LovesIt

Ikeas are ugly and sell corny, cheap furniture. Why having one has become some huge deal is beyond me. People are acting crazier than Namibia when they heard they might be hosting a Brangelina baby. I just don't see what the big fuss is.

I thought "next summer" means 2007?

I normally am one to dismiss a lot of overly political gays as trying to push the limits too far in the name of "equality", but this case does seem stupid. It's just for Pride Week. When other groups have large gatherings or festivals they should be able to fly their flags too. It just symbolises how they are an important part of the city.

Best Coffee Shop Common Grounds (Kamm's) Best Restaurant (food) #1 Pho (Chinatown) Best Restaurant (atmosphere) Pickwick & Frolic (E. 4th) Best Diner GROSS. Best Bar I'm not 21! Best Shop City Buddha (Ohio City) Best Neighborhood Chinatown. Best Bus or Rapid Line Red line, duhzie. Best Summer Event Cleveland Pride. Best Abandoned Building Tower City :lol:

Do they count farm animals in those censuses too? Lawlz, I'm sorry but I lived in Lorain county for 18 years (I live there on and off throughout the year) and I know the area pretty well. I'd say less than a third of Lorain county's land is anything but rural/light suburban. It's raunch to the max.

Well that's not my understanding at all, and I don't agree with you. If you are talking about Lorain County around Strongsville, then I can see what you are saying- at least I think I can see what you are saying, because the only time I usually drive south of Lorain Avenue is to go to the airport or to drive down to school. The Avon Lake area seems to be the exception in Lorain County. The majority of the county is still very VERY rural, even the places bordering Cuyahoga County. You look at places like North Eaton, North Ridgeville and Columbia Station, all of which are minutes away from places like Strongsville, North Olmsted, Berea and Middleburg Heights, and see nothing but open fields and farmlands. Some of these border towns don't even have sewers. Avon Lake may be building up, but the vast majority of Lorain County remains virtually untouched by the suburbanisation of cities that it borders. And it makes me wonder "WHY"? majority? lol! sure there are even amish in the south of the county too, but aside from what you mentioned aren't you forgetting quite a major chunk of lorain county that is not rural in this rant? I can name a heck of a lot more rural areas in Lorain County than I can urban. yeah, i guess to you it sucks because it's the only county in ohio with urban areas, suburban areas and rural areas. geez how uniquely awful -- lol! Uhm, or just giant soybean fields, cows outnumbering people and "Ride Your Tractor to School Day".

Well that's not my understanding at all, and I don't agree with you. If you are talking about Lorain County around Strongsville, then I can see what you are saying- at least I think I can see what you are saying, because the only time I usually drive south of Lorain Avenue is to go to the airport or to drive down to school. The Avon Lake area seems to be the exception in Lorain County. The majority of the county is still very VERY rural, even the places bordering Cuyahoga County. You look at places like North Eaton, North Ridgeville and Columbia Station, all of which are minutes away from places like Strongsville, North Olmsted, Berea and Middleburg Heights, and see nothing but open fields and farmlands. Some of these border towns don't even have sewers. Avon Lake may be building up, but the vast majority of Lorain County remains virtually untouched by the suburbanisation of cities that it borders. And it makes me wonder "WHY"? majority? lol! sure there are even amish in the south of the county too, but aside from what you mentioned aren't you forgetting quite a major chunk of lorain county that is not rural in this rant? I can name a heck of a lot more rural areas in Lorain County than I can urban.

Norton Furniture commercials.

Obviously we would've clashed in high school ^_^ I think they should stay away from obvious franchises (McDonald's, Taco Bell, Burger King), because most of them are available at Tower City, and for the most part I don't think someone would want to chow down on a Big Mac after buying a $2,000 handbag. I'd say go the Crocker Park route with some lesser-known fast food and semi-fast food chains (Liquid Planet, Boardwalk Fries, Tokyo Bay, China One, Haagen Daz). It's all about exclusivity and if you include that, even in your fast-food options, you'll maintain the flow of upscale customers. Of course real restaurants would have to be added as well.

I agree with you guys about having to keep a high-end retail center more obviously secure and calm than places like Tower City have become. It would be a big task to undertake, and a bit of a gamble, but I think by eliminating the "safe" stores that would be obviously profitable (Aeropostale, Old Navy, American Eagle) and limiting their tenants to mid- to upper-level shopping only, they'd be able to create a more enticing environmnet to wealthier shoppers. While it may be a risk to not include some of these cash cows, and be kind of rude to the average Joe, taking a bit of an elitist attitude may be just what it needs. Ala Moana's lowest-end stores are Abercrombie and Gap and it successfully stays afloat with places like Dior, Escada, and Gucci. And I'm glad to see that people realise there is an untapped market of wealthy shoppers looking for an outlet for all that cash burning a hole in their Vuitton wallets. A place like Cleveland should have more than just a Pucci or Missoni <i>counter</i> at Saks, there should be boutiques just like other major cities.

