KJP

Here's some new federal energy legislation to develop transit oriented development corridors.... http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c109:S.2025: S.2025 Vehicle and Fuel Choices for American Security Act (Introduced in Senate) http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/F?c109:1:./temp/~c109f0YagZ:e84619: SEC. 308. TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT CORRIDORS. (a) Definitions- In this section: (1) TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT CORRIDOR- The term `Transit-Oriented Development Corridor' or `TODC' means a geographic area designated by the Secretary under subsection (b). (2) OTHER TERMS- The terms `fixed guide way', `local governmental authority', `mass transportation', `Secretary', `State', and `urbanized area' have the meanings given the terms in section 5302 of title 49, United States Code. (b) Transit-Oriented Development Corridors- (1) IN GENERAL- The Secretary shall develop and carry out a program to designate geographic areas in urbanized areas as Transit-Oriented Development Corridors. (2) CRITERIA- An area designated as a TODC under paragraph (1) shall include rights-of-way for fixed guide way mass transportation facilities (including commercial development of facilities that have a physical and functional connection with each facility). (3) NUMBER OF TODCS- In consultation with State transportation departments and metropolitan planning organizations, the Secretary shall designate-- (A) not fewer than 10 TODCs by December 31, 2015; and (B) not fewer than 20 TODCs by December 31, 2025. (4) TRANSIT GRANTS- (A) IN GENERAL- The Secretary make grants to eligible states and local governmental authorities to pay the Federal share of the cost of designating geographic areas in urbanized areas as TODCs. (B) APPLICATION- Each eligible State or local governmental authority that desires to receive a grant under this paragraph shall submit an application to the Secretary, at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such additional information as the Secretary may reasonably require. © LABOR STANDARDS- Subchapter IV of chapter 31 of title 40, United States Code shall apply to projects that receive funding under this section. (D) FEDERAL SHARE- The Federal share of the cost of a project under this subsection shall be 50 percent. © TODC Research and Development- To support effective deployment of grants and incentives under this section, the Secretary shall establish a TODC research and development program to conduct research on the best practices and performance criteria for TODCs. (d) Authorization of Appropriations- There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2007 through 2012.

Nice to see that, in this discussion of international flights, diplomacy has been thrown right out the window.

Nice unitended pun. Someone should be cutting them.

^ Awesome. Everyone at the office loved it!

OOPS!!! :bang:

515 Nice job!

OK, now I'm worried that Shaia's project was all just a negotiating ploy to get more money out of Wolstein.... Shaia's Front Street Lofts' retail component is no longer listed on the Kelley & Visconsi retail brokerage web site. Wonder what that means?

Maybe it's working, since Shaia's Front Street Lofts' retail component is no longer listed on the Kelley & Visconsi retail brokerage web site. I will post a different message about this in the Front Street Lofts string.

Looks like the viaduct is for sale. Gee, I wonder how much they're asking? :-D

Interesting that you mention consulates, which are often an indication of the extent of commerce and travel between the city hosting the consulate and the country locating one there. According to the Development Alliance, there are 19 consulates and honorary consulates in Cleveland -- Belgium Croatia Denmark Dominican Republic France Germany Guinea Hungary Italy Latvia Lithuania Luxembourg The Netherlands Norway Slovakia Slovenia Romania Sweden Switzerland However, only one is a full-time consulate: Consulate General of the Republic of Croatia There are three foreign chambers of commerce having offices in Cleveland: French American Chamber of Commerce Ohio-Israel Chamber of Commerce British American Chamber of Commerce Plus, there are 28 fraternal organizations in Cleveland specifically representing 25 different countries. That list is available at: http://www.developmentalliance.com/commdata/Table20.cfm?ID=1 ____________________ There is also this description from http://www.clevelandgrowth.com/Market_Data/Clusters/KRI/ICE/industry/index.asp .... Cleveland is one of the 10 best cities in the United States for achieving global business success, according to World Trade magazine, which credited Cleveland's transportation, business support, diverse economic base, ethnic ties and commitment. Greater Cleveland's World Trade Center, which opened for business in 1994, links the region to a network of 260 similar centers in 70 countries around the world. An estimated 64,000 Greater Cleveland jobs are tied to exports, and some 1,450 manufacturers are engaged in export. Over 2,000 Cleveland-area companies are engaged in international trade. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, Ohio was third in the nation in total annual exports, behind only Texas and California. ....Just in case you really really wanted to know!

Below is the Warehouse District's most recent plan for the northwest corner of the district. The plan for Front Street Lofts is almost identical to what the WHD had in mind for that site -- an L-shaped alignment of mid-rise residential buildings with retail on the ground floor and a parking deck in the crotch of the L. The parking area I was referring to east of West 9th to west of West 3rd, just below and to the right of the word "Conrail" (now Norfolk Southern). The WHD's plan has tall (20-story) residential towers on them with parking decks at their base. In some respects, the port authority's vision for the same site may not be too much different. They propose a major parking/staging structure that would be built upon as if the parking structures were merely an extension of the bluff along and north of the Shoreway.

I was browsing the web and found some interesting visions for Shaker Square on the Coral Company's site... http://www.thecoralcompany.com/new_shaker_square.html ...but first they note these existing and new retailers: Yours Truly Restaurant Shaker Square Beverage Fire – Food & Drink Playmatters Breeds Apart Alexander's Floral Design Captain Tony’s Gourmet Pizza Sushi on the Square Shaker Square Cinemas Luchita’s Mexican Restaurant Dodd Camera Noire Blanc A Color Salon Details Accessory Gallery Ann Taylor Loft US Bank Everything Birkenstock Balaton Restaurant Designer Glass Corcoran Fine Art Sergio's Savará Dewey's Fair Trade Coffee Shaker Square Popcorn Shop Factory H & R Block CMA@ Shaker Square Dave's Supermarket East Coast Original Custard Curves for Women Plus, they also have some renderings of plans for a streetscape and a new residential building, described in this text from the web site (see images below)... Meanwhile, Coral will invest several hundred thousand dollars in new signage, lighting and other landscaping improvements. An eight-story condominium complex and new parking deck could also be in the offering.

They are townhouses that were just starting to get built the year I moved out of Berea (1996). There was a pedestrian promenade on that side of the street that overlooked the Rocky River, and was removed for the townhouses. My parents considered buying one of them several years ago, but only one remaining for sale wasn't finished. The price was exceedingly high (I don't remember the figure--maybe $300K?) but I do remember that it still needed about $100K worth of work to finish it. They're very sharp however, and in a wonderful location -- right in the old town center, overlooking the Rocky River, with a large shopping complex just on the other side of the river, plus the Berea lakes and BW a short walk/bike ride away.

I can't remember. It was part of the "Pesht" articles and discussion thread.

Hey, look at how the traffic is handled at great spaces like Dupont Circle in DC. Except here, you've got two streets that could go under the square. Would an intersection under the square work? Imagine the whole thing under there being a giant transit center and pedestrian promenade, topped with a public park at the former street level.... It's fun dreaming!

As long as we're doing a balancing act, here's a link to an advertising campaign by Chevron to warn people about peak oil and to comtemplate solutions and alternatives now, before it's too late.... http://www.willyoujoinus.com/

Good question. Since some cities annex and others don't/can't, some of these statistics are often meaningless.

Ditto on the welcome. I think you're looking at a different parking lot. The one I'm referring to is east of West 10th. The parking lot just east of West 9th and south of the tracks at the bottom of the hill is where the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority is envisioning a massive parking structure and permanent staging area for cars and trucks to clear customs and then be loaded aboard the cross-lake ferry. The port authority's goal is to build the parking/stage structure in such a way that mixed-use buildings can be erected atop it -- and possibly extend West 6th Street on it then over the tracks to one of the docks. I'll scan the WHD's land use plan for that area and post it later this evening. But the WHD plan doesn't account for the Port Authority's vision.

ColDayMan, I'm not familiar with Indianapolis' Monument Circle. How many buses are routed through there? Whenever I'm on Cleveland's Public Square during rush hours, I'm always astonished at the number of buses that converge there. I would think that closing off traffic through the middle of the square would make it easier to transfer among the multitude of bus routes. And I don't think vehicular traffic is all that heavy around Public Square. As others have said, there are other roads that go around Public Square about a block from it (the exception being between Euclid and Superior -- a holdover from when downtown was designed for pedestrians). Ironically, Bob Stark proposes to close off Public Square to traffic in his plans because, in his words, it's not as functional a public space as it could be if the quadrants were united and redesigned (excepting the Soldiers and Sailors Monument). I agree having more development around it will make it more usable, but imagine if it that happened, plus it became a huge united public space and had all RTA buses routed around it with an RTA customer service center on the square (either in a storefront or in the middle of the square). I can see it being a vibrant place with lots of people making their way through it at all hours. It could truly become Cleveland's heart again.

ODOT is also going to be adding message boards on Cleveland-area interstates in advance of the Inner Belt project. I believe the signs are going to be erected either this year or next.

Two thumbs up. Gotta get those international flights, especially to Europe. I'd love to see direct flights to the Far East, but since we're so far east in the U.S., I don't see that happening.

Akron issued 1,500 building permits for home construction in 2005? That's incredibly high -- just short of what Cleveland did! I'd be interested in learning more about this.

I like the idea of closing the square to traffic, to create a large public space for people. But if that's to happen, and the buses are routed around the square's roadways, there needs to be traffic lights at the four main intersections to allow pedestrians to safely cross else they risk getting bowled over by a swift-moving bus. And, I believe RTA needs a staffed customer service center right on the square (not off in some building that a visitor, a newcomer to Cleveland or an RTA newbie has to search for).

Problem is, there is more than one reality, based on who you are, your upbringing, environment, etc. That's why people debate, but if you feel that a disagreement is an attack against your personal values, then perhaps you're not as comfortable with your beliefs on this issue. That's OK. Find something you're comfortable with, believe in it but always be willing to learn. I'm 38 years old and have been comfortable enough with my beliefs and values for 20 years. I feel strongly enough about them to the point that I'm willing to advocate for them. And that's the way it is for me.

That's about right. I can also tell you railroad-wise.... The rail lines converge on the north side of town, 12 miles from downtown Cleveland. Downtown Berea is about another mile or two south of The Junction.