blinker12

This really is fantastic. It may be "just more talking" at the moment, but at least it's the right people talking. I am particularly excited to hear they are talking about more than just tax-sharing, but also *land-use planning*, which has been completely absent in this region to date (at least since the advent of the automobile). And no, I don't think it's overreaching to include all 16 counties. There are historic and economic ties that link us to Akron, Canton, Youngstown, etc.

Here's the full story: City, Costa Rica enter trade deal Friday, April 11, 2008 Gabriel Baird Plain Dealer Reporter Article Removed

It's frustrating... we take one step forward by filling in the Avenue lot, and about three steps back by leveling this.

http://blog.cleveland.com/business/2008/04/solar_panels_proposed_for_2000.html Plain Dealer April 08, 2008 Solar panels proposed for 2,000 Ohio school roofs John Funk A state lawmaker wants Ohio to put solar panels on 2,000 school rooftops - about half of the public school buildings in the state - a move he says would create jobs and combat rate spikes.

From PD Business Diary today: State to help Flats project The Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority will get $1 million from the state to help with road improvements for a major redevelopment along the east bank of the Flats. To make way for a residential, office and retail development by the Wolstein Group and Fairmount Properties, the Port Authority will move and rebuild some roads and sewers. The Ohio Department of Development, which awarded the $1 million grant, also will give $200,000 to ViewRay Inc., a Florida biomedical company that is moving to Oakwood to develop its image-guided radiation treatment system. The department announced both grants this week.

Re: design, just... yucko.

The very top of my house is in this thread! Loves it.

I love that building. Detroit Shoreway owns it, but it's been abandoned for years.

I would second Tremont and add Ohio City (an adjacent neighborhood) as a possibility for you. Ohio City has great urban fabric and is very walkable. It's just across the Lorain-Carnegie Bridge from I-77. As for places to live in Akron, Highland Square is probably the most appealing to an out-of-towner. The North Hill section of the city is also kind of cute and has a relatively intact commercial strip -- it's the old Italian neighborhood.

I was there, it was the same Greater University Circle presentation that Lillian and India have been giving around town. A great project. I'm especially excited by the housing incentives.

Boy, what a bunch of sourpusses! I like the idea, and I think if it were done right that people *would* come in from the suburbs. If Euclid Avenue offers a bunch of furniture stores in one area, with some that aren't available at Crocker or Eaton, why wouldn't people check it out? It's the same concept as the design district -- get unique places within walking distance of each other to save people time and travel. God knows people drive from all over the region to the Bedford auto mile to comparison shop. Of course, I'd want to see other uses mixed in too to serve the growing residential population downtown.

Barney Boy, thanks again! These are fascinating. Hey, by any chance - do you have any photos of Cleveland neighborhoods (outside downtown) from this time? Don't want to look a gift horse in the mouth but can't hurt to ask!

Thank you for these wonderful photos. I, too, was surprised to see the Hippodrome photo -- I always assumed that came down in the 50s or 60s. Meanwhile, here's an article I found about the guy who demolished it, the Standard Theatre and other stuff in that area. Great guy, this Krenzler. THEATER DEMOLITION A HUGE BLOW FOR DOWNTOWN BYLINE: By STEVEN LITT; PLAIN DEALER ARCHITECTURE CRITIC SECTION: ARTS & LIVING; Pg. 1J DATE: Sometime in 1995 (sorry, forgot to grab exact date) Alvin I. Krenzler, a retired U.S. district judge, exercised his rights as a property owner nine days ago when he ordered the demolition of the Standard Theater Building at 811 Prospect Ave. in downtown Cleveland. But he erased a piece of Cleveland history, chipped away at the integrity of a soon-to-be designated National Register Historic District, and crushed the hopes of some eager would-be tenants. Krenzler decided to tear down the building after its last occupant, a luggage repair company, moved outside the city. The five-story front section of the building, erected in 1905, still stands. But a crew from E&E Excavating Co. has demolished the theater, which was added to the rear of the building in 1914. Krenzler said the rest will come down in 40 to 60 days. The loss of the building, designed by Cleveland architect Adolphus Sprackling, will be significant. With its rugged concrete and steel structure, its flowery plaster ornament, and its simple, handsome brick facade, it is a good, solid piece of early 20th-century commercial architecture. Such buildings contribute to the sense of place that lies at the core of a city's visual personality. They evoke a sense of wonder, and make the past come alive. Unfortunately, "background" buildings like the Standard Theater are easily endangered because they get less attention than monuments like the Terminal Tower or the old Society National Bank Building on Public Square. The completion of the Gateway sports complex a block south of the Standard Theater Building has added uncertainty to the status of the surrounding neighborhood. It has enhanced property values, creating the prospect of new development, while also raising the specter that building owners would demolish whole groups of buildings like the Standard for surface parking. Fortunately, the city has cracked down on demolition requests. Partially as a result of Krenzler's request to tear down the Standard, Cleveland City Council in June gave the Planning Commission new powers to delay demolition of historic downtown buildings for up to a year. The council also made it tougher to demolish downtown buildings to create surface parking lots. Meanwhile, the Cleveland Landmarks Commission nominated the seven-block neighborhood around the Standard for listing on the National Historic Register. The designation, which has yet to be approved by the U.S. Department of the Interior, will make properties within the district eligible for 20 percent renovation tax credits. The pending availability of tax credits for the Gateway area is one reason developers are showing interest in turning vacant offices in the neighborhood into apartments and condominiums. Another is the pent-up demand in Greater Cleveland for downtown housing. Renovations of two buildings near the Standard - the Buckeye Building and the Finance Building - soon will be under way, according to Paul Krutko, downtown housing manager for the city's Department of Community Development. The projects will add a combined 98 apartments to downtown. Other renovation projects are in the offing. Krenzler could have availed himself of the tax credit program. But in deciding to tear down the Standard, he submitted the building to a strict financial logic that did not include what he called "subsidies." He said he could not accept an offer from Nick Kostis - owner of Hilarities, a downtown comedy club - who was anxious to rent the Standard Theater. Nor would Krenzler consider renting the upper stories of the building as warehouse space. The decision to demolish is especially sad because the Standard is structurally sound. Recent visitors to the structure, including City Planning Director Hunter Morrison and architect Richard Pace, said the building is in good shape. Morrison said it would have been difficult to renovate for offices or housing, but Pace said the building could have generated income without a major investment. "There are potential users out there that might make it feasible," he said. Krenzler was not interested. Demolishing the Standard is part of a larger real estate plan for adjacent properties that he has nurtured for more than three decades. The immediate effect of the demolition is to make more room for cars to exit a 690-space parking garage Krenzler owns next to the theater, across narrow E. 8th St. The demolition will also create breathing room for future construction on a 200-by-400-foot parking lot Krenzler owns immediately west of E. 8th St., along Prospect Ave. In addition, Krenzler owns a parking lot north of the garage, which faces Euclid Ave. That lot, too, is a potential development site. Krenzler painstakingly assembled the entire parcel from Euclid to Prospect avenues since 1963. He purchased more than 10 individual lots, and tore down buildings, including the historic Hippodrome, a 3,000-seat theater. "The whole theory was to clean it out and go with new buildings," he said. "Maybe what comes after is better than what's there." Today, chances for new construction along lower Prospect and Euclid avenues appear dim. Krenzler, 74, said he has had no recent proposals for development of his land, and no plans to build soon. "I'll let my children and grandchildren figure that out," he said. "That'll give them a lot of character, working with that property." Meanwhile, the Standard Theater Building will come down, and the parking lots along Euclid and Prospect will remain. Krenzler will landscape the front portion of the Standard lot as a park. A park is better than nothing, but it would have been better if the Standard Theater Building had been left standing. Developments in the Gateway neighborhood show that renovating such buildings can make economic sense, especially when government uses the carrot of tax credits, and the stick of tougher zoning.

Battery Park Announces New Building http://clevelandcityliving.blogspot.com/2008/02/battery-park-announces-new-building.html

I hope the legislature approves this for another two years of funding. We should find that out end of this year/beginning of next, I believe? It's such a fantastic program for Ohio's cities, one of the few anti-sprawl policies we've got going for us in this state.

I take it Stone mad didn't open in time from St. Patty's Day? I didn't hear any reports.

