For such stores to come to Cleveland, I think that there would have to be some sort of large scale development that will bring other similar stores in at the same time.  I don't see any major retailer taking a chance on Euclid until they have some sort of assurance that others will come as well.  That is why this Crocker Park developer guy is a good thing.  It will take a visionary like him and some sort of divine intervention to get Forest City on board in order to get a large scale project downtown. 

I was thinking of something a la Fountain Place in Cincinnati (the complex with Macy's, Palomino, Tiffany and Brooks Brothers).  Maron seemed to indicate when they broke news about Lola and Gameworks coming downtown that there would be more announcements to follow in later months.  I realize he doesn't have a stake in the 515 project, but he certainly could affect the possibility of building a critical mass of retail along the lower Euclid corridor.

I was on East 4th today, and I noticed that they had put up signs saying what they think will be coming to al the different retail spots.  They didn't give names, but were somewhat specific about function- restaurant, cafe, specialty apparel.  I wonder if that means they are in discussion with particular businesses or if it is just hopeful speculation on their part.

 

Also, someone was mentioning Vincent Ave earlier on this thread.  That actually used to be Cleveland's entertainment district from about Prohibition till the 60's or 70's.  That is when everything was demolished for the office parking garages.  It was known as "Short Vincent". 

 

Seeing as how it is right at the center of downtown's employment, it would make sense that it could be a good location for streetfront retail to serve downtown's daytime population if they were to rebuild some of those parking garages.  I don't see it happening anytime soon, however.

yeah, those signs have been up for a while now.  I'm assuming that they're just ideas...an attempt to envision and entice people to the block, whether or not there are any actual investors behind those signs.

 

Update from June 15th - cladding is going up. Looks like a mix of clear and reflective glass and light gray granite:

 

 

 

Amazing what their doing with garages these days. 

Damn Mayday!  You beat me to it!  Mine aren't NEARLY as nice as yours, but I'll post 'em anyways...from June 13th:

 

 

 

 

 

when can we start parking and shopping???

WEll damn you!  These are from the 14th and on a drive by:

 

 

 

 

I was snapping pics of the new garage on the 13th as well! Wow, there is some sort of magnetism towards 515 Euclid!!

i think itll look great for the base of a 25+ story tower......

man, i haven't paid attention downtown in a while

i like the looks of those windows and reflective glass...I hope they manage to keep 'em clean!  that's one smoggy street right now!  it'll be better in a few years, though, when all the new greenery is in and the bus transit is more eco-friendly...

Thanks for the update

 

Those windows are going to look great when this is finished. 

 

yeah the windows will look great.  but what will be looking at thru these "great" windows  :?

 

Does anyone have an update/information as to what retailers will be located on the ground floor?

wow it looks like a great building.... to put a 25 story condo tower on....

It looks like it will really lively up Euclid Ave

how did they pick the pattern for the glass/reflective glass....... looks random as hell, not to say that thats a bad thing

The scaffolding on this was taken down, but there are no grates in the sidewalk for any trees.  The sidewalk seems too large here to not include some trees, especially with BP and NatCity at both ends having more mature trees planted.

 

Does anyone know if euclid corridor work will include new sidewalks in this area and maybe this is just a temporary concrete pad?

Good question...That was my first reaction...that they're probably not going to invest in streetscape stuff just yet, since it'll probably be torn up soon anyways.  That, or maybe they'll bring in above-ground planters.  Those can be attractive too and can be effective buffers from high volume traffic in active pedestrian areas.  I'm anxious to see it!

515 Euclid parking garage is now open! They are still working on the ground-level retail, but the garage is definately open.. I rode my bike past it on August 9th, and it is a very slick facility, reminds me of Central Parking NYC quality..

 

-John

 

PS - I believe the garage is owned/operated by Ampco parking. I would say that it's the nicest parking garage in Cleveland, next to the indoor/heated garage at Penton Media Building.

Additionally, I have read from an independent source that 515 Euclid Avenue could reach 28+ stories once demand is met to build a condo tower above the garage. Up until I heard '28+ stories', I had read that it would be somewhere around 20 stories. I wonder if that 20-28 stories is in addition to the 9 story garage.. if so, that could become quite a tall skyscraper. The other interesting aspect that nobody has mentioned is that if they do move forward to create a condo tower one day at 515 Euclid, it would be quite unique in the downtown skyline.. why? Because almost every high rise apartment/condo in downtown follows a wide length, unlengthy height format (e.g. Reserve Square, Pinnacle, and Stone Bridge) whereas 515 Euclid is in a very tight corner spot, meaning that it will be a very skinny and tall building if completed, similar to those of Chicago and NYC where it is physically impossible to build something like a Pinnacle nowadays in those cities. While 515 Euclid's garage does stretch behind East 6th next to the Arcade, I would highly doubt that the tower would occupy that portion of the space since it would offer little to no views due to constraints on all sides. If Euclid Avenue's new RTA project works out well and if Euclid does get some more retail and development near E. 4th-E. 6th, I will continue to stay dedicated to making that area my future home.

515 Euclid parking garage is now open! They are still working on the ground-level retail, but the garage is definately open.. I rode my bike past it on August 9th, and it is a very slick facility, reminds me of Central Parking NYC quality..

 

-John

 

PS - I believe the garage is owned/operated by Ampco parking. I would say that it's the nicest parking garage in Cleveland, next to the indoor/heated garage at Penton Media Building.

 

However I checked on the prices...

 

$275/month reserved

~ $225/month non-reserved.

Ouch!!

 

I called to check because it looks secure. Some bum busted in my window and stole change from my car in the garage on 630 prospect ave the other night.  :cry:

 

Dan, not sure if it would help but I believe the garage at 630 Prospect has surveillance cameras. You may want to check - if they do, that could help find the perp.

 

Here's a pic of 515 Euclid from about 30 minutes ago (August 10th). I've been holding back on commentary until the finished product but here's my take.

 

• It seriously looks like the developers cheaped out compared to the renderings.
  
• The clear glass, reflective glass, granite facade, beige concrete, and red accents clash horribly.
  
• There are small "nooks" along the base which serve no purpose but will collect windswept litter. A big concern is a nook along East 6th Street which, if anyone remembers the previous buildings, became a panhandler perch.
  
• The granite facade is nearly identical to that of AT Tower and we've seen how well that aged.
  
• Even though it's "only a parking garage", any structure at this prominent corner should be held to high design standards and it's rather obvious that this wasn't. Is it nice compared to other garages? Yes, but that's not saying much.
  

 

 

 

still an improvement over the Mr. Hero and Radio Shack that was there

From the looks of Mayday's new picture (as completed), I personally think it looks AWESOME!!! I never thought I could admire a parking garage, but I definately like it a lot.. as a matter of fact, it puts all the other parking garages in the Financial District to utter shame - just walk down E. 6th and turn down Vincent to see an ugly and even an uglier garage behind Fifth 3rd and McDonald Investment buildings, respectively. Not only that, but the others are no more 2-3 levels, and they offer no retail on the ground levels, nothing except big ugly garages taking up valuable space. Like I said in the past, I hope the new garage at 515 Euclid takes all these garages business away, then they will tear down and re-build with retail implemented, as well as possible office/hotel space on top.. Sure that's a long shot, but it definately could happen within the next few years!

I don't know what to make of it.  It's just kind of bizarre and random.  But it isn't really what one would think of a classic "deconstructionist".  I'd be interested to hear from the architect what the concept is supposed to be.

I tend to side more w/ MayDay on this one -- I love the concept - parking garages w/ ground-level retail, even w/o the above residences, can work very well in tight/high-traffic areas like 515 Euclid; we need look no further than around the corner to the very-well done Fat Fish Blue development built from the old Goodyear Tire store.  But I'm greatly disappointed in what I'm seeing @ 515.  It looks cheesy.  Most garage-over-retail projects in other cities (Philly's highly successful, recent block-long garage over Maggiano’s restaurant & other shops/stores @ 11th/12th & Filbert comes immediately to mind), go out of their way to mask that the garage is, in fact, a garage -- w/ contemporary post-modern architecture preferences they're usually blended in so well they look like just another office building.

 

... but not this thing.  You can see right through those cheap-looking Plexiglas (?) shields right to the usu, ugly stacked-block parking ramp structure.  And the use of the Plexiglas at street level looks really cheap and will look all the worse compared to its neighbors, most notably, the classy/handsome adaptive-reuse at the Arcade/Hyatt with its handsome Vivo restaurant & al fresco seating.  I just don’t see how individualized uses can be made w/ this construction (like awnings, multi-colored glass, neon, etc.)

 

Like I said, in concept, 515 is great tonic for this particular area, esp if the condo tower is built, so I really want to like it for this reason, alone... but so far, I'm not diggin' what I'm seeing.

I wonder if that 20-28 stories is in addition to the 9 story garage.. if so, that could become quite a tall skyscraper. The other interesting aspect that nobody has mentioned is that if they do move forward to create a condo tower one day at 515 Euclid, it would be quite unique in the downtown skyline.. why? Because almost every high rise apartment/condo in downtown follows a wide length, unlengthy height format (e.g. Reserve Square, Pinnacle, and Stone Bridge) whereas 515 Euclid is in a very tight corner spot, meaning that it will be a very skinny and tall building if completed, similar to those of Chicago and NYC where it is physically impossible to build something like a Pinnacle nowadays in those cities.

 

You're dead on... I'd really like to see one of those sexy/slender highrises in Cleveland... And while we're at it, for once, I wish this one, of our few highrises, would incorporate balconies.  Not only do balconies add to the visual playfulness (if you will) of a tall building, it makes the suites much more fun/livable.  I'll never live in a high-rise again (and I've lived in a few in other towns) without a balcony.

After reading some of the critiques from earlier this week, I strolled by the site and will admit that I am very pleased with the structure!  I think the opportunity to fill in these retail spaces with some high-end shops...likely national chains...is very exciting and will do wonders for the street life and function of the immediate blocks.  The glass and garage structure is nothing notable, but it's also not unattractive (in my opinion)...and of course, the prospect of building on top (up to 28 stories!) is incredible! 

