PeterGriffin

I figured I would make this photo thread in memoriam of our once great city...Cleveland, Ohio...(1796-2008)...We miss you... We used to have a baseball team People used to go watch that team too There was talk of converting a building into a hotel...but the city died so it never happened Concerts used to be held here...and I think there used to be people living in the now abandoned apartments Roof top decks used to exist on top of refurbished warehouses We built a glass building once...too bad nobody ever wanted to live there Another empty street with no reinvestment Where have all the buildings gone? Nobody feels safe enough to walk around anymore Public Square is now only used by the homeless and evangelicals More unused greenspace Art is dead Where are all the people in this city? I had to hide because I felt like I was leaving the "greenzone" More homeless All of the jobs have left I feel so alone Seriously...what a ghost town They were running away to avoid a raping Good thing the abandoned buildings hide the sun because it allows all of the vampires who live downtown to walk around during the day No wonder no new restaurants are ever opened in this city More vampires This city completely lacks any "grand-ness" I wish they would build more parking lots so more people would come downtown These people were actually all panhandlers...I actually watched them steal a business man's suit and divide it up 13 ways NSFW? More emptiness I hope everyone enjoyed my expose into the rotting cesspool that used to be a real city. I feared for my life, but I came out of it OK. Good thing I was able to hop back into my car and get out of there before all of the metal was stripped. /Sarcasm off/

I would love to join you! I teach guitar full time and was classically trained at Baldwin-Wallace, although I spent my teenage years learning Dream Theater and Soundgarden tunes. I tend to think I'm fairly well-versed in most styles as I have to teach most styles. Let's make this happen!

Hey everyone, I know I don't chime in too much but I saw this sign on the back door of my building today and wanted everyone to see it. I think it helps put to rest any unrest people have as far as completion of the project itself. They also removed the old Odeon sign as well which makes me sad being a musician and all, and witnessing the Chris Cornell solo tour show in 1999 that was the best concert experience of my life. Hopefully this is new information to you and I didn't just post something that's been talked about for days already.

Yeah, I was just being snarky...I was actually kidding and in a way just making fun of my own tragic upbringing in Brunswick! I'm glad we have suburbanites that come downtown. If I never ventured down here when I was younger, then I wouldn't have moved here. I didn't mean to offend anyone, and I'm sure people who live in the city wear pumps that match their tops as well. I will agree with what peabody said again though...I teach guitar for a living in Aurora and I hear a lot of people asking me if it's safe, and telling me that I'll grow out of wanting to live in the city, and how they don't go downtown because it's scary and there is nothing to do. So, it comes out in condescension towards clothing. A blanket statement really.

Columbusite...as peabody already stated, the flats are really dead anymore except in the Powerhouse on the west bank, which was across the river from where you were. I live in the Warehouse District, right up the hill...the train you took always goes right past my window actually...and that is where all the people were on Saturday night. The next time you're in Cleveland for a weekend you have to go to West 6th street if you want RIDICULOUS nightlife. You can always tell who the suburbanites are though because the girls wear short skirts with faux leather pumps that match their American Eagle-much-too-small-tops that they recently bought at a Westfield shopping center. If you're looking for a more chill place I would recommend the Nauti Mermaid...cool neighborhood bar, good beer selection (bottle of La Fin du Monde and Trois Pistoles for cheap) and Jeremy the bar tender learns everyone's name if you're there fairly often and hooks you up with very generous whiskey pours. I know all of this information is too late, but it's always good for future reference. I'm not big into the club scene, but I have to say that my girlfriend, who lives in Manhattan but is spending the summer here, is even really blown away at the craziness of the neighborhood on Friday and Saturday nights. All in all I hope you had a good visit!

Hi Ipsilon! I will be moving into the Bridgeview May 26th and I have to say that I'm blown away by the place (so far). I obviously don't live there yet, but if you ever have any problems just call Sandra in the leasing office and she'll help you out with the move-in. If you don't mind me asking, what floor are you going to be on? I'm sure we'll have that awkward moment where someone needs to hold the elevator, but we're strangers living in the same building so we won't have anything else to say to eachother, yet we will have had this online conversation over a month earlier. Or not. But, it seems like a great apartment in a great neighborhood, and I'm jealous that you're getting there first. Good luck.

Hi everyone, I know I never post and it's been a while since this thread was updated, but I wanted to just say hello because we found an apartment in The Bridgeview on W. 9th and St. Claire, and we are moving in at the end of May! So, I just wanted to let everyone here know that downtown Cleveland has 2 more residents that probably won't be counted in the census anyway, but we'll know we're there! This move is incredibly exciting since I've wanted to live downtown ever since my parents took me to The Arcade when I was 9 and was disappointed that I didn't get to play Virtua Fighter like I wanted to. Take care everyone, and thank you for all of the help along the way, and thank you for being positive members of the community. I have shown more people how wonderful Cleveland is just by steering them to this website. Have a wonderful day!

Urbanlife...I will have to have a car while living downtown. I will be reverse commuting because I teach guitar out in Aurora...I know...Aurora. The 1,000 dollar price tag is speculative, so it can be a little more if need be. We were just trying to find something CLOSE to what we're paying in Berea right now, which is pretty dirt cheap. Both of us can afford to pay a little more than that, but we weren't looking to break the bank. I have a friend who lives in Statler, and for what we're looking for, it would be fairly close...if not a little too far out from where we're looking. When reading through information, 425 Lakeside seems nice and affordable. Thank you for the information so far :).

Hey all, my friend and I are looking to move downtown in July. We are both musicians and are looking to move close enough to Playhouse Square, yet not necessarily into the theater district. We were thinking E. 4th or the Warehouse District. Noise is not an issue, as I have spent many a night sitting on a stoop outside of the gyro place on west 6th at 3 am. We were looking for a 2 bedroom apt. that will be 1,000 dollars or less a month. I'm sure that seems difficult in either of these 2 places, but I'm sure it's do-able. We were just looking for some help as to availability, and insider info. No details about the neighborhood itself as we have both spent plenty of time downtown. Thank you for all of your help. Catch ya on the flip-side Matt and Tom

I wouldn't say it's the prettiest in Ohio, but I would like to give Baldwin-Wallace its due.

This is great news! While I will echo the concerns of the above post, permit me to show my happiness in a video. Yes, I'm as happy as this guy... [youtube=425,350]

I didn't leave a good analogy. So, if you went in for a doctor's visit and your docotr told you, "Sir, I'm concerned about your weight, if you don't lose at least 50 pounds you put yourself at risk for hart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, or even death. I urge to to change your diet and start an exercise program." I doubt that anyone in their right minds would respond to the doctor by saying, "Ok, i take your suggestion and I feel you are wrong for trying to suggest I change my lifestyle. As a human being I'm permitted a certain amount of autonomy and one of those free choices is the food I eat. Iam insulted that you would insult my intelligence by suggesting I change." And, if someone did respond that way, they would be surely ridiculed. Do, I think suburbs and rural areas are bad? Not in the least. Do I think sprawl without growth is detrimental? You betcha.

^I work in Aurora so I'm in that area everyday so I feel I can comment. What you're saying wouldn't be an issue if the growth that was happening in Macedonia and Streetsboro was sustainable, walkable, and not at the expense of the region. Formerly rural areas will have roads that cannot be expanded and there's no doubt about it. The Chillocothe Turnpike is a good example of a road that was set up a long time ago for trade withint he Western Reserve. The problem is that these formerly rural areas are being built up with no planning or reason. Does there need to be a Wal-Mart accross the street from Geauga Lake and then a few miles down the road only because it's in another municipality? If the people who live off of Rt.43 can't drive an extra 4 miles to a different Wal-Mart then was it really that important in the first place? There's no reason for a city with less than 15,000 people, stretched across 13 square miles (Aurora) to have worse traffic than a city with 60,000 people living in ~5 square miles (Lakewood). People wanting to live where they want to live isn't the problem, the problem is the unsustainable growth that is coming with it. And then, when Macedonia loses it's rural "charm" then the trend will continue and Mantua will be the next great "boomtown", causing Macedonia to force higher taxes (shudder the thought), causing more people to move out, more traffic congestion, continue ad nausium until Cleveland and Erie are connected to eachother with a base population that could fit with "breating room" in 1/3 the space. I could be young and idealistic, and "upper west-side, pseudo-intellectual, liberal...readers dad, they're called readers." But alas, this is just an observation with obvious exaggerations.

Hey, I'm glad you all like the pictures! After some digging I still couldn't find out who designed the buildings of Baldwin-Wallace. One interesting bit of history though. The mansion that was built for the owner of the old sandstone quarries was built in 1863 and was the first home in the Cleveland area to have indoor plumbing.

Hi everybody, I lurk and lurk and lurk and lurk around these forums, and I wanted to just say thank you to everyone who contributes on a regular basis. This is probably the most insightful message board on the internets, and a wonderful tool to show to all of the people I work with in Aurora that Cleveland is actually a great city. With that I wanted to share some deguerreotypes I took of Berea, where I am currently working on Van Wilder status at the Baldwin-Wallace Conservatory of Music. Probably one of the most interesting Cleveland suburbs because of its age, and the fact that it was an independently grown city as opposed to growing because of outmigration. These pictures are only a small handful of the century homes and 100+ year old structures in Berea and I hope you enjoy! This was building was built in 1892... Quaint This is Kohler Hall, one of Ohio's most haunted places, a stop on the Underground Railroad, and a hospital during the Civil War I hope you all enjoyed the tour! The Cornerstone Brewing Company awaits your business. :drunk:

I think he's better than Eminem! I mean, listen to those rhythms...only a true artist could actually feel music this way. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnjp6OMaHIk This is his original demo he sent out to MTV and the like. This is an interview with Jack Marshall This is his triumphant return...with some nice downtown shots in the background I hope everyone realizes that I'm being sarcastic

