jamiec

I was afraid of this. I was in TC this week and went to the Gap and the whole place was nearly empty. It was quite sad. I was hoping they were just redecorating, lol ;) Here's a story from today's Beacon the Gap's problems: http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/business/16452646.htm. Here's a theory based on nothing besides my imagination: What if they vacated TC after talking with Stark about getting involved in Pesht? That might be wishful thinking. The thing that makes me nervous is, if there is 3X the theft in TC, will there be 3X the theft in any downtown retail, thus dooming any sustainability? Or what's the issue?

I'll have to check those places out! I like the Warehouse District and E.4, but I'd prefer a place that was just really laid back. Maybe Pesht will help fix this, too. Those parking lots kill some of the vibe for me.

OK. Let me be more descriptive! I wish downtown Cleveland had a bar like this http://www.vigbar.com When I lived in NYC, this was were we went all the time. It's was small and just sort of "chill." You didn't need to dance around or anything like that. I personally don't like clubs so this fits my personality more. I wish there was little places like this around.

"WKRP in Cincinnati"

Sorry for leading you on. I mistyped. Speaking of which, I think Mov2Ohio is correct, that a bookstore was proposed as part of Wolstein's plan. Bahh!!!

I hope they showed them a condo like this. Look at the rooftop pool! I want that! http://www.downtown-digs.com/ME2/Sites/dirmod.asp?sid=586CA122EB394032BD4AA3B686FF03D9&nm=&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=1578600D80804596A222593669321019&tier=4&id=88C4192EE0C24D17B449BD29A0035C7D&SiteID=F5DD86EE6BB54C5094687CE5A58526DA

Preach on! Why in the world would they think people from NYC would like Crocker Park? Maybe if they were from San Diego and it was warm and sunny that day, I could see the connection. I want to know how old these people are giving the tour. Here's how I would do this sort of thing: 1. Enlist the help of people of varying ages so you can tailor your tour guides to the demo of your tourists. 2. Do a pre-trip survey of these people to find out who they are and what they like. 3. Make sure you show them attractive people. This is vain, obviously, but come on! Single people want to live where there are lots of attractive singles. My question about marketing NEO is, how come they never, ever show the Rapid? Whenever there's a TV show or sporting event in a city like NYC or Boston, they do that quick shot of the trains to show that it's a "city." All we ever see is a quick blip of Terminal Tower and then Jacob's Field.

Wait....Is this something that's coming because that would just be fantastic! And can we get a Bloomingdales like this one? I <3 that look.

You can't do that! This is Cleveland! :wink:

Stores of any sort.

Yeah!! Now fill the crap on Euclid.

and what was your snappy reply to that? i've given up on "lecturing" them. Instead I try to get them to unique restaurants or fun happy hours to let them experience it for themselves. Yeah, my brother-in-law said this to me, too. Nice pictures, though! The building looks quite cozy! I'm with MTS, I don't like that style of fireplace, but overall, that has got be one of the coolest places to live. And 75 Public Square would be a FANTASTIC building to live in. It's beautiful.

Here's an idea....I walked by the tower yesterday. How about instead knocking down that small three or four story building that has the skywalk across Huron to the parking deck behind the tower? Maybe they could create something really small but really amazing over that space, which could create better interaction? I hate that smaller building much more than I hate the tower.

Well, all I'm sayin' is, these new condos are certainly targeted toward affluent folks. What's the incentive for a homeowner in an older house on a more modest income to stay around?? I don't think the abatements should be killed immediately like the mayor seems to be indicating. I think they should be reduced and then eliminated as demand grows. That's why I think abatements should be phased out by 2010. Give the market time to grow hotter, then when it can feed itself...there you go. Meanwhile, cut the abatement from 15 years to 5 or 7 years.

Can't they phase the abatements out? Like cut it down from 15 years of no taxes to 7 of no taxes and then kill them by 2010? You want to get it so the fire burns on its own, but at some point, people need to start paying their share of the taxes. How is it fair that a person in a new condo get 15 years of no taxes while someone who lives in an older neighborhood doesn't get a break at all?

This might be common knowledge, but I just saw on the History Channel tonight that the monorail at Disney World carries 50 million people a year.

WHAT? HUH? Can you explain that? All dem Parma babies.

I think StrapHanger nailed my thoughts. The one issue that is difficult for the "urbanness" of Cleveland is, not everybody likes urban environments. I mean, look at Queens. Right off the bat, the houses are stacked over and over. Then you get way out there, and people have little itty, bitty yards. Then the yards get bigger the more you travel out there. The on Long Island, people own beaches! For generations, popular culture has taught us to want a nice house with a nice, big yard and a nice car. Your kids should go to good schools, and you should have a good job. For most people, it's too much of a struggle to move to Tremont to fix up a house and then worry about your lawn furniture getting stolen. That might not happen frequently, but it doesn't happen at all in many suburbs. I don't know. It's like we have to reprogram everyone to the idea that "urban" is not a bad word.

Better in some dirty industrial pit than a forest, I say.

Don't shoot me...Crocker Park is adding: BCBG Puma Smith & Hawken It's got to be a good thing that Stark is creating these relationships, though. Hopefully that help bring unique stores downtown when it happens.

Haunted by the ghost of negligent owners.

Don't tell Richard Florida that the kids like suburbs, too.

Yeah, I think there are quite a few young people in Westlake and Rocky River... Not as much as Lakewood, I don't think, but there are newer apartments and condos there especially Westlake.

Well, there are some hideous-ass strip malls in every city in Northeast Ohio, so I'm not complaining when they fix 'em up and keep them full.

I prefer Eton to Crocker Park. While both places are rather Disneylandish, at least Eton is better-looking than anything else on that street, especially the other strip malls.