You've got John, Whitman, Woodbine, all the courts and numbered streets like W. 38th & W. 32nd that almost intersect.  It's like the friggin West Village over here sometimes!

 

Sounds like Queens, also.  I get lost everytime I visit Tremont, stockyards or Lorain when my mom sends my cousin and I on Spanish food hunts. 

"Wow, I saw St. Theodosius last Wednesday after the Colectivo meeting and was surprised to see it lit up."

 

Love it! Two other somewhat recent lightings are the Anunciation Church (Greek Orthodox), and Zion UCC on West 14th. One of these days while the weather is still warm (and my sinus infection clears up), I'll try and get some pics.

It really is a great program ... it'd be nice to assemble a thread of pics of all the participating congregations. To date, that list would include Annunciation, Archwood, Immanuel, Our Lady of Mercy, Pilgrim Congregational, St. Colman's, St. George's, St. Patrick's, St. Stephen's, St. Theodosius, Trinity, Zion Evangelical and Zion UCC. Sounds like a road trip ...

 

Ever since I heard the story about this project around five years ago from Kathleen Crowther (Cleveland Restoration Society), I've had a project in my head that would show the city at night viewing southwest from the lake to the airport. All of the city would be blacked out except for the churches that are part of the program. Kind of like this image. I have the technological ability to do it - just not so much the time. One of these days (after school) I'll do it, so don't take my idea.

I talked with the society recently about their Steeple Lighting Program. They have about 13 they sponsored currently with plans to do two more in the near future. All of the other lit churches (like St. Ignatius of Antioch) have done it on their own.

 

to be honest I am a little disappointed that the bookstore is moving to tremont.  it removes a solid piece from the burgeoning detroit-shoreway business district, in my neighborhood.  and in my opinion, tremont needs no help.  the ball is already rolling over there.  whereupon, over on detroit and 65th, it is a little different story.  the bookstore provided a nice foil to the tax preparer across the street.      

^ The list I included above is of churches participating in the Steeple Lighting Program (to date ... my understanding is that they hope to eventually assist a couple of dozen churches located in proximity to the highways).

I went past the site of the West 7th townhomes near the corner of West 7th and University today.  There is a construction sign in front of the development with a website for the developers listed.  The website has a little bit more detail on this development and some other infill projects that the developer seems to be doing.

 

http://www.xbx-niagara.com/own/own.html

Some recent shots during a drive-by  :-D  :

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"drive by"?  Musky you so gangsta!  :shoot:

 

Nice apartments!

Some recent shots during a drive-by  :-D  :

 

 

 

I took the exact same photos last Thursday!

 

 

Ok, I'm a little freaked out now.

 

Here's a nice story on the Gospel Press building:

 

http://www.cleveland.com/business/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/business/1171966003286780.xml&coll=2

 

its broken into 4 parts and i'm too lazy to copy and paste them all.

^thanks for the tip!

 

Apartments planned for Gospel Press

Landmark site in Tremont is rehab target

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

Henry J. Gomez

Plain Dealer Reporter

In Tremont, the Cleveland neighborhood ballyhooed for its resurgence, one awkward corner remains untouched.

 

For years, community leaders worried that the Union Gospel Press was a lost cause, doomed to be a perpetual eyesore in an otherwise trendy and proud pocket of town.

 

This ramshackle building - actually 15 buildings cumbersomely connected to each other at Jefferson Avenue and West Seventh Street - traces its roots to before the Civil War.

 

More at cleveland.com http://www.cleveland.com

what an interesting story. i dk what to think, even if a guy like scully kept the place from being developed properly for years at least he kept it active and from being vandalized. so now he bought a steel plant? funny. what a character, this is definately a guy that needs to be interviewed. kjp?

I'd recommend combining the separate Gospel Press thread with this one.

For much of the next half-century, it was a flophouse for artists and vagabonds.

 

You just don't see the word "vagabonds" enough these days.

Sculley was my land lord when I lived in the Left Bank building in the Flats.

He was a very interesting person... and by interesting, I mean... well, I'll just leave it at interesting.

Having been inside this building, talked to the developer, and seen what it's made of, I think this project will succeed.  I absolutely loved the unique spaces inside, highlights of which are an interior courtyard and two story laundry room, whose flip-down ironing boards are still intact behind wooden doors.  The place is amazing and is in a fantastic location, to boot.  Go Robertses!

is there a reason this can't go condo right of the bat?  I presume its the subsidies.

 

Having been inside this building, talked to the developer, and seen what it's made of, I think this project will succeed.  I absolutely loved the unique spaces inside, highlights of which are an interior courtyard and two story laundry room, whose flip-down ironing boards are still intact behind wooden doors.  The place is amazing and is in a fantastic location, to boot.  Go Robertses!

 

any pictures?

if you get historic tax credits, you have to keep it as rental for a certain number of years. This article specifies six as the number of years. I had heard in years past that it was 4 or 5. Maybe the law has changed. Anyways, does anyone know why you can't get historic tax credits is you go condo right off the bat?

I would assume it has something to do with preventing "flipping" of property immediately after renovation.  This certainly isn't the worst example of the practice, but precautions like this are a way of promoting neighborhood stability.  I would guess that you wouldn't want profiteers coming in, snatching tax subsidies and then leaving the market without more of an investment in the future of the community.  5 years seems to be the norm for what this investment means.

I'd recommend combining the separate Gospel Press thread with this one.

 

I'd keep it separate. A building and redevelopment of this magnitude deserves to keep its own thread, IMHO.

 

what a character, this is definately a guy that needs to be interviewed. kjp?

 

Maybe someday.

I would assume it has something to do with preventing "flipping" of property immediately after renovation.  This certainly isn't the worst example of the practice, but precautions like this are a way of promoting neighborhood stability.  I would guess that you wouldn't want profiteers coming in, snatching tax subsidies and then leaving the market without more of an investment in the future of the community.  5 years seems to be the norm for what this investment means.

 

It's late (for me anyway) and so maybe I'm not thinking clearly, but what's the evil they're trying to prevent?  You mean someone might come in use the tax credits to convert an old run-down building into something someone might want to out and out buy rather than just rent and might *gasp* make a profit on it?  My God, we better outlaw that immediately!  Taking on the renovation of an historic building seems like it involves a lot more risk (ask Lola who was delayed for about a year b/c of all the historic issues).  Would seem like the credits give people an incentive to save the old building rather than just tearing it down and build new.  I don't see how encouraging renting rather than buying leads to a more stable neighborhood. 

 

Is this law local, state, or federal?  Regardless seems crazy to me.

Again, I could be wrong about the motives, but this policy (which is Federal) ensures that the owner can't just buy, use credits, and flip.  In other cities/regions where gentrification and affordability are serious concerns, this is a huge problem.  They'd basically be using public dollars to give developers an extra large profit for doing a project they'd have probably done anyway...in essence, subsidizing the rapid increase in home prices in neighborhoods that may be historic and still affordable.

 

I see what you're saying in how it applies to the Cleveland case...why not encourage developers to come and invest in our communities?  There really isn't a neighborhood in Cleveland that couldn't use an extra subsidy for a kick start.  But this is why I'm saying that as a Federal tax credit, it's likely not specific to development in a booming or declining city.  It's likely a safeguard against speculative purchase and resale for profit, especially in the case of a federally subsidized project.

Ok, so I may be way off...

 

This is from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, which offers a pretty good explanation of the 20% tax credit...

 

To be eligible for the 20% Tax Credit:

 

-The building must be listed on the National Register, either individually or as a contributing building within a National Register Historic District, or be a contributing building to a Certified Local District (a locally designated historic district that has been certified by the National Park Service).

 

-Building must be used for income producing purposes, for example office, retail, residential rental, bed and breakfast, and light manufacturing uses. The building must be a depreciable building and not used as a private residence.

 

-Rehabilitation work itself must be undertaken according to the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation.

 

-The project must meet the “substantial rehabilitation test.” This test is where the amount of money to be spent on the rehabilitation must exceed the adjusted basis of the building or $5,000, whichever is greater. Generally, projects must be finished within a 24-month period.

 

-After rehabilitation, the building must be owned by the same owner and operated as an income producing property for five years.

 

^detroit has a similar five year rule also.

 

Though there is some creative ways to have your monthly rent act as a mortgage payment.....

OK thanks... I understand it now and it makes some sense, although it obviously makes more sense it hotter markets than in markets like CLE.  There's probably some way to tweak it, but that's a battle for another day...

I my self and trying to be a house flipper and its hard.  However, Clevelands market is too stable to be a "hot" market.  Areas like Hough, Fairfax, Forest Hills, tremont, Ohio City, Edgewater with old homes are the places flippers want to be, but there isn't enough turnover and cleveland is just becoming a multi unit living city, so once some of those units downtown become available for sale, the market for flipping will be easier.

 

Additionally, the banks in Cleveland are tough.  Its hard to get a 30-60-90 day loan to flip the house here.  Key bank & Huntington Bank wont give you crap to work with!

