^the E.93rd Rite Aid is moving over to E.101 to make room for CCF expansion.

 

From the Board of Zoning Appeals:

 

The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, owner, and Rite Aid, lessee, appeal to construct a one-story 11,157 square foot retail store, proposed to be situated on an acreage parcel in a General Retail Business District on the southwest corner of Chester Avenue and East 101st Street at 10090 Chester Avenue;  subject to the driveway regulations for General and Local Retail Districts and Section 343.18.©, a driveway providing access to a property shall be located so there is not less than 15 feet between the point of tangency of the driveway apron radius and a prolongation of the property line to the curb line measured at the curb line;  and the parking of motor vehicles within the established 10 foot building line setback along East 101st Street is prohibited as stated in Section 357.14 of the Codified Ordinances.

(Filed 6-27-07)   

so in english that means...

...A suburban-designed store plunked down in the middle of one Cleveland's most urban neighborhoods -- one that is trying to be more urbane ...not suburban.

Okay, here's a question --- I see a lot of these posts about types of buildings, what goes where, what development.  Does the city actually have a plan with a planning and zoning board that is strong or is really about cash?

Driving down Chester I noticed the sign at 79th for the housing development at that corner (that had been removed, tore down, stolen during the summer...take your pick) is now back up (and with cute little flags).  However, there seems to be very little progress in terms of moving dirt (in fact none) at this corner or at the larger Chester 82 site down the street despite the fact that both projects were announced quite some time ago.  Anyone have the inside scoop?

^the E.93rd Rite Aid is moving over to E.101 to make room for CCF expansion.

 

From the Board of Zoning Appeals:

 

The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, owner, and Rite Aid, lessee, appeal to construct a one-story 11,157 square foot retail store, proposed to be situated on an acreage parcel in a General Retail Business District on the southwest corner of Chester Avenue and East 101st Street at 10090 Chester Avenue;  subject to the driveway regulations for General and Local Retail Districts and Section 343.18.©, a driveway providing access to a property shall be located so there is not less than 15 feet between the point of tangency of the driveway apron radius and a prolongation of the property line to the curb line measured at the curb line;  and the parking of motor vehicles within the established 10 foot building line setback along East 101st Street is prohibited as stated in Section 357.14 of the Codified Ordinances.

(Filed 6-27-07)   

 

Now that the new Rite Aid is open and the old one is closed, the CCF is already laying foundation for new construction up against the street corner of E. 93rd and Euclid. I assume the project will expand north to Chester once the old Rite Aid is torn down - which will happen very soon. The big question is, what is being built here?? It's not in the masterplan and it's the parcel directly across from the new heart center and also across the street from the new parking garage, it's also adjacent to the Guesthouse for the Clinic.

 

UPDATE: "Allee And Reflecting Pools" is what will occupy this site, the entire length  of E. 93rd between Euclid and Chester and from E. 93rd to E. 97th on Chester - ultimately an inverted 'L' shape. Now someone please tell me, what the hell is this supposed to be????????? And for a main entrance it better be better than a pond!

^ Landscape architect Peter Walker has been engaged to enhance Cleveland Clinic's main campus. He plans a broad, tree-lined mall, or Allee, with a reflecting pool running down the center. The Allee will go from Chester Avenue to the front door of the Miller Pavilion.

 

 

 

Wow, a step up from a big green lawn. Why don't they transform the existing green lawns into this and use that parcel for something better - Oh wait, this area is notorious for not being "urban".

New development:

 

Chances are the long-rumored Upper Chester housing-and-retail project will move off the drawing board in 2008. Developer Wes Finch says success at the upscale Park Lane Villa off East 105th Street has him jazzed about a $25 million, mid-rise building on city-owned land, between East 93rd and East 97th streets. It would have a bank, restaurant, small grocery and other retail at street level and 120 apartments above, and it would sit just north of Chester, across from the Cleveland Clinic's main entrance. Finch huddled with city officials and business leaders this week pursuing the same kind of subsidies that were integral to Park Lane Villa.

 

more at:

http://www.cleveland.com/tipoff/index.ssf?/base/opinion/1198488612307550.xml&coll=2&thispage=3

^ Awesome news! I have high hopes for this area in the coming years! It's looking good!

Yo tambien! I'm probably most excited about the Upper Chester/"Uptown" developments. I think if they're done well, it could add a truly upper classy development, that I think Cleveland in general could use.

Litt's got a new piece on his blog about the upper chester project.

 

Upper Chester plans are exciting, but design for first building still needs work

Posted by Steven Litt/Plain Dealer Architecture Critic

March 05, 2008 11:03AM

 

 

Would-be rivals are jealous of Cleveland architect Paul Volpe and the large number of commissions won by his firm, City Architecture.

 

But let's face it: No other local designer has done as much over the past two decades to rebuild whole sections of the city with new apartments, townhouses and single-family homes.

 

And yet, while the firm excels at city planning and urban design, it hasn't yet designed a single residential or office building that qualifies as a strong, memorable, iconic presence...

 

For more:  http://blog.cleveland.com/architecture/2008/03/upper_chester_plans_are_exciti.html

when posting, can links be included? thanks.

here are two images that accompany the blog entry:

 

Attached images removed

^^http://blog.cleveland.com/architecture/2008/03/upper_chester_plans_are_exciti.html

Does this mean Steve Litt is this forum's w28? Sorry if I outed you w28!! ;)

 

http://blog.cleveland.com/architecture/2008/03/large_upperchesterbird.jpg

^^http://blog.cleveland.com/architecture/2008/03/upper_chester_plans_are_exciti.html

 

thanks.  You could have just modified your original post with this info

Thanks McCleveland for pointing this out.  I was just checking Litt's blog this morning wondering when he was going to post something new.

 

Wow, the ambition of this proposal is really exhilarating.  Exciting stuff.  Too bad the Clinic has done such a crap job on the south side of Chester (including the lame new drug store at 101st).  But seriously, this is really cool.  I like that it seeks to keep the few existing houses rather than just steamrolling the entire site- there's some really cool stuff still there (in various states of repair).

 

I don't think the design is as cluttered as he makes it out to be.  And the setback doesn't really bother me (surprisingly) given that Chester is pretty much a highway there.

 

It's a shame Beacon Place and Woodhaven, etc. couldn't have been designed with this kind of ambition, but those were from another time...  I will be so, so excited if and when stuff like this project starts sprouting along Euclid in Midtown.

^ I think your right... setbacks normally drive me into a furious rage but they didn't seem to bother me this time and I think it's because like you said, Chester is practically a highway there.  I will also say as much as I loathe the Clinic I think the new reflecting pool alley they are putting in will compliment this development nicely.

It's a shame Beacon Place and Woodhaven, etc. couldn't have been designed with this kind of ambition, but those were from another time...  I will be so, so excited if and when stuff like this project starts sprouting along Euclid in Midtown.

 

Beacon Place and Woodhaven may have helped pave the way for this project to happen--baby steps in a way.

 

This really is exciting news.  This project should be a catalyst for the neighborhoods around Euclid and Chester to continue to be developed on a larger scale.  I'm also really liking the storefront aspect as well.  Now if only the schools could be improved/fixed to help influence more families to move in...especailly those working at the clinic who have children.

 

 

Now if only the schools could be improved/fixed to help influence more families to move in...especailly those working at the clinic who have children.

 

As you just stated, "baby steps".  The schools are improving, some area's more than their suburban counterparts. 

As much as I rag on the Cleveland Clinic for their inward-facing suburban fortresses, this project appears to be much better in its land use concept, including its applications of mixed use and street presence. Perhaps Clinic officials will realize they can place and design office buildings and even parking garages in a similar fashion.

Now if only the schools could be improved/fixed to help influence more families to move in...especailly those working at the clinic who have children.

 

The Cleveland Foundation is behind this entire project. They are looking into ways to improve the school situation for families that would live in Upper Chester.

Does this mean Steve Litt is this forum's w28? Sorry if I outed you w28!! ;)

 

 

Not quite, but well played.

City must have put their "contemporary style" design team on this one.

:roll:

As much as I rag on the Cleveland Clinic for their inward-facing suburban fortresses, this project appears to be much better in its land use concept, including its applications of mixed use and street presence.

 

Keep ragging away- I don't think the Clinic has much of a role in this project, no?  The Clinic owns some of the land (like the childcare building on the NE corner of Chester and E93rd) but are they otherwise involved?

Was driving down Chester today and noticed for the first time a construction fence at the Chester 82 site, a few pieces of construction equipment and it looked as it some dirt had been pushed around.  Looks like this project may be finally going forward.  I was afraid that with the current crisis in the lending market, this would be one of the projects that bite the dust.

Was driving down Chester today and noticed for the first time a construction fence at the Chester 82 site, a few pieces of construction equipment and it looked as it some dirt had been pushed around.

 

I saw that too -- but it looked like a big pile of dirt had been brought in.  That site doesn't seem to sit low, so it's probably not to raise up a low spot.  And it isn't tailings from foundation diggings -- I didn't see any holes in the ground at least.

 

Unfortunately, I suspect that it might just be a staging area for dirt needed for the Clinic's "allee."

Does it look like they stripped topsoil from the site? 

CH Jake...a good theory perhaps.

 

Drove by again today and noticed that since yesterday the fence is more "elaborate".  Yesterday it was just chain link and today it includes canvas all around.

 

I will keep checking it out.

I can't remember where we talked about Chester82 before, so I'll just put it here.  They have a real website now :-D

 

http://www.chester82.com/

How cute!

http://www.cleveland.com/sites/vintage/

Wasn't sure where to put this...

 

Upper Chester plans stirring near University Circle, years after Cleveland project stalled

 

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development recently signaled that it is willing to change those deed restrictions, making a project possible. And a developer says the time is right with strikingly low interest rates and other financing that might dry up in a year.

 

City officials express a similar sense of urgency. They're vetting a proposal from the Finch Group, the Florida developer that has been chasing Upper Chester for half a decade. The company's plans, for the $94 million first phase of the project, call for 295 apartments, a grocery store and senior housing.

 

"Now is a good time to move on this," said Chris Warren, chief of regional development for Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson. "We would not want to delay this two years, because who knows what the climate will be two years from now."

 

The Finch Group, which owns the nearby Park Lane Villa apartments, is targeting 38 acres of Upper Chester, bounded by East 93rd and East 101st streets and stretching north from Chester toward Hough Avenue. The city of Cleveland owns much of the land, once occupied by houses and low-income apartments.

 

http://mobile.cleveland.com/advcleve/pm_29207/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=TaeaWmi4

Apartments over retail, plus a grocery store?  Now we're talking.

Found the article chocked full of information (lots of it new).  Good job by the reporter.

 

Great to see so many different entities working together to try to get this done.  It really is major and more or less would create a new neighborhood as well as build an important bridge between the Clinic and the rest of UC.  Was disappointed by Mr. Ratner's take on things.

I'm glad HUD is willing to move on this.  Hopefully this gets done and will lead to Clinic workers buying these units.

 

Personally I am very happy to see the low income component being satisfied by Seniors.  This should help raise the profile of this development and help make it successful.

 

 

 

 

Apartments over retail, plus a grocery store?  Now we're talking.

 

Couldn't agree more.  It bodes well for the area and would strengthen the connectivity between Hough and the University areas.

And preserving Newton Ave with surrounding higher apartments...almost a Hessler and Uptown feel

It's great to see some density in an area that the only newer housing has been sprawl style.

Awesome to see this project spring back to life.  Just so annoying that the drug store and bank on the south side of Chester were built with the typical suburban orientation.  Would have been awesome for this part of Chester to have developed into a nice looking retail cluster to serve the Clinic area and Upper Chester.

bravo to wesley finch and co and everyone who kept this on the burner. its already a nice urban form minded project -- i dk if they are showing new renderings(?), if so i cant see them, but i just hope the new plan fronts are not set back 45-60ft from the street as the old design was. that was the only problem i had with it. it really needs to be close to the street, so people going by can see what is there more easily.

 

i know the first apt bldg render got some criticism from litt for being too busy and west coast-ish, but i liked that and really hope they keep a up a modern style with similar color and flash in the updated design.

 

Especially since many of the doctors completing their fellowship here are coming from the east and west coasts.

I'm beginning to think Litt only likes bland featureless boxes.

Especially since many of the doctors completing their fellowship here are coming from the east and west coasts.

 

I looked on the clinic site, UH site and UCI site to see if they list where incoming residents are from.  None of those sites give any details.

Come downtown...I'll introduce you to a bunch;)

Come downtown...I'll introduce you to a bunch;)

 

Now its gone from "many" to a "bunch".  :P :P :P  My question (God...I sound like you-know-who, Urbanohio's question man. HA!) was serious.  Does anyone have a reasonable estimate of the number or transplants to CLE that work in Clinic / UCI area?

I've met something like 15, most of which live downtown and moved here in June.  They will be here for at least two years. It would be interesting to see exactly how many came in and where they've decided to live.

I've met something like 15, most of which live downtown and moved here in June.  They will be here for at least two years. It would be interesting to see exactly how many came in and where they've decided to live.

Now it's 15?  Ummmmm, down from "many" and a "bunch".  HA!  Yes, it would be nice to know what new employees to Cleveland last permanent resident was.

Upper Chester plan in Cleveland's Hough neighborhood set for City Council review

 

Construction might start in late 2013 on a grocery store, apartments and senior housing in Cleveland's Hough neighborhood.

 

Legislation paving the way for the $94 million project, much of it on city-owned land, was introduced at City Council on Monday and is scheduled for a hearing Friday morning before the Cleveland City Planning Commission.

 

That legislation would allow the city to enter a development agreement with the Finch Group of Florida, which has been pursuing Upper Chester for years.

 

Both the developer and the city say it's urgent to push the long-delayed project forward. Financing for the 295 market-rate apartments is available at strikingly low interest rates, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is open to modifying deed restrictions that make it hard to build on the property. To start construction next year, the Finch Group also must meet a February application deadline for tax credits to support the senior housing.

 

http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2012/11/upper_chester_plan_in_clevelan.html#incart_river_default

^Does anybody have any inside scoop on all of this especially this Joel Ratner guy (is he a member of the FCE clan?).  Why is he throwing a monkey wrench into the works?  He seems to calling for delay and "more imput for the neighborhood" for no good reason.  What is his agenda?  Is this some sort of power play?  I am very confused by this, especially when we have a developer that is so gun ho and has completed projects in the past.