NorthShore64

For the first time in nearly 100 years, Clevelanders can now provide public comment at city council meetings Lee Chilcote - TheLand - Sep. 28, 2021 "The day is finally here: After passing legislation allowing public comment, city council posted the signup form this week. Residents who wish to speak can sign up for a three-minute speaking slot beginning Wed., Sept. 29 at noon for the Monday, Oct. 4 meeting. As The Land reported back in March when the push for public comment really got rolling, except for the period from 1924-1932, when the city was under a city manager form of government without an elected mayor, Cleveland City Council has never given residents an opportunity to speak, according to city archivist Chuck Mocsiran. (This explainer from Cleveland Documenters explains it all)."

Aldi opening in 2022 will end New Albany's long run without grocery store within city Gary Seman Jr. - ThisWeek News - Sep. 22, 2021 "After a fairly long drought, New Albany is getting another grocery store within city limits. Aldi plans to open a 20,787-square-foot store on the north side of U.S. Route 62, northeast of Walton Parkway and across from a site that has a convenience store, fast food and a cluster of hotels, among other uses. ... A mid-2022 opening is planned, White said." Here is a site plan for the new Aldis, and adjacent development, just west of the recently opened Sheetz on RT 62.

Big Lots back in growth mode; retailer to add hundreds of stores in the years ahead Mark Williams - The Dispatch - Sep. 29, 2021 "After nearly a decade of shrinking, Big Lots is back in growth mode. 'Over the next five years, I can see us adding several hundred stores,' Bruce Thorn, the company's president and CEO, said in an interview with The Dispatch. 'That's conservative.' Big Lots has 1,422 stores in 47 states, the company said on its second-quarter conference call with analysts on Aug. 27. That's an increase of 18 stores over the past year, and Big Lots says that growth will accelerate in coming years. ... Beyond opening new stores, the retailer wants to upgrade 800 stores with new signs, fresh paint, floor repairs, remodeled bathrooms and improved graphics. The average cost per store is around $100,000, according to the company."

Tremont Oaks II receives city approvals despite neighborhood concerns about short-term rentals Lee Chilcote - TheLand - Sep. 28, 2021 "The second phase of a micro-unit apartment project on West 14th St. in Tremont received approvals this week from the city’s Board of Zoning Appeals despite objections from neighbors over its use as a short-term rental through Airbnb. Although residents argued that Cleveland City Council should limit the development of short-term rentals in residential communities, the property was approved because it is commercial." Tremont Oaks II is on West 14th just north of the first phase of the development. The 2nd phase's design is very close to the 1st. Here is a picture of the initial building back in July.

Franklinton Cycle Works Celebrates 10 Years, Debuts New Expanded Space Susan Post - Columbus Underground - Sep. 28, 2021 "Over the last decade, Founder Jonathan Youngman has built Franklinton Cycle Works into a community resource providing access to affordable bikes, bike parts and maintenance, as well as educational resources for riding safely. Now, the non-profit has cemented its place in the neighborhood and nearly doubled its footprint with the purchase of the building in which it had been operating, 897 W. Broad St., as well as the parcel next door, 891 W. Broad St. ... 'With the way that the neighborhood is developing, we figured there would be a time in the not so distant future in which we would be priced out of at least Broad Street, so we wanted to make that purchase before that happened so that we could be here for the long-run,' Youngman says."

Owners of Minh Anh restaurant in Cleveland’s Detroit-Shoreway neighborhood sell building to developers putting up apartments next door Eric Heisig - Cleveland.com - Sep. 27, 2021 "The owner of beloved Detroit-Shoreway Vietnamese restaurant Minh Anh, which closed earlier this month after 37 years, has sold the building and adjoining properties to developers erecting a large apartment building next door. Camla Wadsworth, who had run the restaurant in the 5500 block of Detroit Avenue since 1984, and her business partner sold the 5,200 square-foot building, an adjoining warehouse and an in-between lot to Bond Street Group. ... The sale gives Bond Street Group more site control for its current project and possible future ones. Bond Street Group principal Justin Strizzi emphasized that the company does not plan to tear down the restaurant’s building. Instead, he hopes another restaurant can operate there. ... As for Waverly & Oak, Strizzi said fencing will soon go up and that equipment will be moved on site. ... Construction is slated to take 20 months."

