May 4, 20232 yr Stokes West redesigned By Ken Prendergast / May 3, 2023 It seems every real estate developer is having similar problems — supply constraints, rising construction materials costs and rising interest rates. Only those projects that are charging top-of-the-market rents, have investors with low expectations for returns on investment, or received a ton of subsidies are getting built. So when Stokes West, which intends to offer apartment rents that are 13-21 percent lower than its peers in and near University Circle, got design approval by City Planning Commission last summer, it was already facing an uphill climb. That changed when the development team joined forces with Geis Construction Inc. and found a way to deliver the project more affordably. MORE: https://neo-trans.blog/2023/05/03/stokes-west-redesigned/ "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
May 4, 20232 yr Wasn't able to snap a picture but construction has started on the Apartments on Hessler.Sent from my Pixel 7 using Tapatalk
May 5, 20232 yr On 5/3/2023 at 9:59 PM, KJP said: Stokes West redesigned By Ken Prendergast / May 3, 2023 It seems every real estate developer is having similar problems — supply constraints, rising construction materials costs and rising interest rates. Only those projects that are charging top-of-the-market rents, have investors with low expectations for returns on investment, or received a ton of subsidies are getting built. So when Stokes West, which intends to offer apartment rents that are 13-21 percent lower than its peers in and near University Circle, got design approval by City Planning Commission last summer, it was already facing an uphill climb. That changed when the development team joined forces with Geis Construction Inc. and found a way to deliver the project more affordably. MORE: https://neo-trans.blog/2023/05/03/stokes-west-redesigned/ Great news. I actually like the redesign a bit better. Seems to have more street presence.
May 5, 20232 yr 1 minute ago, LlamaLawyer said: Great news. I actually like the redesign a bit better. Seems to have more street presence. Planning Commission tabled it because the plan is so different yet the applicant was seeking final approval. The neighborhood-level design-review committee had some design change suggestions and concerns (including the exterior materials looked cheaper). The city also had approved rezoning and variances that were tied to the previous plan so the applicant will also have to resubmit for that. This could create a problem as City Council wants to update its zoning code before it leaves for summer break, and projects approved under old zoning would be grandfathered in. So the desire is to approve this project before council updates the zoning. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
May 5, 20232 yr 1 hour ago, KJP said: Planning Commission tabled it because the plan is so different yet the applicant was seeking final approval. The neighborhood-level design-review committee had some design change suggestions and concerns (including the exterior materials looked cheaper). The city also had approved rezoning and variances that were tied to the previous plan so the applicant will also have to resubmit for that. This could create a problem as City Council wants to update its zoning code before it leaves for summer break, and projects approved under old zoning would be grandfathered in. So the desire is to approve this project before council updates the zoning. It's idiotic sometimes the way we do things in this city...
May 5, 20232 yr 6 minutes ago, LlamaLawyer said: It's idiotic sometimes the way we do things in this city... Why would the city rubber stamp a project that has been significantly altered? They probably legally have to reconsider since the zoning variances no longer match the plans. I’m actually pretty irritated that the plan has been value engineered considering the city allowed the demolition of the terraced housing.
May 5, 20232 yr 14 minutes ago, LlamaLawyer said: It's idiotic sometimes the way we do things in this city... ^ i dk, just nitpicking here, but i do understand some of the questions. sure it has great presence, but also it does look rather knockoff and cheap. i'm a bit annoyed literally everything infill from this era is going to look so much the same, that is, all like college dorm buildings. i'm not saying brick it up or anything, but just a bit more creatvity would be nice. also, getting rid of the grass median and moving it up to the sidewalk would also help. well, wait, hmm, i guess they would not want to do that if its not retail on the first floor and its all apts. they still should tho.
