May 4, 20223 yr 6 minutes ago, LlamaLawyer said: Great article, @KJP. One correction--the Meadowbrook Lee development actually includes more park space (I think it's 2.3 acres, but don't quote me). The .3 acres only includes the area fronting on Lee Road. There's additional green-space being added behind the development, some of which is public and some of which is not. Fixed it. Thanks. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
May 4, 20223 yr ^^^This indeed is an exciting proposal by a developer that general gets things done and thinks outside the box (in other words no off the shelf 4 story rectangle apartment buildings). "Approval" as you say, is a no brainer, as the city officials are incredibly pumped by the proposal, as they should be. That said, lots of sticking points including the fact that the developer does not own the property across the street from the Tudors, huge infrastructure costs that will have to be incurred by a city that is pretty cash strapped so many applications to various governmental agencies are going to be necessary to secure funds and of course, as always, the developers financing issues, although it seems WXZ generally does not have many problems in that regard. Edited May 4, 20223 yr by Htsguy
May 4, 20223 yr 2 hours ago, LlamaLawyer said: Also, that's a fairly dangerous area, which unfortunately makes development harder. There have been a pretty substantial number of shootings in the neighborhood just north of Coventry. Anywhere that borders East Cleveland is generally viewed as being more dangerous. But the North Coventry neighborhood is showing signs of turning around. Buildings are being fixed up or maintained, population seems to be stabilizing -- we'll see if that trajectory is sustainable, but there are some positive indicators there to counter those past shootings.
May 4, 20223 yr 1 hour ago, Htsguy said: That said, lots of sticking points including the fact that the developer does not own the property across the street from the Tudors, huge infrastructure costs that will have to be incurred by a city that is pretty cash strapped so many applications to various governmental agencies are going to be necessary to secure funds and of course, as always, the developers financing issues, although it seems WXZ generally does not have many problems in that regard. The presentation stated they they are already in talks with the owner of the strip mall across the street and have worked with them in the past on other projects. From the wording, it sounds like it would be a joint venture between WXZ and the current owner. "WXZ has a long relationship with the current property owner of the Taylor Commons site on the East site of South Taylor Road. This party has been fully briefed on the Proposal and is enthusiastically eager to joint-venture with WXZ on redevelopment in order to contribute to the revitalization of this important and historic Cleveland Heights commercial district." As far as funding for the streetscape goes, it's hard to say where the money would come from. Watching the presentation, it sounds like WXZ would be on the hook for the plaza area at Cain Park as park of the whole project, but no mention was made regarding the road and bike lanes. Since the whole project would be to make the area more bike and padestrian friendly, there's the possability or tapping into federal funds to help finance part of it. The city will also be getting something from the sale of the Tudor buildings, so they could us that money to help cover costs as well.
May 17, 20223 yr On 4/7/2022 at 3:54 PM, KJP said: Cleveland Hts. monastery site remake revealed By Ken Prendergast / April 7, 2022 The redevelopment of a former monastery at Lee Road and North Park Boulevard in Cleveland Heights with upscale housing is finally moving forward after sitting on the shelf during the pandemic. Conceptual plans for the project, to be called the Wellington Mews, are scheduled to be presented to Planning Commission at 7 p.m. April 13. MORE: https://neo-trans.blog/2022/04/07/cleveland-hts-monastery-remake-revealed/ Here come the NIMBYs -- Quote Development of former Carmelite Monastery draws neighbors’ concerns in Cleveland Heights https://www.cleveland.com/community/2022/05/development-of-former-carmelite-monastery-draws-concerns-from-neighbors-in-cleveland-heights.html Preliminary plans: https://www.clevelandheights.gov/DocumentCenter/View/10656/PC-Plans-22-08?bidId=
May 17, 20223 yr 44 minutes ago, Foraker said: Here come the NIMBYs -- NIMBYs rollin' up to ruin your day.
