2 hours ago, freefourur said:

It seems like the Platform guys are looking to their next real estate play. This is kind of a smart use for these old buildings. I expect a similar layout to the Lakewood Truck Park.

 

Oh boy - we were actually planning something similar. If this comes to fruition we'd be beaten to the punch. 

Wait, I'm confused, Platform has already redone this space  - Grand Opening was before the 4th of July.  They did a really nice job.

27 minutes ago, Pigmeat said:

Wait, I'm confused, Platform has already redone this space  - Grand Opening was before the 4th of July.  They did a really nice job.

Which space?

 

They have a completed one by their main taphouse, on Lorain road. This new one is the same concept but for Phunkenship in Clark-Fulton.

I was going by the address in the post 4157 Lorain - that's the one I've been too

Taken yesterday. Looks like the rock gym development is underway at the Masonic Temple. Crane is onsite and appears to be adding to the top of the building. 

16 hours ago, BJBaes said:

Taken yesterday. Looks like the rock gym development is underway at the Masonic Temple. Crane is onsite and appears to be adding to the top of the building. 

 

In June the Franklin/Clinton block club announced that Kevin Wojton anticipated the Masonic Temple Rock Climbing Gym would be open by the end of the year.

 

11 minutes ago, KJP said:

 

As a resident here, I'm extremely excited to keep this momentum going in Hingetown.

 

The exterior of that end of the Schaefer building is an eyesore and desperately needs this face-lift. I think my biggest issue with Quonset-style huts (at least based on the True North design) is the bland, grayish/silver siding. If they can find a way to liven it up with some color and not make it so prison-esque, I think it would go a long way. 

25 minutes ago, BJBaes said:

As a resident here, I'm extremely excited to keep this momentum going in Hingetown.

 

The exterior of that end of the Schaefer building is an eyesore and desperately needs this face-lift. I think my biggest issue with Quonset-style huts (at least based on the True North design) is the bland, grayish/silver siding. If they can find a way to liven it up with some color and not make it so prison-esque, I think it would go a long way. 

 

I've seen these kind of structures in Europe quite a bit.  The color comes from the other buildings and landscape around them.   I think they will be fine in the end product.   

Thanks Cleburger,

 

Can you tell use what countries & cities show great examples of their application?  I've been all over Europe and not seen them in center cities or the even small to medium towns of France, Italy, Greece, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Austria. None seen in Turkey on either side of the Bosporus.
'Haven't been to Switzerland since I was child, but don't recall any urban quanset huts there.

I imagine if they are doing them, they are done with good style and playfulness with the streetscape. 

No dis to Detroit, but It will be great to have more than just that one town as our main point of reference.
 

 

21 hours ago, ExPatClevGuy said:

Thanks Cleburger,

 

Can you tell use what countries & cities show great examples of their application?  I've been all over Europe and not seen them in center cities or the even small to medium towns of France, Italy, Greece, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Austria. None seen in Turkey on either side of the Bosporus.
'Haven't been to Switzerland since I was child, but don't recall any urban quanset huts there.

I imagine if they are doing them, they are done with good style and playfulness with the streetscape. 

No dis to Detroit, but It will be great to have more than just that one town as our main point of reference.
 

 

Hi Expat--I remember quite a few in Germany and at least one in Denmark.   I work in the music business and there are lots of clubs and entertainment districts with these sort of outdoor porta-cabin/sea container/nissen hut spaces (Backstage Werk in Munich comes to mind).    None are located in the center cities, rather in the post-industrial first ring, not unlike Cleveland. 

 

From what I've seen of this design in Hingetown, the huts will be situated off the sidestreet behind the main building on Detroit, so I personally have no issue with them, especially since they will be unique to Cleveland.  

1 hour ago, Cleburger said:

 

Hi Expat--I remember quite a few in Germany and at least one in Denmark.   I work in the music business and there are lots of clubs and entertainment districts with these sort of outdoor porta-cabin/sea container/nissen hut spaces (Backstage Werk in Munich comes to mind).    None are located in the center cities, rather in the post-industrial first ring, not unlike Cleveland. 

 

From what I've seen of this design in Hingetown, the huts will be situated off the sidestreet behind the main building on Detroit, so I personally have no issue with them, especially since they will be unique to Cleveland.  

 

When I was in Perpignan, France, they had similar structures set up along their river walk in the winter as a way to supplement outdoor space for restaurants (although it's only below 50ish there for 2-3 months a year. 

20 minutes ago, YABO713 said:

 

When I was in Perpignan, France, they had similar structures set up along their river walk in the winter as a way to supplement outdoor space for restaurants (although it's only below 50ish there for 2-3 months a year. 

 

Right all over Europe there are variations of the German Christmas markets.   

 

Some pics from Labor Day Weekend of “The Dexter”, a wonderful project in Ohio City that is very stylish and impactful. I knew there were good things going on in Ohio City  - but it was even more than I expected!  It’s  going to be gratifying to see  great new projects like this   coming alive with  residents - many of whom will have a view as shown. 
 

Edited September 6, 20204 yr by CleveFan

That second-to-last shot shows how much things have changed in Hingetown in the past couple of years. Now if we could just do something about the parking lot on right-hand side of the street.

The shot with The Dexter and Church&State in the same view -- very cool. These are incredible projects.

I'm posting this here rather than in the restaurant thread because the neighboring parking lot has been considered by Ari Maron for an 8-10 story apartment building. I don't know what this closure will mean for the footprint of that site.....

 

By All Appearances, Bakersfield in Ohio City is Permanently Closed

https://www.clevescene.com/scene-and-heard/archives/2020/09/08/by-all-appearances-bakersfield-in-ohio-city-is-permanently-closed

2 minutes ago, KJP said:

I'm posting this here rather than in the restaurant thread because the neighboring parking lot has been considered by Ari Maron for an 8-10 story apartment building. I don't know what this closure will mean for the footprint of that site.....

 

By All Appearances, Bakersfield in Ohio City is Permanently Closed

https://www.clevescene.com/scene-and-heard/archives/2020/09/08/by-all-appearances-bakersfield-in-ohio-city-is-permanently-closed

Well this absolutely sucks...It was one of my favorite places to go in Ohio City. Hopefully something better can replace it. 

The NEO market is pretty saturated with taco restaurants. Between Barrio, Blue Habanero, Hola, Bomba, La Plaza, Condado, and Nuevo, it looks like Bakersfield was the odd man out thanks in part to Covid. 

 

I'm hoping that existing building can be repurposed - especially with Intro on the way. A portion of that parking lot would be well-suited for a larger patio, IMO. 

^ I think we’ve hit the taco event horizon. 
 

I took a 2 hour walk all around OC yesterday to take in all the development. It really is fantastic. 
 

1721 Fulton and 2564 Church looked to me like two properties that with a little TLC could be phenomenal homes. 

57 minutes ago, BJBaes said:

The NEO market is pretty saturated with taco restaurants. Between Barrio, Blue Habanero, Hola, Bomba, La Plaza, Condado, and Nuevo, it looks like Bakersfield was the odd man out thanks in part to Covid. 

 

I'm hoping that existing building can be repurposed - especially with Intro on the way. A portion of that parking lot would be well-suited for a larger patio, IMO. 

 

There's also a new taco place in Sauce the City located on w25th and Detroit, it's fantastic btw.

 

And don't forget about Ohio City Burrito!

Edited September 9, 20204 yr by Clefan98

 

 

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2020

Bridgeworks project likely to retain historic Engineers buildings

 

Developers of a proposed mixed-use real estate project at West 25th Street and Detroit Avenue are taking actions that show they are increasingly likely to preserve the three existing historic buildings on the site. But it isn't yet certain how the buildings will be repurposed.

 

The buildings are the former Cuyahoga County Engineers' laboratory-office building, a maintenance garage, plus an entrance to a station on the long-closed streetcar subway in the lower level of the 1917-built Detroit-Superior Veterans Memorial Bridge.

 

MORE:

http://neo-trans.blogspot.com/2020/09/bridgeworks-project-likely-to-retain.html

 

^Sounds like we are not going to see anything soon

Edited September 11, 20204 yr by Htsguy

1 minute ago, Htsguy said:

^Sounds like we are not going to see anything soon

 

Yep. They're still a ways from figuring out what they want to do, let alone how to pay for it.

For those of us that have been around for awhile, it’s striking how dynamic Ohio City, Hingetown and The Flats have become in terms of residential possibility  and actual development. I’ve got to believe the leasing success rate of projects like Church & State and, in the future, The Viaduct Tower could  spur on even more significant development in these districts. The SW HQ will be a generational addition to the region ( and an increasingly impressive skyline, too )  which should  further catalyze the growth  of those easily accessible neighborhoods. Here’s to a zoning shift up to “six” for The Flats! ?