May 5, 20232 yr Really do not like the new design. It looks very pedestrian and a lot cheaper than the original. Obviously, design review was having a heart attack given all the criticism about materials and the like. I note that Geis is now involved in the project. Not surprising. This looks like one of their classic value engineered buildings. It was hilarious watching the Geis representative tiptoe in front of the planning commission. He kept emphasizing they were ready to go immediately and just needed a quick approval even though there were so many conditions from design review. They were also emphasizing changes in the design like the amenity deck being moved from the fourth floor to the first floor to activate the area. Also stressed that the rents were going to be a lot cheaper than comparable buildings in the area. All the right buzzwords to try to force this thing through. Fortunately, they were not successful. The mass of the building is not going to change, but hopefully a lot of the materials and finishing touch will Edited May 5, 20232 yr by Htsguy
May 5, 20232 yr 58 minutes ago, mrnyc said: it does look rather knockoff and cheap. i'm a bit annoyed literally everything infill from this era is going to look so much the same also, getting rid of the grass median and moving it up to the sidewalk would also help. Yes, it does look “rather knockoff and cheap,” but that certainly isn’t unique to this era. You could probably sum up all of the styles of multifamily development in cleveland’s history in like, 3 photos… lemme give it a try: All of these buildings were designed to be cheap and mass-produced, accommodating the large amounts of population growth in the city’s industrial heyday, yet have become a treasured part of Cleveland’s architectural identity—not because of their uniqueness but because of their abundance. Point being, in 100 years these buildings will represent the unique historical context in which they were built—to accommodate growing employment in Cleveland’s healthcare and education sectors and provide workforce housing as affordably as possible especially for those without means to live further away and pay for transportation. Tacking on extra architectural features just for the sake of appearance only detracts from their purpose by making projects like these less economically feasible. I agree about the grass though. Yuck.
May 5, 20232 yr I seriously doubt this particular building will be doing anything in 100 years (unlike the row houses that were torn down to make way for its more substantial design predecessor) Edited May 5, 20232 yr by bumsquare
May 5, 20232 yr 55 minutes ago, bumsquare said: I seriously doubt this particular building will be doing anything in 100 years (unlike the row houses that were torn down to make way for its more substantial design predecessor) That’s a reasonable point, but maybe the design isn’t that important if it’s just gonna get replaced in a few decades anyway…
May 5, 20232 yr 4 hours ago, bumsquare said: They probably legally have to reconsider since the zoning variances no longer match the plans. Oh, I have little doubt that you’re right. THAT is the problem. There should be some more leeway so that projects like this one (which is probably going to get approved eventually) aren’t delayed by stupid procedural rules.
May 6, 20232 yr 17 hours ago, LlamaLawyer said: Oh, I have little doubt that you’re right. THAT is the problem. There should be some more leeway so that projects like this one (which is probably going to get approved eventually) aren’t delayed by stupid procedural rules. I don't think it is a stupid procedural rule. If a developer can do what Geis & Co wanted to do here, they can put out a very nice looking project, get through the first meetings, and then pull a switcheroo at the last minute and get approval. That would go a long ways towards neutering planning & design rules.
May 9, 20232 yr On 5/4/2023 at 7:50 PM, MyPhoneDead said: Wasn't able to snap a picture but construction has started on the Apartments on Hessler. Foundations for the Hessler apartments are in… Crazy to see one of the most vocally opposed small projects finally happening—over the winter I remember being amused at the absurd combination of holiday decorations and “No New Development on Hessler” signs Edited May 10, 20232 yr by sonisharri
May 16, 20232 yr One thing about University Circle, bad news doesn't hang over a property for long. There's always a new use waiting in the the wings somewhere.... CWRU institute replacing BioEnterprise By Ken Prendergast / May 16, 2023 After announcing last month that it will join others in acquiring BioEnterprise Corp.’s assets, Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) has developed plans to remake a portion of the nonprofit business incubator’s University Circle property into a home for a nascent research effort for improving human-machine interaction. Called the Human Fusions Institute (HFI) and founded in 2019, the national effort based in Cleveland at CWRU to advance socially responsible innovations in prosthetics, robotics and even gaming could see renovation work start later this year. MORE: https://neo-trans.blog/2023/05/16/cwru-institute-replacing-bioenterprise/ "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
May 16, 20232 yr I am a huge proponent of leveraging the expertise of research scientists at CWRU and our medical institutions to create products and businesses. That being said. I think BioEnterprise has been disappointing. Not quite a failure but certainly underachieving. Maybe it's because they were basically starting from scratch and that's always difficult. While we haven't created any high profile companies we have brought in hundreds of millions in grants and that has created jobs. Maybe BioEnterprise has served a purpose by basically kick-starting a nascent industry here and now it's time for the next phase. The area is starting that phase with a lot of momentum in terms of researchers, funding and awareness of possibilities. There are regional successes around the country we can learn from. We already have many of the necessary components in place. I'm excited to see where we go from here.
May 16, 20232 yr 1 hour ago, KJP said: Called the Human Fusions Institute (HFI) Did they say this back to themselves when they named it? It sounds terrifying and dystopian.
May 16, 20232 yr 3 hours ago, X said: Did they say this back to themselves when they named it? It sounds terrifying and dystopian. It does sound like a good setting for the modern retelling of a certain Mary Shelley novel...
May 16, 20232 yr I just pitched it as an episode title to Black Mirror. They like it. Now I just need to come up with a story… My hovercraft is full of eels
May 17, 20232 yr 3 minutes ago, MuRrAy HiLL said: If I am remembering correctly, although this may have changed, they don't intend to replace it with a new garage right after demolition-I think it is suppose to be surface parking for a period of time. When it is finally re-built I hope they give some consideration to activating the street portion of the garage fronting Ford. It doesn't necessarily have to be retail. Maybe a community meeting space where the Hessler crazies can gather to plot the overthrow of our capitalist society.
May 18, 20232 yr If I am remembering correctly, although this may have changed, they don't intend to replace it with a new garage right after demolition-I think it is suppose to be surface parking for a period of time. When it is finally re-built I hope they give some consideration to activating the street portion of the garage fronting Ford. It doesn't necessarily have to be retail. Maybe a community meeting space where the Hessler crazies can gather to plot the overthrow of our capitalist society.Well that's dumb. Why demolish a perfectly useful garage to EVENTUALLY build a garage that can support a tower? Why not keep it open until financing is in place and ready for a new one. Sent from my Pixel 7 using Tapatalk
May 18, 20232 yr Yeah, I’m with MPD. Why are we destroying this? It’s not condemned, it’s not going to collapse. This is dumb.
May 18, 20232 yr Looks like they're saying its a safety issue, whether it actually is or not. Certainly having UCI incur the cost of demolition makes the property more attractive for future development.
May 19, 20232 yr Stokes West got final approval today from PC despite the fact that Design Review clearly hates the building. I have to agree. I thought the original design was very appealing. The drastically changed final product looks like something built 50 years ago in the suburbs and located next to a bland medical office building with an elevator that is regularly in need of maintenance.
May 19, 20232 yr I retract all my criticisms of the design process re Stokes West, since this was a minimal delay. Maybe it's just me, but I don't strongly prefer either design aesthetically. And the new massing looks like a better street presence. 23 hours ago, RMB said: Looks like they're saying its a safety issue, whether it actually is or not. Certainly having UCI incur the cost of demolition makes the property more attractive for future development. I've parked in that garage dozens of times. It's in fairly bad shape. Your point about demo cost is well taken. When it's made into a easily buildable lot, I would expect this to be the most desirable parcel for development in all of university circle. I'm confident that's not an exaggeration.
May 19, 20232 yr There's so many big projects in University Circle that this project was never pulled out into its own thread. I guess I could've done it. Just another $40+ million project.... Stokes West gets go-ahead By Ken Prendergast / May 19, 2023 Developers of a large apartment complex in Cleveland’s University Circle could start construction of the $40 million project before August if all goes well in the coming weeks. That optimism was earned today after City Planning Commission gave the project final approval of its new, overhauled design and a zoning change to accommodate that design. The development is different from several others nearby because it isn’t trying to brush with or break through the top of the market when it comes to rents. Instead, Stokes West intends to offer smaller, more affordable apartments, many of them already furnished for new arrivals in Cleveland and from across the world. MORE: https://neo-trans.blog/2023/05/19/stokes-west-gets-go-ahead/ "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
May 20, 20232 yr 4 hours ago, simplythis said: Maybe Time for its own thread It’s not too late… I’ll be able to get plenty of photos of this one
May 20, 20232 yr Done.... "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
May 30, 20232 yr North Park Place townhomes just about wrapped up as of Sunday... Work at Ford Rd garage?
June 5, 20232 yr On 5/5/2023 at 2:23 PM, sonisharri said: Yes, it does look “rather knockoff and cheap,” but that certainly isn’t unique to this era. You could probably sum up all of the styles of multifamily development in cleveland’s history in like, 3 photos… lemme give it a try: All of these buildings were designed to be cheap and mass-produced, accommodating the large amounts of population growth in the city’s industrial heyday, yet have become a treasured part of Cleveland’s architectural identity—not because of their uniqueness but because of their abundance. Point being, in 100 years these buildings will represent the unique historical context in which they were built—to accommodate growing employment in Cleveland’s healthcare and education sectors and provide workforce housing as affordably as possible especially for those without means to live further away and pay for transportation. Tacking on extra architectural features just for the sake of appearance only detracts from their purpose by making projects like these less economically feasible. I agree about the grass though. Yuck. oh your general point is well taken and i certainly whole heartedly agree, just build for the people and bring them back to the city — and worry about fancier architecture later. absolutely. but i strongly disagree this represents anything cleveland at all as your older examples do. this development is emblematic of a wide national style of off the shelf generic apt buildings that you can find today going up in. every. freakin. city. it can most certainly be tweaked to be sited up to the sidewalk at least, and at best with amenities like say a common middle area, roofdeck, a bit of ground floor retail for like a corner store or daycare or etc., and yes perhaps all in all a more unique for cleveland design, at least in part. in other words, its fine, i am just tired of seeing the same building everywhere, thats all.
June 5, 20232 yr 2 hours ago, MuRrAy HiLL said: Had no idea CWRU ranked all the way down at 66th in research grants nationwide. That's far too low for a school with its reputation. True sleeping giant territory here. Got a hunch that Kaler, with his engineering and patent background, may be right guy to finally lead the turnaround. I also like that he explicitly cited the Carnegie Mellon/Pittsburgh research and economic development model. No need to reinvent the wheel here. Edited June 5, 20232 yr by Down_with_Ctown
June 5, 20232 yr 1 hour ago, mrnyc said: but i strongly disagree this represents anything cleveland at all as your older examples do. this development is emblematic of a wide national style of off the shelf generic apt buildings that you can find today going up in. every. freakin. city.
June 19, 20231 yr A house on Bellflower able to get the wrecking ball: CWRU plans to demolish former Delta Sigma Delta house to make way for parking lot https://www.cleveland.com/realestate-news/2023/06/cwru-plans-to-demolish-former-delta-sigma-delta-house-to-make-way-for-parking-lot.html
June 19, 20231 yr 9 hours ago, MuRrAy HiLL said: A house on Bellflower able to get the wrecking ball: CWRU plans to demolish former Delta Sigma Delta house to make way for parking lot https://www.cleveland.com/realestate-news/2023/06/cwru-plans-to-demolish-former-delta-sigma-delta-house-to-make-way-for-parking-lot.html I may be wrong since, to be honest, I was doing other things and only half listening to the Planning Commission meeting, but I thought they denied the demo request at this time because CWRU was still working on it campus master plan and had no idea what may or may not go at this site.
June 30, 20231 yr Monmouth Building on Euclid Ave noted in this article about historic tax credits. 11 hours ago, KJP said: NE Ohio wins $26M in historic tax credits By Ken Prendergast / June 29, 2023 An ambitious plan to redevelop the mostly vacated Park Synagogue, 3300 Mayfield Rd., and its 28 acres of land in Cleveland Heights was the big winner in today’s awarding of $50.56 million in Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credits to 38 projects statewide. But Northeast Ohio overall did pretty in this latest round of historic tax credit awards, winning more than $26 million for 11 projects. MORE https://neo-trans.blog/2023/06/29/ne-ohio-wins-26m-in-historic-tax-credits/ "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
July 26, 20231 yr On 4/20/2023 at 9:28 PM, sonisharri said: Activity on Hessler apartments? Update from 7/26/23:
August 17, 20231 yr "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
August 17, 20231 yr 13 minutes ago, KJP said: Why in the future? Do it when they build the new garage. It has been a while since we've seen the Hessler folks throw a hissy fit. It should be fun to watch.
August 17, 20231 yr Is this apart of the zoning overlay, requiring commercial spaces to be built? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
August 17, 20231 yr 36 minutes ago, MyPhoneDead said: Is this apart of the zoning overlay, requiring commercial spaces to be built? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk I see no PRO here. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
August 31, 20231 yr End of an era. Lotta memories in that rubble. 😪 Seriously though, I can't imagine this site will be vacant for too many years. Perfect spot for a 10-15 story apartment building with ground-level retail.
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