Pugu

^A Tiffany's downtown would be great, though they may end up on the East side, where the money is if they come to town at all. Actually, if they go Downtown, that means we'd have TWO Tiffany's in the Downtown/Flats area!

Though commercial service is relatively flat at CLE, maintenance/repair/overhaul work of smaller jets is booming. Article in Crains: Aircraft repair outfit outgrowing Hopkins space Small planes can be big business at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport — just ask Steve Maiden. “We've had double-digit (percentage sales) growth, year over year, the past four years,” said Mr. Maiden, CEO of Constant Aviation Inc., which repairs and maintains mostly small jets like those used by corporations and wealthy individuals. The privately held company does not disclose its revenues. Mr. Maiden said the only drawback to operating at Hopkins — as opposed to Burke Lakefront Airport or Cuyahoga County Airport, where many other aircraft-servicing companies operate — is that Hopkins doesn't have more space to give his company.... http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20111107/SUB1/311079980

Sorry to see DL drop CVG-CLE, but I think you're right, its mostly attributable to DL's drawdown of the CVG hub. However, they will have lost to CO all the O&D.

^ok---I'll check it out.

I know there aren't but I think both Downtown and UC could support high rise residences. And given financing, condos are difficult to buy and build, and with the current economy and folks leaving single family homes, the demand for apartments is very strong--across the US. To reduce each unit price, apartments do not have to be giant 1200-2000sq feet units, they could be much smaller and thus more per floor and more affordable for the builder (and cheaper for the tenant) (and will also provide for more density and thus more street level retail). Ok, maybe not high rises in midtown yet, but it would be nice to mix up the area between (non-high rise) residential and commercial so its not a dead zone after working hours...

thats great. now we need some 30-40 story apartment buildings around the area with ground floor retail (dry cleaners, 24-hr delis, 24-hr diners, grocery store, etc.) to keep the momentum moving.

^ So what's the best Chinese in town these days? Li Wah used to be a favorite of mine at 30th and Payne.

^ $3000/month for a 3-4 bedroom apt? really?

I have never found it desirable to fly out of CAK over CLE. Air Tran is an airline I would never fly, so that knocks out most of the frequency out of CAK. Remember AirTran is essentially ValuJet, which was grounded repeatedly by the FAA before killing a bunch of people in the Everglades. ValuJet then merged with the much smaller AirTran (or something like that) and took the name AirTran. I'd never fly them.

^ Depends on what they signed--they might be bound to Nashville, unless Nashville doesn't deliver. If bound, they can't bail and head north.

Interesting. Cleveland Hts came out pretty well in the study. But it looks like the study may need some tweaking to have any credibility regarding Cleveland Hts after today's PD break. The PD today (front page, Sunday) had a study of how city of Cleveland Hts has been lying about their crime stats, making things seem safer than they really are. I hope the Justice Dept (to whom the city must report data) goes after them for lying on their reports, though I guess lying may be hard to prove if city officially 'accidentally' misclassify a serious crime as 'miscellaneous' again and again. Kudos to the PD for their making noise and insight to look into this. "....while city officials flaunt one set of statistics, they conceal another. A Plain Dealer analysis of police records in nearly 90 cases reported over three years reveals that officials have chronically misinformed the public about the number of sex crimes reported in the city...." http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2011/10/public_misled_on_cleveland_hei.html

"Even Charlotte made it on the list of worst places to be young." Why the "even" - I'd never want to live in the Carolinas! Young or old! you drive 15 miles outside of Charlotte and you're still in the deep south with confederate flags and like-minded folks...

^Regarding the above: "An executive order that Gov. John Kasich allowed to lapse after taking office would have prevented Terry Thompson from owning exotic animals. The order, issued by Gov. Ted Strickland but permitted to expire by Kasich last spring, prohibited anyone who had been “convicted of an offense involving the abuse or neglect of any animal pursuant to any state, local, or federal law” from owning exotic animals. " http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2011/10/19/humane-society-head-wants-ohio-exotic-animal-ban.html But my post was more about Kvamme than the animal issue....

