September 28, 200717 yr I wonder if suburbintes know some of us hate going to the burbs as much some of them coming to the city. Ms. Peabody, I couldn't have said that better myself! You go gurl!
October 4, 200717 yr You know that space in Playhouse Square that the City leases to local start-up tech firms for dirt-cheap rent? To my understanding, that program has been extremely successful. A friend and I were talking about how excellent it'd be for Steelyard Commons to have a space to incubate local merchants or restaurants to that same effect. The exposure would be excellent for the business, it'd bring a local flavor to SYC, and it'd demonstrate to people that there are great places out in the neighborhoods at which to shop and eat. There are probably issues with having a universal build-out, the business' capacity to staff another local, who pays the rent, etc. But in a perfect world, this would be quite a concept!
October 5, 200717 yr One thing that's fascinating is that on the online forum of the Lakewood Observer newspaper, there's a discussion about redeveloping a former Giant Eagle grocery store, and people are hoping it'll be a Trader Joe's. Now there's talk of a Trader Joe's at Steelyard. Has anyone looked into how a small specialty grocer with limited stock, owned by ALDI (which is generally looked down upon as a grocer to lower-income shoppers), has become the darling and savior of modern retail? Granted, TJ's is an interesting place, and I do shop there periodically, but every suburb seems to want one, and whenever there's a new development with retail, the Trader Joe's name is floated as one of the possible tenants. Has there been a study like this, a "Trader Joe" halo effect ... much like years ago, Pottery Barn or Borders was the magic retailer that everyone wanted?
October 10, 200717 yr I would love to see a Trader Joe's in SYC. Of course I would also like a Crate and Barrell, Room and Board, Ikea, and, drum role please....... A Marc's. (Don't laugh -- after all the high end stuff I want a girl sometimes just needs some cheap Mop 'n Glo from Marc's)
October 11, 200717 yr I would love to see a Trader Joe's in SYC. Of course I would also like a Crate and Barrell, Room and Board, Ikea, and, drum role please....... A Marc's. (Don't laugh -- after all the high end stuff I want a girl sometimes just needs some cheap Mop 'n Glo from Marc's) High End? :? I'd rather see that stuff Downtown, minus the Ikea. I second that!
October 11, 200717 yr I have to agree with you My Two Sense. It is amazing now a days what people consider "high end".
October 11, 200717 yr maybe we need a BOTPASBSS (Back On Topic Please And Stop Being So Snooty) graphic. :wink:
October 11, 200717 yr I don't usually take requests but... clevelandskyscrapers.com Cleveland Skyscrapers on Instagram
October 11, 200717 yr Now that I think of it, how come SYC doesn't look like the renderings in the off-topic picture?
October 11, 200717 yr The "heritage center" looks exactly like the building in the center of the graphic. The others were creatively positioned - the one in the background on the right looks like the Wal-Mart. clevelandskyscrapers.com Cleveland Skyscrapers on Instagram
October 19, 200717 yr FYI, temporary signs appeared in front of Wal-Mart for a 10/24/07 grand opening. That was Tuesday, and the signs were taken down sometime Thursday. I drive through Steelyard every day, and there seems to be a lot of activity in Wal-Mart. There are lot of cars out in the parking lot. Maybe it's employees stocking the shelves or undergoing training?
October 19, 200717 yr Maybe it's people camping out for the opening? Crazy people love them some Wal-Mart! Were they tailgating?
October 19, 200717 yr Maybe it's people camping out for the opening? Crazy people love them some Wal-Mart! Were they tailgating? Tailgating at Walmart? Please tell me you're joking!
October 19, 200717 yr fyi, a fact about wal-mart i never knew: wal-mart offers free overnight parking to owners of motorhomes that shop at wal-mart.
October 19, 200717 yr yes I heard there is a whole community surronding this. Traveling our great land and parking overnight at Walmart...it's what makes 'merica great.
October 19, 200717 yr well at least it would be a change of scenery for these "campers" -- steel mills vs. corn fields...
October 20, 200717 yr nope. tales in Disurbia: where i first heard of this- http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/11/national/11rv.html?ex=1284091200&en=461a0b731a259ba6&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss and more... http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/79628_walmart23.shtml
October 22, 200717 yr I would love to see a Trader Joe's in SYC. Of course I would also like a Crate and Barrell, Room and Board, Ikea, and, drum role please....... A Marc's. (Don't laugh -- after all the high end stuff I want a girl sometimes just needs some cheap Mop 'n Glo from Marc's) High End? :? I'd rather see that stuff Downtown, minus the Ikea. I second that! After much thought -- yeah, I could see that stuff downtown as well or instead. As for the HIHGH END -- well, let's call it "high end on a budget"
October 22, 200717 yr Wal-Mart opens Wednesday. I got a tour of the new store last Thursday. Needless to say, Cuyahoga County's first Wal-Mart Supercenter is BIG! I might even post some pics... "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
October 22, 200717 yr There's a Supercenter under construction in Bedford. But the one at Steelyard will open first. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
October 23, 200717 yr [EDIT] well, at least this will help downtown, ohio city, and tremont residents. Fingers crossed on this healping the city and not hurting it.
October 23, 200717 yr I still am baffled why there is no superstore like Walmart or Home Depot in downtown Cleveland. We're supposed to be at 90 percent occupancy (which I guess is high), and they all can't buy food at Constantinos everyday
October 23, 200717 yr I don't understand why it's baffling - 90 percent occupancy but that's for an area with 12,000 residents (and I'm being generous). Of those 12,000 residents, around 1,000 or so are incarcerated at the Justice Center. So let's say we're working with a figure of 10,000 people - that's nowhere near enough to justify opening some big-box store in downtown, given the higher land values, etc. There's no way a typical Wal-Mart parking lot belongs in downtown, so they'd have to provide structured parking and likely stack their big-box format. Do you really think 10,000 people would give a good ROI on something like that? clevelandskyscrapers.com Cleveland Skyscrapers on Instagram
October 23, 200717 yr Return On Investment. clevelandskyscrapers.com Cleveland Skyscrapers on Instagram
October 23, 200717 yr I think that having a major grocery store or an inexpensive place to shop would be an important factor to move downtown. Part of the reason I'm still hesistant to move to East 4th (job situation aside) is that inexpensive shopping (food and clothing) is not yet convenient down there. I can't believe I'm the only one with this mentality.
October 23, 200717 yr I think that having a major grocery store or an inexpensive place to shop would be an important factor to move downtown. Part of the reason I'm still hesistant to move to East 4th (job situation aside) is that inexpensive shopping (food and clothing) is not yet convenient down there. I can't believe I'm the only one with this mentality. No you aren't. However, a "big box" store in the middle of an URBAN downtown does not make sense - no matter how you run the numbers. The grocery store at Reserve Square has been expanded and improved. And there is quick transportation options to the WSM or Daves in Chinatown.
October 23, 200717 yr ^ I think you are just misunderstanding the point. An inexpensive place to shop for necessities, sure, a suburban type super center in the middle of downtown, no.
October 23, 200717 yr Wolstein is proposing Heinen's in the flats. Downtown Cleveland doesn't need Wal mart neccessarily, and some of the new developments are proposing new stores to cater to neighborhoods. All of this goes back to Mayday's post about population. If the population isn't there, retailers won't think its viable and won't build, in the coming years there should be more new retail as more residences are built.
October 23, 200717 yr If you mean that you want a typical big-box store (one level, 150K sq. ft. footprint plus acres of surface parking) in downtown, then quite frankly you have no understanding of urban planning - an auto-centric store like that has no business being downtown. If you mean a big-box store with a more urban configuration (hidden and structured parking, multiple levels, etc.), it's a much more expensive investment on the retailer's end - and 10,000 residents are all well and good, but there needs to be a lot more to convince a major retailer that an investment of that level would pay off. So maybe you should "be the change you want to see"? ;-) Honestly, it really isn't that inconvenient to either Daves (Payne or Ohio City), the West Side Market, and if you really want to go car-free, sign up for CityWheels when they get their vehicle downtown and do your occasional stock-up trips at Steelyard. I think you might need to consider your mentality/approach before you move downtown - I don't mean for that to sound condescending - I had to do the same thing when I gave up my car. It's just that you have re-wire your thinking so you can adapt to living car-free and in the city. Convenience and urban living don't always go hand-in-hand but I wouldn't trade living in the city for anything. clevelandskyscrapers.com Cleveland Skyscrapers on Instagram
October 23, 200717 yr Convenience and urban living don't always go hand-in-hand but I wouldn't trade living in the city for anything. They don't, but they should. It's really because urban living is still getting through its baby steps here that things aren't as convenient to urbanites as they should be. When we have several tens of thousands of people living Downtown, there will be enough shopping and neighborhood services to make it a paragon of urban convenience, but at 10,000 residents we aren't there yet. That said, I can already walk to a drug store, my bank, post office, a mall (though somewhat marginal), a couple of small grocery stores, a number of restaurants and bars, parks on the lake and river, and plenty else. Not to mention that I am at the transit and auto hubs of the region, so access to non walking destinations are also some of the best in the region. How many other neighborhoods can say that?
October 23, 200717 yr reserve square's supermarket is not anything to write home about...it is still seriously lacking even basic food amenities and their deli/produce departments are gawd awful...i agree that another option is def. needed.
October 23, 200717 yr What's the closest Rapid stop? W 25th or something, right? I was just curious about mass transit connections to SC.
October 23, 200717 yr ^if you can wait two years, you're going to have a super nice heinens in the Flats. You'll even be able to order groceries on line.
October 23, 200717 yr Yep, West 25th - the 807/Tremont circulator picks up from there, and there are bus stops right in SYC. Not the most direct or ideal but do-able. clevelandskyscrapers.com Cleveland Skyscrapers on Instagram
October 23, 200717 yr What's the closest Rapid stop? W 25th or something, right? I was just curious about mass transit connections to SC. Its address up thread. there is a loop that services the development
October 23, 200717 yr Gotcha. Was just curious in terms of proximity to downtown and ease of accessibility for downtown residents and whatnot. Thanks, guys.
October 25, 200717 yr Wal-Mart was packed yesterday. At around 5pm when I drove by, the vast majority of the parking lot was full. I dislike how there are two "Always" signs on the Wal-Mart. There's one on each side of the building. I'll post photos if/when I get a chance.
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