^its considered private property.

It is private property and you are subject to arrest. The railroads and the Transportation Security Administration (which hired six railroad inspectors for the Cleveland area last year) are on the watch for trespassers.

 

Since 9/11, if city or railroad police, or the TSA, catch you on a very busy railroad bridge like the one at the mouth of the Cuyahoga River (a federal navigation channel crossed by a nationally significant and strategic rail corridor), you could soon find yourself face to face with federal investigators before they realize you're harmless and let you go with a trespassing citation. If you took pictures while trespassing, you probably won't get your film back.

 

I read a few railroad and transit publications and am horrified to see articles about railfans who are arrested just for taking pictures of trains and railroad/transit property. Most of this has occurred in the New York City area, but other examples of arrests have occured around Chicago and Los Angeles. Several of those arrested have filed lawsuits against police departments, etc. Could it happen to you in Cleveland? There's one way to make sure it doesn't.

 

Regardless, it's still trespassing on a dangerous property. Take my advice. Don't do it.

no i personally wasnt planning on it hah, but i meant as a solution to give pedestrian access to the other side of the river over there for the city to do something with it. 

 

and as far as that, i've done a few photography assignments on the rapid... some people think its fun and will pose and smile and wave and then... some find it really upsetting even if im wearing my student ID.  I do know someone who was taking photographs in little italy by the train tracks and a lot of police starting coming by, driving slowly to check out what he was doing and whatnot.    but otherwise no one i know of has been arrested and warned or talked to about it.

Folks, it was a simpler world back then.

i dont think a new ped bridge is needed. i think that when the east bank is rebuilt up they should just go back to water taxis like they used to have. that was pretty cool. or better yet, in the summer maybe some kind of gondolas like venice? ( i have gondolas on the brain right now as i am reading a great urban non-fiction book called 'city of falling angels' by john berendt,which is all about venice, he is also the author of 'midnight in the garden of good&evil,' which was about savannah, so you know the venitians have lots of creative ways for getting across all those canals).

I say that you abandon (demolish) the Center Street bridge and build a bridge more centrally located between the east bank and the west bank.  This way you are not adding another bridge that impairs travel along the river and you have more sensible bridge access.  Possibly from St. Clair to Washington.  Keep the road network on both banks intact however abandon the existing bridge. 

^I would never get rid of the Center St. bridge.

 

But, I do see what you are saying.  It would be great if there were a cool drawbridge that connected St. Clair to an extended Washington  Ave.  It would cut through the Powerhouse parking lot (no big loss).  I think that would do a lot for connecting downtown to the West Bank.

^I would never get rid of the Center St. bridge.

 

But, I do see what you are saying.  It would be great if there were a cool drawbridge that connected St. Clair to an extended Washington  Ave.  It would cut through the Powerhouse parking lot (no big loss).  I think that would do a lot for connecting downtown to the West Bank.

 

A) can we get back to the topic at hand and B) This newly proprosed ped bridge could possibly get in the way of future development, (if im not mistaken) these parking lots are slated for development.

well heres some recent images i took

well, that's definitely progress from the last time I was there!  I wonder how much headway some of these projects (Stonebridge, Battery Park, Steelyard, etc.) have gotten with this ridiculous weather we've been having.  I would imagine that the construction season grinds down quite a bit around here when the snow really hits and the ground starts to freeze.  I'd love to hear what this has done for project timelines and construction budgets!

^ I'll bet some of it is a trade-off, as the ground is very soft this time of year. Check out all the standing water in the Stonebridge construction pit. Not too good for supporting construction vehicles. But, like I said it's probably a trade off. I suspect workers would rather be stuck in the mud in 40-50 degree temps, than sliding on ice with a 0-degree windchill.

^The problem with frozen ground however is, you can not pour the slab.  The ground will thaw in a cople months causing the slab to settle therefore cracking the slab and any other structural pieces tied into it. 

^Good point

so, with the absence of freezing ground, it may mean accellerated construction timelines...yes?

so, with the absence of freezing ground, it may mean accellerated construction timelines...yes?

That is correct.  Also however, with a project like Stonebridge where you are performing with a mass excavation, you so not need to deal with frozen ground as much.  Frost line in the Cleveland area is at most

-18" to -19".  From the looks of that picture, they appear to be at roughly -48".  It looks as though they are going to pour that slab soon.  Most contractors don't want to open up the pit too early in the winter without plans to pour soon due to the fact the ground can freeze at that elevation also.  Now I'm done rambling so just bulid the structure for crying out loud.

I drove by the site the other day and noticed most of the foundations are in and a little more demo has occurred.  Any pictures out there?  I'm surprised this project isn't talked about on the forum a little more considering it is the only highrise work going on downtown right now.

There's a crane working on the foundation and there is definitely steel coming out of the ground. Depending on the weather, I can try to get over that way this week, but keep in mind that unlike Stonebridge Towers, this project won't be very visible from the east bank until it gets some serious height.

 

In order to get a good pic at lunch time, I'd have to haul arse from East 9th to over the Detroit-Superior bridge, back down the viaduct, and then reverse that AND grab a bite to eat.  :|

Well then, I think you need to tell your boss you have more important things to do this afternoon and you'll be back when you back. 

True, and it would be good for the cardio!  :-D

Hey, I just heard that Ponte Vecchio is closing. The reason is slow business and that the owner, Dominic something, is the same guy who owned the Flats Panini's -- and went to jail for tax evasion. The employees there are being paid directly out of the cash register... Sad to see this happening.

i am always so impressed with the stonebridge development.  this project always seems to have the least hype but the most progress.  no big press conferences, no waiting game for pre-sales, no BS - just building after building going up.

 

does anyone know how they are financing their construction on these projects?  the other builders in town seem to have to presell half the units before they break ground, but stonebridge appears to just build the shells at least and then finish interiors as units are sold.  are they just taking more risks or using their own capital?

 

"Hey, I just heard that Ponte Vecchio is closing."

 

I wish I could say I'm surprised but everything I've heard was that the views were incredible, the food was okay, and the service was mediocre - especially if you didn't know the owner. I'd be surprised if the space stays empty for long.

"Hey, I just heard that Ponte Vecchio is closing."

 

I wish I could say I'm surprised but everything I've heard was that the views were incredible, the food was okay, and the service was mediocre - especially if you didn't know the owner. I'd be surprised if the space stays empty for long.

 

Bad food and non horrible "service" if you could call it that!!  :whip:

Sorry for the blurry pic, but here is an update of Stonebridge Plaza - photo was taken from a bus this morning (that needs new windows!):

 

Wow, looks like they are really starting to move on that.  I can't see a crane for the steal thats going up.  Was there one out there?  I've been in the construction field for several years, but still get a warm fuzzy fealing inside when I see cranes.  I guess they kind of justify my job. 

They've been using a telescopic crane rather than a tower crane.

 

That's also how they built Stonebridge Tower. I'm guessing they can use the telescopic crane because the building is only 12 stories, and they're using that lighter-gauge steel that's been used in all of the Stonebridge buildings.

Yes, weight is an issue on the type of crane used, however towers are used based on height and the feasability to boom in and out.  I recall in 1995 or 1996, a tower was used for a four story garage downtown due to a cramped site.  I thought the new Stonebridge site was a little cramped for a teloscopic (I commend your crane vocabulary MayDay) but I guess not.  Regardless, it what have been alot easier with a tower. 

Looks like the viaduct is for sale. Gee, I wonder how much they're asking?  :-D

Mayday,

 

Thanks for the photo.

Great shot Mayday!  I'll try to get over there for some more shots this week (spring break!).

That photo reminds me how sad I'll be when the viaduct is completely hidden behind Stonebridge buildings...

