8ShadesofGray

I am not sure that the final renderings for the project have been released. What we're looking at with that water element was a very early rendering in the process. I think what we'll get in the end is a lot more iconic than that first image.

I'm not involved in this effort, so someone correct me if I'm wrong. But it seems like part of the effort is to better align the aesthetics of the Market section of W. 25th: a) in preparations for the celebration of the West Side Market's centennial and b) to brand the neighborhood as a local food corridor, which can then have immediate impacts on visitation, vacancy rates, etc. I agree that the park is not a bad gathering place, but I would hardly call it a "green space". I don't know that it really screams "home of the world-famous West Side Market" or "locally produced and sourced". Softening the edges of that park might help advance this idea. I believe (and again, I could be wrong here) that a substantial part of that redevelopment money is also set aside for public art components in and near the park, and from what I've seen of them, they're really interesting. Conceptually, I like the direction they're steering this project.

The amount of secured financing makes up 15 of the 100 application points possible. If you have 100% of your financing, you get 15 points, and if you have less than 40%, you get 1 point (with a sliding scale of points for different levels of secured financing in between). So it's not impossible to get the credit without financing, but it's obviously a lot more difficult. You can see all the scoring criteria here: http://jobstimulus.ohio.gov/documents/HistoricPreservationTaxCredit/Round%204%20Self%20Scoring%20Sheet%20and%20Calculators.xls.

Hi Minerva, welcome to the forum. I'm another car-free Clevelander, and I live in the Asiatown neighborhood. I've also lived in Shaker Square and Cedar-Fairmount briefly. Just my personal opinion, but I think the easiest car-free neighborhoods are downtown (for grocery proximity, I would look at the Warehouse District), Shaker Square and Ohio City. Downtown is getting a little pricier (although still incredibly reasonable compared to downtowns in other cities) but has great bus connectivity to the Cleveland Clinic. Shaker Square is a really lovely, charming neighborhood with grocery proximity and excellent train connectivity downtown, to the West Side and through Shaker Heights. There are also semi-frequent buses to University Circle and Cleveland Clinic, but getting to Coventry or Cedar-Lee neighborhoods is a little trickier. I would also look at the Larchmere neighborhood, just north of Shaker Square. You're still in walking distance for groceries, plenty of retail on Larchmere and the rents (from what I recall) can be slightly lower than right on Shaker Square. On the northwest side of the Larchmere neighborhood, there is also the Fairhill Center, which is a co-location of dozens of nonprofits that work with senior citizens ... Everything from social service provision to providing volunteer opportunities to extracurricular activities ... Really a great campus and pretty beautiful. Ohio City is also well-served by trains further West and to downtown and University Circle and has bus lines that run in most directions. There's also a lot of retail, a centrally located grocery store and a range of rental rates. Ohio City does have moderately high crime rates, but it also has a strong sense of community that I think counters some of this. Cleveland's Edgewater neighborhood and Lakewood's Gold Coast neighborhoods are other decent options. I've had some difficulties with weekend bus routes in these areas, and I haven't found the grocery stores in the area to be very pedestrian-friendly. Cedar Fairmount is a great neighborhood in terms of walking proximity to a grocery store. There is some retail in the neighborhood, and there are semi-frequent buses that would take you to Coventry, University Circle and downtown, but traveling from Cedar-Fairmount can be trickier in non-peak hours (i.e. during the day or after 7 p.m. or so), unless you're willing to do the 15-minute walk down Cedar Hill to the train station and bus circle. As a fellow car-free person, I would caution you to think about walking distances in the height of February. Right now, when it's beautiful out, moderate works can seem like they wouldn't be bad at all, but in winter, walking becomes much more of a pain. That's one of the reasons that, like you, I'm always looking for a grocery store within a couple blocks. For that reason, there are some really nice Cleveland neighborhoods that I would not recommend, including Tremont. Sadly, Tremont lacks a grocery store, and with only two bus routes usually running only once an hour, a trip to get groceries from Dave's in Ohio City or from Steelyard Commons down the hill could be challenging. Again, just my opinions. Best of luck with your search, and let us know if we can help with anything else!

Enjoys it considerably less ... Ellen Gray: 'Hot in Cleveland,' TV Land's new show, is not so hot By Ellen Gray, Philadelphia Daily News Daily News TV Critic PERHAPS NOT even Drew Carey could have predicted it, but one of the hottest shows of the season is set in Ohio. It is not, alas, TV Land's "Hot in Cleveland" ... ... More at http://www.philly.com/philly/entertainment/96451099.html#ixzz0r7A8Mma8.

Likes it ... ‘Cleveland’ rocks Betty White and co-stars make TV Land sitcom a keeper By Mark A. Perigard / Review, Boston Herald What comes between “Sex and the City” and “Golden Girls”? For fans of female-friendly comedy, that would have to be “Hot in Cleveland.” TV Land’s first original sitcom is the surprise of the summer, a sparkling, breezy comedy, in no small part due to the casting of this year’s It Girl, 88-year-old Betty White as a cantankerous caretaker ... ... More at http://www.bostonherald.com/entertainment/television/reviews/view.bg?articleid=1261832&srvc=home&position=also.

'Hot in Cleveland' pretty much nails us, despite a few flubs Wednesday, June 16, 2010, 10:31 PM, Updated: Thursday, June 17, 2010, 7:34 AM Andrea Simakis, The Plain Dealer How well does Hollywood know Cleveland? The Pop Diva uses her talons to separate the junk from the genuine in last night's premiere of TV Land's "Hot in Cleveland." 1. After crash-landing in Cleveland on their way to Paris, three friends from Los Angeles visit an unnamed watering hole by Googling "Cleveland" and "get hammered." "This is what we came up with," says Wendy Malick (former soap star Victoria Chase), "along with some very disturbing pictures of Drew Carey" ... ... More at http://www.cleveland.com/tv/index.ssf/2010/06/hot_in_cleveland_pretty_much_n.html.

Congrats! That's so exciting!

I would have to agree with 3231 that there probably weren't any "nay" votes ... The article seems to indicate that the decision was unanimous.

Yeah, the headline does seem like a misnomer. The article notes downtown occupancy rates in the 80s and 90s, with the average around 90%. I think they're referring more to a number of buildings changing hands after mortgage default. They also note that University Lofts is only at 60% occupancy, but that seems really apples-to-oranges to me.

Made in the 216 is also happening Friday night, and I believe there's a special midnight showing of "Out of Place" at the Capitol.

Re: Rental spaces, I think live/work has some definite merit, although I would say price point is a huge driver. The difficulty in this neighborhood is that many artists are already living in giant warehouse space that frankly hasn't been brought up to residential code, and as a result, they're able to snag crazy low rents ... I have a friend who has an amazing space overlooking the city, $600 for 2,000 sq. ft. I'm paying $350/mo. for a cute attic loft, around 700 sq. ft. A more polished facility might appeal to the YP crowd, a barebones residential conversion might be more attractive to artists and designers. Or you could take the Tower Press approach and try to hit both markets. I would also think about CSU students as another audience. And I think it would be really great to reach out specifically to an Asian YP crowd. We're in the middle of doing some countywide mapping and surveying of artists that expands on the earlier surveying we did. Should be done around August, if that would be helpful.

This is really sad to see, but parking is actually pretty scarce around Tyler (the lot directly behind my house opposite Tyler is large and generally close to full capacity). With the houses doubled up on already small lots in the East 30s and East 40s, residential parking needs keep streetside pretty booked up, and given a relatively high rate of unemployment in the neighborhood, this applies to both daytime and evening scenarios. There is still a pretty active manufacturing employment base that keeps surface lots around my house relatively full, and the lots at the Asian markets and Dave's are near capacity during the day (with the exception of the new one across from Tyler ... but that scenario will likely change when it's tenanted. Then you have substantial lunchtime populations at places like Number 1 Pho, Superior Pho, Tastebuds, Slyman's ... It can be tricky. There may be opportunities to partner up on lots or structured parking, but I agree that I'm not sure that it could be made financially feasible for most of the smaller businesses that populate the neighborhood or even at the CDC level. It's a real shame, and I hope increases in business density will increase the likelihood that it can be done. And let's just keep in mind that WW and the people he work with are serving as stewards of a massive amount of historic building stock that otherwise would be vacant or very, very sparsely tenanted at all; what they have done over the past decade makes it substantially less likely that these buildings will face the wrecking ball.

Get your tickets for the Solstice Party to get a first peak ... Last year's inaugural event was crazy nice, and there are a lot of good music acts, a cool public art project, etc. :)

^ I couldn't tell from the way it's phrased whether that's 96% occupancy for the entire building or just the Prospect side. Either way, unless a sizable number of these residents are being pirated from other downtown buildings, I think that kind of occupancy rate shows that demand for downtown living continues to be outstripped by supply. It's pretty amazing that the number of units has grown significantly over the past few years and that we remain at near full occupancy downtown-wide.

A couple that I don't think have been mentioned yet in Cleveland are the Moreland in Buckeye (the CDC working to redevelop this into a multi-use event venue, not unlike what's going on with the Variety) and the Metropolitan (which is now the Agora). Check out http://cinematreasures.org/, which gives great listings by city and status of the theater. But be ready to be depressed by the number that have been demolished. - Within a 10-mile radius of downtown Cleveland, for instance, they list 13 theatres as being open, 1 in renovation, 38 closed and 48 demolished. - Within 10 miles of downtown Columbus, 14 open, 15 closed and 16 demolished. - Within 10 miles of downtown Cincinnati, 11 open, 1 in renovation, 45 closed and 49 demolished. :(

Signage is up for Zinc, brick looks to be fully laid and the landscaping looks to be done or wrapping up. Titan space (and the cafe) are looking NICE. Nice press release about the effort, including some favorable occupancy numbers: 668 Euclid Revitalizes Central Downtown Business District 2010-05-20 21:32:01 - The K&D Group, elected officials and business leaders today celebrated with a Grand Opening Ceremony the successful completion of the $70 million renovation of 668 Euclid Avenue, a pivotal project in the revitalization of the Euclid Avenue Corridor. 668 Euclid is the first of a number of restoration and investment projects underway to bring jobs and residents to revitalize this central area of Downtown Cleveland. “Today, we open our doors to the community to demonstrate the importance and impact these renovation projects have on our downtown. These once boarded-up, abandoned buildings are now home to hundreds of employees and residents, bringing life to this area of Euclid Avenue. 668 Euclid is a powerful example of the success we can achieve in Downtown Cleveland with the strong cooperation of the state, city, county and local business leaders supporting these mixed-use investment projects in the urban core,” said Doug Price, Principal of the K&D Group, developer of the project. The 668 Euclid Avenue project includes the former eight-story William Taylor, Son & Co. Department Store, an adjacent four-story building facing Prospect Avenue, a 450-space parking garage, and a 73-foot connecting atrium. This historic structure has been redeveloped into 236 luxury apartments, and approximately 70,000 square feet of commercial space, occupied by Wyse, Titans Gym, The Caddyshack Sports Lounge and Zinc Restaurant, Bar & Market. The adjacent Dollar Bank building was torn down to create a pedestrian-friendly, urban park and entertainment patio, extending back from Euclid Avenue. “When we save historic buildings like 668 Euclid, we’re strengthening our urban infrastructure and encouraging local job creation,” Governor Ted Strickland said. “Today’s grand opening shows that the state and Clevelanders know the value of what they already have, and that public-private partnerships can truly change the face of a street, breathe life into a neighborhood, and preserve the unique history of a city.” Funding for the project was a combination of support from the private sector, the city, the county and the state through the Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credit Program. The terra cotta facade of the building, along with the windows, doors and other historic elements of the structure, have been restored to its original appearance and character. The 668 Euclid project is one of the first in a line of key reinvestment projects planned for the Euclid Avenue Corridor and is expected to spark further development in the area. The project benefits from the Healthline, the recently completed $200 million bus transit system linking Public Square to University Circle, with a stop directly outside of the front entrance of the building. “The success of the 668 Euclid project is important to our overall redevelopment efforts downtown. Investments like this are a catalyst for other downtown reinvestment projects,” said Mayor Frank G. Jackson. “Just as the 668 project was nearing completion, we celebrated the announcement from Rosetta that it was relocating its corporate headquarters and 400 employees downtown directly across the street. This type of investment has a lasting impact on our city's long term economic vitality.” Downtown revitalization efforts have focused on the importance of not only bringing jobs to the downtown area, but drawing residents to the urban core. Interest in the 236 luxury apartments included in the 668 Euclid project has been strong since the first apartments opened on the Prospect Avenue side of the building in August. In fact, Price announced that occupancy for the apartments has already topped 96 percent in less than nine months. “These mixed-use projects, that draw both employees AND residents to downtown neighborhoods, are central to our economic development efforts. Residents who shop, dine and live downtown spur additional commitment to commercial, retail and entertainment development in our central core. The tremendous response to the apartments at 668 is proof that there is strong interest in quality residential downtown living. Projects like 668 Euclid are vital to our efforts to attract out-of-town companies with young, talented employees looking to live in an urban center,” said Cleveland City Councilman Joe Cimperman. The K&D Group broke ground on the project in April, 2009. As construction was completed in phases, the first residents moved into the Prospect-side apartment last August and Wyse moved into its first-floor commercial space in December. Titans Gym just opened for business and Zinc Restaurant Bar & Market will open to the public in June. For The K&D Group, Terri Jankowski, 216-408-8021 [email protected] : mailto:[email protected] http://www.pr-inside.com/euclid-revitalizes-central-downtown-business-r1905236.htm

Yeah, while there is a lot of great energy on both the Near West Side and further into the Heights, I can't imagine steering him outside of that area. Little Italy sounds perfect, and there is a ton of housing stock there, not just the infill new construction. Shaker Square is another no-brainer to me, as is Larchmere; the proximity to the Shaker Lakes and Parklands would be a big selling point, I would think. And if none of that works, I would think Cedar-Fairmount or the Coventry area would provide him some other options (although commuting via public transit would be a little trickier since the route cuts; the #9 would still be okay but wouldn't be great for Cedar-Fairmount. With Cedar Fairmount, his most direct route would prob be walking or biking ... I like the Case Western stairs that cut behind Cedar Hill). Personally, I'd start by renting in Little Italy for a year (maybe the Schoolhouse, if he can afford it), having an easy commute and taking some time to feel out the neighborhoods. The Market District in Ohio City might be another good place to check out (given the straight-shot Red Line service back over to Little Italy), but any further west or further away from rail and your public transit commute starts to get a little long. Not so bad when you're exploring in June ... quite a bit worse when you're settled into your job and waiting for a bus in February.

In regards to Metroparks, while situated in the southeast microburbs, the Washington Reservation and the Ohio & Erie Canal both are pretty accessible from the Near East Side ... I think a lot of us forget we have Metroparks access in the E. 40s ... including a pretty freaking amazing stretch of bikeway that wanders through nature and industry and plops you onto the Towpath. And with all the thoughtful cycling plans of CDCsof the Towpath and its feeders, we should see increasing connectivity between the Metroparks and neighborhoods like Tremont, Old Brooklyn and Slavic Village.

Very nice! Love the BJazz original design on the table :)

^ I agree. Noted the same in that comment :) I'm just more concerned about their existing eds & med (just one hospital to look at) strategy, which seems much more stand-alone in nature. Hoping that their previous master planning will win out over their previous eds & med work.

^ I think you're right; I think it was still operating when I headed to Germany back in May '08.

I would agree that Parma and Lakewood might be good bets; I'd also check out the Edgewater neighborhood, which has a lot of well-maintained rental houses. Parts of Old Brooklyn also have very nice and well-maintained housing, proximity to parkland and would be well-situated for both of your work locations. Tremont and Ohio City might also be worth a look ... There has been a considerable rehab boom there over the past decade, so much of the housing stock is in really good shape, and it seems to be a very dog-friendly neighborhood (at least small-dog-friendly). At your price max, I would imagine you would have no problem finding something really well-maintained on the Near West Side. You certainly can expand your search to those outlying places you noted. As you get closer to rural areas, I'm sure the dogs would be less of an issue, although I haven't necessarily found properties out there to be any cleaner than those closer to the core. It's really a matter of personality and preference. I honestly would feel safer running in a neighborhood like Tremont, where there's a lot of activity on the streets, as opposed to somewhere more remote, where I might be the only person on the road, but I think what makes people feel safe varies quite a bit ...

How long ago was it a restaurant? I think that was just two years ago or so ... definitely since I moved to Asiatown in 2006.

According to the article, 5 of the 7 schools slated for Phase 2 demolition (demos tentatively scheduled for next year) are already designated as landmarks (including Watterson-Lake), and the other 2 have applications pending.