I'm starting a new thread on this in projects and construction because there are going to be other things happening with this building, not just Cadillac Ranch... and because the other thread may have been locked due to general freaking out of "the ranch"... at any rate thoughts on cadillac ranch are irrelevant. This is about the development.

 

  I'd like to start by saying that there are a lot of people in various roles around the city who have worked very hard to get this going in the right direction.  I also met some of the people on the Cadillac Ranch team and they seem to be good people.  I won't get into the early designs... we'll just pretend they didn't exist.  Things headed for the positive when people got sandvick involved as a consultant.  Then conversations with the owners started coming in, and the project moved towards everything being done with an eye towards making the building eligble for historic tax credits in the next round.  Basically the exterior is being restored to its original state (which I think is good for everyone).  The black granite, the lights, they're even obliterated that awful linear window front where the fifth third entrance used to be some time ago.  Cadillac Ranch will take aprox 25k sf out of 100+k on the ground floor.  There will not be a Prospect side to this project.  There is a separate bar (and entry) called "bar room cleveland" that will be to the east end of the building. The next two storefronts will be enclosed by a very large (aprox 1500 sf) year round outdoor patio.  In the patio will be a bar and a couple black granite firepits.  The fencing follows the curve of Euclid so the western edge of the patio is much larger than the eastern edge.  Railing by the way is soid... a 6 ft span weighs about 200 pounds.  There will be some decorative elements to it.  One element that people are going to love or hate is the main cadillac ranch entry sign that is enclosed in the patio... it sits atop a pole and is a 10' x 10' star that says cadillac ranch, with an arrow that drops down animating "entrance".  It points toward the main door (3rd storefront from the left). which will have kind of a vestibule made of precast stone that plays off the buildings terra cota.  On the roof of this structure will be an actual light blue cadillac (note this structure is actually under the may co. awning.  I know it all sounds a bit confusing.  But for an establishment like this it really is a best case scenario in terms of design.  The people involved are really doing their best to recognize the historic significance of the may co. building.  I've got a couple renderings I'll try to get them up (or sulk to mayday to do it for me... a little beyond my capabilities)

 

Other notes.  There are discussions going on regarding another euclid avenue space in the building... it is not a restaurant.  Also, the building owners are finally receptive to and working with people towards a comprehensive goal of what they want to do with the building.  I'll give more as i get it.

 

 

Whatever people "may" think of this project, I think it will help bring some of the energy and action from E. 4th up the street to Public Square, which is nothing but good, IMO.

 

Thanks for the info McC.

Great write up McCleveland!

 

I talked to a couple of the workers today as well.  A November opening seems to be the goal.

Thanks for the good news McCleveland.  That build is a real "keystone property" between Public Square and Euclid.

Wow, great report, thanks!

 

From the sound of it, sounds like Cincinnati's branch of CR can give us a partial preview of the entry you described:

 

(from )

 

An even better shot which even shows the stone wall is from UO's own Mr. Cincy Images at:

 

http://www.pbase.com/cincyimages/image/91265544/original.jpg

 

it would be a similar entry... but the materials used will interact with the may co. building a little better.  ;)

Knowing what i do now, i think i might just have to take a walk past the May Co. building during my lunch today and hopefully get a peak inside

There are discussions going on regarding another euclid avenue space in the building... it is not a restaurant.

 

Without disclosing specifics can you say if the discussion is with a retailer?

wow.  that is ugly.  btw, all american bar and grill = stupid theme bar with mechanical bull?  ffs.

wow.  that is ugly.  btw, all american bar and grill = stupid theme bar with mechanical bull?  ffs.

 

To you it may be a "stupid theme bar"

 

However, it's better than a big empty space which does not promote people to come downtown.

 

The Hardrock is a "stupid theme bar" in your opinion then.

Is it a stupid theme bar that I'd probably avoid? Yes. But if people want to blow their money in there, I'm not gonna judge.

 

Renderings, courtesy of McCleveland (sorry about the creases):

 

 

^ well yeah. both are. but so what they are popular & you are right this will bring life to a prominent building.

 

thx mayor mac -- i'd say you described that very well. i think i can picture it.

This place is not going to look nearly as bad as I pictured it would.

It would look nicer if they had more people on the patio ;)

Dear Lord.  Even when compared to other crappy architecture meant to mimic an existing structure, that entry thing takes the freaking cake.  How can the city let this zit manifest itself on such a prominent building?  And on Public Square no less(!)  I have no problem with this restaurant going in there, but that thing is just embarrassing.

^Ever see the Cheesecake Factory at the base of the Hancock Building in Chicago?

