Some nice news for Painsville: 

 

Ohio Associated Enterprises is expanding in Painesville

https://www.crainscleveland.com/manufacturing/ohio-associated-enterprises-expanding-painesville

"The company will move 88 jobs from its Chico, Calif., location to Painesville, a news release stated. This move also retains 177 positions in Painesville."

21 hours ago, PoshSteve said:

Some nice news for Painsville: 

 

Ohio Associated Enterprises is expanding in Painesville

https://www.crainscleveland.com/manufacturing/ohio-associated-enterprises-expanding-painesville

"The company will move 88 jobs from its Chico, Calif., location to Painesville, a news release stated. This move also retains 177 positions in Painesville."

I'm sure the people from Chico, CA will be more than happy to move to NE Ohio😦. At least it will be cheaper.

I haven't seen this reported anywhere here:

 

https://www.news-herald.com/news/lake-county/mixed-use-class-a-office-project-proposed-on-blighted-properties-in-mentors-old-village/article_51c05b72-2dab-11eb-8e76-175ebb49ea17.html

 

 

Pleasantly surprised to see some non-sprawl coming out of Mentor. Very unlike them!

^good news and some bad for Mentor. I was saddened to read of the planned closure of Macy's at the Great Lakes Mall. It's not that I have any special affinity for Macy's, but this reduces the number of anchor stores at the mall to just two (and that includes JC Penney! -- does that even count?). I guess I'm nostalgic about the mall (sad statement, I know) since I recall when it opened in the early 60's and went there for the first time in the 3rd grade. The Macy's was originally a branch of Cleveland's great May Company, and the first of the anchors (which would eventually grow to five as the mall expanded by leaps and bounds throughout the next 20 years). I hope Great Lakes Mall survives, in one form or another. Like most malls I know business there was down even pre-pandemic, but I never thought it would be on a list of potential dead malls   But all is not lost. Why just a couple of months ago a tattoo parlor opened there (I'm serious). How many malls can boast of that?! lol 

 

https://cityofmentor.com/mentor-welcomes-cardinal-ink/

Edited January 7, 20214 yr by eastvillagedon

I hadn't caught that Macy's was closing there. That honestly surprises me that they would be. Mentor mall is doing better than most malls too. A couple months ago it was reported that they were the most trafficked shopping center in Cleveland, beating out Beachwood Place and Pinecrest. The mall has really bled anchors lately, with Sears and one of the Dillard's closing before this. I guess we can count the d*ck's and Round One as anchors now - I think that was the point when they opened. That is better than most malls in that they are able to attract some non-department store anchors. This also leaves the Cedar Center Macy's in University Hts as the only east side Macy's now, and it isn't even in a mall. I suppose this closer makes the UH location safer in the longer term. I can't see Macy's abandoning the east side. 

On 1/7/2021 at 2:26 PM, PoshSteve said:

I hadn't caught that Macy's was closing there. That honestly surprises me that they would be. Mentor mall is doing better than most malls too. A couple months ago it was reported that they were the most trafficked shopping center in Cleveland, beating out Beachwood Place and Pinecrest. The mall has really bled anchors lately, with Sears and one of the Dillard's closing before this. I guess we can count the d*ck's and Round One as anchors now - I think that was the point when they opened. That is better than most malls in that they are able to attract some non-department store anchors. This also leaves the Cedar Center Macy's in University Hts as the only east side Macy's now, and it isn't even in a mall. I suppose this closer makes the UH location safer in the longer term. I can't see Macy's abandoning the east side. 

yeah, I was a little surprised by its closing too. Who knows what the ultimate number of casualties of Macy's will be. I had read a couple of years ago that Mentor is something like the 4th busiest retail area in the state of Ohio, but somehow Macy's is considered "underperforming" at least in relation to others in the Cleveland area. For whatever its worth, I went into the Macy's flagship over the holidays and even there it appeared the traffic was down to less than half (maybe even a third) of what it normally is during that time. Maybe a revival of those "hip" 70's mens' clothiers J. Riggings and Chess King will be the next big thing to draw shoppers back to the mall.😅

When is Macy’s closing? I can confirm at this moment it isn’t closed yet.

8 minutes ago, JB said:

When is Macy’s closing? I can confirm at this moment it isn’t closed yet.

