NorthShore64

View from the Jake (9-2-22)

In the NY Times last week: Coming Soon to an American Cliff Near You: ‘Via Ferrata’ Routes Chris Hirschfeld - New York Times - Aug. 22, 2022 "...I was on the Cloud Ladder via ferrata, which consists of permanent rebar rungs bolted into the rock, bordered by a continuous series of fixed aircraft-grade steel cables to which I remained attached. Those rungs made it relatively easy — though still thrilling — to scale the rock face. Long popular in Europe, particularly in the Alps, via ferrata routes — “via ferrata” is Italian for “iron way” — are becoming more popular in the United States, with new routes being installed on peaks, in gorges and even at high-end outdoors-oriented resorts. ... Through his other business, Via Ferrata Works, Mr. Kent and his team are also building the country’s first urban via ferrata at Quarry Trails Metro Park in Columbus, Ohio, in an abandoned limestone quarry. The route, on a 150-foot-high cliff face, is expected to open this fall. Access will be free." From the Via Ferrata website:

FWIW - I try to take photos around people/don't post ones with them, but yeah Sunday afternoons can sure be quiet downtown. These ~300 new apartments should help a little though.

Waverly & Oak (8-28-22) West 58 Apartments Battery Park Apartments Park Place Townhomes

1 weekend - 3 East Side Festivals. Arts, culture and food in 3 uniquely Cleveland spaces. Waterloo Arts Fest One World Day Cleveland Garlic Festival

2 Cranes Downtown (8-28-22)

I guess I've never seen quite that connection because the Clippers and RubberDucks are "owned" (or at least seem so, even if they might technically have different/more complex ownership) by the Guardians and yet they always seem to have strong attendance for their levels (AAA or AA, respectively). I mentioned this briefly in my original post, but for the most part hockey and baseball are entirely incomparable to soccer in terms of "developmental teams" (not only in the US/Canada but globally). The system of tiered leagues of increasing skill level to develop athletes in baseball and hockey doesn't really exist outside of North America. This is very interesting though because it gets at the root of perhaps the primary difference between American Sports and European Sports. In the US the major leagues are a closed system with a fixed set of teams. A city without a team can only get one through an expansion franchise, or moving an existing team from another market. All other teams or cities not in the club are stuck with the minor leagues of hockey and baseball, or collegiate basketball and football programs. The players are the ones that move up from either the college or minor league teams into the fixed set of professional teams. In much of the world (particularly European soccer), there is no fixed group of teams in a league. Through promotion and relegation based on performance teams move up and down each nations own "Soccer Pyramid." This system means that a team like Manchester United could drop down a league every season until they reach a team of amateurs in their equivalent of beer league softball. In this system many teams do still have their own academies and developmental teams, but these "youth soccer leagues" aren't really things people are specifically fans of, or engage with in meaningful ways. Why would you follow the youth league or reserve team when you could watch your local professional club, even if they aren't in the top of the pyramid EPL. Essentially (in large part to the existence of the promotion/relegation system) there is little to no market for youth/reserve league teams in the soccer world. With the new MLS Next Pro, MLS is essentially embarking on a league format without precedent anywhere in the world of soccer. Again, developmental or reserve team leagues do exist, but none serve as a different city's "home team." All are vertically integrated in a system designed to create the best product for the parent team at the top. In theory MLS Next Pro could work, and over the years they can build up a system that vaguely resembles minor leagues in the US today. This potential future is however going up against the global soccer format and the existing USL system in the US today. At the end of the day there is a choice between MLS Next Pro (a reserve league controlled by a closed group of major league owners), or and the independent USL system. If fans of minor league teams in the US were given the option, I'm sure most would choose the independent format if it was a financially viable alternative. Unfortunately baseball, hockey, basketball and football are incredibly closed systems with strong market and legal protections against any meaningful alternative or competition. Soccer is not nearly as constrained as those leagues (yet). That is why the USL is so uniquely positioned within the American sports landscape. As the league builds out franchises in the markets overlooked or forgotten by MLS, they can form into the strongest pro league outside of the "Big 5." I want to see Cleveland in that league. If Chattanooga, Madison and Omaha get independent, successful, community focused teams, so should Cleveland. In four years we are hosting the World Cup. The 1994 World Cup led to the creation of MLS. The sport could take a massive jump forward in 2026. Cleveland should have a legitimate team for the city to get behind by then in hopefully the USL-C or USL-1. Disclaimer - Again, its worth noting that I am speaking in broad strokes here. There is a lot of soccer in the world. Academy systems and player management rules can be tremendously complicated. I also am not trying to open up the PRO/REL can of worms. I only bring it up to demonstrate why the North American system of minor leagues is entirely unique, and why that league format would not translate well to soccer. And again, sorry for the length of the post/ tangent - this is just something the region needs to get right. Northeast Ohio's lack of Division 2 or 3 soccer for an area of our size is a significant outlier in the sports national (even global) landscape. TL;DR - The US system of minor leagues (hockey/baseball) and college programs (football/basketball) is unique, and doesn't really exist in the soccer world. The global market with its thousands of players, the player loan system, and PRO/REL format seen in most soccer leagues means there isn't a need or market for a minor league system in the soccer world. The MLSNP's ceiling is low, and can damage soccer's reputation in the Cleveland market (and Cleveland's reputation in the national soccer landscape). The USL offers the entirely unique opportunity to join one of the few professional non "Big 5" affiliated leagues in the country, in the world's most popular sport.

