KJP

Here's my take on all this: > Funding for cleaning up EPA Superfund sites is limited -- certainly not enough to tackle 43 of them in a 2-3 mile stretch; > Highway funding is more available, and can be used to remove the Superfund sites; > Redevelopment along the corridor will occur with the UCAB, or whatever it's called now, and that could help the Red Line. But I am concerned that the Red Line will become forgotten if it remains in that trench; > Highway and transit funding can be brought to bear to put both the UCAB and the Red Line on the same right of way, thereby putting both on the same level (physically, visually and competitively); > Rezone properties within a half-mile of the UCAB with transit-supportive zoning so that we don't get seas of parking and newer, more modern slums out of the deal; > Reconfigure the street layout in University Circle -- they're damned confusing as it is for east siders and threaten to become overwhelmed with lost west siders, so rearrange things so that someone can park on the railroad side of UC while taking transit, biking and walking to UC's "front door" (on Euclid); > See my graphics on the first page of this message string to see what wild things I have in mind. I think this can be a win-win for the city, but if the powers-that-be merely want to slash a road through the east side, then I can't see it doing much for the surrounding neighborhoods. In that case, what I do see are newer, auto-centric slums that have the job-creating sites spread too thin to lift the neighborhood. If that happens, the east side ends up with just another through route for suburban motorists to use as if it were a gauntlet (see Chester, Carnegie, MLK). Happy motoring! KJP

Thought many of you would find this letter of interest. The letter is a public record, so I'm not breaking a confidence here. KJP ________________ June 3, 2005 David J. Coyle, Director District 12 Ohio Department of Transportation 5500 Transportation Blvd. Garfield Heights, OH 44125 Dear Dave: The Opportunity Corridor project connecting I-490 to University Circle is a project that provides for the best interests of the City of Cleveland and the residents in the neighborhoods surrounding the proposed new boulevard. That is why I am allocating $10,000 to help fund the study that ODOT is conducting in partnership with University Circle, Inc. in hopes of moving this project forward. The creation of a boulevard between I-490 and University Circle will improve access to University Circle and allow for economic development to blossom on more than 400 acres of underutilized land in the City of Cleveland, including the Forgotten Triangle, while relieving congestion on the Innerbelt, all at a significantly lower cost than building a new freeway. Both the short-term and the long-term benefits that will arise from the Opportunity Corridor are substantial and in the best interests of the City of Cleveland and its residents. Therefore, it should be the priority over the reconfiguration of the Innerbelt, particularly until we can solve the issues surrounding the on/off ramps of the new Innerbelt and the negative impact they would have on our neighborhoods. There are just a few of the reasons why I support this project and urge you to make the Opportunity Corridor the priority for ODOT in the Greater Cleveland area. I look forward to working with you to make the project a reality. Sincerely, Frank G. Jackson President of Council cc: Craig K. Hebebrand, Project Director, ODOT District 12

from the Project for Public Spaces..... KJP _____________ http://www.pps.org/info/newsletter/june2005/transportation_as_place Streets Are People Places The first step in winning back our communities is realizing that cars should not rule the roads. By Fred Kent I have a favorite saying about transportation: "If you plan cities for cars and traffic, you get cars and traffic. If you plan for people and places, you get people and places." It sounds obvious, but when I make this point to audiences around the country, it's a real eye-opener. They love it. The power of this simple idea is that it reflects basic truths that are rarely acknowledged. One such truth is that more traffic and road capacity are not the inevitable result of growth. They are in fact the product of very deliberate choices that have been made (for us, not by us) to shape our communities around the private automobile. We as a society have the ability to make different choices--starting with the decision to design our streets as comfortable places for people.

Corky & Lenny's on Chagrin near I-271 is still kicking. Does anyone know if Corky's 12th Street Market downtown any "relation"? KJP

wimwar, You are correct, but I think a cost analysis of the southern bridge alignment -- with a bridge that's 1,500 feet shorter by using the existing hillside that juts out to the west and upon which the NS intermodal rail yard was located. At the west side of the valley, ODOT would be able to keep its western bridge abutment on the south side of Abbey Road, thereby limiting the west hillside's movement from affecting the bridge. I think ODOT also doesn't like having the eastbound exits onto Ontario and East 9th be direct-access, rather than a cloverleaf loop. I've addressed this before, as the cloverleafs would only be one lane wide whereas the direct-access ramps could be several lanes wide to stack more cars (see the Shoreway's westbound exit ramp onto East 9th for an example). And, once the Central Interchange has been dramatically shrunk to avail the land for redevelopment, the city could use a TIF from that area, as well as along the University Circle Access Boulevard to help pay for the UCAB. They could also use federal transit funds by relocating the Red Line down the middle of the UCAB, to give the rail line greater visibility in the area's redevelopment, and enhance security for transit riders who won't be isolated in its current trench. Yes, there's some risk to this, in that it could take 20-30 years for the Central Interchange area to build-out, given the region's sluggish economy. But I also think that, by opening up a big chunk of clean, relatively inexpensive land downtown, it will be hard for developers to ignore it. Add to that the situation with oil supplies, which isn't going to get any better in the future and will probably get worse, not only will downtown development become more attractive, driving will likely become less attractive. I think this is what's called planning. Too bad our MPO uses past trends to "plan" for the future. That's like me watching my rearview mirror to figure out where I should turn next. The only way that works is if I'm going backwards..... KJP

