Biotech startup moving HQ to Cleveland

Durham, NC-based pharmaceutical start-up Lamassu Biotech announced today
that it is moving its headquarters to Cleveland in a partnership with the Cleve-
land Clinic (Cleveland Clinic). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

A partnership with the Cleveland Clinic has prompted a four-year-old biotech startup to relocate its headquarters to Cleveland from Durham, NC, one of the points of the Research Triangle. However, Lamassu Pharma, LLC, has yet to identify the location of its offices. The small firm hopefully will one day grow into a force for positive change in the pharmaceutical industry.

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Cleveland soccer stadium backers seek $90M in public funds

View of the proposed 12,500-seat soccer stadium from a video presentation about
the project. This view is looking northwest toward Downtown Cleveland from the
south side of the Inner Belt highway (CSG). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

Backers of a long-proposed soccer stadium in Downtown Cleveland have issued renderings, a video and a request for $90 million in public-sector financing to help support a $150 million, 12,500-seat stadium. The request is being publicized now because backers of the project are submitting a bid for a National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) team next month and a stadium is an essential ingredient of the application.

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Browns acquire, razing last house for big Berea project

A tree-studded neighborhood stood only months ago along Front Street at the north end
of Berea. It has been virtually cleared of all homes as well as a church for a large
mixed-use development led by the Cleveland Browns and its owner, the Haslam
Sports Group. The last few homes and the former Serpentini Collision Center,
at right, have been acquired by affiliates of the Cleveland Brown and ap-
proved for demolition (KJP). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

Today, the Berea Planning Commission is expected to approve the demolition of a house that’s the final structure to be cleared for a $221 million mixed-use development planned by the Cleveland Browns and majority owner the Haslam Sports Group. That last house sold for a premium compared to the 43 other single-family homes plus other properties parcels that were acquired for the 38-acre development site.

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Cleveland-Cliffs commits to skyscraper

As one of 200 Public Square’s two largest tenants, Cleveland-Cliffs’ decision
to remain at Downtown Cleveland’s third-tallest skyscraper for a decade is a
relief to its new owners and puts to rest rumors of the steelmaker opting for
a new headquarters site (KJP). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

Cleveland-Cliffs has put to rest rumors of its headquarters leaving downtown Cleveland’s third-tallest skyscraper for new digs by expanding and extending its lease at 200 Public Square. Not only did Cliffs add more space in the tower to just over 100,000 square feet, but it extended its lease there by another 10 years, according to a spokesman for the building’s leasing agent, Colliers International Group Inc.

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Ambassador Theatre building collapses

The south sidewalk and part of Superior Avenue in Cleveland’s Glenville neighborhood
were closed off this past weekend as the former Ambassador Theatre building began
collapsing into the street despite numerous warnings over the past month by city
officials to immediately evacuate the occupied building and take it down
(Khalid Hawthorne). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

Despite multiple warnings over the past month by city officials of a potential collapse of the old Ambassador Theatre building, the building partially collapsed into Superior Avenue while a demolition request was due to be heard by a design-review committee in five days. Officials had instead urged an emergency evacuation of the occupied building and an expedited demolition.

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A ‘skinny-tall’ may rise in University Circle

Behind the historic Monmouth Building, seen here at center along Euclid Avenue
and East 116th Street in University Circle, a skinny but taller apartment building
may rise. WXZ Development of Fairview Park is planning to invest nearly $15
million in the project (Google). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

A local company with much development experience intends to deliver 52 apartments and multiple retail spaces among two buildings — an historic structure and a new building up to nine stories high at 11619 Euclid Ave. in Cleveland’s University Circle. WXZ Development Inc. of Fairview Park intends to build the new mixed-use structure on a tiny parking lot behind a renovated, landmark Monmouth Building.

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Differing views, values on Downtown Lakefront causing Browns to consider Brook Park

Cleveland Browns Stadium sets on 30 acres of prime downtown lakefront land,
but for how long? City officials and Browns ownership have differing views on
how the land around the stadium should be used, prompting the Haslams to look
elsewhere for its next home venue. City officials seem okay with that (Google).
CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

As the old saying goes, “Show me your budget — I will tell you what you value.” Along those same lines, if you want to know what Cleveland city officials vs. the owners of the Cleveland Browns want from their returns on investment in the lakefront, show me your actions, not your words.

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Ohio City is first site for Whalen’s new venture

Dan Whalen, after 12 years of working for others in real estate, the former
quarterback at Willoughby South High School, Case Western Reserve
University and Cleveland Gladiators will now be quarterbacking his own
real estate firm (LinkedIn). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

What does a quarterback like to do? Run a winning team and call his own plays. With that, Cleveland-area native and former pro football quarterback Dan Whalen is taking the snap from center this week and launching his own real estate development and investment firm — Places Development. Not only is the new firm based in Cleveland, Whalen said much of his business focus will be on Cleveland.

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CSU students: Here’s how to get the Waterfront Line on track…

An outbound Waterfront Line train passes recent developments at Flats East Bank
on Labor Day weekend in 2018. More transit-supportive development is needed
along the Waterfront Line, especially affordable housing and commercial tenants
like grocers, basic clothing stores and health care providers (KJP).
CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

When a group of 16 urban planning graduate students from Cleveland State University (CSU) took a critical look at the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority’s (GCRTA) light-rail Waterfront Line, they unsurprisingly found a number of things lacking. But there were some surprises discovered during their research that could boost ridership if addressed effectively.

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Bridgeworks eyes late-summer groundbreaking

A seven-story Bridgeworks moved a step closer to construction after the city’s
board of zoning appeals re-granted two variances that had expired from the
prior plan which was for a 15-story mixed-use building at the west end of the
Detroit-Superior Bridge (GLSD). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

A representative of a development partnership told the city’s Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) yesterday that the long-awaited Bridgeworks development in Cleveland’s Ohio City’s neighborhood could “hopefully” see a groundbreaking ceremony by late summer. But there are still a few more hurdles to clear before that happens, including an appearance before the city’s Landmarks Commission in the coming weeks.

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Cleveland: a target of rail competitors?

At top, a Brightline train departs Miami Central Station for Orlando while, at
bottom, an Amtrak train departs Chicago Union Station for Milwaukee. The 79-
125 mph Brightline train, one of 16 per day in each direction, is supported by
revenues from station-area developments. The 79 mph Amtrak train, one of
eight in each direction, is sponsored by the states of Illinois and Wisconsin (Fred
Grimm/VisitFlorida, Illinois DOT). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

Last week, two things happened in the rail world that are probably related. They have been brewing in the background for a while, but they finally appeared in public almost simultaneously. Federal corporation Amtrak and private-sector company Brightline showed their hands that they may compete for Ohio passenger rail expansions and real estate developments. And Cleveland may end up the winner.

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Growing industry moving to Cleveland

This abandoned towing business on Train Avenue at West 30th Street is proposed to
be demolished for a new two-story office building and fabrication plant for Sixth
City Glazing, a growing company that began only six years ago in suburban
North Royalton (Google). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

Along a Cleveland street known historically for dumping everything from trash to murder victims, a long-neglected property is about to gain something almost priceless — a future. On Train Avenue in the city’s Clark-Fulton neighborhood, a truck terminal turned junk yard, infested with weeds, littered with abandoned vehicles and tagged with graffiti, is due to be replaced by a growing glass-glazing business and nearly 20 jobs from the suburbs.

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Brook Park stadium rendering confirmed real

Northward-looking rendering of Cleveland Browns’ proposed domed stadium
in Brook Park. This image was brightened up a bit from the original so
that more ground-level details could be seen (anonymous).
CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM. 

NEOtrans has secured a copy of a rendering showing the proposed multipurpose domed stadium sought by the owner of the Cleveland Browns football team in the Cleveland suburb of Brook Park. NEOtrans has confirmed from two of its best stadium sources that the rendering is real. The sources were upset at whoever leaked the rendering.

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PearlBrook’s ex-Peaches/Federal store to become RISE Dispensary

Built as the Federal Department Store and later became a Peaches record store,
the light-brick building with the tower along Pearl Road north of Brookpark
Road is about to become home to a RISE Dispensary for medical cannabis.
It is the latest change to the PearlBrook Shopping Center (Google).
CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

Here comes another change to the PearlBrook Shopping Center at the northwest corner of Pearl and Brookpark roads in Cleveland’s Old Brooklyn neighborhood. Plans were submitted to the city last week for a new RISE Dispensary of medical cannabis to be located in a building at 5100 Pearl Rd. that was built for a Federal Department Store and later became a Peaches Records & Tapes store.

