So what does this do to MOCA? I can't imagine that fundraising for the new museum is going well. Maybe this transaction will help them? I like that the play house will be downtown. It will benefit the existing businesses and help any expansion.--obviously the current location has not led to any spin-off development. It will also bring more students downtown.

 

 

Parking lot, what else?? (EDIT: Dammit, MTS, you beat me to it!)

 

Huge news, though.

Good question about MOCA.  I wonder if some of the purchase price would go to them to buy-out their lease and help fund the new project...

 

I also wonder if CSU and the Playhouse can really raise the $30M they need for the Allen, even with $2M + $15M the article mentions.  It's tough out there right now (just ask MOCA).

I don't want to loose that building, it is so cool at night, and its Phillip Johnson's only building here.

 

I guess if I ever have to go to the clinic, I will park there

Having everything downtown will be super awesome :-D

One more component not brought up about this move would be bringing more Case students Downtown - many have to go see the MFA productions at Playhouse because of the classes they are in, and I'd rather have them take the Healthline all the way down.

FYI, Stages at the Playhouse is operated by Gary Lucarelli, as is Star at Playhouse Square.

 

Not that this would preclude him from operating another restaurant at PS, he certainly is creative and been in business long enough to pull it off. 

I moved the discussion about what the Cleveland Clinic might do with the existing Cleveland Playhouse building over to:

 

http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php/topic,2977.0.html

Playhouse Square has 5 theaters now, right? So if this thing with the Allen goes through, would that make our theater district even bigger with 7 theaters, or would it still be 5?

I think Playhouse Square has EIGHT theaters right now:

 

State, Ohio, Palace, Hanna, Allen, 14th Street, Kennedy's, and Westfield Studio theater.

FYI, Stages at the Playhouse is operated by Gary Lucarelli, as is Star at Playhouse Square.

 

Not that this would preclude him from operating another restaurant at PS, he certainly is creative and been in business long enough to pull it off.

I actually used to work at Star and I know Gary only took on Stages because he was asked (begged) to, they were going to shut it down otherwise.  And I know it's very difficult to fill that space. Some people I know who go to the Playhouse semi-regularly don't even know it's there.  I don't think he'll be upset about letting it go, he still has Star, Players in Lakewood, Cafe Sausalito in the Galleria and I think Sweetwater Landing?

Believe this is where Kent State is putting some aspect of their design school: Euclid & E.13ish

 

It will also take up the storefront to the left if I remember correctly.

you remember correctly.  These were originally the same building with the same facade.  I am hoping they restore it.  I have a picture somewhere when it was a unified building. I'll dig it up and try and scan / post it.  I believe they are pretty deep in the design process.

http://crainscleveland.com/article/20090706/FREE/907019924#

 

Liggett Stashower occupies new HQ in downtown Cleveland

By KATHY AMES CARR

 

4:30 am, July 6, 2009

 

At a time when many companies are scaling back operations and expenses, Liggett Stashower today moved into its new headquarters in Cleveland’s PlayhouseSquare district, about a block away from its old location in the Halle Building on Euclid Avenue.

 

The new location, at 1240 Huron Road in Star Plaza, enhances the marketing firm’s visibility and represents its mission as a more blended, collaborative 21st-century branding firm, said CEO Mark Nylander.

 

“We’re investing in our brand,” Mr. Nylander said, adding that the investment would’ve been more costly to implement a year ago.

 

The total project cost was about $2.2 million.

 

“It was a very good business decision,” he said.

 

Liggett Stashower will occupy 40,000 square feet among the first three floors of the five-story building, now called the LS Brand Building. It formerly occupied similar square footage on one floor in the Halle Building.

 

As part of the leasing negotiations, Liggett Stashower secured naming rights to the building for 11 years. The building, originally constructed in 1905, has been undergoing renovation since March.

 

Details reinforce brand image

 

Mr. Nylander said careful consideration was given to the interior elements, and sustainability, interactivity and brand representation were critical components of the plan.

 

The first floor houses the reception area, conference and meeting rooms and a presentation room for special events. There also is an employee lounge, located in a mezzanine area overlooking the first floor, which includes a kitchen, couches and a pool table.

 

The 60-person staff occupies the second and third floors, which include offices without walls and various group work spaces for project collaboration.