Edited September 11, 20204 yr by CleveFan

10 hours ago, CleveFan said:

For those of us that have been around for awhile, it’s striking how dynamic Ohio City, Hingetown and The Flats have become in terms of residential possibility  and actual development. I’ve got to believe the leasing success rate of projects like Church & State and, in the future, The Viaduct Tower could  spur on even more significant development in these districts. The SW HQ will be a generational addition to the region ( and an increasingly impressive skyline, too )  which should  further catalyze the growth  of those easily accessible neighborhoods. Here’s to a zoning shift up to “six” for The Flats! ?

 

To add an anecdote to this - my wife and I bought our home in Ohio City (we're about 10 houses South of Detroit) in September 2018. There are 24 homes on our respective "block." Since we've bought, 11 homes on our block have been sold - 6 of them have been flipped, 3 of them are currently being flipped. 

5 minutes ago, YABO713 said:

 

To add an anecdote to this - my wife and I bought our home in Ohio City (we're about 10 houses South of Detroit) in September 2018. There are 24 homes on our respective "block." Since we've bought, 11 homes on our block have been sold - 6 of them have been flipped, 3 of them are currently being flipped. 

Let's hope they are "quality" flips.  So often that is not the case and an uneducated buying public (especially youngsters with no Uncle Joe in the trades) is taken in by shiny counter tops.  In ten years the house is back on the down slide.

3 minutes ago, Htsguy said:

Let's hope they are "quality" flips.  So often that is not the case and an uneducated buying public (especially youngsters with no Uncle Joe in the trades) is taken in by shiny counter tops.  In ten years the house is back on the down slide.

Funny you say that. We bought our house under the impression that we’d have to put the “finishing touches” on it, as a massive reno had been underway for the previous 12 months. 
 

We had no sub floor under the carpet upstairs, the bathroom tile was hung directly on drywall, our kitchen cabinets had 5 “sink drawers” that had no purpose, and our master bathroom had the shower configured to spray onto a wood vanity...

18 minutes ago, YABO713 said:

Funny you say that. We bought our house under the impression that we’d have to put the “finishing touches” on it, as a massive reno had been underway for the previous 12 months. 
 

We had no sub floor under the carpet upstairs, the bathroom tile was hung directly on drywall, our kitchen cabinets had 5 “sink drawers” that had no purpose, and our master bathroom had the shower configured to spray onto a wood vanity...

 

That was my biggest fear buying something that had been renovated and I ended up doing a new construction because of that.  Although new constructions are not without their issues either if the builder isn't up to par.

 

Good news and hopefully this means work is commencing soon. 

Does anyone know the anticipated re-opening date of Franklin Circle?

6 hours ago, YABO713 said:

Does anyone know the anticipated re-opening date of Franklin Circle?

They finally paved the majority of the roads today (Fulton and 28th).

 

The traffic circle looks nearly complete with the exception of a few fill-in spots near utility poles that are probably pending make-ready pole work. I believe the original ECD was early October and that looks to be on track. 
 

Something isn't right in Carnegie land. Earlier this year, they pulled out of the One Lakewood Place development. Now, they pulled out of the RTA West 25th station development (thankfully another is willing to take their place).....

 

 

"Subscriber only" - do they give a reason for backing out? Also, this gives me further doubt they will ever undertake something meaningful at the HKM site.

On 9/9/2020 at 10:40 AM, BJBaes said:

The NEO market is pretty saturated with taco restaurants. Between Barrio, Blue Habanero, Hola, Bomba, La Plaza, Condado, and Nuevo, it looks like Bakersfield was the odd man out thanks in part to Covid. 

 

I'm hoping that existing building can be repurposed - especially with Intro on the way. A portion of that parking lot would be well-suited for a larger patio, IMO. 

Cleveland taco ratings unsorted:

 

Barrio - A bag of hot trash delivered on a dead rat.

Blue Habanero - Perfectly fine.

Hola - Very Fine and newly expanding to Larchmere to replace Barroco.

Bomba - Chi chi's for suburban whites who like authenticity but not La Plaza.

La Plaza - The best tacos in the city. 

Condado - Also a bag of hot trash, but the rat is alive and delivering you the tacos. 

Nuevo - I.M. disappointed.

Bakersfield - Fine.

OC Burritos - Not a taco place. 

 

Slightly more on topic:

 

The nice thing about a chain like Bakersfield leaving a location is that the building has already been updated and readied for something better. 

 

Hopefully better tacos and not another George family bag of hot trash. 

5 minutes ago, math said:

Cleveland taco ratings unsorted:

 

Barrio - A bag of hot trash delivered on a dead rat.

Blue Habanero - Perfectly fine.

Hola - Very Fine and newly expanding to Larchmere to replace Barroco.

Bomba - Chi chi's for suburban whites who like authenticity but not La Plaza.

La Plaza - The best tacos in the city. 

Condado - Also a bag of hot trash, but the rat is alive and delivering you the tacos. 

Nuevo - I.M. disappointed.

Bakersfield - Fine.

OC Burritos - Not a taco place. 

 

Slightly more on topic:

 

The nice thing about a chain like Bakersfield leaving a location is that the building has already been updated and readied for something better. 

 

Hopefully better tacos and not another George family bag of hot trash. 

Lol I will never understand the hate for barrio/condado. It's a fun place and the food is fine. No one thinks it's the best in the city. 

1 hour ago, KJP said:

Something isn't right in Carnegie land. Earlier this year, they pulled out of the One Lakewood Place development. Now, they pulled out of the RTA West 25th station development (thankfully another is willing to take their place).....

 

 

 

I like the technique of quoting @mjarboe's Tweet about a cle dot com article. ?

 

Here's the original article:

Greater Cleveland RTA to begin talks with MRN Ltd. over developing controversial site next to Red Line Greenway

https://www.cleveland.com/news/2020/09/greater-cleveland-rta-to-begin-talks-with-mrn-ltd-over-developing-controversial-site-next-to-red-line-greenway.html

 

Naturally, it's subscriber only.  (Hey Advance - even an article this good every day would NOT be worth $100/yr)

 

Highlights:

Carnegie backed out.  MRN was the second ranked proposal of the original set, so now MRN gets a crack at it.  RTA wants it developed to increase transit ridership and red line activity. (YES!)

 

"Community activist" Lennie Stover is opposed to the project "because it would cut trees and remove natural habitat in a neighborhood they already consider densely developed."  (Quoting the article, not Lennie.)  Apparently Lennie doesn't understand that cities thrive on having people live in them.  If only there was a massive riverfront park under development a few hundred yards away (oh wait) or a bike trail to a nearby National Park (oops again). /sarcasm

 

Litt writes, "But Ari Maron, a principal of MRN, said he’s excited about the site, because it is steps away from RTA’s West 25th Street Red Line station, and from Ohio City landmarks such as the West Side Market. It’s also close to the Cuyahoga River and regional trails including the Towpath Trail.

"The investments in public infrastructure in this corridor has been unbelievable and the result is we have a chance to make this one of the top urban neighborhoods in the Midwest,'' Maron said."

 

Ari gets it.  (He must lurk here, right?  Thanks, Ari!  Build something awesome.)

 

"Maron said it was too soon to say how MRN would approach the Red Line project, but he said public input would be central to any design process."

 

1 hour ago, KJP said:

Something isn't right in Carnegie land. Earlier this year, they pulled out of the One Lakewood Place development. Now, they pulled out of the RTA West 25th station development (thankfully another is willing to take their place).....

 

 

Further evidence that they are just a small time developer and clearly do not have the resources to step to the next level, especially something challenging (even though they clearly want to).

That's great news, as long as MRN puts as much time and energy on this as they did Uptown. Keep the elder Maron and his cheap looking studio projects away.

13 hours ago, math said:

Cleveland taco ratings unsorted:

 

Nuevo - I.M. disappointed.

I see what you did there....

Are RFPs really the best way to get these complicated projects going?  It just seems so ridiculous for a complicated project like this one -- everyone has 30-60 days to put together fabulous renderings and unstudied numbers -- and the more shameless you are the better chance you have of being awarded.  There's got to be a better way, especially for complicated projects like the RTA one 

14 hours ago, Boomerang_Brian said:

 

I like the technique of quoting @mjarboe's Tweet about a cle dot com article. ?

 

Here's the original article:

Greater Cleveland RTA to begin talks with MRN Ltd. over developing controversial site next to Red Line Greenway

https://www.cleveland.com/news/2020/09/greater-cleveland-rta-to-begin-talks-with-mrn-ltd-over-developing-controversial-site-next-to-red-line-greenway.html

 

Naturally, it's subscriber only.  (Hey Advance - even an article this good every day would NOT be worth $100/yr)

 

Highlights:

Carnegie backed out.  MRN was the second ranked proposal of the original set, so now MRN gets a crack at it.  RTA wants it developed to increase transit ridership and red line activity. (YES!)

