Hts121

If you are going to mention DWill being out, you should also take note that Big Z and Gibson were out the game we lost to the Hawks and we only lost that game because Joe Johnson was unconscious in the 4th quarter. Anyways, we do have some quality wins. Rockets are a great team, not just good. We have blown out a VERY good Denver team twice. We did beat the Hawks the other game we played them. But you are right, this January schedule we are about to get into will really show whether we are truly a threat to win 70. Either way, we have proven to be an elite team and I would be shocked if we don't pass up the previous team record of 57 wins.

A little too contemporary for my taste, but I love the movement towards more infill in this area of UC.... so I'll take it. Architect Marc Cicarelli, a principal of Studio Techne, has designed the Wade Park Flats as large, generally rectangular forms enclosed within panels of cement designed to resemble traditional clapboard siding. Does anyone know what this ^ means? I have seen siding made to resemble other material, but never some other material made to resemble siding.

^^Agreed. You can always work with the "guts" of a building. However, when the bones go bad.... well, there is nothing to do but demo. I would only hope that the any massive demolition project in this City is taken one area at a time instead of radomly. Clearing lots here and there and leaving them empty will do nothing to spur re-development. But if the City can clear a meaningful plot of land, developers will have way more incentive to do something with it. Starting from the inside-out is also a good idea. If I had any say, I would try to clear out the area from downtown to E 55 as much as possible of buildings/houses that are beyond the point of rehab.

I have a friend who works for Rysar. While the company as a whole is struggling, the Bluestone development in Cleveland Hts is picking up some steam. They just sold a couple more units in the condo building which fronts Mayfield. The condo units are simply framed so the buyer designs the floorplan - non-foundation wall placement, number of bedrooms, etc. - at the time of purchase. Buyers are also given the option of a free Smart car or a purchase price rebate ($15g's I think). They are also starting on another set of townhomes. I have been inside the model and they are fairly nice. Granite countertops, large windows, 1st floor master suite. 2 additional bedrooms and a bathroom are upstairs. The living room has high ceilings with the stone fire place going all the way up to the top. If I was single, I would consider this development. However, it would be kind of weird to live on the plot of land where I went to pre-school.

Not a fan of the parking arrangement represented in the rendering. I also greatly prefer the Derbyshire style over these modern-boxy designs.

Great job. I am really going to be upset when the Spire goes up and ruins the balance of one of the world's greatest skylines.

IIRC, Brecksville is completely closing down and everyting is moving to Wade Park. That would include not only patient care, but also all the administrative offices that are out at Brecksville now.... such as accountants, lawyers, etc. Nice to see such jobs coming into the City instead of out of it.

Is GV being demolished to clear way for newer buidings, or is there an effort to clear some space for the possibility of the Opportunity Corridor??

I drove by again and saw the sign. It is a new senior living facility. Kind of a weird location for that type of place. It will be called Village Green.... no doubt the same FCE off-shoot that built the apartments on Amhearst Dr. behind Beachwood mall which were once called Village Green Apartments (until the first fire) then changed to Verdant at the Village (until the second fire) and is now called Easthaven. REALLY cheap construction methods are used in these buildings IMO. Having lived at the Village Green, I can vouch for the lousy construction. You could hear everyone, and when you walked across the floor (I was on the third floor), the floor would bounce. And don't get me started on the silverfish. Oh, god, the silverfish. The floor bounced probably because of the open web floor truss system they use. Basically, instead of solid floor joists, they use a web system of 2x4's nailed together in x-formations. The 2x4's are then held together by metal gussett plates that have jagged edges and are not cut to fit. Unfortunately it is not against building code, but probably should be. That type of construction allows sloppy/negligent electricians to run wires through the floors in no particular fashion and those wires can chaffe against the gussett plates - at least that is what some opine to have happened in the two Village Green buildings that caught on fire in Beachwood.

Franky is starting to grow on me. I really disliked him at first.... well, I disliked his whole crew and I still think that he needs smarter people around him. However, I can't question his viewpoint on what is right and wrong in our community. I too think that the negativity and pessimism of locals is what really holds us back. I remember when I moved back here from North Carolina and most people I talked to asked me "why?" with a kind of "what the hell were you thinking" tone. Of course, most of those people have never lived anywhere else.

I drove by again and saw the sign. It is a new senior living facility. Kind of a weird location for that type of place. It will be called Village Green.... no doubt the same FCE off-shoot that built the apartments on Amhearst Dr. behind Beachwood mall which were once called Village Green Apartments (until the first fire) then changed to Verdant at the Village (until the second fire) and is now called Easthaven. REALLY cheap construction methods are used in these buildings IMO.

