justine

There is a Greek Festival this Saturday and Sunday in Kamms Corners. They are closing the streets for that. I think it should be fun.

Thanks for the info. I have been having pretty good luck with estate sales, especially if they are in an area of smaller homes or condos. Has anyone bought one of the ottomans that converts into a twin bed? They have them on Amazon.com for sale. It looks like a great space saving item for someone who has overnight guests and not a lot of room. World Market (worldmarket.com) also has furniture that has multiple uses but I'm not sure of the quality.

Hi, I've been looking for some furniture. I usually buy used but I'm not sure how to avoid getting bed bugs. Wondering what others think of buying used with the bed bug problems that are out there. We have a very small bunaglow with small rooms and a lot of the furniture out there is too big and bulky to fit into the rooms. We have got a few things at garage sales. I've heard about Levins, Wayside and World Market. The Wayside clearance center looks pretty good and they seem to have better quality stuff. I've looked at some things in Sweet Loraine vintage and they seem a little overpriced. Lorain used furniture on Lorain near W. 46th looks like it has some nice used furniture. They say they "sanitize" the upholstered furniture but I'm not sure if that gets rid of bed bugs. What has others experience been. Where do you buy used or new furniture. We have some stuff from our parents but that has mostly worn out. We had it for over 20 years. We'd like to have some furnishings that harmonize with the era of the bungalow. It was built in the fifties.

I was at Edgewater Beach last Thursday and watched as the crews removed large branches and debris from the water and beach. Then on Friday I went swimming along with lots of other people and had a great time. On Sunday, back with my guy. We cooked out. The water quality was listed as poor so we didn't go in the water. There were lots of swimmers unterred by the Nowcast though enjoying themselves in the water. The park was filled with a group of drummers, people playing chess, women doing some advanced hula hoop moves, families picknicking, walkers, runners, people fishing. We saw the most spectacular sunset on Sunday. As far as park clean up go. Taxes pay for park maintenance. You get what you pay for. All the anti tax people don't realize they can't have it both ways. I'd rather everyone paid their fair share of taxes and we have excellent public services including beaches.

Is there any program for art/poetry on the inside of the cars/buses on RTA? I lived in Minneapolis and they showcased art/poetry by local residents on the inside. It was a nice program. I have moved back to the city and I am using RTA quite a bit, east and west and find it is working well (as long as I plan properly, carry my schedules and make sure my schedules are up to date).

Update. We bought a house. We found a house in the Westown area near W. 117th and Lorain. So far it is working well. There is a lot of convenience for walking and riding transit and there are some nice small parks. The Westown Grind coffeehouse seems to be temporarily closed but it is scheduled to reopen soon. There is a variety of styles of housing in the area rangine from Colonials, doubles, bunagalows and ranch style homes. Thanks for all the help everyone. It took us awhile to find the right neighborhood espcecially since there are many good neighborhoods in Cleveland and the close in suburbs to choose from.

Start at West Blvd. and Lake and drive south on West Blvd as it winds around. Nice way to see the West Blvd. area.

Hi All, It looks like we are zeroing into the Westown area near W. 117th and Lorain. There are middle eastern grocery stores there, a coffee house, a decent CPL library, not far from the Giant Eagle, the lakefront and we can walk to rapid or two bus lines if we are north of Lorain closer to the Triskett stop. It seems pretty affordable. Thanks for all your help and we will keep you posted.

Hi All. We had to wait till spring and are now house hunting. We weren't able to find what we were looking for in the fall. also, we sold our condo so have more flexibility now. Our price is about $75,000 or less. We don't want a colonial because we don't want to have to deal with the stairs everyday. A two flat, bungalo or cape cod would work. We want to live in denser area to walk to library, bus and/or rail and need first floor bedroom. We are considering buying a nice double and living in one flat and renting out the other. I think it would need to be in a desirable area where we can find good tenants. We are also considering a small house. these are what we have found and we will look at this weekend. A double at w. 73rd and Herman (in big Italy area in Shoreway) A double at W. 62nd north of Detroit (shoreway) a house on pear ave. near W. 62nd (neighbors seem nice) It is small and has a house in the back. A house on Wl 126th with an upstairs in law suite, north of Lorain with an easy walk to the intersection of Lorain and w. 117th with library, grocery store, coffeehouse and bus. A couple of houses south of Lorain between 112th and 116th W. which are also easy walk to the intersection of Lorain and W. 117th where the library is. A house on Beech, very near where the W. Park Rapid, around W. 140th and Lorain Ave., also walking distance to grocery store and not too far from two libraries on Lorain. We are wondering on the overall safety issues of the areas. The area north and south of Lorain between w. 110th and w. 130th seems to be a mix of doubles and single family homes. Some people seem really positive about the area because of the restaurants, variety theater, convenience of the Giant Eagle, West town coffeehouse. some long time residents seem really negative and want to move out, saying there are absentee landlords and the neighborhood is really struggling, etc. The area north of Lorain has more smaller single family homes around Berea Ave., Triskett but seems a little suburban for us and not as much to easily walk to (except the rapid) I could say almost the same about the shoreway neighborhood except I get the impression that there is a lot of community acitivities and money being pored into the area. I know they have issues with break ins, etc.

Does anyone know if transit oriented development such as housing and shops are being planned near the redeveloped Puritas Red Line station? In general, are investors/developers looking at areas near transit in Cleveland to create transit oriented dense neighborhoods? It seems logical with the price of gas going up but I'm not sure if the investors are ready to invest yet.

This is helpful, thanks. We found some homes that are just north of the freeway between W. 117th and W. 112th with Western Ave. on the north. This looks like a good location to be able to walk to the W. 117th and Madison stop but these homes are very close to the freeway. I am wondering about pollution and noise. I have tried to find out information about both but haven't had much luck. I did find that California requires that schools be built at least 500 feet from major roadways due to pollution concerns. These homes have a small park just north of the freeway as a buffer. Does anyone have experience living near a freeway? It would be about 6 homes and a park and a street from the freeway if we moved there.

I know I've asked about several neighborhoods but we still haven't found a house. We've been looking for awhile now and have eliminated the suburbs due to high taxes. We don't want high operating costs. We have been looking around the W. 117th and Lorain area (from W. 110 to W. 120th, from Western on the North to several blocks south of Lorain on the South). So far we like the area because they seem to have fairly stable neighborhoods with some well kept homes at a reasonable cost A Cleveland Public Library Branch at W. 116th and another one further west on Lorain Close enough to walk or bike to the Giant Eagle A bus ride or healthy walk to the W. 117th Rapid stop Halloran Park An active and engaged neighborhood organization, Westown Development A coffee shop on W. 117th near Lorain 24 hour bus service on Lorain Ave. Not as many bars on the doors of the homes as I've seen in some neighborhoods (which I take to mean less burglaries) Middle Eastern grocery stores Rennovation of the Variety Theater complex The disadvantages seem There are foreclosures in the area It is far from the lake, downtown and the east side The freeway cuts through the area Am I right in my analysis? We are also looking at homes near the Triskett stop between Triskett and Lorain which have a little more of a suburban feel and the homes near the West Park Rapid and Lorain which has the advantage of being within walking distance to both the Rapid and a major bus line but doesn't have the density. My concerns are whether or not there are a lot of muggings and burglaries in the area. Also, if we want to sell our home in 8 or 10 years, will the area still be vialble. With all the cuts to transit service, will RTA continue to run frequent bus and rapid service that far from the city core. Also, some of the homes are colonials and some are bunagalos. We have only lived in apartments and condos, never owned a house. I am wondering about the quality of the housing stock in these areas. Do people like living in colonials? Were the homes well built and well maintained? I've seen some wood frame homes on the west side that didn't look like they were in very good shape.

It is so interesting that people are expected to have someone teach them to drive a car, either individually or in class, then we must study for and take a written test. I would reall like to see some education in the schools on how to ride the bus and the trains. I believe people would have a much better experience if they were taught how to go online and read the schedules, how to even understand the schedules and the maps, how to purchase one day, one week or monthly passes. It really isn't a bad system at all, it just takes some planning and some knowledge. Taking the rapid from W. 117th to the market is really easy. Once you get off at the W. 25th station, the market is right there. You will see it and can just walk in the direction of the tower. After going to the market, if that is where you want to go first, you get back on at the same stop (W. 25th) and head in the same direction (East). towards downtown. You can stay on the train and get off at the University Circle Stop. From there you will either have a hefty walk to go to University circle, you can wait for the circulator to take you. Or as gobigred suggested, when you get downtown, get off the rapid and take the escalator up. Walk out the front door to Euclid Street. There you will see the stop for the Health line (also known as the Euclid rapid bus). You can get on that and get off at University Circle. You might want to let the driver know where you are going and ask them to let you know when you get there if you are new. I did that at first, and the drivers or other passengers could always help me and tell me where to get off or on. University Circle is a big place and you might want to decide if you want to go to the Art Museum or some other museum first. If you are going to Little Italy from there, you just walk up the hill to Little Italy. It is only a few short blocks and anyone should be able to direct you. The all day pass is something you can purchase right at the station and use on the buses and the train. I think the University Circulator is a separate system. I haven't used it all that much and don't know how often it runs. I usually just walk rather than wait for it, but it is a hefty walk.