Keep in mind that the new building won't be "hugging" the viaduct as the others do. There's also a good stretch of the viaduct that's to the left of what you see in the photo. Sorry, I'm pretty happy to see a 12-story upscale condo building going up and if that means a lesser view of the viaduct (which is still open to the public), so be it.  :-)

 

*EDIT* And what the heck, here's another pic:

Yeah, yeah, I know and I dig; I'm psyched about the growing population down there and the viaduct will always be visible above the streets that cross under it.  Still a little bittersweet for me to see one of my favorite structures get bricked up and I can't imagine the lot between Sycamore and Elm will stay surface parking forever (then again...), nor do I want it to.  I'm just a big fan of the raw engineering/architectural expression of those solid stone blocks rising into arches.  It's like our own roman ruins.  Happily I can just go stare at the Rockefeller Park bridges...at least until those starting falling down.

I suppose I feel the same way about the view of the Detroit-Superior Bridge from the Shoreway. See how the white arches create that strong line from one side of the pic to the other? I love that view at night but Stonebridge Plaza is going to put a big "hiccup" there.

I went by the site yesterday, unfortunately sans-camera, and got a little more intimate with the progress.  I was surprised to see that there is such a big gap on the westerd edge of the block between the building and the bridge.  It looks like the perfect opportunity for an outdoor restaurant/cafe that could begin adjacent to the building and sit beneath one of the bridge's huge arches.  I was imagining spotlights that would shine up into the arch and how unique that space would be...not replicable anywhere in Cleveland.  Too bad I haven't heard anything that would suggest that this is an option!

^I would imagine that area is being saved for an entrance to the parking structure.  Extremely tight site as it is. 

actually, the parking ramp went directly into the building...unless I was missing something.

Took a couple of pictures on my way to Guv's wedding reception tonight.

Was in the neighborhood Friday night.  The new condo tower had two levels of structural steel complete.  The second floor was cantilevered several feet over the front of the building.  I don't carry a camera and it was dark so sorry no pics. 

I personally am glad to see this baby rising. Sorry to those who lose the view of that beautiful bridge. Hey, you win some, you lose some. Lets just hope that we dont lose any more views of the Viaduct.

Updated pics from April 13, 2006:

 

 

 

that second photo is awesome

 

looks like they've gotten a lot further along.  At a certain point does the crain move up over to the viaduct to build higher, seems like that thing isnt tall enough?

Are they roughly up abot 7 floors right now?

Mayday,

 

Geez, put down the cigarette when you take your pictures!  :)

Tell me about - would it kill RTA to get some frickin' clear windows???

The BP building is a ghost!

It was very hazy this morning. I was probably a few buses behind MayDay this morn on my way to the Landmarks Commission meeting (at least I didn't see anyone taking pics on my bus, but we had standees so I couldn't see the whole bus).

 

Good thing no one takes transit in this town.....

It was very hazy this morning. I was probably a few buses behind MayDay this morn on my way to the Landmarks Commission meeting (at least I didn't see anyone taking pics on my bus, but we had standees so I couldn't see the whole bus).

 

Good thing no one takes transit in this town.....

 

good one!!  LOL  the shaker trains have been SRO the last few months.  I wish RTA would add a third car to each train especially during rush hour.

 

MayDay - Nice pics as usual

 

Great to hear that the transit ridership is strong...I'm usually on during off-peak times, so I have little problem getting a seat.  I took a 2-car Red Line to University Circle on Tuesday morning around 10 o'clock and every seat was occupied in one car, while the other was nearly empty.  I'm curious to see how the Euclid Corridor will affect its ridership... 

 

And thanks for the updates on Stonebridge MayDay!  I still can't see it from my bridge (Detroit-Superior), but it'll be exciting when it pokes up above the railing!

My 75X bus from work in North Olmsted yesterday afternoon was also standing-room only. I don't ride that route that often, so I hadn't seen the ridership for a couple of weeks. But when one woman got on in Fairview Park, she saw about 10 people were standing and said "oh my." I suspect the rising gas prices were a factor -- at least it was for me!