Htsguy

Thank you for the great pictures and interesting tidbits. It is good to be kept informed on this very important project.

I am trying to follow this trial through PD articles posted on Cleveland.com and I am starting to question whether their coverage is completely accurate and fair, or at least is falling to give a complete picture of what is going on at trial (not a big surprise since their coverage of the County Corruption probe has always been slightly slanted from day one). My biggest problem with the coverage is that they detail the prosecution's direct examination (which of course will be damaging), but don't followup with any summaries of the cross exam which can often inflict body blows to the direct exam. I am wondering if the defense is foregoing cross and recalling the witnesses in its case in chief since their is very little reporting of the cross. I wish I was there to observe. Another example was the PD headline on the front page today...something like Russo testifies that he spoke with judge "regularly" about cases. I think his testimony was that it was something like 4 times a year which I would hardly classify as regularly, but headlining that makes it seem more damning. Of course she was an idiot for taking the calls and discussing in the first place but it does not surprise me knowing Judge McCafferty. Not the brightest light bulb in the pack.

^That's correct and I think that is what GoTribe is referring to. Odds are the "temporary" casino in the Higbee Building will actually be part of the permanent building on Huron and, while clearly smaller, than the Toledo facility, it definitely will have more charm.

^^As I see it, there is a danger to the Republican legislature changing the TRAC process. It was implemented to take the politics out of the funding process...its repeal will be seen (or at least should be...who knows with the papers in this state) as a power grab, poor public policy and a backwards step. Of course the way the Republicans have been acting since they took over both houses and the governorship, they could probably care less or are just not bright enough to recognize the possible political repercussions.

^and with a laptop so that that person in the suit can type a lengthy and informative post giving us all the details including plans and specifications. Why go through the middleman.

^"Stepping out"....actually you would be surprised at how many judges smoke (or at least use to) in their chambers or their bathrooms. Kinda ironic given it was against the law.

^I doubt that the PD has the $$ to fund such enterprising and possibly insightful reporting. So instead we get Brent Larkin's "bumper crop of vacant office buildings article" (I guess his next article is that the sun rises in the east) which even posters on Cleveland.com (of all places) questioned the point of the article. By the way, not to be a prissy pr&^%k, but check your spelling of messenger.

^already being discussed in mall renovation thread

^I have been by 5-6 times and there is no plaza or cut through resulting in two buildings as depicted in the photo. The as built has the building right up to the sidewalk of E115th Street, and then it curves around continuously onto Euclid.

Unfortunately, Jeff Johnson is not the type to be influenced by such an editoral voice, no matter how rational. He will need pressure from other venues...Mayor Jackson?

If somebody is interested in the Board of Education Building for a hotel, the reasons would be twofold....location location location and the historic and attractive nature of the facade. To turn this 1931 building into a hotel is not going to be cheap...in fact, it would probably be cheaper to start from scratch. Initially, the property itself (as indicated in the article) will not be cheap. Then you will have to do a total gut job, basically just keeping the shell. The mechanicals are ancient and the floor plates are not set up for hotel use, let alone the hotel common areas and amenities that will have to incorporated. I love the idea...I just hope somebody does not think they are going to do it on the cheap. Finally...I think I do recall Ferchill's proposal way back when. If I recall correctly he wanted to added some sort of glass tower wing to the front or the mall side of the building. I have some vague memory of really hating it and thought it would have destroyed the building and the mall.

^^That's why his poll numbers are so low so early in his term.

Mr. Positive strikes again...I thought one of the comments hit it right on the nail ("and the point of this article was what exactly"....and on Cleveland.com of all places). It was Larkin and his buddy Feagler's generation that abandoned the city...they both have balls to comment about anything.

This will clearly have Kasich shaking in his boots...and I am sure he justifies this in his own mind by reflecting that he is an equal opportunity screwer....take away the Cincy streetcar and Cleveland's mental hospital. This will be a vacant lot for years to come.

Does Phase 2 still include seating, picnic tables, trellises and a play area with water jets? (got all that from a Litt article up thread).

Anybody know anything about the Tri C training center being constructed on Woodland (acroos from Dean Supply)? Like maybe a rendering. Don't believe I have ever seen anything posted about it on this board.

^Yes that is exactly what Prospect needs to improve it...a lively parking garage.

This "valet garage" is what is changing my mind (and it has changed my mind in a short period of time...a couple of weeks ago I believed the land purchase was clear evidence of intent to build a permanent facility on Huron in the near future). It is clearly a "valet garage" since it is so small (did I read 250 spaces), has special valet lanes and a proposed posh valet waiting area which they are calling a "visitors center". (Yes KJP a regular garage in this area could service both sites, but not necessarily the Huron site if it is a valet garage...farther away than Higbee entrance and have to cross wider streets to get to front door of Huron site...not a classic valet situation for the Huron site.) If a Huron Building is built they will have to establish a new valet setup for that building. So why spend all this $$ on a valet garage for the Higbee Building if in a few years the main valet arrangement will be somewhere on Huron or below it. I guess it could just turn into a regular old parking garage to service both buildings for the peons who don't valet, but this seems like a pretty significant cost (purchase of property, demolition, special construction) for an alledged short period of time. Give me a firm statement (rather than a lot of silence lately) regarding Huron and I could very easily change my mind. I am like that...very wishy washy.

^A couple of weeks ago I would have completely disagreed with you, but more and more I am getting the same vibe, even with the huge land purchase....at least the development is going to be put off a lot longer if it is indeed built on Huron.

^^^I disagree with that. Even with this morbid idea I cannot see the city allowing a bridge at that intersection, especially if they want to do it on a diagonal (which would be necessary without the cooperation of the May Co garage owners) Also, all the parking describe is virtually empty during prime time casino hours (nights and weekends) and the Gateway garage even has a far amount of room during the day. Again there is plenty of parking, just not the kind the casino owners want.

^^^From the description in the article this is not going to be a parking garage with "street level activity" like retail or the like...the non parking garage element seems to simiply be the "waiting room" for valet parking (albeit a very nice waiting room which they are sugar coating by calling it a "vistors center"...these guys aren't dumb). As I mentioned in the demolition thread, really don't like the way this is being done (through strawmen)...the casino people should have manned up about it from day one and said this is what we need. What other plans that they fear might result in a public outcry are they keeping secret? I will trust them less in the future. So much for all the glowing things I have said about the casino gang in previous posts. They are going to have to win over my trust again.

^Discussed in the Cleveland Demolition thread.

8-9 years ago, when I worked in the US Bank Building, I use to eat lunch at Acapella's about twice a week and really enjoyed it (especially their sauce on the chicken and veal). However, it was never a place I would think about if I was planning on going to the theater. Apparently from the comments it has gone down hill.

By the way, is Steve Litt on vacation? I can't believe he has not weighed in on this the past few weeks.

This is really starting to sound scuzzy. First, the casino gang using Frangos as a straw man (no wonder no rep showing up at landmark hearings...really not interested...and all that silence from the casino regarding parking the past few weeks). Also not encouraged by the comments of Cipermann (really to be expected) or Yablonsky (tepid and surprising...I will grant him his "wait and see" but I would have rather had him say...of all people..."this better be something fantastic before we start tearing anything down" rather than what he said). From comments of all involved I think this is almost a done deal and can't or won't be stopped. What happens to this "vistor center" when the main casino is built on Huron....less of a need and basically will just be a big parking garage. Not happy at all.