^True fact...

 

There's also a data center company in there currently.

 

Yes there is a data center.  I think they take up 2 floors, maybe just one.

 

However, I think that this is a much better use for the overall property.  While I think it will be very difficult to remove the garage on the corner of Prospect and Ontario, just due to the cost and demand forces.  I still think that doing this is a great idea.  Before reading that I had no real idea just how large the May Co. building was.  Thats eginormous!

 

Additionally the restaurant, Pura Vida I think, is coming together.  Drywall appears to be up on the interior so I am hopeful for a summer opening, but thats just speculation.

Can those May Co. floors support the weight of all those cars? If not, are there cost effective ways to reinforce these types of structures?

 

^True fact...

 

There's also a data center company in there currently.

 

Yes there is a data center.  I think they take up 2 floors, maybe just one.

 

However, I think that this is a much better use for the overall property.  While I think it will be very difficult to remove the garage on the corner of Prospect and Ontario, just due to the cost and demand forces.  I still think that doing this is a great idea.  Before reading that I had no real idea just how large the May Co. building was.  Thats eginormous!

 

Additionally the restaurant, Pura Vida I think, is coming together.  Drywall appears to be up on the interior so I am hopeful for a summer opening, but thats just speculation.

 

Key had server room infrastructure on 2 floors (floors 5 and 6), so 1-2 floors for the data center sounds right, unless they spent a ton of money converting more space.  Even if they did expand the infrastructure, it would most certainly be contained to those 2 floors.  The Server/Sorter rooms didn't take up more than 10-15% of each floor.

 

 

 

Can those May Co. floors support the weight of all those cars? If not, are there cost effective ways to reinforce these types of structures?

 

I assumed that the middle section of the May Co. building would be demolished for a new parking structure to be built.

I like that idea

Brandt Evans helps cook up a revival on Public Square

 

Blog entry: July 11, 2011, 1:38 pm    |    Author: KATHY AMES CARR

 

 

Chef Brandt Evans is banking that his early entry into the reviving Public Square area will be a boon to his first solo concept.

 

The new restaurant opened in early June in the former May Co. at 170 Euclid Ave. on Public Square, and though business steadily is gaining ground, Mr. Evans is anticipating traffic from downtown's planned Cleveland Convention Center & Medical Mart and casino soon will breathe even more life into Pura Vida.

 

The 130-seat restaurant's name translates to “pure life,” and that philosophy extends into Mr. Evans' culinary ideology of serving familiar food done well. About 99% of Pura Vida's dishes are made from scratch using farm fresh, organic and locally grown foods.

 

http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20110711/BLOGS02/110719980

Wow, didn't even know this had opened yet!  And I even walked by it a few weeks ago... need to go back!!

This is nice... I wish C.R. and that bar room would treat the May Company frontage as respectful as this place has. The only thing I do not like about the PV place is the musical assault. On the other hand, it is nice to see folks dress up a bit for a change instead of showing up for planned dinner in ripped jeans, flip flops, ball caps and sneakers.

This is nice... I wish C.R. and that bar room would treat the May Company frontage as respectful as this place has. The only thing I do not like about the PV place is the musical assault. On the other hand, it is nice to see folks dress up a bit for a change instead of showing up for planned dinner in ripped jeans, flip flops, ball caps and sneakers.

 

Actually their sounds isn't bad individually, but something does need to be done regarding the sound here overall.  All three places, CR, Tri-C, and Pura Vida, have sound systems.  When all three are going at one time it sounds like a jumbled mess.  I would think that Pura Vida and CR would angle their speakers away from each other, but that probably makes too much logical sense. 

 

Also, Pura Vida seems to be doing pretty well, always a decent crowd.  Even for breakfast there are usually 2-3 tables at 8 in the morning. 

We were in this past weekend and wanted to check out P.V., but they are not open on weekends or for dinner!!!