I think a lot of people who don't shop at these places on a regular basis get the feeling that Greater Cleveland is flooded with high-end retail when in fact it's not. Legacy Village lacks solid apparel tenants and Crocker Park's "high-end" clothing is notoriously moderate (H&M). I'd rather see the Galleria reinvented than have the Avenue District try to include too much in the way of clothing and retail. And since low and moderatley priced shopping centers can be found in pretty much every suburb, I think the smartest way to market it would be more upscale shopping in the vein of Beachwood Place. And after testing the waters of high-end retail for a year or so, gradually make it even more upscale. If properly remarketed, it could easily be repopulated with the high-end retail that Greater Cleveland (and Ohio/much of the Midwest in general) has been lacking since the original Tower City tenants (Barney's, Gucci, Fendi) closed. If the Galleria's owners modeled it after places like the King of Prussia mall or Ala Moana in Honolulu, I'm convinced they'd find success.

I thought Kent State was the second largest? And isn't UC falling to number four after the UT merger?

Jealous? :lol:

I was in that exact area Friday night and it was really great to see Cleveland looking lively. Settler's Landing especially had some great views that night.

Blech! Athens itself is pretty bad, who would want to move outside of it? And to where? The Plains?

Why would the casino company care? Just wondering, I'm intrigued by this! On a non-Cincy note, does anyone have any news about Cleveland and casinos?

I still can't even begin to understand how that is the 5th largest city in the nation. Why on earth are people flocking there?

Forreal, Lorain County is boring as hell. The sprawl that's happening out here is mostly just residential, too, causing most people to have to drive into Cuyahoga County all the time. I know I have to go to Strongsville or Berea if I want to buy a shirt, eat at Taco Bell or pick up some milk. I kind of think any sprawl that has leaked into Lorain County isn't as big of a deal as most people would believe; the acreage requirements and the lack of sewers in many areas have limited the townships to remain almost completely residential.

Well that's not my understanding at all, and I don't agree with you. If you are talking about Lorain County around Strongsville, then I can see what you are saying- at least I think I can see what you are saying, because the only time I usually drive south of Lorain Avenue is to go to the airport or to drive down to school. The Avon Lake area seems to be the exception in Lorain County. The majority of the county is still very VERY rural, even the places bordering Cuyahoga County. You look at places like North Eaton, North Ridgeville and Columbia Station, all of which are minutes away from places like Strongsville, North Olmsted, Berea and Middleburg Heights, and see nothing but open fields and farmlands. Some of these border towns don't even have sewers. Avon Lake may be building up, but the vast majority of Lorain County remains virtually untouched by the suburbanisation of cities that it borders. And it makes me wonder "WHY"?

This road is also known as East River (or 252) after it hits the Lorain County border.

One thing I never understood is why all the development isn't happening near the Cuyahoga border. I mean, the places closest to the city of Cleveland are the most rural in Lorain County. There's a giant hillbilly gap between these new Lorain Co. growths and the rest of Greater Cleveland. Oh Lorain County. I hate you.

Lakewood (west) vs. Cleveland Heights (east) Lakewood for sure. I love the density. Westlake vs. Eastlake Westlake has better shopping. Rocky River vs. Shaker Heights Shaker Heights. I'm not a fan of RR. West Boulevard vs. East Boulevard (both historic districts now) East Boulevard scares me, so West. Crocker Park (west) vs. Legacy Village (east) Crocker Park. Legacy Village is fine if you're looking for fine linens and nice rugs, but Crocker Park is a much better "neighborhood". Lake Avenue (Gold Coast) vs. Lakeshore Avenue (both lined with highrise apartments) Gold Coast. It just sounds sexier. West bank of the flats vs. East bank of the flats Eh. Ohio City + Tremont vs. University Circle + Little Italy University Circle/Little Italy. It just seems a little more cultured. Lorain Avenue vs. Mayfield Road (as main shopping corridors) Mayfield. Southpark Mall vs. Beachwood Place (upscale malls) Beachwood has better stores, but I have to represent for Southpark cuz I work there. But Beachwood is really trashy on the inside, I don't like how closed in and dark it is. Lorain County vs. Lake County Lorain County! It's so trashy and hillbilly, and... I live there (in the little square part that sticks into Cuyahoga County) Kamms Corners vs. Shaker Square Shaker Square, even though I do love my Kamm's Corner, especially Common Grounds coffee. I-71 vs. I-271 71, baby. Bay Village's "Huntington Beach" Vs. Mentor-On-The-Lake's "Mentor Headlands Beach" Bay Village, for sure. Gordon Square vs. Cedar-Lee Cedar-Lee. Detroit Avenue (in Lakewood) Vs. Coventry Coventry. It's more compact. The mansions on Lake Avenue vs. The mansions in Bratenahl -Bratenahl.

Neighborhoods = LAME.

YES, we just surpassed Dallas. LOVES IT!

Eh, but this project isn't being spun as a neighborhood. The emphasis is all on the retail end of it, with the housing and office space being secondary, as opposed to the way the Avenue District is being marketed. The way I see it, why would he make such a big deal out of it, calling it a mega-project and talking about how it's going to give downtown "an extreme makeover" with all the retail, if it's just stuff to sustain a neighborhood? And this is the man behind Crocker Park and Eton, which again were projects that put retail first and residential/office space wayyy back in second.