jamiec

Saw this on the APTA's Web site from 2003 (http://www.apta.com/research/info/online/economic_importance.cfm) "Most suburbanites who ride public transportation are headed for work. Due to increased rider demand, transit lines are being extended to outlying suburban communities -- and bus shuttles carry workers from rail lines to employer destinations. For service and entry-level employees with limited mobility options, transit is a key link to suburban-based jobs." [...] "To promote economic development, we need to extend our Cleveland area transit systems within the next decade to provide a cost-effective and reliable 'reverse commute' for suburban job concentrations as well as for employees in the urban core. " --Thomas Adler, Co-Chair of Greater Cleveland Growth Association's Logistics and Infrastructure Coalition

the city of detroit challenges you to a duel sir. Point well taken but no need to duel! Besides, Detroit is far more skilled at gunplay! ::rimshot:: ;) I saw this in today's Detroit Free Press. A map of what's going on downtown.... http://freep.com/assets/static/pdf/2006/09/downtown0930.pdf I've only been downtown in Detroit a couple times, but it's really a beautiful place. It's a lot bigger than downtown Cleveland, if I remember correctly, which makes the task a lot more overwhelming. That hotel they are turning into condos is stunning, though. Detroit is cool in my book... I just have no interest in living in Michigan =)

^^ Nope good call. But Loretta's is not open. It and the Greek place next door are both closed. The greek place closed within the last few weeks, but who knows why. All I know is, it's gross, and I hope they clean it up. If you look at the vacant properties directly across the street, they are clean. They bum me out because they are empty, but at least they don't make me sick to my stomach. I have started my own private letter-writing campaign to folks all over the area. I want to write complaint letters and thank you letters to balance things out. I want to be a postive force in the universe, haha =) :shoot: unsanitary storefronts

Oh, you are probably right. My clip sucks. I was confused in the darkness =)

This is random, but when the Daily Show caught Carl Monday outside his house, it looks like he lives in Stonebridge. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmYl_R5eb58

I considered cc'ing perhaps a couple people at the city, but I hadn't even considered the value of cc'ing neighboring bldg managers, DCP or county commisioners.. Those are all awesome suggestions, thank you! You know, honestly I don't expect anything to come of this letter, but I thought I'd give them a chance to clean up their act on their own first just in case. I figured I'd give them a month to respond, and if not then start cc'ing the world. That way we'll be able to reference the fact that we already tried engaging the building owners on our own, without so much as a response. Thanks again. That's what I was thinking. I mailed my letter this morning. i think CRM is supposed to be well regarded locally, so I sort of have a feeling they'll clean it if we ask. All I can assume is they figure no one notices. That's what I'd like to think =) Of course, I don't live across the street, so it doesn't affect me in the same way as you.

In the last picture of the Avenue District completed, what is it surrounding? It looks like a lot of open space. Sorry if I'm a dummy on this, lol =) Is it parking for the units? I can't wait until this is up! It looks great!

^^ Holy crap! You must have read my mind because I wrote up a letter LAST NIGHT about this SAME THING!!!!!! Should I send mine off, too? I haven't yet.... Here's my letter: Steven Calabrese Calabrese, Racek & Markos Real Estate Services 1110 Euclid Avenue Suite 300 Cleveland, Ohio 44115 Dear Mr. Calabrese: According to the for sale sign hanging over the property, your company currently owns the building at 1030 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio. I am writing you to make a request regarding Loretta’s Restaurant, the vacant restaurant space that sits next to Greek Express on the first floor of the building. The entranceway is quite dirty and foul smelling. As a pedestrian, I find myself dreading the few short steps I take past this space while walking to and from work. Although Euclid Avenue on the whole is quite ragged right now, I think small things like cleaning up a dirty, vacant storefront will do a great deal to uplift the people who walk along it. And, hopefully, it will help you in your search of a buyer for this property! Your building itself is quite beautiful, and in the future I hope you are able to capitalize on such a fine investment. I also look forward to the day when downtown Cleveland finds its buildings at capacity. Until then, the best we can do is work together for a better future by making small steps forward. Please let me know if I can ever be of service to you. And please know that your consideration of this request and my letter is truly appreciated. With warm regards, EDIT: This is freakin' me out that we hit a lot of the same talking points at the same parts of our letters. LOL. Maybe I shouldn't send the letter. He's going to think we're the same person, hahaha :-D

:clap: :clap: :clap:

^^ Who and where?

Man, I would KILL for a Barnes and Noble downtown!!!!!!!!

What about the LIRR for when I go to the Hamptons?! :-D

There are three different highways that dump people into downtown each day on E.14. Its packed. Superior?? Once you pass E.9th, its a very quiet street traffic-wise. E.14 and Prospect, if built up, would send a much more positive message to a greater number of people. Maybe a developer could knock down the old Goodyear autocare place, put up some residential and retailer and keep the parking deck for residents? Give me the milions, I'll turn this city around in a year! =)

right after our market demand for space and retail reaches that of chicago, keep dreaming. This is an interesting idea. Really, BB and Target are primarily suburban stores. So while they do have urban locations, those are exceptions to the rule, I would think. I'd be curious to know how many people would need to live downtown before a Target store or something of that nature would be interested in locating itself downtown. I would assume with the area saturation, it'd need to be pretty high....What, like 50,000 people at least? Whatever happens in downtown Cleveland is going to have to be more modest. Have you ever looked at many of the vacant storefronts downtown? Their on-street frontage is miniscule. In order for a modern retailer to do anything with most of the retail locations, especially on E.9 or Euclid, they'd have to rip the first-floor facades off and knock down walls. The Gap on Main Street in Hudson has bigger windows and more street space than pretty much any location in downtown Cleveland.

The new windows are going in on the Prospect Place Apartments. I can them from work =)

No, I think photogs are still allowed to do their thing on NYC subways. I believe it's an ongoing issue...? A New Yorker can answer this one better than me.

Here's a pretty good article in the PD. I'll just link it because it's really long: http://www.cleveland.com/cuyahoga/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/115908734879310.xml&coll=2 It's making me a little uncomfortable about how all the big additions to Cleveland that we want are being tied to casinos. My biggest fear about the casinos in Cleveland is that it's going to tacky up the city, maybe attract crime and generally do nothing to help us improve the actual economy.

Do you mean #5, the glassy one that is sort of skinny with that vertical cliff-like apex? I'd have to see a better model of it. We haven't see better graphics or models. I don't think the commishes are going to wait for "the public" on this. I'll be pissed if they pick a design that loses the height. I'd be more stoked about demolishing the building if the replacements were like lightyears better. But I find them uninspiring. That's the best they could get?

I know you guys probably don't listen to Opie and Anthony, but they were broadcasting from where I work today, and they were causing chaos. It was a bit frightening that the fans who were there are potential regional citizens, considering they have the personalities of Ghengis Kahn. I could hear their chanting on the second floor. And when I walked by with a pink shirt on, they called me gay. But during a comedy bit in a deli across the street, they had some good digs on Cleveland. They were being negative, of course (that's their schtick): On crossing Huron behind the Halle Building, they said "You don't even have to look to cross the street. There's no traffic. It's creepy. There's no one around. Doesn't anyone work?" "Do you hear that sound? It's another three stores closing." They must have been given a tour of Euclid Avenue. Not that Opie and Anthony and valid commenters, but this just got me thinking that maybe we DO need a GOP convention or something huge in town to get EVERYONE to understand how embarrasing some of the stuff is downtown. We're improving slowly, but come on, we need to make this a priority as a COMMUNITY.

.........and suddenly, the tide changed. hahaha

Hah! that place is dope in a sci-fi sort of way. You can't trash that!

Yeah, I don't like any of them.

This is incredibly nerdy, but you can take "virtual subway tours" on YouTube. People videotape their routes and post them. I just watched this one of the 5 Train going through the Bronx. Their outlying, aboveground stations are really nice looking! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKltX-WtI1w

Akron's had a real upswing in murders, too, and that city's mayor has been grandstanding about it, and it hasn't made a difference. I don't mean to make light of it, but I think this is related to how dirty Public Square is because certain people are slobs. How do you change behavior? Maybe Guiliani will come to Cleveland.

UGH! They should just make it woods like it was before. What a stupid idea that was.