[MayDay]

Updated November 14, 2009

Link to downtown residential project map: http://www.cleveland.com/business/wide/index.ssf?/business/wide/destinationdowntown.html

2009 Under construction

Avenue District
Location: East 12th St. (eastern CBD)
Mixed use $150 million project (425 residential units + retail)
Under construction
http://www.theavenuedistrict.com/newlayout/
http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/avenuedistrict0906.jpg

Progress as of December 3rd, 2008:
http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/cleveland/1211stclair120308.jpg

Tyler Village
http://www.tylervillage.com/
Location: Downtown (eastern)
Under construction/renovation
Over 1 million sq. feet of space renovated for commercial space and 450 residential units. Located on a 106-acre site, spread over 24 historic warehouse buildings.
Renderings:
http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/tylervillage1.jpg
http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/tylervillage2.jpg

Terminal Tower Restoration
Location: Downtown
Restoration underway
Restoration/repair of 18 uppermost floors - repointing of all mortar joints, relighting tower with new equipment, restoration of cupola. Project to last several years.
http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/cleveland/terminalscaffolding3.jpg

Progress as of September, 2009:
http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/cleveland/terminaltower0909.jpg

668 Euclid Avenue
Location: Downtown
Restoration underway
Conversion of former department store into 200+ residential units
http://blog.cleveland.com/business/2008/06/668.jpg

Progress as of November, 2009:
http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/cleveland/668euclid1109.jpg

University Hospitals Ireland Cancer Center
Location: University Circle
Under construction
http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/uhcancercenter.jpg

Progress as of November, 2009:
http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/cleveland/uhirelandcancercenter1109.jpg

Cleveland Museum of Art - expansion
Location: University Circle
$258 million expansion of facilities
Under construction
http://www.clevelandart.org/educef/cmabuilds/html/
http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/cma5.jpg

Progress as of November, 2009 (tower crane for West galleries expansion):
http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/cleveland/cma1109.jpg

Veteran's Administration Hospital
Expansion including office building, care tower, and parking garage
Location: University Circle
Status: Under construction

Office building:
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1434/1205700808_4ac6c2fa5e_o.jpg

Care Tower:
http://www.vwrl.com/images/lms_vac-Alpha.jpg

Progress of Care tower as of August 25, 2009:
http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/cleveland/vacarestower1109.jpg

Cleveland State University - Student Center
Location: CSU campus
$55 million, 138,000-square-foot student center
http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/csustudentcenterrendering.jpg
Status: Under Construction

Progress as of August 12, 2009:
http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/cleveland/csustudentcenter081209.jpg

Cleveland State University - Education Building
Location: CSU campus
$36 million, 90,000-square-foot building
Status: Under Construction
http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=2289.0;attach=3519;image

Progress as of May 15, 2009:
http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/cleveland/csueducation081209.jpg

Schofield Building (rehab)
Location: East 9th and Euclid (CBD)
Removal of 1970s paneling; restoration of historic facade
Status: Rehab underway

Progress as of August 12, 2009
http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/cleveland/schofield081209_1.jpg



Stephanie Tubbs Jones East Side Transit Center
Location: Eastern CBD near Cleveland State University
Phase 1: Transit Center/Parking garage Phase 2: Athletic facility atop transit center/garage
Under construction
http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/cleveland/stjeastsidetransitcenter.jpg

Progress as of June, 2009:
http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/cleveland/stjtransitcenter061509.jpg

Battery Park
(named after former Eveready plant on the site)
Location: Detroit-Shoreway
330 residential units/$100 million project
Under construction
Video overview - http://www.batteryparkcleveland.com/bpcvideo.phtml
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y44/cbongorno/BatteryParkOverview.jpg

Progress as of November, 2009:
http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/cleveland/batterypark1109.jpg

27 Coltman Townhomes
27-unit townhome project
Location: University Circle/Little Itally
Status: Under Construction
http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/cleveland/27coltman.jpg

Progress as of November, 2009:
http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/cleveland/27coltman1109.jpg

Circle 118
17-unit townhome project
Location: University Circle
Status: Under Construction
http://www.circle118.com/img/images/images01.jpg

Progress as of November, 2009:
http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/cleveland/circle118_1109.jpg

Park Building Condominiums
Location: Downtown (Public Square)
Under construction
Renovation of former office building into 26 for-sale units.
http://www.progressiveurban.com/new_construction/park/
http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/parkbuilding1206.jpg

Cleveland Hearing and Speech Center
$16 million; LEED-certified; 48K sq. ft. facility
Location: University Circle
Status: Under Construction
Rendering from http://www.chsc.org:
http://www.chsc.org/Media/SE-View.jpg

Progress as of July 10, 2009:
http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/cleveland/clehearingandspeech071009.jpg

Chicle Building and Condos
Location: Cudell neighborhood (West side)
Under Construction
$3.5 million project - renovation of former chewing gum factory into rental units, new construction of 36+ townhomes
http://progressiveurban.com/chicle/
http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/chiclerendering.jpg

Steelyard Commons
Location: Industrial Valley (former site of LTV Steel West Side Works)
1 million square foot retail "power center"
Stores open; Phase II under construction
http://www.steelyardcommons.com
http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/steelyardcommons.jpg

http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/steelyardaerial.jpg

Progress as of April 25th:
http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/steelyard042407.jpg

Tremont Place Lofts
Location: Tremont
Restoration of historic printing factory into 90-120 residential units. $15 million project.
http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/gospelpress0906b.jpg

Progress as of July 10, 2009:
http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/cleveland/tremontplacelofts071009.jpg


Tudor Arms
Location: University Circle
11-floor historic residential tower/renovation
Status: Property acquired by developers
http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/cleveland/tudorarms.jpg

Parkview Manor Restoration
Location: Playhouse Square area
Renovation of historic 199-unit residential tower (former Allerton Hotel)
Restoration underway
http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/cleveland/parkview.jpg


Proposed/Canceled/On Hold

Stark Enterprises (unnamed) project
Location: West 3rd-West 6th (CBD near Warehouse District)
Mixed use $1 billion project
http://www.starkenterprises.com/news.php?id=26
Status: CANCELED
http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/starkmassing.jpg

http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/stark0508.jpg

Flats East Bank
Location: Flats East Bank
Mixed-use $550 million project (300+ residential units, 250,000 sq. ft. retail)
ON HOLD - infrastructure work continuing

Massing model showing 24-story office tower, 17- and 14- story mixed use towers:
http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/flatseastbank0508_1.jpg

Closeup of mixed use towers:
http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/flatseastbank0508_2.jpg

Photo of site prep progress - August 3, 2008:
http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/febsite080308_3.jpg

Public Square Tower
Location: CBD
Status: Proposed
21-story office tower
http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/cleveland/jacobsproposal.jpg

