MuRrAy HiLL

Cleveland schools plan would scrap more buildings, cut back construction Published: Wednesday, July 21, 2010, 8:00 AM Thomas Ott, The Plain Dealer CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A plan for completing the Cleveland schools' state-funded construction program calls for the district to scrap many more schools than it builds or renovates. Even after closing 16 buildings in June, the district operates more than 90 schools. Prenosil's plan calls for reducing the number of new and renovated schools to 63, well below the 111 envisioned when work began in 2002. The state pays two-thirds of most Cleveland school construction expenses, but the bottom line will be based on how many students are served. According to Prenosil's calculations, the cost of work jointly funded by the state and district will in the end total less than $1.2 billion, a decrease of almost $348 million. If Prenosil's recommendations are followed, the number of abandoned and demolished schools would grow to 99. http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2010/07/cleveland_schools_plan_would_s.html

Not too much new info...but from the PD: Federation of Gay Games and Cleveland organizers having problems Published: Wednesday, July 21, 2010, 12:42 PM Mark Gillispie, The Plain Dealer CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Federation of Gay Games and the company that is supposed to help produce the 2014 Gay Games in Cleveland and Akron are at odds, although no one at this point will say why. Everyone insists, however, that Cleveland remains the host city for the games, which are expected to attract thousands of people from around the globe. The Greater Cleveland Sports Commission is expected to step in and assume a bigger role in organizing the games should the federation sever its ties with Synergy. The sports commission and its head, David Gilbert, organized the successful 38th International Children's Games held in Cleveland in 2004. http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2010/07/officials_mum_about_problems_b.html

More talk on the abandoned coast guard station because of the Burning River Festival: Burning River Festival brings return of Christmas Ale and provides spirit for new ideas Published: Wednesday, July 21, 2010, 2:17 AM Michael Heaton, The Plain Dealer CLEVELAND, Ohio — It's a Burning River Fest first. Great Lakes Brewing Co.'s super-popular Christmas Ale will be served during the two-day fair this weekend. But Conway has another wish on his Christmas-in-July list. He'd like to see the site of the festival, the abandoned Coast Guard Station on Whiskey Island, be transformed into a new multipurpose water research facility, educational venue and possibly a cafe and banquet center. "We just think the building and the location has so much potential," said Conway. "It's a place where industry and nature have always rubbed elbows. Ken Silliman, chief of staff for Mayor Frank Jackson, said a new roof for the station should be completed in time for the festival. "We used half a million dollars from an existing grant," said Silliman. "The mayor feels that once the roof is in place that's a good time to go after additional funding to complete the renovation. The mayor thinks it's an ideal multiuse, public recreation venue. It could be used for special events, seminars or wedding receptions. Several universities have expressed interest in using it to house water research facilities." http://www.cleveland.com/living/index.ssf/2010/07/burning_river_festival_brings.html

More buzz on Cleveland dining: Chow down in Cleveland By Amanda McGuire Rzicznek, Food Columnist Published: July 21, 2010 0 Cleveland may have lost LeBron James but its reputation as a culinary destination is only gaining momentum. Voted as one of "Food and Wine" magazine's 2010 Best New Chefs, Chef Jonathon Swayer's the Greenhouse Tavern, located on East Fourth Street in downtown Cleveland, offers delectable dishes in a certified sustainable setting. From the antique cedar barn wood flooring to the chic light fixtures made from recycled bicycle rims, the "green" atmosphere perfectly accentuates the innovative seasonal and local menu. With intimate seating and art-covered walls that were highlighted on Food Network's "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives," Lucky's Café is known for its fresh, seasonal breakfasts, lunches and brunches With intimate seating and art-covered walls that were highlighted on Food Network's "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives," Lucky's Café is known for its fresh, seasonal breakfasts, lunches and brunches. If a culinary adventure is on your horizon, check out all that Cleveland has to offer. It's an emerging food lover's Mecca. http://bgnews.com/city/chow-down-in-cleveland/

