Sorry. But I don't want to jinx it. And I don't want the PD, Crain's or anyone else to jump on this first. Sun is beating the PD on the CMHA plan to build the Hope VI development east of East 9th Street on the Waterfront Line, and we're going to try to beat them on this, too.

 

Since I started covering the Cleveland beat, I'm absolutely amazed at all the story tips, press releases and other potential news items I get. I wrote eight articles for this week's paper, and I could've written twice that many, but had to ignore the others. When I covered only the western suburbs, I was lucky to have 3-4 stories a week about new development projects, or updates on ongoing ones. Now, my head is spinning!

 

KJP

good for you!  go little guy media outlet!  i'm just excited to hear that there's more stuff a-brewin' out there!

KJP,

 

Cruel and unusual punishment.  That is aweseome that there is another project brewing out there. Can I sign up for KJP Insider and get the news early?  I am willing to pay $5.95 a month.

Little guy media outlet? Sun is the largest chain of suburban weeklies in the nation! We have 28 papers in Greater Cleveland.

 

Wimwar, If I can't get the developer to go on the record and can't get an article in for next Thursday, drop me a private message.

 

KJP

I'm just going to guess, but I would think it would have to be the warehouse district lot at W6 and St Clair and Marous or possibly Georgalis might be the developer.  Just a guess, maybe a good one. 

Gotribe,

 

West 6th and St. Claire?  There is only one lot at that corner.  But, that lot is mamoth.  How much of that lot would your guess entail?

Wimwar, if you remember, there was a development planned for this lot back in the late 90's that took up almost all of the area.  It was a long 6 to 7 story building (residential) with a parking facility and ground level retail.  It came pretty close to being built, but if I remember correctly, there was a problem with aquiring the lot from the owner.  If something was built here, I would assume it would be lowrise and sprawling.  Almost like urban townhomes. 

KJP,

 

In which Sun will/do your articles appear? All of them?

Little guy media outlet? Sun is the largest chain of suburban weeklies in the nation! We have 28 papers in Greater Cleveland.

 

I knew I was going to get a good response out of this as soon as I hit "post!"  Regardless of your circulation, I still think of Sun as the "little guy" because I would get it once a week and you've got the local police blotter and little "fix it" spots (at least in the Sun Press) where someone wrote a dirty word on a street sign and the residents demand that it be remedied!  I love the Sun Press, though.  I used to get it delivered to me in Brooklyn, NY.  It's just a more community-based paper and has that small-town feel to it.

 

I echo Wimwar in asking where your work will now appear and am also itching to get the scoop from you!  I'll sign a confidentiality statement if you want me to!

My articles appear mostly in the West Side Sun, Brooklyn Sun Journal and the Sun Herald (West Shore), but some can appear in any of them if they are regional in scope.

 

KJP

My other guess for a project for a parking lot would be the lot for the old Petersons Nut and Millenium management on E9 and Carnegie.  Maybe the Jacobs would have some money in that.  Sorry if I'm bugging you with these guesses, but this is kind of intriguing.  This lot would make a nice gateway to the city off of 77 and I believe both places are out of business. 

My guess would be the parking lot next to the Marshall building on W. 9th.  That has been mentioned before.  My hope would be that either the St. Claire/W.6th lot or District Park.  It seems that District Park would definitely help Wolstein get tenants for the East Bank.

Since we're playing this game, I'm going for the lot on Prospect between the Gund and E. 4th.  A little outside of the realm of this thread, but that's my guess, so tough!

Is is Johnson Court? Is it? Is it?

^ That actually is a good guess.  Being that lot is the staging area for Pinnacle for Construction, they might start it when that is done. 

Since we're playing this game, I'm going for the lot on Prospect between the Gund and E. 4th.  A little outside of the realm of this thread, but that's my guess, so tough!

 

Hey, that would be a great lot to develop. 

You guys are getting out of hand. If I knew my teaser was going to have this effect, I wouldn't have teased! Sorry guys! Now I fear it's going to be a letdown....

