MuRrAy HiLL

The 9 is brightening East Ninth Street in an unexpected way Blog Entry: June 23, 2014 7:18 AM | Author: STAN BULLARD In addition to adding action to the long-dead East Ninth Street block occupied by the former Ameritrust complex as it’s recast to The 9 and a new Cuyahoga County headquarters building, Geis Cos. is adding light — in the form of massive digital billboards. The 50-foot by 50-foot high resolution LED signs stretch over several floors of the northwest and southwest corners of the eight-story parking garage between Prospect Avenue and Bolivar Road on East Ninth Street that developers Greg and Fred Geis bought with the old banking complex. The sign on the southwest corner was tested Friday, June 20, and will go live within the week. The other one has been going awhile, according to Keith Halfmann, chief operating office of Geis Hospitality Group. Plans call for promoting the mixed-use 9’s tenants such as Heinen’s, the Autograph Hotel and its Azure rooftop bar — as well as all the different businesses there, which also total nine, Halfmann said. Groups having meetings at the hotel will get mentions, but the billboards will not be available for third-party sale. http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20140623/BLOGS14/140629932/the-9-is-brightening-east-ninth-street-in-an-unexpected-way

I think this is love... Although I cringe a bit reading it: http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/5505731

VIDEO: http://canalwaypartners.com/scrantonflatsoverview.htm

WOW!! Thanks

From Case.edu : http://cwru-daily.com/news/fall-groundbreaking-for-first-phase-of-expanded-thinkbox-announced-at-white-house-national-day-of-making/

Great to see more and more young people writing blogs on their love for Cleveland: A Northeast Ohio Summer Bucket List June 17th, 2014 It’s finally June, yet given the horrible winter we had, I’m still not 100% convinced that I won’t wake up with my yard covered in at least an inch or two of snow. However, I am a glass half-full kind of girl so until that happens (anything is possible weather-wise in Northeast Ohio!), I’ll just enjoy every second of sun and heat that I can. Since being active and being outside are two of my favorite things, here are some activities around Northeast Ohio that you should definitely check out this summer! http://www.clevelandplus.com/News-and-Press/ThePlus/ThePlus-Guest-Blogs/Guest-Blogs-2014/Summer-Bucket-List.aspx Movie Madness Comes to Cleveland I don’t know about all of you, but I love that Cleveland has been the backdrop to many recent films. Most noticeable were the Captain American and Avengers’ movies, due to their high-intensity action shots, but we still have a slew of other films coming to town and taking over the streets of downtown Cleveland. The most recent announcement includes Criminal Activities, which began filming yesterday. Be prepared to welcome stars like John Travolta, Michael Pitt, Dan Stevens and Rebecca Da Costa with open arms as they film this drama about four young men who get mixed up in a bad deal with a mobster! And since Cleveland has so much to offer, I wanted to provide a list of places for these fabulous actors, writers, producers and crew to visit! Enjoy! http://cleunleashed.com/2014/05/28/movie-madness-comes-to-cleveland/

The Ridiculous Politics That Slow Down America’s Best BRT Route Thursday, June 12, 2014 Cleveland’s Healthline is widely viewed as the best bus rapid transit project in the country — and for many good reasons. Running on dedicated center lanes, the Healthline isn’t bogged down by car traffic on the most congested portions of its 7.1-mile route. With about 14,000 daily trips, the Healthline has increased ridership nearly 50 percent (though some of that is attributable to elimination of redundant routes), and local officials credit it with spurring billions of dollars of development nearby. But it could run much faster if officials fixed one small thing that is completely within their power to address: the signal timing. The Plain Dealer reported in 2010 that it takes an average of 44 minutes to travel the seven miles from downtown’s Public Square to East Cleveland. That’s only three minutes faster than the bus line it replaced, and more than ten minutes off the 33-minute pace that project planners promised. Despite some tweaking around the margins, not much has changed since 2010, according to sources familiar with the project. The frustrating thing is that the Healthline could easily run faster. But the city of Cleveland simply hasn’t activated the transit priority technology for most of the route, according to advocates. http://usa.streetsblog.org/2014/06/12/the-ridiculous-politics-that-slow-down-americas-best-brt-route/

Mayfield Lofts is dead because the neighborhood fought tooth and nail against it. I recall a large petition going around the neighborhood to not allow it to be built (signed by hundreds of people living in the suburbs and the neighborhood). Basically, the main reason was very Washington D.C-esque -- build nothing taller than Holy Rosary. Financing trouble may have hindered the project, but it could have been done with that location...they would have had no problem selling units at $400K+. The roadblock of the usual "old guard" who does not want to see change was the biggest obstacle...(but not when they hold the cards... i.e. allowing the 100 year old courtyard Corbo's courtyard to be destroyed for future site monetary gain). I'm personally surprised the Primo Vino sale and new condo construction is being pushed through without an all-out war. I see the comments on Facebook, but nothing substantial to slow it down. There must be too much real money behind this new project. With the spike of new construction, perhaps the tide really is turning!

Condominium project will replace Primo Vino restaurant in Cleveland's Little Italy By Michelle Jarboe McFee, The Plain Dealer on June 12, 2014 at 3:16 PM, updated June 12, 2014 at 5:47 PM CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A five-story condominium building will replace the Primo Vino restaurant on Mayfield Road in Cleveland's Little Italy neighborhood, where demolition and construction could start in the spring of 2015. The Cleveland Landmarks Commission voted unanimously Thursday to let architect Robert Maschke and Primo Vino owners Robert Fatica and Carmen Armenti raze the restaurant and replace it with a luxury condo project. The new building, totaling 25,000 to 30,000 square feet, would house three residences above second-floor offices and a street-level restaurant or retail space. http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2014/06/condominium_project_will_repla.html

Not cool...

Eaton no longer makes the list as a Fortune 500 company for Cleveland/Ohio. http://fortune.com/fortune500/ So Dublin, Ireland HQ it is? On top of that, it seems Key Bank has slipped off the Fortune 500 (plus of course the loss of National City). Loss of 3 Fortune 500's since 2008...ouch.

Michelle first reported on this Jun 2013: Next door, an obsolete office building at 1220 Huron Road also faces a residential future -- with 80 apartments planned on its upper floors. The Slyman Group, which owns the building, is planning a $16 million overhaul that won $3.5 million worth of tax credits. The apartments will be called the Residences at PlayhouseSquare, according to the state. http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2013/06/northeast_ohio_redevelopment_p.html Also Crain's: •1220 Huron (Cleveland, Cuyahoga County) Total project cost: $16,081,818 Total tax credit: $3,545,455 Address: 1220 Huron Road, 44114 The building at 1220 Huron near Cleveland's Playhouse Square theater district was originally constructed as the 800-car Creswell Parking Garage. After the garage closed in 1924, the building was converted for office tenants. Most of the building is vacant; however, the owner is planning a full rehabilitation to convert the upper floors into 80 apartments to be known as the Residences at Playhouse Square Plaza. Construction will generate 50 jobs and the retained first floor commercial space will house at least 15 permanent jobs. The state did not identify the developers or property owners receiving each of the grants. http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20130627/FREE/130629811/eight-ne-ohio-historic-rehabs-receive-18-million-in-state-tax-credits?template=printart

Cleveland Metroparks Zoo's new carousel makes public debut today By James Ewinger, The Plain Dealer The Plain Dealer Follow on Twitter on May 30, 2014 at 1:44 PM, updated May 30, 2014 at 2:09 PM CLEVELAND, Ohio – Children's joyous shrieks and cheers took the place of a trumpet fanfare this morning when the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo's new carousel took the first members of the public for a ride. They were borne of the backs of 64 exotic creatures. If you weren't able to make it today, fear not. The folks at the Carousel Works in Mansfield assure that their hand-crafted wonder should be good for a century, so there's plenty of time to hitch a ride. The carousel is called the Circle of Wildlife Carousel because the menagerie represents animals in the collections of the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, divided by habitat. http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2014/05/cleveland_metroparks_zoos_new_1.html

I'll repeat my sentiment -- the more interactive aspects/attractions the better.

But who determines these "estimated values?" I guess that's my point -- supply and demand. Location, Location, Location. Property values and rents in the area continue to spike.

There is such a pent up demand for housing in Little Italy. Check out what real estate is going for there http://www.zillow.com/little-italy-cleveland-oh/ These apartment will be preleased and snatched up before it can even open.

League Park gets diamond transplant as restoration of Cleveland Indians' first home comes alive http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ssf/2014/05/league_park_baseball_field_tak.html

Are there at least any bike lanes being incorporated?

Sterle's owner reveals plans for East 55th Street revival, including brewery, restaurants, food market and retail space http://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2014/05/sterles_owner_reveals_plans_fo.html#incart_m-rpt-2

Nice update: http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/m/APPredirect.php?AID=47439

Maintaining a Classical-Music Miracle in Cleveland Craig Duff New York Times May 26, 2014 CLEVELAND — When Milton Maltz looked down from his box seat in Severance Hall — the stately home of the Cleveland Orchestra — he used to fear for its future. “I saw gray hair and no hair,” said the longtime orchestra benefactor. “And I said, ‘Where are the young people?’” The aging of the audience is something all orchestras are grappling with, but Mr. Maltz decided to do something about it. He and his wife, Tamar, donated $20 million to help the orchestra build a younger audience by offering all-you-can hear “FanCards” to young concertgoers that allow them to attend as many concerts as they like each season for $50. Their ambitious goal is for Cleveland to attract the youngest audience of any orchestra in America by its 100th birthday in 2018. http://mobile.nytimes.com/blogs/artsbeat/2014/05/26/maintaining-a-classical-music-miracle-in-cleveland/

The Globe has some traction! Globe serves up shot in the arm, attracting medical meetings to city By JUDY STRINGER Originally Published: May 25, 2014 4:30 AM Modified: May 27, 2014 8:51 AM Through 2019, the convention center has 233 bookings, which are expected to draw an anticipated 400,000 attendees, according to Dave Johnson, director of sales and marketing for both facilities. Sixty-eight — or 29% — of those events involve the health care industry. http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20140525/SUB1/305259998/1315/newsletter08?X-IgnoreUserAgent=1

^ Same with Chicago: http://www.ksdk.com/story/news/2014/05/26/chicago-memorial-day-violence/9606393/

http://www.cleveland.com/dining/index.ssf/2014/05/urban_farmer_cle_plows_new_gro.html Urban Farmer CLE plows new ground in Cleveland's downtown dining scene By Joe Crea, Northeast Ohio Media Group Follow on Twitter on May 23, 2014 at 8:00 AM, updated May 23, 2014 at 3:55 PM

^ Am I confusing "affordable" and "subsidized?" Those first 15 are federally-subsized units, correct? Along with the tax credits that comes with combined "equity planning." Is this the reason why the units are able to be priced at such a good price point? I'm just impressed by the low price point of the market rate apartments.