Actually their sounds isn't bad individually, but something does need to be done regarding the sound here overall.  All three places, CR, Tri-C, and Pura Vida, have sound systems.  When all three are going at one time it sounds like a jumbled mess.  well, always a decent crowd.  Even for breakfast there are usually 2-3 tables at 8 in the morning. 

 

Exactly what I mean. There is such a thing as "quality sound delivery" but too often such is overlooked by not paying attention to the "quality" components of sound delivery, and instead, the scenario becomes one of  "who can yell louder than the other guy?" It is easy to be loud, but takes some planning and thinking to deliver a quality sound experience that neither acoustically assaults you in the foreground, or becomes the jumbled mess that ends up just sounding like a bunch of noise in the background. Movie theaters these days are notorious for this lack of attention to quality, while delivering just quantity. There is a big difference.

 

By the way, does anyone know if there are plans to clean the facade of the May Company Building?

 

It is such a classy facade that could at the very least, use some kind of wash. It is staring to look really dirty and dingy. And, with the CR and Baroom starting to resemble, in my opinion, cheap, unkempt... Flats-like bars, leaving the upper facade left to collect grime and match the former, is so disrespectful to this building and the classy past it represents. It is not as though it is vacant. It has lots of activity, therefore should be kept looking as good as possible.

 

 

Tri-C plans to change focus of its Hospitality Management Center

http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2011/10/tri-c_plans_to_change_focus_of.html

 

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cuyahoga Community College plans to capitalize on the public's growing interest in cooking and baking by changing the focus of its year-old Hospitality Management Center on Public Square.

....

But some students didn't like coming to Public Square because they couldn't find affordable parking, said Sandy Robinson, vice president of academic affairs. And some had difficulty traveling between the center and other classes at Metro. 

 

Interesting.  I suppose having to park in commercial lots around there is a lot more expensive than in CSU garages with a CSU parking pass, so I can understand this issue a little more.  I wonder if they could run a shuttle from the metro campus or something.

 

Anyone know how much parking costs at the Gateway garage that isn't being sold to Dan Gilbert?

 

^ Changing focus, they can't do that. I mean this is a publicly supported project. What in the name of MMPI is going on here. This is not what they promised us when this was proposed. Changing direction, that is unheard of. I think we should all panic and maybe use that space for something better. Yea that's it lets move the county offices over there and put that space to better use. Poor Jimmy Dimora he could have had a kitchen right outside his door.

^^They should work a deal with the garage above FFB.  That thing is fairly empty most of the time.

^ Changing focus, they can't do that. I mean this is a publicly supported project. What in the name of MMPI is going on here. This is not what they promised us when this was proposed. Changing direction, that is unheard of. I think we should all panic and maybe use that space for something better. Yea that's it lets move the county offices over there and put that space to better use. Poor Jimmy Dimora he could have had a kitchen right outside his door.

 

...or maybe Tri-C should move its culinary program to all the rent-free space we're building it in the Med Mart ;)

All of this because of affordable parking????

 

RTA, RTA, RTA....................

All of this because of affordable parking????

 

RTA, RTA, RTA....................

 

I was thinking the same thing. The May Co building location couldn't be any more conducive to RTA. I am willing to be that for the most part students just simply aren't aware of the options RTA has, everything from the Healthline to Park n Ride. I would like to see RTA partner with Tri-C and CSU to provide informational classes on the RTA offerings, routes and schedules, maybe they could correspond someway with the University's Orientation. Knowledge about RTA's offerings is the only way that we are going to see an increase in ridership, especially for the commuter students.

CSU has an intro to university life class required for freshman. They should teach about RTA in that class. Show them where you can go and what routes take you there.

From the article:

 

But some students didn't like coming to Public Square because they couldn't find affordable parking, said Sandy Robinson, vice president of academic affairs. And some had difficulty traveling between the center and other classes at Metro.

