This morning the DCA held a breakfast gathering at the Hoyt Block to unveil their findings leading to the Step Up Cleveland initiative.  After polling and surveying the public the study shows ways both short term and long term to better connect downtown and enhance the dead zones and gaps between districts.  They have come up with some really good ideas that I hope get implemented.

 

Here is the new presentation:

 

http://www.downtowncleveland.com/stepupdowntown.aspx

 

The highlight though was getting to see the very little known Hoyt Block courtyard. I felt like I was in another world!  Definitely one of the most amazing spaces I have ever been in in Cleveland. You might remember a while back Scene had a piece on the courtyards future development... 

 

http://www.clevescene.com/scene-and-heard/archives/2014/01/15/warehouse-district-development-will-open-up-secret-courtyard-of-mystery

 

And finally the pictures... Wish I would've had more than my phone!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wow, if they can accomplish even 1/2 of that it would be a major improvement to downtown.  I always loved the walk down Main Street under the bridge and adding unique lighting could make it even more fun.  I think the East 3rd and East 9th street improvements to the lake should be priorities. So many tourists walk down those streets to get to the Rock Hall, Browns stadium, & GLSC that it needs to be more inviting and leave a better impression (not to mention the coming lakefront development).

This morning the DCA held a breakfast gathering at the Hoyt Block to unveil their findings leading to the Step Up Cleveland initiative.  After polling and surveying the public the study shows ways both short term and long term to better connect downtown and enhance the dead zones and gaps between districts.  They have come up with some really good ideas that I hope get implemented.

 

Here is the new presentation:

 

http://www.downtowncleveland.com/stepupdowntown.aspx

 

 

I certainly applaud this effort. One of the greatest obstacles is that virtually none of our good areas are connected. Yet I don't think some of the ideas go far enough however. For example, E 9th and W 3rd still look kinda terrible in the renderings.

 

Perhaps they're the short term fixes mentioned.

 

One curious idea is the re-do of Willard Park. They just went through the trouble to establish a rain garden there. It's functional. It looks really nice. And now they want to redesign just for the heck of it? If you want a community garden there's got to be plenty of ugly, unused space where that would be a vast improvement.

Actually Willard Park currently doesn't seem very useful.... It could definitely be more engaging.  Aside from the Free Stamp it doesn't seem all that inviting. I liked the new idea to liven it up

Actually Willard Park currently doesn't seem very useful.... It could definitely be more engaging.  Aside from the Free Stamp it doesn't seem all that inviting. I liked the new idea to liven it up

 

You can liven it up and still keep the rain garden though. It's a good design that keeps excess runoff from polluting the lake. We actually need much more of that kind of thing here.