Htsguy

Hts121, I like your comment about going to a factory and try telling those guys and gals that $250,000 a year is not rich. Indeed I would imagine that 50-60% of the population would feel rich if they were making $75,000. I guess it is all what you are use to and what you can do without. Most people do (without) and it will only get worse in the future. Sorry to be such a downer....I am concerned for the kids coming up.

^^Actually it depends when the tract housing was built...in my experience, even the small ranches and bungalows built just after the war and until the early 60's were solidly built and often hard great finishes for the prices (hard wood floors etc). If well maintained over the years they could be a great value. It is what builders started doing in the mid 60's and there on (tract housing wise) that is the crime.

Even with the mature trees, only somebody from Streetboro could possibily find that rendering attractive (I take that back 90%, of most surbanites (and even a fair share of city residents) would not find those nice new shiny warehouse looking stores attractive). Look at Westgate, look at Avon Commons, look at the junk on either side of Rt 43 in Bainbridge near Geauga Lake. The list goes on and on.

I think we are getting a new convention center which we have needed for thirty years but nobody could come up with a plan to finance it until Tim Hagan tacked on the Med mart. I could care less if it succeeds....we have a new convention center (for our use) and if the med marts does fly, so much the better.

^Wow...do I have to disagree with you that this project has received positive media coverage from the PD until most recently.

^as opposed to political party cronyism (both parties) which naturally flows into the administration of government. Unfortunately nobody in Columbus seems keen to pass legislation dealing with that.

This is my "issue two" experience....I cannot believe how many of my Republican friends and relatives (and I have many) who are voting no on issue 2 and are vocal about. These are people who, in the past, I could not convince to vote "my way" if my life depended on it no matte how hard I tried. I almost fell over the other day when my very right of center brother told me to vote no on issue 2 and wondered where he could get a yard sign. Very interesting.

Strap...well said and exactly my thougts, just articulated better. An important corner on Euclid that could have benefited from some sort of presense....I don't know what that could have been but....

My problems with the way Siedman relates to Euclid continues as I just noticed something yesterday when I drove by. Even more insipid than the little grass plot are a couple of concrete paths than led to two weak little doors at either end of the Euclid side of the building (one with a bland little white railing next to it). They look like side doors to a medical office on Pearl Rd. in Parma Hts. built in the sixties.

^I hope the significant delay on this project was due to the fact that they went back to the drawing board to come up with a better design....but I guess I know better.

I like the way people still call it Jacobs Field. I still find myself calling Dillard's Higbee's, despite the fact you cannot even compare the two (sorry for going off topic). I drive home by 90 from the west side to the east side late at night and I am always trying to spot the red light on the top of the crane (starting about West Park and there after....you get a variety of different angle glimpses of the skyline) and try to imagine the new skyline from that vantage point...hopeful I won't kill some other driver and myself doing so.

^Thanks for the reply and information.

^Oh boy...a hot new debate topic...this could quite possibly go on for pages. What % of people from those neighborhoods do you think are going to patronize Uptown? I think it will be negligible, especially a Jimmy Johns or Chipolte.

KJP...this relates to your post no. 2771 in this thread regarding the Woodward Avenue light rail study moving forward in Detroit. It has been years since I have been to Detroit, but I was under the impression that significant sections of Detroit through which Woodward pass have "density" issues. I don't know if that is one of the factors in the complicated formula the federal government uses to determine whether a transit project is entitled to federal funds, but it would seem to me that the Woodward route is not that much different from the Euclid Corridor which could not meet the criteria for funding for rail as I understand it. Have things changed? (or I am just wrong?) If they have is it due to a Democratic Administration or just more stimulus related. Thanks.

Coast Guard station

^If you are talking about the Justice Center, there is no need to leave the building to go outside and smoke (and thus go through security again). Most smokers just go down to the fourth floor where there is a patio where smoking is allowed (or at least that was the case for years). I would imagine a bigger concern of the judges was having jurors leaving the floor during short breaks and not getting back in time to resume the trial, so they allowed smoking on their floor as described.

^Hey hold your horses. Going way to fast. I think the first step is to commission a study to determine whether we should commission another lakefront study. :-)

^Again, I don't have a clue, but mid 20's sounds high. If a Chipolte or Jimmy John's can afford that kind of rent it is because their footprint is so small, less than 1,500 square feet. Don't rely so much on a large dinning room since they do significant take out and also, here, will have the large out door space in the courtyard (if they are on that side of Euclid.

I'm curious what the retail rents are going to be. Anybody have a clue? I know most landlords throughout Cuyahoga County are cutting deals and even renegotiating leases and reducing lease rates (even though they have not obligation to do so...but working with tenants rather than see them go out of business). For example, when that strip was built at 91 and Chagrin, they were asking 22-24 a square foot. It stood empty for almost two years until they reduced rents to the upper teens. I am also aware of a very successful east side restaurant which opened a second location on the west side which was not doing nearly as well as their east side shop (in fact the owners said if they had to do it all over again they would not have expanded in hind sight), and the landlord cut their rent substantially as a result (a large national landlord not in the habit of doing so in the past as far as I am aware).

^That's a lot of food. OK, I know there is additional retail to come in other phases (and there is currently a barnes and noble and Verizon) but how about a better mix...a dry cleaner, drug store, clothing boutique...hell even a few unique national chains that cater to college kids. Hopefully that is to come to make it a real neighborhood with all the new housing options. Don't want it to go in the direction of the Banks in Cincy, which to date seems to be only signing up restaurants and bars in its retail space.

^I recall that being said at some point on this board, but I don't recall if it was somebody quoting an insider or posting a news article that said it, or whether it was just somebody on the board speculating.

I had to laugh at one point...A major topic of the segment was connectivity and a caller complain about many things in this regard including the demolition of the Columbia (spelling) Building. I think it was the Alliacne guy who jumped to the defense proclaiming all the public hearings in this regard (big deal, the mayor wanted it so it was a done deal) and then proclaimed what great guys the Casino folks are because they let the Stanley Block stand as a compromise. Like they had any choice since they did not have control of the building. Also did not mention their straw men where fighting to gain control of it to eventually tear it down. What people are allowed to said when people interviewing them don't know the facts.

Not that I ever expect to see this in my lifetime, but it looks as though the most practical and cost effective Red Line extension, as described by KJP, would continue (as currently) in basically an unpopulated "trench" surrounded by industrial buildings, if anything. May be good for an end of line park and ride but don't see much TOD possibilities. While I prefer rail, maybe a Heathline Extension down Euclid is the better route to go (and my dream of someday turning it into light rail)

^^I am assuming Roserob is referring to the local 9:00 a.m. show (can't remember what it is called) with Mike McIntyre. I caught bits and pieces of it but did not hear this statement so I don't know if it was made by the guest, but if it was he is the general manager of the casino so would be in the know. They also had a guy from the Downtown Cleveland Alliance (Maranucci?) so he might have said it.

The GFS looks even worse than I thought it could. Just LOVE all the parking right up to Cedar. At one time in the grand plans, wasn't there suppose to be some sort of signature building on the corner. Now just asphalt. Well thank God for the Bob Evans and their wonderful design aesthetic.