clvlndr

Yes absolutely, this distinction must be made clear. But to me, the fight at FWD in itself is bad news... if it happened say, after a year or 2 after FWD opened for business it probably wouldn't make the news. But given that the place literally just opened, it was bound to raise eyebrows.

Tristan Thompson's agent, Rich Paul, says client will leave Cleveland Cavaliers if he plays on qualifying offer By Chris Haynes, Northeast Ohio Media Group Follow on Twitter on August 10, 2015 at 3:59 PM, updated August 10, 2015 at 4:02 PM CLEVELAND, OHIO -- The 2015-16 season will be Tristan Thompson's last season with the Cleveland Cavaliers if he ends up signing the $6.9 million qualifying offer, according to his agent Rich Paul. "A Tristan Thompson qualifying offer will be his last year with Cavs," Paul told Northeast Ohio Media Group. If that ended up being the case, Thompson would be an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2016. The lengthy stalemate between the two sides can been viewed by Thompson's camp as a level of disrespect. The power forward is seeking a contract of five years, up to $90 million. http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index.ssf/2015/08/tristan_thompsons_agent_rich_p.html#incart_2box

^Yes, this was a nice write-up and photos... kudos to you and your (hopefully comfortable) shoes.

^I agree with rockandroller. I too visit a number of clubs from time to time which cater to the young and hip, and in several cities, but rarely if ever to I see fights. That this happened so soon at FWD is a bit troubling, even given the fact that the parties involved knew each other and had some kind of ongoing dispute. It may be an unfair burden for FWD, but this City has a bad history of drunkenness and bad behavior -- and even deaths -- in the Flats, esp along the East Bank, and to have something like this so soon in the FEB, before it is even half open for God's sake, is bound to make people uneasy-- and as we can see, media like the PD are more than ready to pounce on stuff like this. As the old saying goes: first impressions are lasting ones, so FWD had best invest in serious security to stem any similar future festivities. We certainly don't need a Moda-by-the-River.

There are a number of hilly areas in the Heights area once you get up there, as well.

^I believe the entire bridge, including the decorative guard rail, is original from the Vans' era. RTA merely rehabbed and painted them; not replaced them; very similar to the original bridge's used at the new Little Italy station where RTA relocated the eastbound track bridge 10 feet to the east to allow for the new platform.

^I'm guessing some UH workers may be a little closer to the new station and use it, especially Seidman Cancer Center. I hope RTA posts station signage on the west side of the NS bridges. Not sure how visible the station is from that side.

^I'm shocked an office building that's been converted into condos or apartments within the last 20-25 years has no sprinkler system. This is supposed to be a quality building and I know it's not cheap. We'll see if smoke detectors were installed and active. There will likely be some serious questions raised regarding this incident. I'm glad nobody was hurt.

National Terminal's, er the Archer's, constructing a new apt building on that lot would be sweet. More density, esp at FEB is all good.

Punch Bowl Social hiring 200 By Plain Dealer business staff on August 07, 2015 at 11:30 AM, updated August 07, 2015 at 11:41 AM Punch Bowl Social hiring 200 in Cleveland CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Punch Bowl Social, a new attraction dubbed an "eatertainment" experience in the Flats East Bank area is hiring. The restaurant/entertainment center, which includes a 4,000-square-foot rooftop deck that looks out onto Lake Erie and the Cuyahoga River and boasts a diner-style fare, craft beers and cocktails served in punch bowls for sharing, is hosting job fair next week from Monday through Thursday in hopes of hiring 200 workers immediately. Qualified candidates will be considered for the following positions: bartenders, bar backs, servers, cocktail servers, server assistants, hosts/hostesses, door hosts, activities hosts, line cooks (both shifts), prep cooks and dishwashers. The job fair will be from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at the Aloft Hotel, 1111 W. 10th St. http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2015/08/punch_bowl_social_hiring_200_c.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

^^That's the kind of scene I'd have more expected during the old drunken Flats of the 90s.

^^KJP the historian, strikes again!... good stuff... I've never seen that photo of the newly completed rapid bridges from the 1920s on Mayfield-- I never knew there was that wood-frame building (looks like an apt house over retail) that was literally right up on the tracks. It's amazing and sad when you think of all the NYC-like dense structures we've lost over the decades ... Fortunately Little Italy has maintained its viability and density. This may be the best, close-crop population-to-train situation in the entire RTA system ... even trumping Shaker Square.

