Map Boy

Thanks for the pics Musky! Sorry I had to call you out!

^Liar Upcoming ULI event: Thursday, February 8th 2007 The Vision – The Challenges – the Development: Steelyard Commons “ON-SITE” “Best Buy” in Steelyard Commons Best Buy is directly opposite Target Our Speakers are: Mitchell C. Schneider, President First Interstate Properties, Ltd. Todd S. Davis, Chief Executive Officer Hemisphere Development LLC Brooke Furio, City of Cleveland Land Revitalization Manager & USEPA Region 5, Cleveland Office, Brownfield & NPL Reuse Section Annette Stevenson, Partner, Ariel Ventures, LLC 3:30 PM Registration 4:00 PM to 5:45 PM Program Reception will immediately follow the program. Fee includes reception hors d’oeuvres, beer and wine. ULI Members: $45 ULI Member s - Student, YLG & Public: $35 Non-Members add $15 to your category. For website registration information: Go to the “calendar” link at cleveland.uli.org

^True that.

I went to DAAP for my undergraduate degree and yes, it was amazing. I don't keep up with the rankings, but from the sound of things, both of these industrial design programs are "top notch" and their links to engineering and business programs at UC, CSU, Tri-C, & CWRU add to their marketability. The problem for both of these schools (DAAP & CIA) is that we're exporting a huge chunk of our design talent! ps: Ned Hill did mention during his presentation last week that he has been in communication with both OSU and UC. So, we can all be friends after all!

That is certainly true. My aunt fell once trying to get onto one of the older, step-up buses and now refuses to take public transportation. Oh, and she doesn't drive. But that's another issue... The idea is that this will eventually be a high-density environment, though. And that more people would be likely to use the line if it were easier to get to. There are a number of examples of highly used lines traveling at street grade through historic, densely populated districts (Portland's Old Town comes to mind) that do so effectively and attractively. The next question is whether or not moving the line to the north (such a hypothetical) would discourage people on the north end of the E. 9th Street business district and in the Civic Center area from using it. Really? So, is this included in the Lakefront West planning process or will this be entirely separate? I haven't seen anything to date in this area...

From what I've heard (and I am working on finding out more), there are certain neighborhoods where a demolition permit requires that plans have been submitted for re-use of the site within 12 months. Downtown is one example, but there may be others. The other part of this is that the requirement really doesn't have any binding legal grounding. So, if after 6 months, the owner has decided not to go through with the project, they can just paint those parking stripes on extra thick and add some shrubbery around the periphery and call it a day.

ok, setting aside all of my petty criticism of the fencing (and keeping in mind that I said all this buzz has to be flattering for the developers), I must say that the one thing that really is missing from this signage is some big images of the project. The only ones I could find on the sign were woefully small! I hope we'll see more images on-site of what is being built as the project progresses.

And you went into EVERY one of them! I just saw the print edition of the "Tailored" article and must give many props to the PD for this colorful and informative piece. There are a number of nice shots of the featured retailers, as well as a handy map of Downtown with 14 clothiers plotted on it. Great job Roxanne Washington!

Nice to see a positive article about Downtown retail! Here's some more: Tower City filling gap: 4 tenants on the way Wednesday, January 31, 2007 Janet H. Cho Plain Dealer Reporter Tower City Center is losing one longtime tenant and gaining four others in coming months. Forever 21, a Los Angeles-based retailer that caters to teenagers and young women, will move into the space on the food court level that The Gap vacated Friday when its lease was up. Forever 21, which sells inexpensive, trendy outfits, jewelry and accessories, will open in the spring, said Diane Thomas, senior marketing coordinator at Tower City. More at cleveland.com http://www.cleveland.com

I love Santiago's final quote in the article:

I can't find any renderings of the Gateway Townhomes, but based on the site plan, it looks like a logical place to build next.

i guess I should've known who I was talking to...

Perhaps on the West Shoreway, but not on the eastern portion! I like the idea of running the WFL through North Coast Harbor as a more street grade system. I don't know where exactly they'd put it, but it could certainly make the system more attractive and convenient. Anyone have any idea if there are any plans in the future to buy cars that would have low floors (like Portland's MAX) for the Blue/Green/WF lines so you can walk on/off without any steps?

yeah, I think I can hold out until it opens at TC...

This is the first time I've heard public subsidies referred to as "likely." They had been shied away from since the beginning because this project was ideally going to prove that it was market driven. I'm not saying I'm surprised or that it's inappropriate to include them in the equation...just point it out.

Underground Station looks like they'll carry some of what Grind carries on W.25th, just south of Lorain. That shop is very nice...cool space, nice windows and displays and a good selection of clothing & shoes. The three times I've been in there, the clerks/owners have been very nice and helpful as well. They seemed sincerely interested in what I liked and what I wanted that wasn't there.

I have a crappy red picket fence, which accurately reflects the humility of the residents behind the fence. I know we're being petty (and probably pretty annoying to any readers from Zaremba or TT), but it's just more evidence of how excited we all are about the project and how closely we're watching it progress! I mean, they've gotta be flattered, in a way, to see how many posts there have been on something so trivial as a new set of signs on the site!

what do you think? of course I'm kidding!

That's easily as disturbing as the effect that it will have on creating more population and retail sprawl from the center city and inner ring. There are some things that you can't reverse.

Holy crap!

That'll probably be pretty sweet. Too bad we'll need to demo a few more buildings to satisfy the extra parking demand!

how is it possible that this community (NEO) can support this much more retail on the periphery of the region? According to some figures, NEO has the highest amount of retail space per capita in the entire US of A!

That's going to do wonders for that corner. I'm very pleased! You'll notice that big men in grey suits who like to walk fast will be drawn to the area.

but if the initial directive towards these consumer products showrooms targeting large buyers comes through, there will be spinoff that caters to the average (or elite, as the case may be!) shopper...no doubt about it.

I hope none of Cleveland's earlier architectural and development wonders take any of-fence to this claim! I wonder if it was Thunder::Tech or Zaremba that thought up the verbiage...