Medical Mart-Convention Center deal gets OK; could open in 3 years Posted by Sarah Hollander March 13, 2008 11:09AM A new Medical Mart-Convention Center complex got a thumbs-up Thursday when Cuyahoga County announced a deal with a private partner in Chicago. The two sides expect to sign an official deal within a week. If all goes smoothly, the complex could open in about three years, ending a decades-long struggle by civic and political leaders to replace the city's 85-year-old convention center. The complex will be downtown. Merchandise Mart Properties Inc. will invest $20 million. And the county will cap the contribution from taxpayers... more at: http://www.cleveland.com/medicalmart/

Also, from the Free Times: Once More Into The Breach Wiser From Past Mistakes, Marlin Kaplan Plans His First New Venture In Almost A Decade By Douglas Trattner Marlin Kaplan may be a chef, but for the past few months he's played the role of general contractor. Most hours of the day he can be found on the site of his soon-to-open restaurant, choreographing a ballet of electricians, plumbers, painters and carpenters. He could have hired someone else to do it, but where is the fun in that? "I love putting the whole thing together," Kaplan says while gliding around the room. "It's the tail end of a very long creative process." It has been nine years since Kaplan opened a restaurant, and his excitement is palpable. Moving through the space, which is largely a construction zone, the chef points out details he is particularly jazzed about. Over there is the bar, a 1930s art deco gem he picked up in Collinwood. Here is an antiquated bank vault, a vestige of a former tenant that soon will be filled with wine bottles and left permanently ajar. Stately brass and glass doors, vintage Terminal Tower fixtures, form a partition between dining room and kitchen. A worn wood credenza, salvaged from a hardware store in Lodi, will function as a server station. "I like the idea of repurposing old things," notes Kaplan. "It is environmentally friendly - "green' - but these items also fit the rusticness of the space." That space, a double storefront on Detroit Avenue, in the heart of the Gordon Square Arts District, features exposed brick walls, wood-and-iron ceiling joists, decades-old oak flooring and a bricked archway that transitions guests from bar to dining room. Luxe Kitchen & Lounge will be Kaplan's fifth Cleveland restaurant, an impressive number considering that he entered the game so late. Born and raised in Manhattan, Kaplan for years made his living in advertising. At the age of 36, he traded in his lucrative white-collar gig in favor of long days in a hot kitchen. "I needed to make a change," he says matter-of-factly. Quickly working his way up the ranks, he was soon second in command at a popular New York restaurant. When that restaurant, Sfuzzi, needed someone to turn around its struggling outpost in Cleveland, Kaplan's number came up. Eager to partake in the downtown boom of the early '90s, it wasn't long before the highly motivated chef struck out on his own. "Cleveland was on the verge of blowing up," he recalls. "There was Gateway, the Rock Hall - it was all so exciting." Wife and business partner Melissa Cole agrees. Though not affiliated with Kaplan at the time, Cole was in the hospitality business. "There were very few independent restaurants downtown when Marlin opened his first restaurant," she notes. "At that time the industry was dominated by big corporate places with over-thought, overpriced food. Marlin brought in a product different from what people knew. That's why he was so embraced." Embraced indeed. Marlin, the restaurant, opened in 1993 to rave reviews. This tidbit appeared in The Plain Dealer food section soon after opening day: "If Marlin Kaplan is smiling, it's because his new restaurant, Marlin, has been open for less than three weeks and it's already packing them in." Kaplan's knack for making everyday comfort food seem new and exciting made Marlin a popular and commercial success. Striking while the iron was hot, as they say, Kaplan opened his second restaurant just over two years later. Unfortunately, Pig Heaven, an eclectic barbecue joint, may have been a little ahead of its time. "I don't think people got the idea of an upscale barbecue place," says radio personality John Lanigan, a longtime friend of Kaplan's. "I loved Pig Heaven; it was one of my favorite restaurants of all time." Despite a struggling Pig Heaven, Kaplan went on to open a third restaurant, Lira, one year later. Though Marlin remained popular, and Lira, a breezy Mediterranean bistro on Public Square, was well on its way, Pig Heaven was the anchor that ultimately sunk the ship. In less than a year, all three restaurants were shuttered. "Marlin is an artist and his restaurants are his creations," Cole explains. "He just couldn't let go of that piece of art, Pig Heaven. And that's what brought down his business." Kaplan returned to the scene a little over a year later, this time with One Walnut, a ritzy dining room that caters to bankers, lawyers and the generally well-heeled. It, too, was well received, earning props in Gourmet magazine and routinely finding its way onto "Best" lists. But One Walnut, which is approaching nine years old, has never generated the buzz of Kaplan's breakout debut. "Any artist in any genre is continually redefining who they are," says Cole. "One Walnut is not a departure from Marlin's cooking, it is an evolution. It is Marlin [the restaurant] grown up." So why now, after all this time, is Kaplan taking a chance on a new restaurant, so unlike the successful One Walnut? "Detroit Shoreway is the right place at the right time," Kaplan asserts. "I spent a lot of time looking at this neighborhood. I look around at everything that is going on here and it reminds me of how I felt about downtown in the early '90s." Cole, while grateful for the support One Walnut has received, seems eager for a change. "You know, downtown can be a bit of a downer," she allows. "Detroit Shoreway is a neighborhood people can look to in the future. We want to feel connected to a community." Councilman Matt Zone could not be happier that Kaplan chose his ward to set up shop. "This neighborhood is getting stronger by the day," says Zone, "but getting a chef with Marlin Kaplan's talent validates that the Gordon Square Arts District is going to be a happening community." And Kaplan, for his part, is making sure Luxe is a good fit. "Luxe will be a fairly youth-oriented restaurant," he says. "It's the kind of place where you can spend $10 or $100." The menu features salads, pastas and hand-tossed pizzas. There are numerous appetizers designed for sharing and most items are priced below $18. Kaplan's signature Midwestern comfort food will appear in family-style meals. Wine will be sold at just $10 over retail. A house DJ will set the vibe from his corner perch. "I want to remove the intimidation factor from dining," explains Kaplan. "Luxe will be affordable, approachable and fun. I'm attempting to recapture the spirit and philosophy of Marlin." Kaplan has always had his detractors, people who denounce him for not being classically trained, for being an interloper from New York, for supposedly being a vainglorious publicity hound blind to his own ruinous ways. "There have always been people who like to question everything he tries to do," says Lanigan. "They look at the fact that he opened and closed restaurants, that he left and came back. He's creative. I think he gets bored doing the same thing." "I tried to build a mini restaurant empire on my own, and that was a mistake," Kaplan admits. "I learned a lot of lessons after those restaurants closed. I've been focused on One Walnut for nine years now, and in that time I've become a much better operator. I've lasted through some of the most trying times in this city and country. I think I've paid my dues." Luxe Kitchen & Lounge is slated to open by late March 2008.

