Cleveland Metroparks Announces Winter Riverfest Arriving for the Holiday Season 

 

"Cleveland Metroparks today announced Winter RiverFest presented by MTD, a first-time event set to transform Rivergate Park and Merwin's Wharf for the holiday season beginning November 27. The new holiday event along the Cuyahoga River in The Flats will feature synthetic ice skating, festive light displays, a beer garden and firepits, retail shop and igloo village at Merwin’s Wharf. Winter RiverFest will run Wednesdays to Sundays from 11 a.m. – 8 p.m. until January 18."

https://www.clevelandmetroparks.com/news-press/2020/october-2020/cleveland-metroparks-announces-winter-riverfest-ar

 

 

Ice rink, beer garden and private igloos all coming to Merwin's Wharf this holiday season

Camryn Justice - Oct. 16, 2020

https://www.news5cleveland.com/news/local-news/cleveland-metro/ice-rink-beer-garden-and-private-igloos-all-coming-to-merwins-wharf-this-holiday-season

 

Cleveland Metroparks to transform Merwin’s Wharf into winter wonderland with ice skating

Jen Steer - Oct. 16, 2020

https://fox8.com/news/cleveland-metroparks-to-transform-merwins-wharf-into-winter-wonderland-with-ice-skating/

 

The Metroparks are Opening an Ice Rink in the Parking Lot of Merwin's Wharf

Sam Allard - Oct. 15, 2020

https://www.clevescene.com/scene-and-heard/archives/2020/10/15/the-metroparks-are-opening-an-ice-rink-in-the-parking-lot-of-merwins-wharf

 

 

Edited October 18, 20204 yr by NorthShore647

Cleveland has always had to do a better job embracing the winter. This will be perfect to do that and better enliven this part of town

9 hours ago, tykaps said:

Cleveland has always had to do a better job embracing the winter. This will be perfect to do that and better enliven this part of town

That’s an interesting thought. Never thought about “embracing” the winter. Could work 

10 hours ago, inlovewithCLE said:

That’s an interesting thought. Never thought about “embracing” the winter. Could work 

 

One of the best cities in the area at doing this is Buffalo NY.   For some reason the corporate community there is so much more involved at staging events.   And, the city will close down streets and let people drink outdoors.   This alone could be very helpful during this COVID winter!  

 

 

On 7/2/2020 at 1:10 PM, Enginerd said:

Are they trying to put a police district station there or something? And Loomis isn’t related to THAT Loomis is it? ??

I’m going to guess yes on that cop shop idea. Seems to me I’d heard something along those lines a year ago - and then there’s this rendering from three years back (see link). 

I don’t think the GC is tied to the other Loomis; not positive, but I feel like I’d have known that if so.

 

Edited October 31, 20204 yr by StormyPeanut
Tried to delete, as I believe I may have accidentally posted in the wrong spot!

Note from Admins: It is absolutely forbidden to copy/paste articles in their entirety. We only allow the first two or three sentences and then the link to the original article. Years ago, the forum was given a cease and desist from the eight largest newspapers in Ohio and it took a month for our volunteer thread “scrubbers” to bring every single post into compliance. 

 

Fathom moving downtown.

Digital marketing agency Fathom finds a new home in an old building 

 

Michelle Jarboe 

 

Fathom

The historic building at 2020 Center St. in the Flats, just north of the Superior Viaduct, is being renovated as the future home of Fathom, a digital marketing company moving into the city from the suburbs. In this photo, the Stonebridge Plaza condominium building is visible in the background.

A growing digital marketing agency plans to shed its suburban address next year, trading leased offices in Valley View for a newly renovated home on the west bank of the Flats.

That company, Fathom, employs just over 80 people and aims to double in size over the next five years. And its executives are confident there's still unmatched value in bringing clients and employees together, face-to-face, despite a pandemic that has kept them apart since March.

 

Edited December 7, 20204 yr by MayDay
Posting entire articles is strictly forbidden.

