Etheostoma Caeruleum

The novelty wears off.

If I owned a property and someone was sitting on my doorstep (doorstep meaning a part of the building I own) the property owner would then have a right to ask them to move. Would you allow someone to sit on your front doorstep and take a leak, or maybe more? And yes, that is what happens often in some areas. It is going on right now on the square but I do not want to mention the place. Maybe instead of a dog park, we need "homeless parks" where they can safely and privately sleep, go to the toilet, etc... There could be little human dog houses for shelter and the Amish can supply those and we'd generate a new economy from this! That would bear the taking up camp on the city's front door--and NO, I am not suggesting we ignore the issue with out of site/mind, but it is hardly ignored here and doubt it will be out of site. Afterall, how can this scene on a prime avenue be beneficial for attracting new interest... :-o Such is a sad scene occupying, as R&R indicated...a place that should be kept prime looking. Is that the first impression we want to portray of the street? On a previous post I made, I also never refuted the fact that a tenant has the right to move. I was simply stating what is happening as a result of the shifting around. Keeping a place totally empty or barely occupied is not helping the cause either. Although I would like to fully agree with your point about newer places forcing slack landlords to giddy up with polishing up their properties, and actually I think it should.... The reality probably would be that it would do little. I would hate to see these places demolished and more parking lots created that would take us back to early 60's 9th where there were surface lots. I remember seeing that in an aerial photo on here somewhere. There are just too many large properties in this area that are sitting virtually dead. a 20-plus story tower....a 29 story tower. As a general rule, I just like the idea of utilizing and exploring the use of existing spaces first. The approach needs to be aggressive...not desperate, but aggressive.

Amen! You want the truth... you need to seek it out. "fair and balanced" does not mean factual and accurate.

^ That sounds good in this case, and in that case I would favor moves.... but what about the problem of risking allowing those properties that become vacant to sit for a looooong time to the point they begin to crumble. What you describe is good if there is investment banging on the door standing in line waiting to occupy a building. But that is not the case as much as we'd like it to be here right now.

I have witnessed on numerous occasions, stores that were well carved into the fabric of the community/neighborhoods....leave for so called "greener pastures" only to fail. The bottom line is this... If people want these places to flourish, they need to spend their money with them and forget about price for a second as the big discount they get comes at the expense of losing all that makes a given community individually unique. Many independents offer things that the big chains do not and this has helped them carve a niche. Still, to answer the typical question of "why pay more" I can think of a dozen reasons, but the one at the top of the list is because I do not want to see my city become a ghost town....and I would rather spend my money with those who keep the money here...and not those who end up channeling more out for the satisfaction of their stockholders. I would rather support stakeholders. The experience to me is a forgotten one, one that someday many will regret to have lost...a real experience with merchant to customer, a real interaction with a real body...one who more often than not, knows their product well too. Well, if I go on, I will list the many other reason it pays to support good independents but that could constitute a whole other thread. All in all, we eventually learn that what we thought was such a great deal...isn't that great at all.

^ The part about "being forced to take the train" demonstrates just how embedded minds are into the auto-only culture... But in contrast, and many here I would think feel the same.... I feel as though I have been forced to be a part of driving and to take part in all the expenses associated with it...as we all really were because it has been the only choice.

^ I have always saw a lot of this as musical chairs....or for lack of a better way to put it.. "sprawl within downtown" The cultural obsession with "new" I see as a driving force as well. With creativity many buildings can likely be renovated and adapted to new needs. There must be a whole industry out there that earns a paycheck from promoting such ideas and ventures with the salesman to promote the philosophy, but again... it takes some imagination and creativity...and especially on the economic end to show how and why it can be more feasible, if and when it can be. Instead of building new, I have always thought making what we already have the best it can be should be a priority first....just like in the case of filling existing voids with something socially redeeming and useful/attractive...before adding new. What was disturbing the most...as with most CDC articles are the comments that illustrate just how disconnected many people are with their city.

Wow! Can't believe no one had much to say about this article in the PD.

^ The reason many ask why they would "not just drive" is because they have grown up on one model only...and that is...the auto-dependent landscape. Few know no other way or scene....that simple. As for selling it, all egos need to be set aside and those who oppose need to forget what they think they know about rail and/or this project and learn. This would be helped if they had better information distributed to them via mainstream boob media, but they don't.

Might be a good idea. Maybe too many names makes too much confusion and sets things up for expectations to be high for too any things---and if something fails...now we have accused of failing....The Avenue District.. AND The 9-12 District which I am sure CDC'ers would salivate over to make their comments! This area, with some simple changes to start, would make it more appealing.

Did anyone see this yet? Ambitious ideas and hopefully some will happen, but what is really depressing is to continue to read the mostly over exaggerated comments about crime downtown, "no one wants to come downtown", etc..etc... the usual drivel. I do wish articles like this would not point out so much ambition until it is ready to happen.... This is because if it does not, it gives the Cleveland inferiority complex a chance to rocket. Ironically, from reading the comments, I have come to the idea that many who bitch about certain situations downtown or in Cleveland, end up supporting politicians who support political policies that breed the Cleveland/downtown situations they (CDC Peanut Gallery Dooms Dayers) deem negative and point out the most in the first place! I do not think they'll ever make the connections. Its easier to blame Kucinich for everything including their obesity, ED, and balding issues! It is good to know what those who have not been downtown in 25 years are saying and how to rebuttal this stuff, because it is this kind of information that spreads like cancer furthering the local inferiority complex/bad images to last indefinitely and affect another generation who gives this place a chance with a clean slate! I saw one or two well thought comments. Maybe some here can check them out and counter. Anyway, here is the link to the article. http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2010/11/downtown_advocates_aim_to_rebr.html#_login Oh, am I allowed to post the link like that?

Stucky doesn't fumble...Browns drive a bit more...kick the winner. Too bad. Pivotal.

If we don't get rail as an alternative we can start a new movement called "All ABORT Ohio!" Because we know how much Kasich cares about brain drain/people leaving Ohio for another place!

The Rugby team I wish we had.

I know this project is still at the moment, but will leaving nothing in all the windows just invite unnecessary damage in the meanwhile? It looks as though this will be a while and all the elements can simply fly right in. Any comments about this project lately? (S.field Bldg.)

Did anyone happen to notice the water running down the side of this building last night? What was up with that? There was no one there and it was as though a pipe broke or something.

^ I think it meant it was the 6th largest city in the nation.

Official Grand Opening of The Flaming Ice Cube this Saturday...Drawings, gifts, music, free samples and more.... Here is the information: http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs025/1101677680861/archive/1103896437240.html

Btw, the Gatehouse restoration effort to get the funds is moving along. If anyone wants an update on that let me know and I will forward it. Also, if you read any of those John Stark Bellamy books about Cleveland crime and disaster stories, you will find many interred here and who have some pretty odd, creepy, dysfunctional, and downright dramatic stories. There are more plans to have more interpretive tours of the cemetery.

Very nice.. btw.. Bengals should have beat the Smellers. Damn!

This is some improvement. The windows were a waste and almost as bad as the 668 thing.

^ Do you have it in the code where one can inset it into their website?

I sent the letter to Kasich contacts. I also posted it on my blog which gets around. It was just a general appeal for mercy without name calling or politics. His bullying tactic to stop this project really needs a punch back by those who demand transportation alternatives to automobile oriented means.

What's the best place to send emails/letters to Kasich and the boys?

^ Stop in at the "cube on the square" for some great healthy quenchers on the go or after!