willyboy

Yes suburban Maryland. So I was wondering about if they knew what they were getting into with the location (may have been just a slight challenge for the suburban couple)

That is sad. There was a whole article about the couple that bought it (from out of town (i believe from outside of DC)) and wanted a place to be close their children. I dont know if they knew what they were getting into with the location though.

Oops. Was trying to add that is the one that is Mr. Symons favorite anywhere.

Then it was the prime. I know it was just a few $$$ more, but at that point if you were going to do it whats a few $$$ more. There did seem to be many anniversaries and special occasions around us, and lots of pretty east siders. :-)..

Agree with the review on RED. That was our impression as well. The only thing that was a bit of a miss for me was the Green Beans, Pancetta, Pepper Flakes & Pine Nuts side dish, which was too salty tasting too eat much of (I know pancetta has a tendency to do this) Which steak did you have? I had the Ribeye (I think the CAB one (whichever was a few $$$ more))

It is, but I didnt want to present it that way. The point being Shaker lacks the housing diversity that CH has, so it will certainly see fewer of the problems that come along with it (and less overall or widespread decline).

Also likely a much higher percentage of SH residents sending their kids to one of the private schools there than even compared to pretty recently. But its also interesting to note that most of the housing areas of Shaker are well above the 200,000 range, its really only what borders Cleveland that goes below that.

I'm not looking to trash talk (no pun intended) SH. I like SH, I really do (well, except their commercial districts). While I am sure CH has more crime than SH, CH has a tremendous police department and has a very large force. Luckily, I have not had to call the police before, but I have not heard concerns about response times. As to the schools, yes, SH are a bit better, but those are primarily funded by property taxes anyway. Regardless, we both pay a ton of $ to live where we choose, both in income (since I work outside CH, as most CH residents do) and property taxes. Oh trust me I have done at least a few years of analysis now, and agree much of it is based on perception. I actually likke Cleveland Heights alot, but alot of the school issues with CH has more to do with the higher amount of diversity and the fact that in CH there are likely more un-engaged parents there. Of course I realize that the taxes are not too different, but with that we chose the more stable community (at least on the surface). There is just currently a greater chance of further loss in property value in Cleveland Heights, not something you want to see when making a hefty investment. Thus likely why Im thinking in ways that I didnt just a couple of years ago. Agree about the commercial districts in Shaker.

Backyard trash pickup. Duh. Haha. Fair enough! Thats what Im talkin about....

Well, most all services and certainly schools are better. There is better police response etc (there are certainly less problem areas other that a couple of borders, therefore they can concentrate more on regular police things). Also lots of likely unnecessary things that may be obsolete in this day and age..., but the residents feel it differentiates their community. As a result resale value is much better in Shaker (but also a high price to pay for that)

A lot. It was cited as a major motivation in the PD article. As for Shaker Heights not wanting to merge, that may be true of residents in the northern/eastern part of the city, but the southern/western part is not wealthy. It heavily middle-class black like much of UH and CH. SH is an interesting case study. I think it would be a potential great merger partner for either UH or Beachwood, and a decent merger partner for CH. I also think that SH would be one of the last ones to the regioanlism table, because it has a perception to maintain, even if that perception is built on a legacy from half a century ago that's hardly based in reality these days. I'd be okay with the state slashing the budget and cutting back aid to municipalities if, and ONLY if, this is to be follow by a state income tax cut. Taxes could then be raised and collected on a more local basis and ultimately more of that money would be staying local. Beachwood could be a possibility for Shaker Heights, but likley the only somewhat realistic one. I mean we just bought in Shaker, and we are paying dearly for the differences that those costs give us (in a still beautiful area with likely the least amount of the issues that surrounding communities are having to deal with). If we had bought in CH, heck yeah we would have wanted to merge with Shaker, but given that Shaker residents just overwhelmingly passed a payrole tax increase in a severly over taxed community tells me that they are willing to pay just about anything to grasp onto the remaining high standards and quality of life they have left (one that has largely departed the majority of the other areas and county)