Go south on Lee and turn west on Kinsman/Chagrin. That's a neighborhood that was built to be poor. Heading east on Superior and St Clair from 55th. Those are neighborhoods that once were much more than they are now. You can get off the shoreway at Eddy Road and head away from Bratenahl. East 116th heading south of Fairhill will make you want to stay in your car. I hear the gas station on the corner of 55th and Woodland gets quite "interesting" after the night clubs let out.

So ESPN IS capable of thinking rationally on the Lebron to NYC talk... http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/columns/story?columnist=adande_ja&page=lebronbigapple-081126

The only people that have any reason to cry foul about the relocation of the port are the occupants at Quay 55.

^^ Do you really think that people in China, Europe and South America care if he plays for NY? LBJ is a global icon and NYC and its "market" are small peanuts to him. Boy, we sure weren't off this LBJ to NY talk for long, if we ever actually were off it. Wasn't it all locked up that he was going to sign with the Knicks at the end of his rookie deal? Oh yeah, that's right.... he re-signed with his team, the Cavs. One thing I think people are drastically underestimating is Lebron's marketing savvy. He is on the front page of every major media source right now because of this "2010" talk. Fans and media from all over are swooning over him. All this is good for him and his marketability. The more he keeps dominating the "2010" headlines when there are players such as Wade, Bosh, Nash, Stoudamire, etc. all available during the same summer, the more it appears he is simply head and shoulders above all of them in terms of being a true superstar. Further, he also knows that despite the love fest now, his public image might take a huge hit if he bolts for NYC in 2010. The Cavs can and will offer the most money, so he can't use that as an excuse. The Cavs will have the best foundation out of teams that can possibly afford him, so that excuse is out the window as well. In the end, he would be viewed as a hometown kid who turned his back on NE Ohio for the lusture of MSG. All that said, if he fails to win a championship here, people will still love him. He should ask A-Rod about the NY scrutiny before making a decision to head to the Big Apple.

He also talked of fast-tracking the project and vacating some port land by moving bulk shipping up the river. Port President Adam Wasserman, who attended the City Club luncheon, said he could foresee public access to the lake on port land, and possibly a park, in five years. The port is working with the city to hire top-flight urban planners to begin detailing redevelopment of port land. :clap: The length of time this project is expected to take has always been the biggest source of pessimism for me.... so this is the best part of the article to me.

^^ And Citigroup didn't???

Does anybody know what is going up just north of the shopping center (and just south of the RR tracks) near the intersection of Green Rd and Euclid Ave? Whatever it is, it has got some significant size to it. I believe it is on the parcel surrounded by Catalpa, Avalon and Roseland. I can't imagine the last time anything was built in that particular neighborhood.

I actually anticipate the emergence of a viable 3rd party by 2012, or by 2016 at the latest. I just can't see the fiscally conservative (and more intellectual IMO) branch of the republican party continuing to bend over backwards to garner the vote of social conservatives. The fiscal conservatives will break off, leaving behind the burdens of having to draw a hard line on hot button topics like abortion, stem-cell research, GLBT rights, school prayers, evolution, etc just to earn the vote of the social conservatives. For example, the new party platform can be both fiscally responsible and environmentally conscious. Many moderate democrats and self-proclaimed independents will gladly join them.

Given what you described you would like to find, I say definitely Coventry. Young crowd, plenty of bars, restaraunts, shops, safe. Just try to not go north of Mayfield Road. My buddies rented a 2 bdrm apartment there for I believe $625/month. It was old but had a lot of character. I would stay away from Warrensville and Euclid. After Coventry, my top choices would be Downtown (especially if your stay overlaps the summer), University Circle and Cedar Fairmount. Shaker Sq. is nice but it would be more of a hike than the other locations.

In addition to all of the above good ideas..... My neighbor works for the Cleveland Metroparks. I believe she is a park ranger and gets to work with wildlife alot. Google the metroparks to learns more about them as they are one of greater Cleveland's best aspects. You could also try places like Holden Arboretum, which has the feel of a Thoreau book. Then there is the Great Lakes Science center and the Natural History Museaum. Not sure if either are hiring but your knowledge would certainly be welcome if they were. GOOD LUCK and welcome!

Does anyone know to what extent the TT will be scrubbed/restored? Will it be the whole tower or just the part that presently has scaffolding on it? What really needs similar exterior TLC is the Landmark Office Towers... those buildings are dirty as hell.

I drove right by the crane this weekend on Euclid Ave. From what I could tell, it is much bigger than the one we saw at the AD site.

grand vision -- erecting two to 10 wind turbines in the lake off Cleveland's shore. That's all? I was imagining something much "grander". Don't get me wrong, something is better than nothing, but if we are going to be a leader in this industry, we are going to need more than 10 turbines. Phase I being 10 seems about right, but the "grand vision"??

Where exactly will it be located. I was thinking that Cleveland could use an outdoor ice rink. However, I was hoping it would be part of any plan to close public square off to traffic.