Besides the lack of good Chinese food, Cleveland isn't such a bad place.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Musical fountains!

 

 

Dedicated to David

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Where am I?

 

Nice shots:

 

Where are you?  I believe that you are looking out at the Carter Manor.

I'm pretty sure that's the New England Building as seen from Holiday Inn Express. Nice photos - and as far as good Chinese food, you obviously didn't make it to Chinatown (or ask a local *cough*me*cough*).

^Yep, taken from the Huntington garage.

 

Asked the hotel desk clerk at the last minuet for a good chinese place and she said the best place in Cleveland was a buffet in a strip mall off Warren south of Lakewood. The end of the strip mall had recently caught fire; too bad the whole plaza didn't go down in flames.

^Warren Village? 

 

I'm guessing that there is better chinese in Cleveland than what you'd find at Warren Village.

Excellent shots!

^^^ Ouch! That hotel clerk was very naughty. Had you gone about 15 blocks east of your most eastern photo, and a couple of blocks north, you would have been in Asiatown, the second largest Chinatown in the Midwest and one of the largest outside of the coast cities (well ... besides the North Coast). And, yes, we in Asiatown have some damn good Chinese restaurants, not to mention Thai, Korean ... and then the random Cajun, Soul, American deli (don't ask ... it's a strange nabe), etc.

 

As MayDay pointed out, always ask an UrbanOhio'er before a desk clerk. And when in a pinch, I've found Wikipedia's list of Chinatowns to be retatively useful: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Chinatowns.

 

Nice pics!

Great pics!!  Next time you're in town and want some chinese food, I would recommend one of two locations for genuine Chinese food.  The first would be Bo Loong's at E. 40th and St. Clair.  The second would be Li Wah's inside Asian Plaza at E. 30th and Payne.  There are many other Asian restraunts in the area, and I'm sure others would have helped out.  Once again, nice pics!!

Besides the lack of good Chinese food, Cleveland isn't such a bad place.

 

Well, that's a way for people to respond to threads more often :).

 

 

Next up:

 

"Gosh, I went to Cleveland and it was just like Detroit!  Empty fields along Euclid and those duckbills are hideous but atleast downtown Cleveland is cool!  Except for that parking lot infront of the Terminal Tower.  Gosh, gee golly wee...that is huge!  You guys should do something about it.  Oh well, here are my pics!"

 

Cue MayDay with Stark renderings.

Cue the pope for Detroit positivity while subtly bashing Cleveland.

Cue ColDayMan for "Nice pics!"

 

And badda-boom, 40 replies.  Try it sometime.  Oh wait...don't.  Or you'll get suspended.

 

Nevermind. :(

It looks good.

Excellent shots! Cleveland is a great city.

LOL @ response-inducing provocative comment.  I'll have to try that next time.

Oh Cleveland, Ohio...Seat of Cuyahoga County.  You are so swell.

now now we all know ink was just goofing on the nawth again. heh.

 

very nice pics, you got around downtown that is for sure.

To be fair, my true impression (no I don't really judge cities by their Chinese food):

 

I'd been to Cleveland before, but this is the first time I'd got out of the car and actually experienced the city. I, of course, had a number of preconceptions from the forum and growing up in Daytonati, but Cleveland did surpass my expectations. Cleveland feels like Ohio's biggest city with its wide--but not excessively wide--street widths, expansive historic streetscapes, and massive square surrounded by three architecturally impressive skyscrapers (I even grew to like BP!). While I realize plans are being knocked around for Public Square and developing the surrounding lots, I certainly see much more potential there as opposed to Cincinnati's Fountain Square which doesn't have the great core of historic buildings surrounding or the space to do something greener. Streetlife was especially heavy everywhere but the Warehouse District and the area of planned civic buildings, but I imagine the Warehouse District is pretty vibrant at night based on the number of establishments and amount of gentrification. East Fourth was always packed with people, but it feels like it is missing something; probably the lack of retail and current Euclid construction can be attributed to this. Not that E. 4th should have retail, but it doesn't have sense of place yet. Tower City was surprisingly occupied by both decent stores and people, even after lunch hour; pretty impressive for a downtown mall.

 

Anyway, overall, while I don't think Cleveland is the most urban place, the city does have an amazing presence, numerous remarkable skyscrapers rs and historic buildings, and undebatable beauty. I look forward to further exploration.

I really like Cleveland's downtown. The city should be proud of it.

...expansive historic streetscapes, and massive square surrounded by three architecturally impressive skyscrapers (I even grew to like BP!).

 

Knowledgable cleveland groan #27: Its 200 Public Square and has been for quite a few years.

 

But other than that, I guess I'll let you slide.

Well, I almost said Standard.

in that case, i retract my statement.

Anyway, overall, while I don't think Cleveland is the most urban place

 

  Not quite sure what this means?  Is it because there are no brownstones right downtown or because the neighborhoods aren't built right on top downtown like Cincy?  Cleveland isn't as restricted as let's say Pittsburgh or Cincy because of the hills, but does that mean it isn't as urban?  Detroit is laid out similar to Cleveland..maybe Newark, NJ too, are they not urban either?  When you were here, did you get to see the neighborhoods reaching from roughly W 200th street to E 200th St?  There is plenty or urbanism in Cleveland in my opinion...but again, that is MY opnion and everyone has them.  I think urbanism is more than just some brownstones or buildings..it is attitude as well.  I have been in some cities that have an urban look to them, but the vibe of the city feels more like small town, and visa versa. 

  This is not meant to be an angry post at all, but sometimes I get the feeling that this site seems to portray Cincinnati as the cock of the walk, and Cleveland as the little brother that is trying to be a city but just didn't quite do it. 

^A bit sensitive are we?  You must have missed everything else he said, because it was extremely flattering.  He also went on to say how Public Square has more potential than what Fountain Square currently offers in Cincinnati.  Just chill...

 

I'd been to Cleveland before, but this is the first time I'd got out of the car and actually experienced the city. I, of course, had a number of preconceptions from the forum and growing up in Daytonati, but Cleveland did surpass my expectations. Cleveland feels like Ohio's biggest city with its wide--but not excessively wide--street widths, expansive historic streetscapes, and massive square surrounded by three architecturally impressive skyscrapers (I even grew to like BP!).

:laugh:

 

Seriously JDD941, he gave Cleveland very good comments and also took note to the fact that Euclid was undergoing a $300million transfermation (construction) when he was there.  He could of said our main thoroughfare looked like trash but kept in mind that it is under construction.  He also stated that we have a wide collection of nice skyscrapers.  He took note of the proposed projects downtown that he has learned about on this thread and considered how they would flow in our existing architecture.  I think ink had a very well-informed and open-minded trip to Cleveland and really embraced what our town offers and has to offer.  Great shots ink!  i enjoyed them.

^ Agreed.

:laugh:

 

 

hmmm....

Oh lighten up... and I happen agree with gotribe. Better?

 

yeesh...

 

It wasn't just what Ink said....not at all.  He DID give some good kudos, but the fact that Cleveland isn't "urban"?  I have read that in many posts in the past from many people, whether it be subtle or not.  I just don't see how Cleveland isn't "that" urban?  Is it because of the "duckbill" housing?  I don't know?  I am not mad at anyone, nor do I need to "lighten up"...I am just stating what I feel because of many past posts.  I realize that Cincy has a very tight core housing/downtown relationship compared to Cleveland.  That does give the visual feeling of urbanism, but I was stating that there is more to urbanism than buildings.  I think Ink had a great post, I wasn't attacking him personally.  I was just stating MY opinion.  No harm done here I hope....

No problem JDD941. Cleveland is certainly urban, no question. Honestly, I can't give you a great response as to why I don't feel that it is the most urban (not necessarily comparing to Cincinnati), but it has a lot to do with the feel of the city (this is individual, I suppose, Cleveland seemed less intimidating than say Pittsburg) and the built enviroment--street widths, scale, density, amount of open space (green or surface lots). There is also a diversity factor in people, businesses, rundown v. gentrified, trendy v. tacky. I'm speaking to downtown/Warehouse specifically, not the city as a whole.

 

There is a lot of gray area between urban and not urban/suburban, but I certainly don't mean to imply that Cleveland isn't urban or it isn't "urban enough." Cleveland has its own urban feel and I don't see that as a negative; its a wonderful, under respected city.

 

Cleveland is certainly urban, no question.

 

You're giving it too much credit.

 

;)

 

There are different perspectives of "urbanism."  Great Lakes "urbanism" is certainly different than River City "urbanism."  History, materials, width of streets, etc have a lot to do with it.  So inkaelin's views of urbanity (re: Cincinnati, Pittsburgh) is certainly different than a Clevelander's view of urbanism (wide streets, long commercial streets = big city, for them).  Cincinnati certainly is more "walkable" than Cleveland (barring the hills) but that's simply due to age.  Cleveland's Burnham-esque scale is perhaps "overwhelming" for mere walking (re: Superior Avenue through downtown) but it also gives the impression of a grand city, which can be thought of as "urban" as well.

 

Oh bah. They all suck.  Go Bilbao!

fantastic photos and discussion

Oh bah. They all suck.  Go Bilbao!

 

Frank Gehry=urbanism.

Hey!  Bilbao is more than that crumpled up trash!

Beautiful!

 

Can any sort of business every last in this building?  It ALWAYS seems empty.

No, Bottoms Up/Abbasso was actually there for quite some time. The problem with that location is that it's just a bit off the beaten path and the residential rehabs are just *now* making their way to that area.

No, Bottoms Up/Abbasso was actually there for quite some time. The problem with that location is that it's just a bit off the beaten path and the residential rehabs are just *now* making their way to that area.

 

Aye.  And if and when <a href="http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=11901.60">Gray's Green</a> comes to fruition, that corner will most definitely hop.

Yeah, if that area could residential-fy, that would be the perfect local watering hole.