clvlndr

^Yeah, I was thinking of Dennis during his tumultuous 2 years as mayor way back when. Those default/Cleveland Joke days were truly the city at its nadir... I'm guessing I'm probably more in line with Dennis politically than you are, but I think he grew tremendously in his older age and became more of that fighter for the people he wanted to be as a young mayor, but couldn't be, because of his confrontational and immature instincts at the time. Dennis became admired by many on the national, and even international stage, for his passion and progressiveness before the GOP ham-handedly gerrymandered him out of office. I spoke with him and his lovely wife last summer, and he's quite a mellow, pleasant and thoughtful individual despite still being passionate. He's very proud of his daughter who, of course, is doing quite well in the national media... Btw, I think Frank has more than just 1 strength. He's a smart guy and knows his community quite well. He's just not the look-at-me type and his understated style sometimes is mistaken by some as a lack of drive or interest. Despite some problems I've had with him, at times, his distinguished, low-key demeanor been the absolute best fit for Cleveland during its growth phase in this still new millennium, and these talents are needed to navigate this current, and needless, Cod mess, to clear the way for the city's critical need to finally and properly develop its Lakefront.

"At peak, the East and South busways handle greater capacity than either of their light rail lines" I wouldn't doubt that, in their peak, the East busways handle more than the LRT simply because the neighborhoods the traverse (Shadyside (density: 16,000/sq. mi), East Liberty (10,000/sq. mi), Homewood (7,600/sq. mi) to name a few) are much denser, individually and as a group (as they are much closer together), than the South Hills portion of the City and the suburbs where the LRT's traverse. To the contrary, I would bet if the LRTs served the East Busway territory they would attract even more riders and create even more TOD, ... although the East Busway's TOD growth has been exceptional for buses.

Overall, yes Pittsburgh lacks sufficient density and is nowhere near SF. But as you know, it's the corridors that count in terms of rail transit's potential. And the substantial combined core areas of East Liberty and Shadyside alone could justify rail transit building. As you know, Pittsburgh's a very odd fish: those 2 aforementioned neighborhoods (along with places like Oakland, Squirrel Hill and South Side) are nearly as compact (lots of tight narrow streets, rowhomes, mixed-use buildings, etc), dense and vibrant as many SF, Boston and Seattle neighborhoods like the Haight, Back Bay or Capitol Hill, while wide swaths of Pittsburgh look like Tobacco Road -- neighborhoods the prior cities lack. But I continue to believe that Pittsburgh's hilly, constricted (by the rivers), pocket density configuration make it strong candidate for the quality rail system that the City has yet to develop.

^I'm always empathetic to the cause of veterans who fought and often died for the country, and to the extent the Cod symbolizes this, more power to it. But it just seems that Cimperman and the Landmarks commission have needlessly thrown down the gauntlet when cooler heads and negotiations behind the scenes would have been more productive. I am absolutely certain there are numerous places along the Lake and even the river (hello dreary/boring Settler's Landing) where the Cod could be placed that would be both visible and accessible (via, say, the WFL), and that these options have not fully been explored before Cimperman/CLC went off down this inflammatory landmark status road. This is shades of the dark Cleveland era of political grandstanding over high profile projects where the end result would be nothing gets achieved other than elevated blood pressures for all parties concerned, especially a hopeful electorate. That we've come a long way since those bad old days is quietly evident by the new bricks 'n mortar excitement all over downtown and in many neighborhoods. Cimperman generally is a decent pol who seems to want to do the right thing but, as seen in this case, isn't above grandstanding... (those old enough to recall his pledge, after the Flats teen/young men drownings and underage liquor sales there in the late 1990s/early 2000s, to build high fences around all the riverfront clubs, know what I mean -- and the Flats East Bank soon died out not long after Joe's chest thumping). This Cod episode sees Cimperman morphing back into his grenade-tossing worst mode, which is surely not welcome to those who desire progress. About the only good news I see in this potential mess is that Geis has been publicly quiet to this point. One of the truly great things about Frank Jackson that will become his legacy once he calls it quits is his ability to get conflicting parties together behind closed doors to get things done. The evidence of this is sparkling all over downtown, starting with the new Convention Center... Hopefully this will happen again with the Lakefront project. I've already communicated my wishes with people on the ground who will oppose Council moving forward with the CLC's radical move. If opponents are not successful, I'd like to think Frank's veto pen awaits.