 

I would bet this is the bigger issue for most students.  Most people probably aren't only taking classes at the Hospitality Management Center, and whether you're driving or taking RTA, it takes time to get back and forth between Public Square and Metro Campus.  In fact, it takes more time on RTA, and there's probably a big fear that if you miss your bus, you'll miss your next class.

There's got to be a solution that RTA can offer here to these students and to the college.

All of this because of affordable parking????

 

RTA, RTA, RTA....................

 

I was thinking the same thing. The May Co building location couldn't be any more conducive to RTA.

 

i think the main issue is that the campuses themselves aren't well connected to each other, so if you have a class downtown at May Co. and need to get back in 30 minutes for a class at the main downtown campus, or the eastern campus, there isn't an easy or time efficient connection on RTA.  The downtown campus is relatively well connected by the 14 or 15 bus, but again depending on exactly where you are going this might not work well.  The same 15 will connect with the TriC east campus, but take more than an hour to get there.

 

It was proposed using Strickland's ODOT money to create a new campus connector circulator which would better connect TriC and CSU/transit, but this was cut.

 

CSU has an intro to university life class required for freshman. They should teach about RTA in that class. Show them where you can go and what routes take you there.

 

Yes, I took that class.  I agree 100%.  None of my friends (except us urban geeks) knew about the other lines of the rapid.  The only time my friends would ride the public transit was if we would take the Healthline downtown to Barroom or if we went down to University Circle, Little Italy, etc.  If you are going to pay for an RTA pass in your tuition, you should teach the students about its offerings and how great it is.  There are so many cool neighborhoods that are connected by the rail. 

All of this because of affordable parking????

 

RTA, RTA, RTA....................

 

I was thinking the same thing. The May Co building location couldn't be any more conducive to RTA.

 

i think the main issue is that the campuses themselves aren't well connected to each other, so if you have a class downtown at May Co. and need to get back in 30 minutes for a class at the main downtown campus, or the eastern campus, there isn't an easy or time efficient connection on RTA.  The downtown campus is relatively well connected by the 14 or 15 bus, but again depending on exactly where you are going this might not work well.  The same 15 will connect with the TriC east campus, but take more than an hour to get there.

 

It was proposed using Strickland's ODOT money to create a new campus connector circulator which would better connect TriC and CSU/transit, but this was cut.

 

I remember very well the Loop bus that went from Public Square, down Euclid Ave., right on E. 30th over to Tri-C then to the E. 30th Rapid Station.  It was convenient, reliable and always seemed to be full.  If memory serves, it was running in 1995 when I left working downtown.  When I returned in 2006, it was gone.  Too bad they can't put it back in place or think of a way to extend the current trolley operation.

The downtown campus is relatively well connected by the 14 or 15 bus

 

 

Exactly. RTA will likely respond that the Metro campus already is extremely well-connected to Public Square by several bus lines that follow the same path from Metro to Public Square (East 30th & Community College Ave, to East 14th [or via East 22nd on the #11], to Prospect, to Ontario). The #11 runs every 35 minutes, #14 runs every 15 minutes and the #15 runs every 20 minutes. Between these three lines, there are 8 buses per hour per direction, so a wait shouldn't be any more than 10 minutes (the average wait works out to 7.5 minutes). I realize that sometimes this is just a schedule and that buses do run late. But having three different routes involved helps guard against delays on all buses passing a given location between East 30th/Community College and Public Square.

 

Based on the above, I'm inclined to agree with RTA.

EDIT: KJP beat me to it.

 

The downtown campus is relatively well connected by the 14 or 15 bus, but again depending on exactly where you are going this might not work well.  The same 15 will connect with the TriC east campus, but take more than an hour to get there.

 

For transit between the May Co bldg and Metro alone, it looks like the 11 is an option too.  All three lines (11, 14, 15) serve Public Square or at least Prospect and Ontario, and I think the headways right now (middle of the day) are 11 minutes or less (some headways are only 4 mins), so really the existing bus connections are excellent.  Along the lines of other posts above, seems like this could have been addressed through better outreach and a modestly improved transit waiting environment at Tri C.

