Luke_S

ideastream: Law to change Ohio's rules on overtime pay for commuting, checking messages coming in July. "A new law takes effect in Ohio in July that exempts businesses from being required to pay hourly workers overtime for commuting, checking work messages or other activities beyond the employee’s regular work schedule. ... “Overtime pay protections are not a handout. This is earned money," Smith said, noting that a study showed 67% of all Ohio jobs pay less than $40,000 a year. "This is about basic economic fairness." The Ohio Chamber of Commerce was among those pushing the law, saying it is a "Top 10 priority bill", since more hourly employees became eligible for overtime while working at home or remotely during the pandemic." https://www.ideastream.org/news/law-to-change-ohios-rules-on-overtime-pay-for-commuting-checking-messages-coming-in-july

Developer Bobby George has big dreams for Old River Road in the Flats "Developer Bobby George is charting a new course for the Samsel Supply Co. warehouse, a century-old maritime stronghold on the east bank of the Flats. George teamed up late last year with Cleveland-based GBX Group to acquire the brick industrial building and four other historic properties along Old River Road. Now the partners, who started buying up real estate in the Old River Road Historic District almost five years ago, are pursuing state preservation tax credits for their first major project. The five-story Samsel complex is the subject of a $41.7 million plan for what George describes as a “wellness hotel.” In addition to 86 short-term rental apartments, the project could include a Roman-inspired bathhouse, fitness facilities, a rooftop pool and an expanded version of LYV, a wellness business that George opened last year in nearby Ohio City." https://www.crainscleveland.com/real-estate/developer-bobby-george-has-big-dreams-old-river-road-flats

Downtown office tower hits the market "The for-sale sign is out for Fifth Third Center, downtown’s sixth-tallest skyscraper, with CBRE Group Inc. offering to the market the 27-story building for Hertz Group, its Los Angeles-based owner. A group of Atlanta-based office investment specialists has the listing, and an offering memorandum is circulating among likely buyers of multitenant downtown buildings. While prospective buyers must register and swear confidentiality to see the office building’s financial records, the CBRE listing can be found on a CBRE website. Hertz Group acquired the 508,397-square-foot building at 600 E. Superior Ave. in April 2015, for $53.75 million, according to online records of the Cuyahoga County Fiscal Office." https://www.crainscleveland.com/real-estate/downtown-office-tower-hits-market

Akron's giving a clinic on collaboration, Brookings report finds "Akron stands out in its separate write-up as a new regional leader bringing to reality something that’s been talked about throughout Northeast Ohio for decades: collaboration. After the city went through some unanticipated wholesale changes in civic leadership about five years ago, a new crop of leaders has seemed to have found the recipe for working together, not only with their counterparts in Akron but in new ways with other leaders and economic development advocates across Northeast Ohio. “I was very much struck by that. And of course, the leadership transition sets the stage for that kind of collaboration — but by no means does it ensure that kind of collaboration takes root,” said Brookings nonresident fellow Ryan Donahue, one of the main report’s authors who also authored the separate reports on Akron, Syracuse and St. Paul." https://www.crainscleveland.com/akron-news/akrons-giving-clinic-collaboration-brookings-report-finds

...because gerrymandering has made Democrats irrelevant 75% of the state... but sure

CAK and Hopkins are 50 minutes apart, to think of Cleveland and Akron as separate markets is kind of strange. So to your point the Cleveland-Akron area has Hopkins, Burke, Akron-Canton, and Akron Fulton airports servicing the area. I think we will be just fine without Burke.

@KJP, sorry if I missed it in the article, but any rumors on Sherwin's plan for it's old HQ?

Short interview with Jess Trivisonno gives some insights on some changes that may be coming to the market. West Side Market Senior Strategist Jessica Trivisonno Shares Her Vision for the Future. https://clevelandmagazine.com/in-the-cle/news/articles/west-side-market-senior-strategist-jessica-trivisonno-shares-her-vision-for-the-future

This stuff isn't your bag, got it. Something needed to be done with the wall and if it was going to be a mural there was going to be some group of people that would be unhappy with the direction taken, sorry you are part of that group. Though maybe we should hold judgement until we see what she comes up with?