May 24, 20223 yr The whole development looks great. Really have no idea how the NIMBY contingent of my fellow Cle Hts residents see any negative in it.
May 24, 20223 yr ^They simply don't want anything built. They'd never go public with that because even they know that's an unreasonable, and losing position.
May 24, 20223 yr I think this is an impressive use of space and will only add to what is already a dynamic neighborhood.
May 24, 20223 yr Top of the Hill feels like it is moving really slow for a project that planned to be substantially complete by the end of July. Looking forward to the fall groundbreaking for Cedar-Lee-Meadowbrook, and hopefully a development agreement for the Taylor-Tudors this fall as well. Then we have Amato Homes and Start Right building a batch of infill housing on vacant lots, FutureHeights and private rehabers soaking up the vacant buildings, and the future is bright for Cleveland Heights!
May 24, 20223 yr Hopefully we can add the open corner at Coventry and Cedar to the list. Not a huge space but a great location with easy transit access.
May 24, 20223 yr 5 hours ago, OldEnough said: The whole development looks great. Really have no idea how the NIMBY contingent of my fellow Cle Hts residents see any negative in it. The only negative I see is the traffic congestion during rush hour. Hopefully the new residents will walk to work/school . But that intersection not very pedestrian friendly either.
May 24, 20223 yr Traffic is a result of growth. Markets - live Cleveland - that promote "no traffic" - are really putting lipstick on a pig.
May 24, 20223 yr 2 hours ago, OldEnough said: Hopefully we can add the open corner at Coventry and Cedar to the list. Not a huge space but a great location with easy transit access. The lot across from the old St. Ann's Church? It's privately owned, and the owner appears to be unwilling, unable, or uninterested in developing it. Plenty of other places to develop -- Carmelite monastery is in the works, Medusa building was once in consideration for development, the Mayfield-Noble-Warrensville triangle, Severance . . . .
May 24, 20223 yr 36 minutes ago, shack said: The only negative I see is the traffic congestion during rush hour. Hopefully the new residents will walk to work/school . But that intersection not very pedestrian friendly either. Current traffic congestion isn't bad, and one lane has been taken over by construction. Maybe if people stop working from home it will be worse. How could we change that intersection to make it more pedestrian-friendly? I suggest maybe a pedestrian refuge is needed at the top of Cedar Hill (which might also help direct traffic down the hill) and another pedestrian refuge is needed on Cedar. I would also close Harcourt Dr. before it gets to Cedar. Build a turn-around there (cul-de-sac) and restore a tree lawn and sidewalk across Harcourt.
May 24, 20223 yr Could be wrong but I thought there were plans at one time to develop the lot across from St Ann’s. Maybe a victim of the recession?
May 25, 20223 yr 1 hour ago, Foraker said: How could we change that intersection to make it more pedestrian-friendly? I suggest maybe a pedestrian refuge is needed at the top of Cedar Hill (which might also help direct traffic down the hill) and another pedestrian refuge is needed on Cedar. I would also close Harcourt Dr. before it gets to Cedar. Build a turn-around there (cul-de-sac) and restore a tree lawn and sidewalk across Harcourt.
May 25, 20223 yr 6 hours ago, Foraker said: Top of the Hill feels like it is moving really slow for a project that planned to be substantially complete by the end of July. Looking forward to the fall groundbreaking for Cedar-Lee-Meadowbrook, and hopefully a development agreement for the Taylor-Tudors this fall as well. Then we have Amato Homes and Start Right building a batch of infill housing on vacant lots, FutureHeights and private rehabers soaking up the vacant buildings, and the future is bright for Cleveland Heights! Don't forget Over 26 acres around Park Synagogue
May 25, 20223 yr 2 hours ago, Mov2Ohio said: I hope you're joking. Pedestrian bridges aren't for making roads more pedestrian friendly. They're for keeping pedestrians out of the way of cars so they don't need to slow down.
May 25, 20223 yr 15 hours ago, Foraker said: Top of the Hill feels like it is moving really slow for a project that planned to be substantially complete by the end of July. Looking forward to the fall groundbreaking for Cedar-Lee-Meadowbrook, and hopefully a development agreement for the Taylor-Tudors this fall as well. Then we have Amato Homes and Start Right building a batch of infill housing on vacant lots, FutureHeights and private rehabers soaking up the vacant buildings, and the future is bright for Cleveland Heights! It really does feel like it's moving slow. 13 hours ago, Foraker said: The lot across from the old St. Ann's Church? It's privately owned, and the owner appears to be unwilling, unable, or uninterested in developing it. Plenty of other places to develop -- Carmelite monastery is in the works, Medusa building was once in consideration for development, the Mayfield-Noble-Warrensville triangle, Severance . . . . No, that lot at the corner of Coventry and Cedar is owned by the city. I drive by the Medusa building often - I love that building and was inside it a few years back. Would be a cool mid-century modern reno.
May 25, 20223 yr 10 hours ago, X said: I hope you're joking. Pedestrian bridges aren't for making roads more pedestrian friendly. They're for keeping pedestrians out of the way of cars so they don't need to slow down. I doubt you'll ever see that intersection tamed for the sake of pedestrians given the amount of traffic that flows through there, so you are correct. A pedestrian bridge to provide a safe crossing so those walking can avoid the chaos of that intersection below.
May 25, 20223 yr 2 hours ago, smith said: No, that lot at the corner of Coventry and Cedar is owned by the city. I drive by the Medusa building often - I love that building and was inside it a few years back. Would be a cool mid-century modern reno. Intriguing. I wish I had the funds to enter the development game. 😁 The last developer that was working on redeveloping the Medusa was going to do just that. There was an issue with a loan the city provided to the owners of the property, and I believe that there was some effort to get that worked out, but then the developer had a tragedy in the family and it all fell apart. 2019? I poked around the city website but wasn't able to find a copy of the proposed redevelopment plan. That would be a good plan to revive. The Medusa building itself has been designated a landmark, so a teardown would now be difficult.
May 25, 20223 yr 4 hours ago, Mov2Ohio said: I doubt you'll ever see that intersection tamed for the sake of pedestrians given the amount of traffic that flows through there, so you are correct. A pedestrian bridge to provide a safe crossing so those walking can avoid the chaos of that intersection below. I hope we can prove you wrong. I've been in big cities in several foreign countries where I felt safer crossing much busier intersections. Don't throw up your hands just because of the amount of traffic, it can be done.
May 25, 20223 yr I know this goes against the conventional wisdom echoed in this sub, but I actually like pedestrian over crossings. Not as a replacement for crosswalks, but as a supplement. I've been places that have them, and they're awesome! Rather than having to wait for a light to turn I can quickly run the stairs, and be across the street long before the light would have turned. My only complaint about them is that they often have far too large of a footprint (particularly if they are handicap accessible) If these are kept lean I think they should be considered for busy intersections with long light timings. I'm not sure this is the right solution for this particular intersection, actually I would probably agree that it is not, as it isn't a large enough road to merit such a drastic solution. That said, I don't agree with throwing out overpasses entirely, and I think they're worth considering at any busy, multi-lane intersection.
May 25, 20223 yr 2 hours ago, Ethan said: I know this goes against the conventional wisdom echoed in this sub, but I actually like pedestrian over crossings. Not as a replacement for crosswalks, but as a supplement. I've been places that have them, and they're awesome! Rather than having to wait for a light to turn I can quickly run the stairs, and be across the street long before the light would have turned. My only complaint about them is that they often have far too large of a footprint (particularly if they are handicap accessible) If these are kept lean I think they should be considered for busy intersections with long light timings. I'm not sure this is the right solution for this particular intersection, actually I would probably agree that it is not, as it isn't a large enough road to merit such a drastic solution. That said, I don't agree with throwing out overpasses entirely, and I think they're worth considering at any busy, multi-lane intersection. I've been on some nice pedestrian overpasses in the big Asian cities. The amount of traffic in this intersection pales in comparison. And in Europe I remember some that crossed not just a roadway but an adjacent rail line as well. Certainly, they have their place. But as you noted, handicapped access is a really difficult challenge and greatly increases the cost as well.
