Wonder if the money is just going towards some type of financing that Playhouse Square is still paying down on The Lumen. Somebody out there knows.. . 

51 minutes ago, Pleco said:

I could hear this picture!

On 1/30/2024 at 11:05 AM, dski44 said:

The additional floors will change the feel of that area. With the Lumen, it will help extend the "big city" feel eastward.

 

Once this project is finished, I wonder if Playhouse will turn their attention to Chester Ave?

Perhaps. Or Prospect. The surface parking lot at 14th & Prospect might be a good location for Lumen II.

4 hours ago, LibertyBlvd said:

Perhaps. Or Prospect. The surface parking lot at 14th & Prospect might be a good location for Lumen II.

Developing that lot would utterly transform that part of downtown. I hate that sea of tarmac with a passion. It doesn’t even need to be a Lumen-height development. Just covering it with 5-10 storeys would look so good. 

6 hours ago, LibertyBlvd said:

Perhaps. Or Prospect. The surface parking lot at 14th & Prospect might be a good location for Lumen II.

I have often fantasized about what building/buildings I would put on those lots. 

 

11 hours ago, jeremyck01 said:

I have often fantasized about what building/buildings I would put on those lots. 

In my real estate development class at CSU I presented on an idea for a 20-story tower on the site as my last project in the semester, but couldn’t make the numbers work and didn’t include any subsidy (which explained why, at least to me, that the site wasn’t built on). This was back in 2008 or so, and nothing was getting built without a subsidy back then. Same today- even with the numbers being over $3.00/sqft. 

14 hours ago, jeremyck01 said:

I have often fantasized about what building/buildings I would put on those lots. 

Maybe once the Wolstein Center is removed, those lots won’t be necessary, or profitable for whoever owns them. 

9 minutes ago, marty15 said:

Maybe once the Wolstein Center is removed, those lots won’t be necessary, or profitable for whoever owns them. 

They're too far from the Wolstein for that to matter very much.

2 minutes ago, Foraker said:

They're too far from the Wolstein for that to matter very much.

How do you figure?

Just now, marty15 said:

How do you figure?

Sorry -- I thought we were talking about this other parking lot sea by the Greyhound station.

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/terrycoyne_clevelands-iconic-greyhound-station-on-chester-activity-7182066736517517312-1cWG?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

👀🧐👀🤔👀

This seems like great news! No developer is going to be more invested in doing right by this area, and by extension this building, than Playhouse Square Foundation. This gives me hope that we will see something fantastic here! I also can't imagine Playhouse Square removing that gorgeous and historic facade. My only question is how quickly they'll be able to move. Regardless I'm excited! 

Lumen 2.0 sooner than later?

5 minutes ago, GISguy said:

Lumen 2.0 sooner than later?

That would be my guess, but maybe there's some connection with the discussion happening in the hotel discussion thread...🤔

PHS has done nothing but impressive work.  Very encouraging for the area.   

Edited April 5, 20241 yr by newyorker

I have no idea what I’m talking about, but $3.3 million sounds like a pretty good sized chunk of change for that property. They must be ready to roll on phase 2.

I can see them turn the ground floor into a jazz bar, restaurant, and lobby for a new-construction mid-rise residential.

All the red is owned by Playhouse Square Foundation. Combine the Grayhound station with the large Cleveland owned lot to the west and you have a massive development opportunity. They already own the parking lot and garage to the south. Hopefully this was a "final piece" before they start the development process. This area has been underutilized for far too long.

 

Didn’t the station just sell for like $2 million? Did Twenty Lake make $7 million of improvements?

 

Playhouse Square arrives at Greyhound Station
By Ken Prendergast / April 5, 2024

 

Playhouse Square Foundation this week closed a deal to acquire the Greyhound station in Downtown Cleveland to expand the theater district northward and convert the station into an entertainment/dining venue, according to a source familiar with the transaction. While Playhouse Square officials were mum on their plans, a spokesperson told NEOtrans that Greyhound bus operations will be relocated on a schedule that works for them and their customers.

 

MORE

https://neo-trans.blog/2024/04/05/playhouse-square-arrives-at-greyhound-station/

Thanks for another great NEOtrans Ken. 
This is a best case scenario for the future of the iconic- looking Greyhound station. That could become an amazing entertainment venue with the right folks in charge - and they sure will be if PHS is involved. 
 

Playhouse Square has really brought the eastern side of downtown a unique energy and a wonderful vibe. However, more options for after the show (or before the show) entertainment can make this part of town even more special.  
 

Exciting to see the continuing investment in Cleveland from Playhouse Square and hopefully its expansion - let’s hope some other developers give us a new residential high rise or two in the district as well. 

Edited April 6, 20241 yr by CleveFan

15 hours ago, bumsquare said:

Didn’t the station just sell for like $2 million? Did Twenty Lake make $7 million of improvements?

No, Twenty Lake didn't make any improvements.  

Can't wait to see what Playhouse Square has planned!

Went through Playhouse Square yesterday and was suprised to see scalfolding up on the building housing the State and Palace. I had no idea work was being done or how extensive it is. Either l missed it or the UrbanOhio forum has let me down lol.

@cadmen it's the building west of the Ohio, State and Palace theaters

 

https://neo-trans.blog/2023/03/17/half-of-bulkley-building-to-be-residential/

44 minutes ago, KJP said:

@cadmen it's the building west of the Ohio, State and Palace theaters

 

https://neo-trans.blog/2023/03/17/half-of-bulkley-building-to-be-residential/

You might want to add an update your story:

Quote

The space will also support touring performers who come through Playhouse Square, according to Hassall. About 20 of the [84] apartment units will be available to rent for performers, an alternative to staying in a short-term rental or hotel for weeks. Hassall says performers are given an allowance to find accommodations, and that prices for these units will fit within that budget.

"If you're visiting from Broadway, you can bring your family with you, you can do your washing, you can watch television, you can go to the fitness center," Hassall said. "When you're a resident here for three weeks or so, having an apartment with all these facilities at an affordable price is really, really helpful."

https://www.wkyc.com/article/news/local/cleveland/bulkley-building-renovations-playhouse-square-apartments-space-for-performers/95-b68786cc-bd15-4e48-a365-402336ab2ee2

 

In the video they said that renovations should be complete by the end of the year or early 2025.

 

Edited April 6, 20241 yr by Foraker
More info

Oh, right. It was reported on. I remember reading your piece, and then l forgot the story. So much development going on, l can't remember everything.

Follow-up story on the Greyhound Station.  https://www.news5cleveland.com/news/local-news/a-strategic-piece-playhouse-square-pushes-north-by-buying-historic-greyhound-station

https://www.cleveland.com/news/2024/04/greyhound-barons-likely-relocating-to-rtas-stephanie-tubbs-jones-transit-center-following-sale-of-historic-station.html

 

Apologies if not the correct forum or mentioned already, but seems like Greyhound and Barons likely moving to the Stephanie Tubbs Transit Center and not to Puritas. Good news IMO if this occurs, we don't need two bus stations so close and consolidating an existing facility and increasing its usage is certainly no bad thing to me. 

Edited April 11, 20241 yr by snakebite

8 hours ago, snakebite said:

https://www.cleveland.com/news/2024/04/greyhound-barons-likely-relocating-to-rtas-stephanie-tubbs-jones-transit-center-following-sale-of-historic-station.html

 

Apologies if not the correct forum or mentioned already, but seems like Greyhound and Barons likely moving to the Stephanie Tubbs Transit Center and not to Puritas. Good news IMO if this occurs, we don't need two bus stations so close and consolidating an existing facility and increasing its usage is certainly no bad thing to me. 

This is the obvious location. Hopefully someday in the future it will spur a waterfront line extension that follows 2 east past Asiatown and then follows 90 south down through Cleveland State and to the STJ transit center.

This article also was posted in the Cleveland Random Developments page, but not this quote

Quote

Hassall wants the Greyhound station to anchor a new effort to turn Chester Avenue into a welcoming new entry to the theater district and a vibrant place in itself.

“What we don’t want to do is increase the fortress,” he said. “That’s a terrible idea.

https://www.cleveland.com/news/2024/04/heres-why-playhouse-squares-purchase-of-cleveland-greyhound-bus-station-is-such-a-big-deal-analysis.html

 

That's great that they would like to reimagine Chester as more of a neighborhood.  It sounds like no major changes to the Greyhound station will happen quickly.  PSF is going to take their time, which is probably for the best.  There certainly are a lot of surface parking lots to redevelop (and possibly even some build-out frontage in front of the existing parking garage toward the street -- at least at the ground floor -- once some more residents are brought in to buildings on the parking craters).

 

Rather than wait for that kind of development, I would like to see Playhouse Square do something soon to create a premium gateway into the theaters from the Chester side.  Right now you wouldn't even know there were theaters in the area.  No signage, no public walkway signs, the parking garage isn't even very clearly marked as theater parking.

If you squint you might notice the sign...imagine looking for it while driving.

 

I suggest another golden archway at Chester across the entrance to Dodge Court, and some signage and a better entry to the walkway at the end of Dodge Court.

 

3 hours ago, Foraker said:

I suggest another golden archway at Chester across the entrance to Dodge Court, and some signage and a better entry to the walkway at the end of Dodge Court.

 

Love the idea, tho I think give Chester a separate and distinct style than Euclid. Assuming they replace the Greyhound lighting with the name of whatever that venue will be, maybe Chester could have an art deco/streamline modern styling?

Hopefully they can continue to focus on more residential.  More people downtown is what we need more than anything else. Not just for events - but living there full time.

 

15 hours ago, Luke_S said:

with the name of whatever that venue will be

 

The Hound  er something, hopefully they keep the sign as close to the original as possible...it's a really cool piece of the building.

I will once bang my drum demanding the Greyhound station becomes a Target store for the anchor, while building residential on the surrounding lots.

 

Using just the Google earth polygon tool to compare, the building is 50% larger than the smaller format Target on Chagrin Blvd near Eaton. Target already has some cool stores in NYC and Chicago, let's add the Cleveland one to the mix!

9 hours ago, originaljbw said:

I will once bang my drum demanding the Greyhound station becomes a Target store for the anchor, while building residential on the surrounding lots.

 

Using just the Google earth polygon tool to compare, the building is 50% larger than the smaller format Target on Chagrin Blvd near Eaton. Target already has some cool stores in NYC and Chicago, let's add the Cleveland one to the mix!

No offense, but I couldn't think of a worse use for this beautiful building. I guess I could see your point if we were swimming in amazing old buildings like this one, but, sadly, we tore most of them down.

It's 36,580-square-foot and has that Target openness. Small format Targets are about 40,000-45,000 square feet, so it's not impossible. 

 

I bet it would be a success. It's certainly easier to find than the Steelyard branch.

 

 

Jazz club in the Greyhound terminal, Lumen II on the City owned lots at Chester and 13th. Thanks for coming to my TED talk.

For everyone who thinks Target's urban format store is so great, make sure you have visited one recently before advocating for one. The floor area in the one on Smithfield Street in downtown Pittsburgh was about 70% beverages, snacks and convenience food. The remaining was devoted to some  health/beauty items,  seasonal items and very limited selection of home type items. I have also been to one in Chicago and it was similar but the prices were extremely high and many things locked up because of urban theft.  I was not impressed.  Consider the negative effect an urban format Target to downtown Cleveland would have on Heinen's by further diluting the limited grocery market there is. What downtown is lacking is a large format Walgreens (which would also be a great ground floor anchor for a parking garage by the West Side Market).

Heinens and Target compete with each other as much as Marble Room does with Chipotle. There's certainly room for both even if 70% of Target's offerings are food.

47 minutes ago, Sapientone said:

What downtown is lacking is a large format Walgreens

In some suburban areas you can have four drugstores at nearby intersections, but hardly any downtown.  I've always been amazed that there's no CVS at CSU.  (Suggest that CSU invite a drugstore chain to the empty storefront at The Edge, E18th & Euclid, ASAP)

The Target store located in Woodmere on Chagrin Blvd is the perfect example of a smaller format express store (33,000 sq. ft.) that would be perfect for downtown Cleveland. The store is well stock with the necessities needed for apartment living and its always clean and well maintained. 

There is a retail thread that can easily be ruined with City Target talk if you guys wanna take it there 

Playhouse Square surely has an outstanding plan for this location.  Considering their track record and ability to move projects to fruition, I can't think of an owner better suited for this site.  Especially since they've been eyeing the Greyhound location for a while now.   

3 hours ago, superior said:

they've been eyeing the Greyhound location for a while now.

Here's a Crain's article from *ahem* 34 years ago!

20 minutes ago, Barneyboy said:

Here's a Crain's article from *ahem* 34 years ago!

I’ll take that development all day. 

Whoa, as a transplant I never realized Stan B. has been around Crains/Cleveland this (that?) long! 

such great news that playhouse square has control now to see out their apparantly long standing vision for the classy bus station and the surrounding neighborhood.

 

like i said the previous owner twenty lakes were a bunch of sharks and while glimcher who they retained may have been able to rework the bus station they all had no experience in residental, so im glad they flipped it.

On 4/16/2024 at 2:24 PM, Foraker said:

In some suburban areas you can have four drugstores at nearby intersections, but hardly any downtown.  I've always been amazed that there's no CVS at CSU.  (Suggest that CSU invite a drugstore chain to the empty storefront at The Edge, E18th & Euclid, ASAP)

 

or sounds like an opportunity for a local mom and pop pharmacy entrepreneur to move in. not as daunting as it might seem as those dont totally go it alone anymore. the one i use out here in staten is in the national ‘good neighbor pharmacy’ alliance. i see there are at least a couple local area pharmacies in north olmstead and linndale also in that group (lowcost). they could help it get going. just a thought. 👍