Map Boy

I went in there a couple times when shopping for a suit for my wedding. The guy I talked with was nice and helpful (even set me up with a beer), but I ended up not liking the styles that they had. It was slim pickings in the petite department (I'm 5'9" and slim). I found what I was looking for at both Brooks Brothers (Tower City) and Jay Vee (West 9th). Jay Vee ended up being much more affordable and we got a great deal on 5 suits for the wedding.

so, do I need to retract my "woo hoo?"

got a flyer in the mail yesterday. Only two typos in this one! Reported that phase two of the Avenue is due to start soon, as is construction on the power house. Great news!

woo hoo!

On my previous note, and following up on a comment I made earlier in this thread, are all Red Line stations scheduled to receive new fare vending machines? I was disappointed to find at the W. 65th street station that only a change machine and weekly farecard machine were available. They looked like they were straight outta the 1980s. A little out-of-date for a new station, if you ask me!

Speaking of free transfers, one of the biggest "downgrades" in customer service and convenience in recent years has been the ability to transfer on a one-way trip without purchasing a daily pass or having a multi-ride card. On days where scheduling creates a conflict for me or my wife (we usually carpool) and one of us takes the bus home, we have to pay twice ($3.00): once in University Circle and once at Public Square, or purchase a daily unlimited ($3.50). When they had the old tear-off transfers, you didn't have to do this. I'd love to be able to purchase a multi-ride card at a station nearby, but they're hard to find and not exactly convenient to where we're located. Not sure if this will be remedied at all as proof-of-payment systems are put in play.

On top of the convocation center... duh!

Samantha Samuel obviously needs to get out more. "Awesome?" really Samantha? I think B&N planted her... And the big red cross? Obviously the Greater Cleveland Partnership said they would only fund College Town if they paid homage to the Cleveland+ branding campaign. I think they went a little overboard here, but what can you do? If you want to be visible to helicopter and small aircraft traffic, you've gotta be bold!

yeah, that was pretty sweet. btw: my brother-in-law is doing Browns coverage for ColumbusSports.com check it out at http://www.columbussports.com/content/writers/steven_sikes-gilbert/index.shtml

plus, there are dog parks and then there are dog runs. You can have a nice dog run in a quiet spot and keep it from getting out of control. Union Square and Washington Squares in NYC each have one and Washington Square is in the heart of an old residential quarter. If anything, the constant stream of people to the destination and the extra "eyes on the street" would be a boon for wherever we'd put one.

Well I learned something today! I always thought that "Big Pink" (US Bancorp Tower) was Portland, Oregon's tallest building, but apparently Wells Fargo's got it beat by 10'!

^college journalism... Thanks for sharing those images, Musky. I like what I'm seeing. My only initial qualm is with the two awnings over the southeast entrance? Is the second one aesthetic (for balance) or does it actually serve a purpose (shielding southern exposure from the lobby/atrium)?

I didn't realize there was another diagonal split in the roads around E. 12th & Superior back then. Who can tell me about that? The lack of surface parking in that photo is glorious... [sigh]

I think they just kept the fence that was already there. I would imagine it was there to preserve calm inside when there were unsavory uses outside. Now, it may be useful to appease neighbors who don't want rowdy drinkers spilling out onto the street. I would imagine it could be reduced in size, but it does create a nice feel for those inside. On the other hand, it would be nice for the neighborhood (at times) to be able to see that activity.

dropped in on Reddstone last night for a couple beers with an out-of-town friend who'd asked for a bike tour of the neighborhood. I obliged, of course! Battery Park is looking better by the week and the bar was busy. The indoor space is quite small, but I liked the dark decor and the layout. The menu was temporary and the taps weren't open yet, but they are on pace for the big "official" opening in October. The patio was the best part to me. Very cozy and beautiful on this particular night. You could see the new homes over the top of the fence. The only issue I had with the place was that they made claims to open a bar with a great rock n' roll juke box or music selection or whatever it was (or at least that's how I remembered it) and the first song I heard upon sitting down was Cher's big hit from 1999. Not sure how that fits in. Otherwise, good times and I look forward to heading back often!

piggy-backing on that last W. 117th comment, does RTA plan to put any signage on top of the platform at W. 117th? I was driving under the bridges the other day and was surprised that this wasn't part of the new station. It would help with visibility, would create a landmark, and could help increase positive perception of the RTA as a transit option for all the motorists and others who pass through there each day.

as individual stores open, they've done their own marketing. I've gotten stuff in the mail from Target and Home Depot about the new stores. I actually got mail from Target for both SYC and W. 117th. SYC did marketing with the PD, where the Sunday news bag was a big SYC ad. That was for a couple weeks right when the place opened.

we used to go from John Carroll to Ignatius in under 20 minutes during rush hour when we were in high school. But we broke all sorts of traffic laws... as for 490 and the O.C., the view is that it will aid the southern suburbs in getting to places like University Circle. And the economic development through the desolate Forgotten Triangle area, of course.

Continental doesn't fly to Burke, but it holds sway there Posted by Susan Vinella and Henry J. Gomez September 24, 2007 01:05AM Ask Cleveland officials for one reason not to close Burke Lakefront Airport, and they'll give you four: • It would cost too much -- about $1 billion to build a new runway at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, which would have to absorb Burke's air traffic. • The diverted traffic would clog the airways near Hopkins, causing delays for its top carrier, Continental Airlines, which generates much of the airport's revenue. • Pilots and passengers like Burke because of its convenient downtown location. The Federal Aviation Administration certifies it as one of the safest airports in the region. • Cuyahoga County Airport in Richmond Heights has a shorter runway and could not accommodate Burke's jet traffic -- even if nearby residents welcomed it.... www.cleveland.com

I have an idea, but I wouldn't know without checking the County records, which I'll leave up to you!

It's interesting that you hear one story saying that because people are buying more fuel efficient cars, gas tax collection is down, but then you hear another saying that people are choosing to live farther and farther from work, so they're driving more. I don't know if we're evening out here or not, but I think the biggest factor in terms of the ODOT budget has got to be rising construction costs. And with the amount of time it takes us to get projects moving, the initial project cost projections are usually way under what the actual price tag becomes. The West Shoreway is an example. Every month we delay, the price tag grows and we stand to lose either key elements of the plan or the entire project! I shudder to think of which projects ODOT will drop. Perhaps they should begin shifting their focus a bit more towards more sustainable transportation projects that wouldn't require them to expand and maintain new freeways every year! (but that's another thread)

yeah, I noticed that too... silly editors! And here's more good news on the education front: Montessori high school will open in University Circle next fall Botanical Garden planned as school's home, for now Monday, September 24, 2007 Angela Townsend Plain Dealer Reporter A Montessori high school is on track to open in University Circle next fall, though it won't have a permanent home for at least three years. Initially, the school will rent space at the Cleveland Botanical Garden, the Cleveland Museum of Natural History and the Western Reserve Historical Society. The plan is to eventually have a permanent building in the heart of University Circle and use the cultural and educational institutions there as resources. Only 15 high schools in the country currently carry the Montessori name. Cleveland's will be the first private Montessori high school... more at: http://www.cleveland.com

the more brick, the better, if you ask me!

Both sites are in exciting stages right now, but I'm more interested these days in popping by the townhomes to see how their exteriors are shaping up... anyone been by this week?

Here's the thread from last year's event: http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=10496.0