Cleveland Development Discussions (Columbus, Akron, Lorain: lawyer, association, greatest)

[WRnative]

<<This week, Stu Nicholson, executive director of the nonprofit rail and transit advocacy organization All Aboard Ohio, sent a letter to Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority General Manager India Birdsong and the agency’s Board of Directors. In it, he asked GCRTA to consider reviewing options for the future of the Waterfront Line.

These options could include continuing the status quo, abandoning the line, pursuing limited enhancements such as fare-free service or expanding the line such as along the eastern lake shore or, preferably, as a Downtown Loop. These reviews could be included as part of GCRTA’s ongoing Next Gen system planning and 2030 Strategic Planning processes.>>

The key of any project is obtaining federal financing.

<<The study showed that expanding the 2.2-mile Waterfront extension of the Blue and Green lines (Shaker Heights – Tower City) as a Downtown Loop could produce enough ridership at relatively low costs to justify federal construction funds.

In 2000, the Federal Transit Administration looked favorably on transit expansions that had a cost per new rider lower than $20. The Downtown Loop was estimated at a cost per new rider of less than $14.

“That was before Downtown Cleveland increased its residential population by more than 100 percent, saw downtown employers grow with more than $7.25 billion worth of investment, and attracted new corporate offices from the suburbs and other metro areas,” Nicholson said. “And it was well before GCRTA considered replacing its rail fleet with a standard rail car that can travel on any of its five lines, plus future ones.”>>

https://neo-trans.blogspot.com/

The elimination of significant downtown parking as the Sherwin Williams HQ project begins construction should raise downtown parking rates and encourage more mass transit usage.

Similarly, efforts to raise gasoline prices to reduce carbon emissions should raise commuting costs, except that electric vehicles increasingly are expected to be cheaper to operate than internal combustion vehicles within a few years.

[1watertiger]

Originally Posted by WRnative

<<This week, Stu Nicholson, executive director of the nonprofit rail and transit advocacy organization All Aboard Ohio, sent a letter to Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority General Manager India Birdsong and the agency’s Board of Directors. In it, he asked GCRTA to consider reviewing options for the future of the Waterfront Line.

These options could include continuing the status quo, abandoning the line, pursuing limited enhancements such as fare-free service or expanding the line such as along the eastern lake shore or, preferably, as a Downtown Loop. These reviews could be included as part of GCRTA’s ongoing Next Gen system planning and 2030 Strategic Planning processes.>>

The key of any project is obtaining federal financing.

<<The study showed that expanding the 2.2-mile Waterfront extension of the Blue and Green lines (Shaker Heights – Tower City) as a Downtown Loop could produce enough ridership at relatively low costs to justify federal construction funds.

In 2000, the Federal Transit Administration looked favorably on transit expansions that had a cost per new rider lower than $20. The Downtown Loop was estimated at a cost per new rider of less than $14.

“That was before Downtown Cleveland increased its residential population by more than 100 percent, saw downtown employers grow with more than $7.25 billion worth of investment, and attracted new corporate offices from the suburbs and other metro areas,” Nicholson said. “And it was well before GCRTA considered replacing its rail fleet with a standard rail car that can travel on any of its five lines, plus future ones.”>>

https://neo-trans.blogspot.com/

The elimination of significant downtown parking as the Sherwin Williams HQ project begins construction should raise downtown parking rates and encourage more mass transit usage.

Similarly, efforts to raise gasoline prices to reduce carbon emissions should raise commuting costs, except that electric vehicles increasingly are expected to be cheaper to operate than internal combustion vehicles within a few years.

Thank you for posting this. I missed that article from Neo-trans blog.
Personally I would like to see the downtown Loop completed.

[WRnative]

Isn't the 505,000-square-foot, nine-story "INTRO" an appropriate addition to the "Forest City?"

<<The first third of timber—all pre-measured, pre-cut, and pre-glued with a special laminate—will, by next summer, assemble to be the tallest building in the country composed entirely out of wood.

The planned complex—a 115-foot tall, 288-unit residential property dubbed INTRO—the latest from Chicago-based Harbor Bay Real Estate, plans to ride the surge in Cleveland’s luxury real estate, despite COVID-19, while aiming high, from a developer standpoint.>>

https://www.freshwatercleveland.com/...od100320.aspx?

Here's something that I didn't know about Cleveland's once pervasive "Forest City" nickname, or toponym:

<<The inspiration for the name is a reference to Cleveland, describing a highly sophisticated society amid a heavily forested environment in Alexis de Tocqueville's Democracy in America, which contains the Frenchman's observations of the United States in the 1830s.>>

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Forest_City

I never knew that de Tocqueville visited Cleveland.

[WRnative]

Originally Posted by 1watertiger

Thank you for posting this. I missed that article from Neo-trans blog.
Personally I would like to see the downtown Loop completed.

You've repeatedly made your affection for a downtown loop known for years. I've remained skeptical, perplexed about how and where it would be built, unless one north/south street east of CSU is permanently closed, or perhaps made one-way.

Until this minute, I've never considered the one-way option to create the needed right-of-way. This possibility greatly increases my affection for the idea. I still don't know how the new loop would reconnect to the Blue/Green line east of Tower City (will a new station be necessary?), but I doubt this a major stumbling block. Has there ever been an actual plan released for a downtown rail rapid loop?

Anyway, I also was surprised that you missed providing the link to Neo-Trans downtown loop article!!!

[TheProf]

I'm skeptical of the Loop in the form Neo-Trans is proposing which is a long, slow, meandering crosstown surface rail system that crosses several main radial arteries (Euclid, Chester, Superior, St. Clair, Carnegie, among them). Because of this, there would likely be no traffic signal prioritization, which would make N/S loop trains even slower -- hell, we can't even get traffic signal prioritization on the Healthline, the City's showpiece BRT line which rides along Euclid, the City's main street, so how could we expect one for a surface streetcar line intersecting Euclid and the other main streets?

The proposed line zig-zags this corridor mixing Rapid trains with lots of automobiles, and the proposed Loop left turn at Euclid-E.13 sending trains up Euclid a few blocks, would put Rapid trains (streetcars, actually) in the narrow tight corridor of Playhouse Square which is even tighter, now, with the brand-new 32-story Lumen Apt at E. 17th. And then the route wanders south through lightly populated areas in/around St. Vincent's Hospital and the sprawling Tri-C campus, which is far less dense (residentially, commercially) or centrally located as is CSU.

This idea makes little sense to me. The only way I would support it is if, instead of meandering east (along Euclid) and meandering south past CCC, would be to drop trains into a subway under Playhouse Sq, then loop them back to Tower City under Huron Rd (with an underground station stop located under Huron between Playhouse Sq and E. 9th. As we know, there's a Van Sweringen-built grade-separated turn-out (sleeve) from the Ontario Street subway of the existing Red/Blue/Green trunk line to the east.

Even further, Neo-Trans is calling for the Red Line to be converted to a low-platform LRT so Red Line cars, too, can clog-in and navigate this windy-twisty surface/streetcar route... Again, I don't buy it.

[1watertiger]

New 24 story apartment in University Circle (Clevelands second downtown) is approved by city planning commission.

https://neo-trans.blogspot.com/2020/...y-see.html?m=1

[1watertiger]

Here is another article regarding the apartment building plan for University Circle. They’re hoping for a ground breaking in March 2021.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.new...21%3f_amp=true

[WRnative]

Will this facility become a catalyst for modern manufacturing expansion in Cleveland?

https://www.freshwatercleveland.com/...ove121020.aspx

[bjimmy24]

Originally Posted by 1watertiger

Here is another article regarding the apartment building plan for University Circle. They’re hoping for a ground breaking in March 2021.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.new...21%3f_amp=true

Is University Circle ever going to "overflow" into East Cleveland or Glenville. I feel like by now we should have seen a lot more tangible progress in the nearby areas.

[TheProf]

Originally Posted by bjimmy24

Is University Circle ever going to "overflow" into East Cleveland or Glenville. I feel like by now we should have seen a lot more tangible progress in the nearby areas.

It's already happening. Spillover into lower Glenville is very strong; but of course, as tough as things are in parts of Glenville, this section of Cleveland is in much better shape, overall, than East Cleveland, which is beyond life supports...

The lower Glenville area along Wade Park and to the north and west, is very strong, esp along Ashbury and Lee Aves and Rockefeller Park which, in fairness, have always been rather strong, with large old Cleveland Heights-esq homes (less so along Lee, which was really down-and-out but being radically upgraded). But if you go along E. 118th to the north and east up to Lakeview Ave, you'll see a slew of new infill houses built/being built mainly by aggressive local developer Bo Knez (and others), who is sprucing up struggling-to-good neighborhoods on both sides of town. And those beautiful old 4 and 6 unit brick walk-up apartments, many of which were condemned and boarded up, have been/are being brought back to life... check out the below:

20 years ago this strip of old commercial and apt buildings was a total wreck... Today, it's been fixed up and very viable. Many CWRU grad students have moved in.
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.5170...8i8192!5m1!1e2

... ditto re these classic beauties
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.5170...8i8192!5m1!1e2

The photograph of this old beauty is over 1 year old; today the building is close to occupation.
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.5184...8i8192!5m1!1e2

Just across the street (E. 114th), this handsome terrace rowhome, along with the quad next door, are both being fixed up.
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.5177...8i8192!5m1!1e2

Grand Glenville homes along Wade Park
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.5159...8i8192!5m1!1e2

Gorgeous Glenville areas north of Superior near Rockefeller Park (Cultural Gardens)
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.5262...8i8192!5m1!1e2

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.5279...8i8192!5m1!1e2


https://www.google.com/maps/@41.5262...8i8192!5m1!1e2


https://www.google.com/maps/@41.5262...8i8192!5m1!1e2

East Cleveland is a tougher nut to crack because it is in such terrible shape. But there is a tad of daylight... Knez is is now renovating the spooky, long abandoned Hough Bakery HQ into condos on Lakeview Ave next to the elevated Rapid/RR tracks. Just a block away on Wade Park Ave, next to those elevated tracks, Knez is developing an all-new townhouse community. Both these developments straddle Glenville and East Cleveland. Also, on the other side of the tracks (at Lakeview & Euclid), are the decade-old Circle-East townhouses developed between a partnership of East Cleveland's Gary Norton (the last sensible/non-corrupted/progressive EC mayor, who was sadly run from office) and UCI's Chris Ronayne. Those units are holding up well. Another developing Glenville street that bumps up against the E. Cleve border is E. 115th.

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.5185...8i8192!5m1!1e2