According to news reports liquidation sales could begin this month and last eight to twelve weeks.

former bank building to receive tax credits to restore its mid-century modern look and turned into Lake Erie College dorms. Located a few blocks from campus, it will be easier to have drunken bacchanals. 

 

 

Edited January 10, 20214 yr by eastvillagedon

well, this certainly is ambitious. I like the part about reinvesting in "underutilized or vacant properties." No further comment. 🙂

 

 

 

Painesville's newest Mexican grocery--Abarrotes Elvis--is now open. ¡Olé! There are now at least four Mex. grocers in town (that I know of) with affiliated taquerias, (though Elvis's is not connected to the store)

 

Edited January 24, 20214 yr by eastvillagedon

so called Bus Wrap Art, designed by high school and college students, will soon be gracing the surfaces of Laketran conveyances. I don't know why they don't do this in New York. The bus windows are so filthy half the time you can't see out of them anyway. 

 

^ taking time to actually read the press release it seems only the first place winner will get her design executed and only on one route. Hmmpph.  

3 hours ago, eastvillagedon said:

so called Bus Wrap Art, designed by high school and college students, will soon be gracing the surfaces of Laketran conveyances. I don't know why they don't do this in New York. The bus windows are so filthy half the time you can't see out of them anyway. 

 

 

Since I started working from home, I haven't been out on the roads nearly as much.  But I did notice different designs on the buses that were at Lakeland.  It was a nice change... I'd love it if more than one bus had art on it.  It draws attention to it, and I can't see how that could be anything but a positive for LakeTran!

New construction at Shoregate in Willowick:

The outparcel A and B were demolished and their replacements are about half built:

Each building has a drive-thru, but I can't find any information on if they have already lined up tenants. 

Google streetview of the project area:

28 minutes ago, WhatUp said:

New construction at Shoregate in Willowick:

The outparcel A and B were demolished and their replacements are about half built:

Each building has a drive-thru, but I can't find any information on if they have already lined up tenants. 

Google streetview of the project area:

I’ve heard it’s a Chipotle and Starbucks. I’ll miss the the Purple Shamrock. Had some good times throughout that buildings name/owner changes

There is more happening in Willoughby than I thought:

 

Willoughby Ward 2 Newsletter from Feb. 4 with 6 large projects for the city!

 

The Denny's on the corner of Euclid and Som Center Rd will become a new Swensons. Demolition started over a week ago.

 

The old car dealership on Vine St at State Rout 2 became the Marous Brothers Corporate Headquarters. They just moved into the new building last week.

became:

 

Also:

NOPEC grant to enhance gateway into Willoughby that will use money to replace lighting on the Mentor Ave. bridge over the Chagrin River. 

 

Also, this Willoughby Ward 2 Newsletter October 1 2020 hints about the potential future of this land, in limbo since 2002:

 

this looks like it would be a nice place to work 

 

Trader Joe's to set up outpost in Lake County

Stan Bullard - Crain's Cleveland Business - Apr. 5, 2021

 

 

"The widely reported "unidentified national specialty retailer" that won approvals from the suburb for a store at 9470 Mentor Ave. is Trader Joe's, based at Monrovia, Calif. ... For more than a year, city officials have reviewed plans, and then last fall approved them, for a nearly 14,000-square-foot specialty grocer to build on the site without spilling the name, at the company's request."

Construction crews are fencing the site and preparing to demolish the Sawyer House, a stone Western Reserve-style farmhouse. It has stood at that location since 1843. Over the years it also served as offices and, more recently, a succession of restaurants.

 

WTF???? Are you freakin' kidding me? And not a peep in the article about any efforts to save this historic beauty. How in the heII could this building be demolished??

36 minutes ago, KJP said:

Construction crews are fencing the site and preparing to demolish the Sawyer House, a stone Western Reserve-style farmhouse. It has stood at that location since 1843. Over the years it also served as offices and, more recently, a succession of restaurants.

 

WTF???? Are you freakin' kidding me? And not a peep in the article about any efforts to save this historic beauty. How in the heII could this building be demolished??

Supposedly it was condemned. Yeah I don’t know. I was pretty pissed when I read about all of this unfolding.

Mentor is the city of strip malls. The only history they need is that of retail. Good luck to them in the future.

