8ShadesofGray

Thanks presOhio. That was really helpful. Can you explain what constitutes an "eligible" building? Why are Cuyahoga properties in a better position for the credit (state or national) than Hamilton counterparts? Thanks.

Nah, my friend was Jackie, and I was Marilyn, wearing the "white dress" ... fake eyelashes and all. Yeah, drag's overrated ... I won't be doing it any time soon ... although I'm sure I'll have some fun Halloween picture to show ... you know how OUR people are. I'm already planning my costume. Purple rain, anyone?

Holy sh*t, MayDay, that's pretty scary ... although I will curb my reaction so I don't have any forumers posting pics of me and my friend dressed as Marilyn and Jackie O. last Halloween.

^ There are a number of organizations working to preserve historic stock in the Cleveland market (residential, commercial and industrial). Check out the Cleveland Restoration Society (www.clevelandrestoration.org), which offers a variety of programs to educate individuals and organizations about preservation and to build their capacity to renovate buildings. The organization also centralizes information about easements and tax credits and provides low-interest loans in Cuyahoga and Summit County for restoration projects. There is also a cross-neighborhood community development corporation that works to preserve historic districts. Their staff members serve both the Historic Gateway District and the Historic Warehouse District, and I believe they are looking to expand their services to the warehouses along Superior between E. 18th and E. 30th. Many CDCs and private developers are in fact investing in rehab projects (search this site for info about Walker Weeks, Payne Avenue Lofts, Tower Press, Hyacinth Lofts, Gordon Square Lofts, the Park Building and Gospel Press for examples), but the lack of a state historic tax credit until recently, as well as escalating costs surrounding rehab projects, has led many organizations to shift their focus toward new construction. CDCs have also begun considering renovation of historically significant neighborhood amenities as anchors for larger redevelopment plans (Detroit-Shoreway, Buckeye and Westown are all planning to renovate historic theatres in their neighborhoods, and Buckeye is using the St. Luke's hospital campus as the anchor for a large in-fill housing development). Unfortunately, due to the fact that the area that was built to support a population roughly twice as big as it now, is home to one of the highest foreclosure/property abandonment rates in the country and has a decades-old culture of migrating into the exurbs and building new, it is all to easy to let historic buildings go the way of the wrecking ball (sometimes even to be replaced by new construction). Cleveland leaders have been very active in articulating the foreclosure crisis on a national level - Tubbs Jones, Kucinich and Brown have all weighed in on the national debate about housing policy and have recommended curbing predatory lending through national legislation (Brown compared Cleveland to the "canary in the mine" ... indicating that Cleveland's current abandonment problems would soon be popping in cities across the country), and county treasurer Jim Rokakis has been one of the country's most prominent speakers about the foreclosure crisis. Many local leaders are involved in Rebuild Ohio, a statewide initiative to curb abandonment through a statewide public policy process, and organizations like the East Side Organizing Project are trying to increase visibility of the issue within the local community. Meanwhile, the city of Cleveland does consider historic preservation in its planning efforts and offers a 12-year tax abatement against improvements from renovations of existing buildings (compared to a 15-year abatement for new construction). I believe (correct me if I'm wrong, guys) the rehab abatement only applies to the improvements on the property and taxpayers are billed for the assessment of the existing value of both the land and the building, while taxpayers in new construction pay only taxes on the land ... not quite as big an incentive as the new construction abatement. Meanwhile, I've heard that getting a rehab abatement is pretty cumbersome (thought I haven't had any experience applying for one myself), and I have yet to have anyone offer me an example of a project where they were used. The city will also be investing quite a substantial amount of money in bulldozing houses that are considered unsalvageable, which in my opinion is necessary but which will of course result in the destruction of some of the properties you were describing. The state offers some additional low-interest programs for home repairs (as do several banks and Cleveland Action to Support Housing, Inc.), but the state also has some departments (read: ODOT) that tend to discount the importance of historic structures (read: the many buildings they plan to tear down as part of the Trench realignment). So there really is a lot of effort locally to preserve properties that are falling into disrepair, but I don't think we're as far as long as other communities in creating a master plan for preservation efforts citywide. When things are demolished, it's usually done pretty quietly with little opportunity for public discussion (or with discussion being offered but public leaders failing to acknowledge it or addressing citizen concerns). I think there's a lot of promise around these efforts, I think Cleveland's not doing as poorly as it could be by any means, but I do expect to see a lot of these buildings continue to come down (look for this issue to heat up even more as the Cleveland Municipal School District shutters additional schools and the Catholic Diocese unloads a number of area churches).

8Shades, being the novice that he is at the building trades, asks a dumb question: what is permeable concrete, and why are we displaying it?

3231, who's coordinating the installation of the kryptonite balls? is it parkworks and cleveland public art? just wondering if this is definitely a go or not ... don't remember seeing a call for artists for this project. and is this another temporary exhibit or a permanent display? i love all the temporaries we've gotten the last few years (illumination of the rotunda, the giant spiders and the wind-blown vases), but I'd love to see some permanent art going in.

