8ShadesofGray

True, although according to Tami Brown in the article above, leisure tourists, rather than convention goers, make up 76% of Cleveland's annual visitation. The bed tax currently raises $5.1 million for Positively Cleveland, which will still bare the primary responsibility for marketing to this 76% of the tourism market (not that I'm saying they are responsible for those 76% coming, but I'm sure they reach a sliver of that audience and also encourage increased local purchasing when people do visit). The Merchandise Mart folks will be getting $6 million to run the other 24% (and, with any luck, expanding that visitation considerably. To me, I don't know that a $5.1 million budget that marketed both conventions and leisure tourism in a, what, 16-county area, is all that unreasonable. I hope they retain a decent portion of their bed tax support.

I think it's a little overreaching to say that people who haven't paid their fares are causing problems, either on or off the bus/train. Quite often, people just simply forget to pay or, as has been too often the case, the machine is malfunctioning and they don't have time to walk to the next station. The latter has happened to me probably a dozen times over the past year.

After riding local systems in Germany for a year, there are three things that make that system work better (just in my opinion): 1. Transit cops are in plain clothes. This makes a huge difference. They're just sitting or standing around until the doors close and then they pull out badges and ask for proof of payment without any opportunity to flee. 2. You get checked more frequently. It's not like it happened every time I was on a train, but it happened enough that it would be cheaper to get a monthly pass than to try to dodge them for a month straight. I'm not sure I could say that about riding in Cleveland at this point. 3. It was a true proof of purchase system. The only time I got checked upon boarding was on IC and ICE trains (Germany's much larger version of Amtrak). Local and regional trains were always proof-of-purchase, so I had that expectation on every trip. That's considerably less cumbersome than the current hybrid system in Cleveland, where I pay on entry to Blue/Green trains, buses and the HealthLine after 11 p.m., swipe cards on exiting a Red Line at Tower City and have more traditional POP systems on the Red Line (except for Tower City) and for the HealthLine. I know it's not THAT complicated, but particularly for out-of-towners or infrequent riders, it's confusing enough that someone could inadvertently become a fare dodger or that the confusion would decrease their satisfaction with the system.

Nice!

In terms of connectivity (all materials debate aside), I'd say it's got pretty strong potential. The buildings are sidewalk adjacent on Euclid (and I believe on Prospect too?). They're a good height, and there's a courtyard in the middle that frames Walker Weeks' Prospect side nicely. I think it's particularly striking when walking up from the Rec Center, past the engineering college, education college to your left, then Fenn ... the dorms and the education college make this end of campus seem much less scattershot. That said, as has been noted on the thread previously, the materials used in construction, particularly the paneling, scream dormitory ... Not that that's necessarily a bad thing. Looking at CSU's interaction with Euclid when I started grad school back in 2003 to what it is today is night and day.

Nice! Is this something they're hoping to repeat, or just a one-shot deal?

'Project Runway's' Cleveland designer Valerie Mayen says this season will be dramatic Wednesday, July 28, 2010 Andrea Simakis, The Plain Dealer Inside Valerie Mayen's cavernous warehouse studio on East 30th Street in Cleveland is a wall covered with a series of dry erase boards, a massive "to do" list. (Some notations required the writer to stand on her tiptoes) ... ... [Mayen] "I talk about Cleveland a lot in the show, actually -- I was really, really boasting about Cleveland" ... ... More at http://www.cleveland.com/style/index.ssf/2010/07/project_runways_cleveland_desi.html. And don't forget to vote for Valerie for Fan Favorite (http://www.mylifetime.com/shows/project-runway/season-8/designers/valerie-mayen, by "Facebook liking" her) and tune in for Project Runway tonight at 9 on Lifetime :)

Really loved Flaming Ice Cube ... Tried it for dinner last Thursday and it was yum. About to reveal that I am a bit of a glutton, but I had the Mixed Berry Smoothie (not a fan ... I don't Vegans have successfully approximated dairy products, and so this was really chalky), the Pesto Burger (awesome!), the Mediterranean Panini (delic!), the Asian Slaw (pretty good) and the Black Bean Salsa (loved it), and then she gave me some peanut butter crunch, and that was pretty yummy, though messy. Food service was relatively quick for the size of my order, and the counter help was sweet and helpful. I think they're starting to get in the swing of it. They're currently open until 6 ... still trying to figure out their permanent evening hours, as sometimes they get slammed for dinner and sometimes no one comes in at all.

Room Service has two blog entries about what a treasure East 4th is in the past month. I would say that's a successful boutique :)

It's a shame we went through Shaker Square so quickly ... there really is quite a bit of midrise 1920s - 1950s midrise there. Moreland Courts alone takes up an entire city block just east of the square: http://www.morelandcourts.org. There are also some midrises tucked away just southeast of the big bus/train intersection we went through as we entered University Circle (Cedar Circle), but the tree canopy probably blocked the view from the trolley. As far as density goes, I agree, it does seem like Cleveland has less existing dense midrise/highrise residential than some of our peers. But as far as population density goes, we're pretty much on par. The Trust for Public Land estimates that, as of 2007, both Cleveland and St. Louis have a density of 8.9 residents per acre. Pretty much all of the major industrial city peers have similar density: Buffalo at 10.5, Detroit at 10.3, Pittsburgh at 8.8, all in the intermediate-high density classification. We just pack 'em in differently :) Milwaukee is a little lower at 6.1 (more comparable to Columbus' 5.4 and Cincy's 6.7), but none of us in the Midwest represent the extremes on the coasts (42.3 in New York) or our friends in Alaska (0.2 in Anchorage!). http://www.tpl.org/content_documents/citypark_facts/ccpe_PopulationDensity08.pdf

Not to knock Synergy and the terriffic energy they've put into this, but it has not seemed to be the open and transparent organization to date. And I don't know if it really makes sense to put the funds into ramping up a new organization to manage this event when we already have a proven track record with the GCSC. That being said, whoever runs this shindig should actively promote involvement from the LGBT (and friends) community; we should be harnessing the energy of volunteers to make the event an opportunity for focused community development and positive press coverage, and we should be having those conversations now in a more community-driven way. I may just be bitter because I've offered to volunteer a couple times and never received a response back :)

Think you guys for coming! Hope you enjoyed ... I was one of the tour guides (but you were both on the other bus). It was really nice for all of us to be with our fellow industrial city "nerds" :) And UrbanOhio folks, you seriously, seriously, SERIOUSLY need to attend one of these annual GLUE convenings. The attendees are our fellow urban lovers from throughout the Great Lakes region. GLUE has pulled back the veil now on Buffalo, Milwaukee and the Cleve (hopefully St. Louis will host soon!!! ;)) and opened my eyes to all sorts of innovation in the industrial Midwest. Really, you gotsta be there.

Really? I've watched all 8 seasons, and I don't think I remember any. Some people have had Cleveland as a hometown (or Painesville or whatever), but I don't think they've had anyone who was living and working in Cleveland currently. EDIT: I just checked, and we've had Amesville, Columbus, Dayton, Painesville and Seven Hills as hometowns, but Valerie will be the second contestant to live in Ohio at the time of filming (the other was Althea in Season 6, resident of Dayton). And I think it's beyond amazing that she's also in the city proper (eastern downtown / Asiatown area), rather than the suburbs. Regardless, yay! :)

I may be wrong, but wasn't the Prospect side tenanted and occupied in April, while the Euclid side (the much larger side) was not? I think with the amount of residential rehab going on, all 3 C's are going to be a little undercounted for the 2010 Census. But I don't think that's such a bad thing ... In the Cleve, for instance, with the CSU dormitories and 668 online (and maybe a few others?) online by 2011 when this data gets released, I think it will be nice to see strong population growth since 2000 and be able to say, "And the best part is that we now have at least 1,000 more residents than when that data was collected". One thing I wanted to mention for Cleveland is to not forget about all the quieter development that's happening on the east end. Not just the Avenue District stuff, but we also have the relatively large efficiency apartment building at about Euclid and E. 30th, we have a full Walker & Weeks, we have Tower Press, etc., etc. I think it will be interesting to see whether the residential population living in industrial buildings gets counted accurately. A lot of these buildings do not all meet state housing codes, but people (particularly artists) are living there quietly anyway. I wonder if Census workers check these buildings and how reluctant residents might be to expose that they actually live there. I would guess that's there's at least a couple hundred residents in the warehouses along Superior from E. 21st to E. 30th.

Cleveland-based fashion designer Valerie Mayen (http://www.yellowcakeshop.com/index2.php) has been announced as one of the contestants on Season 8 of Project Runway: http://www.mylifetime.com/shows/project-runway/season-8/designers/valerie-mayen. They have 3 videos posted, including a home tour, where she shows off her amazing live-work loft space and talks about her love of Cleveland. In a list of Questions and Answers with Valerie, they ask her "Dream place to set up your business?", and she replies, "I'm already here. I love Cleveland! I'd like additional bases in California and South America". Valerie is a really big advocate for the city and an incredibly talented designer; can't wait to see her represent!

Keep in mind that: a. They're using footprints that some people question. For instance, their definition of Cincy's downtown, based on the definition of local public officials was very small and doesn't include several census tracts that people would like to see there. b. Their definition of growth is based on how quickly their defined "downtowns" were growing between 1990 and 2000. During this period, they showed 32.2% growth in Cleveland, 0.6% growth in Columbus and a 16.9% decline in Cincy. But Cleveland's growth is still replacing residents that have been lost in the past (as of 2000, there were only a couple hundred residents more than there were in 1970, and the downtown population was still smaller than it was in 1940 and 1950). I would expect that all three cities will fare well for the period 2000 - 2010.

Grants available for Cuyahoga County artists to pursue projects By SHANNON MORTLAND 2:51 pm, June 21, 2010 Cuyahoga County artists have five chances this summer to learn more about how they can secure a $20,000 grant to pursue art projects. The Community Partnership for Arts and Culture is holding five informational workshops to learn more about whether they qualify for the Creative Workforce Fellowship program, under which up to 20 artists would receive $20,000 apiece ... ... More at http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20100621/FREE/100629985.

Sorry, forgot to post this sooner, but the 2011 (visual) cycle of the Creative Workforce Fellowship has been launched. The program accepts applications from a pretty broad range of backgrounds; CPAC is currently accepting applications from: - Craft artists (ceramic, metal, wood, textile, etc.), - Design artists (architecture, graphic, fashion, interior, product, urban design, etc.), - Media artists (animation, radio, video, film, etc.), - and Visual artists (drawing, painting, photography, sculpture, etc.). Next year's cycle will be open to artists working in dance, literature, music, theatre and those doing interdisciplinary work. A number of changes have been made to the program based on feedback from past applicants, but the program will still give out $400,000 in awards in 2010 ... $20,000 fellowships to 20 Cuyahoga County artists. It is now a two-part process, and Part 1 of the application is due no later than July 30th at 5:00 p.m., but this part is pretty simple ... contact info and proof of residence, etc., and the COAC staff is happy to answer any questions you have. Please help get the word out! http://www.cpacbiz.org/business/CWF.shtml

The problem is that there does not seem to be a uniform standard for what constitutes a "downtown". Here's how Brookings described it in their 2005 report "Who Lives Downtown": Deriving a spatial definition of “downtown” is the most challenging aspect of this research because no commonly accepted physical standard exists. Some equate downtowns with the Central Business District (CBD). (For several decades, in fact, the U.S. Census Bureau issued CBD data, simply designating one or two census tracts in selected cities. However, it discontinued this series in 1984.) Others have attempted to define downtowns as the area within a specified radius (1 mile, _ mile, etc.) from a city’s so-called 100 percent corner, viewed as the highest valued intersection in terms of real estate. This concept poses difficulties with its uniform application to different-sized cities—among some of the physically smaller of the top 100 most populous cities, one-half mile from the 100 percent corner can reach into its suburbs. In the end, local knowledge and experience, asking public officials in the sample cities to define their own downtowns by census tracts as of 1999/2000, was used. http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/Files/rc/reports/2005/11downtownredevelopment_birch/20051115_Birch.pdf Using those "local definitions", Brookings reported Cleveland's 2000 downtown population as 9,599, Columbus' as 6,198 and Cincy's as 3,189 (Toledo and Dayton were not included in the study). So it seems like it just depends on who is doing the research and what standard they're using to define "downtown". The other interesting problem you face is that census tracts don't fit neatly with the dividers people often use to describe downtown (e.g. mountains, bodies of water, highways, etc.). In Cleveland, for instance, this means you can't include the west bank of the Flats without including a huge chunk of Ohio City, you can't include the men's shelter unless you include a lot of St. Clair Superior and you can't include the Quadrangle unless you include several blocks in Asiatown. The result is that I'm a "downtown resident" in Asiatown but someone living at 2100 Lakeside, a mile closer to Public Square, is not (although I don't think temporary residences get counted either, do they?). The only way to avoid this is to tabulate the data at the block group or block level, which seems like it would be pretty tedious.

I thought the best point from the article was the last line: "'Instead of dumping this for a $25 million loss," Nicklos said, "if they feel their new vision was wrong, then let the new government make that decision.'" I don't understand why the commissioners are so intent to sell the building before the new board and executive take over. I understand that figuring out what to do with the building is a giant responsibility, especially given the implications to taxpayers, but given the current market, I don't understand the rush to take a sizable loss.

The Rock Hall has traditionally been very stringent about usage of the building's likeness. I've heard stories of warnings against using the building even in far less commercial projects.

From their Facebook page ... The Flaming Ice Cube in Cleveland is scheduled to open with limited hours Thursday and Friday, July 8 and 9 (11am - 6pm).

This seems like a pretty big deal ... HUD No. 10-141 Jereon Brown (202) 708-0685 FOR RELEASE Friday, July 2, 2010 HUD EXPANDS NEIGHBORHOOD STABILIZATION PROGRAM IN CUYAHOGA COUNTY Deep discounts on HUD Homes to help Recovery Act program work more effectively in Cleveland metro area WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development today announced an agreement with the Cuyahoga County Land Reutilization Corporation (CCLRC) to stabilize neighborhoods hard-hit by foreclosure in Cleveland and Cuyahoga County by selling foreclosed homes to the CCLRC for as little as $100. The agreement announced today follows a similar successful program launched in Cleveland in which HUD transferred 441 foreclosed properties to the City at deep discount in just over a year. "We are committed to helping communities reverse the effects of neighborhood decline," said HUD Secretary, Shaun Donovan. "This agreement builds upon a variety of programs HUD offers municipalities to enable them to acquire HUD properties at a discount. Now that we have proven that these efforts work in Cleveland, we hope to do the same throughout Cuyahoga County. In addition, this discount sales program will leverage $41 million HUD awarded to the Cuyahoga County Land Reutilization Corporation through the Recovery Act's Neighborhood Stabilization Program. Through our coordinated efforts CCLRC has the financial capacity and flexibility to acquire properties not only from HUD but also from any real estate entity as well." Senator Sherrod Brown said, "This is a victory for Cuyahoga County. As we work to rebuild our communities devastated by the housing crisis, it's critical that our efforts aren't undermined by out-of-state speculators. A local response to the housing crisis is in the best interest of Ohio communities and our nation's economic recovery." Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich added, "I got on this in May as soon as I learned the program was in trouble. I'm glad to have worked with HUD to help reinstate it." "This is a win for the people of my District," said Rep. Marcia L. Fudge. "I'm pleased to see HUD implement a program that will put the needs of neighborhoods first and keep foreclosed properties out of the hands of flippers and speculators who perpetuate the cycle of blight and neglect. I listened to city leaders and constituents and made it a priority to see this program through and I will continue to fight for the needs of our community." "I am pleased that HUD has agreed to extend Cleveland's landmark REO agreement to the rest of Cuyahoga County," said Mayor Frank G. Jackson. "An agreement with CCLRC takes advantage of their expanded capacity to effectively acquire, hold and dispose of homes in a way that assures quality restoration and supports our neighborhood revitalization efforts." Under HUD's agreement, the Department will sell hundreds of foreclosed properties in its inventory at deep discount to the CCLRC. In turn, local governments in the area can accelerate their neighborhood stabilization efforts, especially in areas with high concentrations of foreclosed and abandoned homes. "We have had very positive discussions with HUD over the last few months. HUD has shown that it is keenly aware of the unique needs in our community, and we very pleased to partner with HUD to address our joint desire to improve neighborhoods in Cuyahoga County," said CCLRC President Gus Frangos. "We will begin working closely with CCLRC on many levels. First, we will inform the Corporation of all our newly acquired properties and then provide initial inspections prior to a public listing. Then we will give CCLRC the exclusive opportunity to purchase these homes for as little at $100," explained Engram Lloyd, acting director of HUD's National Homeownership Center. The discounted sales program being announced today in Cuyahoga County will run until September 30, 2011, at which time HUD and CCLRC will re-assess the success of the program. HUD will offer CCLRC an exclusive opportunity to purchase properties at significantly reduced prices, depending on the home's appraised value. For example: •Homes valued between $20,001 and $100,000 will be sold at a 30 percent discount for an initial five-day period. After 60 days, the homes will be sold at a 50 percent discount. •Homes worth up to $20,000 will be sold for $100. Earlier this year, HUD awarded nearly $41 million in NSP2 funds to CCLRC, a consortium that also includes the City of Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, and the Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority. The funds will be used in targeted areas across 47 census tracts to acquire, rehabilitate, and resell 216 units of foreclosed or abandoned properties and to provide homebuyer loans (such as a soft second mortgage) for these homes and 150 additional homes. In addition, CCLRC plans to demolish 900 homes, deconstruct 95 units so that their components can be reused, and acquire 150 units to be secured and maintained for future purposes. Additionally, 134 rental units will receive developmental assistance specifically for households of 50 percent or less of area median income. ### http://portal.hud.gov/portal/page/portal/HUD/press/press_releases_media_advisories/2010/HUDNo.10-141

The site is pretty amazing ... I was out taking footage yesterday, and it's just crazy to see farmland of this size (something like 3.5 acres!) getting tilled between the W. 25th corridor and a backdrop of the city skyline and the Flats. Not to steer us too far off topic, but if you guys are interested in this, you should also check out Reimagining Cleveland (http://reimaginingcleveland.org/). Neighborhood Progress, Inc. has funded around 55 projects citywide that convert vacant lots into community gardens, pocket parks, expanded side yards, etc. Really interesting stuff ... a vineyard in Hough, a community garden in Asiatown, a market garden in Ohio City, an orchard in Detroit-Shoreway ... the list goes on and on. And from what I understand, it appears NPI is now also going to be focusing on getting some catalytic projects up and running ... projects that are more on the scale of what you're seeing with this farm. Really cool stuff and not really being done anywhere else in the country at this scale (although Detroit and Pittsburgh are also working on some large-scale projects like these).

Remember the Euclid Beach Park Carousel? Well – it’s coming back! We are giving our friends advance notice of this exciting news before the official public announcement. WRHS is collaborating with the Euclid Beach Park Carousel Society, a group comprised of many long-time supporters of the Carousel and making it available, once again, to the public to enjoy. Together we are undertaking this project to place the Carousel inside the WRHS University Circle Complex – where it can be seen and ridden by the more than 2.5 million people who visit University Circle annually. This project produces long-term benefits: creates another world-class destination point for University Circle; contributes to the economic development of the neighborhood, city and region; provides a family-friendly activity at WRHS; and increases the financial stability of WRHS. Most importantly, the arrival of the Carousel supports a top WRHS priority – creating new memories by sharing the past. Imagine the magic of grandparents bringing their grandchildren to ride the carousel they rode while courting. Imagine the magic of parents and children riding this historic carousel together. We hope to have the Carousel operating inside WRHS walls within three years. Further details of this project will be shared as it moves forward. This is an exciting and optimistic time for WRHS, a historical gem of Northeast Ohio culture. Together, we can ensure that WRHS thrives along with our community and region. We thank you for your continued support. Don Dailey Gainor Davis WRHS Board Chair WRHS President & CEO http://www.wrhs.org/index.php/homepage/specialnewsfromwrhs