November 3, 20222 yr ^ if the owner sez they are falling down they are falling down dammit. do they have to go over there and knock them down to show you they are falling down? 😂
November 3, 20222 yr "There's nothing historic about these structures" -IRG Partner Richard Brown "Historic buildings to be razed in the Flats" -KJP's headlinie I'm siding with KJP on this, and I can't freaking believe how easy it's been to tear down so many buildings in this "historic" district.
November 3, 20222 yr If there were a development plan ready to go, then I'd be OK with this. But I don't like tearing these buildings down to leave vacant land.
November 3, 20222 yr “We have no current plans for the land due to the high interest rate and elevated material / labor cost environment.” - IRG Partner Richard Brown Edited November 3, 20222 yr by LibertyBlvd
November 3, 20222 yr 9 minutes ago, LibertyBlvd said: “We have no current plans for the land due to the high interest rate and elevated material / labor cost environment.” - IRG Partner Richard Brown These guys paid like nothing for this property lol. It's possible their plan was always a plan to do nothing.
November 3, 20222 yr Oh boy, more surface lot parking coming. Just what the Flats and downtown needs.
November 3, 20222 yr 23 minutes ago, AsDustinFoxWouldSay said: Oh boy, more surface lot parking coming. Just what the Flats and downtown needs. Look at their portfolio of sucky apartments and it's arguable a parking lot is preferable to whatever they would throw up there.
November 3, 20222 yr 42 minutes ago, AsDustinFoxWouldSay said: Oh boy, more surface lot parking coming. Just what the Flats and downtown needs. Could these moves be in anticipation of parking that will disappear when/if the next phase of the Flats project is built?
November 3, 20222 yr 4 minutes ago, dski44 said: Could these moves be in anticipation of parking that will disappear when/if the next phase of the Flats project is built? Nevermind, probably too far away from FEB
November 3, 20222 yr An historic district expert contacted me a few minutes ago and said these buildings are definitely contributing structures to the Cleveland Centre historic district. They cannot demolish these even if they are condemned. The same risk argument was advanced for the Herold Building in the Gateway District and the city has refused to accept their demolition on safety grounds. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
December 13, 20222 yr Odeon, 3 other Flats parcels sold to developer By Ken Prendergast / December 13, 2022 The Odeon concert club, 1295 Old River Rd., was among four contiguous parcels on Cleveland’s Flats East Bank sold last week to Cleveland-based GBX Group, a real estate development financier which specializes in structuring financing for historic rehabilitation projects. However, when contacted by NEOtrans, a GBX representative said their plans for the site would not be officially announced for at least two months. READ MORE https://neo-trans.blog/2022/12/13/odeon-3-other-flats-parcels-sell-to-developer/ "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
December 13, 20222 yr from the crain's article: Quote GBX is in the process of putting a preservation easement on the strip of buildings, in a move that will permanently protect them from demolition or significant exterior changes. Such easements generate tax breaks for owners who give up the right to alter a building's façade or build on top of, or in place of, a historic structure. Sounds like it'll be staying largely the same externally at least. Kind of bummed because I would have loved to have them add on a few stories to match the surrounding buildings and really give that Old River Rd a nice urban updated look while still looking historic.
December 13, 20222 yr It's a very unique site. It would have been a good place for a mixed use building. Probably the only spot in that stretch where a new building would make sense, besides the lot across the street now owned by the Metroparks.
December 14, 20222 yr While it's nice to see new ownership, it's not unusual for GBX to buy and sit on a property for several years before doing any redevelopment. Hopefully this isn't one of those cases and they get to work on this soon!
