November 1, 2024Nov 1 Yay! I finally timed an article to appear at the top of a page!! 🥳 Collinwood grocery store redevelopment sought By Ken Prendergast / November 1, 2024 Cleveland city officials revealed their intentions today to acquire and redevelop a closed grocery store property, 15900 Lake Shore Blvd., in the North Collinwood neighborhood. Officials requested City Planning Commission approval to start assembling the land, then later rezone it and ultimately offer it to developers through a community-driven request for proposals. MORE: https://neo-trans.blog/2024/11/01/collinwood-grocery-store-redevelopment-sought/ "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
November 3, 2024Nov 3 On 11/1/2024 at 6:42 PM, KJP said: Yay! I finally timed an article to appear at the top of a page!! 🥳 Collinwood grocery store redevelopment sought By Ken Prendergast / November 1, 2024 Cleveland city officials revealed their intentions today to acquire and redevelop a closed grocery store property, 15900 Lake Shore Blvd., in the North Collinwood neighborhood. Officials requested City Planning Commission approval to start assembling the land, then later rezone it and ultimately offer it to developers through a community-driven request for proposals. MORE: https://neo-trans.blog/2024/11/01/collinwood-grocery-store-redevelopment-sought/ We remeber Fazio's as a thriving state of art grocery store back in the late 70's in that location then Ponderosa came along (you can see its carcass peeking to the right of the pic). If Dave's couldn't make it there in recent times not sure if Aldi's or Lidl would touch it. Maybe the Grocery Outlet group just entering the Cleveland market would bite if strongly incentivized? Otherwise housing would help stabilize the neighborhood since it is across from the growing Euclid Beach/Villa Angela State Metroparks lakefront reservation and a mile or so due north of the fledgling Waterloo Arts District. Edited November 3, 2024Nov 3 by Willo
November 3, 2024Nov 3 14 hours ago, Willo said: We remeber Fazio's as a thriving state of art grocery store back in the late 70's in that location then Ponderosa came along (you can see its carcass peeking to the right of the pic). If Dave's couldn't make it there in recent times not sure if Aldi's or Lidl would touch it. Maybe the Grocery Outlet group just entering the Cleveland market would bite if strongly incentivized? Otherwise housing would help stabilize the neighborhood since it is across from the growing Euclid Beach/Villa Angela State Metroparks lakefront reservation and a mile or so due north of the fledgling Waterloo Arts District. Do something similar to The Medley in Fairfax, Apartments with a grocery store at the bottom.
November 4, 2024Nov 4 The downtown Lakewood development is planned on roughly the same size plot of land -- 6 acres. Planned are 298 apartments, seven for-sale townhomes, 31,350 square feet of ground-floor commercial spaces and a LOT of structured parking. And at one point a 40,000-square-foot grocery store was to be included... https://neo-trans.blog/2024/10/14/downtown-lakewood-project-nears-final-approval/ "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
November 4, 2024Nov 4 22 minutes ago, KJP said: The downtown Lakewood development is planned on roughly the same size plot of land -- 6 acres. Planned are 298 apartments, seven for-sale townhomes, 31,350 square feet of ground-floor commercial spaces and a LOT of structured parking. And at one point a 40,000-square-foot grocery store was to be included... https://neo-trans.blog/2024/10/14/downtown-lakewood-project-nears-final-approval/ At risk of dragging this off topic, if they could do something similar maybe North CWood can get better RTA service! One of the many places that an hour plus bus ride into downtown during rush doesn't make sense. To bring it back, there's an Aldi down the road in Euclid - probably wouldn't be them taking the space over (also their footprint seems much smaller). Maybe as Willo stated, a new to the market place might take the risk.
