KJP

Not sure if i'm going to be able to write an article about this anytime soon since I'm out of country. But you all might be interested in these graphics...

Posted in the Random Cleveland Developments thread....

Cross-posted in the TOD thread... GCRTA stations: lots of opportunity By Ken Prendergast / August 3, 2023 A COMMENTARY In recent months, the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (GCRTA) has served notice that its rail system isn’t going anywhere. That could be interpreted in one of two ways. In one way, GCRTA plans to invest $540 million by the end of this decade to rebuild its 34-mile rail system including a new, standardized light-rail fleet plus rebuilt tracks and stations on the Red, Blue and Green lines. Greater Cleveland’s “Rapid” is sticking around for decades to come. But taking it another way, there are no expansion plans while ridership on GCRTA buses and trains fell nearly 60 percent from 2013 to 2021 “led” by its rail system which fell even farther, from 9.3 million boardings in 2013 to 2.9 million in 2021. MORE: https://neo-trans.blog/2023/08/03/gcrta-stations-lots-of-opportunity/

This is a development discussion?

Yeah, it really looks great on the lower floors of the Lumen... 🙄

It would create another reason to extend the Waterfront Line as a downtown loop. If a football stadium is ever built next to the Inner Belt, I'd build a big parking deck over the highway.

Ridership on the Waterfront Line peaked at 1.5 million rides in 1998, the year BEFORE the Browns returned. Why? Because they charged for rides only inbound to Tower City.

A map that was recently shared at town hall meetings shows a dramatically expanded long-distance network... FRA’s Long-Distance Study Produces Map of Expanded Amtrak Services https://railfan.com/fras-long-distance-study-produces-map-of-expanded-amtrak-services/

So they're ready to open the Waterfront Line but only for Browns games and no Blue & Green Line trains to serve it for a month.... For Immediate Release August 1, 2022 GCRTA – Rail Services Update Cleveland, OH – Planned repairs and upgrades to GCRTA rail infrastructure remain on schedule. This update covers major Blue/Green Line and Waterfront Line projects. Blue/Green Line Update The Blue/Green Line will close for major rehabilitation on Sunday, August 20, and will reopen on Sunday, October 1, 2023. Replacement bus service will use the same special alignment that was used during planned construction work in 2021. Schedules are now available on rideRTA.com. Waterfront Line Update Numerous repairs and improvements to the Waterfront Line remain on schedule. As a result, RTA plans to provide Waterfront Line service for every regular-season home game at Cleveland Browns Stadium, starting September 10, 2023. RTA will continue to perform various upgrades on days while trains are not running. Next spring or summer, on a date to be determined, the Waterfront Line will begin operating on a regular schedule in addition to serving major events. ABOUT RTA: 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.

Seeds & Sprouts XXXI – Oliva Steakhouse on downtown’s menu; Starting Point center opening at Link59; Lido Lounge stripped by George, BofA By Ken Prendergast / August 1, 2023 A new restaurant is coming to downtown Cleveland’s Warehouse District possibly by the end of the year and a familiar couple is cooking it up. Lola and Luca Sema, who own Luca Restaurants which in turn owns and operates Luca Italian Cuisine, Luca West and Acqua di Luca, are planning their fourth restaurant — Oliva Steakhouse, 408 W. St. Clair Ave. The site is the space previously occupied for two decades by Ostera di Valerio until it moved in late-2019 to 1801 E. 9th St. MORE: https://neo-trans.blog/2023/08/01/seeds-starting-point-center-opening-at-link59-lido-lounge-stripped-by-george-bofa/

Lots of cool stuff on this week's planning commission agenda. The first three are financing packages for development projects.... 1. Ordinance No. 787-2023(Introduced by Councilmembers McCormack, Hairston and Griffin – by departmental request): Authorizing the Director of Economic Development to enter into a development agreement with Cleveland LD LLC, or its designee, successors and assignees, to plan and execute a development and financing strategy to maximize public and private use along Cleveland’s riverfront, including Tower City, property between Huron Road and the riverfront, and property between Ontario Street and the riverfront. 2. Ordinance No. 788-2023(Introduced by Councilmembers McCormack, Hairston and Griffin – by departmental request): Authorizing the Mayor and the Commissioner of Purchases and Supplies to acquire and re-convey properties presently owned by Apartment 92-The Apollo, LLC, and/or its designee, located at 1250 Riverbed Street, for the purpose of entering into the chain-of-title prior to the adoption of tax increment financing legislation authorized under Section 5709.41 of the Revised Code for the Kaplan Shanman Building Mixed Use Development Project. 3. Ordinance No. 789-2023(Introduced by Councilmembers McCormack, Hairston and Griffin – by departmental request): Authorizing the Director of Economic Development to enter into an Enterprise Zone Agreement with Erieview Holdings, LLC, and/or its designee, to provide for tax abatement for certain real property improvements as an incentive to revitalize Erieview Tower. 4. Ordinance No. 790-2023(Introduced by Councilmembers Bishop and Griffin – by departmental request): Authorizing the Director of Capital Projects, on behalf of the Office of Sustainability, to enter into one or more contracts with Volta Charging, LLC for a publically accessible electric charging station network in the public right-of-way and on City-owned property, for a period of ten years, with one five-year option to renew, exercisable by the Director of Capital Projects; authorizing the Director to apply for and accept any gifts, grants, or services from any private or public entities. 5. Ordinance No. 801-2023(Introduced by Councilmembers McCormack, Hairston and Griffin – by departmental request): To supplement the Codified Ordinances of Cleveland, Ohio, 1976, by enacting new Sections 301.01 to 301.09 relating to transit oriented development and transportation demand management; and to amend Section 341.02, as amended by Ordinance No. 1872-08, passed February 9, 2009, and Section 349.11, as amended by Ordinance No. 1236-A-67, passed June 28, 1971, relating to applicability and exceptions to minimum parking requirements. ADMINISTRATIVE APPROVALS 1. Ordinance No. 747-2023-2023 (Introduced by Councilmembers Bishop and Griffin – by departmental request): Authorizing the Director of Public Works to continue to lease or otherwise make available certain space located in the Ticket House building adjacent to Cleveland’s Historic League Park in the Negro League Baseball Legends of Fame Inc. dba Baseball Heritage Museum for the purpose of storing and displaying historical baseball memorabilia relevant to League Park, for a period of up to five years with two one-year options to renew, exercisable by the Director of Public Works. 2. Ordinance No. 796-2023(Introduced by Councilmembers Hairston and Griffin - by departmental request): Approving the addition or property located at the intersection of East 97th Street and Lamont Avenue to the Northeast Ohio Advanced Energy District; accepting and approving a petition and plan from a property owner in the District identifying a special energy improvement project; declaring it necessary to conduct the special energy improvement project; providing for the assessment of the cost of such special energy improvement project; authorizing the Director of Economic Development to enter into an Energy Project Cooperative Agreement and a Special Assessment Agreement to implement the project; and declaring an emergency.

I will see this in person later this week

If so, it would be the first building built by this developer on a property with an already existing building on it.

Wasn't a project. They were pretty pictures shared by the owner as part of his property sale offering. Jeff Jacobs has no intention of developing anything in Cleveland. It's been submitted for city approval. There is something going on in that area, however. I'll follow up on it after I get back from vacation next week.

Too cool!

Interesting..especially the Midwest part re: acquisition and development financing...

The U.S. cities the most people have moved out of since Jan 2023 according to USPS: 7. Dallas, TX 6. Miami 5. Austin, TX 4. New York City 3. Los Angeles 2. Chicago 1. Houston, TX

There are rumors that at some point Gilbert is going to want a new arena in downtown Cleveland for the Cavs. But for now, the plan is to build parking garages there. That will give him and the Guardians flexibility for future development of a ballpark village on the site of one of the Gateway garages.

Thanks, but we're working with a video production company in Ukraine. They speak a little English. So I'll take whatever voice-video synchronization I can get. 😁

Cleveland’s lakefront: through the Years By NEOtrans / July 30, 2023 Welcome to the latest video from NEOtrans. Today, let’s talk about downtown Cleveland’s lakefront. And that’s certainly something that people like to talk about – especially the many plans for improving the place where downtown meets Lake Erie. Unfortunately, most of those plans over the past 100 years have ended up gathering dust on a shelf rather than getting built. But some of them have been constructed and more of them are going to appear on the landscape someday. The question is, what will they be? MORE: https://neo-trans.blog/2023/07/30/clevelands-lakefront-through-the-years/

What's the McKinley Building?

Immigrants often go to where they have family/friends to support them, or the towns they've heard of like New York, Miami, Los Angeles.... When they realize how expensive the famous towns are, then they engage in secondary immigration and that's where cities like Cleveland are getting immigrants. Most of my wife's work is in settling secondary immigrants and her agency is simply overwhelmed with them.

Thanks. Then he's going to love the NEOtrans commentary I have scheduled to be published Aug. 3 while I'm on vacation. Based on the potential economic impact estimated in 2000 when the Downtown Loop was last studied, I think a TIF could generate nearly half of the non-federal share of capital and some of the operating costs.