NorthShore64

Sisters of Charity Foundation to develop health campus in Central neighborhood Lydia Coutre - Crain's Cleveland Business - June 8, 2021 "The Sisters of Charity Foundation of Cleveland has engaged MASS Design Group, a Boston-based global design collective, to create a health campus in the city's Central neighborhood anchored by St. Vincent Charity Medical Center. ... The campus will encompass property owned by the Sisters of Charity at East 22nd Street (also known as Sister Ignatia Way) and aims to be a catalyst to revitalize the surrounding area. ... The planning and engagement phase will take place through the end of this year, according to the release. MASS Design Group will conduct research and dialogue with residents and institutions of Central and Greater Cleveland to understand the social and economic needs that the health campus should address, such as poverty, structural racism, and mental health and addiction services, building on the Sisters' history of work in behavioral health services."

First Solar to double U.S. panel-making capacity with new plant near Toledo Brian Eckhouse - Bloomberg - June 9, 2021 "First Solar Inc., the largest U.S. solar-panel maker, plans to invest $680 million in a new factory in Ohio to more than double its manufacturing capacity in the country. ... The 1.8-million square foot (170,000 square meter) facility in Lake Township, Ohio, is expected to begin operations in the first half of 2023, contingent on permitting and approval of state, regional and local incentives. The company expects the facility to create about 500 jobs and plans to fund construction with existing cash resources." First Solar to build 3rd plant, add 500 jobs Jon Chavez - The Blade - June 9, 2021 "Displaying high confidence in the U.S. solar industry in general and northwest Ohio specifically, solar panel maker First Solar Inc. said it will invest $680 million to build a third manufacturing plant in the Toledo area by 2023, doubling its production capacity and creating 500 jobs. ... First Solar’s current operations in Wood County have the capacity to produce 2.7 gigawatts worth of panels annually. The new plant will add another 3.3 gigawatts, bringing total production capacity to 6 gigawatts annually. The entire U.S. solar panel production capacity is expected to reach 11 gigawatts once the new First Solar facility is online. ... If there was any doubt that northwest Ohio is the solar capital of North America, that has been erased, Mr. Koralewski added."

Yellow Brick Pizza Closes Original Location Susan Post - Columbus Undeground - June 9, 2021 “We are excited to announce that we will [be] opening up a booth at East Market coming no later than Fall 2021,” the post read. “This was a tremendously difficult call to make – but as we got closer and closer to opening over at East Market, it makes the most sense.”

There are leaks, and then there's this: ‘Significant water leak’ causes closure of downtown Cleveland’s Tower City (video)

From the June 4, 2021 Planning Commission meeting: The Chester 75 development received final approval from the planning commission.

From the June 4, 2021 Planning Commission meeting: Regarding the Allen-Sullivan mansion: "No group was able to put together a viable plan to get the house off the site, do to the cost of relocating." Materials from the building that haven't already been taken will be salvaged (to be incorporated into the new development). The design of the new developments remains largely the same as it was presented earlier in the year. Final approval of the Allen-Sullivan house demolition - Motion carried Final approval of the new development - Motion carried

Cleveland Indians, Cuyahoga County leaders 'well along' in negotiations to extend lease at Progressive Field Mark Naymik - WKYC - June 3, 2021 "As of today, a few Gateway officials, the Indians organization, and County Executive Armond Budish are working on a lease extension, 3News has learned. All declined to discuss details, but Gateway Board Chairman Ken Silliman said in a statement that negotiations are "well along" and that details could come in a matter of weeks. ... The potential cost of upgrading the ballpark will be in the tens of millions, if not more. Some teams have added development around sports facilities as one way to help pay for new stadiums and renovations, something Silliman has not previously ruled out."

Spring St. buildings coming down Dillon Davis - Delaware Gazette - June 3, 2021 "Two buildings along Spring Street in Delaware have been approved for demolition following last week’s meeting of the Delaware Historic Preservation Commission (HPC). The two properties, located at 7 and 27 Spring Street, were purchased by the city last fall, along with the two vacant lots across the street, for $750,000 after plans for a hotel fell through as a result of the pandemic. ... Although the pandemic forced Indus to cancel those plans, Planning and Community Development Director Dave Efland said the city is still “very much in discussions” with Indus for a hotel to be constructed on the site. If the hotel project can’t be revisited, the city will go through a request for proposals for development projects on the parcels." Here is a rendering of the hotel initially proposed for the site: https://www.delgazette.com/news/82210/downtown-hotel-inches-closer

Newark Station opens, reveals massive multi-use redevelopment plans Kent Mallett - Newark Advocate - May 29, 2021 "Newark Station, a massive $11 million multi-use redevelopment project, already features four lighted sand volleyball courts, an outdoor taco bar and live music in the first phase of a four-phase redevelopment that opened Friday night at 325 West Main St.Todd Alexander, president of property owner A4 Ragtime Band Development, and Seth Stout, co-founder and director of operations, announced plans for the three additional phases that will be developed through 2024. ... The former industrial site of White-Westinghouse, Pharis Tire and Rubber and Simpson Soap will become home to a 140,000-square foot development consisting of a coffee shop, lounge, 22 loft apartments, rooftop bar, modern-day trading post featuring artisans and entrepreneurs, office space, Italian restaurant and possibly a city park along Raccoon Creek."

Plan to convert idled Masonic Temple in Ohio City into rock gym gets City Council support Robert Higgs - Cleveland.com - June 1, 2021 "Cleveland Rocks Holding, LLC, a privately held real estate investment entity, plans a multifaceted redevelopment of a former Masonic Temple at 2831 Franklin Boulevard. A Cleveland City Council panel on Tuesday approved a special tax assessment for the site that will enable the company to finance green energy projects at the building. ... Cleveland, in approving the special assessment, would serve as a pass through, funneling the taxes collected from Cleveland Rocks to whomever finances the project. No city revenues would be involved in the project."

Aubrey Apartments at 5th and Summit (5-27-21) The 3M site always felt so vast and empty to me after it was cleared, especially compared with the built environment of the surrounding neighborhoods. Its great to see the work start here on 4th and 5th development. Activating such a large vacant lot can really help both 5th Ave and 4th St. Marker Development's 6-story apartment building at 300 East Fifth Avenue is now known as The Crossline Apartment on the former church site at the SE corner of Indianola and 8th The new playground at Indianola Park is open

Research Building IV (5-27-21) 525 Kennedy Drive building demolition I believe this is the foundation for the new parking garage just east of the BHP and west of the Conference Facility and Data Center. This is just north of the recently demolished 525 Kennedy building. An eastward extension of Butterfly Gardens Drive towards Kennedy drive (as shown in the master plan), would pass through where the 525 Kennedy building once stood. This is the roads current terminus. Research Building IV from the Town Street overpass

(5-27-21) Looking west down State Street you can just barley see the beginnings of the co-living apartment building in the Gravity 2.0 development. Those two elevator shafts just on the other side of the tracks are close to 5 stories in this picture (the apartment buildings final height). View from State and Mc Dowell Streets

Bedrock promotes 'pop-up experiences' at ailing Tower City mall Michelle Jarboe - Crain's Cleveland Business - June 1, 2021 "A flyer distributed to retail brokers this month promotes leasing opportunities tied to the upcoming Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductions, in October, and the NBA All-Star Game, set for February. Both events will take place at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, which is linked to the mall by an indoor walkway. The pitch, long on promotional language but short on details, is raising questions about Bedrock's broader strategy for the mall. ... Bedrock would not answer questions about Till's departure, the pop-up retail promotion or its overarching vision for the mall and riverfront land behind it. ... (Doug) Price said he's heard rumblings about a big, upcoming announcement about the future of the mall and 16 acres that Bedrock controls along the Cuyahoga River. But he's skeptical."

