KJP

GSA = federal General Services Administration? If so, that actually is a pretty big deal, as is the 7770 square feet of space being leased in a neighborhood setting.

Amazing how much attention a Browns news story gets. My blog got 48,000 views in the last two days, nearly all of them viewing the Browns article. Now I know why 92 The Fan talks Browns incessantly.

Over 20-30 years? Sure, why not? And the lakefront and riverfront developments are just some of what's in the works. Of course, not everything will come to fruition, but if we're to satisfy the reported demand for housing downtown (4,000 to 6,500 units over the next decade), then we've got a lot of building to do even if we subtract from that total City Club (304 units), The Bell (367 units), Centennial (580 units), Erieview (227 units), Rockefeller (436 units), that's "only" 1,915 units. Let's say the old Sherwin-Williams HQ is partially converted to residential (say 500 units), Medical Mutual (300 units) and Ohio Savings Plaza (150-225 units) are sold to developers, that's another 1,000 units or so. Perhaps another downtown building may be converted that's not yet on the radar. Add another 200 units for that contingency. So, we're talking about 3,100 units without adding new construction that isn't already under construction. To add another 900 to 3,400 units would take anywhere from three to 11 new construction high rises the scale of the City Club or The Lumen. Let's do it, Cleveland!

GCRTA gives final OK to new rail car purchase By Ken Prendergast / April 18, 2023 After at least eight years of discussion and planning, the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (GCRTA) Board Members unanimously voted to approve the Rail Car Replacement Team’s recommendation of Siemens Mobility Incorporated as the preferred vendor to replace their aging rail fleet during today’s GCRTA Board meeting. This follows a detailed presentation and committee recommendation made on April 4. MORE: https://neo-trans.blog/2023/04/18/gcrta-gives-final-ok-to-new-rail-car-purchase/

Foundation construction permits submitted to the city today for the 13-story Shoreway Tower. Might see construction start by June at this rate. So how about TWO tower cranes along the Shoreway on the West Side? Plus the Westinghouse conversion, if they ever submit any plans to the city??

Yes, same design. This is what is on the agenda for Friday.

Consider that a residential or hotel tower would need anywhere from 100 to 300 parking spaces. An office tower might need 500-1000. IIRC, the number of parking spaces in the land bridge and north of tracks extending over to East 9th would number in the thousands. If it's 3,000 spaces, that offers plenty of daytime parking for an office building the convention center and even more parking available at night for residential buildings. I've cropped the conceptual drawing of the land bridge that was used for the funding application to the state to focus on where much of the high-rise development would likely be...

Construction is advancing at the Sherwin-Williams Building Our Future new HQ and R&D facilities. We’re excited to share the progress as we capture all the milestones along the way. HQ Progress

Construction is advancing at the Sherwin-Williams Building Our Future new HQ and R&D facilities. We’re excited to share the progress as we capture all the milestones along the way. R&D Progress

I haven't looked lately, but the old pedestrian bridge is supposed to be removed if it hasn't already. I was told demolition crews were being trained on Federal Railroad Administration safety rules to work around and above active railroad lines. That was months ago. By the way, I asked Grace Gallucci of NOACA this morning if the transit center (Amtrak, Greyhound, light-rail station) was to be a part of this land bridge. She said it was part of the funding application request to the state. Whether it is part of the final design that's underway, if not nearly finished, is unknown. City Planning Director Joyce Huang told me this morning that she has "nothing to report at this time" regarding the inclusion of the transit center in the land bridge's final design.

Two seasons. Renovation took 20 months. If the Browns can work some magic and do it in stages, leaving the heavy structural work to one year, perhaps they could limit the time the team plays elsewhere to one season. But would be very surprised if they could do it without playing elsewhere at all.

Yes, our Toyota employees are fighting to get you the best deal on a new car today!!

Manufacturing investing hits $200B https://www.linkedin.com/news/story/manufacturing-investing-hits-200b-6251322/

Daryl doesn't think the Browns will have to play for 2-3 years away from their stadium during its rebuilding. He cites the Progressive Field renovation as precedent. My understanding is that Cleveland Browns Stadium's rebuilding will be more substantial.

