Cleburger

Party in the Park! That's it. Thank you for that. I wonder what it would take to jumpstart that idea and develop it?

I agree that more regulation is needed. This is a case where free enterprise does not work. Cleveland has more taxis than ever (or so it seems), but the cabbies just get worse as they struggle to make fares from a stagnant customer base. This only serves to make their plight worse. While I do feel bad for them, we all choose our own gigs. I may have to try it one of these days during my time off just to see what it is like.

I believe the Riverfest ended in the early 90's, when I was in college. If you remember, when it ended it led into the Bicentennial festivities down there, which were excellent. Regarding the malls, I believe there are occasional events there, but I'd like to see something weekly like "Thursday on the Square" in Buffalo. When I was a kid I remember WMMS having some sort of weekly series there ala the "Coffee Break Concerts," but this was more a Friday night happy-hour type event. Anyone remember what these were called?

100% agreed KJP--I'm in Philly on business right now and love the Ben Franklin Bridge here. I don't know the history of it, but I'd guess it dates to the 30's (maybe a WPA project). I'm going to have to look it up now. At any rate, the bridge is beautiful and has an elevated pedestrian/bikeway on either side, almost as if it were designed to have the option of a second vehicle or train traffic deck. Cleveland could definitely use this kind of skyline signature, and seeing the Ben Franklin makes me hope for something the emphasizes our industrial heritage (read: STEEL). This with the existing railroad bridges prodding the skyline would be a thing of beauty.

Yeah maybe we're talking about two different buildings. I'm not familiar with the Detroit Lofts. I know the Knitting Mills has an underground garage in the basement, which was where the thefts were committed.

Right next to the convention center would be nice. The soon-to-be old County Admin site would be perfect next to the convention center.

Fair enough, though I've never experienced a problem in NYC (other than a driver that didn't speak english and misunderstood the address I gave him, missing my desination by 20 blocks). In Cleveland it's been about 100% of the time I've taken a cab. Go back about 5 pages to the top of this thread and begin reading. I'm not alone... :-P

Sorry--this is a sticky point for me in Cleveland's urban domain. Taxis are something that are regulated by our local politicians, yet it seem we might be better off with deregulation and free enterprise. Letterman and Conan make much of the New York City hack, but I gotta say it's nice to get in a cab there and not have to argue whether you're going 10 blocks or 10 miles.

Along these same lines...I had dinner with a chef friend from Denver last night and he had nothing but good things to say about Cleveland's culinary reputation nationally (all to be had a great price). Maybe we could extort our love of food into some sort of new national identity?

What I meant was Cleveland, and the region as a whole, shouldn't allow itself to be sold short. At one time the Terminal Tower was the tallest building in the world, albeit for a short time. This came during the height of our industrial might. We need another landmark to boost our civic morale. If Toledo can do it, why can't we?

I used to work down there at Riverfest every year and I remember a couple of things. I beleive it was right around time BP bought out Sohio, though I do remember at least one year it was the BP Riverfest. The other thing I remember is complaints about rowdy gangs roaming the festival. I don't ever remember seeing this personally and wonder if it wasn't the reaction of some sheltered soccer moms or similar. It is a shame though...over the summer I attended several "Thursday on the Square" events up in Buffalo. This is a WEEKLY festival (on a small scale) that brings a nation act to Niagara square every Thursday evening for an after-work concert. Beer is served but it seems that everyone is in check. I wish Cleveland could at least bring back these small-scale events like we used to have on Mall C.

I have a friend who lives in the lofts there at 28th/Detroit (Franklin Mills I think...?). A couple months back someone broke into the parking garage on the first level and ransacked a bunch of vehicles, leaving a trail of broken glass and missing items. I'm surprised security and resident viligence wasn't stepped up after this incident.

Yeah the whole Elmwood Villiage and Allentown area are very much like these Cleveland neighborhoods. Lots of multi-family housing mixed with big old mansions--almost all is well-maintained. Delaware Ave was Buffalo's millionare's row 100 years ago and most of these houses (unlike Cleveland) are still standing as converted office and apartment spaces.

Never said it was. Was comparing it's racial breakdown to other Midwestern cities (i.e. Cleveland). On the contrary, Buffalonians will flatly deny being midwestern--they consider themselves more closely aligned with NYC and the "Middle Atlantic" region. Some even think they are Canadian!

U of Buffalo, Buffalo State, Canasius, D'Youville and further to the north Niagara. The northern part of Buffalo (Delaware, Elmwood) remind me of a giant version of the Clifton neighborhood combined with Coventry/The Heights. Lots of beautiful old homes mixed with trendy shops, restaurants and bars.

What is the latest on our innerbelt bridge? Driving through Toledo I was impressed with the new aesthetic suspension span going up for I280. Makes me sick that Cleveland is no longer the national powerhouse it used to be. We need a statement!

Oh and Cleveland cabbies do suck (well most of them). A short list of my run-ins: 1. I was leaving Hopkins when the Somali driver tried to force me to share another fare in his cab before leaving. I told him "no--I'm going straight home" He was PO'd and tried to charge me a flat rate. When he wouldn't start the meter I simply got out and got into the next taxi in the cue. 2. Several times downtown I've been refused service late at night because the cabbies are greedy and trying to find a bunch of drunk suburbanites to rip off rather than solid reasonable fares. 3. I've been in the above-mentioned vans late on weekend nights who act as a bus service...stopping all the way down a street picking up more-and-more passengers, until the entire van is choked with bad cologne and the stench of purple hooters oozing off the striped-shirt guys.

As a travelling professional, i can assure you than the vast majority of business travellers take taxis over public transit for the sheer convenience. If it's on your expense account, what do you care to try to figure out the local rail system. On a side note--the Riverfront proposal for a new convention center because of rail access is a sham...a vast percentage of convention attendees would opt for taxi's anyway.

This is good news--hopefully if we get it up above 75% for a year a developer would consider a new property to downtown Cleveburgh (hopefully tied to a rennovated and expanded convention center!).

There's probably a couple of these types up there in Buffalo, but as a rule I find Buffalonians to be fearsome defenders of their city. Buffalo is really a great town! One thing I find during my visits there is that, while segregated as much as any other midewestern city, they've suffered far less from white-flight and sprawl. I think the existence of two decent sized residential universities there helps keep the city economy going and young people staying.