Cleveland Trust Tower/Renovation
Location: CBD (Cleveland Trust complex)
Status: On Hold
Restoration of Cleveland Trust tower into mixed-use, construction of new 13-story office tower
http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/cleveland/cletrustnewoffice.jpg

Uptown/University Circle Project
Location: University Circle
Status: Proposed
300+ residential units plus multiple mixed-use facilities; new facilities for Museum of Contemporary Art; relocated heavy-rail transit station.
http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/cleveland/uptownrendering.jpg


Euclid Avenue/Unnamed project:
Location: Central Business District
Status: Proposed
Additional eight stories to existing eight-story building:
http://blog.cleveland.com/architecture/2008/02/large_Tower%20concept2.JPG

Courthouse Plaza
Location: Central Business District (West 9th Street)
26-floor residential tower
Proposed
http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/courthouseplaza0107.jpg

Stonebridge - Phases 6-12
Location: West bank of the Flats
1,500 homes and 935,000 square feet of office and retail space
On Hold
http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/stonebridgeplan0607.jpg
http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/stonebridgephases.jpg

Cleveland State University - Visual and Performing Arts Center
Location: CSU campus
Status: Planning phase
http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/csuperformingarts.jpg

University Hospitals expansion
Location: University Circle
$1 billion building spree - details in graphic below:
http://www.cleveland.com/news/wide/uh0118.jpg

Cleveland Convention Center
Location: Two potential sites (downtown)
Status: Mall site selected; property acquired.
$350-$450 million project
Lakefront rendering (exhibit hall underground opening to lakefront):
http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/mallconventioncenter.jpg


515 Euclid Tower
Location: Downtown
20+ story condo tower atop existing 7-story parking structure
Proposed
http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/515euclidtower.jpg

Cleveland Browns Stadium/Retractable Roof
Location: Lakefront
$90 million proposal to add retractable roof to stadium to expand functionality and attract potential Superbowl events.
Proposed
http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/stadiumdome.jpg

Detroit-Superior Lofts
Location: Ohio City (Detroit Ave. at West 28th)
55-unit condo project
Proposed
http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/detroitsuperiorlofts.jpg

One Charter Place
Location: Ohio City (Detroit Ave. at West 31st)
$15 million, six-story 50-unit condo project
http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/OneCharter.jpg

Mayfield Lofts
Location: Little Italy
Plans submitted to Planning Dept.
http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/mayfieldlofts.jpg


The Cliffs
Location: Along the Rocky River in Lakewood (inner-ring suburb)
$20 million, 46-unit condo project
Proposed
http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/cleveland/cliffsrockyriver.jpg



Recently COMPLETED

Cleveland Clinic Heart Center
Location: University Circle
10-story medical structure/$500 million project
COMPLETED
http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/clinicheartcenter.jpg

COMPLETED November, 2008:
http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/healthline110608/healthline110608_32.jpg

HealthLine/Euclid Corridor Project
Location: Downtown, University Circle, East Cleveland
Implementation of Bus Rapid Transit line on Euclid Avenue, including building face to building face redevelopment of streetscapes, new stations in median, traffic control systems. $170 Million project
Status: COMPLETED

http://www.euclidtransit.org/rapid_transit_system/images/ClevelandStateUniversity.JPG

http://www.euclidtransit.org/rapid_transit_system/images/BRTvehicle.jpg

Photo from July 10, 2009:
http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/cle071009/cle071009_14.jpg


Cleveland Institute of Music - expansion
Location: University Circle
$40 million project, 36,000 sq. ft. expansion including 250-seat recital hall
COMPLETED
http://www.cim.edu/cimBldgTradition.php#future
http://www.cim.edu/images/jointappeal/cim_buildings_strip2.jpg

COMPLETED, 2008:
http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/cim1208.jpg


Stonebridge Plaza
Location: Flats - West Bank
12-story residential structure/Adaptive re-use of existing industrial building
COMPLETED
http://www.progressiveurban.com/sbplaza/index.html

http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=3883.0;attach=637;image
http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/stonebridgeplaza.jpg

Completed November 2008:
http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/cleveland/stonebridgeplaza091207.jpg

Cleveland State University - Parker Hannifin Hall
Location: Eastern CBD/CSU Campus
$14 million project; new construction of new administration building and renovation of one of the original "Millionaires Row" mansions.
http://www.csuohio.edu/architect/projects/images/parker_west_web.jpg
COMPLETED

Completed:
http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/cleveland/csuparkerhannifinfinal.jpg

Tremont Pointe (former Valleyview Estates)
Location: Tremont
Redevelopment of post-war low-income housing into 200+ mixed-rate residential units.
Status: Under Construction
http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/valleyviewsiteplan.jpg

http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/cleveland/tremontpointe110907.jpg

Park Lane Villa
Location: University Circle
Status: COMPLETED
Restoration of historic hotel in 56 luxury residential units and construction of four new townhomes.

Progress as of Sept. 2007:
http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/parklanevilla0907.jpg


West 7th Townhomes
Location: Tremont
5-unit new construction
Status: COMPLETED
Image courtesy of andrew0816 from urbanohio.com:
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d61/andrew0816/1%20Night%20in%20Cleveland/IMG_1244.jpg

Pinnacle
Location: Downtown (Warehouse District)
14 story (3 levels of parking, 11 condo levels) residential tower
Completed 2006
http://www.pinnacle701.com
http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/pinnacle052006.jpg

Case Western Reserve University - Village at 115
Location: University Circle
$126 million college residential project, LEED-certified
Completed late 2005
http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/casevillage7.jpg

Cleveland State University - Fenn Tower
Location: Eastern CBD
Renovation/re-use of 21-story tower built in 1930 into 438-unit college dormitory.
Completed August 2006
http://www.csuohio.edu/architect/projects/lf-0402.html

Finished photos:
http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/cleveland/fenn06_14.jpg

http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/cleveland/fenn06_13.jpg

Lola Bistro
Location: Downtown, East 4th Street
$1.7 million flagship restaurant for celebrity chef Michael Symon
Status: Completed - Open for business 9/25/06
http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/lola071506.jpg

[DallasTexan]

Awesome. I can't wait to be in CLE tonight.

[DIESELPOLO]

Cleveland's Pretty Cool. Was There For About 2 Hours For Lunch On The Way Back From Memphis. Um...and The Projects Look Pretty Good As Well.

[oLeG]

i don't really like the project... I'll visit Clevland in about a month and will see what they are biulding there with my own eyes

[colemonkee]

I like a lot of these. They're not tall, but their dense and the design seems solid. Though they could limit the number of proposed buildings with curved pitched roofs. I think I saw at least four.

[WesternGulf]

I'll take the Avenue District and the "unnamed" project anyday over skyscrapers. Great projects so far.

[PA Pride]

Cleveland is on a roll. Lots of nice projects going on their.

