Oldmanladyluck

After revisiting this, I'll be voting against Issue 2 as well... however voting in more monopolies into our Constitution makes me very uneasy.

Kudos to KJP- this is indeed a large problem for the region. I'll be writing my representatives in Columbus and D.C. to begin looking at ways to address this issue immediately instead of waiting for it to become a crisis. Our rail is an asset that can give Cleveland a competitive advantage to drawing people and businesses form elsewhere. That and I'm biased since I love taking public transit to work... dammit.

^Agreed. The perception of neighborhoods within a metro area can become self-fulfilling. When homeowners who can afford to move do so based on not wanting to deal with an increase in crime, the perception of the neighborhood keeps people who could afford to become homeowners from moving to that community. Furthermore, it keeps renters who could afford to live where they choose from choosing that particular neighborhood. That drives up vacancies, which drives down home prices. The vacancies become magnets for crime, further pushing existing residents away. The crime keeps folks with potential disposable income from both living in and spending in the neighborhood, which impacts the neighborhood's buying power, impacting businesses along commercial strips which further impacts the perception of a community. For proof- look at some of main corridors on the east-side. What is the general perception of St. Clair, Superior, Quincy, Central, Cedar, Kinsman, Union, Miles, Harvard, E. 131st, or E. 93rd, Woodland, and so on? These corridors not only held businesses, but were also very dense in population at one point. The Cleveland region can (and will) grow in population again. It's certain neighborhoods which will continue to fall in population, further dragging the overall population of Cleveland down. Some of these neighborhoods will see even more demolitions and loss of vacant structures before becoming a blank slate to work with (Central comes to mind, which was pretty much decimated before new construction came about). The amount of residents who are choosing to live in growing neighborhoods (with better perceptions) will have to increase even more in order to offset the loss of residents in the hardest hit portions of the city. Cleveland will face another loss during the next census- but 2030 may be the census where the city finally begins to gain population again. Not being a Debbie Downer- it's just the reality the city faces.

^For sure, it should fill a nice gap! I just don't like it because the design sucks... putting it on the Mall side of Key sucks... and I would guess this would have to be done before the Republican Convention for one reason or another. I just don't see why a "monument" built for the corporations who rent space in Key Tower wasn't built 20 years ago if there was an actual need for it. I wonder if there's "monuments" in front of other skyscrapers in other cities which just-so-happen to be next to Malls designed by Daniel Burnham... but I digress.

Does anyone else not like the Key Tower Monument Sign which has been proposed? I just don't see the need for plastering a bunch of corporate names on a "monument" which happens to be on the Mall side of Key Tower.

I am completely 100% against any more monopolies written in as an amendment to our State's constitution, so I'll be voting against Issue 3. I'm hoping that it fails and that a better initiative is written and proposed during the Presidential elections. As such, I'll be voting in favor of Issue 2.

^I'm aware of the statistics... people who have lived in these neighborhoods who say, "Enough is enough" end up bolting for the suburbs- leaving the neighborhoods even poorer since they can afford to purchase a home elsewhere while many others cannot. One of the people i spoke to was contemplating moving to Strongsville. The "perception" of Strongsville is better to this person than Lee Harvard,which is her current neighborhood. This is someone who grew up on the southeast-side and remembers a time not too long ago when neighborhoods like Lee-Harvard, Union Miles, and Mt. Pleasant didn't have the crime these neighborhoods do today. She's not alone. As a sidenote, Lee-Harvard was stable for years, and has one of the highest concentrations- if not THE highest concentration of registered voters in the State. It's easy for us to say, "They should stick it out and take their neighborhood back". Under different circumstances, I would be one of those people. But then again, not every neighborhood is facing the same violence as these have- especially with children increasingly in the news who are killed senselessly.

I've spoken with two people just today who live on the southeast side who are homeowners and plan on moving because they cannot deal with the violence taking place in their communities anymore. One lives off of Kinsman a short distance from where the five-month-old was killed yesterday. As much as I love Cleveland, I can't blame them and I don't think anyone else could either. As much as the city has done to revitalize downtown and some of the city's neighborhoods, the city will again post a loss for the next census- and violence is one of the factors as to why. It won't only be the uneducated who leave for other cities- it will also be those who have the means to own a home and properly upkeep their properties who just can't deal with the madness anymore.

Three from yesterday: 1) From the 13th floor of the Concrete Tower of Doom: 2) 3) From the Pit:

Truth be told! And who in their right mind would want to become leader of the House when yet again members of his party (for the former Canadian's own political gain) are pushing for another shutdown- this time going into a Presidential election year? Speaking of which, where oh where are the Birthers when it comes to this Canadian running for President? I know I know.... different thread. ;-)

Truth be told!

I'm wondering how and why (we know the answer) Cleveland, going into 70 years of declining population, did not say "We'll take more people"? Sometimes I get the feeling there's no hope for this town.

August's preliminary BLS numbers are in- this is the first time the region's employment is at over a million for two consecutive months since November of 2008. Unemployment is listed at 4.8%. We still have a ways to go to match the number of employed before the recession, but it appears we're headed in the right direction. We might actually break even before 2020 or potentially surpass the amount of jobs before the recession. More jobs = more people. More people = population growth. And I think we all want that :clap: Labor Force Employment Unemployment Unemployment Rate 2008 Oct 1076143 1015488 60655 5.6 2008 Nov 1072914 1009715 63199 5.9 2015 Jul 1069422 1009570 59852 5.6 2015 Aug 1053142(P) 1002940(P) 50202(P) 4.8(P)

Awesome- thanks for the heads up!

Something I've realized in regards to attendance during games is that there weren't any minor-league teas within a close proximity to the Indians during the 90s. Now there's the Captains in Eastlake, the Lake Erie Crushers in Avon, and the Akron Aeros (RubberDucks now) in Akron. On top of that, the league has done a poor job marketing MLB to inner cities. I can't tell you how many weed-filled baseball infields there are on the east-side of the Cleveland; not that that's the MLB's fault, but marketing to inner city youth and families would help. Add our sprawl and the basic direction of the team since being sold to the Dolans, and we have what we have today when it comes to attendance. Having said that, a week ago I didn't even think there was a chance that we had a shot at playing for the Wildcard again. Go Indians!

BLAH...

The BLS preliminary report for July lists the region as having over 1 million employed for the second time since 2008. The first time was in July of last year. http://www.bls.gov/eag/eag.oh_cleveland_msa.htm

^^Not only that, but the Huntington is used Monday thru Friday pretty heavily by both city of Cleveland and County workers. If the renovation does not include an increase in spaces, there are bound to be some upset workers in the near future who pay monthly to use the garage.

^^But why Burke? If we're looking for more greenspace, we have Dike 14 which was added to the city's lakefront within the past few years, giving Cleveland an extra 77 acres of greenspace. Let's say, for example, that Cleveland were to have gone the same route as Chicago. Burke is (and someone correct me if I'm wrong) over 400 acres. Honestly, what would you expect to happen there at this point in the city's declining history when we have acres of unused surface lots downtown? If it's greenspace, why can't we better utilize what we currently have instead of bulldozing an underused asset?

I just noticed cutouts in the flooring past the elevator shaft closest to Lakeside. Can anyone explain what they're supposed to be for?

I was just wondering the same thing yesterday- Public Square will be shown all the love in the world during the Convention- but what about the city's front lawn?

Outstanding pics as usual!

I guess not making a profit happens when the team's fans have no faith in the ownership of the team, IMO.

Tear down for what? Jacob's planned abandonment or planned lack of upkeep? What do they have in store for the area where the building is? This town has lost more than its fair share of buildings this age which could be saved with the proper beneficial owner, and I'm sure one could be found.

Great photos!