 

“We talked to our employees” to find out what they envisioned, Mr. Nylander said. The building even has a furnished private room for employees who aren’t feeling well, or mothers who need privacy for nursing.

 

Liggett Stashower donated about 80% of its usable furnishings and supplies from its old location to various groups, including Kent State University and Greater Cleveland Habitat for Humanity.

 

Many of the building’s existing structural elements were incorporated into the new design to reduce landfill dumping, Mr. Nylander said. The new space also includes energy-efficient lighting, recycled furniture and motion sensor lighting.

 

Great!  I was wondering if something was moving into that building.  It's got such a nice interface with the street with Star Plaza and what not.

Is this the building with the graffiti that says "Droids?"

Can we get a photo of the building?

This is 3 buildings east of the large brick building that has droids spray painted on the side (directly next to the US Bank Building).  It is the space that used to have APG office furnishings in the ground floor.  Though SL takes up significantly more space than APG did.  This building is now pretty much full.

Did anyone know they have corn hole outside their office, too?  I took a break from studying and played for about a half hour today.  Great idea whoever came up with it.

Did anyone know they have corn hole outside their office, too?  I took a break from studying and played for about a half hour today.  Great idea whoever came up with it.

 

Man, that is a great idea!  Prompted by your info, did a quick search and:

 

"PlayhouseSquare Cornhole Tournaments - Star Plaza hosts a summer-long Cornhole Tournament Series every Thursday, June 4 - September 3. Office workers from the Bulkley, Hanna, and Idea Center Buildings will compete in the 14-week daytime-and-after-work cornhole series. At summer's end, tournament play concludes with the top two teams competing for the grand prize (cornhole trophy and bragging rights) at The PlayhouseSquare Block Party & Tour, September 11."

 

http://broadwayworld.com/article/PlayhouseSquares_Development_Corp_Announces_Summer_Events_Schedule_20090529

 

Back on topic, great to see when a company like Liggett makes a commitment to the city.

 

Playhouse Square is really a plus plus for Cleveland.  Down here in Fort Lauderdale, they compare their theater complex to Playhouse Square.  [Really biased opinion: Playhouse Square is much better, but they get kudos for setting it by the river, for having the children's museum across the street and a condo building right next door.]

 

 

Not the greatest photo of 1240 Huron, but it's all I have for now (beige building to the right of USBank Center):

That US Bank building belongs in Independence.

This is 3 buildings east of the large brick building that has droids spray painted on the side (directly next to the US Bank Building).  It is the space that used to have APG office furnishings in the ground floor.  Though SL takes up significantly more space than APG did.  This building is now pretty much full.

 

Ok, so is the building on the south side or north side of Euclid?

South side of HURON ROAD.

That US Bank building belongs in Independence.

 

Yeah, but I'm glad that it and its inhabitants are not.

Also, work has resumed on the building that will hold the KSU urban design collaborative (formerly housing the "office resource center" and traveler's shoppe).  I am still hoping they are planning on restoring the facade to it's original condition.  I'll try to remember to grab the photo of that building (prior to being bastardized for the travelers shoppe) and scan it tonight.

The first picture shows this building as most of us remember it, separated with two facades one, the original, for the office resource center, and one for the traveler's shoppe.  The second picture clearly shows the travelers shoppe portion when it was still a unified facade.  It looks like the balustrade has been removed... hopefully if they are indeed restoring this to it's original condition that will return.  yesterday I saw them removing cinder blocks from the window openings that had been filled.  The photos come from the book Cleveland Then and Now, which is an outstanding, outstanding book... you know... if you're into that sort of thing :)

"Square looks virtually unchanged."

 

Yeah, if you are not counting the throngs of people.

I think they were referring to the building stock which a bunch of yahoos were very much intent on bringing down.  I was out there today and there were throngs of people.

The picture without the people makes me think of the movie "The Truman Show." Personally I have never seen it that empty, perhaps they shot it at 8 am on a Sunday morning?

 

EDIT: The shadows say its early-mid afternoon in that picture.

The picture without the people makes me think of the movie "The Truman Show." Personally I have never seen it that empty, perhaps they shot it at 8 am on a Sunday morning?

 

EDIT: The shadows say its early-mid afternoon in that picture.

 

Yeah, that is really strange.  Maybe one of the anti-cleveland conspirators made everyone leave to snap that picture ;).

^I've definitely seen it that empty on weekend afternoons, when there aren't events at Playhouse Square and the Indians are out of town.  Creepy yes, but not really that unusual.

"Square looks virtually unchanged."

 

Yeah, if you are not counting the throngs of people.

 

 

I think they were referring to the building stock which a bunch of yahoos were very much intent on bringing down.  I was out there today and there were throngs of people.

 

"If you are not counting the throngs of people" = referring to only the building stock

 

 

Regarding KSU's move...I think it'd be a great addition if Utrecht, Dick Blick, Pearl, or non-Cracker Barrel Pat Catan's prototype store opened a ground floor store for all of the area students and design firms...God if I added all of the money I spent on models and other projects in 5 years of architecture school...

Is Kent moving their urban design offices ALL to this site? Will this leave a vacancy where they are now? I am a bit confused.

By the way, the color photo seems sad... Not a soul in sight. I think this portion of Euclid looks so much better, even though that photo is not that old.

Newbie here (and recent CUDC grad)...

 

Yea, they are. The urban design office at the CUDC only employees about 8 people and a couple grad student interns. The majority of the square footage is devoted to the school. It should be a positive move for CUDC, they are getting murdered by their present lease.

 

@cle2032;That would be amazing. even if it wasn't located downtown, but in the midtown / near west side area, I think the store would well. Grad students at CUDC often have to drive to Kent to get supplies that aren't available at the Utrecht in Coventry. Its also a problem for all architecture studios (and artists) in town... well... all architecture studios that actually build models, that is.

Hmmmm .. I wonder if that's something an art supply store would consider. There's gotta be a market that could support that sort of thing in that area .. but then, downtown doesn't even have a Staples, so who am I to say anything?

 

So, rockitect (first off, welcome!)/McCleveland .. are the offices only relocating to the new space? Or is the school moving there as well?

Etheostoma Caeruleum:

 

Please use EDIT

Actually, just to clarify .. it's "Modify".

The grad school that already is located in Cleveland (Master of Architecture and Master of Urban Design) is moving along with the CUDC professional offices.

 

There were discussions a couple years ago to move everything to Cleveland (as 1/2 the grad program is still located in Kent) but that is dead as far as I know. There has been quite a bit of turnover, so to speak, the last couple years in the admin of the College of Architecture at Kent as a result of Dean Fong's departure.

 

Thanks... I've been meaning to participate a little more instead of just lurking.

Thank you for not....

 

:-D

Looks like the windows have been cut out as the restoration continues on the corner building that will hold KSU UDC (formerly "office resource center" and "the traveler's shoppe")...

http://www.cleveland.com/onstage/index.ssf/2009/08/tom_hanks_at_the_hanna_benefit.html

 

'Tom Hanks at the Hanna' benefits Great Lakes Theater Festival's renovations

by Tony Brown/Plain Dealer Theater Critic

Monday August 31, 2009, 5:01 AM

 

 

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Cleveland, a city perennially desperate for something to cheer about can now let loose three hip-hip-hoorays, for Great Lakes Theater Festival, PlayhouseSquare and Tom Hanks.

 

The world's most bankable movie star will return to his Buckeye roots on Monday, Oct. 12, to perform "Tom Hanks at the Hanna" at PlayhouseSquare's historic Hanna Theatre as a fund-raiser for his alma mater, Great Lakes.

 

More at http://www.cleveland.com/onstage/index.ssf/2009/08/tom_hanks_at_the_hanna_benefit.html

Nice article about the CUDC move to Playhouse Square in the Kent student newspaper, apparently they will move in over winter break. I tired to post a link directly to the aticle but the link would not work. Just search "CUDC move" and it's the first article.

 

http://www.kentnewsnet.com/

 

 

District of Design. 

 

Now that's a phrase I haven't heard in about a year

Nice article about the CUDC move to Playhouse Square in the Kent student newspaper, apparently they will move in over winter break. I tired to post a link directly to the aticle but the link would not work. Just search "CUDC move" and it's the first article.

 

http://www.kentnewsnet.com/

 

 

 

Work is in full swing on the property.  I was worried for a few weeks cause there was no activity whatsoever that I could see while waiting for the bus in the mornings.  But now, stuff is definitely getting done.

Work is definitley in full swing  :)

FYI the new streetscape is approved and will move forward for E. 14th.  I have no idea when work will start.