Htsguy

I attended design review today. I was hoping Stark's presentation regarding the Herold Building demo which was on the agenda would shed some light on the status of Necleus (something like a suggestion that they needed the space for construction staging (which is actually a pretty silly proposition) or something in that vein). Unfortunately nothing in that regard. Seems they are keen for the demo simply because the city says they have to either deal with the code violations (which they claim will cost 6 million...and that would not include an actual marketable renovation) or demo it. The Board voted 7-3 against a demo with various conditions. Interesting that it was the architects on the Board advocating for demo. Still the Planning Commission can still approve the demo tomorrow since design review is only advisory.

According to their website he is one of the founders and principals of Hemingway.

Did Hemingway relinquish their interest in the project?

OUCH. I hope that isn't the same siding they used on La Collina in Little Italy and fingers crossed for a better design on the New York Spag site.

Isn't Payless going out of business?

Denver? That's a pretty good hike between Coors Field and Mile High

Yep. I even mentioned the RFQ and DeGeronimo

No I could tell he had been told not to talk about such things (Recall the email that SW employees received telling them not to discuss a new headquarters building)

I was at a cookout yesterday attended by an upper mid lever management SW employee. I could not help myself and very diplomatically asked if he could offer any news on a possible new headquarters building. He gave me a look like I asked to date his 22 year old daughter. More sweat when I rambled off some key tidbits gleamed from this forum. I could tell he was thinking "who the hell is this guy". Completely tight lipped. All he would offer was that they are busting at the seams in the Midland Building and they gobble up the space the minute any non-SW tenant vacates the building which of course is hardly mind blowing news.

Is President Trump going to throw out the first Mexican...oh excuse me I meant first pitch?

And I am hearing that Frank Jackson was born in Kenya and is not a US citizen

I am curious about Kerry McCormack's (a fan favorite on this forum) position regarding the state financing. According to @KJP he sent a letter in support to the board (along with many others in prominent positions). In doing so is he in favor of the loss of local control and/or the length of the tax abatement (which seems to be a of concern many here) or was he simply ill informed (and/or did not do his homework).

Obviously some sort of communication breakdown. According to @KJP blog the ward councilman had sent a letter of support (among others) but the administration apparently did not even know the hearing was going forward until just before it happen. Very strange or somebody was dropping the ball.

^Paul Ryan's frat

I would be more impressed if the owner would actually spend some real money and develop a true connection that would not require a pedestrian to navigate at one point what can be a busy inner roadway and then have to walk across the La Place parking lot (at a point where there is usually much traffic heading towards the Richmond exit) to get into the building.

I heard a quick segment on local NPR yesterday that the new MLK library building will be breaking ground in the spring. I don't know, as suggested above by KJP, if the apartment building above (Library Lofts) will go forward ahead of that with a hole for the library left below, but since it is so close my gut is that everything will just wait until spring. Maybe in the meantime they can start doing site prep for other parts of the project like demolition of the old police station.

Looks like a shorter Washington Inn development is back before Landmark. Hopefully they got together with neighborhood NIMBY's and/or officials who were objecting to the first concept and this will go through quickly.

Thanks for the good reporting job @KJP

KJP I trust your take on things, but to tell you the truth, without specifics as to what "city hall" and certain "city leaders" are doing or not doing to impede this project and Nucleus it is hard to comment and/or offer a personal analysis regarding the situation. I am all set to trash the person or persons gumming up these projects but to be fair I don't know why I would be doing it.

A few days ago the plaintiff's challenging the sale of Dunham Tavern property to the Cleveland Foundation filed an appeal of the trial court decision in favor of Dunham Tavern and the sale. Will be interesting to see if the GCRTA sale to the Foundation discussed in @KJP's blog post will be put on hold pending resolution of the appeal. Again I believe the DT has a stronger position (as it won rather quickly in the trial court) but an appeal will take time (8-9 months or so) and it could gum things up which is often an ancillary goal of such litigation.

If I recall correctly @w28th mentioned a few weeks ago that Stark in the past had tried to sell 310 and was simply asking an unreasonable amount for the building given its structural issues.

Interesting that Geis may pursuing two downtown condo projects at the same time (Avenue District and the still unannounced project across from Progressive Field per @KJP). @w28th will not be happy that they are using their in house architect for the Avenue District project. Guess we should withhold judgment until we see a rendering.

^I know I keep saying this over and over but I find it ironic that the demolition of 310 Prospect is/maybe an obstacle to commencing the Nucleus project when the fight over its demolition by out of state investors more than five years ago triggered Stark's property purchases and then the subsequent announcing of this "huge" development more or less out of nowhere. At that time we viewed Stark has the savoir of 310 and showered him with praise for it.

@KJP, while I am sure he would not come right out in say it, after a few conversations with Ezra Stark does your spidey sense give you the feeling that he might glance at this thread every once in a while. If he does, I am sure knowing what he does, he gets a few good laughs from it.

Can a kid be a yuppie??