 

"Community activist" Lennie Stover is opposed to the project "because it would cut trees and remove natural habitat in a neighborhood they already consider densely developed."  (Quoting the article, not Lennie.)  Apparently Lennie doesn't understand that cities thrive on having people live in them.  If only there was a massive riverfront park under development a few hundred yards away (oh wait) or a bike trail to a nearby National Park (oops again). /sarcasm

 

Litt writes, "But Ari Maron, a principal of MRN, said he’s excited about the site, because it is steps away from RTA’s West 25th Street Red Line station, and from Ohio City landmarks such as the West Side Market. It’s also close to the Cuyahoga River and regional trails including the Towpath Trail.

"The investments in public infrastructure in this corridor has been unbelievable and the result is we have a chance to make this one of the top urban neighborhoods in the Midwest,'' Maron said."

 

Ari gets it.  (He must lurk here, right?  Thanks, Ari!  Build something awesome.)

 

"Maron said it was too soon to say how MRN would approach the Red Line project, but he said public input would be central to any design process."

 

"Maron said it was too soon to say how MRN would approach the Red Line project, but he said public input would be central to any design process."

 

That part worries me, especially with the tree loving residents definitely stepping in. My only request would be, NO VINAL, ALUMINUM SIDING or PLASTICS.

 

38 minutes ago, misterjoshr said:

Are RFPs really the best way to get these complicated projects going?  It just seems so ridiculous for a complicated project like this one -- everyone has 30-60 days to put together fabulous renderings and unstudied numbers -- and the more shameless you are the better chance you have of being awarded.  There's got to be a better way, especially for complicated projects like the RTA one 

 

This originally started out as an RFQ, followed by an RFP. I understand that public agencies have to do public bidding so that every potential bidder has a shot and so that there is no appearance of favoritism. However I also understand your point that the lowest bidder will usually get the nod even if their low bid number is not justified. Making this even more complicated is that RTA wants to get into joint ownership of station area development projects so that they can use the revenues to maintain the station and in if the numbers are large enough, to service debt as the local funfing share to renovate or even replace an aging station. The Ohio City station is the oldest of RTA's ADA-compliant replacement stations, having been opened in 1990 (actually one year before the ADA law went into effect). So it at least needs some freshening up if not a new design, possibly including a second entrance at the south end of the trackside platform as well as an access way next to the tracks under Lorain Avenue to reach the West Side Market without pedestrians crossing the street. Those are all things that RTA is considering as part of this project.

Edited September 16, 20204 yr by KJP

^Hasn’t Harbor/Market Square already created underground infrastructure to link in with the station?  I thought they were eagerly wanting to be linked in to some access way for their residents and business users. 

6 hours ago, KJP said:

“This originally started out as an RFQ, followed by an RFP. I understand that public agencies have to do public bidding so that every potential bidder has a shot and so that there is no appearance of favoritism. However I also understand your point that the lowest bidder will usually get the nod even if their low bid number is not justified.”

If an RFP has already been issued, why does it seem like no substantive proposals have been received yet? The article states that Carnegie backed out of “discussions” and that MRN says it’s too soon to say how they might approach the project.
 

I’m new to this development world, but don’t these proposals include any general design intentions/plans? Also, are there no past performance or technical evaluation or other trade-off factors involved to keep firms from (under)bidding solely on price? Just wondering the basis on which RTA ranked offerers so that MRN was clearly the number 2 choice. 

 

6 hours ago, KJP said:

“Making this even more complicated is that RTA wants to get into joint ownership of station area development projects so that they can use the revenues to maintain the station and in if the numbers are large enough, to service debt as the local funfing share to renovate or even replace an aging station”

 

Interesting. I need to research more on how this might work!

...

Edited September 16, 20204 yr by CCC
Mistook re-post for new commentary.

RTA's board approved pursuing a deal with Carnegie. So discussions were in regards to the formation of a joint ownership agreement and scope of project. Here is what I last wrote about this:

https://neo-trans.blogspot.com/2020/03/ohio-city-transit-oriented-development.html

On 9/15/2020 at 6:26 PM, PoshSteve said:

"Subscriber only" - do they give a reason for backing out? Also, this gives me further doubt they will ever undertake something meaningful at the HKM site.

The saving grace with the HKM site is that it's a great location next to the EDISON apartment complex with great views of the lake and a great up and coming neighborhood! 

 

With all that going for it, then IF Carnegie can't develop the site then another developer WILL!

And it will require a short delay but MAYBE IF that happens a much bigger and better financed developer will take over BOTH that site AND the WESTINGHOUSE COMPLEX next door.

 

And then we can really have a great mix use development of new and renovated buildings and plus provide a parking garage for the Edison too.