Sorry if I gave that impression. I totally agree ... best bets probably are Tremont or the OC (downtown exits, even south of downtown can cause headaches, too, particularly if you're commuting into downtown opposite a sporting event). These would definitely be the first I'd look at, Dutch, but if nothing resonates with you, just know that there are additional options out there, albeit with the price of spending more time in the car everyday. There are also a number of neighborhoods on the southwest side of town that would cut your commute even further, but while they are in the city proper, they might not give you the access to a cosmopolitan feel ... still plenty of proximity to bars (mostly of the speakeasy/pub/neighborhood watering holes) but not so much of a club scene. Still, might be worth checking out, depending on what kind of atmosphere you're looking for.

^ Point well taken, MayDay ... I actually thought twice when mentioning my perennial province of Asiatown, but it didn't seem like the extra 3 mins. would kill anyone already thinking about downtown. :wink: And I agree that Shaker Square would be well off the beaten path (sorry MTS). But my point above was that we really need more information from Dutch before making specific recommendations. He has already expressed that commute time is not his top priority. So if he were to specifically describe amenities inherent to Shaker Square, then it might be worth his while to check them out, as long as he was operating with the full understanding that it would lengthen his drive time. I do think OC, Tremont and downtown are probably spatially the best options but with the detail we have, I think we should probably be casting a wider net to make sure he lands in a neighborhood that is tailored to his preferences.

The press release from Zaremba regarding the streetscape improvements. CLEVELAND – July 27, 2007 – The City of Cleveland has approved plans for the $7 million East 12th streetscape project to enhance The Avenue District, a $250 million walkable neighborhood under construction in downtown Cleveland. The streetscape, designed by Paul Volpe of City Architecture, will be completed in two phases, with construction on the first phase from Lakeside Avenue to St. Clair Avenue scheduled to start in November 2007 ... ... More at http://www.theavenuedistrict.com/newlayout/articles/east-12.asp

I was just in Troy this past weekend ... well, more accurately driving through it on a trip to see the family up in Shelby Twp. (24 Mile Road, represent!). Royal Oak is great, but I think you'll enjoy Stonebridge. There's a great deal of momentum occuring throughout downtown at the moment and definitely on the West Bank of the Flats. Best of luck and let us know if we can be of any assistance!

Welcome, Dutch. You are our new best friend ... we love it when people prioritize real urban living over short commute times :-) As for an ideal location, I think you would need to provide a little more information about what amenities you would value most ... what would your ideal neighborhood be like? Cleveland is a city of tiny, happening and very distinct districts, so the living experience of Detroit Shoreway, downtown and Little Italy would be very different, despite the fact that all three neighborhoods would have an urban feel and access to bars, etc. I know commute length is not as much a factor for you, but I would imagine your best bets would still probably be neighborhood on the West Side or in central Cleveland ... namely, Edgewater, Detroit Shoreway, Old Brooklyn, Ohio City, Tremont, downtown or possibly Asiatown (from west to east). You can get more information about individual neighborhoods by visiting this interactive map: http://livingincleveland.nhlink.net/neighborhoodtours.htm (the website is currently being redeveloped, so sorry for the shoddy design ... the neighborhood pictures in the "neighborhood tour" section aren't the best and don't always do the neighborhoods justice; you might want to check out the corresponding brochures for each neighborhood). Keep in mind that the seven neighborhoods I mentioned are just a sampling of Cleveland's several dozen. Other popular neighborhoods among members on the board include Shaker Square, Little Italy and University Circle (these are all on the east side, however, and will lead to added drive time to Wellington), and there are many, many more. Give us a little more detail and we can narrow it down for you.

I think one of the Leadership Cleveland classes was taking up that charge, but I think the effort quickly fizzled. Or maybe it's just dormant.

I would say so! By my count, out of 68 total apps to date, there's 32 from Cleveland, with the city proper accounting for 47.1% of all applications ... or almost the same number is from all other communities in the state combined. This is followed by Cincinnati (6 apps, 8.8%), Dayton (5, 7.4%) Akron (4, 5.9%) and Hamilton and Youngstown (3 each, 4.4%). Anyone have any thoughts on why there has been such a disparity in which communities apply for these credits? For instance, I know they're very different cities, but I was really surprised to see Columbus with only one application. So what's the reason? Different supply levels of historic buildings? Different sets of community priorities regarding preservation? Different levels of market demand for office and residential historic rehabs? Lack of awareness that the credits are available? Cleveland's strong CDC community? I don't get it ... I (and I think a lot of people in Cleveland) thought the credits would be exhausted in a day or two, which they would have been if each of the 3 Cs had brought in 25 - 30 apps. But only one did :?