Park Synagogue property in Cleveland Heights hits the market Michelle Jarboe - Crain's Cleveland Business - May 29, 2021 "An architectural and religious landmark is up for sale in Cleveland Heights, where the 28-acre Park Synagogue property quietly hit the market this month. ... The listing, with Allegro Real Estate Brokers & Advisors, doesn't include a price. Potential buyers have until Aug. 13 to submit offers, said Adam Gimbel, an Allegro principal. ... The land along Mayfield is zoned for multifamily development, while the zoning on the balance of the site allows single-family homes or townhouses. The city's master plan calls for apartments or offices near Mayfield, with lower-density housing on the bulk of the property. So far, prospective buyers are considering educational or residential projects, Gimbel said."

Cleveland Museum of Art puts down roots in Clark-Fulton with new arts center Zachary Lewis - The Land - May 18, 2021 "Indeed, the new center, the largest tenant in the new Pivot Center for Art, Dance, and Expression, is a means to several ends. It’s primarily a gallery and teaching space, but it also advances parts of the museum’s larger mission to benefit all the people forever. ... On one hand, it’s a base for Parade the Circle and other large outdoor offerings such as the Chalk Festival, Winter Lights Lantern Festival, and Studio Go. ... On the other, the Center expands the museum’s footprint on the west side, bolstering a community underserved by the museum but which already enjoys a rich cultural life.. ... Even before the center opens June 12, the work of melding with the community is well underway. All signage is in both Spanish and English, and each of its three large studios along with its lobby has been graced with a mural by a local artist."

There was a presentation from ODOT / CSS Landscape Architecture regarding the next phase of the Innerbelt project at the May 21, 2021 planning commission meeting (it's informational only). It was about the upcoming CCG3A phase (which has committed funding via TRAC). The maintenance agreement for improvements above the trench/on local streets has not yet been fully worked out with the city. This means that some of the project would be determined by Cleveland's, or other local entities, ability to fund it. Here is a project timeline for the $160 million project: A primary aspect of this phase will be the elongated E22nd Street bridge. It will also be a wider bridge with the addition of a center turning lane and wider sidewalks (while keeping the existing bike lanes). The bridge could be similar to the Spring Street bridge over I-71 on the Columbus innerbelt. It may also include a partial capping at Cedar which could include park space. The interchange at the E14th/E18th and Carnegie intersection is also in this phase of the innerbelt project. The designs on the retaining walls, and landscaping within the ODOT right of way, were also briefly discussed.

The Brewdog renovation of the Avian building received approval from the planning commission at the 5-21-21 meeting. I didn't notice it in the plans from their announcement, but they seem to be really taking advantage of the lawn along the river with covered outdoor seating, a playground and a dog park. Having space for families and dogs is really nice for a brewery on the river, and should definitely help bring more people to the peninsula / this part of the flats.

Here is a rendering of the proposed renovation to the Carnegie Ballroom for the BP and additional retail space from the 5-21-21 Planning Commission meeting. The small project received final approval from the commission. @KJP wrote about the development earlier this year.

Here is a site plan for the proposed expansion of and improvements to Orr Park from the May 21, 2021 Planning Commission meeting: The land for the western expansion is mostly vacant. This is the a view of the site from Lamont.

Soaring Prices Herald Boom Time for Steel Makers Matt Phillips - New York Times - May 21, 2021 "Steel prices are at record highs and demand is surging, as businesses step up production amid an easing of pandemic restrictions. Steel makers have consolidated in the past year, allowing them to exert more control over supply. ... 'We are running 24/7 everywhere,' said Lourenco Goncalves, the chief executive of Cleveland-Cliffs, an Ohio-based steel producer that reported a significant surge in sales during its latest quarter. 'Shifts that were not being used, we are using,' Mr. Goncalves said in an interview. 'That’s why we’re hiring.' ... Goldman Sachs predicts that by 2023, roughly 80 percent of American steel production will be under the control of five companies, up from less than 50 percent in 2018."

