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I wanted to start a thread for discussion about construction projects in Midtown (between Cleveland Clinic and downtown). I drive thu Midtown occasionally and have noticed at least 5-6 construction projects that are all in the works, mostly just fenced off areas where the land was cleared out. I noticed that a lot of 3-4 floor industrial buildings/offices have popped up VERY quickly.. the Sewer Department around E. 40th/Euclid came from nowhere. Same with the building nearby it which houses a new Subway. I saw a small building being torn down on Carnegie yesterday with guys cleaning up an old building on the other side of the street (around E. 84th). Then, there is a huge lot cleared out just west of Cleveland Clinic on Euclid. The area is fenced off and the lot has been cleared out, either something was torn down or they are making way for housing/building. Then, the Giant Eagle at about E. 80th and Euclid is closed and fenced off. It is full of grafitti, but looks like it will be torn down soon (GOOD!) since this lot has much potential (considering that new housing project is across the street from it). Next, on Euclid at E. 55th, there has been talk of a warehouse being cleaned up and right across the street on the north side of Euclid at E. 55th, there is a sign that shows a very long industrial building (4 floors or so) saying space is available. Then, at E. 50th next to the Agora, a building recently burned down, leaving a gigantic hole and fenced off area along Euclid --- now forcing the owner to sell or re-build. Finally, where I am seeing the most progress is along Chester between CSU and E. 55th. There is at least 2, if not 3 lots that have been cleared out and fenced off. What the hell is going on? A lot of stuff is dissapearing and leaving empty lots or bringing new low-rise office buildings. In my opinion, if this keeps up, we may get a midtown full of bustling industrial businesses and far fewer abandoned, decaying warehouses. This is all happening before Euclid is even re-built by RTA - imagine what it will be like AFTER Euclid is re-built! I think the midtown planners are moving in the right direction - a trip down Euclid presents a picture: CSU pushing to its boundaries on the west end. Cleveland Clinic and The Playhouse on your east end. Then, between the two, which in essence, is the missing link between the two, we have a new bus line/tree-lined road being built with new industrial businesses popping up every 10 or so blocks. Progress? Hell yes, but, I don't see high rises in that specific area anytime soon. One last thing worth noting is the potential that Prospect has at around E. 46th. Right near the spot on Prospect where it branches off in 2 directions near Carnegie/E. 40th at a "broadway" angle, you will notice so many mid-rise apartment buildings lined along Prospect between E. 40th and E. 30th, which right now is a pretty rough area, especially to live in. However, I see this becoming a hugely restored "ritzy" area one day - it might not be for 30 years, or even 50, but it won't always remain a hodgepodge - it has that chic look that led to success in Tribeca (NYC) and Tremont (CLE).. I drove down there this week and felt like this part of Prospect is so freaking awesome! Well, if anyone wants to add to this thread, go right ahead. I might take pictures of midtown Cleveland next week.. there is just so much in that area to be discussed.. I even think that if midtown gets a major boost of support in the next years, there is potential for a fairly big park in the middle of everything - land is cheap and there is lots of it available. Right now, a park would not work, but one day it could in that area, especially near Euclid/E. 65th. And one other idea that may be in the some developers heads is to try and build casino's in that area - as we all know, a casino calls for lots of land. Where else can ya find it cheaper than in midtown??? Most of the ideas I threw out are my own personal ideas.. I have not researched Midtown nearly enough to know what is really going on. But I do believe this area will prevail (again)!!! Well, here's to a new thread on MIDTOWN CLEVELAND!!! -John

