3 hours ago, surfohio said:

 

I was only referring to the comments on Instagram. There seemed to be a vocal minority against residential & retail planning that looked scary and different to them. These were people from Edward Scissorhands suburbs, rural exurbs or Russia lol, clearly not from Shaker. 

Saw some comments about how this probably pushed out low income people. Wanted to ask them to head to Google Maps and take a virtual drive down S Woodland Rd or Parkland Dr. 

You guys are brave to read the comments on any platform. I gave up comment reading years ago. As a result, I only have touches of gray hair.🥴

Those felt more Russian than Republican with some of that syntax. But who knows, there isn't a large difference these days.

22 hours ago, rwashington89 said:

Saw some comments about how this probably pushed out low income people. Wanted to ask them to head to Google Maps and take a virtual drive down S Woodland Rd or Parkland Dr. 

 

I'm afraid to read.   Hilarious regarding the low income comments as they are ever prevalent on the living in Shaker site (mostly by former Cleveland Hts residents who moved to Shaker because it was getting too rough in Cle. Hts).  Given Shaker was the wealthiest place in the nation for a long time, things have certainly changed.  My concern really isn't about the displacement low income people.       

 

Hey Parkland, that's my road! 

 

2 hours ago, willyboy said:

Hey Parkland, that's my road!

 

Your tax bill is bigger than my income 😅

22 hours ago, sonisharri said:

 

Your tax bill is bigger than my income 😅

 It's definitely bigger that the mortgage payment.  

Looks like they ran into some facade issues, took these down.

Fun youtube short video praising the Van Aken district. 

 

 

On 10/14/2024 at 6:23 PM, Taller_is_better said:

Looks like they ran into some facade issues, took these down.

 

we have an i think similar sized apt bldg that has been going up in our neighborhood here in staten island for like, oh off and on almost a decade now, and they have messed around with the facade like that 3-4x. hang in there ha.

My somewhat monthly contribution to this thread.

Nice pic. That tree is looking green and healthy. What's that blueish thing in the background?

12 minutes ago, cadmen said:

"Nice pic. That tree is looking green and healthy. What's that blueish thing in the background?"

 

— Every bird before they fly into a modern high rise

(11-6-24)

 

 

 

Raye Apartments just officially opened the last week or so.  Instagram claims they already have 70 units leased of 226 total apartments.  And the rent ain't cheap.

My somewhat monthly contribution to this thread. This one from yesterday.

Simply one of the best new buildings in town. Design and placement are game changers for this area. 

So very odd at VanAken... Went today for haircut and lunch, as I do regularly.  The paved surface parking lot was full, as always, and the parking garage had just two spaces left in it on top level only... and there was not a soul on the streets. The foot traffic is very light here, sadly - though the Market Hall always seems well visited. (Brassica is super!)

Edited January 8Jan 8 by eyehrtfood

1 hour ago, eyehrtfood said:

So very odd at VanAken... Went today for haircut and lunch, as I do regularly.  The paved surface parking lot was full, as always, and the parking garage had just two spaces left in it on top level only... and there was not a soul on the streets. The foot traffic is very light here, sadly - though the Market Hall always seems well visited. (Brassica is super!)

It’s freaking cold right now! My own experience has been the area gets good foot traffic. I’m surprised you would say that. It’s as busy as Pinecrest in my experience, although I normally go there after work or weekends 

12 minutes ago, coneflower said:

It’s freaking cold right now! My own experience has been the area gets good foot traffic. I’m surprised you would say that. It’s as busy as Pinecrest in my experience, although I normally go there after work or weekends

 

Interesting... Whether Summer. Winter. Asoeing, or Fall - I am at Van Aken 1-2x a month and Pinecrest 2-4x a month and in the best weather I can count on one hand the people on the sidewalks at Van Aken any visit - other than food hall - and at Pinecrest, it's usually dozens on the sidewalks - but still half the Crocker pedestrian traffic (but some would say more 'buying'  visitors at Pinecrest vs cruisin' at Crocker)

 

Pinecrest and CP for sure have more people. I meant proportionately, I'd say Van Aken is just as busy. It's a lot smaller so there will be less people total. But I also don't think Van Aken is competing with those shopping centers head-to-head. It only has a handful of stores, most of which aren't big national brands, and most of the rest are restaurants and service providers like barbers and hair salons. In my experience the food hall, Brassica, Boom Pizza, Mitchell's, Northstar, Stump the plant shop and Cleveland Clothing Company all look pretty busy when I go (around 2X a month). I do wonder about Shinola. Their shop is very cool but seem to rarely have customers. If there was a local bookshop, I'd be there ALL the time.

