Cleveland Development Discussions (Shaker Heights, Franklin, Union: spring, events, traditional)

[bjimmy24]

Originally Posted by Unicorn hunter

I apologize for lumping all millennials together! Was just generalizing from what I had heard from a few.....obviously every group is made up of individuals with various tastes. I hate it when baby boomers are all demonized as a group together!

I mean you are not wrong in the sense that this type of stuff in fact IS common in millennial dominated cities. I just very much regret that fact.

[216facts]

Originally Posted by bjimmy24

I mean you are not wrong in the sense that this type of stuff in fact IS common in millennial dominated cities. I just very much regret that fact.

Seems like the 80/20 rule to me. 80% of a metro must accommodate the cookie-cutter-culture American media pushes. Look at all of the retail that competes with Cleveland/Lakewood/Heights: Legacy Village, Crocker Park, Pinecrest, Independence, etc. I think if you take the 10 mile view, you'll see 80% of any metro follows a conservative business model that is replicated across the states. In some metros, it probably more like 95/5. I don't like it either.

[andrew61]

Originally Posted by Minervah

When I first moved to Lakewood a neighbor drove me around showing me the different and interesting places here. When we passed by a brew pub she remarked how Lakewood is making progress and it's starting to catch up with the more popular cities.

This woman is in her eighties yet she's bought into the hype that every place must look the same in order to be considered as " The Place To Live."

I told her that's not progress, that's losing your identity when you look like everyone else. How many brew pubs, wine bars, coffee shops does one town need? Copycats all of them.

I'm loving Lakewood's new image. I can remember a time in Lakewood when Detroit and Madison Avenues had lots of empty storefronts... and those storefronts that weren't empty often had boring, utilitarian stuff in them such as Dot's, Jo-Ann Fabrics, etc. Downtown Lakewood back in the 1980s-90s was practical enough but rather frumpy, IMO.

None of this is a Cleveland problem, anyway. It's an American problem. In this day and age, this is how you reverse urban decline. I don't see it being done any other way, anywhere.

[andrew61]

Originally Posted by RaisedRustbelt

Millennial here, speaking for myself, bland/simple designs are not attractive to me nor are chain businesses that look like everywhere else. I like Lakewood because of its old character and its grittiness. It one of the reasons I love Cleveland so much. I look at a city that has a lot of this bland architecture and it feels soulless, Columbus is a good example of this.

I like Lakewood for that reason, too... but IMO the old can coexist with the new. (I learned to appreciate that fact during my 20 years living on Chicago's North Side.) I'm glad Lakewood is on an upswing... it certainly beats decline. A generation ago, higher-income residents were leaving Lakewood in large numbers for places like Westlake and Avon. Now, however, higher-income residents are moving into Lakewood, as evidenced by rapidly rising property values. That's good for Lakewood's tax base.

[andrew61]

Originally Posted by bjimmy24

Gone is any notion of beauty, craftsmanship, pride, locality.

I hate to tell you this, but it's nothing new. Those qualities pretty much went out with the 1950s.

[TheProf]

Originally Posted by andrew61

I'm loving Lakewood's new image. I can remember a time in Lakewood when Detroit and Madison Avenues had lots of empty storefronts... and those storefronts that weren't empty often had boring, utilitarian stuff in them such as Dot's, Jo-Ann Fabrics, etc. Downtown Lakewood back in the 1980s-90s was practical enough but rather frumpy, IMO.

None of this is a Cleveland problem, anyway. It's an American problem. In this day and age, this is how you reverse urban decline. I don't see it being done any other way, anywhere.

Good for Lakewood that, even in decline, they elected to hang onto the old buildings rather that go the wrecking ball route, and now those old structures have sprung to life giving Detroit and Madison so much character. I really like Madison, which is considerably more laid back than Detroit, although vibrant and interesting. The Birdtown area, which was once one of Lakewood's few pockets of poverty, seems to be on the 'trendy' rise of late. That's especially cool since Birdtown is walkable to the Rapid.

[bjimmy24]

Originally Posted by andrew61

I hate to tell you this, but it's nothing new. Those qualities pretty much went out with the 1950s.

I have a special disdain for the modern aesthetic, since it comes about at a time when cities are supposedly cool and on the rise again. This should be the time we correct the destruction wrought by previous generations. Instead, we are just continuing the cookie cutter, suburban lifestyle, in cities across the nation.

[HueysBack]

Originally Posted by bjimmy24

Co-signed. I am 29 years old. The emergence of this Any Urban Neighborhood, USA trend is truly disgusting. Gone is any notion of beauty, craftsmanship, pride, locality. I walk around these areas (plenty in Boston- Seaport, Kenmore Square/Fenway, more and more parts of Allston, Kendall Square) and I just feel less human and more isolated.

Columbus is a prime example of a "successful" city that has just absolutely no depth to it.

You might find this article interesting:

Why America’s New Apartment Buildings All Look the Same

It really sucks. Looks like the project next to Westside Market is trying to switch it up a bit by using wood framing and a more inviting facade... but we'll see.

[bjimmy24]

Originally Posted by HueysBack

You might find this article interesting:

Why America’s New Apartment Buildings All Look the Same

It really sucks. Looks like the project next to Westside Market is trying to switch it up a bit by using wood framing and a more inviting facade... but we'll see.

Interesting article, didn't know any of that. I am definitely also down on the Ohio City building too. What a missed opportunity.

[HueysBack]

Originally Posted by bjimmy24

Interesting article, didn't know any of that. I am definitely also down on the Ohio City building too. What a missed opportunity.

You know what... you're right, but I'm also just happy development is happening. Like yeah, that spot deserves something really special and well designed. But knowing this city's (lack of) collaboration/communication between gov and the dev/biz sector, I can only imagine the city planning commission/board completely screwing things up, stalling the project and eventually killing it.

I'm way more bummed about the scaling back (death?) of the NuCLEus project.

The amount of growth and development urban centers across this nation are seeing right now is truly outstanding. The fact there is not more cranes in the high growth centers of CLE (DT, Ohio City, Tremont, UC, Gordon Square, Lakewood) tells me developers are concerned about something. My bet is on a dysfunctional city gov.