The developer from NYC sounds kind of arrogant, all the more reason we should get this thing moving.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Medical Mart has competition in proposed New York development

 

Developers promise massive facility

Saturday, August 04, 2007

Joan Mazzolini Plain Dealer Reporter

 

As Cleveland rushes to land a downtown Medical Mart, two New York developers propose to build a nearly identical facility in Manhattan as early as 2012.

 

The developers announced plans Thursday for a 1.2-million-square-foot World Product Centre that would show medical equipment to tens of thousands of doctors, hospital administrators and other buyers. They said construction will begin in 2009...

 

http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/1186217335124870.xml&coll=2&thispage=2

 

 

http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/1186217335124870.xml&coll=2

 

There's the full story. I found it remarkably unsatisfying in terms of offering information. This is an important development, yet all we get -- 4 days after the NY Times story ran -- is a recap. Come on, can we get some actual debate and analysis of this? We don't even know what this New York thing is, as that developer sounds like he's posturing big-time with phrases like "Cleveland's 10 years out" and "mine is 100 times a medical mart."

 

I don't think a medical mart foot race is going to win this thing. It's all going to come down to networked connections. Who in the end is able to offer the best opportunities? Just look on the internet -- Friendster came first but everyone uses Facebook and Myspace.

 

 

We don't even know what this New York thing is, as that developer sounds like he's posturing big-time with phrases like "Cleveland's 10 years out" and "mine is 100 times a medical mart."

 

I don't think a medical mart foot race is going to win this thing. It's all going to come down to networked connections. Who in the end is able to offer the best opportunities? Just look on the internet -- Friendster came first but everyone uses Facebook and Myspace.

 

I totally agree. I really don't think Cleveland should worry about the NYC project at all. That's not to say that Cleveland should dally in its decision-making process; Cleveland should work as hard as it can to get this done as soon as possible BUT NOT BECAUSE A DEVELOPER IN NYC IS SPOUTING HOT AIR ABOUT HIS PROJECT. Cleveland should get this done as soon as possible because it could be an economic shot-in-the-arm FOR THE CITY. Let NYC say what they want! They want to make a medical mart there? Great! Don't let them bully us into making this a fear motivated thing, though.

We don't even know what this New York thing is, as that developer sounds like he's posturing big-time with phrases like "Cleveland's 10 years out" and "mine is 100 times a medical mart."

 

I don't think a medical mart foot race is going to win this thing. It's all going to come down to networked connections. Who in the end is able to offer the best opportunities? Just look on the internet -- Friendster came first but everyone uses Facebook and Myspace.

 

I totally agree. I really don't think Cleveland should worry about the NYC project at all. That's not to say that Cleveland should dally in its decision-making process; Cleveland should work as hard as it can to get this done as soon as possible BUT NOT BECAUSE A DEVELOPER IN NYC IS SPOUTING HOT AIR ABOUT HIS PROJECT. Cleveland should get this done as soon as possible because it could be an economic shot-in-the-arm FOR THE CITY. Let NYC say what they want! They want to make a medical mart there? Great! Don't let them bully us into making this a fear motivated thing, though.

 

Let's face, for me anyway, this was a "fear motivated thing" even before Isreal Green leapt into the fray.  My fear is that Chris Kennedy and the Chicago boys will pull the plug on Cleveland because we're doing our typical Cleveland thing -- posturing  populism with typical grandstanding and wrongheaded opportunism by loud, yet influencial, grass-roots (usual suspects) opponents (can you say: Zach Reed or Roldo Bartimole?).  There are a lot of pluses to building this thing here, obviously, but Cleveland ain't so significant that Chicago planners will spend their limited time and energy here while we punch this gift horse in the mouth... That this NYC proposal might heighten such a feeling is a possibility, but not the main gist of my concern.

If the petition drive gathers 45,000 VALID signatures by the end of this month, and voters turn back the tax hike in March, then such fears are warranted. So far, SOME Cleveland-area residents are doing what those in any other city would do -- argue that no tax hike should be implemented without a vote of the people. That's going to happen in every city and isn't just "a Cleveland thing."

 

[Time for personal opinion:  Quite frankly, I'm glad. If there was no backlash of any kind, I suspect our elected officials would have little or no hesitation to pull the tax trigger every time. That being said, we don't live in a democracy where every issue, including tax hikes, gets voted on by the people. This is a representative republic, where we elect people to make many governance decisions on our behalf. Still, it's nice to have a hue and cry over a decision by elected officials to raise taxes on us. It gives them a bit of pause the next time to consider options.]

So, if we get through the next month and they gather like 20 signatures, does that mean the Medical Mart train leaves the station?

^^ like if they dont get the signatures is this thing for sure?

 

and if they do get the signatures we are screwed?

I wouldn't say it is for sure until the Grand Opening.

jpop re the ny med tower - i wouldn't call it developer hot air by any means. the peedee only interviewed one partner, who is obviously the blowhard. however, the other is the prez of extell development and they have built a lot of stuff around manhattan:

 

http://www.emporis.com/en/cd/cm/?id=123832

 

also, there is no dithering here, they have secured a site and one near their convention center at that, which puts them more than a few preliminary steps up.

 

the wildcard for them is will they have to wait on the #7 train subway construction. they could be "ten years away from the real thing" too....or it could happen in a couple years. who knows? i'll keep an eye out about it.

Looks like the IX Center is moving ahead to secure their place at the current location at Hopkins. Something tells me there are some implications for the future CC, but not sure what.

 

Cleveland Auto Show adds 400,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space for ’08

 

 

CLEVELAND – Already considered one of the largest automotive expositions in the country at 900,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space, the 2008 Cleveland Auto Show presented by AutoTrader.com has added 400,000 sq. ft. of indoor and outdoor space – making Cleveland the largest show on one floor in North America.

 

“The Cleveland Auto Show is not landlocked like shows in downtown convention centers,” says Gary S. Adams, president, Greater Cleveland Automobile Dealers’ Association. “The Cleveland show’s unique facility can evolve with the growing demand from consumers for more life experience exhibits that allows them to drive or ride in vehicles while they are at the show with family and friends.”

 

New in Cleveland for 2008 – The Growth of Life Experience Exhibits

 

At the 2007 Cleveland Auto Show, three ride-and-drives were running simultaneously – Camp Jeep® Cleveland (44,000 sq. ft. – built inside), Dodge Performance Zone (24,000 sq. ft. – built inside), and the Chrysler Inspired Drive Tour (130,000 sq. ft. built outside).

 

“With the expanded interior and exterior floor space, the 2008 Cleveland Auto Show can facilitate up to five, interactive ride-and-drives, performance tracks or towing demonstrations all at the same time,” Adams said. “And if the weather is bad, consumers can test drive vehicles in real, northern Ohio winter conditions at the show.”

 

Auto Sales Up In Northern Ohio

 

In a 19-county region of northern Ohio – which includes the cities of Cleveland, Akron, Canton, Lorain, Youngstown and Mansfield – new passenger car and light truck sales were up 1.2 percent through the first six months of 2007.  Nationwide, new vehicle sales were down 2 percent over the same time period, according to Wards Auto Data.

 

Coming strong out of the 2007 Cleveland Auto Show, new vehicle sales were up for three consecutive months – April, May and June 2007 – in a 19-county region of northern Ohio. The 2007 show concluded in early March. In addition, sales of 23 automotive brands were up through the first six months of 2007 in northern Ohio.

 

New vehicle sales in a 19-county region of northern Ohio accounted for 1.3 percent of total U.S. new vehicle sales from January to June 2007. In northern Ohio, 108,364 new vehicles were purchased or leased from January to June 2007. Nationwide, over the same six-month period, 8,216,718 new vehicles were sold, according to Wards Auto Data.

About the 2008 Cleveland Auto Show

 

The 2008 Cleveland Auto Show presented by AutoTrader.com is owned and operated by the Greater Cleveland Automobile Dealers’ Association in Brecksville, Ohio. The GCADA represents 265 franchised motor vehicle dealerships in northern Ohio. The public dates of the show are Saturday, Feb. 23 to Sunday, March 2, 2008 at the I-X Center in Cleveland, Ohio. Parking is free. Official website: www.clevelandautoshow.com.

 

About AutoTrader.com

 

As the Internet's leading automotive classifieds marketplace and consumer information website, AutoTrader.com aggregates more than three-million vehicle listings from 40,000 dealers and 250,000 private owners in a single location. AutoTrader.com provides the largest selection of vehicles and attracts more than 13 million qualified buyers each month. Through innovative merchandising products such as multiple photos and comprehensive search functionality, AutoTrader.com unites buyer and seller online – dramatically improving the way people research, locate and advertise vehicles. AutoTrader.com, based in Atlanta, Ga., was created in 1997.

 

Posted on:

Monday, August 06, 2007 03:08 AM

 

I believe the Cleveland show is the 5 largest behind the Detroit, LA, chicago & New York shows, in terms of media coverage and launches.  they have a ton of media partnerships with the museums on the eastside and draw people from mid Penn to Indianapolis and Cleveland to Kentucky.

 

This is my prime example of why the downtown CC needs to expand north.

 

this quote says it all

The Cleveland Auto Show is not landlocked like shows in downtown convention centers,”

 

big shows could bring so much money into downtown instead of people staying on the fringe of the city thinking there is nothing to do, go or see.  The money that could be made in this town on lodging, dining, private room bookings, parties, etc.

 

if a new convention center is land locked into towercity what will we have achieved?

I wonder if FC could move the food court,parking garage and movie theatre to accomodate more convention space. I'm assuming they could technically expand as far into Tower City as needed as long as they left room for the train station.

but why pay to keep expanding a space when we could expand the current center north and potential attach to CBS./

jpop re the ny med tower - i wouldn't call it developer hot air by any means. the peedee only interviewed one partner, who is obviously the blowhard. however, the other is the prez of extell development and they have built a lot of stuff around manhattan:

 

http://www.emporis.com/en/cd/cm/?id=123832

 

also, there is no dithering here, they have secured a site and one near their convention center at that, which puts them more than a few preliminary steps up.

 

the wildcard for them is will they have to wait on the #7 train subway construction. they could be "ten years away from the real thing" too....or it could happen in a couple years. who knows? i'll keep an eye out about it.

 

Yeah. I understand that. But I don't think we can allow our medical mart to be built under pressure because then unwise decisions can be made along the way. And I feel like that's what the NYC developer is trying to do with his comments: bully us and intimidate us. That's crap.

 

I DON'T BELIEVE THIS MEDICAL MART IS THE ONE AND ONLY SAVIOR TO CLEVELAND'S ECONOMY. I believe it will be a good shot in the arm for Cleveland's economy, but if we place too much emphasis on ONE development project, I think it's dangerous, too. We should do what we can to get this built as soon as possible, but LET'S DO IT RIGHT. Because otherwise we'll have this massive project on our riverfront/lakefront/wherever that was rushed and corners were cut, and we won't have the excellent, well-thought-out project that Cleveland needs/deserves. All I'm saying is that I don't want a piece of crap medical mart/convention center because we were worried about a competing interest in NYC.

Here's my question, along the lines of the convention center: can the IX Center and the Convention Center actually work together? Do we have to get rid of one to have the other?

 

I think that if we truly want to act like a region (which, I feel, is necessary .. stop disconnecting all of these little communities around here and work together as a team for once), then the IX Center can actually be a great benefit to the region as a whole. One thing that I think would be terrific is to link the IX Center to the Red Line so that people have a direct connection to downtown's amenities should they want to explore the city more. I think shuttering the IX Center, though, just because we want a pretty new convention center in downtown Cleveland can actually rob the Cleveland region as a whole of larger conventions that can never fit downtown because of lack of space. But then I'm wondering how practical it would be for both to be in existence. Thoughts?

the IX is closing down because of a deal with the city and brookpark.

 

the airport needs that land to expand and build its fourth runway.

 

The IX center is a plus and a minus at the same time. 

 

Pro - kept many large events in Cleveland because they could no long be held downtown

Con - not in the city center and therefor the spin off money from large conventions is not seen

When is the IX Center scheduled to close? I thought the airport wanted to hold off on expansion, so does that mean the IX Center will definitely still close?

IIRC, the lease to the IX runs out in 2014 but the new center is needed to be up and running by 2010/2011 so already booked shows can plan accordingly.

Okay.

 

(What does IIRC mean?)

If I Recall Correctly. :-)

Sheesh. TMDFSMTSA.

 

(Thanks May Day For Saving MyTwoSense's Ass.)

 

:-D

Why would the IX center be expanding by 400,000 sf if it is going to close in the near future.  Check out today's Crains article for the news.

The IX Center building isn't expanding by 400,000; it's the Auto Show that's expanding by that much.

Sheesh. TMDFSMTSA.

 

(Thanks May Day For Saving MyTwoSense's Ass.)

 

:-D

 

Theres that Bronx mentality rearing its ugly head again!  LOL

I don't doubt our credentials in attempting to land MM, but I'm very afraid of the psychological impact this will have on the region if we're not awarded MM.  The media and politicians are making this out to be second-coming of Christ in terms of Cleveland's revival.  While I think that it will have an extraordinary impact on the region, I don't think we should all move to Nashville or Charlotte if it goes somewhere else.  I wish everyone would take their blinders off and stop thinking linearly.  We can MULTITASK!!! :clap:

Sheesh. TMDFSMTSA.

 

(Thanks May Day For Saving MyTwoSense's Ass.)

 

:-D

 

Theres that Bronx mentality rearing its ugly head again!  LOL

 

bronx mentality? isnt he in riverdale? that's the freakin chagrin falls of the bronx. ;)

 

Sheesh. TMDFSMTSA.

 

(Thanks May Day For Saving MyTwoSense's Ass.)

 

:-D

 

Theres that Bronx mentality rearing its ugly head again!  LOL

 

bronx mentality? isnt he in riverdale? that's the freakin chagrin falls of the bronx. ;)

 

 

Does it realy matter?  Its The Bronx, and you still need a passport to get there!

Hahahaha .. MTS is right.

 

But I actually like to think of it as the Far Upper West Side. :)

Hahahaha .. MTS is right.

 

But I actually like to think of it as the Far Upper West Side. :)

 

I refer to it as "the main land"

And these comments have WHAT do to with the topic? :whip:

Greater Clevelanders should greet news of a competitor with neither indifference nor resignation, but with resolve to support the plan in play based on the region's unique and vast medical assets.

 

EXACTLY. Thank you, mystery article writer.

More signatures needed for Cuyahoga sales tax repeal

Saturday, August 11, 2007

Sarah Hollander

Plain Dealer Reporter

 

Leaders of a movement to repeal Cuyahoga County's sales tax hike said they had collected about a quarter of the signatures needed by Friday morning.

 

The group plans to blitz sporting events and area festivals this weekend in hopes of at least doubling the 10,000 signatures collected so far...

 

 

more at:  http://www.cleveland.com

oh Parma...

I thought the exact same thing, but I didn't want to offend people here .. in case there was anyone from Parma.

 

Because you're all podunk. You know that, right? :)

http://www.brewedfreshdaily.com/2007/08/12/neutralizing-the-grassroots/

 

So, which one of you is taking the pictures of petition signers?!

 

;)

I told off one of the people collecting signatures today. Felt nice. Made him cry.

^whoa, really?

Boy, Reed is a real knitwit.  If he's successful in sabotaging the MM project, I'll move to have a recall election to has his butt thrown out of office.

Now that is a petition I will sign.

 

**********************************

 

pd - tipoff:

 

Jones parries goad with rhyming ode

Monday, August 13, 2007

Michael K. McIntyre

Plain Dealer Columnist

 

County Commissioner Peter Lawson Jones responded to a smackdown by fellow Commissioner Tim Hagan in last week's Tipoff with a poem that isn't exactly as nimble as Muhammad Ali's rope-a-dope. Hagan, you may recall, joked in a public forum recently that his hand was bandaged because he had "smacked Peter."

 

It must have made Jones punchy. He sent Tipoff a poem titled "The Big Throwdown in the Big C-Town." Here it is in its entirety...

 

http://www.cleveland.com/tipoff/index.ssf?/base/opinion/1186995182169780.xml&coll=2[/u]]

Do not know where to begin on this one.  Suffice it to say, not a fan.

Cleveland+

We debate maturely.

 

Private role in med mart negotiations to be tricky

Project tenant, landlord may need each other, but that alone won’t seal deal

 

  RELATED LINKS 

 

Merchandise Mart Properties Inc.

Forest City Enterprises Inc.

 

By JAY MILLER

 

4:30 am, August 13, 2007

 

 

 

Coming to terms on how as much as $500 million will be spent on a new convention center and medical merchandise mart could lead to one of the most dynamic business negotiations this community has seen.

 

Most of that amount — as much as $450 million — will be public money for construction of the convention center. The rest is the private investment in this public-private partnership and that expenditure will be split between a property owner and a medical mart operator.

 

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

I personally do not favor one site over another, but as the article implies, you have to think Forest City is nuts if it doesn't try its hardest to land this.  The Higbee Building will be hard to fill for years to come for a variety of reasons and this just seems to have fallen in their lap.  I would have to imagine they are jumping up and down behind the scenes even while offering a silent or tough public face.

I would agree.

 

I'm just concerned about how a massive convention center will look plopped onto that site. I saw some renderings a few years back and was a little worried about the aesthetics of this project on that site. But positionally, it would probably be the best site, with the Higbee's building offering space for the Medical Mart, and the convention center in close proximity.

^Agree.  Like I said I do not have a preference for sites (just want it to get done) but I do share your concern about the "massing" of  the building along the river.  I also recall the proposal from years ago and it did seem like it had to be squeezed onto the site.  A huge wall right up to the river.  If I remember Steve Litt did an article that was very critical of that design.  If the TC site does win out they are going to have to do so major design revision to win me over. 

 

 

Indeed.

"If the TC site does win out they are going to have to do so major design revision to win me over."

 

Amen to that. This is pretty horrific - and before anyone asks, no - the development south of the center will NOT be included. The red circle indicates the hotel component:

 

 

of course It won't look like that.  and in 40 years we'll hve a convention center that is out dated and cannot be expanded.

 

And not one residential componet attached to towercity!

 

I'm 1000% against building the CC at TowerCity!

How can you say it cannot be expanded?

Look at all of the air rights available over the water. :-D

How can you say it cannot be expanded?

Look at all of the air rights available over the water. :-D