clvlndr

^For that small stretch of E. 79th street, 2 fully grade-separated rail stations about (what?) .5 miles from each other in a depressed, de-populated neighborhood probably isn't the best allocation of resources. However, your suggestion of relocating the Red Line station a few blocks east to the corner of E. 89th/Buckeye/Woodland made a lot of sense and would be on land (and on traffic routes) that would make this location far more develop-able than the current station at E.79... ... btw, I share your head-scratching about the Woodhill station. It's clean, shiny and modern looking (far better than the crumbling thing it replaced), but I can't thinking it's something akin to giant hamster maze built for humans.

I agree Zak on both your points... Yes, this issue even expands beyond just Shaker because the Vans legacy -- and model for the nation -- also includes the Terminal Tower Group (now the amazing Tower City), Shaker Square, Beachwood, Pepper Pike, University Hts (the Vans relocated John Carroll from the current St. Ignatius HS site in 1930), much of Gates Mills ... and even the Red Line, in addition to Shaker Heights... Translation: a whole lot of folks, in addition to Shakerites, would revolt against the destruction of the Shaker Rapid for buses. I also agree that the public needs to be made aware that of how absurd it is that some "planners" are still peddling the same old deleterious, anti-urban (and downtown Cleveland killing) policies of long-gone Albert Porter -- the OC is just one scary piece of evidence that ol' Bert still has a pulse. And if, as KJP noted, RTA's plan to run buses along Van Aken to U. Circle from the Highlands is just step 1 in some "rumored" run-up to a whole-scale Rapid-to-bus conversion, the media, and hopefully, the Public needs to hear about it ASAP. Perhaps a few well placed emails to the right journalists --- and maybe even a CWRU Observer piece -- need to happen.

The University Place Townhomes generally look nice, although the bare cinderblock base detracts somewhat.

We definitely need to fight back but, happily, my sense is that it will remain a rumor (though we still need to monitor it closely and, perhaps, raise some other folks antennae as well)... Thankfully, I just don't see it happening. The Shaker Rapid (aka the RTA Blue & Green lines) are as central to Shaker Heights' being as its schools, its tree-lined streets, its mansions, the Shaker Lakes, the Country Club, etc.... Remember, Shaker Heights went out and bought the freakin' railroad when its existence was threatened at the dawn of the automobile era of the 1940s. It's also the same suburb, in the 60s, that stared down and whipped both Bert Porter and Jim Rhodes -- 2 powerful freeway-mad bigwigs who (stupidly) were bound and determined to shove the infamous Clark Freeway right through the Shaker Lakes; Porter in particular, sought to bustitute the Shaker Rapid back then ... And while it's true that, these days, Shaker's lost a bit off its fastball, it's still home to a lot of powerful folks who won't at all take kindly to even the whiff of closing down it's treasured Rapid in favor of some slow-moving, smelly buses. Joe Calabrese is a devious, rail-hating schemer, but he's no dummy either. He's a guy who cares very much about his public persona and he can read tea leaves, as well... I don't care how many alleged statistics he can throw out about how much money RTA's losing running the Shaker Lines, he knows good & well that if he even suggests gutting this Rapid as KJP outlines, the good and powerful folks of Shaker (and many of its powerful neighbors such as those who drive in to the Rapid from lower Cleve Hts (the wealthy part that is), Beachwood, Pepper Pike, Hunting Valley, and others), will throw him and his RTA cronies out on their arses. RTA's Board knows that too.

From your private Learjet, eh?

I appreciate all your "inside" information, irritating as it is. You're certainly my eyes and ears into the inner working of what the transportation power elite is thinking and it's much more preferable to get this out on the table and hash it out now than to be blind-sided by it in the future... It's just that it shouldn't even be considered by RTA and, the fact that it is, is deplorable. Where other cities are looking to expand rail transit and expanding TOD, we here are considering shrinking it while continually expanding our highway system; we're literally stuck in the 1950s ... and, with the OC crowd trying to con the public by explaining that said highway (fast moving roadway, ... whatever you choose to call it) will miraculously boost rail transit ridership-- yeah, right. I ask the Q again: do they think we're stupid? And such a "rumor" about abandoning the Shaker Rapid for buses is exactly the same as what Albert S. Porter's shop proposed 50 years ago... so what we have is the hand of Porter is guiding Cleveland transportation, growth and sprawl from the grave all these years later. And as for rail solutions, the most generous objective observer would have to content that RTA has not been helpful. Just one recent example: despite the imploring by you/AAO and the Feds: RTA has been silent with regard to revamping and relocating the 2 Red Line stations that are ADA non-compliant. Calabrese is pulling his pockets out saying "we're broke; can't do anything"... meanwhile, RTA is planning to build a 2nd ADA elevator at E. 105 adjacent to the new OC... How did that happen? How could RTA tacitly to let rail transit close for supposed lack of money to build an elevator at either of them while proposing to build an elevator at a station that already has one? Riddle me that one, Batman. And there's such a negative track record toward rail transit under Calabrese that I've previously addressed, but won't get into here... Suffice it to say: I'll respectfully disagree with you: RTA absolutely should be burned at the stake (your words) for either actively considering this or not at least killing any rumor suggesting it could happen.

I give up. There really is no hope for rail in this City. I'm practically speechless on such profound stupidity... But in reality, it should not be surprising, really, with Joe Calabrese and his rail-hating, right-wing cronies... This has been the plan all along, although Jerry Masek refused to show his hand when asked why RTA was planning parallel BRT to Shaker Rapid lines... ... All I can say is, if this is truly the direction the Calabrese clan is heading in, he's going to have a HUGE FIGHT on his hands, because people won't stand for this nonsense ... And I certainly hope KJP doesn't just share this "rumor" here, but go to the press with it; notably Alison Grant at the PD who has written good articles about Amtrak lately, and has quoted him in several recent articles as AAO's director... This "rumor" is an outrage and needs to be given wide media coverage ASAP, because it, plus the thrust to get/receive the lone TIGER grant to build the crazy OC highway, threatens to set Cleveland transit and TOD development back several decades -- probably 1/2 century or more...

^I wonder if it's feasible to sponsor legislation to create a separate, transit-only funding agency in the state separate from ODOT which, quite obviously, is not only useless to transit interest, but a serious impediment.

Wait, I'm trying to wrap my head around the fact that you're justifying CCF's poor-to-just-mediocre architecture and total cavalier approach to neighborhood/street presence ... because of Obamacare!? ... and we're talking about perhaps the richest and most prestigious research medical institute in America,... and even the world ... The Clinic's sterile "campus" building approach and projections -- no doubt including this new cancer center -- long predated Obamacare. You lost me on this one, Holmes...

Not to be Debbie Downer, but TA is generally used by people are are not seasoned travelers. "Traveler sophisticates from NYC"? :wtf: I would also mention, the "newness" of the property. When the Aloft came on line it was number 1. When the Westin came online it too went to no. 1. Where are they both now? I in no way taking away from the FACT that this is a stand out property and moving forward other boutique brands will need to meet this type of expectation. The Hilton in no way will match this. The Hilton is a standard brand and it is a convention size hotel. The Autograph collection is Marriott boutique brand. Two different types of hotels from a brand and a function perspective. Ah, I was waiting for MTS to chime in!... I knew you'd straighten me out on this because you know quality, particularly in terms of travel... This is level of boutique hotel is new territory for Cleveland in modern times, no? I will say, as someone who tends to track comments like these, of the new hotels that have gone online in Cleveland recently, none have been as generally strong as they have been for The 9 (U. Circle’s Courtyard has been pretty strong too). And yes, my understanding is that the Autograph Collection is Marriott's premiere brand – or certainly one of them. ... With this in mind (and not to sound overly elitist), I'm sure this particular brand attracts a certain class of customer -- and those loyal to the brand -- and at this level, you'd expect travelers to be unusually discerning and demanding. So the fact that these customers are heaping this kind of praise on this hotel, is saying something ... at least to me, it is... And let’s be honest, given the fact that this IS Cleveland and, whether they choose to admit it or not, these travelers likely come in a preconceived negative outlook toward the city, consciously or unconsciously, makes these comments even more impressive... And MTS, I'd think this crowd is not one to be bowled over by a hotel’s newness... If anything, I'd expect these folks would be more critical and less forgiving of a property (and hence, in many ways, ... the City) for miscues and staff not being up to snuff… by all accounts, therefore, The 9 is passing with flying colors.

Nice tour, mrclifton... I didn't realize there was a theater in there... I only did a quick walk-through of the lobby and the Adega restaurant a week ago and was impressed. I definitely want to spend significant time there to fully appreciate the quality of this restoration. The fact that hotel guests are speaking so highly of the place is very encouraging... The ongoing mystery to me is, how the hell could the developers pull this thing together so fast? ... this is no small project by any means.

btw, Metropolitan at the 9 is getting early rave reviews on websites such as TripAdvisor... This is high end territory and The 9 may become our only 4-star hotel (if I recall, the Ritz dropped off the list...). Of course, we'll have to see how the new Hilton comes online... Laudatory comments are coming from everywhere, including traveler sophisticates from NYC ... and from overseas, too. Behold: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g50207-d6730957-Reviews-Metropolitan_at_The_9-Cleveland_Ohio.html

^well, not exactly...

^Don't get me wrong, I'm not objecting to it...I just find it rather amusing, that's all... I love Heinens btw... a great high quality/high class operation... if any supermarket is to operate in the CT Rotunda, I'd prefer it to be Heinens.

The Rotunda is such an amazing structure -- definitely in my Top 10 of beautiful Cleveland interior spaces; and maybe in my Top 5... It's hard to conceptualize, though, folks tramping through there across those lovely buff marble floors seeking the frozen foods section... Oh well, I'm thrilled to see this magnificent space back in play after so many years of derelict decay while also having a brand new, much needed, ped-oriented supermarket to boot ... a win-win, definitely.

:whip:

And Collier outlined for the first time steps the city plans to take to establish guidelines for development of land flanking the boulevard. ... Such rules could ensure that acres around Opportunity Corridor will be densely developed with housing and businesses that boost ridership on the nearby Red, Blue and Green rapid transit lines of the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority. Once again, fast (slick) talking by OC supporters in order to garner support. How will building developments around the OC help boost rail ridership, esp. with RTA's (see Joe Calabrese) about to pull the plug on 2 East Side Red Line Stations -- notably E. 79th -- due to a supposed lack of funds to make them ADA compliant? ... The more I hear about this sick joke of a highway project, the more pissed off I get. How stupid do they think the public is? ... very, apparently.

^Not surprising, Takei's a cool guy; very civic minded -- and funny as hell... As an appointed member to the old Southern Cal Rapid Transit District, he was famously called away from the set of Star Trek I (the movie) to cast the tie-breaking vote to build the Red Line subway. Not bad.

^Yes, I was pleasantly surprised by LA when I was there last winter; my first trip there since '96. I always commented, when I used to fly out there regularly for work in the 90s: LA's downtown was really no better than Cleveland's. Well that's no longer true, no disrespect to my vastly improving hometown, but LA's office and multi-unit residential density has mushroomed to fill out its downtown to look and feel more like that of a city of 3+ million. I then commented to my friends: downtown LA feels like Manhattan. Mixed us mid and high rises all over, lots of walkable areas with street-level shops – sure, those classic (and infamous) LA scrubby/ugly looking strip shopping areas still persist in many outer areas – they won’t disappear anytime soon – but they’re being joined with a lot of dense TOD around rail stations… And yes, even Hollywood was very easily navigable on foot from the (HRT) Red Line stop at Hollywood & Vine. The sidewalk-level buzz made Hollywood seem like Lincoln Park or Greenwich Village – only with slightly different architecture… and palm trees, of course… Back downtown, that whole LA Live area around the Staples Center and Nokia Theatre was also quite amazing and bustling with foot, more so than auto, traffic. And there were crowds of people using the LRT and HRT rail lines and subways downtown. And Union Station, which is connected by both the Red/Purple Line and Gold Line, was buzzing like a typical East Coast rail hub: think Grand Central or Union Station or 30th Street. Lots of transferring between the transit lines and the Metro Link commuter rail network which spans the breadth of LA's sprawling metro area... It is quite impressive. As an American, I’m proud of LA. If the ugliest of American cities, in terms of freeways and low-density sprawl can learn from its mistakes and recast itself as a place of comprehensive mass transit and smart-growth, there’s hope for everywhere else (except for Ohio, perhaps, with our pro-highway, pro-sprawl, stuck-in-the-1950s mentality)

^No question; the location of the current Amtrak station is exactly where the NCTC needs to be: downtown, right at the crossroads of the new hotel/convention center complex and the expanding lakefront... right where the planned pedestrian bridge should connect to it... It's a shame local officials couldn't their heads out of their arses and submitted a viable proposal that could have secured TIGER funding.

Lovin' every minute of this...

ceed Obviously Florida as a state is much more progressive in terms of rail transit than Ohio, so I guess Scott had to concede on joint airport hub stations -- I'm guessing those projects may have already been in the pipeline dating before Scott took office... Obviously FDOT is much more "with-it" in terms of transit issues than our (obviously) politically right-wing controlled ODOT here in Ohio.

Yeah, I feel as though that particular pic is a rendering. You may be right; it looks like a rendering, although photogs do a lot of funky things digitally with photos nowadays so it's often not easy to tell what's real and what's not... I do know, though, that the CIA kids have already moved into the Phase II dorms ... which led me to believe the photo is real... but maybe it's not.

^AAF is moving forward with their plans even after Gov. Rick Scott scuttled Florida's HSR plans a few years ago, not unlike what Kasich did here. Good to see that some states don't let a conservative governor or a cadre of conservative polls thwart the sensible development of passenger rail in their state. Obviously Ohio isn't one of them.

^You sure that's a rendering? The dorm portion of Phase II opened with CIA in August.