MuRrAy HiLL

I've talked to a few people about the johnny's situation and if anything, they would be looking to expand, just like terry Tarantino or the Salerno's from Lago. They were actually looking at chagrin blvd very recently, but decided it was too far away ( the owners live on the near west side I believe.). Anyways, they have been there way too long and have too much of a regular clientele base to ever consider moving. If anything they are continuing to look at expansion. Now a name to the new place? I have no idea if they'll keep "johnny's" in the title.

Very sad.

^ First brought to you by urbanohio Concrete on Cleveland's Euclid Avenue is crumbling in section that recently opened for RTA's HealthLine By Karen Farkas, The Plain Dealer April 10, 2010, 3:59AM CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Four blocks along the Euclid Avenue HealthLine are showing signs of deterioration, just 18 months after the opening of the rebuilt corridor. Crumbling pieces of concrete are visible in the joints and seams near the westbound bike lane between East 36th and East 32nd streets on Euclid. Chunks of concrete are missing, and some of the spots are eroded to the point where they were easily filled during Thursday's rain. Officials at the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority, which built the $200 million bus rapid transit project, and the city of Cleveland, which is responsible for maintaining the road, say they were unaware of the roadway problems until contacted by The Plain Dealer on Thursday. http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2010/04/euclid_avenue_concrete_is_crum.html

Vatican panel extends deadline for reviewing appeals of Cleveland-area Catholic churches ordered to close By Michael O'Malley, The Plain Dealer April 09, 2010, 6:04PM Plain Dealer file Participants in a 2009 vigil for St. Patrick church and others slated to closed carry a sign into St. Patrick church in West Park afterward. St. Patrick was one of seven churches notified that the Vatican wanted more time to consider their cases. Updated at 5:45 p.m. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- At least seven churches ordered closed by Bishop Richard Lennon of the Cleveland Catholic Diocese received letters from the Vatican this week, extending the deadline for reviewing the churches' appeals of the closings. Plain Dealer coverage of the Catholic Diocese church closings It is the second time the Vatican panel, the Congregation for the Clergy, extended the deadline for the Cleveland-area churches appealing their closings to Rome. The new deadline is June 24. "I think it's a hopeful sign," said Miklos Peller, a parishioner of St. Emeric, a Cleveland Hungarian church scheduled to close June 30. "At least they're looking into it and listening to us." MORE AT http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2010/04/vatican_panel_extends_deadline.html

Cuyahoga County might lift $4 million cap on medical mart payments By Laura Johnston, The Plain Dealer April 10, 2010, 7:00AM Thomas Ondrey, The Plain DealerAttorney Jeff Appelbaum explains the medical mart project in this file photo. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The private developer of Cuyahoga County's downtown medical mart and convention center wasn't supposed to get a dime more than $4 million until the company and county signed a lease. But that lease is at least five months off. So now, the county might lift a $4 million cap on payments to Chicago-based MMPI and allow the developer to draw some portion of $8 million reserved for three years of construction payments, the county's lawyer said Friday. http://www.cleveland.com/cuyahoga-county/index.ssf/2010/04/cuyahoga_county_might_pay_mmpi.html

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers officer warns Gov. Ted Strickland that Cleveland's harbor could close in five years without new dredge dump site By James F. McCarty,The Plain Dealer April 10, 2010, 6:00AM A financial crisis preventing the dredging of the Port of Cleveland and Cuyahoga River after 2014 could severely curtail shipping commerce in five years.CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A money crisis threatens to close Cleveland's port to millions of dollars of commercial shipping by 2015, a top administrator with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers warned in a recent letter to Gov. Ted Strickland. Lt. Col. Daniel Snead wrote that his Buffalo office will be forced to stop dredging the harbor in five years unless the state and local port authority finds $133 million to build a new facility to store tons of contaminated muck. Even if the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority gets the money today, the earliest a new containment dike could open would be 2017, the letter states. That is three years after existing containment facilities will be filled. http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2010/04/post_264.html

One thing we may end up getting out of this are more "temporary" showcases along lower Euclid Ave. If this space is getting filled immediately after this exhibit is finished as other on here have alluded to, then why not look at E.9th to E.12 for future exhibits/attractions downtown...even if they are temporary. (until retail can fill them in!) This very well might be the start of paving the way for more downtown attractions.

