3231

Yes, they are looking at doing more apartments downtown (renovation).

If Positively Cleveland's marketing efforts weren't so embarrassing, then I'd be more sympathetic towards them.

What other "chop jobs" do you know of? Do you did about how this would triple the amount of shows that could come to the theater?

Is there something new to discuss?

Ohio City Run & Crawl to Mark Its Fifth Year on Saturday, June 19, 2010! Runners throughout greater Cleveland will be pleased to know that the Cleveland area's most unique urban running event will once again be a fixture on the 2010 summer race calendar. Join us Saturday, June 19, 2009, at 7:00 p.m. for the Ohio City Run & Crawl, an evening 5K run through the streets of Cleveland's historic Ohio City neighborhood followed by a pub and restaurant crawl featuring dozens of local establishments. The Run & Crawl continues to grow in popularity. Hundreds of runners are expected this year to fill the Ohio City streets and take in the sights, sounds and suds of the neighborhood. More details on the event will be posted as they become available, so check this site often. To pre-register for the run, please contact Hermes Sports & Events online or call 216.623.9933. For more details on the overall event or sponsorship opportunities, call Ohio City Near West (OCNW) Development Corporation at 216.781.3222

You are correct, Hootenany, that my current leaning is toward either the West Breakwall, or as mentioned by Etheostoma Caeruleum, expanding northward - if, as you say, the port should find it (based on true facts, this time) feasible to relocate. That’s the first million dollar (or, more accurately, multi-million dollar) question. So let’s tackle that one first. I have been tracking the annual audits for CCCPA (available at http://www.auditor.state.oh.us/auditsearch/search.aspx) for the years dating back to 1993 (the only ones available from the state’s site). From ’93 thru ’96, the Revenue and Expenses calculation showed a negative balance every year. Things improved from there, starting in '97 and peaking in 2003, with positive balances recorded each year during that period. Then there was a sharp drop back into the red in 2004 (4 years before the recession, mind you), and things have, not surprisingly, only gotten worse since then, with 2008 (the last year for which figures are currently available) being by far the lowest point ever (albeit, to be sure, the recession had a lot to do with that year's calamity). So, given that record, what does it portend for the future? The short answer is, who knows? Surely not I, although I do think it’s fair to say that there’s going to be some rough sailing, into a stiff head wind, for the foreseeable future. But let’s give CCCPA the benefit of the doubt and let’s presume that Mr. Friedman, the Port’s newest CEO, somehow, someway turns the Port’s maritime operations around, at least back to the breakeven point, sometime in our children’s lifetime (ok, ok, just a joke on that last part). What should the Port do in that case: should they stay, or should they go? First, let’s say up front, there is no urgency (to put it mildly) that the Port vacate its current premises - for fear of holding up the downtown waterfront development - anytime soon. And let me just add, if I see even the first phase of that development completed before the Tribe’s next world championship, I’ll consider myself (and the CCCPA, and the city) to be very lucky (and the beloved Tribe alas, as usual, unlucky). However, there is some sense of urgency regarding the City’s and Port’s problem of what to do with the river and harbor dredge materials, both in the short term and long. The city’s confined disposal facilities (CDFs) are nearly full. The Cleveland Harbor Dredge Task Force(http://www.portofcleveland.com/site.cfm/Maritime/Dredge-Task-Force.cfm) is currently prioritizing available options for the short term. The Kelley’s Island plan, as we’ve been reading recently, appears dead in its tracks, having been swiftly shot down by OEPA. The two favored alternatives (http://www.portofcleveland.com/assets/attachments/file/Preliminary%20Screening.pdf) at this time appear to be (1) trucking dredge material currently residing in Dike 10B to offsite locations for the purpose of remediating city brownfields (the first on the agenda being a Pershing Avenue site), thereby freeing up the vacated portions of 10B once again for new dredgings; and (2) recycling dredge material on parcels along the river. In the case of the latter, there is also the proposal to construct a sediment trap immediately to the south of the ship channel with adjacent shoreside processing of the dredged materials. Another very intriguing variation on that is the proposal, published in this week’s Crain’s Cleveland Business (http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20100614/SUB1/306149985/1074/TOC&Profile=1074 – requires subscription) by Dr. Charles E. Herdendorf, which outlines a plan to “develop a 20-acre dredged management processing facility in the vicinity of the Clark Avenue bridge. This facility could be built at the ArcelorMittal steel mill, where there is available land. This location is ideal because the river's current loses velocity here as it encounters a greater depth, dumping a large portion of sediment before it moves downstream and clogs the navigation channel.” One or more of these interim solutions could also turn into long term solutions, eliminating the need for additional CDFs, and in the process spawning a new, green industry in the valley as a further bonus. So, the big question long term is: do we need another CDF, bearing in mind that the Army Corps no longer pays the full costs for such endeavors and that local costs can easily exceed $100M merely for the construction of the dike walls (the filling, any construction of a port, etc is entirely local cost). Based on what I’ve heard at the original Dredge Summit last Fall and since, the Army Corps would be very happy to not be constructing CDFs at all anymore if other viable solutions can be implemented (as they have been in other cities, including Lorain). And it would seem, Port relocation aside, that processing, rather than dumping, of dredged materials is a more “21st century” solution in any case. The problem is, we don’t know whether or not the Port will need to be relocated. A large portion of their present site is currently underutilized (to put it mildly) and could be developed without any need for the Port to relocate at all. In addition, the Port’s current modest footprint could, as mentioned by Etheostoma Caeruleum, be extended northward if necessary – such plans have been on the books since as far back as Dec 4, 1970, when the Plain Dealer had a front-page spread, renderings included, entitled “Cleveland Harbor – 1990,” showing port expansion inside the east breakwall, just north of the current site. How about the West Breakwall Harbor site? Its advantages include (1) lower costs (as outlined in my reply to McCleveland), (2) adherence to the City Planning Commission’s approved Waterfront District Plan, (3) preservation of the existing State Parks and recreational facilities on the city’s east side (also in adherence to the WDP), (4) minimal impact on citizen access to the lake. Its disadvantages? (1) Cost – although less than the enormous E55th price tag, it will still be a very significant and shaky investment by a region strapped for money; (2) it would negatively impact the “viewshed,” most drastically from Wendy Park, but also to lesser degrees from Edgewater Park on the west and Voinovich Park on the east; (3) it will have its own impact on the environment (although again, not to the extent documented for the E55th St project). Given all of that, my personal preference? Stay put at least until (1) it has been demonstrated (by vastly improved maritime revenues, by detailed professional market analysis, by detailed professional cost-benefit and ROI analyses) beyond the shadow of a doubt that the Port truly needs more space, or (2) we see the completion, or near completion, of three of the four phases of the downtown development, and there is overwhelming support, and funding in place, for the final phase to proceed (requiring relocation of the Port at that point). None of this is easy, none of it is simple, and there's no magic bullet (although there are a lot of good and creative ideas being generated). In any case, for what it's worth, that's my take on where we currently stand. ...Ken Do you provide Cliffnotes?

Well said. The thing that I really dislike is when a game goes to a shootout. Might as well play rock/paper/scissors to determine the winner.

Let's take our lack of understanding of economic development clusters over to a more appropriate thread. Back on topic please.

How about if they're in Brazil? I find the Rio Jesus to be pretty cool. Rio Jesus and Touchdown Jesus rule. All other Jesus statues should be struck down by lighting.

I try to be enjoy this world cup, but its hard to ignore the fact that 6 of the first 14 matches have ended in ties. TIES!! Last Friday, ESPN had a feature that was titled "Pledge to watch the World Cup". It does not bode well for this sport when the largest sports web site in the world is pleading people to watch the matches. Add in the fact that people around the world are turned off by the incessant noise of those plastic horns..

Agreed. But they could have abstained or not been present for the meeting.

It is his nephew. Seriously, they have the same name.

From what I understand, they are basically building a new basement right now. They're doing a lot of work and hope to be open by the end of the year. I just wish they'd put up some "coming soon" signage.

^well, at least three of those storefronts are already leased out and will have tenants soon.

I thought happy hour starts later on in the afternoon.

^I'm pretty sure that the money would only go towards stabilizing the hillside.

http://www.ohiocityfarm.com/

Don't worry, it is not a turf war at all.

and this http://www.cleveland.com/cuyahoga-county/index.ssf/2010/06/how_to_create_a_millennium_park-style_mall_what_about_extending_the_sales_tax_increase.html#incart_rh

I've posted this in the CCmm thread. It really deals with Public Square, Casino, FEB, etc.. keep an eye on this folks. This has been brewing for a while and now the mayor has latched on.. http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2010/06/cleveland_mayor_frank_jackson_15.html

things are getting interesting.

keep an eye on this folks. This has been brewing for a while and now the mayor has latched on.. http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2010/06/cleveland_mayor_frank_jackson_15.html

But there is a parking garage underneath the proposed location of the new student center, correct? I've seen maps that show it.

^there is a parking garage underneath it.

How recent did you hear that? They were trying make it work 2-3 years ago. It would be great if there is renewed interest. I heard from a K&D employee that they are really trying to make Ameritrust work, so that might be their focus.