Posted March 6, 200520 yr Obviously I'm exaggerating, but seriously, there's something in the air over there! Development 1: Affordable housing sought Thursday, March 03, 2005 By DAVID PLATA West Side Sun News It's one of the poorest neighborhoods in Cleveland, possibly about to get a spruce-up by way of a $4.9 million, 30-unit scattered housing development for low- and moderate-income people. The area lies between West 44th and West 73rd streets and Interstates 71 and 77, where the Joseph & Feiss Co. _ the clothing manufacturer that moved away in the mid-1980s, and whose former site is being redeveloped as upscale apartments and townhouses _[read on for more!] was once the largest employer in the neighborhood. Development 2: Redevelopment of Joseph & Feiss site moves forward From the Plain Press by Chuck Hoven The former Joseph & Feiss clothing factory on W. 53 rd and Walworth Avenue , just south of I-90, will be transformed into a 150-unit housing development according to plans revealed by a partnership of the City of Cleveland , developer Ameri-Con Homes and the Stockyard Redevelopment Organization. At a groundbreaking ceremony on June 9th [2004], the development partners revealed some details of their plans. The development is to include 96 new townhouses and 54 units of townhomes and lofts in restored buildings on the site. The $20 million project, named Asbury Towers after the water tower being preserved at the site, is to be phased in over a five-year period.
November 28, 200519 yr Author I drove by this site on I-90 this weekend en-route to Thanksgiving festivities...There's a big sign up on one of the older structures that announces the project and there's visible construction on some of the side streets. The main grouping of land and the watertower look to be next, but who knows when that will be in their 5-year phasing plan? Seriously...who knows? If anyone does, please share!
November 28, 200519 yr I am very happy that these housing units will be affordable. It seems that we have a considerable amount of pricier housing entering the market in Cleveland. We need to provide housing for all sections of the market. Also, while infill in Glenville, etc is good, I am glad that there are projects that will effectively create a new neighborhood. I think that the target market will be more likely to buy into an area that has a new feel to it than an area that has an half-empty feel to it. This project is in an area that is sandwiched between a highway and ?? I am not sure what the southern border is like, but I feel that it is cut off from the the rest of the Clark neighborhood. Is there a project website? They ought to adverstise on PURE. It would give them greater visibility.
November 28, 200519 yr Ask and ye shall receive. I can't say that I'd care to live there but the project has excellent highway access along with being close to Ohio City/Tremont/Downtown. http://www.ameri-conhomes.com/communities/community.aspx?comID=17 clevelandskyscrapers.com Cleveland Skyscrapers on Instagram
November 28, 200519 yr Gee, I've never heard of either of these developments. Has the PD covered them at all?
November 28, 200519 yr Author Wow, that's great! I'd never seen that site. Maybe it's because they spell Asbury Towers as Ashbury Towers. I'll assume that the latter is the correct one, since that's what the developer's website has! The development looks great from above, but I'd like to see more of the elevations, designs, etc. I would also like to amend my earlier statement about the desireability of this part of town... My only experience with Stockyards was in a part of the neighborhood that really represented the name...rendering plants and what not really gave it a putrid air...but the 'hood is a little more expansive than what I'd imagined and has more going for it than I'd previously understood! This should be a great asset and another example of a brownfield redevelopment in Cleveland adding up to a larger residential population and more home ownership!
November 28, 200519 yr The area is quite poor, income-wise, and as I write the police news for that area, I've noticed an awful lot of drug arrests lately in the West 65th/Storer area. Of course, there's an upside to that, in terms of the police making a concerted effort to rein in the drug trade. They've been using a lot of undercover officers to make drug buys and arrests to hopefully get some of the drug dealers off the streets and scare off the rest. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
November 28, 200519 yr Author plus, the more the community takes ownership, both in the community and in its own housing, the more the crime rate will drop.
November 28, 200519 yr Hi all, From what I can remember growing up, the area in the web site is not the old stockyards. My dad's cousin and her husband lived near w. 65th and Clark. The stockyards were south of Clark and along w 65th st. That lived there in the 50s, they moved to Parma in 61 or 62. Jim S.
November 28, 200519 yr By gosh, you're right! I just found a City of Cleveland neighborhoods map which calls the affected area part of the Detroit-Shoreway neighborhood -- the southern border of which is Clark Avenue. The Stockyards neighborhood, according to the map, shows its northern edge at Clark, it's eastern edge at about West 49th, southern edge at Big Creek, and western at Ridge/West 73rd. It also includes the West Park Cemetery. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
November 29, 200519 yr Author Well, according to the Stockyards Area Development website (http://kathy.sargent.net/), which has a really funny logo of a bull with sneakers on, their service area is the following:
November 29, 200519 yr Interesting. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
November 29, 200519 yr Those are certainly more logical borders given modern barriers. I don't think DSCDO does anything south of 90 anyway.