[mSeattle]

Colemonkee, I think the curved roof of the four projects will be a nice alternative to flat roofing that already exists throughout the city.

[MayDay]

Well, the curved pitched roofline is somewhat of a trend right now - plus it's practical, given Cleveland having substantial snowfall.

[wanderer34]

The Avenue District looks okay, and I'm not sure about the Flats project, but I'm not feeling the Steelyard Commons at all. It's just another glorified shooping center, if you ask me. Pittsburgh continually changes it's image by the minute while Cleveland makes another pinhole on a sinking ship. That's what I don't like about it.

[MayDay]

Thanks - this is thread is about projects in Cleveland. No one cares what you like about Pittsburgh - really, we don't. You're a broken record - get some new material.

http://redwing.hutman.net/~mreed/warriorshtm/newbie.htm

[wrabbit]

Wow, MayDay, nice job on the rundown. Thanks. Most of these projects are really sharp. The Flats East project is a bit of a shocker, though - an extreme makeover.

Saw the Pinnacle on my last visit to town, and it looks great in person - clean, modern, well detailed. Hope the trend continues!

[Awkab]

The Pinnacle reminds me of the type of flats that are being built all over South Africa at the moment...I'm fan of the architecture as well. It looks sleek and modern, and I think it always looks interesting when juxtaposed with earlier architectual styles.

[Suburban Lou]

Thanks for the thread MayDay, Cleveland is on a roll.

[Dracmus]

good job. i was considering making a compilation thread for cleveland but i had no clue where to start. although many are not above 20 stories...i do think cleveland needs to get building again. now if they would only build the ameritrust tower it would be perfect...

[ItsConanOBrien]

Go Cleveland!

[JBinCalgary]

some great projects that are really gonna improve the downtown, moreso than it is now! imo

thanks for the updates mayday

[DallasTexan]

MayDay, which convention proposal do you like best?

[MayDay]

I prefer the lakefront proposal for several reasons - it lends itself to further expansion towards the lake; it's a much less intrusive structure; and the fact that Forest City Enterprises retracted their riverfront proposal and then presented it again makes me question their motives. I should also mention that the new housing/construction in the lower portion of the Tower City/Riverfront proposal (across the river from Terminal Tower) is no longer a component.

[mSeattle]

Stonebridge Plaza is wow. Now that is imagination. What otherwise (and most any money-grubbing developer) would be constructed as a pure "box" is turned into elevated slanting walls and waves top and bottom.

[zaceman]

wow this is a nice. its great to see all these lined up.

stonebridge plaza is probably my favorite of them at them moment since its already under construction and its a really interesting design.

i like that a lot of these projects are "filling the voids" throughout the city, a lot of these will make cleveland more connected to the various neighborhoods within the city.

[Coldrsx]

some really great projects and infill...another city i need to get to.

[MayDay]

Updated the photo for Stonebridge Plaza.

[Edgewater]

Haven't posted in a long time but I still check out what's happening on the forums. It's about time the Pinnacle has been completed.

I think the Stonebridge development has to be one of the best projects to happen to the Ohio City/Flats West Bank area in a long time. It has really changed that area in a positive way.

I like the idea for the Avenue District. It will finally fill in the multitudes of empty space that has been forgotten since Erieview first changed the area. Too bad the twin towers that were once proposed behind the Tower at Erieview didn't pan out.

As for the East Side Transit Center, wouldn't it have been better to place it somewhere closer to Public Square like at around W.3 and Superior? Since majority of the RTA bus lines converge at the square anyway, to me it would have made more sense instead of by CSU. Plus I think that design would have fit in with the Warehouse District.

[UrbaniDesDev]

This link to the Cleveland Lakefront Development has to be the most comprehensive plan ever developed for Cleveland. It looks great for Cleveland and finally recognize Cleveland's greatest resource! I love how it seems all American cities are returning to center city.

http://planning.city.cleveland.oh.us/lakefront/sept05/waterfront-full.pdf

[tranceclubbinphilly]

Great thread! I was just in Cleveland last week for a long weekend to visit my sister in-law who will be graduating from Case Western soon. I walked passed that Music center project. Lookes like they are converting a 70s era ish blah building into something really modern and cool.

I love the Coventry section and little Itally!

[MayDay]

Glad you enjoyed it - although Coventry is technically in Cleveland Heights which is one of the adjacent streetcar suburbs. If you remember the hill in Little Italy (which is mostly in Cleveland proper), once you're at the top - you're in Cleveland Heights. But yes, the new Cleveland Institute of Music is a big change from that 70s blah building :)

[tranceclubbinphilly]

Cool thanks for the info, I wondered where the line was. I actually stayed on Muraay Hill rd at the bottom of that hill. Love all those cool art shops and gallerys on that rd, have to wonder how they stay in business with such high prices but thats art for you. Kind of reminds me a little of South Street Here in Philly.

[MayDay]

Here's a link to a video produced by the Greater Cleveland Partnership - it shows a lot of the projects plus uses Google Earth to show where they are. Check it out http://www.webcastgroup.com/webcast/window_new/frameset.asp?WebcastID=2190

[MayDay]

Added information for the Park Lane Villa project (under construction), and Lighthouse Landing (proposal).

[Michi]

I like the 515 Euclid proposal. What's the latest gossip on its liklihood?

[MayDay]

It's still on the boards, though it may be a while before it rises because of the Euclid Corridor Project. It'd be hard to navigate construction material for the tower when the street is all dug up.

[the pope]

i didn't know we had one of these threads over here

[Philly-Drew]

Cleveland is lookin' good!

[The-New-Tony-Detroit]

Wonderful Job Cleveland! My kind of developments!

[MayDay]

April 15, 2006 update - pics for Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland Clinic Heart Center, and Cleveland Institute of Music.

[MayDay]

April 18 update: New project at Cleveland State University; updated pics for Fenn Tower.

[MayDay]

Two updates on April 25, the Gospel Press building redevelopment in Tremont, and the redevelopment of Valleyview Homes.

[Edgewater]

What do you think about the current situation regarding Scott Wolstein's plan for the Flats East Bank? Seems like the owners are going to fight the eminent domain proposal.

[MayDay]

The problem is that the Supreme Court's recent decision regarding eminent domain will mean the property owners will be fighting an uphill battle. Also, some of them asked to have their property taxes lowered because of the area losing value. Now, they're asking for more money for their parcel? It doesn't add up and puts a lot of weight in Wolstein's argument.

[SJPhillyBoy]

May Day, Excellent job maintaining this thread. I like Pinnacle.

[Dracmus]

i agree. i am very glad you have this thread. although it will never happen...i would love it if they built the ameritrust tower where one and 33 public square were. (just my 2 cents there)

[zaceman]

Wow i didnt realize how big the Union Gospel Press building actually is. That will be a nice addition to Tremont

[lauderdalegator]

Great to see my hometown getting some cool projects.