^Yes, I think you're right about that... I know the issue came up, re the University-Cedar station even before it was rebuilt, how RTA had maintained and painted its bridges which are in contrast to its neighbor, NS, which has those horrible, rusty, paint-paint peeling overpasses which defile the handsome homes and apts of Cedar Glen but also are an ugly gateway to the Heights... NS, as long as their tracks are safe for their rumbling freight trains, have little if any motivation to keeping its bridges looking nice.

^^I was wrong, it is RTA's responsibility... Right now the situation is weird b/c the underpass under the Red Line is bright and shiny with funky LED lighting, but walking west from there ... yikes!

What could have been done is that the station head house beneath the tracks could have been elongated so that it would have extended under the entire RR ROW allowing for an entry on the east and west sides, which I'm guessing is what you mean. I was hoping for this, too... One of the original proposals was for stairs up from the platforms (IIRC the original plan was for separate east and west side platforms) to an overhead walkway or plaza extending over the tracks to the west side of the ROW. Unfortunately both those alternatives were ruled out due to expense, and the single-island platform headhouse below the tracks was designed, so we'll just have to cope with another long sidewalk underpass under the tracks not unlike Euclid-E. 120... I'm guessing that the responsibility/jurisdiction for cleaning the tunnel not under RTA's tracks is not with RTA; probably the City of Cleveland. I just wish there had been better coordination so that the underpass could have been fixed up during the 2 years the Little Italy station was being built. I understand now that a fixed up sidewalk-tunnel is at least 1 year away... Oh well.

The Media and the Elephants have invaded Cleveland. Media is from all over the world to cover the R-Debates tonight... Chris Matthews of MSNBC, like the ESPN pregame crew for the NBA Finals, was broadcasting from E. 4th Street. Morning Joe (Scarborough) is also broadcasting from C-town tomorrow morning, but I'm not sure which locale his team is choosing. btw, according to cleveland.com, the R-Prez candidates who didn't make the (top-10 debate) cut, are having a forum/watch-party at the House of Blues till midnight... Everybody loves E. 4th Street... other tidbits: ... Marco Rubio was hosted by Josh Mandel over at TownHall in Ohio City last night. ... Chris Christie is eating at 2 major restaurants in town, including chowing down at Nido Italia in Little Italy before the debates (I hope neither joint runs out of food as a result). ... and from the "What's Wrong with this Picture" file, I understand Mike Huckabee (listed in cleve.com's headline as Mike Huckbee (sic)) toured the Rock Hall for some reason; which has got to be terrible publicity for the R&RHOF. http://www.cleveland.com/open/index.ssf/2015/08/huckbee_takes_a_break_from_deb.html#incart_story_package

Agreed.

^^^^^Excellent job mrclifton88; this is the best FEB set yet; you got a ton of different angles which really gives a feel for the place... As you say, even though places are slowly opening, it's still looks to be largely a construction zone. While there were a lot of people at Alley Cat and on the river (jet skis everywhere!), the nice wide boardwalk was all but empty. That should change when more apartments and eateries go on line. Sad to see Toby Keith's spot just stillborn; hopefully another bar and/or restaurant sign a lease and finish work there... Otherwise it all looks very well planned. Can't wait to hit town and get on down there.

It sure would be nice if RTA promoted the Waterfront Line as a primary means of accessing the newly expanded Flats East Bank which is now coming on line. The FEB station is literally steps away from the new Boardwalk and all the new restaurants and clubs (in addition to being right across the street from FEB's excellent existing (2013-opened)hotel-office-restaurant complex)... yet I haven't seen anything on RTA's website along these lines to date... Missed opportunity?

I do not bother with buses in cities like Cincinnati. The community does not treat it as a serious mode of transportation, so neither do I. ^ That's because too many people in power here regard public transportation as a social program, not serious transportation. This! :clap:

Yeah, I'm surprised there hasn't been movement in those Victorian-looking buildings with all the FEB construction next door (plus Metropark's pending return of an expanded Water Taxi); I do keep hearing rumors that a restaurant may be going back into Watermark's old space ... but they are only rumor's. It is still a beautiful old block of ORR south of the bridge and contrasts nicely with the new construction. I suppose there's a more cautious wait-and-see approach after being burned by the collapse of the old Flats.

Great! Thanks...

So the Boardwalk is officially (or unofficially) open? What about any of the restaurants (Big Bang is supposed to be IIRC)? Pictures, pictures, we want more pictures!... You guys are doing a great job, but I'd like even more (greedy bastard am I)...

Rail rapid transit is a start. It tends to vitalize buses and up the ante in terms of their on-time demands.

20 stories will definitely stand out in this area and should easily be visible from miles away, esp from downtown. I don't believe that any of the nearby Clinic campus buildings even approach this height. I could be wrong, though, but they seem rather squat IIRC.