Sure Seattle and San Francisco may have underdeveloped their rapid rail systems given their core area's density, wealth and traffic, but at least, they developed some form of rapid rail even if it is less impact-ful, lower capacity LRT. At least the DID build rail. But what about right down the road in Pittsburgh? -- through Shadyside and East Liberty, 2 of the City's hottest, densest and more upscale urban neighborhoods, Pittsburgh built the MLK busway; BRT ... buses! And they built it along the narrow railroad ROW that Amtrak serves; the same busway that also goes through the heart of other dense, but poorer areas like Homewood and the suburbs of Wilkinsburg, Edgewood and Swissvale ... places that certainly could use the type of dense TOD development that a rapid transit line can bring. Heck, this route could justify HRT, let alone LRT ... This poor planning is even made more significant given that a T subway LRT branch, now unused, actually terminated at Penn Station which is the base of this BRT corridor.

This area is one of the better walkable neighborhoods on the West Side and in Cleveland, generally. The fact that high-density housing is going in with the prospect for population growth is all good. Looking forward to the final product.

I'm excited about the development. This small area is brimming with potential. I just wish, in the scheme of planners, the Red Line were seen as more relevant as the transportation tool it was designed as and not just for this Greenway thing.

^This feels like retro-50s style. It looks similar to interiors of the Westin and The 9.

Former Cleveland Cavalier John 'Hot Rod' Williams fighting for his life in duel with cancer -- Terry Pluto CLEVELAND, Ohio -- I had a message to call Mark Bartelstein. I first met Bartelstein in 1985. He was a young agent who was representing John "Hot Rod" Williams, drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers. Williams was falsely implicated in a point-shaving scandal at Tulane. "I have some bad news," Bartelstein said Tuesday night. "Hot Rod," I said. "Cancer," said Bartelstein. "It's bad. Real bad." Williams is in the intensive care unit of a hospital in the Baton Rouge area. He grew up in nearby Sorrento, La. He always went home after the NBA season. Williams had a construction business in Sorrento. He loved to build things even while with the Cavs (1986-95). He worked on his own dream house in Sorrento, then helped build one for his stepmother -- Barbara Colar. They lived on the same street. After retiring, Williams owned a construction company. He coached little league and other youth sports in Sorrento. "He is loved in the community," said Bartelstein. Bartelstein said they thought the health problems started for Williams about six months ago with prostate cancer. But then it spread and spread. http://www.cleveland.com/pluto/index.ssf/2015/12/former_cleveland_cavalier_john_1.html#incart_2box

Yes, it's the kind of period mix-use commercial district building you hate to lose. I welcome the townhomes but lament the likely loss of 1st floor commercial space which provides pedestrian vitality to urban areas like this.

^ ^^ I've read, though, there are plans to finally construct a Metro station in Georgetown. How far off that will be, I don't know.

When the existing heavy rail system is so great!?! LMAO! WMATA is without question the worst run large system in the country. The only agency with a worse record is TAPS in north Texas. Really? How so? Yes the Metro has had a few horrific, fatal train accidents in recent years, but for the 2nd busiest rapid transit system in America unfortunately stuff happens. But I've always found Metro to be clean, fast, efficient and safe, at least in terms of their stations and trains from a crime aspect. And of course, it's extremely comprehensive even though it doesn't (yet) serve Georgetown (and there are historical reasons for that which were beyond WMATA's control). So I'm rather surprised by your comments. That said, I'm interested in riding the new DC streetcar system. It'll reach the previously under-served gentrifying areas of NE D.C.

But what about the E&Y workers who do live near the lines on the East Side, or who are a short drive to one of the Blue/Green line lots? Why aren't these using the WFL for the through ride near their homes? The Blue and Green lines are easily accessible, by foot, bike or car, to a wide swath of SE Cleveland and the east/SE suburbs, with a significant number of apt/multi-unit dwellers at Shaker Sq and along the Van Aken line who are steps away from a Rapid stop. Wait for a WFL train!? They run every 15 minutes all day and into the night (last train leaving South Harbor at 12:05a every night). Even better, riders can have or learn the trains' simple schedule and arrive at FEB station right before their trains. The result? No waiting! Inconvenient transfer? How so? The WFL-to-Red Line transfer could hardly be easier; it's a level, short walk and totally temperature controlled (you can wait on large, old-style train station wooden pews inside glass-enclosed, well-lit, toasty warm areas for your train) which is great news during those subfreezing Cleveland winter days. Compare this transfer to those rail-to-rail transfers in other cities where people have to endure long stairs or escalators and/or walks through long, sometimes poorly lit, dank and unheated tunnels. Spoiled Clevelanders often like to rationalize why they don't use transit rather than simply using it, when they have it much easier than other cities. This plus the fact that rail-to-rail transfers are common for other places, so why should it be seen as so difficult here? Also, while WFL trains depart every 15 minutes, rush hour Red Line trains depart for the West Side every 8 to 10 minutes and, currently, eastbound Red Line rush hour trains are every 10 minutes at least until the Red Line's Tower City center track is repaired (or maybe longer given the growth of ridership in University Circle in recent years). The trip from FEB to Tower City is about 5 minutes. From TC to UC/Little Italy, it's 14-16 minutes. Again, what's so inconvenient about this? WFL-to-bus? I know of at least one E&Y employee who transfers from the WFL to the #26 bus to Lakewood every day... and loves it. Some other E&Yers transfer to other Public Square bus lines including the HL. There's a long escalator up to the Public Sq level through, once again, warm, cozy, and safe Tower City mall, with the square itself only steps away. During inclement weather days, some HL riders wait inside TC's grand/beautiful portico until their bus comes. Again, where's the inconvenience? On the surface this is true, but misleading. Even though the referendum passed by the voters 2-to-1 in 1953 was, in fact, for the subway loop you mention, planners clearly projected a University Circle connection line branching off the loop to be constructed either in tandem or soon after the subway loop was built. For this reason, planners called for the subway tubes to be stacked along E. 13th Street with the Playhouse Square station to be built on 2 levels (note the 8th Image in the link, below, which is cutaway graphic for the 13th Street leg of the planned subway with the stacked tubes). This would allow for tunnel turnouts to be built into the north and southbound tunnels allowing for a grade-separated junction for a U. Circle branch; it probably would have been at or near Chester Ave. See the the 5th Image link, below, especially the 1955 map plan of the Praeger-Cutting-DeLeuw Plan B subway proposal. http://clevelandhistorical.org/items/show/361#.VmaCXPm-2m4 That's because of the heavy losses of downtown offices and, hence, jobs due to closures, mergers, and simply corporate and company losses either to the suburbs or to other cities and states. Standard Oil/SOHIO/BP which had thousands of employees downtown is, now, totally gone; merged and moved to Chicago. And that's only 1 example. What about Eaton which high-tailed it to the Highlands a few years ago? However, despite bottoming out in the early 2000s, rail ridership has steadily climbed, I suspect, because of residential and entertainment/restaurant growth downtown and in-city neighborhoods that are walkable to rail stations, including Ohio City, University Circle/Little Italy, Detroit Shoreway and Shaker Square. Thus while the park n' ride suburban commuter has declined in recent decades, there's been some growth among the more traditional type rapid transit riders who feed into rail stations with their feet.