January 26, 20232 yr On 12/17/2021 at 1:14 PM, MuRrAy HiLL said: Some sort of temporary pedestrian alternative should have been mandated and built beforehand...this is completely unacceptable. Cleveland’s Center Street Bridge in the Flats to close for 10 months - ‘A total pain in the butt’ Updated: Dec. 17, 2021, 9:23 a.m. | Published: Dec. 17, 2021, 9:23 a.m. By Sean McDonnell, cleveland.com CLEVELAND, Ohio — A main artery between the west and east sides of the Flats will close in January for 10 months, leaving motorists with a 2.5-mile detour and pedestrians with no shorter option. The Center Street Bridge, known informally as the “swing bridge” and recognizable from its red color, will undergo work through late October, according to the Ohio Department of Transportation. Construction is expected to start Jan. 3. Mike Miller, owner of the Music Box Supper Club on the west side of the river, said he just started seeing signs about the closing. “It’s happening and it’s going to be a total pain in the butt,” Miller said. “It practically eliminates the ability to walk from the east bank to the west bank.” https://www.cleveland.com/business/2021/12/clevelands-center-street-bridge-in-the-flats-to-close-for-10-months-a-total-pain-in-the-butt.html "As for when that will be, it’s still unclear. The project was supposed to be completed by now but instead, the bridge will be closed through the summer of 2023. ODOT hoped to start painting the bridge in the spring and replacing the concrete driving surface to finalize the project." https://www.news5cleveland.com/traffic/traffic-news/reopening-of-center-street-swing-bridge-delayed-as-repairs-taking-longer-than-expected https://www.bikecleveland.org/bike-cle/news/rider-alert-center-bridge/2022/12/ This is an absurdly long project. Perhaps justified by the complexity, but a real pain for pedestrians and cyclists.
January 26, 20232 yr 50 minutes ago, Ethan said: "As for when that will be, it’s still unclear. The project was supposed to be completed by now but instead, the bridge will be closed through the summer of 2023. ODOT hoped to start painting the bridge in the spring and replacing the concrete driving surface to finalize the project." https://www.news5cleveland.com/traffic/traffic-news/reopening-of-center-street-swing-bridge-delayed-as-repairs-taking-longer-than-expected https://www.bikecleveland.org/bike-cle/news/rider-alert-center-bridge/2022/12/ This is an absurdly long project. Perhaps justified by the complexity, but a real pain for pedestrians and cyclists. Thanks for the update… It is absurd that this is taking this long…what annoys me most is that you rarely if ever see people actually working on it. When you read the News 5 article you provided they make it sound like they are working hard when in reality they are hardly working. That bridge is not only a prized transportation option, but also, when working, a highly entertaining visual landmark.
January 26, 20232 yr I drive by it every morning and haven't seen anyone working since like early December. I was excited when they took the sign down saying the bridge will be closed for 365 days thinking it meant they were almost done...bummer news.
February 16, 20232 yr On 1/20/2022 at 12:01 AM, Ethan said: An interesting tidbit from the agenda for the upcoming Metroparks board meeting (1/20). It looks like The Foundry got some government money to build a boardwalk in partnership with the MetroParks, along with some other cool things! I was just taking a late-night stroll and realized this boardwalk is mostly completed. I'm not sure if I'm late to this party, but I was really glad to see this path. It's nothing too special, but it's so nice to be able to walk by the water, and this is infinitely better than the gravel that was here previously. It looks like they are still finishing up the landscaping. In other news, does anyone know the reason for the construction at Hart Crane Park?
February 16, 20232 yr Looks like that stretch is getting a new sheet pile bulkhead. Wonder if they’ll continue the boardwalk through there once it’s finished. Edited February 16, 20232 yr by marty15
February 16, 20232 yr @Ethan’s pics really give a sense of the progress beginning to happen along the riverfront - with pedestrian pathways and access to once unregarded but really interesting vistas. And importantly, a growing awareness and appreciation for what the fully realized riverfront might be like. Cleveland’s natural resources are the key in our potential to transform from an industrial image to a very interesting urban center with unique options and settings to enjoy. it’s already starting to happen with developments on the peninsula and the vision for the Tower City side of the river. You gotta love the sense of possibility that now seems attainable. . Long way to go but more actual progress than we’ve seen in decades. And how many cities have not only a potentially great coastal waterfront and a still developable riverfront directly bordering their downtown? Possibilities are exciting!
