I think the storefront is right next to - and directly north of -  that red brick Byzantine (or Eastern European) Catholic Church

hmmm... granted I am basing this solely off of a very old bakery sign i had seen hanging in the window as a point of reference, which probably isn't the most accurate way of doing things  :-)...  I know who will know.  I'll ask.

Toast is slated to move into 1363 W. 65th street.

 

http://maps.google.com/maps?source=ig&hl=en&q=1363+W.+65th+street,+cleveland,+oh&ie=UTF8&split=0&gl=us&ei=0KUWSomgAeCwtgfm5OXqDA&t=h&z=16&iwloc=A&layer=c&cbll=41.485067,-81.730269&panoid=4Jk2e2dZXSY4TwiWdxz7zg&cbp=12,104.6,,0,5.23

 

You were right, I was wrong.  You're the best, I'm the worst.  You are very good looking, I am unattractive.  :)

Toast is slated to move into 1363 W. 65th street.

 

http://maps.google.com/maps?source=ig&hl=en&q=1363+W.+65th+street,+cleveland,+oh&ie=UTF8&split=0&gl=us&ei=0KUWSomgAeCwtgfm5OXqDA&t=h&z=16&iwloc=A&layer=c&cbll=41.485067,-81.730269&panoid=4Jk2e2dZXSY4TwiWdxz7zg&cbp=12,104.6,,0,5.23

 

You were right, I was wrong. You're the best, I'm the worst. You are very good looking, I am unattractive. :)

 

HA HA, love the quote.  When I saw the two buildings I could see how you could make the mistake they are very similar.  Exciting news though, I'm hoping that with the theater and whatnot that the Gordon square retail neighborhood can build out not only east and west on Detroit, but North towards the lake and South towards lorain. It's already started this trend with Stone Mad.

What is toast?  Does it have any relation to the two "toast" establishments in Chicago? That is my favorite breakfast place around.

From the Detroit-Shoreway website (NOTE: NOT currently up to date.)

 

http://www.dscdo.org/about/abt_c_a.html

 

Coming Soon! TOAST Wine Bar will be Detroit Shoreway’s first full-service wine bar.  Located at 1363 W.65th Street in the former Lopescu Bakery, TOAST will be a welcome addition to the Gordon Square Arts District. 

 

Getting back to my original post on this topic, after some confusion, that indeed is the building that I noticed demolition had started. It also remains that I originally brought up the issue because I'd heard that the church did not approve it's opening. Anyone think they have a pretty good source to get an update from? My intel was second hand, but reportedly from a reliable first hand source.

^How it's constitutional for a church to have some sort of special veto power over liquor permits is beyond me...but that's not for this forum.  But that aside, not sure I understand the objections for this specific license- sounds like a respectable high brow wine bar, no?

^How it's constitutional for a church to have some sort of special veto power over liquor permits is beyond me...but that's not for this forum.

 

To answer your question, community impact and community opinions are taken into account by the state in determining whether to grant a liquor license.  It's part of the legal process.

I'm pretty sure it was at W 54th and Detroit, but I saw a sign on a small parcel of land advertising some kind of loft development or something .. definitely on Detroit, but I can't remember what cross street it was. Does anyone know anything about this or what I'm talking about?

Not really a whole lot to show at this point, but I figured I'd post pics of Detroit's streetscape progress so far .. and the Capitol's exterior renovations.

It's really cool that this is really going to be another great destination spot and neighborhood in Cleveland. While visiting there in April we ate at Luxe on Detroit and I was really floored at how good it was. The whole vibe of the place was great as well. It's really pretty amazing how many truly great restaraunt options you have in Cleveland these days. I remember in the past you always had some great ethnic types of restaurants like Sokolowski's and some other places which were high end (or trying to be) but now there are just so many to choose from that when we are there it's really hard to decide where we want to eat because of the variety. Once these new wide sidewalks are finished it will make it that much more of an interesting and urban feel. Can't wait to get back this summer. Every neighborhood in Cleveland should get somehting like this moving or in the plans for the near future.

Cleveland Public Art posted some pics of planted trees and placed benches along the corridor. There's enough construction debris around that I don't think it's a composite photograph. So yay! It's going to be great seeing these elements slowly start to creep in over the coming few months.

 

http://www.clevelandpublicart.org/projects/completed/gordon-square-arts-district. Click on the bar of photos toward the top of the page. The last two are the ones I'm talking about ...

No, the last few are definitely real photos.

 

I'm also really excited about the Maschke-designed bus shelters.

I love those bus shelters too... litt posted a little movie about them on his blog a while back.  This is going to be a really unique and different area.

I don't remember seeing this posted before:

 

 

Edgewater Hill Blue Birds

Edgewater Hill is a small section of Cleveland’s Detroit Shoreway neighborhood. It is characterized by turn of the century homes, industrial warehouses, and the new Battery Park Development on the site of a former Eveready Battery plant. One of the most appealing aspects of the neighborhood is its proximity to Cleveland’s largest lakefront park, Edgewater. While the neighborhood is separated from the park by a rail line and the lakefront highway, the relationship between the neighborhood and the Lake Erie shoreline is important.

 

How it Started

Lake Erie is part of what is known as the Atlantic Flyway, a migratory flight path for birds. Each year, migrating birds fly across the Great Lakes. Finding places to rest and refuel is a part of their journey, for which Cleveland’s shoreline plays a critical role. While resting on the shores of Lake Erie, some birds double their weight before continuing their migration.

 

About the Work

The Blue Bird sculptures can be attached to any vertical surface within the Edgewater Hill neighborhood. Fifty sculptures will be installed throughout the area. On utility pole, street corners, warehouse buildings, and homes, the Edgewater Hill Blue Birds will make visible the connection between the neighborhood and Lake Erie. During the summer months, some of the Blue Birds may be hidden in the trees. In the fall and winter, the Blue Birds will reveal themselves and appear as bright blue ornaments set off against the seasonal backdrops.

 

The Outcome

The Edgewater Hill Blue Bird project is a collaboration between the Edgewater Hill Block Club, Detroit Shoreway Community Development Corporation, Ward 17 Councilman Matt Zone, Neighborhood Progress Inc., and Cleveland Public Art.

Feedback About This Project

 

Project Title*  Name*  Email Address*  Phone Number  Comments  * Required fields  Address

8701 Lakeshore Boulevard

Cleveland, OH 44102

 

Get Directions

 

Artist

Mark Reigelman

 

Project Date

Currently In Progress

 

Media

Bird sculptures cast in translucent blue resin and perched on a simple aluminum post

 

http://www.clevelandpublicart.org/projects/completed/edgewater-hill-blue-birds

 

This is great. It would help the birds even more if more people installed feeders and some native plants... but with the proper seed/feed...not the "Sprawl-Mart" cheap stuff containing 75% millet they never eat. I used to run a small bird feeding store some years ago. I don't know if it is still there, but way out east in Madison, I believe, there is a place called "Backyard Feeding Station" if it is still there, it is a fabulous source for wild bird feed needs and all the knowledge you can ask for. Audubon Society a great source as well. Great tribute to the fact we are on an important flyway. The alley project on Vine Court in Ohio City will try and produce rest, and feed sources for the birds as well.

Not sure if you understand, but the above posting actually refers to a public art project by Mark Reigelman. The bluebirds are actually sculptures that will be placed in various locations in the Detroit-Shoreway neighborhood.

I love the idea... Riggleman is the artist who designed the "wraps" for the planters on Euclid Avenue.  The former CIA graduate seems to really be making his mark on the city.

Bird sculptures cast in translucent blue resin and perched on a simple aluminum post

 

reading the whole article can be so tiring.  here is the last line, confirming that feeding the bluebird sculptures is unnecessary.  though perhaps this was just another opportunity for you to relate an urbanohio discussion tangentially to yourself, or something off topic, or barely on topic, or all of the above.  kudos, you've done it again.   

 

do translucent blue resin birds eat snail darters?

What I find really lovely about this project is that it's nestled into a residential neighborhood. We have so many great public art projects going on in the city, but most (understandably) are concentrated on main thoroughfares. I can't really think of a project of this scope in such a residential  / sidestreet setting anywhere else in the city.

 

It really speaks to the great work Cleveland Public Art is doing. In the early 90s, they were having to make a case for public art in major downtown locations. Now it seems like downtown work is popping up all the time, thanks in part to advocacy around percent-for-art (setting aside one percent of major construction projects' budgets for public art components ... both the city and RTA have such an ordinance now). More recently, there was increasing demand for "gateway signage" that promoted neighborhood names and identities, like Midtown's pillars along Chester. And then fairly large-scale projects at neighborhood anchor points, like the recent statue park along Buckeye and the public art elements at Gordon Square. Now it's leaking into the side streets. It's pretty amazing that that kind of shift in mindset has occurred within 15 years.

 

Good work Cleveland Public Art ... 5 large projects in the past year alone and 7 more in progress.

IMHO Lillian Kuri, the former director of Cleveland Public Art, has been one of the strongest forces for positive change in the community over the past decade.

 

do translucent blue resin birds eat snail darters?

 

Only if they're made out of resin.

Yeah, CPA's contribution to the city has been amazing over the years. They're an incredible institution, and I just recently learned (as in, last night) that every major project has to set aside a certain percentage to public art. Pretty stinking cool.

 

I like some of their projects more than others, but regardless, they're an invaluable institution for Cleveland to have.

 

Also, I'm a huge fan of Reigelman's work. I love his visual contribution to Cleveland's landscape.

 

What do people think about the crosswalks in the streetscape redesign?

the only things I've seen of them are the conceptualized renderings.  I'm waiting to see what materials they are using and how they will look in real life before passing judgement.

the most pressing issue, imo, with the crosswalks, is to coordinate the traffic lights to enable an all ways cross.  the only all ways cross I have seen in Ohio is at Ohio Univ.

 

here's a pic of the one at OU >

This has not been a good day for this forum. Folks, go outside and enjoy the nice weather, walk off some frustrations, go jump in the lake or do something else productive to work off all that energy. For us moderators, our work is to clean up after you. Thanks......

I really like the bluebirds.  I think that very small scale public art like this is something that could be used in a cost effective manner to bring a little touch of magic to many more parts of our city.

i love very small scale neighborhood art like too. a nice surprise to come across. very cool.

 

the bluebirds themselves look great in resin like that!

 

practically speaking i just hope it does not scare away other birds. bluebirds are notoriously pretty mean to other small birds.

practically speaking i just hope it does not scare away other birds. bluebirds are notoriously pretty mean to other small birds.

 

Maybe that's why he left them as birdlike shapes .. not really lifelike? Hopefully it wouldn't have that kind of effect, based on these renderings.

practically speaking i just hope it does not scare away other birds. bluebirds are notoriously pretty mean to other small birds.

 

I'd worry about that if they were mounting scarecrows on the telephone poles. Scare birds don't seem quite as scary. :)

the rendering does not do them justice.  in actuality, they are bright blue and translucent, so sun shining on them should create a neat effect.  they will be mounted on aluminum perches which will be drilled into trees, telephone poles, etc.

Looks like they're getting ready to demo the Leather Shop that will serve as the plaza to the to-be-constructed Near West Theatre.  From the Landmarks Commission agenda.

 

Gordon Square Historic District

Near West Theatre Plaza – 6702 Detroit Avenue

Demolition and new plaza

Ward 17 – Zone

 

http://planning.city.cleveland.oh.us/landmark/agenda/photo/072309/index.php

D!mn it, there goes the Gordon Square Leather District.

So how long will it sit as an empty lot, then?  That is, before this thing gets built and if it actually gets going.

the leather shop will be re-opening in the Gordon Square arcade

Article also includes several photographs.

Coming soon: Restored Capitol Theatre to be a marquee player in improved Gordon Square

by Clint O'Connor, (Cleveland) Plain Dealer Film Critic

Sunday August 02, 2009, 12:00 AM

 

Cinema-starved West Siders, the clock is finally ticking in your favor. In just over eight weeks, on Oct. 3, the renovated Capitol Theatre will open. Really. I've seen it. It's zipping right along toward completion.

 

The building on West 65th Street just north of Detroit Avenue, will feature three movie theaters, a beautiful new lobby, and classy old touches mixed with high-tech equipment ...

 

... For more information, please visit http://www.cleveland.com/moviebuff/index.ssf/2009/08/coming_soon_restored_capitol_t.html

the leather shop will be re-opening in the Gordon Square arcade

 

Good to know that our westside forumers will still have a place to buy their leather chaps.  he he he he

Great, just what we need!

 

 

The comments after the article were some of the most positive I've ever seen on cleveland.com; There were still a few haters, but it was amazing how many people were on there talking up the neighborhood and suburbanites excited about coming in and exploring the city. Good times!

I posted on Cleveland Dot Com. I love this project...and my only concern right now is addressing safety issues...keeping riff raff/trouble makers out...those who are disruptive/do not know how to behave appropriately at movies.... making it miserable for everyone else. Such, if it slips through...needs to be escorted out, pronto! This can totally spoil the experience and people will not come back.

^Can't see that being too much of a problem with art films

I'm still curious as to how you take a 1,300 theater, divide it into three smaller theaters and keep any type of architectural integrity.  At that point, you might as well gut the whole building, right?

I'm still curious as to how you take a 1,300 theater, divide it into three smaller theaters and keep any type of architectural integrity.  At that point, you might as well gut the whole building, right?

 

They did It a Shaker Square and it works fine.  Not like the old theatre but it's a neighborhood draw, plus people come early/stay for the restaurant offerings or the area itself.

 

This will be a plus for that area.

jborger are you serious? Old theaters across the country have done exactly what the Capital is doing. They just split the balcony into two smaller theaters so they can offer multiple movies at the same time. I'm sure they kept as much of the original theaters architecture/aesthetics in place. I can't believe you would propose gutting the entire building. Have you not read anything about this project?

They did it at the old Lake theater as well.  What they did at lake was they took the back half of the massive theater seating and made one small theater to the left and right  of a long hallway that took you to the main theater.

 

It worked well at Lake.  If it is done that way, you will still have the original stage and lobby.

I think jborger was using a little hyperbole when talking about gutting the theater. But it's true that this is not uncommon for historic theater restorations. There are strong financial reasons ... it's difficult to program a theater of that size with single films (a theater only being able to have two or three showings a night) and still make the numbers work. The basic staffing requirements, along with the utilities, etc. that go into operating a theater mean they need to make sure the theater is as full to capacity as possible. Particularly when concentrating on independent films, this would be hard to do two or three times a night every night. Breaking the theater up allows them to diversify the offerings and increase their chance of drawing crowds. For similar reasons, it's not uncommon in live theatre either ... see, for instance, the restoration of the Hanna Theater.

 

That being said, this project, as with most theater restorations, has made every effort to retain as many historic elements of the theater as possible. Check out the photographs with the cleveland.com story, and you'll see that much of value was retained. It looks like they're doing a really nice job, and I can't wait to see this and the streetscaping done in just a few months!

 

Yes it seems to be a necessity and the only feasable option.  Equally I worry about the Allen Theater being chopped up, and it was basically just restored to its original splendor. 

Allen Theater.

Anyone have updates/details about Gypsy Bean? Drove by yesterday and the windows were covered, almost in a "remodeling" fashion, but hadn't heard of any plans.

 

Also, lots of work going on with the storefront just north and across from the Capital. Would be nice to know if the rumor about their liquor license denial is actually true.

 

A few acquaintances from that neighborhood have purchased the storefront just East of the Convenient across from the super market and have only made mention plans to open a "sandwich shop." They've been pretty hush on the details otherwise, but work has started on the interior.