February 25, 200619 yr This project apears to moving along, albeit very slowly. I drove by the site a couple of days ago and noticed that work has begun on about 5 or 6 new townhouses. The website says that phase one is sold out, but I'm not exactly sure how large phase 1 is.
March 12, 200718 yr Any update on the Ashbury Towers project? It's still listed on Ameri-Con's website, but those units that burned almost a year ago are still unfinished and there's no visible progress on the warehouse condos. Is this a dead project now?
March 12, 200718 yr Funny you should mention them. I don't think they will be doing any further work on Ashbury anytime soon. This was is in last weeks Garfield Maple Sun News: Ameri-Con is facing legal consequences Thursday, March 08, 2007 By John Kametz Garfield-Maple Sun GARFIELD HEIGHTS The principal officers of Ameri-Con Homes were to appear in Garfield Heights Municipal Court on Wednesday regarding unresolved problems at its Valley Ranch residential development, off Turney Road on the Garfield/Maple Heights border. This comes as residents of the subdivision, and city officials, have grown weary of Ameri-Con's lack of progress in cleaning up old cement and other debris from a common area at the end of Creekside Drive cul-de-sac. "I'd like to talk to them first, to find out what their status is, but as soon as the weather breaks I'm having someone go in there," Wervey said. From their website: http://www.americonhomes.com/ Ashbury Towers 4751 Fenwick Ave. Cleveland, OH 44102 216-651-5408 [email protected] PHASE 1 SOLD OUT! PHASE 2 NOW OPEN!
March 12, 200718 yr With a name like Ameri-CON, what do you expect? Still, sad that Ashbury Towers is sitting in mid-development. That is such a visible site, and it really looks horrible as is.
March 12, 200718 yr The Ashbury Towers project is currently in receivership - I don't have any details beyond that. clevelandskyscrapers.com Cleveland Skyscrapers on Instagram
March 26, 200718 yr There is an article in today's Crains about this, but is for subscribers only. Can somebody please post? "Parties work to devise new plan for troubled Ashbury Towers"
March 26, 200718 yr Parties work to devise new plan for troubled Ashbury Towers By STAN BULLARD Lenders, lawyers, the Jackson administration and a nonprofit group are trying to stitch together a new plan to redo the one-time Joseph & Feiss Co. garment factory in Cleveland as housing in light of the unraveling of the $20 million Ashbury Towers project. Three years after Ameri-Con Homes and city officials broke ground for the 150-unit project, six townhouses look nearly finished from the outside but six others are boarded up. Two hulking buildings 1920s-era remnants of the former factory and the bulk of the 12-acre site between Fenwick Avenue and West 53rd Street south of Interstate 90 sit empty.
July 13, 200717 yr Cleveland developer of Ashbury Towers on West Side owes city for failed housing project Friday, July 13, 2007 Susan Vinella Plain Dealer Reporter Cleveland is trying to recoup nearly $700,000 from a developer who defaulted on a loan for a failed housing project on the West Side. Sandy Krulak, president of Ameri-con Ashbury LLC, received the $687,979 loan in 2004 to build 150 affordable townhouses and condominiums at the site of an old clothing factory off Interstate 90 on West 53rd Street. Six townhouses, listed at a starting price of $128,900, were completed and just three were sold, for between $130,000 and $140,000, according to officials from the local development corporation that partnered with Ameri-con and the city on the Ashbury Towers project. Krulak, reached by telephone at his home in Orange, declined to comment. But Jeff Simler, a former vice president for Ameri-con, blamed a slowing housing market and a fire that destroyed six townhouses during construction for derailing the $19 million project. To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: , 216-999-5010
July 13, 200717 yr Several months ago, Councilman Zone told me the FBI was investigating these guys. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
December 20, 200816 yr UPDATE: http://blog.cleveland.com/business/2008/12/ashbury_towers_project_could_b.html Ashbury Towers project could be revived Posted by Michelle Jarboe/Plain Dealer Reporter December 19, 2008 17:37PM Categories: Real estate New owners might revive the abandoned Ashbury Towers project, an unfinished development on Cleveland's near West Side... Post edited 9-4-09 to comply with terms of use
December 20, 200816 yr good news. i'm also glad to see its two developers instead of one, each can redevelop properties that suit their own strengths.