I can't believe they would demolish that house. It's not that there's no other location available in a place like Mentor. How about the Great Lakes Mall? Like where Macy's used to be! Although I don't know if Trader Joe's ever locates in malls. Where are the local preservationists when you need them?

Edited April 5, 20214 yr by eastvillagedon

I couldn't download the Crain's article, but the News Herald mentions that it was part of Wayside Gardens nursery once. I remember that. But this is noble of them:

 

“We would salvage as much of that as we can and have that removed and probably stored at our Springbrook Park to be utilized for some repurposing, some enhancements,” the city manager said."

 

https://www.news-herald.com/news/lake-county/trader-joes-eyeing-sawyer-house-site-in-mentor/article_f2e6d59c-962b-11eb-8c67-97d20f020128.html

My parents live down the street from the old Sawyer House, I was actually a bus boy at a former restaurant there back in 1998. I can tell you there is simply no culture of preservation in Mentor. This building is wedged in between garbage strip malls and is likely viewed as an antiquated building in the way of “progress” by residents and the city. If no one cares, what’s the point?

2 hours ago, w28th said:

My parents live down the street from the old Sawyer House, I was actually a bus boy at a former restaurant there back in 1998. I can tell you there is simply no culture of preservation in Mentor. This building is wedged in between garbage strip malls and is likely viewed as an antiquated building in the way of “progress” by residents and the city. If no one cares, what’s the point?

I’m a resident and I care. Stop painting everyone with a broad brush.

New lakefront special improvement district could lead to new Lake Erie trails following innovative Euclid example

Steven Litt - Cleveland.com - Apr. 12, 2021

 

"The City of Euclid and 12 Lake County communities recently incorporated Ohio’s first lakefront special improvement district to help property owners finance expensive and urgently needed erosion control projects along the Lake Erie shoreline. ... 'As you look at the success of Euclid, there will be an impetus to look at much larger projects,' Mackey said. 'We have to crawl first, then we can run and then get into a sprint, down the road.’ ... Willoughby Mayor Robert Fiala, the secretary of the new special improvement district board, said that persuading groups of property owners to grant easements for new lakefront trails will 'be a community-by-community decision.'"

Revised Cleveland Clinic Mentor Hospital timeline revealed

Betsy Scott - The News-Herald - Apr. 20, 2021

 

 

 

"Groundbreaking will take place later this year and the hospital is expected to open in early 2023, said Kate McLain, a Cleveland Clinic spokeswoman. The project was paused last year because of the coronavirus pandemic and the need to preserve resources for patients, caregivers and the community. ... The project is expected to include emergency care, primary and specialty services, advanced imaging, support and a proportionate number of hospital beds."

 

^that's really nice. I thought they had already started building it. Meanwhile, Painesville is renovating an old office building to house a new facility run by Signature Health that's being grandly called the P'ville Medical Center or something like that. I guess this is their consolation prize after losing Lake Hospital over a decade ago. Of course Mentor would get a fancy-schmanzy Cleveland Clinic. Then again, they're getting Trader Joe's too. Where's the justice? lol. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why is it "really nice?" Unless you're being facetious about this oversized electrical transformer?

6 hours ago, KJP said:

Why is it "really nice?" Unless you're being facetious about this oversized electrical transformer?

Or he just has a different taste than you. 

8 hours ago, JB said:

Or he just has a different taste than you. 

 

Some aspects of structural design are a matter of art and style. Others are functional or, in this case, dysfunctional. I would understand this design if the building housed high-security computer servers at Fort Meade. It could've been designed to invitingly embrace its neighborhood. Iinstead it's a cold, contemptible approach. 

16 hours ago, JB said:

Or he just has a different taste than you. 

I do in fact like the simple, spare sleekness of the design, but I admit it does look like something you might see in a suburban office park. I don't know what the surrounding area looks like, but let's face it, Mentor's not the most walkable town in the world, so something more "organic" to the neighborhood might have been lost on the future patients of this facility. I guess when I said "nice" I meant that the platinum brand-name reputation of the Cleveland Clinic automatically enhances the appeal of a community, doesn't it? It's like a magnet for someone judging the amenities of a prospective place to live to put it on the top of their list as a highly desirable location. Well, that and Trader Joe's. 

Edited May 1, 20214 yr by eastvillagedon

 

Even tho Mexicans consider Cinco de Mayo a minor holiday and laugh at the way gringos celebrate it, why not celebrate it anyway with real  Mexicans? It looks like there's even a new restaurant in the City of Pain called La Chilanguita Flavor! 🇲🇽

 

https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Mexican-Restaurant/La-Chilanguita-Flavor-104908397972165/

On 1/10/2021 at 3:24 PM, eastvillagedon said:

former bank building to receive tax credits to restore its mid-century modern look and turned into Lake Erie College dorms. Located a few blocks from campus, it will be easier to have drunken bacchanals. 

 

 

 

Chardon-based Renew Partners, a development and historic preservation firm (isn't that a contradiction in terms?) has been awarded a National Park Service grant for work on the exterior of this building. There are two sections, the original, shorter one built in 1957, and the slightly taller one from 1965. Since baby boomers like me are so old now and were born in this period, I guess I never thought of mid-century architecture as particularly historic 

 

https://www.facebook.com/downtownpainesville/posts/5229541617087330

 

Lucky's Market to open soon in Concord in the Gristmill Village Shopping Center (sounds quaint). Didn't this place file for bankruptcy? Anyway, they're hiring starting tomorrow

 

https://www.facebook.com/luckysmarketsohio/photos/pb.308274085983907.-2207520000../2396951527116142/?type=3&theater

i think its being run by Daves Supermarket. Nice to see something go in the reiders spot

On 5/20/2020 at 3:12 PM, eastvillagedon said:

 

unsurprisingly, Painesville Party in the Park has been cancelled. Maybe it's for the best. It's been getting a little stale for the past couple of years (last year's event, which coincided with the exact days of July's brutal heat wave, didn't help any either). But as for social distancing, so few people show up for the hapless acts scheduled early in the day that keeping people far apart would have been no problem. lol.

 

 

 

moving right along...last year's Painesville Party in the Park was of course cancelled, but this year it's back(!) with modifications. Instead of one 3-consecutive day extravaganza in July, there will be be four mini-Parties in the Park, as it were, stretched over the course of the summer, with a just handful of bands appearing each day. The first scheduled event is this Saturday, May 22, from noon to midnite. I can't guarantee the quality of the entertainment. Maybe this will give you some indication. 😦

 

 

 

what the heck is this supposed to be?! In other words, why bother going all the way into Cleveland (all 20 miles😕), when you can just stay in Mentor?

 

 

here's another bunch of outdoor concerts in P'ville if anyone's interested, starting tomorrow. they're free, but I for one would pay  ("cash money") to hear the Chardon Polka Band 🇵🇱

 

 

 

yes, the much anticipated Laketran Wickliffe Transit Center to open next week 🚌

 

 

 

Laketran's first electric bus arrives

 

 

 

 

what in the world is futsal??😖

 

Edited June 23, 20213 yr by eastvillagedon

LOL. Soccer played on a hard surface. Guess you don't have kids.

On 6/23/2021 at 2:34 PM, eastvillagedon said:

what in the world is futsal??😖

 

 

wasn't it Marie Antoinette who said "let 'em play futsal!"?  I'm still not sure whether it's pronounced foot-stle  or foot-sol , or maybe neither. But while walking around over the weekend I discovered there's a futsal court just a couple of blocks from me, not that I'm likely to try it out anytime soon, although if I memorize the basic rules as posted in the picture of the accompanying article I might stand a chance to at least not look like a totally inept novice, just someone with one foot in the grave trying to pretend to be still 20-something ⚽

 

 

Foots-all. My son loves it, almost as much as real soccer. Just bought him a pair of indoor futsal shoes and a pair for outdoor futsal. Yes, it's that specialized. 

a new jail? already?

 

 

On 5/25/2021 at 2:45 PM, eastvillagedon said:

 

what the heck is this supposed to be?! In other words, why bother going all the way into Cleveland (all 20 miles😕), when you can just stay in Mentor?

 

 

 

is it "me," or does this look even more lame than I feared it would be? I somehow thought it would have a "richer" look to it (not saying it looks cheap--lol). Additionally, I don't know what some of these exhibits have to do specifically with Cleveland. Furthermore, it costs roughly $15 to over $17 (for adults) to get in!  Isn't the Cleveland Art Museum, one of the best in the nation, still free?? (if this place was free I would still avoid it)