Map Boy

exactly...does the City of Cleveland need to have two Targets within 10 minutes of each other by freeway? I'm all for amenity creation in the form of grocery stores and such, but just don't want to see too much big box retail flood the market over the next five years. And I'm not trying to bite anyone's heads off...yet...since i haven't seen pixel one of any design proposals. I'm just saying that this is a pretty big project in a pretty accessible part of town (both freeway and mass transit) and that it should be planned as such. The City should take advantage of the bargaining power it has with the hefty "loan" they're handing over. I know it's not a CMHA project, but they should advocate for the replacement of AT LEAST the amount of housing that is being destroyed for this project. If they can do mixe-use in Westlake, why not in Cleveland? And if the problem is that the area isn't well-designed or planned, why proliferate that with another auto-centric development? Start with something positive right now! Rysar has their designers in line with the Rockport development...let's see some more of that attractive work down the road! That being said, I look forward to seeing this project take shape.

Couldn't find this anywhere else, so here it is: Cleveland loan helps create W. 117th St. shopping center Tuesday, June 07, 2005 Susan Vinella Plain Dealer Reporter More than 100 residents on Cleveland's West Side will move from their homes soon to make way for a retail development project featuring Target and Giant Eagle. Cleveland City Council approved a $6 million loan Monday to local developer Rysar Properties, which will use the money to help buy 109 properties on West 117th Street just north of Interstate 90. The homes, along with the Highland Party Center, will be demolished to make room for the big-box retailer and supermarket. The development will also include a gas station and convenience store. Rysar President Ken Lurie said he will pay a total of $17 million for the properties and has signed contracts with all of the owners. He expects to complete the purchases in the next several months. The target date for the store openings is March 2007. Advertisement Rysar will not have to repay the loan. City tax revenue generated by the project will be used to repay the loan when the development is done. Council President Frank Jackson, who will run for mayor in the fall, and Mayor Jane Campbell both applauded the $50 million project. the remainder of the article is at http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/1118136899257602.xml&coll=2 I don't know too much about this project, but it doesn't exactly sound like the type of development the majority of us arel pushing for here at UrbanOhio! Big box, gas station and housing demolition??? this is just south of the West 117th Red Line station and we're all talking about ways to improve TOD around these stations, so why are both the Mayor and City Council pushing this type of development forward with incentives like a $6 million "loan" that doesn't require repayment??? This sounds like Severance Town Center, which sticks out like a sore thumb in the otherwise great urban suburb of Cleveland Heights...let's be careful with this one! Maybe Rysar will surprise us and build mixed-use...but isn't it up to the City to make sure that they do???

well, of course we'd need a garage...i know those SPACES are totally necessary, but we can definitely make better use of the SPACE! And it's a rare opportunity where the City actually owns the land, and it's so convenient to transit and there are views and it's already a hot neighborhood! Cleveland could actually turn a nice profit with a for-sale development and some tax revenues... so, build a garage with residential above and retail frontage (it doesn't have to look like a garage!) and then develop the remaining blocks after that's done. easy as pie!

that's great! anything that says "we care about our neighborhood" is great for residents, merchants and developers. Now, to fill in those empty spaces around the pocket parks... this is a great move for the CDC and it's great to know that this type of thing can happen from the neighborhood level, since it would likely take much longer if run out of City Hall. it should provide a great example to others around Downtown and the rest of the city!

fantastic! Spaces is a great gallery and really the reason that I found the whole Viaduct project back about 4-5 years ago...so, what kind of events are you guys working on for the viaduct??? and what's the deal with all those cars??? is that permanent parking or is that just until the whole thing is finished up??? this sight has put a serious damper on my evening...

any updates on these two projects??? The Mueller Condos should be quite close to the new Chinatown developments that were mentioned at http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=3128.0

how many employees does Office Max have? Their Shaker Heights offices are pretty big! Unless they've thinned out since the merger. regardless, I don't like this idea unless it's a leave Greater Cleveland/Stay in Greater Cleveland question. As much as I like hearing about jobs moving from the suburbs to the center city, that part of Shaker/Warrensville heights could use the office jobs...and it's transit accessible/high density...

On a side note, since this is one of the most dense housing developments in the city now and there's no retail component on the Flats level, what are things looking like in regard to retail on the Viaduct level? The only thing I can think of that was there several years ago when this project was just getting started was Spaces art gallery. They were one of the top galleries in the city back then and I hope they're flourishing even more now! My other question is about the riverfront space across from the apartments. Since we now have dead space on the Flats level below the apartments, what will happen across the street? Do we see this as an opportunity for more development or as a potential promenade/park site? Same question for the east side of the viaduct on the Flats level...

