^That's an interesting comparison- E4th to Gas Lamp.  I know it's purely a matter of taste, and thus subjective and not a criticism, but I really couldn't get into the Gas Lamp at all- just seemed totally manufactured and blandola.  Like a night life Crocker Park that just happened to use existing buildings instead of new ones.  It's actually been in the back of my mind as something I hoped E. 4th/lower Euclid wouldn't end up like.  I really am not one who laments the departure of "grit" if windows get fixed or litter picked up, etc., but there's just something about those tidy brick sidewalks and immaculately "restored" facades that sort of creeped me out.  And I sort of barf when I see those bike racks with "San Diego Gaslamp"- it's like, OK, I get, it, I know where I am.  I feel that way about those light post things at the end of E. 4th and most other "gateway" signage.  Cheap place-making.

 

And yeah, Wonder Bar is definitely WHD material- I think I hit that one in Boston a few times about 8 years ago soon after it opened.

 

Amen, StrapHanger... I've learned to live with these excesses, and totally applaud MRN for all they've done.  But, yes, I always thought the quaint architecture (don't you love Corner Alley's building?) and narrowness/tightness were enough to give E.4th a totally unique sense of place without all that stuff.  I'd lose the light-standard/entrance things and, probably, the hanging string lights -- a tad to faux Bourbon Street, to me -- and, then, the brick pavers, the bollards and wavy street pattern?... But the bottom line, for me is E.4th such a better place than it used to be, I shrug off these things as minor annoyances ... I love the place!

^That's an interesting comparison- E4th to Gas Lamp.  I know it's purely a matter of taste, and thus subjective and not a criticism, but I really couldn't get into the Gas Lamp at all- just seemed totally manufactured and blandola.  Like a night life Crocker Park that just happened to use existing buildings instead of new ones.  It's actually been in the back of my mind as something I hoped E. 4th/lower Euclid wouldn't end up like.  I really am not one who laments the departure of "grit" if windows get fixed or litter picked up, etc., but there's just something about those tidy brick sidewalks and immaculately "restored" facades that sort of creeped me out.  And I sort of barf when I see those bike racks with "San Diego Gaslamp"- it's like, OK, I get, it, I know where I am.  I feel that way about those light post things at the end of E. 4th and most other "gateway" signage.  Cheap place-making.

 

And yeah, Wonder Bar is definitely WHD material- I think I hit that one in Boston a few times about 8 years ago soon after it opened.

 

Amen, StrapHanger... I've learned to live with these excesses, and totally applaud MRN for all they've done.  But, yes, I always thought the quaint architecture (don't you love Corner Alley's building?) and narrowness/tightness were enough to give E.4th a totally unique sense of place without all that stuff.  I'd lose the light-standard/entrance things and, probably, the hanging string lights -- a tad to faux Bourbon Street, to me -- and, then, the brick pavers, the bollards and wavy street pattern?... But the bottom line, for me is E.4th such a better place than it used to be, I shrug off these things as minor annoyances ... I love the place!

 

TheGaslamp area is overrated and very "segregated".  I would hate for East fourth to all of a sudden have a "pre manufactured/fau" feel to it like san diego does.

 

You mention you wanted to hang lights " a tad bourbon street", ive read quite a few of your post and I usually agree with what you say, but .... copying bourbon street even a "tad", would take away any uniqueness, the street currently has.  Its evolving and changing with each new vendor/retailer.  It's not going to happen over night, but I would suspect that the positive progression from east 4 will spread east up Euclid and Prospect

Some very good news for lower Euclid and East 4th. I love how this helps diversify the neighborhood:

 

THEATER

Bang and Clatter plans to expand into Cleveland

Saturday, February 03, 2007

Karen Sandstrom

Plain Dealer Reporter

The Bang and the Clatter Theatre Company, which started in Akron less than two years ago, will open a second site in Cleveland next year.

 

Construction is expected to begin this summer to convert an old Euclid Avenue storefront east of the former May Company building into a 150-seat theater. The site is owned by MRN Ltd., the company behind the East Fourth Neighborhood redevelopment....

That's great news. I wish I had that story!

That's awesome! I have to imagine that MRN is offering below-standard rents, this being a small theater company... it's nice to see they're willing to be flexible in order to diversify the neighborhood. Now about that bodega... ;)

That's awesome! I have to imagine that MRN is offering below-standard rents, this being a small theater company... it's nice to see they're willing to be flexible in order to diversify the neighborhood. Now about that bodega... ;)

 

In this neighborhood they need a "urban market" something larger with more variety than a bodega.

Is this the little red brick building with the ghostly imprint "Bakers" above the storefront? I saw some work being done on it the other day. I love that building.

^^ Me too. I was thinking it'd make a perfect place to live. But a theater is good, too :)

They said that construction was not supposed to start until summer. I know that the new pizza place (Teresa's?) is supposed to go in one of the storefronts between May Co. and House of Blues.  I assume that is what you say.

Excellent!  I love theater.  It's great, next to HOB, E.4th will have one more large venue for serious live entertainment  (and FFB, around the corner @ Ontario & Prospect ups the ante, too).  And I'm also pumped about plans for a jazz club ... just another example of how smart MRN has been to wards scoping out a wide variety of retail options for E.4th/Gateway... I love the WHD, but MRN's really giving the WHD a serious run for their money.

[but, yes, I always thought the quaint architecture (don't you love Corner Alley's building?)

 

By the way, I should note that the Corner Alley actually occupies the ground floor of three buildings.

^yes, I've noticed... quite a feat, actually.

Some very good news for lower Euclid and East 4th. I love how this helps diversify the neighborhood:

 

THEATER

Bang and Clatter plans to expand into Cleveland

Saturday, February 03, 2007

Karen Sandstrom

Plain Dealer Reporter

The Bang and the Clatter Theatre Company, which started in Akron less than two years ago, will open a second site in Cleveland next year.

 

Construction is expected to begin this summer to convert an old Euclid Avenue storefront east of the former May Company building into a 150-seat theater. The site is owned by MRN Ltd., the company behind the East Fourth Neighborhood redevelopment.

 

 

 

 

That is very good news.

So if NYC has Broadway and Off- Broadway, is this the start of an "Off" Playhouse Square?

Is this the little red brick building with the ghostly imprint "Bakers" above the storefront? I saw some work being done on it the other day. I love that building.

 

The little red brick building immediately adjacent to the May Co. building?  This building has had scaffolding outside of it for a few weeks.  I hope this is the one.

I hope there is something going on in this building the other 357 days of the year.

^Are you kidding?  (if so, i guess i needed an emoticon)

 

8 shows equal about 8 full months of shows with a total 4 months of down time for set-making, etc. throughout the year.  Basically, they'll be making far better use of their venue than the Jake or Cleveland Browns Stadium, for example. 

No, unfortunately I'm just stupid.  That's what I get for posting at 2:00 am.

 

edit: anyway, now I'm happy about this!

Excellent!  I love theater.  It's great, next to HOB, E.4th will have one more large venue for serious live entertainment  (and FFB, around the corner @ Ontario & Prospect ups the ante, too).  And I'm also pumped about plans for a jazz club ... just another example of how smart MRN has been to wards scoping out a wide variety of retail options for E.4th/Gateway... I love the WHD, but MRN's really giving the WHD a serious run for their money.

 

And don't forget the Park Building project.  I few more of these types of projects and ontarior to east 6 could be jumping.

And I'm also pumped about plans for a jazz club ... just another example of how smart MRN has been to wards scoping out a wide variety of retail options for E.4th/Gateway...

 

in all fairness, MRN is not the developer for the building where the jazz club will go. I believe its the only property not owned by the Maron's on E4.

^Has anyone noticed if the developer ever built out and sold condos in the building above where the jazz club will go?  There had been a sign there for a long time advertising condo.

I think that is the future plan.  Nice front windows, but I wonder what the noise would be like at like.  Maybe it can be my bachelor pad in the city (after some more $ appears in my bank account).

I think that is the future plan.  Nice front windows, but I wonder what the noise would be like at like.  Maybe it can be my bachelor pad in the city (after some more $ appears in my bank account).

 

what would the wifey think about that?

^it would be for Mister Good Day and me so that we could watch football, baseball and basketball and drink great lakes beers. that's all. our ladies are two of the NE Ohio's finest!

Oh...so this would be a "he man woman haters club"  lol lol  "no girls allowed"  :mrgreen:

that's basically the point. but girls would be allowed as long as they don't ask irrelevant questions during the game.    :drunk:

that's basically the point. but girls would be allowed as long as they don't ask irrelevant questions during the game.    :drunk:

 

Then there wont ever be girls there!  You know they have to ask a question at important or pivotal point of the game.

Then there wont ever be girls there!  You know they have to ask a question at important or pivotal point of the game.

We do that to seem like we sorta care about what's going on when in reality we're just checking out the tight ends.  :wink:

Then there wont ever be girls there!  You know they have to ask a question at important or pivotal point of the game.

We do that to seem like we sorta care about what's going on when in reality we're just checking out the tight ends.   :wink:

 

My people do the same thing!   8-)

Finally hit up the Corner Alley the other night...Sunday, post-Cavs game and the place was pretty busy.  We had to wait about 20 minutes for a lane at about 8:00 and spent two hours bowling with our group of 7.  I bowled poorly, as usual, but it was fun!  One complaint...apparently, the bowler can't change the channel of the tv above their lane... I had to watch Extreme Home Makeover and NASCAR highlights for about a half-hour!  On the whole, a great time.  My five friends from Philly (staying at the Residence Inn, next door) thought it was pretty rad too.  And they treated, so the dollars were all from out of state!  Just doing my part...

Way to facilitate our net export of entertainment dollars!  Ataboy!

Export? Don't you mean import?