I was just up there last month for the film festival. The city and inner suburbs have so much character that whenever I go back I want to stay...well that and the fact my family is there.

OH YEAH! I saw Pinnacle in while I was there and it's awesome. I love the way it fits so perfectly into the historic warehouse context yet it's so modern.

BUT ANYWAYS....I'm really not feeling the steelyard commons crap. It's way too suburban. That should be in the outer suburbs not Cleveland.

[the pope]

lauder,

whereabouts from cleveland

oh, and i heart gothic

[MayDay]

May 10 - Added Lakefront highrise proposal and Parkview Manor renovation

[MayDay]

May 11 - Added Cleveland Browns Stadium/Retractable roof proposal

[DIESELPOLO]

cleveland, a lot of those projects look really nice. great news.

[MayDay]

Fantastic news regarding the unnamed proposal by Stark. The fact that he can market the site at the upcoming ICSC show will really set things in motion. This project would go a long way in repairing the urban fabric of downtown Cleveland.

http://members.cox.net/kenatsun/StarkPhase1S.jpg

Developer gets downtown deal
Stark secures control of land for Warehouse District project
Thursday, May 18, 2006
Christopher Montgomery
Plain Dealer Reporter

Developer Bob Stark has taken a major step toward his dream of building a massive, $1 billion mixed-use development in Cleveland's Warehouse District.
On Wednesday, Stark signed a development agreement for the majority of two large downtown parking lots owned by Weston Inc., a Solon-based developer controlled by the Asher family. The lots cover almost an entire city block between West Third and West Sixth streets, and have long been considered among the most prime - and underutilized - sites in the city. The agreement also includes a small lot at the corner of West Third and St. Clair Avenue.

More at cleveland.com http://www.cleveland.com

[Edgewater]

I'm very happy that Stark was able to get two very prime locations for this development - those two large parking lots on West 3 St. across from the former Ameritrust Tower site and 55 Public Square. As much as many may hate the faux Main Streets of the lifestyle centers (as this appears to be), this development may be the catalyst for an explosion of residential construction in that area.

The news tonight mentioned that Stark was in Las Vegas for the retail convention and he stated that there is some interested parties though no confirmations just yet.

This whole project may entice property owners on Euclid and spur more development that way. I did notice there's a new sandwich shop near the House of Blues.

[the pope]

^i think you are referring to the jimmy johns.

yum

[zaceman]

Developer pitches Warehouse plan to retailers

Vegas conventioneers hear from other locals about projects here

Wednesday, May 24, 2006
Christopher Montgomery
Plain Dealer Reporter

Las Vegas -- If developer Bob Stark was using the International Council of Shopping Centers convention here as a test of his $1 billion plan to remake Cleveland's Warehouse District, then the development looks as if it has gotten a passing grade.

Stark said before leaving for the four-day show that he didn't need a market study to gauge the viability of his project, which would transform surface parking lots into a collection of new buildings with 1 million square feet of street-level retail and 6 million square feet of mixed residential and office space. He said he would know the fate of the deal based on the reaction of the retailers he's pitching the plan to at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

And so far, he likes what he's hearing.

"They all get it, what the beauty of it is," Stark said. "It's not about trying to market your space in downtown Cleveland. This is an entirely new development."

He's framing the project as the best mixed-use site in the country, and he is including in his pitch the eventual extension of a Warehouse District-style neighborhood to Lake Erie on what is now property owned by the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority.

But that's off in the future. His immediate concern is the development of three parking lots along Superior Avenue and West Third Street. Last week, Stark signed a development agreement with the owner of the lots, Solon-based developer Weston Inc., that gave him the site control he needed to move forward.

It's on those lots and several others nearby that the $1 billion project would be built. He thinks it can be open by 2009.

Stark, who was talking about the project here last year when he didn't have any site control, said he has gotten to the "next level of response" from retailers.

"Now they want to know when it's going to happen, and they want me to talk with them in greater detail once the convention is over," he said.

Stark allowed this reporter to sit in on one of his meetings with a representative from a major national retailer on the condition that the retailer not be identified. Also at the table were T.J. Asher, president of Weston; John Carney, chairman of the Port Authority; and Valarie McCall, Mayor Frank Jackson's chief of government affairs. On the back wall of the room was a wall-length photograph of downtown and the lakefront looking east that provided a handy visual reference.

Over about 15 minutes, Stark described his vision in his usual animated style, raising his voice and using his hands. He pointed out the strong show of government support at the table and stressed the agreement with Asher, whose family controls Weston.

The meeting ended with the representative inviting Stark to meet with one of the retailer's top executives, an invitation that Stark called a "home run." And that's the way most of his meetings have played out.

"We're in a market that many people have redlined, and we always hear about how Cleveland is dead," Stark said. "What the response I'm getting tells me is that not only are we not dead, but if we create the right concept and place, people will be willing to come here."

Asher said he thinks it has helped that he and Carney have attended many of the meetings.

"I think it brings a lot of confidence and cohesiveness to the plan," Asher said. "Retailers can look at us and know that we wouldn't be spending our time on this unless we thought it was worthwhile."

Carney said he is there to assure retailers that the Port Authority board has considered Stark's plan and is "working with him to achieve it."

Changes that the port would be involved in, if the full scope of the development is realized, include lowering the Main Avenue Bridge and turning it into a boulevard, moving the railroad tracks on the lakefront underground and moving the port operations from their current location.

Stark said the next steps will be to continue talking with owners of the other parking lots he needs and to start to formulate an economic model that will map out the types of rents he can expect for the retail, office and residential space.

[RedCoat999]

Changes that the port would be involved in, if the full scope of the development is realized, include lowering the Main Avenue Bridge and turning it into a boulevard, moving the railroad tracks on the lakefront underground and moving the port operations from their current location.

Any maps/details of this? What is the railroad and main avenue bridge got to do with West 3rd - West 6th development? Am I missing something?
Thanks

[MayDay]

The railroad and Main Avenue Bridge would affect the Flats East Bank proposal (and other proposals in the immediate area), but probably not the Stark project for the Warehouse District.

[Don B.]

Cool thread. Cleveland's tallest proposed/under construction tower is around 20 stories?

That warehouse district plan rocks. We could use something like that for south of downtown Phoenix. Vision! :D

--don

[MayDay]

"Cleveland's tallest proposed/under construction tower is around 20 stories?"

Yep - tallest proposed is the 515 Euclid Tower at 20ish (25-28) stories. Tallest under construction is Stonebridge Plaza at 12 stories (updated photo in the first post as of May 25th)

"That warehouse district plan rocks."

