3 Dog Pat

Quick blurb from the PD, probably more news tomorrow More housing in downtown Akron Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic today announced a $30 million, 91-unit housing development on the edge of downtown. The development will include condos and townhouses and will be partially subsidized by city. Units will cost $175,000 and up.

In 1995 the building that housed Papa Joes, Waterbeds & Stuff and Off Campus burned down. At the time South campus was just about 100% occupied with retail. College stuff that served the neighborhood, like Pizza places, bars/music venues, record stores, banks, etc. The area was lively, but it needed help. At the time, E. Gordon Gee thought if they got rid of all bars, all underage drinking would go away. So when Papa Joes burned down, the university rushed in and bought the land. They knocked down the buildings and left it a dirt parking lot. This is where I started having problems with Campus Partners They announced to the world they were going to acquire all of the land on south campus by purchasing it or via eminent domain and build a big Easton type mall. Just by decaling that, no one wanted to invest in an area, if they knew their business would be gone in a couple of years. To be able to use eminent domain they have to get the area considered blighted, and a definition of blighted was a large percent of empty storefronts. So Campus Partners needed to drive the businesses out that were there. If a business would not agree to the first low ball offer CP gave them, there lives became more complicated. All of a sudden, Liquor Patrol would be going in undercover a few times a week, along with health departments, building inspectors etc. Many of the bars lost their liquor license, so they went out of business, and since no one wanted to invest in South Campus because of CP's threat; the building owner was forced to sell. And so, to compliment their dirt lot, now Campus Partners had these empty buildings, with broken out windows and homeless people living there. I personally know that people approached CP about opening businesses in the buildings they owned, but they refused to rent them out, because they were manufacturing a legally blighted area. They took a neighborhood that needed help and turned it into a ghetto. Don’t forget this was during the best economy this country has seen maybe ever, CP said they looked into trying to revitalize the neighborhood, with some of the good business owners who were there in '95, but they decided against it, because it would take too long They never wanted to help the neighborhood; they wanted a shinny new mini Easton. They did not want Insomnia, they wanted Starbucks, they did not want Skully's they wanted Applebee’s, they just did not want Not Al's, Maxwell's, the Cornerstone or Papa Joes. At the time CP was spending over $100,000,000.00 in university money, tuition went up over 30%. They had unlimited power and unlimited resources, and they bulldozed a neighborhood and made a mall. I made a post earlier about the similarity of South Campus to the Short North area along High Street. That was another area that needed help in the late 80's early 90's. I prefer the Short North type of revitalization. That said, I hope the developement is OK, but I really hope that they ditch their plans for "helping" North Campus

So do you think the lantern just lets Sterrett write these articles?

Indian community will plant its pride in Cultural Gardens Friday, April 22, 2005 It's been 20 years since a new cultural group added its flag and heritage emblems to Cleveland's civic trophy case, the Cultural Gardens in Rockefeller Park. This spring, the Asian Indian community plans to end the drought. The India Cultural Garden received its building permit from City Hall last week, clearing the way for a new garden next to the Finnish Cultural Garden on the west side of Martin Luther King Boulevard. The Hindu-inspired design calls for flower beds, stoneworks, a Mahatma Gandhi statue and steps leading down to Doan Brook, just as steps lead to many rivers in India. Alas, the plans outshine finances. A garden committee from the Federation of India Community Associations has raised about $40,000 for a garden expected to cost about $200,000. Also, the community must coordinate its project with Cleveland's plans to naturalize and reroute Doan Brook. Rather than wait, the garden committee decided to push ahead in three phases. Groundbreaking for phase one - a walkway, stone pillars and flowers - is scheduled for May 22. For a peek at the garden to come, go to www.fica-cleveland.org.

hopefully sherrod leaves his dc staff in dc, they are some of the most incompetent, lazy, flat out dumbe people on the face of the earth But his wife won a Pulitzer! That counts for something right?

