dave68

http://doczz.net/doc/5695027/gcrta-demand-letter-final----12-20-16 This is the link to the letter sent to the GCRTA . I am glad to see the FTA is standing behind it's agreement it entered with funding and all parties involved in the decision to disregard what was agreed upon should be ashamed. Do we think Mayor Jackson and RTA will change their minds. This does not look good for further FTA funding for Cleveland's future needs

I assumed that height would be an issue since the original North Coast Harbor Pedestrian Bridge design was nixed due to height limitations. The Nuevo restaurant design is a nice addition to the area so I hold out hope. I always assumed that piece of property should be left open if the RRHF was ever to expand. This residential component feels isolated since all other residential will fall behind FirstEnergy Stadium.

Model for the transformation of the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland

http://planning.city.cleveland.oh.us/designreview/drcagenda/2016/12162016/index.php updated designs

http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index.ssf/2016/12/quicken_loans_arena_home_of_le.html#incart_2box http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index.ssf/2016/12/the_q_transformation.html#16 Quicken Loans Arena, home of LeBron and the Cavs, to get $140 million makeover on December 13, 2016 at 2:15 PM, updated December 13, 2016 at 2:17 PM CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Cavaliers today announced a striking $140 million upgrade to the Q Arena that dramatically alter the facility's appearance and, the team says, would make the 22-year-old arena competitive by creating more space for dining, bars and public gathering. Looks amazing!

All theseissues should have been heard by Mayor Jackson and RTA prior to the assumption that a road be permanently closed without any input by the actual people it affects on a daily basis, Daily photos of Public Square show pedestrians use the crosswalks as designed. And if the lights actually worked I am sure the pedestrians and buses would follow as directed

http://www.cleveland.com/architecture/index.ssf/2016/12/rebol_cafe_at_public_square_ge.html#comments Rebol cafe at Public Square getting its trash problem under control (photos) By Steven Litt, The Plain Dealer Follow on Twitter on December 08, 2016 at 8:05 AM, updated December 08, 2016 at 8:14 AM CLEVELAND, Ohio - Rebol, the unexpectedly popular outdoor cafe on Public Square, appears to be getting its outdoor trash problem under control. Since it opened last summer as part of the $50 million renovation of Public Square, the cafe, operated by restaurateur Bobby George, has been surprisingly successful. On good days, the cafe serves up to 1,000 customers, George said earlier this week in a phone interview. And that caused a problem: Piles of trash resulting from the higher-than-expected volume of business at Rebol accumulated around green plastic garbage bins at the northwest corner of the cafe, facing the main entrance to Tower City Center. Accumulations visible from September through November included empty buckets for cooking oil, large cardboard boxes, large plastic shipping trays and several overflowing garbage cans. I always thought this would become a maintenance issue without any location for a hidden dumpster for Rebol's kitchen use. Narchitects design is showing it's poor planning on function. This placement of trash should not be the first thing you see as the front entrance to the park from Tower City. I am also amazed how filthy the pavement has become in such a short period of time from oil and grease tracked.

http://www.clevescene.com/scene-and-heard/archives/2016/12/07/pedestrian-struck-by-rta-bus-turning-left-around-public-square Pedestrian Struck by RTA Bus Turning Left Around Public Square Posted By Sam Allard on Wed, Dec 7, 2016 at 11:49 am At roughly 7 a.m. Wednesday morning, an RTA bus struck a female pedestrian at the intersection of East Roadway and Rockwell Avenue. An RTA spokesperson reported that the #39F bus was traveling northbound on East Roadway, and made a left-hand turn on Rockwell (right in front of Key Tower), and that the injured pedestrian was transported to Metro Hospital. RTA said the accident is under active investigation. Cleveland 19 reports that the 69-year-old woman is in critical condition. The TV station characterized her injuries as "head injuries." The collision comes during a heated ongoing debate about buses through Public Square. One argument for buses on Superior Avenue is the consequent reduction in dangerous left-hand turns on the perimeter. Due to re-routing around the Square, RTA buses will take more than 1.1 million more turns per year, about half of which are left turns. The argument that Superior Ave closed to buses is safer to pedestrians using Public Square should now be a moot point.

http://www.clevescene.com/scene-and-heard/archives/2016/12/07/pedestrian-struck-by-rta-bus-turning-left-around-public-square Pedestrian Struck by RTA Bus Turning Left Around Public Square Posted By Sam Allard on Wed, Dec 7, 2016 at 11:49 am At roughly 7 a.m. Wednesday morning, an RTA bus struck a female pedestrian at the intersection of East Roadway and Rockwell Avenue. An RTA spokesperson reported that the #39F bus was traveling northbound on East Roadway, and made a left-hand turn on Rockwell (right in front of Key Tower), and that the injured pedestrian was transported to Metro Hospital. RTA said the accident is under active investigation. Cleveland 19 reports that the 69-year-old woman is in critical condition. The TV station characterized her injuries as "head injuries." The collision comes during a heated ongoing debate about buses through Public Square. One argument for buses on Superior Avenue is the consequent reduction in dangerous left-hand turns on the perimeter. Due to re-routing around the Square, RTA buses will take more than 1.1 million more turns per year, about half of which are left turns.

I'm intrigued by the funding. Of the money pledged by The State $3.5 million was reallocated to fund the inflated costs of Public Square to complete that project in time for The RNC. This amount should be deducted from the available funds for the pedestrian bridge

http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20161127/NEWS/161129897/forest-city-may-not-go-far-for-new-headquarters Forest City may not go far for new headquarters By STAN BULLARD The front door to Forest City Realty Trust Inc.'s new corporate headquarters may be across Public Square at the 57-story Key Tower. That's just steps — about 170 of them — from its Terminal Tower home. As the Cleveland-based real estate titan hunts for a new location for its headquarters after selling Terminal Tower to Willoughby-based K&D Group, downtown office brokers consider it an open secret that Forest City is bound for Key Tower. One source familiar with the situation said the parties are in the final stages of negotiating a deal but no pens have been put to paper. He asked not to be identified because he's not cleared to speak for the companies.

