June 28, 20222 yr Those certainly show how badly a new bulkhead is needed ASAP! https://www.instagram.com/cle_and_beyond/https://www.instagram.com/jbkaufer/
June 28, 20222 yr 14 hours ago, infrafreak said: I don't want to unload a HUGE photo dump on you guys, but I was aboard the brew boat this weekend and got a lot of shots of the hillside from the water. Here's a dozen shots of many. I have many others from the old river channel at Channel Marina up to Scranton Peninsula. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â The River itself never looked better!Â
June 28, 20222 yr 2 hours ago, Firenze98 said: Those certainly show how badly a new bulkhead is needed ASAP! Â I know we're just aren't "there" yet, but eventually we need to really address how much runoff is just pouring into the lake and river, aka urban runoff. It should be interesting to see how the proposed park might be dealing with this. In fact I'll reach out to my friend in NEORSD who would know such things.Â
June 28, 20222 yr 5 minutes ago, BoomerangCleRes said: Can someone remind me what the completion date is and did we get final renderings? I don't think the design work for the actual park is even close to being done. Might not have even started yet. I also believe more money needs to be found for the park. I think the funding for the stabilization portion of the project borders on fully funded but not sure. I am guessing it all goes well (when does that ever happen) we can throw some frisbees in 4-5 years.
June 28, 20222 yr https://www.cleveland.com/news/2021/09/first-look-new-plans-for-irishtown-bend-park-depict-a-project-poised-to-shift-from-vision-to-reality.html  It's an older article but it has some good information in it:  Quote Cost estimates for the park haven’t been clarified yet, and funding has yet to begin in earnest. But Cleveland Metroparks has been awarded $3.3 million in federal money from NOACA to complete the Lake Link Trail. The grant requires an $800,000 match, which the agency has pledged to fulfill through additional grants or other sources, said Sean McDermott, the Metroparks chief planning and design officer. ...... Funding for the stabilization project, however, is nearly complete. On September 10, NOACA’s board of directors allocated $12.8 million in federal COVID relief money to the project, bringing the total available to nearly $38 million. The port, city, and county have agreed to raise the remaining $7.5 million. The administration of Mayor Frank Jackson is seeking legislative authority to spend up to $3.7 million to close the gap, the mayor said in a recent email. The port is applying for a $5 million state grant and a $12 million federal grant, either of which could also help complete the funding. And Cuyahoga County Executive Armond Budish has said he’s onboard.  Also stated in the article it says stabilization/sewer work will take 18-24 months. So it sounds like early 2024 that will wrap up the stabilization then the park can begin to be built I would assume. Another article said park would likely be open in 2026 so that also matches the timeline.Â
June 28, 20222 yr 1 hour ago, OC_Charlie said: Any idea what the old cement pylons are from? Thanks for the photos! Â There was a rail-ship transload dock there. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
June 30, 20222 yr Construction can begin without the property, but still 🙄  Judge blocks Port of Cleveland from swift pursuit of George family's property atop Irishtown Bend  "A Cuyahoga County judge has dealt the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority a significant blow in the agency’s push to swiftly complete land assembly and start moving dirt on the hillside atop Irishtown Bend.  On Thursday, June 30, Common Pleas Court Judge John Sutula granted a preliminary injunction in favor of Tony and Bobby George, the father-and-son owners of a small parcel at the northern end of the hillside. The decision, an early win for the Georges in an ongoing legal fight, blocks the port from advancing an effort to take the property through eminent domain.  The ruling came amid an apparent breakdown in settlement talks between the Georges, the port and other parties, including the agency’s partners in a civic effort to stabilize the slope. The hillside is set to become a 23-acre park connecting West 25th Street in Ohio City to the west bank of the Cuyahoga River."
June 30, 20222 yr 1 minute ago, Luke_S said: Construction can begin without the property, but still 🙄  Judge blocks Port of Cleveland from swift pursuit of George family's property atop Irishtown Bend  "A Cuyahoga County judge has dealt the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority a significant blow in the agency’s push to swiftly complete land assembly and start moving dirt on the hillside atop Irishtown Bend.  On Thursday, June 30, Common Pleas Court Judge John Sutula granted a preliminary injunction in favor of Tony and Bobby George, the father-and-son owners of a small parcel at the northern end of the hillside. The decision, an early win for the Georges in an ongoing legal fight, blocks the port from advancing an effort to take the property through eminent domain.  The ruling came amid an apparent breakdown in settlement talks between the Georges, the port and other parties, including the agency’s partners in a civic effort to stabilize the slope. The hillside is set to become a 23-acre park connecting West 25th Street in Ohio City to the west bank of the Cuyahoga River." My hatred for the George family grows more everydayÂ
June 30, 20222 yr My hatred for the George family grows more everyday They are part of this community right? Like, are they recognizable people in public? Do they live nearby?Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
June 30, 20222 yr I am not surprised that settlement negotiations broke down given it is the George's and quite frankly I am glad because I was not crazy about the terms of the settlement as presented in the media.  I am surprised the injunction was granted as I have read the extensive briefing and thought the facts and law were strongly in favor of the the Port. Still have not read Sutula's opinion but am not really impressed by the way he has handled this matter to date, He clearly was pushing for a settlement. Also not impressed by how long he is taking to rule on motions in this matter, especially the injunctive relief which in the normal course is something which is handled quickly.  The bottom line is that now that this "swift taking" is barred, there is nothing preventing the Probate Court from now moving forward with a standard taking action. Hopefully it will get the ball rolling as soon as next week since the matter has been pending so long. Quite frankly if the port had just moved forward with a standard taking in this matter, it might already be ready for trial in Probate Court given how long Sutula played around with the issues pending before him. Edited June 30, 20222 yr by Htsguy
July 1, 20222 yr Author Well there it is - the stupidest thing I’ve read today. When is the last time I-71 turned a profit?
July 1, 20222 yr The Crain's article states that Sutula wants to keep the entire eminent domain case in his courtroom (Common Pleas Court). I don't know how he can do this...only Probate Court has jurisdiction over ed cases. I think he is on very shaky legal grounds if he tries to do this. The article also states that Probate Judge Gallagher believes her hands are tied due to the CP action. She seems to be very timid in this regard for some strange reason. It would appear she has the ability to now proceed with a regular ed action as long as it is not a quick taking.  Apparently the Port had already filed an action in the Court of Appeals try to force Sutula to rule on the injunctive relief rather than just sit on it which played into Georges hand. I was not aware of this action. It is quite an unusual step in my opinion and maybe it pissed Sutula off and as a result he quickly ruled on the injunction and in favor of George. I would think the Sutula ruling now makes the Court of Appeals suit moot but I would also imagine that the Port will quickly appeal the granting of the injunction and perhaps ask for an expedited hearing.  I think the biggest problem for the Port right now is the reluctance of the Probate judge to move forward on a standard eminent domain as reported by Crains. As I stated above I find this very strange and maybe this is just Crains take and not the actual case given current events since the article quotes Gallagher as things stood in March. I don't believe they have current information from her office given the way the article reads. Indeed Gallagher might actually believe now that she can proceed with the standard ed action. Who knows. Edited July 1, 20222 yr by Htsguy
July 1, 20222 yr A bit of ignorance here: Are any of these court appointments electable offices? If not, who appoints these offices? How do we the people make sure George family shills like Sutula do not hold positions of power?
July 1, 20222 yr 2 minutes ago, daplemmo said: A bit of ignorance here: Are any of these court appointments electable offices? If not, who appoints these offices? How do we the people make sure George family shills like Sutula do not hold positions of power? All judges are elected in Ohio. Moreover, just because a judge makes an erroneous decision does not make him a shill. That is what appellate courts are for.  By the way. I anticipate significant court filings next week. Perhaps in all three courts (common pleas, probate and court of appeals). I think Judge Sutula has just ruined the holiday weekend for a number of firm associates. That is the way it goes in the big leagues.
July 1, 20222 yr 4 hours ago, Htsguy said: All judges are elected in Ohio. Moreover, just because a judge makes an erroneous decision does not make him a shill. That is what appellate courts are for.  By the way. I anticipate significant court filings next week. Perhaps in all three courts (common pleas, probate and court of appeals). I think Judge Sutula has just ruined the holiday weekend for a number of firm associates. That is the way it goes in the big leagues. Hey may not be a shill but I think it is certainly fair to ask which campaigns (albeit judges or politicians) the Georges contribute to. It's common knowledge that they donate to campaigns on both sides of the aisle in an attempt to influence local policies and to position their businesses for favorable treatment.  That may or may not be the case here but public trust in the system has been justifiably broken. Edited July 1, 20222 yr by BJBaes
July 1, 20222 yr 1 hour ago, BJBaes said: Hey may not be a shill but I think it is certainly fair to ask which campaigns (albeit judges or politicians) the Georges contribute to. It's common knowledge that they donate to campaigns on both sides of the aisle in an attempt to influence local policies and to position their businesses for favorable treatment.  That may or may not be the case here but public trust in the system has been justifiably broken. It is true the Georges' contribute heavily to political campaigns but it is silly to think that they had any influence with the judge here unless he was thinking future contributions. Judge's are assigned randomly so the Georges' would have had no idea which of the 32 CP would have been assigned the case. If they contributed after the fact (after the assignment) its a big red flag and the judge would not be stupid enough to accept a contribution. In fact I am pretty sure under Ohio's judicial ethics rules Sutula would out right be barred from accepting a contribution from a party currently in front of him.
July 1, 20222 yr With the park's proximity to the river, expect to see some green infrastructure set in place to minimize runoff pollution:  Project Clean Lake includes a minimum of $42 million in green infrastructure projects. This includes stormwater control measures (or SCMs) to store, infiltrate, and evapotranspirate stormwater before it even makes its way to the combined sewer system.  I'm guessing there will be rain gardens along the the hillside, would make a lot of sense. Also interesting to note that EPA has considers Cleveland's in violation of the Clean Water Act, apparently because the treatment facilities have not performed to their legally required levels. That's going to change as those huge storage tunnels near completion.  https://www.neorsd.org/I_Library.php?a=download_file&LIBRARY_RECORD_ID=4939#:~:text=The document details NEORSD's Project,receiving treatment in 25 years.
July 20, 20222 yr Notices of appeals are finally showing up on the court dockets. So far three notices, one by the City of Cleveland, another by the Metroparks and a third I am guessing by the port authority-although it is not clear from the dockets at this time.  Unfortunately it is now clear that this is going to take a long time to resolve through the courts. My concern is that much of the briefing and expert testimony in the common pleas court emphasized the need for immediate action on the hillside.    Edited July 20, 20222 yr by Htsguy
July 20, 20222 yr Maybe they can appeal to the Justice Center/Jail Steering Commission to secure a swift resolution? "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
November 3, 20222 yr On 10/31/2022 at 8:27 PM, TR said: any update on this? Â Living nearby, I haven't seen a whole lot of activity but I know there is ample behind-the-scenes work being done. Â The Front Steps building was originally supposed to be demolished before the end of 2022 - I'm guessing (hoping) that's still the intent.Â
November 3, 20222 yr On 10/31/2022 at 8:27 PM, TR said: any update on this? Â Â I heard from someone with intimate knowledge of the project that Bobby George isn't going quietly into the night as everyone had hoped following their agreement. It's not flat out stalling things, but it's definitely expediting it
November 3, 20222 yr 31 minutes ago, YABO713 said:  I heard from someone with intimate knowledge of the project that Bobby George isn't going quietly into the night as everyone had hoped following their agreement. It's not flat out stalling things, but it's definitely expediting it The court dockets appear to support what you are suggesting.  There were three separate mediation sessions in the Court of Appeals over the course of more than a month, suggesting a possible settlement in my mind since there commonly is only one, but all that apparently went no where. I am personally happy a settlement was not reached as I believe the the public entities have a strong case (in my mind the lower court judge really messed up...go figure...that never happens) and was not particularly happy with the terms of the previous settlement which blew up.  The legally maneuvering is still hot with new motions in the Probate Court and the Court of Appeals.  Appellant briefs on the merits are due next Tuesday. It will be probably be a good 7-8 months before a ruling in the appellate court . I have said it before, this has to be costing George a fortune. I don't know the man, just his reputation. I have had clients similar to him where cost was no object because they always think they are right. Most of the time, in my experience, significant litigation costs encourage settlement, especially when you are dealing with a relatively small business man (small when compared to say a major corporation). The ultimate winners are the lawyers. Edited November 3, 20222 yr by Htsguy
November 3, 20222 yr 2 hours ago, Htsguy said: The court dockets appear to support what you are suggesting.  There were three separate mediation sessions in the Court of Appeals over the course of more than a month, suggesting a possible settlement in my mind since there commonly is only one, but all that apparently went no where. I am personally happy a settlement was not reached as I believe the the public entities have a strong case (in my mind the lower court judge really messed up...go figure...that never happens) and was not particularly happy with the terms of the previous settlement which blew up.  The legally maneuvering is still hot with new motions in the Probate Court and the Court of Appeals.  Appellant briefs on the merits are due next Tuesday. It will be probably be a good 7-8 months before a ruling in the appellate court . I have said it before, this has to be costing George a fortune. I don't know the man, just his reputation. I have had clients similar to him where cost was no object because they always think they are right. Most of the time, in my experience, significant litigation costs encourage settlement, especially when you are dealing with a relatively small business man (small when compared to say a major corporation). The ultimate winners are the lawyers.  A mentor of mine told me this after I passed the bar:  "It's a hell of a way to earn a living, if not for the clients."
