willyboy

Ohio's sharpest corner (and my hometown)

I think they just got their facts wrong since they don't mention Ernst and Young, who has committed.

Yes 3231 I was going to mention that I remembered reading somewhere that he did supposedly lose a bunch of weight. Here is the link from a May article... It is Nutrisystems. http://www.cleveland.com/living/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/living-1/1210926696191250.xml&coll=2

They are advertising units on the Progressive Urban Website: http://www.progressiveurban.com/homepage_hires.htm I would guess that they are in the process of trying to line up enough pre-sales in order to procede. So who knows when/if they will break ground.

Not quite... Bush initiated far greater restrictions on Cuba then had been in place... Thus the creative editing to additionally justify it to everyone else. It all in the Presidents report on Cuba on the State Department website (our blueprints for taking over when Castro dies or there is an uprising)

Yes Boreal Cuba does have a good model. I did quite a bit of looking into this when I worked for the U.S. Govt (state dept . Cuba program) and wrote some about these programs for some government reports. Of course they were edited out because our administration is only concerned about writting propaganda when it comes to Cuba.

I still dont understand if the Tower City estimate includes the $40 million the county would have to pay for the site (I dont believe it does)? If not, why?

The majority of the trees on the north side seem to have issues..

Ok well maybe at least a well writen op-ed piece?

BTW, did anybody go to Bar Cento to corner Peter Lawson Jones about these issues? (July 31, they had a happy hour with him, giving the opportunity "share what's on your mind" )

Exactly. Thats what bothers me most is the idea of the wholesale abondonment that would happen, in regard to the current space and buildings associated with it as well as the missed (golden) opportunity of adding to this and the surrounding area (adding to the magnificent assets that are currently there) and giving everything a renewed sense of life and purpose. That alone you cant put a price tag on! Its like the county (and city) has failed to embrace these things. Ditto on the production studio.

If I remember right you hinted about something going in the Urban College plaza, but I believe I remember you posting renderings of the wind spire in different locations. (btw what happened with that?)

Thanks for that MurrayHill, I havent heard much about them since they went in. Has anybody been?

I think he was refering to this (post 1196).. "The Garage Bar owners will be opening a sushi restaurant/martini bar next door in the former City Buddha space."

I agree clvlndr.

Yes.... Almost as if they had to borrow "nice things to say" from other publications.

"Mickey will be the chef and the missionary in the marketplace". That was the type of talk that had me a little concerned. I had visions of the Church of Scientology here in D.C. with its members out on the sidewalks trying to coax passerbyers inside. While I don't necessarily have a problem with this "church in the city" and think that they seem to do some admirable things as well as help to promote and make downtown a livable place, I don't see peoples concerns as being "typically Cleveland negative". I understand the concern of "best use of a space" etc.. as has been the argument for the May Co. building (Cadillac Ranch), since it is such a high profile, visible space (and I would guess pricey) and I'm guessing most of us would have envisioned something other than this. I think this is nothing more than the urban planner in us. Ultimately if this happens, and it is nothing more than a coffee house with good food and a nice atmosphere, then I think it could be a good thing, although I think it could certainly turn many people off if they use it as a source to recruit for this church though. If thats the case, it ultimately could fail (or not, just wouldnt feel welcoming to everybody), and something else would go in. I don't really see it as the same as the Trinity commons coffeeshop in that I always got the sense that Trinity Commons coffee shop leases the space, which has the benefit of being part of the architecturally beautiful Trinity Cathedral, where this is a church leasing space for a church related venture.

Rockport drops condos from plans Thursday, July 31, 2008 By Julie Kreuz [email protected] Lakewood Sun Post Rockport Square recently made changes to its third phase plans to allow flexibility for the market. "What we found is that the condominium multi-family unit has proven to be much more difficult, especially in this market condition, to sell," said Bill Sanderson, project manager of Rockport and vice president of joint ventures Forest City Land Group. Previous plans for the third phase of Rockport Square included living spaces above offices and a parking area on the north side of Detroit Avenue between Beach and Fry avenues. A footprint for the third phase, which includes a stand-alone office space, parking deck space and restaurant building, was approved at the planning commission meeting July 1. The approval includes the placement of the buildings, but the building structures may change, said Nathan Kelly, director of planning and development. Current plans for the third phase include the possibility of up to a three-story office space and three-story parking deck. The market will dictate how the buildings are shaped, said Sanderson. "If somebody came in, if we all of a sudden have accelerated success with the multi-family unit we could theoretically change that plan. We're making progress but not that kind of progress to say, gee, we're going to go back and change that plan (to include residential space).'" The office space and parking deck will have 20,000 square feet on the first floor, but plans include the possibility of adding two additional floors, which would make the buildings 60,000 square feet, said Sanderson. "The parking garage is 160 spaces but that's not completely fleshed out. That is assuming an office use, opposed to a medical use. If it was medical it may call for up to a three-story deck and three-story building. One kind of drives the other," he said. "Several people expressed an interest in roughly 20,000 square feet, which would be a floor on the building," he said. "We are obviously looking for potential clients who want to own the building and would take at least the 20,000 square feet. Certainly more is available." Plans for an Applebees restaurant included in the footprint, were approved at the Architectural Board of Review meeting July 14.

