Oldmanladyluck

Nice goals, all of which I 100% agree with...

^Good points.

^That might be the problem that the Mayor is trying to avoid. But if the convention center is sold to MMPI as is, and they accept all liabilities associated with the redevelopment, there shouldn't be a problem.

Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson lukewarm on proposed site for a medical mart Posted by jmorona January 26, 2009 09:53AM CLEVELAND — Mayor Frank Jackson has concerns about the city-owned site chosen for a new medical mart and convention center project. This morning, Jackson called all City Council members to his office to share his reservations about the site, which includes the city's existing convention center. Jackson's chief concern is that the foundation beneath the existing convention center might not be strong enough to support a new one. A study done by Merchandise Mart Properties Inc., the Chicago-based company that would own and operate the center, indicated that keeping the existing foundation would make the site less costly than a competing site behind Tower City. The mayor called on council members, who would have to approve the sale of the land, to work with him to set parameters as Cuyahoga County negotiates with MMPI. "If we're not up front as to what our conditions are, we'll be responding to someone else's," Jackson said. http://www.cleveland.com/news/index.ssf/2009/01/cleveland_mayor_shares_concern.html

YEAH!!! Thanks to all those involved, even though the process was bullsh!t, a quality site was chosen for this town!!!! WHOHOO!!!!!!!!!!!

AHHH!!! I gotta go to Urban Affairs!! I'm bringing my labtop because I don't wanna miss this!! Sources: Commissioners to make Medical Mart site announcement at 5:30 Posted By: Kim Wendel 1 min ago CLEVELAND -- Channel 3 News has learned that the County Commissioners are making a Medical Mart/Convention Center site announcement at 5:30. Sources tell us the commissioners will reveal the future site of the convention center. County officials and Medical Mart officials met earlier today at a three-hour, closed-door meeting on a site selection for the proposed Medical Mart and Convention Center. The county commissioners met with Medical Mart Properties Inc. officials, Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson, the county's Medical Mart negotiator Fred Nance and other key players, Channel 3 Senior Political Correspondent Tom Beres said. MMPI showed the commissioners the latest cost figures but refused to share those figures with the media or the public. Nance said there are three sites under consideration -- behind Tower City, the current convention center and the land set aside for developer Scott Wolstein's stalled East Bank of the Flats project. Wolstein's offer of his Flats property was today's new wrinkle in the Medical Mart drama. Beres will have a complete report for Channel 3 News at 6 p.m. and updates at wkyc.com as they become available. © 2008 WKYC-TV

DAMMIT anyways!! Ah well, we'll just have to do even MORE waiting to see what happens. Time to place bets on who thinks a decision will be made before June 1st...

^So am I!! But dammit, I'm happy that we can get this thing moving along, either way it goes. I'm still hoping for the mall site though.

WHOHOO!!! :drunk: :clap: :drunk: :clap:

^I don't think so, because some of the areas close to the windows inside of the Justice Center are closed off to the public. I got the chance to take these after we showed support to a crime victim in the neighborhood in a particular court case. The prosecutor took us behind the point where the public isn't allowed to go.

These were taken last month...

I totally, 100% agree. This is ridiculous. Just PICK A F**KING SITE, ALREADY!!! I'm with you, dammit!!

^I agree %100. We need the convention center/ medical mart project, but not at the expense of what was a well planned neighborhood which Cleveland needs. I'm hoping that he's able to fully build it out instead of shrinking it (HOPING is the key word). The San Diego site is looked at as a planning failure by most, as it effectively blocks off a large portion of their waterfront to pedestrians. We've had enough of that here. The whole point of the Lakefront Plan was to open it up to pedestrian access. Putting another big box on the lake does nothing for that.

I clicked the link, and am somewhat disappointed though there is only one rendering. It's great to have competition between what is appears to be, again, three competing sites. Wolstein definitely would have enough land if the Port sold the land to him. However, this site further blocks access to the waterfront for pedestrians, and puts another big box directly on the lakefront. The one big orange box we have on the lakefront is enough already. I guess a mixed-use neighborhood could be designed around and in between the convention center and Browns Stadium, but it would be a hell of a lot easier without a convention center in the way. If the flats site is chosen, we will have a VERY different looking lakefront than the one planned, which included city residents in the discussion at that. However, that is one of the drawbacks of being a planner; planners are powerless when it comes to seeing plans stay on track. The current site, in my opinion, is still superior. "Everybody talks about activating the urban core," Wolstein said. "I'm not sure the back-ass of Tower City is the center of the urban core." That's great!! I love it!!

Yes he has. But again, the public has not been given an unbiased story showing the benefits of having the convention center at it's current site since Forest City jumped into the debate.

^Which is why the Commissioners want MMPI to make the decision, so there is no potential cry from county residents about the commissioners backing of FC's site (even though the company said it wouldn't develop the Scranton Peninsula with the convention center). FC might have donated to the commissioners, but they are still liable to the public. What really irks me is how FC has the PD in it's pocket. We have not seen a story from the PD about the benefits of the current convention site SINCE Forest City began pitching their site plan. Talk about unbiased journalism, especially when one of the sites is actually owned by the public.

Tower City can have the site AS LONG AS the Scranton Peninsula is developed. And I ain't talkin about 30 years from now, more like within the next 5 years. Dammit.

What a bunch of dumb @sses on cleveland.whatever. Unbelievable. I really like this plan. If and when Forest City decides to develop their portion of the peninsula, this could be a great asset for them. Here's hoping that federal dollars will come to the rescue of the hillside along Irishtown Bend.

Looking good!!

^Well said.

^This article outlines one of my biggest peeves regarding this project- why are major downtown business interests making what is essentially an urban planning decision? I personally hope that MMPI is favoring the current site for the convention center. Remember, Cleveland's planning commission decided over FOUR years ago that the site for the convention center should remain at the mall. Business interests, however, have deemed that the site should be at Tower City. Who, between the two entities, has the best interests of the city at heart?

My jaw dropped with that last picture. Truly sad that we as a society let our cities be demolished like that. Great pics!!

Frank really needs a PR person. I really like the fact that he gets stuff done without being in front of tv cameras, but dammit... how is the public who votes for the mayor going to know that he has actually been a part of the ongoing discussions between the county and MMPI? I'm glad he's going to bat for the region on this. Go Frank!!

Excellent thread Mayday!!

http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2009/01/cleveland_mayor_frank_jackson.html Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson fumes over Med Mart delays Posted by kturner January 01, 2009 20:30PM Gus Chan/Plain DealerCleveland Mayor Frank Jackson CLEVELAND - Mayor Frank Jackson said Thursday that he is so troubled by delays in the proposed medical mart/convention center project that he will go to Chicago to talk to the company picked to run the mart. County commissioners decided earlier this week to give Merchandise Mart Properties Inc. an extra month to decide on a location for the Cleveland medical mart. The long-anticipated $1 billion project would bring a new convention center and a showroom for medical companies...