UFood Grill Announces the Opening of a New Location at Cleveland Hopkins Airport BOSTON, Jul 21, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- UFood Restaurant Group opens a new location at the Cleveland Hopkins Airport. This new Ohio location will be operated by the Robinson Hill Hospitality Group of Chicago, IL. The UFood Grill concept was the winner of ARN's Best New Airport Concession in 2009. Travelers, airport workers and flight crews enjoy having a healthy, nutritious and quick service food option available. http://www.marketwatch.com/story/ufood-grill-announces-the-opening-of-a-new-location-at-cleveland-hopkins-airport-2010-07-21?reflink=MW_news_stmp

The tribe now has a winning record against the central...too bad this isn't like college football... Either way ....go young Tribe!!

Greenhouse Tavern chef Jonathon Sawyer toys with second Cleveland location Published: Tuesday, July 20, 2010, 6:53 PM Joe Crea, The Plain Dealer A sharp-eyed colleague spotted a remark attributed to Amelia Sawyer, a popular blogger (chefswidow.com) and wife of Greenhouse Tavern chef-owner Jonathon Sawyer. On the blog, she claimed that the couple would be opening a second restaurant soon. "We are 90 percent sure that another restie in the CLE (we believe! we believe!) is in our near future. It is a concept that we have had brewing for quite some time . . ." "I'm waiting for just the right deal," Sawyer added, mentioning the potential for a location in Cleveland's Midtown neighborhood. "Wherever it is we are, we'll be in Cleveland. I love being in an urban neighborhood." http://www.cleveland.com/taste/index.ssf/2010/07/greenhouse_tavern_chef_jonatho.html

Cleveland Hopkins Airmall Celebrates Grand Opening Jul 20, 2010 08:04 AM BAA Cleveland, developer of the new Airmall at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, will officially unveil its two-year, multi-million-dollar upgrade of concessions at Cleveland Hopkins with a grand opening celebration on July 26. The development of the new Airmall began in 2008 when the city of Cleveland selected BAA USA as the new concessions developer. The new Airmall occupies 76,000 square feet of retail space, nearly doubling the size of the previous concessions program. BAA noted that per passenger spend at the airport has increased from $5.59 when BAA assumed management of the program in February 2008 to $8.77 in 2010 (through May), an increase of nearly 60 percent, the company said. BAA said it anticipates that per passenger spend could exceed $10 in the coming years. http://www.aviationnews.net/?do=headline&news_ID=181567

HA... Lady gaga went there when she was in town last week. Side note: don't forget titan's gym has yoga. But that's not really retail. My mind says adult mart, but my gut says... No idea

Wind conference focuses on potential for growth in the Great Lakes Published: Monday, July 19, 2010, 6:52 PM John Funk, The Plain Dealer World-class experts and executives from the wind industry, including global wind farm developers, wind contractors, parts makers, financing experts and contract lawyers, are rubbing shoulders at a national conference in Cleveland this week and talking to locals hoping to build wind turbines in the lake. The three-day "Freshwater Wind 2010" conference at the Wyndham downtown that began Monday has drawn about 100 participants and 60 to 70 speakers, said Gretchen Luchisinger, managing director of Infocast, a national conference organizer headquartered in California. "We wanted to do a conference on fresh water wind development and we knew that the Great Lakes Energy Development Task Force and Case Western Reserve University had been working on a project," she said. "And because Lake Erie is one of the more shallow lakes, we knew there was more potential here." http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2010/07/wind_conference_focuses_on_potential_for_growth_in_northern_ohio.html

Maingate Market Place plan could bring renewal to E 55th St. and Woodland Ave. Published: Monday, July 19, 2010, 8:00 PM Updated: Monday, July 19, 2010, 8:13 PM Steven Litt, The Plain Dealer Follow Share this story Story tools The intersection of E. 55th St. and Woodland Road, one of the busiest in Cleveland, is dominated by gas stations, fast food joints, and lots of asphalt and concrete. If the Maingate Business Development Corp. has its way, five acres of sunburned grass and weeds at the southwest corner of the intersection could sprout something healthier and more appealing than the present landscape -- a new East Side market. Conceived as the gateway to the large but little-noticed cluster of food wholesaling businesses in the area, the Maingate Market Place would be the East Side's answer to the West Side Market. http://blog.cleveland.com/architecture/2010/07/maingate_market_place_proposal.html

1) Coventry (with nearby Little Italy)/ Shaker Square/ Downtown 2) New appliances are a little bit of a challange since many of the places we've mentioned have older (but nice!) apartment buildings. What comes to mind immediately are Park Lane Villa and Tremont Point Lofts. 3) -Flats have stonebridge which has great views of Downtown, young and older professionals, parking $750-$1400 - Warehouse district have Loft style apartments...near clubs and bars...covered parking tough...$800-$2500 - Little Italy, neighborhood feel with heavy italian influence (obviously), many college students live here too, nearby nightlife of Coventry and Little Italy has some on weekends, apartments are generally older houses, great restuarants, 99% chance on no covered parking unless you can get a monthly parking pass in bordering University Circle...$600-$1800 - Shaker Square, eastide neighborhood closest of Bedford, Coventry, Little Italy, University Circle, large older apartment buildings, rail transportation hub, restaurants and neighborhood feel, mix of college students and professionals....$600-$1500 - E.4th -- tiny street Downtown jammed with resturants and bars, known as a nightlife spot, some covered parking...two cars would be tough, street is packed during sporting events and concerts at House of Blues, availibility may be tough, $850-$2000 4) Downtown, parking will be at least $80 a month. Every where else, either parking included (generally not covered) or street/near by parking 5) I'd say for patios or decks, you have to look in more of a neighborhood setting -- Tremont, Ohio City, Coventry, Little Italy, Shaker Square 6) If the above places, you should have no problem...depending on ownership 7) I would recommend highly considering Coventry. There are some nice 3-4 story midrise apartments (Euclid Hts Blvd) with constant streetlife. Plus, there are the nearby areas of Little Italy, University Circle, and Shaker Square. Parking shouldn't be a problem at all (free back lots usually) and your drive to work wouldn't be bad at all.

"Katie O'Keefe, a 28-year-old Web designer/developer at Case Western Reserve University" I did notice the CWRU website was getting more and more Pro-Cleveland, including listing city events.

A good neighbor story--watching our for each other: Cleveland: Burglary attempt of elderly woman's home thwarted by neighbors Paul Thomas Updated: 7/18/2010 11:47:15 PM CLEVELAND -- Two men taken to jail Sunday may wish they would have paid more attention to a sign posted on Muriel Avenue in Cleveland. "This street participates in The Neighborhood Watch Program," reads a blue and white sign about 100 feet away from Jerry Reichle's house. On Sunday, Reichle and one of his neighbors likely stopped a burglary in progress on their street because they were keeping an eye on their neighborhood. http://www.wkyc.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=140402&catid=3

Farm to grow crops, economic development in Cleveland's Ohio City neighborhood Published: Monday, July 19, 2010, 4:00 AM Debbi Snook, The Plain Dealer CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Ohio City, farm country. Six vacant acres of Cleveland's West Side neighborhood, just blocks from cutting-edge restaurants and the venerated West Side Market, are turning to a fresh food project and a plow. If all goes well, the harvest won't need to travel more than a few blocks. Tillers broke ground June 30 on the newly created Ohio City Farm behind Riverview Tower, a public housing project one block from the market off West 25th Street. "My understanding is that it's going to be one of the largest contiguous urban farms in the country," said Eric Wobser, executive director of Ohio City Near West Development Corp., creators of the project. http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2010/07/farm_to_grow_crops_economic_de.html

What the hell is going on...?? Letter: Cleveland halts Gay Games funds Jul 19th, 2010 by Cyd Zeigler jr. Outsports has obtained a copy of a letter sent from the City of Cleveland to the Cleveland Synergy Foundation stating that the Federation of Gay Games is terminating Synergy’s license agreement for Gay Games 2014 and the City is halting all payments to Synergy. The letter, dated July 7, 2010, is from Tracey A. Nichols, director of the Department of Economic Development for the City of Cleveland. http://outsports.com/jocktalkblog/ And then it says the GCSC might be taking over...? http://outsports.com/jocktalkblog/2010/07/16/breaking-more-on-gay-games-cleveland/

Ugly, suburban, and ugly....