Yeah, this may be worse.  And to think that the designer probably thinks he/she is doing a service to the May Company Building by simply slapping fiberglass panels made to look like terra cotta onto something that doesn't relate in scale, use, etc, just a nightmare, damn.

There are discussions going on regarding another euclid avenue space in the building... it is not a restaurant.

 

Without disclosing specifics can you say if the discussion is with a retailer?

 

 

 

Just wanted to repeat this question, because I was wondering the same thing.

 

 

 

 

 

^ Mayor McCle is being tight lipped.

my point exactly.  leave the gaudy crap for north olmsted.  this is the front porch of our downtown. 

 

However, it's better than a big empty space which does not promote people to come downtown.

 

thank you for stating a completely obvious fact.  very useful.  even though no one was debating the argument of empty space vs. crappy chain restaurant.  thank you. 

 

The Hardrock is a "stupid theme bar" in your opinion then.

 

absofuckinglutlely.

 

 

 

so i take this place has a lot of cheese in everything on the menu?

I like the blond guy in the rendering scratching his head.  "Why did they build this terrace if they weren't gonna put someone behind the bar?"

 

I'm with MayDay: not somewhere I'm going to go (and I may even have to hold my nose), but it's a first shot at new life in that building.  Besides, that entry thingy looks easily removable if/when this place goes under.

"my point exactly.  leave the gaudy crap for north olmsted.  this is the front porch of our downtown."

 

Tell it to Times Square (another place I despise).

BULLRIDES?!?!?! I know where ill be spending my lunch breaks once this place opens!!  :banger:

 

Regardless of how bad some of you think this may be, i dont see it being that bad, Not great, but not bad. Cadillac Ranch will bring people downtown, chain restaurants do just that. Its a place people are familiar and comfortable with, and they know exactly what they can expect everytime they come in. Let Cadillac Ranch bring those people downtown and then our other fine restaurants on 4th, WHD, TC and the rest of downtown get their return business once they realize how much there really is to do downtown.

I couldn't get past the possibility of a Cadillac being placed on top of the awning. I'm happy to see that is not the case.

Is that overhang original? It looks funky.

 

It's not so bad. Well, the entrance is tacky city, but I also hate with a passion that hokey door on the theater next door. No me gusta!

I couldn't get past the possibility of a Cadillac being placed on top of the awning. I'm happy to see that is not the case.

 

or through the side of the building.  :?

 

^ Mayor McCle is being tight lipped.

 

:|

it looks super classy thanks to those marble columns!

 

http://video.aol.com/video-detail/snl-marble-columns/3278923580

Maybe the city wants to go w/ a Times Sq/Tokyo theme...  If that's the case, put at least another dozen gaudy signs up there.  If it's not obvious that this is intentional, it just looks like someone is blind. 

I'm glad that Caddy Ranch is going to be built.  The alternative to Cadillac Ranch is a dirty building with boarded and/or grimy windows.  I'd rather have a clean restaurant that smells like cheeseburgers, employs people, and doesn't look like Beirut and smell like a urinal.  And maybe if the retail spaces are successful the owner might actually be able to convince tenants to move into the spaces above once Key moves across the street to the Higbees Building.  This building's upper floors are still going to be hard to lease.  Above the awning the building is attractive, but not very good for offices or residential. 

 

Also, I'm glad that it isn't like Tower City!  Not intending to get into a TC discussion, but when standing outside of TC from any location, one cannot even tell that there is a mall inside!  TC is beautiful, but more of a monument than a properly designed/functional retail space.  The attractiveness of the Caddy Ranch design can be questioned, but the design appears that it should be able to accomplish its' purpose: to draw attention to itself and help make the business successful (example: Corner Alley, Winking Lizard) versus the TC/Galleria retail model of attractive architecture hiding it's contents from the world that clearly does not work.

 

Are they going to do anything to improve the Prospect side of the building?  It is pretty nasty looking right now.

Knowing what i do now, i think i might just have to take a walk past the May Co. building during my lunch today and hopefully get a peak inside

 

Here you go!

I think I'd actually rather see them mount the Caddy on top of the awning somehow instead of wedging it between that entrance thing (which needs to go) and the awning.

I'm glad that Caddy Ranch is going to be built.  The alternative to Cadillac Ranch is a dirty building with boarded and/or grimy windows.  I'd rather have a clean restaurant that smells like cheeseburgers, employs people, and doesn't look like Beirut and smell like a urinal.  And maybe if the retail spaces are successful the owner might actually be able to convince tenants to move into the spaces above once Key moves across the street to the Higbees Building.  This building's upper floors are still going to be hard to lease.  Above the awning the building is attractive, but not very good for offices or residential. 

 

I agree.  I'm definitely not mad about reinvestment happening in that building, and like what's been stated before- downtown needs venues like this to attract the average suburbanite who might not know about what downtown has to offer.  The more people we get coming downtown, suburban or not, the more reinvestment will follow.  I'll hold off final judgment of this new establishment until I learn more about it, but as of right now, it looks ok to me.   

Knowing what i do now, i think i might just have to take a walk past the May Co. building during my lunch today and hopefully get a peak inside

 

Here you go!

 

Great, you singlehandedly are making Clevelanders fat and lazy by not letting them walk over there on their own.

by doing so he'll look thinner!

You got it! It's all part of my diabolical plan, muahahahahah!!! ;-)

the mural is pretty craptastic. 

 

I'm not a fan of this type of establishment in this kind of building.  This is more suitable for the warehouse district and the building would be better served with retail, which downtown desperately needs.

This is interesting.  :|

to me the facade of the building looks pretty good. i mean yeah sure its a chain.. but there are ppl upstairs right? now the whole building is busy. i think the signage is not too bad either. its not like annoying and in the way.. its not too big either. im satisfied, as long as it doesnt encroach on the beauty of the whole building.

the mural is pretty craptastic.

 

I'm not a fan of this type of establishment in this kind of building. This is more suitable for the warehouse district and the building would be better served with retail, which downtown desperately needs.

 

I think you mean downtown desperately wants.  If there was a need (demand), then there would retail being built.  I think we are progressing toward that point but not there yet.  I am thrilled that they finally making use of this spot and with something that people will use.   

the mural is pretty craptastic.

 

I tire of the cleveland is the rock and roll city so here's a stratocaster meme.  make it stop please.  it is lazy and boring.

That's not a Stratocaster.  It looks like some sort of Paul Reed Smith hollowbody.  I'm guessing, especially with the desert background, that it is meant to evoke more of a Country/Western/Texas Blues type of atmosphere, in line with their theme.

^ Correct. When you go to the website country music starts playing with a picture of a guitar. It has nothing to do with Cleveland being the "rock and roll city."

Another mural is underway.  In the picture above it is going on the facade that is facing west just as you walk in the door. 

 

I have noticed one thing about this development and it is that these guys are hauling serious tail in building out this space.  It's amazing how fast they are progressing.

City Planning was kind on Friday, but was clear in their assertion that this is not good enough for Public Square.  They've asked CR to work with City Planning staff and Gateway to refine the design further.

 

This may be a discussion best carried on elsewhere, but is anyone else frustrated by how much PUBLIC sidewalk space some of our new patios are taking up? 

They are starting to get a little ridiculous at times, at least when it is a street like Euclid that will hopefully be busy with pedestrians in the not too distant future.

Jimmy John's patio chairs are the same size as the tables! 

Well I don't know exactly what CPC wants then... We all know the entry way is horrid, but they are at all CR's, and as I had been told CPC had already aproved the structure and signage.  So what exactly then isn't good enough as otherwise all they are doing is restoring the streetlevel facade of the May Co. Building which I think is about as good as we're going to get.  Otherwise you're arguing that something as gaudy as Cadillac Ranch shouldn't be going into the building... which i agree with, but I don't think there's much anyone can do about it.

 

(Feel free to blame a certain developer building owner who basically took the Euclid retail study and tossed it to the trash deciding euclid needed more things like east 4th... thus essentially making it a once again every man for himself in the tenant game and destroying any hope of a comprehensive plan for euclid avenue)

IIRC, That part of Euclid is on the National and Local Registers of Historic Places. Wouldn't that have an impact on how the signs looks and where it is placed?

again, we're seeing this, "It's better than nothing" attitude in this city.  From city officials to lay-people, it's better than a vacant store front so let the owners do w/e they want!  :whip:  We've seen/heard this response in regards to RTA stations, new residential projects ranging from CSU-Avenue-FEB, airport, etc.  While I'll agree to an extent, this attitude fosters an even more narrow minded, unfulfilled Cleveland.  Hell, it's not like we're telling Louis Vuitton or Prada that they can't open a new flagship in the space, designed by a starchitect nonetheless, because it's too avant garde...Hell, it's not even a Cheesecake Factory (at least the name doesn't imply redneck)!  All we ask is may, just maybe, we can do away with the corny columns? Again, if a Times Square/Tokyo theme is the goal, then fine...But we need at least another dozen tacky @$$ signs plastered on that building. 

 

As Euclid grows and develops, I just hope that a few of the storefronts are reoccupied by  more appropriate tenant b/c I can think of a couple that are not realing their full potential--right now it's ok since there isn't much else going on but 5 years from now...

 

Cheers to new developement on Euclid! :drunk: