5 hours ago, Dougal said:

Yes, you nailed it. I guess I wasn't impressed until I saw that it is a full-service branch of a BIG bank in a part of town that had not been attracting that kind of investment.

 

A CDC finance person told me some years ago that, when there are a lot of bank branches opening in a given area, it means there's money/purchasing power there in the form of higher-wealth individuals or a high density of workers/employed residents. So presumably when you see bank branches opening, it means more money is coming in or the anticipation of it.

 

I did an article for Sun Newspapers a decade ago about the many grocery stores along West 117th Street and why they were there. The CDC guy said there's bank branches along it for the same reason -- more than 100,000 paycheck earning people. Their combined purchasing power within a few miles of West 117th Street exceeded that of wealthier and physically larger Westlake. Why? Density!!

So I wonder where Deshaun will be doing his banking?  🙂

Nice pic @mack34

 

 

Cross-posted in the Cleveland zoning code discussion

 

 

Greater Cleveland TOD initiative on track
By Ken Prendergast / September 6, 2022

 

A new initiative has started that, if successful, could reverse decades of urban sprawl, a hollowing out of Greater Cleveland’s urban core and an erosion of its transit system. It would also address a wide variety of problems that hurt the region’s environment, safety, economy and human health. The new initiative would accomplish that by encouraging more accessible, pedestrian-friendly, mixed-use developments along high-frequency transit corridors in Cleveland and Cuyahoga County.

 

MORE:

https://neo-trans.blog/2022/09/06/greater-cleveland-tod-initiative-on-track/

 

I think one of the reasons most of us frequent this site is we look forward to the neo-trans heads up on new developments coming down the pike. And while that may be the icing on the cake it's articles like this that are the most informative. I don't mean to be a suck-up Ken but this piece was intelligent and substantive. It's an education in how important dry subjects like urban policy and zoning are to the environment, economy and even desirability of an American city. 

 

At first glance it may be difficult to understand why center city development and transit are the way to go. After all, isn't America a freedom loving, car oriented, open space society? Yes, but there are many not always obvious reasons why car culture is actually physically and psychologically unhealthy. It's articles like this that help us understand what we're doing wrong and how to change it.

 

Nice work Ken.

Very well put. I enjoy reading these message boards and Ken's articles because it's a lot of fantastic behind the scenes information. I ordinarily would have no idea how much work, planning, and red tape go into developments so it's fascinating to me seeing the inner-workings of the whole process from A to Z.

Edited September 6, 20222 yr by dwolfi01

Thanks KJP. Great Article. Hopefully you will have new articles on downtown development soon.

More random developments.....

 

 

McDonald Hopkins investing $8M in Fifth Third Center
By Ken Prendergast / September 6, 2022

 

After announcing its intentions to stay at its current offices in downtown Cleveland, McDonald Hopkins LLC is doing more than just staying put. Last week it submitted architectural documents to the city’s Building Department for an $8 million renovation of its headquarters site. The 92-year-old law firm had considered relocating to other buildings, both new and planned, real estate insiders said.

 

MORE:

https://neo-trans.blog/2022/09/06/mcdonald-hopkins-investing-8m-in-fifth-third-center/

Great news - investment in buildings that we may not think of as “aging” (but are) may be as important as the construction of new ones.  
 

And the Fifth Third Center, for my money, is a beautiful and possibly somewhat  under appreciated tower.  It may look less commanding then it would just about anywhere else in the city with it’s close proximity to Key Tower- but it elegantly combines both classic and contemporary design elements. 
 

I’d love to see lighting to accent the building’s spire. 

Edited September 7, 20222 yr by CleveFan

21 minutes ago, CleveFan said:

 

 

I’d love to see lighting to accent the building’s spire. 

Yep- would be nice!

32 minutes ago, CleveFan said:

Great news - investment in buildings that we may not think of as “aging” (but are) may be as important as the construction of new ones.  
 

And the Fifth Third Center, for my money, is a beautiful and possibly somewhat  under appreciated tower.  It may look less commanding then it would just about anywhere else in the city with if it’s close proximity to Key Tower- but it elegantly combines both classic and contemporary design elements. 
 

I’d love to see lighting to accent the building’s spire. 

Agree.  In fact this 446 foot tall skyscraper is so underrated they left it off the “Tallest Buildings in Ohio” Wikipedia page.

 

Are these the FINAL licenses.  https://fox8.com/news/ohio-casino-control-commission-approves-300-sports-betting-licenses/

 

Are the Guardians and Cavaliers applications incomplete and to be awarded soon?

21 minutes ago, simplythis said:

Are these the FINAL licenses.  https://fox8.com/news/ohio-casino-control-commission-approves-300-sports-betting-licenses/

 

Are the Guardians and Cavaliers applications incomplete and to be awarded soon?

 

Crains reported that both the Guardians and Cavs were still under consideration. 

 

Does anyone know if MGM put an application in? And if the Guards and Cavs get licenses would MGM miss out? 

Edited September 8, 20222 yr by Luke_S

15 minutes ago, Luke_S said:

 

Crains reported that both the Guardians and Cavs were still under consideration. 

 

Does anyone know if MGM put an application in? And if the Guards and Cavs get licenses would MGM miss out? 

From What i remember reading Cuyahoga County gets 5 licenses and the Casinos/Racinos and sports teams Have first priority. So the Guardians and Cavs should get approved. Who will miss out in Cuyahoga County is Harry Buffalo downtown and a new entity in flats east bank. MGM is in Summit County( and I don't know how many licenses they get)

On 9/7/2022 at 12:29 AM, Sapper Daddy said:

Agree.  In fact this 446 foot tall skyscraper is so underrated they left it off the “Tallest Buildings in Ohio” Wikipedia page.

 

Can this omission be rectified?  

4 hours ago, cfdwarrior said:

Can this omission be rectified?  

 

👍

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tallest_buildings_in_Ohio#

Edited September 8, 20222 yr by sonisharri

Hope I'm responding correctly but there's actually quite a few buildings that aren't on the Wiki site but appear on the Cleveland Skyscraper page.  https://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com

 

For example: 

1. Landmark Office towers - 18 floors
2. Hanna building - 16 floors
3. Leader building - 15
4. Jack Casino (old Higbee building) - 15 floors
5. Crittterdon Court - 18 floors
6. 75 Public Square  - 15 
7. IMG Building - 15
8. Schofield -14
9. The Athlon - 15
10. Stonebridge Plaza - 12
11. Stonebridge Towers - 12
12. Louis Stokes Wing of the main library - 10

31 minutes ago, jstuski said:

Hope I'm responding correctly but there's actually quite a few buildings that aren't on the Wiki site but appear on the Cleveland Skyscraper page.  https://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com

 

For example: 

1. Landmark Office towers - 18 floors
2. Hanna building - 16 floors
3. Leader building - 15
4. Jack Casino (old Higbee building) - 15 floors
5. Crittterdon Court - 18 floors
6. 75 Public Square  - 15 
7. IMG Building - 15
8. Schofield -14
9. The Athlon - 15
10. Stonebridge Plaza - 12
11. Stonebridge Towers - 12
12. Louis Stokes Wing of the main library - 10

Ha “Critterdon” Court with an r. That poor building never gets any respect. (FYI it’s Crittendon with an n, but usually people just completely forget about it. I often forget it even though my brother lived there for 2 years.)

1 hour ago, Boomerang_Brian said:

Ha “Critterdon” Court with an r. 

Sounds like a good name for a pet hotel.  😀

Should probably go in transportation but, the Jersey barriers are slowly being removed on the 480 bridge, the end is near! 

After several failed attempts from Peter snavely, it seems CHMA has verbally agreed to sell lake view terraces to another developer and they plan to demo the whole neighborhood

After several failed attempts from Peter snavely, it seems CHMA has sold lake view terraces to another developer and they plan to demo the whole neighborhood

Anyone seen anything official around this or familiar with talks of this moving forward?

36 minutes ago, BoomerangCleRes said:

Anyone seen anything official around this or familiar with talks of this moving forward?

Where would the residents go?  What about the tower?

I have always been under the impression that over the years, shutting it down or selling it to a developer would be a big no no.  Very bad optics for CMHA.  Kicking out lower income people on the border of area that is hot and expensive and getting only hotter.  Probably the only area in Cleveland where the word gentrification is appropriate.  I have to imagine there would be a lot of push back at all levels. 

Also, why teardown and displace when there are open lots just to the northeast on the West Bank to develop? 

2 minutes ago, Luke_S said:

Also, why teardown and displace when there are open lots just to the northeast on the West Bank to develop? 

And right on West 25th across from Riverview,

Where would the residents go?  What about the tower?

Presumably they’d use the funds from the sale/other federal programs to build a new else where but also mix in low income housing throughout the new development

I have always been under the impression that over the years, shutting it down or selling it to a developer would be a big no no.  Very bad optics for CMHA.  Kicking out lower income people on the border of area that is hot and expensive and getting only hotter.  Probably the only area in Cleveland where the word gentrification is appropriate.  I have to imagine there would be a lot of push back at all levels. 

I’d say better optics would be getting rid of an 85 year old development which has over-served its purpose as immigrant industrial residential complex.

I would also venture to say equally “bad” optics would be taking a tour of the current conditions of these buildings

Also, why teardown and displace when there are open lots just to the northeast on the West Bank to develop? 

Undisrupted views of Lake Erie + river + downtown vs river + downtown

1 minute ago, BoomerangCleRes said:

I’d say better optics would be getting rid of an 85 year old development which has over-served its purpose as immigrant industrial complex.

I would also venture to say equally “bad” optics would be taking a tour of the current conditions of these buildings

I must admit it has been over twenty years since I have been down there (I voted there when I lived downtown) and at that time they appeared in pretty good condition to me and from pictures they look solid but who knows.  Again the bad optics are kicking people from there homes close to the lake to build housing for upper middle class people.  It will be very hard to spin that.  The simple response ov the naysayers (and there will be many) is that if the are in such bad condition tear them down and rebuild for the current residents.

I heard rumblings of this but it was almost 5 years ago.  Those buildings are in bad shape so I could see them being replaced over the next decade or two.  Haven’t heard of anything imminent though.

2 minutes ago, Htsguy said:

I must admit it has been over twenty years since I have been down there (I voted there when I lived downtown) and at that time they appeared in pretty good condition to me and from pictures they look solid but who knows.  Again the bad optics are kicking people from there homes close to the lake to build housing for upper middle class people.  It will be very hard to spin that.  The simple response ov the naysayers (and there will be many) is that if the are in such bad condition tear them down and rebuild for the current residents.

 

Doesn't virtually every study of concentrated poverty make the point that low-income residents have much better changes for upward mobility living in a more mixed-income environment? 

1 minute ago, surfohio said:

 

Doesn't virtually every study of concentrated poverty make the point that low-income residents have much better changes for upward mobility living in a more mixed-income environment? 

Aren't they already in in a mixed income area.  They are two blocks from hundreds of market rate apartments going for $1500-3500 a month with more on the way.

1 minute ago, Htsguy said:

Aren't they already in in a mixed income area.  They are two blocks from hundreds of market rate apartments going for $1500-3500 a month with more on the way.

Proximity wise yes, but integrated into the neighborhood no. They are quite literally physically separated from the rest of the neighborhood.
 

But I’d be curious to hear what residents think or if there was any data regarding this.

1 hour ago, BoomerangCleRes said:

After several failed attempts from Peter snavely, it seems CHMA has verbally agreed to sell lake view terraces to another developer and they plan to demo the whole neighborhood

 

Oh... I think this qualifies as huge news...

 

@KJPDo you know about this?  

 

 

Wow! Seeing as CMHA has/is demolishing all the buildings of this era across the city and replacing with new and with much nicer amenities, I would say this is a good opportunity to take the sale proceeds from a valuable property and invest that into more units elsewhere. 

Edited September 12, 20222 yr by marty15

This would be huge news for sure. And if true I hope they would integrate the residents better into the community. I never was a fan of literally segregating low-income families away from the community. Having some affordable units in developments all over the neighborhood/city would seem to be an easier/better way for the city to place those that are in need.

13 minutes ago, Oldmanladyluck said:

 

Oh... I think this qualifies as huge news...

 

@KJPDo you know about this?  

 

 

 

No. I would be very suspicious of this. It usually takes a federally funded agency a number of hearings to go through before a proposed sale could even be considered. And then a sale offering would have to go through a public request for proposals process before a buyer could be chosen.

If this is actually something in the works, do what they did at Tremont Pointe, add in a small one block section of retail centered around the community center on W 25th and call it a day.

I'm also very suspicious of this. There is a HUD rule that mandates that CMHA would have to replace any housing unit that it sells/demolishes. Except for the Lakeview Tower, I believe all of the housing there is on the National Register of Historic Districts.  And CMHA is in the midst of a new master planning effort for Lakeview.  

2 hours ago, BoomerangCleRes said:

Anyone seen anything official around this or familiar with talks of this moving forward?

Seems like a lot of speculation from a poster replying to their own post (about which they apparently know nothing) lol

Seems like a lot of speculation from a poster replying to their own post (about which they apparently know nothing) lol

Correct because I’m not a reporter or around the industry heard it from talking to someone who works for snavely and they heard it from a city official, only shared what I heard and asked if anyone has anyone heard anymore (aka Ken which it seems not)

I'm also very suspicious of this. There is a HUD rule that mandates that CMHA would have to replace any housing unit that it sells/demolishes. Except for the Lakeview Tower, I believe all of the housing there is on the National Register of Historic Districts.  And CMHA is in the midst of a new master planning effort for Lakeview.  

I would say any proceeds from a sale would certainly fund something much nicer than the current conditions.

As for the last point that’s a good one, unless in the master planning they investigated all outcomes including flipping the land and going else where

On 9/8/2022 at 11:42 AM, sonisharri said:

 

👍

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tallest_buildings_in_Ohio#

There were 2 additional Cleveland buildings in the top 40 which were missing. They were for AT&T Huron Building and Eaton Center, but I edited the page for it today.  

Can we unlocked the Detroit Shoreway thread? Been some news about the W73rd Apartments (received schematic approval from Planning Commission).

18 minutes ago, w28th said:

Can we unlocked the Detroit Shoreway thread? Been some news about the W73rd Apartments (received schematic approval from Planning Commission).

 

Yeah, I should write about it.

1 hour ago, w28th said:

Can we unlocked the Detroit Shoreway thread? Been some news about the W73rd Apartments (received schematic approval from Planning Commission).

Was glad to see the schematic approval.  It was an interesting meeting to say the least.

 

I am curious as to who owns the empty lot directly north of this project.  You would think it would be another key development parcel even closer to Battery Park.  I wonder if there is some new hesitancy to develop this lot due to all the heartache (maybe that is too strong of a word-mind less NIMBY aggravation may be better) the developers of this project have gone through.  Have to commend the developers for their diligence (they could have just walked away like the previous group) and thoughtful presentation when it came to explaining how these two buildings could, and should, be the future of Cleveland in many neighborhoods, where appropriate, in relation to public transit and walkabilty.

Edited September 18, 20222 yr by Htsguy

3 hours ago, w28th said:

Can we unlocked the Detroit Shoreway thread? Been some news about the W73rd Apartments (received schematic approval from Planning Commission).

Done

Has lots of development references and implications for UC and downtown

 

 

 

Ok - kind of development related - but we stood up a site for folks to review all sorts of fiscal information that used to be in forms and hard to search - you can find your tax distribution and recent sales (Value Information Site section), TIF Maps/Abatement Maps/Municipal Impact Numbers (Incentive Information Site Section), and more for muni's and taxing authorities but can download documents too (Taxing Authority Site). 

 

All this can be found here: https://fiscalgishub.cuyahogacounty.us/

 

The TIF and Abatements sections will probably be of largest concern to the forum, but figured it'd be a nice tool to share!