I've seen the 11th Street Properties listed on a recent BOZA agenda...

______________

 

http://planning.city.cleveland.oh.us/bza/agenda/2008/crr032408.html

 

BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS

March 24, 2008

 

9:30     Ward 13

Calendar No. 08-32:        905 Fruit Avenue  Joe Cimperman

    6 Notices

 

West 11th Street Properties LLC appeal to construct a single family dwelling unit, proposed to be on a 30’ x 150’ parcel located in a Two-Family District on the south side of Fruit Avenue at 905 Fruit Avenue; subject to the regulations in Section 357.09(b)(1), no main building shall be erected less than 10 feet from another main building on an adjoining lot; and contrary to the Regulations for Yards and Courts, the aggregate width of the east and west side yards equals 6 feet and all main buildings shall have an aggregate width of 10 feet, according to the provisions of Section 357.09(2)(B) of the Codified Ordinances. (Filed 2-20-08)

 

 

9:30     Ward 13

Calendar No. 08-33:      1880 West 45th Street  Joe Cimperman

    15 Notices

 

West 11th Street Properties LLC appeal to construct a single family dwelling unit, proposed to be on a 36.25’ x 132’ parcel located in a Two-Family District on the west side of West 45th Street at 1880 West 45th Street; contrary to Section 355.04(a) a lot size of 4,791 square feet is provided and 4,800 square feet is required; and interior side yards of 2 foot 3 inches and 9 feet are provided, where an aggregate of 10 feet with a 3 foot minimum is required, according to the provisions of Section 357.09(2)(b) of the Codified Ordinances. (Filed 2-20-08)

 

 

9:30     Ward 13

Calendar No. 08-34:        1894 West 45th Street  Joe Cimperman

    15 Notices

 

West 11th Street Properties LLC appeal to construct a single family dwelling unit, proposed to be on a 35’ x 132’ parcel located in a Two-Family District on the west side of West 45th Street at 1894 West 45th Street; contrary to Section 355.04(a) a lot size of 4,620 square feet is provided and 4,800 square feet is required; and interior side yards of 1 foot and 9 feet are provided, where an aggregate of 10 feet with a 3 foot minimum is required, according to the provisions of Section 357.09(2)(b) of the Codified Ordinances. (Filed 2-20-08)   

 

 

9:30    

Calendar No. 08-35:          1884 West 45th Street  Ward 13

   

 

West 11th Street Properties LLC appeal to construct a single family dwelling unit, proposed to be on a 36.25’ x 132’ parcel located in a Two-Family District on the west side of West 45th Street at 1884 West 45th Street; contrary to Section 355.04(a) a lot size of 4,785 square feet is provided where 4,800 square feet is required; and interior side yards of 2 foot 3 inches and 9 feet are provided, where an aggregate of 10 feet with a 3 foot minimum is required, according to the provisions of Section 357.09(2)(b) of the Codified Ordinances. (Filed 2-20-08)

 

 

9:30    

Calendar No. 08-36:        1888 West 45th Street  Ward 13

   

West 11th Street Properties LLC appeal to construct a single family dwelling unit, proposed to be on a 36.25’ x 132’ parcel located in a Two-Family District on the west side of West 45th Street at 1888 West 45th Street; contrary to Section 355.04(a) a lot size of 4,785 square feet is provided where 4,800 square feet is required; and interior side yards of 2 feet 3 inches and 9 feet are provided, where an aggregate of 10 feet with a 3 foot minimum is required, according to the provisions of Section 357.09(2)(b) of the Codified Ordinances. 

 

 

9:30  

Calendar No. 08-37:         1892 West 45th Street Ward 13

   

West 11th Street Properties LLC appeal to construct a single family dwelling unit, proposed to be on a 36.25’ x 132’ parcel located in a Two-Family District on the west side of West 45th Street at 1892 West 45th Street; contrary to Section 355.04(a) a lot size of 4,785 square feet is provided and 4,800 square feet is required; and interior side yards of 2 feet 3 inches and 9 feet are provided, where an aggregate of 10 feet with a 3 foot minimum is required, according to the provisions of Section 357.09(2)(b) of the Codified Ordinances.             

I think that first listing (905 Fruit Ave.) is one of the Clarence Court townhomes north of 490.  I didn't know the same partnership was behind those.

 

Nice to see the infill in Ohio City too.

The guys from PURE own Civic Builders.  That's the real estate development arm.

Lucky's Cafe is building a 2nd location in the Gospel Press Building.  The new location will present a new concept that will be part bakery, part neighborhood restaurant, and part music cafe.  All bread baking will be moved to the new location. They are planning to open in the fall.

Opening in the fall?  Would this then be when we might expect Tremont Place Lofts to be open as well?

That is fantastic news, my Sunday morning walks will be about half the distance that they are right now.

^^^Nice.

 

I heard a while back that some of the units at the Gospel Press will be ready for occupancy by this summer. 

wow that's amazing... i just went by the other day and it looked like it had a ways to go.

uhh....the folks at Lucky's thought that the residential units would be a ways behind the Lucky's buildout.

^Well, they sent this email and attachment out to prospective tenants awhile back (had to dig up the email - didn't know I still had it).  The email text is pasted below.  The attachment had an "Availability Date" column next to each unit (as well as sq. footage, BR/BA, type, etc.), with the earliest date listed being 6/18.  The dates ranged from 6/18 through 11/17, and about half had TBD next to it.  The units available on 6/18 are "hotel suites", but there are "apartments" listed as available by the end of July.  Obviously, they wouldn't be the first developers to miss a target date, but for what it's worth, this is what I was referencing in my post above.

 

Our construction schedule is right on track!

 

We are delighted to provide you with our current completion schedule for your review.  Please review the attached schedule and let use know if you would like to reserve a unit.  If you would like to reserve a unit we will email you an application.  All reservations will be made on a first come first serve basis, so please let us know if you would like to reserve a unit as soon as possible.

 

 

 

 

Ahhhh, there's nothing like living in an active construction site.  Seriously though, when are the "Tremont Place Lofts" developers going to realize the error of their ways and switch back to the way cooler "Gospel Press" name.  Assuming they haven't re-done their website, they need some serious graphics/marketing help.

 

Great news about Luckys.  Maybe they can be pursueded to open a UC location someday...

The location for the new Lucky's surprises me some. It seems like a LOT of overlap of customers from the current location.

 

I wish Tremont had a coffeehouse open later -- like 11 or 12.

Just looked at the Tremont Place Lofts web site -- they look great!  I didn't realize they would be apartments and not condos.

They do look great .. love the photos.

Just looked at the Tremont Place Lofts web site -- they look great!  I didn't realize they would be apartments and not condos.

 

Apartments first... condos later.  As discussed previously, there are requirements for tax credit projects.

From today's Restaurant Row in the PD. Sounds like direct competition for Lucky's.

 

Dante's loss, cleveland's gain . . .

 

Dante restaurant is pretty much golden. Here's hoping that glitter shines on his pastry team of Wendy Thompson and SynDee Klingenberg, who leave to open their own shop this summer in Cleveland's Tremont neighborhood.

 

Executive pastry chef Thompson and pastry sous-chef Klingenberg plan for their store, A Cookie and a Cupcake, to feature custom-designed cakes as well as 12 flavors of hand-decorated cupcakes plus cookies, brownies and other confections. No opening date has been announced for the shop, which will be at 2173 Professor St., but if you want a preview of what the duo can do, you can look at their range of offerings and place an order online or by telephone.

From today's Restaurant Row in the PD. Sounds like direct competition for Lucky's.

 

 

You think so?  Sounds more like a place one would visit solely to purchase cakes, cookies, and confections to bring to parties and other functions versus sitting down and ordering coffee and food, ala a cafe, like Lucky's.  If anything, it seems this new place might be in competition with Lilly Hand Made Chocolate, which recently opened in Tremont.  Though I think the more local value added food biz we develop in Cleveland, the more enriched our local economy becomes, thereby leading to the demand for more local businesses. 

Would be great if local bakeries were buying their grains from local mills, like those located in Amish country.  Not sure if this is the case.  As urban farms and gardens become more prevalent, I'd expect we'd see more value added food businesses.

 

Also, as I understand it,  Lucky's second location will be different from the first in that it will offer later hours and live music, in addition to an expanded menu and possibly wine/beer as well as being the central bread baking facility for both locations.

