DaninDC

This angers me. What kind of city is Cleveland trying to be? The one it used to be, with lively neighborhoods and pedestrian traffic, or one for commuters flying by at 100 mph. Who in the hell are they designing this building for?

That's not the City's problem! The only problem with making improvements to obtain abatements is that not everyone has the money up-front to make the improvements. Unlike other metropolitan areas, it's not as if Cleveland has had rampant home value appreciation to justify taking a second mortgage for such improvements, either.

I tend to think that people buying brand-new housing can afford property taxes. This is especially true of the pricier condos downtown. If they can't afford the property taxes--MOVE INTO A SMALLER PLACE. If the abatements are done away with, the overall property tax rate could be lowered for the working-and-middle class folks who have lived in the city for a while--some of whom are struggling and need the break more than someone who can afford a $300k condo.

I certainly appreciate what you're saying. Mrnyc and I, as well as a few others, have to complain, though. If our transit systems aren't up and running well (and into the future), our respective cities come to a grinding halt.

People would still have to use I-270 to get to the CCT stations. Not only would the CCT be a lower-capacity extension of the Red Line into an area not densely populated enough to support urban transit modes, it directly duplicates MARC's Brunswick Line, but at a far higher cost. It's not altogether surprising, though. Maryland is also studying extending the Green Line Metro out to BWI, despite having hourly service on the MARC Penn Line.

^The Corridor Cities Transitway is just stupid. Maryland already has a commuter rail line in that area. Since the CCT would most likely be park-and-ride, since it serves automobile-dependent sprawl, it doesn't make any sense to build light rail through this sparsely-settled area; certainly not when it would be cheaper to improve and expand MARC commuter rail service. Just another example of Maryland's idiotic transportation planning.

I would argue that. :-)

Haven't been to the D in a little over a year. I know it's changing rapidly, but the fact that it is the only major metropolis in the state doesn't stop the city from getting the shaft. Purposely leaving states out of your claim? Isn't that called "selective manipulation of data"?

I don't necessarily buy that line of logic. Have you BEEN to Detroit? On the other hand, New York State has both the greatest city in the world in New York City, and a classic Rust Belt town in Buffalo. California's cities vary wildly, from the cartoonish suburban cesspool of Los Angeles to beautiful and thriving San Francisco.

I don't understand it. We've had a few light rail lines proposed in DC. If they buses aren't moving fast due to traffic, what makes you think a surface rail line will move any faster? Never had a problem getting across town on 42nd Street. What would the light rail do that the 7 can't?

Knowing is half the battle. Today, the District of Columbia Metropolitan Police Department unveiled a new website that allows users to map crime anywhere in the city. You can search the past two years for a complete array of crimes relative to an address, and the mapping software will display the location of each incident. Pretty damn cool if you ask me. Just thought I'd share and solicit comments. I have to imagine such a tool would be helpful for residents in other large cities as well. http://crimemap.dc.gov

I heart Filene's Basement.

Fantastic idea. I'm game, especially if we go to GLBC!

Thoughtful response, Vulpster. I don't have the time to address your points right now, but I will do so later.

What do you want me to know that I'm not understanding? I think part of the problem, as aptly illustrated on this thread, is that everyone who doesn't think the same way as everyone else in Cleveland--something is wrong with that person. They're stupid. They're elitist. They don't get it. Enlighten me. And remember--it's people like me you're trying to retain and attract. Knocking people with different perspectives doesn't make you, or your city, endearing. So let's hear what ya got to say....

I'm not knocking people who are trying to improve Ohio cities. I wish them well. I really do. I will say, though, that every time I come back home, my first reaction is, "Where are all the people at?". Even when I'm downtown or in the WHD or Lakewood, it always feels dead. That's a strong impression to overcome, and speaks louder than any PR campaign could. As I've stated time and again, the State of Ohio only recognizes one way of life, and that is Suburban Nuclear Family. What about those of us who aren't part of, or don't want to be part of, that culture? I can say first-hand that I didn't move to DC because of a billboard or a commercial on TV or an ad in a magazine. You can't keep doing the same things and expect life to improve just because you promote it differently.

If the image doesn't reflect reality, though, there's a big credibility problem. You can't just put an ad campaign on the street without knowing your target audience. For example, many 20 and 30 somethings want to live somewhere they don't need a car. How realistic is it for them to move to a city in Ohio? Urban retail, especially mainstream consumer goods, is virtually nonexistent in Ohio cities compared to other places. What good is it to live in town in a funky neighborhood if you still have to drive (or take the bus) 10 miles to buy towels or underwear? True, in Cleveland, there are a few truly liveable urban neighborhoods. They are very few, and far between, though, compared to the cities that are truly thriving right now. Perhaps if the city worried about rebuilding the neighborhoods and creating jobs instead of new convention centers or casinos....

Absolutely it's fair. If you want to compete with other cities for the brains and talent, you have to know what lures them away. I think a more appropriate question would be the same, but turned on it's head: "Is it fair to compare Cleveland/Cincinnati/Columbus only to Detroit/Pittsburgh/Indianapolis in terms of luring talent?"

I think that's the case pretty much anywhere, though. As far as hotels near Rapid stations, that's an issue for the good folks handling (or rather, not doing a damn thing about) TOD at RTA.

Internships are good for networking, and on a resume, it demonstrates a sincere interest in the profession. Compared to what you'll be doing even five years from now, the internship is a cakewalk. Trust me on this--I saw what the interns in my office did this summer, and it was mostly grunt work compared to what's expected of a seasoned professional. No, you're not wasting your time. You'll be just fine. It's just part of a CAREER, as opposed to a JOB.

Not necessarily. Not everyone who gets into a cab at Hopkins is headed downtown or to University Circle. I'm sure there are a couple other possible destinations. Pinky's, perhaps. Even at National Airport, which has the highest percentage of travelers arriving by transit of any airport in the U.S., there are still a ton of people who take cabs. This despite the Metro station being plain-as-day in front of the terminal, and the cabs invoking the ridiculous "Interstate Airport Surcharge" to cross 14th Street Bridge into the District. I think the number who ride Metro to DCA is still something fairly low like 15%.

Yes. I've been doing my job for over five years, and I'm still paying my dues. Hell--I'm even licensed to do my job. Should you pursue the best opportunities for you? Absolutely. I think the fault a lot of younger people have is they expect something for nothing. I have seen people who graduate with a liberal arts degree from a middling school, have literally never worked a day in their lives (internships don't count as "work experience") and expect to make $100,000 at age 22. This is also my theory on why you see a disproportionate number of spoiled brats applying to law school.

^^^Today's 20-and-30-somethings didn't learn those traits on their own. Baby Boomer entitlement-atcha!

Good point. It's also the same reason you meet Capitol Hill interns and staffers at Dollar Beer Night, and they expect you to be impressed that they make coffee in a Congressman's office. Big F Deal. Uncle Rando, I feel you pain. When I was in school, I decided I wanted to contribute to the vitality of cities by rehabbing and renovating existing and historical buildings. As much as I love Cleveland, it just wasn't realistic to move back home. Not when it seems like the only things being built are subdivisions and strip malls. Ergo, my location on the East Coast. Sometimes, when I come back to visit, I get the impression that the ideas of the 1950s are alive and well in Ohio.

I agree that it is a cultural problem that fails to retain the best and brightest. I, however, do not agree that it is necessarily the culture of *individual companies*, but the culture that the state government fosters. Most bright young people seek a thriving, exciting environment in which they can exchange ideas, learn more, network, develop and explore new opportunities, and essentially GROW as a person. As such, these people are attracted to dynamic cities where they can live and socialize in close proximity to their peers. Ohio makes the assumption that everyone wants banal suburban culture, or "American Dream", and thus even a 22-year-old right out of college, with his entire life ahead of him, has few options aside from living the exact same lifestyle as a 50-something middle manager with three adult children. There is little diversity of thought or culture, and examining the spending priorities of the State, Ohio seems happy to keep applying to same tried-and-failed methods to every problem solving approach. When you needlessly keep widening highways (I-71, Innerbelt), then claim you have no money to fund higher education, eyebrows get raised. This is not the sign of a place that looks ahead and accepts creativity. I don't claim to speak for anyone else, but if it comes down to a choice between Ruby Tuesday and Applebee's for dinner, I'm leaving town.