February 19, 20232 yr On 2/15/2023 at 1:48 PM, freefourur said: Maybe Metroparks could spearhead this. They are doing their best. See below post from one of their monthly board meeting agendas. From reading through these regularly I'd say the Metroparks is taking the Vision for the Valley as gospel. On 6/15/2022 at 11:25 PM, Ethan said: From the Metroparks Agenda: Marlin has agreed to sell the ± 1.1-acre property via fee simple title for $4,000,000. Cleveland Metroparks will work to secure outside funding and other creative sources to help fund the acquisition, but the acquisition will not be contingent upon being awarded such funds. Staff will come back to the Board to finalize any potential grant application(s) in the coming months and is currently exploring other partnerships to help preserve the Marlin Property, up to and including seeking a partner to assign a partial interest in the purchase agreement for the non-riverfront portion of the Marlin Property for future development. Acquisition of the Marlin Property would further the vision of connecting Rivergate Park and Flats East Bank along the Cuyahoga River for public access and enjoyment for future generations. Also this: The first one we already knew about, but it hasn't been confirmed for a while since its initial report. The second isn't too much of a surprise, and I think there's been some rumors about it, but I'm very excited about it. The Metropark's involvement is obviously a good sign for anyone interested in quality trails and green space! (Also seeing the added land to Rivergate park makes me think that British St. aught to be closed, it serves no purpose, and I'm sure the metroparks could make more use of the newly acquired space if it were continuous.) ---- On 2/16/2023 at 1:53 AM, marty15 said: Looks like that stretch is getting a new sheet pile bulkhead. Wonder if they’ll continue the boardwalk through there once it’s finished. Bingo! From today. My hope is that they are strengthening the bulkhead as part of their plans to add a boardwalk. There's really no good reason why there isn't already one through Rivergate park. Hopefully that's coming soon. ---- Other (random and unoriginal) thoughts from my walk. The old coast guard aught to have a little cafe in it it's the perfect location for one. And the Ontario Stone parcel at the mouth of the Cuyahoga really aught to have a distillery (in addition to other uses), it'd fit in well with the flats, rejustify the Whiskey Island name, and be a great nod to history!
February 23, 20232 yr The Metroparks just sent out an RFP for the two Catanese Classics parcels they bought in the flats. They are looking to develop and preserve a riverfront trail. It looks like they bought just to ensure the boardwalk / trail gets built. https://www.crainscleveland.com/real-estate/cleveland-metroparks-seeks-developer-catanese-properties-flats "After striking a $4 million deal to buy the Catanese Classics properties in the Flats, Cleveland Metroparks is seeking a developer to reimagine part of the site. Through a request for proposals posted on its procurement website, the parks system is soliciting redevelopment plans for 0.52 inland acres on Merwin Avenue. The Metroparks also will consider proposals for part of the riverfront land across the street, as long as projects sit at least 30 feet from the water." So they are set on developing the inland parcels and will develop the riverfront parcels for the right proposal. I'd admittedly like to see the riverfront parcel stay with the metroparks, but will withhold judgement until the proposals come in. (Assuming they also buy the grain mill, I wouldn't mind holding both parcels as a park, but I really like parks). Perhaps it's good the Metroparks is thinking differently.
March 1, 20232 yr Another article on Metroparks Flats property. https://www.cleveland.com/realestate-news/2023/03/cleveland-metroparks-seeks-proposals-to-develop-an-acre-being-acquired-in-the-flats.html
March 1, 20232 yr Boardwalk. Just keep adding to the boardwalk. At some point we might hit a critical mass ensuing one long continuous track.
March 1, 20232 yr 3 hours ago, cadmen said: Boardwalk. Just keep adding to the boardwalk. At some point we might hit a critical mass ensuing one long continuous track. The longest contiguous boardwalk in the world is in Atlantic City (5 miles). I'd sure love to see Cleveland make a goal of nearing or even beating that. Just eyeballing it I think that goal is possible given the routing options and terrain for river + lake.
March 1, 20232 yr 38 minutes ago, surfohio said: The longest contiguous boardwalk in the world is in Atlantic City (5 miles). I'd sure love to see Cleveland make a goal of nearing or even beating that. Just eyeballing it I think that goal is possible given the routing options and terrain for river + lake. You get over 5 miles just with both banks of the river down to the innerbelt.