Hi wordnick, I don't post here too often but I couldn't help but post on this topic. While I would never want to stear anyone away from living in the city of Cleveland (in reading the conversation I'm hoping you end up in Shaker Square :) ) I'm wondering if you've looked on the west side at all. I live in Berea, which is probably the last inner-ring suburb in the southwest side of the Cleveland area. It always has short term rentals available because it's a college town, it's a 5 minutes drive away from the airport, a 3 minute drive to the Brookpark Rapid station, it also has the 86 bus which is a 10 minute ride to the train. It is also one of the more urban/walkable suburbs, being just as walkable, if not more so, than Lakewood or Cleveland Hts. A lot of times Berea is lumped in with Middleburg Heights, but don't let that confuse you as Berea has homes that were built in the 1860s, a downtown with a brewery, Baldwin-Wallace College, and gridded streets. While I would never push for anyone to move to the suburbs instead of the city, I would highly suggest you check out Berea if you're looking for a rental. Here is what Berea looks like... The church in the last photo was built in 1873. By all means move into the city haha. But I just wanted to help you out with one more option so you could see more of what is aorund the Cleveland area. Good luck!

Here is an example of shredding... I'm a guitar teacher and to add a little history to it...Shredding is basically a term that was invented in the early to mid 80's when people like Yngwie Malmsteen and Paul Gilbert were at the height of their popularity. Basically all it takes to be a shredder is to like the Ninja Turtles for one, own a lot of mousse, grow out your hair and make sure it's really curly and teased, and learn your harmonic minor scale and vaious other arpeggios as fast as possible, own 13 pairs of the exact same stone-washed jeans and/or leather pants, wear a bunch of crazy rings with skulls or flames on them, worship Paganini without ever listening to any of his music, and argue with people over "feeling" in your solos. Hope that sheds some light on the subject. Sorry for going off topic.

Haha, and yes Sufjan is awesome. I don't feel as guilty living in Berea as I would in most other suburbs. If you think about it, I'm only 2 miles outside of the Cleveland border, and the only city service Berea uses is the RTA...we have metroparks too, but everything else is autonomous including the water. Plus, you don't need to own a car here, and all of the houses were built in the mid 19th century. Don't hate me because of where I live, all I've ever wanted was to be accepted by everyone, to get into heaven, and to one day live in a society where we can all divirce our wives by walking backwards around a table (god, I hope someone gets that reference). Anyway, Christmas Ale is awesome...I actually have a friend whose uncle used to send him care oackages of various microbrewed holiday ales, and my buddy sent his uncle a Christmas Ale. The next care package he got back from his uncle was a note reading "That was the best Christmas Ale I've ever had". Yet another reason why Cleveland rocks.

I swear Berea isn't that bad...I'm stuck here because of school otherwise I'd be living in the city I swear...please don't ostricize...I swear I can walk and bike everywhere and The Shoppe is pretty kick ass. I'm a music major so I can help write the music for the hip-hop jams, it might be overly pretentious and end up sounding like Sujan Stevens or Zappa minus the creativity and smug sense of self satisfaction. Oh, I forgot to say I swear again.

MayDay, I will be doing my homework on Christmas Ale from now until February so we will definitely have a lot of notes to compare. Also, since you're a hophead, I would recommend you come to Berea and try the Cornerstone Brewing Company's "7". It's a VERY hoppy IPA and most people don't like it because the hops are so strong. It's not quite as smoothe as the Lake Erie Monster, but ti knocks you on your ass just as quickly. The Cornerstone has great beer in general, and Berea is an inner ring suburb right? So, it wouldn't be too bad to pay the place a visit. :)

Jegshemash! I never post, but I always keep up to date with everything going on in Cleveland through this board, and all of you people are awesome. I have to say that I had my inaugural Christmas Ale last night, and is it just me or does it taste "spicier" than last year? I tasted more honey, and especially a stronger cinnamon flavor than last year's model. I think they actually made it better! Or maybe I'm just blinded by my love for it.

To go along with this thread...here is me playing the National Anthem at Cain Park. The video quality is horrendous (and so is my spelling most likely) but you get the idea. And you have no idea how many times my guitar students have wanted me to watch the canon rock video. It was cool the first 400 times I had to watch it haha. http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3107997895632187576&q=Star+Spangled+Banner+on+Guitar

I was very suprised to see that it almost looks like Cleveland is more dense than Cincy which I wasn't expecting. It could be an illusion though. Also, I find it very cool that Cincy and Columbus have American grid style layouts and Cleveland has a more European, almost Parisian style street layout.

Hey everybody, I thought this was a cool idea. I don't know if anyone has done it before but I thought it was neat to compare the 3 downtowns of the 3 C's. I don't know if this is the right section or if it should just go in City Discussion but hopefully this will work. Check it out. Cleveland: Cincinnati: Columbus: It's cool how different the landscapes are so I just figured I'd put a side by side comparison of images that everyone has probably already seen before. Enjoy! :wave: