8ShadesofGray

I was always under the impression that Hispanic was disfavored by many people of Central and Southern American heritage because it emphasizes the role of Spain in their culture as an infiltrator, rather than that of the indigenous populations that existed there for millenia before. I think these difficulties exist for just about any population group you can think of ... Aboriginal v. Native American v. American Indian v. Indian, Asian American not necessarily being applied to central and northern Asian emigrants, African American v. African emigrants to any other area of the world (e.g. African-Canadian?). It's a fascinating topic (though admittedly not the topic of this thread) ... I wonder if anyone's truly happy with their ethnic/racial classifications.

... and yet Metropolis, IL, has done the most marketing around the idea that they are "Superman's hometown". Cleveland needs to step it up! Meanwhile, I think I've mentioned before that Cleveland should really be doing a better job of highlighting its Comics history ... not only are we home to Superman, but we also have the high visibility that American Splendor lent to Harvey Pekar, as well as local connections to the creators of Calvin and Hobbes, Funky Winkerbean and Ziggy.

It looked as though the entire west strip of the lot was being worked on, but I was specifically talking about work being done in the southwest side of the lot. Not sure if the next building runs the entire length of the E. 13th side or if this was something else.

I'm definitely getting excited about this little nabe ... just hope that market demand will justify building it out completely ... would hate to see these buildings sitting alone on the edges of parking lots. The loft building is really starting to get some scale to it. They also laid down sod this morning along the Superior side of the townhomes lot, which makes it look a great deal more habitable. They were also doing pretty aggressive work on the west side of the lot; not sure what this was ... it looked too flat to be excavation. Landscaping?

Big news! Good to hear the campaign is going so well! Out of curiosity, is the Living in Cleveland Center being at all engaged in the creation of the Living in the Circle effort? It would be great to see some substantial cross-marketing going on between both centers. Kicky? :? And as a side note, aren't young professionals and empty-nesters already repopulating several Cleveland neighborhoods (Tremont, Detroit Shoreway, Downtown, Shaker Square, etc.)? Not to say you can't draw them to UC too, but should we really be making it sound like a) they're not repopulating the city and b) that they're all going to be locate in one particular neighborhood?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metropolis_(comics)

^ A nice first step, but it hasn't really addressed the underlying issue of what we do to stop this type of growth. We've partially disincentivized it, but Avon wouldn't have agreed to the arrangement if they didn't think that the additional revenues from the Clinic, etc. wouldn't be a financial boon for their community ... and I think that means Cuyahoga County still ends up in the minus column ... just that those minuses are smaller. Again, I advocate that the tax share that goes back to Cuyahoga County be dedicated specifically to strategies that address sprawl.

$20 says some bigoted Christian group puts up some retort (probably complete with a quote from Leviticus) where the Land of Illusion is post-Halloween. Great effort, though. And I guess I lose my gay merit badge - I had no clue it was Coming Out Day.

From Crain's Cleveland Business ALCS to be economic boon for region By JOHN BOOTH 1:25 pm, October 11, 2007 When the American League Championship Series comes to town next week, it’s expected to generate at least $8.23 million per game in spending, according to local tourism industry officials. The estimate from Positively Cleveland, the recently renamed convention and visitors bureau, is based on data provided by the Cleveland Indians and industry studies on how much traveling sports fans spend on things like cab fare, hotel rooms and retail purchasing ... ... More at http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20071011/FREE/71011014/1095&Profile=1095

I don't see absolutely eye-to-eye with this reporter on the overall isolated, desolate vibe of Asiatown as is ... there does seem to be a large concentration of non-senior Asian residents (and the Census numbers seem to agree), present crime rates are very low (according to St-Clair Superior, my census tract has the lowest crime rates citywide) and while there are a lot of low-income residents, increasingly there's a group of moderate-income educated individuals living in the neighborhood, particularly from the arts and culture sector ... including the couple who runs Artspace Cleveland, the directors of the Front Room Gallery and the membership director for the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. Of course, my viewpoint might be a little skewed since it's the neighborhood I live in. Overall, though, an interesting and detailed article. How Do You Get To Chinatown? New Retail Development And A Fresh Marketing Strategy Aim To Put Asiatown On The Map. By Charu Gupta Cleveland's Chinatown is a connect-the-dots kind of place. Roughly 30 Asian-American businesses are sprinkled between East 30th and 40th streets, and Payne and St. Clair avenues. (The C & Y Restaurant, at East 21st, is a throwback to where Cleveland's Chinatown once stood.) The same area is home to businesses owned by Eastern-European immigrants and African Americans. Just Like Mom's soul food, on East 30th, testifies to the neighborhood's ethnic diversity. What dominates the landscape here are abandoned, 10-story-tall warehouses, their small square glass windows rattling as railcars pass. Drivers exiting I-90 at Superior may not even realize they've just entered the heart of Cleveland's Chinatown ... ... More at http://www.freetimes.com/stories/15/23/how-do-you-get-to-chinatown

Just thought I'd update the thread with our latest national accomplishments: - The Cleveland Metroparks was awarded the 2007 National Gold Medal Award for Excellence by the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration, an honor that signals that the Metroparks are the best managed park system of any large city in the country. It is the third time in the last fifteen years that the Metroparks have received the award, and cities are only eligible every five years. - GCRTA was named the best transportation system in North America (in the largest population category) by the American Public Transportation for 2007. From the APTA website: Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (GCRTA), Cleveland, OH (Category: Providing more than 30 million annual passenger trips.) Serving more than 2 million people in Northeast Ohio, this is the second time that GCRTA has won this prestigious award, (1990 and 2007). Over the past several years, GCRTA has transformed its fleet from one of the oldest to one of the newest. During this same time period, it reduced operating costs by $25 million and dramatically improved efficiency ... ... More at http://www.apta.com/media/releases/071009_apta_awards.cfm

Assuming they fully unload these tax credits, that's going to leverage $64.1 million in private investment.

Tax credits awarded for Cleveland developments Saturday, October 06, 2007 Alison Grant Plain Dealer Reporter Cleveland's downtown and neighborhoods got a $25 million shot in the arm Friday in the form of federal tax credits designed to attract private-sector investment. The credits are the same tool used in the renaissance of East Fourth Street -- and hope is high that they will help rejuvenate other pockets of the city ... ... More at http://www.cleveland.com/business/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/business-3/1191659418271830.xml&coll=2

Western Reserve Land Conservancy reaches 10,000-acre milestone Aurora Advocate October 10, 2007 With the recent preservation of land in Chester Township, Western Reserve Land Conservancy surpassed its 10,000th preserved acre, reaching the mark less than two years after a merger of eight land trusts. The largest of the merging groups, Chagrin River Land Conservancy, was founded in 1987. By 2003, it had reached 6,000 protected acres ... ... More at http://www.auroraadvocate.com/news/article/2672691

They are still there, open right after Thanksgiving through the beginning of March ... and reputation has it that they are the largest public toboggan chute in the country. http://www.clemetparks.com/recreation/tobogganing/index.asp

I either read on UrbanOhio, or someone told me, that they were facing some legal questions regarding the name (I don't know if that means the candy bar was laying the smackdown on the term Snickers). I ate at Cheddars about two weeks ago, and at that time, it looked as though they were keeping both open but under the common name Cheddars.

Students will also soon be able to hop the Silver Line at the E. 118th station (near the intersection of Mayfield and Euclid and a 3 min. walk from the CIA factory) or at the Adelbert station (about a 5 min. walk from CIA's Bellflower/East Blvd. facility) and be at the E. 14th street station, in the heart of the design district, in 15 minutes. There might also be an opportunity to have a CIA showroom in the District of Design (just speculating ... haven't heard anything to this effect).

Another national award for the Cleve ... by my count, that means that as of the most recent rankings, Cleveland has the best public transit system, the best public libraries and the best regional park system in the country. No wonder it is also rated one of the two most livable cities in the country by The Economist. :clap: Editorial: Cleveland Metroparks rack up another well-deserved national award Thursday, October 11, 2007 The Cleveland Metroparks can hoist a prestigious award as it celebrates its 90th birthday - the 2007 National Gold Medal Award for Excellence. For the third time in 15 years, the Metroparks has been deemed the nation's best managed park system by the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration and the National Recreation and Park Association ... ... More at http://www.cleveland.com/editorials/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/opinion/1192091836230670.xml&coll=2

Four shot at school, gunman kills himself Students and staff ran, hid in restrooms, closets Thursday, October 11, 2007 Michael O'Malley and Gabriel Baird Plain Dealer Reporters SuccessTech Academy, one of Cleveland's best public high schools with a 94 percent graduation rate, seemed a highly unlikely place for a Columbine-type outburst of gun violence. But, suddenly, that all changed Wednesday when a student with black-painted fingernails and wearing a Marilyn Manson T-shirt opened fire in the downtown high school, injuring two teachers and three students. Police said he appeared to be targeting both teachers ... ... More at http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/1192092263230670.xml&coll=2&thispage=1

^^ I for one don't argue that suburbs are inherently bad or that the people who choose a suburan lifestyle have a mistaken set of priorities. I can't imagine EVER wanting to live in the suburbs, but you're right ... a successful community has a range of neighborhood and housing options. However, I think subsidizing unwarranted new transportation infrastructure on the fringes of our region has some dire impacts on the region. We've already noted pretty thoroughly how it can adversely impact the urban center and its residents. But it also can have two important effects that we haven't noted: 1. Exurban development hurts rural land and rural residents. Just as you noted that suburban residents shouldn't be penalized for choosing the set of amenities they want, neither should rural residents. Many people in Geauga, Medina, Lorain counties, etc. have lived there since it was quaint farm communities, and they chose to live there for that very reason. The exurban cul-de-sacs you mentioned, as well as the office parks and big box retail that follows them, not only rob the inner portions of the community of jobs, residents and tax revenue, but also rob rural residents of the large lot sizes, simpler way of life and natural beauty that led them to a location choice. As a result, these people either have to endure increased traffic congestion, adjacent properties, increased highway presence, etc. or have to move into less dense communties even further removed from the urban center. This type of development not only robs these rural residents of their chosen amenities but also robs the region of greenspace. de Toqueville once described Cleveland as the "Forest City". Increasingly, it's hard to recognize why ... as we've chosen to cut down old-growth trees in favor of surplus houses. 2. Exurban communities hurt existing suburbs. While you explain that suburban residents have a right to their chosen set of amenities, exurban development actually draws scarce resources away from existing suburbs, leading to poorer public services, including poorer schools, poorer library systems, poorer access to healthcare, etc. In the absence of new residents or higher rates of taxation, the pot of money stays the same but is being invested in an ever-increasing geographic area. Thus, Lakewood, Cleveland Heights, Shaker Heights and Parma are all experiencing problems that were typically thought of as being exclusive to urban Cleveland - problems like poverty, increasing vacancy and abandonment, difficulty funding their school systems at the level they would prefer, etc. On the southeast side, we're investing those limited dollars into exploding communities like Solon at the same time that nearby Maple Heights, previously the stable type of suburb you describe, is facing the highest foreclosure rate in the region ... yes, higher than the rate in Cleveland proper, etc. Lately, I've also heard grumblings that many Bay Village residents are skipping over the border to Avon in anticipation that they'll be able to access similar neighborhood amenities but a lower tax rate. Those who stay in Bay Village will be rewarded with lower property values, fewer employers, fewer retail options, less tax revenue to support public schools and park systems, etc. Left unchecked, this pattern of investing further and further out will have an incredibly dire effect on suburbs nearer the city. From my vantage point, you have to stem sprawl, but I'm not sure that the methods being used by NOACA are the best way to accomplish that. It seems that it's creating a great deal of bad will and self-interested stubborness on both sides; moreover, tax sharing systems help recover some lost revenue but don't stop the sprawl. If we as a community want to support a vibrant system of suburban living options, the smartest investment would be to invest substantial money into the region's land conservancy to create a dedicated system of greenspace around Cuyahoga County that could not be developed upon and then spend infrastructure dollars on making the urban and suburban communities of Cuyahoga County the very best they can be; I would be more favorable to dedicating a substantial portion of tax revenue (say 50%) from businesses that locate within one mile of new highway exits to conservation of land in the county in which the infrastructure development would occur, rather than putting it back in the general funds of communities through tax sharing. Over time, this would result in substantial greenway barriers to sprawl.

Can anyone explain to me why a series of 10 - 20 story buildings doesn't factor into the description of a skyline? I understand that tall buildings are certainly visible elements of a skyline, but I would argue that the relatively short Rock Hall receives far more media visibility than does the Key Tower. If these were a series of 2-3 story townhomes, I would understand why they might get lost in our skyline, but 10-20 story buildings filling in some of the skyline gaps seem to me like they would create a denser skyline, and if anything, make our tallest skyscrapers look even taller by providing more scale.

Oh, Lisa Rab, you silly goose ... Hmmmm ... already your tenor of disbelief has qualified you as a strong hometown ambassador for Cleveland. I can't wait to see how you're going to advise him. If only he could have been fortunate enough to bump into civic boosters Dick Feagler and Regina Brett, too ... alas, they were probably jetting down the freeway toward suburban bliss. How enthralling for your 48-hour guests ... you've managed to locate 4 whole activities for them (6 if you count our "unimpressive" downtown and the West Side Market) over a two-day period. It's non-stop action when people take the Rab Tour. Interestingly, people sometimes visit the West Side Market even when they're not ravenous. Oh, and as a note, Lisa. See those buildings running down W. 25th and Fulton and Bridge, etc.? Those establishments are businesses ... in close proximity to the Ohio City rapid station ... and strangely enough, some of them sell items other than food. Hmm ... well, by my count, there are 44 rapid stops (which will relatively soon be supplemented with a nice collection of BRT stops, as well). Now, I wouldn't throw tourists down just anywhere in that mix, but the EcoVillage station seems worthwhile ... if he's already got his backpack on, a stroll through the Eco Village, Gordon Square, Battery Park and across to Edgewater would be a nice jaunt. But if you don't want him to actually walk around (even though he indicated he'd like to), what about Shaker Square?! Train accessible and perfectly walkable; also one of Cleveland's most aesthetically pleasing neighborhoods. Not to mention that he could, as others have mentioned, hop a bus to Tremont ... or Asiatown ... or Edgewater ... in about the same amount of time as most train trips. No, Tremont is a place where people do live. North Royalton is a place that passes for a place where people actually live. ... or a city where he could interact with someone who wasn't dripping with the snide, self-congratulatory defeatism of a PD writer. Poor guy. But kudos on giving him a taste of something unique to Cleveland ... exposure to a pathos that nothing is ever good enough, even when the American Public Transportation Association says otherwise. Keep up the good work, and keep spreading the love.

Portland is another example of a skyline that I didn't find overwhelming amazing but who's density of mid-level buildings and progressive transit system makes it an exciting place to be.

I guess I don't understand why several shorter but still tall buildings (10 to 20 stories tall) don't factor into the skyline conversation. To me, a dense skyline is preferable to a tall but sparse one. Columbus, for instance, has some relatively tall buildings in its downtown but the lack of density around them defeats any aesthetic achievements, in my opinion. That being said, I think it's crazy to think that skyline aesthetics should be the major factor in which project one chooses to support. First and foremost, we should be asking about whether each project will generate opportunities for businesses to stay in the CBD, attract new businesses into the area, generate new jobs, increase downtown foot traffic and incidental purchases, extend retail opportunities, bring in new residences ... in short, make the neighborhood more livable and indicative of an exciting urban environment.

It's a good time to be RTA, for sure! Out of curiosity, how are artists selected for public art installations as a component of RTA's percent for art program? How are calls for artists publicized to the artistic community? What are the credentials of the individuals reviewing artists' submissions for designs (for the murals at the W. 117th St. station, for instance)? Are artists engaged in the initial planning process (making sure that the aesthetics and functions of art projects match the aesthetics and functions of a transit improvement from its inception? Is there a body at RTA that oversees expenditures on public art to ensure a) a transparent selection process for the selection of artists and b) that set-aside funding for public art is fully expended? I have a feeling that the Arts in Transit Committee played a large role in these activities at one point, but for some reason, I feel like that group has been less highly visible over the last couple of years and the public calls for artists have been less frequent, despite what seems to be increasing investment in public art by RTA.