Is this the building that hough bakery was in?  IIRC, there was also a records store and possibly a candy store?

 

I just love all this new inexpensive residential building!!  Go Cleveland.

^Are there going to be residences in the 3 buildings over the bowling lanes?  Are these buildings sufficiently soundproofed against the noise of crashing bowling pins?...  It's really great to see energy return to lower Euclid again.  The Corner Alley may help this street turn the corner, so to speak -- maybe even jump start the languishing 28-story 515 condo tower proposal (any updates)...

All three buildings that have the Corner Alley on the first floor will have residential added to the upper floors. MRN Ltd. is doing the residential component, with Trifecta responsible for the Corner Alley and 4th Street Bar & Grill. Don't know about soundproofing, but this wouldn't be the first bowling alley to have housing above it -- see Parma.

 

By the way, the middle building had Sisser's jewelry in it in 1948 -- I found a photograph showing that. Sisser's is on East 4th now. In later years, the middle building had a Thom McAnn shoe store, and then a pawn shop called Best Deal. I still can't tell what this building's original retailing purpose was when it first went up in 1916. Oh well. I suppose it's a trivial matter...

trivial to anyone but this group!

That's why I was hoping someone here would have the answer. But I can't spend another entire evening searching through photos at Clevelandmemory.com for the answer....

Please forgive me if this is a double but I tried submitting a response a couple of minutes ago and it didn't work.

 

Anyways, those facades above Corner Alley are quite immaculate!  I'm coming home from Chicago this week and begin working downtown with RF+PA next Monday and I'm excited to see what's going on downtown.

 

I have this idea but I have no idea where to place it so here it is...I figured a lot of you will be reading this thread during the next few days so it's a good place to have everyone read it

 

 

The glorious day that respectable shopping returns to downtown, this should be one of the main anchors! (come on LBJ, you've got to be able to pull some strings with Nike and land a Niketown here...)

 

Downtown needs stores that one can't find at Crocker Park, South Park, or Beachwood.  Sure there should and will be some repeats but those should be infill.  We need unique stores to the metro area, state and even region if we want downtown shopping to thrive as it once did.  Galeries Lafayette's flagship store in Paris is comprised of three buildings.  Galeries Lafayette houses Women's, Young Adults, Childrens, Electronics, etc.; Lafayette Homme and Lafayette Gourment are in the 2nd building where you guessed it, Men's and a grocery store that should be in the Louvre are located; and Lafayette Maison is the home store.  We could use that similar concept here with a home store.  Branding Galeries Lafayette with a local name should appeal to those in Cleveland-especially the elders who complain about the poor state of the city when they're part of the reason it's the way it is-or more appropriately, the way they perceive it to be...

 

C+A is another European department store that is more affordable-like JCP-but much trendier-like H+M.  Sure the closest Bloomingdale's is in Chicago, followed by Philly but let's not get ahead of ourselves.  Anyways, let me know what you think and if this could ever happen.  There's a GL in Berlin but aside from that , they're all in the motherland, France.

AHH! I had a logo for Higbee's-Lafayette but the upload folder is full!  Can anyone help me out?  it's a very small file size, too

[/img]

Please forgive me if this is a double but I tried submitting a response a couple of minutes ago and it didn't work.

 

Anyways, those facades above Corner Alley are quite immaculate!  I'm coming home from Chicago this week and begin working downtown with RF+PA next Monday and I'm excited to see what's going on downtown.

 

I have this idea but I have no idea where to place it so here it is...I figured a lot of you will be reading this thread during the next few days so it's a good place to have everyone read it

 

 

The glorious day that respectable shopping returns to downtown, this should be one of the main anchors! (come on LBJ, you've got to be able to pull some strings with Nike and land a Niketown here...)

 

Downtown needs stores that one can't find at Crocker Park, South Park, or Beachwood.  Sure there should and will be some repeats but those should be infill.  We need unique stores to the metro area, state and even region if we want downtown shopping to thrive as it once did.  Galeries Lafayette's flagship store in Paris is comprised of three buildings.  Galeries Lafayette houses Women's, Young Adults, Childrens, Electronics, etc.; Lafayette Homme and Lafayette Gourment are in the 2nd building where you guessed it, Men's and a grocery store that should be in the Louvre are located; and Lafayette Maison is the home store.  We could use that similar concept here with a home store.  Branding Galeries Lafayette with a local name should appeal to those in Cleveland-especially the elders who complain about the poor state of the city when they're part of the reason it's the way it is-or more appropriately, the way they perceive it to be...

 

C+A is another European department store that is more affordable-like JCP-but much trendier-like H+M.  Sure the closest Bloomingdale's is in Chicago, followed by Philly but let's not get ahead of ourselves.  Anyways, let me know what you think and if this could ever happen.  There's a GL in Berlin but aside from that , they're all in the motherland, France.

 

This one is TOO easy!

 

GL was laughed out of NYC and if it can't be successful in NYC, it can't be successful anywhere in the States.  The quality of goods is subpar for the price paid.  Besides, what high quality unique department store has a mickey d's in it???

 

The "mens" store is full of crap! in a city like paris on those with no style would shop in a store like GL!

 

How dare you sugget this....what do you think we are, westsiders??  The nerve.

 

The Fashionisto has spoken!

 

....that's all

I was thinking the same thing about Niketown that would be cool and hopefully it would have an indoor basketball court like the one in Chicago used to have. I believe stark said in a speech or interview that Bloomingdale's said they would come to the warehouse district with the right tenants.

:? MyTwoSense, I seem to be confused.  Cleveland, in general, is too humble when it comes to giving itself the respect and attention is deserves but honestly, someone better call Frommers and tell them about the east side because they may be missing an important piece of shopping information.  Give me a break...Cool west side joke, too.

 

Let's not use NYC as the almighty example of what to do or not to do in a city.  Each situation in every city must be treated differently and NYC is not an appropriate datum in every circumstance. 

 

I suggested GL because we all know that another Macy's isn't appropriate right now.  I agree, GL is overpriced, especially when they sell 80 Euro Arrow shirts.  There would obviously have to be an adjustment in prices and merchandise.  Lafayette Maison is pretty amazing and there is no other place like it in the city.  CB2 would be nice too but since they are only located in Chicago, I guess we couldn't have that either.  Yeah, I don't like McDonald's but there are also places to get food that blow Cafe Nordstrom out of the water.  Where is that McDonald's located, too?  I don't remember seeing it.  This was just an idea for something new and fresh to the city and even the region/country.  God forbid we dream a little in Cleveland.  If money wasn't an issue, wouldn't most people prefer to shop in a boutique?  I just don't see Armani, D+G, RL, LV and friends lining up to lease spaces along Euclid. 

 

GL was one idea.  Bloomingdale's would be cool, too.  I thought pairing an old Cleveland dept. store name with something fresh might be a good branding technique.

 

I don't intend for this to get carried away but again, it was just a suggestion that I believe could work.  The French-American Chamber of Commerce-Northern Ohio Chapter has grown from 1 member a year ago to over 75-as of July '06.  I thought it might be a good project for the organization to undertake.

 

Filene's must have added some milk to that shake...  :roll:

 

Hope to see everyone on the 23rd!

:? MyTwoSense, I seem to be confused.  Cleveland, in general, is too humble when it comes to giving itself the respect and attention is deserves but honestly, someone better call Frommers and tell them about the east side because they may be missing an important piece of shopping information.  Give me a break...Cool west side joke, too.

 

Let's not use NYC as the almighty example of what to do or not to do in a city.  Each situation in every city must be treated differently and NYC is not an appropriate datum in every circumstance. 

 

I suggested GL because we all know that another Macy's isn't appropriate right now.  I agree, GL is overpriced, especially when they sell 80 Euro Arrow shirts.  There would obviously have to be an adjustment in prices and merchandise.  Lafayette Maison is pretty amazing and there is no other place like it in the city.  CB2 would be nice too but since they are only located in Chicago, I guess we couldn't have that either.  Yeah, I don't like McDonald's but there are also places to get food that blow Cafe Nordstrom out of the water.  Where is that McDonald's located, too?  I don't remember seeing it.  This was just an idea for something new and fresh to the city and even the region/country.  God forbid we dream a little in Cleveland.  If money wasn't an issue, wouldn't most people prefer to shop in a boutique?  I just don't see Armani, D+G, RL, LV and friends lining up to lease spaces along Euclid. 

 

GL was one idea.  Bloomingdale's would be cool, too.  I thought pairing an old Cleveland dept. store name with something fresh might be a good branding technique.

 

I don't intend for this to get carried away but again, it was just a suggestion that I believe could work.  The French-American Chamber of Commerce-Northern Ohio Chapter has grown from 1 member a year ago to over 75-as of July '06.  I thought it might be a good project for the organization to undertake.

 

Filene's must have added some milk to that shake...   :roll:

 

Hope to see everyone on the 23rd!

 

In this example you must use NYC, as Trump wanted that store and it was the ONLY location outside of France.  It failed and was replaced by Niketown.  It has nothing to do with Cleveland or comparing Cleveland to NYC.  GL just plain sucks!  McDonalds is on the 6/7 floor of the Paris store.  GL, to me its the French Version of Loehmann's

 

yes there is a needs want for specialty retail in the city, but we don't have anyone, with the knowledge, to go after it,

 

With the thousand or so home to go on the market in the next year in downtown, there should be talk of those stores returning to Euclid/Huron/Prospect.

 

But for the time being Cleveland will only be able to go after the macy's, bloomies, nordstorms etc. and other stores you can find in any other city.  By the way you go to a department store to shop, not eat, no department store (sans Harvey Nick's) has a decent restaurant.  Not Barneys, Bergdorg, Neimans, Harrods, Nordstrom, SAKS...etc...etc....

 

Its the European Designers that are the problem, our fashion scene isn't big enough.  Nor does cleveland have the celebrity status quo to bring them.

 

Personally, I'm not a macy's shopper, but I think a FLAGSHIP Macy's downtown would be a good fit.  Emporio Armani, Ralph Lauren would do well in the Cleveland Market.

 

An-tee-way....

Well the Walnut Room at Marshall Field's/Macy's on State isn't a 5 star restaurant, but a decent restaurant, probably.  And there's probably a few more out there...

 

Let's forget I mentioned GL because you seem to have some animosity toward the store for some reason.  Pretend I said "Higbee's-Dept. Store X".  Anyway, regarding GL and Macy's, these stores are the economical equivalent for the respective cities in which their flagship stores are located, right?  One who shops at the Macy's in Herald's Sq. might find a Parisian counterpart who shops at GL on Blvd. Haussmann, right?  Maybe that's why it wasn't successful in NYC.  Maybe the draw wasn't big enough to lure people to this new store.  I really don't know why it didn't work.  If the Macy's at Parmatown is different than the Macy's in Herald's Square, what makes you think that a GL in Cleveland wouldn't be an altered form of the GL in Paris?  The original idea behind creating a "Higbee's-Lafayette", for example, was to brand this respected company with a name familiar to the locals.  Nothing more, nothing less.  This would be a mid-upper range store that could suit the needs of the people living nearby.  I think that the area's umpteenth "Macy's" wouldn't create the energy to attract a substantial amount of shoppers--flagship or not.  While the merchandise and pricing might be similar, the intangible qualities of labeling something as Higbee's or Halle's might achieve something that "Macy's" can't.  Just an idea.

 

I'm not a huge fan of Macy's and I think it'd be great to have some other, higher end stores downtown but I thought something that is somewhere in the middle would be a good way solidify the retail base.

 

I really don't have stock in GL and I don't mean to defend it like my little brother or something but honestly...

Seeing that GL caters to a wider spectrum of people than Le Bon Marche, Saks, or Harvey Nichols, maybe that's why a McD's is located one floor below the Children's floor.  Makes some sense. Also, why does GL "suck"?  Have you had bad service?  Do you just not like the merchandise?  Is there too much merchandise on the floor like Macy's (I agree with that)?  Maybe you don't like the fact that there are about a dozen restaurant/bar/cafe choices in the GL complex since you say that dept. stores are meant solely for shopping...Don't just say it sucks and not give reasons.  I just want to know your reasons for not liking GL. 

 

Until the day the Stark announces something-or anyone for that matter-all we can do is dream of the scene in Christmas Story... :wink:  Christmas shopping in downtown Cleveland...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back to Corner Alley - some pics from today (Dec. 12th):

 

New awnings and signage:

 

 

It was quite busy with the lunch crowd:

 

No one bowling except for this guy - but again, most people were on their lunch hour:

^i saw you today, but I was on the phone, and you've already had your share of pope for the month.

Love the awnings!  Looks like the ones on E. 4th are retractable?  Are those for future outdoor seating? 

 

I'd think that the success of this place will be dependent on whether they can keep those lanes active.  Otherwise, it'll be a big waste o' space!  I don't foresee that being a problem, but we'll see!  Obviously, lunch is a different sort of crowd than night-time.

 

Do we know the hours yet?

Wow..Nice, I can remember when that was Wendy's!

Very nice looking

I have the Corner Alley's hours in my notes at the office, and will appear in an article I wrote for Sun this week. But I'll give it a try from memory....

 

Opens daily at 11:30 a.m. Closes at 1 a.m. Monday through Wednesday, 2:30 a.m. Thursday through Saturday, and midnight on Sunday.

 

We'll see if I'm right!

My buddy and I hung out on E.4 last night and we had a blast. The thing that's neat about it is, you can eat affordably at Flannery's then walk down to the House of Blues and get a somewhat affordable beer. There are people all over. The lighting is perfect. I love it down there! I actually prefer E.4 to the WHD. It's more my speed. However, I think that the combination of both "entertainment" areas is just so great.

 

And btw, we walked by Lola at night and holy hell, that looked AMAZING! We were not dressed to go inside (or afford anything), but that place looks stunning. I can't wait to go in there. Wow, looks like a masterpiece!

I love it down there! I actually prefer E.4 to the WHD. It's more my speed. However, I think that the combination of both "entertainment" areas is just so great.

 

I was kind of thinking the same thing... Not that I want to pit these 2 great nabes against each other -- I love them both -- but I wonder if the growth of E.4th/Gateway will somewhat be at the expense of the WHD.  Hopefully not.  They both offer different things.  And WHD, at the moment, has a ton more housing... But Gateway has its advantages: now, there is more of a diversity of things to do, esp w/ Corner Alley; it has hotels; less surface parking gaps and is in the traditional (as of the 20th Century) biz core.

Love the awnings!  Looks like the ones on E. 4th are retractable?  Are those for future outdoor seating? 

 

 

If you look at the Trifecta schematic, the answer is 'yes', although it seems the artist's rendering has things turned around with the awnings outdoor along E.4th rather than Euclid, where I believe they'll be, ultimately.  It looks like The Wendy's Building is on the wrong end -- but, again, this is an artist's rendering, and Trifecta, don't forget, though partnering with (wonderful) MRN, is based in Cali, not Cleveland.

http://www.trifecta-mg.com/

actually, it looks like the rendering is correct.  The standard awnings are just outlined along Euclid, not colored in, but the retractable ones over sidewalk seating stretch along E. 4th.  I hadn't seen (or noticed) that image before...very nice!

speaking of E. 4th, I ran across X last night. He is alive.

I wondered what happened to him.... What did happen to him?

If memory serves correctly, its connectivity issues at his apartment.

Saw some people bowling on their lunch hour today.

bowling on lunch hour? and you can watch from the street? hilarious. beyond awesome.

 

mayday thanks for the pics the place looks really sharp. cant wait to see it in person.

Speaking of me,  I'm back.  My computer went "kablooy".  So I got an old one to get by for awhile.

Welcome back. I was wondering what happened to ya.

I can't wait to see this place live and in action!

^Last night the place was packed. We ended up not actually bowling because there was a three hour wait. The restaurant and bar were packed as were the bowling lanes and it looked really cool from Euclid Avnue. Downtown is gonna be great once all these projects get completed and they decide to run the "trolleys" on weekend nights/late nights.

"We ended up not actually bowling because there was a three hour wait."

 

A three hour wait? That's awesome - who'da thunk? :clap:

I went as well last night.  Great time, cool place.

love it

 

 

Smart move by MRN.  The positive buzz Corner Alley is generating -- in downtown; for downtown -- is simply awesome.

Smart move by MRN.  The positive buzz Corner Alley is generating -- in downtown; for downtown -- is simply awesome.

 

No...smart move by RTA, I think they are finally learning that they need to partner in every damn project in order to get more people on busses and trains.  As more people repopulate downtown, the city's established barrios and emerging neighborhoods  - the places where people want to be and have easy/accessible public transportation at their "fingertips". 

 

In addition, this might break RTA (and other cleveland business) out of its (their) enabler MOO.  I predict several up and coming projects will take a good look at the marketing plan, the avenue district used to partner with downtown businesses, since its a "win-win" for the residents of (the avenue district and ) downtown cleveland as well as the business (current and to come) that serve said residents.

^MOO?

^MOO?

method of operation.

^wrong, MyTwoSense; I was correct, as stated, MRN/Trifecta "sponsored" this RTA Trolley service as indicated in RTA's own press release, to wit: http://www.gcrta.org/nu_newsroom_releases.asp?listingid=981

 

Come on MTS, you mean you actually think RTA under JoeC would actually do something for the betterment of the community on its own volition, esp downtown!!??   :roll: What have you been smokin' dude?  ... cause whatever it is, send me some...

 

^wrong, MyTwoSense; I was correct, as stated, MRN/Trifecta "sponsored" this RTA Trolley service as indicated in RTA's own press release, to wit: http://www.gcrta.org/nu_newsroom_releases.asp?listingid=981

 

Come on MTS, you mean you actually think RTA under JoeC would actually do something for the betterment of the community on its own volition, esp downtown!!??   :roll: What have you been smokin' dude?  ... cause whatever it is, send me some...

 

I'm not debating who sent out the press release or that MRN/Trifects "sponsored" the trolly.  I'm saying that its "good" for RTAs image.

