Oldmanladyluck

I can agree with Christie's, that building is hideous. My eyesores include: 1) All the boarded up, gutted out homes in neighborhoods citywide. After all the progress the city made within the last 10 to 15 years regarding neighborhood rehabilitation, we end up with empty neighborhoods which may very well take years to renew again. 2) Surface parking lots downtown- I know, Stark's plan fell through, but dammit... 3) The Scranton Peninsula. Proposing a convention center which would be facing this barren patch of land? Nice view for out-of-towners.

Forest City Enterprises continues to fight for medical mart project Posted by dsims March 10, 2009 21:04PM Plain Dealer File Forest City Enterprises has not given up the fight to have the medical mart project built on its Tower City property. It does not appear Forest City Enterprises gained much ground Tuesday trying to land the medical mart project for its Tower City property. More at cleveland.com http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2009/03/forest_city_enterprises_contin.html I had to bold that little blurb about the Higbee building... wasn't that pulled from Forest City as the reason why it was not included?

I am hoping tomorrow we hear a clear answer regarding the site selection of this project!! Whohoo!!

I wanna take some pics of Fairfax. I was in the neighborhood yesterday, and there are definitely two sides to the neighborhood; the well known Euclid Ave. side with the Clinic, and the residential portion. The residential part of the neighborhood has been devestated by foreclosures, and I wanna get some pics of the historic (though unfortunatly mostly vacant) housing before it's gone.

I really don't know what to say about this proposal from Forest City anymore. At one point, I could have been pushed by a feather to go towards this site, because of its connectivity and future development of the Scranton Peninsula. However, the mall site in my opinion is superior. As sad as it is to see Forest City result to this scaled back development, it is actually funny to me to see this company so desperate to get its hands on guaranteed funds from the taxpayers. I am actually enjoying this, even more so now that their conceptual development plan looks sub-par for the type of space MMPI wants and this city deserves. The 10th can't come soon enough to have the decision done and over with (finally, again, hopefully, maybe?). Lets get shovels in the ground for this important project already!! DAMMIT!!

Great pics of a great city!!

Yes, the paper does owe the city an apology, and yes, the paper sucks even more with this new editor. I can not support this news publication.

PREACH!! This is it, people... this is the correct urban planning answer to putting a convention center on our waterfront!! San Diego's convention center, as I also mentioned before, is a HORRIBLE example of what to do with an urban waterfront. It would be a HUGE planning mistake which we would have to deal with for the next 50 years. I love this city, have lived in the region my whole life and want to see it succeed. However, if a convention center were built on our waterfront, I would be organizing the mob to tear it down.

I guess it would only be fair to hear Wolstein's pitch as well, huh? And so the process continues, with no leadership.

Yep. This is what we've been waiting for.

No mention on where the lab will be located as of yet, but I guess we could assume that it will go on the main campus. http://blog.cleveland.com/medical/2009/02/cleveland_clinic_plans_nationa/print.html Cleveland Clinic plans national reference lab Posted by dsims February 25, 2009 23:00PM Plain Dealer fileDr. Toby Cosgrove Related story • Cleveland Clinic continues to grow, despite recession, but will delay some construction The Cleveland Clinic plans to begin construction on a national reference lab this year that, long-term, could employ up to 2,000 medical technicians, pathologists and others. The lab will run sophisticated tests for hospitals across the country and internationally, as well for the Clinic's own patients. Construction on the 100,000-square-foot, roughly $25 million lab is expected to break ground by mid-2009 and be up and running by the end of 2010...

Aw man, this thread was edited! I had a great response to what was going on all typed up and posted!! :-D :shoot:

Yep, the census is a year away but EC has emptied out like many other inner ring suburbs in the region within the last 10 years. It won't help Cleveland much to add EC's numbers, which would probably put C-town up to around 450,000.

