surfohio

I love the U of Akron and think Dr. Proenza is great. I'm an alum for both undergrad and grad school. My problem is that the U of A has a very poor record for the "urban" aspect of their planning. Just look at the new dorms by the stadium; there is no street or sidewalk presence whatsoever. Same goes for the Polsky building, which is confounding since it's right in the heart of downtown. This is a premier location downtown and it's been turned into an unwelcoming fortress on Main. It's a real wasted opportunity. Plus, the placement and design of the latest parking garages show me they have no conceptual bearing on what makes a community walkable and vibrant. Instead it seems the University has a much more suburban and car-oriented mentality about things. So ironic when you're trying to shed the dreaded commuter school image. I hope the new development has a better urban context, but since the plan is to scour the earth with virtually all new construction I have some doubts. At best it can be like the Arena District in Columbus...sure some of the character seems manufactured, a little bit sterile, but attractive architecture that fits in with the city surroundings. At worst, I'm thinking suburban lifestyle center like Crocker Park...soulless, fake-ish and cheap looking. I hope that's not the case. Akron is a city of great history and deserves better than that.

Possibly conveys the "Noir-look and feel" that Times Square is looking to recapture.

After living in Akron for ten years, I always approach this kind of news with a "wait and see" attitude. Change happens there at such a glacial pace...I'd love to see some real improvements there in my lifetime. I guess we'll see what happens.

I was just on this architect site to re-check the University Park plan in Akron. Saw this for the first time.... On The Boards: Cleveland Waterfront In a city of great neighborhoods, North Coast Harbor will be Cleveland’s next “destination” district. The open spaces offer a great variety of environments and experiences, while always maintaining an intimate human scale. Residents and visitors alike will be charmed by neighborhood’s small, intricate alleyways, courts and mews that provide a continual source of visual surprise. They are all interlinked yet diverse – defined by a series of lively places and destinations, including retail-lined streets, parks, courtyards, an enhanced promenade, public terraces and interior winter gardens. Even during the cold winter months, this neighborhood will be a thoroughly walkable place. Here, the buildings and open spaces share symbiotic relationship, one complementing the other. Pretty pics here: http://www.eekarchitects.com/community/3-inside-eek/135-on-the-boards-cleveland-waterfront

Great pics. Nice to see some blue skies! When I was growing up in Southern NJ I was sure that Jersey City and Newark existed in a perpetual fog bank.

Weird to say this, but I've actually grown attached to that blue color insulation and I'm going to miss it! My humble opinion, our city buildings and infrastructure are somewhat lacking in bold, vibrant colors.

I'm already fatigued from watching the Browns this season. The offensive scheme has very little imagination. There's absolutely no rhythym. Colt won't/can't stand in the pocket. Colt cannot ever tell when defense is blitzing. Receivers are weak and can't get open. Boring boring football. It's just ugly to have to watch this. p.s. Hillis was hurt that's why Hardesty got so much time

MayDay, you are always able to perfectly capture the prominence of the city. These are viewpoints that I seem to miss out on in my day to day life. Thanks for posting!!

The Group Plan is interesting. The one area of LMN's plan that I disagree with is their concept for re-establishing the grassy bluff north of City Hall and County Bldg. They wanted to tear down the parking garages in the latest plan, if I'm remembering correctly. In their current incarnation, the Shoreway and rail line would devalue any attempted return to the "Postcard days" of this area. The solution to connecting downtown to the shoreline is an infrastructural one. Ideas like the North Coast Transportation Center or extending the Convention Center northward make much more sense for connectivity.

Yes, I picked one design. The Lakefront Plan that went through all kinds of public hearings under the Campbell Administration.

Great question. The Scene article seems to make a logical case of why the retail component isn't workable. At this point I'm just a bit shocked by how this is playing out. Unlike with other mechandise ie furniture or electronics, the greater public at large has absolutely no interest in syringes or MRI equipment. I always wondered how that aspect might put MM at a disadvantage in relation to the other Marts.

I realize it's not one but actually many projects, but seeing the Lakefront Plan come into being would be amazing. Proper investment into the shoreline will have a profound effect on the perception and psyche of this city. It's a fight vs. one hundred years of bad planning. But opening up Lake Erie for residential, recreation and retail is game changer. We only get one shot at it though; it has to be done the right way.