The first thing I would suggest to a new Clevelander is to go to the West Side Market on Saturday morning and budget a couple of hours there. No pun intended, but you can really get a flavor for the whole city there. If you like booze, I suggest grabbing a beer at the Little Bar & Grill in the Warehouse district (it is on a sidestreet/alley called Frankfort between St. Clair and Superior, near the W. 6th street right behind Johnny's Downtown). The reason I suggest that place is because it is a friendly bar, and a server hang out. If you are there later in the evening on a weeknight, I bet most people will be in there from other restuarants and bars. Just mention to the bartender that you are new in town (that you like Cleveland) and just want to know what is going on. I bet many of the patrons will clue you into the happenings around town. For Tremont try the same thing at Southside, or Treehouse. Sherman owns Southside and Eileen runs Treehouse. I will let someone else give you directions there. Also in Tremont there is a fantastic little bistro called Lola, they also have great bartenders. You may want to drop in there, grab some food at the bar and talk to the bartender. Frank is usually back there. Anyone of the three or the bartenders there will send you to the best places. Those are my suggestions....I always suggest booze. Again, welcome to Cleveland

Welcome Lindsh! Where did you move in from?

^ I am sorry about your loss KJP, but I am glad to see you back on the line!

The flats still has the general reputation of an entertainment district so that should draw people. The WHD is literally spilling over into the flats, especially if District Park comes back online. (By the way, steel prices are starting to ebb down) I think there will be enough people, and this may be a great shot in the arm for people to take another look at opening restaurants in the flats.

One of three US cities....maybe Cleveland can leverage Intel to advertise the partnership with the city

Thanks Mayday, you deserve a raise.

I remember how hard it was for me to find Edisons and Bohemia back in the day (of course now I find it easy) I hope they put up helpful signs to out of town motorists

I like the design. That's it

Hey KJP, 500K sounds like a good amount of money...is it? Or is it hush money to appear like they are looking into it, but not seriously. Ain't I cynical

Does City Center have a food court? It didn't when I went there. It could be a way to draw people in for lunch...that is about the only thing that brings people to the Galleria in Cleveland

Any word on new tenant leases?

The full article is posted (correctly) in the projects area. Grasscat, can I get a merger here???

drip, drip, drip...20 hear and 40 there will start adding up. The article also makes a good point about this project connnecting Gateway to the Theater district. (Maybe X can provide the whole article?? :-)) Downtown housing projects in works By JAY MILLER .....

At least tear down the bridge of stores that makes High street look like a cave.

What should we look for in TOD for the Silver line, especially in Midtown?

My brother works for Sherwin, and they have owned that property since before the terminal tower was built. So I don't think any of that land was considered in the convention center plan.

Chicago has been real successful in this type of development. At least that is what I have heard (I aint go no facts) Also, aren't there set asides in the WHD apartment buildings for low income residents. (that is how servers get into these places)

Again to everyone...but probably just to KJP :-D So, when the silver line is done, and the red line stations are finished, what is next for Cleveland transportation? What do you think will happen, what do you want to happen. I would love to see the waterfront line loop around to CSU and loop in all the new downtown neighborhoods....could it go near Treemont?

Have they taken into account the current price of steel? Steel has been high for over a year, so hopefully they will not scapegoat it when they put up something half-assed.

Hey, things are getting better in Cleveland Schools! I just think there are less children in Cleveland. Actually, BBB credits better record keeping as one reason, thus maybe Cleveland thought they had a lot more students a few years ago than they actually did. From today's cleveland.com NEWS UPDATE 2:40 p.m. Cleveland Schools grad rate tops 50 percent The graduation rate for Cleveland high school students has topped 50 percent for the first time in years and is now more than 20 percentage points higher than it was six years ago. J.C.Benton, a spokesman for the Ohio Department of Education, cautioned that the number's have not yet been verified and won't be official until August, but said the education department is hopeful the jump is real. Cleveland schools CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett said better record keeping and intervention for students have boosted the numbers.