I'll be there :-)

I know they're far from ready, but if I were Wolstein or Stark, I'd definitely stick a shovel in the ground ... given the collective mass of Stonebridge and The Avenue, I think their respective projects are going to get overshadowed until something more tangible is presented. Stark may have an edge here, however, if he can secure some high-profile retail, which I imagine he is best positioned to get among the four development teams.

 

Meanwhile, I think it's time we as a city start a more active in-migration effort. Given the relatively low prices of Cleveland units, coupled with our abundance of amenities, I really think we could draw potential residents from throughout the Midwest.

:mrgreen:

^strangebrew, don't tease us! 

Anyone else see the similarities of the rendition with the campus partners project at OSU?

 

 

All lifestyle centers look the same to me, the differences are that The AD will be much taller, and it's scale will probably integrate a little better with its neighbors than Gateway

I walked past the parking lot at E12th and St. Clair this morning, curious as to whether there was a sign at the entrance or on the attendant's building, stating that the lot was going to close permanently in a week.  Oddly, I saw nothing.  If I'd parked there for years, I'd want to know that I had to find a new place to park with a reasonable amount of notice.  Or maybe the attendant is just telling everyone, but that would be a bit odd.

 

So, I guess I'm asking, is this a real groundbreaking (they're closing the lot and digging), or something more figurative?

^Good question?  I remember the ceremonial ground breaking for the Euclid Corridor Project.  It was months later before any real work began.  The Avenue District's ground breaking is on Friday September 29.  Does this mean back hoes are going to be on site the following Monday?

This is going to be a ceremonial groundbreaking, with the actual work beginning a couple of weeks later (per an interview with folks at Zaremba). That's not a bad lag time. They are pretty much ready to go.

^Do they now own/operate those parking lots?  No sense in turning off revenue before its time.

2 more days!

Q104 and WTAM was promoting the groundbreaking this morning.  I drove by and this huge tent was up.  I can't to see this thing get started.

too bad it's so rainy out!  I went by last night and didn't see anything on the E. 12th & St. Clair block, but saw a trailer on the Superior block...

Just like the postal service - rain ain't gonna stop me! :)

Just like the postal service - rain ain't gonna stop me! :)

 

MayDay...I'm patiently awaiting your photos  :wave: 

damnit...I got so excited, i just knocked over my coffee!  :x

Me Too!  Good turn out, great to see the current and past mayor speaking together.  Somethings transcend politics

It was a great crowd, and the rain stopped shortly before 11 a.m.! Nathan Zaremba must've sold his soul to Dick Goddard...

 

MayDay was there, but I didn't see his camera out. Perhaps our friends at Zaremba Co. got some photos? They were a little busy, however. And they were beaming like proud papas. Congrats fellas!

MayDay did have his camera in tote. Patience, my friends, patience. It was a nice event. I thought it was really nice to see a number of people who did pre-sales there ... A lot of excitement in the air.

So MayDay shows up at the event and gets to the sign-in table. There's a space to fill in the company/organization you're representating. He shows up as Joe Citizen, and the lady asks him who he's with. He says he helps run the website Urban Ohio. "Oh!" the lady says, her eyes lighting up.

-- Story according to MayDay, celebrity moderator of UrbanOhio.

^Just to clarify - I sheepishly said I was with urbanohio.com and she exclaims "Oh yeah! We all check urbanohio.com - it helps us keep tabs on all the stuff going on!" :-) I thought that was kind of cool!

 

I'll have the photos later today - I stupidly forgot my USB cord, but I got quite a few shots (plus some from Lola and Corner Alley) :-D

I didn't mean to imply you pounded your chest upon identifying yourself. That would be a little too "ColDayMan".

So, did the unions protest the groundbreaking? I heard that they would be doing just that. (Zaremba is not going to use union labor).

No protesters were seen or heard.

maybe the rain scared them off?

Time to pull out the inflatable rat....which was probably made in China

Possibly. I'll bet rain keeps that giant rat (made in Malaysia?) from inflating properly.

 

EDIT: DAMMIT - YOU BEAT ME TO IT BY FOUR FREAKING SECONDS!!

I didn't mean to imply you pounded your chest upon identifying yourself. That would be a little too "ColDayMan".

 

We're watching you.

 

Thread has been edited to get back on track.

Yikes!  Well, I really got a kick out of the union/rat sequence... and I'm looking forward to MayDay's pics from this and E. 4th!

I wanted to thank everyone who braved the weather and made it out to the Groundbreaking Ceremony today.  The weather cleared up nicely just in time.  MayDay...great meeting you.  KJP, good to see you again.  Let me know if you need anything.

 

As for the non-union rumor...no truth to that.  We working on finalizing our agreements with the unions.

 

Take care.

Don Picciano, Jr.

Director of Sales and Marketing

Zaremba.

 

PS-everyone stop by our sales office...we have a brand new scale model to show off!  It would have made it outside, but we were too concerned with the weather.

DAMMIT - YOU BEAT ME TO IT BY FOUR FREAKING SECONDS!!

 

Great minds think alike, so what is our excuse?

Can't wait for the pics... I was in school (CSU) when the groundbreaking was taking place, and didn't get out till 1:00

Arriving at the festivities:

 

Quite a nice turnout:

 

Mayor Frank Jackson working the room:

 

Thomas Mulready of CoolCleveland.com

 

Urbanohio.com's media correspondent extraordinaire, KJP!

 

Speakers are seated, waiting for the show to begin (KeyBank rep, National City rep, former Mayor Jane Campbell, Nathan Zaremba, Mayor Frank Jackson and Joe Roman of the Greater Cleveland Partnership at the podium:

 

Joe Roman:

 

Jane Campbell (according to Strangebrew, she was invited by Jackson since it began during her tenure - very classy on Jackson's part)

 

Frank Jackson:

 

Nathan Zaremba:

 

The crowd heads over to the ceremonial dirtpile:

 

Shiny shovels!

 

And it's officially a groundbreaking!

 

The pros and their cameras:

 

I spy two forumers! (blinker12 and 8shadesofgray - nice to finally meet you guys!)

 

This is the approximate view for the southwestern units - I'd love to see it from 10 stories up!

 

Over to the Galleria to check out the model:

 

 

The model looking southwest from the northeast:

 

Now we wait until metal starts sticking out of the ground :-D

In the last picture of the Avenue District completed, what is it surrounding? It looks like a lot of open space. Sorry if I'm a dummy on this, lol =) Is it parking for the units?

 

I can't wait until this is up! It looks great!

I believe it may be some kind of courtyard area but I'm sure that any of the Avenue District folks can clarify :)

what a day! if i didnt see all that i would have never believed it. the heart of downtown. wow. now that is a real show of collaboration too. exactly what we need more of. it's all very exciting.

 

great work as always mayday.

 

i think the model looks great. i appeciate they have blocked out the other additions as it really shows the large and very urban scale of this undertaking. when you live there you are going to have lots of neighbors and streetlife and stuff to do. i bet lots of people who live there will just walk to work, how cool is that? if you work around downtown and live downtown think of all the car/gas money and commute time you'll save.

 

i also like the promotional posters. you are 8 minutes walk from this and you are 5 minutes walk from that. very clever and catchy. they should really run with that. my spouse just finished up "advertising week" seminars in nyc this week so she's all geeked up on advertising and she loved those posters too.

 

my hat is off to nathan zaremba, a true clevelander patriot. he's taking modern urban homesteading to new heights, literally. congrats to them.

 

 

So when are you moving back!! :-D

 

MayDay - I didn't even know you were snapping that pic of me! I guess I was too busy chatting with one of the Panzica's of Panzica Construction (foreground) and architect Paul Volpe (behind Panzica).

 

I believe it may be some kind of courtyard area but I'm sure that any of the Avenue District folks can clarify :)

 

I think it's the area for the parking deck. Am I right?

"MayDay - I didn't even know you were snapping that pic of me!"

 

Give a guy a 12x optical zoom, and he becomes paparazzi! :D

This is very exciting!!  I have 2 questions:

 

1) Was this more of a ceremonial groundbreaking or are they planning to immediately start construction (will there be a big construction crew down there in October with jackhammers)?? 

2) Also, does anyone know if they will soon start any construction on the East 13 & Superior site (or are they just starting on E 12 & St.Clair for now) ??????

Some quick thoughts:

1)  The top of the interior courtyard will be a green garden, to be finished upon total build out.  For those of you familiar w/ NYC, think the quiet greens of Tutor City.

2)  There should be some real activity on the sites very soon.  Keep your eyes (and cameras) peeled. 

There's a new project sign up on the eastern end of the Superior block.  Thanks for all the pics ya'll!

Some quick thoughts:

1)  The top of the interior courtyard will be a green garden, to be finished upon total build out.  For those of you familiar w/ NYC, think the quiet greens of Tutor City.

2)  There should be some real activity on the sites very soon.  Keep your eyes (and cameras) peeled. 

 

Tudor city park is beautiful that green space would be such a benefit to the overall area.  Now, I can't wait for the next development in the area to get started.  :wink:

 

I wonder if The Chesterfield and Statler arms will go condo?  They have to do something to stay competitive and to keep from losing residents as the quality of first rate apartments in downtown has drastically increased and in real estate everyone wants to be at the "next", "biggest" or "best" thing on the block. 

 

Now if we could only get a 30+ story building so I can "move on up" like George and Weezie although, I'm paranoid about moving into a "new" building.

I could be wrong about this but I think the Staler cannot convert to condos for many years because of the tax credits they used. I remembering reading that the Statler used a low-income tax credit which requires rentals for 15 or 20 years.

 

Also, I think Reserve Square is partially going condo.

^^ Sweet!

 

... and, yes, I agree, it was classy of Frank to bring Jane back and give her some spotlight.  This did start under her... and if other such dormant projects climb off the drawing board -- ie, District Park -- Frank should, again, follow suit.

I could be wrong about this but I think the Staler cannot convert to condos for many years because of the tax credits they used. I remembering reading that the Statler used a low-income tax credit which requires rentals for 15 or 20 years.

 

Also, I think Reserve Square is partially going condo.

 

in regards to the statler, is this still in effect since the property changed hands?

 

And aren't only the upper three floors of Reserve Square going condo?

Where did you post the pictures of Lola and the bowling alley?

Here is the timeline of Phase I of construction.

 

FACT SHEET

 

Timeline

 

September 2005: Zaremba, Inc. acquires 6 1/5 acres of land in downtown Cleveland, and signs a deal with the City of Cleveland to begin The Avenue District development plans.

August 2006: Zaremba submits for Foundation permit to begin below-ground construction.

September 2006: Zaremba breaks ground on the $250-million-plus residential development designed to revitalize the residential landscape of downtown Cleveland.

September 2006: Preliminary design initiated on phase two of The Avenue District development, including 15 additional townhomes and building two.

October 2006: Townhome construction set to begin.

January 2007: Zaremba to submit for building one (1211 St. Clair Ave.) shell and core construction permit.

March 2007: Zaremba to submit for interior build-out permit.

Summer 2007: 15 townhome units are scheduled for completion.

Spring 2008: Building one and attached two-level parking garage scheduled for completion.

 

So, foundation work will begin for both the Superior and St. Clair block this month or just for the Superior block?

There are a couple of good video interviews on Cool Cleveland this week.

 

Avenue developer Nate Zaremba:

http://www.coolcleveland.com/files/video/NathanZaremba.wmv

http://www.coolcleveland.com/files/video/NathanZaremba.mov

 

Avenue homeowner Ellen Evans:

http://www.coolcleveland.com/files/video/EllenEvans.wmv

http://www.coolcleveland.com/files/video/EllenEvans.mov

There are a couple of good video interviews on Cool Cleveland this week.

 

Avenue developer Nate Zaremba:

http://www.coolcleveland.com/files/video/NathanZaremba.wmv

http://www.coolcleveland.com/files/video/NathanZaremba.mov

 

Avenue homeowner Ellen Evans:

http://www.coolcleveland.com/files/video/EllenEvans.wmv

http://www.coolcleveland.com/files/video/EllenEvans.mov

 

Nice and very positive.  I love that she is relocating from the 'burbs to downtown!  Also, I notice blinky and EightShades make a cameo in one of the videos!   :wave:

Wow, great interview with Ellen!  Everything she said makes perfect sense.  I hope lots of people who are on the fence see this... it's not pie-in-the-sky folks!