My2sense, Thanks for catching that. KJP

If you want easy access to the lake, then the Holiday Inn Lakeside is your best bet. The Ritz Carlton and Renaissance Hotel (a Marriott brand) have decent access, since they are upstairs from the Waterfront Line's Tower City station (take the train four stops to the North Coast station). Other hotels within an easy walk of the lakefront are the Sheraton City Center, Hampton Inn or Marriott at Key Tower. Actually, any downtown hotel is within a 20-minute walk of North Coast Harbor. KJP

I suspect the reason why Cleveland has wooden homes instead of brick or masonry ones, is that we managed to avoid the rampant fires that destroyed large sections of Boston and Chicago in the late 1800s. Had we suffered a fire, the building code probably would have been adjusted accordingly. A friend of mine from Chicago comes here, sees the wooden homes (especially the up/down duplexes with the double front porches) and says "So that's what Chicago would have had if it wasn't for that damn cow..." I dunno. I prefer brick. KJP

Mall D could be built in a manner similar to the "Court of the Presidents" for the Great Lakes Exposition of 1936-37. The Court was built across the tracks and some lower-level land where the Shoreway would soon go. Below are a couple of the images of the Court of the Presidents. While the Court was built as an open-air promenade, if you can imagine this open-air deck being about 20 feet or so higher, about 4-6 times as wide, and an enclosed structure of equal width beneath it, that's probably something like what the convention center task force has in mind...maybe? KJP

I posted this at Cleveland.com's forum, but I thought it would be appropriate to post it here..... Why does the Greek Orthodox Church have to stand in the way of a project that can vastly improve the core city? I'm not suggesting destroying the church. I'm suggesting that we put it at the heart of an urban neighborhood again. Before someone responds what I'm about to suggest can't be done, consider the following.... The London Bridge was bought in 1967 when it was 136 years old, disassembled, moved from its namesake city, transported across an ocean and a continent, then reassembled over three years in Lake Havasu City, Arizona, of all places. Not sacred enough for ya? How about the Danevang Lutheran Church, which was dismantled then reassembled in a new location. Read about it at... http://www.texasescapes.com/TexasGulfCoastTowns/DanevangTexas/DanevangTx.htm Or, an entire farming village was moved from Germany and reassambled in Virginia... http://www.frontiermuseum.org/Germany.htm Where should the Greek Orthodox Church be moved to? Anywhere the congregation wants. But my preference is the new neighborhood south of Jacobs Field. This would require warehousing the church for several years until the land is cleared. In the new downtown neighborhood, the Greek Orthodox Church could be the anchor of its new community, and provide an historical respite from all the new-fangled construction that would surround it. I would also suggest relocating Sobeleski's University Inn and the adjacent two or three historic homes, moving them across the valley as well. KJP

Spencer is the name on the marquee for the no-neck crowd sitting in the shadowy back room, if you follow me. For people of his cadre, it is more desireable to be feared than to be loved. The guy who owns some of the bars across the street is cut from the same cloth, er, silk shirts. This isn't going to be easy for Scott W. Remember Ed Stinn Chevrolet in Fairview Park? That place sat empty for a decade because ol' Ed had debts to people who don't refinance unless your kneecaps are part of the deal. KJP

As a resident of the area, I've already posted pictures of how I'd rather see this project designed (look back on the first page of this string). I don't oppose Target locating there. I do oppose the auto-centric design. Land use design is a major determinant of the quality of a neighborhood. But I try to avoid that area as much as possible, because it's uncomfortable to get there by any other way than by car. It's a hard, stark, ugly and unforgiving landscape (especially in winter) that's going to get worse if Target is built far back from the street, behind a large parking lot. I wouldn't wish my worst enemies (except maybe Locust!) to have to endure a shopping experience in that sort of setting. KJP

Tuesday's hearing was a major-league bummer. I'll comment more on it tomorrow, but it seems ODOT still continues downtown redevelopment a low priority and isn't very interested in trying to find a way to make it work. They seem more interested in highway engineering than in using all that's at their disposal to rebuild the community through which their highway runs. Actually, I don't blame ODOT so much for that, because the City of Cleveland dictates the land use and can push ODOT in a direction that's beneficial to Cleveland. But Cleveland isn't making much noise about this, I think because they fear having too much ODOT money going to the Inner Belt project and not having enough left over for other things, namely the University Circle Access Boulevard and possibly the Lakefront Boulevard. But, one thing is clear, ODOT continues to believe its primary mission is to move as many vehicles as possible, as fast as possible. I think a former mayor of San Francisco said it best, when the Embarcadaro Expressway was proposed, "why do people have to speed through this city? It's a beautiful city and people should get out of your car to really enjoy it." While Cleveland isn't San Francisco, both are shaped by human hands and minds. Cleveland can be as urbane, walkable and dynamic as it wants to be, including being a place where the highway is less important than the urban forms offered by the city, now and in the future. ODOT seems to take an opposite approach, which means the urban wasteland called the Central Interchange will remain for decades to come. Too bad we don't have earthquakes that can level it, like Mother Nature did to the Embarcadaro. Look at how San Francisco suffered when the expressway was removed for a waterfront park. KJP