It looks like great fun. Does anyone know if it is the same footprint as the splash fountain or larger? My only wish is they considered a better structure than the oddly placed white shipping container. I assume it is for rental skates and tickets. http://www.wkyc.com/news/local/cleveland/photos-ice-rink-ready-at-public-square-1/354525682

www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQl1H6PTk_U&feature=youtu.be Press Conference 11-15-16: Regarding Public Sq./RTA It is interesting to see what was actually said that nobody stating Superior Ave will definitely be closed to transit without making sure the FTA will allow this plan. I would assume one would first present the plan as a concrete option. No polling or study was done over than the Nelson Nygaard study prior to construction. I also find it fascinating that a design that said that the redesign was designed completely designed for pedestrian use yet all players designed the square with a road and yet nobody can say they limited the design. The safety concerns of the transit use of Superior Ave were the fault of never opening the street as it was intended. I still would like to see how people would object to Public Square was it was designed. The area is not really designed as an area to sit or relax. Without use every day as either a Farmer's Market setup or Food Trucks it serves no other purpose other than a divide between two pedestrian areas. I also have never understood why removable bollards were not part of the 50 million dollar price tag instead of the lackluster "road closed" barricades. If Superior was to be closed off for special events and weekends as initially planned One would think that safety aspect would have been thought of. Btw Here is a link to the NelsonNygaard findings and subsequent decisions that drove the outcome of the design. Their ultimate proposal was Superior open for transit weekdays and closed on weekends. This would cause the least amount of disruption. A united square impacts 26 routes with additional times along with higher maintenance for added turns for RTA's fleet of buses. https://www.scribd.com/document/322467785/Cleveland-Public-Square-040312-Nelson-Nygaard

I want to know how Mayor Jackson insists RTA has to be responsible for any safety issues that he feels the redesigned Square now has if buses are allowed on a roadway designed for their use. Last I checked crosswalks exist, traffic signals exist, curbs exist, approved road demarkations exist. These same arguments can be applied to surrounding streets of Public Square. Let's try using the space as designed and see how people adjust. Much of the activation of Public Square that is used on Superior Ave could be adjusted to the North and South sides of Superior Ave. i.e. Farmers Market set up, stage moved inside the grassed area instead of the sidewalk. That s the responsibility of The Group Plan Commission not RTA. All can interact together and adjust as needed to our surroundings.

Now that Superior Avenue can be eliminated from Public Square, how would one like to see the space adjusted? My wish list would be an adjusted plan that could incorporate some of Field Operations design elements designer James Corner had proposed for Pershing Square in Los Angeles. There are some similarities in layouts with this design having one cohesive space. I enjoy the oval sculptural canopies that could enhance the east/west access providing shade in the summer for additional seating areas and event spaces for all types of activities http://la.curbed.com/2016/4/28/11528784/pershing-square-james-corner-field-operations#5 Even though I know it is too late to relocate the fountain to the center of Public Square I would love to see a central stage area that is better than a temporary rental stage and tent. Love to hear others ideas and I hope that TPTB can get a sense of what could be.

I am disappointed that Public Square was designed with the intent to have transit lanes dividing the park in two. What is the plan now? I assume the needless bus shelters , traffic signals, and road need to be either removed or adjusted. Senseless in not even testing the intended use. Wasn't the plan to only use buses during the weekdays and closed on weekends and special events? When the road doesn't have food trucks or the farmer's market I don't see people hanging out on that area of the park. Way to much hardscape . Has James Corner been contacted to see how the design should adjust and cost of doing so?

I will be interested to see of these letters activate the plaza. It appears Cleveland is enjoying these oversized letters as public art. They do appear to invite great photo opportunities and interaction.

It is fun to see the original "STARR" letters appear as the building was home to Starr Pianos

Can someone explain how moving the pickup locations from the center of Public Square would make that much extra time for passengers to wait for the buses. It seems all these locations would be a closer to their offices.

If Public Square goes the route of no bus access, what/how would one like to see Public Square adjust?

I can tell you firsthand that every out of towner I met during the RNC was thoroughly impressed with Cleveland! All said they look forward to coming back to explore our region more. That is incredible for Cleveland and well worth hosting this convention. I was part of the design team that designed the set for the convention and all the delegates said that Cleveland was the best convention city they have been a part of. The food, the venues, Downtown walkability, the hotels, the museums, the lakefront , and mostly the people was impressive. I couldn't agree more with the assessment. I was born and raised in Cleveland and moved to Los Angeles 25 years ago. I have been singing Cleveland's greatness for years and was honored to show the world what we all have known. This event will pay off for years to come.

The Ameritrust Clock has been repaired !

I was wandering through Public Square and have noticed that a number of the jets on the splash fountain are already misaligned. I am concerned on the long term maintenance of this since it has only been in use for a couple of weeks. I agree that the bike racks are not the most practical design.

RE: SSM lamp posts I received this response from the Facebook page of Cleveland Public Square "Thank you for this information. We are looking into the lighting situation and will work to resolve the matter quickly." fingers crossed

If the U.S. cannot manufacture these parts are only available in foreign countries than the Buy America rule shouldn't apply. It should only apply if the same option is available within The States. I am saddened The City and ODOT make the assumption they won't be able to get a variance without even attempting to communicate with USDOT.