Developer of Cleveland VA hospital tower close to breaking ground

By JAY MILLER

 

1:10 pm, July 7, 2009

 

The developer of the office building and parking garage planned as a companion to the new Department of Veterans Affairs hospital tower in University Circle said he plans to break ground on the long-stalled project by the end of July.

 

Michael Forlani had just heard at a Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority committee meeting that the Port Authority board intends to vote this Friday, July 10, to issue $115 million in bonds to help fund the project. He told Crain’s Cleveland Business that if the bonds can be issued next week, he will be able to break ground before the end of the month.

 

The project has been in limbo for more than a year, as Mr. Forlani scrambled to restructure the development to make financing possible in the current tight credit market. The bonds now have a 22-year term instead of the original 30-year term.

 

The VA also helped make the financing more attractive by agreeing to a 10-year lease, with a 10-year option, on the bulk of the space in the building. Originally, the VA agreed only to a series of two-year leases because of the traditional, two-year federal budget cycle.

 

The VA will use the 126,000-square-foot building for its administrative offices. The five-acre site also will include a 2,080-space parking garage for visitors and employees of the VA hospital.

 

http://crainscleveland.com/article/20090707/FREE/907079965

 

Glad to see this. Every little bit helps get the economy's gears turning a little more.

Still plugging along:

Developer of Cleveland VA hospital tower close to breaking ground

By JAY MILLER

 

1:10 pm, July 7, 2009

 

The developer of the office building and parking garage planned as a companion to the new Department of Veterans Affairs hospital tower in University Circle said he plans to break ground on the long-stalled project by the end of July.

 

Has this happened yet?

^I didn't see anything going on at *that* site, but I wasn't really looking too closely.

So if Brecksville is completely closing, what will happen to that property?  Is there any plan yet?  I never remember how HUGE the VA is down there until I see it (I was doing some work at Lubrizol across the street yesterday :)).

So if Brecksville is completely closing, what will happen to that property? Is there any plan yet? I never remember how HUGE the VA is down there until I see it (I was doing some work at Lubrizol across the street yesterday :)).

 

Not sure what other uses the actual buildings will offer.  The property though is on prime real estate for some sprawl construction :(

 

The Brecksville campus was built like it was, with the building spread out over the campus and connected by lengthy corridors, so that it could not be targeted with a single bomb.  We just don't think like that anymore.

The Brecksville campus was built like it was, with the building spread out over the campus and connected by lengthy corridors, so that it could not be targeted with a single bomb. We just don't think like that anymore.

 

Oh yes we do. It's why the FBI was moved out of the federal building and into its fortress on Lakeside.

Cares Tower still going; the tower crane has been taken down:

 

The Brecksville campus was built like it was, with the building spread out over the campus and connected by lengthy corridors, so that it could not be targeted with a single bomb. We just don't think like that anymore.

 

Oh yes we do. It's why the FBI was moved out of the federal building and into its fortress on Lakeside.

And why the Federal building is spending quite a bit over the next few months to have engineers assess what's needed to make the building even more blast resistant than it already is.

 

Oops, now I see how dumb my question on the CMA thread was.

 

Did you notice if there was VA construction going on on E105 too or is that part yet to break ground?

 

Thanks for the all the photo updates- they are very, very appreciated!

^Nothing happening on the East 105 phase yet - and you're welcome, I'm glad the sun was out and it got above 30!

Nice!

The VA is spread out,  they currently have many floors in the Federal Building on E 9th and Lakeside.  It would be nice if they could consolidate.   

^I learn something every day - never realized they had a presence there; I'm guessing *if* they're going to consolidate, it would be into the office tower phase on 105th.

So far, I'm liking this.  Somewhat Miles VanderRoe ish.  (sp?)

Ludwig Mies van der Rohe; though I think it's more Le Corbusier - google them both and you'll see what I mean. ;-)

There's a bit of Art Deco or Streamline Moderne in there too, what with the curving horizonal lines and continuous windows.

^I learn something every day - never realized they had a presence there; I'm guessing *if* they're going to consolidate, it would be into the office tower phase on 105th.

 

Here's something for Saturday.  The term VA is a bit of a misnomer.  The presence at Wade Park and Brecksville which will be consolidated is mainly VHA - Veterans' Health Administration - which is the largest subdivision of the DVA - the Department of Veterans' Affairs.  The DVA also includes the Veterans Benefits Administration and the National Cemetery Association.  The DVA is huge, being the second largest government agency behind the DOD.

 

Without knowing for sure, I would assume that the workers at the Federal Building are DVA employees but not necessarily limited to the VHA.  I would not expect those workers to move.  The consolidation that was contemplated was bringing the people from Brecksville to Wade Park and closing Brecksville altogether.  The new administration building will replace the administration building that is on the Brecksville campus now.  Administrators, accountants, legal counsel, HR, etc. will all be brought into the City.

 

I drove by this last night without having seen MayDay's picture update and I remarked about how simply cool this building looked. And this daytime picture helps bring it out more. Streamline Moderne is the feeling I get.

This entire construction project is bringing activity to the northern end of UC (i.e. E.105th-East Blvd.-Wade Pk area) and that's a good thing.

Financing lined up for expansion of Cleveland's Veterans Affairs hospital

By ARIELLE KASS

 

8:00 am, February 26, 2010

 

A deal has been reached to finance the expansion of Cleveland's Veterans Affairs hospital.

 

The Louis Stokes Veterans Affairs Medical Center has had trouble securing financing in the difficult credit cycle. Fifth Third Securities Inc. said Thursday it had served as the financial adviser and structuring agent for a $115 million bond deal to help renovate and expand the hospital.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20100226/FREE/100229878

I think this type of design (so far) works well in a park like atmosphere.  Most of the design is in a shape which is somewhat organic which leads the eye to the natural, sinuous shapes of the flora, topography, etc.  That is the relationship to the adjacent environment in which I think modern design works best.  THe UH cancer hospital on the other hand looks ot odds with its environment and adjacent classical structures (e.g. Allen Memorial Library, Lakeside hospital, Severance hall, Twing center, etc.).

 

How's that for an engineer!

I don't think these have been linked to before; lots of renderings of the current master plan for the VA's campus at UC, including the office building/dorms to be built north of the new hospital tower going up: http://planning.city.cleveland.oh.us/landmark/agenda/photo/01142010/index.php

 

I had thought they were planning on keeping the old apartment building at the SE corner of East Blvd and Wade Park (and it is shown in one of the plans), but what look to be more recent plans show it knocked down :(.  Wish they would knock down that POS new building at the SE corner of Wade Park and E105 instead.  One of the worst recent buildings in all of NEO, IMHO.

Was in the area on Friday.  The Admin building and parking garage are very much underway. 

Boomer!...

Sorry no pictures, but the Admin. Bldg. has two floors of steel above ground and the garage appears to be nearing completion.

Boomer Sooner!

THe exterior is just about done and looks good.  Secretary of Veteran's Affairs Eric Shinseki will be in town on Friday to check out the construction and see the product.  It will be a great campus when its all said and done.

Looks like the VA will be getting a new Pedestrian Bridge for the vets.

 

http://planning.city.cleveland.oh.us/landmark/agenda/photo/07082010/image/VA_Bridge14.jpg

 

http://planning.city.cleveland.oh.us/landmark/agenda/photo/07082010/index.php

The bridge has been in the plans for a while.  I don't know why it is just going to design review now.

Looks like the VA will be getting a new Pedestrian Bridge for the vets.

 

http://planning.city.cleveland.oh.us/landmark/agenda/photo/07082010/image/VA_Bridge14.jpg

 

http://planning.city.cleveland.oh.us/landmark/agenda/photo/07082010/index.php

 

We don't want those vets mixing in with the regular folk down on street level.

Updates - the Cares Tower looks to be wrapping up:

 

 

The office tower is well under way:

Thanks, MayDay!  I love the photo updates.  I love the curves of the Cares Tower.  Looks awesome from that photo.

Is that "cares" as in "Care Bears" or as in "Ka-Rez"?

I *believe* it's "Cares" as in different forms of care, rehabilitation, etc.

And here's some pictures of the most undocumented and untalked about $522 million project happening right now in Cleveland:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I love how they built around the existing building:

 

 

And here's some pictures of the most undocumented and untalked about $522 million project happening right now in Cleveland:

 

 

Sad but true! Probably because it's a bit off the most-beaten paths into UC. Thanks for keeping this in front of our eyes.

 

BTW, how man employees is this bringing into the city from Brecksville and/or new jobs total?

Thanks for the pics.

 

I try to drive by every 3-4 weeks to measure progress....it is usually from the south going north.  Yesterday I drove by in the opposition direction, coming south along MLK and was really stunned at how much I like the hospital and how it adds to the city.  Also, I have mentioned this before, I think the administration building is one of the best infill buildings in the city.  Very pleased by most of this development and hope there is continued growth in the E. 105th corridor.

Yeah, I give the Cares Tower and the office building super high marks from those photos.  They look great so far.

 

Unfortunately it looks as though the parking garage is still going to loom over Rockefeller park somewhat even with the new dormitories buffering a bit.  And those dormitories look kind of cheap so far, but maybe they'll shape up as construction continues.

What/who are the dorms for?

 

I hear the exterior design of the Cares Tower is causing some difficulty in terms of interior design and functionality as a hospital.  Nothing beyond minor inconvenience, but surprisingly not anticipated.

^^Actually, in my opinion the dorms look a hell of a lot better than those "things" going up on Euclid at CSU but that's not too difficult a challenge.

^Ha, yeah, I guess they don't have pastel colored fake siding with wood grain patterns on them.  Tough challenge indeed.

 

^^I assume the dorms are for some class of long term veteran patient, but I don't really remember.  It must be in one of the articles posted upthread through.

 

Eesh, the more I look back at old renderings, the more I wish they could have lopped off a couple stories from that garage- it is super tall; must be among the tallest in the city.  Looks like they chose to put a bit of setback in between E105th and the garage, but I wonder if it wouldn't have been better to cramp E105th if it meant they could have reduced the height (by having larger floors) or at the very least to protect the views from the west a little more, even with the garage's full height.  With all those many hundreds of new employees, they might have even gone nuts and dropped a couple retail slots on the ground floor of the garage right on E105th.  Oh well.  I have no idea what kind of negotiation went into that garage, if any, so maybe that 25 foot setback was what the neighborhood wanted.

 

 

BTW, how man employees is this bringing into the city from Brecksville and/or new jobs total?

 

An article from 2007 earlier in the thread said the consolidation would mean 1000 new jobs at UC.  Don't know if that's still the case though.

^Sometimes you have to believe that those individuals who plan and/or  design such tall garages have never been in one in their lives or have always been favored with VIP parking on the first level.  Nothing drives me more insane than having to go round and round from the top of tall parking garage wondering when this will ever end.  Moreover, it leads to drivers wanting to drive faster than the posted or reasonable limit, resulting in a dangerous situation in such tight spaces.

I believe that the setback along 105th was left so that some small scale retail could be added at a later date.

^Interesting.  Hope it happens someday.  It's kind of mind blowing how little convenience retail there is in UC considering how many people work and visit there.

1000 new workers sounds about right.  But the spin off will be much more than that.  The administrative offices moving from Brecksville (accounting, regional counsel, record keeping, etc) is going to bring a different dynamic too.

 

^Sometimes you have to believe that those individuals who plan and/or  design such tall garages have never been in one in their lives or have always been favored with VIP parking on the first level.  Nothing drives me more insane than having to go round and round from the top of tall parking garage wondering when this will ever end.  Moreover, it leads to drivers wanting to drive faster than the posted or reasonable limit, resulting in a dangerous situation in such tight spaces.

 

At least it won't have one of those spiral spines going down the middle.  I took my pick-up to a Cavs game one time downtown and parked in a garage with one of those.  That was interesting.

What is the workforce population now for Downtown and University Circle anyways?

I seem to recall north of 100,000 for downtown and about 1/3 to 1/2 that in UC.

 

 

roughly 110,000 employees dt, and roughly 40,000 in UC, for those wondering.