 

 

FIRST BITES

 

Not totally bowled over at sleek new Corner Alley

 

Wednesday, December 27, 2006

 

Bosses beware. Your downtown employees might be seduced into playing hooky at a new place called the Corner Alley, Euclid Avenue and East Fourth Street. Don't let them give you the excuse that service was slow - which, actually, it was for us, a painful thing at lunch. They might come back to work late because this Art Deco-lite restaurant and bar comes with 16 sleek bowling alleys. Watching the action can be as much fun as playing....

 

You'll find more extensive reviews of other area restaurants in The Plain Dealer's Friday! magazine.

 

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:

 

[email protected], 216-999-4357

 

I finally got down to E. 4th on a weekend; Saturday early evening -- Stuck our heads in Corner Alley for light dinner/look around.  It's very impressive and alive with hordes of folks (wait list for a lane was over an hour).. Is it me, or is 4th Street buzzing like never before?  Prior to Corner Alley, it always seemed there was just a small trickle of a couple pedestrians walking up and down E. 4th.  Now there are several clusters of them; at one point, even a small crowd.  And now customers are actually outnumbering panhandlers routinely.  There was even a Cleveland Cop stationed mid-block.  I'm beginning to think Gateway -- particularly E. 4th -- is seriously challenging the Warehouse District; or at least, putting some dent in it.

 

... Is all this sparked by Corner Alley or just a coincidence given the holiday and the unseasonably warm winter weather we've been having?

I hate to give this answer: but it's likely a combination. I was downtown for the holiday lighting ceremony. We stayed for a couple hours afterwards, and there were good crowds in the Arcade and on East 4th (prior to the Corner Alley's opening). I'm sure a factor in the size of the lingering crowds we saw was the 50+ degree weather, too.

 

My only concern is that downtown's population hasn't grown enough to have more than one MAJOR nightlife district be successful at one time. We saw the Flats fade when the Warehouse District emerged. Will the Warehouse District fade as East 4th keeps adding venues. But I think the difference is that the Warehouse District has more housing, office and hotel (nearby) uses than the Flats East Bank ever did. Same goes for East 4th. It can draw from daytime and nighttime populations, as well as visitors.

 

Like the Corner Alley's partner said in an article I wrote, East 4th is getting pretty close to its critical mass, and it's showing.

I don't think the Warehouse district will fade as E. 4th thrives. First due to the massive amounts of development planned for the area and the East bank of the Flats. Second E. 4th has restaurants, a bowling alley, a concert club, and one or two clubs where the Warehouse district has many clubs and some restaurants. I think there is some overlap, but overall they serve two different crowds.

Having an establishment like an upscale, busy, bowling alley was probably the best thing that could have happened to a development like E4th (or warehouse district if it would have happened there).  Having to wait an hour for a lane is probably a godsend to the other bars/establishments in the area.  This helps create the roves of revellers bouncing from place to place waiting to get in some good bowling.  This makes me :).  Happy new year!

 

PS-I love the idea of destination bowling!

The Sincere Building has gotten ground floor windows!  Happy day on East 4th!

The Sincere Building has gotten ground floor windows!  Happy day on East 4th!

 

jeez, and to think that only three years ago to this day, I spent new years in one of the condos up there.

The Sincere Building has gotten ground floor windows!  Happy day on East 4th!

 

Its the little things that make us happy here.  I'll have to stop by at lunch and take a look.

In the end, I think the WHD and Gateway/4th are drawing more neighborhood/suburbanites back downtown again as well as opening more residential vistas, esp in/around 4th street.  But as good as the one-block of 4th seems to be nearing critical mass, the area around has quite a ways to go.  There are still lots of abandoned old buildings on Prospect, like the 3-building group I'll call the Goldfish Block staring back at Flannery's booth sitters, which screams for apartment/condo conversion and street-level retail...

 

Then there's 515 Euclid.  I sure hope this thing gets going.  There's a spiffy new parking deck w/ ground level retail space -- much of it attractive, some multilevel -- that sits empty.  All a biz needs to do is bring in furniture and hang pictures; way short of the tedious retrofits we're (thankfully) seeing in the old buildings across the street.  The announcement of the proposed 28-story condo tower atop 515 would send E. 4th -- indeed all of Gateway, and much of downtown, in to the stratosphere... I'd like to think the buzz Corner Alley is creating can only bring things to a boil.

 

I'm hoping all of this -- plus finally getting all that ECP construction crap out of there (including omnipresent ped re-routing orange plastic mesh, pylons and port-a-potty's) may, w/in the next 5 years, finally bring some major retailer into May Company's old space and finally create a bridge to Ontario (on Prospect) and Public Square (on Euclid).