Area 51? It's good to diversify your airport traffic, but to include UFOs?? :weird: KJP

Gosh, how did that happen? :roll: KJP

An open house will be from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday (June 14) at the Myers University Club, 3813 Euclid Ave. See the PD article posted a little farther up this string at: http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=3697.msg36577#msg36577 KJP

I wonder why the site Wolstein proposed wouldn't work. Putting it inside the loop of the Waterfront Line offers some measure of limited access, since it can only be accessed from the north by driving under the elevated portion of the rail line. I would think that site offers comparable security to what was built for the FBI/DEA/ATF on Lakeside. KJP

If a busway were built down the middle of I-90, where the median was reserved for a rail line, and the interchange for West 117th was reconfigured with straight ramps rather than the two cloverleafs, the area would become quite pedestrian-friendly. KJP

Steve Litt will have another column on the subject, probably tomorrow. I will try to be at tomorrow's open house for the first part of it, but if I can't get there early, I'll have to pass and rely on the eyes and ears of others. KJP

As someone who lives only 1.5 miles north of this proposed development, let me clarify that I don't oppose the Target store. I oppose its design as uncreative. Allow me to suggest what I consider to be a more creative design that would promote the urban aesthetics of the area (especially since I will have to see this retail complex every day as I ride or drive past it). The following pictures are of a mixed-use, suburban location called Northgate outside of Seattle. The NorthGate Target store is on the top two levels of the four story structure. You can enter/exit the Target from either floor and it contains internal escalators like you would expect in any department store. A Best Buy and other national chains are part of the building, with a parking garage and surface parking available. Yes, this is not the most attractive structure in the world. But, compared to the typical mall or retail plaza, it is a major improvement.... Then, there's the new Edgewood shopping center in Atlanta, with the big boxes, smaller stores and residential structures fronting the streets, and surface parking behind.... And then there's Fairview Village, a new town center that was built about 12 miles northeast of Portland, Oregon. This was the original plan, which the developers adhered to.... Cleveland can and should do as thoughtful a job as these other cities of similar size. When we make decisions out of desperation, we tend to regret them in the long-term. Rysar Properties is a quality developer, and we should expect high standards from them (as we would from all our neighbors) in all their endeavors. KJP

I agree. That's one thing I didn't like about his column. In reality, we probably will never run out of oil, as the last barrels will be so expensive that no one would be able to afford them. That is the endpoint. Between that and the present day situation is a lot of discomfort, in terms of a painful realignment of our economy and lifestyles. However, what are running out of is cheap and easy oil, and that's what too many of us (especially Americans) are addicted to. When that's no longer available, the withdrawal symptoms will get pretty ugly for many. As for me, I already live a low-oil use lifestyle, except for the lack of organic food retailers in my area. We could always turn my building's roof and pool area into a hydroponic garden. KJP

Don't forget the rebuilding of Westgate, which is to have 1-2 big box stores, in addition to the Kohl's store, which will be retained. Retailing is about as cutthroat a business there is. If you put five retailing executives on a deserted island and gave them a week's worth of food, four of the executives would be murdered by the end of the first business day. KJP

In advance of Tuesday's public hearing on the Inner Belt, I'm posting a link to the following diagram. It's a 230K PDF document displaying my concept for the Inner Belt realignment, as part of the rebuilding project and new Cuyahoga Valley bridge. It includes a new neighborhood, light-rail loop around downtown, and more. I hope local stakeholders and ODOT officials see it (and like it). I hope all of you do too! http://members.cox.net/corridorscampaign/Inner%20Belt%20Hood1.pdf I also added a JPG version, but it's 948K, at: http://members.cox.net/corridorscampaign/Inner%20Belt%20Hood.jpg KJP

It doesn't take an ideal world to create those things, MayDay. It takes urban planning, the kind that has a larger vision for the whole city and of the future. If that's too idealistic, then I'm living in the wrong city (duh!). KJP

I'm not happy about this project either. It's turning an urban neighborhood into a suburban wasteland. Too me, this sounds like they're replicating North Olmsted in the City of Cleveland, and I consider North Olmsted as one of the most butt-ugly places in the metro area. I thought we were trying to beautify the city, not copy our region's worst example of bad planning and the endless string of eyesores it created. You know why I think we started creating such awful development patterns during the Cold War? Because if the Soviets nuked our cities into windswept parking lots, no one would notice the difference! KJP