blinker12

I stand gladly corrected on the bowling alley. Didn't know it had apartments above. True, though this excerpt from the article gives me pause: "To secure the money for the East Fourth Street and Flats projects, Campbell proposed combining the pots of money, to use on any project anywhere in the city. Jackson opposed the idea because he wanted to keep money for neighborhood development intact. But he said Monday the city should not renege on its promises to Maron and Wolstein." To me, that sounds like Jackson's only releasing the money because it was previously promised. I think there's enough momentum behind some of the downtown projects already proposed to keep them going, but I worry about Jackson's willingness to nurture future proposals.

I agree with you about the bowling alley, MGD. I could understand if there were a residential component to the project, but as far as I know it's just a bowling alley. Now, they do seem to be renovating the upper floors of the buildings that the alley will be in -- perhaps there are plans for offices or apartments up there? If that were the case, I'd support the subsidy. If not, I'd say the money would be much better spent elsewhere. I AM quite happy to see the city so solidly supporting Wolstein, though. So far it seems the city is doing everything they can to make this project happen -- from rezoning to financial support.

Re: Lola, I've heard first quarter 06.

Exactly which frontages are you talking about? As we've already discussed, the property on the east side of W. 25th north of Riverview Tower isn't in the conversation because that land has been deemed unstable. There apparently is some potential for redeveloping stuff on the west side, but that would presumably be infill because some occupied commercial buildings survive there. I'm not against turning the east side properties into a park. That would allow everyone to enjoy the spectacular views of downtown -- and it would get rid of those god-awful low-rise buildings.

Gee, I've never heard of either of these developments. Has the PD covered them at all?

Great article KJP! And great to hear that Council is demanding a study first. Now, can we also start talking about the buildings that ODOT wants to take for this project?? Some of them are quite beautiful and at least one, the 1400 E. 30th building, is one of my favorite spots in the city. It is a beacon for the city's live-work district on the near East Side and home to the vibrant Tastebuds organic restaurant, which is always packed at lunch. Once I get a free minute, I'm going to go out with my digital camera and photograph all the buildings ODOT wants to tear down. They destroyed our city 50 years ago; let's not allow them to worsen the damage. Job may limit downtown access Thursday, November 24, 2005 By KEN PRENDERGAST Brooklyn Sun Journal CLEVELAND _ City Council members will not act on two pieces of legislation to permit a planned reconstruction of the Innerbelt highway because they fear the project will reduce highway access to downtown and force out businesses. Council will act only after the Ohio Department of Transportation conducts an economic impact study and shows how the downtown section of Interstate 90 can be redesigned so it won't harm the city...

Looks like there's going to be half a block of parking fronting on West 117th Street. Bummer. It sounds like Brady knows this is a problem -- she should be going for better design, not just a bus circulator! I don't understand why we insist on destroying our city's walkability. It's one of our best assets, and projects like this severely compromise it. That said, I'm glad I'll be able to spend my Target money (because I admit I *do* shop there) in the city.

Demolition set for new center Target opening is a year away Thursday, November 24, 2005 By DAVID PLATA West Side Sun News Demolition is expected to begin in January for construction of the $50 million Target and Giant Eagle retail development at West 117th Street, just north of Interstate 90. The last person moves out the end of January, said Ken Lurie, president of Rysar Properties, the project developer. All told, 109 houses will be torn down for the project, as well as the Highland Party Center. A groundbreaking on the 20-acre site, on the west side of West 117th, will be held shortly after residents are moved out. Target is planning on being open in October 2006, Lurie said. They have a lot of work to do. The 123,800-square-foot Target will be the company's first store in Cleveland; the closest one now is in Rocky River. With the project, Giant Eagle will open an 87,325-square-foot store and close its store at West 116th Street and Clifton Boulevard. Sapell's Bi-Rite, across West 117th Street in Lakewood, will remain as the only supermarket in that area. Councilwoman Dona Brady, D-19, in whose ward the project is taking place, said Sector Avenue will remain where it is and will be the major entrance into the development. The project also will include a Getgo gas station, where Giant Eagle customers will be able to buy gas at a discount. Brady said discussions are under way with the Regional Transit Authority to bring a Circulator bus to the site. The street is so far away from the store, she said. You can't expect people to get off a bus and walk that distance. She said the stores will be about half a block or further away from West 117th. City Council last summer approved a $6 million loan to help with the property buy-outs. Lurie said Rysar paid some $17.8 million for the properties, including the city loan. Residents were paid about 30 percent more for their properties than their real value, Lurie has said, in part because Brady said all along she would not support use of eminent domain, the legal procedure that lets municipalities buy property at fair market value for public purposes. The $6 million loan was to help with the property buys. The money will be repaid by Target from taxes generated by the project.

You're completely right about Forest City. In a way, I kind of wish they'd take themselves and their pessimism and get out of town -- they certainly don't seem to believe much in this city anymore. Someone I know just met with Al Ratner the other day, and the comments Ratner was making about our city's future were pretty horrific. Who needs people like that around?

Where did you hear about Stark wanting Scranton Peninsula? And actually, according to Failor, Stark is personally trying to acquire the property along W. 3rd. Beyond that, I don't know.

Welcome to the board Believe. Great username!

Really? Seems to me all they've done is contributed to suburban sprawl!

I was beginning to lose hope about Stark's plans for downtown because I haven't heard a peep out of him about it for months. But last night in one of my classes we had Gary Failor from the Port Authority as a guest speaker. Failor said that Stark is still "feverishly" planning this development, and that he is in frequent talks with the Port because it owns 110+ of the acres Stark wants to develop. He said a key component of Stark's plan is to build office space in addition to residential and retail, and that Stark plans to court businesses in the "edge cities" at Rockside and out east somewhere because that office space is now 30+ years old and obsolete. Interesting twist -- the city poaching from the suburbs. Also, he said that the main artery of Stark's development would be along W. 3rd from the lake to Public Square. Anyway, it was heartening to hear this update. If this actually happens, I may even be able to forgive Stark for Crocker Park! ;)

I spoke to someone in the City Planning office about the Jay Hotel in September. He said the developer was trying to acquire some of the property around the hotel before going ahead with the project. There are some very ugly steel sheds right behind the hotel (the warehouses MGD refers to), and a parking lot immediately to the west -- I'm assuming this is the stuff Heartland is trying to get.

Nope, that's all I got! I think you're right that it would be a good idea to diversify the building, because right now it seems to be all office and light manufacturing space. I wonder if they have been able to get it rezoned to allow live-work. And by the way, what exactly is the procedure for getting a building to live-work status? Does it just require a variance? A zoning overlay? Anyone?

I looked into this complex a few weeks ago as part of a real estate project. I'm confused because a lot of what MGD is talking about is already happening there. Just type the address into Google, and here's some of what comes up: Cleveland Shambala Meditation Group (meets in the building weekly) Erie Street Theatrical Service Erielink (Internet service provider) Clark's Transportation National Minority College Golf Scholarship Designs of Distinction Spotlight Flowers and Decorations Also, Billie Lawless, the guy who did that crazy monster sculpture on Chester Avenue, has a studio there. And there was a restaurant, Thee Olde Factory, that has closed down. So is all this stuff part of an earlier project that petered out? Or are the new plans building on what's already happened...? And by the way, the Colliers signs on the building say "For Lease -- up to 100,000 square feet." I was out there scoping it out recently.

Oops! :-o I guess I was a little loopy when I typed that. The facade will be restored.

Say it ain't so!! What about residential mixed-use?

Wimwar posted this elsewhere, but for the sake of completeness, the building is apparently going to be saved! It has been evaluated and deemed salvageable. The facade will facade.

Re: The Downtown Cleveland Business Improvement District (BID), I heard from a reliable source yesterday that it's going live in the spring. Seems like things could shape up nicely for a spring launch of the storefront art program!

Maybe this silly Painesville plan will light a fire under some butts to get the Cleveland ferry going.

Thanks for the scoop, Wim!

^You would think Alsenas and the County could afford to do a formal study. A pretty Web site is great, but we need some cold hard facts.

I thought I'd start a new thread about this, now that the election's over and we've started speculating about what a Jackson administration will look like. Here's a bit from today's PD. I'm thrilled that Triozzi is mentioned so prominently -- I've been hopefully speculating that he'll play a big role on Jackson's staff considering how buddy-buddy they appeared in the weeks leading up to the election. I don't think he'd make a good chief-of-staff, though -- he's not a particularly electrifying public speaker. Who will be on Frank's team? Monday, November 14, 2005 Michael K. McIntyre Plain Dealer Columnist Jockeying and speculation has begun about who will form Mayor-elect Frank Jackson's administrative team at Cleveland City Hall. Former mayoral contender Robert Triozzi, who swung his support to Jackson, has impressed the Jackson camp. Others on the radar screen: former staffers of Mayor Michael R. White, including Bill Denihan and lawyer Ken Silliman; City Council Clerk Valerie McCall, CMHA Deputy Executive Director Natoya Walker, State Sen. Dan Brady, Councilman Jay Westbrook and Councilwoman Emily Lipovan Holan, who supported Jackson and was defeated.

OK, I'm convinced... We have to work for the southern alignment! Everyone who cares about this issue, please come to the open house this Thursday, 4:30 - 8:30 p.m. at the Wolstein Center at CSU! New I-90 span puts Cleveland's image at risk Monday, November 14, 2005 By Steven Litt It's hard to pinpoint the decisive moments that determine the image of a city for a hun dred years or more. But one such moment has arrived for Cleveland. This could be a critical week in the fight over where to build a new I-90 bridge over the Cuyahoga River just southwest of downtown...