For a MUCH more clear version of the plan, here is the recording of the special planning commission meeting from Monday (5-17-21). This wasn't published online / made available until late tonight (~10pm 5-20-21). The publishing of this video may be in response to a Cleveland.com article from earlier in the day: Cleveland Planning Commission holds special meeting without taking customary steps to notify public, reporters The plans presentation answers a lot of questions. A ~30 minute section of the meeting by landscape architect Thomas Woltz is definitely worth a watch. There seems to have been a lot of considerations for the actual engineering challenges of this plan by the design team. Some helpful diagrams graphics from the presentation: The taller of the two buildings facing the mall extension/land bridge is intended to be a hotel with direct connection into the convention center. The lower mixed-use building to its east, south the science center, "could host the Amtrak station coming up inside of it." The specifics of a station here do not seem to be fully explored, but there is definitely significant consideration for how the Amtrak station could be incorporated into the project. Woltz mentioned multiple times how this station could create a very grand entrance for people arriving in the city by rail. (As an aside a similar sentiment was shared by the officials of the new Hopkins master plan who wanted to create a more welcoming environment for visitors to the city with a strong/distinct sense of place). FWIW Nelson Byrd Woltz did a lot of work on Hudson Yards and its public spaces. The architects and designers here have experience creating dynamic pedestrian spaces directly above and connected to transit. Hudson Yards is also the largest development in NYC's history, so it would be fitting to have a firm involved in that project behind the plan of what could potentially be Cleveland's largest development. This plan and the firm is more landscape first / development second, but that might be a good thing for a lakefront plan. The public space involved in the development is going to be a primary selling point to the people/the city.

Cleveland Bazaar is back, with 10 markets planned for 2021 Anne Nickoloff - Cleveland.com - May 20, 2021 "The markets are set to take place on June 5, June 19, July 3, July 17, Aug. 7, Aug. 21, Sept. 4, Sept. 18, Oct. 2 and Oct. 16. All of the shopping events will take place at Market Square Park in Cleveland’s Ohio City neighborhood, with sanitization and social distancing policies in place. The first event in June will take place more than 15 months after its last in-person event in February 2020. ... Cleveland Bazaar’s return means more than a fun, free public event for Clevelanders to enjoy; it means income and employment for hundreds of local makers and artists, many of whom have struggled to keep their small businesses running over the past year, Okey said."

Ohio State worried about rising construction costs for new $1.8B hospital Hayleigh Colombo - Columbus Businerss First - May 20, 2021 "Administrators and trustees said they are watching closely the construction of the new hospital, since they have only spent $350 million of the nearly $1.8 billion budget so far. ... There is $1.5 billion left to spend on the project, including $480 million that has not been contracted out yet, Kasey said. The inpatient hospital is the largest single construction project in OSU history. 'If we blow it by 8%, it’s a problem,' Kasey said. ... Trustee Alex Fischer said 'next year is going to be critical for all of us to stay highly tuned in to where all these projects are at.' The 820-bed hospital is projected to open in early 2026."

Ohio Expo Commission allows city to begin working on sports park site but no lease yet Mark Ferenchik - The Dispatch - May 20, 2021 "The Ohio Expositions Commission has approved an agreement that allows the city of Columbus to start working on land near Mapfre Stadium for a new city recreational sports park, even though a lease agreement for the land is still being negotiated. ... Before finalizing a site plan, city officials will meet with leaders and residents of nearby areas, including Clintonville, Linden and the University District to hear what they'd like to see in the plan, Rakosky said. Those meetings will go at least through June. ... But Rakosky said the details on the lease agreement between the city and the commission for the land still have to be worked out. The city had offered to pay a total of $10 in rent for the next century, which works out to less than a penny an acre, for the state-owned land next to Interstate 71." When I went by last weekend to see the progress on the performance center, the new sign at the entrance on Silver Drive had the 1st version of the new logo ("Columbus SC" and the corner triangle). That sign only lasted a week!