I am not a planner but living near transit is important to me. Interestingly, both the older people (55+) and the younger people seem to want transit and walkable communities. Here is a link to an interesting study by AARP on TOD with Cleveland as one of the twenty cities studied for the report. (See appendix A, B, C and D. Here is the link to the article and the video: http://www.aarp.org/home-garden/housing/info-09-2009/2009-15.html and a summary of the report here: Research Report Preserving Affordability and Access in Livable Communities: Subsidized Housing Opportunities near Transit and the 50+ Population by: Rodney Harrell, Allison Brooks, Todd Nedwick | from: Public Policy Institute | September 2009 As communities address the general shortage of affordable housing, preserving affordable housing in transit-oriented developments (TODs) is one of the challenges that communities must address to increase livability. A livable community has affordable and appropriate housing, supportive features and services, and adequate mobility options for people, regardless of age or physical ability. Because housing near transportation is desirable, property values tend to rise over time reducing the incentive for property owners to accept federal subsidies to keep housing affordable. This study analyzes the location of affordable housing in 20 metropolitan areas by mapping federally subsidized rental apartments in each area and measuring the amount of affordable housing within certain distances of transit. The study uses five areas as case studies—including site visits and interviews with residents 50 and older—to provide more information on the challenges and benefits of different locations of affordable housing. It finds that a substantial number of affordable apartments are located near public transit in these 20 metropolitan areas, but more than two thirds of the federal subsidies that keep these apartments affordable will expire within the next five years; that subsidized housing meets a crucial need for residents with few housing options; and that affordable housing must be both well served by quality public transit and within walkable distances of amenities and services to benefit older residents. The report also contains policy recommendations for federal, state, and local policy makers to ensure that these areas provide affordable housing and transportation options in addition to a range of features that allow people to retain independence as they age.

Although these incidents are disturbing and need to be addressed, please remember that using public transit is probably a lot safer than driving a personal vehichle. Don't forget about all the traffic accidents that occur. The cost for car ownership and the cost to society in pollution, paying for medical care for accident victims, etc. far outweighs the occasional incidents that happen on transit. I am mentioning this only because of the last comment about someone contemplating going back to driving. I think that there is some double standard where the inconvenience of public transit is over exagerrated when it does occur and the maiming and death due to auto accidents is minimized. I'm not saying this is the fault of people on this board, but the general attitude of our car dependent society.

Thank you. This is really amazing. Does this mean that the smaller bubbles are the larger 5 minute increments, such as 15 and 20 minutes? I tried moving this to Shaker Square, the Lakewood and the Detroit Shoreway. It appears that downtown gave the widest area one can reach using public transportation.

I am glad to see there is a regional plan (coming from Detroit, where there is much talk but really little or no planning). With the price of oil going up, more people will be utilizing transit and even making decisions on where to live and where to do business with transit in mind. These main lines could lead to more transit oriented development along the lines of the old "streetcar suburbs" concept, i.e. Shaker Square. I would like to see more dense infill housing and business closer to the core of the city with transit being a 24/7 option for leisure, not just as commuting to work. It will be interesting to see if there is more development along some of the main routes like Cedar, St. Clair, etc. It surprised me a little to see that both Clifton Blvd. and Detroit Ave. are considered to be main lines since they are so close together. Does this mean less service for the streets not listed? I am wondering about streets such as Mayfield, Payne Ave., Fulton, etc. The south areas seem a little lacking to me - areas such as Old Brooklyn for example. Since they don't have rail, to only have one major line (State/ W. 25th) seems like limited service for that area. With all the government cuts and talks about "austerity" those of us who want to use transit might need to consider living withing one quarter of a mile of one of these major lines. Are there areas that are transit oriented developments by default? Do families make decisions where to live based on major transit lines in Cleveland? I know they do in some cities like Chicago and New York? What do the rest of you think about transit corridors?

As someone who visited Cleveland for the first time six years ago because of the marketing efforts, I feel I can give some perspective on this topic. Due to an insert in the Detroit Free Press, I decided to go on a weekend getaway to Cleveland instead of Chicago. It was marketed as a fun weekend getaway and affordable. This was a six or eight page color insert in the Sunday paper. It got me there and I went back several times. These marketing efforts work! Michigan funded their "Pure Michigan" campaign for awhile and tourism increased. Cleveland has a lot to offer and many people even those living withing 250 miles don't know about it. For those looking for an urban getaway for an extended weekend, it is a perfect trip.