May 25, 20223 yr 3 hours ago, Ethan said: I know this goes against the conventional wisdom echoed in this sub, but I actually like pedestrian over crossings. Not as a replacement for crosswalks, but as a supplement. I've been places that have them, and they're awesome! Rather than having to wait for a light to turn I can quickly run the stairs, and be across the street long before the light would have turned. My only complaint about them is that they often have far too large of a footprint (particularly if they are handicap accessible) If these are kept lean I think they should be considered for busy intersections with long light timings. I'm not sure this is the right solution for this particular intersection, actually I would probably agree that it is not, as it isn't a large enough road to merit such a drastic solution. That said, I don't agree with throwing out overpasses entirely, and I think they're worth considering at any busy, multi-lane intersection. If the city can afford a fancy pedestrian bridge for the library across Lee that few people use it should be able to afford one for one of the busiest intersections in Cleveland.
June 7, 20223 yr Does this link work ? https://www.linkedin.com/posts/brian-anderson-013a984_clevelandheights-topofthehill-econdev-activity-6937495700347781120-KJ6T Edited June 7, 20223 yr by MuRrAy HiLL
June 20, 20222 yr Cleveland Heights is a very special place in the USA https://www.news5cleveland.com/news/local-news/oh-cuyahoga/cleveland-heights-mayor-raised-by-lesbian-couple-introduces-lgbtq-legislation-for-residents Edited June 20, 20222 yr by metrocity
June 28, 20222 yr https://www.cleveland.com/news/2022/06/project-to-preserve-and-re-use-park-synagogue-in-cleveland-heights-gains-momentum-focus-and-nearly-3m-in-state-grants.html this is a great summation of what we've been working on in Cleveland heights.
June 29, 20222 yr 5 hours ago, misterjoshr said: https://www.cleveland.com/news/2022/06/project-to-preserve-and-re-use-park-synagogue-in-cleveland-heights-gains-momentum-focus-and-nearly-3m-in-state-grants.html this is a great summation of what we've been working on in Cleveland heights. What a fantastic project to revitalize this important piece of architecture. 28 acres is a great canvas on which to add density and increase the tax base while remaining sensitive to the community’s wishes and the historic nature of the building.
June 29, 20222 yr 13 hours ago, jeremyck01 said: What a fantastic project to revitalize this important piece of architecture. 28 acres is a great canvas on which to add density and increase the tax base while remaining sensitive to the community’s wishes and the historic nature of the building. The project is still in a "study" phase. The historic building will be preserved, and part of the property will likely be preserved in a natural state, but what kind of development and what kind of density we'll see is still an open question. Thankfully, they hired a very good team.
July 5, 20222 yr https://www.cleveland.com/community/2022/07/development-updates-offered-at-joint-meeting-of-university-cleveland-heights-councils-school-and-library-boards.html
July 5, 20222 yr 43 minutes ago, OldEnough said: https://www.cleveland.com/community/2022/07/development-updates-offered-at-joint-meeting-of-university-cleveland-heights-councils-school-and-library-boards.html I had heard that Top of the Hill was behind schedule, but got the impression that it was just a few weeks behind. The statement about hopefully filling apartments "in the fall" suggests that construction is further behind than I thought. Otherwise I think everything in that article had already been reported.
July 23, 20222 yr "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
July 23, 20222 yr It's funny I feel every new apartment has this same exact color scheme lol. Looks good but I feel every building can use the same 5 pictures and no one would notice.
