New World Techno Boy

Bravo, bravo, bravo! Thanks for sharing your wonderful research with us. I have a particular fascination with how urban sites change over time. I really enjoyed your writeup and custom photography.

The Church of God (Previously Mentioned) - What a gorgeous building: http://planning.city.cleveland.oh.us/landmark/agenda/2012/07122012/image/Church_of_God_22.jpg

I stopped to talk to the guard on the North Mall area a few days ago, and she explained the grass system to me, which was pretty cool, because I was really wondering how it works: From the bottom to top: Layer 1: The bare metal (roof of the convention center) Layer 2/3/4: Waterproof membrane, sealant, more waterproof membrane (part of the membrane is what was shown blowing around in the photo above) Layer 5: 6 FOOT of solid Styrofoam - this was the part that blew my mind, but explained what protects the waterproof membrane from damage Layer 6: possibly another sealant/protector Layer 7: rocks & rubble Layer 8: dirt Layer 9: sod From our vantage point on Lakeside, we could see all of the different layers in action, which was really cool. As of today, it looks like everything is in place on the North mall and the sod is being watered with sprinklers. I also find it interesting that the section between St. Clair and Lakeside, which gradually vaults up towards Lakeside, will likely rise another 10ft (on top of the existing appx 40 rise) after the 'grass system' I describe above is put in place. This will provide some incredible views of the Lake Erie and be a unique feature for Cleveland that I've never seen anywhere else... As cool as this project is, I think the main structure is one of the most displeasing buildings in Downtown Cleveland. The cladding of white panels is already looking aged and filthy after a few months. The window spacing looks amateurish, haphazard (yeah yeah, I know what it is supposed to look like) and way too sparse. The Ontario side of the building follows the unfriendly pedestrian form of the oppressive Justice Center design - huge setbacks from the street, detaching the building from the life of the city and creating a vast windswept courtyard that is useless in the Summer and Winter. On the outside, the only part I really like is the HUGE glass wall with catwalks that will face the Mall - this looks like it will be a real Cleveland signature of the whole center when it is completed.

Hi Smith, Thanks for posting. GREAT Photos, you have a very good eye. We probably passed each other at some point on this tour... I've been on this tour many a times - always just happening to stumble upon the announcement in the PD. I don't read the PD on a regular basis, but somehow always seem to catch the announcements when this incredible treasure is open to the public... I seek out unique Cleveland experiences and this one is definitely up there in my top 10. Thanks for capturing the essence of this incredible tour in your photos!

Clueless,Ohio - Correct, I am referring to the Westin Project on the NE corner of East 6th/St. Clair...

My office window directly faces this project, so I'm watching it very closely... there was a flurry of activity in early June, when the sidewalk barricades and some scaffolding went up. A few dumpsters of garbage were hauled away. Several trees along the frontage were removed. However, about two weeks ago, ALL activity at the site ceased - I've not seen a single person/vehicle at the work site. After seeing similar projects stalled for years and years, this makes me a bit paranoid. Perhaps this is just a normal work delay...

Very impressive vantage point. The juxtaposition of old and new in the 2nd photo is awesome. I work just around the corner, but don't really have a good view of the construction site.

I've been there several times now, and really enjoyed each visit. I usually don't eat ground beef, but the burgers just looked so good, that I couldn't resist. Between me and my friends, we've tried most of the burgers on the menu - the 'Big Texas' was definitely a group favorite. Milk shakes area awesome, but very small. I've sat on the patio during each visit and mostly enjoyed the view, except for when I looked into the sea of parking lots and started to think about the days when the entire WHD was lined with awesome blocks of buildings like the one that houses BRGR9...

Thank you ZachariahDaMan, This has always been my favorite urban neighborhood in Ohio. I've only driven through the area, but from the first time I encountered this area, it has always held a special place in my mind. I have a brick fetish and German Village is like nirvana. The photo of the stone faced buildings weaved into brick sides is insanely gorgeous - thank you for capturing and sharing this one! I'm curious if any active Urban Ohio members live in German Village. It strikes me as such an idealistic urban neighborhood - is it as good as it looks? Sincerely, New World Techno Boy

OK, not sure if this is cool or sad - I'm just a block away from this development and if it were not for this post, I would not have known about this job finally starting...strange how our daily routines keep use isolated from Lakewood's commercial center...

COME ON Cleveland Fans - VOTE us up here - we only have until 8:00PM on Tuesday, April 4th: https://apps.facebook.com/offerpop/Participate.psp?c=101422&u=24237&a=153839431317646&p=116634895018479&rest=0

Yeah, without a doubt, 100%, this photo series captures the essence of my favorite city in the world. I used to be able to travel to NYC for work on a regular basis, but no more. Thanks for helping me remember how awesome this city is...