Union Gospel Press redevelopment moves forward

by Chuck Hoven

 

(Plain Press, September 2008) The fifteen building Union Gospel Press complex on W. 7th between Jefferson and College is being converted into 103 rental units, says Mryl Roberts, a representative of UGP Properties LLC, the limited partnership set up for the project. Roberts says in addition to the apartment units, there will be a small retail space for a coffee shop at W. 7th and Jefferson.  A health facility will be created as well, and will be available to residents of Union Gospel Press and possibly open to the public, said Roberts.

 

Roberts estimates the cost of the redevelopment to be roughly $20 million dollars. He says financing for the project includes loans from Key Bank, National City Bank, and a bridge loan from Village Capital Corporation. In addition, the project is receiving financing through the sale of three different forms of tax credits-- a federal historic tax credit, a state of Ohio tax credit, and a new market tax credit from the Port Authority.

 

Roberts says his brother, Stavros Roberts, initially purchased the building in 2003 from Joseph Scully. He says the property was later placed into UGP Properties, LLC to meet conditions necessary for the complex financing via tax credits.

 

According to City of Cleveland records, a construction permit was first applied for in August 2005, final payment for the permit was received in June of 2007. Work on the project began late in 2007 and is expected to take two years to complete. The contractor is listed as Dana G. Noel of Jera Contractors, part of Corvallis Development. Roberts says the contractors now have an office at 2190 Professor Avenue.

 

Because of the financing, Roberts says the 103 apartment units must remain as rental units for 7 years. He says after that time period they will probably be converted into condominiums. 

 

Roberts says the complex will have 150 parking spaces on site. Additional spaces are being created on the streets around the complex to handle guests and will be open for public use as well.

 

 

hmmm... I wonder where these 150 spaces will be?  I can't recall a garage or a large surface lot...

^It's possible they'll be making use of a portion of a lower floor, like Quay 55 did. There's also some vacant lots adjacent to the site.

Unfortunately there's also a lawsuit against the developers by a resident in the neighborhood. Anyone know what the lawsuit is about? Someone told me it had something to do with dust (asbestos??) coming from the construction site but no confirmation yet.

Conflicts arise as Union Gospel Press construction proceeds

by Chuck Hoven

 

(Plain Press, September 2008) While generally happy to see something being done with the Union Gospel Press building after many years of neglect, residents around the Union Gospel Press building are complaining of dust, noise, and what they claim are outright violations of their property rights as redevelopment of the fifteen building complex on W. 7th between Jefferson and College increases in intensity.

 

Karen Bessinger of W. 7th Street, commenting on the mood of her neighbors says, “Everyone supported it. Now they are all up in arms.”

 

Jerlene Justus of W. 7th Street said she first began writing letters and making phone calls to complain about the noise of a loose metal plate that was put over a spot where a broken water main had been fixed. She said for eight nights in early July the plate banged when cars drove over it. “It sounded like a shot gun at night,” said Justus. She said once she contacted the UGP limited partnership that owns the Union Gospel Press complex, the contractors responded and eventually removed the metal plate, replacing it with gravel and concrete.

 

As she researched the issue, Justus said city officials told her the contractors, didn’t have a permit to do work in the street. The project was shut down for a day while a proper permit was obtained, said Justus.

 

A number of other issues that have arisen over the course of the development make residents wonder if the owners and developers are taking proper precautions while the rehabilitation of the building is underway. They note a worker fell to his death off the building last December. More recently residents have photographed a worker high on the building without proper harnessing. Justus notes open holes where adults or children could fall in. Justus doesn’t believe that the developers made an effort to reduce the amount of dust from their work. She says they built a shoot down the side of the building and were dropping building debris down it every day creating a lot of dust. The debris was piling up on the site making more dust. Justus says when she complained to the ownership, and the debris was hauled away she counted 22 truckloads leaving the property. She said the dust was so bad that everyone closed their windows and doors. She felt concerned about those without air conditioning and secured a meeting with a representative of the owners, Myrl Roberts, and Tremont West Development Corporation Executive Director Chris Garland. She said she persuaded Roberts to give “six air conditioners to people I know didn’t have one.”

 

Larry Slone of College Avenue said he would like to know if the developers had the proper permits and trained personnel when removing asbestos from the building. He is concerned that it was done properly so families in the neighborhood weren’t exposed to the dangerous fibers. Preston Buchtel, who lives at Thurman & College, said the developers didn’t do proper controls of the dust, and also wondered about asbestos.

 

Responding to questions from the Plain Press for the ownership, UGP Properties, LLC, Myrl Roberts said asbestos was removed from the building by certified personnel and proper precautions were taken including environmental survey and air quality monitoring. He said this could be checked with the City of Cleveland and the EPA.

 

Some of the neighbors were also surprised when most of the tree lawn in front of Lee Sternheimer’s house was carved up to make way for face in parking spots along W. 7th. They were surprised that the curb cuts didn’t end in front of the Union Gospel Press building next door. A protest was planned on Wednesday August 20th. The media was invited. Bob Brown of the City of Cleveland Planning Department, Tremont West Development Corporation Executive Director Chris Garland, and TWDC Development Director Sammy Catania were among those who joined UGP’s Myrl Roberts in meeting with neighbors about the curb cut. In the meeting with neighbors Roberts agreed to replace the tree lawn and do some landscaping in front of Sternheimer’s house.

 

Roberts emphasized that he was just following the plan that had been approved the City of Cleveland Planning Department when making the additional parking spots. Roberts says, as per usual, Board of Zoning Appeals meeting notices were sent out to those that curb cut would effect.

 

At least one neighbor recalled that the parking was discussed and approved at a neighborhood block club meeting several years ago. Karen Bessinger, who lives across the street from the curb cut, says at the time of the meeting neighbors in attendance were excited about the additional parking and voted for it. “All the people complaining never go to meetings to find out what is happening and to find out what the neighbors are voting on,” said Bessinger.

 

Justus says she didn’t know she had to attend neighborhood meetings. She said now she is fired up about problems with the development and will be attending future block club meetings.

 

One issue that has Justus fired up is developers attempting to take her sister-in-law Mary Oskay Slone’s back yard which the family had maintained since it purchased the house in 1950.

 

Her brother, Larry Slone says when he came home from an out of town trip a huge ten foot tall chain link fence that separated their yard from the Union Gospel Press property had been torn down and a 81/2 foot by 51 foot section of the family’s back yard had been dug out by the UGP developers. He said that the developers “told my wife that it was their land.” He said his wife felt she could get in a lot of trouble if she kept the land and singed papers they gave her.

 

Justus said she did some legal research and found because the family had maintained the land continuously for over a 21 year period they could claim it as their own by “adverse possession” even though they didn’t have title to it.

 

The family met with Roberts, Bob Brown and the staff members from TWDC after the issue about the curb cut was resolved. Slone says that Roberts had promised not to “do no more work until the issue was resolved.” Slone said the day after the meeting workers finished off the area by their house and it looked like they were ready pave the parking lot in the morning.  Justus said the ditch the developers had dug in the yard had been completely filled in and the area leveled off.

 

Not trusting the developers’ word after this, Sloan said he decided to rope off the area where their yard had been and put up no trespassing signs. Justice says after seeing the work that had been done they went out at night with flashlights and staked off the area and roped it off with clothesline and posted no trespassing signs. She said she overheard workers in the morning saying, “I’m not trespassing. I don’t care what they say.”

 

Justus says after finishing roping off the area of her sister-in-law’s yard she stayed up all night typing a motion for a preliminary injunction and for summary judgment, which was delivered to Common Pleas Court in the morning. After the court papers were filed, she says they received a call from Roberts saying he will go forward for now only up to the line where the fence was before.

 

For his part, Myrl Roberts, of UGP Properties, says that the deed to Union Gospel Press includes the land that in dispute. He called it a classic case of adverse possession. He believed the family had to file a claim for adverse possess and never had. He said he met with Mary Oskay and her brother Tom, who were the owners of the house at 717 College and made the case that the land belonged to UGP. He said UGP agreed to the family the property where their backyard deck was and another five feet and to put up a new fence. Roberts said UGP would give the family a deed showing they now had ownership of this land officially. Roberts said Mary Oskay Slone and Tom Oskay “signed a document and we were proceeding on a good faith effort.”

 

He said when other family members came into the picture and claimed adverse possession, he again met with the family and agreed to deed back 2/3 of the existing property and give them title to it. He said the family wanted $10,000 for damages to their side yard. He said he thought that was unreasonable and offered $1,000. They refused the offer, he said.

 

Roberts said that their claim to adverse possession is not a slam dunk. He said by including the City of Cleveland in their lawsuit, the family would be taking on the legal resources of the city of Cleveland as well as his firm.

 

He said UGP would for now just build up to the old fence line while waiting for a decision. He said, “I have no doubt that the land is properly deeded to us. I’m not disputing that they may have a claim to the land by adverse possession.”

 

Roberts said he thought it unfair that the family wanted to claim the land by adverse possession, while UGP Properties still would have to pay property taxes on it because it was surveyed into their property. He said if the family won the case and the land became part of their property then they would have to pay taxes on it.  Roberts said he told the family, “Even if we go through the process and you are wrong, we would still, as good neighbors want to give you a piece of that land.”

 

 

Residents raise concerns about stepped up code enforcement in Tremont

by Chuck Hoven

 

(Plain Press, September 2008) Residents of Tremont have raised concerns about the fairness of a new effort by a group of Tremont residents to push code enforcement in the neighborhood.

 

At a Tremont West Development Corporation joint meeting of the Housing, Community Development and Long Range Planning committees on July 10, 2008, Tremont resident John Moss announced that at a series of meetings, a group of neighborhood residents had put together a list of houses with code violations. Moss said the group had worked closely with Assistant Building and Housing Director Ron O’Leary and with Tremont West Development Corporation’s (TWDC) Ward 13 Code Enforcement Officer Katie Hough and TWDC Ward 14 Code Enforcement Officer Robert Rodgers.

 

Moss distributed a list at the meeting of houses in Ward 13 which the group had turned into the City of Cleveland Building and Housing Department. The list, titled Tremont Property Inspections Summer 2008, included 60 properties in the Ward 13 section of Tremont. Various violations were checked off such as mow lawn, house needs painting and/or gutters down, and roof repair. On some of the properties, the list included the date of July 8th as the date it was turned into the Building and Housing Department.

 

Moss urged the committee members in attendance to call him with problem properties and he would put them on the list. He said he would forward the information to Tremont West Development Corporation Executive Director Chris Garland and to O’Leary at Building and Housing. Moss said he was taking action because code enforcement was not happening. “I don’t care who does it, but we are going to have code enforcement,” said Moss.

 

Moss said his group would sit down with TWDC’s code enforcement officers each month before the Housing Committee meeting and go over the lists to see if enforcement was happening and where the process was being held up.

 

Moss said those being inspected would be followed up by TWDC staff with a list of city programs that can help them fix up their house “so we don’t appear to be draconian.”

 

A new list was being circulated a week later, this time the list had 77 properties on it. Each property had a name of an inspector on it. Most listed Building and Housing Department Ward 13 Inspector Jose Ramos. A number of the properties had inspection dates listed after Ramos’s name. The dates were either July 14 or July 15. Curiously, a call to Ramos’s City Hall number has a message from Ramos that “I will be out of the office from July 14 to September 14, 2008.” Katie Hough and Ron O’ Leary were reportedly seen doing inspections in the neighborhood, not Jose Ramos.

 

Residents around the Union Gospel Press Building see stepped up code enforcement and pressure to fix up their houses as related to the new housing going up in the neighborhood. Karen Bessinger of W. 7th Street, who has lived in the neighborhood for 55 years says, “We can’t keep up with them new condominiums, our house was built in 1879. A lot of people are losing jobs.” 

 

While her house hasn’t been cited, Bessinger said they wanted her to participate in the Historic Preservation Program. “They tried to talk me into taking a loan. I don’t want a loan.”  Bessinger says she is on fixed income and can’t afford a loan. She said she might put new siding on the house. As for historic preservation, she says, “Whoever has it after us, let them worry about it.”

 

Bessinger, says her daughter, who also lives in the neighborhood, while not cited, was “told she needs to paint her house.” She said her daughter has replaced some cedar siding in preparation for painting and the city has given her free paint, but can’t get the house painted yet because the person she asked to paint the house is working seven days a week.

 

David Gamble, also of W. 7, came home from his night shift job dead tired and had gone to sleep about 8 a.m. He said two hours later he woke up to the sound of guy knocking on the door. Ron O’Leary and Katie Hough were at his door to tell him about his housing violations. Gamble said he was pretty gruff with them and later called to apologize. Gamble said he could see where they are coming from. He said he knows he has to do work on his property.

 

Jerlene Justus of W. 7th Street is concerned that the development in the neighborhood will raise property taxes and push low-income people out. She said one of her neighbors suggested they petition the city for “an abatement so they can’t raise our taxes.” She is also concerned about the hardship that the stepped up code enforcement brings. “Poor people down here can’t afford what is going on.” Citing all the foreclosures in the city she said, “most people can barely keep up with the mortgage.”

 

She said if Tremont West Development Corporation really wanted to do something, “They should get a bunch of people together and help these people fix their homes.”

 

Noting one of her neighbors who had been cited, she said, “He never bothers any body. Don’t go picking on someone because you don’t think they don’t live up to your standards or because they can’t afford to fix up their home.” She said if her neighbors who had been cited had the money “they would fix up their homes like everyone else.” She vowed to go to housing court with her neighbors to tell the judge not to fine them. She said with today’s rising cost, the worry of foreclosure and the price of heating and electricity going up, they shouldn’t be pressuring poor people about the condition of their house. She said fining people and pushing them out of their houses would only result in more homelessness.

 

Justus said if there is a drug house, a meth house, or something dangerous to the neighborhood, do something about it, but people who are not bothering anybody should be left alone.

 

Roman Dowhaniuk, co-chair of the Scranton Starkweather Block Club in the Ward 14 section of Tremont doesn’t like what he has heard about the code enforcement TWDC is pushing in Ward 13. “Who gave them the authority to do their sweep and to dictate to me what I can and can’t afford to do to my home? I will fix my home to my standards. Not their standards.”

 

Dowhaniuk says of TWDC, “They treat life long residents of Tremont poorly, as if we are a liability, while treating newer residents with open arms.” Dowhaniuk cites discrimination in allocation of city resources to events. He said when he asked for a port-a-potty for a recent block club party, a last minute message was relayed to him that one was not available. He noted that the arts events in Lincoln Park always are given plenty of port-a-potties, and wanted equal treatment for his block club’s event.

 

Dowhaniuk said his concerns about TWDC are “all about fairness.”  He noted the Scranton Starkweather Block Club, with many life long residents of the neighborhood, had been slighted a number of times by TWDC. He said, “We were promised a vote on the long term planning document and got that shoved down our throat.” He noted he was cut off from speaking when he asked for a public vote on the document at the annual meeting of TWDC.

 

Nina Swerdlow, who serves with Dowhaniuk as co-chair of the block club, says of the TWDC sponsored meetings, “There is never any open discussion anymore.”  Several members of the block club at the picnic wondered why they hadn’t been consulted about the decision to step up code enforcement.

 

Block Club member Henry Senyak noted the unfairness in representation on the TWDC Board of Trustees, noting 13 of 15 board members live in Ward 13, while almost half of the residents in Tremont live in Ward 14.

 

Dowhaniuk said the block club is thinking of bringing up as an agenda item at its next meeting a discussion of its future relationship with TWDC.

 

 

Unbiased and quality journalism at its best.

He said by including the City of Cleveland in their lawsuit, the family would be taking on the legal resources of the city of Cleveland as well as his firm.

 

:-D I almost fell out of my chair.

Sorry, I don't see the humor in that.

 

Dowhaniuk says of TWDC, They treat life long residents of Tremont poorly, as if we are a liability, while treating newer residents with open arms. Dowhaniuk cites discrimination in allocation of city resources to events. He said when he asked for a port-a-potty for a recent block club party, a last minute message was relayed to him that one was not available. He noted that the arts events in Lincoln Park always are given plenty of port-a-potties, and wanted equal treatment for his block clubs event.

 

Hmm, maybe he ought to do some research on who pays for the portapotties. He'd find out that it is not the City nor is it TWDC.

^The following sums up that mentality:

 

"“All the people complaining never go to meetings to find out what is happening and to find out what the neighbors are voting on,” said Bessinger.

 

Justus says she didn’t know she had to attend neighborhood meetings. She said now she is fired up about problems with the development and will be attending future block club meetings."

 

Yeah folks, if you want to have a say, you have to get involved. It's like watching election coverage instead of voting, and then getting p!ssed because your candidate didn't win.

 

 

Sorry, I don't see the humor in that.

 

No apology necessary big guy.  The quote from the article would probably only be funny to those who regularly deal with the Cleveland Law Dept.

Are we back to calling this the "Union Gospel Press" again?  I have not seen it referred to as "Tremont Place" in any of the articles posted today or yesterday.  I'd take the UGP name any day over TP. 

^Because it's a horrible name.

:whip:In reply to the comment about getting involved if you want to have a say.

Well, I wasn't aware that the constitution said anything about belonging to a

block club to exercise mine or anyone else's rights.  I have never been in favor of those little stepford groups and they have no business making any decisions

regarding anyone's property, rights, likes or dislikes other than their own.  I will be attending now just to prove a point.  To let them know that just because I don't sit on my front porch doesn't mean nobody's home.  If they keep harping on peeling paint in this neighborhood - I'm going to call out the troops and we'll paint all the cited houses hot pink - glow in the dark - let 'em look at that for awhile and that'll give 'em something to talk about.  As far as the tall weeds go - that's mother nature and if these fine folks complaining want them pulled - we won't mind if they take a few.

 

firedup

I think that any group (block club or development corp.) that oversteps its boundaries is just as bad as a property owner who lets their home go to sh!t and bring down property values. It's one thing if there's some peeling paint or minor things - I don't think anyone thinks TWDC should be hounding people about that. But if we're talking collapsing porches or yards filled with burnt-out cars, etc. then yes it's imperative for the neighborhood that something be done.

 

I don't think anyone is helped with a "well, I'll show those high-falutin' people!" approach. It's like the article says "They should get a bunch of people together and help these people fix their homes.” - I agree, and that should include the homeowners (if they're able, I understand there are elderly folks who can't) as well as the block clubs and TWDC. Sort of a Habitat for Humanity on a much more local scale. You can either let life happen to you and b!tch about it, or you can get involved and make things happen. Constitution or not, your home is an investment and unless you live on a 6,000 acre estate, it will be affected by adjacent properties - why *wouldn't* you want to get involved to protect what's probably one of the most valuable assets in your life?

 

Welcome to the forum.

 

 

:whip:In reply to the comment about getting involved if you want to have a say.

Well, I wasn't aware that the constitution said anything about belonging to a

block club to exercise mine or anyone else's rights. I have never been in favor of those little stepford groups and they have no business making any decisions

regarding anyone's property, rights, likes or dislikes other than their own. I will be attending now just to prove a point. To let them know that just because I don't sit on my front porch doesn't mean nobody's home. If they keep harping on peeling paint in this neighborhood - I'm going to call out the troops and we'll paint all the cited houses hot pink - glow in the dark - let 'em look at that for awhile and that'll give 'em something to talk about. As far as the tall weeds go - that's mother nature and if these fine folks complaining want them pulled - we won't mind if they take a few.

 

firedup

 

Way to fight for your right to be a slob.  Welcome to the forum.

You know you don't have to be a slob to be poor but the lack of money can surely make a difference in whether or not you fix up the porch.  You don't know somebody else's life unless you;ve walked in their shoes.  I'm speaking of these life-timers that have lived in this neighborhood for decades, got blood sweat and tears in their old houses, brought up their children here and now that when it is one of the hardest times in history, you have the "Moss Revolution"  sticking it to people who are lucky enough to get up the front steps never mind a ladder.  Some of these people are lucky just to have a roof over their heads, a structure with doors and window, a place called home.  What do you want to do push them out completely - then you have another family in the welfare line - looking for a shelter - at least - these people are paying the mortgage, feeding their kids, the houses are occupied and not boarded up.  They keep referring to fix-em-up loans - what happens when those that are hanging on to their "HOMES" by the skin of their teeth and when they put their home on the line for a loan, they lose a job or times get harder - then a mortgage company takes their house, it sells to a developer for far less than market value - another high priced condo goes up - you have another family homeless - possibly broken up - children on the street - maybe in trouble - then everybody is complaining about them - what then?  So everybody stop complaining, either extend a hand - unconditionally, or shut the xxxx up - If you want to live in a better neighborhood - buy in a better neighborhood - don't go where you know the percentage of poverty level is below 50% and expect everybody to wake up with funds in their pocket.  If you ain't got no money - you ain't got no money. Most people know and wish that they could do something about their homes but just like my mother, she is 75 years old, bought her old house when it was already falling down because it was all she could afford and has hung on to it for 40 years - now she is old can barely walk, has had two knee replacements, worked her whole life for that old house and I'll be ----- if somebody is going to give her grief over it.

 

In reply to #163, just a little piece of info for you, I happen to be the very individual that said those words in that article you referred to!!  And if you will read the entire feature you will find I said a lot more. 

^As an Administrator of this forum, I am able to see IP addresses so yes, I was aware of who you are when you signed up for the forum.

 

As a fellow resident of Tremont, I fully support your idea that Tremont West should organize a volunteer group to help people like your mom with home repairs, and to help poorer homeowners improve their properties without having to take on additional debt. If you don't mind my asking, who is your mom? Feel free to use the forum's private messaging system with your reply.

And pretty soon we have a whole neighborhood or city crumbling because a bunch of folks have houses they can't maintain?  The folks that do keep up their houses, many not any richer than their neighbors, can't sell their home because of someone next door who can't take care of theirs?  Maybe they end up upside down in their mortgage because their home value goes through the floor and they end up in foreclosure and in a shelter themselves?  Why, because someone else can't maintain their house? 

 

I don't want to see your mom kicked out of her house, but I bet there are others who are taking a hit to their investment in their home because of the conditions that you describe.  I think there has to be some standard and I think the building code is it and that it should be fairly enforced. 

Renting in a gentrifying neighborhood is tough...people do get forced out.  But if you own in a gentrifying neighborhood, it is your lucky day.  You are basically making money without doing anything...sometimes in the order of around $100k...as neighborhood house values go up.  Especially if one has been paying a mortgage for years (if they're lifers, they should have the house piad for) then they can either try to be part of a nice community, or sell their property and make a large sum of money.

 

Gentrification is a tough issue, but you can't always fault people who are trying to make things nicer.  It's tough on both sides, but just because an area has fallen into poverty doesn't mean it always has to stay that way.  I do agree that their should be some assistance for homeowners who have legitimate reasons they are unable to fix up their property, though.

I heard the other day and can't quite remember where I heard this, that Dante's was moving from the valley up to Tremont.  As there is construction going on in the old bank building next to Professor Market and a new patio of some sort being built behind it visible from Literary, I was wondering if this is what was moving in there.  Anyone have any confirmation on this?

Yep, it was posted in the "Restaurant" section. http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php/topic,10097.0/msg,351369.html

^^about gentrification of neighborhoods, it is not always good to own thier either.  Obviously there are advantages to having the value of the property go up.  The downside is the fact that property becomes apraised for more money and property tax goes up. 

When I lived in Roscoe Village in Chicago a lot of families wanted to stay, but they could not afford the increase in property tax.

 

just some food for thought

/\ CLE has a long way to go before we have issues like that where the gentrifiers are being pushed out!

Especially with the relatively low property tax rate.

Anyone know what is going on with the parcel of land next to Ty Fun and the Flying Monkey?  This would be just to the East of Ty Fun on Jefferson.  There seems to be some sort of excavation going on. 

 

Just curious, because I've found myself thinking about the potential of that parcel many times over the years.  Wondering if we'll see something happen with it.

I think that it might just be grading for parking; I don't recall anything other than a parking lot proposed for that site.

I stayed at the Tremont Place Lofts (hate the name too) over the weekend while visiting Cleveland. They have and will keep a number of units as "Coporate Suites" for visitors who need short term stays for business or pleasure. I have to it was great and the units are incredible. I am planning on staying there from now on. I stayed in a one bedroom but they gave me a tour of a two bedroom unit and it was pretty spectacular. If I lived in Cleveland this would be on the top of my list of places to live. I think it's a little pricey for Cleveland but I don't think they will have any trouble filling those units. They will have a full time restaurant/Cafe and Fitness Center on site as well and construction is supposed to be finished by July. People are moving in as units are finished. Again, really unique and cool place.

Thanks for the update, and glad to hear that things are really coming together! You didn't happen to take any pics during your stay, did ya?  :wink:

 

I'm in total agreement with the name too.  "Gospel Press" is SOOO much more grown up, and well, cooler!

Sorry but I did not have a camera with me during this because I was coming off a business trip. I don't know what kind of images they have on their website but doubt if it could do this place any justice. If your familiar with the building and the particular brick work and style you would be happy because they have really incorporated that look and feel into modern units. Lots of arches, brick and wood work that capture a unique feeling. If your in the area I would go get a tour.

Sorry but I did not have a camera with me during this because I was coming off a business trip. I don't know what kind of images they have on their website but doubt if it could do this place any justice.

 

Hardly any.

 

I was disappointed, too, because I really wanted to get a look at this building. They have some interior shots of a model "apartment", but other than that, nothing.