KJP

Playhouse Square Foundation is a TMUD applicant...

Cain Park Village is a TMUD applicant...

Van Aken District is a TMUD applicant again

Two down, two to go.... Latest TMUD wish list is NEO-light By Ken Prendergast / September 23, 2023 One of the favorite past-times among some Northeast Ohioans is to complain that too much of their state tax dollars are going to the rest of the state and not enough to Northeast Ohio. But if you don't ask for anything, you don't get it. That's the case when it comes to the latest round of Transformational Mixed Use Development (TMUD) tax credits. Northeast Ohio TMUD applications represent only 10.8 percent of the total dollar amount requested statewide for Ohio's fiscal year 2024 round and only one downtown Cleveland project was submitted. Ironically, the TMUD program was the brainchild of a Cleveland developer to encourage more downtown Cleveland projects. MORE: https://neo-trans.blog/2023/09/23/latest-tmud-wish-list-is-neo-light/

One down. Three to go.

Does this need a new thread? Ohio City’s next big apartment project By Ken Prendergast / September 23, 2023 One of Ohio City’s largest development sites is located in this Cleveland neighborhood’s booming Hingetown section. So it was only a matter of time before a large development was proposed for that site at 2828 Clinton Ave., measuring nearly 2 acres. That time is coming next week when the Franklin-Clinton Block Club which includes Hingetown will get a presentation of preliminary plans for the development and offer input on it to the city’s design-review and landmark commissions. MORE: https://neo-trans.blog/2023/09/23/ohio-citys-next-big-apartment-project/

So I wish I could write the next four articles right away. All four are scoops -- bombs if not borderline bombs. I heard about three of them in the last two days, and the fourth is a distant-future development I'm pretty sure nobody will have for a while. So I'm holding that one until last. And that one may be the best. Look for the first of four articles by about mid-day today.

More new stuff! Brightline to Orlando started today... News: https://apnews.com/article/highspeed-rail-trains-florida-brightline-7a7bd3b390c43a8becc811d68dfcf386

All around Ohio, states are investing in passenger rail...... FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 22, 2023 Contact: Alexis Campbell, PennDOT, [email protected], 717-783-8800 Shapiro Administration Finalizes Agreement to Expand Western Pa. Passenger-Rail Access Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) finalized an agreement with Norfolk Southern Corporation (NS) to expand passenger rail service on the Pennsylvanian Amtrak line in Western Pennsylvania. Thanks to this expansion, more Pennsylvanians will have access to modern, safe, reliable passenger rail that gets them where they need to go – connecting Pennsylvania communities and bringing jobs, economic development, and infrastructure investment along with it. “This agreement lays the groundwork for expanded passenger rail service in Western Pennsylvania while simultaneously preserving a critical freight rail corridor,” said PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll. “Ensuring more Pennsylvanians have access to safe and reliable transportation to Western PA will reduce commute times, help connect hundreds of thousands of residents, and boost local economies. This expansion of service on the Pennsylvanian will provide key mobility and economic benefits.” Currently, the Pennsylvanian Amtrak service travels roundtrip between New York City and Pittsburgh via Harrisburg once daily. The agreement that Norfolk Southern and PennDOT entered into supports increasing those Pennsylvanian passenger services to twice a day. To support these expanded passenger operations, the Commonwealth will invest more than $200 million in infrastructure and safety improvements that will be constructed and maintained by Norfolk Southern. PennDOT has applied for grant funds through the Federal Railroad Administration to help pay for these improvements. The future improvements and construction will stem from a previously released Norfolk Southern operational feasibility study requested by PennDOT and includes upgraded rail lines, sidings, and necessary communications signals infrastructure. The renegotiated agreement with Norfolk Southern for the infrastructure work needed to support the additional Pennsylvanian ensures that safety and the best interests of the Commonwealth are fully addressed. "Norfolk Southern is excited to build upon our partnership with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania by increasing passenger rail options for the citizens of Pennsylvania while improving the resilience of our infrastructure for the shippers in the Commonwealth,” said Norfolk Southern Senior Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer Mike McClellan. “This is a win-win agreement that would not be possible without the dedication and collaboration of our state officials, who share our vision for enhanced rail service across the Keystone State.” The Pennsylvanian is a key passenger rail route connecting the citizens of the Keystone State from east to west, and, in conjunction with the Capitol Limited, with Cleveland, Chicago and beyond. The Pennsylvanian travels Norfolk Southern’s Pittsburgh Line, which is part of the Premier Corridor, a main artery for double-stack intermodal traffic moving between Chicago and metropolitan New York. It is one of the busiest and fastest links on Norfolk Southern’s network, connecting with major terminals in Toledo, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Harrisburg and the Lehigh Valley. In a typical year, more than half of Norfolk Southern’s time-sensitive parcel and less-than-truckload shipments use the route at some point. The company’s trains deliver or pick up freight at 140-plus locations along the corridor, serving more than 800 customers. “We look forward to working with PennDOT and Norfolk Southern on this expansion of Amtrak service in the Commonwealth,” said Amtrak Vice President of State Supported Services Ray Lang. Pennsylvania has 65 operating railroads – the most of any state in the country – and ranks fifth in total track mileage with more than 5,600 miles. The 2020 Pennsylvania State Rail Plan (PDF) reported that in 2017, 193.5 million tons of freight in 4.9 million railcars moved over the state's rail transportation system. More information on PennDOT's efforts to improve intercity passenger rail in Pennsylvania is available on PennDOT’s website. ###

Can't be everywhere all the time! But I've got a Cle Hts scoop coming!

I got ya.... Downtown Lakewood project going through phases By Ken Prendergast / September 22, 2023 Over the 60-90 days, the city and its development team will explore the feasibility of breaking up into more achievable pieces or phases the ambitious, $100-million-plus-dollar vision to redevelop the former Lakewood Hospital site in Downtown Lakewood. But city officials and the development team they chose said the basic, long-term vision for the site will remain largely unchanged from what city review boards have approved thus far. MORE: https://neo-trans.blog/2023/09/22/downtown-lakewood-project-going-through-phases/

Who gettin' da moolah FRA awards millions in funds to restore Gulf Coast Amtrak service, construct Virginia rail bridge https://www.progressiverailroading.com/federal_legislation_regulation/news/FRA-awards-millions-in-funds-to-restore-Gulf-Coast-Amtrak-service-construct-Virginia-rail-bridge--70241

Simplified Ohio passenger rail map

I seem to recall it is not. I remember that being a bone of contention in the city's design-review meetings.

You totally missed the point of my comment. I don't care if the city sells it or not. What the city does with the money is the point. And you, as an alleged free-market conservative, just proposed having a governmental body use the revenues from the sale of an asset to a private sector corporation to undermine said corporation by funding its competition. Pretend you sell widgets from a store set on city property. You buy the property. The city uses the money to improve a competing widget store across the street, making it more efficient, comfortable and competitive than yours. Tell me the free-market principles at work here.

CBRE is considering that. But they also want the Key Tower listing.

That's some old-school CBD density. Great pics as always!!

I should've bought a house in Worcester or Springfield. Now the real estate prices are going to go up. I predict with climate change, the Inland Route will become the Northeast Corridor mainline between New York and Boston. It's certainly more populous than the coastal route which, in some places, is only a few feet above the Atlantic Ocean. US gives $108 million for track work between Springfield, Worcester; project will spur passenger service https://www.masslive.com/news/2023/09/us-gives-108-million-for-track-work-between-springfield-worcester-project-will-spur-passenger-service.html

Cleveland suburb wants to be the next ‘Forest City’ By Ken Prendergast / September 21, 2023 While Cleveland was once called the Forest City due to the tree-studded neighborhoods it boasted in the 19th century, one of its suburbs might be in a position to claim that title in the coming years thanks to a generous grant from the federal government. The benefits of more trees are simple — they help provide cooling shade in summer, a windbreak in winter, and more attractive business districts and residential areas that can increase property values. MORE: https://neo-trans.blog/2023/09/21/cleveland-suburb-wants-to-be-the-next-forest-city/

So you're proposing to use the sale of a railroad to the private sector so a governmental body can use the proceeds to help fund its competition? Are you sure you're a conservative?

A major project would have to take place, costing hundreds of millions of dollars. So here's an interesting map that was shown at a recent TOD meeting. I cropped it to protect the innocent and maybe even the not-so innocent!

From Ontario, via a restored Eagle Avenue ramp, as noted in the article. Since the facility is supposed to be open to the public, I would assume/hope some signage will be provided at the Eagle/Ontario intersection.

I'm still thinking they'll end up in the former IBM/Explorys building at East 105th/Cedar. It would fit their current HQ staffing needs of about 200 people. Long term? Who knows.....

I'm still trying to get a handle on whether this is the extent of the Clinic's involvement in the Bedrock project. This is a significant project but the architect is Populous. I was told a big medical office building to be designed by Gensler was in the works. I thought that was Clinic too. But since I'm not sure, I didn't put it in the article today.

US tower tops out on $5.7B Gordie Howe Bridge A Fluor, ACS Infrastructure and Aecon JV is building the project that will span Detroit and Windsor, Canada. Work is entering final stages. Published Sept. 19, 2023 The $5.7 billion Gordie Howe International Bridge project connecting Detroit and Windsor, Canada, is entering the final stages of tower construction with help from man’s best friend, according to a press release from the project. The bridge towers have been under construction since 2019. The last concrete pour for the architectural heads at the top of the pylon on the U.S. side of the span is complete, and that tower has reached its full 722-foot height, according to the release. The heads are sloped to prevent snow and ice from accumulating. Crews are now removing the jump form system which supported the concrete cast. These same last steps are anticipated to begin on the Canadian tower this month, per the release. Crews will remove equipment, platforms and materials before a crane lifts away eight giant panels from the tower, a process that takes about four weeks. When complete, Gordie Howe will be North America’s longest cable-stayed bridge with three lanes each way for vehicular traffic as well as a multi-use path for bikes and pedestrians. Bridge officials told the Windsor Star they continue to target a late 2024 opening, but this could be pushed to 2025 due to pandemic delays. https://www.constructiondive.com/news/gordie-howe-bridge-tower-fluor-detroit/693958/?fbclid=IwAR0IEb5qgM1LLyPz83sB5QIZAmFYM_M6GpwLHeJuJfT9Tvk2tNFL-7kOjSU