EDIT: KJP beat me to it.

 

The downtown campus is relatively well connected by the 14 or 15 bus, but again depending on exactly where you are going this might not work well.  The same 15 will connect with the TriC east campus, but take more than an hour to get there.

 

For transit between the May Co bldg and Metro alone, it looks like the 11 is an option too.  All three lines (11, 14, 15) serve Public Square or at least Prospect and Ontario, and I think the headways right now (middle of the day) are 11 minutes or less (some headways are only 4 mins), so really the existing bus connections are excellent.  Along the lines of other posts above, seems like this could have been addressed through better outreach and a modestly improved transit waiting environment at Tri C.

Remember, Tri-C students do not have the same RTA pass benefit that CSU students have.  The ride between Metro and the May Co. location would be $2.25 each way.    Depending on the rest of a student's schedule, where they would be beginning their day from, if they have to drive to Metro first, do they have a job that they need to go to after class, etc., would determine if an All-Day pass would be cost effective.

 

Taking the Trolley over to the Stephanie Tubbs Jones Transit Center and then walking the rest of the way to Metro is the least expensive option.  To a student, that $4.50 each day they need to move between Metro and the May Co. building is a big deal.

Good point. However, Tri-C students can get a discounted RTA pass, even though it's still not as good of a deal as what CSU and CWRU students get....

http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2010/03/tri-c_students_can_purchase_di.html

 

But this hospitality school situation shows where RTA could make a special deal with Tri-C for travel between school facilities, rather than give Tri-C students an RTA pass for commuting purposes.

^It's not even close to as good a deal. 

"A four-month semester pass will cost $240, $100 less than if a student paid $85 a month for a standard RTA pass."

 

Depending on how a student sets up their schedule, they might only need to be on-campus 2 or 3 days a week, for 16 weeks.  You can buy All Day passes for those 48 days and spend the same $240, and not have to shell out the cash all at one time.  Granted if you use RTA to get to work during the semester, then it is an okay deal, as long as you have the $240 at the beginning of the term.

 

To the moderator and the rest of you that follow this thread, I apologize for getting so far off topic.  It's just that these issues with students and costs are very close to my heart.  After all, I have first hand experience of students doing anything they can to avoid spending money including sitting in the aisle of my store to study from textbooks.

This makes me sad. I saw this on the agenda for Feb 17th at the Cleveland Planning Commission website to convert The May Company building into a parking structure! How many parking structures are needed!

http://planning.city.cleveland.oh.us/designreview/drcagenda/2012/02172012/index.php.

I believe this may already be/was a garage? That is, the back of the building facing Prospect.

It also shows The Euclid Ave facade as parking.

Is it too early to blame the casino?

 

But seriously, that place looks way too nice for a parking garage.

:? Torn on this... Its sad the May Co. Building is going from a department store to a parking garage... but it looks like it might involve restoring the outside, even the clock?  Right now its not in the best of shape, especially the prospect side.  I suppose its better than tearing the whole thing down for a parking lot  :whip:

Does this mean Cadillac Ranch and Barroom will not be around much longer?

I doubt it.  I don't think the parking will involve the ground floor aside from pedestrian entrances/exits.  I believe the blame should be placed on tri-c, who was having trouble attracting students to the culinary campus because of parking issues. 

 

Also,  it can always be converted back into a department store in the future.  This isn't the end of the building's usefulness.  Just a way to make use of it since there is apparently no demand for using it for any other reason.

I do not understand why the existing May Company parking structure does not suffice for the  students of Tri-C to attend the culinary school. I just find there is an over abundance of space being converted to parking structures as development.

I can't tell from the schematics, but are they taking the glass out of the windows on the Euclid side?  That would be a travesty.

Looks from the shading that floors 2-5 will have the glass removed.

