Map Boy

our beloved Sun papers come out today, correct? Any updates???

REDUNDANT THREAD!!!

It sounds great and all and I'll probably bowl a few gutter balls when this place opens, but what's all this about public funding???

I think some of that "woo hoo"-ing was spillover from the Jason Mraz concert at the HoB last night. I walked past around midnight last night on my way home and saw a pack of fans standing by the tour buses in the alley behind the buildings... As for the new tenant, this from Crain's: Former GameWorks execs pushing bowling concept By STAN BULLARD 8:50 am, October 20, 2005 Downtown realty developer MRN Ltd. is working with three former executives of the GameWorks entertainment and club chain to add a new-breed bowling alley/restaurant/bar to the line-up for the remaking of Euclid Avenue at East Fourth Street. Ari Maron, an MRN partner, said the company has leased 20,000 square feet on the southeast corner of East Fourth Street and Euclid Avenue to Trifecta Management Group, which was formed recently by ex-GameWorks CEO Ron Lam and two other former GameWorks executives. The GameWorks chain is a Glendale, Calif.-based joint venture between Universal Studios and the videogame maker Sega Corp. It has 14 videogame arcade-restaurant-bar venues, including one in Columbus. The proposed "Corner Alley" in downtown Cleveland will be the first venue created by Mr. Lam and his former GameWorks colleagues. Mr. Maron said the concept combines 16 bowling lanes with high-tech lighting and plasma screens and what is to be known as the "4th Street Bar and Grill," which is to include a 200-seat restaurant and a 150-person capacity bar. The concept will re-create the sleek, upscale design of martini bars in the 1920s and 1930s, Mr. Maron said. It has a target opening in about a year. Mr. Maron said the developer would seek city financial assistance for the project and support from local civic groups such as the Greater Cleveland Partnership. He declined to detail the financing package. The Corner Alley operator will employ about 100 people, MRN spokeswoman Christy Harst said. Buildings that will have a portion of their space incorporated into the bowling alley include the former Wendy's, the one-time McCrory Department store and other buildings extending eastward to the Colonial Marketplace hotel/retail complex. MRN developed the House of Blues on the opposite side of East Fourth and has shepherded the redo of East Fourth Street between Euclid and Prospect Avenue as an entertainment district with restaurants and loft apartments. [there's also a cheesy rendering on the Crain's site, but I wouldn't dream of posting it here!

see what you've done KJP?!

Since we're playing this game, I'm going for the lot on Prospect between the Gund and E. 4th. A little outside of the realm of this thread, but that's my guess, so tough!

really? I thought it was only done for the Mall site, since that was the only one left about two months ago. I'd be interested to hear more about this...

Feedback from yesterday's meeting on www.cleveland.com. No consensus on best site for new convention center Wednesday, October 19, 2005 Sarah Hollander Plain Dealer Reporter Of the two locations being considered for a new Cleveland convention center, no clear favorite emerged from a public meeting Tuesday night. The meeting, sponsored by the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Convention Facilities Authority, marked the beginning of a ramped up effort to solicit public input. The group is developing a six-month calendar of meetings that will alternate between Cleveland and surrounding communities. The authority eventually plans to recommend either the current convention center location at downtown's malls or Forest City's proposal, a 12-acre site between Tower City Center and the Cuyahoga River. read the full article at http://www.cleveland.com/convention/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/112971428693510.xml&coll=2 I agree that public input is of critical importance, especially if a vote on tax referenda will determine the fate of this project. But the whole process has been open to the public, whether the public has participated or not, so this is nothing new. I'm just bewildered by the return of the Forest City site to this conversation and how they've been able to just enter in and depart at their own will, without providing anything substantial by way of progress in developing their site. Correct me if I'm wrong, but preliminary studies on cost and design have been done for the Mall site, but have not been done yet for the FC site. Why doesn't FC pay for these so we can see what it would ACTUALLY cost to build there, not just what they say it will cost.

From today's PD: Salvation Army hopes to build water park Money of McDonald's heiress sought for project Wednesday, October 19, 2005 Susan Ruiz Patton Plain Dealer Reporter The Salvation Army in Cleveland is betting that it can raise $10 million locally to get an additional $60 million. If it is successful, it could build a state-of-the-art community center in Glenville unlike anything else in Northeast Ohio. The money is a sliver of the $1.5 billion left to the Salvation Army last year by the estate of McDonald's heiress Joan Kroc. She intended for the money to be spent on 30 to 40 lavish community centers built and run by Salvation Army chapters across the nation. To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: [email protected], 216-999-4937

That's great news! It would've been a BIG mistake to cut into that plaza...

I knew I was going to get a good response out of this as soon as I hit "post!" Regardless of your circulation, I still think of Sun as the "little guy" because I would get it once a week and you've got the local police blotter and little "fix it" spots (at least in the Sun Press) where someone wrote a dirty word on a street sign and the residents demand that it be remedied! I love the Sun Press, though. I used to get it delivered to me in Brooklyn, NY. It's just a more community-based paper and has that small-town feel to it. I echo Wimwar in asking where your work will now appear and am also itching to get the scoop from you! I'll sign a confidentiality statement if you want me to!

good for you! go little guy media outlet! i'm just excited to hear that there's more stuff a-brewin' out there!

Fantastic! Good to have you in town, X! Word on the streets is that there's going to be an announcement this week on the next big tenant!

you are a cruel, cruel man Mr P!

actually, "Courthouse Tower" was slated to be built at West 6th and Lakeside. "Courthouse Plaza" was the one to be built just west of the Federal Courthouse tower along the Detroit-Superior Bridge... I don't think this is either one of those!

Well, that would be exciting!!! Is this just on the corner or are we talking the entire block? I wonder if we'll see District Park come to the surface again anytime soon?

Well, that makes sense. Too bad about West 25th, though. I hope this doesn't mean that the building will be lost! Every time I pass that building I want to cry!

Chris Ronayne actually mentioned this at the unveiling of the Lakefront Plan last month. This is the first I've heard of it since: From today's Crain's Cleveland Business Salvation Army seeks $60M for East Side rec center 6:00 am, October 17, 2005 Imagine a sprawling, $30 million community center with two gymnasiums, indoor and outdoor pools, a lazy river, top-of-the-line fitness center and an unobstructed view of Lake Erie from a hilltop locale — all open to anyone, regardless of their ability to pay. The Cleveland branch of the Salvation Army is trying to make that grand vision a reality by applying for a $60 million grant from the Salvation Army's Eastern Territory to build a 130,000-square-foot community center in Gordon Park, said Maj. Richard Gulley, area coordinator for the local Salvation Army division. Though it might not know until January whether the money will come through, the local Salvation Army already has struck a deal with the city of Cleveland to buy 12.5 acres at the East Side park for $1.25 million. The land sale is pending the center's approval, Maj. Gulley said. [more at http://crainscleveland.com/]

Of course you're right on KJP... Extending east and west along the lakefront is such an obvious component of the lakefront plan and should be some of the most feasible with regard to the amount of infrastructure development that will need to take place anyways. The Downtown loop stuff also seems so obvious, but it somehow still feels like a pipe dream... How come no one ever talks about a southern extension? Along Broadway or W. 25th/Pearl or somehow through the valley? Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't 77 our most congested highway? This could help alleviate some of that...

what's this about a Denver company opening an office here? I'm assuming it's not too huge if I haven't heard about it!

this just in from www.cleveland.com (also posted on the Steelyard Commons thread): ... Pedestrians and cyclists can finally look forward to a Canal Towpath Trail that leads to downtown Cleveland if City Council approves money for the project as expected on Monday. Taxes from the controversial Steelyard Commons retail development, anchored by a Wal-Mart super center, will foot a large chunk of the bill. Council's Economic and Community Development Committee earlier this week supported a plan to direct about $10.4 million in property taxes from Steelyard Commons for construction of the towpath trail into downtown. Another $7.4 million in taxes will be set aside to support small businesses in the surrounding neighborhoods, including Old Brooklyn, Tremont and Slavic Village, over the next 20 years. Council president Frank Jackson said he anticipates the full council will pass legislation approving the plan on Monday. That means Cleveland should finally see the long-awaited completion of the six-mile stretch of the Towpath Trail north from Harvard Avenue to the proposed Canal Basin Park, under the Detroit-Superior (Veterans Memorial) Bridge.

this just in from www.cleveland.com: ... Pedestrians and cyclists can finally look forward to a Canal Towpath Trail that leads to downtown Cleveland if City Council approves money for the project as expected on Monday. Taxes from the controversial Steelyard Commons retail development, anchored by a Wal-Mart super center, will foot a large chunk of the bill. Council's Economic and Community Development Committee earlier this week supported a plan to direct about $10.4 million in property taxes from Steelyard Commons for construction of the towpath trail into downtown. Another $7.4 million in taxes will be set aside to support small businesses in the surrounding neighborhoods, including Old Brooklyn, Tremont and Slavic Village, over the next 20 years. Council president Frank Jackson said he anticipates the full council will pass legislation approving the plan on Monday. That means Cleveland should finally see the long-awaited completion of the six-mile stretch of the Towpath Trail north from Harvard Avenue to the proposed Canal Basin Park, under the Detroit-Superior (Veterans Memorial) Bridge.

That's amazing! This slipped in under my radar somehow... Who ever would've thought I'd be happy to see more federal government influence on the region???

also, which labor unions are for which candidate? I'm hearing a little bit of both...

Good point, MayDay. I'm also anxiously awaiting Triozzi's opinions. There's lots of speculation...strictly conversation in my circle...about Triozzi fitting well into Campbell's cabinet. But why not Jackson's as well? He may not want to pick sides for this very reason.