willyboy

Thats pretty interesting. So you'd think a competing service would come in.... And I mean, what about Cleveland Independents and all the different local restaurant networks that exist in Cleveland creating a local version of Open Table.

Were they like, what..? Please report back.

So the old Cleveland School for the Arts building should be coming down very soon in University Circle. We talked about previously, and for the most part I actually like the new building that will be built there, but it is just a shame at the same time that they couldn't save this build the new one of the many empty places. It should have a nice presence in that spot though. They have been removing the arch for reinstatement in the new building. From the Cleveland Restoration Society Newsletter: Auld Lang Syne (but not in a festive New Year way...) Bid a sad farewell to the beautiful Cleveland School of the Arts building (2064 Stearns Road, Cleveland). The school, in University Circle, was approved for demolition to make way for a replacement structure on the same site. The stately, four-story orange brick Cleveland School of the Arts building is highlighted by three ornate terra cotta entrances. Built as Observation Elementary School in 1910, it is one of the oldest school buildings in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. In 2002, the CMSD completed an exterior renovation of the School of the Arts building, through the "Warm, Safe & Dry" initiative that included installation of new nine-over-nine windows, cleaning of the terra cotta entrances and reconstruction of the entrance stairs. The standing seam metal roof and brickwork appear to be in excellent condition. From the exterior, the building is in very good condition. It is hard to comprehend that this is not a wasteful loss. A team of preservation experts from the board and staff of the Cleveland Restoration Society toured the school in 2007 and urged the CMSD to consider creative solutions through careful study of programmatic needs, the current facilities, and the Ohio School Facilities Guidelines for school renovation, which would enable the preservation of significant portions of the original school structure. We were very disappointed when the school officials were not at all open to the reuse of the historic building. All involved from the school side were set on demolishing the historic school for a new facility in that exact location. It seems a shame to demolish this building when there is so much vacant land in Cleveland. Why must we destroy our heritage for new construction when land is no longer at a premium? If not a school, this structure could have easily been adapted for housing, as many schools have been in Cleveland and across the country. The building is not listed in the National Register of Historic Places, although it is likely eligible, nor is it a local Cleveland landmark, but it is also eligible for that distinction, in our opinion. None of the buildings in Phase I of the Cleveland Metropolitan School District's demolition plan were locally landmarked and thus little could be done to stop their demolition, unless the individual council person spoke in favor of the unrecognized landmark. With CRS's advocacy efforts, many buildings in Phase II of the district's plan have been locally landmarked. A presentation at the Cleveland Planning Commission in November 2011 showed the design of the new Cleveland School of the Arts building, which includes an intention to salvage the historic school's terra cotta for use on the interior of the new building. Click here to see what the firm Moody-Nolan presented to the commission. Kathleen Crowther, president of CRS, spoke in favor of the historic school building, even though its fate was already decided. Click here to hear what she had to say. Terra cotta removal started in late December 2011. Demolition will begin very soon. This is another example of a sad, unnecessary loss of Cleveland's architectural legacy.

Sounds like a winner Smith. Sorry I missed it over the holidays, but will definately try next time in town. Great food photos by the way!

When I was home over both Thanksgiving and Christmas, for some reason I kept hearing comments about how Parma was getting rough and ghetto. Some from people I didnt know, some I did know, some that lived there and some that didnt. I mean everybody agreed and nobody defended it... My sister used to live there and when I met up with her after midnight shopping over Thanksgiving she was saying how bad it had become and how rough the crowd was. I was curious and started to look at stats, and certainly it is going through the same thing that many of the inner suburbs with cheap housing have been going through. I was also reading where many of the apartment buildings had become magnets for trouble. I do recall there were nicer neighborhoods there, and I would imagine those are still nice. Sure the Mall went downhill with the barage of newer places over the years, but it sounds like much of the original demographic that stores like Macy's would have catered to are less abundant in the area than they once were.

Well it will already be getting a new restaurant this spring since Umami Moto has their prep kitchen in the old Agora restaurant kitchen and plan to open a restaurant in the space.

Your right on with your thinking 327. For what its worth they are considering creative industry type uses for the building as well and I think that would be a good fit and mesh well with the current recording company that is there (complementary uses). But yeah this side of 55th certainly shouldnt automatically be lumped into the same single mind use that has become the thinking east of 55th. BTW, I wonder what became of Steve Popovich, Cleveland International Records Office that was in there, since is death this past year. When I was there I didnt get the feeling that there were any other people working with him. He mentioned his son, but I dont think he lived in the area.

But also the area has just really gone downhill as well as the mall.

That would be correct.

Frankly, I was a little surprised it was still open at PT considering what it has become there.

Well its not like it is because of construction delays. There has always been a chance that these delays would happen due to state licencing process, which I have read about several times. I think Rock gaming (believing they are invincible) didnt believe in the end it would be an issue.

Thanks for posting biker. Clearly you can see how expanding north from where the "L" juts out wouldnt really be possible.

