they should drag their feet and fine tune a little longer, its not quite right yet.

Now that the rooms will be smaller, does it make sense to re-attach Public Hall?

Not that this will happen, but I totally think that they should re-explore the public auditorium option.  The existing meeting rooms are below public auditorium, and at least placing the meeting rooms back there means we can have closer to 300K SF in exhibition space...which is more on par with competing centers in mid-sized cities.  AND if they are already dipping into the reserves by $40M, I would think they could figure this out.

 

Maybe county/MMPI can redo the meeting rooms under public auditorium, and later the city/developer look for historic tax credits or something for the above-ground portion.

They don't have the money left over in the budget to buy PA from the City, let alone complete the necessary repairs to the electrical and re-design the interior.  Maybe down the road (quite a bit), but PA is "out" for now.

 

Count me as one who was never crazy about re-purposing our PA.

Obviously I don't know all the details but Public Hall/Auditorium  is already there, is already connected, already has meeting rooms, why not just leave it as is and rent the space from the city on an as needed basis?

IIRC, the multiple systems (plumbing, electrical, HVAC) either have to rebuilt with the CC/MM or totally separated.

 

Other than that, I believe they are planning to leave it "as is"

^I think you're right that it was the costly repairs to the mechanical systems deemed necessary by MMPI that kept PA out of the project more than any programming considerations. But was any significant repurposing really proposed?  I could be wrong, but I don't think the large auditorium spaces were ever going to be touched.

All I remember is "high-tech meeting rooms" being the proposed use.  I don't recall the specifics.

Lets see what the group plan commission comes up with for the mall, and maybe for Public Hall.

All I remember is "high-tech meeting rooms" being the proposed use. I don't recall the specifics.

 

How about using the existing meeting rooms in PA for "low tech" meeting rooms.  If the heat, A/C and lights work now, just leave them alone. 

On the Cleveland Planning Commission's website there are many more detailed elevations and plans of the designs. Here is the link

http://planning.city.cleveland.oh.us/grouplan/cmmc.php

All I remember is "high-tech meeting rooms" being the proposed use. I don't recall the specifics.

 

How about using the existing meeting rooms in PA for "low tech" meeting rooms. If the heat, A/C and lights work now, just leave them alone.

 

I think the issue is that the CC and PA are connected via a tunnel with no open air gap between the two.  If buildings are physically connected like that then they become one structure as far as code is concerned... I think.  So, when they rebuild the CC they will need to update PA to meet current code.  This is something that the city and/or county probably don't want to pay for. 

 

I went to a catholic high school and when we built a new gymnasium they physically separated the buildings to avoid have to upgrade the entire school.  I'm guessing it's the same issue with PA and the CC.

Cross post.  As I read the pop ups to Litt's recent article, it appears that the underground connection to Public Auditorium will be maintained.  Can someone verify that I read this correctly?

According to the "master plan"... yes, it will.  But we know how plans change.

http://blog.cleveland.com/architecture/2010/10/clevelands_new_group_plan_comm.html#comments

 

Demolition of existing structures to make way for the medical mart, which will rise immediately west of the Mall and north of St. Clair Avenue, could begin between mid-November and Jan. 1, said Jeffrey Appelbaum, the Cleveland attorney representing the county in its partnership with MMPI.

Is the Sportsman still open? 

All properties in operation. Only Annex shutting down.

LMN Architects unveil detailed concept for the Cleveland Medical Mart

 

It's too soon to declare the initial designs for the new Cleveland Medical Mart a success.

 

But the latest renderings of the project, for which MMPI Inc. of Chicago wants to break ground by Jan. 1, are highly encouraging.

 

Among other things, they show a building with facades of glass and precast concrete panels arranged in lyrical geometric patterns that uncannily and unintentionally echo the Op Art paintings of the internationally renowned Cleveland artist Julian Stanczak.

 

The building's overall shape and scale would enable it to fit nicely with its early 20th century neoclassical neighbors around the Mall in the city's Group Plan district, including Public Auditorium, Cleveland City Hall, the Cleveland Public Library and the Cuyahoga County Courthouse.

 

But the spirited facades, which create a pixelated pattern inspired by and made possible by computer technology, would mark the building as something special and unique in Cleveland.

 

http://blog.cleveland.com/architecture/2010/10/post_1.html

 

 

I'm not sure if the renderings are just not high quality or it is the design itself causing this effect.... but doesn't something seem out of focus?

 

I'll wait to comment more fully on the design, but "iconic" (as promised), it is not... IMHO.

I think those are pretty small jpegs or something, because when you click on the "view full size" the picture becomes smaller.  I think that's making it pixilated and out of focus.

Just a comment -- trying to follow all of the "this group approved _________" and "further study on __________", and "XXX criticized the design/funding of _______" is all very tiring.  Not to sound negative but WHEN will an actual shovel go into the ground already!  Frankly, it is almost to the point in my opiinion, where if what it takes is corrupt politicians and payola to get the thing done I say "bring it on!"

^payola!?  I think the correct term is facilitation fee.  :)

 

I am highly suspect of anything Steve Litt likes.

At least for me most of what he 'digs', I end up not.

(Most things, not all)

 

 

Litt makes good points in this article. Unique indeed.  You might want to read the piece. 1st on the agenda was clearing the land prior to construction. You see, they will need a staging area for work on the CC. Things will be picking up pace rapidly. What we are looking at is architectural renderings not plans. This is to make the real thing look really good as compared to these renderings. There will be plenty of time to finalize actual plans. We're talking about the facade for pete's sake.

Maybe the PD just needs better picture quality on its website.  For instance, the rendering of the new hotel in UC was much clearer and more detailed in the paper this morning than it was on their website last night.

I think they may have fixed it.  The pictures are gigantic now when I click on view full image.

Yes, they did.  That's much better.  Mods, please feel free to delete the picture if this violates our fair use policy -

 

[X- I am not sure, but I think it does.  If we figure out differently, I will repost it.  Sorry, folks.]

It would appear purposeful that they are "pixelating" the building as a key design feature.  As seen from pd graphics, clarity of pixels is not a design feature, it adds confusion.  If you are seeing pixels clearly, it means focus is very poor.  That is not a good attribute to bring into building design.  It should not be an urban rohrshack of pixels to trip people out with as they get closer to the building.  This is why Apple brought into being their retina display to pretty much eliminate seeing pixels to the naked eye.  Some of the other features of the building seemed cool but windows getting narrower and slitted is just highly annoying. 

 

Seems kind of like a 2-D Gehry effect. It's definately a cost effective whay to build some visual tension and dynamic into what is basically a big box.  Scale seem right for the mall, too. I am also digging the all glass first floor.  I am interested in the interior renderings with the ground floor open to the convention center floor below. I think the interior has the potential to very interesting.

The only thing I think of when I see that building is one of those horrible 70's garden apartment buildings with the faux mansard roofs.

Meh, could be a lot worse.  The glass ground floor should help a ton from pedestrian perspective, especially at night.  The facade might a little too compatible with the Mall buildings in its lack of color though...it will be just one more invisible gray/beige block against our gray skies for 200 days a year...

 

I'm sort of surprised not to see prominent "Cleveland Medical Mart" signage on the facade near the roofline.

I agree, I think the design is decent but I wish the color scheme could be adjusted.  The beige is a bit boring. I don't know exactly what they could come up with though i will leave that to them.

I have a feeling it will echo the Stokes wing of the library.  Modern, but tied into the rest of the group plan. 

I like it.  I think it's a nice contrast to the other buildings on the mall that are more classical.  Final designs should be interesting to see.

It's different, cool and promising...of course it's attacked left and right. People in Cleveland who are actually doing something must be completely aggravated by the constant negative "Heathers"....Oh Ick!

 

This is not necessarily being negative...

the feeling I get is a Best Buy somewhere in Sweden.

It is a 'Mart' after all. I think they're emphasizing the big-box thing too much though.

I agree, I think the design is decent but I wish the color scheme could be adjusted.  The beige is a bit boring. I don't know exactly what they could come up with though i will leave that to them.