This is another small project that will help shape up Cleveland in the long-run. It's lots of small projects throughout that make a difference. I overheard a woman speaking last week to someone else about the Warehouse District. The woman was asking where it is and what it's all about. The woman seemed anxious to see it and said she is planning to check it out this summer. My point is that she obviously has never been there and has high hopes of visiting it now that she has heard so much good about it. While most of us Clevelander's on urbanohio.com probably go downtown and see the WD 50-100+ (or some of us who see it and live it 365+) times a year, this is good news that outsiders who were stuck in suburban neighborhood's their entire lives are now coming back into the city again because of its new "fun and safe" image that is emerging. I know a lot of people who used to fear downtown, but nowadays they have a new outlook on things. My brother used to work downtown in the early 90's and hated it. When I told him about all the stuff going on, especially with living in the WD, he didn't believe me and he still said there is no hope.. but when I sent him pictures and told him how things have changed, he was very surprised. In general, that image is slowly changing for those who used to dis-like the city into an image of opportunity for anyone who is willing to return. -John

I like the preferred plan to take over the Ameritrust Bank complex which is owned by Jacobs. If they go with this plan, there will be action either way: One is to see the AT Tower get stripped and re-finished, which in my opinion is a pretty building but it does need fixed up. Additionally, under that plan, a new 15-17 story would emerge, which is nice.. but best part is that the existing AT Tower and the new tower would have matching exterior designs. However, I am interested in seeing a 28 story building come down to the ground. The building is not historical and if it was to be re-built just as high, if not higher, then I am all for it. I guess plan 1 adds to the skyline, but plan 2 would be very exciting to witness in person, plus it will put Cleveland in the headlines, since this would be (I believe) the tallest building demolished in Cleveland, or anywhere in Ohio's history of demolished buildings. -John

Thanks for the welcome Mister Good Day.. and thanks for the link to the original 515 Euclid thread! I drove past 515 Euclid today to re-count the number of levels from behind and I counted 8, if not 9.. it looks topped out now, but you never know. So the entire 5 level parking garage just doesn't make sense at this point - there is more than 5 levels. I was having a hard time believing 800 spots could fit within 5 levels. That is over 150 parking spaces per level - I just don't see that possible - however, the garage goes way back behind and down E. 6th between the Arcade and the office buildings lining E. 6th. This is one of those sites I have been too damn lazy to get pictures and explore closer up. I will definately do that on the next mild day I am downtown! As for seeing more pictures from me - I will gladly post them, but I will start a new thread in the pictures/photography section of this message forum. -John

Yes, it's on South Marginal Road at that parking lot for RTA employees or something. I have always loved the Erieview Tower and One Cleveland Center, but they are so blindspotted from any other view.. Coming from I-77 in Independence, OCC is not visible at all and Erieview looks like crap from that view - a skinny nothingness.. from the west, Key/BP block the view.. so I have been looking for that perfect view to get those 2 into the shot.. I also like the Holiday Inn on Lakeside and that bigger office next to it with the pyramid shape (name not registering in my head at the moment).. but I know if you are coming down I-90 from Bratenahl or East Cleveland, there becomes this freaking awesome view of the city's skyline - you need to be at right about the perfect spot, because any further to the west or east, and buildings begin blocking each other out. But if you catch the right view, you see the full beauty in both. And speaking of, they have an underground connection that goes under St. Claire.. just thought I'd point that out. :) -John

Back to 515 Euclid in Cleveland. Does anyone else notice the 3-4 parking garages located on or adjacent to East 6th and Vincent. There is the McDonald Investment garage, the NCB garage, the Fifth 3rd garage, and even the nearby Huntington and Star building garages. Now that 515 Euclid is nearing completion and opening up 400-800 spots (most of which will be from E. 4th and HOB patrons), there seems more to it than that. What if this new garage is able to work with or against the other garages and allow them to tear down and re-build new structures in place of the old dilapadated garage complexes. If you think about it, Vincent, between E. 6th and E. 9th is one of the densest areas in downtown.. you have Euclid on the south and Superior to the north. All around the entire 2 block radius is nothing but recently built high rise bank offices with stupid little garages next to them. I definately see this area as a high value, high demand block.. and that will only increase as nearby E. 4th becomes bigger and Superior/Euclid get their full re-paving. If the owners of these old garages want to live for the future, they outta re-build them with office capabilities above, in a fashion similar to that of 515 Euclid. Perhaps I am dreaming, but in reality, Vincent, leading down its NYC alleyway style street into E. 6th's one-way is a very cool area.. free parking on the street, E. 6th full of little restaurant's and to-go food places. From the soon-to-be 515 Euclid ground level retail at top of the little hill to the library and Superior renovations at the other end.. this area is so awesome and any Clevelander should agree with me that E. 6th is a very cool little street, especially considering there are no vacant storefronts. The only ugly thing about E. 6th is the Fifth 3rd garage that takes up almost an entire block with nothing but a fenced off wall full of cars. Otherwise a veryyyyy cool little street.

OK, 2 more pictures from me (I apologize that none of this is related to my 515 Euclid topic): East 9th at Huron - a nice way to get hit by a car: My 2nd favorite spot in downtown, East 9th and St. Claire (my favorite being Superior and E. 6th) - the two busiest areas in downtown Cleveland.. as for this pic, notice One Cleveland Center, it was done by the same mind of the Citigroup building in NYC below.. notice both cities intersection's at this building, I find many similarities: This is Citigroup in NYC, now realize, this pic in NYC is on a nice summer day. The Cleveland shot is on a chilly April day. Still, the similarities exist:

I will post more this week, I am outta time for right now, but here is my first 2 pics: View from top floor of Rhodes Tower facing east, overlooking CSU and Quadrangle. You can see Viking Hall (white building), Wolstein Center (far right), surface lots (all over), the YMCA/that old renovated building (left middle) and the rest of the quadrangle area. View from around East 30th, north of Lakeside Ave. -- roughly next to the RTA tracks. I am still trying to find the ideal location, but I used to know an awesome view where you see nothing but one tall building next to one another and there is no hole between and no building is blocked from view. It is probably somewhere close to Quay 55. This is a partial idea of what the skyline looks like from the Northeast corner.

Hi, I will try photobucket, I tried some other free hosting and they said my pics were too big! But I haven't yet any of 515 Euclid, but will first try this place you suggested for uploading my pictures. Thanks for the help!!! -John

I also have a lot of pictures I took in Cleveland over the last month and I would really like to get them uploaded onto this site, but I don't currently have any storage space of a domain where I could store them. If anyone wants to help me, I could send you the photo's and you could post them up for me.. but I have roughly 100 pictures of downtown, mainly of CSU/Quadrangle, Theatre District, and around Superior/E. 6th where the banks are. I have been trying to get some unique views and can't say all of my snapshots are innovative, considering a lot of my pictures resemble those of other local Clevelander's. But I do have a few shots with an excellent view of Cleveland from North of Lakeside between the RTA tracks and the factories up above the hill. I also have a handful of pictures from the top floor of Rhodes Tower overlooking CSU/Quadrangle to the South of Rhodes Tower and to the East, overlooking all the way up to 55th and beyond.. it also has a nice view of the current Rec Center site (which is currently a big ditch). IF anyone wants to help, I will gladly e-mail you the pictures to upload for everyone. Thanks!

Hello, I am brand new here as a member, but I have been reading threads here for several months now. I live in Cleveland and try to focus specifically on information regarding to Northeast Ohio. So anyways, I have a lot of stuff I want to talk about, but for tonight, I will stick to one of the things I don't think anyone has noticed yet. It is in regards to 515 Euclid, the new parking garage complex. If you observe the building from Euclid, you will notice roughly 5 stories for the garage, but, when you observe it from East 6th, behind the currently existing offices, there must 7 or 8 levels of parking. It is definately not a flat level, but the same slanted style as the other levels below it. There is also a great view of the project from the alleyway behind Teahouse Noodles on E. 6th. Hopefully someone can confirm what I saw, but I walk down Euclid and E. 6th at least 3 times a week, so I don't think I am imagining this. Right now, they are up to the glass windows on the main level. I will try to get a picture of the alternative view from E. 6th soon. -John