On the topic of the trolley line... an ooooold post from the RTA website (the Superior Viaduct connection is down at the bottom): Friday, July 18, 2003 Public operation of century-old trolleys attracts national attention CLEVELAND – Transit buffs from around the nation are expected to flock here on July 26-27 for the rare experience of riding century-old trolley cars. The event Rides will be offered from 1-7 p.m. on Saturday, July 26, and 1-6 p.m. on Sunday, July 27, on the 2.2-mile light-rail Waterfront Line, part of the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (RTA). Rides cost $3 each -- the same price as an All-Day Pass, and purchasing the pass is being encouraged. The cars will stop at all six stations, from Tower City to the South Harbor Station in the Lakefront Municipal Parking lot. The weekend is a joint effort of: * RTA * Flats Oxbow Association * Gerald E. Brookins Museum of Electric Railways, dba Trolleyville, U.S.A. * The Western Reserve Historical Society * Enerco/Mr.Heater * Stonebridge Development Interurban Cars 36 (a 1902 Stephenson) and 303 (a 1906 Niles) were formerly operated by the Chicago, Aurora & Elgin (CA&E) railroad. They are now owned by Trolleyville, U.S.A. Interurbans have not been used in Cleveland since 1938. Over the past few weeks, RTA has made operational upgrades to the vehicles without disturbing their historical beauty. Select RTA rail operators have received special training on the trolley cars. They will be operated as one two-car train, with a maximum of 100 seats. Standees will be permitted. "We expect large crowds, and we encourage people to come early," says RTA CEO and General Manager Joe Calabrese. "We have already received inquiries from Chicago and Boston, from trolley fans who are making this weekend the focus of their vacation." On Thursday, July 24, the cars will be on public display on the center light-rail track at the Tower City station from 9:30-11 a.m. and 1-3 p.m. There will be an invitation-only VIP/media tour from 11 a.m.-1 p.m., when the trains will travel from Tower City to Shaker Square and back. During the public operation on Saturday and Sunday, volunteer tour guides wearing period costumes will ride all trains to talk about the trolleys and give RTA service info. Bicycles and wheelchairs are prohibited on the trolley cars, but are permitted on other RTA light-rail cars on the Waterfront Line are. All RTA media, including weekly and monthly passes, will be honored. The reason Trolleyville, U.S.A., a nearly 50-year old antique streetcar museum formerly located in Olmsted Township, has to move, and wants to relocate in downtown Cleveland. A new complex would be designed to include an interpretative center where the public can view the more than 40 antique streetcars, car display storage facilities, a state-of-the art restoration facility and a new right-of-way in Cleveland. Trolleyville, U.S.A. is the more familiar name for the Gerald E. Brookins Museum of Electric Railways. Since the early 1960s, Trolleyville, U.S.A. has given school children, fans and family a chance to see and experience this grand form of transportation. Trolleyville, U.S.A, officials believe it is important for this collection to stay in Cleveland, and RTA's Calabrese agrees. "These trolley cars are part of Cleveland transit history," Calabrese says. "It would be best for everyone, including RTA, if these cars stayed here. We are pleased to work with Trolleyville, U.S.A., to give our customers this unique experience, and increase their awareness of these cars' historic value." The history Cleveland had its first taste of electric-powered transit in 1884, when an experimental railroad opened along Central Avenue. Over the next decade, the City chartered trolley lines connecting every neighborhood with Public Square. Over the years, Cleveland led the industry in improvements of trolley operations, from the Peter Witt design of Front Entrance/Center Exit car design, to the first line in the country to connect the urban center with their airport. In 1942, the city purchased the Cleveland Railway, creating the Cleveland Transit System (CTS), which gradually replaced the trolleys with modern diesel busses. On a frigid day in January 1954, a trolley left Public Square for a trip down Bridge and Madison Avenues for the last time, marking the end of an era in Ohio. The recent redevelopment of the Superior Viaduct with working trolley tracks has shown the possibility of a trolley operation that could connect the Viaduct and the West Side Market with the East Bank of the Flats, Ohio Canal Corridor Canal Basin Park and the RTA Waterfront Line. For more information about Trolleyville, U.S.A., call 216.556.0100. also, check out the Trolleyville USA site at www.trolleyvilleusa.org (duh)

Yes, details! You'll have to keep us posted (as much as you can without conflicting interests) on how sales are moving along and what kind of retail tenants you get to sign on. As for the residential, this is all for sale? What are the prices?

fantastic! I can't wait to see them...

What's up with that second option??? I know it is financially less $$$, which they cited as critical to the entire $700 million highway plan for Downtown, but if the current bridge isn't stable, shouldn't the new one try to accommodate both east and westbound traffic??? and how horrible would that be to have TWO ginormous bridges in that spot for the next 40 years?!?! I'm for option 3, which is easy to say, but difficult to execute...

ummm, yeah! sounds great! I'd really like to get into the brains and wallets of these organizations and see what's possible and what's just never going to happen. Give me a year or two...

ooooh! very nice! that whole neighborhood is on it's way to bigger and brighter things in the next 10 years... it's already got a good head of steam going! btw, are those slated to be rentals or for sale???

that's good, and it was still early in the spring and there was at least a month of snow left (!!!), so it's sure to pick up in the summer. last time I was up there, far before the buildings were finished, I was envisioning great programming and active use of the outdoor seating that runs up and down the viaduct. In particular, there was a huge blank wall on the south side of the viaduct that looked like the perfect spot to project a movie...anyone like this idea??? Get some folding chairs out there, set up a rolling cart with booze and snacks? sounds awesome! i'll check it out this weekend and see what's happening these days.