Playhouse Square gets about 4 million a year also

My Grandpa's music store was there from 1950-1973, "Costello's Music." He was actually one of the last to hold out before everything got demoed.

Interesting.... I wonder what type of spin-off this can potentially create...especially for University Circle and CWRU down the road...meaning more investment in University Circle assets. KeyCorp names Case Western Reserve president Barbara Snyder to board 8:58 am, July 15, 2010 KeyCorp (NYSE: KEY) said Barbara R. Snyder, president of Case Western Reserve University, has been elected to the company's board. "Barbara Snyder will be a significant contributor on our board," Henry L. Meyer III, KeyCorp chairman and CEO, said in a statement. "She brings considerable and distinguished experience in leadership at two major institutions of higher learning and research. Her relationships and perspective on the health care and bioresearch industries, and the Cleveland community, will be invaluable." http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20100715/FREE/100719908

Very cool: Cleveland Natural History Museum unveils state-of-the art planetarium projector Published: Friday, July 16, 2010, 11:39 AM Everdeen Mason, The Plain Dealer John Kuntz / The Plain Dealer CLEVELAND -- More than 800 star-struck museum members were dazzled by the Cleveland Museum of Natural History's new-and-improved planetarium Wednesday. The Nathan and Fannye Shafran Planetarium, which opened in 2002, has just received a new digital projection system that adds 3-D graphics, high-definition imagery and enhanced special effects to the museum's sky shows. The sky shows allow the audience to see more than 5,000 stars, galaxies, planets and more, and also feature presentations from professional astronomers. http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2010/07/museum_unveils_new_state-of-th.html

LOL... You're right. But I am going to France and Spain next week. I'll make sure to take note of Spains recent construction, instead of comparing Cleveland to Doha.

This is good news and, especially with so many other bridges getting improvements, but I'll never understand why this sh!t takes a year+. If this was in any other country, I bet it would be done within at least three months. I'm guessing it's contract related to maximize worker and company pay. Maybe this is my inner world-traveler speaking...when I was in Doha for a few months, all I saw were crains and construction, and building shooting up in the course of a month or two. I know, different labor and different pay and workers on site 18-24 hrs a day, but still...

Ohio eyes phase 2 of rail plan By DAVID PATCH and JIM PROVANCE BLADE STAFF WRITERS COLUMBUS - While passenger trains are still at least two years away from running on a "Three-C" corridor for which Ohio has obtained federal stimulus money, state officials have begun looking at what they hope will be a second phase, which would include two Toledo routes. The Ohio Rail Development Commission has signed a $7.8 million contract with AECOM, a Los Angeles engineering firm, to assess what would need to be done to institute 110-mph passenger trains on four routes, including Detroit-Toledo-Cleveland and Toledo-Columbus. The study also would address a Cleveland-Pittsburgh route and upgrading the Cleveland-Columbus-Cincinnati route, over which trains are planned to run at a top speed of 79 mph to 110 mph. "The Ohio Hub plan is the long-term, high-speed rail future plan that Ohio has been advancing," said Scott Varner, a spokesman at Ohio Department of Transportation headquarters in Columbus. "This is the next step in that." http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100716/NEWS16/7160375

Cleveland Clinic continues to expand it's brand: FIU medical students to train at Cleveland Clinic‎ http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/07/16/1733023/fiu-medical-students-to-train.html Central DuPage Hospital forms partnership with renowned Cleveland Clinic http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2010-07-15/business/ct-biz-0716-cleveland-clinic-20100715_1_cleveland-clinic-heart-care-heart-surgeries