True that. This is a hard, honest look at where we are and it does suck.

My buddy works for Time Warner and he just cracked me up with an amusing story about Summit Lake. He works on a "bucket" truck, fixing lines and such. He was caught up in the middle of a complex fix and noticed the sun was going down. He knew that it was company policy not to work without a partner in that neighborhood, but he was almost done. And besides, the streets were filled with kids playing and their moms all walking around and being friendly. So he goes back to his wiring or whatever, and moments later he hears ladies yelling for kids to get inside. In a moment the children were gone, replaced by roving groups of older kids who just started screaming and throwing punches everywhere. And he was stuck, perched just above all the fighting, holding his wires, and not knowing what to do. Anyhow, the thought of him stuck there like that just seemed hilarious to me. But Akron is a weird place. The thing that I couldn't get used to was, if you're in a good neighborhood in Akron, you're too close to a bad neighborhood. Throw the good side/bad side of town thing out the window. There are bad pockets everywhere. But, maybe you can say the same about Cleveland too.

Just curious EC, what would you like to see?

Whoa, film location scouts would have a field day with that first pic. Think old old money....a long opulant table....dinner....everyone is uncomfortable...butlers waiting in the wings....stilted conversation lol.

@ Whipjacka. This is the closest thing to insider information we've had on this project!

"It's not just the parking lot owners that would put up a fight. I would bet that all the WHD business operators and pretty much every other downtown interest other than Stark would go ape if the city did something that made parking more expensive or harder to find." See, I think the solution to the surface lot problem lies in the exact opposite; we need strategically placed garages that are cheaper or even free. We need someone who is willing to first undercut the lot barons. Perhaps wearing a bullet proof vest lol. Think of how many visitors would opt for the free garage option. I'm sure many would even be willing to walk a few extra blocks for it. Now here's the key; make retail space a major component of the garage. This pays for the garage. Then maybe you can apply revenues to offer trolley service, making the garage even more attractive. p.s. Sorry Strap, quote/reply not working on my ancient browser!

Last night my wife and I participated in a focus group for the Cleveland Playhouse concerning their relocaton to the Allen theatre. We went on a tour of new practice facilities building which is a block west of the Allen. These are state of the art rooms to be shared with CSU and several children's programs- very impressive! While on the tour, the guide was telling us about some very cool educational programs for young people. Then, she paused and asked very carefully if we would be worried about us or our children having to walk outside down Euclid from the practice facility to the theatre. Apparently so much was invested on the renovation that there was not enough money left over for gerbil tubes! I immediately looked around the group of mostly older folks and commenced wincing. But much to my surprise, everyone on the tour emphatically supported the cheaper, more scenic "taking-the-sidewalk" option." People gushed over the opportunity of being out on the street with all of the sights and sounds of the District. And one woman brought up that the children especially would love experiencing the unique qualities of Euclid Avenue, a setting that they may never get to experience at home in the suburbs. Some people are coming around.

Win. This should force the casino to focus all of its energy on maintaining the street level environment.

^ which buildings are these? I can't find Columbia on google maps. In general, I would strongly hope that most if not all of the existing buildings are preserved. And that any new architecture is sensitive to the historic and traditional aesthetic that made the Flats what they are. Then again, we would be relying on the same civic leaders that brought us that architectural and cultural gem called The Hustler Club to compliment Stonehenge. It's all screwed.

Me too. It is a no mans land right now. But I really do think if the skate park is perceived as safe and maintained well, that this could put the area on the map and open the doorway for attractions.

Good question WestBLVD. Instead of being an additional barrier, new development can do a world of good to enhance connectivity if done the right way. It's not too hard to envision new buildings that could span the tracks by Edgewater. Or how something like the legendary North Coast Transportation Center could bridge the gulf between downtown and the lake. I thought the genius of the Blvd. conversion would be to finally take into account the the untapped value of the land on each side of the road. Jersey barriers be damned.

^ If you've ever seen Lincoln Memorial Drive in Milwaukee, I think it could be a really great template for the Shoreway. Believe me, it is far and away a much better experience than the Shoreway. http://www.flickr.com/photos/14894149@N02/2582495715/#

The drawings 25, 26 depict an "interim phase prior to bridge." I've no idea really, but to me that suggests that the hamster tube will be constructed last/later.