Envy2

Skimmed through the last few pages and didn't see a mention of it, but Cleveland Beer Cellars is out of business. A "for lease" sign is now in the window. Didn't even last a year, which is a big shame since they really did have a nice atmosphere and extensive beer list. Sad to see so many businesses here closing up so quickly.

Coquette Patisserie is adding a 750 sq.ft. patio for the summer. From their FB page:

As a CWRU alum, I just received the below email related to the Maltz Center project:

Anyone know who is behind the solar farm on Euclid between the Free Clinic and Lakeview? On the one hand, it's nice to see an alternative energy installation, and it's better than a parking lot, but at the same time it's sad to see a good chunk of Euclid so close to University Circle being relegated to this type of use...

Coquette Patisserie is finally opening their shop tomorrow at 11607 Euclid (the Euclid 115 building, formerly Maximum Independent Living). Hours are 10am - midnight. Some more details on their Facebook page.

Agree with everyone who says digital signage is needed. This isn't particularly hard or expensive to do, and it's quite frankly baffling why it was omitted. Not really sold on the cloth seats, either, simply because it would be nice to think I was sitting on something that could at least potentially have been sanitized recently. Still a significant improvement over the old interiors, though.

Completely agreed that the current situation is not ideal, particularly for non-students/staff who wouldn't have an ID to use to get into many of the first floor entrances to buildings on the quad. Unfortunately, with Veale being where it is, I don't think there's currently any good option for building a direct link between campus and the Cedar Road RTA. Now, if Veale ever gets completely replaced (long, long overdue...), it would be nice to see a direct link with the RTA. Maybe in 15 years? :roll:

The Innerbelt Bridge has been reopened in both directions (~36 hours early), and Phase I of the project is done: http://bit.ly/1h9Mdkq

It's not obvious, but there are ways to get from the Case quad to the RTA station fairly easily—there are several sets of stairs down from the quad to MLK already, and also a way to cut through from the upper to lower levels of Veale and exit out onto MLK across from the bus loop. Most Case students know how to do this, though some signs/maps posted near the station might be useful for the general public.

The new bridge is about to be opened, and there will be pedestrian access tomorrow AM from 9:00 to 10:30. http://www.dot.state.oh.us/districts/D12/Deputy%20Director/News/Pages/Please-Join-Us-in-Celebrating-the-NEW-I-90-Innerbelt-Bridge.aspx

Personally, I think that chandelier looks gaudy and ridiculous...

The Scene has details that the PD declined to print: http://www.clevescene.com/scene-and-heard/archives/2013/10/23/former-cleveland-museum-of-art-director-david-franklin-resigns-after-affair-suicide-cell-phone-of-victim-missing

Actually, I know a large number of students living in Uptown, particularly international grad students and upperclass undergrads. Many of them are dropping a full $60k a year on tuition without blinking, and buying $50k cars with cash, but most are entirely uninterested in spending more than $20 on a meal (though certainly not unable to). Plus, if they are going to spend money on a "nice" dinner, they want to get off campus to do so just for a change of scenery. As someone who lives and works in the area, until the population of UC becomes less skewed toward students, there just isn't going to be a huge market for upscale dining IMHO.

Sad to hear about Accent closing, but honestly, this is something that I was expecting to happen. The food was okay, but not outstanding, which made the price feel a tad excessive; the three stars it got on Yelp is about what Accent deserved. I think the space was too large, but otherwise loved the vibe. As others have said, hopefully Scott Kim tries the concept again elsewhere in a smaller with space with lower overhead. Unfortunately, I'm not convinced that any upscale dining is going to truly succeed in Uptown. A good chunk of the market is students, and pretty much everyone I know in this demographic listed "too expensive" as their main complaint with Accent. Personally, I'd love to see a B Spot; it's inexpensive enough that the student population would patronise it, but it's not just another chain fast food place or bar. Besides, UC needs a good burger place.

A few photos of some of the signal box art mentioned upthread that has now been installed: Definitely a significant improvement!

I'm looking for a coworking space in CLE for my startup, and there don't seem to be many options compared with other cities. The only options I'm aware of are LaunchHouse in Shaker, CUBE in Cedar-Fairmount, and The Open Office in Coventry. LaunchHouse is a bit more of an incubator/accelerator than strictly co-op office space, and The Open Office has limited access hours (no Sundays is a big downside). So far, CUBE looks the most promising and has 24/7 access, but I'm wondering if there are any other options? It seems like Ohio City or Gordon Square would be perfect for this type of space, but I can't seem to find anything except references old references and a broken website for a space in the OC Firehouse above Rising Star Coffee.

After talking with the Leitner-Poma reps, the SkyLift people have revised their proposed stations somewhat and posted a new map on their Facebook page: https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?vps=2&hl=en&ie=UTF8&oe=UTF8&msa=0&msid=204639027144984272004.0004e2f5b6e27fe8be979&dg=feature

I agree with those saying this can't really be viewed as public transit. While it certainly can function in part as a public transit system, its main value would be as a tourist attraction and as specialised transport for tourists between a handful of popular attractions. Take Hong Kong's Ngong Ping 360, for example: it's technically run by MTR Corporation as a transit system, and it is used by some local residents, but ~90% of ridership is tourists, as most locals drive or take cheaper public buses. With that in mind, the Cleveland Skylift is going to need private funding to happen. I'd like to see stations at Edgewater, Wendy Park/Whiskey Island, Flats East Bank, Rock Hall/FirstEnergy Stadium, and then extending along the lakefront, terminating near Gordon Park and the Lakefront Nature Preserve, and providing easy access to the under-appreciated cultural gardens and Rockefeller Park from downtown, but this would probably need to happen in a second phase. A bus down MLK could then connect the Skylift to University Circle, providing a scenic alternative to the HealthLine for tourists. Funding this is obviously going to be a challenge, and Indiegogo isn't the way to do it. But with corporate sponsors for each station, sale of extensive advertising for tourist attractions in stations/gondolas, and a recognition of the value of such an attraction by the local tourism industry, it can be possible to make something like this work with private money (at least in other cities). Imagine a resurrected "Cleveland Plus Pass," with unlimited use of the Skylift and RTA, admission to waterfront and UC attractions, discounts on restaurants, etc.