Never said the Red Line has little impact on Ohio City, just that it didn't lead the development there and is not the reason for the development. The issue at-hand was bringing the Red Line into Euclid with the hope that it will lead development. There isn't a great track record for RTA on this point and for the City. Red Line has 1 downtown stop; the Waterfront Line has stops but are not useful for day to day use since, in RTA's wisdom, it dead-ends the line at the Muni Lot. Maybe if Cleveland develops some serious traffic issues the demand for RTA use will increase and people will pay for better and more extensive service. No, I can't argue the point. The Red Line has not spurred much development. Uptown is the most substantial and, hopefully, it will be followed this spring by the ground breaking for Intesa right which will be next to the new LI station. In Ohio City there has also been proposed the mixed-use retail/apartment building at Lorain/W. 25 intersection backing up to a rebuilt Red Line stop... We know that Cleveland went on the cheap and killed off the downtown subway in the 1950s (and similarly 1990s) which would have led to a dual-hub type extension up the Euclid corridor to Univ. Circle. But it didn't happen and Cleveland, like a most American mid-sized metro cities, opted for less expensive rapid transit routing (along RR ROWs, freeway medians or, simply, along street surfaces like old-time streetcars (hello Baltimore)) without a through-the-core subway route (ie, Denver, even with it's projected 100-mile new rail network has pretty much done the same thing as Cleveland in this regard). And of course as we've seen in Cleveland, wide freight ROW's with their industrial siding customers, thwarts much residential and/or mixed-use development. Little Italy-University Circle, W. 25 and some other stations, like W. 65, Cudell and W. 117 are the exceptions where the Rapid lines do, in fact, run close to populated neighborhoods... and we're finally seeing some TOD development/plans at these locations. Hopefully we'll more. But we need to build upon the strengths of the Rapid we've got (in the context of the region where it exists) and not what should have been built. Park-n-ride has been a successful formula for the Red line. Of course, I'm hoping a Euclid extension can spur some pedestrian-oriented development along it's 6.5 mile route, but even if it immediately doesn't, I don't think this should be a deal breaker. The park-n-ride aspect of such a line and the positive impacts it would have for congested University Circle, Downtown, W. 25 and even the airport, would make the line well worth it even though, according to KJP, such a line doesn't score well because of the small amount of walkability it may be projected to generate. ... and as for the Waterfront Line, I didn't say that it's super useful as it currently exists (or more importantly, the situation that currently surrounds its stations), but that it's stations are considered to be downtown... and as for the WFL being useful, I can't explain why the vast majority of workers in the buildings close to and accessible to the WFL line aren't using it... I personally think they're foolish for not doing so, but to each his/her own... You can't convince me that workers in the new 20-story E&Y office tower should thumb their nose at WFL trains when a station stop is literally across the street from their building. The availability of cheap parking (for now, until FEB Phase 3 gets built) is not a reasonable excuse in my book. Ditto for workers at places like North Point, the Federal building or City Hall, to name a few others.

Tell me about it!

I've just pray we don't find out that these jokers came and/or left via the new LI Red Line Rapid stop. For years, close-minded LI'ers quietly fought the relocation of the Rapid stop to Mayfield because of their fears that criminals (wink-wink) would invade and terrorize their little neighborhood. This feeling isn't totally dead as one LI resident (woman) poster on the LI facebook page pretty much said as much in expressing her unhappiness when the new station opened last August. The last thing we need is for 3 punks and 1 stupid incident to inflame irrationality and bigotry toward this much-needed transit upgrade.

^Fine. I still am tired of hearing of stadium upgrades when the team isn't spending serious money to upgrade the on-the-field product. Indeed, the fact the Dolans are not paying for these upgrades makes it even worse: it means they should be able to focus their money on the team and aren't adequately or correctly doing so. The Indians still have one of the smallest payrolls in the MLB IIRC.

While I appreciate stadium upgrades, it pisses me off that the team cries poor when it comes to upgrading the lineup. Tribe fans want to win and to hell with the frills. Give me a big-time, reliable bat over the constant upgrades anytime. The fact that a somewhat dull, smaller-market team like Kansas City can put together a World Series winning club with good pitching and timely hitting, should make fans realize that it can be done in a mid-sized market like Cleveland... no excuses!

I disagree that the park 'n ride aspect is reason not to build the Red Line Euclid extension. Some of RTA's busiest stations are end-of-line park 'n rides, like Brookpark, Puritas and Green Road. As TPH2 noted, the Euclid station would attract regional riders, including from Lake County and would open up University Circle to them as well as making downtown and W. 25th easier to get to. I also disagree with your comment that the West 25th station has little impact on Ohio City development, because a number of businesses have cited the station as a motivation for developing there, including the Fries & Schuele condo/townhomes, the United Bank building rehab and the Cleveland Hostel. And as for Tower City being the only downtown station: all the Waterfront Line stations, maybe with the exception of the Muni Lot terminal, are considered downtown.

A PD reporter other than Ewinger accompanied the photographer on that tour of Central Rail. The photo would seem to fit for a story about looming issues with RTA's rail fleet... And here we have it Until RTA can afford new rail fleet, it strips aging trains to keep others rolling: Michael K. McIntyre's Tipoff By Michael K. McIntyre on December 05, 2015 at 7:00 AM, updated December 05, 2015 at 7:05 AM The 74 active train cars in the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority's commuter rail fleet are survivors. Placed into service in the late 1970s, they've labored long past their 30-year life expectancy. They look remarkably good for their age. But beneath the skin, the stress is starting to show. http://www.cleveland.com/tipoff/index.ssf/2015/12/as_rta_struggles_to_fund_repla.html So finally, after many if not most of Greater Cleveland's media outlets covered this story, ...along comes the PD bringing up the rear. I don't understand Calabrese. Yes, he has for many years has spoken about RTA's lack of government funding for transit system maintenance. But why is he resisting acknowledging that the long term (more like midterm) viability of his rail fleet appears to be in serious jeopardy? And why does he seem to be defensive about it? Theoretically, if external funding isn't coming in because of backwards, misguided pols, it's not his fault (again, theoretically) if there's simply no money to replace these worn out trains. But the fact that Joe's crack maintenance team is expertly cannibalizing parts from mothballed disabled trains to keep the current system running, tends to refute Joe's whistling past the graveyard mantra. With all due respect, and as much as applaud their efforts, it shouldn't come down to a 501©(3) transit advocacy organization like All Aboard Ohio, and particularly KJP, to inform the public of a situation RTA should have been more forthcoming about. KJP also correctly asserts in the PD article, as he's been telling UOers for some time, that RTA and the community need to also focus on the bigger picture of where transit is. and where it could and should be in terms of taking this community to the next level ... like expanded services such as the Red-Line-to-Euclid proposal ... that we must have "the conversation." When KJP told the PD: "No one is inspired by merely surviving," he hit the nail directly on the head.

It's interesting to consider the long-term negative effects, regarding sprawl, that occurred after County Engineer Albert S. Porter convinced the County Commissioners (2-to-1) to reject (in 1957 and again in 1959) the the voter referendum (supported 2-1 by the voters) for the County to issue bonds to pay for a downtown subway link to the then-new Rapid. As the below link notes, even though the subway was proposed as a downtown loop, it was designed as such, and no doubt projected, to include a connecting subway line out the Euclid corridor all the way to University Circle connecting with the, then, 2-year-old Rapid line to Windermere. http://clevelandhistorical.org/items/show/361#.VmHi6fm-1cY And even though this was nearly 60 years ago, the impact exists today. If we could go back in time, like Marty McFly, and somehow remove Porter and install a more progressive County Engineer, leading to the subway's completion, the Hough Riots may have never occurred (or may have occurred somewhere else). Up through the 1950s, Hough was the densest part of town with many multi-unit structures such as apartments, rowhomes. Also the original Uptown (Cleveland's 2nd downtown) was nearby at 105th & Euclid. Hough was also a very desirable area until the early 60s when middle class and professional people (largely Caucasian) began abandoning the area en masse for the burbs; African Americans (with roots in the South who's families came north looking for industrial work) moved in, slumlords took over; the apartment conditions plummeted and, BOOM, we had the Hough Riots; the apartments were abandonned/destroyed and yada, yada, yada, ... here we are today. As the link about notes, in the the post WWII era (late 40s/early 50s) both Cleveland and Toronto were planning new heavy rail rapid transit systems and both included 'up-the-gut' subways. As we now Know, Toronto went forward with it's subway while Cleveland stood pat with it's cheaper, out-of-the-way Rapid along the RR ROW. As we also know, Toronto's subway has been a huge success while our Rapid, well, ... not so much. Toronto's original Younge Street corridor, today, is uber-dense with residential and commercial TOD development -- there's the equivalent of 1 mini-downtown after another.... and it's still growing. Could Euclid Ave have become Cleveland's Younge Street? Chances are, we'll never know. We do know the destruction caused to the Euclid/Midtown corridor, which is only now somewhat recovering (but a shadow of what it was 4-5 decades ago), and we also know of the destruction of Playhouse Sq, which while the theaters were rescued by the late Ray Shepardson, there are still a number of empty office buildings in the area ... which soon may all be residential/hotel conversions... but just 1 block beyond PHS to the south, note how the area quickly thins out to surface parking an light-industry... Would this area been filled with luxury apts and offices had the subway been built? Probably.... {I'll note that the Dual Hub rail proposal of HRT or LRT? subway? surface? elevated? or both... came about in the late 1980s but, by then, the destruction to the Hough/Midtown corridor had occurred and the affects were well advanced by then} All this to say, there are obvious consequences that can result from 1 bad decision encouraged by 1 man... And Greater Cleveland has been in sprawl mode ever since -- more and more freeways allowing residents to run further and further away from Cleveland's urban core ... Even today, although we've experienced a renaissance of interest in downtown and other urban areas of Cleveland, we're still in sprawl mode (can you say: Crocker Park, Legacy, Medina, Sheffield Lake, Avon, etc, etc)... And yes, we are now even shown more interest in transit and TOD which is a good thing. Hopefully we've learned from this huge mistake from the past and don't repeat it.

After several decades, NFTA is finally entertaining discussions about extending Buffalo's very-productive (but short) Metro rail service. IIRC the proposed extension to the airport would pass by Buffalo Central Terminal with a stop there. I'm not sure that returning Amtrak would be such a wise thing, though, because the current station, though small and drab, is downtown close to the waterfront area where the city, like Cleveland, is seeing considerable residential/commercial growth. And Buffalo Central appears to be in a rather run-down part of town... Nevertheless, rehabbing this old Art Deco beauty and adding a Metro stop there would be a win-win situation if the city fathers (and mothers) can pull it off.

^Yikes!

Amen. It's sort of nondescript except for that bay window on the top floor which I bet is sweet, but it really is a landmark over there. The Commodore is a big, powerful building even in it's somewhat austere architecture, but its flourishes makes it seem distinguished. These factors, plus the ground-floor retail and closeness to the curb, reminds me of a lot of Manhattan mixed-use apartment buildings, especially on the Upper West Side. It meshes nicely with the curving, similar-aged mixed-use University East apartments across the street and, together, they add contrast and vitality to the corner which is, of course, occupied by ultra-mod Uptown and MOCA across Ford-Mayfield.

Cavs get handled by the Wiz tonight at the Q. You're gonna have games like this; nobody could shoot, although we've scored 90 and 85 in our last 2 games against Brooklyn and Washington, respectively; both are below .500 annd Brooklyn is headed for the Lottery. My big concern, though, is Mozgov. Something's wrong with him and I don't mean his knee. Most of his problems seem to be mental. He's not guarding the pick 'n roll. He's not protecting the rim. Hell, he's not even raising his head to receive LeBron's feeds, which is driving the King crazy. Everybody on the team is either yelling at him or counseling him on the bench, and the big guy looks spacey like he's back in St. Petersburg or something. And tonight's not isolated. All season long he's not even a shadow of himself. Blatt is now desperate playing MIA Andy Varejao more minutes than Mozzie. If Timo doesn't pull out of it, Griffin may have to make a move at the trade deadline which we never imagined would be needed. But there's too much on the line this season for a key cog in our championship run to be mentally out of it.