Map Boy

A little gossip on the Downtown development front... A little birdie told me today that two properties on Euclid Avenue (1001 & 1015), as well as another one somewhere nearby were sold this week to a new owner who plans to rehab them as "mixed-use" buildings. What that means is not readily apparent, but I took it to mean that they would be residential/retail. Acoording to my source, the new owner sees the bright potential of Euclid Avenue and is enthusiastic about being a part of it! The timeline and details are still very much uncertain, but keep an eye out for a piece in the PD or Crain's in the near future. Unless the Sun scoops 'em!

Fantastic! Now, are these developments that we already know about or are they new? Or do we just have to wait and see what they talk about at the meeting? Is it open to the public?

Yes, it's been mentioned before. I'm not sure what the feeling is among the Asian community, but it'd be interesting to find out if there was any feeling of resentment towards the Chinatown label or if there is a feeling that the groups are too distinct to be grouped under a single heading.

A few more from this past Autumn: Recently refurbished units on W. 65th and Detroit that were part of the West Side Homes project: McKinley Terrace at W. 81st & Detroit: A row on Franklin, west of 58th: Lovely old apartment building on Franklin: One of several beautiful mixed-use structures on West 54th & Franklin: 48th & Bridge:

The neighborhood is filled with great old houses, from the main avenues to the side streets. Some of the existing stock: An old beauty on W. 58th: A Bridge Ave. peach: 57th & Bridge: 58th & Bridge: And then there's the newer stuff... Bridge Square, started in the late-90s and continuing through 2006: Leaves a little to be desired: A bit better, this is the smaller part of the two-phase Bridge Square 3:

Moving north and west...much closer to the upcoming Battery Park development: The dense and eclectic W. 69th Street, north of Detroit: The view from the north end: Battery Park is being built on the other side of the mid-rise structure in this photo: Little Italy of the West Side: The Isabella, formerly inhabited by an Urban Ohioan's ancestor! The de-Santo: At the north end of 69th @ Fr. Caruso Drive: Lake Pointe Townhomes, two blocks away on W. 67th: These things are selling for over $300k in some cases, but they don't suit my tastes... Where's the character? Where are the planters? The gardens? And those stairs are a menace! Room to grow: Infill on W. 67th:

We'll start with gorgeous Franklin Boulevard...the "millionaire's row" of the near-west side. This segment runs from about W. 65th to W. 38th. This old chap looks to be getting a face-lift: New & Old: The "Onion Dome Garden" of St. Herman's House of Hospitality: Which is right next door to this infamous abode: The Franklin Castle: Will it ever re-open it's doors for good? On the Ohio City end of the boulevard, the Stone Gables B&B: And just like that, we're in Ohio City! Franklin, Bridge, Detroit, Clinton...they all transition seamlessly from one neighborhood to the next. Which is just one of the reasons that I love living over here!

I'd been posting these elsewhere, but decided (with encouragement from Blinker12) that they were worth their own thread. Trust that there is more to be added to this! Here's a little history from CSU's Neighborhood Link (www.nhlink.net): Originally part of Brooklyn Township, the Detroit-Shoreway neighborhood was absorbed by the City of Cleveland between 1854 and 1894 through annexations of Ohio City, Brooklyn Township and the Village of West Cleveland. Detroit Street (Avenue), a major route leading westward from the City, became the neighborhood's primary commercial artery. Housing for middle-income families developed along the north-south streets intersecting Detroit, while the neighborhood's larger, more architecturally distinguished homes were built along Franklin Avenue to the immediate south. Detroit-Shoreway's population peaked in 1920 at 41,500. Beginning in the late 1890's, industries such as Union Carbide located along the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern rail lines on the bluffs over looking Lake Erie. Also near the turn of the century, industries began to develop further to the south, along the rail lines running through the Walworth Run Valley (generally parallel to Train Avenue). The Detroit-Shoreway neighborhood has been home to a succession of ethnic groups beginning with the Irish and German settlers of the 19th century. After the turn of the century, these early settlers were outnumbered by immigrants arriving primarily from Italy and Romania. In more recent years, these groups have been joined by Hispanics and migrants from the Appalachian region. Significant population loss in Detroit-Shoreway occurred between 1960 and 1980, as population fell from 36,500 to 20,741. Housing demolition necessitated by the construction of I-90 (which opened in 1978) contributed to this loss of population.

perhaps...it occurred to me after I'd already posted them and it would take too much time to repost them...or would it?

Welcome OC1...That would be fantastic news about the Avenue District pre-sales. And if they truly have done this well in a one-month period, the remaining projects throughout Downtown should take a page from their book when planning out their own marketing strategies. Or just hire the same firms! As for signage...the branding of a neighborhood can do wonders for its self-esteem and identity. It could add to the allure of a successful neighborhood in attracting residents, retailers and future developers. Can't wait to see the progress! Also, the Chinatown identity issue is being worked on. From a recent PD article from Jesse Tinsley: "Next month, 25 hand-painted fiberglass hounds will go up across Cleveland's Chinatown to celebrate the Year of the Dog on the lunar calendar. "Modeled after the stylized rock guitars scattered across the city a few years ago, the dogs - painted by jury-selected local artists - will be mounted on pedestals. "The exhibition is sponsored by the St. Clair Superior Development Corp. and is designed in part to promote this historic, diverse neighborhood, which is in the middle of a quiet renaissance as artists, empty-nesters and young professionals who want to be near downtown move in."

Oh, my bad! I knew there was some connection with the Isabella, though!

Sorry, but I'm moving all my non-"development" photos to a "photo" thread: http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=7366.0

Some snaps of the aforementioned Lake Pointe Townhomes: Lake Pointe Townhomes on W. 67th: These things are selling for over $300k in some cases, but they don't suit my tastes... Where's the character? Where are the planters? The gardens? And those stairs are a menace!

Update on the Gordon Square Homes project, which kicked off earlier in January... Lou's Furniture: future home to apartments and the Near West Theater:

I think that's precisely why I prefer the ones on 47th to these rows. The ones on 47th are built to the sidewalk and they have contextually appropriate (and appealing) porches on both Bridge and 47th. It's too bad that there aren't more of them! The reason I like phase 3 better than the ealier Bridge Squares is that it comes closer to the sidewalk and there's a better mixture of materials. Regardless, these sold well when they were first built and are now seeing some resales with significant price increases. That's a good sign for this area!

Some of the newer housing in the neighborhood, further west on Bridge and a good 15-20 minute walk from the Battery Park site: Bridge Square, started in the late-90s and continuing through 2006: Leaves a little to be desired: A bit better, this is the smaller part of the two-phase Bridge Square 3:

An update from 47th & Bridge: I'd say these are looking quite handsome! 47th Street Frontage: Bridge Ave. Frontage:

Well, that's the main point, but still, you can't rule out the possibility that a 10-story building has some inherent potential as a rehab. I know that there were issues with the design of the building (1/2 floors and what not) and that there was asbestos and so on, but when we continue to say that it's ok to knock down 10 stories for none, we're setting an awful precedent.

what a crock! this beautiful church is already surrounded by parking garages...why should they need to build a parking lot in addition to all that??? I just don't get it. Also, there's a reason why the City has the right (and obligation) to block certain things...like demolition of a 10-story building for parking. Two years from now, the market could shift and the building could be a viable rehab project. Instead, it's going to settle in as a slab of ass-fault and they're never going to want to relinquish it for something more productive. Maybe I should go pray for a better solution.

Great news! This should make a world of difference!

i feel that way about a lot of these projects. That's what my "save the cranes" post was all about. I need to see cranes in the air before I know a project is a go. And then we have phases upon phases. How many will actually come to pass? Only time will tell. But it may be fair to say that this is a very positive period of big plans for Downtown Cleveland and many of its neighborhoods and that even if only a fraction of them come to pass, we'll still have a much more vibrant city with many more options for living, shopping, working, and recreat-ing!

From the last page of KJPs posted link:

wow, nerdiness as I have never seen it before...gotta love it!

Recently brought up in another thread and the subject of a conversation I had a few days ago, it doesn't appear that anything has happened with this project in recent history. Let's throw out some lines and see who can come up with the dirt!

imagine that with new windows and a restored facade and with that hideous awning torn down! I'm assuming the only reason it's still up is that there may be a fear of falling debris from the upper levels in its current state. Does anyone know the entire square footage of the building? It's massive and will do wonders for Lower Euclid if/when it's restored and occupied!