I love Lola! :clap:

 

Friday, January 14, 2005 

 

 

NEWS UPDATE

Posted 11:48 a.m.

 

 

New tenants coming to East 4th Street

 

Two new tenants could boost the on-going transformation of East 4th Street into an entertainment hub.

 

The owner of Lola Bistro, the popular restaurant in Tremont, will open a restaurant in a 5,000-square-foot space on East 4th in the fall.

 

Also, Gameworks, a national chain of video-arcade/bar/restaurant complexes, is negotiating for space on the street

 

I love Lola as well - I just wonder if Symon is opening a new spot or if he's relocating from Tremont?

 

He did get his start in the Caxton Building, just a few blocks east of East 4th.

I can't imagine he is moving.  Last year he redid the entire second floor to house cooking classes.  And over Christmas they were still hopping

Sounds like E. 4th is really starting to take off!  Hopefully this kind of development spreads to the rest of Lower Euclid.  :clap:

^That's why I was wondering... it's great to hear that he's able to expand. If anyone in Cleveland has a following, it's him. It'll be great to have Lola-esque lunches  :-)

say what you will about chains, but its nice to hear that gameworks is in the works (although i've never been to the place)

Hope you don't mind I added a "(Cleveland)" to the subject line since there's an E. 4th in pretty much any city of any consequence.

But only one that actualy matters.

Gameworks will be a huge addition I think.  I've noticed that downtown video arcades are big activity generators.  The best I've seen is a large complex with a cinemaplex, arcade, and bookstore and an indoor mall.  That thing generated mucho activity throughout the evenings for people of all ages.

As long kids don't overrun it, else the grownups will stay away (see Randall Park Mall in the 1990s).

 

Grasscat -- that new tag line at the end of your posting is priceless!

 

I was thinking about adding a tag line too -- "Ohio, the fart of it all."

 

KJP

But only one that actualy matters.

 

E. 4th in Lima is far more impressive.  They have Kewpee's Diner.  Top that.

E. 4th St. was alot better back when it was full of wig shops and jewelry stores.  You've never seen so much uhhh "gold" as you'd see in any ONE of the necklasses for sale there!  Now that's a classy destination.

Geez... there's a lot going on there.  MRN is all right.

wow this sounds great!

I am going to the George Clinton concert tommarow, doing my part to support local business. 

Anyone know where exactly on E.4th these places would go?

The Gameworks will probably go where the Wendy's was.  The article said on the corner fo East 4th and Euclid, and the Cafe something-or-another space wouldn't be big enough.  I would guess that it will have to take up multiple floors- Gameworks tends to be pretty large.

 

Lola isn't that large, it could probably go in just about any of the vacant spaces on East 4th.

Is there room for a casino or two around there?

^I wouldnt think on East 4th but maybe in the vacant May company building or a few others farther up Euclid.

Or on the parking lot at the SE corner of East 4th and Prospect.  That could increase the possibility of the East 4th St. district's vibrancy being extended across Prospect.

I live on E. 4th Street (Windsor Bldg), and my bands playing the HoB. on Wednesday night.  It's a good place becoming better. :-D

Whats the name of your band.

The George Clinton and P Funk concert last night was awesome, I will be going as often as I can at this point.

Whats the name of your band.

 

It's not this band, is it?

strangebrew,

 

can i come?

...all are invited.  We're called "Heater" and we play cover tunes (rock stuff from all different genres...stuff you hear on the radio.  The party's open to the public, and doors open at 9 p.m.  Come up and say hey...we could make it a "urban ohio discussion forum" event!!! 

 

www.heatertheband.netfirms.com

^You know, that might be a great idea for when we have our forum meets (we also get a good turnout from the skyscraperpage.com forum - lot of us overlap there).

 

I checked out your band's site, btw - if you're the guitarist, I'm pretty sure we go to the same health club. Small world...

very cool.  Say hey next time you're down there. 

does anyone else wanna go?

So, Lola (part one) should be closed/closing soon and the new lolita and lola (part two) should be opened by the end of the fall...

 

any other news on openings or tenants on East Fourth?  I walked the block in March and there was LOTS of construction activity, but no specifics on who would be moving in. 

^the wig shoppe?

From the 6/15/05 PD/Cleveland.com:

 

 

Changes are good as Tremont's Lola converts to Lolita

Changes good as Tremont's Lola converts to Lolita

Wednesday, June 15, 2005

John Long

Plain Dealer Columnist

 

Michael and Liz Symon and their new partner Doug Petkovic have a hit with Lolita, their new Mediterranean-themed restaurant that opened last week where big sibling Lola used to be. The one-month makeover keeps a little of the Lola look, but there are major changes, including a salon-style sitting area that is an extension of the bar and stylish straight-backed teak chairs handmade in Bali.

 

More at http://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/entertainment/1118827875312460.xml&coll=2

any word on opening the E. 4th Lola???  I was down there last week and there were still no occupied storefronts...

