower City store today - amid the good "Make a Wish" pastries - was "nothing is set in stone" (or something to that effect). My response was "well, the Eton opening seems to be," and I said something about keeping the three open does not gel with the pattern in other metropolitan areas I'm familiar with.

You individuals sound like you're not very big shoppers, anyway, if you don't see any reason to go there. I am a very major shopper - ranging from the most inexpensive discount stores and second-hand places to the most luxurious emporiums. So where do your purchase your clothes or hardware or gifts that are more suitable than Richmond's three department stores and smaller shops? :?

We go there often because my wife favors one of the nails places more than any other and I go to the B & N and many other places - it's still the closest middle-of-the-road, enclosed shopping malls to Cleveland Heights. What I absolutely do not understand is why, with thousands of individuals living and working within two or three miles of Richmond it doesn't do much better! I can't imagine why so many who live in those suburbs would go out so many miles to Great Lakes, or down to Beachwood which has the expensive reputation and doesn't have any of Richmond's particular department stores. At least when we go usually on a weekday evening Richmond has very, very few customers and that includes the department stores. And I'm sure even fewer now with so many closings. They already went through all that some years back and almost reinvented itself, though it fortunately kept the enclosed mall concept. It really should be doing better. No real competition with the little that's left of Euclid Square either.

Re Richmond Town Square - So many closings the past few months - i.g. larger restaurant, place that had real ice cream cones (was it an Arthur Treachers?), place with Indian food, Starbucks, American Greetings, Ritz Camera, that cheap large clothing store that took much of the old Woolworth space, Spencer Gifts, and now another clothing store closing.... I know some of these are nation closings or cutbacks but wow!!! What does anyone think will be next or soon? I'll take a bold, risky stab at it - how about Macy's???

Oops - I corrected the error!

Brooks Brothers to open at Eton Chagrin Boulevard - that's big news for someone like me! I'm a BB afficianado and visit them wherever they exist when I travel. They know me well at our local BB's. So what's everyone's take on this? From what I know about BBs' locations in various metropolitan areas it's very difficult for me to imagine they would keep both Tower City and Beachwood along with the new one. Eaton and BP are in the same general "upscale corridor"; there have been a lot of musical chairs involving shops moving between Shaker Square, Legacy, BP, La Place, Pavilion, Eton, and Landerwood. I can't really see a duplication between BP and Eton. On the other hand, the Tower City store, which I go to most working days, is the last left of its general type downtown (there are really only two serious competitors plus three other semi-serious ones downtown) and I could quite easily see them close that one instead. Any it would be a big loss to downtown were they to close, too. The last really serious competitor to close was Christopher's. But then Kilgour Trout would be a major competitor at Eton. It also seems peculiar to me they'd locate on the strip at Eton rather than inside. At least slightly odd.

I see someone here referred to the arcade proposal - for "upscale outlet" shops. I was totally entranced by the luxury shopping Arcades in London in 2007 - e.g. Burlington and Picadilly. Our two Colonial Marketplace arcades are in the same vein on a smaller scale, but I could easily picture true luxury shops in this setting. "Outlet" is not exactly the real thing, but it's closer than what is there now, and as the spaces are so small no one has to necessarily invest all that much. The food court does okay, though there are vacancies. What a shame the Taylor Arcade was not retained! More on target here: does anyone know what the new overhang is supposed to look like? Wish it is in the spirit of the original Taylor's, as several of the Playhouse Square portes-cocheres are.

Thanks, Avogadro :-D!.... So that's what you go by these days....