Map Boy

Welcome (prematurely) to Cleveland! StrapHanger beat me to the question... If you're working at the Clinic, that doesn't necessarily mean you can park at the Clinic. You could choose to live in Little Italy (one mile from your job) and they may give you a parking permit for the Muni Lot (5 miles from your job). So, if you're planning to drive to work, you'll need to sort that out. If you choose to rely on transit, the Clinic has several options, but depending on where you choose to live, you could find transit or biking to be a hassle. A little enlightenment there would help those of us on the forum give you better information. Aside from echoing the responses that you've already heard (Cleveland Heights, Little Italy, Shaker Square, Ohio City, Tremont), I'd add Detroit-Shoreway, which is just west of Ohio City and a 20 minute drive to the Clinic, and University Circle, which is adjacent to the Clinic campus. D-S has some new shops, new and old restaurants, affordable houses and apartments (rentals and for-sale) and is a short walk/bike ride to Lake Erie. It's also close to everything that Ohio City has to offer. University Circle has lots of rental options and will have more for-sale options in the near future. It's the hub for arts & culture in Cleveland and the large student population, which includes a lot of graduate students, ensures that you'll be surrounded by young folks. Here are a couple links to check out: www.dscdo.org www.universitycircle.org (see the "Live Here" page for rental info) www.parklanevilla.com (5-minute walk to the Clinic)

I couldn't tell you for sure that the Bop Stop is opened or closed (I know it's open some of the time, but I've never noticed any action over there). I see a few courses of action for Moda. My fave would be a brew 'n' view with second-run flicks, food, beer, etc. No liquor license, $2-3 movies, themes (Sci-fi month, 80s month, etc.), maybe even a micro-brewer? There are neighborhoods in Southeast Portland, OR where you can live within walking distance to 3 second-run theaters. They don't make their money on the ticket prices. They make money on the food & bevvies. Anyway, that's one option. Second, a music venue. I rarely go to the Beachland or Grog because they're on the other side of town. I loved Parish Hall, but that's history. I haven't been to the places in Lakewood since the 1990s, so I couldn't tell you if there'd be duplication there. Problem here is that any club that would go in there would still likely want that liquor license. So, is that the deal breaker or is it the proposed use that goes with the license? Third, and I almost hate to say it, would be a Johnny Malloy's-type place like the one in the old Centrum in Cleveland Heights. I don't want W. 25th to end up as the Near-West Side's sports bar district, but it seems to work well on Coventry and it doesn't have that component of being an events venue like a concert venue or club. There are certainly other options. I'm just shooting from the hip...

Must we constantly be reminded that we haven't seen any renderings of the project that represent the design of what will actually be built? We've seen massings and site plans and that's about it. As for being revolutionary, it would take something like bulldozers on Burke's tarmac to be labeled "revolutionary," but this is certainly one of the largest master planned developments of this complex nature (land assembly, infrastructure, geography & geology, finance, market conditions, expectations, partnerships, etc.) to have been tried in Cleveland in recent history. Sure, other cities have projects of this scale that are above the ground, or are inhabited already, but for every one that gets built, you've got to recognize that there are probably 100 that end up on a book shelf in the developer's office.

Wow, great job and a great year KJP! I hadn't seen that chocolate factory post yet. Is it in the Tremont thread?

As much as I love the recognition our offensive (and special teams) players are getting, I'd be content if none of them even went to Hawaii. All it takes is one play to lose Joe Thomas, BE, KW2, or anyone else for 12 months!

I went to the Market Cafe (E. 9th & Chester in the AmTrust Bldg.) the other afternoon and was very impressed with the quality of the spaces interiors. It looks like they gave a great deal of consideration to design and materials. The layout affords several unique seating areas, from booths to long tables to raised tables and so on. There are a number of counters where you can grab different types of food, from pizzas to sandwiches to soups and more. Much of it was under wraps while I was there (4:00-ish) and the place certainly wasn't busy, but the word on the streets is that the place is slammed during lunch hour. In the evening, it was a cozy place to sit in the window and sip some beer (they have a good wine list and a tapas menu too) with friends. They stay open 'til 8:00 during the week, so I hope they're getting more customers after work hours. I left at 5:00, so I don't know. I recommend you check it out at least once!

oh, right. Well, they've had a couple/few segments of concrete work that they've had to do twice and probably a number of other smaller snafus...

I understand that the opinions expressed by Litt and others in regard to the NRV are totally subjective, so I'll add mine. I think it's great from an urban form and architecture perspective. I like the blatant reference to the college architecture of two centuries ago, but I also like that the lines are crisp and bold like the architecture of the 1930s and 40s. And the interiors? Man, I wanted to start college all over again... And yes, 3231, CWRU would love to expand that style (and quality) across E. 115th and replace the blase buildings that sit there today (can you imagine how bummed you'd be if you lived in one of those and your best buddy lived in the NRV???), but it appears that the budget was busted on phase 1. Don't worry, though, it'll happen someday!

just that it seems like the lights should be over the sidewalk, instead of the road, especially considering that roadway lights will be in the middle of Euclid at that location. Unless I've got that wrong. I still may be off, but that's just what my first (and continued) reaction is.

Well, I'm convinced that they're installing them backwards!

