archangel

Jan. 11 unemployment: 9.3%, a jump of .8% http://www.bls.gov/eag/eag.oh_cleveland_msa.htm

^ Yeah. I don't see why people are surprised at the need for public money to build HSR. We spent public money on football stadiums, tax incentives, highways...but somehow HSR is magically exempt despite a clear and growing need for it? Good stuff in this thread.

I'm all about getting the truth out, but the truth isn't always nice. There are reasons to be optimistic, and I am a returnee who by no means had to come back, I made a conscious choice when other options were available...since returning, I'd say my optimism has increased slightly, even if I've been confronted with some unpleasant realities like this census. Believe me, I understand the frustration, but I know a lot of people who've moved away and are very happy with their decisions. The majority of the people I grew up with, smart, accomplished people - are gone. And many of them tried very hard to make a go of it here. It is not all the media. People should be alarmed, dismayed even, but the proper response is to work to correct the situation and take ownership of the community. And win people back with positive words and positive action. But I won't blame anyone who leaves. What's the point? This is a free country. Just tell the truth, and be fair. Many of my friends tell me, it'd be nice to be able to work and live in Cleveland again. For some, there aren't a lot of options here. Yet. For those who do have options here, you can bet I'll tell them about the good things the city has to offer.

This is the best development on W. 25th in a long time, assuming it happens. Looks great...almost a whole block. And indoor parking!

I understand not wanting to demolish anything for more parking, but isn't this at least a garage, not a surface lot? Doesn't that discourage surface lot proliferation? If they're going to sell a classy experience, there have to be accommodations. They proposed moving the **** river for parking purposes, and this proposal is a surprise? Come on. And if Gilbert wants a two-headed casino, that's fine by me.

FWIW, this week's Crain's had an editorial saying this was a good idea. We view as positive a meeting last month between U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and members of Congress from northern Ohio to discuss the idea of developing a high-speed rail line along Lake Erie. It is more sensible to explore the prospect for this route than the ditched 3C because of the potential of the east-west line becoming part of a high-speed, coast-to-coast transportation system. http://crainscleveland.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110307/SUB1/303079989/1074/

Truth. Immigrants made this city great, and can do so again. And it finally seems that immigration is coming to the forefront here. I truly think we've hit rock bottom. Things seem to be turning around regionally. I'm hopeful that this translates to an increasing population in the city in the future. Absolutely. I would take nearly crazy measures to attract semi-skilled and well-educated immigrants to Cleveland. Not welfare, not entitlements, but opportunity grants, targeted public services...etc. And this is secondary, and related to, a larger effort to attract major employers to the area and allow smaller ones to spring up around them.

Devastating.

Having looked more closely at historical trends and even assuming the worst, I think I agree. The 2009 estimated was 430, so even assuming a terrible estimate and a horrible year, it would be unusual to fall below 400. Apocalyptic comment withdrawn.

Was saying I thought we'd drop below 400k, but I've changed my mind.

THE SUSPENSE!

It might have been a boondoggle if it went forward at that time, and the then-president ruffled too many alumni feathers. Long-term, though, it could still be viable. I don't think they want to part with the land given the favorable trend for that area.

Well, I was convinced. And, legos!

^^ Cleveland should get some Chinese medical device companies in here as well. It's a huge expanding market and would make for some 'sexy' clients to go along with the bread and butter. It's nice we have a headstart on the building, though.

I don't think Dim Sum is going there, unless they've decided to serve alcohol as well. The owner of the building circulated some info indicating he was seeking a liquor license for that space for the new tenant (not mentioned), but that it would be a restaurant, not a club.

Nashville can say whatever they want, they're still hypothetical. Actually, I'm surprised they didn't find a way to beat Cleveland to the punch. They aren't lacking for local clients, with Vanderbilt and many other hospitals nearby.

Isn't this one of the arguments for something resembling SB 5? Maybe we don't have to utterly deny them the right to strike, but why should we tolerate useless, unproductive workers, even if they are a distinct minority of teachers? I know people who worked in Cleveland public schools and who cited two problems as holding the district back: Bad Parents, Bad Teachers. The good teachers are popular, well-liked by students, and get decent results. The bad ones coast and adopt the same apathetic or overwhelmed attitude that many parents take. Whether it's because they're just not able to cut it or because they don't care, we shouldn't be guaranteeing people like that a nice retirement for ineffectual babysitting. If it was better paying, I'd teach. I might not be the best, but I'd be willing to work for the money. And I'd want to be evaluated, both objectively and subjectively, otherwise, how do I improve?

Wait, so they personally disliked Cleveland, or they had some scheme to save money by consolidating? Either way, bad exec behavior.

Losing 120k people over a decade is bad. The year-to-year figures are just estimates, right? I think it's rather remarkable that many institutions have stayed alive and even innovated through such high population loss. Another decade of that, though, and we're going to see serious collateral damage to one or more of the large Cleveland institutions. Sports teams, arts/museums, companies HQ'd here... I still want to see the demographic breakdowns. I'm very interested to see who is leaving and who, if anyone, is moving into the county.

And at last we see the American (foreign owned though it may be) steel industry starting to be competitive again. Does this mean the free market works, or does it mean tariffs work? :) Good news. How good of a job is steelworker these days, anyway?

Well, at least they're staying.

I live in a very high walkscore area and have a good quality of life with fresh food (some of it local) and also have land outside of the city that I am considering throwing up a quick and dirty vegetable patch on. If I could somehow convince my landlord to let me farm on the roof here, that would be ideal. As far as anyone can be 'immune' to fuel price increases, I am. I don't need a car to commute, I have access to subsidized mass transit, we try to eat local...but inevitably, the shockwaves will hit us. I don't buy that we're on the verge of an apocalypse in terms of fuel prices, but things are going to change. Either we start generating a tremendous amount of energy to pump into electric vehicles, or we start driving less. One of these is easier than the other, and something's gotta give. We'll run out of Lithium before we build enough personal EVs to move everyone. I grew up in the suburbs and they're fine and all, but they're so inefficient. They can survive just fine if other modes of transport afford similar access, but right now, what are those other modes? Public transit, mind-bogglingly, doesn't have the political support it needs. Trains can't reach everywhere; they need feeder buses. Cheap electricity for the Leafs and Volts of the world is a dream. Energy is actually still getting far more plentiful, but the demand is surging so fast that the benefits of all this wonderful new tech are unevenly distributed. The only way to correct that in our political system is relentless activism and refusal to let our neighbors passively vote the rest of us into oblivion and leave us unprepared for the future. I'd love to see a 'free market' solution to this, but I think the efficient solution is to have a robust enough public transit system that price shocks don't crush people who aren't expecting them. For now, people are just going to complain that we aren't drilling enough oil wells or not tapping the oil reserves, or whatever...

Superman isn't a Marvel property. Certainly not a Disney one. Someone is confused; my guess is Kasich misspoke, replacing 'Superhero' with 'Superman', or something like that. The budget is probably just the portion being done in Cleveland.

So there's a hotel going there, and we still don't know what brand it is? Or there WAS a Kilmpton going there and now they're waffling and considering a new sub-brand? Or the new sub-brand is definitely going there...?

If they produce a good hotel, I could care less about where it falls in their corporate hierarchy. Cleveland is hardly in a position to demand a St. Regis.