blinker12

At this point, I'd say the hip part of Tremont is pretty safe -- about as safe as an inner-ring burb. I have friends who live there and never hear them complain of anything untoward happening. It's also got the hippest restaurants and bars anywhere in the metro area. As for Ohio City, I lived on Jay for a year and loved it; nothing sketchy ever happened to me, though you can expect to be panhandled occasionally. For me, the mild nuisance was well worth living in one of Cleveland's most diverse and urban neighborhoods. If you're passionate about Cleveland, I'd encourage you to try to live in the city proper, as it needs you most. Finally, congrats on your decision to move back! I'm a returned New Yorker myself... came back about a year ago. :)

^Re coffee shop, the last I heard she was having trouble with her financing. Every once in a while I see evidence that some stuff has been shuffled around inside, but no significant progress all summer.

Also, this was mentioned somewhere else, but that 2-story building on Euclid between 13th and 14th, next to the luggage shop, is being renovated inside and now has a sign on the front window for Weber Murphy Fox. Are WMF moving in there, or are they just the project architects?

Yuck, though I can't say I'm surprised. Retailers go where the population is, as they say.

^^Yeah, Cleveland goes into a deep slumber on Sundays and holiday Mondays. During Ingenuity, too, few of the downtown restaurants were open. This should be near the top of the agenda of the Downtown Cleveland Alliance: getting stores and restaurants to stay open during big events. It's an easy win for the businesses and visitors alike.

As many of you are expressing, I was hoping E 4th would find a little different niche than the Warehouse District -- a little quieter and oriented toward residents rather than visitors. However, the mix that is developing is almost an exact replica of the WD: restaurants and nightclubs, period. Part of this may have to do with the rents MRN is charging; from what I hear, they are prohibitive to indepedent retail merchants. I can only hope greater variety comes with time and increasing population.

Great find, jamiec. In case the page expires, here's the text: Project Updates: 1104 Prospect Apartment Building The 1104 Prospect Building is situated in the downtown Cleveland Gateway Neighborhood district. The building is located immediately east of the Carter Manor (recently renovated) and across the street from the newly redeveloped Osborne Building. Built around 1910, the 41,736 sq. ft. building housed a variety of printing companies for most of its life. Vacant for almost 30 years, the building was purchased and a plan developed to rehabilitate the building and convert the building to apartments. 1104 Prospect Avenue Park and Lock, LLC received an $800,000 County Brownfield Redevelopment Fund (BRF) loan to clean and repair the vacant building. The County BRF loan will be used to remove the asbestos and lead paint from the building prior to renovations. Approximately 30% of the removal is complete. Work thus far has primarily consisted of removing the asbestos-containing plaster and removing the lead paint from the windows and restoring them. Upon completion, the project will provide 22 luxury apartments, ranging in size from 595 to 1,460 square feet and approximately 1,500 square feet of retail space on the first floor of the building. The future Prospect Apartment Building is one of the last undeveloped buildings on Prospect Avenue between East 9th Street and East 14th Street. Improvements made to the building will further enhance the comprehensive plan for the Historic Gateway Neighborhood. The total cost of cleanup and renovation of the building is estimated at $4,959,079. The project is estimated to generate an additional $49,153 in property taxes and $49,000 in city income taxes.

Here's a bit of news about this project from Linda Krasienko, head of A Place for Us: A Place For Us Development, Inc. is awaiting the final detailed completed renderings from our architect, Dominic Durante. Also, we are finalizing the agreement with our project manager, Tom G. Gillespie. It is our hope to have this signed and completed within 4-6 weeks. We are waiting for our previous domain to be transferred to our present webmaster, Rick DeVan. It is our goal to have our new website and online survey posted by the middle of September. On September 21st at 2 p.m., members of the Cleveland Foundation will be meeting myself, Tom Gillespie, Tom Mignogna, Cleveland City housing director and Joe Mazzola, Executive Director of Ohio City Near West Corporation on the property site. On behalf of all the board members of A Place For Us Development, Inc. (George Engle, Patrick Nicolino, Rex Crider, Karen Bird Mellon, Karen B. Williams, Kimberly Whitney, Kevin Kubocvik and Kevin Kukoleck, who is one of the founding members and lives in Chicago), I thank you for your expressed interest and support.

An-tic-i-payyyyayay-tion.... Is making me wait. It's keeping me way-ay-ay-ay-ting...

