Cleveland’s lakefront: through the Years

 

Welcome to the latest video from NEOtrans. Today, let’s talk about downtown Cleveland’s lakefront. And that’s certainly something that people like to talk about – especially the many plans for improving the place where downtown meets Lake Erie. Unfortunately, most of those plans over the past 100 years have ended up gathering dust on a shelf rather than getting built. But some of them have been constructed and more of them are going to appear on the landscape someday. The question is, what will they be?

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City reveals its lakefront vision

The city of Cleveland’s vision for potential lakefront improvements west
of North Coast Harbor and surrounding a proposed renovation of Cleve-
land Browns Stadium depends on the funding and construction of the North
Coast Connector to link downtown’s core to the shore of Lake Erie, and
conversion of the Shoreway highway into a boulevard (Field Operations).
CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM

A preliminary design for downtown lakefront improvements was unveiled yesterday by the city and its consulting team at the Great Lakes Science Center to advance the project development process. The process would then move into final design, fundraising and environmental permitting so construction could begin possibly in the next two years. But there are some notable differences in the city’s lakefront vision when compared to one commissioned and released two years ago by the owners of the Cleveland Browns football team, The Haslam Group.

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Browns Stadium talks tackled for no gain

Talks between representatives of the Cleveland Browns and the City of
Cleveland about renovations to the existing football stadium and lakefront
development, portrayed here, reportedly have hit reportedly stalled. That is
what apparently prompted the team’s  owners to drop a subtle warning this
week to the city that it could the city leave for the suburbs (AoDK).
CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

At a press conference this week, Cleveland Browns owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam raised some eyebrows with their comments about the current stadium and where the football team might play in the future. Among other remarks, Jimmy Haslam interjected that “The only thing Dee and I would say for sure is we’re not leaving Northeast Ohio.” According to a team source familiar with its negotiations with the city of Cleveland, that remark was a subtle nudge to the city to resolve an apparent impasse in negotiations. The source added that, if the team doesn’t see more progress, it could leave Cleveland for a new stadium in the suburbs.

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Progressive’s office spaces to be slashed

A small glimpse of Progressive Insurance’s huge Campus 2 in Mayfield
Village will become the company’s new headquarters after employees
from other eastern suburban office locations, including Campus 1 on
the other side of Interstate 271 are consolidated here (Google).
CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

All Progressive Insurance employees received a notice this morning announcing that, due to remote working, the company would be slashing the square footage of active office spaces and attempt to sell or lease those it will no longer occupy. As a result, about 850 employees who continue to work in the office will be consolidated into the company’s Campus 2, 300 North Commons Blvd. It will also move the corporate headquarters from Campus 1, 6300 Wilson Mills Rd., but remain in Mayfield Village.

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New CSU arena in play by year’s end

By the end of this year, Cleveland State University officials said they hope
to choose a developer and proposal for a proposed new 5,000-seat arena
on Payne Avenue overlooking Interstate 90 on the east side of down-
town Cleveland (Sasaki). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM

Before the end of this year, Cleveland State University (CSU) officials and their project consultants said they hope to select a development team, financing plan and a proposal for a new multi-purpose, indoor arena on Payne Avenue just east of downtown Cleveland. The arena would serve the athletic and academic needs of CSU as well as the entertainment needs of Greater Cleveland. And depending on the responses from prospective teams, the winning proposal could also include details about developing a neighboring mixed-use district.

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County issues RFP on 800K SF courthouse

The 26-story courthouse tower at the Justice Center complex faces an
uncertain future as a result of request for proposals to be issued tomor-
row by Cuyahoga County’s Public Works Department. It could be re-
built and expanded or a new, larger courthouse facility built elsewhere
downtown. At left the police headquarters is likely to be demolished in
a couple of years, but the historic county courthouse in the background
will likely remain (Google). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

Two months from tomorrow, Cuyahoga County officials hope to get some ideas and cost estimates from private-sector development groups on whether to rebuild and expand the existing, 47-year-old courthouse tower at the Justice Center or build a new one. A new courthouse, which could be built next to the existing tower at 1200 Ontario St. or somewhere else downtown, was recommended four years ago as the least expensive option for providing expanded court facilities over the long term by the Justice Center Steering Committee.

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Reynolds enters Midwest market with local buy

In the first of more deals Reynolds Asset Management is seeking in Greater
Cleveland, the New Jersey-based company acquired the Park Place Apart-
ments on Brookpark Road in the city of Brook Park near Hopkins Inter-
national Airport, (Reynolds). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM

In a move that expands its portfolio westward into a new market, East Coast-based Reynolds Asset Management, with financing provided in partnership with Northwest Bank, announced it has closed on the acquisition of a 125-unit multifamily apartment complex in the Greater Cleveland area. It is Reynolds’ first real estate asset acquisition in the Midwest and the first of more deals it is seeking in the Cleveland-area market.

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City considers re-legalizing the city again

The Farnsleigh Apartments, left, at the Van Aken District in Shaker Heights
was left out of the Transformational Mixed Use Development tax credit pro-
gram despite applying in each of the first two rounds. Instead it found financial
salvation from the city via tax-increment financing and loans. That allowed  the
18- and 15-story towers to start construction last year. Other local projects that
have both won and lost out on TMUD credits have yet to start construction
(Harrison Whittaker). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

The desire for new-build projects in downtown Cleveland led to the creation of the state’s Transformational Mixed Use Development (TMUD) tax credit program nearly three years ago. But in the first two years of the four-year TMUD program, no developers of new-construction downtown projects have submitted applications. As the third round of TMUD will start next week, will a new-build project downtown finally be an applicant — or perhaps even a winner — despite of tightening labor and credit markets plus rising interest rates?

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TMUD round 3 starts next week

The Farnsleigh Apartments, left, at the Van Aken District in Shaker Heights
was left out of the Transformational Mixed se Development tax credit pro-
gram despite applying in each of the first two rounds. Instead it found fi-
nancial salvation from the city via tax-increment financing and loans.
That allowed the 18- and 15-story towers to start construction last year.
Other local projects that have both won and lost out on TMUD credits
have yet to start construction (Harrison Whittaker).
CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

The desire for new-build projects in downtown Cleveland led to the creation of the state’s Transformational Mixed Use Development (TMUD) tax credit program nearly three years ago. But in the first two years of the four-year TMUD program, no developers of new-construction downtown projects have submitted applications. As the third round of TMUD will start next week, will a new-build project downtown finally be an applicant — or perhaps even a winner — despite of tightening labor and credit markets plus rising interest rates?

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Lakefront vision to be unveiled July 27

A vision for turning downtown Cleveland’s under-developed and under-
utilized lakefront into a more enjoyable place will be unveiled July 27 by
city officials. It will reportedly include preliminary designs for the North
Coast Connector, remake of the Shoreway into a boulevard, phases of
mixed-use developments, and possibly some cost-benefit data associated
with a closing and repurposing of Burke Lakefront Airport (Google).
CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM

Although the downtown lakefront plans to be released publicly on July 27 will be preliminary, they will give more insight into the direction city officials received from prior public input sessions on developing the city’s “front porch” as officials call the city’s Lake Erie waterfront. And since these plans are still preliminary and conceptual, city officials said they want more public input on them before refining them and adding more design details to them.

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Seeds & Sprouts 30 – Apartments at Bolivar starting, Slavic Village school site reuse, Glenville apartment to get reno

Demolition is about to begin for the Apartments at Bolivar in downtown Cleve-
land, to be followed by a groundbreaking before the end of the month. This view
is looking east on the now-closed Erie Court, between the Erie Street Cemetery
at left and the development site over to Bolivar Road at right. The single-story
garage in the foreground will be razed while the three-level garage beyond
it will be incorporated into the development (KJP).
CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM

In downtown Cleveland, the Apartments at Bolivar are scheduled to break ground by the end of the month after demolition work. Reuse of Fullerton School site in Slavic Village is in works. And a Glenville apartment building is proposed to be renovated.

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CentroVilla25 project starts

At today’s groundbreaking ceremony for CentroVilla25, Jenice Contreras,
executive director of the Northeast Ohio Hispanic Center for Economic
Development, spoke on the decades-long development necessary to
make the centro mercado, or central market, for Cleveland’s
Latino community a reality (Cleveland Construction).
CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

A $12 million project to redevelop a vacant warehouse as the cultural and business center of Cleveland’s Latino community got underway today after many years of planning and fundraising led by the Northeast Ohio Hispanic Center for Economic Development (NEOHCED). Their unceasing efforts were rewarded with a groundbreaking ceremony at the former H.J. Weber warehouse, 3140 W. 25th St., that is due to reopen as CentroVilla25 in Fall 2024.

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Port Board OK’s $60M Irishtown Bend stabilization

Looking northward from West 25th Street at the planned Irishtown Bend
Park in Cleveland’s Ohio City neighborhood. The view is from the top
of the Cuyahoga River valley with downtown Cleveland on the other
side (Plural). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

Today the Cleveland port authority’s board of directors approved the hiring of an Ohio construction company for nearly $60 million to stabilize and rehabilitate the Irishtown Bend hillside, a project that is being done foremost to maintain the Cuyahoga River shipping channel. But the work also must be done before any construction can start on the 23-acre Irishtown Bend Park in Cleveland’s Ohio City neighborhood.

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Downtown Lakefront projects flow

A ground-level view of the $100 million expansion of the Rock & Roll Hall
of Fame from a vantage point that could someday be in the right of way of
a new boulevard that replaces that Shoreway highway (PAU).
CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM

Several large-scale projects along downtown Cleveland’s lakefront are moving forward thanks to developments in recent days. In addition to multi-million-dollar grants being awarded for lakefront projects, the City Planning Commission approved plans for the $100 million expansion of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Also, a national nonprofit that promotes racial equity revealed it is partnering with the city on designing an inclusive lakefront. And plans for converting the Shoreway highway into a boulevard are crystalizing but may complicate Amtrak’s passenger rail expansion plans.

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West 73rd Apartments OK’d

Nearly 200 housing units could be added soon to a fast-growing section of
Cleveland’s Gordon Square neighborhood. This is a view of the West 73rd
Street Apartments from the intersection of Herman Avenue and West 73rd
Street. The facades of the two buildings “step down” as they get closer to
the street to reduce their street presence (HortonHarper).
CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

After more than a year of debate, the design-review committee of City Planning Commission gave its final approval of a proposed apartment complex at 1321-1357 W. 73rd St. in Cleveland’s Gordon Square neighborhood. The unanimous vote sets the stage for the developer Joe Zagelbaum of Brooklyn, NY to apply for building permits to start construction.

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Bedrock buys SHW HQ, R&D for $48.5 million

Sherwin-Williams’ research center (center-foreground) and its headquarters
(to the upper right of the research center) are both visible from the Carter
Road lift bridge over the Cuyahoga River. This riverfront site is due to be-
come Bedrock Real Estate’s major play for downtown Cleveland over the
coming decades (Google). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

Newly available public records show that Bedrock Real Estate of Detroit paid $48.5 million total for Sherwin-Williams’ soon-to-be-vacated Landmark Building and John Breen Technology Center, both in downtown Cleveland. Although the sale of those properties closed last week, their sale amounts weren’t public available until today. The Landmark Building is currently Sherwin-Williams’ global headquarters and the Breen Technology Center is the global coatings giant’s primary research and development (R&D) facility for another year or so.

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West 117th’s fast-food makeover

Changes are coming for three fast-food restaurants along a short section of a
West 117th Street in Cleveland, across the street from Lakewood. The Pizza
Hut at left will be replaced by an urgent care center while the Arby’s at right
will be razed and replaced with a new-style Arby’s. Less than 1,000 feet
north, a Wendy’s is also getting a new appearance (Google).
CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

The sites of three fast-food restaurants in a short stretch of the Cleveland side of West 117th Street are about to get a new look. But only one of them isn’t going to be slinging its quick, cheap chow anymore. The other two will continue to offer fast food and to make it easy, if not easier to grab the grub and go without having to get out of your car. And all three sites will continue the practice of building single-use structures along a busy thoroughfare whose car-dependent land-use patterns have more in common with outer suburbia than being in the midst of one of Greater Cleveland’s most densely populated areas.

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