Luke_S

Cross posting from the lakefront development thread:

Ohio lawmakers to unveil spending bill including millions for Cleveland land bridge, women’s soccer stadium By Jeremy Pelzer & Jake Zuckerman Jun. 06, 2024 COLUMBUS, Ohio – State lawmakers said Thursday they’re poised to move on a long-stalled $700 million spending package next week that will include money for some big-ticket items for Cleveland, including millions for a downtown land bridge and a proposed women’s soccer stadium. Legislative leaders said those projects will be folded into a combined $2.5 billion capital spending plan, which the lawmakers say they hope to pass by the end of this month. The final bill would include funding for hundreds of construction projects, renovations, equipment purchases, and grants around the state. ... The House’s spending plan for its $350 million, which it passed back in February, would give roughly $70 million to one-time projects in Northeast Ohio. That includes $20 million toward a proposed $230 million land bridge connecting downtown Cleveland with the lakefront and $1 million toward building a new stadium near downtown to help lure in a professional women’s soccer team. https://www.cleveland.com/news/2024/06/ohio-lawmakers-to-unveil-capital-budget-that-includes-millions-for-cleveland-land-bridge-womens-soccer-stadium.html

That's fair, it would be used much more consistently than the stadium. But it will still be acres of open land for private use that could otherwise be utilized, even if for a public park. Honest question, I don't mean to sound too antagonistic, but has there been any ancillary development in Berea that is the result of the current Browns facility? I could have a false impression, but it seems like right now they're buying up homes, churches, and lots to expand their facilities so kinda going the other direction....

Because I don't see how a Browns training facility contributes to a vibrant lakefront neighborhood.

Another article coming or just an update to your article yesterday?

With such a large project I assume this will be done in phases regardless (your reporting suggests there will be later phases anyway -- i.e. multimodal and track improvements), but is part of the strategy in applying for such a large grant that if we are only awarded a portion of the requested amount we can break off portions of these infrastructure improvements to complete now then seek additional grants later?

Ken just posted an article yesterday covering the City's application for a very significant chunk of funding from Federal grants for the land bridge and shoreway conversion. While there may not be other developers we're aware of looking to develop these area it doesn't mean there aren't interested parties; or that after the infrastructure is in place and the lakefront is actually connected and integrated into downtown that interested parties wouldn't come forward with development proposals. I think we'd be better served by having multiple developers play in this space rather than being subject to the vision and whims of a single developer anyway.

And shortly after the Browns came forward with their plan the City initiated feasibility studies on the land bridge/lakefront development, Burke removal, and shoreway conversion and they've already had the community input meetings on the lakefront development plans. That's how this process works and its fairly far along and continuing with or without the Browns.

Bibb has put a lot of his political capital behind this so he has a big personal incentive to push this across the finish line. I could be wrong, I'm not familiar with the details of the other ~20 lakefront plans, but this also seems to be one of the more comprehensive approaches to reimagining the lakefront; not just the land bridge and North Coast Harbor area or Burke Lakefront Airport but shoreway conversion as well. This plan also has backing of a lot more interested parties than just the city government or Browns as well.

I don't buy into this line of thinking

Brook Park makes their play. City of Brook Park passes a resolution about Browns stadium project By Tim Bielik, cleveland.com Jun. 04, 2024 [T]he city of Brook Park has passed a resolution to “strongly” encourage the Browns to leave downtown Cleveland and build a new domed stadium in the spot of the old Ford plant near Interstate 71. ... Brook Park said in the resolution that it is ready to work with Haslam Sports Group to not only build a new domed stadium on the site, but also a mixed-use development area around the stadium. The city council also encouraged the Haslams to come to a meeting to discuss proposals and a possible collaboration. https://www.cleveland.com/browns/2024/06/city-of-brook-park-passes-a-resolution-about-browns-stadium-project.html

Cleveland nearing decision on whether to close Burke Lakefront Airport by Nick Castele and Mark Naymik June 4, 2024 https://signalcleveland.org/cleveland-nearing-decision-on-whether-to-close-burke-lakefront-airport/

$3M of upgrades coming to Public Hall according to the Crain's writeup: Crain's also suggest that the move is due to scheduling, not because of imminent demolition of the Wolstein Center. https://www.crainscleveland.com/sports-recreation/cleveland-charge-leaving-wolstein-center-public-auditorium

There may be some staffing changes coming, though I wouldn't expect any changes over night this does seem like a first step in the right direction. Cleveland poised to undo Frank Jackson’s public works merger May. 30, 2024 By Courtney Astolfi, cleveland.com CLEVELAND, Ohio – City Hall is preparing to undo a 2010 mega-merger of the Public Works Department in hopes of providing more attention to city parks and recreation centers. If approved by City Council, which could happen as soon as Monday, Mayor Justin Bibb will have the greenlight to create a new standalone Parks and Recreation Department, resulting in a slimmed-down version of the Public Works Department as it exists today. ... With a dedicated department and director focused exclusively on improving parks, Teeuwen said, the city could potentially revise rental fees and other park-related money-makers. The idea is to generate more money that could then be reinvested in parks, to improve programs and amenities for the Clevelanders who use them. https://www.cleveland.com/metro/2024/05/cleveland-poised-to-undo-frank-jacksons-public-works-merger.html