I don't know.  I guess we are exporting entertainment, but importing dollars.  But usually we don't talk about the dollars themselves being exported or imported.  I guess I mistyped.

Way to facilitate our net export of entertainment dollars!  Ataboy!

 

MGD changes name to Map Boy. Next: Ataboy!

Way to facilitate our net export of entertainment dollars!  Ataboy!

 

Ataboy?  I thought it was MapBoy?  :wink:

I think I'm going to change my name.  I'm tired of X, I would like to be:

 

Chargoggagoggmanchauggauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg

 

after a lake in Massachusetts that I have no connection to other than that I like it's name.

Chargoggagoggmanchauggauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg

 

ManGg for short.

Is this the little red brick building with the ghostly imprint "Bakers" above the storefront? I saw some work being done on it the other day. I love that building.

 

I confirmed that Bang & Clatter will be in this building. Cool.

Which building is this?

That would be the "Shoes" building (back before it was restored):

Fantastic!  A nice marquee and an active sidewalk/storefront should do wonders for the transition from Euclid/E. 4th to Public Square.

I don't think it's going to be much of an "active storefront."  Unless you just mean occupied--which is still frikin awesome either way.  Hopefully, there will be more traffic oriented around there.

 

And wow, look at the difference in building fronts since that picture.  Keep rising Cleveland!

Cool.

By "active," I meant a storefront with people going in and out of it.  That, and they'll probably have a window or two and maybe some posters with color and information. 

 

I wouldn't call the Exhibit:Cleveland windows in the May Co. and on E. 4th "active," per se, but they're still wonderful!

What is going in the Sincere building ground floor?

I heard it's going to be a burrito place similar to Chipotle. However, that was a while back and I haven't heard anything recently.

Hmmm...I was thinking that it was the Zocalo Cantina place, but according to the E. 4th website, that's going into the Graves Building.  I'm not sure which one that is.  La Strada is going into the Woolworth Building and Theresa's is going into the WT Grant Building on Euclid.

I heard it's going to be a burrito place similar to Chipotle. However, that was a while back and I haven't heard anything recently.

 

WHAT?! That'd be fantastic!

 

 

From the East Fourth website:

 

MRN Ltd. Welcomes The Bang and The Clatter Theater to Cleveland

 

Cleveland, February 5, 2007—MRN Ltd. and The Bang and The Clatter Theatre

Company (BNC), based in Akron, today announced the curtain going up on a

second location on Euclid Avenue in downtown Cleveland.

 

“We want to enrich the cultural landscape of downtown Cleveland,” said The

Bang and The Clatter Theatre Company co-owner Sean Derry. “East Fourth

Neighborhood is the up and coming entertainment hot spot in Cleveland and is

the perfect place for our company to help raise awareness of locally produced,

professional works.”

 

With its first location at 140 Market Street in Akron, only more than a year old,

BNC is slated to open its new location on Euclid Avenue in January 2008. The

new location, an 8,000 square foot space located in the WT Grant Block in the

old Cole Shoe Building, will seat approximately 150 people, execute eight plays a

year with each play running five to six weeks, and charge $15 per ticket. BNC

will be open seven days a week with a Sunday matinee.

 

“The Bang and Clatter Theatre Company wants to help create an attraction that

makes Clevelanders stay downtown and enjoy nightlife,” said The Bang and The

Clatter Theatre Company co-owner Sean McConaha. “We will offer year round,

not seasonal entertainment.”

 

Using the Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago as its model, BNC will continue its

mission of producing innovative challenging works of exceptional quality and

imagination. The emphasis is on modern American plays never before seen in

Ohio and promoting plays that explore the boundaries of theatrical style.

 

“The Bang and The Clatter Theatre has quickly become one of the preeminent

professional theatre companies in Northeast Ohio,” said Ari Maron, Partner, MRN

Ltd. “We believe this theatre company will not only add to the total urban

entertainment experience of East Fourth Neighborhood, but will also serve as

dedicated community partners for the development of Cleveland’s downtown.”

 

In addition to a full calendar play season, BNC provides classes during the day

for teens and adults and conducts classes off-site at various educational facilities.

BNC also provides a “Pay-As-You-Can” program. BNC wants everyone to have

the opportunity to experience theatre at its finest. The “Pay-As-You-Can”

program allows seniors and students to pay what they can, $1 or $10, to view a

play.

 

The East Fourth Street Project is approximately 410,555 square feet, including

more than 200 residential units and 3,400 parking spaces. MRN LTD is a

commercial real estate development and management firm specializing in office

and residential space. MRN LTD prides itself on being an unyielding proponent

of revitalization and economic development in the City of Cleveland.

I was thinking that it was the Zocalo Cantina place, but according to the E. 4th website, that's going into the Graves Building.  I'm not sure which one that is.

 

I think that Zocalo Cantina is going into the building next to the Sincere Building. 

 

La Strada is going into the Woolworth Building

 

Which one is the Woolworth building?

 

 

So, who knows which one the Graves Building is?