Don't ask me!  Where's MayDay?

so, about these light poles and "phoenix" statue...I recall the light polls and I believe the statue is the tall, colorful, weird looking thing on the corner of Euclid?  My first reaction is that I like the light poles and dislike the statue.  However, it does draw you in and once the street is kicking on its own, without having to forcibly draw people in, it won't look so strange.  It'll just fade into the background...sorta like it already does at night when the corner is hopping with people going to the HoB and PW&F. 

 

Portland did something similar throughout its Hoyt Street Yards development.  Before buildings were even up or shops inhabited, they dropped these totem poles that were designed by some notable artist.  Everyone was looking at them with very critical and disbelieving eyes...but that was, in part, because they were the only thing to look at.  A few years later, there are mass amounts of people and the buildings and trees have all grown up and I think people (this is me assuming) have just incorporated them into the landscape, since they've been there all along.  Kinda neat how that stuff can happen! 

FYI, Ari Maron of MRN Ltd., the company that's developing E. 4th, said at a public forum a week or two ago that the new LOLA is scheduled to open first quarter 2006.

He also promised to make an announcement about new tenants, either on E. 4th or lower Euclid, in about a month.

hmmm...what could it be???

For the second time in the past few weeks, hints have been dropped that a new entertainment option will occupy the old Wendy's location at Euclid and 4th.  I remember a while ago they mentioned a possible Gameworks.  Both Ronayne and Maron have said that the announcement will happen in the next few weeks.  From how Ronayne phrased it, it looks like it will be the Gameworks.

 

What do you guys think about this type of project?  I have seen them in other cities.  Personally, I like this type of use beacause it diversifies the offerings in that area.  We'll have three different styles of entertainment that will attract different types of people.  House of Blues-Pickwick; Lola's; Gameworks (??). I feel that's important in order to diversify and sustain the area as a successful entertainment draw.

 

If Quicken occupies the old May Co. building and the Wendy's location is filled with 3 floors of fun, lower Euclid will have a much different feel.  I can see families staying downtown after an Indians or Cavs game and taking their kids to Gameworks.  This is not presently an option and thus that contingent heads home to Westlake. 

and all of euclid will be getting a facelift with the ECP....yay

I agree, there also needs to be more "kid" friendly and "teen" stuff and things for teens/adolescences that don't have access to a vehicle but take public transportation and walk and just want something cool to do.  This is the one downfall to Cleveland having all the museums in UC.

 

I would like to point out, these things should be for the citizens of the neighborhood, not just for people who are there because they came to a game.  To me that's an excuse and a cop-out.

 

Build a great neighborhood and people will be attracted to it no matter what!

I would like to point out, these things should be for the citizens of the neighborhood, not just for people who are there because they came to a game.  To me that's an excuse and a cop-out.

 

Build a great neighborhood and people will be attracted to it no matter what!

 

That comment confuses me a bit.  Its an "excuse and cop-out" to bring Gameworks? 

 

I agree that people will be attracted to a great neighborhood.  We need to give them a reason to come down and live there first.  Without amenities, the neighborhood will not grow. I have no problem building entertainment facilities that will keep suburbanites downtown a little longer.  That will help develop the retail etc that can attract new residents.

let me further explain.  the comment isn't directed at you or gameworks.  It's directed at the thought that people will only come downtown if there is an event, play, game, special event.... I believe enhancements should be for the residents, more than for visitors.

 

If downtown was truly planned people would just want to be apart of the activity.  This is why i think that neighborhoods in downtown/near downtown should be developed/enhanced for the people that are urban pioneers and living there.  NOT for visitors, or to say it's designed to make suburbanites safe.

 

Cleveland needs to look at our east coast brethren and European cities and start planning "complete" neighborhoods and a full out Public Relations Strategy.  not half -assed this or that!

 

The main reason for coming and living downtown should be "downtown" period!

 

I'm sorry to rant...i just feel downtown Cleveland is much more vibrant than some people give it credit for being.

Shouldn't your downtown be filled with attractions that you can't get in your neighborhood.  Chicago has the magnificent mile, rush street, the new millenium park etc attractions that tourists, suburbanites and people from surrounding neighborhoods go downtown to enjoy.

 

Maybe I am missing your point, but I think a healthy downtown has if filled with attractions, especially on its main street.

It should have a little of both.  Downtown shouldn't be a theme park for suburbanites and it shouldn't be just another city neighborhood either.

You can't support the amount and specialization of retail and commercial activity necessary to have a "downtown" on just the residents alone.  It is necessary to reach out and bring in the entire metro market.  The point of living downtown is to have the best access to these things that wouldn't be available in a neighborhood that primarily serves it residents.

 

As a downtown resident myself, I can tell you that it's a double-edged sword.  You get to be a part of something much bigger and more exciting and central to the conscious of the region than just a standard neighborhood is.  But you have to realize that means the proceedings don't revolve around the needs of you and your residential neighbors.

Thanks X & Grass, both of your post contain things I was trying to express, at the time I just couldn't find the words to do so.

 

My big mouth failed me!