Winning Design Announced for Affordable Housing Competition Brent Warren - Columbus Underground - Sep. 27, 2021 "The sponsors of an affordable housing design competition have announced the winner; a two-story house featuring a front porch “conservatory” that can be converted into living space as a family grows. In addition to receiving a $5,000 first prize, the winning team – Tim Lai AchirtecT, Titan Facility Services and COhatch – will now have the chance to enter into a contract with the Central Ohio Community Land Trust to actually build a version of the home on two lots; one on the Hilltop and the other in Whitehall. The two homes will be built on parcels held by the Central Ohio Community Land Trust, which is structured to encourage long-term affordability." https://nexthome2021.org/

Taken while headed west on the Redline, the OC bridge over the Shaker Lines: The first bridge in the corridor crossing Kingsbury Run, just north of the Sidaway Bridge:

Couldn't find a thread for the Cleveland Tree Coalition/tree canopy/urban heat island, so I thought this PBS story may fit here.

Brandywine, Boston Mills ski resorts to get new chairlifts for 2022-23 season Susan Glaser - Cleveland.com - Sep. 23, 2021 "Both Brandywine and Boston Mills ski resorts are slated to get new, four-person chairlifts, but not until the 2022-23 ski season. The local investment was included in a larger announcement from Vail Resorts, which said it will spend $320 million next season across 14 properties. Boston Mills, located in Summit County’s Boston Township, will get a new four-person chairlift to replace an existing two-person lift. Brandywine, in Sagamore Hills Township, will also get a new four-person lift, which will replace a triple lift."

The teams facility has not yet been identified. From the Akron City FC website: "The pandemic has played havoc on all businesses and has been extremely unkind to sports stadium and arena operators. Human and financials resources have been decimated, leaving athletic departments and facility operations teams to work with bare bone staffing. We have had discussions with many great facilities in the Akron area and we are amazed at the efforts they are exerting to keep things going on a week to week basis. Further, with the still uncertain health environment, many facilities are still cautious on renting to outside organizations. This is an ongoing situation that many NPSL teams are facing. With that all said, we are in the process of finalizing a deal for a great facility for our inaugural season. Follow us on social media for the announcement coming in late October/Early November." Ideally Akron City FC lands at First Energy Stadium, the home of Akron Zips soccer. Many NPSL teams play on the campuses of local universities, including Cleveland SC at BW's George Finnie Stadium.

Akron City FC is joining the National Premier Soccer League as an expansion team for the 2022 season. https://akroncityfc.com/ https://twitter.com/akroncityfc/ https://www.instagram.com/akroncityfc/ The NPSL, a semi-professional league which roughly represents the 4th division of US Soccer, currently has two teams in Ohio. Akron will be joining FC Columbus and Cleveland SC in the Midwest Region. It appears that the new team will be joining the Rust Belt Conference, home to Cleveland SC.

After apartment buildings are sold, many tenants can't afford new owners' rent jumps Mark Ferenchik - The Dispatch - Sep. 20, 2021 "What's going on in the increasing popular King-Lincoln neighborhood — brimming with new apartment buildings and renovated homes, illustrates what's going on not just in Columbus, but in Ohio and the rest of the country. 'We've certainly seen examples of investor-owned companies coming in and buying up smaller landlords and jacking up rent. The pandemic accelerated the problem,' said Marcus Roth, the development director for the Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio (COHHIO). ... Joe Maskovyak, COHHIO's affordable and fair housing coordinator, said his group has received a sizable increase in calls about rents being increased from people across the state — not just Columbus — often because of new owners and management."

Lykens and Homestead gearing up to break ground on Lusso development in Italian Village Bonnie Meibers - Columbus Business First - Sep. 21, 2021 "Columbus developers Lykens Cos. and Homestead Cos. will break ground on their Italian Village-area apartment development at the end of this year. Matt Canterbury, president of development for Homestead, said the project plans will be before Columbus City Council for final approval in the next few weeks."

Cleveland City Council approves financial perks for projects in Fairfax, Clark-Fulton neighborhoods Eric Heisig - Cleveland.com - Sep. 21, 2021 https://www.google.com/maps/@41.4675136,-81.7053916,3a,83.7y,312.12h,96.53t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sBWqfySNru78TVBzyJtW5QQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?hl=en "(Council) approved a low-interest, $2 million loan, to be paid over 30 years, as well as legislation setting the stage for tax increment financing incentives worth about $200,000 a year, for plans to overhaul the Northern Ohio Blanket Mills complex on West 33rd Street. ... Developers The Levin Group and Metro West Community Development Organization plan to build 60 apartments for low-income residents on the 2.2-acre site, as well as 35,000 square feet of space that will be used by the Centers for Families and Children. ... Also in Clark-Fulton, Council approved a series of incentives for a project to transform the former H.J. Weber building on West 25th Street into CentroVilla 25, a Latino market and neighborhood center." https://www.google.com/maps/@41.4690364,-81.6997596,3a,75y,240.34h,91.96t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sbeCU0guSxlTulxSgaoTW8A!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?hl=en

Cleveland City Council approves financial perks for projects in Fairfax, Clark-Fulton neighborhoods Eric Heisig - Cleveland.com - Sep. 21, 2021 "Council passed legislation that showed it intended to enter into a 30-year tax increment financing package for a project that will bring 80 apartments to East 105th Street and Frank Avenue. ... Councilmembers also approved a $2 million loan to be paid over three decades for the roughly $27 million project. ... The new apartments are part of a larger plan for “Innovation Square,” which is slated to include about 500 apartment units on East 105th Street between Cedar Road and Quincy Avenue, as well as a Meijer grocery store."

Dave Chappelle's comedy club in Ohio gets the green light Jacob Fisher - Dayton Business Journal - Sep. 20, 2021 "A former fire station in Yellow Springs will soon be home to Dave Chappelle's new comedy club and restaurant. Village planning commissioners unanimously approved a conditional use application for the project, which will convert the 225 Corry St. building into a 7,300-square-foot performance space and eatery. ... Chappelle said despite its small size, the venue will provide significant cultural and economic impact to the village. Artists from outside Yellow Springs have already expressed interest in performing there, he said."

Steelmaker Nucor puts Ohio on its list of possible sites for a $2.7 billion sheet mill Scott Suttell - Crain's Cleveland Business - Sep. 20, 2021 "The Charlotte, North Carolina-based company on Monday, Sept. 20, announced in a news release that its board of directors has approved the construction of a 3-million-ton sheet mill. Nucor said it's 'evaluating locations in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia' for the mill, which 'will be geographically situated to serve customers in the Midwest and Northeast markets and will have a significantly lower carbon footprint than nearby competitors.' ... The company said in that presentation that the potential Ohio, Pennsylvania or West Virginia location is 'positioned in the largest market where a freight advantage, significantly improved capabilities and superior quality will provide a competitive advantage.'"

Lakefront pedestrian bridge to move forward with $5M feasibility study Michael Indriolo - TheLand - Sep. 20, 2021 "The latest step in a decades-long push to revitalize Cleveland’s lakefront got a boost Monday when Cleveland City Council approved the funding for a preliminary study into a new pedestrian land bridge connecting North Coast Harbor to the mall atop the Huntington Convention Center downtown. Council’s Municipal Services and Properties Committee approved an ordinance on Monday allowing the Mayor’s Office of Capital Projects to accept Ohio Department of Transportation funding for a roughly year-long study into the feasibility of the lakefront pedestrian bridge. ... ODOT awarded the project $2.5 million earlier this summer, and the city will match that with $2.5 million in road and bridge bonds."

This is good to hear. I don't know if the property would have gotten the bump up to Autograph Collection from Renaissance if not for Sherman Williams. From their presentation to CPC: "Estimating 76% occupancy (once stable), 11% increase over pre pandemic rate." Yes this kind of placemaking stuff is great. The retro Playhouse Square sign at Euclid and 13th was my favorite addition from their streetscape enhancement project.

"The proposed second phase calls for an additional 304 residential units, 48,000 square feet of office space and 397 parking spaces" https://www.columbusunderground.com/12-story-building-part-of-new-franklinton-proposal-bw1/ FWIW, the southwest block in the development is marked as "Future Development TBD" (where the parking garage was in the 2019 proposal) in their recent submittal. So there could be a higher development in Phase 3 further down the road.

New Plan Floated for River & Rich Phase Two Brent Warren - ColumbusUnderground - Sep. 17, 2021 "A new plan for the second phase of the River & Rich development in Franklinton has been making its way through the approval process. The East Franklinton Review Board will weigh in on the latest iteration of the proposal at its meeting on September 22. ... The new proposal calls for a total of 234 residential units, a 224-space parking garage, and about 7,500 square feet of commercial space. Outdoor dining space would extend down McDowell Street, although both of the project’s commercial storefronts would be located on Rich Street."

Grassroots groups painting their way to safer streets in Asiatown, Slavic Village Lee Chilcote - TheLand - Sep. 17, 2021 "The People’s Streets project in Asiatown aims to paint crosswalks and curb extensions along Payne Avenue at East 22nd, East 23rd, East 30th, East 32nd, East 37th, and East 39th Streets and the temporarily re-stripe the Payne Avenue bridge over I-90. ... Rachel Oscar from Campus District said that Payne Avenue is slated for resurfacing in 2023 or 2024, and the project will remain up until then. ... This fall, The People’s Streets volunteers and artists will paint the crosswalks, install temporary curb extensions consisting of plastic bollards and paint, and add temporary ADA ramps. They’re planning on to do a learning lab at East 32nd Street, then complete the rest of the treatments in the spring based on what they learned." Here are some screencaps from the CPC presentation: