December 19, 201212 yr i would imagine that the ground floor of phase 2 would be prime for some clothing retail. Hopefully some good shopping is one the way.
December 19, 201212 yr CIA dorms are going into Phase II, or at least they're negotiating that right now. Not sure if the agreement is finalized. Never mind. reading is fundamental.
December 19, 201212 yr ^^Yeah, good question. Not sure I know enough about the revenue yield for dorms versus 1 BRs in the area even to speculate. Did MRN include the dorms because they bring in more $/sf or is just because they are totally bankable, low risk $? Either way, seems to take one arrow out of Intesa's quiver, which can't be helpful to its hunt for construction financing or equity partners. Though based on the last Cleveland.com piece, sounds like Intesa has already moved on to a different market niche altogether that might not really be in competition with Uptown.
December 19, 201212 yr Hey all - The Cleveland Institute of Art was looking at Intesa but ended up going to Uptown. Peter Rubin and Panzica swapped out the student-housing component of their project and added the 80 micro-apartments, instead. At this point, plans for Intesa show 100 market-rate apartments and 80 micro-apartments. Michelle
December 19, 201212 yr ^Thanks Michelle for the info! Not that you can read minds, but did Rubin/Intessa seem upbeat about Intesa's prospects?
December 19, 201212 yr Yes, Peter Rubin seemed confident that Coral and Panzica will make that project happen. I expect we'll hear more from them within the next few months. (Of course, developers often are bullish when they're talking to a newspaper reporter.) Michelle
December 19, 201212 yr MRN Ltd., the developer behind Uptown, aims to break ground in January January!? Wow that is sooner than I was expecting. Great news!
December 19, 201212 yr This has got to be the quickest progression from a phase 1 to a phase 2 in Cleveland history...great news!!
December 19, 201212 yr This has got to be the quickest progression from a phase 1 to a phase 2 in Cleveland history...great news!! The Cleveland State apartments beat it but this has got to be #2. We are usually lucky to even see a phase 2, let alone this quick.
December 19, 201212 yr I've heard a lot of design criticism, but I actually LOVE the design. First of all it's in keeping with the existing motif, second of all it's a significant step up toward a major intersection, and I absolutely love the way that the architects bend the same proportion around the glass curtain wall. Very slick, very bold.
December 22, 201212 yr I like it and generally, I hate modern architecture in condos/apartments and town homes.
December 22, 201212 yr I love the design of Uptown, esp its contrast with black-diamond/cube MOCA next door, the large, classic-old NYC-style high-rise mixed-use apartment buildings (University East and Commodore Place) across the street, ... not to mention the contrast with older brownstone and Tudor apt walk-ups and houses on such nearby streets as Hessler, Ford, Bellflower ... and others. Diversity Works!
December 23, 201212 yr I liked the earlier rendering/design better. Me too. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
December 23, 201212 yr How tall are those? I can't even estimate how many floors it looks like with those funky designs.
December 23, 201212 yr Looks like 7 floors. I think the planning commission agenda said 80-something feet.
December 23, 201212 yr Looks like 7 floors. I think the planning commission agenda said 80-something feet. One page back the article is posted. In the article it states 6 floors and 85 feet. No need to guess.
December 23, 201212 yr There is probably a mezzanine, as there is in Phase I. That would make 7 floors (or maybe 6.5) in the end user sense, but only 6 in the structural sense.
December 23, 201212 yr I still wish there were a little bit of color in that facade, but man oh mam, that is going to be one super solid, 100% intersection. We have surprisingly few of those for some reason.
December 25, 201212 yr Sounds good to me. The combined effect of this and Intensa could move this real close to that magical "critical mass." :-D
December 28, 201212 yr uh oh... Thursday, December 27, 2012 THE QUESTIONABLE PLANNING REVIEW PROCESS IN CLEVELAND UPTOWN REVIEW DELAYED: “A review of plans for a new building at the Uptown project in University Circle has been delayed until Jan. 4. The Cleveland City Planning Commission did not see the plans Friday after City Councilman Kevin Conwell said he was not told about the project and needs time to discuss it with neighbors.” http://thecivicartcleveland.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-questionable-planning-review.html
December 28, 201212 yr ^ What rock has Councilman Conwell been living under? These plans have been before the public for years... This is a huge positive development for University Circle and Cleveland, at learge. I can't imagine why the Councilman would not have his eyes and ears tuned into this project, espcially since a) it was 1st proposed, what? the better part of 10 years ago, b) it's been under construction since around 2009 and, c) Phase I has been complete structurally since last winter. Phase II, in much the form as has been proposed, has been out there for some time. Shouldn't the Councilman have been checking/inquiring about it's impact long before a few weeks when shovels are to go into the ground? I would think so, ... but call me crazy.
December 28, 201212 yr clvlndr - You need to read between the lines - this is Councilman Conwell saying "Hey, don't forget that you've pulled up to my tollbooth. Pay your toll and I'll raise my barrier and you can drive through - or at least drive up to the next tollbooth."
December 28, 201212 yr As discussed in other threads, this is a downside of forcing nearly every development in cleveland to get some kind of discretionary approval. This might be totally innocent though, so hopefully it doesn't end up slowing things down much, no matter how frustrating.
December 28, 201212 yr Thursday, December 27, 2012 THE QUESTIONABLE PLANNING REVIEW PROCESS IN CLEVELAND UPTOWN REVIEW DELAYED: “A review of plans for a new building at the Uptown project in University Circle has been delayed until Jan. 4. The Cleveland City Planning Commission did not see the plans Friday after City Councilman Kevin Conwell said he was not told about the project and needs time to discuss it with neighbors.” http://thecivicartcleveland.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-questionable-planning-review.html It's really easy to tear apart the process and individual councilpersons/committee-persons for their sometimes incompetent and/or skeezy behavior in such situations, but the details in that blog post are not compelling in the slightest. Ohh my goodness, the guy missed reading the paper from two days before and that's why we should be outraged? I'm sure there's a more interesting fact as to when the councilperson should have been made aware of this project.
December 28, 201212 yr I'm sure that Conwell knew about it. That is his district, and he would be in touch with the UCI about it. This is either a "tollbooth" as bjk says, or more likely, some of his constituents are freaking out, so he has to placate them by slowing things down and getting some sort of concession from MRN. Remember, the Hessler folks are anti-development zealots.
December 28, 201212 yr Again, I don't see how anybody could "freak out" about this project because it (all phases) have been before the Planning Commission for years. Are people so naive, or negative, as to believe that a project's next phase won't happen until it's been financially green-lighted and the shovels are ready to go into the ground? Presumably the Hessler obstructionists were placated by UCI (as negotiators) by Phase I's low slung development (which some UOers have, somewhat understandably, grumbled about). Hessler griped that previously planned towers, which they fought and defeated, would cast shadows on their quaint little neighborhood. Phase II is 7 stories. Is that too tall? Again, where were all these people during PD's Michelle Jarboe-McPhee's excellent reporting on this (as well as PD's Steve Litt's extensive positive reviews)? If Conwell's being a toll booth operator, or whatever, he's really doing a horrible job of keeping his constituents informed, which they should have been through all planning phases of this most important project. And now to act surprised that Phase II is going to happen and that people (constituents) are somehow being caught off guard, is the height of absurdity ... and hypocrisy.
January 8, 201312 yr Does anyone know the results of the planning review meeting that was on Jan 4, in regards to Uptown?
January 8, 201312 yr Does anyone know the results of the planning review meeting that was on Jan 4, in regards to Uptown? FYI..... https://twitter.com/mjarboe Michelle J. McFee @mjarboe #CLE Planning Commission approved Uptown Phase II building this a.m., paving way for foundation work. Site plan to be vetted later. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
January 8, 201312 yr I forgot to mention...Saturday when I was at MOCA I noticed a sign that said no more public or permit parking on the phase 2 lot. I assumed it was to begin foundation work and Michelle's tweet confirms that :D
January 10, 201312 yr And just like that, they've equaled the progress of the Schofield Building renovation!! :-P "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
January 13, 201312 yr Saw the fence the other day which was nice to see. They did have parking in there still but I think it was for a special event at MOCA. Also they got a new website which is much better than the previous clear place holder. http://uptowncleveland.com/ Anyone know what is going to fill the remaining retail spaces. All restaurants but there hasn't been much news on them for awhile now.
January 14, 201312 yr Board of Zoning Appeals January 28, 2013 9:30 Ward 9 Calendar No. 12-232 11401 Euclid Avenue Kevin Conwell Uptown 2 appeals to erect a 6-story apartment and commercial space proposed to be on consolidated parcels in an E3 General Retail Business District between Ford Drive and East 115th Street; and in accordance with Section 343.18(2)(b) a driveway must be 15 feet from the property line along Ford Drive and under Section 349.04 acces-sory off-street parking to accommodate 84 residential units and approximately 28,000 square feet of commercial space requires 250 parking spaces. Pursuant to Sections 352.08-12, an 8 foot wide transition landscaped strip providing 75 percent year-round opacity is required at the rear of the property where it abuts the residential district; and by the provisions under Section 355.04(b) the maximum gross floor area shall not exceed one and one-half times the lot area and an approximate 118,000 square feet of floor area is proposed, contrary to approximately 79,500 square feet that is the maximum allowed. The building is proposed to be set back zero feet from Euclid Avenue and Ford Drive, contrary to Section 357.07 and the specific 10 foot setback line along Euclid Avenue and approximately 5 feet (35 feet from street center line) for Ford Drive; and proposing an 8 foot wide side yard, contrary to Section 357.09 and an interior side yard equal to one quarter of the height of the building, or 20 feet 6 inches, that is required according to the Cleveland Codified Ordnances. (Filed 12-27-12) "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
January 15, 201312 yr Anyone know what is going to fill the remaining retail spaces. All restaurants but there hasn't been much news on them for awhile now. I assume Sawyer's new venture will be in the now existing first phase?
January 15, 201312 yr Grr, I was about to say something nice about the new Uptown web site but then noticed they have the Red Line station in completely the wrong place on their close in map: http://uptowncleveland.com/index.php/visit/map
January 15, 201312 yr Grr, I was about to say something nice about the new Uptown web site but then noticed they have the Red Line station in completely the wrong place on their close in map: http://uptowncleveland.com/index.php/visit/map It does say "coming soon" when you hover over. The issue I have is it doesn't show HL or the current University Circle or 120 street Cleveland Rapid stations. I know there are directions on another page, but that is too much click. Directions should be associated with the map.
January 15, 201312 yr ^Oh, good point, I didn't even notice the "coming soon" mouse over. I assumed it meant to show the location of an existing rapid stop-- and I def agree with you it should. Also agree showing HL stops would be good. They do devote some nice space to the Red Line and HL on the "Visit" page which is at least something. So, maybe I'm just slow, but did the Starbucks at Cornell and Euclid close and effectively move to Uptown? Or is there now a second Starbucks on this stretch?
January 15, 201312 yr ^Oh, good point, I didn't even notice the "coming soon" mouse over. I assumed it meant to show the location of an existing rapid stop-- and I def agree with you it should. Also agree showing HL stops would be good. They do devote some nice space to the Red Line and HL on the "Visit" page which is at least something. So, maybe I'm just slow, but did the Starbucks at Cornell and Euclid close and effectively move to Uptown? Or is there now a second Starbucks on this stretch? That Starbucks is still there. The map is referring to the one that is part of the CWRU Barnes and Noble store.
January 17, 201312 yr The parking lot is now fenced off and the view is blocked by black fabric from the road. No real work yet, just some of the concrete parking barriers removed and occasionally someone in a vest wandering around the area. This has slightly worsened the already tight parking situation for non-garage commuters at CWRU. The parking for Uptown itself seems adequate for now.
January 17, 201312 yr I heard the deal for Sawyers's restaurant fell through and he won't be opening anything in UC anytime soon.
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