Keep University Circle (east side of Cleveland, just down the hill from Cleveland Heights) in mind. With the number of students and other non-traditional or seasonal tenants, there's always stuff opening up. Plus, the neighborhood organization, University Circle Incorporated, rents apartments and a number of beautiful single-family homes: http://www.universitycircle.org/content/live_here.asp

While riding the Silver Line last week, I couldn't help but notice that these street lights, which appear to be of a more pedestrian nature, are facing out over the street. Now, since I don't see taller lights over the street, maybe these really are street lights, but my impression was that they were intended to be pedestrian lights and were installed backwards. Guess that's just me being negative, since the ECTP hasn't made any silly mistakes like this yet... :wink:

By the way: EUCLID CORRIDOR CONSTRUCTION ALERT - EUCLID/EAST 86TH - EAST 107TH TRAFFIC CHANGES AND CLOSURES Beginning January 15, 2008, reconstruction work will begin between East 86th and East 107th Street. The following areas will be affected until August 2008: - Two-way traffic will be maintained between East 86th and East 87th; - From East 87th to East 89th one-way traffic will be maintained WESTBOUND; - Cleveland Clinic Main Entrance will be accessible via East 93rd; - Euclid Avenue and all side streets leading into Euclid Avenue will be CLOSED to through traffic from East 89th to East 97th; - One way Euclid Avenue traffic will be maintained EASTBOUND from East 97th to East 107th; - East 89th NORTHBOUND traffic lane will be CLOSED to through traffic. SOUTHBOUND traffic will have access to Euclid Avenue; - The WESTBOUND Euclid Avenue traffic from the East side will be detoured to Chester Avenue at Martin Luther King Blvd. Traffic will travel along Chester Avenue to bypass the construction. The detour will direct traffic to East 89th for access to Euclid Avenue; - The EASTBOUND Euclid Avenue traffic will be detoured North on East 87th. Traffic will follow Chester Avenue to East 97th where it will regain access to Euclid Avenue.

^shut up! that's great! And Jerry, I signed up two weeks ago, so you didn't even need to ask me!

#2 business trend to watch this year, from the Cleveland.com Real Estate blog: 2 Downtown deals Commercial development downtown might be a more uplifting antidote to the gut-cramping struggles of Cleveland's residential market this year. Between ambitious mixed-use projects aimed at revitalizing pockets of the center city and a game of musical chairs played by some of the city's biggest and most desirable office tenants, downtown could see changes around its edges and along its skyline this year. More at http://blog.cleveland.com/business/real_estate/

This is general advice, as every project built in the recently formed district must go through the local design review before City Planning Commission. As some of the more high-profile projects that we've all been talking about on here get revved up in 2008, they'll be making appearances on the UCDD agenda. The meetings are open to the public, just like the Planning Commission meetings.

love the series... quality shots. I look forward to seeing the last few when they're back up!

As far as I am aware, the only setback will be a slight nudge at the corner of Euclid & E. 117th, which is necessary because of the ECTP's provision of wide turning radii at some intersections, this being one of them. There is an alley between the proposed building and the Euc. I believe it is on the Euc's property, but I'm not sure. Parking will be in the rear for visitors (25 or so spaces) staff will park in CWRU's NRV garage, a half-block away. I like the design. I disagree with Litt about the lack of ambition and boldness in this design. I think the progress from earlier stages to this one has been noticeable and wholly positive. It's subjective at this point, though, so I'm not saying anyone is "wrong." Keep an eye on the UCDD agenda (http://www.universitycircle.org/content/design_review_district.asp) for more intriguing agenda items...

I went there last year, so it couldn't have been that long!

what about Royal Saffron on E. 9th & Euclid? or have they closed too?

It's like an infection!

do you know of a good map of this area?

the latest issue of Planning magazine (the monthly publication of the American Planning Association) has a story about the conflicts between historic preservation and sustainable design (specifically, the LEED rating system). It features the Breuer building prominently in the discussion, but is already a bit out of date, as the issue of the County pulling out isn't mentioned. It's not online yet, so no text to post yet...

From Cleveland Scene: Lunch Off the Menu at New Budapest Blue Fri Jan 04, 2008 at 01:45:08 PM If life really is what happens while you’re making other plans, Ilona Simon and her crew at Budapest Blue have been livin’ large. Consider: Just a few weeks after the Blue – Simon’s new venture inside Ohio City’s former Halite -- launched lunch service, two key members of her team, daughter Vera Durejko and partner Leonard DiCosimo, were put out of commission by nasty falls. “I'm like a coach whose first-string are all on the injury list, and there's no second string ... how can you still play the game?” wonders Simon, whose other gig is Independence’s highly successful martini and wine bar, Budapest Blonde. As a result, lunch service is now off the table at the Blue, until further notice. In its place, Simon has decided to stick with the game plans she first developed at Blonde, focusing her attention on crafting a comfy wine and martini bar with what she calls “a wonderful evening lounge atmosphere. “Our injured 'family' staffing can handle that right now. We’ll have to see what the future holds for us being restaurateurs!” Budapest Blue is located at 2800 Clinton Ave.; current hours are Tuesday through Thursday 5 p.m. - 11 p.m.; Friday 5 p.m. - 1 a.m., and Saturday 7 p.m.-1 a.m. Stop in and drink to their health. -- Elaine T. Cicora

Thank you MayDay! It's nice to see the next stage of work creeping up the facade from the lower floors.