Another failed attempt before it even gets off the ground... Dan Gilbert, Jeff Jacobs and rival casino groups join for new Ohio ballot proposal Posted by Reginald Fields/Plain Dealer Columbus Bureau Chief February 25, 2009 13:36PM CLEVELAND — Two rival casino groups are teaming up to back a plan that would bring four full-fledged casinos to Ohio, destination spots complete with hotels, entertainment venues and restaurants, The Plain Dealer has learned. The group backing the plan -- led by Penn National Gaming and My Ohio Now-- would also include Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert and Cleveland businessman Jeff Jacobs, sources have told the paper. The group is gearing up to start collecting signatures to get an initiative on this November's ballot. The ballot language would first have to be approved the state attorney general's office. One casino would be in Cleveland, though not in the Flats area where Jacobs owns property, the sources said. The other locations would be in Columbus, Cincinnati and Toledo -- all urban centers. It does not appear that any of the locations would involve horse race tracks, which had also been considered possible casino locations, as they are in other states. More at http://blog.cleveland.com/openers/2009/02/rivals_to_join_forces_for_casi.html

There was an article about Eaton's proposed move on the front page of Crains this week, which mentioned that the company, according to downtown circles, is considering staying put downtown rather than moving in a down economy. Though it's just a rumor, that would be nice!! Can anyone post the article?

Great pics of a beautiful city!!

1000 new jobs for Cleveland? I'll take it. Clinic continues to grow, despite recession, but will delay some construction Posted by rhiggs February 25, 2009 11:25AM Tracy Boulian/The Plain Dealer The Cleveland Clinic is poised to continue to grow, despite a struggling economy, Dr. Delos "Toby" Cosgrove, president and CEO, said. The Cleveland Clinic's expanding operations, which have given it international reach and made it the region's largest employer, have positioned the health system to continue to grow even as the city's population declines :whip: and the nation endures a recession. The Clinic has forged relationships for new operations in Las Vegas and Abu Dhabi, completed construction on a new facility in West Palm Beach, and will soon announce the location of a national research laboratory that could employ 1,000 on its main campus in Cleveland. "I know we're going forward stronger than we've ever been before," Dr. Delos "Toby" Cosgrove, the system's president and chief executive, told employees during his annual address Wednesday. At the same time, he described a health system that is moving forward with caution. The system last year grew its number of workers 6 percent to 39,250, but this year Cosgrove has announced a pay freeze and restricted hiring as well as reduced spending on travel, catering and consulting. After opening 3.3 million new square feet last year and adding 100 patient beds, the Clinic this year will delay some construction projects. Categories: Business Impact, Impact, Real Time News http://blog.cleveland.com/medical/2009/02/clinic_continues_to_grow_despi.html

Perfect example of my previous post. Can you further explain what you mean? I can't say that I disagree. Frank has said he prefers TC, but at the same time he has said he wants what best for the city in the sale of convention center. I would say the same thing as that is exactly what has to happen. Yep, sorry I didn't answer yesterday! Regional leadership throughout this whole process has been lacking- primarily in the site selection process. The process was needed, with both the private sector (Forest City) and the City of Cleveland's current mall site's strengths and weaknesses being looked at over and over again. Leadership was not shown in regards to the best interests of the public with the Mall site. How and why it would not benefit the public to use something that the public already owns is a matter in of itself. However, WE know the reason why no one came up to bat for the current site, which speaks more so of corruption than leadership. The mayor? I have to say that I like his policies in regards to the neighborhoods of the city, however, he himself has shown no leadership till the end of the game (it is an election year, of course). The county commissioners, all three of them, are currently letting this site selection process drag out EVEN AFTER the Mall site was chosen. The local news media (namely the PD) has clearly been biased in regards to the selection process, in addition to the GCP. When is someone, who is an elected official, going to say that this site selection is over, let's move on and get this important project going? Why drag it on even further just to see another proposal from Forest City which is going to be even more watered down than their original proposal in 2005? We know that this project is important to the region. Enough with the bullsh#t, lets get it moving. Sorry for the rant, that's just how I feel, dammit!! :whip:

My fiance grew up on Fourth, which is off of Hayden and directly adjacent to the Windemere Rapid Station. When everyone hears "Hayden", they think "the hood". However, I can tell you first hand that is not the case. Fourth has a majority of homeowners who have lived in their homes for many years. It is the kind of street where you know everyone on the street, and know if someone is not from the immediate vicinity (who might be there to cause trouble). Most suburbanites will never know the experience of being able to go to your front porch in the morning, and saying hi to your neighbors next door and across the street who have also come outside to enjoy the day. Across the street one neighbor might be grilling burgers and hotdogs, who will invite you over to eat. Children run up and down the sidewalks playing, with all eyes on the street watching them for their safety. And if you ever run out of something, the convenience store is not even two blocks away. I would truly LOVE to see East Cleveland's revival. However, aside from the social problems of the city, it will take most of the old housing stock to be leveled before serious reinvestment will occur. Many of the old mansions along Euclid within the East Cleveland boarder still stand, not even a mile from University Circle's boarder. I'm telling you, the city has MASSIVE potential, however the social problems of the city will hold it's true potential back. As of right now, unfortunately, it would not be in the best interests of the City of Cleveland to agree to annexation with East Cleveland. The city has a multitude of problems which need to be addressed. Regional government, in my opinion would be the better answer to addressing the city's problems rather than outright annexation.

Zero leadership, when our region desperately needs it.

OK, I guess this could be considered "news"... however, I would probably guess that there is another reason this article made front page. Is it me, or does it seem like this publication is trying its hardest to thwart this project altogether, if not the site plan? Med mart bonds cost millions more with private company Posted by dsims February 21, 2009 09:25AM Cuyahoga County stands to pay tens of millions of dollars in extra finance charges because a private company would own and operate the proposed $425 million medical mart and convention center complex. The arrangement with Chicago-based Merchandise Mart Properties Inc. could cost the county about $75 million, said Jim Swan, managing director at New Jersey-based Bergen Capital, a firm that specializes in bond financing. Fred Nance, an attorney for Squire Sanders & Dempsey who is representing the county in the medical mart deal, acknowledged the ownership structure will cost the county more. But he said the sacrifice is worthwhile... http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2009/02/med_mart_bonds_cost_millions_m.html

I don't know why our region isn't marketing itself as a region with an abundance of water. This just seems like a no-brainer, and will seem even more so as time goes on... Los Angeles nears water rationing By Steve Gorman Steve Gorman 2 hrs 25 mins ago LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – With a recent flurry of winter storms doing little to dampen California's latest drought, the nation's biggest public utility voted on Tuesday to impose water rationing in Los Angeles for the first time in nearly two decades. Under the plan adopted in principle by the governing board of the L.A. Department of Water and Power, homes and businesses would pay a penalty rate -- nearly double normal prices -- for any water they use in excess of a reduced monthly allowance. The five-member board plans to formally vote on details of the measure next month. ... http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090218/ts_nm/us_water_california/print

Just to clarify, a building can't be "infested" with asbestos. Asbestos is a fiber, not a mold. Most homes and buildings in the city have some form of asbestos in them, as it was widely used in construction up until the 70s. Since the bulk of our homes in the city were built before the 50s, chances are that if someone grew up in Cleveland, they grew up in a home with asbestos.

This guy just gave me another reason for my disgust towards the PD. The paper has proven time and again that it is completely irrelevant when it comes to urban issues. Especially the kind of issues such as the one we've been discussing for over 5 years.

Sorta like "Tower City Phase II", or the "future" development of the Scranton Peninsula, originally proposed, what, 15 years ago and then proposed again in 2004 so the city could claim that the TC site was one of the ones being considered? The criticism of Forest City, unfortunately, is well deserved in this town. However, I see your point about the hotel space which has yet to be announced for the mall site. We're gonna need it, and hopefully some type of large hotel development will be announced.