 

 

Edited January 9Jan 9 by coneflower

3 hours ago, OldEnough said:

Simply one of the best new buildings in town. Design and placement are game changers for this area. 

And the additional residential should hopefully boost the foot traffic. I'm impatiently waiting on this Arcadia development across the street though. That thing was approved in like, 2023? and its 2025? 😑

When I am there in good weather the small park is where people usually hang out and of course the food hall.  To be honest, you can traverse the sidewalk from one end of the retail portion to the other in about 2 minutes.  Then what do you do?  Just stroll back to where you started and then do another lap.  More in the way of sidewalk cafe seating and the like would give it more of an active feel.  Like said above, it seemed deserted even though all the parking was nearly completely full, so they're clearly people patronizing the district.

Edited January 9Jan 9 by Htsguy

19 hours ago, eyehrtfood said:

So very odd at VanAken... Went today for haircut and lunch, as I do regularly.  The paved surface parking lot was full, as always, and the parking garage had just two spaces left in it on top level only... and there was not a soul on the streets. The foot traffic is very light here, sadly - though the Market Hall always seems well visited. (Brassica is super!)

 

 

Agree.  Yeah there is a good amount of foot traffic during nice weather, but it hasn't been the best for retail.   Even with what I thought was a good get to land Barnabas, which didn't make it there (of course pandemic played a roll as well).   I only recently realized Whiskey Grade had moved from Van Aken to a hidden spot in PineCrest (on the back side facing the garage).  They should get more foot traffic with the new apartments filling up and hopefully being built..  

 

Market Hall is hopping with parents and babies though! 

Edited January 9Jan 9 by willyboy

Is the parking garage there off Warrensville for residents and patrons or do residents have a separate parking situation?

van Aiken is very nice. I still think it's a couple pieces away tho, it needs a few more 10 storey buildings

That's interesting. I don't know what Barnabas and Whiskey Grade are, but that doesn't mean anything. Just shows how out of it I am! Is Van Aken trying to compete with Pinecrest then? It seems like they'd be better off with a model more akin to "downtown" Hudson or Chagrin Falls that embraces the neighborhood with interesting shops geared to the area but not trying to compete for the big retailers at Pinecrest, etc. But I also don't work in this field so maybe I'm way off!

 

edit: Per comment below, that is along the lines of what I meant. Not necessarily they need super expensive stores but stores geared to the people who live close by.

Edited January 9Jan 9 by coneflower

6 minutes ago, Mov2Ohio said:

Is the parking garage there off Warrensville for residents and patrons or do residents have a separate parking situation?

It's for patrons and the few offices that are adjoining if I remember correctly. There aren't apartments in the building adjoining the garage. 

 

5 minutes ago, Whipjacka said:

van Aiken is very nice. I still think it's a couple pieces away tho, it needs a few more 10 storey buildings

Not disagreeing, but I don't think 10 story buildings are necessary. Filling in the gaps around Van Aken with 5 over ones would be more than sufficient for it to reach its potential. 

 

Honestly my only real gripe with Van Aken is that all of the retail is super high end. If the old outlet mall across the tracks was magically turned to face the core area in a pedestrian friendly way Van Aken would get twice as nice overnight. There's more commoner level retail in that strip mall than the rest of the district. If we could incorporate those store into the urban mode area it would make the Van Aken District twice as nice (and useful) overnight, without even adding any more density. 

13 minutes ago, Whipjacka said:

van Aiken is very nice. I still think it's a couple pieces away tho, it needs a few more 10 storey buildings

Definitely needs at least a 10 story building, if not taller, on the lot at the intersection of Warrensville and Chagrin.  If quality residential it should fill up as quickly as the Raye.