The more we learn about Kasich, the worse it gets. Yesterday, after lots of large animals were gunned down by police, it became clear he undid Strickland's wild animal regulations about allowing new wild animals in to the state, by allowing the executive order to expire. Then today, it seems his private sector 'jobsohio' guy is the on 'outsourcing [to China] team' of a firm with Chinese ties in which he owns interest that has clients that currently employ jobs in Ohio. He apparently willfully did not disclose this on his disclosure forms. He also did not disclose other conflicting relationships. http://www.examiner.com/government-in-columbus/ohio-gov-kasich-jobs-czar-kvamme-attacked-ethics-chargers-from-dem-lawmakers

On Monday ( 10/17), ground broke for the new ATC tower at Hopkins. This will be capable of NexGen equipment (the next generation of air traffic control in the US, which is still on the drawing board). The tower will be 324 feet tall, replacing the one built in the late 80's, and will be located near the fedex area/fire station. The new tower will also allow for consolidation of airport approaches at YNG, CAK, TOL, and others, if that comes to be. To open in 2014 at cost of $69m. (The current tower is 198 feet tall.) http://www.wtam.com/cc-common/news/sections/newsarticle.html?feed=122520&article=9265153

sounds like he already has the offers....

Which stores are closing? Based on the link/story, I couldn't see that Cleveland was spared, though I believe you. Just curious to see where the closings are. Thanks.

^Thanks. Well, happy to see another firm moving Downtown, no matter where they're coming from (within Cuyahoga County or the rest of the world).

Another company moving Dowtown from the burbs. Dwellworks out by Richmond Road and 422/271 (not even sure what suburb that is) is moving to Playhouse Sq--not sure if its all their employees or just some. "Dwellworks, LLC is slated to move 30-40 employees into new office space in the PlayhouseSquare District in March 2012. Dwellworks is leasing 15,000 square feet of space in the historic F. W. Woolworth building, located at 1317 Euclid Avenue, from PlayhouseSquare Real Estate Services...." http://www.dwellworks.com/index/news-app/story.29/title.dwellworks-plans-downtown-move-of-headquarters/menu.no/sec./home.

I'm trying to sort out all the hotel projects. Did/does the talk of CMSD HQ include possible conversion to a hotel if indeed CMSD does sell the building?

What about the School District HQ ? Is that still considered as a potential hotel conversion? I think that is supposed to be a Kimpton Hotel. As far as I know, that is still the case.

^work at the Federal Bldg is already underway.

^If Fitzgerald wants to clean up the image of the county corruption, then he should have little tolerance for this type of thing. or at least pretend to. let's assume he knew nothing about the republican from Columbus who hired his friend. Upon learning about it, he should immediately require posting of the job, especially if he wants to let the guy to stay. why a random six months--so everyone can forget about it? And he doesn't "investigate" it or at least pretend to? And the HR rep assumes he's best candidate amongst a pool of one and he's not even from NE Ohio? by the 'old way' i stated above, i was referring to shady county government and favors for friends, etc. at the public expense. None of this smells right and the new 'clean' government of Fitzpatrick looks the other way. what's particularly frightening is the carefree (at best) or inappropriate way approach that Fitzpatrick is handling this--by doing nothing.

So very disappointing. Fitzgerald upon learning of a $110k/yr job given to his fiscal officer's friend/former colleague without the job ever being posted, Fitzgerald (who may or may not have known about the whole dirty business) chooses not to take action, rather saying we'll post the job in six months (while the guy collects a paycheck in the meantime). And no apparent reprimand for anyone. The fiscal officer who was filling the job claims he didn't know the job was posted.....did he think just one person--his old buddy--applied? Looks like we're heading back to the good ol' days of Cuyahoga County government. And I thought Fitzgerald had higher political ambitions. http://www.cleveland.com/cuyahoga-county/index.ssf/2011/10/cuyahoga_county_hires_finance_manager_without_posting_position.html