March 3, 20232 yr On 3/1/2023 at 4:00 PM, Ethan said: You get over 5 miles just with both banks of the river down to the innerbelt. So I was curious how attainable a boardwalk / riverfront trail is along these banks. So I made a quick sketch up where green is completed, yellow is planned, and orange/red are not planned. Orange sections strike me as easier lifts as they are currently parking or undeveloped. There's also a lot of variation in how planned some of the yellow sections really are. (Blue is alternative major paths close to the river). Honestly though, all the red/orange sections strike me as very attainable. It will just take quality leadership and some money. I'd very much like to see this be one continuos path, hopefully some day soon! (P.S. I'd also love to see an additional pedestrian river crossing north of center and south of Carter, maybe cable cars hanging from the bridges?).
March 3, 20232 yr Exciting stuff yous guys (Jersey accent) ^ For your yellow/red section of the East Bank I would propose transitioning the boardwalk to the current sidewalk fronting those businesses. Like, literally just board-over the concrete and maybe extend into the street a little bit if that's possible. Also the Lake Link trail section to the old Coast Guard would be no-brainer.
March 7, 20232 yr 1 hour ago, GREGinPARMA said: Whatever happened to these apartments and park under the bridge? Can't remember which thread it should be in but I believe they were called Apollo. A permit is due to be issued any day now for the interior demolition of the building. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
March 7, 20232 yr On 3/3/2023 at 1:08 PM, surfohio said: Exciting stuff yous guys (Jersey accent) ^ For your yellow/red section of the East Bank I would propose transitioning the boardwalk to the current sidewalk fronting those businesses. Like, literally just board-over the concrete and maybe extend into the street a little bit if that's possible. Also the Lake Link trail section to the old Coast Guard would be no-brainer. To clarify, when I use the term boardwalk, I'm referring to a path directly on the water, I care very little about the surface material. As such, I wouldn't consider your old river road proposal a boardwalk, just a wooden sidewalk. I have no idea if my colloquial usage of the term is technically correct or not, but what I'm interested is is specifically the ability to walk along the water. (Edit: it looks like both usages are correct). I think the old river road section will be one of the hardest gaps to fill, and if that ends up being the only missing link I can handle that. With that said, I also think it's a more important link than most as it connects FEB to Settlers landing. It's also downtown so the increased density means it deserves more attention. The old coast guard station is already connected along the water. While I certainly wouldn't oppose boarding this path over, I don't see enough utility to justify the comparative costs of boarding over perfectly acceptable paths. Maybe it can be justified through concerns about waves and ice (even though it's behind a breakwall), but I just think Cleveland should focus on more core / skeletal issues, before we focus on aesthetic / skin deep issues. Maybe the costs of just boarding the path over would be inconsequential, but these kind of simple projects always seem to cost way more than I think they have any right to.
March 7, 20232 yr 3 minutes ago, Ethan said: To clarify, when I use the term boardwalk, I'm referring to a path directly on the water, I care very little about the surface material. As such, I wouldn't consider your old river road proposal a boardwalk, just a wooden sidewalk. I have no idea if my colloquial usage of the term is technically correct or not, but what I'm interested is is specifically the ability to walk along the water. (Edit: it looks like both usages are correct). I think the old river road section will be one of the hardest gaps to fill, and if that ends up being the only missing link I can handle that. With that said, I also think it's a more important link than most as it connects FEB to Settlers landing. It's also downtown so the increased density means it deserves more attention. The old coast guard station is already connected along the water. While I certainly wouldn't oppose boarding this path over, I don't see enough utility to justify the comparative costs of boarding over perfectly acceptable paths. Maybe it can be justified through concerns about waves and ice (even though it's behind a breakwall), but I just think Cleveland should focus on more core / skeletal issues, before we focus on aesthetic / skin deep issues. Maybe the costs of just boarding the path over would be inconsequential, but these kind of simple projects always seem to cost way more than I think they have any right to. Surface material can vary, but the really important thing is the easily identifiable connectivity. It's what makes it THE boardwalk instead of a series of disjointed "boardwalks." In other words, if the thing doesn't connect and provide a simple route for pedestrians it won't really function correctly.
