Rustbelter

Seems like just about all of the rehabs and new construction builds in Cleveland have this LVP flooring. I never really knew about the stuff until recently house hunting. Definitely not a fan and it's also got to be pretty environmentally unfriendly too.

This is confusing to me because the original concept was scaled down. Why couldn't they have a grocery store and just built taller to get more housing? Overall I have no idea how they justified that much parking without a large retail tenant. There are still plenty of open and/or underutilized lots along Detroit for a new grocery store. Or how about the Value World on the east side of Lakewood?

This is absolutely true, and I've seen multiple occasions in last last year since moving to Cleveland where large numbers of cars have been broken into and the problem is brought up frequently on social media. In Ohio City, Downtown, Little Italy, and apparently Cleveland Heights too. Have not heard about this happening in Lakewood. I lived in Chicago for years and didn't see this level of break-ins there, and it's not exactly a city known for low crime. Yes this is foolish but I have also heard of many cases where the thief does $300 worth of damage to only end up taking $2 worth of change hidden in the center counsel. These people are breaking into cars en mass, not just those where people are blatantly leaving valuables out in clear sight.

Other countries have high population densities near their parks, which is not common in America. See the Forth Ward park in Atlanta for a new urban park with corresponding residential development. Would be nice to see this type of development around the Canal Basin park.

^ @X I agree. A park needs a community to make use of it. Hopefully between Scranton Peninsula and the Bedrock development it will create that community. Could also serve the Flats West Bank but it seems like that never sees any momentum. I would like to see some residential infill along Merwin, Fall, and Columbus; but I haven't heard much about anything like that except for one project on Columbus that doesn't seem to be going anywhere.

Couple of articles about car break-ins in Cleveland. This is particularly bad in Cleveland from what I've observed since moving here, and is not exactly going to encourage people from the suburbs (or elsewhere) to live and visit. Is anyone safe? Car break-ins continue to plague Ohio City visitors Wave of car break-ins hits Cleveland, as thieves target victims across the city

With the tax abatement the buyer is essentially getting an additional asset that drives the price up, thus giving the developers a larger profit margin. With those profit margins lowered it reduces incentive for development. I think the tax abatement is still useful because from what I see on the ground these "hot" neighborhoods still have a ways to go; however, it will continue to be thing but just at 85% instead of 100% to my understanding. I do believe renovations are still eligible for 100% abatement.

Most disengaged I've been with this team since the 0-16 & 1-15 seasons. Sadly they're wasting what is a fairly talented roster. Watson's contract is going to hang over this team for the next couple of seasons, so to me it's looking like they should just blow this thing up and start from scratch. It was already announced after the game that Watson is not going to be benched, although they may have no other choice soon enough.

^ Is likely. So you're telling me that people in rural IL are somehow thinner than people in rural IN and IA? And the rural TX panhandle is thinner than OK just by magically crossing over to the next county? Not buying it. Also not buying any political implications either; this is more likely attributed to regional culture and lifestyle. Just look at the mountain west states regardless of political preferences. Also, the number of urban areas in the US where people are walking at an appreciable rate is meaningless in regards to this map. What I do buy is that poor and uneducated are more likely to lead an unhealthy lifestyle, whether that's a poor white republican in rural WV or a poor black democrat on the south side of Chicago.

Mark Foster interview on YouTube where he talks some about growing up in the Cleveland area. Don't think many know he has local roots, or would even recognize him walking down the street for that matter. Even though he has a good case for being the most prolific contemporary indie rock(pop?) artist in recent years. The Real Meaning of 'Pumped Up Kicks' and My Life Before and After | Mark Foster (Foster the People)

Interesting YouTube video: How Cleveland Rejected the Subway This channel has a bunch of other videos on Cleveland area rail too.

Cleveland also needs more population density (i.e. potential riders) and the current system serves a lot of areas where that isn't happening. If Cleveland turns the population corner I like PlanCleveland's ideas above for realistic changes in future decades. -Streetcars linking downtown, near west side, and university circle (BRT is half-baked, sorry) - Rail spur serving Lakewood (existing density) - downtown lightrail loop - TOD and new infill stations (Fulton Rd., W. 85th, Lakeview Rd.) along the red line as neighborhoods become more desirable.

There is little evidence left today but Hough Ave was once a densely built up urban retail corridor.

