jmc8651

There is nothing more embarrassing than seeing a group of tourists come out of Tower City and walk right into a makeshift soup kitchen. How about getting rid of the tent city next to the East 9th off ramp next!

CAC is filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and unless they can negotiate a favorable lease with the new landlord they will file for Chapter 7 (liquidation) and shut down. The new landlord (whose identity I don't know) wants to substantially increase the rent and have CAC occupy much less space. Personally, I think the odds of CAC surviving are maybe 1 in 10. Even if they get through Chapter 11 and obtain a new lease, they need to boost membership substantially. The email sent to members says another assessment may be imposed. If that is the case, the club is finished. The prior two assessments resulted in about a 30 percent drop in membership. CAC is scheduled to shut down from July 30 to August 6 for repairs, but I doubt it will reopen after that.

For IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 5, 2007 Contact: Tom Yablonsky Executive Director 216/409-7320 The Historic Warehouse District Development Corporation deeply regrets the incident which occurred in the early morning hours today in which four people were shot outside the Spy Bar. This type of behavior, while extremely rare, is absolutely not acceptable to the stakeholders of the Historic Warehouse District. Last August, the Historic Warehouse District Development Corporation, on behalf of its stakeholders, supported the request of the Cleveland Police Department to object to the renewal of the liquor licence for this establishment. Councilman Cimperman officially objected to the Ohio Division of Liquor Control at that time. A hearing on this matter was scheduled for last Friday, June 29, but was continued (postponed) at the request of legal counsel for Spy. In addition, last October, the Historic Warehouse District, with financial support from the Cleveland Foundation, the Gund Foundation and the Downtown Cleveland Alliance, initiated a pro-active, grass-roots program which has been implemented in numerous cities nationwide. The Responsible Hospitality Institute focuses on mixed use urban environments such as the Historic Warehouse District which are on the cutting edge of the new cafe society. The program guides participants through a process which leads to better planning, managing and policing of their neighborhood by developing a consensus of community standards by its stakeholders. 80 individuals, including representatives from night clubs, restaurants, retail, building owners and managers, residents, safety forces and other City departments have been involved in this effort. This year long program is well underway and we fully expect to implement several key ideas, which have been identified by the participants, later this year. (See rhiweb.org/cleveland for more information.) In addition to its many award winning restaurants, the Historic Warehouse District is home to a dozen exciting night clubs which attract thousands of patrons each week. The Historic Warehouse District Development Corporation remains committed to creating and sustaining an exemplary residential, commercial and retail neighborhood in the heart of the City through active and committed partnership with district business, civic and government leaders.

CAC is having a big meeting on July 9th to discuss the future of the club. The General Manager sent out an email saying that CAC's future is on the line. They only have about 550 members and need at least 700 to turn a profit. Also, the catering business is way down as a result of the construction. In regards to the lower floors, they just lost their biggest tennant (Charter School).

The Winking Lizard on Prospect is good for kids and it has outdoor dining.

Cuyahoga agency plans new HQ By JAY MILLER 11:20 am, June 12, 2007 The Cuyahoga County Community Mental Health Board plans to construct a new headquarters building in the Midtown neighborhood. The three-story headquarters would sit on a now-vacant piece of land on the north side of Euclid Avenue between East 69th and East 79th streets. Mental health board chairwoman Bonita Caplan said the building likely will cost between $10 million and $13 million. Paul Volpe of City Architecture is designing the building, which Ms. Caplan said would be built to green building standards. The mental health board plans, finances and monitors mental health programs in the county. It has 64 employees and a $120 million annual budget that comes from state and federal Medicaid funds and from a county appropriation. Ms. Caplan told the board’s executive committee a new building would give the agency “better space for the same money” it now pays to rent three floors of a building at West 25th Street and Detroit Avenue. She said the agency has talked about a new building before but is moving now of current low interest rates. Robert Carson, a member of the agency’s board of governors, said owning a building will allow the mental health board to build equity, and that a building along the Euclid Corridor transit line will boost the Midtown neighborhood. Other tenants in tow James Haviland, executive director of MidTown Cleveland Inc., an economic development organization that supports Midtown, is enthused about prospects for the new structure. “It’s right in the middle of our mixed-use district, (and) it’s everything we’ve asked for in our master plan and zoning,” Mr. Haviland said. Plans are for a 45,000-square-foot building, with the mental health board taking about 30,000 square feet and leasing the rest. It already has two tenants lined up: NAMI of Greater Cleveland, an advocacy organization for the mentally ill affiliated with the National Alliance on Mental Illness, and Cuyahoga Tapestry System of Care, an organization that serves children with serious emotional needs. The two organizations currently lease space from the mental health board. Ms. Caplan said the agency is exploring financing possibilities, including private financing or bonding through the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority. The goal, she said, is for the agency to be in the new building by fall 2008, when the Euclid Corridor work is expected to be completed. The mental health board is unveiling its plan for the new building on Wednesday, June 13, at Dunham Tavern, which would be the agency’s next-door neighbor.

The street is finally closed to traffic. Corner Alley put up the fence for their patio and Pickwick is in the process of setting up their patio. Also, it looks like a lot of progress is being made on Wonderbar (I think that's the name of the jazz bar?). Any word on the East 4th/ Euclid construction across from Corner Alley?

La Strada has a sign too.

I read a couple of weeks ago that they are aiming for a reopening in the middle of June.

I walked by the Higbee building yesterday and it looks like the second floor is pretty much finished. Does anyone have some details about the visitor center?

I wasnt' really sure where to put this..... RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE A Grand Arcade place to live By ZACHARY LEWIS 6:00 am, May 7, 2007 When Barry Nelson walks through his downtown loft in the Grand Arcade, he sees nothing but choices he made. Every detail, from its wood floors to its sleek metal ceiling fans, reflects his taste. Article Removed

The building at 13th and Chester is Parkview Apartments and Crains said back in May it will undergo an upgrade similar to Winton Manor (Prospect and East 9th).

This sounds like a good idea, did anyone know about this previously? DCA Safety Ambassador Escort Program If you ever feel unsafe leaving work, a club, or restaurant call 216.621.6000, and request an Ambassador escort. They will arrive shortly to walk you to your car or home. (Please call slightly ahead as it may take up to twenty minutes for them to meet you.) Since April of 2006, the Downtown Cleveland Alliance (DCA) has provided a Safety Ambassador program for Downtown Cleveland. 40 Clean and Safe Ambassadors, dressed in gold and blue uniforms, patrol downtown day and night. Since some residents have not heard about the Safety Escort program, we are helping to spread the word. Please tell your neighbors about this excellent safety service. If you have any other questions about the Safety Ambassadors, please call 216.621.6000. Other Safety Information: For emergencies, dial 911. For non-emergency police, call 216.621.1234. Sincerely, Kelly Lozan Project Assistant Historic Gateway Neighborhood Corporation

Does anyone know what is going on with Vincenza's on Prospect? The entire sidewalk in front of the restaurant is blocked and covered with a tent.

I would love to see them occupy the empty office building on Prospect next to the Residence Inn. Granted, it's a bland building but it would remove a big chunk of blight from an otherwise nice area.

Another sports bar in Gateway.....Cleats opens monday on east 2nd just south of Prospect. They have a couple of suburban locations in Westlake and Mayfield (I think).

The building next to Prospect Place is called the Joshua Hall Building. Howard Hanna has the listing. 2 of the units are around $330,000.00 and the other 2 are around $230,000.00

I heard it's going to be a burrito place similar to Chipotle. However, that was a while back and I haven't heard anything recently.

A lot of people were there. Both the restaurant and the bar were packed.

I ate at the Cleveland Chophouse on Saturday and was really surprised by the number of people there.

I’ve lived downtown in the Gateway neighborhood for over a year and I've never had a problem with crime or noise. If you're really concerned about noise check out The Statler, The Osborne or Huron Square in the Theater District. The area is pretty quiet at night but it's only a short walk or cab ride from East 4th or West 6th. Also, take at a look at the Cedar/Fairmount area of Cleveland Heights. It's not even ten minutes from the Clinic and offers some very reasonably priced housing options.

The vacant office building next to the Residence Inn on Prospect would be a nice condo conversion.

The old Ohio Bell Building being renovated next to Cooperstown is the Cleveland Career Center. Check out the project on www.dasconstruction.com The site also has a rendering of the Cleveland Sport and Ale House (NY Spaghetti House)

I wonder if Mann has considered developing the Truman Building (I think that's the name) across the street. Having a huge eyesore in the area certainly doesn't help his project. I always thought that would make for a nice condo conversion.

Elli Mann is listed as the seller and the info was last verfied 2 weeks ago. Hopefully he isn't going to scale back the project. Also, maybe this will encourage someone to redevelop the Dollar Bank Building on Euclid.