clvlndr

^true, dat.

I absolutely agree with this. The Maron's (MRN, Ltd) and Price-Corna have done this, and look at the huge success that both E. 4th and Stonebridge, respectively, have been... I think Stark is either blowing hot air or strategically trying to put himself out there to get financial backing because he doesn't have the juice to pull off even half of this project by himself.

Clvlndr...I think that is unfair of you to say that or make the South Fl comparison. Even with the commuter rail line I-95 is sick mess from Downtown Miami damn near to Hollywood. It's maddening. I understand your frustration, but your analogy is no better than the "horrible" lead-ins the PD is famous for. I would love to see commuter rail between Cleveland and Canton (as well as other points), but lets leave the negative BS on the cleveland.com site. MTS, how can you not get negative sometimes (and I'm not all the time) when it comes to transit in the Cleveland region (and all of Ohio, for that matter)., while I understand your drift and the fact this thread could probably be combined with the cvsr-to-commuter rail proposal thread (which I started)... Its just that, you know, the orange barrels on local freeways is a summer ritual here and every driver gets vexed. Maybe the Miami-Tri Rail analogy isn't great, but remember when both, respectively, Detroit-Superior then Main Ave bridges where closed for years for reconstruction, not once did any ODOT or local official even mention the option of the Red Line which serves the area... And here again, with I-77, we've been talking, and talking, and talking, again, about extending CVSR into Tower City (meanwhile, little Summit County extended cvsr south to Canton.... Frankly, I'll be surprised if it ever happens. I get so tired of how we bow to sprawl and the auto in this area and act like the pretty good transit system that was handed to us by generations, previous, doesn't even exist... I guess we'll all have to hold our breath, lobby then hope for the Lorain/West Shore extension championed by KJP and his peeps... unless, of course, JoeC has his way and kills it in its crib.

NOTE: sure would be nice like, a la South Florida, we could have extended/developed cvsr commuter rail to relieve traffic and allow commuters to circumvent I-77 bridge construction... oops, I forgot, this is backwards, transit-hating Cleveland... Attention I-77 commuters Year and a half of repairs to bridge over I-480 will begin in April Tuesday, March 20, 2007 Sarah Hollander Plain Dealer Reporter Interstate 77 drivers in Cleveland's southeastern suburbs should prepare for a year and a half of delays while crews replace the deck of a bridge spanning Interstate 480. Read More...

Help me out, does this Hope VI project have any impact, one way or the other, on the one previously planned for Ohio City over by Riverview?

Such a cozy relationship doesn't seem to pass the smell test... It would be a shame if Wolstein loses based on such overzealousness because, certainly, he has a much stronger case for use of these properties than these sleaze owners who could care less about positive development and are sitting on dump properties merely looking to "get paid."

As deplorable as the oft-illegal behavior these owners allowed on their properties, I'm not sure nuisance, per se, would be a factor in an ED case like this which hinges on blight and its definition under Cleveland's statutory law which, quite predictably, the plaintiff owners claim is "vague" and, thus, unconstitutional as not putting them adequately on notice of what does, or does not, subject their properties to potential ED. While, no question, the uses, legal or illegal, play a part in blight, it would be hard to argue that bar onwers serving liquor underaged teens, or at worst turning their heads on illegal drug activities, would alone make such high-visibility property "blighted" -- even though the end result: largely vacant properties that now remain, certainly would. .. It may come down to a reasonableness, case-by-case standard where, perhaps, a sympathy (for the plaintiffs) comes into play... In the Norwood case, blue-collar homeowners were ticketed to lose their homes because of vague, empty definition of a "blighted area" in a case where, clearly, the city was in bed with the developer to strong-arm these innocents out of their decent neighborhood to the obvious financial benefit of the wealthy developer... It'll be very hard, indeed, to generate this kind of sympathy for these Flats owners: not only are these properties nonresidential, these owners clearly are on record as down-valuing their properties to get tax advantages: essentially, "blighting" their properties, voluntarily. Droe's actions, alone, support this and since when does a property owner have the right to receive notice to have his property appraised; what, does he want to have a heads up to destroy contraband?... Still, I have the uneasy feeling that if Corrigan, predictably, rules against these 9 owners, they will appeal based on their belief Norwood was unconstitutionally narrowed.

This seems one of the few Litt pieces that runs like more of a traditional news article than a critic column. I think Litt is knowledgeable and sparks discussion on key development proposals that too often muddle in the shadows. Occasionally, though, his 'Cleveland's to unsophisticated to get it' posture is esoteric, snobby and counterproductive. And like any artist, he's extremely fussy about what architecture he deems worthy while at times, imho, focuses way too much in form over function in trashing very important projects: case in point, the CWRU new north side dorm project whose faux Gothic style never ceases sending Steve into an absolute tizzy.

Critics of rail and transit, as KJP and others can verify, are like vultures: flying overhead in silence and then pouncing when they sense blood. Yes, and what's frustrating is that the public will go years with tantalizing plans by hardworking, dedicated planners until just before that final lap: spending. And in areas like Cleveland that are indifferent, even anti-rail and transit, overall, there's never that plebiscite needed to fend off the rail killers-- like RTA's Calabrese (and how ironic/pathetic is that?). The examples are so numerous, but one recent example is Cincinnati's promising LRT plan up the I-71 corridor and south thru northern KY to Cincy's internat'l airport. I sure hope we learned from these debacles and hedge our bets -- it certainly seems KJP among others with All Aboard Ohio have studied history enough to caefully line up the critical political support needed for, if you would, the preemptive strike needed to defang, even isolate, the critics (setting them up for public ridicule and political suicide if they fight this) thus preventing another parallel debacle from derailing this most sensible rail project... hold your breath, cause we're nearing crunch time.

Interesting, extensive discussion, on skyscraperciy.com, of Milwaukee's prospects where Cleveland and Cincy are discussed, among other Midwestern comparatives... Also, detailed discussion + links to a proposal to extend Chicago-Metra's Kenosha, Wisc. line north to Beer City... http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=436421

excellent, mrnyc.

That's actually one building called the Eastman. Just 10 years ago, it was a grimy derelict with no windows where vandals and drug addicts would go. Here's more information about the building in its present state... http://www.howardhanna.com/apps/propertysearch/homes/index.cfm?search_LN=2336278&action=detail&lnsrc=c&MLSTYPE=NORMLS The Eastman Apts are gorgeous but, here we go again, despite Howard Hanna's impressive looking Eastman website, they promote that it's "convenient to everything" but only note it's close to I-90 West but, yet, is totally silent on transit options, despite the fact Eastman sits in one of the most walkable, transit-friendly neighborhoods in the region, along the RTA's busiest, most frequent buslines which feed the West Blvd Red Line Rapid station, which is within walking district... Indeed, while the Rapid is within walking distance, I-90 is a mile (and several lights) away -- but this is Cleveland where the car is king... Will this City ever "get it?"... sometimes I seriously wonder.

Beautiful thread once again proving how diverse, wonderful and quirky Cleveland architecture truly is... As usual, step2me is comprehensive and gets down and dirty where I like -- in the neighborhoods. Not just glitzy downtowns..

Amen to that! You've got to be pretty thickheaded to, literally, slit your own throat badmouthing your hometown as a hospitality employee. If I managed such an establishment and caught wind of such talk, the perpetrator would be fired on the spot; no excuses... It's real easy for knotheads like Jennifer Hunter to get away with comments like hers when she's got a significant amen choir of locals. I often fault our (no) Growth Association for its plodding, lack of creativity in selling this town -- and there's so much to sell. Go to Chicago, and there are interactive videos of people all over town (airport, train stations, hotel lobbies), having fun in the city. And this is Chicago where, seemingly, they shouldn't have to sell their town like ours. One of our biggest enemies is our, often, lack of ability to think outside the box when it comes to promoting ourselves... Oftentimes, I wonder whether some of the Chamber of Commerce types quietly don't muster a similar contempt for our town as the dunderhead, badmouthing workers. Like so many key leaders here -- Joe Calabrese please stand up -- so many seem like do-nothings just there for the paycheck, expense accounts and self-aggrandizing personal connections.

Amen to that! You've got to be pretty thickheaded to, literally, slit your own throat badmouthing your hometown as a hospitality employee. If I managed such an establishment and caught wind of such talk, the perpetrator would be fired on the spot; no excuses... It's real easy for knotheads like Jennifer Hunter to get away with comments like hers when she's got a significant amen choir of locals.

Washington, New York and Boston may seem to be thriving, but not such cities as Philadelphia, Baltimore, Newark, N.J., and Bridgeport, Conn. This is a nice article, but I disagree with including Philly in the 'not thriving' list... Yes, Philadelphia is still old, dirty and nasty (people-wise), but it's Center City is blowing the hinges off with new office buildings (Comcast over 60 floors) and condos (1 is plus-40 floors; another, plus-50) going up everywhere. Restaurants and entertainment venues in Philly are also exploding... The writer slipped, here.

Sad fact is, as mad as we can get at dweebs like Jennifer Hunter, fact is, there are far too many Cleveland people who bash this town... For the heck of it, I've pretended to be from out of town and get the skinny from restaurant or hotel workers, and it's pretty sad. They'll tell you things like: "it's pretty dead down here (downtown)" and "it's not safe". "I only come to work here and go home, so I really can't tell you any good places." "You really need a car, because all the nice spots are in the suburbs." Really? you don't use the bus or train? "Never" they'll say "It's so easy to drive and park; transit's pretty bad around here; I never use; maybe once to the airport years ago..." ... Then, I'll challenge them... Isn't that area -- the Warehouse district, pretty nice? I've heard good things. [squirm] "Well, yeah, sometimes, it's kinda boring; same kinda bars with loud music... [yadda, yadda, yadda] I don't do this, much, but sometimes its a reality check to get the pulse of what Cleveland folk are feeding visitors... I'm not making this up; you ought to try it if you think I am; it's depressing, sometimes... Every no and then, you do run into some who are enthusiastic about the city. Unfortunately, these are outnumbered by the naysayers... Just fuel for people like Jen Hunter's fire... Damn shame.

Well said.

Which is it? You diss Cleveland for not putting rail on I-90, but then later say that it would not be a good idea. I'm confused. I said I'm not in favor of creating a new rapid rail line in I-71 all the way to Brunswick; esp when a (short) rapid extension and (long) commuter rail (to Medina), away from the I-71, are already proposals on the board for that corridor -- with, of course, no success, thanks in large part to JoeC, and the good people of Berea. The speculative long I-71 rapid extension into such a low density region, as Brunswick/Medina Co, is quite a bit different than when an rail ROW that was actually created in the 70s in a comparatively short section of freeway like-90 west thru lower Lakewood and into higher-density Westlake/Bay Village... I stand by what I said: rail transit in freeway is not ideal, but here in Cleveland, where preferred rail transit option is usually to do nothing because it saves money [for points of reference: check most local pundits, and even some on this more enlightened board where people simulaneously cheer the non-build of the Dual Hub subway while jeering the building of the WFL] I'll opt for building the less-than-perfect rail option that was practically handed to us -- like I-90 west... and for the record, the 1.5 once-proposed Green Line extension to I-271 is a different category, mainly b/c Shaker Blvd is not a freeway to begin with.

Yes. There was, till about Claugue Rd in Westlake (if I recall) a space down the middle wide enough for 2 tracks; even street overpasses had double supports allowing this space... Well, this being Cleveland, and... put it this way, much like the 1.5 mile ROW down Shaker Blvd from the Green Line terminal (at Green Rd) to what used to be Lander Circle, RTA did nothing and the space was ultimately filled in... O what a progressive city we are. And in fairness, this was all pre JoeC... who didn't create all Cleveland's rail non-building woes, but is clearly the human manifestation of them.

^not me... rail up the middle of freeways is counterproductive. The 2 modes clash: freeways discourage the high-density, walking development which rail is designed for.

CCV sounds like a bunch of fascist creeps... imagine what other kinds of 'uniformity' these fools might have in store for the rest of us...

I feel glad Tudor Arms is in MRN's hands. They're local people and their track record for restoring historic buildings on E.4th shows their expertise and love for Cleveland's history... Tudor Arms is, architecturally, one of my fave Cleveland buildings and the thought that it was even considered for demo, in the 1st place, is disturbing, esp given the beautiful restore-job of John Hay, catercorner from Tudor Arms. I can't imaging the busy Carnegie-Stokes Blvd corner ever not being framed by that Gothic beauty.

^no railing? The Chicago L guardrail/walls are usually only at sharp corners where, in the 1970s, 2 trains collided and one jumped the tracks and crashed to the street, killing a number of people including a man on the sidewalk (if I recall). Otherwise, the only railing is for track workers on the catwalks next to tracks. Oftentimes, also if I recall, those walks are in between tracks and there's no railing at all. Their technology no doubt relies on the laws of physics and that gambles on the minute possibility that the rolling, flanged wheels of the heavy trains will rarely jump their tracks -- and they rarely do. Steel retaining walls would probably have to be pretty strong and heavy to prevent a moving train from falling over the edge of an el structure and building such walls along the many miles of elevated would probably be cost-ineffective given such a low risk, and add too much weight to the old steel viaducts -- this an educated guess from my non-civil engineering background/perspective. Somebody with more knowledge than I, please chime in...

Nice job, MTS; the Square's my home too, and I love it -- Love your closing B.Hilbillies 'song.' ... I'm convinced, MTS, you're certifiable. :lol: