Downtown Flagstar Bank closing; What does it mean?

The Downtown Cleveland office building formerly known as Ohio Savings Plaza
has not only lost its name from its façade. It's also losing its former main bank
branch, now under the name Flagstar Bank, from the building's ground
floor (Google). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

Customers who have accounts at Flagstar Bank’s Downtown Cleveland branch received letters this week saying that the branch will be closing and that all accounts will be moving soon to Flagstar’s Ohio City branch. But the $2.6 billion question is: why?

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Metroparks seeks funds to demolish Flats mill

This massive 22-silo grain mill set between Merwin Avenue and the Cuyahoga River in
Cleveland’s Flats may be demolished if the Cleveland Metroparks can secure state
funding. The former mill buildings on the right side of Merwin are not affected
at this time (Google). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

Since the 1930s, the massive Graft Craft silos have been a familiar sight along the Cuyahoga River, on the Flats’ Columbus Road peninsula. But they may not be around much longer if a planned application for demolition and clean-up funds by the Cleveland Metroparks is successful.

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Goncalves: a Cliffs-USS HQ would be in Pittsburgh

In the 45-story 200 Public Square tower in Downtown Cleveland is
the headquarters and roughly 1,000 employees of Cleveland Cliffs,
one of North America’s largest steel companies. The future of that
future of that presence could be in doubt if Cliffs acquired US
Steel (Google). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

The headquarters of steelmaker Cleveland-Cliffs could move from its namesake city to Pittsburgh if Cliffs is successful in acquiring US Steel, Cliffs CEO Lourenco Goncalves said. But a Cleveland City Hall source today said Mayor Justin Bibb spoke with Goncalves who reportedly reassured him that relocating Cliffs 1,000-plus staffpersons from Cleveland at this stage is just speculation.

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Ohio City building doesn’t survive the weekend

An earthmover works atop a pile of debris that used to be a roughly 135-year-old
building on Detroit Avenue in Cleveland’s Ohio City neighborhood. The house
behind it is due to be razed next. The billboard is part of the same property
which could become a multi-family development site (KJP).
CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

An historic building on Detroit Avenue in Cleveland’s Ohio City neighborhood was there when commuters on the adjacent West Shoreway went home on Friday evening for the weekend. When they went past the site this morning during their return to work, the building was gone.

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GCRTA to upgrade 22 Shaker Hts rail stations

The busiest light-rail station in Shaker Heights is this one — the Blue Line terminus
at Warrensville in the Van Aken District. This station and its new busway transfer
area, along with 21 other Shaker Heights stations, will get new passenger amenities
based on their usage (GCRTA). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

When the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority’s (GCRTA) new trains enter service in the next few years, they will be picking up and dropping off riders at more attractive and user-friendly stations in Shaker Heights. That’s due to a $2 million program to enhance station amenities at all 22 stations in this eastern suburb that was built around its two light-rail lines, the Blue and Green lines.

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Cleveland’s Variety Theatre is for sale

Located on Lorain Avenue just west of West 117th Street in Cleveland’s Westown
neighborhood, the historic Variety Theatre, plus its included retail spaces and
upstairs apartments, is awaiting a rebirth. But it needs a new owner who
can bring the restoration project across the finish line (Cresco).
CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

The Variety Theatre, 11816 Lorain Ave. in Cleveland’s Westown neighborhood, has had multiple owners and uses in its 98-year history. It’s about to have a new one as its owner has put the property up for sale this week.

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Cleveland wins second big lakefront grant

The North Coast Connector, also known as the land bridge, won nearly $70 million in
federal funds for its construction. This view is looking south along the proposed land
bridge toward Downtown Cleveland (FO). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

Today, the city of Cleveland announced that it was awarded $69.3 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) for its ambitious downtown lakefront redevelopment. This is the second major federal grant for the downtown lakefront since October when the city was awarded $59.7 million from the USDOT. Construction is due to start in 2027.

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