clvlndr

^Hopkins observation deck was the best... So many things to do. Like I said, I can't think of a better city to grow up in.

MTS, thanks for the reminder... I'd totally put the "transitional" Shaker station, for the 'new' LRV's, out of my mind... Too most people, that old wooden station was probably dark, dank, drafty and, frankly, ugly, w/ it's cheap wooden benches, wire fences, old drugstore fluorescent lights hanging from the rafters and wood benches. To some, downright scary after hours... But to us kids, it was treasure trove of excitement and wonderment. To us it was a big-city subway station -- we had what New York had. And, of course, a transit-loving kid like yours truly simply went nuts on his 1st Airport Rapid ride at the CTS Terminal Tower station, which was absolutely identical (in our minds anyway) to a New York subway... Those old rob shots bring back kid memories... Cleveland seemed so BIG as a kid; a great city to grow up in. Dan, you might try your public library (though, I'm sure, if you sniff around on the Net, you can find stuff). I know way back, as a grade schooler writing on the History of Shaker Heights and the North Union Shakers, I found a lot of stuff in both the Shaker Hts and Cleveland Heights libraries about the Vans and their ultimate Rapid plans. The late Harry Christiansen has several books exclusively on Cleveland transit with a lot on the Rapid system as a whole where I'm sure you can find stuff; lots of maps, too, if I recall... You're right, the Vans planned to extend their interurban (the name for the Shaker lines back then) to Chagrin Falls and Gates Mills, but never got past Green Road, their last extension. The fledgling RTA, in the late 70s was, as its 1st signature 'big project' was set to extend the Green line to I-271, which would have been a great boon to travel connecting all the east burbs along the outerbelt, Beachwood, Pepper Pike, Woodmere, etc... but, as usual, politics got in the way and, well, ... another promising Cleveland plan that bit the dust.

^obviously a slow day in Cleve-area development news...

^^Aw shucks, if only Ohio's Dem primary had been closed to only UrbanOhio.com voters, Obama would have won in a walk!... Seriously, though, I've seen other analysis that have similarly indicated race in Ohio was much more of a factor (in voting for or against Obama; particularly against him) than in other states even in the old Deep South states. My theory is this (and folks won't like it), Ohio is simply behind the times on a number of levels. First, with the old Nixon/Pat Buchanan "Southern Strategy" of the 60s-early 70s, the whites who tend to consider race, or at least, a candidate's sympathy/sensitivity (or lack, thereof) to race were shaken out of the Democratic party. Not so in Ohio, I think, in part, maybe, because this is (allegedly) a Yankee state and a pro-Union state where on the surface, at least, it behooves working class whites, on some level, to remain Democrats. Secondly, as most know, just isn't attracting the young, college educated, upwardly mobile whites who are informed enough and secure enough in themselves to see beyond Obama's race. We, like our hated neighbors to the North, have a horrific ‘brain drain’ in this State. So naturally, you’re going to have a much larger portion of the populace with views which many would deem as, putting politely, that are less progressive. Then, too, Ohio/Cleveland seems so damn insular sometimes. We love our Browns. We love our Buckeyes (even to the extent Wolverine fans literally fear for their personal safety at Columbus OSU-Michigan games), but on stuff that really matters…?... As one who travels frequently, and even lives outside Ohio some of the time, it just feels like, whenever I return home, sometimes, I need to set my watch back 30 years... It's hard to peg a whole state in one particular mindset but sometimes I just get this feeling the level of discourse in Cleveland and Ohio, as a whole, is rather pedestrian/anti-intellectual. Yes, I know the Rush Limbaugh's and Ann Coulter's hold sway on a national level and appeal to bigots and wingnuts in nooks and crannies all over the country, esp in the South, but I get so depressed when you have local idiots that hold so much sway, like a Mike Trivisonno or Bob Frantz (in Cleveland) and that idiot Cunningham, in Cincy (who got his 15-mins of national fame/shame, and who, thankfully, McCain was upstanding enough to put in his place). HS dropout Trivisonno, with his race jokes and bathroom humor, is a fat, blowhard, racist, sexist-misogynistic, homophobic moron who, sadly, commands top ratings on Cleveland radio. What does that say about Cleveland? As a Jersey/NYC area friend of mine (who I convinced to stream WTAM because she wouldn’t believe me) said of Triv: “That’s so yesterday.” I knew exactly what she meant. In most places its played out, but here???? And let’s not even get into Chief Wahoo… So when you understand the mentality of too many Ohioans you kind of understand why Ohio’s Democrats bucked the recent trend with Obama crossing race lines and winning over most demographic groups. Tuesday was a litmus test on where we are as a state because, as many of us understand, Obama is simply the obvious better candidate. That’s not to say there are not some legitimate reasons to support Hillary, because there are. But in most states that have had the time (unlike Super Tuesday) to get to know the candidates, most white Dems have thoughtfully weighed the 2 candidates and decided, with all things being equal, Obama’s simply better and if you’re honest with yourself, the only reason not to vote for Obama over Hillary is based on extraneous reason, most obvious being the color of his skin. In Ohio, such reasoning didn’t seem to occur that often.

^^ OK, fair points, MTS.

Well, I'm guessing if that old wooden Shaker station and facilities -- at least the area -- is still in tact, at the very least, there's plenty of extra boarding space should RTA ever decide to operate commuter rail, diesel or otherwise -- from a radial freight route then over the Rapid tracks into Tower City. ... like, say, the British Leland "RailBus" RTA tested (to Mentor, stopping in Euclid), that was wildly popular, but still passed on, ... some 20 years ago!!!!

I guess if I had my druthers, I'd rather not put the port N. of Whisky Is. closer to Edgewater Park, b/c EP is truly an existing Cleveland treasure -- right now, a people magnet you don't want to jeopardize in any way. Go east past E. 72/MLK then you run into oh-so wealthy Bratenahl shoreline and, well... No ideal place for the port, but we've got to put it somewhere; it's too vital to our economy.

Haven't been to C-Bus in a while -- and I really need to get down there with all the great things I'm hearing happing there -- but is the area where the old station was torn down still viable? I know it was along High Street and, if I'm not mistaken, near both the major downtown mall and the base of Short North. There used to be a number of live railroad tracks there, now used for freight, of course ... Correct me if I'm wrong. If I'm right, seems like that would be a great spot for a new station.

Wow, these trains appear every bit as nice inside as Acela... ...if not better.

^^ Tower City is a gem despite how poorly we may perceive FCE to be running it. It's location, historic buildings and total connectivity (w/ the Rapid, the Q, offices, and our 2 leading hotels, among other things) will always make it viable no matter how many high ends leave -- and I am sorry Ann Taylor bit the dust. And besides this, Tower City was beautifully and tastefully restored; it's still a visual delight. ... I still hope the medical mart convention center can be built near Tower City but, I know on this board, that cuts against the grain w/ the pro-Mall crowd.

Hecht's and L&T were never known for "high quality". Strawbridge and clothiers...ugh! that was a ghetto May Co. -- MyTwoSense Huh!!?? OK, I can go with you regarding Hecht's, to a degree. But certainly not Lord & Taylor, which is just a half step down from Saks and Nordstrom and, in some folks' minds, equal to them. And re John Wanamaker, I think you're being a tad Cleveland-centric. Wanamaker and Strawbridge's were known for quality shopping and, I think, on the same plane as Higbee's was. And as much as I was attatched to the Higbee's downtown building -- it's a travesty we can't get any another retailer in that classic space -- Wanamaker's old building, now Macy's, is in a class by itself with it's majestic 12-story atrium/court and gigantic organ, the largest musical instrument in the world. That building is a Philly tourist attraction in itself. Higbee's space was nice, but... btw, I've always thought Higbee's and Strawbridge's buildings were more similar (than Higbee's and Wanamakers' buildings) and, I believe, built in or around the same year, 1931. Strawbridge's is sitting empty empty as Macy's is the only generally, department store in downtown Philly, although they do have a Burlington Coat Factory and a (yikes) K-Mart; plus downtown Philly is 10-times stronger than downtown Cleveland, esp when it comes to retail... I sure would settle for even a Burlington or Target or even K-Mart at May's. Something@!

What about residential development at E. 55th, like Quay 55 which is already there. Won't the port negatively impact this? It does seem like it will harm the nearby Lakefront Park. I thought the longterm Lakeshore plan called for Chicago-type high-rise development around E. 55 complementing Quay 55.

Hey Slippery, I like your passion. But I think noozer is right, here. We've been there done that with High Speed rail in the 1980s and, well, look what we have to show for it. We had nothing (to speak of) to build on in terms of passenger service. Let's build a conventional 3-C's corridor and the Ohio Hub, first and, I'm sure some day, these routes will blossom into HSR ... maybe sooner than any of us anticipate... ... btw, while you're right that, overall, Ohio has more population density than Cali, 277.26 to to 233/sq mile, its massed in two relatively small areas of the State: northern Cal, around Sana Fran, and Southern, btw LA and San Diego. Ohio, with big cities, obviously, has no metro area that comes close to matching LA, Sana Francisco or Sana Diego in pop and density.

You've got a point there. Aside from the Daily Kos, I've seen very little outrage about this dispicable act. Hell, Time Magazine got more heat for darkening OJ's photo in the 90s and, well, I tend to have an inkling that Barack is just a tad more upstanding than The Juice... just a tad... But of late, there seems to be a feeding frenzy in the media for every itty-bitty misstep Obama, or some wayward campaign worker, takes now that the stakes are even higher as we close in on Denver. Seems highly unfair, although Hillary has really taken Dems down a step w/ her wild mood swings, shrill attacks and dirty tricks while Obama, though not perfect (no human is) has comported himself in a more dignified, dare I say, presidential manner. And by the way, those are Dana Milbank's thoughts (of the Chicago Tribune: historically no bastion of liberalism) not mine.

I disagree. Philly lost its local "Higbee's" in John Wanamaker in the late 90s and locals fretted. But through Federated Dept stores and May's buying & swapping, the store became, in quick succession, a Hecht's, Lord & Taylor’s and, now, Macy's: all names known for high quality, esp the latter 2. Dillard's was a clear step down and serious Cleveland shoppers turned away from it and it died. Even at Beachwood today, Dillard's is clearly out of its league next to Saks and Nordstrom’s whereas the original Higbee's was not. Local chains have fallen like flies in this country; even Chicago's Marshall Field is now Macy. It's just that Cleveland got the unlucky draw in Dillard's taking over its premiere local chain and the fallout has been palpable.

^You might as well punt on serious transit, esp rail, in cities like Milwaukee. Such towns are more about stonewalling than they are serious progress. Transit political soap opera seems all such towns are interested in so, really, voters might as well get wise and close the spigot on all the (tens) of millions spent on useless studies... Time to give up on Milwaukee rail transit... And if Cincy can't get its act together soon, ... (at least Cincy did put a serious proposal before the voters a few years ago and advocates seem more entrenched than in Milwaukee, so I have more hope for the Queen City, which seem so well suited for rail transit).

This is good news, indeed. The Dick Celeste episode just goes to show that having a Dem Gov doesn't necessarily mean we'll have a transit/rail friendly pol. We should have had 3-C's 20 years ago, but the state was tied up with that High-Speed rail study which, of course, went nowhere except for lining a bunch of consultant's pockets. Celeste's tacit opposition is parallel to the Acela episode in Amtrak's NE Corridor where the extension of electric rail to Boston (from New Haven) was on the way to reality under Carter (Dem) but stopped by Reagan (Republican) and took 2 decades to reach fruition, under Clinton (Dem)... Strickland with this pronouncement, though, seems to restoring the Dems as being more rail friendly; certainly moreso than that idiot Bob Taft. We know, however, in this most conservative of northern states, however, such a position (by Strickland) doesn't come without political risks. But at the very least, it's obvious having the state's lead pol verbally in our corner is light year's better than having him (or her? ... oh, sorry, this is Ohio Tuesday's Hillary primary vote, notwithstanding)... We can only hope for the best.

thanks, jerry.

Its a shame. For all the great things the Clinic is to this community, at times like these, you see their extreme arrogance toward Cleveland on full display.

I'm surprised the regular TJ Maxx stores (ie Woodmere) is classed as a dept store. The bigger, more diverse versions, TJ Maxx & More (ie University Square/Hts) would seemingly more fit the description... ... yeah, I share MyTwoSense's contempt for Dillard's. Those Arkansas hicks ran down the good name of Higbee's. I contend, if Higbee's still owned the Public Square location, it wouldn't have died in 2000 and still be open for biz... Public Sq still hasn't recovered... Clevelanders w/ an eye for quality immediately turned away from Dillard's once they saw how poorly run it was...

Unlike the botched Breuer Building mess, Hagan's playing this one correctly. He rolled the dice with the sales tax, and it was a proper gamble -- this project could be huge for Cleveland... at the same time, he insisted, the MM people pay their fair share and that the project be downtown and not U. Circle and has put them on a deadline... All sensible moves. And, yes, I like him am encouraged MM wants and extension for it shows they are serious in closing this thing. It's important this gets done with the MM people as we've been dealing with them for 2 years.

Oh definitely, I will being going there very soon and will report. And yes, MayDay, I admit I'm a bit of a soft touch for entrepreneurs who roll the dice on downtown Cleveland when, lets face it, for most the burbs are better for their bottom lines in most cases. Downtown's a risky gamble as the failed Castaldi's Restaurant at Tower City -- which opened with so much promise, demonstrates... For example, I've dropped quite a few bills on the Metropolitan (for one) and, not always, gotten equal value in service. I thought folks were a bit tough on Zocalo's, too. ... That said, Cleveland should not be in the "Beggars can't be choosy" mode and except any old crap either. Like a prized pro athlete draft pick, I give any new venture a chance to develop its sea legs. Maybe when we achieve more of a critical mass, when downtown truly becomes the 'in spot' in Greater Cleveland, once agian (and not just on weekend nights), we can and should be more critical and demanding of brand new spots. We're slowly getting there, to be sure. But now, though, I just don't feel we're at that point.

^Bring back the Top of the Town!? God, the mere thought of it returning gives me chills; loved that place. It offered the best views of Cleveland along with a very good meal. Returning the Top back to Erieview would signal it/the Galleria's return in a big way... Conventional wisdom is those Top of the _____ restaurants weren't a good draw because people only see sterile office buildings from street level, and that's why they disappeared -- esp from the Stouffer's chain -- in so many cities like Cleveland. (of course, the Top of the Town had the Galleria in its later years, but it's closing in 1995 seemed to mirror the struggles of the Galleria and downtown restaurant/retail, in general)... Then again, those folks haven't been to Chicago's Signature Room atop John Hancock building where, even with (very early) reservations, you'll wait 2 hours for a table most weekends and, sometimes, during the week. Who knows, with the Avenue District finally seeming to fill out I.M. Pei's original Erieview dream, maybe the time's right to bring back the Top... MTS, would you be a principal new investor? You open it and I'll... come back and eat.

Good to see people walking along Public Sq... I too am a big Galleria fan and was there the week it opened (1987?). Tower City was under construction at the time and the Galleria was the 1st taste of a downtown shopping mall for Cleveland, and folks loved it. But Tower City's opening in 1989/90 seemed to suck the life out of the Galleria, esp since the Galleria at the edge of downtown unlike TC at Public Square. The Gal is still such a beautiful interior space and a gigantic upgrade over the cold/ugly Erieview plaza it replaced...Hopefully the new Avenue District going up across the street, and hopeful other residential spinoffs, will pump in more people and help make the Galleria more relevant once again... it deserves it.

Weirdly the platform at E. 105-Quincy, I think, is only long enough to accommodate 1 car at a time, so passengers can only enter/exit through the front car. On this subject, I thought the plan at E.105 was to lengthen the platform the normal length to allow 2 to 3 cars to board along w/ a new E.105 headhouse once a) the new E.105 bridge was built, which it has been since the new station was built and, b) when the huge new Juvenile Justice Center is completed nearby on Quincy. Is any of this true, Jerry?