Yes all 20 MLS 2/reserve teams play in the same metro area/market (including the 3 that still play in USL-C, but are making the transition to MLSNP next season). I think the biggest distance between venues is for FC Dallas who play in Frisco, and their reserve team which plays in Arlington.

First, thanks for the rest of your post, that was very informative, especially as someone who had never heard of USL before an NPSL team came to Akron this past season and I started looking up the US soccer hierarchy and learned about the "pyramid" when I was expecting something more like MLB > AAA > AA > A. Second, this sentence of yours still confuses me. Is this another way of saying "most MLSNP teams play in the same stadium as their MLS team?" So, for example, even leaving the fan support issue aside, the Columbus Crew won't send its MLSNP team to Cleveland (to become the mirror of the Clippers -> Guardians), because the system was set up for the Crew's reserve team to play in Lower Field? Sorry, yes my phrasing is a little off there. Many MLS 2 teams have played in the stadium of their parent team, however this is becoming less common as more have branched out into university facilities, minor league baseball parks or stadiums at large multi-sport complex's. They are often the secondary tenant in facilities where the fan viewing experience is of little concern. A couple hundred people turning up to see the reserve team play in a stadium greater than even ~5,000 can seem cavernous.

I cannot stress enough how much an MLS Pro Next team here would be the wrong move. It would significantly hamper the teams growth while potentially poisoning the market for a more suitable USL expansion. MLS Next Pro is a reserve with tighter control by the MLS organization and little else. Any non "MLS 2 or MLS B" teams that play in the same market as their parent team are outliers. This isn't like hockey or baseball where the highest rung on the developmental ladder is the 2nd best league in the country (AAA ball or the AHL) with the next best fan support. Despite what the MLS may say, MLS Pro Next teams will never come close to the support or community engagement of USL teams. People are not going to turn out in significant numbers to watch a game vs Orlando City B or Earthquakes II. They also only have 12 home games a season, compared with 17 in USL-C and 15 in USL-1. The only other non MLS-B teams in the league that Cleveland would be playing against are Rochester and Huntsville, Alabama. It's a reserve league that only some of the more engaged MLS fans will ever care about. The Cleveland Force in USL2 have drawn larger crowds to Krenzler than many MLSNP teams have in their MLS stadiums. Even if the goal is to build up MLSNP into something like what baseball and hockey have in their minor leagues, it would likely take decades and considerably more investment from MLS owners to get close. Those teams would also have a hard time catching up to the USL which is years ahead. For what its worth I understand the appeal of building up a minor league soccer with a focus on nearby underserved markets, but that's not really how this sport works. The developmental league concept like that exists in North America doesn't really exist in the same way for soccer with its academies and player loans. It works pretty well in hockey and baseball, with perhaps one of the best inter-city sports relationships in the country between Cleveland and Columbus. The Monsters and Clippers are routinely among the most well supported organizations below the major league level. An MLS Next Pro Cleveland team will never come close to that success. A Cleveland team could find a nice home in USL-C, playing against peer cities like Detroit, Louisville, Pittsburgh and Indianapolis. They likely wouldn't be at the top of that league in terms of facilities or attendance, but they could build a viable organization on par with what the Riverhounds have done down in Pittsburgh. If the money or resources aren't there for a USL-C team in a 5,000 seat stadium (or even a new USL-1 team), then resources should be focused on building up the Cleveland Force with a goal to jump up leagues in the near future. To help the team grow, there are some cost effective improvements that could be made to Krenzler. With some upgrades, Krenzler would be a tremendous soccer venue in a prime location downtown. The article also mentioned an NWSL team which is very interesting, but would not happen without the cash outlay for a facility and team at least at the caliber of USL Championship team. Please do not shackle our soccer future to MLS Next Pro. Cleveland deserves better. That team would be on an island in that league with considerably less appeal then the USL. With a proper facility, this region is more than capable of supporting a USL Championship team. TL;DR - MLS Next Pro would be bad for Cleveland and soccer's future in the city. Pursue a USL-1 team if there aren't resources to build up a USL Championship team instead. Or help build up the Force to USL-1 with upgrades to Krenzler. Sorry for the wall of text, I just want Cleveland to have a viable soccer team the city can root for.

