gottaplan

THe west side is the best side. Nice pics, thanks for sharing!

I visit Chicago pretty frequently, used to live there & know all those landmarks well. Looks like you had a spectacular trip. I have never taken the Amtrak train, but did pick up my aunt in the terminal when she came in from Dearborn Michigan on the train. For whatever reason, it just doesn't add up for me to take the train. If I'm going with my wife, we can drive together for about $150 in gas & tolls. If I'm going solo, I'll opt for a cheap flight ticket on Southwest.

Once again, I couldn't disagree more. Russo's schemes worked because he had been in office for so long, he was very well aware of what he could get away with. Replacing him with someone, assuming that person was just as corrupt and intent on personally profiting from the position, that person would still take years to get a system in place where he/she could steal millions. But hey you're not worried about it, apparently this stuff happens all the time so whatever.

it has nothing to do with trampling anyone's grave, save the drama. How many millions did Russo scheme taxpayers out of with the phony appraisal service he contracted? Pretty safe to assume this never would've happened had he gotten more charges back in 98. You know that. Don't act like you don't

Why should it? Because if she had the cahones to prosecute Russo with something more than a slap on the wrist back then, instead of kicking up to a fellow dem, Russo probably would've been kicked out of office and not continued his growing criminal acts which cost the tax payers millions. THat's why. I'm sorry she's passed away & cannot defend herself against any allegations, but this definitely newsworthy and should be investigated

Kasich says Moodys will upgrade Ohio's credit rating http://www.dispatchpolitics.com/content/blogs/the-daily-briefing/2012/03/3-16-12-moodys.html

Kasich blasts GOP for pulling tax cuts http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2012/03/17/kasich-blasts-gop-for-pulling-tax-cut.html

Aside from train delays, it sounds like everything else was safe & fun

Here's hoping this year's festivities don't turn ugly the way they did last year. Does anyone have a news update on the RTA plans for the increased ridership? I checked their website but nothing was posted

That point of big nervousness & change was years ago when the Cuyahoga county & CMHA offices were raided along with the local Cleveland construction companies.... at this point the dust has long settled and it's business as usual

You think everything leads to cronyism & patronage. Newsflash, there is a ton of this in most local & state government offices already so whatever procedures are supposed to prevent it, they're not effective.

^and it takes away the red tape and inefficiency of govt bureaucracy. Like getting 3 quotes and 4 signatures to buy a box of pens.

Semi-somewhat related to BP and some of the discussion here - for a good idea of railway noise, go grab a drink in the BP winebar but head upstairs. The rollup door on ground floor of the bar lets a ton of noise in. Go through the doors into the center area and go up the stairs beside the elevator. The sales center space is usually open till 7pm or so, not many people know this. Great view looking down on to Edgewater Beach. Wait for a train to come by. You'll see how quiet it is with high quality windows and 14" thick masonry walls. Neat little scale 3D model of BP development fully built out (several years old though). Check out the old gantry crane/hoist they left in place up in the steel rafters and the structural reinforcements they added to pull the old walls back together...

I watched it - I think Jackson might be a good honest man who's avoided scandal, but he's hardly a strong leader. It seems like all the progress the city is making is more in spite of Jackson's efforts than due to his efforts.

Probably time for a new thread regarding the 2014 Governor's race but Ed Fitzgerald, Cuyahoga County Exec, is definitely running.

yeah I have those plans from Dimit, nice renderings, included the buildout on top, when the building was slated for condos. They used to be on their website but I just checked and it's not there anymore. But yes, same building, different architect.

Not part of Battery Park technically, but sources telling me the old warehouse facing the tracks at the end of 76th & 78th is moving forward as a conversion to apartments. There were delays based on the market collapse and getting the tunnel on 76th started/finished but that has resolved itself. Owner is not divulging much info, but I know they have retained an architect to move forward with design. Next thing I would look for is a change in zoning to allow residential & first floor parking

^that's interesting. As you read it, you are led to believe the project is actually moving forward, when it's not. Slightly relevant update - Per ODOT, the original construction contract on the 76th tunnel and Lake Aveune tunnel is being terminated and remaining work will be rebid. Work at the Lake Ave tunnel is pretty much done except for some lighting & landscaping & fencing I believe. 76th Tunnel still needs all the work between the RR tracks & Shoreway - major excavation, paving, concrete retaining walls, storm drainage, etc. ODOT is hoping to have the project awarded by May and work resume in June and finish by fall. The soil conditions encountered in that area, sandy silt, required the retaining wall designs to be substantially increased.

I'm cool with Marcy too, but she's definitely not as liberal as "DENNIS!". As his campaign commercials showed, she voted for the war funding, and didn't oppose the initial Healthcare Reform legislation the way he did because it "didn't go far enough". So no, she's not just as liberal as Dennis. I look forward to seeing him on Fox News to argue opposing viewpoints with the likes of Hannity & O'Reilly Update - I wouldn't worry too much about any ratbastard opposing Marcy either - the primary featured Joe the Plumber and some other unknown

Let's be fair before we burden Ms Kaptur with ALL of Cleveland's problems - she now barely represents a sliver of western Cleveland & Cuyahoga County in the 9th District. Farcia Mudge now represents most of the City including Downtown & all of the East Side. And Seven Hils/Broadview Heights. ??? http://boe.cuyahogacounty.us/pdf_boe/en-US/maps/Congress/2012USCongressionalDistrictsCuyahoga.pdf

Kaptur has power, position, and respect in Congress. I don't think Dennis has any of that despite his lengthy career in politics. I'm glad to have Marcy representing me as a Cleveland west sider. I think she'll make sure we get ours and then some.

getting way off topic but saying a developer failed to follow through is one thing. Not being able to get financing for your project or having the market conditions change in the middle of your plans is another thing.

Please expand on this.

off topic! lets get back to discussing something more bold on the site, like an 80-story building.... (puff, puff)

I hear the same things all the time. That's because people go to downtown Manhattan or Chicago on vacation. They walk, stroll the sidewalk, windowshop, drop in places for a bite or a drink. But they live & work in Cleveland where you have to get to work, get home, pick up the kids. Need to get there quickly.