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If you had the resources, how would you improve Cleveland?

Guest john82
Guest john82
in City Discussion

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Hi everyone. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this:

 

If you had all the resources you needed, how would you improve Cleveland?

Welcome, john82.  Would love to know why you are gathering this info?  Thanks.

Welcome, john82.  Would love to know why you are gathering this info?  Thanks.

 

Agreed.  Especially since there are three threads on this very subject.

 

John82 welcome, :wave:

 

I would like to suggest that you spend sometime learning your way around the forum and visiting older threads.

 

Keep in mind, do to some recent developments, some thread are off limits while be "cleaned".

 

I like it when newbies jump in, but check the board out as most questions you raise, will most likely, already have been asked and answered multiple times.

Welcome, john82.  Would love to know why you are gathering this info?  Thanks.

 

Agreed.  Especially since there are three threads on this very subject.

 

John82 welcome, :wave:

 

I would like to suggest that you spend sometime learning your way around the forum and visiting older threads.

 

Keep in mind, do to some recent developments, some thread are off limits while be "cleaned".

 

I like it when newbies jump in, but check the board out as most questions you raise, will most likely, already have been asked and answered multiple times.

 

Yes welcome. 

MTS likes it because he can harass and pick on the new people.  Yes you will hate him at first, but underneath , he is harmless......  Like an older brother that you don't always get along with.  :wink: 

Sorry everyone. Beginner's mistake.

Welcome, john82.  Would love to know why you are gathering this info?  Thanks.

 

Agreed.  Especially since there are three threads on this very subject.

 

John82 welcome, :wave:

 

I would like to suggest that you spend sometime learning your way around the forum and visiting older threads.

 

Keep in mind, do to some recent developments, some thread are off limits while be "cleaned".

 

I like it when newbies jump in, but check the board out as most questions you raise, will most likely, already have been asked and answered multiple times.

 

Yes welcome. 

MTS likes it because he can harass and pick on the new people.  Yes you will hate him at first, but underneath , he is harmless......  Like an older brother that you don't always get along with.  ;) 

 

Keep in mind, if I were an older brother, I'd be an only child.  I terrorized my older brother (did I just admit that?) can you imagine what I would do if I was son Numero Uno?!  >:D  >:D  >:D  >:D  >:D  >:D  >:D  >:D  >:D  >:D

If we dig up a thread that is the same as this, we'll merge it then.  Till then, this is thread is fine.

 

There are a lot of things that I would do if I had all the resources I want.  The thing that is frustrating about urban planning and development is that that the needed resources are almost always lacking, so the great idea usually doesn't happen or gets watered down to the point that it wasn't worth doing.

1.  Complete the Emerald Necklass.

2.  Bring the towpath trail and CVSR into Terminal Tower

3.  Put one dozen of T Boone Pickens useless wind turbines on the Lake Eire breakwall wired into Muny Light.

4.  Lure an LL Bean/REI to the back end of The Avenue at TT after completing 2 above.

5.  Buy the Trolleyville collection and run it under the D.S. bridge, down W 25th and back to TT under the Hope Memorial bridge.

6.  Run I 90 into 480 a la KJP. 

 

Watch the economy boom.

 

1.  Complete the Emerald Necklass.

2.  Bring the towpath trail and CVSR into Terminal Tower

3.  Put one dozen of T Boone Pickens useless wind turbines on the Lake Eire breakwall wired into Muny Light.

4.  Lure an LL Bean/REI to the back end of The Avenue at TT after completing 2 above.

5.  Buy the Trolleyville collection and run it under the D.S. bridge, down W 25th and back to TT under the Hope Memorial bridge.

6.  Run I 90 into 480 a la KJP. 

 

Watch the economy boom.

 

 

Thank God you don't have the resources to implement the above.

 

I 90 into 480??  Really now, that's ambitious!

Lure high-end brands to open stores in existing downtown storefronts and pay them to stay open if they don't make the profits necessary to do so and continue to pay them until the critical mass is achieved to keep them open on profits alone.

