Just 6 megapixels. Sorry to disappoint:

 

It's not the sized of the mega pixels... it's how you use then.

Ok then!

 

 

 

In the last photo of the building, what are the concrete forms being set up for along with what are the existing columns for?  Are they going to be constructing this wing of the structure or is this simply underground parking?  If it is underground parking, i am still confused with the masonary walls on the sides of the building exempt from any windows. 

i love the shot of the foundation for the next building... By the way how did you get around the world class signage to take that shot?

In the last photo of the building, what are the concrete forms being set up for along with what are the existing columns for?  Are they going to be constructing this wing of the structure or is this simply underground parking?  If it is underground parking, i am still confused with the masonary walls on the sides of the building exempt from any windows.  

 

I believe that is the new (North) wing.

It was my understanding initially that the tower was being constructed first, then the wings when the market demanded.  I know it has been explained before, and my question is redundant, but it looks as though construction is starting on the North Wing...unless, that is just for underground parking???

I stopped by to snap a few pictures of the work going on at the Rockwell site.  I apologize for the poor quality from my camera phone.

 

 

Not bad for a camera phone - nice to see that section getting built out.

Thanks!  I like to think that someday the view across Rockwell will be a little better for those townhouses- maybe by a residential conversion of that big hulking building (with better windows please).  Let's hope the area takes off.

 

By the way, the site plan for the Avenue District is on page 30 of this thread in case people want a refresher (as I did).

Well, the building across Rockwell is supposes to be half demolished and rebuilt as a tech office of some sort.  I saw some renderings some time ago- think windowless bunker.

^Ahh, yeah, forgot about that, thanks.  Didn't understand the significance at the time.  Too bad, looks like a nice old warehouse/factory facade on the western half of the building (minus the bricked over original window openings).

Well, the building across Rockwell is supposes to be half demolished and rebuilt as a tech office of some sort.  I saw some renderings some time ago- think windowless bunker.

 

The thread for that project is below.  Haven't heard anything about it in awhile, even though it received state grant money.

http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=10547.0

Closer to topping off:

:clap:  Can't wait to see this one completed!!

Updated Avenue Blog:

 

http://www.avenuedistrict.blogspot.com/

 

E.12 -- "Zaremba, Inc. and Panzica Construction are expecting to top off the mixed-use structure later this month, with occupancy scheduled to begin in fall 2008."

Good blog update, you beat me to it, Murray Hill!

 

I don't often check the live shot at night:

Looks like they been tweaking the Avenue District website.  They don't have the current "District Letter" in the left margin anymore and the archives have them all jumbled up.  Also, I noticed they've changed the loft pricing list as only the units AVAILABLE are listed.  Now it's a little trickier to glance thru the list and notice changes compared to the old format.

drove by this afternoon and noticed framing has begun in the second set of townhomes...

^There are pictures of said framing on the blog, posted on the 19th, including a cool one where you can see the condo construction in the background.

 

BTW, I just noticed that they link to UrbanOhio from the Avenue Blog!

The website suggests that 23 of the 30 townhomes have sold. I wonder if the townhome success will lead to more townhomes built in downtown.

The website suggests that 23 of the 30 townhomes have sold. I wonder if the townhome success will lead to more townhomes built in downtown.

 

I hope so.  Taller units with rooftop amenities.  Even some more Classic townhouses would be nice.

Fox 8 has a nice story about the Avenue District project here http://www.myfoxcleveland.com/myfox/pages/Home/Detail;jsessionid=22BC524320D802A25C24FE53A324E13F?contentId=5579396&version=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=VSTY&pageId=1.1.1&sflg=1

Check out the webcam when you get a chance.  They put up some scaffolding today. 

http://www.theavenuedistrict.com/newlayout/webcam.asp

I had a busy day taking pictures downtown. It started at 9 a.m. at the Avenue District where Zaremba and Panzica Construction representatives gave me a tour of the loft building. Thanks to PR20/20 folks for setting up the tour!

 

Photos start at ground level. Near the end of this series of photos are views from the 10th floor. Am I first UrbanOhioan to post views from the 10th floor??

 

The loft building is 10 stories tall, but pales next to the 38-story Erieview Tower:

 

Parking deck:

 

First-floor retail/restaurant space:

 

 

Second-floor hallway taking shape:

 

Half-wall for European-style kitchen in one of the units:

 

Upon further reflection:

 

 

Up on the 6th floor:

 

Northeast view from 7th floor -- the last floor reached by the stairs or bucket elevator (as of 2-7-08). From here on up, it's ice-coated ladders:

 

 

 

 

On the 9th floor, you can stand and look up to the second floor (10th floor of building) of the two-story penthouse units. The window at this location will also be two stories tall, allowing for some very tall Christmas trees that will look great from street level!

 

Views from the 9th and 10th floors:

 

 

 

 

This is my favorite picture from the tour (and my tour guides were camera shy, but having someone in this picture just made it look awesome IMHO):

 

 

 

Looking eastward along St. Clair, a view that is often ignored. By this point, we were getting so cold that we're having trouble talking. And since there is no exterior covering on the building here, the strong February wind rushes unimpeded through here. It cuts through your body, whistles between the vertical posts and threatens to send you airborne:

 

 

 

Alas, we climbed back down three sets of ladders to the seventh floor to get on the bucket elevator for the ride down to lovely terra firma:

 

Thanks again Zaremba, Panzica and PR20/20 for the great tour! I look forward to the next visit.

 

Later that evening, I took numerous nightshots of downtown. It was a cold but pretty evening. See this thread for more...

http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php/topic,15253.msg255395.html#msg255395

 

again, I'm reminded why i hate the one cleveland block

 

Oh, and yay to KJP

I especially like the images from the inside and upper floors of the site - indeed, the weather has probably made for some no-doubt treacherous footing and working conditions.  Your images and commentary certainly bring this fact home even more...

 

From the more pedestrian POV, I noticed materials for the exterior facade may've been being delivered today.  Anyone know if there are weather restrictions for this?  ...will they begin this phase soon?

again, I'm reminded why i hate the one cleveland block

 

Oh, and yay to KJP

 

I was thinking the same thing!

I especially like the images from the inside and upper floors of the site - indeed, the weather has probably made for some no-doubt treacherous footing and working conditions.  Your images and commentary certainly bring this fact home even more...

 

From the more pedestrian POV, I noticed materials for the exterior facade may've been being delivered today.  Anyone know if there are weather restrictions for this?  ...will they begin this phase soon?

 

I'll get some photos at lunch - and get back to work! ;-)

It doesn't look like they had started with the actual facade just yet:

 

But the next set of the townhomes are well under way:

 

very exciting!

oh yeah -- i love that new block of them going up too. thx mayday.

 

what great scoop kjp. that was fun. good work. very exciting.

I especially like the images from the inside and upper floors of the site - indeed, the weather has probably made for some no-doubt treacherous footing and working conditions.  Your images and commentary certainly bring this fact home even more...

 

From the more pedestrian POV, I noticed materials for the exterior facade may've been being delivered today.  Anyone know if there are weather restrictions for this?  ...will they begin this phase soon?

 

welcome to the forum

Too bad they can't just leave the facade yellow.  Looks pretty sweet just like that.

looking good!!

tlazar39, I noticed they're enclosing the scaffolding but I'm guessing that's for the workers more than the facade materials. I could be wrong, though.

^Yes, it's for the workers (weather protection), but it's primarily used as a kind of weather barrier to allow mortar to set up on masonry buildings. I'm pretty sure from the renderings that this bldg will have some manner of stone/masonry facade, and behind that barrier will be large torpedo heaters to bring up the temperature so the mortar joining the stone together will set up and cure properly; it can't in extremely cold weather.

Just a little construction FYI :-)

Coming along very nicely. When is this phase suppposed to be complete?

First residents move into the lower floors by the end of this year. The rest will move in as the upper floors are completed into early next year.

Very impressive.   :clap:

 

I'm excited for completion.  I really like Zaremba's piecemeal approach to development here.  It's much like how K&D approached Stonebridge and, I think, the way to do it, esp in Cleveland's volatile economic climate.... I wish Bob Stark would take that approach in the WHD instead of waiting/looking for the Pesht home run.  Wouldn't a similar sized building (to Zaremba's) look nice at the corner of W. 6th & St. Clair across from the Metropolitan?

Thanks for the welcome...

Too bad they can't just leave the facade yellow.  Looks pretty sweet just like that.

 

I agree! In my opinion, downtown could really use some color.

prob not a popular opinion, but i think all downtown buildings should be or stay a steely gray. it goes with the sky, it's sort of a signature anyway, might as well keep running with it than buck it. save all the "color" for the neighborhoods, including midtown and the flats.

I, for one, like the Gotham-esque look of the CBD.  I have been to many "new' downtown's in other cities and find that they have far less character and less of an urban feel than we have between the 9's.

 

That said, I would not mind at all some color in FEB, Stonebridge, Avenue District, etc.  I like the look of playhouse square, with the exception of those screens which I have not made up my mind about.  I also like using colors as highlights like what was done at the airport.  I just don't like entire facades being too loud in terms of color.

 

I may get jumped on for this one, but notwithstanding all of the above I do like the green neon theme that Dallas has employed in its skyline.

 

Back on topic, I drove by the Avenue District a couple times this week and it is nice to see that they have the groundwork well underway for the north wing of the building.  I am really happy with the steady progress on this project.

^Are they actually going to construct the North wing of the building?

Since the banks are pulling back on lending, it sounds like they have to have the condos in 1211 St. Clair sold out before they can get cracking on the north wing.

^Sold out?  That's ridiculous.  It'll never happen.

 

 

those top two floors are going to be worth the price, whatever it may end up being...

Since the banks are pulling back on lending, it sounds like they have to have the condos in 1211 St. Clair sold out before they can get cracking on the north wing.

 

Are we talking that they have to sell every last unit, or that they just have to have the vast majority of them sold?