So it seems Bar Symon wasnt such a disasterous concept after all, but Pittsburgh? OK, Mr. Symon is just taking advantage while the gridle is hot like other Iron Chefs. At least it isnt a branch of Lola or Lolita. Iron Chef Michael Symon is opening first Bar Symon at Pittsburgh airport Published: Wednesday, January 04, 2012, 2:30 PM Updated: Wednesday, January 04, 2012, 3:01 PM CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cleveland celebrity chef Michael Symon is partnering with the family that used to own BanJoe's Cafe at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport to open what they hope will be a series of Bar Symon restaurants and tap houses in airports nationwide. The first Bar Symon will open this spring at Pittsburgh International Airport. http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2012/01/iron_chef_michael_symon_is_ope.html

Well actually the opposite is true and why its being mentioned. The Admin building site has long been mentioned as the likely the best possible site for a large convention hotel (even by the city) obviously because of its proximity and ability to interconnect. In a recent article it mentions the possibility of using the site as Med Mart/Convention Center expansion space. We are saying with the convention centers small size that, 1. a convention size hotel may not be necessary or supported by the convention center (which by industry standards is considered small) and, 2. that they didnt have the forsight to plan for a feasable future expansion of the convention center (thus requiring a converntion sized hotel. Thus a timing and planning issue.... As Hts121 mentioned his concern of something else unrelated going in that spot too soon, thus ruling out the possibility of a med mart expansion there if eventually deemed necessary. Most cant imagine, other than a convention hotel there, what else would be attractive for a developer, other than of course if it becomes a best place for a consolidated administration building.

this may be for a different thread, but how would you expand the CC to the county site? the loading docks are directly east of the current building. it would be very difficult to expand the exhibit hall into the current administration site, nevermind the costs of diging down to the depth of the future exhibit halls. Yeah I was wondering the same thing. One of my biggest criticisms was that they didn't plan/allow for future expansion (which should have been a given considering its relatively small, exhibit halls). The 2 logical places to expand; one being north over the tracks has been impeded by making below Mall C ball rooms and additional conference rooms, and the other where the Admin bldg is, but like you said it is all the loading dock infrastructure.

Sounds like the same people are trying to buy Morton's. Hope the samew thing doesnt happen to that downtown. (Normally, I wouldnt care since they are a chain, but in these cases its a bit different)

That was my understanding. I think or thought it even got a new or restored marquee.

Wow, fine dining really does seem to be done in Cleveland (at least in this sense), good thing Cleveland has so many "fine" restaurants. McCormick & Schmick's restaurant in Beachwood is closed Published: Tuesday, January 03, 2012, 6:20 PM Updated: Wednesday, January 04, 2012, 6:53 AM BEACHWOOD, Ohio -- The McCormick & Schmick's Seafood Restaurant at Beachwood Place mall closed abruptly on Tuesday, following the completion of the Portland company's sale to Landry's Inc. for $8.75 per share, or about $131.6 million. http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2012/01/mccormick_schmicks_restaurant.html

Looks like the Mandel brothers, Parkwood Corp. bought the old Ferro building downtown. At least it wont be sitting on the market empty. Parkwood has about 51 employees that will be moving from 2829 Euclid Avenue. Ferro Corp.'s former headquarters sold to Mandel-related investment firm By STAN BULLARD 2:40 pm, January 3, 2012 Ferro Corp.'s (NYSE: FOE) former headquarters in downtown Cleveland is in new hands long associated with Cleveland business after the building's sale to Parkwood Corp., an investment firm formed by the Mandel brothers, who built and sold the former Premier Industrial Corp. in the city's Midtown neighborhood. Parkwood on Dec. 29 paid $2.3 million for the 44,000-square-foot office building at 1000 Lakeside Ave., according to Cuyahoga County land records. http://www.crainscleveland.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120103/FREE/120109977

"There is no such space that I am aware of. Predicting when something will be fixed has many variables, and target dates often change." The Shaker Van Aken tracks must be one of those things, since it seems it has been a nightmare since 2009, but hey it looks like it will be repaired sometime in 2013. 2013! (ok there may be some repairs sooner) From the Road Rant column: "The problem dates back a few yearly calendars, too, as Road Rant issued a "Rough Travel Advisory" for the crossing in April 2009. So will this long-neglected spot ever get fixed? Well, yes, actually. A $1.3 million reconstruction of the crossing is scheduled for 2013, according to Mary McCahon, a spokeswoman for the RTA. She emailed that the job will include more paving than what is required to "help address the extreme deterioration of this intersection of tracks and roads in one project." In the meantime, the RTA said it would investigate the possibility of temporary repairs in the spring to smooth things over until construction crews do their thing. "We have heard the complaints," McCahon said. Better yet, they're finally responding to 'em." http://www.cleveland.com/roadrant/index.ssf/2012/01/fix_planned_for_rough_rapid_tr.html

I did... See above.

Hey, I got a similar response. I havent even been in the store, but the amount of bad experiences promted me to send them an email as well. BTW, the whole premise of my email was the apathetic/rude and un-helpful employees, so I would have hoped that his response took this into account. "Thank you for the heads up. These issues are very disconcerting and we are fully aware of them and fixing them. We don't like to make excuses and don't want to go too much into our troubles from December, it was a crash-course and definitely a learning experience....only positives can come out of it. So I thank you again for the heads up and concern and hope to see you in the store in 2012. Mike Co-Owner, CLE Clothing Co."

I believe they are thinking the Euclid end tower for possible residential. Im a bit surprised with all the new hotel interest due to the current projects, but of course there is so much demand for apartments right now, so apparently it would make fiscal sense...

All Sears opticals are owned by Luxottica Optical (Also owns Lenscrafters, Target Vision, Pearl Vision (formerly of Twinsburg OH.) as well as Sunglass Hut etc....) The company is based in Milan Italy, but their North American retail and Sunglass Hut Headquarters is actually in Mason Ohio.

Well yes, but my point that I have been trying to get across and the reason for my concern the last few years and even more recently is that things have been spreading so quickly and far that the previous and very recent stable neighborhoods of the west side are quickly becoming unstable, and the people there know it, and have been in varying degrees fleeing (we have even seen the examples in Lakewood). Once this happens and negative momentum builds it is extremely difficult to reverse. Forget Clark Fulton, thats been crappy for quite a long time now, Im talking about everyting else. These areas are pretty large in comparison to the positive pockets that we have, so it really ends up being a net loss. There just really needs to be more at least perceived action on the part of the city. This daily murder stuff should at least be requiring a press conference or something?