pglowack

what a couple of great pics!

I wish I could pay a company 140 grand to tell me that if I spend a half a billion dollars, I can make a billion over twenty years.

The building has been vacant since the mid -70's. The interior was totally decrepit due to being open to the weather for the last ten years. The owner talked about it in the planning commission meeting on Friday. They did do a cost analysis and showed in an depth look at how they tried to re-hab this building as the first option. They showed square footage costs of the rehab vs. a new construction. The only historical value of this building is some terra cotta on the top of the building which was actually falling apart. The sides of the building are completely unfinished due to the fact there used to be buildings butted up against it, and they added windows. The steel lintels in the building are all failing due to being inundated with water, which means all the brick would have to come out, replace the lintels and replace the brick. Also the building is not on the historic registry. I'm all for rehabbing and keeping history but this is not the building to make that argument on. The square foot costs would only work if very high end housing were to go into this building. Probably not the best location to make an argument for that use group.

Love Steven Holl, but I have not liked that addition since I first saw it. It has no relation to the original building. I think that is the thing that should challenge the design, to work with, not in disregard to, the existing building. I think that's an interesting design for a blank slate, but not an additon. Also why I like Vinoly's design. It plays with the original design. I definitely think that it could have been more inventive but does have some very interesting mannerism like concepts. Coop's building in Akron is actually intriguing, because it almost ingests the original building, that kind of tension I think also recognizes the original building that is there.

Yeah I went by today, they have the front units already framed out. I know, I know pictures... well unfortunately my friggin' cameras batteries ran out.

Those pictures of Cleveland they flash off the home page are amazing! Great website overall, minus the plug for a Forest City medical Mart. HA!

Well I sent a complaint about the beeping to the Mayor's Action Center as I have gotten good response before, and Mr. Calabrese sent me this response, you can read the whole email string below if you like.... Also just wanted to say thanks again to Joe for the quick response also.... Yes. The prototype unit which has been in development is being installed this week and will be tested immediately. If it meets our needs we will order units for installation on the fleet. The unit will sound an audible sound both externally, and internally in the operators cabin, but only when the vehicle is in the act of turning, and not simply when the vehicle is pulling into and out of bus stops. That will be accomplished because the activation will be based upon a certain percentage turn of the steering wheel, and not be activated only by the activation of the turn-signal, as is currently the case. I do not anticipate that we will continue to ask our operators to beep their horns prior to turning, after this is installed. ... Joseph, I appreciate your response to my concern. Do you have a timeline on the new measures or any details you can spare on what it entails? -----Original Message----- From: Joseph Calabrese [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Tuesday, June 16, 2009 12:38 PM Cc: [email protected] Subject: RTA Buses I am receipt of your comments that were forwarded to the Mayors Action Center. I appreciate and value your thoughts and impressions. As you may have read in the Plain Dealer recently, RTA has instituted a number of initiatives to create and maintain a safer environment for our customers and the general public. You may not know that we have been working with specialists for some time to pioneer a warning device that is nearing completion and soon will be ready for testing. We hope this new system will be less intrusive than the beeping buses that were only meant to be an interim step until this less intrusive system could be developed and installed. As you are aware, this safety measure was implemented in direct response to an unfortunate pedestrian death on Public Square. I know that this information does not resolve your immediate concerns about noise. To partially address the concerns over noise, a few weeks ago we did lower the volume on the beeping units. I will simply ask your patience as we work quickly to get the less intrusive system tested and installed as soon as possible. Joseph Calabrese, CEO General Manager & Sec.-Treas. Greater Cleveland RTA 1240 West Sixth Street Cleveland, OH 44113 216/566-5218 office 216/781-4043 fax Sent: Friday, June 12, 2009 11:50 AM To: Mayors Action Center Subject: RTA Busses To Whom It May Concern: I have written to this action center before and was pleasantly surprised at the response that I received and the attention to my concerns. Thank you for that. I hope that my following concern will receive the same effort. The RTA busses beeping at every intersection is extremely annoying. I live on the corner of a busy intersection and have lived there for five years with my wife. We understand that the city is an exciting and at times noisy place and we have chosen this lifestyle because we like it. Busses have always been loud, with accelerating and breaking at the corner we live on but it has never really been that bad. Recently, following the killing of a pedestrian by an RTA bus, the busses have implemented a knee jerk reaction to this situation by not only having the busses emanate a beeping sound when they turn, stop, or pick people up, but also beeping the bus horn at turns. This is a quality of life issue that affects the citizens of Cleveland on a daily basis. The mayor has stated that this should be a community of choice and that people should desire to live here, but this new policy of the RTA does not help that. The main problem is that these busses beep all the time. At 4:00 in the morning, at 12:00 at night. I have to sleep with ear plugs now and that is ridiculous. I have contacted the RTA on multiple occasions and they have stated that they are still working on this situation, and that they were possibly going to work some kinks out. Well that was over a month ago, and nothing has changed. Please help if you can, RTA is only cutting off their nose to spite their face, I can't imagine this will help them with ridership as people that have to ride the bus are going insane inside of them. I sometimes ride the rapid or the bus but now refuse to because this is insane. Respectfully, Citizen of Cleveland,

I have a quick question regarding who this effects. Do all city workers, i.e. the mayor, his staff, anybody on city council, city planners, so on and so forth fall under this rule as well? Is this only pertaining to police and fire or are they just the loudest proponents. In my opinion I can see police and fire not having to live in the city but for the mayor or anybody that is really affecting the laws, lifestyles, and future of this city it would seem a neccesity. How can you be truly vested in the future of this city and than say it's not good enough for you to live in?