This is just speculation not based on much, but hosting this event could serve as a dry run for a Blue Jackets winter classic at FES. It would be a pretty good venue for the Jacket's first outdoor appearance. Speculation on CBJ's first winter classic over the years has favored a game at The Shoe vs Detroit. This matchup would make a lot of sense, but OSU has a history of not caring much about the major league teams in their market. OSU could've hosted outdoor hockey by now if they were interested. NC State is hosting the hurricanes next year, leaving Columbus as one of only four other teams to have never played outside. Those three other teams are Miami, the two year old Kraken and the essentially homeless Coyotes. With no other (non-OSU) sizeable outdoor venue in Central Ohio, Cleveland would easily be the next best option. There have been multiple out of market or neutral site outdoor games (Regina, Tahoe, Hamilton, Notre Dame) so it wouldn't be unprecedented. Cleveland is well positioned for a Jacket's matchup with the Red Wings or Sabres, drawing from both markets and the many hockey fans in Northeast Ohio. The Blue Jacket's would get a bit of a boost in the Cleveland market and FES would host an event in the offseason.

Work is wrapping up on renovations to Case Quad. This isn't the largest project, but the new pavers and seating along with more trees and lighting are a significant upgrade to the the asphalt walkways that were there before. (8-21-22) I recently noticed the Delta Sigma Delta building on Bellflower was boarded up. They're an old dental frat that has been around campus since the 1890s. Just to its west a frat house was torn down and replaced with parking ~10 years ago. According to the county, it looks like Case bought the property from Lambda Chapter Corp in June for $340,000. It'll be interesting to see what happens to the house because this lot, combined with the two neighboring surface lots (which are both owned by Case), is close to 1.5 acres. That's a relatively large parcel for the center of UC. Just for reference, their master plan has a massing of two larger structures on this combined lot labeled "infill - Greek Housing and Childcare."

Top of the Hill (8-21-22) Exterior work/landscaping is looking pretty close to wrapping up on the western building, with a few units looking already moved into. There website lists the last available by date as November 15th for the top of the tower portion. College Club Townhomes was able to open for incoming students this semester Work is almost complete on the last of the College Club Townhomes. All 13 townhomes have sold.

Casa d’Angolo site/former Primo Vino (8-21-22) Via 126 townhomes 1934 East 123rd - 5 townhome development 1940 East 124th Place Woodhill Supply - Masonry starting on the apartment building, no start on the townhouse portion of the project yet. Case's South Residential Village Expansion - This project removed the 2nd largest surface lot in Little Italy, adding ~600 students to the area. It should have a pretty transformational effect on Murray Hill Road and this part of Little Italy. The more permanent bumpouts/crosswalk islands installed early this summer along Mayfield are a nice evolution from the guideposts and crosshatched bumpouts

(8-21-22) Library Lofts Public parking garage just north of Library Lofts

Fairfax Market (8-21-22) Innovation Square

Various shots from around town. The crane helps visualize how much the tower will really change the look of downtown from much of the near west side. (8-3-22) Filling the gap at the end of Euclid

