Not necessarily. Resurfacing is such a small amount of money that even if they planned on starting something in a month or two it might be worth it financially to continue operating it as a parking lot until that point. I've seen multiple projects down here in Cincy that were built on surface lots that had very recently been repaved.

 

Which projects?

It could be a contract term in the contract with the lot operator-- repave and re-stripe every xx years. 

 

Good point. The contractor probably doesn't know let alone care about future development, and Playhouse Square probably couldn't opt out of it even if they wanted to.

Somebody is apparently looking for an updated soils report.

Not necessarily. Resurfacing is such a small amount of money that even if they planned on starting something in a month or two it might be worth it financially to continue operating it as a parking lot until that point. I've seen multiple projects down here in Cincy that were built on surface lots that had very recently been repaved.

 

Which projects?

 

The most prominent I can think of are Phase 2 and 3 of The Banks. They repaved the large lot to be able to be used for tailgating and then tore it right back up to construct the garage. They resurfaced the lot that phase 3 is being constructed on last year just so it could be useful for tailgating and parking during games until construction could start.

^Was just trying to think of projects that have taken over surface parking lots. Not too long of a list, unfortunately.

 

Hopefully all this activity and soil sampling is a good sign, and will lead to the elimination of a CBD parking lot!

Oh yeah, the rig was set up and drilling right in the middle of the newly tarred and painted parking lot today.  Go figure.

 

Edit: My 1000th post.  A milestone......of some sort.

^ Yeah, that really makes me think that they tarred and painted simply for contractual reasons.

^^ Oh, shoot.  I missed mine :(

Fencing now up around the back of the old Jewish Federation building on Euclid and looks like they're starting to gut the interior.

Facade restoration and conversion to apartments in Playhouse Square at 1226 Huron.

 

Here is a picture from Google Street View taken last year that shows the newer facade. And a couple pictures from last night after it was removed, uncovering the original brickwork. It's a small building, but it is still cool to see them restore the original facade.

 

Sorry the pictures are a little grainy. The sun was going down and my camera doesn't do well in low light.

^ Wow that's awesome! I had no idea that a facade restoration was going to be part of that project.

Cool the building in my pictures above is going to landmark this week. The address is listed as 1224 Huron. Some historic pictures:

 

Star Gennet Building

http://planning.city.cleveland.oh.us/landmark/agenda/2015/10222015/index.php

 

 

Cool!!!  Anyone know how many apartments are going in?

http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2013/06/northeast_ohio_redevelopment_p.html

 

"You can tell I've got a little bit of a kick in my step right now," said Rob Namy of Weston Inc., a Warrensville Heights developer that is working with the George Group of Lakewood to turn a tiny building at 1224 Huron Road near PlayhouseSquare into nine apartments.

It is amazing how many buildings have had their original facades covered.

It's equally amazing how many are having their original facades uncovered.  I wouldn't have expected developers to go to the time and expense a few years ago.

It's equally amazing how many are having their original facades uncovered.  I wouldn't have expected developers to go to the time and expense a few years ago.

 

Is the façade restoration maybe a requirement of receiving the historic tax credits?  Did this project receive credits?

I'm not aware of any developer here in CLE who restored the façade simply out of a sense of history 

And, in fact, this project received about $400K in the June 2013 round of credits.

http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20130627/FREE/130629811/eight-ne-ohio-historic-rehabs-receive-18-million-in-state-tax-credits

In this "advertorial" piece written by real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield/Cresco, it briefly mentions....

 

http://blog.cleveland.com/cresco_commercial_real_estate/2016/01/after_a_strong_year_of_develop.html

 

The rejuvenation of historic buildings brought new life to Downtown Cleveland over the last 12-18 months, and more projects are slated for 2016. Perhaps most exciting is the talk of new construction coming to the city's core. "That is a bellwether to determine if a market is getting stable and healthy," Pietro says. "It's a positive sign that developers like Weston, Geis and Stark are now considering new construction." For example, a 30-story apartment building is purportedly being planned in the Playhouse Square area.

 

This could be the Euclid Avenue site between the Hanna Building and the extension of East 17th Street. But something tells me this is instead the Greyhound site. Because of my involvement in the multi-modal transportation center plan, I'm aware that Geis wants to build something substantial where the Greyhound station now stands. The only question is if Geis (or Playhouse Square Foundation on his behalf) will demolish the old Greyhound station or somehow incorporate it into his development, possibly as the lobby for a big building (as was done with Washington DC's old Greyhound station). But I'd never heard "30 stories" before -- assuming this is the same thing that Cresco is writing about.

The city also put out an RFP for the parking lot on the SE corner of East 13th and Chester.  I don't think we ever heard what happened with that.

In this "advertorial" piece written by real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield/Cresco, it briefly mentions....

 

http://blog.cleveland.com/cresco_commercial_real_estate/2016/01/after_a_strong_year_of_develop.html

 

The rejuvenation of historic buildings brought new life to Downtown Cleveland over the last 12-18 months, and more projects are slated for 2016. Perhaps most exciting is the talk of new construction coming to the city's core. "That is a bellwether to determine if a market is getting stable and healthy," Pietro says. "It's a positive sign that developers like Weston, Geis and Stark are now considering new construction." For example, a 30-story apartment building is purportedly being planned in the Playhouse Square area.

 

This could be the Euclid Avenue site between the Hanna Building and the extension of East 17th Street. But something tells me this is instead the Greyhound site. Because of my involvement in the multi-modal transportation center plan, I'm aware that Geis wants to build something substantial where the Greyhound station now stands. The only question is if Geis (or Playhouse Square Foundation on his behalf) will demolish the old Greyhound station or somehow incorporate it into his development, possibly as the lobby for a big building (as was done with Washington DC's old Greyhound station). But I'd never heard "30 stories" before -- assuming this is the same thing that Cresco is writing about.

 

This is for the Euclid Ave site. Expect it to go public in the very near future.

^I hope this is true.  I have been monitoring "expectation posts" on the board concerning this site for a long time.  It is such a gapping hole on Euclid (along with the Hippadrone Parking lot) in a prime section of the Avenue.

Not to be a downer, but in the "area" could mean nuCLEus or 515

Klingaling works for a construction firm that builds skyscrapers, if I remember right. I'd say that gives him insight into this.

It's E17th & Euclid

Klingaling works for a construction firm that builds skyscrapers, if I remember right. I'd say that gives him insight into this.

 

You're right ;) and since the concept drawings are on my desk, I think that may provide me a bit of an edge.

How I wish I could sneak into your office right now. All I get the inside scoop on from being an architect are what houses are about to be built by our competitors around Cincy haha. Nowhere near as exciting.

You're right ;) and since the concept drawings are on my desk, I think that may provide me a bit of an edge.

 

Well break out the scanner young man and make our weekend a great one!

 

EDIT: so this project AND something more at the Greyhound station are in the works. The city's RFP for the parking lot at Chester/East 13th was put on ice and will probably be withdrawn or repackaged to include the Greyhound site. But that won't happen until city acquires the property through a trade as part of relocating Greyhound to a lakefront mulit-modal transportation center. However, Geis is so eager to move forward ASAP on the Greyhound site that the city may be pressured to build a pre-fab station on the muny parking lot to get Greyhound out of the way now. That could indefinitely delay the full intermodal hub, which is likely a $75 million to $100 million project when all three phases are counted (#1 Greyhound station, #2 new Amtrak station added, #3 more Amtrak station tracks/platforms) plus a mixed-use mid-rise building could be built above the Amtrak station. The city loves the intermodal hub design, but it also loves Geis' Greyhound station site plan.

 

At the risk of some backlash, I'll post a conceptual rendering of the multi-modal hub in the North Coast Transportation Center thread in the transportation section. I don't want to lose this project because Geis (a pro-rail guy!) doesn't want to wait a couple of years.

Financing is not yet in place for a new building at E17th & Euclid.  Hopefully it will be later this year and they break ground in 2017.  We'll see.

Financing is not yet in place for a new building at E17th & Euclid.  Hopefully it will be later this year and they break ground in 2017.  We'll see.

 

That's what I've heard as well. Hoping it works out. It would be nice to get rid of that lot.

Come on, klingaling throw us a bone! At least tell us what you think of the design. Is it very modern? Is it sparkly?

You're right ;) and since the concept drawings are on my desk, I think that may provide me a bit of an edge.

 

Well break out the scanner young man and make our weekend a great one!

 

EDIT: so this project AND something more at the Greyhound station are in the works. The city's RFP for the parking lot at Chester/East 13th was put on ice and will probably be withdrawn or repackaged to include the Greyhound site. But that won't happen until city acquires the property through a trade as part of relocating Greyhound to a lakefront mulit-modal transportation center. However, Geis is so eager to move forward ASAP on the Greyhound site that the city may be pressured to build a pre-fab station on the muny parking lot to get Greyhound out of the way now. That could indefinitely delay the full intermodal hub, which is likely a $75 million to $100 million project when all three phases are counted (#1 Greyhound station, #2 new Amtrak station added, #3 more Amtrak station tracks/platforms) plus a mixed-use mid-rise building could be built above the Amtrak station. The city loves the intermodal hub design, but it also loves Geis' Greyhound station site plan.

 

At the risk of some backlash, I'll post a conceptual rendering of the multi-modal hub in the North Coast Transportation Center thread in the transportation section. I don't want to lose this project because Geis (a pro-rail guy!) doesn't want to wait a couple of years.

 

What land does the Geis proposal include?  Just the site of the Greyhound station itself?  Or does it go out as far as Walnut or Payne? All of East 13th to East 17th?

What land does the Geis proposal include?  Just the site of the Greyhound station itself?  Or does it go out as far as Walnut or Payne? All of East 13th to East 17th?

 

Not sure of the whole picture. The only parts I'm aware of start at East 13th and extend east between Payne and Chester. Don't know how far east it goes, but I would assume East 17th. Geis recently referred to this area as a "doughnut hole" in downtown.

