All I know is that on a hardhat tour of the Stokes tower, someone asked why it wasn't built on the Public Square lot. The spokeswoman from the General Services Administration (the people running the Stokes tower and other gov't facilities) said that they considered it but that "site acquisition alone made that option cost-prohibitive". No number was given, no rationale beyond that. Also folks, go back earlier in this thread - the Public Square lot was never considered in the list of sites for the County Admin center.

Jacobs didn't want to sell unless he could retain the air rights over the new court building. He claimed that he would later build a taller building on stilts over the court building.

Seriously?

^The fact that it wasn't on the initial list only adds to the deviation from rational thought that has defined the process of this project.  They want the bodies and priminance on Euclid Avenue, the heart of the city according to the commissioners (what happened to Public Square being the center?), yet this scheme all but ignores it in the massing study.

 

And what in the hell are those things on the south wall of the rotunda in the model?  That facade has been covered with several different buildings for the past 100+ years and they think they are just going to peel off the Breuer Tower from it and have a facade?  That elevation was never meant to be visible, and yet KPF makes it the most prominent facade of the project with some lame ass plaza fronting it.  "Oh, but we'll just cover it with some turquise panels, it will look real sweet.  That'll work..."

w28th...tell us how your really feel!  Don't hold back!

that winning design looks like it was done by a 3rd grader. what goes on in these peoples minds who decide things for this city? and these are known architects??

 

if that gets built im gonna puke

 

while other cities are busy imrpoving their skyline with more high-rises cleveland's gets...........shorter?

Seriously?

 

Well I can't claim to have been in the negotiating room, but that's what I heard.

Seriously?

 

Well I can't claim to have been in the negotiating room, but that's what I heard.

 

Wow, you got me...I thought for sure you were being funny/sarcastic.

When is the demonstration??

wow..This kinda funny. one month ago people were furious at Dimora and Hagan and now they are loving them.

  So when is this tower coming down,before or after they are elected out of office

I don't think anybody here is "loving" them.  But we don't hate every single thing they do.  It's not as if they're George W. Bush.

When is the demonstration??

 

I think you mean demolition.

 

one month ago people were furious at Dimora and Hagan and now they are loving them.

 

That is a little far fetched. Maybe some agree with one issue and not the other.

 

 

i think he means demonstration... what are we going to do about this? a sit in? lobby?

 

or wait they asked us not to lobby them...

 

if no one takes action then there will be no stopping it.

i think he means demonstration... what are we going to do about this? a sit in? lobby?

 

I understood but the latter is more of a reality.

When is the demonstration??

 

I think you mean demolition.

 

one month ago people were furious at Dimora and Hagan and now they are loving them.

 

That is a little far fetched. Maybe some agree with one issue and not the other.

 

 

 

No, I meant demonstration. On page 33, CTownsFinest216 proposed (perhaps jokingly) organizing a demonstration against the selection of the suburban office-esque design proposal. Lets demonstrate!!

can the politics please.  the last thing I want to do is scan a thread for relevant material only to see an ill informed pissing match. 

I agree - sorry folks, once again I have to ask people to keep this thread on topic. Maybe I should just lock it until the first bathtub window is removed? :roll:

This will keep everyone distracted for a bit.

I posted all of the pictures from the Ingenuity Breuer Tower Design Competition.

There is also a poll. Pick your top three.

 

http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=13642.0

Link to Article

 

 

Ameritrust cleanup contract goes to a higher bidder

Commissioners say chosen firm more experienced

Saturday, August 04, 2007

Joan Mazzolini

 

Cuyahoga County commissioners have awarded a multimillion-dollar contract to clean out and demolish the interior of the old Ameritrust Tower to a company that bid $915,000 more than the lowest bidder.

 

Commissioners Jimmy Dimora and Tim Hagan said they voted to approve the contract Thursday based on the advice of their experts, who reported that they think the lowest bidder does not have enough experience in removing asbestos from a large steel structure. Under state law, commissioners are not required to choose the lowest bid if a higher bid is the best...

the company is from the metro area.  There should be a clause in their contract to make them move within city borders.  :wink:

"I don't think the county has $900,000 to give away."

 

Don't worry they're all ready throwing away $40,000,000, what's another $900,000?

The county has the freaking nerve to put signs all over the Rotunda and Breuer entrance that read, "Building on our Heritage."  It makes me want to spew.

Well, they are. On the rubble of it!

somebody get a new sign that reads:

 

Building over our Heritage

It's for the Rotunda Building - it's open this Friday and Saturday 11am to 4pm.

^ The inside of the Rotunda is beautiful! I'm sure you'll be there camera in hand.  :-)

I'd be more interested getting into the Breuer Tower, but I guess I'll check out the Rotunda, see what the big deal is.

You've never been in the Rotunda? Run, don't walk.

 

http://www.cuyahogacounty.us/pdf/ROTUNDAFLYER.pdf

Nope, never been.  Maybe I'll stop by at lunch tomorrow... 

Been inside the Tower many times...somewhat interesting lobby (material wise)...other than it looks like offices in any building of that era in any city.  You won't be thrilled.

Reminds me of Larry Tates office in Bewitched.  The floors, as I remember, reminded me of the office setting in the movie "9 to 5".

Just like to see what the skyline looks like through one of the bathtubs. 

i was very serious about the demonstration. ive never organized a demo before so i would need the help of anyone interested on here to set it up. havent heard about any demonstration plans recently so i guess i'll have to take initiative myself.

 

its sad that more people are not furious with this and want to do everything they can to stop this building from being destroyed. seems like everyone has given up and conceded defeat. this is the most ridiculous thing ive seen......wasting millions of dollars in tax payers money to demolish a 383 foot skyscraper when there are DOZENS of holes in downtown cleveland that could be built on. this is going to be a significant hole in the skyline if demolished, just look at some pictures.

 

 

and hoooooooold up! the "winning design" was done by KPF? these are the people who did the shanghai world financial center. you mean to tell me they couldnt come up with a tower design ? i bet you the county commissioners told them to build some suburban office park garbage instead of a tower. ridiculous.

ctownsfinest i will be going away to school in a few weeks so i am afraid i'm not much help.. however i really think there are people willing to help you with this. hopefully some of these seemingly powerful urbanohians (?) can help!  :wink:

Ctown - I don't think that its people feeling "defeated", i think the vast majority of the general public is looking forward to seeing that building torn down.

 

I would assume the community that rallied to save it - still feel that way.

i think the vast majority of the general "public is looking forward to seeing that building torn down."

 

No.

CTown, did you attend the May protest?

How can you judge public opinion of the building?  If there is such a public outrage, why has there been so little said against the building being torn down?

w28th judges lots of things ;-) obviously he has a preference for saving the tower and that's what he's basing his statement on. I think it might be more accurate to say that a vast majority either don't like the tower, or they're apathetic about it specifically because they don't find it visually appealing. I also have to wonder if there is any lingering sentiment from 1978 - Cleveland Trust was the bank that threw the city into default; perhaps some people see it as a symbol from those unpleasant days? I'm just thinking out loud on that one...

How can you judge public opinion of the building?  If there is such a public outrage, why has there been so little said against the building being torn down?

 

You obviously weren't at the City Planning Comission meetings.  Every opinion was for saving the building and $40,000,000.  Not sure how you can argue against the money, and wanting to tear down a 29 story building based on purely subjective ideas on aesthetics.

To restate what a collegue of mine said, Cleveland simply doesn't deserve a great building like this.

Sad for me to say that, but if people can't appreciate it, it's true.

Really? So the entire county attended this meeting you're speaking of? And every single person spoke against it being torn down? No.. don't make blanket statements when there ARE people who want the building torn down (whether you can accept that or not, it doesn't matter).  I personally want the building saved, but I'm also about being logical.

If you're asking if I polled 1.3 million people to get their opinion on this freaking building, no I didn't.  I am creating an overview of converstations I've had with sane county residents and that was their opinion in 90% of the cases.  What the hell else do you want.  I suppose I could ask the census bureau to get something started but they would only poll 70% of the population.

It seems a bit futile to be debating this now but carry on...

[

  I am creating an overview of conversations I've had with sane county residents and that was their opinion in 90% of the cases. 

 

So anyone who would disagree with you would be considered insane then?

 

Seriously - this really gets your riled up, was Bruer some close relative of yours?

This constant arguing is the reason this thread was closed for several days.  It gets reopened, and look what happens.  The building is coming down, end of story.  No need to argue that point anymore.

I really wish there was some way to stop this, too. I'm a huge fan of the Breuer building. My only hope is that the county will choose a design that will be at least as innovative and interesting. But I have to admit that my hopes aren't high, given it's a government building.

^ see page 33  :cry:

Wow. Sorry to keep this up. But I love the Cesar Pelli design.

 

Oh, well. What are you gonna do, I guess?

 

Thanks for the heads up. :)

On the bright side, at least we're going to be able to use/enjoy the best building (in my opinion) in Cleveland, the Cleveland Trust building.

 

I stopped in there and took some pictures, I'll post them later tonight, anyone else go today?

Yes, it was pretty snazzy. The vaults were cool too.