Good news, though I was hoping for some shops, not just restaurants. At least La Strada will carry fresh fruit and vegetables, something the neighborhood desperately needs. I still don't get why they don't put in a damn bodega... Here's the PD's version. 3 new restaurants lined up for East Fourth Street 3:24 p.m. Downtown Cleveland's emerging East Fourth Street neighborhood soon could be stuffed with even more dining options. Developer Ari Maron of MRN Ltd. said his family-owned company has deals to add three more restaurant concepts. The $110 million project already is bustling with a House of Blues and buzzing with anticipation over the delayed arrival of Lola Bistro. Tremont-transplant Lola and a much-hyped bowling alley/martini bar should open this fall, Maron said. The next wave of retail is expected next spring, when a flashy pizzeria, a Mediterranean-themed market and a Mexican cantina are scheduled to appear. Teresa's Pizza, an Aurora chain with 11 area shops, plans to put a flagship store in the WT Grant Building on Euclid Avenue. The space, with 2,400 square feet, will be larger than most Teresa's locations and thus able to accommodate more sit-down guests. (Link: Teresa's Web site) Maron described La Strada World Café, a concept from Cleveland restaurateur Terry Tarantino, as Italian fare with heavy Mediterranean influence. Tarantino, known for La Dolce Vita in Little Italy, also plans to make fresh fruits and vegetables available for carry-out. The 3,000 square-foot restaurant will occupy space in the old Woolworth Building on East Fourth. Zocalo Cantina, which is taking 4,500 square feet in the Graves Building, near the southeast corner of East Fourth and Prospect Avenue, will have a tequila bar and full-service, West Coast-inspired restaurant where chefs make the guacamole at your table. Mike Auger with Trifecta Management Group of Los Angeles, MRN's partner in the bowling alley project, will lead the Zocalo development. By Henry J. Gomez, [email protected]

ooooh no, avoid the barber college! my hair looked like it had been subjected to a lawnmower after i went there! :( just IMHO...

Well, today was the first day of the semester and campus was very bustling despite gray skies and drizzle. I think the Fenn Tower contingent is already making a huge difference. I also exercised at the new Rec Center and it was great. Busy too.

City’s slicker More housing, amenities make downtown an enticing place to live By CHRISSY KADLECK 6:00 am, August 28, 2006 Downtown living never sounded sweeter if you listen to the buzz of developers who are circling the Flats, Warehouse District and East 12th and St. Clair looking to land their residential projects and entice more to live, work and play in the city’s core. http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/gi_0199-5806763/CITY-S-SLICKER-More-housing.html

Grant program to nurture city neighborhoods By JAY MILLER 6:00 am, August 28, 2006 A handful of Cleveland streets are being targeted for a special sprucing up in a new, foundation-sponsored program. As part of a three-year effort called the Strategic Investment Initiative, seven areas have been selected for a Model Block program that will offer homeowners financial assistance to improve the exteriors of their properties. The neighborhoods are considered to have the greatest potential for residential and economic growth in the city. The program is testing a theory that one way to rebuild a struggling, declining city is to plant seeds close to areas that already are beginning to blossom. For that reason, the Model Block program is targeting neighborhoods where a major redevelopment project is under way nearby. “Just a new housing development or a shopping center doesn’t change a neighborhood,” said Bobbi Reichtell, vice president for planning for Neighborhood Progress Inc., a Cleveland nonprofit group that fosters the rejuvenation of Cleveland’s neighborhoods. “We’re extending the development into the neighborhoods.” The seven areas targeted by the Model Block project are East 72nd, East 74th and East 75th streets around the developing Morgana Bike Trail in Slavic Village; East 82nd and East 83rd streets in Fairfax; East 111th and East 115th streets in the Buckeye-Woodland area; Mount Overlook Avenue in the Shaker Square area; several streets, primarily West Fifth and West Seventh streets, around the new Valley View housing development in Tremont; West 73rd and West 76th streets in the Detroit-Shoreway neighborhood; and along Wade Park Avenue east from East 105th Street. Each of the model block programs is adjacent to a new neighborhood development that promises to be a beacon for the neighborhood. In the Shaker Square area, for example, Mount Overlook Avenue is adjacent to a new building for the Social Security Administration. The Wade Park block project is adjacent to Famicos Foundation’s redevelopment along East 105th Street called Heritage Lane, which includes 80 units of new and renovated housing. Ms. Reichtell said the Model Block money — $50,000 for each of the seven neighborhoods — is part of $3.7 million in foundation funding Neighborhood Progress will receive over three years for the broader strategic initiative. The funding came from the Cleveland Foundation and Columbia, Md.-based Enterprise Foundation. The immediate goal is to improve “curb appeal” in the neighborhoods, said John Anoliefo, executive director of Famicos. He said the program is a first step that can build confidence among homeowners and potential homeowners that the neighborhood is on its way back. He said his organization will do a neighborhood inspection and suggest to homeowners some exterior improvements that could be made and that funding is available. Mr. Anoliefo said his organization is budgeting $1,500 per household for the Model Block improvements. On Mount Overlook, Reid Robbins, executive director of the Shaker Square Area Development Corp., said 61 homes will be outfitted with uniform outdoor light poles and the homeowners will be offered some financial assistance for landscaping. Some money will also go to landscape a pocket park along the street. The funds will be used as both grants and loans, varying from neighborhood to neighborhood. These seven projects were chosen from 30 that applied. They were chosen, Ms. Reichtell said, because Neighborhood Progress believed that these neighborhoods have the greatest potential for improvement. The Strategic Initiative program is part of a national experiment that includes 11 other cities.