It's a pretty development but isn't quite clicking, especially when it's cold. Not quite a mall, it's a food hall with very limited shopping, luxury apartments, and rapid access, but I wouldn't call it a draw yet.

 

Van Aken needs year-long attractions- art galleries, indoor mini golf, bowling, whirlyball, an arthouse theater, a high end gym, a comedy or improv theater, advertised events, and some kind of anchor tenant. 

 

Visible security for warmer months too. Get ahead of inevitable... issues.

 

19 hours ago, coneflower said:

It’s freaking cold right now! My own experience has been the area gets good foot traffic. I’m surprised you would say that. It’s as busy as Pinecrest in my experience, although I normally go there after work or weekends 

 in the nice weather months, people walk/bike/anything from multiple adjacent neighborhoods (Lomond, Fernway, sussex, mercer and malvern).  i agree weather is taking away the sidewalk traffic.  This project has delivered above and beyond most expectations, from my opinion as a resident.

19 hours ago, eyehrtfood said:

 

Interesting... Whether Summer. Winter. Asoeing, or Fall - I am at Van Aken 1-2x a month and Pinecrest 2-4x a month and in the best weather I can count on one hand the people on the sidewalks at Van Aken any visit - other than food hall - and at Pinecrest, it's usually dozens on the sidewalks - but still half the Crocker pedestrian traffic (but some would say more 'buying'  visitors at Pinecrest vs cruisin' at Crocker)

 

Pinecrest has big name stores.  You arent really going to van aken to shop, you will go there to eat or hair/nails...and then shop second.  Its also just a great place to hang out...IMO much more of a community experience than Pinecrest.

3 hours ago, willyboy said:

 

 

Agree.  Yeah there is a good amount of foot traffic during nice weather, but it hasn't been the best for retail.   Even with what I thought was a good get to land Barnabas, which didn't make it there (of course pandemic played a roll as well).   I only recently realized Whiskey Grade had moved from Van Aken to a hidden spot in PineCrest (on the back side facing the garage).  They should get more foot traffic with the new apartments filling up and hopefully being built..  

 

Market Hall is hopping with parents and babies though! 

 

I loved Bonobos being there. i still buy their clothes all the time.  But the weird thing about Bonobos was they didnt sell clothes from the shop.  It was try on and then do an online order.  Im not sure how they assess success from a show room, maybe online orders from zip code?  But yeah they left when the pandemic hit.

 

2 hours ago, coneflower said:

That's interesting. I don't know what Barnabas and Whiskey Grade are, but that doesn't mean anything. Just shows how out of it I am! Is Van Aken trying to compete with Pinecrest then? It seems like they'd be better off with a model more akin to "downtown" Hudson or Chagrin Falls that embraces the neighborhood with interesting shops geared to the area but not trying to compete for the big retailers at Pinecrest, etc. But I also don't work in this field so maybe I'm way off!

 

edit: Per comment below, that is along the lines of what I meant. Not necessarily they need super expensive stores but stores geared to the people who live close by.

 

Van Aken is in no way trying to compete with Pinecrest.  Shaker is a community driven place, and for decades there was no way for the community to congregate.  Its a place for the 30K residents (and visitors) to come together

2 hours ago, TBideon said:

It's a pretty development but isn't quite clicking, especially when it's cold. Not quite a mall, it's a food hall with very limited shopping, luxury apartments, and rapid access, but I wouldn't call it a draw yet.

 

Van Aken needs year-long attractions- art galleries, indoor mini golf, bowling, whirlyball, an arthouse theater, a high end gym, a comedy or improv theater, advertised events, and some kind of anchor tenant. 

 

Visible security for warmer months too. Get ahead of inevitable... issues.