^That is what it looks like. If that's the case, this is not good. I hope someone from design review questions that. We don't need to be staring at three floors of bumpers and headlights as you walk down Euclid.

I really wish only the middle would be converted and the Euclid and Prospect side converted into apartments or updated offices, with ground level retail on both sides, like someone suggested earlier. They could rebuild the current may company garage and have that be the entrance for both. If windows are removed, and even if parking takes up the sides, and excuse me for the language, but then this planning commission/city is fucking joke.

 

Want to see what a pretty building looks like as a parking garage? Here, its better than the average parking garage but it still aint pretty and definitely not desirable or even acceptable for the May Company building with its location and history.

 

http://g.co/maps/3k79x

This

http://cryptocleveland.tumblr.com/post/1481096113/on-shared-parking-and-the-may-company

Cleveland is the biggest joke of a city when it comes to parking.  There is not that big of a demand to be downtown to warrant all this parking.  Is there any other city in this country (minus the obvious sprawly ones) that have destroyed their downtown like Cleveland has other than Detroit?  This is pathetic!

And to think I clicked on this thread expecting to see an exciting new project. If they put a garage in here and remove the windows it will look like a bomb went off in there, just like the garage ClevelandOhio posted. The march of progress continues on.

Is it too early to blame the casino?

 

But seriously, that place looks way too nice for a parking garage.

 

I think you're right.

 

I wasn't a fan of casinos. But it was because I couldn't care less for gambling. I didn't realize the destruction this cancer would inflict on our downtown. Now I know I'm never setting foot in this urban siphon. You can bet on it.

Isn't the casino providing free parking at the North Garage or whatever they bought from the city and the new valet center? Who would pay to park here?

I dont get why they dont just build a parking garage on the large grass lot south of the gateway garage or whatever its called.

I am interested to hear the reason for this conversion.  Let me see why there are additional needs for parking options in this area! The Planning Commission's record of allowing developers to destroy our downtown must stop!. 

I checked and the owners of the May Company building are not the Horseshoe Casino nor is there any apparent connection to them. The owner bought the building from May Dept. Store Co. on Jan. 31, 2007 for $11 million. The owner is:

 

EUCLID OF CLEVELAND LLC

 

Their statutory agent is:

 

UCS OF OHIO, INC.

3040 RIVERSIDE DRIVE STE. 122

COLUMBUS,OH 43221

 

The listed incorporator is:

 

Robert Danial

c/o Morgan Reed

5151 Collins Avenue, Suite 1727

Miami Beach, FL 33140

 

The sources for this information are:

http://fiscalofficer.cuyahogacounty.us/AuditorApps/real-property/REPI/General.asp (search Permanent Parcel Number: 10126028)

http://www2.sos.state.oh.us/reports/rwservlet?imgc&Din=200634500210

Well this is awful.  Other than design review, are there any legal barriers to this actually happening?  From a quick review of the zoning, looks like parking is permitted as of right, and the May Co. building isn't landmarked....

 

It's beyond depressing that the primary market value of public square derives not from any demand for space there, but from the monopoly the state has in granting gamiblng licenses.  I don't know if the city ever had the guts to rezone downtown to rein in parking as a permitted use, but in retrospect, that's exactly what it should have done the second the casino amendment passed and the med mart/CC got the green light.  So, what exactly are we paying the city's professional planning staff for?

 

EDIT: to echo others, at the very, very, very least, it should be absolutely 100% mandatory that there be glass in every one of those windows facing Public Square.  The idea of standing on Public Square and seeing one of the soulless, bombed out facades with low grade parking lights shining out (http://tinyurl.com/828w78r) is just too depressing.

So, what exactly are we paying the city's professional planning staff for?

 

To do what their elected officials tell them do. And who tells the elected officials what to do? I'll give you a hint, it's not you, me or other people with thin wallets and small bank account balances.

A slight off topic question. Are The Planning Commission members appointed or elected?  Thanks and then back on topic