Equillibrius

Instead of a single-use yacht club, I would like to see something more like Harbor Walk in Lorain, but more dense, mixed-use and fitting with the character of the Flats. Here's a quick-and-dirty mockup of what I have in mind:

A thousand units divvied among four "vertical structure" buildings in an area the size of the proposed Phase 3 will make for a significant addition to the northern edge of the downtown skyline, that's for sure.

^ This. Putting the pump house underground is a smart solution because those things can look pretty tacky.

^ With the demand for residential space close to downtown as high as it is, I'm surprised a taller tower isn't proposed for Phase 3. Another tower at or near the height of the E&Y would complement it nicely. Of course, the soil conditions-- the Flats being a former floodplain, after all-- might limit the height of any building depending on where it gets built.

About a month ago the Metroparks' Facebook page posted they were looking to hire licensed boat operator(s), especially those with experience in commercial boating, specifically for their water taxi service. So my guess would be "soon." EDIT: Here's the job posting on their site: http://www.clevelandmetroparks.com/Main/JobPostings/315.aspx If you have or know somebody who has the qualifications, this could be an opportunity for a cool summer job. :-)

Upon first view of the renderings I initially thought the art wall was supposed to be some kind of giant LED panel, based on the way it was drawn. :) Good thing it's not.

I agree. In two years the Metroparks has come a long way in transforming Edgewater from semi-neglected greenspace into a lakefront destination, and they show no signs of stopping. Every time there is news of improvements, or comments from people saying that the park looks much better and cleaner than it did two years ago... I'm always half-tempted to forward those articles and comments to a coworker of mine, who back in 2013 said the only thing that will change about Edgewater is the garbage cans will have the Cleveland Metroparks logo on them. How wrong he turned out to be. :D

Wow! Even with all the construction that shot already looks amazing. Now imagine it with everything completed.

Not sure about the exact geometry, but the neigborhood of Jefferson consists the area roughly west of 117th, east of the Red Line tracks, south of the Lakewood border, and north of Puritas Avenue.

Gotcha. I had it in my mind that Stark's project would have gone where those vacant lots sit. With all the development happening along Detroit Avenue throughout the rest of Lakewood these past couple of years, it's sad that this area still pretty much looks the same as it did 8-10 years ago when the car dealerships were demolished. Is nobody willing to invest in that area or is Forest City just land-hoarding?

Please tell me that's not the real reason the "East End" project never materialized beyond the few townhouses surrounded by empty lots there today. Since Stark no longer felt threatened by the West End project, he no longer had an incentive to complete his own project in Lakewood.

So that's why the tower was never finished. The people of Calgary threatened to sue for plagiarism. :D

Bumping an old thread, but I found an article on Ohio.com (http://www.ohio.com/news/local-history-cathedral-tower-could-have-been-something-big-1.233316) that had renderings of what the tower would have looked like if it were completed... For some reason, Ohio.com posted the picture of the observation deck upside-down...

More on Cleveland's proposed Midway project... Midway cycle track, Center Ridge Road freshening, get nod from regional planners http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2015/04/midway_cycle_track_center_ridg.html CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Bike lanes at the center of those wide Cleveland avenues where streetcars once chugged have gotten a friendly reception from regional planners. A Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency committee has voted in favor of planning grants for the Midway Cycle Track and six other ideas to improve bike and pedestrian links in neighborhoods across Cuyahoga County. The decision by NOACA's planning and programming committee is the final hurdle before the projects go to the full NOACA board, which will vote on whether to approve the funding at its June 10 meeting. The projects all applied for money through the Transportation for Livable Communities Initiative. The modest-sized, niche pool of money at NOACA is for transportation projects that are not car-centric.

:-( <- was my immediate reaction to seeing this. Even if it's bordering the street, it still has "exurban shopping center outlot" written all over it.

And you drew up a far more detailed version of my idea too. :) As for the power plant, I can't see the regulator substation needing to be so huge. They usually aren't much bigger than a typical substation, and it could be built where the plant's step-up transformers currently are (far southern end of the plant property, near the railroad tracks). It doesn't seem to block where the new Shoreway could theoretically go. Cordon off that part of the property, and the rest could still be redeveloped.

I like how the quadrant with the Soldiers and Sailors' Monument is almost completely untouched compared the others. Forgive me if this has already been asked, but how will the "buses-only" rule on Superior be enforced when this is finished? I'm sure there will be plenty of signage to deter any non-bus vehicles, but I can't help but think there will be a lot of impatient, self-entitled drivers plowing through there because they won't be bothered to drive around the Square like they're supposed to.

^ This. The interior of the Rotunda still had a minimal maintenance schedule to keep the building in shape-- weatherproofing, heating, etc. The church on the other hand was basically left to the elements. Roof leaks were never repaired, holes allowed animals in, ice building up due to the lack of heat (add to that the melting and refreezing from our chaotic weather cycles). All of these can deteriorate any building in no time, no matter how well constructed it is.

Thanks for the feedback guys. I should keep it around and submit it to the proper people as a suggestion, when/if the day ever comes to close the power station. The roads would retain their exits, especially MLK Boulevard. I decided on not drawing them in because I felt they would clutter up the map. Maybe in an updated version of the map if I ever get some free time again?

While musing at the possibility of the Lakeshore Power Plant closing down, I had an idea that it could allow for part of the East Shoreway to be rerouted away from the lakefront. I did a little doodling in Google's MyMaps editor and came up with this (text was added in Photoshop)... It would open up almost half a mile of shoreline to the public, and would provide better connection between Gordon Park, Lakefront Nature Preserve, 55th Marina, etc. It's one of those pie-in-the-sky, will-probably-never-happen ideas (soil contamination at the power plant may kill any chance of redevelopment there), but I figured I'd share it anyway. :-)

I've been hearing grumblings about FirstEnergy's Lakefront power plant shutting down. Unless they've flip flopped and decided not to close it, how much potential is there for reusing the land or maybe even the plant itself (like Baltimore's Pratt Street Power Plant)? Or will the land be too contaminated to do anything beyond turning it into a big field?

Makes me wonder if the 515 tower will therefore have a similar design as the other NuCLEus buildings, or follow the design of the parking garage. With that in mind, how tall of a tower could the parking garage theoretically support? Or is it limited to around 20 stories as the massings suggest?

I agree, Public Square is much better off as an open-air plaza. This city hall concept would have looked better if it was built on the border of Public Square instead, with the arch spanning Superior or Ontario. Of course, it might have drastically affected the future Union Terminal if it was built on the western edge of the Square. On the other hand this would have made for an awesome gateway into downtown for commuters coming in from the west on Superior.

Spanish Colonial Revival architecture was popular in the US during the 1910s especially in California and Florida, but the craze made it to Cleveland in the form of Edgewater's old bath house. Me personally, I would like to see a bridge built in the style of Don's Lighthouse Grille, which is adjacent to the western end of the park...

^ Whoever's in charge of timing the traffic signals in Westlake will really have their work cut out for them soon. As for the cul-de-sac, that's been there since before Crocker Park even existed. Google Earth's historic imagery mode shows it existing since at least 1994.