 

KJP

Is it a new bus stop?

My guess is that its a new hot dog vendor on W. 9th and St. Claire.  That corner really needed one. 

an official E.4 announcement is due this week, but this sounds like something different.

Now you're getting warm! (referring to the hot dog stand)

 

KJP

It's going to the the vacant lot on Public Square right!?  Progressive has finally decided to come downtown and build a skyscraper, taller than Ameritrust Center was going to have been?  I can taste it!

see what you've done KJP?!

It's going to the the vacant lot on Public Square right!?  Progressive has finally decided to come downtown and build a skyscraper, taller than Ameritrust Center was going to have been?  I can taste it!

 

X, you're on to something.  This time, Peter B. Lewis has contracted with Frank Gehry to do a giant hot dog-shaped skyscraper.  He wanted something unique for Cleveland.

As long as its made of individually computer-designed and machine-torqued stainless steel plates I am happy.

X,

 

Gehry has some new cutting-edge software that he's using to forge seemless curved-metal structures.  The new Progressive tower will be lifted into place by the end of the week. 

Just call me Dr. Frankenstein, as I've created a monster I can no longer control....

 

KJP

X,

 

Gehry has some new cutting-edge software that he's using to forge seemless curved-metal structures.  The new Progressive tower will be lifted into place by the end of the week. 

 

Ahhh....must be made of aluminium.  Good to know.

^aluminum?..I've heard that he's now experimenting with vinyl. 

Yes, for the curtain wall.  But the framing is cardboard.  Corragated for rigidity, of course.

Frank is so daring.  He crosses boundaries that other architects would never even consider.

Little guy media outlet? Sun is the largest chain of suburban weeklies in the nation! We have 28 papers in Greater Cleveland.

 

If I have my facts straight, the Sun weeklys are owned by Advance Publications, as is The Plain Dealer.  At the corporate level that is, they have seperate subsidiary companies (Plain Dealer Publishing Co. etc)

 

our beloved Sun papers come out today, correct?  Any updates???

Correct, but the only articles I had this week that might be of interest here are on the Towpath Trail and the reopening of Deaconess as MetroHealth's South Campus (and its impact on Old Brooklyn). That neighborhood could (and should) be more like University Circle, what with the hospital facilities, zoo and high-density housing.

 

Nothing about aluminum hot dog stands yet. I wasn't expecting the article to be done by our weekly deadline -- each Tuesday.

 

KJP

^If someone builds an enormous hotdog shaped building in Cleveland, I'm moving to Mansfield.

Maybe it's not a building at all, could be a tasteful new Claes Oldenburg sculpture for the warehouse district.  A giant hot dog of course.

For whatever reason the Wolsteins are running ads about the "new" flats...  A guy walking along the river with little sketched buildings...  Start of a public relations battle I suppose.  It had a sort of believe in Cleveland tag line.

For whatever reason the Wolsteins are running ads about the "new" flats...  A guy walking along the river with little sketched buildings...  Start of a public relations battle I suppose.  It had a sort of believe in Cleveland tag line.

 

Smart.  bambi marketing 101!  Its get people talking about it.

Surprised no one posted this yet, but here ya go. Bring on the eminent domain!! ;)

 

 

Flats developer hopes to close deals quickly

Wednesday, November 02, 2005

Sarah Hollander

Plain Dealer Reporter

 

Sales offers should reach Flats property owners caught between the status quo and an extensive east bank neighborhood redevelopment plan in a couple weeks. If negotiations fail, the port authority stands ready to step in.

 

The Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority, which will finance the majority of the public investment in the project, voted Tuesday to pursue the properties through eminent domain if necessary.

 

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

This was on MetroNetworks....

 

City Council Frees Money For Flats, East 4th Projects   

11-29-2005 9:09 AM

 

(Cleveland, OH) -- Projects to improve The Flats and the East Fourth Street corridor will move forward. Cleveland City Council approved the release of six-million-dollars to help fund building projects in those neighborhoods. Council members had to rewrite an earlier ordinance that left only two-million-dollars available. Housing and shops will be built on the east bank of The Flats, while a bowling alley is under construction on East Fourth.