@Htsguy I haven't heard much about it, but I have heard it could include a Waterfront Line station that replaces the West 3rd and East 9th stations. I've also heard it could include an Amtrak station but I don't know how elaborate it would be. And considering the recent sale of the Greyhound station and Greyhound's desire to co-locate stations with Amtrak, I wouldn't be surprised to see The Dog in there, too. More news...

Three years isn't that short.

I'm pretty sure Marie has moved on to a better parking lot somewhere.

The HoF stadium has only 23,000 seats. I think the Browns would rather play Progressive Field.

I thought that might be a possibility. Of course, anything is possible until contracts have been signed.

This is moving forward, probably due to lumber prices coming down. Up for final approval from Planning Commission this Friday.

Haslams’ major announcement(s) By Ken Prendergast / April 17, 2023 Cleveland Browns owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam, Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb and Berea Mayor Cyril Kleem, Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne and others are due to make one or more big announcements starting next week that will include the lakefront football stadium, the Browns’ Berea campus, mixed-use developments around both plus a relocated Shoreway. The announcements will be about changes intended to activate the downtown lakefront by the end of this decade in ways it hasn’t been since the 1930s and to create a year-round fan-friendly village around the team’s suburban headquarters and practice facility, according to two sources familiar with the developments. MORE: https://neo-trans.blog/2023/04/17/haslams-major-announcements/

MEDIA RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Marie Zickefoose [email protected] Mayor Bibb announces Bryant L. Francis as Director of Port Control New leader will oversee ports, airport system and Cleveland Hopkins 20-year master plan April 17, 2023 — Cleveland — Mayor Justin M. Bibb announced today that Bryant L. Francis will be Cleveland’s new Director of Port Control, following a national search led by industry experts at Korn Ferry. “I am delighted that we are bringing Bryant to Cleveland at this pivotal time for our airport system,” said Mayor Bibb. “He is a leader that we know can hit the ground running and jump start our $2 billion, 20-year master plan to transform Cleveland Hopkins into a world-class airport for our city and the region.” Francis will assume the role from Interim Director Dennis Kramer who has been the acting leader of the airport and ports since Robert Kennedy's departure in July 2022. His first day will be May 24, 2023. “I am grateful for everything Dennis Kramer has done as acting director, not just to stabilize the airport, but to keep moving the ball forward during this transition,” Mayor Bibb added. An airport industry veteran with more than 25 years of experience in aviation management, Francis has worked across operations, air service development, marketing and communications, real estate, infrastructure, and general management of airports. He currently serves as Director of Aviation for the Port of Oakland, where he leads a staff of more than 200 people responsible for the management of Oakland International Airport (OAK). OAK welcomed 10 million passengers last year and has seen tremendous success during his seven-year tenure. Before joining the Port of Oakland, he was the Airport Director in Long Beach, Calif, and Director of Airports in Shreveport, La. He also served in executive capacities at airports in Boise, Detroit, and Palm Springs. He began his career in 1996 at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. “I was struck by Bryant’s dedication to public service and accountability as well as his natural ability to quickly connect and relate to the people he met with when he spent the day with us in Cleveland,” said Cleveland Chief Operating Officer Bonnie Teeuwen. “He knows this business inside out and is also someone who highly values culture and collaboration—a perfect fit for this role.” Francis is also well-versed in best practices and issues facing airports nationally and worldwide, serving on both the Airports Council International - North America Board of Directors and its U.S. Policy Council as well as the American Association of Airport Executives Policy Review Committee. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Aviation Management from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. “I am thrilled to be selected to lead the team in Cleveland and I look forward to getting started on this new chapter of my career,” Francis said. “This is the jumping off point of a real transformation at Cleveland Hopkins and I am excited to lend my experience to shaping and stewarding such a landmark project.” ###

Incoming!

There's actually many photos if you dig for them. If you drive from Slavic Village down into the industrial Flats, you can get a sense of what Youngstown was like. Same if you visit Girard near the Vallourec mill. It can never be the same of course. But those are two of the closest experiences I can think of.

You do realize this is the URBAN Ohio thread? 15 feet is spacious for a walkable, sociable community that wants to be fiscally prudent by having more valuable land per acre and less infrastructure to support per taxpayer. There are no negatives to this level of density except that it is not dense or mixed-use enough.