theguv

i learned the following gem at a recent city planning commission design/review meeting it is illegal by city ordinances for a developer to demolish a building and replace it with surface parking. the developer has up to one year to develop a plan for the site and can appeal for one more year. if the site has not begun development within two years of the demolition date, then the city has the right to revert the site to greenspace. i'd like to find out more about this ordinance, so if anyone finds more info, please post it.

in regards to the distance between the metroparks and the CVNP, I have bicycled several times from the Ohio and Erie Canal Reservation (well worth a visit!!), along the towpath, and into the CVNP. I think its about 4 -5 miles to the edge of the CVNP, though the Brecksville reservation is likely the closest. distances can be checked pretty reliably with this >> http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/

cross country ski rental is available in the CVNP at the Kendall Lake Outdoor Center http://www.nps.gov/cuva/planavisit/todo/recreation/winter.htm

fyi : school one is now moving into the idea center at playhouse square

has anyone heard of plans to connect phase 5 to the top of the viaduct with a staircase? I remember hearing about this a while ago, but dont recall where. the design and implementation could certainly be a creative piece of functional public art that would enable ped movement between the flats and the viaduct. any thoughts?

I believe the detail, as it was designed, would have looked a bit more like a claes oldenberg sculpture and less like an elevator shaft. However, as you've stated above, I too understand the project ran into a problem regarding moving residents from the ground floor up into the structure and im guessing that this already-designed "architectural detail" gave the developers an easy way to solve the problem.

AIA Cleveland had a show at Ingenuity Fest entitled "Archtictural Details" The show highlighted the use of details on architectural projects all over the country and some right here in cleveland. of particular interest to me was a plan to create a giant bulkhead on the front of the pinnacle that would pay homage and connect the building to lake and river history. I didn't think they were going to employ it, but it seems they have created a giant bulkhead indeed. I like the fact that it brings the building down to street level. my only concern is whether or not the structure actually looks like a bulkhead as it appears to be made of glass rather than steel...

great idea! didn't know the Mad flowed through downtown Dayton though. the olentangy, north of columbus is a beautiful, albeit somewhat smelly, paddle after a heavy rain. when i lived there, i paddled it a 1/2 dozen times per season. It too could support a nice whitewater course, though perhaps not as artificial lookiing as the one proposed in dayton. in the LONG range view, I see Kingsbury Run in Cleveland being daylighted and turned into a whitewater park too.... It's got incredible flow and some real nice drops, especially considering its location in Cleveland. as a note to the people laughing at this post, it should be noted that class II whitewater is tremendously fun in a kayak and that's a level that's easily delivered by most of ohio's rivers....

FYI - the landscaping around the new federal courthouse was completed this past summer and really looks great. additionally, it offers one of the few and perhaps the only, dedicated pedestrian connection between the flats and the warehouse district area. the landscapers really did a fine job, the 180 or so stairs are well worth your time for a short stroll, especially right now with the colors of fall showing off all their beauty. note also, that this landscaping, unlike MOST projects in Cleveland, appreciates that we have a winter here and addresses that with a variety of evergreen plantings. very well done. on a side note, i think the beautiful old buidling at the bottom of the stairs, next to W. 9th is primed for redevelopment opportunities. it's a real gem...

GO TO >> http://actionnetwork.org/campaign/Lott_Lautenberg/d3kexk425xnk7e? Please ask your U.S. Senators to support Amtrak RIGHT NOW. This afternoon, Senators Trent Lott (R-MS) and Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) will be offering an amendment on the Senate floor to include a bipartisan reathorization of Amtrak in the budget reconciliation bill. If passed, this measure could end 30 years of partisan bickering over Amtrak's purpose and allow the railroad and states to move forward with high-speed rail and other improvements.

Information from the Cleveland Planning Commission in quotes, below: "Our West 117th Street BRD Design Review Committee meets on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of every month, when there is something on the agenda. It is held at the offices of Cudell Improvement, located at 11650 Detroit Avenue." Contact Cudell Improvement http://www.cleveland.oh.us/cudell/contact.htm to see if there is a need for a meeting "As far as my personal thoughts on the Target proposal, I think that we have done a good job through the design review committee and the City Planning Commission. Many things were discussed, and Target, through their agent, explained to us what areas were not open to discussion (such as building placement) and we started from there. Our committee was more focused on potential truck traffic concerns with the surrounding industrial area, while I personally stressed incorporation of sustainable design elements, and the Planning Commission strongly supported my efforts. We are currently advocating placement of an RTA shelter on an outlot of the development, with pedestrian access clearly delineated on the site plan. But our ability to make these kinds of things happen stems more from good-faith negotiations than regulatory authority. However, at the end of the day, I think we will receive a much better product" than we would have if we didn’t have design review authority." Any thoughts on this??

Is increased cost of an iconic bridge an issue? if so, why not consider using the future taxes on property created by the bridge re-alignment as extra money to make the project happen?