 

Has this article not been posted yet? - http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2010/10/cleveland_planners_approve_con.html

 

It appears the exact color scheme has not been finalized.

 

Planners are waiting for resolution of several issues, including: connections between the city-owned Public Auditorium and new convention center, traffic patterns for drop-off and pickup points, street lighting, paving materials, exact color and texture of the exterior of the medical mart, and types of benches and trash cans in the park areas.

 

Following the article, I got a kick out of this gem of a comment from 'macheesmo' at cleveland.bomb -

No need to get upset over the design of the future Medical Mart. This thing has zero chance of ever getting built. Nashville's Mart will be up and running long before we have our financing lined up.

 

the window details to me feel more along the way of lake erie waves and makes the medical mart more of an aquarium feel.

^They are supposed to evoke DNA coding.

It looks like the Clinic donated the design of one of their future buildings and MMPI cut off the 30ft of grass setbacks and any reflecting pools with evenly spaced rocks which were there.

A spam post (and subsequent responses) were removed. Carry on.

The word that comes to mind when looking at the med mart design rendering is STERILE, although I suppose for a medical facility, STERILE is not such a bad word association

There are interior renderings now up on the site

 

http://www.clevelandmedicalmart.com/about/architecture/

Tyrone Williams Named Project Manager for Cleveland Medical Mart & Convention Center

 

CLEVELAND--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Tyrone Williams was named project manager for Cleveland Medical Mart & Convention Center, it was announced earlier today by MMPI. A Cleveland native, Williams began his job duties on November 1 and will be responsible for managing construction schedules and budgets, reviewing submittals, and general coordination with contractors and engineers.

 

Williams has served in a variety of capacities with Hammond Construction Company in Canton, Ohio for the past seven years, including his current role as project engineer on the construction of two new Cleveland elementary/junior high public schools, Euclid Park and Charles Dickens. As project engineer for the $28 million construction management joint venture project totaling 135,000 square feet, Williams has been responsible for monthly schedule updates, change management, cost reporting, and contract compliance. Previously, Williams was the project engineer for the construction of the three new Cleveland public school buildings, Daniel E. Morgan, East Clark, and Wade Park, a $45 million project totaling 180,000 square feet.

 

 

http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20101102006898/en/Tyrone-Williams-Named-Project-Manager-Cleveland-Medical

Competition is about to heat up in the race to build a medical trade center,

 

Nashville is in a race with Cleveland and New York City, which all want to be the first to build a one-stop-shopping solution for the health care industry. Cleveland will close Nov. 18 on the land for its $485 million project, and will begin converting tenant “letters of intent” into contracts, MedCityNews.com has been told.

 

Dallas-based developer Market Center Management Co., which plans to build Nashville’s $250 million dismissed the Cleveland project’s letters of intent in August, saying “we are confident that until (Cleveland project developer) MMPI announces leases, not letters of intent from unknown companies, they won’t be breaking ground on a medical trade center in Cleveland,” he said.

 

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/morning_call/2010/11/cleveland-medmart-may-take-a-lead.html

 

I find it funny that Market Center Management would say they doubt we'll break ground when we have dedicated financing for our $465 million project, while their $250 million project does not. 

 

Another thing to keep in mind is that the $250 million FEB project has roughly 40 different financing pieces, even WITH a major tenant and is still short on financing (though not by much at all right now).  I would say "good luck" to Nashville's project, but I'll hold that back.

I find it very interesting that Nashville is planning for 1.5 million sf of permanent showroom space while Cleveland is only planning for 80,000 sf.  Who has it right?  I mean, these numbers aren't even close so it seems like someone screwed up on their market analysis.

We've discussed this before, I believe.  IIRC, the Nashville numbers are based on the entire building which will house the permanent showrooms and the Cleveland numbers are just for specific showroom space.

the 1.5M SF number I thought was the entire Nashville Convention Center not just their show rooms.

I think the trick in the wording is that their will be 1.5 million sf of showroom space available when the big shows come around.... not 1.5 million sf of "permanent showroom space"