Justine, I would also check out the Center for Community Solutions. Cleveland Neighborhood Development Coalition also puts out a monthly newsletter that includes job openings at the community development coalitions. You might also call St-Clair Superior Development Corporation ... very cool CDC on the near east side of town, lots of interesting activity and I know they've recently had a few people transitioning to other organizations. As far as supports for a local artist, check out www.cpacbiz.org, which has a lot of helpful links, as well as an online community where you can sign up for e-mail updates about grant opportunities, calls for artists, professional development opportunities, etc. Best of luck with the move if ya move!

Great piece. Meanwhile, I stopped by the CVB's new Visitors Center the other day, and I love it. Nice centralized place for Cleveland brochures, computer stations for looking up additional info on attractions and my favorite ... a large wall with several tongue-in-cheek write-ups about Cleveland's negatives ... the burning river, the winter and the "full Cleveland" look. Each takes the negative and spins it into a positive (spawning a national environmental movement, a local attention to a green economy and a great beer; four-season weather cycle; and a place where people can be who they want to be and wear what they want to wear). Very nice, I must say.

I'm still confused ... KJP, in the article, you corrected by saying that MRN had aacquired controling interests in more than 20 properties. I can't figure out how that map shows 20 parcels ... am I looking at it wrong? Regardless, exciting news, but it does look like he has some more property to acquire ... I hope he'll be taking Market Plaza as well, as that's a pretty ugly gateway into the neighborhood, which is a shame given that it's sandwiched between the RTA station and WSM. Can someone remind me of the status of HOPE VI? Did HUD ever approve the plans? And wasn't the plan scattered site housing throughout the lower part of the neighborhood, with some in proximity to the RTA station? Out of curiosity, how close would the HOPE VI project be to the parcels that MRN picked up?

^ I would also imagine it will be harder to "cheat" signatures in the typical signature-collecting mecca that is Public Square, what with the area being in the shadow of Forest City, GCP, COSE, the CVB ... remember, God is watching :wink:

I actually fear that it will do the opposite ... as the article mentions, one of the primary arguments offered by opponents to "sanctity of marriage" legislation in other states is that it such broad laws have unintended policy consequences (e.g. not being able to enforce domestic violence protections for unmarried couples). If anything, it seems this ruling more narrowly tailors application of the law to preventing gay individuals from marrying, which makes it more in line with the original intent of Issue 1 but also makes it more likely that such legislation will pass in other states. It's easier to pass a bigotry-laced ballot issue the smaller the group you are legislating bigotry against.

^Great find, Guv. I am in complete agreement; it would be great to see more stories of this nature that get to some of the grassroots efforts that are making this a far better city that but are often under the radar. If I knew that there would be this kind of story featured prominently in the PD on a regular basis, I'd even get a subscription ... and I never thought I'd say THAT!

I would also mention that the way these signatures are gathered are not always clear. I think many of us have been approached for multiple petitions on Public Square, and the language is often pretty "squishy" ... half the time I would have to say, "So this is in opposition to Issue X?" before I would get a straight answer. And with a "Should commissioners be able to levy a tax without taking it to the people?" angle, I could see signatures accrue fairly quickly. My question is whether or not there are any angles for a counter issue on the ballot and whether this would help or detract from the Medical Mart effort. Just as voters were given a choice between two different versions of the smoking ban that created a larger context for what the voters could decide, maybe there would be a way to frame the sales tax provision in a different light that could trump an opposition issue (much like Issue 4 would have trumped Issue 5), in the event that enough opposition signatures were secured. They wouldn't have to turn over the petitions for an alternate ballot issue until they had a sense of whether an opposition one was likely, and it seems like they have more than enough capacity to collect 45,000 pro-Medical Mart signatures.

Welcome to Cleveland, tina. A LOT of my family are from the metro Detroit area (24 Mile Rd., represent), and I think you'll find a lot of good things about Detroit are also present in Cleveland, although the two are obviously distinctly different cities. And I think your positioning at University Circle will allow you to see some major transformations in the next few years. Congrats! Regarding our law sector, it is pretty strong. As an example, I believe Jones Day (an international firm founded and headquartered in Cleveland) now handles a larger amount of litigation work than any other firm in the world (in terms of volume; I was told they rank about 5th or 6th globally in terms of transaction dollars). And that's just one of many prominent firms locally. At any rate, best of luck to you! Hope you fall in love with the Cleve! Let us all know if you guys need a tour or help getting your bearings. Pretty, pretty please can we have an arts and culture category? With an estimated $200 million being distributed to the sector over the next 10 years, including a sizable chunk in general operating support by the close of 2007, I anticipate that we'll start seeing an in-migration of arts administrators and artists before too long.

I don't know if they have anything online, but the Science Center does have tracking information like this in their exhibit displays.

Hmmm ... atmosphere, prices, beer, quality of people ... That could be a lot of places. I swear by Prosperity Social Club. In general, Tremont is a good neighborhood for a pub crawl ... lots of unpretentious, reasonably priced bars that still maintain positive and distinctive atmospheres.

An article in the PD says that people may be moving into the first townhomes along Rockwell by October. That seems ambitious, but they do seem to be flying up.

In response to the Easton photo thread. This made me laugh a couple times over.