Dear Mr. Locutus, I can think of nothing more important in both the long and short run than investments in education. How do you suggest we fund education in a state that has deemed the current system unconstitutional? What can be done to help inner cities in Ohio like Cincinatti, Cleveland, Columbus, Toledo, Youngstown, etc? In the current knowledge economy, investments in education represent long run economic development and ideally the enlightenment that enables a particapatory democracy. What are your suggestions to improvement in the realm of inner city education?

In regards to the excellent article by Mr. Litt, he is urging all respondents to his article to contact their local representative and write a letter to the PD's forum section. THIS PROJECT IS CRITICAL AND WE MUST TAKE A STAND. KJP is right in saying that it is up to the city to demand better, not ODOT. Great cities do demand better! PLEASE do write a LETTER, which has oh so much more impact than an email.

here is a look at the development site courtesy of google earth can someone please take this image and highlight the area to be developed? does anyone actually know what the proposed siteplan is? i have been in contact with the planning commission and will let everyone know of any new information i find out. I realy like KJP suggestion of attending the planning commission meetings. we must no longer tolerate such low standards for development.

Will someone please RESPOND with information regarding any upcoming CITY HALL meetings on THIS DEVELOPMENT it is a symptom and a cause of Cleveland's low self-esteem about itself when projects like this one (designed for the suburbs) get built in the city. This is CLEVELAND. We should strive for the BEST DESIGN not some cookie cutter suburban CRAP whoever, know, please respond with date's of upcoming design/review meetings....PLEASE. i will contact bob brown and see if i can find out anything.

regarding the new innerbelt central viaduct bridge(s) where does the one bridge alternative (signature bridge) that is suggested here http://www.innerbelt.org/June9Advcommtg.ppt in SLIDE #13 stand in regards to opening up land near the jake and Q?

CSU's architect's officehas a recently redesigned webpage with updated content in regards to current projects and their relative state of development (planning, design, construction, and completion) http://www.csuohio.edu/architect/projects in the fall of 2006, the eastern edge of the campus will have a significantly different look with three projects seeing completion. the rec center (w/ green roof!), the renovation of fenn tower into a 450 bed dorm (some suites will be set-up as 2 level lofts! and the renovation of howe mansion and construction of an admin. bldg next door (the plaza in between will feature a landscaped connection south to prospect and the new construction will feature ground floor dining/retail) also, some interesting housing going up near CSU at E. 31 and Payne in the Mueller Electric Bldg. www.muellercondominiums.com

here is an interactive view of the proposed route of the towpath from harvard rd to the lighthouse near whiskey island, on the lakefront. not sure if the towpath will end at canal basin park in the flats or the more logical lakefont. could you imagine pedaling all 101 miles and ending at a site along the river with no view of the lakefront, geez. http://ecocitycleveland.org/transportation/towpath_tour/towpath_intro.html a great use of Flash technology!

i just returned from portland and eugene. here is a picture of Portland State's new Urban Affair building, plaza, and the streetcar line that runs right through it.. TOD done right. ]

a drawing of the new CSU Rec Center currently being built on Chester at E. 24 The drawing is looking south, thereby making the right side of the drawing E. 24. the campus plan is really emphasizing connections, which is pretty obvious from this sketch. on the other end of 24th, at euclid, will be the Fenn Tower dorms.

CSU just began a women's soccer team. Krenzler Field is undergoing a renovation that includes next gen astroturf and a temporary inflatable air-supported dome in order to allow teams to practice in the winter.

in addition, all future new construction will be LEED certified. http://www.usgbc.org/leed/leed_main.asp CSU is aiming for LEED gold with the new rec center. for certain, it will feature both passive and active solar, though im not sure about any stormwater run-off management features.

The large picture that has been posted of Cleveland State University is unfortunate. Most of what is shown on the image was never built -- thank goodness! CSU is arguably the best public urban university in the state with the most diverse campus population in Ohio. The university recently announced a critical split which separates the college of arts from the college of sciences, thereby enabling significant growth at each college. Several posters assert that there is a need for more residential and things to keep student's "stuck" there. This is true, the university president realizes it, and is working hard for change. In the next five years, the amount of surface parking on campus will shrink from twenty-five acres to eight acres. This speaks to the type of campus that will be developed. Many attempts will be made to open-up the Brutalist architecture of the 60's and 70's by reinforcing pedestrian connections and re-orienting the campus to reach outward into the city. In addition, the university has begun to make deals with private developers to construct more housing. The first project, currently under construction, is a conversion of the 1920's era 21 story Fenn Tower into student housing. Much more housing is planned as well as a focus on providing better connections between the campus and downtown. Both the Euclid Corridor and Inner Belt Project will have unique and immense impacts on the campus. Expect good, if not great things from CSU in the next five to ten years as it will quickly transform itself into a thriving urban neighborhood! The master plan is here: http://www.csuohio.edu/campusmasterplan/ A campus map is here: http://www.csuohio.edu/campusmap.html