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Thank you KJP, my reference there was messy. And I'm guessing the proportion of Ohio use would have been similar to what you describe. While I could further differentiate the 79 from the 3C, my point was that the NYC connection is a lot more enticing from a marketing standpoint. "3C+NYC" might raise eyebrows in a way that Ohio-only destinations might not, although the timing of the NYC departure from Cleveland would still be a conundrum.

I'm just happy they're building it up to the street. If all the dollar stores and drugstores did that, I wouldn't find them nearly so objectionable.

Well, yes, but the 79 goes to DC and New York.

Absolutely. My experience was similar. 3C was not a very marketable concept, even for people predisposed to support rail. IMO it was its own worst enemy. People's rejection that was in no way a categorical rejection of rail. For some, it obviously was, but that's not the whole story. Same goes for the Euclid BRT, many ardent transit backers hated the idea and still hate it. Not everything can be read as a broad ideological statement. Sometimes a specific idea just isn't very good. But there's always tomorrow.

A new governor certainly would help. In the meantime, Kasich isn't that popular among statehouse Republicans. Many resent his overt takeover of the state party and differ with him on this policy or that. Given how old their base is, a Republican split on rail is possible. Rail presents certain advantages specific to older people. But they'll never bite if it's framed as old-vs-young, cool-vs-stodgy, us-vs-them.

I was musing specifically about the percentage-with-degree rankings Jeffery had posted, which involve a surprising but negligible difference between Akron and Cleveland. One might expect Cleveland to be a lot higher than Akron on that list. So it's not that biotech hasn't worked out well... it's that it hasn't worked AS well as polymers have for Akron, at least at present. Biotech hasn't established itself as a definitive specialty of the Cleveland economy yet. It's maybe just past the aspirational stage, and there remains considerable ground to be covered. My first google hit for "top US biotech hubs" gives a list that includes Saskatoon (!) but not Cleveland. http://biotech.about.com/od/introtobiotechnology/tp/NAclusters.htm Second google hit lists four states: MA, MD, NC and CA. http://www.genengnews.com/insight-and-intelligenceand153/largest-u-s-biotech-clusters-faced-similar-challenges-this-year-as-seen-elsewhere/77899521/ As my old avatar Shatner might say, "it hasn't happened yet."

Watership Down. Have you done any GRRM-based fanfiction?

Big Rubber didn't entirely pull out, not the way Big Paper did, IIRC. And I think Dayton was adversely affected by auto industry restructuring more than any other Ohio city. And the contraction of the legal sector as well. Unfortunate trends for Dayton across the board. I would also say that Akron has done a better job of staying urban, keeping up its downtown and its yp-friendly neighborhoods, and building a lot of new housing with substantial density. This seems like more of a strategic choice than luck of the draw. It doesn't help that Dayton's Oregon district has virtually no apartments while Akron's Highland Square has tons. I think this sort of thing makes it easier for up-and-comers to settle in a particular city.

Akron seems to have done well in shifting to modern industry. The city and its university settled on a specialty (polymers) which is uncommon and follows naturally from the previous one (rubber). Cleveland's choice of biotech and Toledo's choice of solar haven't worked out as well thus far. I think that's due to more competition from other metros in those industries, and the fact that both industries are less established.

More than a bit.

Windows are windows, they're not components of DNA. This seems like (yet another) instance of modern architects trying to get too cute. The only message you should be conveying with your window design is how well you understand windows. Even if you try to make a joke of it, you're still conveying how well you understand windows, just not in a good way.

This problem is hardly unique to Akron. Businesses can't just wait for the downtown population to grow, they have to be there to help create that growth. The nice thing about businesses is that they can draw customers from outside walking distance. Their market isn't limited to current and future downtown residents. But current and future downtown residents are sharply curtailed by lack of walkable businesses. That's the nature of a downtown... retail has always been a core function. Downtown residential is a more novel development, and it's a lot easier to build that if said downtown is fully functional in the traditional sense.

I agree with trebellius and welcome the out-of-state perspective. Traffic enforcement is out of hand in Ohio. It most certainly does affect our business climate because it makes people feel unwelcome and uncomfortable, even if they've lived here forever. Police officers should be ashamed of themselves sitting like so many vultures, criticizing the way people drive, when we have neighborhoods torn apart by violence and many areas of the state cannot afford even the most basic law enforcement. Absolutely sickening. We need to get our priorities straight here.

Hypothetically, if Beachwood were to become part of Cleveland, would anyone oppose adding housing density there? I think its a good idea regardless, and I don't see it ever competing (residentially) with downtown. Still two very different environments. But in general, I say the more the merrier.

Possibly, state level Democrats could pick up some seats in the legislature. Whether that's enough to create a Dem majority remains to be seen. In the meantime we have a state Senate that is gerrymandered to the point of having a permanent Repub majority and a vehemently anti-rail governor for at least the next two years. Not a pretty picture. All very much true. As such I believe the way forward is to make inroads on their side, appealing to their more practical sensibilities. I don't think the wider ideological battle is winnable at this point. But a large portion of the Republican base needs rail transit, and I think they can be persuaded on a project-by-project basis.

What exactly would they do? I vote for a Dunham Tavern 2.0, right next to the old one.

As it should if that shuttered/vacant/decrepit bar or music venue is next to residential areas. I'm all for bars and clubs...I go all the time...but I understand the city's desire to make sure residents, whether they've been there for 10 months or 10+ years, have the right to voice their concerns if a bar wants to open close to them. Having grown up off of Superior Avenue in Cleveland near a number bars I can tell you every bar owner is a good guy when they want to open. Some stay true to their word and operate great establishments...but more often than not in the more challenged areas of the city when the crowd thins they begin to play to a younger, drunker, rowdier crowd...and by then it's too late to protect your 2am peace and quiet...there's only years worth of fighting to close a place down. I agree, but not in the case of an abandoned bar seeking to reopen. I'm not sure we can force all abandoned bars to reopen as ice cream parlors, and for those who prefer living near a vacant building, there are plenty of available options.

It's possible that a political shift could help with this. Likely? No, but we have yet to see just how negative Romney's coattail effect might be. He is not a strong candidate and the right may be more screwed than they think.

I expect a major step forward from Little, based on the additions of Weeden and Childress. And Richardson and Schwartz. I also expect one more receiver to break out but I have no idea who.

Me too. We can't afford to lose any historic apartment buildings at this point, not a single one.

This rail line is a fantastic idea and I really hope it happens.

Interesting x10 As a liberal democrat, I find that approach to be outrageously anti-business. It should end today. Every single store has to beg to city hall for the right to operate? Really? IIRC from the Playhouse Square thread, this also happens whenever someone tries to reopen a shuttered/vacant/decrepit bar or music venue. Textbook example of what's wrong here.

Gross incompetence, that's why. Cleveland's zoning code represents an overt desire to suburbanize the city. Suburbs don't have stores within neighborhoods, they have supermarkets with large parking lots that most customers are expected to drive to. Increasingly, so does Cleveland.

How very gracious of you to point this out.

Exactly. Residential and retail offer far more potential for transit utilization than do office and industrial. Of course, the more residents you have near transit, the more utilization you're likely to get for the office and the industrial. But that only emphasizes the main point.