It sure does on several fronts - it will obliterate the largest expanse of parking lots in the CBD, the developer has almost total site control, and he's having a lot of positive response pitching the project at the ICSC show in Vegas this week. Like a lot of Clevelanders, I'm skeptical of mega-projects but I truly think this has the capacity to tranform downtown Cleveland and more importantly the perception of downtown Cleveland. Here's hoping :)

[MayDay]

June 7th - Updates for Stonebridge Plaza and the Cleveland Museum of Art.

[zaceman]

thought this article might fit here too:


http://www.costar.com/News/Article.aspx?id=BBE6EF74488586F14666717E57F3999D
Cleveland Office Market Riding Record Crest
Torrid Absorption Pacing Record Investment Sales


Investors across the U.S. may not have figured it out, but the homegrown real estate community in Cleveland knows a good thing when they see it -- and the Cleveland office market is a good thing right now.

2005 was the biggest year ever achieved in terms of investment sales volume and 2006 so far is outpacing that record.

Absorption is also occurring at a torrid pace. Net absorption has totaled more than 825,000 square feet this year compared to about 695,000 square feet for all of last year, according to CoStar Group data.

The activity translates into a lucrative year so far for the brokerage community as well.

"We do not track by square feet, but on a closed commission basis we are up over 75% for the same five months of 2005," says Jim Gerspacher, president of Gerspacher Real Estate. "The greater percentage by far has been leasing commissions which are up 236%, while sales commissions are up 56% for the same time period."

The office market turnabout kicked off in late 2004 says, James P. Breen, principal of Breen & Fox.

"The effects of the tax cuts that had stimulated the national economy started to finally take hold here," Breen says. "And as decisionmakers found that the growth was sustainable, they started to make some long-term commitments to space, particularly in the past 18 months. In addition, you are actually starting to see a real tightening, as reported by employment and executive search firms here locally in the labor markets. These are all good signs for the office market."

Breen paints an interesting scenario for Cleveland's downtown given the brisk pace of absorption.

"If you look at Class A and B buildings built after 1950 or 1960, the vacancy rates are in the 14% range today, and I think the actuals are a little lower, as some buildings are 'sand-bagging' on their reporting of occupancy levels," Breen says.

"Now if you take the current rate of absorption in that class of buildings and project it out, it gets real interesting, real fast," he adds. "At the current rate of absorption, the vacancy rate for that class of buildings becomes 4% in only six quarters, or the end of 2007, and it goes to zero -- that's right zero -- in the third quarter of 2008."

"Granted these are only projections," Breen notes, "but to run reasonable projections (that don't even factor in any growth in the absorption rate) that result in zero space in that category in only nine quarters or 820 days would have been thought of as unachievable a couple of years ago."

Larger tenants are already in a bind. The law firm of Baker & Hostetler will require 200,000 square feet by January 2008, says Alex Jelepis, an office broker with Grubb-Ellis and whose name is a common sight on for lease signs in windows downtown. Right now Baker & Hostetler has only two existing options, Jelepis says, staying at National City Center or relocating to 200 Public Square.

"Gradual economic expansion coupled with a lack of new CBD inventory has driven demand especially for downtown Class A, which is approaching healthy vacancy levels of approximately 11 to 11.5%," Jelepis says. "Law firms, professional services, insurance and financial services are contributing to demand as these sectors appear to be well-performing and growing in Cleveland."

The city of Cleveland has aided the downtown resurgence, says Myrna I. Rodriguez-Previte, vice president of Midwest Real Estate Partners LLC.

"The city's new Job Creation Grant is one of the attributing factors for the year's expected strong office absorption," Rodriguez-Previte says. "Questex Media being the first recipient, relocating to Fifth Third Center from a west side suburb, and to date five other companies have been approved or awarded the grant."

Rodriguez-Previte and Kevin M. Piunno also of Midwest represented Ashley Capital, the owner of Fifth Third Center, in Questex Media Group's 19,264-square-foot lease. Jelepis represented Questex.

Building sales have surged on this wave of leasing activity in this downtown that fronts the waters of Lake Erie.

The two largest office property transfers in past year are illustrative of what has been happening to real estate values, too.

1. 200 Public Square (mentioned earlier). The 1.2 million-square-foot sold a year ago for $141 million or about $119/square foot. Jelepis was the listing broker on the deal.
2. 127 Public Square. This 1.4 million-square-foot changed control six months ago in an ownership reconstitution deal that totaled $315.7 million or about $230/square foot.

"I think there are a few things driving this," says Alec Pacella, CCIM and investment broker with Grubb & Ellis. "First is the recovering office market. Fundamentals are clearly improving, with decreasing vacancy rates, increasing leasing velocity and absorption, decreasing concessions and stabilizing rents. Bolstered by these positive signs, investors are purchasing with confidence, as the prospects of reaping future rent appreciation seem good."

"Second," Pacella says, "there remains an abundance of capital out there. Despite their recent run-up, interest rates remain at very low levels, which allows buyers to leverage up their already full war chests. And third, supply is catching up with demand."

Cleveland's suburban communities, too, are not being left out of the resurgence. An example is what happened with the 462,00-square-foot Allen Bradley Building in Mayfield Heights. Owner Rockwell Automation sold the property last November for $55.3 million or about $120/square foot. The new owners then flipped the property this past February for $61.4 million or nearly $133/square foot.

Investors have even expanded their acquisition horizon further out from downtown this year.

Cleveland developer Mark R. Munsell purchased a major interest in 13 office buildings totaling 626,000 square feet in nearby Akron this spring. The seller Dellagnese Properties retained a small interest. And while a purchase price was never disclosed, Munsell mortgaged the properties for $73.25 million. Assuming a standard loan-to-value ratio of 70%, the price for the properties could well have exceeded $100 million.

"There is no denying that the market is brisk, clearly bolstered by the Dellagnese/Munsell portfolio transaction that closed a few months ago," Pacella says. "The past few years have been characterized by a shortage of quality product. It seems as this year, the product pipeline is filling and, with the Duke office portfolio looming on the horizon, this trend is certain to continue. So considering the start that we are off to, it looks to me that this year could shape up to be even bigger than last year."

[ArchMadness]

Cool thread. I like a lot of the mid-rises under construction.

[MayDay]

Updated photos for Stonebridge Plaza, Steelyard Commons. New proposal added for Detroit-Superior Lofts.

[Paintballer1708]

Its good to see all the new downtown residential development. There are alot of plans that i like. I think this will start a trend and the city's population will start growing. The downtown population has been growing already at a rate of about 32% since 2000. I cant wait for The Avenue District to begin.