(8-1-22) Bar Lucci on North Water Next door to Bar Lucci is Bent Tree Coffee Roasters Bent Tree is moving their wholesale roastery operations to a renovated building on 43 next to Sheetz just north of downtown. The Franklin Avenue closure remains a popular addition to downtown in its 2nd year. Hasawi Building Clairmont Development's Franklin Lofts site next door Town Hall Progress Resurfacing of Main and Water Streets downtown Just south of the College of Architecture on Lincoln, two university owned homes are coming down. They were both used for fire department training early this summer. Chipotle is moving 2 blocks east from their longtime location into the former Burger King at Main and University. A primary reason for their move was the desire to have a drive thru lane (Starbucks similarly moved east on Main to add a drive thru ~3 years ago). Work continues on the new Main Street Central Gateway on the north end of campus. This first phase of the project includes the removal of surface lots and reworking of roadways. Aeronautics and Engineering Building Addition and Renovation Minor renovations/new windows at the Twin Towers Davey is wrapping up its headquarters expansion on the northside of town (the HQ is set back from 43 on a private drive, here is a video from May). Earlier this year Davey tore down Franklin Elementary just across from their HQ for their SEED Campus development at the former Oak Knolls golf course. Davey acquired the former Franklin Elementary (which closed ~8 years ago) in a land swap with the school district for its land along Hudson Drive north of Stanton Middle School. The ~170 acre former golf course was annexed from Franklin Township and rezoned by the city earlier this year. Here is Franklin Elementary prior to demolition. Just south of Davey, Kent City Schools is reworking the roadway/parking configuration at Roosevelt. They are also building a new fieldhouse and gym.

Early this summer the site received $10 million in additional funding from the state for site remediation. All but one building on the site have been demolished. The 1st of 12 buildings at the Forward Innovation Center Brook Park is rising. (7-30-22)

Pittsburgh opened their park highway cap last year I was a little curious so: Pittsburgh's park cost $32 million for just under ~3 acers (only 1/2 of which actually capped I-579). For a Columbus size comparison that's a little smaller than a cap needed for I-71 between Oak and Town. For some very rough back of the envelope calculations based on Pittsburgh cost of ~$10 million/acre, it would cost ~$200 million for an East Innerbelt park that caps the 5 segments over the trench from Spring to Main. A South Innerbelt park over the 4 gaps from Front to Grant would be ~$150 million. So a full cap of both Innerbelt trenches could be around ~$350 million. The I71/70 Downtown Ramp Up cost is listed at $1.4 billion. On the higher end, Seattle's and Dallas's park caps cost (adjusting for inflation) between ~$24-28 million per acre. At that cost, a full East/South Innerbelt trench cap could be ~$900 million. Some of the necessary work for a cap park is already being done with the Ramp Up project though (overpasses, trench retaining walls, frontage roads, etc...) so that could bring down the cost. If the cost is somewhere between Dallas and Pittsburgh, it would be around ~$600 million for a full cap. So the complete Downtown Ramp Up project with a full park cap would cost about ~$2 billion. Annual park maintenance costs would be in the millions as well. It's an interesting thought, taking this king of an infrastructure project to its largest theoretical extent, but its potential costs may likely outweigh its benefits (improved health outcomes, property values, etc...) when compared with other potential projects. This is however being considered here as one large .7 miles long project. A pilot highway cap park on a smaller segment (Oak to Broad) may only cost ~$40 million. If there is a capping on the innerbelt, the southern trench may be more a likely candidate as it is closer to the denser activity centers of downtown. Columbus isn't short on big picture infrastructure proposals at the moment though. LinkUS and Rapid5 would both likely generate greater benefits on a per dollar basis than a full highway cap. An East Main BRT line or upgrades to Alum Creek could really improve the Near East Side. TL;DR - A full park cap of the East Innerbelt (Spring to Main) may cost ~$350 million, ~$600 million including the South Innerbelt, based off of similar projects costs. The smallest segment of the east trench from Broad to Oak streets could be capped with a park for ~$40 million.

Here are some photos of the new Broad Street overpass I posted in the I-70/I-71 thread: And here's Spring a block up Phase 3B is scheduled for completion Fall 2022 With the South Innerbelt segment coming next (ETA Fall 2026), it could be over 6 years until the remaining section of the East Innerbelt/Town and Oak overpasses are completed.

I also saw a security guard walking the perimeter of the building

Couldn't find mine from right before, here's a few weeks after the fire: