blinker12

YES! The Cinematheque desperately needs street visibility.

Go Frank! I love the sounds of Montgomery. Native Clevelanders who return home after years living elsewhere are among the city's most dogged boosters. ;)

I like your math, W28th. I'm also reminded of Bob Stark's projections that a vibrant downtown Cleveland could draw not only from the metro area, but from a wider region stretching from Toledo to Erie, Pa. (See KJP's "Pesht" series.) I think he estimated he could capture about 1% of this market for his downtown projects.

That gets to one of the thorniest questions around eminent domain. Yes, the property is worth more because of Wolstein's interest in it -- but that appreciation is dependent on the development happening. If Wolstein weren't doing FEB, these owners would still be fighting for devaluations, and rightfully so -- the East Bank has been going down the tubes fast. But because he is, suddenly they're asking for more money. Is this defensible? I look at it this way. In one scenario (development happens), the land is worth more. In the other (development doesn't happen), the land continues to lose value. IMO a good compromise is to pay the current assessed value of the property, which is in most cases what Wolstein is offering.

I hear those projections quoted all the time -- by everyone from Al Ratner of Forest City to Howard Maier of NOACA -- as a justification for lack of action and development in this region. But let's keep in mind, they are only projections. In the 1950s, the projections were that Cleveland's metro population would balloon to 5 or 6 million. That didn't quite come to pass, did it? No one knows what could happen in the next 25-30 years. Maybe, as scientists have recently been predicting again, the Big One will hit California. Maybe the government will finally realize it's unsustainable to keep rebuilding communities in Hurricane Alley, or to allow a waterless, desert city like Phoenix to continue to sprawl. Maybe some Cleveland entrepreneur will start up a fast-growth business. In the meantime, let's not let these predictions become a self-fulfilling prophecy (ring any bells, fellow Levin-ers? ;) ). I believe the crucial first step in revitalizing the region is to revitalize the city. People who come here from outside see a rather dead downtown (with life in spots, true) and largely abandoned neighborhoods, and are left with the impression that this place is on its way out. It's not enough to have nice suburbs -- not even inner-ring suburbs. The city will always be our public face. So I say it's worthwhile to redevelop the city even if in the near-term it threatens the inner-ring suburbs. Also, I think at this point places like Cleveland Heights and Lakewood are artificially holding on to people who would rather live closer to downtown if vibrant neighborhoods existed there. For years, the Heights and Lakewood have served a niche of urban-minded Greater Cleveland residents. But if Cleveland itself can do a better job of serving that niche -- and I believe it can, by definition -- then the inner-ring burbs are going to have to find another market to serve.

Dang, I didn't see any of the award winners. Great news about the attendance bump.

I'm glad to see the owners' greed exposed, but am also dismayed by their stubbornness.

Why does this thread exist?

Art institute readies for important period of creative growth Sunday, March 26, 2006 Steven Litt Plain Dealer Art Critic The Cleveland Institute of Art is on the verge of a major transformation after seven years of planning, dreaming, belt-tightening and brainstorming. Trustees of the 124-year-old art college soon may embark on twin real estate deals aimed at improving the school's competitiveness and producing big benefits for Cleveland. The physical improvements are evolving in tandem with academic changes aimed at making the college a stronger player in its field nationally, more up-to- date technologically and a bigger contributor to the city's economy... more at: http://www.cleveland.com

When are we going to hear the outcome of this? Did they meet the deadline?

Interesting to see Stark involved. I just hope all this development at UC ends up helping the city as much as it does Cleveland Heights and Shaker Heights. We need this to spark smart new development in Hough, Glenville and Fairfax.

As of yesterday, they were within $3,000 of reaching their $30,000 goal for individual donations (to be matched by the Cleveland Foundation). I'm heartened to see Clevelanders support the festival so enthusiastically. Go CIFF!

I understand the desire for light rail along Clifton Boulevard, but I think it would ultimately make more sense to keep the line on Detroit. I would be all for having the line go down Detroit to Lake, and then up Clifton -- but that would make it more difficult to get the line to continue into Lakewood on Detroit, one of the most transit-desperate stretches of road in Greater Cleveland. It's one of my biggest dreams to see a Detroit-Superior light rail line. Some day, right?

I think they should be going the mixed-use route for new buildings on these lots. The institutional feel of the immediately surrounding area (with the theaters and CSU) is already somewhat overwhelming. I'd just put up some good, old-fashioned three- or four-story retail/residential buildings on the Euclid and Prospect lots.

Thanks for the posts, guys. Another big plus this site has going for it (mentioned in the article) are stunning views of downtown. Ed Small spoke to one of my classes last semester. He said New Village was looking to attract an institution to use at least one wing of the old hospital. Apparently the Ohio College of Podiatric Medicine (currently at Uni Circle) was considering but has opted to move to Independence instead -- boo. (They're going into the old Realty One building at Rockside I believe.) Really, that hospital is gargantuan. I think for the short term, at least until the housing market heats up a little more in this area, it would make a lot of sense to do something mixed use. Trouble is, what's the mix going to be? I like the idea of a new library branch -- but that would be a drop in the bucket space-wise.

This was a newsbrief in Tuesday's PD: East 17th Street to be extended East 17th Street should grow 450 feet by late summer, as city planners on Friday approved designs for an extension from Euclid Avenue south to Prospect Avenue. The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority will pay about $600,000 for the work, as part of the $200 million Euclid Corridor project. The extension will provide RTA buses easier access to a new terminal planned for East 21st Street and Prospect. The new street will be paved through existing parking lots and feature landscaping and decorative fencing.

Pure stupidity and bigotry.

Yuck.

I've been thinking about this a lot lately, coincident with a just-finished trip to San Francisco and Portland. Outside investment follows inside investment. We're never going to attract the big dogs to the city of Cleveland until we show that we ourselves are willing to commit to our urban core. Like Vulpster, I believe this is happening slowly. But dang, do we need more of the kind of stuff we're getting in Tremont and on East 4th! I will blather about this at more length some other time.

Nice!!! That's great news about how well the movies are selling. I've got tickets for 6 flicks; can't wait.

^ But then, Columbus's population probably already "fits the mold of middle class America" more than any of the other big cities in the state. So how much is that openness really put to the test?

MayDay, that angle is throwing me off a bit, but yes, that's for the administration building being constructed at Euclid and E. 24th, next to Howe Mansion. Quite a thrilling sight, isn't it? :) D'oh! MGD beat me to it...

It's a good sign when airlines start coming to your city wanting to add service, rather than your city begging its existing carriers (Continental) to expand. The latter has been the position we've been in for the last 20 years. Could that be changing? :strong:

Good find, KJP!

The key to making this plan work is going to be to market it heavily. It's unclear what their approach will be, but I'd like to see billboards and bus ads. The billboards could help counter those terrible "WE BUY UGLY HOUSES!" ads I see all over the West Side.