Appreciate the detailed response, I am aware of the suits against the commission, but I mean bring a suit forward against the individual actors to hold them individually accountable--removal from leadership, committee assignments, or public service altogether. That's what I think would be the longshot, if is even possible. I get this may open a Pandora's box of citizens suing individual lawmakers, but there's not much left when all other means of accountability are effectively neutralized.

@LlamaLawyer, on board with not using violence. But you end with informed voters knowing this is wrong, while I don't necessarily disagree I'm not at all convinced that voters' disgust with this process will outweigh partisanship. And if it does on the margins, Republicans have effectively insulated themselves from electoral repercussions through this gerrymandering exercise. And they are truly breaking the system. We couldn't recall these elected officials, they've ensured they'd beat any challenge in their safe districts. They can't be impeached, they have a supermajority. Is there any standing for citizens to bring suits against Republican members of the redistricting commission for violating our constitutional rights to a fair redistricting process? That seems the only avenue left and it would be a longshot...

I'm pretty sure this was in response to an email in response to support for expanded Amtrak service in Ohio. To be honest, I don't remember because apparently DeWine is inundated with so many emails it takes his Office of Constituent Affairs weeks to respond. But point is, DeWine either intentionally slow walking and being misleading about the reasoning (i.e. waiting on federal dollar allocations instead of taking the initiative for the state to support and facilitate Amtrak expanding services...) or doesn't know what needs to be done by the state to get expanded services. (Also very live possibility, I misunderstand what is needed from the states for this). So I'm not very optimistic that this administration will get us anything.

Cleveland will likely get several thousand Ukrainian refugees, head of immigration group predicts https://www.cleveland.com/news/2022/03/cleveland-will-likely-get-several-thousand-ukrainian-refugees-head-of-immigration-group-predicts.html

Cleveland Is Gearing Up To Be America's Next Big Craft Beer Destination https://www.forbes.com/sites/jaredranahan/2022/03/24/cleveland-is-gearing-up-to-be-americas-next-big-craft-beer-destination/?sh=1331b3e23630 Forbes is really trying to make up for all those years of bad coverage in a short amount of time...

General question about the RTA. Other cities have their public transit under their Port Authority, right? Why isn't the Cleveland RTA structured the same way? The port authority seems to be better run and better funded. Would think it could help pull the RTA out of this spiral...

And some other movement in the downtown office market. This time a result of Sherwin's HQ move. https://www.crainscleveland.com/real-estate/reminger-law-firm-signs-nearly-60000-square-foot-lease-200-public-square?utm_medium=social&utm_source=linkedin&utm_term=crain's+cleveland+business&utm_content=90ef2084-035b-48a1-b274-f8ab45d36f77

Not that I think that Hopkins is poorly run, but it seems like the Port is very well run so rolling airport operations into the Port could be beneficial. Especially given that Hopkin handles cargo also already. More importantly, combining the three airports under one umbrella would provide for coordination between the three to maximize their benefit to the region. Assuming getting rid of Burke is the ultimate goal, having all three airports under the control of one entity would allow for the gradual expansion of the County airport to act as a reliever in place of Burke, assuming the availability of land surrounding the airport. It would also allow for the transition of services from Burke, and maybe even potentially pulling some from Hopkins freeing up capacity there -- thinking some cargo flights given the distribution centers located on the east side. But my knowledge of airport operations is very limited, so none of this may be practical.

Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan on Crain's Cleveland The Landscape Podcast https://www.crainscleveland.com/landscape/mayor-dan-horrigan-talks-about-future-akron

This is the bit I found most interesting.

Now if we can just get better bike infrastructure in the city.... https://www.cleveland.com/news/2022/03/bird-becomes-second-company-with-share-ride-e-bike-rentals-in-cleveland.html

More of a quick summary of some projects downtown, but I found the following quote interesting. https://clevelandmagazine.com/in-the-cle/news/articles/how-developers-are-turning-office-space-into-cleveland's-next-batch-of-housing

Cleveland Zoo announces a Primate Forest expansion to the Rainforest for the gorillas and orangutans. https://www.clevelandmetroparks.com/news-press/2022/march-2022/cleveland-metroparks-zoo-and-crosscountry-mortgage

Does it even matter who is representing them? If even 21 are lying does it make a difference?

Listening to 92.3 and its incredibly disappointing. Bull can't leave soon enough.

Would very much be in favor of ranked choice voting for US Senate elections. Would also be in favor of distributing Ohio's electoral college votes proportionally, though would take ranked choice here too.