Ewoops

Question: I'm confused, does this mean that District Park will be marketed exclusively to the GLBT and GLBT friendly community, or just that they are going to make a concerted effort to marktet it to that community, as well as others? I, for one, think that marketing to the GLBT community, although not exclusively, is a great idea. I've heard a lot of people complain that the WD crowd is too frat-party/post-college oriented. We need to get a more diverse constituency there, so the neighborhood is able to attract different types of establishments and uses. Pinnacle should help with up-scale baby boomers, and District Park should help with the GLBT crowd. Right now there just isn't enough diversity in the retail and bar scene to appeal to those who are otherwise choosing Cleveland Heights. I'm to the point where I cringe when I see them opening up a new nightclub in the area, we need to see more neighborhood rather than entertainment district type establishments in the neighborhood.

I was told at a meeting yesterday that University Circle is the second largest employment center in the state, behind downtown Cleveland? Does anyone know if this is true? They also said that Case, UH, and the Clinic are three of the top ten largest employers in the entire Northeast Ohio region. Considering the fact that UC has a nationally known univerity, that so many people work there, and that it's chock full of cultural insitutions, it's a no-brainer that this area should be a world-class neighborhood. It is the cultural and intellectual capital of the region! Plus it's close to the Lake and in close proximity to a ton of green space. I hope these discussions bear fruit.

WKYC and the PD should be ashamed of themselves. WKYC broadcast like two questions of the debate, and the PD buried the story on the bottom of the metro page. I'm sorry, but with the future of the city hanging in the balance, that debate should have been broadcast in its entirety, and should have been front page news, with a big picture. Jackson is not a great speaker. I hope, in the event that he wins, that he has other qualities that I'm unaware of. I don't understand how he's winning.

Has Peter Lawson Jones made an endorsement in the mayoral election? I saw him and Campbell in the same room yesterday, and he gave her a nice nod, but she didn't really acknowledge him and the two never spoke to one another. It made me wonder if he had come out for Jackson.

I think that the stretch of Lake and Detroit that you mentioned is critical to the development of the neighborhood, in that it would be the "gateway" to Gordon Square for those travelling from Edgewater, Lakewood, and probably River. I think that one of the main selling points of the project would be Capitol Theater's ability to draw people from these areas (and others on the West Side) to the neighborhood on a regular basis. The Clifton portion of the trip is great, it would be nice if the entire stretch to Gordon Square from the west could be as aesthetically pleasing!

Dan, I recognize your building from the last time I drove down the street. It's a great example of Italian character that still exists in the neighborhood, and the interiors do look great. Your building seems to have a similar feel to the one that was featured on HGTV. MGD, I couldn't agree more about the ugliness of that stretch of Detroit. I was fortunate last week to have had the opportunity to listen to a pitch presented by James Levin, the director of Detroit Shoreway's development corporation (who would be the developer behind the Capitol Theater, or "Cedar Lee West"), and the the director of the Near West Theatre pertaining to the proposed Gordon Square Arts District. They are currently in the "very silent" stage of raising 10 million in private funds that is necessary for the project to go forward. Their plans are ambitious; they mean for Gordon Square to become a nationally known district (Cleveland's "Off-Playhouse Square") and a must-see for anyone coming to Northeast Ohio. The ugly stretch of Detroit is an obstacle they must overcome if the neighborhood is to reach those lofty heights, but the potential is certainly there.

West 69th, north of detroit and near the development, is an amazing street. It's narrow and charming, with many well-kept homes, some renovated homes and some new construction. It also has retained its Italian flavor, and some of the renovations are creating a Mediterranean feel. I have a feeling that this and adjacent streets, due to Battery Park, the Shoreway Boulevard, and the possibility of the Gordon Square Arts District, are going to see, if they haven't already, rapidly increasing real estate values.

I would agree that leasings on Lower Euclid may be sparse until the completion of the Corridor. I talked to someone close to the leasing operations for one of the buildings in Playhouse Square, and potential tenants are paying for options to the storefronts in that building that would allow them the opportunity to lease after the completion of the Corridor. I also heard from a non-profit currently headquartered in a storefront on Lower Euclid that they will likely be forced out at the end of their lease, due to cost projections for the space based on a completed Corridor.

It said in the paper today that Triozzi endorsed Jackson, and that the Firemens' union went with Campbell. Although the head of the union did not sound all that enthusiastic, stating that most of the firemen probably made their minds up on Campbell one way or another some time ago.

Does this mean Gameworks is out? Or is there a possibility that there could still be a Gameworks? What about an ESPN zone? That would seem to fit with the overall theme that seems to have emerged for the area, as East 4th and Gateway really seem to have become a big event type entertainment area. It's got the ball park and arena, concert venue, comedy club and cabaret, and now a bowling alley. However, I wonder if East 4th Street has lost some momentum with national retailers and entertainment venues, due to the East Bank project. They may be waiting to see which development has the most potential before making a commitment. I hope that these types of developments find a way to compliment, rather than compete with, one another. Hopefully they can all find a niche that will suit downtown residents, employees, and tourists.

Blinker, I was at the breakfast this morning as well. It really was invigorating.

Crain's has a blurb about Ferchill's plans for a $40 million-dollar development on West 9th and Main that would coincide with Wolstein's plan for the East Bank. Where exactly would this be? Just on the other side of the Shoreway from National Terminal? Would this project have the potential to front on both West 9th on the top of the hill and West 10th at the bottom of the hill? I'm very excited about the prospect of spin-off development from the Flats development, and the possibility of creating a seamless transition from the East Bank to the Warehouse District. This project, along with District Park and the existing buildings on the West side of West 9th are a great start. Here's the link to Crain's: http://www.crainscleveland.com/assets/pdf/CC23071014.PDF

Ella-I'm confused: is the area that was planned for the bookstore the same land that Samsel is worried about? Is there some reason that is the only suitable site for a bookstore? Any other information about the project that you have would also be interesting. I'm very excited about the Flats' project, but know very few actual details about the timetable and proposed development.

Yea, I thought it was on the other side of Detroit-Superior, along the riverfront and next to the old railroad terminal that Steven Litt wrote about in the PD a few months ago. I think it is currently the site of a two or three parking lots that sit right on top of the river. I try to drive through that area whenver I'm leaving downtown, and the potential of the Flats as a large world-class neighborhood is incredible. The East Bank and the West Bank Districts are not a far walk from one another (nor are either of them a far walk from Scranton Pensinsula, which, if developed, would be an incredible addition), but there's no clear and marked path for people trying to get from one side of the river to the other. The development of a park in that area could truly connect the West Bank to the East Bank by making it a more well-lit and pedestrian friendly area. All of the developments planned (Towpath and Canal Basin Park, Stonebridge, East Bank, etcetera) should be tied together in a way that allows the WHD (and all of downtown for that matter), East Bank, West Bank, Scranton Peninsula, and even Ohio City and Tremont to become part of a group of seamlessly connected yet distinct neighborhoods. Currrently, while they're all in close proximity to one another, there are no clear connections between them. Physically, the only thing separating the WHD from the East Bank is a hill, but mentally the disconnect is much larger. The planners need to do a better job of creating a connection. The same thing can be said for the rest of the areas as well.

It's too small for the entire project, but it could work if they stuck to the scattered site plan. They'd have to tear down the adjacent buildings, and probably don't have the resources to get the land, but you're right Wimwar, it wouldn't be a bad place for an apartment building with retail on bottom.

My apartment is across the street from the building on West 25th, and I was awoken at four in the morning last week by the fire. It's really as shame, the building was coming along nicely. I took some incredible pictures of firemen hoisted by cranes fighting the fire, with downtown Cleveland featured prominently in the background. I should have called the Plain Dealer over to take pictures, it was quite a sight. SchoolOne, the company planning on moving in, would have been a great addition to the neighborhood. SchoolOne is an internet company based in Elyria that provides software that connects teachers to parents, so parents don't have to wait for parent-teacher conferences to get information about what is going on with their child. It will be interesting to see what happens at the site now, rumor has it the building will need to be demolished. Maybe a last minute site for the Hope VI project?

I noticed that they've stopped mentioning the potential book-store that had previously been linked to the project (both In Crain's and in this month's article on Wolstein in Cleveland Magazine). I wonder, are they having trouble attracting a bookseller to the Flats, or are they omitting it for purposes of brevity? Hopefully the latter, it's a real shame that we don't have a major bookstore in Cleveland proper. In fact, it is an amenity that would cause me to seriously consider a neighborhood. I am embarrassed that I have to drive all the way to Westlake to get to a Border's or Barnes and Noble. Considering the fact that Border's and B & N are already in Westlake, perhaps Joseph Beth could wind up in the Flats. I remember reading a while back that they were trying to attract a major bookstore to the abandoned church on 117th and Lake, I wonder if it's possible for both Edgewater and the Flats to get a major chain to sign up. Sooner, I agree that the Campbell administration has been much improved since Ronayne's promotion. Enough in fact, for her to receive a second term, IMO.

I agree X, I thought there wouldbe more tenants announced by now, and it doesn't seem like they've started any construction on the Gameworks or Lola yet, does anyone know if those projects are still a go? I wonder what else would be a good fit for the area. It seems like an ESPNZone would fit in perfectly with the entertainment type venues they've already attracted. East 4th seems to me like its becoming a tourist destination (with the ballpark, arena, comedy club, concert hall, and upcoming version of Chuck E. Cheese for adults), albeit one that can be utilized and enjoyed by downtown residents as well.

Does anyone have any idea if there are firm commitments from a bookstore, movie theater, or grocer yet? If that were the case, I'd sign up right now. I can't wait until they announce the details of the project, this could be incredible. I still think that mixing in boutique hotels would make the area even more incredible.

I agree that CSU could use a footballl team. Here is what I propose: Wolstein wants a soccer stadium, his family is already the largest donor in CSU history, and CSU could use a football team. Why not combine these two efforts and produce one 15-20k stadium (possibly containing dorms) on the surface lot just east of Reserve Square? Throw in the fact that St. Ignatius currently plays in Lakewood, they could also be a partner on the project. There is no reason they shouldn't play in Cleveland. This would be a huge boost to both CSU's campus as well as the neighborhood currently proposed for that area and Playhouse Square. Between the resources of Wolstein, CSU, and St. Ignatius alumni, they should be able to get it done if they put their minds to it. The football team would produce a sense of pride in alumni, hopefully getting them to open up their pocket books and to take an active interest in the future of the school. It would also help out in creating the residential campus CSU envisions, and possibley attract Spring and Fall concerts that students would be in walking distance of. I also agree that CSU could use a rebranding. University of Cleveland, Cleveland University, whatever. It could dovetail with a marketing campaign to tout its new residential campus, as well as its new downtown football team. It would truly be a fresh start. I can already see the t-shirts sporting "Cleveland Law," "Cleveland Urban," "Cleveland Engineering," etc. Let me know what you guys think.

I hope the city gets some input in what happens with the redevelopment of the Flats. It is, in my opinion, Cleveland's most unique asset, and the city needs to do the best job it can to help it fulfill its potential. Stonebridge, while gorgeous on the outside, seemed to fall short (at least to me) when I actually took a look at an apartment there. It was just too sterile. The Flats needs to keep its funky feel, and there are so many great buildings down there, a mix of new buildings and redeveloped ones would really be amazing. Does anyone else feel like the parking lot bridging the Warehouse District and Public Square is a better spot for the type of development being proposed for the Flats? Something similar to Block E in Minneapolis, if anyone is familiar? It also seems like the Flats needs more residential development than the current plan offers, as well as more hotels. It is so close to the Rapid, which can take businessmen/women to Public Square and the north end of the financial district, that it seems a no-brainer for a number of small, cool hotels mixed in with a ton of housing (similar to South Beach, but with a Cleveland flavor, maybe we could get more marina slips at the north end of the flats and near Whiskey Island to compensate for the fact that there's not a beautiful beach) With this kind of traffic, the retail (not to mention dining and nightlife options) aspect would take care of itself. However, I don't want to look a gift horse in the mouth. If they are going to get something down there started, I am all for it. I just hope that the infrastructure being put in place for this development will be able to accomodate future growth as well.