Geis wanted to redevelop the Greyhound site a few years ago.  That plan was then "railroaded" by a certain woman at the City.  From what I've heard, Geis is no longer actively working on anything north of PHS.  I heard they are working on plans for the old New York Spaghetti property area.

Geis wanted to redevelop the Greyhound site a few years ago.  That plan was then "railroaded" by a certain woman at the City.  From what I've heard, Geis is no longer actively working on anything north of PHS.  I heard they are working on plans for the old New York Spaghetti property area.

 

I know who you are talking about. Geis was ready to go but the person you are talking about didn't want to relocate Greyhound to a remote section of the muny parking lot -- primarily at my organization's insistence. We saw this as an opportunity to leverage something better for the people of Cleveland. And hopefully, so does the city. See the graphics I just posted in the transportation section to determine if you believe this is worth waiting and fighting for.

What land does the Geis proposal include?  Just the site of the Greyhound station itself?  Or does it go out as far as Walnut or Payne? All of East 13th to East 17th?

 

Not sure of the whole picture. The only parts I'm aware of start at East 13th and extend east between Payne and Chester. Don't know how far east it goes, but I would assume East 17th. Geis recently referred to this area as a "doughnut hole" in downtown.

 

OK, thanks!

30 storys!  Wow!

 

This must be where they were taking the soil samples in the pictures in post 1449.

If the Geis project does indeed stretch from East 13th to 17th, Payne to Chester, plus the lot on the other side of Chester at 13th, it will be about 7.5 acres.  That's larger than the Weston Warehouse District development, at 6 acres, or Nucleus at a hair under 3 acres.  It is smaller than FEB, at approx 20 acres depending exactly what land is included.

 

Of course, this says nothing of the level of development.  If he just puts townhouses on it, it won't be nearly as impactful as those others, but I'm sure he's thinking something more than that.

The city came up with a model concept for its property along 13th which was multi-story mixed use buildings surrounding a parking deck. It was similar to the original Avenue District plan.

 

BTW, between the city-owned parcel along 13th and the Greyhound parcel, that's pretty much the entire block bounded by Chester, 13th, Payne and 17th, with the exception of the properties right along 17th. Any transactions involving those properties along 17th could be an indication of who or what's to come.

Im just hoping all of these projects about to kick off after the convention get "world class signage" up for our visitors from around the world

Im just hoping all of these projects about to kick off after the convention get "world class signage" up for our visitors from around the world

 

It would kinda suck to have all of these parking lots sitting there about ready to become gleaming new towers without passersby having any indication of what's to come.

 

BTW, I'm working on a blog posting to summarize all of the 20+ story towers announced, in planning or possibly coming to downtown. The list is pretty amazing...

^Let us know when it is completed!  :-)

^Let us know when it is completed!  :-)

 

Cleveland ready to scrape the skies more

http://neo-trans.blogspot.com/2016/01/cleveland-ready-to-scrape-skies-more.html

As Cleveland may someday see its Greyhound repurposed as part of a larger development, Washington DC has been cited as an example of how to repurpose an historic Greyhound station...

 

Washington DC Greyhound station, 1960:

 

Washington DC 1100 New York Ave. tower, 2007:

 

Now Sacramento's historic Greyhound station may be redeveloped too. An earlier plan was halted by the recession:

 

 

Retail, parking tower planned for former Sacramento Greyhound bus depot

JANUARY 13, 2016 4:49 PM

BY BOB SHALLIT

 

Downtown Sacramento’s former Greyhound bus station will become a multitenant retail center and five-story garage under plans to be filed with the city next month.

 

Building owner Danny Benvenuti said he has been researching options for the landmark building at Seventh and L streets since Greyhound relocated its bus operations to Richards Boulevard in 2011.

 

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/news/business/biz-columns-blogs/bob-shallit/article54574380.html#storylink=cpy

wow--Washington's old Greyhound station looks almost exactly like ours.

I saw some info and renderings on the potential mixed-use building that has been talked about for the Euclid/E17th surface lot. I didn't hear that this is the exact plan, but by reading between the lines I think that they may go the Euclid 515 route and build a parking garage first and then follow up with a tower when the demand and financing is aligned.

I saw some info and renderings on the potential mixed-use building that has been talked about for the Euclid/E17th surface lot. I didn't hear that this is the exact plan, but by reading between the lines I think that they may go the Euclid 515 route and build a parking garage first and then follow up with a tower when the demand and financing is aligned.

 

 

I saw some info and renderings on the potential mixed-use building that has been talked about for the Euclid/E17th surface lot. I didn't hear that this is the exact plan, but by reading between the lines I think that they may go the Euclid 515 route and build a parking garage first and then follow up with a tower when the demand and financing is aligned.

 

Didn't think demand was an issue but financing may be so it's best to get as many projects financed, the sooner the better.  Another real estate bubble is percolating out there.

The parking pedestal is what kinda makes me nervous.  I have no illusions that parking would not be part of the project, but I have seen this done poorly so many times.