November 3, 20222 yr I sure hope when they demolish Front Steps that they don't get the address wrong and accidentally take out a nearby structure. That would truly be a shame. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
November 3, 20222 yr Probably getting close to the point where legal fees for the city/port are more than a buyout would have been.
November 3, 20222 yr Why should a governmental entity paid more than the appraised value (which George would get in the ED action). Council is always having a heart attack in committee meetings when the city plans to pay too much for a property in their estimation.
November 4, 20222 yr 4 hours ago, RMB said: Probably getting close to the point where legal fees for the city/port are more than a buyout would have been. Â Sometimes it's worth fighting a certain quality of people until you grind them into dust. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
November 4, 20222 yr 20 hours ago, YABO713 said: Â A mentor of mine told me this after I passed the bar: Â "It's a hell of a way to earn a living, if not for the clients." What you're saying is that clients like Bobby George take it from hell to heaven, right? Â Â /s
November 4, 20222 yr Just now, cadmen said: Ken are you referring to Bobby George or Vladimir Putin? Â It seems that both espouse kleptocracies. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
November 7, 20222 yr Game-changing announcement? I'm curious if they hammered out a deal outside of court and have been keeping it on the DL as things are finalized? I imagine if the court proceedings were successful we would have seen that in the court docs filed. Â I'm just excited if this thing actually gets moving along. Park would look beautiful there.Â
November 8, 20222 yr Quote I'm just excited if this thing actually gets moving along. Park would look beautiful there. Especially since nobody alive today can ever recall that location being anything other than a totally un-utilized slope of land over-grown with vegetation. Even when it was a 'neighborhood' well over a century ago, it was an Irish slum with sub-standard housing and mud. Considering all that, just about ANYTHING (though I keep my expectations high) will be spectacular.
November 8, 20222 yr 22 hours ago, dwolfi01 said: Game-changing announcement? I'm curious if they hammered out a deal outside of court and have been keeping it on the DL as things are finalized? I imagine if the court proceedings were successful we would have seen that in the court docs filed.  I'm just excited if this thing actually gets moving along. Park would look beautiful there. The tweet says it's about funding though, not progress on all of the necessary plots of land. My guess is they've been allocated money from the state for the project:  https://www.cleveland.com/news/2022/03/cleveland-area-leaders-asking-ohio-lawmakers-for-money-for-irishtown-bend-park-walkway-connecting-downtown-to-lakefront.html  They need $45million for the park (https://www.land-studio.org/projects/irishtown-bend-park), so there's still quite a bit of funding that will need to be gathered.
November 8, 20222 yr Yeah, I am guessing it probably has to do with funding rather than a resolution of the court action. In my mind that is better news than any current resolution of law suit. For what it worth, the court docket does not provide any hints or evidence of a resolution. A coupe of parties filed their merit briefs yesterday and the Port moved for an extension to file its brief which was granted (until the 14th).
December 6, 20222 yr Irishtown Bend Park wins key grants, even as land lawsuit lingers  "With nearly $17 million raised toward a roughly $45 million budget, the Irishtown Bend Park project along the Cuyahoga River is gaining momentum — despite ongoing litigation over a corner of the underlying hillside in Cleveland's Ohio City neighborhood.  The Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Foundation announced Tuesday, Dec. 6, that it has awarded a $5 million challenge grant for the 23-acre park. The project team will have two years to secure the full amount by raising matching funds from other foundations and companies...."  https://www.crainscleveland.com/real-estate/irishtown-bend-park-plan-cleveland-gains-fundraising-momentum-despite-litigation  Basically, park is coming along, finding more funds. Legal issue continue but insiders view them as a "speedbump."
December 6, 20222 yr The $45M is for the hillside stabilization only. The park budget is also ~ $45M, so the total estimated cost is $90M.  Edited December 6, 20222 yr by mtnbikefan
December 6, 20222 yr Sorry, I'm a little late to the party, having to attend to family stuff. I do say "usually" first which isn't always....   Up to $10M coming to Irishtown Bend Park By Ken Prendergast / December 6, 2022  In a project beset with hurdles — primarily centered around money — the effort to move forward on developing the 23-acre Irishtown Bend Park in Cleveland’s Ohio City neighborhood got a big financial boost today. That boost came from a $5 million challenge grant from the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Foundation. If enough donations are received by the end of 2024 to match the challenge dollar-for-dollar, it could generate up to $10 million.  MORE: https://neo-trans.blog/2022/12/06/up-to-10m-coming-to-irishtown-bend-park/ "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
December 7, 20222 yr Big kudos to The Mandel Foundation for their support of this project.  This is a big step towards the realization of this project on the scale that we’re all hoping for.  Those renderings are really exciting (yeah, let’s go TMUD for Bridgeworks!) and I think the beautification of the city will be significantly furthered by this park in its location.  I can’t imagine that it won’t spur additional development - particularly residential - adjacent to the park.  And - one other thing that I’m not  going to be the first to say - shame on Tony and Bobby George for being the only selfish people to stand in the way of this park - a place that thousands and thousands of people will hopefully be able to enjoy for generations. Edited December 7, 20222 yr by CleveFan
December 7, 20222 yr Big kudos to The Mandel Foundation for their support of this project.  This is a big step towards the realization of this project on the scale that we’re all hoping for.  Those renderings are really exciting (yeah, let’s go TMUD for Bridgeworks!) and I think the beautification of the city will be significantly furthered by this park in its location.  I can’t imagine that it won’t spur additional development - particularly residential - adjacent to the park.  And - one other thing that I’m not  going to be the first to say - shame on Tony and Bobby George for being the only selfish people to stand in the way of this park - a place that thousands and thousands of people will hopefully be able to enjoy for generations. The economics laid out by KJP are infuriating. Pure extortion.Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
December 7, 20222 yr 5 hours ago, ASP1984 said:  The economics laid out by KJP are infuriating. Pure extortion. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk   Sutula's ruling is correct.  This is controversial mainly because the Georges are.   Normally it's people tied to government officials cutting deals like this.
December 7, 20222 yr 4 hours ago, E Rocc said:  Sutula's ruling is correct.  This is controversial mainly because the Georges are.   Normally it's people tied to government officials cutting deals like this. Sorry but the decision was wrong on so many levels legally that it is almost a joke. It will be overturned in the Court of Appeals if it is not settled.
December 7, 20222 yr Yep. It's a commercially navigable waterway which has no cost-effective alternative routes unlike a road which you can always find another way to get there. If the Cuyahoga River is blocked, thousands of people are going to be out of work. If that's not in the public interest and an emergency measure, I don't know what is. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
December 7, 20222 yr Is the George Property necessary for the park? Can the construction proceed without it? Perhaps the best strategy might be to let him keep his property and re-assess him at the $4 million dollars value that he claims. What are the taxes on $4 million? Eventually, he may see the benefit of getting rid of the property.
December 7, 20222 yr 14 minutes ago, TR said: Is the George Property necessary for the park? Can the construction proceed without it? Perhaps the best strategy might be to let him keep his property and re-assess him at the $4 million dollars value that he claims. What are the taxes on $4 million? Eventually, he may see the benefit of getting rid of the property.  My understanding is that there are ways to stabilize the bank without acquiring the property but it would be much more expensive and require a lot more engineeringÂ
December 8, 20222 yr 18 hours ago, Luke_S said:  My understanding is that there are ways to stabilize the bank without acquiring the property but it would be much more expensive and require a lot more engineering Also it turns what would be a beautiful park / river / downtown vista when coming down Detroit into a giant billboard / ugly building.
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