November 4, 2024Nov 4 On 11/3/2024 at 4:27 AM, mrnyc said: poplife — 🎉 https://www.instagram.com/reel/DBwCUY4p53f/?igsh=NHp4a254YWRqdzJo I posted that in the architectural shaming page on FB and most posters seemed to agree with me that it amounted to architectural vandalism. The neighborhood people I talk to seem to hate it too. The Beachland and Treelawn have been respectful of their heritage, this is not. Cindy Barber won't even put up a marquee advertising upcoming shows. Hell, the "Gold Building" even went retro and looks great even if the burgers are overhyped. By the way, @KJP, someone posted your blog story about the old Dave's in my neighborhood watch group. I reprised my cynical comment above (more later) but gave the blog a boost as a better source on local development than the media. Cindy clicked a like, and I doubt it was about my cynicism. :)
November 4, 2024Nov 4 Thanks @E Rocc !! "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
November 4, 2024Nov 4 On 11/3/2024 at 9:27 AM, MyPhoneDead said: Do something similar to The Medley in Fairfax, Apartments with a grocery store at the bottom. The area is probably apartment saturated. All the high rises directly across the street, the Shorewood is very big and close by as well.
November 4, 2024Nov 4 On 11/2/2024 at 8:23 PM, Willo said: We remeber Fazio's as a thriving state of art grocery store back in the late 70's in that location then Ponderosa came along (you can see its carcass peeking to the right of the pic). If Dave's couldn't make it there in recent times not sure if Aldi's or Lidl would touch it. Maybe the Grocery Outlet group just entering the Cleveland market would bite if strongly incentivized? Otherwise housing would help stabilize the neighborhood since it is across from the growing Euclid Beach/Villa Angela State Metroparks lakefront reservation and a mile or so due north of the fledgling Waterloo Arts District. Reading between the lines of Ken's story, a group tied to Simon's Markets bought it nearly two years ago. They've presumably been trying to market it and would have contacts with all the grocery people. I think it's a fair assumption that this is a punt. The city? They seem more interested in tearing things up over here to put in parks et al rather than building anything up. That restaurant has been shut down at least as long as I have lived there and that's over eight years now. I can be blunt, since I live right there and it's normally my role to say the quiet part out loud here anyway. Neighborhood rumor even before they closed was Dave's had big "shrinkage" problems there. I was even saying then that if they bailed for that reason (as Bedford Walmart did) it would leave a big hole and they would have a hell of a time filling it. If that's the case it will make it that much tougher to put anything similar there. As GIS says there's an Aldi's in Euclid and there is also a Sav-A- Lot at 185 and Neff.
November 4, 2024Nov 4 48 minutes ago, E Rocc said: I posted that in the architectural shaming page on FB and most posters seemed to agree with me that it amounted to architectural vandalism. The neighborhood people I talk to seem to hate it too. The Beachland and Treelawn have been respectful of their heritage, this is not. Cindy Barber won't even put up a marquee advertising upcoming shows. Hell, the "Gold Building" even went retro and looks great even if the burgers are overhyped. By the way, @KJP, someone posted your blog story about the old Dave's in my neighborhood watch group. I reprised my cynical comment above (more later) but gave the blog a boost as a better source on local development than the media. Cindy clicked a like, and I doubt it was about my cynicism. :) apparantly the social media youts disagree with you.
November 4, 2024Nov 4 44 minutes ago, E Rocc said: Reading between the lines of Ken's story, a group tied to Simon's Markets bought it nearly two years ago. They've presumably been trying to market it and would have contacts with all the grocery people. I think it's a fair assumption that this is a punt. The city? They seem more interested in tearing things up over here to put in parks et al rather than building anything up. That restaurant has been shut down at least as long as I have lived there and that's over eight years now. I can be blunt, since I live right there and it's normally my role to say the quiet part out loud here anyway. Neighborhood rumor even before they closed was Dave's had big "shrinkage" problems there. I was even saying then that if they bailed for that reason (as Bedford Walmart did) it would leave a big hole and they would have a hell of a time filling it. If that's the case it will make it that much tougher to put anything similar there. As GIS says there's an Aldi's in Euclid and there is also a Sav-A- Lot at 185 and Neff. That area is a tough nut to crack in its current state. Not sure if another vacant grass covered lot or park as Polensek has pushed with other previous eyesores on Lakeshore when funds are available but in that area it may lead to another drug zombie hang out. On that note could prolly benefit from walkin medical clinics and treatment centers. Also they need to first redo E 156 connecting Waterloo Arts District to these vacant structures at the north end of 156 & Lakeshores. As you know it has been allowed to deteriorate to a year round October 31st streetscape. Good luck in the front lines there!