Good times for Gordon Square. Here's a link to a nice little recap of the past 3 years, including some of the strides made with all the redevelopment: http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/Clevelands-Gordon-Square-Arts-District-The-Art-of-Economic-Development-1145094.htm

Federation leads way on immigrant welcome center By MARILYN H. KARFELD Senior Staff Reporter Published: Friday, April 9, 2010 1:09 AM EDT At a meeting last week to discuss establishing an international welcome center in Cleveland, leaders of the Jewish Community Federation of Cleveland made their enthusiasm for the project clear. Stephen H. Hoffman, Federation president, speaking to about 60 people at the organization’s downtown headquarters, said he was impatient for the immigrant welcome center to get past the talking stages. He expects the project to move into high gear when Federation’s annual fundraising campaign ends in mid-May, with something concrete in the works by the end of summer. Federation would not run the welcome center, but could be a catalyst for the project, said Dan Polster, co-chair of the organization’s downtown vision committee, which has worked on the proposal for months. MORE AT http://www.clevelandjewishnews.com/articles/2010/04/09/news/local/doc4bbe23afe065e657627350.txt

This will certainly get people downtown this summer. I like it.

I feel like there are too many important players and groups who are willing to pull out all the stops to make sure this project happens. Hasen't there has been too much of a recent history of projects stalling for this one to follow suit? Although I do admit, I wish this town would put more thought into landscaping/streetscaping intially; however, Parkworks is already said to on it, so I don't doubt that. As for the Hessler crew--they just seem to be a loud minority. Hopefully an easy compromise can be made, such as keeping a high number of bordering trees, but I'm guessing they'll want more. Bottom line -- I have faith there are enough people on this that this will get built.

Progress.....slowly but surely. With the clinic great upping it's spending over the next 5 years, and the new health care reform passing, this concept is actually looking better and better. 40 more million Americans with health insurance should theoretically help NEO. Now let's get this concept going!

Great call - I live in CH and am usually too lazy to drive out to Eton just to go to Trader Joe's. Maybe it's time for another mass request of Trader's Joes for University Circle/Uptown: http://www.traderjoes.com/about/location-requests-form.asp

Cleveland Browns president buys in Bratenahl by Amy Anderson, published April 8, 2010 ShareThis Michael George Holmgren and Kathy Holmgren bought a two-bedroom, two-bath home at 17 Shoreby Dr. in Bratenahl from Robert M. Serpentini, Jr., and Paul A. Serpentini for $653,000 on Feb. 12. http://cleveland.blockshopper.com/news/story/600065074-Cleveland_Browns_president_buys_in_Bratenahl

Just a REMINDER that the new season starts tomorrow. And the first home game is a week from today (april 15th): http://www.clevelandgladiators.com/home/

It IS a beautiful day. And Summer 2010?! Looks like full steam ahead. Personally, I like how Phase I will take up both sides of the street. Unlike the Avenue District, that if new construction stales immediately after(God forbid!), we'll at least have a sense of neighborhood, place, etc just from the first phase. The surrounding property is immediately going to benefit from this project (right away thinking E. 118, Hessler, Little Italy, Wade Park even), giving UC a true retail and visible heart. My only request -- one fully-functioning grocery store please! Little Italy and Case, CIA, and CIM students need something walking distance (or just something at all!)