I know it is generally unrelated but is there any chance that all these shenanigans could effect the medical mart project? Unfortunately the commis's are really tied into that project and I would hate to see that there was any inpropriety in that deal coming to fruition.

Yup, that sounds like the same response I got before. I'm not sure how I'm self centered, why the personal attack? It sounds like a heck of a lot more people than just I are not in favor of this solution. I'm speaking up for my neighbors and other people who can't stand this not just myself. I really appreciate that this forum is here and that RTA frequents it to hear complaints and compliments. And because it's here I'm going to continue to use it. and other venues. The worst thing is that I'm a huge proponent of RTA. I have applauded their service and lauded the fact that they were voted best Mass Transit to anybody that would listen. Now that I have a complaint I shouldn't be as free to voice my concerns? I am definitely open to compromise. When I first voiced my concern I was told they had many complaints and that they were looking at working on the noise level. I thought, well at least they're trying to listen to the comments and even though it's not no noise it's less. Since than they have strongly enforced the three horn honk rule and all busses are beeping. I'm not sure that's a compromise. Also how have you addressed concerns of the deaf or hard of hearing. Many residents and riders are elderly and how does this protect them? To me a compromise would be working out the kinks to get rid of the horn honking and only use the beep system at turns, not at every stop. If the system was revamped to not go on when busses put their turn signal to change lanes or hazards at stops that would go a long way in removing a good portion of the noise. Lastly if the argument is that this is being done for safety isn't there other things that can be done. If this has no relation to the person being killed, as RTA has stated, than why does it directly address that situation that happened, but not any other safety issues. I feel for that family and all people hurt by busses and do care that people would be made safer, IF there was any proof that the positive outweighed the negatives.

Jet Dog, I sure as he!! hope that this is not a dead horse we are beating. Please tell me that you're not turning a deaf ear, yes pun intended, to your clients. This beeping is probably your most serious issue that you have to deal with. Obviously you will think I'm over reacting, and that funding, or paying off your dead clients is more important, but every one of your clients, i.e. riders, every time they ride the bus are being pissed off by this beeping. Not only that but your pissing off any future clients that may happen to live, work, or be in the vicinity of your routes. I've written the RTA multiple times and gotten responses that this is the new policy and they are still working on it. This is a quality of life issue in the city and maybe it's time to take it to the Mayor. Community of choice is not what comes to mind with all this beeping. And no I don't think we have to move on to another subject, until this one gets remedied.

Of any place to build luxury condos, I'm not really sure East 55th is the prime location. Shouldn't they have to provide a market analysis to say that this is really a viable project. I guess that will come with the fact that nobody is going to bankroll this project. 5 weeks though? Nobody can put an entire project together in that amount of time, let alone in this economy. This judge was just buying time, or wasting it.

I think it was in the PD yesterday, of course maybe that's why nobody new about it. Ha.

Are you freaking kidding me? They've had 25 years, what are they going to do in five weeks, tear that thing down!!!

Yeah I saw those on local TV and thought finally somebody knows how to do marketing around here. Get these same people doing marketing for the city and you have a fighting chance.

Thanks for the cost info on Millenium Park! That gives some idea of scope. I think they could still do something on a smaller scale that would draw people to the park. I think that the plan is just plain uninventive. Something that could soften the street edge and pull people into the park rather than building up straight line barriers all around the park.

All right gripe time, that plan is just plain boring, why can't we have some sort of interactive space. Is this supposed to be an indian burial ground with those mounds? Really all they can come up with is some built up mounds of grass for a few million dollars? There should be some sort of interactive elements to the park, like in millenium park with the silver bean or the water walls with the digital faces. Some sort of interactive water elements, something other than mounds of grass. Also why do they need to use a landscape architect out of New York? Does this city not have any qualified landscape architects to do this project? I know a couple that could have done a much better job. Hopefully that is just a preliminary concept because that has absolutely no creativity to it.

I love the "famous warehouse district" comment!

2 losses at home and one lebron, and most of the starters, didn't play in since it was the last game of the season. The thing is it may have been a bad matchup but you have to beat the best to be the best.

Man would that fill a hole if Yao were to come here.

HA HA, love the quote. When I saw the two buildings I could see how you could make the mistake they are very similar. Exciting news though, I'm hoping that with the theater and whatnot that the Gordon square retail neighborhood can build out not only east and west on Detroit, but North towards the lake and South towards lorain. It's already started this trend with Stone Mad.

I ran by here yesterday and took a look at both buildings. It always seemed to me that toast was going into the building closer to Detroit. They have started demo'ing in this building. This building does look very similar to the other one across from Stone Mad but that building has residences in it. Can anybody officially clear this up?

Oh just finish it off, the old adage, ask for forgiveness instead of permission. ANybody got any shovels or a stick, I'm pretty sure that would take care of it.

I'd be in on this totally. I've been looking for a place to put all my extra money! Ha! But actually I'm a licensed architect so in terms of doing drawings or getting permits or doing design on rehabs or things like that I'd be willing to do some pro bono work. Let me know, don't let this fall by the wayside. We all have talents on here and if we put them together we could be one hell of an organization. And by the way my wife started her own business, and developers that we work with start a new one every day, I'm sure somebody here would have the expertise to help with that. It may even be a non-profit group...

Detroit? WTF. Where is our budding film industry when we need it?