 

the place just had its five year anniversary, i think its pretty secure, mostly because of the amount of people.  You may see a blue VAD shirt or two walking around, but it hasnt really needed police presence in my hundreds of visits there.   I

 

would argue residents and city officials believe its clicking. Its not attended to be a tourist attraction...its intended to be a place for Shakerites (and others) to congregate.  I think its has achieved its desired goals.  There has been some culinary turnover, but there has also been places that have been there all five years.  Its mostly about what concepts hit and which dont (pretty much the case anywhere), not inability to drive sales because of the layout.  I dont think anyone who visits there multiple times per week wants bowling or whirleyball in the development. Pinecrest can have that

Edited January 9Jan 9 by BelievelandD1

15 minutes ago, BelievelandD1 said:

 

 

Van Aken is in no way trying to compete with Pinecrest.  Shaker is a community driven place, and for decades there was no way for the community to congregate.  Its a place for the 30K residents (and visitors) to come together

I'm so glad it is. I love Van Aken and want it to succeed in all ways. And I am there more than enough. But I still walk from lunch in the quite busy food hall, out the door and down the empty sidewalk to my haircut at Principle (usually midday, weekday) and then back the empty sidewalk to my car.

 

Though the new Kiln restaurant is clearly doing very well, the Shops need traffic.. My favorite Shinola watch/leather goods store has been right there in the busy food hall area for 5-6 years and, yet, I'm usually the only customer in there and fear every visit will be my last one they're open.  In other cities it would be at the Pinecrest type, more high visibility shopoing area, with lots of passersby. 

 

If Van Aken is only for local community types, and congregating in the food hall is enough, so be it, but then be prepared for empty storefronts. People like to shop where they feel part of a crowd, not in a quiet, awkward, only-customer-in-here kind of place.

Edited January 9Jan 9 by eyehrtfood

2 minutes ago, eyehrtfood said:

I'm so glad it is. I love Van Aken and want it to succeed in all ways. And I am there more than enough. But I still walk from lunch in the quite busy food hall, out the door and down the empty sidewalk to my haircut at Principle (usually midday, weekday) and then back the empty sidewalk to my car.

 

Though the new Kiln restaurant is clearly doing very well, the Shops need traffic.. My favorite Shinola watch/leather goods store has been right there in the busy food hall area for 5-6 years and, yet, I'm usually the only customer in there and fear every visit will be my last one they're open.  In other cities it would be at the Pinecrest type, more high visibility shopoing area, with lots of passersby. 

 

Yeah Shinola has always puzzled me.  Theyve been there since the get go.  Ive been in maybe once or twice.  I definitely want it there because its a beautiful store and cool brand.  But if they left, i cant say i would miss it because i dont really go there.  They seem to be hanging around, so im wondering if they are paying market hall stand prices per square foot? i really dont know.

19 minutes ago, BelievelandD1 said:

 

Yeah Shinola has always puzzled me.  Theyve been there since the get go.  Ive been in maybe once or twice.  I definitely want it there because its a beautiful store and cool brand.  But if they left, i cant say i would miss it because i dont really go there.  They seem to be hanging around, so im wondering if they are paying market hall stand prices per square foot? i really dont know.

 

They sometimes even have three people working and I know stores shouldn't staff three people unless they need them so I I hope they quietly do well because items are not inexpensive there and if you sell a few you might make your day. Still, they've long since closed locations at places like Easton Columbus which is certainly high profile and high traffic, but high rent. 

I'd welcome another 15 story building or two. Maybe one at Warrensville and Chagrin and another replacing the Key and Ohio City Banks on Farnsleigh. I've always thought that area could turn into a mini Bethesda, in terms of a small downtown area that's neatled closed to single family homes.

 

Awhile back before VAD happened, the strip was proposed to be replaced by townhouses and small shops, in a walkable way. I think the fact that all or most shops are rented, may be slowing down the need to redevelop it. If it ain't broken, don't fix it. But I'd also love to see townhomes replace that strip, especially along Farnsleigh.

1 hour ago, scg80 said:

I'd welcome another 15 story building or two. Maybe one at Warrensville and Chagrin and another replacing the Key and Ohio City Banks on Farnsleigh. I've always thought that area could turn into a mini Bethesda, in terms of a small downtown area that's neatled closed to single family homes.

 

Awhile back before VAD happened, the strip was proposed to be replaced by townhouses and small shops, in a walkable way. I think the fact that all or most shops are rented, may be slowing down the need to redevelop it. If it ain't broken, don't fix it. But I'd also love to see townhomes replace that strip, especially along Farnsleigh.

 

Give us a mini Bethesda.... Please. (Parent of former resident.) It already has transit and demographics and a retail and restaurant base.  Similarities, but a long way to go to make that happen. Need more housing, hotel, and... Retail.  Hope to see much more at VAD and adjacent former car dealer space and Warrensville/Chagrin corner. 

Edited January 9Jan 9 by eyehrtfood

Lousy iPhone pic taken from my car at SHCC last week. It’s quite an arresting sight in real life. 

^I assume there are apartments on the bridges.  Those would be cool to live in.

1 hour ago, roman totale XVII said:

Lousy iPhone pic taken from my car at SHCC last week. It’s quite an arresting sight in real life. 

Beautiful - now do it on the Lakefront and Riverfront.

23 hours ago, roman totale XVII said:

Lousy iPhone pic taken from my car at SHCC last week. It’s quite an arresting sight in real life. 

 

Taken from the Country Club? 

 

 

Van Aken District’s next big project starts in March
By Ken Prendergast / February 18, 2025

 

When one project is completed at a megaproject district, a good sign of its health is to see another project in same area start soon thereafter. That’s what is due to happen in a couple of weeks at the Van Aken District in Shaker Heights, according to a Columbus-based developer.

 

MORE:

https://neo-trans.blog/2025/02/18/van-aken-districts-next-big-project-starts-in-march/

16 minutes ago, KJP said:

Van Aken District’s next big project starts in March
By Ken Prendergast / February 18, 2025

 

When one project is completed at a megaproject district, a good sign of its health is to see another project in same area start soon thereafter. That’s what is due to happen in a couple of weeks at the Van Aken District in Shaker Heights, according to a Columbus-based developer.

 

MORE:

https://neo-trans.blog/2025/02/18/van-aken-districts-next-big-project-starts-in-march/

Great news!  Shaker should invest in some pedestrian improvements to help those residents cross the Warrensville traffic sewer.  A pedestrian refuge island in the middle perhaps.

It's pretty stunning how drastically this area has changed in 10 years. Good reminder for the places we're tempted to cynically throw up our hands and give up on. All that it takes is for the right pieces to fall together, and suddenly you're cooking with gas. 

 

10.5 years ago:

54 minutes ago, LlamaLawyer said:

It's pretty stunning how drastically this area has changed in 10 years. Good reminder for the places we're tempted to cynically throw up our hands and give up on. All that it takes is for the right pieces to fall together, and suddenly you're cooking with gas. 

 

10.5 years ago:

Nothing says Stroad like highway styled signs on a city street. 

4 hours ago, MyPhoneDead said:

Nothing says Stroad like highway styled signs on a city street. 

Nothing says "Pedestrian at your own risk" like 90-foot cross-walks, multiple turn lanes, long sight-lines to the intersection and beyond, and large radius curbs that enable higher-speed turns.  The Van Aken businesses should not get too excited about additional customers from this housing project (planned for the upper left in this screen capture).

2 hours ago, Foraker said:

Nothing says "Pedestrian at your own risk" like 90-foot cross-walks, multiple turn lanes, long sight-lines to the intersection and beyond, and large radius curbs that enable higher-speed turns.  The Van Aken businesses should not get too excited about additional customers from this housing project (planned for the upper left in this screen capture).

I use this crosswalk frequently, and basically every time there are multiple people crossing. I understand your point, but if there are worthwhile things on both sides, which there already are thanks to the rock gym, people will use the crosswalk. So yes, it will result in more traffic on both sides of the street. 

1 hour ago, Ethan said:

I use this crosswalk frequently, and basically every time there are multiple people crossing. I understand your point, but if there are worthwhile things on both sides, which there already are thanks to the rock gym, people will use the crosswalk. So yes, it will really in more traffic on both sides of the street. 

Here here. Maybe we can focus on the pros of the development instead.

Edited February 19Feb 19 by Geowizical