^^ feel free to take pictures! Here is his little blurb from the food and wine website: http://www.foodandwine.com/bestnewchefs/jonathon-sawyer

Congrats to Jonathon Sawyer on his national accomplishment! Greenhouse Tavern's Jonathon Sawyer wins Food & Wine magazine's prestigious Best New Chef award By Joe Crea, The Plain Dealer April 07, 2010, 2:30PM Greenhouse Tavern chef-owner Jonathon Sawyer. Budding chefs know that Food & Wine magazine's annual Best New Chefs award is a professional star-maker. When Michael Symon earned that honor in 1998, it launched a career that continues to soar. Another Cleveland chef has just stepped into that rare spotlight. Jonathon Sawyer, chef-owner of The Greenhouse Tavern on East Fourth Street in Cleveland has been announced as a member of Food & Wine's class of 2010. MORE AT http://www.cleveland.com/dining/index.ssf/2010/04/greenhouse_taverns_jonathon_sa.html

Some very intersting stuff in the agenda for the upcoming design meeting: http://planning.city.cleveland.oh.us/designreview/drcagenda/2010/040910/index.php Just nothing on the E. 4th space....sigh...I don't know if I can wait two more weeks for this

I personally think this a huge with just getting the ball rolling. Maybe next design review we'll be able to see some renderings.

Full steam ahead for the Cleveland Clinic: Cleveland Clinic picks new leader for $1.25B fundraising campaign The Cleveland Clinic has hired a heavy-hitter in the world of major philanthropic campaigns as Institutional Relations and Development chairman, and executive director of its $1.25 billion fund-raising campaign. Armando Chardiet, who joins the Clinic on July 1, replaces Carol Moss, who left in August as its top fund-raising executive to take a similar position at the University of California San Francisco. Chardiet comes to the Clinic as it gears up to spend an all-time high of $848 million on capital investments and hire 1,800 workers this year. Chardiet will be responsible for leading the philanthropic initiatives and capital campaigns for the health system, including Todays Innovations, Tomorrows Healthcare, the Cleveland Clinics five-year philanthropic campaign to raise $1.25 billion. http://www.medcitynews.com/2010/04/cleveland-clinic-picks-new-leader-for-1-25b-fundraising-campaign/

^^I also believe he is making them cheaper to produce, mostly due to the manual adjustment. Not sure of the numbers, but the story says the panels can be get their money back in 5 years, instead of the normal 15-20 years. Not to mention, I'm liking the location of where he is manufacturing them (near Downtown Cleveland) and how he is coordinating with local businesses. There are plenty of non-profits groups operating in third world countries, especially in Africa, who could benefit from these cheap solar panels, which comes to mind right away. I personally have a friend who is talking with investors about bringing solar panels to Western Africa, and I just forwarded him this story.\ EDIT: wait, how the h3ll is this Downtown Cleveland? From the video it looks like 105th and Carnegie....wouldn't that fall more into University Circle...

VERY interesting news for a Cleveland start-up: Low-cost solar panels made in Cleveland working to change the world Maureen Kyle Updated: 4/6/2010 7:57:46 AM Posted: 4/6/2010 6:36:03 AM CLEVELAND -- Cleveland is working to position itself as a leader in alternative energy manufacturing. And while there's been a big emphasis on wind energy, a start up company downtown is working to take their solar panel system global. In an abandoned flower shop in downtown Cleveland, something new is growing. A company called Sunflower Solutions. It started as Chris Clark's senior project at Miami of Ohio University. http://www.wkyc.com/news/local/news_article.aspx?storyid=133742&catid=3

VERY interesting news for a Cleveland start-up: Low-cost solar panels made in Cleveland working to change the world Maureen Kyle Updated: 4/6/2010 7:57:46 AM Posted: 4/6/2010 6:36:03 AM CLEVELAND -- Cleveland is working to position itself as a leader in alternative energy manufacturing. And while there's been a big emphasis on wind energy, a start up company downtown is working to take their solar panel system global. In an abandoned flower shop in downtown Cleveland, something new is growing. A company called Sunflower Solutions. It started as Chris Clark's senior project at Miami of Ohio University. http://www.wkyc.com/news/local/news_article.aspx?storyid=133742&catid=3

Do they have a website? I have a few golfer friends who I want to send a link about this place, and I can't seem to find anything...?