 

On the whole, I think the scale and facade are appropriate and will only stand to improve as the retailers fill the huge display windows with shoes, clothing, books, furniture, etc...

another stroll by this week reinforced my earlier statement...I like the aesthetics of this building a lot!  The different glass materials encasing the garage reflect the historic buildings around 515 in a very attractive way.  nice job.

 

also, there are no "for rent" or "for lease" signs on the structure...does this mean they've got a tenant lined up???

 

can you imagine if they put in a Whole Foods and built the tower on top???  Those places would sell like hotcakes!!!  And the apartments all around (East 4th, Euclid, Prospect, etc) would get a nice boost as well...

there is one sign posted on the far west window that says "retail space available."

 

i think they are experimenting with some colorful window coverings as opposed to the normal "for lease" signs. 

 

i don't think there is room for even a small whole foods.  if you look at the spaces, they are divided in the middle by garage pedestrian entrance from euclid.  and i don't know of the ultimate build out opportunities, but it appears more suited for retail rather than restuarant / grocery use.

 

i'd like to see 2 things: 1) Baja Fresh on the corner with some nice umbrellas and a little fenced in dining.  I've done some analysis (and forwarded this to Baja Fresh), but basically there doesn't appear to be anyone locally who wants to underwrite this and corporate franchises are on hold for now. 

 

2) Move the starbucks from BP.  I know it does brisk business from the tower, but after hours and weekends, even when open, doesn't give nearly as good street presence as most suburban strip malls.

 

a nice wide sidewalk like this needs some trees and some tables and umbrellas.

^it would go well with the arcade restaurants next to it. 

 

i was driving home the one day and i really like the contrasting look of this building.  my only issue is they need to finish it, it even looks like it should have a tower...

thanks for the comments, urbanlife.  I really haven't looked through the windows and didn't notice how the spaces were divided.  I'm just a big dork for Whole Foods and couldn't get the image out of my mind! 

 

on your other comments...I agree.  There's ample sidewalk space for cafe/restaurant seating and plantings.  An earlier comment here questioned if they were waiting for Euclid Corridor construction to finish up before throwing a bunch of money at sidewalk improvements that might have to be moved for construction anyways...

Check out this article from propertiesmag.com - it has a small rendering of the condo tower... I think this project would look much better with *that* on top.

 

Please don't post their pics here, folks :-)

 

http://www.propertiesmag.com/current/2005-09/515.htm

oh wow, i like it aside from the weird roof, i say just keep it flat and simple.

 

its funny, working for the art museum at ingenuity i must have heard at least ten people talking about how they "heard theres going to be a condo tower going up" too...

 

 

 

 

why is the tower offset from the main parking structure? i'm just going to assume it has to do with structual supports or something..........

This looks the same as those pics from a long time ago...still not doing much of anything for me.  Although, I'd love to see them build it!

Wow, it actually sounds like this tower might actually get built

"why is the tower offset from the main parking structure?"

 

The elevator core is located closer to the southeast corner of the garage. My guess is that the tower would just continue from that.

 

It would be interesting to see this building in the skyline - it would be at a distinct angle from 5/3rd since it would front Euclid.

Is there some sort of height restriction for buildings next to the arcade?  I just noticed that the BP garage and the 515 garage are the same height as the arcade.  Maybe that is why the tower is offset.

Just a thought

i think it looks interesting which in a way is outside of good or bad -- it grabs your attention. best of all it's forward thinking which we need to see more of. i hope everyone read that propertiesmag article mayday linked it was very informative to hear the inside story. i liked the inspirational quote at the end from daivid goldberg, co-chair of ohio savings bank:

 

“This building, the Business Improvement District (BID) that's underway and House of Blues are each a small part of the solution for downtown Cleveland,” Goldberg says. “I look at this building as 1% of the solution, but if there are a hundred of these sorts of projects, then you have New York City or Chicago. You can do it. When you put the BID, the House of Blues and the 515 building together with housing and controlling the panhandling, they all add up together. Each party basically has to put in its 1% and take the risk. You put them all together and, no question, Downtown Cleveland will become spectacular.”

 

 

From the article, it doesn't seem like the condo project is going to happen anytime soon.  Yet, I think that it will happen sometime. 

“All utilities have been sized for the addition and the core support is already there,” he says. “So now when a developer comes through, it can basically just start construction, raising the steel frame. All the tricky issues involved have been resolved. The elevators and stairwells are installed. Everything has been engineering to support this tower.

 

“With the Euclid Avenue Corridor project two years from completion, the timing is right for a developer to take over and have the 515 Euclid high rise completed at the same time. It's available as soon as someone comes in with a proposal that we will accept.”

 

I  think that construction on a tower may start this time next year. Judging by the Pinnacle project, it would probably take at least 1.5-2 years to build, which would coincide with the completion of the ECP. With the tower not covering the entire width of the garage I think it would be cool if they made the open area into a green space for the residents.

 

Word is that the residential tower will not be happening anytime soon. The market precludes a developer from getting a high enough price per square foot.