Ugh, just an expansion of CVS nothing more (except this... "The plans submitted also included a possible gateway feature, such as a "Lakewood" sign"). Oh and OompaLoompa, its looks like your bank will just be moving across Clifton. Bank may have a new home just across Clifton Boulevard Thursday, July 31, 2008 By Julie Kreuz [email protected] Sun Post Huntington Bank, with its neighbors, may be moving across the street from its Clifton Boulevard location. Since CVS/Pharmacy, at 11706 Clifton Blvd., purchased the building directly west of its facility on Clifton Boulevard to raze it and expand its facility to include services such as a MinuteClinic, the tenants have been searching for new spaces to occupy. "We are actively relocating the tenants," said Nathan Kelly, director of planning and development. Tenants may move to the facility across the street from the former building to 11801 Clifton Blvd., he said. "We are very excited to stay a part of the community," said Rob Soroka, senior vice president of Huntington Bank. Soroka said the new bank location could open as soon as the beginning of December. "We'll be putting about $600,000 in improvements into the building. We'll be updating the furniture, adding new power lines, new everything. We'll be gutting it and redoing everything," he said. The new location will be slightly smaller. The bank will be moving from its former space of about 2,300 square feet to 1,950 square feet in the new facility, said Soroka. The new location will include a single car drive-through window, he said. It will be the second drive-through window the bank will provide in Lakewood, including one at the Huntington Bank at 15111 Detroit Ave., which was placed at the location in 2007, he said. Construction of the CVS expansion will not take place until the spring of 2009, with a goal to be done by summer 2009, said Sean McDermott, architect with Zaremba Group representing CVS. The expansion will extend the CVS building by about 5,000 square feet and include two drive-through windows for the clinic and pharmacy and additional parking spaces. The plans submitted also included a possible gateway feature, such as a "Lakewood" sign.

Um, OK. Im not sure what to say........

Efforts are afoot to add another hotel to the mix somewhere in the Circle. Stay tuned.. That didnt take long. In this weeks Crains: New Univ. Circle hotel in works UH, advocacy group seek project proposal, aiming to boost area's 'destination' concept By STAN BULLARD 4:30 am, July 28, 2008 University Hospitals and the University Circle Inc. nonprofit advocacy and development group are taking steps to fill another gap they believe exists in the busy museum, health care and educational district's offerings: a need for more hotel rooms. UH and University Circle Inc. today, July 28, plan to begin seeking proposals from hotel developers for a new hotel at the southeast corner of Euclid Avenue and Cornell Road, on a 1.3-acre site they control jointly. The deadline for developers to file a letter of interest in the project is Aug. 28; complete proposals, including a commitment from a hotel brand or franchise, are due Oct. 16. The two institutions hope to select a developer in November, said Chris Ronayne, University Circle Inc. president. “We're following a destination strategy for University Circle,” Mr. Ronayne said. “We want you to be able to find yourself doing something any weekend at University Circle. If we're legitimately going to see University Circle expand its number of out-of-town visitors, we have to have a place to put them.” Steven Standley, UH senior vice president of system services, said UH believes families of many of its patients who come from outside the area for long-term stays would benefit from having a nearby hotel. He added that the hotel also would benefit the overall development of the neighborhood. Debbie Berry, University Circle Inc. vice president of planning and development, said the request for proposals calls for a hotel of 160 to 200 rooms. It also calls for a hotel that will meet green design standards known as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), or explain why they cannot be met. Mrs. Berry said plans also must provide for a parking garage to serve the hotel and replace the 118 parking spaces that would be lost when the hotel is built. Part of the hotel site incorporates a parking lot behind University Circle's University East retail and apartment building. The remainder of the site consists of two temporary University Hospitals buildings next to the parking lot. Mr. Standley said the hospital would move services in the buildings it owns elsewhere if the effort yields an acceptable plan. The proposed hotel is not the only one afoot at University Circle. Ari Maron, a partner at MRN Ltd. of Cleveland, said the developer plans to install a hotel in the 11- story Tudor Arms building, better known as the former home of the Cleveland Job Corps Center, which MRN purchased in 2007. Mr. Maron said the family-owned development concern is deciding what type of hotel to put into the property, but is negotiating for financing and hopes to begin restoring the 1931-vintage building to its original use as a hotel by this fall and reopen it in 2011. The structure building can accommodate 157 units, he said. Outside experts voice divergent opinions about whether University Circle can accommodate more hotels. Vern Fuller, president of the Cleveland-based Marathon Associates hotel development and management company, said he believes University Circle can accommodate two hotels, particularly if MRN incorporates a budget flag at Tudor Arms like the Holiday Inn Express it operates downtown because existing hotels serve the higher-priced market. However, Michael Sturges, a real estate consultant who operates Sturges Advisors of Rocky River, disagrees. Mr. Sturges said he believes there is a market for one new hotel at University Circle, but not two. PRINTED FROM: http://www.crainscleveland.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080728/SUB1/812533238/1071/TOC&Profile=1071&template=printart

I loved the Bourgeois spiders. I wish they had been permanent!

Why does this not surprise me rockandroller :-D

:roll: This is all like deja-vue from Monday's posts.

There hasnt been a ton of info on this, but from what I understand, there are 3 things that will be happening yet that are part of the public art budget: Something going in the median at Playhouse square that resembles a chorus line.... I can't remember... it may involve neon... Then something in the median at University Circle that resembles a rock garden....? Then something at the East Cleveland end..... If nobody else posts, I will look for later....