[Paintballer1708]

The city of Cleveland wants to move the Coast Guard, Naval Reserve, and Army Corps of Engineers to a new location and add more attractions to the east side of E. 9th St. The mayor has rather singlehandedly picked VOA's (who designed Chicago's Navy Pier) proposed design, and has tied this $200 million plan to a $560 million convention center. He wants the public to vote on the plans, but has kept City Council in the dark, making the chances of a smooth adoption very slim. Another view. Plans are also underway to restore the old Euclid Beach Carousel, and place it in a new building at North Coast Harbor, just north of the Rock Hall, near Voinovich Park. The building has been designed by van Dijk Pace Westlake Architects, although the design review committee wants the building to be a bit more playful. Cleveland Tomorrow still has to raise the $5 million needed for the carousel. Tickets are expected to cost $1 or $2, and there will be a gift shop and snack bar open to the public. Construction of the carousel is planned to start in the summer of 2001.

http://pages.prodigy.net/karapaul/cleve.htm

[Paintballer1708]

http://pages.prodigy.net/karapaul/harbor2.jpg

http://pages.prodigy.net/karapaul/harbor1.jpg

This is what that planned looked like. I wonder why it never got built? There would have to be some explanation.

[MayDay]

Of course there's an explanation. The biggest reason it never materialized was a lack of funding. Also, it didn't help that the city had recently built Cleveland Browns Stadium at taxpayers' expense and the mayor wanted to add yet another mega-project.

At that time, Mayor Michael White was basically trying to strong-arm City Council into supporting this project which was doomed from the beginning. City Council wisely resisted the mayor's plans because the city was in no position to create a Navy Pier-like amusement park on the lakefront in addition to a new convention center. Cleveland residents were rightfully infuriated by cost overruns at Cleveland Browns Stadium and foisting this on them was a stupid idea to begin with. $5 million dollars would do wonders for the city's neighborhoods but Mike White wanted to plunk it into a lakefront carousel. Remember, Mike White hired people to his Cabinet that had questionable "degrees" from online universities and his bookkeeping was an absolute mess.

[wrabbit]

^^^
Yeah - the new Browns Stadium was never more than a hasty, cheaply-built political solution for White (and looks it, too!) The roof proposal promises at least a partial redemption.

RE: ValleyView Homes demolition - I hope that somebody, somewhere along the line, managed to salvage the way-cool (terra cotta?) mural that adorned the main entrance. I used to live not far from there, and swore that I would pick through the rubble myself if need be should the wrecking ball hit it. Not sorry to see the complex gone, though - it was a deceptively wicked place for something so low scale.

I didn't realize that the Flats East development was to be achieved through eminent domain; when is the state legislature going to act on abolishing the use of this old chestnut for the gain of commercial developers (and BTW, whatever became of Lakewood's lame-brained eminent domain scheme?)

MayDay, once again, the Cleveland rundown looks great - thanks for the good work!

[MayDay]

"RE: ValleyView Homes demolition - I hope that somebody, somewhere along the line, managed to salvage the way-cool (terra cotta?) mural that adorned the main entrance. I used to live not far from there, and swore that I would pick through the rubble myself if need be should the wrecking ball hit it. Not sorry to see the complex gone, though - it was a deceptively wicked place for something so low scale."

Yes, the mural was saved - you'd be amazed just how many people were concerned about that.

http://www.cmha.net/cmha_information/vv_mural_large.jpg

From cmha.net:

"The Valleyview Homes Estate was opened in 1940 and is located in the historic Tremont neighborhood of the city of Cleveland. The original Valleyview Homes Estate contained a total of 582 residential units, a community center/office complex, and a boiler house and was constructed at a total cost of $3,503,539.00. Over the past 20 years, a total of 339 units have been demolished due to deteriorated conditions and in order to make way for I-490.
Valleyview Homes Estate also benefited from the Ohio Art Program, which was a part of the WPA’s Federal Art Project, a depression-era program to provide outlets for artists’ work, particularly in decorating public buildings. On the wall of the Community Center was a terra-cotta mural of the project designed by W. LeRoy Flint and executed by Henry Olmer. In addition, Henry Keto made 24 ceramic tiles depicting the history of the Tremont area. Three large canvas murals were installed at Valleyview, (i.e., one in Management office and two in the Community Building) two of which were by Elmer Brown, an African American artist from Cleveland Ohio and one by Louis Grebenak, another local artist. Cast stone animals were also created and used as play sculptures in Valleyview.
...
CMHA removed and safely stored all of the WPA-era artwork to be utilized in the future redevelopment of this site."

As far as the Flats East Bank - the property owners have not only sat on their parcels and let them rot, they've asked for tax de-valuations in the past. Suddenly, they're throwing a fit because Wolstein (the developer) is offering them less money than they think their properties are worth. If I recall correctly, cities can enact eminent domain for private developments due to a recent Supreme Court ruling. I'm not saying it's the best way to go about it, but I'd rather see something done with the site - and the current owners have done nothing.

The Lakewood eminent domain case fizzled - that was a much different scenario. The developer there had proposed using eminent domain on a functioning middle-class neighborhood (whereas Flats East Bank is all but abandoned, it just needs tumbleweeds). Since then, Lakewood has had some great projects come into the pipeline - all without using eminent domain.

[Edgewater]

Cleveland Browns Stadium - the worst thing to happen to the lakefront since they built the Shoreway. I don't care if the land was already city owned but they wasted an opportunity to take back the lakefront for other uses.

Don't forget the other failed proposal of moving the Crawford Auto Aviation Museum to North Coast Harbor from University Circle. That could have been a boost to the area.

[RedCoat999]

Update on the Flats project, two more agreements apparently made:

http://www.newsnet5.com/news/9452003/detail.html

[zaceman]

hmm in that photo of North Coast Harbor on Navy Pier Steroids i wonder if the ferry terminal building will look like that when(if) it gets built

[zaceman]

West Side Sun News
July 6, 2006

Stark’s downtown plans are gaining momentum
By Ken Prendergast
Staff Writer

Add two more big names within development circles to Bob Stark’s big plans for revitalizing downtown Cleveland.

Agreeing to build in accordance with Stark’s master plan is Rustom Khouri, president of Westlake-based Carnegie Management & Development Co., and property owner James Kassouf, often a partner of Khouri’s.

Although the agreement’s paperwork hasn’t been finalized, the tentative deal would have Carnegie build a mixture of housing, offices and retail on 10 acres of land Kassouf owns, mostly in the Warehouse District. Much of that land is surface parking, including a 9-acre strip south of the lakefront railroad tracks, between West 3rd Street and the Cuyahoga River.

Stark proposes working with multiple developers and downtown property owners, including the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority, to build 1 million square feet of retail topped by 6 million square feet of mixed residential and office space.

The master plan includes developing within a street grid extended northward from the Warehouse District to the lake. Port authority officials said they are eager to get downtown port operations out of the way by gradually moving them to an island planned west of the Cuyahoga River’s mouth.