How about a personal narrative from last night?

 

My girl and I hopped a bus from Ohio City to to go down to Playhouse Square for a performance that started at 8:00.  It let out at 10:00 and the dining/drinking options in the vacinity are somewhat limited at that time of night.  I would love to see more upscale bars/restaurants around there (especially something on the lot across from the theaters on Euclid and 17th!), but I also knew that if I was looking for more options, I could just walk down Huron and be in the Gateway neighborhood in 5 minutes! 

 

So, we did that...and being that we were dressed for the theater, we decided that Gateway was a little too "sporty" for us and we didn't really want to watch Sportscenter through a smokey haze on this particular night (though, most nights, that'd be fine by me!), so, I knew we could just walk another 5 minutes and hit East 4th!

 

So, we did that...and we knew what we'd find...the large entertainment and dining complexes of House of Blues and Picwic & Frolic and a bar or two like Flannery's.  Right now, we only have those choices, but in the months to come, we'll also have others, like Lola.  Now, we still had the luxury of choice going for us last night.  We could choose one of these places, or continue on to the Warehouse District, where we'd find even more options!  Or, we could head back over to Ohio City and get a bite and a drink there...

 

We decided to check out Picwic & Frolic, since neither of us had ever been there.  We were pleasantly surprised by the division of space and the fact that we could sit in a quiet, spacious, attractive dining room with jazz in the background and eat a nice meal with a cocktail.  There was also the option of going downstairs for a performance, but we'd already seen ours for the night, so we ate our meal in relative peace with about 20 other late-night diners.  (They serve food until 1:00am, by the way!)

 

After that, we walked another 5 minutes to Tower City and caught our Red Line train back to the OC...perfect!

 

Now, I know the perspective of a Downtown resident might be different, but no one who lives Downtown right now chose to do so without knowing what the nightlife would be like.  My perspective is that of an inner-city resident who spends his days and evenings Downtown during the week and still likes to hop over the river for some entertainment on a given night.  I think the options right now are quite diverse and attractive and that they'll only get better and more diverse in days/years to come!

 

My girl and I hopped a bus from Ohio City to to go down to Playhouse Square for a performance that started at 8:00.  It let out at 10:00 and the dining/drinking options in the vacinity are somewhat limited at that time of night.  I would love to see more upscale bars/restaurants around there (especially something on the lot across from the theaters on Euclid and 17th!),

 

It's a shame that PSC hasn't done more  in the way of attracting restaurants, lounges and business that would cater to the crowds pre/post events in their complex.

 

I wonder if they have any plans?  I recall reading long ago that they wanted to develop on the chester and Huron.

 

I would be nice to see a housing development and about 10 mid to upscale restaurants in the immediate 2 blocks.

I saw it coming for months.. as soon as House Of Blues opened, the new E. 6th garage was next. All at the same time was the Euclid CP. Now, here it is, 4th quarter of 2005 and I knew it would happen. All those ugly shitty stores lining Euclid between E. 9th and E. 4th are closed, gone, goodbye. There was a handful of stores like that clothing store and that jewelry pawn shop that are now gone. Officially, I see no retail on Euclid between E. 9th and E. 4th on the south side of the road. Of course, you have the old Arcade, 2 hotels, and a CVS, but the real truth here is that a lot of those old, crummy stores were occupying KEY properties. Now that they are gone, the windows and walls are boarded up. I guarantee you that every single parcel is re-modeled and ready to go by the end of 2006. Especially at the corner of Euclid and E. 4th where Wendy's used to be. My goodness, that entire block is literally boarded up and the windows are whited out, meaning something is going on in there... Gameworks in my opinion. Why am I happy to see retail close and vacancy go up? That's not the way it is. Truthfully, these parcels are now ready to get new windows, facelifted, re-modeled and whatnot. The upper floors will house condo's/apartments and the ground levels will most likely house some upscale bars/clubs. That portion of Euclid used to be the ugliest in my opinion. When all is said and done, I will have to say that lower Euclid will become one of the hippest areas.

 

Good news all over from what I saw last night!!!!!!!! :)

the less than a year old Hamilton's at Euclid and E. 14th is a very cool nightclub. It resembles Mercury Lounge on W. 6th. The people were plenty, mostly hipsters in their 30's, so me and group didn't stay too long since we're in our 20's and felt a little out of place. However, being 3 floors, the place had that nice dark lighting on one floor and then a sweet well-lit lounge on the top floor. Very cool place right between the WVIZ building and Playhouse Square. Add Star Restaurant, Otto Moser's, the restaurant next to CSU on Euclid and E. 16th, and the fairly new restaurant on E. 14th across from US Bank, gives you about 5-6 nice places to go in one block's proximity. Next, if you look along Star Plaza, on Huron, you will notice the entire row of buildings has been re-modeled and most now house deli's and other interesting coffee shops and so forth. Add a few bars and restaurants and this area will definately be the next to explode, and it's walking distance from E. 4th. and the rest of Huron... Nice!