November 4, 2024Nov 4 26 minutes ago, Willo said: That area is a tough nut to crack in its current state. Not sure if another vacant grass covered lot or park as Polensek has pushed with other previous eyesores on Lakeshore when funds are available but in that area it may lead to another drug zombie hang out. On that note could prolly benefit from walkin medical clinics and treatment centers. Also they need to first redo E 156 connecting Waterloo Arts District to these vacant structures at the north end of 156 & Lakeshores. As you know it has been allowed to deteriorate to a year round October 31st streetscape. Good luck in the front lines there! I remain firmly convinced that the construction on Waterloo in 2014 or so zapped the neighborhood's momentum in a big way. As for 156, they are doing some major work to the old Immanuel Baptist Church, I am not sure what they have in mind but it doesn't look like a demo. The bones of the street are good but there are a lot of vacancies. As for Lakeshore, replacing the Walgreens with a plasma center didn't have as much of a negative impact as I feared. I'm concerned about the old mobile home park site, leaving aside the fact that closing it displaced several times as many people as the OC, aggressive patrolling will be needed to keep it from becoming such a hangout.
November 4, 2024Nov 4 56 minutes ago, mrnyc said: apparantly the social media youts disagree with you. I'll have to stir the you-know-what over there. :)
November 5, 2024Nov 5 7 hours ago, E Rocc said: I posted that in the architectural shaming page on FB and most posters seemed to agree with me that it amounted to architectural vandalism. The neighborhood people I talk to seem to hate it too. The Beachland and Treelawn have been respectful of their heritage, this is not. Cindy Barber won't even put up a marquee advertising upcoming shows. Hell, the "Gold Building" even went retro and looks great even if the burgers are overhyped. I try to be supportive of property owners' design freedom... but if I'm being honest I completely agree. Save designs like this for blank walls, ugly warehouses or new builds. A nice contrast is Dante/Ginko in Tremont—historic facade preserved but lively restaurants inside. I'm never gonna be the person that says "lock 'em up" for painting the front of a building, but social media shaming is perfectly fair game ;)
November 5, 2024Nov 5 11 hours ago, sonisharri said: I try to be supportive of property owners' design freedom... but if I'm being honest I completely agree. Save designs like this for blank walls, ugly warehouses or new builds. A nice contrast is Dante/Ginko in Tremont—historic facade preserved but lively restaurants inside. I'm never gonna be the person that says "lock 'em up" for painting the front of a building, but social media shaming is perfectly fair game ;) That's pretty much my take. From what I can tell they did a pretty nice job on the interior, considering their purposes. In that area it sticks out like the proverbial sore thumb.
November 5, 2024Nov 5 2 hours ago, E Rocc said: That's pretty much my take. From what I can tell they did a pretty nice job on the interior, considering their purposes. In that area it sticks out like the proverbial sore thumb. Can’t be any less shocking that the Danny Greene mural next door
November 5, 2024Nov 5 6 hours ago, Willo said: Can’t be any less shocking that the Danny Greene mural next door That's a blank wall like Soni mentioned and is historically significant. Note: the people who own that lot also own the bar with what used to be a clone of Danny's old car parked in front.....until someone nailed it then tagged it. Edited November 5, 2024Nov 5 by E Rocc
November 5, 2024Nov 5 4 hours ago, E Rocc said: That's a blank wall like Soni mentioned and is historically significant. Note: the people who own that lot also own the bar with what used to be a clone of Danny's old car parked in front.....until someone nailed it then tagged it. What history before those unfortunate events. Haven't been down there in a while. Will have to stop by and and look around some time and maybe pop in Citizen Pie across the street (if still there?)