The Khouri-Kassouf agreement is similar to one Stark recently signed with Tony Asher, owner of 8 acres of Warehouse District land west of West 3rd, between St. Clair and Superior avenues. Stark said he hopes to open in 2009 the first buildings on Asher’s land, long occupied by drab, but profitable parking lots.

“The collaboration keeps growing,” Stark said. “I keep putting together the team. These people are not only property owners, but savvy business people.”

Khouri’s firm has a nationwide resume of building housing, retail and offices, including the kind of high-density, mixed uses Stark has in mind for downtown.

Khouri said he shares Stark’s belief that developers need to think bigger than merely “filling gaps” in the downtown landscape. Past projects, like the $400 million, 380,000-square-foot Tower City Center, which has struggled since it opened in 1990, weren’t big enough to change downtown’s dynamics, he said.

“You need to get over the million-square-foot threshold,” Khouri explained. “The reason is it has the density and drawing power for mixed-use tenants to coexist. Bob’s is probably the best project to date to revive downtown. I’m 100 percent behind Bob’s project.”

For his part of Stark’s plan, Khouri proposes building 500,000 to 600,000 square feet of mixed residential, offices and retail. He said he wasn’t ready yet to discuss a possible construction timeline.

Development plans are starting to run into each other, however. The port authority is seeking to take by eminent domain several acres of Kassouf’s land for the Wolstein Group’s planned Flats East Bank neighborhood. As long as Kassouf owns the property, he said he and Khouri will press ahead with their own plans.

Stark is pitching his downtown master plan to potential investors, most recently a large group of financiers June 29 at Key Tower. Attending to support Stark were Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson’s Chief of Governmental Affairs Valerie McCall, port authority board Chairman John Carney and Councilman Joe Cimperman whose Ward 13 includes downtown.

“It was an amazing meeting,” Cimperman said. “The support was huge. It (Stark’s master plan) has got so much good, positive momentum.”

Stark said he continues to seek development agreements to gain site control for his first phase, notably with Los Angeles-based investor Duane Cameron, owner of 2 acres of parking lots southeast of the West 9th-St. Clair intersection. Cameron could not be reached for comment.

More landowners are likely to be approached soon. Stark said one of those is John Coyne, whose family has a 3-acre parking lot north of the Shoreway near West 6th. Coyne attended some of Stark’s presentations.

“We own some property that, at some point, I imagine Bob Stark might want to talk to me about,” Coyne said. “But I’m waiting and seeing. In spirit, I support what he’s trying to do. But I’m way down the totem pole.”

###






also some interesting news (cross-posted on UrbanOhio.com)

[Paintballer1708]

Are there any new highrise plans for Cleveland? I would like to see some new skyscrappers being built to fill in some of Cleveland's skyline. IMO i think it is to spaced out.

[MayDay]

All new proposals/projects are listed on the first page. Right now, the tallest proposal is the 515 Euclid tower.

[zaceman]

http://www.batteryparkcleveland.com/bpcvideo.phtml

the battery park video rendering of the neighborhood when its complete.

looks a lot better than i thought sans the sterile video game lawns...

[Paintballer1708]

I cant wait till Batter Park is finished. That would be a nice place to call home, right there on the lakefront, not too far from downtown.

[MayDay]

Updated July 15. Added The Cliffs project in Lakewood; Lola Bistro; updated Battery Park, Stonebridge Plaza.

[Paintballer1708]

StoneBridge Plaza is really coming along nicely.

[Paintballer1708]

MayDay, that picture you posted in the Building and Architecture thread of 515 Euclid of the garage was awesome. It seems that tower is really coming along nicely.

[zaceman]

I wonder when they're gonna get started on it, after euclid corridor??

this is from their website
http://www.desman.com/hotproperty/task,view/id,59/Itemid,168/

Type: Mixed-Use
Project Name: 515 Euclid Avenue Parking Garage & Tower
City: Cleveland
State: OH
Client: Ohio Savings Bank

Features: 524-car spaces on seven supported levels plus grade with 11,000 sq. ft. of ground level commercial/retail space, 20,000 sq. ft. ballroom and 240 residential units.

Description: The 515 Euclid Building is situated on the northwest corner of East 6th Street and Euclid Avenue. It is a mixed-use development designed to house 524 parking spaces beneath a 240 unit high rise, luxury condominium tower. It will also contain a 20,000 square foot ballroom and 11,000 square feet of grade level commercial retail. The urban site has dictated an architectural solution conducive of a downtown office building. The structural framing system is cast-in-place concrete with a combination of glass and cast stone panels as the architectural facade material. The pictures above show the completion of the 524 space parking garage and the rendering on the right shows the next phase of this project, a 19-story vertical condominium addition.

DESMAN is the prime Architect and Structural Engineer of Record and Parking Consultant. Richard Fleischman Architects are the Design Architects.

[Paintballer1708]

^Thanks, Zaceman. Now i get a better idea of what the tower is really about. I never really understood what they were doing with it.

[lauderdalegator]

lauder,

whereabouts from cleveland

oh, and i heart gothic

Whoops, I haven't checked this forum in a while. I Grew up in Cleveland Heights on East Overlook Rd. Right across from Cain Park. I have grandparents in Bratenahl and family in Twinsburg, Solon and Akron.

[zaceman]

heres another update on the Stonebridge development.




Lot purchases set K&D Flats plan in motion
Apartment developer, Nautica officials in talks to execute West Bank improvement

By STAN BULLARD
6:00 am, July 24, 2006

Apartment and condo developer K&D Group is snatching up property and is talking with Nautica entertainment complex owner Jeff Jacobs to map out steps the two largest landowners on the West Bank of the Flats can take to prepare the area for more redevelopment.

K&D already has opened its wallet to buy a ¾-acre parking lot at River, Center and Elm streets in order to extend its reach along the West Bank. The lot K&D bought June 21 from Riverfront West Partners for $320,000 is more than a quarter-mile north toward Lake Erie from its 500-unit Stonebridge Apartments and Condominium complex, which hugs the Cuyahoga River.

K&D also has agreed to buy an 80-car parking lot at Main Avenue near Mulberry Street and an old industrial building at 2505 Center St. formerly occupied by Bardons & Oliver Inc. of Solon, said Doug Price, who co-owns the 10,000-suite K&D apartment empire with partner Karen Harrison. Both purchases are set to close in a few weeks, he said.

“If it’s available, we’ve bought or optioned it,” Mr. Price said.

K&D doesn’t have specific plans or timetables for development of the properties but is working with architect Bob Corna on concepts to extend the Stonebridge project in step-by-step phases north on Center Street.

The general idea is to develop parcels K&D buys with a mix of housing, office and retail uses that complement Stonebridge and maintain the fabric of the West Bank in a five-year plan, Mr. Price said.

As part of his development push, Mr. Price said he has discussed with Nautica’s owners steps the two can take to prepare a master plan for improvements to the West Bank.