Another visitor amazed with the West Side Market, summary in Freshwater, link at bottom take you to full article: travel writer wasn't prepared to fall head over heels for the west side market Thursday, August 16, 2012 "I know a little about farmers markets and fish markets, I enjoy Pike Street Market in Seattle, but I wasn’t prepared for the West Side Market of Cleveland, Ohio," writes Ernie Hawks of the River Journal. http://www.freshwatercleveland.com/inthenews/riverjournal081612.aspx?utm_source=VerticalResponse&utm_medium=Email&utm_term=travel+writer+wasn't+prepared+to+fall+head+over+heels+for+the+west+side+market&utm_content=%7bEmail_Address%7d&utm_campaign=Introducing+Slavic+Village

Awesome. That place should be a treasure, and this plan would certainly draw attention to it.

Also, I wonder why this group didnt step in for Oakwood CC (I know it was talked about), since that was even more controversial in the sense of trying to prevent a developer from developing. Im not sure how developing this site would allow for things like a container store and such when there are already so many other half empty shopping centers and re-develop-able land nearby and all over.

Is it the Warner and Swasey Building (cool brick building between E55 and tracks)? That one is being redone by Hemingway (Geis) for more tech companies and med start ups.

Well I think we all are pretty aware of that by now. But at the same time I'm pretty sure people have a reason to be cynical, given the extent and level that so many things happened. And Cuyahoga County govt has a pretty bad reputation on a national and even international level at this point. I'm just saying the PD needs to be more responsible in their own assesmen ts rather than continue to fuel mistrust. Hopefully the old County Admin Building gets torn down and something exciting built in its spot. I really wouldn't mind so much the county being in the Breuer Tower, since it would preserve public access to the rotunda, but I still would prefer it to be a "W" type hotel with a cool retro theme, with the rotunda offering an interesting departure.

It seems everyone is cynical of the local and county governments due to the many years of they way things have been run and of course the culmination of corruption the past few years.. You really see it in the Cleveland.com posts with nearly every article (whether it has anything to do with it or not) But the PD should be above all that. Likely they probably think they are being a "watchdog" keeping an eye out for questionable procedures, but they also need to be more responsible in doing so.

I agree. In the past year I have finally been able to try both Moxie and Red, and they were both great, but the location was just terrible. The more I got to know that area in the past year, I have come to realize that nearly all of the east side restaurants that I have always heard about are in really horrible and ugly locations.. Like Giovanni's..

And yet its been happening and they have been getting away with it. You'd think that considering the proximity to the justice center, that maybe they could park some cop cars around the neighborhood instead of the garage as a deterant...

Yes. It seems whenever we get clothing retail downtown, it is all by itself. Think of the stores that have come and gone in the warehouse district over the years, most recently the jeans/lounge place. I really do hope that a district emerges where these places have a chance, but likely it would need to start with places that have more mass appeal than D.U. had.

:-D

Nooooooooooo!!! C-mon... Weve got to be able to support more than restaurants! This sucks!

No that's not what I'm predicting or saying at all. I'm just saying these properties are costing the County money everyday in upkeep, utilities, security, insurance, etc. Parking garage is included with the Ameritrust complex. Full info here: http://pmc.pdt.cbre.com/IG/cuyahoga/pdf/bro/Ameritrust.pdf Interesting note on the last page of the brochure that various buildings in this complex would qualify for historic or new market tax credits... Well of course it would qualify for historic tax credits. It was recommended for the federal credits by the state back in 08'(but dont think it got that far before things fell apart) and would certainly be one of the best candidates for state credits that I can think of. New Market as well. I still dont understand why you say there is no parking when the attached parking garage is included?

Yeah I noticed when they built just the one. They are indeed odd, but at least they are on both sides now and the oddness balances out as if they serve a purpose (which they do).

And how is there no parking when it is connected to a garage?