August 1, 20222 yr Cleveland Heights is looking for input on how to spend its ARPA funds. The Mayor and several members of Council are very interested in ideas for developments north of Mayfield -- the "forgotten" part of Cleveland Heights. Weigh in with ideas. You can make multiple submissions. https://www.clevelandheights.gov/1434/American-Rescue-Plan-Act-Survey
August 1, 20222 yr ^ if i read it correctly, they have about $10 million unencumbered. I think north of Mayfield is where this should be focused.
August 1, 20222 yr 39 minutes ago, freefourur said: ^ if i read it correctly, they have about $10 million unencumbered. I think north of Mayfield is where this should be focused. What would be your spending priorities be?
August 1, 20222 yr 3 hours ago, Foraker said: What would be your spending priorities be? Mine would be stabilizing the Noble road retail Corridor. There's a lot of convenience stores, not including the Sav-a-lot, and the CVS, which is kind of beat up, but more variety, would be appreciated, restaurants, nice bars. I get the city can only do so much with the types of establishments that open, but an initiative to improve that would be nice. I think doing things to ensure the blight from adjacent East Cleveland could go a long way. The city is already partnering on new infill housing in the neighborhood and maybe these funds could help somewith that effort.
August 2, 20222 yr I would like the city to experiment with traffic calming in the north end. The city's northern extremes lay on a peninsula that is formed by Nine Mile Creek. The cutoff prevents most through traffic from entering the neighborhoods in this area, which also includes a patch of South Euclid and a small, psychologically gated neighborhood (Creekside) of Cleveland. The lack of through traffic makes the streets quiet in general but also opens them to occasional high-speed traffic. Speed tables and those kinds of interventions could be experimented with, but it would also be great if some of the intersections could be trimmed to require slowing down to turn.
August 2, 20222 yr Of course it would be good if traffic calming on the peninsula was coordinated with South Euclid and Cleveland. The one Cleveland street in the area, Edgehill Drive (not to be confused with Edgehill Road), is a private street, but the rest of the city of Cleveland is only accessible to Edgehill Drive by way of either Cleveland Heights or South Euclid.
August 2, 20222 yr 20 hours ago, Foraker said: What would be your spending priorities be? I would look at improvements within the triangle of Superior, Mayfield, and Coventry. I know part of that are is in East Cleveland but maybe there could be some coordination with EC to make the neighborhood feel more seamless. Non-ARPA related priorities Also, I had heard that EC was looking at having Metroparks take over Forest Hills Park. CH should work with EC to get Metroparks to operate this park. The city should try to get site control of as much of Severance as they can. This land is an opportunity for a new neighborhood or business park. Edited August 2, 20222 yr by freefourur
August 3, 20222 yr 14 hours ago, Vincent_G said: I would like the city to experiment with traffic calming in the north end. The city's northern extremes lay on a peninsula that is formed by Nine Mile Creek. The cutoff prevents most through traffic from entering the neighborhoods in this area, which also includes a patch of South Euclid and a small, psychologically gated neighborhood (Creekside) of Cleveland. The lack of through traffic makes the streets quiet in general but also opens them to occasional high-speed traffic. Speed tables and those kinds of interventions could be experimented with, but it would also be great if some of the intersections could be trimmed to require slowing down to turn. That neighborhood is a hidden gem. I share your sentiment to on the speeding traffic through there.
August 3, 20222 yr https://www.cleveland.com/community/2022/08/third-time-cursed-the-house-that-asks-wheres-my-guardrail-gets-hit-again-in-cleveland-heights.html?outputType=amp Maybe some of the money should go to this poor man. (I’m mostly kidding)
August 3, 20222 yr 14 hours ago, LlamaLawyer said: https://www.cleveland.com/community/2022/08/third-time-cursed-the-house-that-asks-wheres-my-guardrail-gets-hit-again-in-cleveland-heights.html?outputType=amp Maybe some of the money should go to this poor man. (I’m mostly kidding) I'd love to see the mayor's experts provide detailed information on why they advised him that a gaurdrail should not be installed Edited August 3, 20222 yr by MrR
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