Cleburger

Thanks for that quick rundown urbanlife! Interesting that the ramp reconfiguration, which should be high on everyone's lists, don't even appear.

How much of the Shoreway project, in any form (whether still viable or dead) is "shovel ready?" It would seem to me that ODOT should at least have a plan for the W25th/W28th St ramps as they definitely qualify as a safety hazard.

To the contrary, this project would bring together neighborhoods in a much-needed fashion. Ohio City, Gordon Square and Clifton/Baltic/Edgewater all stand to benefit from this connection. I've been living in or around downtown since the early 1990's and one of my biggest complaints in Cleveland is the lack of connection between these neighborhoods. To this day there has been growth en our urban pioneer enclaves (like Ohio City, Tremont and more recently, Gordon Square). But they remain isolated pockets, never reaching out to touch each other. The Shoreway conversion is an amazing opportunity to connect Downtown to Ohio City to Gordon Square to Clifton/Edgewater (and each of the aforementioned to the Lakefront as well). To this end I say is our best possible "common ground."

Yeah, I'm not sure why people are so up in arms about this, ESPECIALLY UrbanOhio people. And it seems many of the same people who are against the Opportunity Corridor boulevard are for keeping this road a limited access freeway. It makes no sense. An extra 2 or 3 minutes added to a commute from a suburb isn't a game changer. Amen Jeff! I don't understand the negativism on this project? Since when does anyone on Urban Ohio concern themselves with a commuter in Rocky River or Westlake? Slow it down. Perhaps this will add ammo for our friends at All Aboard Ohio for commuter rail via the Lakewood corridor. I live in the Clifton/Edgewater neighborhood, and I can tell you it won't make a difference. The traffic already backs up from the Shoreway back into Lakewood at peak times. As soon as the morning commuters hit the Shoreway it's 75 MPH race to W6th. But this won't change anything for those of us with the backups already. If we were concerned we'd sell and move to Avon Lake. I'd rather be able to walk pleasantly along the multi trail to Edgewater, the boat clubs and points east into downtown. I stand by my assertion that this is ONE game-changing project for the City of Cleveland that can make a difference in the future of our city. No casino, aquarium or other single project stands to tie together existing rehabbing neighborhoods, bring residents back in the city, and most importantly jump start a vision to reclaim our lakefront from prior mistakes. We need to do this.

I fit solidly in the low 6 figure income category and certainly do not feel rich. I am comfortable, but with 2 kids, a mortgage and minimal debt I don't feel like I can go off spending without discretion. The funny thing is, I am the small business that the GOP purportedly is trying to help, but I feel more and more disenfranchised every day (by BOTH parties). I pay more taxes proportionally than the bottom 40% and many millionaires, but get practically nothing in return. No health care, no benefits, horrible roads and even worse services. The OWS and Tea Parties are on the fringe. I am the middle class. Not sure of the fraction of the 99% I represent, but I can tell you the time for change has come. I don't expect anything for free, but I do expect SOMETHING for my hard work and taxes.

Was Mayor Jackson there? Did the council members show? What did they have to say about all this?

Are any UO's planning on attending this? I am out-of-town for work and won't be able to attend.

I'm sure the economic feasibility of going underground with parking is unrealistic, but personally I like the idea of 2nd or even 3rd floor residential sitting above covered parking for residents/shoppers integrated in the project. Although I hate to invoke it, picture a miniature Crocker park style building. Two to three stories including a setback to view the church from the W 117/Clifton intersection. Market-rate apartments upstairs and a decent-quality national chain downstairs. Would love to see a relocated Starbucks and a good-quality sports bar (even a national chain) as a replacement for Johhny Malloys.

Anchor store with a drive thru window? Could Starbucks be relocating? Or does the world need another Walgreens? Yikes ;)

Who is their editor there at KYC? "Applies the breaks...." LOL!

I disagree. The last thing Cleveland needs is another "pocket" of development that is unconnected to any other growing areas of the city. The Shoreway conversion is a great opportunity to FINALLY have connection in Cleveland. For too long there have been these small pockets of development for urban pioneers (Ohio City, Tremont, Detroit Shoreway, etc) that never fully grow to their potential and connect to the others. I see this as an investment in connection of already existing neighborhoods that will only lead to drawing more people into the city. People that would have been previously frightened of those "nether regions" in between currently existing pockets of new and revitalized housing. Imagine Ohio City finally connected to Detroit Shoreway connected to Clifton/Edgewater. Game changing. No marina can offer that.

Darnit I'm going to be out of town. I hope someone can post some minutes of this meeting!

I wish we could take Cudell Improvement out of it. They mean well, but are so backwards in their thinking it's not even funny. Let them focus on their 15 craft vendors that constitute the Clifton Arts & Music (?) fest, and leave the development to someone thinking in the 21st century.

I'd actually like to see a replacement for Johnny Malloys. The current place is a dump with questionable food, but it is nice to have a neighborhood watering hole with eats on that corner. Would love a developer to do a mixed-use space and include a great location for a local restarateur to recreate that local hang with better food and service!

I missed that too! Hopefully you stay on that story! Please don't report to us the construction of a new Walgreens... ;)

Posted on Cleveland.com today: CLEVELAND Demolition of an active sports bar and a closed grocery store could help spur redevelopment of a visible block in a heavily populated area at the border of Lakewood. With funding from Cleveland’s Economic Development Department, Cudell Improvement Inc. sought bids from consultants to conduct an environmental assessment of demolishing the commercial strip along Clifton Boulevard between West 116th and 117th streets. The building houses the combined Geppetto’s and Johnny Malloy’s sports bar, which is on a month-to-month lease. But most of the rest of the building has been vacant since Giant Eagle moved its grocery store next to Interstate 90 in 2008. Full article: http://www.cleveland.com/sunpostherald/index.ssf/2011/11/cudell_improvement_doing_study.html

Finish building the downtown convention center, move all the I-X Center shows there, and avail this massive structure to aircraft repair, storage, etc. Problem solved. :-D There is plenty of square footage to have shows still at the IX Center AND move in an aircraft maintenance operation. Much of the IX is currently used for storage.

Were these murders in 2005-2006? I would venture to say the surrounding neighborhood has even come a long way since then. These numbers are probably skewed by that mass shooting up the street last year. The area immediate surrounding McManaras is still pretty rough and hasn't seen the prosperity brought by Battery Park etc. This is why I'm a big proponent of the West Shoreway conversion--it will definitely help pull up the entire area and connect Detroit-Shoreway to Clifton-Baltic-Edgewater.

There is very little solidarity in private unions--I have known construction trade unions that refuse to call another local in the next town over (like Cleveland to Akron) because they cannot stand the guys. Instead they call unskilled trades and bill them out at the full skilled rates. I tend to lean to the left but already voted yes for SB5. I have had my first-hand fill of union cronyism and waste. This is also true in the public sector on an equally grander scale.

My bet is Kasich spends it on non-stop sound barrier walls (the 9 year useable-life models) between Medina and Polaris Pkwy. I'm against the Turnpike fat and patronage jobs, but something about this deal smells funny....

I agree with Rustbelter. This was happening long before the great crash of 2008. Question is--when are Americans going to run out of places to run to?

Yeah thanks KJP! I won't truly consider this a victory until the project is actually done. Not holding my breath....

I can simply rename the thread. And if a Clifton BRT project should ever re-emerge, I can rename it again. Deal? Works for me and makes complete sense! We don't talk about the Medical Mart under a thread dedicated to the Forest City riverfront site! They are two different concepts and projects....

It has not been repaved. It's not in the best of shape, but in terms of most Cleveland streets, it's not that bad, but considering the traffic flow, it should be a high priority street for repaving. On a semi related note, I think they may be repaving the Cleveland side of Edgewater Drive soon as a "your tax dollars at work" sign popped up a few weeks ago. Funny that the street that carries so few cars gets a redo first! I agree WestBLVD. Considering the volume of traffic it carries I believe Clifton deserves much better attention that it has received. It's a wagon-rut second-world trail from the Shoreway to W 117th (where Lakewood resurfaced the remainder within the last two years). Just drive Clifton on a rainy night and you'll see what I mean. The ruts hold the water and cause a drive even at below the speedlimit to be a test in driving skill to maintain your lane, plus risk being blinded by the spray of passing motorists. Reminds me of some roads in Puerto Rico! In addition, most of the sidewalks are broken, caving in or generally poor condition. I had a good laugh a while back when the city spent a bunch of money putting accessible ramps in at the intersections, but the sidewalks inbetween the ramps are hardly hospitable to a person in a wheelchair!!!! The problem now is, the volume of traffic is as high as it's ever been thanks to suburban commuter detours to avoid the innerbelt bridge. Reconstructing Clifton right now would cause some serious traffic issues on the west side (though I was informed by Jay Westbrook's office that the Clifton has been included in a near-future budget for resurfacing).

Perhaps to eliminate confusion there should be a thread dedicated to the "Enhance Clifton" project and this Clifton/Shoreway BRT thread should be retired, as the project has been long ago (I believe I asked this last year in this same thread).