^ Yes, the last time Hough was a high-end area was before the depression. Like I mentioned upthread, my grandparents lived in Hough in the 40's and had told me a good amount about living there at the time. In the 40's it housed a lot of people following WW2. There was a housing shortage at the time and my grandparents told me the landlords got away with renting substandard housing (this set the table for later changes). They lived in a subdivided house and later on in one of the brick apartment buildings, and said despite the unkempt housing stock it was safe with a lot of active businesses. They would walk to League Park, businesses on Hough Ave, and the larger entertainment/shopping district at 'Doan's Corners' as they called it. My grandmother didn't drive at that point in her life and would take the streetcar downtown for work (she complained it was slow). So from that along with what I've read it was gritty but stable in the 40's (probably like most older urban American neighborhoods at this time), it transitioned from an almost entirely white to majority black neighborhood in the 50s, and during the 60s/70s it was in a real downward spiral. So I agree 1910s/20s would have been the best time for a Euclid Ave subway, but I think it could have been well received through the 40s and perhaps changed the trajectory of the area.

I think if a Euclid Avenue subway was built in the 30's or 40's it would have been successful, especially combined with holding off autocentic planning (i.e. Chester Ave). This corridor through Hough/Fairfax was very dense and would have been built when the area was still stable and largely middle class. If a Euclid Ave subway was built in the 70s we would be in a better position today but I doubt the condition of Hough/Fairfax would be all that different than what it currently is. The downward trajectory was already well on its way by then.

Yes. Imagine if a Euclid Avenue subway was built instead of ramming Chester Avenue right through Hough, subdividing the neighorbood. My grandparents lived in Hough in the 1940's and told me about demolishing houses & buildings and building Chester. In an alternate universe Hough remains intact and is Cleveland's best urban neighborhood (think a larger version of Buffalo's Elmwood Village).

I like the idea of trying to incorporate walkable European type laneways in developments like PlanCleveland mentioned. Realistically these will need parking but I'm sure with some creativity it can happen, particularly with large sites. Cleveland has many potential sites for this, like the Lutheran lots as mentioned, Scranton Peninsula, and the Wolstein Center site to name a few. In terms of projects I'd like to see, it would probably be Scranton Peninsula, Flats West Bank, and really just building up the St. Clair/Superior heading east from downtown. One of Cleveland's weaknesses is that the downtown seems to abruptly end instead of transitioning into residential neighborhoods, so I'd like to see that change. Obviously the river/topography is part of that on the west side, but the areas heading east of downtown are full of untapped potential and currently feel like a major dead zone with horrible land uses for a downtown adjacent urban area. Developing around the Greyhound station would be a good start.

This is correct. If the neighborhood reaches its potential these small houses will be getting demolished for new construction. These small houses are not exactly architecturally significant either.

^ That White Sox park concept looks pretty great, would offer some amazing views. But also some typical Illinois shenanigans in there LOL. On another note, just saw this TOD project. Chicago hasn't typically done large TOD projects like this near train stations outside of downtown. Although this area is becoming its own highrise district; I remember back in the day when it was mostly desolate except for the nightclubs and was also pretty sketchy around there. Slim, 37-Story Tower In Lincoln Park Gets City Council Approval

Maybe an old abandoned brick sewer. Perhaps related to draining the reservoir that used to be in the adjacent park?

Former abandoned Chicago Spire project getting new life. New version will have 635 residential units if both towers get built. Concrete continues to rise at 400 Lake Shore North Tower

Agreed, not sure I'm totally in line with the authors reasoning but it did get me thinking about various places I have lived. Since returning to NE Ohio after many years away I still haven't got a good handle about how the city vs suburb divide has evolved here. Back in the day when I lived in the area many (if not most) people I knew looked at Cleveland as a place for entertainment and jobs but not to live in. That seems to have improved, I think.

Interesting article that I came across. Got me thinking about the contrast of this dynamic in the cities I've lived in. City-Suburb Relationships – Where The Midwest Is Worst

^ Oh, I think there is demand. I'd question the competency or capacity of local developers, along with public leadership. I know the pandemic and rates threw things off kilter but I'm not totally buying that excuse. I see better progress with smaller, piecemeal developments over the past few years in other cities in similar type neighborhoods. So the lesser version of this project is an example of that.

Yes, the original development would have been nice. And train avenue, while currently a mess, could actually be turned into an interesting corridor all the way to Scranton with the right vision IMO. I mean really this entire area is awkward with that Nestle plant and the bleak streetscape along W 25th, so it would take some creativity or massive changes to make it into something more suitable for good urbanism. I'm hoping the large Vega Ave property at Fulton turns out better, so maybe at least Fulton can become an interesting corridor. My hope for Fulton would be major market rate projects at Vega, the scrapyard property, and building up multiple parcels around the Lorain Ave intersection (i.e. the gas station, Planet Fitness, Fridrich property, & MetroHealth property). And if we're getting crazy an infill Rapid Station and trail entrance at Fulton. Now that would make a nice little urban corridor!