March 7, 20232 yr 14 minutes ago, Ethan said: To clarify, when I use the term boardwalk, I'm referring to a path directly on the water, I care very little about the surface material. And while surface material can vary, to me there is just something magic about real wood :-)
March 7, 20232 yr 1 hour ago, surfohio said: Surface material can vary, but the really important thing is the easily identifiable connectivity. It's what makes it THE boardwalk instead of a series of disjointed "boardwalks." In other words, if the thing doesn't connect and provide a simple route for pedestrians it won't really function correctly. Speaking of the continuity of that connectivity from a user-perspective, reminds me of the gap in the towpath that used to exist along Harvard & Jennings
March 29, 20232 yr 2 hours ago, dwolfi01 said: can you share with the class please? lol On 2/16/2023 at 1:53 AM, marty15 said: Looks like that stretch is getting a new sheet pile bulkhead. Wonder if they’ll continue the boardwalk through there once it’s finished. I believe this is what @Whipjacka referring to. Though this article just came up today, so it could also be this. Hart Crane Park is technically separate from Rivergate, but it's possible the boat slips will continue through Hart Crane Park, and that could be why the sheet pile bulkhead needed replaced. I don't know, just speculating. Public boat slips to be installed on the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland "Cleveland Metroparks, which operates Rivergate Park at Merwin’s Wharf and Heritage Park further downstream near the Center Street bridge, is installing 18 public boat slips that should be ready for use in another six to eight weeks." https://www.cleveland.com/news/2023/03/public-boat-slips-to-be-installed-on-the-cuyahoga-river-in-cleveland.html
April 13, 20232 yr did they just replace the bulkheads or something? Looks the same? I tried to google to find what the project entailed but couldn't find anything.
April 13, 20232 yr 59 minutes ago, dwolfi01 said: did they just replace the bulkheads or something? Looks the same? I tried to google to find what the project entailed but couldn't find anything. I believe it was just bulkhead replacement.
April 19, 20232 yr Cleveland Whiskey's Flats South expansion project is back on trackhttps://www.crainscleveland.com/small-business/cleveland-whiskey-restarts-work-distillery-restaurantSent from my Pixel 7 using Tapatalk
April 19, 20232 yr ^ thats good news and a great building for a whisky distillery. flats south? why not. good brand!
April 24, 20232 yr On 1/26/2023 at 1:29 PM, Ethan said: "As for when that will be, it’s still unclear. The project was supposed to be completed by now but instead, the bridge will be closed through the summer of 2023. ODOT hoped to start painting the bridge in the spring and replacing the concrete driving surface to finalize the project." https://www.news5cleveland.com/traffic/traffic-news/reopening-of-center-street-swing-bridge-delayed-as-repairs-taking-longer-than-expected https://www.bikecleveland.org/bike-cle/news/rider-alert-center-bridge/2022/12/ This is an absurdly long project. Perhaps justified by the complexity, but a real pain for pedestrians and cyclists. It looks like they've started pouring concrete on Center Street Bridge. Hopefully they finish soon. https://www.reddit.com/r/Cleveland/comments/12xhk8m/good_news_everyone/
April 25, 20232 yr https://www.instagram.com/reel/CrcJOESp5ky/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=Video/drone shots of the pouring
April 28, 20232 yr On 4/24/2023 at 4:01 PM, Ethan said: It looks like they've started pouring concrete on Center Street Bridge. Hopefully they finish soon. https://www.reddit.com/r/Cleveland/comments/12xhk8m/good_news_everyone/ I really enjoyed the uniqueness of the steel grate deck. I sure hope the engineers figured for adding 10’s of thousands of pounds of concrete to a bridge that wasn’t designed for it.
June 22, 20231 yr 2 minutes ago, dwolfi01 said: We have signs of life finally! They’re giving it a full-size protective cover?
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