I would improve the place by teaching the basics that we have not yet grasped. Simple maintenance around the city, on buildings....Set up an institution that will teach the population why we should not litter...  Better enforcement of laws that address quality of life issues..  I'll get back to this later, but really, I would focus on getting the simple basics right first. Here is a city with grandiose ideas and plans, yet cannot even replace a streetlight, so to speak.

If I had unlimited resources my wish list would include:

 

1. Move the Port of Cleveland

2.Build out the Flats East Bank and Existing docks based on a Inner Harbor/Fells Point based plan. Inner Harbor starting at CBS and transitioning to more traditional warehouse like structures and row houses. I know that it would be very Crocker Park building new fake Old warehouses on the waterfront. But hey go with what you like.

 

I hav to run to a meeting more later...

Lure high-end brands to open stores in existing downtown storefronts and pay them to stay open if they don't make the profits necessary to do so and continue to pay them until the critical mass is achieved to keep them open on profits alone.

 

barneys.jpg

Lots of good ideas.  Mine overlap many of those above, but of course lack of infinite resources means these dreams will be a long time coming --

Extensive subway lines within the city; ban driving in the city core and remake all the streets extending out from public square to be like E4th; move the port now; build rail station connected to new convention center; redirect I-90 onto I-490; complete the Emerald Necklace park system; preserve and create farmland belt outside the Emerald Necklace; make Clevelanders the best-educated population in the world....

1. Destroy Burke airport.  Change marginal road's name to "rock and roll boulevard" and put up all kinds of shops, restaurants, "amateur" recording studios, small rock clubs/bars, and parks.

 

2.  (I know nobody will agree with this one) Dramatically expand the redline in the W and SW sides of Cleveland.  Due West to Avon Lake.  Southwest to Medina county line/Brunswick.

 

3.  Turn Tower City into an outlet mall with free parking on weekdays after 6pm and all weekend, including "event" days.  First come, first served.

 

4.  Buy up all flat-surface parking lots.  Dig them out so parking is underneath ground level.  Replace ground level with restaurants and shops.

 

5.  Massive overhaul of Cleveland city school system, from house cleaning of administration to ejection of poor teachers, principals, etc.  Special programs to help keep kids in school who are dealing with a tough home life such as having to help support the family or latchkey kids who have to take care of smaller kids while parents work instead of doing homework. More funding and education on sex ed and birth control including understanding the female cycle (one freaking class in this and almost NO high schoolers would get pregnant by accident - did you know you only have to avoid sex for 1-2 days out of the whole month to avoid getting PG, and that there are clear, unmistakable markers to indicate to a woman when those days are?  I didn't until a few years ago).  Mass funding in extracurriculars - financial aid available to anyone who applies whose family is under a certain income to help buy their own musical instruments, outfits for band/orchestra, etc.  Increased funding for sports, including uniforms and equipment.  Reinstatement of recess and/or gym period in all elementary schools immediately, with new and better gym equipment to encourage physical education.  Funding of "mentor in the community" programs, where older students could "shadow" people in different occupations they are interested in "in the real world" one or two days a month as part of their mentoring education. 

 

Those are just a few off the top of my head.

1. Destroy Burke airport.  Change marginal road's name to "rock and roll boulevard" and put up all kinds of shops, restaurants, "amateur" recording studios, small rock clubs/bars, and parks.

 

2.  (I know nobody will agree with this one) Dramatically expand the redline in the W and SW sides of Cleveland.  Due West to Avon Lake.  Southwest to Medina county line/Brunswick.

 

3.  Turn Tower City into an outlet mall with free parking on weekdays after 6pm and all weekend, including "event" days.  First come, first served.

 

4.  Buy up all flat-surface parking lots.  Dig them out so parking is underneath ground level.  Replace ground level with restaurants and shops.