January 10, 200916 yr Stalled project starts up again Thursday, January 08, 2009 By Ken Prendergast West Side Sun News http://www.cleveland.com/westsidesun/news/index.ssf?/base/news-0/1231443429106770.xml&coll=4 A redevelopment project that stalled nearly three years ago and left behind a blighted landscape could see new life by spring. Ward 17 Councilman Matt Zone and Al Brazynetz, executive director of the Stockyard Redevelopment Organization, met this week with developer Doug Perkowski to map out plans for developing the stalled Ashbury Towers and cleaning up the site. ""The hope of the community is that the blighted property will be improved before construction begins," Zone said. "Residents would like to see it cleaned up. There's weeds, mounds of dirt and dumping that has to be dealt with."
March 21, 200916 yr Yesterday I was in the area of the old Clothcraft(sp?) factory on Walworth and I noticed there were some suits checking the exterior of the building out, and it also appeared like there was some vehicular traffic into the site as there were new tracks in the dirt and the gate was open.
May 12, 200916 yr According to Cleveland's Design Review Agenda, the Joseph and Feiss factory is up for being designated a Cleveland landmark. That's a good thing, no? http://planning.city.cleveland.oh.us/designreview/drcagenda/2009/051509/index.php
May 12, 200916 yr sigh...the Hugo Boss stuff you could get there on the cheap. sigh. Yes, this is a good thing. I though this development has the potential to be condos and townhouses.
May 12, 200916 yr Yes... this is a good thing... it gives the property certain protections against demolition. This building is indeed slated for conversion to condos. Being a designated landmark may help it in obtaining certain grants / funding otherwise not available.
May 12, 200916 yr sigh...the Hugo Boss stuff you could get there on the cheap. sigh. Yes, this is a good thing. I though this development has the potential to be condos and townhouses. You know all they did was move their "factory sales" (cool, cause in this case the label is actually accurate vs. outlet malls) to their Brooklyn location, right? I remember their old location too, but this is still one of Cleveland's truly hidden (shopping) jewels! I get emails from their outlet at least 2-3 times a week, and they still have full-on warehouse sales every once and a while too. I've picked up a couple of $1200 suits for $350-400. Here's a copy of the latest newsletter I got...email Denise if you want to be added to the list (and note the special :clap:sale :clap: coming up for their "email friends"): "Hugo Boss VIP Update DON'T FORGET!!! Starting Thursday, May 14th and Friday, May 15th (we're closed on the weekend) Continuing on Monday, Tuesday and ending on Wednesday, May 20th, we are offering all our preferred e-Mail friends 40% OFF plus and additional 10% OFF the entire store for these five days only!* The selections are the best we have ever had. YOU CANNOT AFFORD TO MISS THIS EVENT! We look forward to seeing you. Our hours of operation are: Mon. - Fri., 10am - 6pm. Please give us a call if you have any questions. *Sale EXCLUDES: watches, fragrances, sunglasses, boxed t-shirts, selected casual shirts, irregulars and a limited amount of pink tagged suits. This small group of items will still receive 10% off the ticket price! Thanks and have a nice day, Garry and Denise HUGO BOSS Retail, Inc. Denise Storc Sales Associate 4600 Tiedeman Rd. Brooklyn, Ohio 44144 USA Phone + 1 216 688 3278 Fax + 1 216 688 0011 E-mail [email protected] www.hugoboss.com"
February 14, 201015 yr Work resumes at the former Ashbury Towers housing project on Cleveland's West Side By Michelle Jarboe, The Plain Dealer February 14, 2010, 3:00AM CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Construction has started anew at a long-stagnant housing development on Cleveland's West Side. Developer Marc Strauss slowly is reviving the former Ashbury Towers townhouse project on West 53rd Street, near Interstate 90. Since November, he has sold two homes and put another under contract. And workers soon will resume construction on six boarded-up homes on the property, repairing a neighborhood eyesore. "The community is elated," said Alex Brazynetz, executive director of the Stockyard Redevelopment Organization. MORE AT http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2010/02/work_resumes_at_the_former_ash.html
