Htsguy

^The casino is really a seperate building (although attached to TC) owned by a seperate company so I imagine they would be managed seperately unless they retain Forest City as a management company since they have experience in that regard. I would guess many other entities will be soliciting to manger the retail.

May be wrong but it looks more like a design feature and it is only covering part of the brick.

The Union Leader and its owner are, and have been for years, the biggest right wingers in the nation. Why is this a surprise or news.

Again, while early in the game, and what we are seeing is just conceptual to a large extent, I am sorta worried about the parking garage and how it will address the river. One of my biggest concerns with the convention center going on this site was that it was going to be a hulking mass with possible blank walls right up to the river. Not attractive if you were cruising on the river. Depending how they do this, the mass of the parking garage could also adversely affect the river. While it is always hard to adequately put lipstick on a pig (that being the garage), hopefully the side facing the river will be gussied up. I don't know what that could be but hopefully design review does. Does anybody know if the plan has the garage going to the river or will there be some sort of boardwalk (I know there has been talk of river access). Even a board walk or some sort of promenade would have to be carefully thought out since it will be right next to the hulk of the garage.

Yes, disappointed that it does not address the corner and unfortunately it looks like nothing can eve be built there in the future (hope I am wrong). Do like the way it turns Huron into an actual "street". This could be a lot worse and generally like the concept. Thank God we are not getting the warehouse that Toledo is getting. They do need to somehow make Ontario less daunting to cross even if it is a major highway feeder.

You know what I like about this thread? It is only on page 16 and the project is well under construction. Flats East Bank on the other hand is at 101 and, well....

^see the demo thread

^The only thing that has really been built is a couple of office buildings as far as I am concerned (the one that Figgie moved into way back when) and maybe the one right on Richmond near one of the entrance and the Marriott. Eaton is the only major development, now 20 years later. The hospital was never part of the plan. They were lucky UH decided recently to move out there. Fell in their lap. Had nothing to do with their "power". The municipalities fought against that miserable little shopping plaza that was built as it was not part of the plan either. That ugly fitness cente could have gone anywhere in Cleveland. Chagrin Highlands has been a miserable failure in my opinion and has never lived up to the promise and hype of that "powerful" developer. They had the opportunity to do a great planned development and now they are left to taking what ever they can get in this economy (while doing nothing when everybody was flush with $$)

^So why in 20 years has nothing really been built there by this powerful developer.

I am curious what the board thinks about this. Did the stubborn landowners and resulting E.D. lawsuits really screw this project and as a result the city. The lawsuits themself and wrapping things up took well over a year at a time financing was still relatively easy. If things had moved a year and half earlier we might be seeing the entire originally conceived project underway (instead of a scaled back project that has not even started). On the other hand, if it indeed had started earlier when financing was available, would we now have a huge development nearing completion that would be in loads of trouble because there would not be any tenants around to fill up the retail and a bunch of condos standing empty.

The Crain's article indicates that construction will begin in December. Does anybody know if this means the actual buildings or a continuation of the infrastructure work? Has this work been on going all this time anyway or did it stop completely? Not really up on this.

^I am sure the money will be re-appropriated before that could ever be done. Ashame as so much work went into getting the $$ in the first place as Ohio competed with other states for the limited funds. EDIT: competed with other "more progressive" states

Hey Jerry, tell Mr. Dixon that us taxpayers who have been supporting the system for so long also want to ride for free.

Again...why don't we talk about Downtown Office Development News in this thread and solve the homeless problem in the appropriate thread.

^I know a number of owners and talk to suppliers on a regular basis. They have been complaining that sales have been down this year as compred to last for most of the year. Obviously some are during better than others but as a whole things are not great. Maybe it is time to catch our breath and let those out there succeed if they can. Of course this is American and the free market rules. Just worried is all. Don't like to see somebody put a lot of time into a business and see it fail, not due to their own fault but due to the market.

Hate to say it but downtown might have reached the "over restauranted" point at this time. Maybe this will change once the casino and med mart open but right now I would be hesitant to open a new place. Let's patronize what we got.

^how so in your opinion?

^That is an option but if you are driving and just picking through the company parking lot, a pair of rubbers over your dress shoes would work just as well. As a side note (where is MTS when you need him), I have to chuckle at what is considered "dressed up" for work nowadays. When I was your age, what you described is what guys in my crowd wore on the weekend. How things change and boy am I getting old.

hard to say...both are great buildings. 668 is clearly newer if that is an issue but sounds like the place at Bridgeview has a better view. Both are close to a variety of restaurants and bars 668 better public transportation and within just minutes of Progressive Field and the Q if into pro sports. Bridgeview better access to a small grocery store (with lots of prepared food). I would imagine services are similar. Slightly easier to hop on 90 from Bridgeview (since you are working a Nela Park) but really not that much. Bottom line in my opinion would be the actual apartment itself...which did you feel more comfortable in?

I see the homeless thread has now moved from the Public Square re-design thread to this thread with the same tired "shock" that there are homeless in Cleveland and it is a problem...of course unlike any other city in the nation (or the world for that matter)...even been to San Fransico? By the way, it has been a while since I have been to DC. Do the homeless still sleep on the heating grates at night there? I remember that the area in Foggy Botton by the State Department was particularly popular...oh look, I am contributing to the off topic chatter.

I think it should be framed in terms of Ohio being left behind compared to other states in the nation and region. Even people who could give a rat's tail about trains get pissed when it is pointed out how backward they are.

^Sorry I don't see this as much of an issue. Standing during rush hour is standard on most transit systems in the nation (buses and rail). You can barely squeeze on many cars in DC during rush hour (many times during non rush hour). Cost has to be considered which I am sure RTA is doing.

^Sorry but he is not thinking about it and he does not care.

^ :-D

^Doubt it. After all he said about this during the campaign and how adamant he was about it (rightly or wrongly) it would be political suicide to accept the money, especially at the start of his administration (it will be front page news that he was going back on his word and will draw the wrath of the tea baggers...no way to spin it right). The way he will spin it is that he tried to get the $$ for other purposes but the big bad federal government and all the idiots in Washington won't let me.