 

5.  Massive overhaul of Cleveland city school system, from house cleaning of administration to ejection of poor teachers, principals, etc.  Special programs to help keep kids in school who are dealing with a tough home life such as having to help support the family or latchkey kids who have to take care of smaller kids while parents work instead of doing homework. More funding and education on sex ed and birth control including understanding the female cycle (one freaking class in this and almost NO high schoolers would get pregnant by accident - did you know you only have to avoid sex for 1-2 days out of the whole month to avoid getting PG, and that there are clear, unmistakable markers to indicate to a woman when those days are?  I didn't until a few years ago).  Mass funding in extracurriculars - financial aid available to anyone who applies whose family is under a certain income to help buy their own musical instruments, outfits for band/orchestra, etc.  Increased funding for sports, including uniforms and equipment.  Reinstatement of recess and/or gym period in all elementary schools immediately, with new and better gym equipment to encourage physical education.  Funding of "mentor in the community" programs, where older students could "shadow" people in different occupations they are interested in "in the real world" one or two days a month as part of their mentoring education. 

 

Those are just a few off the top of my head.

 

Redline should not be expanded there.  It should be expanded in Cleveland proper / or first ring 'burbs.

 

What you want is commutter rail to the destinations you cite.  :)

I told you you wouldn't agree, I"m sure you're not the only one :)  I guess I don't know what "commuter rail" means.  I use the red line, which is on rails, to commute, so to me it's commuter rail.

I told you you wouldn't agree, I"m sure you're not the only one :)  I guess I don't know what "commuter rail" means.  I use the red line, which is on rails, to commute, so to me it's commuter rail.

 

The red line is a "subway".  What you want is commuter rail like the LIRR, METRA or NJ Transit for destinations outside of Cuyahoga County.

I thought subways ran underground? sub=under.

I told you you wouldn't agree, I"m sure you're not the only one :) I guess I don't know what "commuter rail" means. I use the red line, which is on rails, to commute, so to me it's commuter rail.

 

Actually, we should expand the rail to outer areas because we cannot deem ourselves "Regional Transit Authority" RTA, when the region is undeserved in rail. Maybe we'd get a broader demographic of people riding transit, given the choice, so the transport system shakes the image that only poor people ride it. And, contrary to this totally over touted one sided view of re-locating the port....  There is a much better sustainable and visionary view on how to do that w/o destroying a recovering shoreline, spending less money to do it....and getting you all the goodies too, to boot, which POC blindly promises. You will see how what they're doing is actually illegal in a certain respect....anyway... That vision can be seen at future meetings of which I will post.

 

back to basics, as a city, let's learn to get the basics right first...  Like the school system.. Great point. Many of the grandiose plans are suited for tourists, and not addressing some of the immediate quality of life needs of stakeholders in the community. In other words, be good with what you already have, first...then all else is icing on the cake. Might be nice to show that the city can actually do something about its severe trash/litter issues, before getting a bunch of swell buildings....that will be surrounded with trash, and look dated because of lack of upkeep. And yes, the problem here is disproportionate to our size. 

 

Basics...Basics.. Master the BASICS, Cleveland, first.

The Red Line is "Heavy Rail", and only a subway under Tower City.

 

themoreyouknow.jpg

 

No pumpkin, what I mean it's mass transit like the subway, in NYC, BOS or WDC. 

 

And..............FYI, it's a subway into the airport as well.  :P :P  Ms. Technical (snap)

Withi unlimted resources (i.e., money) it wouldn't be that hard really.

 

Start by giving the school system funding, update facilities, have new materials, have wide varieties of after school programs (athletic, music/arts, clubs) in each Cleveland neighborhood.

 

Then give police, fire, and other city service departments enough funding to allow them to do their jobs effectively (re: hire more people, get more equipment). 

 

Give people something to do (Kids - school, after school programs.  Adults - jobs improving and taking care of the city) and everything else will resolve itself I think.

 

I'd start redeveloping the east side, starting at Shaker/Buckeye/Woodhill and work my way northwest.  TOD, mixeduse, multifamily clusters from Shaker Square to Downtown.

^ Great ideas! There are some spectacular east side attributes. Love the street grid at Buckeye...  Slavic Village, some great buildings on Broadway. The 'forgotten Cleveland'... 

I'd start redeveloping the east side, starting at Shaker/Buckeye/Woodhill and work my way northwest.  TOD, mixeduse, multifamily clusters from Shaker Square to Downtown.

 

Don't mess with my Kingdom!

 

Don't mess with my Kingdom!

 

I knew you'd feel threatened!

 

In my mind Downtown and Shaker Square would be destination clusters while the others focused mainly on serving just their neighborhood.  Probably not each having everything you need but maybe the next node has it, and if you want something a bit more special go to the destination nodes.  Certainly too SimCityish, but it's my dream darnit!

 

Don't mess with my Kingdom!

 

I knew you'd feel threatened!

 

In my mind Downtown and Shaker Square would be destination clusters while the others focused mainly on serving just their neighborhood.  Probably not each having everything you need but maybe the next node has it, and if you want something a bit more special go to the destination nodes.  Certainly too SimCityish, but it's my dream darnit!

 

I'll defend my kingdom to no end!  Emporer MTS has spoken, so it is written, so it is law.

Great ideas so far.

i'll keep it to three.

 

first, i see the rustbelt era legacy of depopulation as a major destructive issue so i'd do every positive creative thing possible to stay in the nation's face and keep the word out that there is such a place as cleveland and it remains innovative and interesting.

 

second, i'd also like to be able to give a major boost to the local psyche by winning a major sports championship or three. it's trite, but at the same time so loooong overdue.

 

lastly, a practical issue -- speed up moving the underused port the hell out of the way.

 

Innovative charter schools, donate lots of money to Cleveland Catholic schools.  Offer college scholarships to universities if they promise a year of service to The Cleve

I'd buy the next mayoral election, pay off all the councilpersons to agree with me, and then I'd go Rupert Murdoch and buy the Plain Dealer, television stations and news radio stations to run all the political content I want.

 

Then I would institute my plan with impunity.

"In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck

I'd do two things:

 

1. build/renovate some new office space along rail corridors in downtown, Ohio City and along the Healthline.

 

2. provide low interest loans to top-notch MBA students from around the country so that they could start new companies in Cleveland. The terms of the loan would maintain for myself a 51% interest in the company so that I could keep any successful new businesses in the City of Cleveland.

KJP, be sure to hire Sam Miller

I'd buy the next mayoral election, pay off all the councilpersons to agree with me, and then I'd go Rupert Murdoch and buy the Plain Dealer, television stations and news radio stations to run all the political content I want.

 

Then I would institute my plan with impunity.

 

I think you may just have a future career in PR/Communications.

Cue the PollyAnna picture, but I think this is a situation where you have to look at the glass half full, or even quarter full.  Sure a lot of the students screwed up, but a lot did not.

Just a guess, but some of the students who are doing well may not have had that opportunity unless it was for this scholarship.  So the choice is, do you complain about the "wasted money" for the kids who did not go so well thier first time in school, or do we rejoice that some are doing well.

 

Education is key to breaking poverty. 

Cue the PollyAnna picture, but I think this is a situation where you have to look at the glass half full, or even quarter full.  Sure a lot of the students screwed up, but a lot did not.

Just a guess, but some of the students who are doing well may not have had that opportunity unless it was for this scholarship.  So the choice is, do you complain about the "wasted money" for the kids who did not go so well thier first time in school, or do we rejoice that some are doing well.

 

Education is key to breaking poverty. 

 

I think that's definitely the way to look at it.  While every effort should be made to help these kids get prepared for the rigors of college, there's only so much that this program can do. 

 

Something else to think about- I would guess that the majority of those who drop out because they're unprepared would do it after their first year.  Those that make it through have probably figured out how much effort it's going to take to succeed in school, and have shown that they can do it.  Now we have just over 200 more CMSD grads in college that might not have otherwise been able to afford it, and chances are a large percentage of those 200 are now going to finish their degree either at Tri-C or elsewhere.    :clap:

 

I also have to wonder what typical dropout rates are at community or public colleges around the state (or if those numbers are even meaningful, given the large number of non-traditional students that enroll at such schools.)

Cue the PollyAnna picture, but I think this is a situation where you have to look at the glass half full, or even quarter full.  Sure a lot of the students screwed up, but a lot did not.

Just a guess, but some of the students who are doing well may not have had that opportunity unless it was for this scholarship.  So the choice is, do you complain about the "wasted money" for the kids who did not go so well thier first time in school, or do we rejoice that some are doing well.

 

Education is key to breaking poverty. 

 

I went to high school and college with a lot of kids from upper middle class and upper class families who were "potential superstars" or "destined for greatness".  And I know kids from - what we would classify as impoverished - backgrounds that are doing amazing things.  It's not always where come from but where you're going.

KJP, be sure to hire Sam Miller

 

I wouldn't need to. If I had the resources to improve Cleveland the way I want, he would be licking my knee-caps the moment my entourage and I walked into the room.

 

But among the programs I would institute is a cultural exchange program between Cleveland city school kids and those in the suburbs. And if you think I'm joking, I'm not. The inner-city kids need to understand there are better social models and environments for behaving, parenting, performing, excelling, respecting and achieving. But the suburbs are unfortunately held up as an ideal and have become irrationally overprotective, in my opinion, to the point that it is stifling young people. The suburban kids and their parents need to understand that most inner-city residents aren't criminals, druggies, gang-bangers, father-less, lazy or otherwise self-destructive. Many suburbanites falsely believe that inner-city residents either don't care anymore about their communities or can't wait to get out and go live in the suburbs. They are a victim of neglect and have lived in a setting where the odds are against success. I know I'm dealing in stereotypes here and that's the problem that has to be addressed by such a cultural exchange program.

 

And if people think that such a program would never happen because of the fears on both sides, then that's all more reason why it's needed.

"In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck

KJP, be sure to hire Sam Miller

 

I wouldn't need to. If I had the resources to improve Cleveland the way I want, he would be licking my knee-caps the moment my entourage and I walked into the room.

 

But among the programs I would institute is a cultural exchange program between Cleveland city school kids and those in the suburbs. And if you think I'm joking, I'm not. The inner-city kids need to understand there are better social models and environments for behaving, parenting, performing, excelling, respecting and achieving. But the suburbs are unfortunately held up as an ideal and have become irrationally overprotective, in my opinion, to the point that it is stifling young people. The suburban kids and their parents need to understand that most inner-city residents aren't criminals, druggies, gang-bangers, father-less, lazy or otherwise self-destructive. Many suburbanites falsely believe that inner-city residents either don't care anymore about their communities or can't wait to get out and go live in the suburbs. They are a victim of neglect and have lived in a setting where the odds are against success. I know I'm dealing in stereotypes here and that's the problem that has to be addressed by such a cultural exchange program.

 

And if people think that such a program would never happen because of the fears on both sides, then that's all more reason why it's needed.

 

Schools had that program.  I wonder what happened to it? I assume it was a victim of participation and budget. 

 

I participated in that in my sophomore and Junior years.  I went to Glenville and South High.  I know Cleveland Hts. & Lakewood had it as well.  I know they partnered with Kennedy and East Tech or East High.  My cousins at Lincoln-West went to Lakewood.  I want to say Brush and Mayfield also participated. 

 

It was interesting to see how other schools operated although. I thought it was fun since I got to hang out with my cousins at Glenville for one week then the next at Shaker. 

 

I remember thinking whatever work they give us is going to be easy at Glenville is going to be easy.  They don't have as many "Advance/Honors" classes as we did at Shaker but (at the time) I felt they didn't go into as much detail as we did at shaker.  Also the course structure was a bit different.  I was taking Trig but I assume in CSD they made kids take Advanced algebra II, which covered stuff I already knew.

 

Note, there are plenty of father less, lazy, etc. peeps in the 'burbs also, but the perception is those parents now live in "blended" families. 

1.  Complete the Emerald Necklass.

2.  Bring the towpath trail and CVSR into Terminal Tower

3.  Put one dozen of T Boone Pickens useless wind turbines on the Lake Eire breakwall wired into Muny Light.

4.  Lure an LL Bean/REI to the back end of The Avenue at TT after completing 2 above.

5.  Buy the Trolleyville collection and run it under the D.S. bridge, down W 25th and back to TT under the Hope Memorial bridge.

6.  Run I 90 into 480 a la KJP. 

 

Watch the economy boom.

 

 

Thank God you don't have the resources to implement the above.

 

I 90 into 480??  Really now, that's ambitious!

 

 

OK! OK! I meant 490!

I wasn't aware of that, MTS. But I'm talking having Lincoln-West partner with Avon Lake or Brecksville, or Shaw partner with Mentor or Solon.

 

Having gone to school in Geauga County (Kenston), I consider Lakewood and Shaker almost as culturally urban as Lincoln West or Glenville.

"In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck

I wasn't aware of that, MTS. But I'm talking having Lincoln-West partner with Avon Lake or Brecksville, or Shaw partner with Mentor or Solon.

 

Having gone to school in Geauga County (Kenston), I consider Lakewood and Shaker almost as culturally urban as Lincoln West or Glenville.

 

Yeah but this was the early 80s.  I'm sure there were westside schools involved, those are the only few I could remember.

 

I think it would be a great program.  However would the cultural difference be to much to overcome as well as participation.  In the 1970s/1980s everyone wanted to get to the promise land of the 'burbs.  Today not so much. 

KJP went to kenston?  I went to the only school that matters in Geauga county, Chardon.

KJP went to kenston?  I went to the only school that matters in Geauga county, Chardon.

 

As if Geauga County is significant in the larger scheme of things?

WELL, I could go on forever with this post.  But since I have only 30 minutes before class, I'll have to cut it short...

 

With unlimited funds I would...

 

-Start marketing campaigns regarding the collection and retention of immigrants to the area.  We all know that the city was literally built by the many immigrants who came to start their lives here.  Now the lack of immigration is hurting the city and region.  Immigration made Cleveland what it was, and it can only help in the future.

 

-Let all residents who live in the City of Cleveland go to a two-year college for free.  If they graduate with, let's say a 3.2 GPA, give a scholarship towards a degree at Cleveland State.  Let's face it- the inner-city's population contains a large segment of individuals who are uneducated.  That's not to say that a college education will guarantee jobs (we know the answer to that), but it sure as hell would help foster a spirit of entrepreneurship which is missing in many neighborhoods.  How many BBQ joints, barber shops and salons, and daycares must open before we realize that people are capable of starting more than just these types of businesses?

 

-Start a marketing campaign throughout the Great Lakes states and provinces regarding the region.  It's time we shake this old rust-belt image off of us.  It's time that this city let the nation know of our assets and culture.  To most individuals, perception is 9/10 of reality.  We will have problems drawing businesses and residents here with the same old Cleveland perception which the nation loves to hate.

 

-Start a local marketing campaign regarding regarding the City of Cleveland.  It's time we shake the negative stigma of the city off of itself and let the region know that this is a great city with great resources which can't be found elsewhere in the region. 

 

-Start a true competitor to the Plain Dealer.  Though newspapers are a dying medium, I would want to have a paper which truly tells the news without bias (yeah, I know... impossible) towards projects throughout town or towards any particular political group/ politician/ business .  Having just the PD in this town is part of the reason why we as Clevelanders have a "can't do" attitude.  HELL, WE READ ABOUT HOW WE CAN'T DO EVERYDAY!

 

-Start a marketing campaign towards urban living/ urban design within the region.  It's a shame that some of the most gorgeous structures in the city/ inner suburbs are vacant, vandalized, or being demolished.  As a public, the region has lost its want for good design, and has accepted mediocre.  With the Euclid Corridor, we should not have to accept any design.  The designs along this stretch should be urban, they should say "Cleveland", and they should be attractive.

 

 

 

 

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