^Edit: the above post from the PA website is about the Federal regulations, not just about PA.  Sorry I wasn't very clear about that!

Can I ask:  How in the world did the Clarence Court townhomes get through design review?  Saw a photo in the PURE e-newsletter, and those things are HIDEOUS!

Can I ask:  How in the world did the Clarence Court townhomes get through design review?  Saw a photo in the PURE e-newsletter, and those things are HIDEOUS!

 

Good call. I've wondered the same. Tremont definitely has its collection of crappy-looking new construction. This one takes the cake though.

Can I ask:  How in the world did the Clarence Court townhomes get through design review?  Saw a photo in the PURE e-newsletter, and those things are HIDEOUS!

 

Good call. I've wondered the same. Tremont definitely has its collection of crappy-looking new construction. This one takes the cake though.

 

I like the fact that they break up the traditional home style of the area. :-o

 

However, from the look of the interior pictures, they look to have a bad interior layout with lots of dead space.

I really like them  :oops:

I haven't seen them in person, but I'd be curious as to why some of you consider them "hideous". Are they unconventional? Sure. Do they "match" the style of typical Tremont homes? No. Is that always a bad thing? People have said the same things about the Tillman townhomes - that they didn't fit some perceived idea that bright colors don't belong in Cleveland.

I like the Tillmans. I don't like Clarence Court. CC looks like it was built as one giant piece and then air dropped in. Their entrances are very bland (I can't stand residential entrances that do not have any steps). The Tillmans have cool roof lines that, because of the topography, sequentially step up with the incline of the land. CC has one monotonous roofline. CC also looks like its made of vinyl. CC just seems so overpriced.

 

I am also not a fan of the second phase of the Literary Bluffs. I do like third phase, though. 

 

I am not liking the Seventh St. townhomes. In my opinion, this site calls for single family detached homes (see--the hill in the front yard).

I haven't seen them in person, but I'd be curious as to why some of you consider them "hideous". Are they unconventional? Sure. Do they "match" the style of typical Tremont homes? No. Is that always a bad thing? People have said the same things about the Tillman townhomes - that they didn't fit some perceived idea that bright colors don't belong in Cleveland.

 

MayDay you said that rather nicely.  I was thinking the same thing.  But as mentioned in another thread where someone stated, "Cleveland has enough dark/dreary buildings", its as if someone committed a crime if there is some color or vibrancy on a home.

 

The Asian inspired project that died, looked really interested and unique and a lot of people didn't like that design.

 

I think young folks want something different, whether it be the ridiculous "open floor plan" (which I hate :roll:) which is all the rage right now, or a unique townhouse/brownstone that doesn't look like a prewar building.

 

So does ones "personal style/taste" make a project "hideous"?

I just looked at the photos. I can't say I would live in them intentionally, but they are not "hideous." The construction on the front makes it appear as if the whole thing was done on the cheap.

I don't think these houses would do well in most other parts of the city, but they look good here

They add a nice diversity to the rest of the housing stock in the neighborhood.

And they have great view from the back.

 

 

What's up with that giant window right next to the bathtub?

I like the Tillmans. I don't like Clarence Court. CC looks like it was built as one giant piece and then air dropped in. Their entrances are very bland (I can't stand residential entrances that do not have any steps).

 

If I recall correctly, simply by having a porch/steps you reduce your heating bills by 5-10%. Can anyone put any validity to that?

I just looked at the photos. I can't say I would live in them intentionally, but they are not "hideous." The construction on the front makes it appear as if the whole thing was done on the cheap.

I don't think these houses would do well in most other parts of the city, but they look good here

They add a nice diversity to the rest of the housing stock in the neighborhood.

And they have great view from the back.

 

 

What's up with that giant window right next to the bathtub?

 

Whats wrong with that?  I have picture windows over my bathtub.  It nice just to sit and soak will watching the stars and listening to soft music with a nice mug of cocoa or the occasional glass of wine.

 

I like the Tillmans. I don't like Clarence Court. CC looks like it was built as one giant piece and then air dropped in. Their entrances are very bland (I can't stand residential entrances that do not have any steps).

 

If I recall correctly, simply by having a porch/steps you reduce your heating bills by 5-10%. Can anyone put any validity to that?

I think it has to do with the entrance blocking the enviornmental elements, especially if its a covered porch.  I know when I was adding on and reconfiguring the entrance to the house, and crunching numbers I was told by adding a covered porch, I can get back 80-85% of the construction cost in resale value.

I don't have any renderings but Sutton is getting ready to do Starkweather Place condos, starting at Professor and going down to the ridge. What I like - no - love about them? Lower price points and awesome design, very urban and hip looking. If we get renderings I'll post them for everyone.

 

What's up with that giant window right next to the bathtub?

 

Whats wrong with that?  I have picture windows over my bathtub.  It nice just to sit and soak will watching the stars and listening to soft music with a nice mug of cocoa or the occasional glass of wine.

 

 

I've always lived in old houses, so seeing the big wind perpendicular to the over-sized faucet threw me for a loop.

 

What's up with that giant window right next to the bathtub?

 

Whats wrong with that?  I have picture windows over my bathtub.  It nice just to sit and soak will watching the stars and listening to soft music with a nice mug of cocoa or the occasional glass of wine.

 

 

 

I've always lived in old houses, so seeing the big wind perpendicular to the over-sized faucet threw me for a loop.

 

Yes, I love prewar buildings and homes (i just don't like the yards).  Boy you would hate my bathroom.  What I don't like is the awkward fireplace

I looked at those homes, its not the houses themselves, its the hideous color combination.  :|

 

 

What's up with that giant window right next to the bathtub?

 

Whats wrong with that?  I have picture windows over my bathtub.  It nice just to sit and soak will watching the stars and listening to soft music with a nice mug of cocoa or the occasional glass of wine.

 

 

 

I've always lived in old houses, so seeing the big wind perpendicular to the over-sized faucet threw me for a loop.

 

Yes, I love prewar buildings and homes (i just don't like the yards).  Boy you would hate my bathroom.  What I don't like is the awkward fireplace

  Your bathroom doesn't have windows   :wtf:  Unless you've done a Joan Crawford and put a window in where a window should be!

Your bathroom doesn't have windows   :wtf:  Unless you've done a Joan Crawford and put a window in where a window should be!

 

I have windows in Shaker Square.

 

Your bathroom doesn't have windows   :wtf:  Unless you've done a Joan Crawford and put a window in where a window should be!

 

I have windows in Shaker Square.

 

 

Wow.  :-o

 

Anyway in the future be clearer, you're as bad as Martha Stewart!  I can't keep up with all your houses!  And put up some damn curtains!

I had breakfast at Grumpy's on Sunday (very crowded) and then walked over to the new bookstore, Visible Voice, which is a must visit!  It's easily the best new-books, bookstore, I've visited in a long time. 

http://www.myspace.com/visiblevoicebooks 

They've created a beautiful two level space with a comfortable seating area, with self-serve coffee/tea, in the middle.  They are open until 10:30 on fri/sat.  Well worth a visit!  They also have a second story community space that can be used for meetings, poetry readings, etc.  They will eventually have a website with a 30,000 book catalog.

That's fantastic! Amenities like this will really draw in more people to Tremont. Wish we had one of those in Ohio City.

I visited Visible Voice yesterday. (Exact address 1023 Kenilworth.)

 

Anyway, *great* bookstore -- I completely agree with theguv. Although the owners bought the old Charing Cross on Detroit, which was antiquarian, they have almost completely shifted their focus. Most of the selection is new books, including a wide fiction selection and lots of nonfiction (including a local interest section). Awesome magazine selection, too -- Believer, No Depression, etc. It's not huge, but it's big enough that you could easily lose a couple hours there browsing. And they did a great job on the space. It has a nice, bright atmosphere but just cozy and cluttered enough. They've got some tables and chairs for reading. And it looks like they already have some readings scheduled... there were flyers near the front door.

 

By itself worth a trip to Tremont if you're at all interested in books!

Now that Gypsy Coffee House is such a smash on Detroit at W. 65th, I wish there was a way to get a bookstore back near there too. I can dream anyway!

I think this is the for-sale component of the Valleyview, now Tremont Pointe, project that has been taken on by Tremont West.  I thought this was on hold, but maybe they're just working on the zoning ahead of time, which isn't a bad idea!

 

From the Board of Zoning Appeals:

 

Valleyview Tremont, Inc., owner, appeals to erect 7 buildings with 14 units of single family attached townhomes, proposed to be situated on a consolidated corner parcel in split zoning between a Local Retail Business District and a Two-Family District on the northwest corner of Starkweather Avenue and Thurman Court at 722-730 Starkweather Avenue; ... blah blah blah

 

There are two of these requests and you can see them for yourselves at http://planning.city.cleveland.oh.us/bza/agenda/crr07-23-07.htm