surfohio

While I get the point you're making, I'm not so sure it's comparable. I mean, it's one thing to want to punch someone, as in a fist fight at school. But you point a gun at someone, and fire...you don't want to fight that guy, you want to kill that guy. I think the statistics show that even if you take away the gun crimes, there is just always going to be more** murderous violence in the U.S. than in Canada. ** a higher rate of

p.s. not to speak for Tom, but from the moment I moved to Akron in 1990 I was told that the Mayor hated the school, and vice versa. A lot of that sentiment lives on. Not sure how true or blown out of proportion that was, but I'd guess that any animosity that exists would be a result of the the mayor (D) vs. UA Board of Directors ®. Politics in Akron is straight up war.

Renditions I've seen had it adjacent to the Mayflower, with the idea that Mayflower would be repurposed dorm space. I'm glad you brought up the Schottenstien Center, Grammarye. The reason I favor a UA arena downtown is because of the far greater potential for private spinoff development. I think the much better model to follow would be the C-bus Arena District. The lonely Schott has virtually nothing interesting around it. UA campus would be better served with green space imho.

I believe it was one of the old apartment buildings.

I had 6 of the top/worst 8 correct, and 4 of the safest 6. Was way wrong on the bloodthirsty residents of Chagrin Falls. I gave Parma and Cleveland Hts. an undeserved bad rap. Also surprised to see North Olmsted and Amherst toward the top.

East Cleveland Lorain Euclid Maple Heights Shaker Heights Cleveland Heights University Heights Eastlake Lakewood Parma Avon Beachwood Mentor North Olmsted Amherst Strongsville Rocky River Solon Westlake Willoughby Chardon Chagrin Falls

Yeah this is a really exciting plan. Here's a better link: http://www.cityofeuclid.com/uploads/CSED/2009-11-05_WaterfrontImprovementsPlanFinalReport(FinalDraft-edit)-lowres.pdf Very educational too. It basically goes over the historic decline of our shoreline in a nutshell with loss of beaches, erosion, over-development, dumping of concrete debris along the water, etc. While I hate the "breakwall approach" of placing large rocks parallel to the coast to re-establish beaches, it does work. Maybe C-Dawg is lurking to better explain how lol.

Can't believe nobody has mentioned the city's very cool (and attainable) lakefront plan: http://www.cityofeuclid.com/community/development/EuclidWaterfrontImprovementsPlan I am dreaming that Lakewood will someday follow suit. A friend of mine, a biologist, just relocated his family from Baltimore to Ohio. He chose Euclid, mostly because of the proximity to the lake and the waterfront plan. And he's got an incredible house just a few steps from the lake.

Hmm, you can vote more than once..... edit: oops, now I'm getting blocked!

Major props to Jennifer Coleman.

K-Sonic, those are all valid points under present circumstances. I'm thinking of a bigger picture, and coming from the standpoint that Edgewater, in its current state, is grossly underutilized. It should be the most attractive, most desirable space in the city. Yet, as in something out of bizarro-world, it continues to be a financial drain on the city and state. I've had the luxury of living in some of the best coastal areas in America. Now, I live here, and Edgewater Park is my beach and Lake Erie my ocean. I can tell you that as much as I love the place, it is probably the most disappointing, neglected, trash-filled, uninspired beach in the U.S. The reality is, however, that with some good planning and selective development, all of those negatives could be erased. With the shoreway project, any measures that make that stretch of highway a less hostile environment are a great first step. Making the street itself more amenable to cyclists and pedestrians should be encouraged.

^ if the blvd. concept is off the table/postponed, I think an immediate benefit could come from actually widening the west shoreway, giving a large shoulder to encourage parking and more direct access (wooden stairways) to the underutilized grassy hillside of the park. Sorry I couldn't find a better image, but this is exactly the same scenario in Cardiff, California. Highway 101 is a very busy freeway with rail alongside of it, and inland access to the beaches is cut off. But they have a wide shoulder area for parallel parking. So there is speedy traffic, but also a safe place to share the road. It is a mecca for cycling and running. cardiff just up the road

Right! It would be quite a challenge politically. But it's obvious the city and state can't afford to treat the place with the attention it deserves. A private component to the Park could bring in much needed revenues. If developing part of the park were ever on the table, I think the public could be wowed and won over with some pretty pictures. Kasich in 2016 LOL.

Yes, the grass hill right along the shoreway. This could be undertaken by a private developer, including a residential component, but I would only favor this route under very very strict guidelines which would preserve views and access. Edgewater has come a long way in the past few years. Yet anyone who has traveled to other coastal cities can clearly see that the Park could be so much more. Just look up some postcards of how it used to look....absolutely beautiful. This should be the most desirable place in the city, but still I'd guess a vast majority of Clevelander's won't go there. It's underdeveloped imho. And the beach is simply not taken care of like it should be. Now if Metroparks takes over, I think there will be better management and new, more visually appealing infrastructure for the public benefit. The shoreway project, whether 35 or 55mph, can and should have a dramatic effect on the place. There is a ton of room for improvement.

Sorry I should've been more clear... I meant terracing on the grass in the park, north of the shoreway.

I think any development will have tons of challenges, but I wouldn't write off the possibility. I'd suggest redeveloping in the footprint of the current bath facilities. With a surrounding boardwalk. It would take some creativity, but much of that space is currently unattractive and underutilized. Better use of the surrounding area could be realized with better landscaping and walkways. Building into the hillside, along the Shoreway is intriguing, however. Given an unlimited budget, I'm sure we could come up with some fantastic ideas. I've been to other Great Lakes cities (St. Joes, MI comes to mind) where similar hillsides were developed to become much more welcoming and pedestrian friendly with terraced walkways, viewing areas, picnic tables, etc.

If done the right way, such a development could completely transform Edgewater for the better. You would have better facilities, more visitors, and more stakeholders to ensure that the beach is kept a clean and safer environment. The state is too far removed from the Park, and it definitely shows. It could really be a proud showcase for the city.

Great shots!! In the Tower City Amp. pic, does anyone know the status of the old buildings to the left of the rail tracks? Could be an amazing renovation project.

Agree wholeheartedly!

The parallel parking is a good idea. It could work, as long as the shoulder is wide enough. I just spent the last week in San Diego. Much of their beach parking is along 50 mph roads that are a heck of a lot more crowded than the shoreway.

Where is University currently one-way? I thought it was two-way for its whole stretch. Exchange is the big bridge for me, because it's closer to the University Park residential area. University just goes to E.J. Thomas and the heart of the academic campus, which is important, but I think connecting the residential areas directly to downtown is more important. And, of course, the university is only one side of downtown. There are lots of other underused plots on the west side of downtown closer to the hospitals. On the south side of downtown, I'm torn--there are facilities there that are performing needed functions, but the landscape is very suburban (in the sense of being built in automotive scale, not pedestrian scale). Even the people who live in the Townhomes or Landings at Canal Park don't have a particularly super-convenient walk to the heart of downtown. I don't know why they broke up the Towpath Trail through there. Yes University is two way. Didn't mean to intone otherwise. Hmmm....Exchange....what do you think the answer is to make Exchange a better link? The effect of the new res halls are going to be very interesting. And there's so much potential for more new development too. I have to say, I'm not at all impressed with my alma maters attempts at urban design. I don't give them an F, more like a D grade. Any inroads to improve things will require UA to drastically step up its game.

Duh, I can't believe I just found out about this one.... Yesterday a friend of mine just asked if she could borrow a ton of record albums for wall decoration, I wondered why. Today I find she's doing set design for the above mentioned film!

That's great! And I'd say LW fits the bill perfectly....well, not my hood, but yours must be nicer lol.

While I agree about the train tracks- good point btw, I disagree on your one way street analysis. **side note, what an asset that rail through city/campus could be someday!! As a commuter in a downtown, I appreciate any opportunity I have to make a right, or a left hand turn at my discretion. Anyhow I believe the inconvenience to commuting times would not be significant, however, since there is no traffic study to my knowledge I'll simply agree to disagree with you on that issue. In my imagination, University Ave is the no-brainer, best potential for a smooth, safe, walkable transition between campus and a lively, viably commercial, future downtown. You've got Buchtel Commons basically opening up to the city already. As you mentioned CoB and Polsky are there. And the future law school will help bridge the gap too, if UA can manage to upgrade their urban design of course.

from the demolitions thread: http://planning.city.cleveland.oh.us/landmark/agenda/2011/05122011/index.php