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Browns want 50/50 public/private cost-sharing for either stadium site

Are the days numbered for Cleveland Browns Stadium on Downtown Cleveland’s lake-
front? They are if the public comes up with a way to fund half of the cost of a proposed
$2.5 billion domed stadium in suburban Brook Park, as the Browns’ owners repor-
tedly have requested (Google). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

When Cleveland Browns representatives last week showed state lawmakers designs for optional stadiums in Downtown Cleveland or in suburban Brook Park, they also shared something else — a proposed public-private cost sharing arrangement.

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Irishtown Bend work to barge in on river traffic

Before there can be an Irishtown Bend Park, there has to be a stable hillside above
the Irishtown Bend in the Cuyahoga River. Crews have been working since late-
summer 2023 to re-grade the hillside with a more gentle slope. Soon, a steel
bulkhead along the water’s edge will be installed from a barge partially
blocking the navigable waterway almost daily for more than a year
(Jordan Abbott). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

In the coming weeks, the U.S. Coast Guard is expected to establish safety zone requirements for the barge-based installation of steel-wall bulkheads along the edge of the Cuyahoga River at Irishtown Bend in Cleveland. Those requirements will likely result in the daily closure of the river channel to commercial shipping for hours at a time but leisure and recreational boating is not expected to be significantly affected.

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Amtrak seeks $300m for Great Lakes-area stations

 Cleveland’s Amtrak station occasionally sees a daylight passenger train when
one of its nightly Chicago-East Coast trains is tardy enough. When that happens,
Clevelanders get to imagine what it might be like if had normal daytime train
service like its counterparts in neighboring states and a station more befit-
ting a major city (KJP). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

Cleveland and other Northern Ohio cities would gain new, larger train stations from a program proposed by passenger railroad Amtrak to improve its intercity services here. The program, a five-year, $300 million Great Lakes Stations Improvement initiative, represents the first time in Amtrak’s 53-year history that it has pursued such an aggressive development effort for this region and specifically for the Cleveland-Chicago route.

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Downtown’s new AJ Rocco’s reopening in May

Built in 1880 as a saloon topped by apartments, this three-story building on Huron
Road just west of East 9th Street in Downtown Cleveland was added onto twice in
its history to become The American Savings Bank. One addition was in back and
the other was this terra cotta façade that was cleaned and restored to its former
beauty to match the attention to detail of the renovations made inside for AJ
Rocco’s new home and new full restaurant concept (KJP).
CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

If you remember AJ Rocco’s as a coffee shop in the neighboring Caxton Building in Downtown Cleveland, the new AJ Rocco’s is going to be a big change for you. Restaurant-bar owner Brendan Walton and building owner Paul Shaia spared no expense in renovating a 19th-century bank building at 828 Huron Rd. to its Gilded Age glory with all of the rich woodwork, brick walls and metal decorative elements one would expect in a cozy downtown pub.

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Cleveland’s Central-Fairfax: the next hot zone?

This is where Cleveland’s Central and Fairfax neighborhoods meet, at Norfolk
Southern’s elevated railroad tracks near East 71st Street and Quincy Avenue.
The railroad was once a four-track line and had many industries clustered along
it. Now the area is largely devoid of employers and poverty is far above the
national average. City, county and private leaders are working to assembly and
clean properties to market them for redevelopment (Site Readiness Fund).

Cleveland’s Central and Fairfax neighborhoods haven’t been a hot zone for new real estate development since the Jazz Age of the 1920s and 30s. Back then, streets like Cedar, Central and Quincy were hopping with jazz clubs, speakeasies, flappers and gangsters. Aside the many night spots were factories that hummed with tens of thousands of jobs during the daytime hours. Most were tightly clustered along the four-tracked Pennsylvania Railroad that was elevated in 1915 to reduce traffic congestion.

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Downtown’s next crane may be MIA for a while

It may look like Sherwin-Williams’ new headquarters tower and a potential con-
cept for a phase two tower in Downtown Cleveland. But it’s actually the Texas
Tower in Downtown Houston. Perhaps Sherwin-Williams could build a similar
tower for its expected second phase to handle its growing office employment
(Comprehensive Zoning Services). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

While the nation’s employment is high and incomes are rising, in many respects, the slowdown in new real estate construction projects is the worst the nation has seen since the credit crunch of 2008-10. Back then, everything stopped. Nothing new was getting built. Things aren’t too different now unless you’re building new data centers, warehouses or small housing projects.

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