 

######

I understand the Flats funding, but why more funding for the bowling alley? 

^I believe that part of the draw of the bowling alley will be the solid gold bowling balls that patrons will use.  For this to happen, the city had to kick in some funds.

Well, we were worried about his preference for his neighborhood over downtown projects.  This is a good sign.

Is it, though?  I know there's a lot of money out there for neighborhood projects from intermediaries like LISC and NPI, but this seems a little odd.  Especially considering that a $200 million-plus transformative project like the Flats East Bank will be getting only $1.5 million more from this move than a bowling alley on E. 4th...what's that all about?  I thought the subsidies were all in for E. 4th already...unless this is somehow tied to historic tax credits or something.  I don't think that a use like a glorified bowling alley should be built if it can't be done on its own...where will a public subsidy fit in with something like this that should only be built if the market will allow it?

 

I know, this is contrary to a lot of what I've said before, but this just strikes me as very odd...

I agree with you about the bowling alley, MGD. I could understand if there were a residential component to the project, but as far as I know it's just a bowling alley. Now, they do seem to be renovating the upper floors of the buildings that the alley will be in -- perhaps there are plans for offices or apartments up there? If that were the case, I'd support the subsidy. If not, I'd say the money would be much better spent elsewhere.

 

I AM quite happy to see the city so solidly supporting Wolstein, though. So far it seems the city is doing everything they can to make this project happen -- from rezoning to financial support.

Folks, the upper floors of the "bowling alley" building (and the buildings immediately east) are indeed being renovated for residential use. That's been part of the plan all along  :-)

Is it, though?  I know there's a lot of money out there for neighborhood projects from intermediaries like LISC and NPI, but this seems a little odd.  Especially considering that a $200 million-plus transformative project like the Flats East Bank will be getting only $1.5 million more from this move than a bowling alley on E. 4th...what's that all about?  I thought the subsidies were all in for E. 4th already...unless this is somehow tied to historic tax credits or something.  I don't think that a use like a glorified bowling alley should be built if it can't be done on its own...where will a public subsidy fit in with something like this that should only be built if the market will allow it?

 

I know, this is contrary to a lot of what I've said before, but this just strikes me as very odd...

 

Micro vs. Macro:  Overall, my point is that this shows an openness to looking at the entire city instead of just looking at the poor neighborhoods. Also, the Flats is getting a whole lot more than just 1.5 mil more. This is funding that is released incrementially.  You never give the developer all the cash up front, you stream it along as the project moves along.

 

I feel that labeling this as just a bowling alley is like calling Jacobs Field just a baseball diamond.  Well, not exactly to that extent, but you get the picture.  I've seen projects like this in Nashville and Memphis. They are huge. Bowling is just a part of it. 

 

Give and take between the city and a developer is all part of the negotiation process. 

I still owe all of you renderings of the bowling alley/housing project. The pics were in the PD about a month ago. I'll see about sending them through later today.

I stand gladly corrected on the bowling alley. Didn't know it had apartments above.

 

Overall, my point is that this shows an openness to looking at the entire city instead of just looking at the poor neighborhoods.

 

True, though this excerpt from the article gives me pause:

"To secure the money for the East Fourth Street and Flats projects, Campbell proposed combining the pots of money, to use on any project anywhere in the city. Jackson opposed the idea because he wanted to keep money for neighborhood development intact. But he said Monday the city should not renege on its promises to Maron and Wolstein."

 

To me, that sounds like Jackson's only releasing the money because it was previously promised. I think there's enough momentum behind some of the downtown projects already proposed to keep them going, but I worry about Jackson's willingness to nurture future proposals.

Blinker,

 

I see what you're saying about Jackson.  Hopefully, that is the Council President Jackson speaking and not Mayor Jackson.