KJP

@RReflog_18 notes... After spending $230 million guaranteed dollars on a franchise QB the Browns are going to be starting an XFL QB currently on their practice squad against the best team in the league this Sunday. This never ends. The older I get, the more I realize that bringing the Browns back in 1999 was a big mistake.

Holy schmoly!

Browns add more land to Berea development site By Ken Prendergast / October 11, 2023 As the Cleveland Browns and their owners continue to acquire more property this month in suburban Berea, its mayor recently teased news of their potential, still-secret development to occupy that land as an “exciting opportunity” for the community. Meanwhile the city approved the demolition of eight more houses just west of the Browns’ existing headquarters and practice facility. That’s in addition to 24 homes and a church leveled so far for what sources said would be a mixed-use development featuring a hotel, Browns- and football-themed restaurants and shops, plus sports and recreation facilities open to the public year-round. MORE: https://neo-trans.blog/2023/10/11/browns-add-more-land-to-berea-development-site/

I don't know where she lives now but she came from Minneapolis when SHW acquired Valspar. She also was a Target executive.

3,813 square feet

The Browns have once again changed their messaging about whatever is going on with Watson. For the last 2 weeks it was just a "shoulder bruise". Now it's a "rotator cuff" issue.

Greater Detroit. Same metro population. Several times more public infrastructure, services and taxes...

Building permits going through for the first house (the one on the corner). Estimated construction cost is $1.4 million. The way the permit application is written, the dollar amount appears to be only for the corner house! The other three houses will come later.

Saw this and thought of this thread

They aren't developers. Veysey is a financier and Clark is an architect. But they are principals with Mike Panzica in Bridgeworks LLC.

Stark grounded as war erupts in Israel By Ken Prendergast / October 9, 2023 Greater Cleveland real estate executive Ezra Stark is grounded in Israel by the outbreak of war over the weekend, Stark confirmed to NEOtrans through a company spokesperson. He was scheduled to fly out Sunday but most airlines including all U.S.-based carriers have temporarily suspended flights to and from the Middle Eastern nation due to its worsening security situation following a surprise, massive attack Oct. 7 by the terrorist group Hamas. MORE: https://neo-trans.blog/2023/10/09/stark-grounded-as-war-erupts-in-israel/

Nice pics. Especially the first one.

Demolitions, even of some crappy homes, is tough to do in historic districts. And almost all of Cleveland's hottest neighborhoods are historic districts. I toured a century house on Clinton in an historic district that was at risk of collapsing into its own basement. We had to walk next to the load-bearing walls otherwise we might fall through the floors. But the house could not be torn down. At least one owner already tried but was told don't even waste your time applying. The cost of shoring up and repairing the house to safe conditions was estimated at $200,000, with another $200,000 likely for renovations. And that, reasoned the design-review and landmarks boards, put the cost of that house on par with new-construction homes going up on vacant lots nearby. As far as I know, the house still hasn't been renovated.

A couple of photos from a moody-sky Saturday night

Yes. Especially high-quality housing in walkable settings. How many new-builds are there in Ohio City? Not many. Those that are built are commanding high rents and leasing out extremely fast. Check in with Bridgeworks' developers who constructed Church+State. Their building leased out in the depths of the pandemic in just one year at $2+ square foot and continues to range from 93-98 percent full. Ask the guys at Harbor Bay on how fast Intro leased out at top-of-the-market rents. Hint: it leased out before its grand opening at an average of $3 per square foot. I can't find a peer city around us with an historic, near-downtown neighborhood this hot. Most of the new-builds in Short North are leasing for under $2 per square foot with a few at or just over $2. I saw only one (a reno) going for $3. In the historic downtown-adjacent neighborhoods of Pittsburgh, nothing is coming close to Intro's lease-out success. There is a building in the Strip District, Helm on the Allegheny, leasing at Intro rates up to $3/SF but it opened last year and there are still 47 of 219 units available. In Indianapolis, Near Northside units also are falling in the same range at just over $2 per square foot. Yet, despite the similarity in rents being commanded in each of these cities, I don't recall Col-Pitt-Indy having construction costs as high as Cleveland's. Perhaps someone can find more recent information and share it. We are now in a unique, rapidly changing lending market. The demand is very strong for multi-family in Cleveland and especially Ohio City. The sooner a building can be built and bring inventory to market at the lowest construction cost that is amenable to the shrinking supply of lenders, the sooner a developer can reap the rewards from it. I get it that everyone has a different opinion of what is good design. But good urban form is basic science and the market rules over all.

The graphics are available for viewing. You don't have to rely on others' descriptions.

Well said. I've been to many cities, especially in Eastern Europe, with terrible structural design but good urban form. Those cities have lots of street life, numerous and active public spaces, and are enjoyable to visit.

Hopefully this is creates a citizens-based redistricting commission

I-490 is being rebuilt

From the cradle of the skyscraper, thoughts on our latest skyscraper @A Chicagoan?

If all of you had to choose, would you a prefer a building with bad or mediocre design but hundreds of residents and visitors plus dozens of employees and the vibrancy they bring, which is measurable and factual? Or wait an unknown amount of time in the hopes of the arrival of some better design, which is a matter of individual opinions?

Great views!

Speaking of new trains, I missed this PR..... GCRTA Awarded $12.6 Million Grant from Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) $12.4 million of the funding goes towards GCRTA’s Rail Car Replacement Program, and $200,000 for electrical vehicle planning. Sep 28, 2023 Cleveland OH – The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (GCRTA) announced today the award of a $12.6 million grant from ODOT’s 2024 Ohio Transit Partnership Program (OTP2) for use towards their Rail Car Replacement Program, and electrical vehicle planning. $12.4 million of the funding goes towards GCRTA’s Rail Car Replacement Program, and $200,000 for electrical vehicle planning. "This is the fourth year that ODOT has awarded funding to the Rail Car Replacement Program and brings the total ODOT funding to $33.8 million," said GCRTA Deputy General Manager Engineering & Project Management, Michael J. Schipper. "With this award GCRTA has now raised $355.3 million of the $393 million total program budget." The $200,000 funding will be utilized to plan and develop a program to evaluate bus routes for the future transition of adding electric buses to RTA’s bus fleet. "Funding opportunities such as these underscore the importance of public transportation to our region and subsequent investment in our communities. We are extremely pleased with the outcome of this round of funding and appreciate ODOT’s continued support of our Rail Car Replacement Program, and research into electric vehicles," said GCRTA General Manager, Chief Executive Officer India L. Birdsong Terry. ABOUT GCRTA: GCRTA was formed in 1975 with the mission of providing public transit services to the 59 communities and 1.2 million residents of Cuyahoga County. As the largest public transit agency in the State of Ohio, GCRTA’s service options include bus, BRT, trolley, paratransit and three rail lines. GCRTA makes connections that empower individuals, neighborhoods, and communities to rise. SOURCE: https://www.riderta.com/news/gcrta-awarded-126-million-grant-ohio-department-transportation-odot

Correct. At this point, the only thing happening with the Gateway East Garage is that it's being bought by the Guardians.

They are mentioned only in the context that they are not part of the masterplan. I've heard nothing about them being included in some future plan.