Just the housing costs. What it costs to live in a particular sized unit in a particular location. If I'm living downtown in a similar-sized housing unit with similar conditions and amenities to what I have, I would expect to pay a lot more than what I'm paying now for where I live. Yes, even double. The fact I would be paying the same or less in housing costs if I moved downtown does not make sense to me.

 

Then again, I have 24 hours restaurants, drug stores and grocery stores nearby my home in Lakewood.... So if some crazy, deep-pocketed entrepreneur builds or rebuilds a high-rise in downtown (or in UC -- to keep this on topic!) where monthly rents are $1,400 for a 1,000-square-foot unit, there is a 24-hour grocery with a drug store included and it's next to a 24-hour restaurant on the building's ground floor, I would think it would do well. I know I would look at moving there!

So, what is going on with Uptown?

So, what is going on with Uptown?

 

Recent picture:

http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php/topic,11359.msg581131.html#msg581131

They started putting the siding up this morning  :clap:

 

Weird to say this, but I've actually grown attached to that blue color insulation and I'm going to miss it!

 

My humble opinion, our city buildings and infrastructure are somewhat lacking in bold, vibrant colors.

I agree. I like the blue as well. Too much gray in this town.

Wow! Thanks for the picture!

They've added a couple panels on the facing Euclid Ave as well.  I'm guessing those were the test panels because they went on before these ones on the end.

Sasa's Scott Kim to open pan-Asian Accent restaurant in University Circle's Uptown project

Published: Tuesday, October 18, 2011, 12:30 PM 

Joe Crea, The Plain Dealer By Joe Crea, The Plain Dealer

 

Its merging of Asian and Western sensibilities marks Sasa as one of Cleveland's most imaginative restaurants. If Scott Kim's Shaker Square izakaya, or pub, is any measure, adventurous diners should be looking forward to the chef's next innovation.

 

That will come in the spring, when Accent is expected to open in the Uptown project in University Circle. He'll join Jonathon Sawyer (Greenhouse Tavern, Noodlecat), who is toying with an Italian-inspired menu at another space in the project. ABC the Tavern, a popular spot on West 25th Street in Cleveland's Ohio City neighborhood, has agreed to open a second location there. And Constantino's Market, Panera Bread, Chipotle and Jimmy John's have all signed on, too.

 

Kim saw an opportunity to present a different aspect of Eastern cuisine at Uptown.

 

"This will be a pan-Asian menu, and I will bring in Korean and Chinese and Japanese -- and Western, American -- flavors," says Kim.

 

http://www.cleveland.com/dining/index.ssf/2011/10/sasas_scott_kim_to_open_pan-as.html

^ My favorite paragraph.

 

That will come in the spring, when Accent is expected to open in the Uptown project in University Circle. He'll join Jonathon Sawyer (Greenhouse Tavern, Noodlecat), who is toying with an Italian-inspired menu at another space in the project. ABC the Tavern, a popular spot on West 25th Street in Cleveland's Ohio City neighborhood, has agreed to open a second location there. And Constantino's Market, Panera Bread, Chipotle and Jimmy John's have all signed on, too.

^That's a lot of food.  OK, I know there is additional retail to come in other phases (and there is currently a barnes and noble and Verizon) but how about a better mix...a dry cleaner, drug store, clothing boutique...hell even a few unique national chains that cater to college kids.

 

Hopefully that is to come to make it a real neighborhood with all the new housing options.  Don't want it to go in the direction of the Banks in Cincy, which to date seems to be only signing up restaurants and bars in its retail space.

Not so sure a dry cleaner or botique store could make the rent at this development, which I imagine is goihng to be a pretty penny.... at least to start.

I'm curious what the retail rents are going to be.  Anybody have a clue?  I know most landlords throughout Cuyahoga County are cutting deals and even renegotiating leases and reducing lease rates (even though they have not obligation to do so...but working with tenants rather than see them go out of business).

 

For example, when that strip was built at 91 and Chagrin, they were asking 22-24 a square foot.  It stood empty for almost two years until they reduced rents to the upper teens.

 

I am also aware of a very successful east side restaurant which opened a second location on the west side which was not doing nearly as well as their east side shop (in fact the owners said if they had to do it all over again they would not have expanded in hind sight), and the landlord cut their rent substantially as a result (a large national landlord not in the habit of doing so in the past as far as I am aware).

Not sure about rents, but I can easily see them being mid $20s.  Chains like Chipotle and Jimmy Johns should definitely have enough business to afford that.  Dry cleaners, not so much. 

 

Now if I can only figure out what successful east business opened west....

^Again, I don't have a clue, but mid 20's sounds high.  If a Chipolte or Jimmy John's can afford that kind of rent it is because their footprint is so small, less than 1,500 square feet.  Don't rely so much on a large dinning room since they do significant take out and also, here, will have the large out door space in the courtyard (if they are on that side of Euclid.

The Melting Pot and Original Pancake House are successful east side restaurants that have opened west locations in the past year or two.

will the chipotle and jimmy johns cannibalize the coventry locations or can the people of cleveland heights sustain if the student population goes to UARD?

I don't think Coventry has anything to worry about at all.  The line is always wrapped around the store at Chipotle. 

Why do we constantly (example East 4th and The Warehouse District) talk about cannibalization?

 

There is more than enough to go around.

 

^I agree. I have a feeling that the success of the places opening in uptown, and continued success of Coventry/little Italy will show how much Inner city Cleveland has been underserved.

^I agree. I have a feeling that the success of the places opening in uptown, and continued success of Coventry/little Italy will show how much Inner city Cleveland has been underserved.

Exactly.  That means there will connected areas:

• from Coventry down mayfield to LI into UC.
  
• From Cedar-Taylor to Cedar-Lee to Cedar-Fairmont into UC
  
• From Shaker Square to Larchmere into UC.  Granted that's a stretch due to the large residential neighborhood and geography.
  

But it gives us folks in the city proper options.

^Plus I don't get why some forumers think those spots would need to rely just on just the student population to sustain these spots. There are plenty of people in Glenville, Hough, Fairfax and East Cleveland that like Chipotle and Jimmy Johns just as much as Case students.

^Oh boy...a hot new debate topic...this could quite possibly go on for pages.

 

What % of people from those neighborhoods do you think are going to patronize Uptown?  I think it will be negligible, especially a Jimmy Johns or Chipolte. 

I lived in Glenville and go all over the city of Cleveland for restaurants, etc. I was in uptown area at least twice a month, sometimes more. 

^Oh boy...a hot new debate topic...this could quite possibly go on for pages.

 

What % of people from those neighborhoods do you think are going to patronize Uptown?  I think it will be negligible, especially a Jimmy Johns or Chipolte. 

 

Remember there are other options going in as well. Far more than some people think.  My grand parents, Aunts/Uncles/Cousins live in the Glenville/Wade Park area and they have only a few dining options in comparison to Coventry, LI, Cedar-Lee, Cedar-Fairmont & Shaker Square.

 

For them this presents an opportunity to spend in their neighborhood not elsewhere in Cleveland.  There are quite a few people with money there and lots of young families returning to the area.

 

Hell I'm a huge table 45 junkie!  My grandmother and Aunts love L'Albatros.  There are plenty of people that would embrace this.

^Oh boy...a hot new debate topic...this could quite possibly go on for pages.

 

What % of people from those neighborhoods do you think are going to patronize Uptown?  I think it will be negligible, especially a Jimmy Johns or Chipolte. 

 

Not exactly sure. I would think the demo for Chipotle and Jimmy Johns skews younger. It's not like either restaurant is terribly expensive and the other options in the Fairfax, Hough, Glenville and East Cleveland area outside of The Mayfield/Euclid intersections are greasy spoon establishements( B&Ms, Hot Sauce Williams) or fast food establishements (Mc Donalds, Rallys, Popeye's) who all have meals available for the same price if not more than Chipotle or JJs.

 

If residents in this area want things for other places they have to travel far. I think it will be a hit amongst residents in the greater area, not to mention the people who also work in or near this area during lunch.

^Plus I don't get why some forumers think those spots would need to rely just on just the student population to sustain these spots. There are plenty of people in Glenville, Hough, Fairfax and East Cleveland that like Chipotle and Jimmy Johns just as much as Case students.

 

And also the trillions of people that work at UH and the Clinic.

Some update pics (apologize for the blurry quality and rainy night) from Wednesday ...

 

 

I think that is the actual final covering in the last picture.  I walked by yesterday and saw those panels up.  If someone with more building knowledge could take a look and see or get a better picture that would be cool. It looked like corrugated plastic to me.

It rained yesterday??

^^^when occupied, those apartments will look very cool at night. As will the retail spaces.

most beautiful sight of Cleveland these days is right at Euclid and Mayfield

I prefer the view from E115th and Euclid

I prefer the view from E115th and Euclid

 

Me too. And to compare it with 2008:

 

 

 

 

And then to this recent photo by MayDay.....

 

:strong:

Wow!!

Yeah, the blue's pretty cool, esp if you take the manufacturer's label off... Kinda reminds me of the Mt. Sinai Hospital's annex which had a funky purple thing going on... before it an the hospital were demolished a few years back.

What's the timetable for the Marriott Courtyard Hotel?  I haven't heard anything about it lately or seen that ground has been broken or any progress been made.  What's going on with this part of the UC Uptown project?

^I've heard that they're planning to break ground before the end of the year.

^I hope the significant delay on this project was due to the fact that they went back to the drawing board to come up with a better design....but I guess I know better.

^I hope the significant delay on this project was due to the fact that they went back to the drawing board to come up with a better design....but I guess I know better.

 

Yes I was hoping the same thing, but if remember right everything was approved after only some minor modifications, which didnt do much to help its appearance.  We shall see I guess.

If I remember correctly, the design got worse

Silly question, but how could that be possible? The proposal was already so generic looking

Just a refresher, from Cleveland.com, here was the original design they shared: http://media.cleveland.com/business_impact/photo/courtyard-marriott-university-circlejpg-cf250a3755c24e81.jpg

 

And here is the revised plan that I think was ultimately approved: http://media.cleveland.com/architecture/photo/univhotel-view1-101104-fjpg-31bcdeca66f34e38.jpg

 

The only differences I can spot are the brick color (beige to red) and the addition of some horizontal elements to the corner "tower" thing.  It's not great, but not quite as blah as I remembered.  Should add some nice street life to the area after working hours.

The "design" didn't really change, just the materials. I personally think it became a little more bearable.. They emphasized the horizontal a bit more, and then setback the vents that were on the main "brick" facade. Plus they switched the scale on the darker bricks from a CMU-size grid-like thing (that didn't even line up with the windows), to a black brick which is probably just glazed.

 

I dont know... Its not going to be on the cover of a magazine or anything, but trust me it could be a lot worse.

 

Thanks for the images StrapHanger.

Considering the proposed location and brand, I don't see how anyone could expect anything more than bleh...

Thanks for the refresher.

Although it will do nothing to enhance, compliment or even contrast in a good way MOCA.

Oh well. Like you said. It could be worse (said in a typical Cleveland accent  )

^^The brand was part of the disappointment.  I guess the string of recent projects and my selfish desire for a nifty place to stay in that area got the better of me when this was first announced. I agree with you now though.  I still fantasize about a slightly sexier hotel as a future phase of Uptown but that never seemed to be in the cards.  Maybe on one of UH's front lawn parcels someday.

 

Anyway, have more facade panels been revealed since those last photos or was that indeed just a little test patch?  Really curious to see how this is going to look when all the blue is gone.  I'm also really interested to see how they redo the ground floor of the Triangle building that will form the south side of the dining alley.  Can't wait to see it race towards the finish line.

Okay I was wrong. It did improve a bit.

^^ I rode by on my bike the other day and took a close look at the panels.  Me no likey.  They are small, very closely lined (accordian style) panels (almost like the side of a file gusset).  Some have the lines vertical, while others have horizontal lines.  Personally, I find this kind of design dizzying to look at.  Anyone ever stared at the walls in the courtrooms of the justice center?  Sort of the same effect...