^^It's the Johnny Mango's people.

pit in my stomach. what a waste.

Buyers guide: Taking a look at how Cleveland's clothing stores and boutiques are stocked Filling the racks Wednesday, March 05, 2008 Kim Crow Style Editor What we have in Cleveland is a shopping impasse. Readers complain that dowdy styles crowd the aisles of our local stores. Professional buyers say that fashion-forward clothing doesn't sell here, and they stock accordingly. More at cleveland.com http://www.cleveland.com

Does anyone know what the deal is with Royal Saffron, the Indian restaurant on E. 9th just south of Euclid? It never looks open, yet all the tables inside are set as if they are still doing business. I know about, and love, the Indian place inside Colonial Marketplace but had been wanting to try Royal Saffron sometime.

Koko Bakery has the best bubble tea ever! Run, don't walk (drive if you must). Payne and E. 37th. Favorite flavors: Thai Tea, Papaya, Watermelon; or Kumquat if you want something non-milky

Didn't see that anyone posted this yet. Good news. First three tenants in line for Clinic’s cardio center By SHANNON MORTLAND Crain's Cleveland 4:30 am, March 3, 2008 The Global Cardiovascular Innovation Center that will inhabit the Cleveland Clinic campus has landed its first two tenants and is on the verge of signing a third. When the $60 million center that breaks ground this spring opens in late 2009, the 65,000-square-foot structure will house Interventional Imaging Inc., a medical device company that focuses on vascular imaging and interventions. The company, founded by two doctors with ties to Case Western Reserve University, is in the product development stage, said Vince Kazmer, president and CEO of Interventional Imaging. The second company, a medical device business that focuses on catheters, will move to the center from Bend, Ore., said Thomas Sudow, director of company attraction at the Global Cardiovascular Innovation Center and vice president of attraction for Team NEO, an organization that aims to drive economic development in the region. The name of that company is expected to be released this week. http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20080303/FREE/641376542

On the SMG issue, it seems they would have tried to use that behind closed doors as a leverage point with MMPI. Leaking it to the public seems more like what 3231 postulates -- prep for news that MMPI has dropped out of the deal. Frankly, a Medical Mart run by anyone other than MMPI seems like a risky proposition. MMPI are the only ones who have substantial experience running these things.