November 6, 2024Nov 6 14 hours ago, Willo said: What history before those unfortunate events. Haven't been down there in a while. Will have to stop by and and look around some time and maybe pop in Citizen Pie across the street (if still there?) It's still there and last time I checked, still open. I thought it was good but nothing special. Kelly had had the one on W. 25th and loved it, so we took her kids to the Waterloo one. She felt it wasn't quite as good.
December 7, 2024Dec 7 North Collinwood ‘historic’ modular townhomes OK’d By Ken Prendergast / December 7, 2024 Six townhomes may not sound like much, but their builder says they’re an “historic” next step toward increasing the amount of modular housing in Cleveland. City officials and some home builders say more modular homes are needed here to address shortages in quality, affordable housing, fill vacant lots, repopulate the city, increase homeownership in Cleveland and build equity. MORE: https://neo-trans.blog/2024/12/07/north-collinwood-historic-modular-townhomes-okd/ "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
December 8, 2024Dec 8 5 hours ago, KJP said: North Collinwood ‘historic’ modular townhomes OK’d By Ken Prendergast / December 7, 2024 Six townhomes may not sound like much, but their builder says they’re an “historic” next step toward increasing the amount of modular housing in Cleveland. City officials and some home builders say more modular homes are needed here to address shortages in quality, affordable housing, fill vacant lots, repopulate the city, increase homeownership in Cleveland and build equity. MORE: https://neo-trans.blog/2024/12/07/north-collinwood-historic-modular-townhomes-okd/ We love modular housing and especially to potentially light a rebirth of this forgotten neighborhood. I only wish they would jazz them up a little and differentiate the color of the cladding for the 6 units to draw more attention to the area (as was done in early OC and Tremont developments). Not sure what is meant by "historic" in this setting but why not as we like the energy around this modular start-up group - we need them to grow in size and design along the way. Plus, it is good to see any new townhomes in the North Collinwood area - the last were traditional stick built in the 1990's or so about a mile east on the north side of Lakeshore nestled next to the State Park and Euclid Creek https://www.thecoralcompany.com/the-coral-portfolio/community-associations/water’s-edge
December 8, 2024Dec 8 14 hours ago, Willo said: Not sure what is meant by "historic" in this setting but why not as we like the energy around this modular start-up group In the article, the developer claims these are "The first-ever development of its kind." "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
December 8, 2024Dec 8 6 hours ago, KJP said: In the article, the developer claims these are "The first-ever development of its kind." Yeah the word "historic" detracted from the rest of their story on this admirable project. Could they be the first to propose 6 attached modular homes as another company proposed 6 detached modular homes a few years back (I wonder if they are still in the game?). https://thelandcle.org/stories/six-house-pocket-neighborhood-comes-to-fenwick-avenue/ Unless...they are talking about the land itself being the former site of the "iconic" and beloved for many decades Fanny's restaurant? Many from the area believed the restaurant should have been declared a "historic" site but the overall neighborhood disinvestment had already matured by then. https://planning.clevelandohio.gov/designreview/brd/detailDR.php?ID=2770&CASE=NE 2018-021 https://architecturalafterlife.com/2018/06/demolishing-fannys-memories-of-a-cleveland-diner/
January 4Jan 4 Not just a great story, but notable mention of a new retail story and possible USCRI collaboration: 15301 Waterloo Road, Cleveland OH 44110 Afghan refugee women find community through weaving at Praxis Fiber Workshop Updated: Jan. 02, 2025, 6:56 a.m. By Joey Morona, cleveland.com CLEVELAND, Ohio -- In Praxis Fiber Workshop’s bright and colorful studio in the Waterloo Arts District on a cloudy November morning, a group of Afghan refugee women gathers around looms to learn and practice weaving for three hours. The class isn’t about crafting a table runner, a pillow or a piece of art. Its purpose runs deeper: to create a sense of belonging and help them adjust to their new lives in Cleveland. “One of the Congolese women said to me, ‘This is what I want to do for work,’” she recalled. The comment resonated with Pinsky and got her thinking about potential ways Praxis and USCRI could team up to provide resources beyond weaving and sustain the community she helped nurture after class is dismissed. With apartments above the studio and plans underway for a Praxis retail store, she wonders if the partnership could be expanded to include housing, workforce training and jobs. “I want them to be here forever,” Pinsky said. https://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/2025/01/afghan-refugee-women-find-community-through-weaving-at-praxis-fiber-workshop.html
January 4Jan 4 ^ My wife teaches knitting to Afghan women in the Wash DC area. Everybody (sponsors and Afghans) loves the project. A reporter asked, "Why is Catholic Charities teaching Islamic women to knit?" Answer: "Because they want to learn." Remember: It's the Year of the Snake
January 4Jan 4 4 hours ago, Dougal said: A reporter asked, "Why is Catholic Charities teaching Islamic women to knit?" Answer: "Because they want to learn." The world needs more of this energy.
January 5Jan 5 16 hours ago, PlanCleveland said: The world needs more of this energy. If the world had this energy it truly would be a wonderful place.
January 5Jan 5 Nice to see some diverse life on a street that IMO still hasn't quite recovered from the 2014 construction debacle. Makes up for Jerry Schmidt feeling the need to leave because some people can't behave. As I posted elsewhere, on the other end of the district SSW Boardwalk just closed.
January 6Jan 6 I have a very close tie to Praxis Fiber Studio. It is truly an incredible community and a perfect example of a "third place."
January 17Jan 17 Redirecting from St Clair/Superior. @E Rocci hadn't heard about any complaints at Waterloo. What happened there? The only things I've seen there are speed tables and new curbs? 2 hours ago, E Rocc said: Knowing how the streetscape "improvement" project negatively impacted the momentum the Waterloo Arts District was developing, I'd say they have a point.
January 17Jan 17 14 minutes ago, Cleburger said: Redirecting from St Clair/Superior. @E Rocci hadn't heard about any complaints at Waterloo. What happened there? The only things I've seen there are speed tables and new curbs? That's new. It makes it a PITA if someone is turning left onto Waterloo after the freeway, other than that not a big deal. I refer to the major construction project circa 2014 or so.
January 17Jan 17 2 minutes ago, E Rocc said: That's new. It makes it a PITA if someone is turning left onto Waterloo after the freeway, other than that not a big deal. I refer to the major construction project circa 2014 or so. Well the construction was deemed worth it, after completion, one would hope? It drives me nuts when businesses and residents complain about needed construction. Figure it out! There's a way to make any bad temporary situation work without just complaining on Facebook....
January 17Jan 17 4 minutes ago, Cleburger said: Well the construction was deemed worth it, after completion, one would hope? It drives me nuts when businesses and residents complain about needed construction. Figure it out! There's a way to make any bad temporary situation work without just complaining on Facebook.... My consensus would be no, it wasn't.
February 25Feb 25 They still seem to be picking away at the old church at 326 E. 156th, I have no idea what they are up to.
March 25Mar 25 Euclid Beach Park arch relocation ready By Ken Prendergast / March 25, 2025 Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb's Office of Capital Projects is ready to start work on relocating and rehabilitating a gateway arch from the historic Euclid Beach Park to its planned new home a few feet away. That home is a new greenspace in the 15900 block of Lake Shore Blvd. in Cleveland's North Collinwood neighborhood, with trees and walkways and the landmark arch spanning the main walkway lined with benches. MORE: https://neo-trans.blog/2025/03/25/euclid-beach-park-arch-relocation-ready/ "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
March 25Mar 25 53 minutes ago, KJP said: Euclid Beach Park arch relocation ready By Ken Prendergast / March 25, 2025 Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb's Office of Capital Projects is ready to start work on relocating and rehabilitating a gateway arch from the historic Euclid Beach Park to its planned new home a few feet away. That home is a new greenspace in the 15900 block of Lake Shore Blvd. in Cleveland's North Collinwood neighborhood, with trees and walkways and the landmark arch spanning the main walkway lined with benches. MORE: https://neo-trans.blog/2025/03/25/euclid-beach-park-arch-relocation-ready/ At first I thought they were going to put it where they took out the mobile home park, but it's an entirely different spot. A worse one. Remember, I live a couple hundred feet away. I can see the arch from my kitchen window. They are cutting off or grossly limiting access to four high rise buildings while they mess with the arch. How long is that going to take? Maybe they can rush the project and collapse it across the road. To build a city park (as opposed to a Metropark where some semblance of order might be maintained). With benches. Next to a shopping center that contains a plasma center. Oh yay. If I didn't already have a low opinion of city government, I'd be stunned. If you want to know why people with options are often hesitant to move to the city, here's an example. Here's a better, cheaper, and more sensible idea. Put a road where I drew the line on the graphic. Then shut down 159 between it and Lakeshore. Edited March 25Mar 25 by E Rocc
March 25Mar 25 Why not leave the arch where it is stands and shift the park around it once a new access road is made for the high-rise apartments? Once this arch is moved it loses it's historic placement as a nod to what gem we lost when the amusement park was closed. I am also concerned that this project doesn't have funding or an idea of what they want to skin the arch with once it is dismantled and moved. The current permanent stone facade is what we all remember since the 1940's. This is what should be remain and NOT something earlier.