Flats South News. https://www.news5cleveland.com/news/local-news/whats-going-on-with/whats-happening-in-flats-south-with-cleveland-whiskey

1968 W 3rd St has a Liquor License application from Doordash Essentials LLC. I'm assuming this will be a Cleveland location for DashMart. Basically a convenience store run by doordash. Delivery only, no in-store shopping. Definitely an odd location choice and doesn't exactly bode well for turning the area into a walkable neighborhood.

A variety of businesses is ideal for any neighborhood. Also, accessing groceries is probably an important factor for people, and it really is a pain if you don't have a car, have physical disabilities, live in a cold climate region, are living in a national plague where we want to limit exposure, etc.

 

I'm pretty sure there isn't a downside with this place. Food delivery is becoming more and essential; I certainly rely on it a great deal.

Thought this was interesting. Saw this proposed boat slip when looking at the Cleveland Whiskey future site. It's probably nothing more than an idea to make the area look less desolate, but it would be great if it could happen. Right next to Cleveland Whisky and across from Scranton Peninsula.  It would have great views and might spur future development across the river.

4 hours ago, TBideon said:

A variety of businesses is ideal for any neighborhood. Also, accessing groceries is probably an important factor for people, and it really is a pain if you don't have a car, have physical disabilities, live in a cold climate region, are living in a national plague where we want to limit exposure, etc.

 

I'm pretty sure there isn't a downside with this place. Food delivery is becoming more and essential; I certainly rely on it a great deal.

I understand the importance of delivery. My main concern here is the amount of traffic and surface parking that will be needed to accommodate delivery drivers. All for a store that people can't even go into. Does a real number on walkability. 

I hope it won't be that horrible. The concept sounds similar to Gopuff, which I call uber eats for convenience store junk food. They have a distribution center on Prospector near e36th. The place is never crazy; usually there is an idling car or two out front and that's about it. I can't imagine it ever will be much busier than a pizza delivery. 

Seen on Dodge Reports:

 

Stones Levy Canal Bridge (Rehabilitation)

Action Stage: Planning Schematics

Valuation: $5,000,000

Conceptual stage - Funding in FY 2022 - Firm schedules remain to be determined

City of Cleveland Division of Engrg & Construction

 

I assume this is the Canal Road bridge over the CSX tracks? It's a short bridge, so at the dollar amount, I would think that this involves a bridge deck replacement. But I wonder if this is correct. I remembered that this bridge was already replaced and I just found a reference to this bridge being replaced less than a decade ago: https://www.noaca.org/regional-planning/major-planning-documents/transportation-improvement-program-tip/comment-on-pending-projects/1st-quarter-2014-project-planning-reviews/replace-bridge-on-canal-road-in-cleveland

 

Anyone know if this is the correct bridge and if so, why is it being rehabbed/replaced again?

Nope. Its a small bridge on Canal Rd. It has the big Norfolk Southern train bridge over the valley above it. Its at the south end of Canal rd before it goes over W 3rd st bridge. 

^^Is this the bridge over the B&O track, on Stones Levee, which, I thought has been closed for quite some time.  It allowed passage between Canal and W 3rd, the latter of which now dead ends at its north end.  This sounds like a worthwhile project.  The other bridge, further south, where Canal runs into W 3rd, was improved a while back.

It doesn’t say the integrity of the bridge was updated. It sounds like its about to fall apart from the heavy trucks that go across. 

 

Proposed Project: The proposed project involves replacing the bridge on Canal Road, located over the CSX railroad and under the Norfolk-Southern railroad, in Cleveland (illustrations). According to the sponsor, the proposed bridge project is intended to improve the safety and condition of a deteriorated infrastructure providing a vital link to and from the Flats industrial area. Furthermore, the purpose of the proposed project is to make Canal Road safer by constructing a compliant road curve in turn improving lines of sight for drivers. The proposed work will provide a continuous multi use path from the recently completed East 9th Extension along Canal Road to West 3rd Street. Overall, the improvements will make the Flats more multi use travel friendly, serve existing businesses, and be a catalyst for redevelopment in the area. 