Greater Akron has a good network of foot and bike paths. New study shows need for better connection Ideastream Public Media | By Zaria Johnson Published May 28, 2024 A new report from the Akron Metropolitan Area Transportation Study, which serves Portage, Stark and parts of Wayne counties, focuses on practical ways to close the gaps in the area’s network of sidewalks, bike paths and pedestrian trails. The recommendations included in the Active Transportation Plan will make it easier for everyone to get around, Mobility Planner Heather Reidl said. ... Connecting multipurpose trails, improving sidewalks and putting in bike lanes can make it easier for pedestrians and cyclists to get around Greater Akron, but Reidl said filling in gaps in the current network can also make car-less transportation safer. https://www.ideastream.org/environment-energy/2024-05-28/amats-publishes-recommendation-to-improve-xxx-transportation-in-greater-akron-area

This is a longer article so tough to grab a few paragraph summary; it's worth the read. I thought Bibb was going to simplify the city government, so why is park administration split between two different departments? I would think if there was one department there would be one point of contact for these volunteer groups and a list could be made so their efforts could be more formalized and effective. That said, from the reporting, these groups already seem to be very effective. Beyond the manual labor effort they are putting in to cleaning up, planting, and general maintenance, these groups are getting improvements like benches, bike racks, and chess tables by contacting their council person or writing grants. This work is so beneficial and probably underutilized. Volunteers take it upon themselves to maintain Cleveland parks BY GRANT SEGALL MAY 22, 2024 Westbrook is among an unknown number of volunteers who help to tend some of Cleveland’s 155 municipal parks, from the .7-acre Simpson to the 254-acre Rockefeller Park. Officials appreciate these volunteers. ... There’s no official list of the volunteer groups. The parks’ administration duties are split between the Mayor’s Office of Capital Projects and two public works divisions: the recreation division and the parks maintenance and properties division. The volunteers mostly contact their council members, community development corporations, and neighborhood nonprofits. A four-year-old Parks and Greenspace Coalition under the Trust for Public Land includes groups that tend 10 Cleveland parks — Abbey, Calgary, Clark, Clemente, Cudell, Dunphy, Impett, Lincoln, Simpson and Woods — plus Lakewood’s Madison Park and all of Cleveland Heights’ parks. https://thelandcle.org/stories/volunteers-maintain-cleveland-parks/

Adding rain gardens into the mix would also be hugely beneficial and relatively low maintenance.

Cleveland Metroparks lands key riverfront parcels in the Flats Stan Bullard May 23rd 2024 Catching more properties for plans to boost burgeoning public use of the Cuyahoga River and Flats, Cleveland Metroparks has closed on buying the key Catanese Classic Seafoods property at 1600 Merwin Road. ... The purchase of the property, totaling a little more than 27,000 square feet, gives the park district another 1/2 acre, or 250 feet, of the riverbank. The property adjoins the closed former Grain Craft flour mill, with intact grain silos, the park acquired for $3.5 million last December. Farther west on the winding river’s Columbus Peninsula, it already operates a pier at Rivergate Park and the Merwin’s Wharf restaurant. https://www.crainscleveland.com/real-estate/cleveland-metroparks-lands-key-riverfront-parcels-flats

Are you sure that this is just performative or are you just reacting based on your priors? Because violence interruption programs have shown to be effective at reducing violent crime. Also, its not like this is the only initiative the city has taken to reduce crime, its one piece of a systematic effort to address crime.

Cleveland looks to neighborhood groups for violence interruption as residents beg for help Ideastream Public Media | By Abbey Marshall Published May 21, 2024 https://www.ideastream.org/government-politics/2024-05-21/cleveland-looks-to-neighborhood-groups-for-violence-interruption-as-residents-beg-for-help And, on a related note; A new safety center opens in downtown Cleveland even as the crime rate drops KIM PALMER May 17, 2024 https://www.crainscleveland.com/politics-policy/downtown-cleveland-group-activates-new-perk-park-safety-center

Cleveland sells Gateway East parking garage to the Guardians for $26 million by Nick Castele May 20, 2024 City Council on Monday approved a complicated deal that essentially sells the garage to the Guardians. The ball club is exercising an option to buy the garage that was part of its 2022 lease agreement. The deal gives the Guardians control of the garage and much of its revenue. The team won’t have to pay property taxes on the building, either. The tax exemption is thanks to a finer point of the deal that technically makes the Port of Cleveland the owner. The port will receive about $35,000 annually, team officials said. Here’s what Cleveland gets. The team will pay the city $26 million over 13 years, or $2 million annually. On top of that, the city receives 10% of net operating revenue from the garage above a baseline of $1.7 million. https://signalcleveland.org/cleveland-sells-gateway-east-parking-garage-to-the-guardians-for-26-million/

Are any of these stadiums really economic engines? The area round RoMoFiHo and The Jake are underutilized and only now, after decades, beginning to develop ballpark villages in the immediate vicinity. That is also a deliberate effort by the owners, not an organic result of the stadiums generating activity. I know E4th will be crowded before and after games, but these stadiums are more self-contained events than anything else. So in that framing, yes, put it on this parcel that will otherwise sit vacant and underutilized that is still very adjacent to downtown than on a few blocks directly in downtown. I also think the connectivity to this site can be improved, particularly as the riverfront continues to develop.

🤦🏻‍♂️ Don't mind me! Just need to read more closely...

Any idea where the training facility might land?

Yes CSG will provide $60M for the stadium and an additional $133M for a training facility.