March 25Mar 25 3 hours ago, E Rocc said: At first I thought they were going to put it where they took out the mobile home park, but it's an entirely different spot. A worse one. Remember, I live a couple hundred feet away. I can see the arch from my kitchen window. They are cutting off or grossly limiting access to four high rise buildings while they mess with the arch. How long is that going to take? Maybe they can rush the project and collapse it across the road. To build a city park (as opposed to a Metropark where some semblance of order might be maintained). With benches. Next to a shopping center that contains a plasma center. Oh yay. If I didn't already have a low opinion of city government, I'd be stunned. If you want to know why people with options are often hesitant to move to the city, here's an example. Here's a better, cheaper, and more sensible idea. Put a road where I drew the line on the graphic. Then shut down 159 between it and Lakeshore. This is probably being pushed hardcore by the councilman if I had to guess. I tend to agree with you, nobody is willingly spending time on Lakeshore Road when the lake is right there.
March 26Mar 26 6 hours ago, E Rocc said: At first I thought they were going to put it where they took out the mobile home park, but it's an entirely different spot. A worse one. Remember, I live a couple hundred feet away. I can see the arch from my kitchen window. They are cutting off or grossly limiting access to four high rise buildings while they mess with the arch. How long is that going to take? Maybe they can rush the project and collapse it across the road. To build a city park (as opposed to a Metropark where some semblance of order might be maintained). With benches. Next to a shopping center that contains a plasma center. Oh yay. If I didn't already have a low opinion of city government, I'd be stunned. If you want to know why people with options are often hesitant to move to the city, here's an example. Here's a better, cheaper, and more sensible idea. Put a road where I drew the line on the graphic. Then shut down 159 between it and Lakeshore. To be fair, the building that's actually next to it is a pizza restaurant & a daycare, and there's a well-worn path visible from satellite imagery from pedestrians cutting across this corner, so the path itself is probably justified. That said, you could still just move the road and sidewalk together, killing two birds with one stone. And build a small park around the arch. Relocating it seems unnecessarily complicated.
March 26Mar 26 On 3/25/2025 at 8:42 PM, sonisharri said: To be fair, the building that's actually next to it is a pizza restaurant & a daycare, and there's a well-worn path visible from satellite imagery from pedestrians cutting across this corner, so the path itself is probably justified. That said, you could still just move the road and sidewalk together, killing two birds with one stone. And build a small park around the arch. Relocating it seems unnecessarily complicated. There is a lot of EMS/fire traffic to those towers, as well as residential. I think GCRTA goes back there as well, if they don't they should. It's not just complicated, it's disruptive. TBH as I said above, I am also concerned about the character of that park at night. Edit: I took a look at the arch this weekend. There's some pretty serious damage at the base. I'm now less confident that they can move it without a mishap. Oh, they are talking about cars hitting it being such a concern, but guess what? It's not at all illuminated. IMO they just want to build a park, pat themselves on the back, and probably name it after some politician.
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