This has to be the bridge on Stones Levee closer to Collision Bend. I drive that way frequently. The one further south towards the W 3rd lift bridge is brand new. Even with heavy truck traffic, it has held up very well.

 

In this case, great news! That is going to be huge for connectivity. Now phase 2 should be connecting it to Eagle Ave. Although if they ever intended on doing that, now is the time to plan it because the grade change from Ontario down to the current elevation of the east pier of this smaller bridge is very significant. They'd have to plan the new bridge with an increased elevation now to ever be able to make that climb in the future

I think you're right. I don't know why they call it Canal Bridge. Unless they are saying that this should be considered a bridge over the canal right of way which it was, but the city leased it to Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, today's CSX. B&O acquired the right-of-way after the city went into default in 1978 but the right-of-way's ownership reverts back to the city if the railroad stops using it, which it has. If this is the right bridge, its rehab is certainly better than having the city replace the bridge with an earthen fill.

Actually, you bring up a great point Ken...Why even have a bridge here? Cleveland Thermal is shutting down that plant if they already haven't. There really is no need at all to keep it a bridge, and it would be significantly cheaper to go with earthen fill...But I think this may be a clue into larger future plans. WHAT IF, the city has actually done the unthinkable and planned ahead knowing that an expanded CVSR would pass through here. Also a coincidence that Sherwin donated their riverfront land to the city? I am starting to think not. In fact, holy crap this makes way too much sense, it is not even funny.

 

Two big impediments to bringing the CVSR straight into the old B&O station have been eliminated. The thermal plant and now Sherwin too. You're the train guy lol. Something a brewin?

That's great news. A second route in/out of the Stones Levee area will be crucial. And like YO said, get the Eagle Ave bridge working next.

2 minutes ago, YO to the CLE said:

Actually, you bring up a great point Ken...Why even have a bridge here? Cleveland Thermal is shutting down that plant if they already haven't. There really is no need at all to keep it a bridge, and it would be significantly cheaper to go with earthen fill...But I think this may be a clue into larger future plans. WHAT IF, the city has actually done the unthinkable and planned ahead knowing that an expanded CVSR would pass through here. Also a coincidence that Sherwin donated their riverfront land to the city? I am starting to think not. In fact, holy crap this makes way too much sense, it is not even funny.

 

Two big impediments to bringing the CVSR straight into the old B&O station have been eliminated. The thermal plant and now Sherwin too. You're the train guy lol. Something a brewin?

You give them a lot of credit. I would assume they don’t even know they have the ROW and assume since it’s a bridge now that’s the end of story.

 

BUUUUUT I would absolutely love CVSR to be extended so I’m not mad.

I haven't checked in with CVSR sources in a while. I will check. But I'm wondering why this is called a Canal bridge if it's not on Canal Road? Is the intent to rehab bridge over a recreated canal? 

3 minutes ago, KJP said:

I haven't checked in with CVSR sources in a while. I will check. But I'm wondering why this is called a Canal bridge if it's not on Canal Road? Is the intent to rehab bridge over a recreated canal? 

Maybe they are meaning it as the bridge that connects Stones Levee to Canal Rd. Technically, that's what it does. They should probably make it read Stones Levee Canal Connector

Hard to tell what they meant. They didn't even spell "levee" correctly. 🤔

Incorrect location.  

Edited January 27, 20214 yr by audidave
wrong location

11 minutes ago, audidave said:

It’s actually here:

 

That bridge was completely rebuilt a few years ago. It was widened and has a proper sidewalk now.

 

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.4893977,-81.6856764,3a,75y,22.16h,75.67t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sorjsMHV9BSFyL6DQHiEVDg!2e0!5s20190901T000000!7i16384!8i8192

 

OK.  My bad. I was distracted with work and went down the rabbit hole of KJP’s link thinking that was the new plan. 