Lakewood ground down the asphalt on my street a few years ago to reveal the gorgeous brick underneath. Sadly, it was recovered in asphalt again. I LOVE brick streets. I took as many photos of the brick as a could, and often think wish they could have just left the brick exposed.

Apologies, Urbanohio.com fans, I get pretty fired up about Cleveland and I made some condescending comments yesterday, but got only positive comments back. I think that is a statement to what a great group we have at Urbanohio.com. I realize the problems we face are insanely complex and have no simple solutions, but sometimes I get carried away thinking about what seems like simple solutions. For all the Urbanohio.com members that responded positively to my negative comments, kudos to you. I have some faith that we will make things work and most people will be happy :) New World Techno Boy

Hehe, as I figured, 98% of the Cleveland fanboys don't get it. Cleveland has some incredible scenes and sights that tourists all over the world would love to come and drool over, but no one (International) knows what we have and no one is promoting it (Internationally). If someone happens to end up here, they might, by chance, find the awesome store/information booth at the corner of East 4th & Euclid. If we don't encourage foreign visitors we are losing. This is low hanging fruit. A simple advertising campaign focused on foreign countries could bring an incredible amount of tourists to Cleveland. And further growth to our growing but VERY fragile economy. Taking it a step further, I firmly believe that Cleveland has failed to focus on bringing new immigrants to the area and that is why the inner city and now inner suburbs are dying. This is how the city was made and it happened naturally at first, but now it must happen by design, but it is not... New World Techno boy

Urban Ohio: I am looking for constructive feedback here - something is not jiving and I don't get it... A lifetime Cleveland resident, I have traveled to Duluth, MN 20+ times over the past 10 years and it is a cool little town that I always enjoy visiting. Duluth has a tourist area named Canal Park that reminds me a lot of the Cleveland Flats. However, things are VERY different in Duluth - specifically, who is staying at the plethora of hotels in the Duluth Canal Park area... It seems there are visitors from all over the world, flocking to Duluth to watch big freight ships enter and leave the port and watch a single lift bridge. That's it. Nothing we don't have in Cleveland, but somehow Duluth has attracted a HUGE amount of international travelers to watch these ships enter and leave the port and keep several hotels and restaurants in good business. Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall - every time I visit the hotels are full of International tourists... Cleveland has the huge freight ships, MULTIPLE lift bridges, swing bridges, the available land, the hotels, why can't we attract the international travelers and become a destination for this type of thing? I have a vivid memory of hundreds of International tourists in Duluth watching the lift bridge go up and down, standing in amazement, taking photos and me thinking, uh, I can see this every day in Cleveland at many different places and no one gives a crap... References for thought: Cleveland lift bridges and ships: http://www.flickr.com/groups/13603077@N00/pool/show/with/5054729779/ Duluth Canal Park: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canal_Park_%28Duluth%29 Thoughts? I have some of my own which I'll share at some point... Greg

The outside is going to need a little work - but it will be fun to peel back the garbage to expose the real house...

The past 20 years I've been an avid Cleveland historian making my family home in Lakewood having been turned onto this forum by my brother BizBiz... I make the following statement and inquiry... I often sit on my back porch listening to the sounds of the city at night thinking about what my neighborhood was like 90 years ago when my house and neighborhood was built I always think about two scenarios past and present... Past: 90 years ago, 1916 My neighborhood and house were being built: basements dug by hand houses assembled without blueprints farm fields became urban areas streets of brick basements were second thoughts driveways were not paved triple track storm windows were not invented milk paint no TV Electricity - knob and tube with one outlet per room French doors Hard wood floors Current: 2006 Are Urban areas an anachronism? I love my small urban yard and carefully tend to every square foot of it I watch my neighbors houses decay I see my cities schools fail At night, I lay awake, pretending it is 1916, listening to the trains and ships horns in the morning, I browse the Internet on my high speed Internet connection fed by wiring snaked though 100 year old poles and trees At noon I gaze at my houses natural woodwork, large windows and classic style thinking about the time and effort that it took to create it Later that day, I watch my neighborhood decline as another section 8 house opens up and the moving truck backs over the grass and original sandstone sidewalk The sandstone sidewalk crushes and crumples into small cracked pieces under the weight of the trucks wheels while the new houses occupants toss a cigarette butt onto my driveway I think I will never leave my urban life in suburban Cleveland never, for anything Tonight, for some reason, I thought about the future 90 years from now urban Cleveland, 2096 Sadly, I'm fairly certain my house and neighborhood will not be here it will be destroyed probably by war or urban renewal or because of lack of maintenance... the neighborhood would be 180 years old it's only 90 now and on the verge of failure Where do you think your urban neighhood will be in 90 years?