8ShadesofGray

You just don't see the word "vagabonds" enough these days.

I think you're talking about this one ... my dream building. Anyone have $820,000 they wanna loan me (actually, I could probably pull together $1,000, so I'll just need the remaining $819,000).

^ That seems like a really bizarre location for a nightclub ...

I said vaguely!

I have no clue on schools and churches (although if you find anything, please post it ... I'd be interested in that), but for industrial buildings, you might try Midtown Cleveland (http://www.midtowncleveland.org/discover.asp) or Team NEO (http://www.neogis.org/). You might also call the Catholic Diocese to see if they have a list of vacant properties ... 800.869.6525. You might also try Retail Spaces Cleveland (www.retailspacescleveland.com), although I don't remember any unusual properties on that website. Does anyone know the status of Cleveland's land bank search engine (http://cd.city.cleveland.oh.us/scripts/db_details.php?db=landbank)? It's been down since before Jackson was elected. If that ever gets up and running, you might be able to search for special properties there.

^ Yep. I'm pretty sure it opens at 11:30 every day except maybe either Saturday or Sunday (one of those days, it only opens up for dinner. But it's also open fairly late, in the 11:30 p.m. range.

No. Another downside. No online menu yet - not even a separate telephone # ... I was told to call Snickers for carry-out orders. I don't remember the full menu, but a couple of items included Crazy Mac (Snickers' traditional m & c, with optional mandarin chicken add-in), Alpine Mac (Gruyere, bacon and chives), Irish Mac (corned beef, swiss cheese, in a swiss cheese sauce), some kind of Lobster Mac and South Beach Mac (I don't remember everything in it, but I know it included low-fat Feta). Everything ranged between $9 and $16 (with the lobster mac at the high end) and included a breadstick and a modest salad.

Really enjoyed Cheddars, although even I, the Mac & Cheese king, was a little shocked to see 15 different types of M & C in one place. They also had a small selection of burgers. Totally cute place, undeniably gay-friendly. It was all still a little rough around the edges, but I think that'll improve after they get settled in. And for those of you who worried about seating ... they managed to cram 28 seats in that lil' place. As a side note, the Detroit/W. 50s through 60s really seems to be popping lately. I've never seen it completely dead in the last 5 years, but the daytime pedestrian traffic really seems to be stepped up lately (particularly given the FRIGID weather).

He looks vaguely like Cleveland Planning Director Bob Brown.

Well, if I have to cut down on that for the sake of bringing the induction to town, so be it. Will someone check with the Rock Hall Foundation before I make the sacrifice, though?

I'm not dealing with anyone ... I don't work for the Film Society; CFS posted the mention on their website.

I understand all the comments about the Rock Hall inductions being different than a Super Bowl, etc., and that Cleveland might lack some amenities that make it pre-marketable when it comes to large events. But we have something that NYC, LA, Chicago, San Fran, etc. lack ... the freakin' Rock Hall!!! Is Cleveland not a palatable location for inductees? Perhaps not. Still, to the best of my knowledge, no power brokers locally have made a play to even get the event. If we honestly want this event here, I think we might want to make a pitch to the RRHof Foundation, the New York-based funding arm that keeps the event in New York, instead of speculating on whatever we THINK might keep the event outside of time. I for one have never heard the rationale for keeping it in New York (at least not from the decision makers themselves). Perhaps it's our lack of downtown amenities. Perhaps it's the lack of local funding tied to the event. Or perhaps it's other reasons altogether.

Doesn't strike me as cool, really. Given the plethora of parking lots and vacant lots in close proximity to that parcel (including a number that front Chester), it seems immensely wasteful to knock down a building to put up townhomes.

They started marketing the film festival in other cities last year (as a component of an ACE grant they received from the county), I think primarily in Pittsburgh and Columbus. This likely contributed at least partially to their record-level attendance last year. They are working to incrementally increase their marketing presence each year. Last May, they made Time Magazine's list of excellent regional festivals in the article "Couldn't Make Cannes? Try Cleveland" ... here's how it was described: CLEVELAND INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL Presented by the Cleveland Film Society each March, this Ohio cinefest is renowned for its diversity and inclusiveness. Specializing in foreign films and shorts, the lineup this year includes family features, independents, documentaries and gay and lesbian movies.

^^ Understand your point Pope, but at least one positive sign is that the major local foundations have signaled that a) they will maintain their current level of support to arts and culture organizations and b) a much larger proportion of the funds they distribute will be aimed at strengthening the organizations' abilities to strategically advance their operations. Given the dire economic situation many of these organizations have faced in the last several years, the foundations have been able to do little more than provide the organizations life support. Hopefully, now they will be able to help the organizations shore up their finances, invest in infrastructure, develop new audiences, collaborate to cut overhead expenses, etc.

I typically purchase, by the pack, at the BP on Superior Avenue. I very rarely buy in bulk, as I've noticed that I smoke a lot more often when I have a lot more cigarettes on hand. The only time I would ever consider buying cigarettes outside of the county would be when traveling (although cigarettes are still more expensive in many areas than they will be here) and when I go to a doctor's appointment in Lake County. I imagine this will have the greatest impact on people who live on the county edge. For me, the cigarette tax will have a much smaller impact on my consumption and purchase habits than the smoking ban has.

House cuts jeopardize new Cleveland jobs Thursday, February 01, 2007 Sabrina Eaton Plain Dealer Bureau Washington - The House of Representatives on Wednesday approved a spending bill that cuts $3 billion from a Pentagon base realignment program that was to bring hundreds of new jobs to Cleveland. Republicans said they feared the cut will jeopardize or delay the transfer of jobs to Cleveland from Defense Department payroll centers that were shuttered by the Base Realignment and Closure Commission. Democrats who control Congress pledged the money will be restored ... ... More at http://www.cleveland.com/open/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/news/1170324439208500.xml&coll=2

Help for everyone Thursday, February 01, 2007 Cleveland students who don't go to one of the new "options schools" would still gain under these changes recommended by CEO Eugene Sanders. He wants the changes to happen as soon as possible. Traditional high schools, grades nine-12 Required internships or community service. A mentor or tutor for every student ... ... More at http://www.cleveland.com/clevelandschools/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/1170324844208500.xml&coll=2

Definitely some interesting ideas in there. It will be interesting to see the nitty-gritties about finances, maintaining curricula across schools, etc. Still, nice to see someone advocating testing new ideas.

^^^^

This just in at the PD: "The sky is falling! The sky is falling!" Retailers fret, fume, as cigarette tax hits today Leila Atassi (Cleveland) Plain Dealer February 1, 2007 For smoke shop owners and cigarette retailers across Cuyahoga County, this is the day of reckoning. Issue 18, which increased taxes on cigarettes by 30 cents a pack countywide, goes into effect today. That meant that more than 1,600 cigarette vendors spent Wednesday night taking inventory and fretting that the price increase could devastate their businesses ... ... More at http://www.cleveland.com/plaindealer/stories/index.ssf?/base/isope/117033476494910.xml&coll=2

Loves it. The service was appropriately grumpy but in a friendly, almost tongue-in-cheek manner. The inside is a little unfinished (as is the outside), but the decor is pretty nice. Not a big fan of tomato soups, but their tomato bisque is one of the best things I've ever eaten. And to top it all off, it appears that they'll be open until 4 a.m. on Friday and Saturday evenings ... it will be soooo nice to stumble across the parking lot from Lava Lounge and get some late-night jambalaya.

^^ I totally agree that the abatements should be equal; if anything, I think the city should reward purchasers who are drawing from our existing stock. I would also be more comfortable with a smaller abatement if a portion of the taxes generated from new residents would go into a dedicated fund to promote living in Cleveland, i.e. conducting research that would identify the characteristics of those most inclined to buy in Cleveland (conducting the research both in and outside the region), bundling amenities and services that the survey respondents wanted, coordinating targeted marketing toward those groups the survey identifies as best prospects, investing more money in overall marketing of the city as a place to live and work and organizing ongoing tours of housing options within the city, particularly for employees whose companies relocate here. These efforts would help offset loss in demand, buyers would be used to paying taxes earlier in the process (and therefore less likely to sell after 15 years from "sticker shock") and might be more palatable to developers than transferring all of the money into the city's general fund.

I think there is definitely a market for this ... I can think of two people right off the top of my head that would be active buyers at such a center (one who is rehabbing their house and another that has rehabbed a number of adjacent buildings on the Near East Side), and a number of other people would be occasional patrons, including possibly myself. I also believe there would be a small but solid market of homebuyers who would prefer to work with developers that have reused materials. Keep us posted!

Snickers has the BEST mac and cheese (and this is coming from a kid that eats a LOT of mac and cheese). I think I'm going to have to rent a table in perpetuity.