July 21, 201212 yr These are a half-dozen townhomes left unfinished at the incomplete Ashbury Towers (now Kierland Commons) housing development visible from I-90, just west of the West 44th exit. This project was halted when the developer backed out of it. There have been a couple of attempts at reviving this development, but now the city building inspectors have slapped violations on the six unfinished homes. Do a streetview of these properties to see how sad they look after sitting unfinished and abandoned for SIX years... http://planning.city.cleveland.oh.us/bza/bbs/agenda/2012/AGENDA07182012.pdf Agenda BOARD OF BUILDING STANDARDS AND BUILDING APPEALS Room 514 – City Hall 216-664-2418 WEDNESDAY, JULY 18, 2012 Docket A-37-12 4723 Fenwick Avenue WARD: 15 (Matt Zone) Hubo One LLC, Owner, of the One Dwelling Unit Single-Family Residence Two & One/half Story Frame Property appeals from a NOTICE OF VIOLATION—EXTERIOR MAINTENANCE, dated November 21, 2011; appellant appeals the Notice of Violation. Docket A-38-12 4725 Fenwick Avenue WARD: 15 (Matt Zone) Hubo One LLC, Owner, of the One Dwelling Unit Single-Family Residence Two & One/half Story Frame Property appeals from a NOTICE OF VIOLATION—EXTERIOR MAINTENANCE, dated November 21, 2011; appellant appeals the Notice of Violation. Docket A-39-12 4727 Fenwick Avenue WARD: 15 (Matt Zone) Hubo One LLC, Owner, of the One Dwelling Unit Single-Family Residence Two & One/half Story Frame Property appeals from a NOTICE OF VIOLATION—EXTERIOR MAINTENANCE, dated November 21, 2011; appellant appeals the Notice of Violation. Docket A-40-12 4731 Fenwick Avenue WARD: 15 (Matt Zone) Hubo One LLC, Owner, of the One Dwelling Unit Single-Family Residence Two & One/half Story Frame Property appeals from a NOTICE OF VIOLATION—EXTERIOR MAINTENANCE, dated November 21, 2011; appellant appeals the Notice of Violation. Docket A-41-12 4735 Fenwick Avenue WARD: 15 (Matt Zone) Hubo One LLC, Owner, of the One Dwelling Unit Single-Family Residence Two & One/half Story Frame Property appeals from a NOTICE OF VIOLATION—EXTERIOR MAINTENANCE, dated November 21, 2011; appellant appeals the Notice of Violation. Docket A-42-12 4751 Fenwick Avenue WARD: 15 (Matt Zone) Hubo One LLC, Owner, of the One Dwelling Unit Single-Family Residence Two & One/half Story Frame Property appeals from a NOTICE OF VIOLATION—EXTERIOR MAINTENANCE, dated November 21, 2011; appellant appeals the Notice of Violation. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
July 21, 201212 yr Oh wow...for some reason I thought six of them sold. The main building received tax credits also. Sad :(
March 11, 201411 yr OMG, at Sun Newspapers a decade ago we were covering the possibility of the renovation of the long-closed Aragon Ballroom on West 25th Street near Clark Avenue. So it's great to finally see the project move forward..... http://planning.city.cleveland.oh.us/landmark/agenda/2014/03132014/index.php Cleveland Landmarks Commission AGENDA - March 13, 2014 CONCEPT PLAN Aragon Ballroom 3170 West 25th Street Renovation "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
March 11, 201411 yr And another project nearby? Usually you don't see Landmark status for an old warehouse unless you plan on renovating it -- and need the historic tax credits to help finance it. So...... CLEVELAND LANDMARK NOMINATION AGENDA - March 13, 2014 Lion Knitting Mills (Kredo Industrial Supply) 3256 West 25th Street "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
March 11, 201411 yr Maybe this was posted sometime in the recent past, i dunno, but planning is afoot for a TLC on the 'Clark Corridor' Transportation for Livable Communities Initiative Clark Avenue Corridor Plan The Northeast Ohio Area Coordinating Agency awarded Tremont West $75,000 http://www.tremontwest.org/index/cms-filesystem-action?file=newsletters/february2014.pdf
March 11, 201411 yr And another project nearby? Usually you don't see Landmark status for an old warehouse unless you plan on renovating it -- and need the historic tax credits to help finance it. So...... CLEVELAND LANDMARK NOMINATION AGENDA - March 13, 2014 Lion Knitting Mills (Kredo Industrial Supply) 3256 West 25th Street Some historical info. for gits and shiggles. https://www.instagram.com/cle_and_beyond/https://www.instagram.com/jbkaufer/
March 12, 201411 yr Great photos, Firenze98. Thanks! "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
March 12, 201411 yr What program are they anticipating at the Aragon? Councilman Cummins has more info on this at his site. http://brian-cummins.blogspot.com/2013/03/four-rehab-projects-in-works-on-w-25th.html
March 12, 201411 yr ^Thanks! From Cummins blog: "Plans for the Aragon are to restore the building and utilize it as an additional Conference and Banquet Center and possibly for performance arts. "
March 12, 201411 yr ^ Thanks for sharing that, X. Blogspot is blocked here at the job by Little Brother
March 12, 201411 yr Glad to see the renovations into Elk & Elk offices (even if I don't care for ambulance chasers) and especially the Masonic Temple rehab. Marous was due to rehab that building shortly before the recession, but the recession killed it. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
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