What about this for a potential TOD??? There is a distinct, albeit small "dead space" gap between the West 25th Street Red Line station and the mixed-use, high density hub of Market Square. It seems to me that new housing and commercial space around here would sell/lease like hotcakes. With the Riverview project in the works and housing in Ohio City being amongst the hottest in the city, it would make sense for the City of Cleveland to consider developing the parking lots that it owns around the West Side Market. I can envision a mid-rise, mixed-use development with small streets winding behind the market. The views and amenities would be amazing and the existing and new parking could be accommodated in one or two garages. The buildings around the station are either disconnected by the RTA-owned Rapid ravine or are underused and auto-oriented. Those could be purchased and redeveloped over the years as well. There's really nothing happening between the end of the Lorain-Carnegie Bridge and West 25th, when it should be a major entryway to the West Side and the Market Square area...

clvlndr, good assessment...again, I'm looking forward to getting back to town and checking this all out with fresh eyes! I'm interested in this row near Gordon Square. Do you know of any photos anywhere? Is it part of a particular city initiative/program???

So, do something IMPRESSIVE!!! Blow our minds with a thoughtful, unique, attention-grabbing development next to your "dying" shopping center! I'm sure an RFP for their site could come up with some really great ideas...and I can't imagine a single one ignoring the glaring development potential of Scranton across the way! I'm thinking of the picture that was posted earlier that featured the boutique hotels along San Antonio's Riverwalk...really address the river...make it beautiful, accessible, and profitable!

So, how's the Viaduct looking? Is it active? A work in progress? I'm looking forward to checking it out next week when I'm in town. I haven't been by there in almost two years!

I would by crying "crybaby" if Forest City was saying that it was abandoning plans for the site altogether. They're clearly not trying to sell it without a certain type of development in place, so they're sharing our vision for the site as an incredible place. Maybe they just came to realize that it was an awkward and inappropriate spot for the Convention Center...which I would agree with...and now they're going to revisit the possibilities. I know we're all tooting the "high end residential" horn and pushing for links to the Scranton Peninsula and a future neighborhood development there, but is anyone else here thinking that they're going to hold onto it a bit longer and see if the casino bill passes? I think I might even support that type of development here! In regard to the future of the Convention Center, I think the right site won out and I hope that the politicians are right when they say that the process should now be accellerated. It still remains to be seen whether or not a new Convention Center is the right investment for our money-starved city and county, but we'll find out a lot sooner this way...and with the best location possible.

I've never really liked the Lakeside frontage on this building, but the views from the west (thanks MayDay!) are great. I try to imagine how the building will look at night when you'll be able to see lights on and possibly even activity through the gigantic windows!

interesting...I'd not heard of this yet. Is anyone actually talking about a new station? Doubtful right now with all the other RTA projects in the works, but cool to think about. What are the surroundings like? Any commercial district or at least zoning that would allow it? I'm all for little pockets of activity that are well-connected by transit or vibrant communities!

I'm all for more active police foot and bike patrols, but what is the majority impression going to be? Are communities going to feel like they're being "watched," or being "served?" I don't know if this has been mentioned here yet, but I'm wondering if the idea of community oriented policing is being promoted in this effort. This involves having officers who regularly serve a particular neighborhood and are not only be able to provide a a more visible police presence on the street, but also a friendly, familiar face to community residents who really want this positive change. This, in turn, will evoke more active surveillance by residents and the communities can grow together around the increased police presence, rather than feel like they're on lock-down. I could be getting the wrong impression here and I know that this is a temporary initiative, but I worry about community reaction to new, unfamiliar police faces...They're not always viewed as "friends," afterall...

i think one might even be a B&B...

As for these modern rowhouses in Cleveland Heights, Ohio City, etc...I'd like to see full blocks redone. We've got beautiful new homes along Lee Road in Cleveland Heights, but they don't fit in with the rest of the block. It doesn't have to all be one developer...people should be itching to get in on these projects in some of our neighborhoods...creating interesting combinations of style and form. This being said, there are a few recent examples that I really like, in addition to the Beacon Place development, and that fit in well with their surroundings... ---Villa Carabelli Townhomes and Edgehill Townhomes in Little Italy, ---The massive grouping (and full blocks) of new Tremont townhomes along Literary, 6th and 7th ---Cedarmount Condominiums on Cedar Hill in Cleveland Heights and hopefully many more to come! I'll be setting off on many photo shoots upon my return to Cleveland and I'll do a posting of the "Cleveland Rowhouse," new and old when I can...