Here's an update of our search for a house or condo. We looked at some places on Fry between Detroit and Clifton which are about 8-12 houses north of the railroad in Lakewood. We also looked at some places south of Detroit on Coutant and one on Plover in Birdtown. We are really aiming to be close to the red line since it goes to University Circle in one trip. We had been looking for something in the University District and just inside the Cleveland Heights border but have not found anything in our budget so we have had to give up on the east side. When I lived totally car free for twelve years in Minneapolis St. Paul, I always chose neighborhoods with two or three major buses with a crosstown bus. (They didn't have rail then). Also we found a home on Pear and on Bridge that fits our price range near 65th. So many people we have talked to in that area and on this board have recommended that we stay north of Bridge. Also, it's really a shame, but some of the people I've talked to that live in the Shoreway area say that they don't ride the 65th Madison Rapid at night since it is a little unpopulated and deserted. What is the point of living near a Rapid stop if it is not a good idea to ride it at night? Or are they offbase with this? Since Cleveland expands from east to west along the lake, and there is no north and south running rail, I think Old Brooklyn is out for us. The buses are great for getting downtown but then it involves transfers from there. I could be wrong but I think that the car free life style is more compatible for renting than buying a house, simply because there are so many apartment buildings clustered near the major transit. There are also condos at Shaker Square for example. We really would like to be closer in to the center core, but being on a budget, it looks like we need to be further out. Are the central cities becoming places for the affluent and the poor only? What I mean is we are finding the more moderately priced homes that are on the rapid line to be further out. For example, you can find lots of brick homes near the West Park Rapid for inder $60,000 but to find something in Edgewater or Ohio City within one quarter of a mile to the Rapid and within a block or two to a major bus line is hard (unless it is a fixer upper) So now we are looking in Lakewood near the W.117th and Detroit area (thanks KTP for your help with this). Could those of you that know lakewood please comment on the addresses on Fry, Plover and Coutant that I mentioned?

Welcome to Cleveland Emmie. I posted some of this in the other thread but I see now where it was moved. The Red line Rapid is wonderful. You will be amazed at how fast it will get you accross town. As far as the stop being around the corner from Birdtown, that is another story. As far as I know, you can't cut through Union Carbide but you can walk around to Madison. Some of the Rapid stops have parking available so if it is a really cold day or you will be out late and don't want to walk from the station at night, you may have the option of parking. The RTA system map has a "P" where there are parking lots. Two weeks ago, I rode the rapid to the W. 117th Madison station and there was a lot of people on and off at that station. From where you are, you have the option to take several buses as well. There is a bus that runs up and down W. 117th and one on Detroit Ave. If you want to take the bus to the mall, you can walk up to Detroit Ave. and take the bus west and it goes to a mall. You can also take a bus downtown but it takes much longer than the Rapid. Once you get to Terminal Tower downtown on the Rapid you can go upstairs and there are a lot of little shops and a coffee place.

Hi Emmie, Welcome to Cleveland. I am also a lover of libraries. I haven't been to the Lakewood library but I've heard positive reviews of it. It is one of the few libraries in the area that stays open until 9 p.m. during the week and has continued with Sunday hours. I have been a frequent user of the downtown public library in Cleveland. It is very impressive and there is a beautiful pocket park next to it. It is a great place to sit outside and read a book when the weather gets nicer. There is also a branch on Lorain near 82nd on the west side. The architecture of the building looks very beautiful although I haven't been inside. As far as your other questions about RTA, (I know it got moved somewhere else but I can't find it), I have called RTA and they have representatives who have been very helpful if you want to know the best way to get from point a to point b. Also there is a google site just for transit which will give several alternative ways to get somewhere on transit. It is www.google.com/transit. You can put in your start time or you can put in the time you need to arrive. I think you will find the transit in Cleveland very good (although a lot of people complain about it).

Is there a moderator on this site?

I rode the red line this weekend and it was incredibly fast. People who don't ride it really don't realize what they are missing. I rode from downtown to W. 117th station and it was 12 minutes just like it said on the schedule. Amazing. I did notice that not that many people got on at the Cudell stop or at the W. 65th stop but there were a few riders at each stop which was good.

Hi, our budget is $65,000 max. We are looking for a home on the smallish size, about 1000 to 1400 square feet that doesn't need work and is move in ready. We have found some that are two to three bedrooms but they are not north of Detroit generally, or even north of Franklin in that area. The ones north of Detroit around 70th Street or so tend to be out of our price range. We want to be within a block or two of a 24 hour bus and walking distance to a rapid.

Thanks for the tips on the streets in Old Brooklyn. I have looked at the crime maps and there were a fair amount of "B"s for burglaries which I am concerned about. Does anyone know much about the streets in Edgewater around 93rd and Clifton? I realize it is right on the border of Edgewater and Detroit Shoreway. The burglaries look to be somewhat less in that area but it may be less densely populated which can distort the picture.