KJP

Did city derail scenic railroad extension? By Ken Prendergast / June 30, 2023 While helping Bedrock Real Estate acquire land for its downtown riverfront development, the city of Cleveland may have also “significantly harmed” nascent efforts to extend Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad (CVSR) passenger trains north to downtown. That harm was the apparent result of the city releasing itself from a lien on current and former railroad rights of way along the Cuyahoga River from below Tower City Center south to near Interstate 490. MORE: https://neo-trans.blog/2023/06/30/did-city-derail-scenic-railroad-extension/

There's an angle to this story that is pretty bad. I hope to be able to write about it later today or over the weekend.

Slavic Village industry to get trucked By Ken Prendergast / June 30, 2023 The Empire Plow Co. has been in existence for 183 years. Its factory in Cleveland’s Slavic Village neighborhood has stood for 136 years. But since it’s been vacant for four years, it’s likely to be demolished by the end of this year. And, according to the property owner, the site is proposed to be bought by a local trucking firm that needs more space for its growing business. MORE: https://neo-trans.blog/2023/06/30/slavic-village-industry-to-get-trucked/

Monmouth Building on Euclid Ave noted in this article about historic tax credits.

By comparison, Cleveland's Slavic Village got off easy

NE Ohio wins $26M in historic tax credits By Ken Prendergast / June 29, 2023 An ambitious plan to redevelop the mostly vacated Park Synagogue, 3300 Mayfield Rd., and its 28 acres of land in Cleveland Heights was the big winner in today’s awarding of $50.56 million in Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credits to 38 projects statewide. But Northeast Ohio overall did pretty in this latest round of historic tax credit awards, winning more than $26 million for 11 projects. MORE https://neo-trans.blog/2023/06/29/ne-ohio-wins-26m-in-historic-tax-credits/

Rebuild Cleveland to assemble new homes By Ken Prendergast / June 29, 2023 A new company comprised of local real estate veterans intends to break ground next week on its first new home to address a shortage of quality, affordable workforce housing and to continue neighborhood stabilization efforts. But construction of that home, a modular, manufactured structure, is due to be completed in less than one month. The company that will build this infill housing on vacant lots is called Rebuild Cleveland LLC and the neighborhood where they will start assembling them is the southern part of Cleveland’s Detroit Shoreway. MORE: https://neo-trans.blog/2023/06/29/rebuild-cleveland-to-assemble-new-homes/

Car Brain is real and terrifying.

And it was in the suburbs. This is the Cleveland safety discussion....

For the parking garage.

Oh look -- another article at the bottom of the page! 😱 Hough developments keep on coming By Ken Prendergast / June 28, 2023 Multiple construction projects are underway at the east end of Hough, closest to University Circle, and more are about to begin. While work is rapidly progressing on the apartments and townhomes for Park Lamont, two more projects are about to begin and a third is waiting in the wings for more financing to be awarded to it. All are in response to the growing number of University Circle-area jobs and students. Even affordable senior housing is being added in response to this growth, with the goal to make sure seniors don’t get squeezed out of a neighborhood experiencing rising rents. MORE: https://neo-trans.blog/2023/06/28/hough-developments-keep-on-coming/

Google facing a few challenges

Tunneling is almost always more expensive than bridging. A lot more.

It's the economy, stupid.

The transit system has huge parking lots at its rail stations that it doesn't need anymore for downtown commuting. Where is the vision to repurpose these huge properties into transit villages where someone can carry out their daily life within 1,000 feet of each rail station?

@Rustbelter Right now, only one condo in my building (Coral Rock Condos, 12029 Clifton, Lakewood) is on the market. Unit #602. The penthouse may also be up for sale soon. Contact Continental Management if you'd like the inside track. Gold Coast-area condos are older and more affordable but are still nice. But I understand if you want to rent first and check out the entire area. I'm familiar with some of the buildings and understand you don't want a college dorm atmosphere. To avoid that, I'd suggest the Terminal Tower, The May, Residences at the Halle, 75 Public Square, The Ivory, Scofield, and some of the other ones you've mentioned (without warning stars).

Building permits starting to come through for Chester 82. Still nothing for Chester 75.

Pretty strong messaging

That would mean paying a huge amount of money all at once rather than a pay-as-you-go method.

How's this? Perhaps both the Orange and the Blue could exist with the Orange offering counter-clockwise service with a station added to the existing Rapid at Lorain-Carnegie Bridge. All of the Orange and Blue lines would be streetcars at grade except for the subway decks of the Detroit-Superior and Lorain-Carnegie bridges. Additional rail loops to the east (Midtown/UC/Glenville) and south (Tremont/Clark-Metro) could be added.

Yes, a reality

The Lorain-Carnegie bridge was designed with a subway deck on the lower level.

For anyone afraid of their cars being tracked by tech so you can pay per mile, I've got some bad news for you. That tech is already on your car. Since existing GPS tech on cars is part of the manufacturer's service, maybe the solution is for people to pay the manufacturer for the use of their car, then the manufacturer pays the government? Perhaps that might ease some privacy concerns? And if people don't pay, the manufacturer can put a lien on their car to repossess it? And, who knows, conservatives can start making the argument that car manufacturers should cut the government out of the picture and start buying, managing, maintaining, insuring and policing highways. Then after a few years of horrific financial losses, they'll realize how much of a money loser they are and thus how government subsidizes them to the detriment of rail and transit?