Mr. Corna said the master plan would include elements such as replacing telephone poles with underground lines to enhance the views, adding lighting to improve safety, and connecting the West Bank more directly with the lakefront and Wendy Park.

David Grunenwald, a vice president of Jacobs Entertainment, which owns Nautica, confirmed he has talked with K&D about ways to deal with traffic and infrastructure to improve the West Bank.

“We’re the largest property owners on the West Bank, and we’d like to see it developed differently,” said Mr. Grunenwald, who returned calls placed to Nautica’s principal, Mr. Jacobs.

Mr. Grunenwald said Mr. Price already “has done a lot without a lot of fanfare that’s changing the face of the Flats and downtown.” As far as Nautica goes, Mr. Grunenwald said, “We’re really in a holding pattern to see what the future brings. Our focus is on the Learn and Earn campaign.”

Learn and Earn is the drive to bring legalized casino gambling to Ohio through a constitutional amendment that business and pro-gambling groups are scrambling to get on November’s ballot.

Under the Learn and Earn proposal, Nautica and Tower City Center would be allowed to establish slots-only casinos, as would seven horse racing tracks in the state. The amendment takes its name from plans to apply some of the state’s share of the gambling take to college scholarships.


Caveat emptor

Councilman Joe Cimperman, whose Ward 13 includes the Flats, said the concept K&D has discussed for local improvements is expensive but credible. He said he expects K&D to execute its plan on a building-by-building or block-by-block basis the way it has built Stonebridge.

However, bringing retail and residential development farther north along the West Bank is nearly as controversial an idea among some longtime Flats business operators as legalized gambling in Ohio, which voters have spurned three times.

K&D and other developers at a minimum would need to have condo buyers or apartment tenants sign agreements similar to those that residents of the newly developed apartments already sign to acknowledge they are knowingly moving into a working industrial and shipping area, said Jim Plotz, president of century-old William Plotz Machine & Forge Co. The job shop is across the street from K&D’s recently purchased parking lot.

“It would be hard” to co-exist, said Mr. Plotz, who quickly added, “I’m not sure I want to hear this” when he was told about K&D’s parking lot purchase.

Mr. Plotz said his family-owned company, which employs 12, likely couldn’t get enough money from Mr. Price to afford to move itself and all its equipment from the 21,000-square-foot building it now occupies on a two-acre site. Moreover, the Flats location is crucial to Plotz Machine to serve nearby customers, among them the Cargill salt mine along Lake Erie.

Still, at least one business occupant is willing to sell — for the right price.

Keith Colton, president of Deck Crafters, said he has rejected as too low an offer from Nautica to buy his building at 2313 Elm Ave. He can run the deck installation company from anywhere, but moved to the Flats 12 years ago because he hoped the area would appreciate. If nothing else, Mr. Colton might add a restaurant or bar to the building, he said, though he added that people in the Flats need to “stop talking and do something.”

Carl Barricelli, president of Ontario Stone, greeted his new neighbor, Mr. Price, with the phrase, “Let the buyers beware.” Although the streets seem abandoned during the day, Mr. Barricelli said, there’s “tremendous foot traffic and gridlock” when Mirage and other nightclubs on the West Bank are busy at night from Thursday to Sunday.

“It’s pretty intense down here,” he said.

Indeed, Ontario Stone alone trucks 85,000 loads a year from its three Flats locations, which need access to the river for ship unloading.

“We’re now talking about where industry is in the Flats,” Mr. Barricelli said, referring to the area where Mr. Price has extended his reach. “We’re not going anywhere.”

To which Mr. Corna counters: “The residents come down here for the excitement of the Flats, from trains to ship whistles."

[Paintballer1708]

The Flats are gonna look great in a few years. All this new developement and plans are great. I cant wait to see what it will look like in those few years.

[MayDay]

Quite a few updates on the University Circle projects (Clinic Heart Center, Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland Institute of Music, Park Lane Villa).

[Paintballer1708]

The Cleveland Heart Clinic is coming along nicely.

[zaceman]

http://www.wkyc.com/video/player.aspx?aid=25280&bw=

a recent video on the new arts district at Gordon Square on Detroit Ave

[Paintballer1708]

^Cool video.

[Paintballer1708]

I have also read some things on the Euclid Corridor Project. What is this all about?

[MayDay]

http://www.euclidtransit.org/euclid_corridor_project/video.asp

This video is a little on the cheesy side, but it does hit all the main points of the Euclid Corridor Project.

[Paintballer1708]

Thanks, MayDay. I got a better idea of the project. I honestly had no idea it had anything to do with the Rapid Transit.

[Paintballer1708]

BTW, does anyone know when the Euclid Corridor project will be finished? Has it even started?

[MayDay]

It's been in progress for about a year - I believe the completion is set for 2008 but don't quote me on that.

[Paintballer1708]

Does anyone have any information on a possible new Cleveland Convention Center? I have heard that there are many new plans for one with two possible locations. I believe its originally location or maybe a place along the river. Are there any up to date sites with information on it. All the sites i can find are from around 2003-2004, its too outdated. Thanks for any information that you can find.

[Paintballer1708]

Does anyone know when the top of Tower City will be done?

[Paintballer1708]

Has anyone heard anymore news on the possible dome over Browns Stadium?

[MayDay]

As soon as there's any news about your last three questions, I'll be sure to post them. I do know that the mayor has chosen not to invest the money necessary to see if a dome over Browns stadium would be worth the $90+ million construction costs.

[Paintballer1708]

^Thanks, i figured this would be a good idea to put a dome on the stadium. This would bring in other events during the winter months, and even a possible Superbowl to Cleveland. I know that the NFL has considered Cleveland for a Superbowl.

[the pope]

^Thanks, i figured this would be a good idea to put a dome on the stadium. This would bring in other events during the winter months, and even a possible Superbowl to Cleveland. I know that the NFL has considered Cleveland for a Superbowl.

how can you say "i know" when cleveland is missing one of the most important criteria?

[Paintballer1708]

^ Because i read about them considering Cleveland before. Read my post, i said the NFL has CONSIDERED Cleveland for the Superbowl. Keyword there, (considered).

[the pope]

^ Because i read about them considering Cleveland before. Read my post, i said the NFL has CONSIDERED Cleveland for the Superbowl. Keyword there, (considered).

keep in mind that the NFL will tell any team that they'll get consideration if they build a new stadium at the expense of the taxpayers.

[Paintballer1708]

^Ya well you made it sound like i said that the Superbowl was coming to Cleveland no doubt about it. I said nothing even close to that. I said i know the NFL is considering Cleveland for the superbowl. Cleveland built a new stadium, one of the best in the country, and it is a possibility that in a couple of years Cleveland could hold a superbowl. It they put a dome over the stadium that chance will be even greater.