Case, nonprofit set to spin wireless web $1M project will create cloud of Internet accessibility over University Circle area By BRANDON GLENN 6:00 am, August 28, 2006 The “wireless cloud” long envisioned to descend over Cleveland looks closer to becoming a reality — but it will begin with a baby step. Case Western Reserve University, nonprofit ultrabroadband provider OneCommunity and other partners have committed to invest more than $1 million toward the creation of a so-called wireless “mesh” network in a five-square-mile area around University Circle. In coming years, the network could expand across the city. A wireless mesh network differs from typical Wi-Fi Internet access in a number of ways. Wi-Fi typically works by installing a transmitter that serves a limited coverage area known as a “hot spot.” By contrast, a mesh network is decentralized and consists of numerous transmitters, essentially creating one large, interconnected hot spot for Internet access. Crain’s Cleveland Business learned about the plans for the mesh network by obtaining a document labeled “Presentation For City Council and City Hall” that describes the project. One of the project’s key players, Lev Gonick, Case’s vice president of information technology, declined comment, aside from saying, “This is one of the most important projects in the nation.” http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20060828/SUB/60825022&template=printart

Neal Terrace is a very cool building badly in need of renovation... good to see this. $11.5M in bonds OK'd for housing rehab By JAY MILLER 8:19 am, August 28, 2006 Cuyahoga County commissioners have approved $11.5 million in tax-exempt multifamily housing bonds for the redevelopment of two West Side housing complexes owned by real estate investor Harvey Oppmann. Mr. Oppmann said he plans a complete renovation of the 116-unit Boulevard Terrace Apartments at 10107 Detroit Road and the 48-unit Neal Terrace Apartments at 8801 Detroit. Both are considered moderate-income housing and are open to tenants who receive federal housing assistance.

I'll just throw in an alternate route to Shaker Heights, since I dislike Chester Avenue (I think it shows the city at its worst, bearing countless signs of misguided urban renewal plans). Take Carnegie Avenue from downtown to Stokes Boulevard (near E. 115th in University Circle), passing the Cleveland Clinic. Carnegie's not in great shape, but it retains more of its original urban fabric than many East Side arteries. Turn right on Stokes, past the (beautiful) water treatment plant and past MLK Drive. Stokes changes names to Fairhill (you don't have to do anything special). Turn right on E. 127th and go one block to Larchmere. Turn left on Larchmere (a very cute street), and go for a few blocks until you hit North Moreland. Turn right to take in Shaker Square, still in the city of Cleveland. Go around the Square and head East on Shaker Boulevard into Shaker Heights.

Welcome, Mr. November! If I were to live downtown, I'd live on E. 4th. The buildings are just as cool as the Warehouse District and it has a slightly more mature vibe. I also like the renovations I've seen here better than in the WD -- more hardwood floors, more open floor plans. Ohio City is one train stop or a short bus ride from downtown, and having lived there for a year I echo all the other positive things that have been said. If you want to walk to the train station, I'd look at some of the buildings on W. 25th. Howard Hanna is a big realtor with offices on W. 25th, and I know they handle some rental properties. The branch phone is 216.696.4800. I also reiterate 8SOG's advice to visit and explore neighborhoods before moving if you can. Good luck!

Hi Puddles, First of all, great choice in choosing to stay in Ohio City. I lived there for a year before moving to the other side of downtown, and loved it. On W. 28th, you'll be within easy walking distance of just about everything. Here's a list of stuff you can walk to in under 10 minutes: RESTAURANTS: Le Oui Oui (creperie) Kimo's Sushi Johnny Mango (world cuisine, funky vibe, juice bar) Flying Fig (upscale new American) Parker's Bistro (ditto) Nate's Deli (Middle Eastern, the BEST hummus in Cleveland) Kan Zaman (more Middle Eastern) Phnom Penh (Cambodian and Vietnamese) Lozada (Puerto Rican) Lelolai (Cuban, great grilled sandwiches) Heck's Cafe (burgers and salads) Halite (trendy comfort food) Momocho (upscale Mexican) West Side Market Cafe (diner with great food) The Souper Market (gourmet soups, mostly carry-out) Ohio City Deli (diner, breakfast and lunch) BARS: Market Avenue Wine Bar (my fave) Great Lakes Brewing Company (local microbrewery, very high quality) Bier Markt (Belgian beer bar) Garage Bar (kind of a biker bar) Touch (also a dance club, attracts an urban hipster crowd) Bounce (gay) COFFEE SHOP: Talkies RETAIL: West Side Market (the granddaddy of food shopping in Cleveland) Dave's Supermarket (locally owned, with a good selection of organics and natural foods) Bookstore on W. 25th (great used bookstore) City Buddha (Asian kitsch) Something Different (upscale gifts) Elegansia (women's vintage clothing) The Grind (urban hipster clothing) Unique Thrift Store (great thrift clothing, rather derelict building) Family Dollar (self-explanatory!) There's also a branch of the Cleveland Public Library at Fulton and Bridge. I always felt safe walking around at night, particularly sticking to the area north of Lorain and east of W. 45th (all the stuff above is within this area). You'll probably get panhandled from time to time, but that should be the worst of what you'll encounter. As for getting downtown, you can walk, but it takes about 25 minutes. Biking takes about 10 minutes. Since it sounds like you'll be here in the winter, public transit is probably your best option. You can take either "the Rapid" train, which stops at Lorain near the West Side Market, or a bus. Several bus lines run north on W. 25th toward the Detroit-Superior Bridge and then downtown.

^^^I actually think the area around the PD is one of the coolest parts of downtown, with a very intact group of industrial buildings marching along the south side of Superior from 18th to the Innerbelt. Many of these buildings are home to an eclectic mix of business and artists. So I think the PD's location is a lousy excuse for negativity!

Downtown buildings look kinda like Minneapolis -- on the newer side.

Encouraging news -- though I just got done posting a rant about biking in Cleveland in the "random venting" thread! Another great link for Cleveland biking is Cleveland Bikes (the org behind this station proposal): www.clevelandbikes.org

I have some ranting to do about biking in the city. I ride my bike almost every day. It is my primary transportation mode for intra-city trips. Over three years or so of regular biking in New York, I never heard a peep from motorists or people on the road. In Cleveland, on the other hand, I have been heckled at least half a dozen times in the past year. Just today, a fat woman driving a minivan down Euclid Avenue shouted out her window, "You have rules too, you know!" I was simply riding along, heeding all traffic lights and staying to the side of the lane. Other people have been harsher, cursing at me or telling me to move over. One person once said, "This is the STREET. You can't ride here." Where the hell am I supposed to ride?? To me, this kind of heckling is emblematic of the car-centric attitude here. To many/most Clevelanders, the streets are for driving. Anyone who chooses to bike must either be a) trying to screw up their God-given right to drive unimpeded everywhere they go; or b) insane. I know it's not entirely people's fault. It's more the result of expectations that have been created by planners and engineers over the past 50 years that all travel should be done in a private vehicle. Still, it is an angering and disheartening experience to be reminded of how unprogressive this city and its residents can be. I hope things get better when the bike lanes are up and running on Euclid Avenue.

3 to 5 doesn't seem like many if they have in fact gotten 23 in the past 3.5 months. That's an average of something like 7 a month. Not sure I like the idea of becoming "the next Minneapolis." How about just a more vibrant Cleveland?

MGD, I thought exactly the same thing. Isn't it just common sense to put the retail downtown? It's a real indication of how much we've sprawled that this doesn't even seem to occur to people. (Also, the two freeways that serve the region's wealthiest areas -- 271 and 480 -- don't go downtown.)