1 hour ago, YO to the CLE said:

Actually, you bring up a great point Ken...Why even have a bridge here? Cleveland Thermal is shutting down that plant if they already haven't. There really is no need at all to keep it a bridge, and it would be significantly cheaper to go with earthen fill...But I think this may be a clue into larger future plans. WHAT IF, the city has actually done the unthinkable and planned ahead knowing that an expanded CVSR would pass through here. Also a coincidence that Sherwin donated their riverfront land to the city? I am starting to think not. In fact, holy crap this makes way too much sense, it is not even funny.

 

Two big impediments to bringing the CVSR straight into the old B&O station have been eliminated. The thermal plant and now Sherwin too. You're the train guy lol. Something a brewin?

They must be prepping for the new Browns retractable stadium to go on Scranton Peninsula 😉

2 hours ago, YO to the CLE said:

Actually, you bring up a great point Ken...Why even have a bridge here? Cleveland Thermal is shutting down that plant if they already haven't. There really is no need at all to keep it a bridge, and it would be significantly cheaper to go with earthen fill...But I think this may be a clue into larger future plans. WHAT IF, the city has actually done the unthinkable and planned ahead knowing that an expanded CVSR would pass through here. Also a coincidence that Sherwin donated their riverfront land to the city? I am starting to think not. In fact, holy crap this makes way too much sense, it is not even funny.

 

Two big impediments to bringing the CVSR straight into the old B&O station have been eliminated. The thermal plant and now Sherwin too. You're the train guy lol. Something a brewin?

With the NEW CLEVELAND WHISKEY HQ being relocated at the soon to be renovated building at 601 Stones Levee Road.  And several other projects to be completed in that area by JOEL SCHEER over the next several years, I assume the city is trying to help him with improving the area infrastructure.

 

Just as City and the local utilities helped the developers of the Scranton Peninsula by completing redoing Scranton Avenue and also Carter Road a few years ago with new concrete roads, signage, new sewers, water and gas lines ect.

 

http://www.jscheer.net/featuredprojects

 

 

Edited January 27, 20214 yr by Larry1962
More details and link, map, and render.

^ When I looked at the link, I really like the way this project looks.  What really caught my eye, however, is how the developer replaced the brown water with the nice blue water in the river!

maybe i am dreaming, but ideally it would be nice to move the football stadium down here off the lake and build up stones levee and the peninsula.

Flats South / Cleveland Whiskey news: Cleveland City Council approves landmark status to help century-old fruit auction house become a distillery

 

https://www.cleveland.com/cityhall/2021/02/cleveland-city-council-approves-landmark-status-to-help-century-old-auction-house-become-a-distillery.html

 

Cleveland City Council voted Monday to grant landmark status to a building that was a leading fruit auction house a century ago, a designation to help give it new life as a distillery.

Cleveland Whiskey Co. wants to convert the property, the old Consolidated Fruit Auction Co. building, into a 25,000-square-foot site for producing whiskey. It also will be home to a restaurant and bar, said Don Petit, a Cleveland city planner and secretary of the Landmarks Commission.

 

 

 

Looks like the Four Seasons Landscaping presser. 

flats westbank redevelopment...

 

https://www.news5cleveland.com/news/local-news/whats-going-on-with/flats-west-bank-manufacturing-building-bought-with-big-plans-for-the-future

 

SUNDAY, APRIL 18, 2021

Talks restart for Superior Viaduct linear park

 

With high-rise developments planned and built along the Superior Viaduct, an idea was floated to turn the remaining portion of the 1878-built stone bridge into a linear park. But that idea faded when a Stonebridge Condominiums resident who initiated community discussions about the idea was relocated to Philadelphia.

 

Or, perhaps said better, the idea briefly faded.

 

That's because Ward 3 City Councilman Kerry McCormack has brought it up again and will lead the discussions for the time being. The first of those discussions was a meeting held April 14 with the executive board of the Waterfront District Block Club and other Flats West Bank residents.

 

MORE:

https://neo-trans.blogspot.com/2021/04/talks-restart-for-superior-viaduct.html

I guess the most interesting news from the blog post is that Viaduct is not totally dead but still on life support with a couple of hospice nurses hovering around.

Glad to see the idea is still kicking around. Even in its present state, the viaduct was one of my favorite amenities while living there. Might not be anything fancy, but the grills are nice for a cookout, with plenty of seating to relax and read or just enjoy the sun - all with a nice view of the lake, river, and downtown. Also the perfect spot to watch the Fourth of July fireworks and a nice spot for the airshow. Fix it up with some more seating, landscaping, and some active uses, and it will be phenomenal. 

1 hour ago, PoshSteve said:

Glad to see the idea is still kicking around. Even in its present state, the viaduct was one of my favorite amenities while living there. Might not be anything fancy, but the grills are nice for a cookout, with plenty of seating to relax and read or just enjoy the sun - all with a nice view of the lake, river, and downtown. Also the perfect spot to watch the Fourth of July fireworks and a nice spot for the airshow. Fix it up with some more seating, landscaping, and some active uses, and it will be phenomenal. 

 

Also fun to bring along a few camping chairs and listen in on the concerts at the Jacobs/Nautica Pavilion. 

Something I've wondered about, but never seen an answer to: is it at all possible or practical to convert the old railroad bridges in the flats to pedestrian bridges? (As well as add pedestrian crossing to the active bridge on the mouth). I'm assuming that it is wildly impractical, and I can think of dozens of reasons (costs, safety, etc.) why it might be, but I was wondering if anyone Knows. Specifics like cost-estimates would be awesome!

 

If it could be done, it would be one of the coolest ways to connect the East and West banks of the flats! To really make it worthwhile, you'd have to acquire some land on Whiskey Island from the Ontario Stone Corporation, but if you did that you could get from the heart of the EB to the heart of the WB in 5 minutes anytime there isn't a ship coming through. Right now they're really only connected the <10% of the time the water taxis are running. 

It would be very expensive to rehabilitate and operate each of those massive bridges. It would also be unnecessary since there are roadway bridges with sidewalks on them nearby.

I'm sure it would be absurdly expensive (just not sure exactly how much), but I don't know about unnecessary. It currently takes about twenty minutes to walk from one bank to the other, too far for a lot of people. I measured it out before, crossing the railroad bridge over the mouth of the river, and then crossing the abandoned bridge from Whiskey Island would be about a five minute walk, a significant difference! It would meaningfully connect two of Cleveland's largest entertainment districts, which are effectively separate >90% of the time. 

 

The bridge near Nautica has an alternative crossing near by that's true, but there is nothing at all near the mouth of the river, where a crossing is most needed. 

A more regular set of river ferries connecting the flats would serve the same purpose and also be really fun. 

I always thought using the Main Avenue Bridge as a support, running gondolas (ala Cedar Point and ski lifts) would be a simple and unique way to transport people back and forth across the river. Efficient, cheap,  and fun.

You would never find me on it!  😬

I'm not sure I would trust the Main Ave. bridge to support the extra weight.

That's ok. I'll take your place in line. You're gonna miss out on a spectacular view lol.

Reminds me of Jon Stahl’s Cleveland Skylift proposal to put a gondola along the lakefront. 

 

http://gondolaproject.com/category/proposals-concepts/cleveland-skylift/

On 6/4/2021 at 11:31 AM, LlamaLawyer said:

Pretty significant rezoning just approved by CPC. Hopefully just a first step in the area being developed into a new mixed use neighborhood.

 

Finally got around to watching the planning commission recording from Friday. It was mentioned that Columbus Peninsula currently has several proposals in the design phase that would convert existing structures to residential. There are also apparently "a few projects" considering new construction residential or mixed-use.

Keep an eye on 1776 Columbus Rd. whose new ownership group IRG Columbus Rd Partners LLC owns all the buildings from there to the old Gravity Place at the 200-year-old Cleveland Centre. They also own the vacant property immediately west. I asked one of their principals about their plans but he gave me a "stay tuned."

 

The flour mill is also for sale but the sellers are being stubborn in refusing to give tours of the buildings.

 

And then there's the Flats Industrial RR which is also for sale. Their right of way extends to near Linndale. The Port Authority has shown some interest in it. The railroad owns some small parcels on Columbus Rd Peninsula.