North Coast Waterfront Development Corp. names its first executive director

Implementing Downtown Cleveland lakefront projects that result from a
final version of this vision will be ultimate goal of newly hired North Coast
Waterfront Development Corp. Executive Director Scott Skinner. But his
 first goal is to start hiring a support staff to help him implement those
projects (FO). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

Over the decades, one of the biggest barriers to developing Downtown Cleveland’s lakefront with public and private amenities was the lack of a staff dedicated to that purpose. That barrier began to come down today with the hiring of the first staff-person to lead the new North Coast Waterfront Development Corporation (NCWDC).

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Slavic Village’s Olympia Building to be renovated

Although the Olympia Building at East 55th Street, Broadway and Hamlet
avenues is reported to be in fair condition, it’s actually in much better con-
dition than many other nearby structures in the heart of Cleveland’s Slavic
Village neighborhood. Some of those other building are subject of another
redevelopment effort called The Village 55 to renovate or replace them
(Google). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

Increased interest in reviving historic structures around the mostly intact Broadway-East 55th intersection in Cleveland’s Slavic Village neighborhood has expanded to include the 113-year-old Olympia Building, 3335-3361 E. 55 St. That building will feature renovated apartments over existing storefronts and the preserved lobby for the Olympia’s adjacent movie theater demolished long ago.

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Royal Docks Brewing comes to Cleveland

As seen from the corner of Detroit Avenue and West 28th Street, this rendering
shows the future site of the Royal Docks Brewing Co. in the Hingetown section
of Cleveland’s Ohio City neighborhood. The brewpub is due to open in
May (Royal Docks). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

In a couple of months, Stark County-based brewpub chain Royal Docks Brewing Company plans to expand to Cleveland by opening a location in Ohio City’s booming Hingetown neighborhood. Ohio City is a community with a half-dozen brewpubs already in operation. But with their planned Royal Docks Tied House + Kitchen, the proprietors are confident they can offer something the others don’t.

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Jones Day’s downtown offices on the move?

Jones Day’s current offices are in the first phase of the North Point complex,
a five-story office building constructed 40 years ago. While the building re-
mains in very good condition, the law firm that was founded in Cleveland
is considering its office location options as it nears the end of its
lease (Google). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

Aside from a few rarities like Sherwin-Williams, not many corporate citizens stay in one office building for multiple decades. They are constantly growing or shrinking, their buildings get new owners, their corporate culture changes, or their biggest clients move. Another rarity is Cleveland’s largest law firm, Jones Day, which is entering its fourth decade in the same building, 901 Lakeside Ave., called North Point I.

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First look: new 3-story restaurant-speakeasy downtown

In the new City Club Apartments’ tower in Downtown Cleveland, J’adore will
be a two-level French restaurant above a cabaret speakeasy called L'Ecrin Vert.
The design of the new establishments became publicly available yes-
terday (Vocon). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM

Although the names and themes were previously announced, designs for a new French-themed restaurant and speakeasy in Downtown Cleveland were made publicly available for the first time yesterday. They show a well-appointed establishment with a construction budget to match. The hospitality offerings are due to open later this year at the new 23-story City Club Apartments, 776 Euclid Ave., to offer Clevelanders more le plaisir.

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Cleveland police SWAT building costs rise

Looking east along a pitted access road to Clark Field next to Cleveland’s
Tremont neighborhood is the former Cleveland animal kennel, at left. It
will be Cleveland’s new SWAT unit facility. It is across the roadway from
an expanding Air Products Inc. Cleveland plant and next to the ramps
onto Interstate 490 (Google). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

Plans for converting the city of Cleveland’s former animal shelter at 2690 W. 7th St. near Clark Field into a new administrative and training center for the Cleveland Police Department’s SWAT unit are moving forward. But those building renovation plans are coming at a higher price — about 15 percent higher.

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Downtown office tower bucks residential trend

Soon to lose the name “Oswald Centre,” 1100 Superior Ave. in Downtown
Cleveland is going to remain as an office building despite a weak, post-pan-
demic office market. Its new owner is working to retain and attract new
office tenants, rather than convert the 54-year-old tower for residential
or mixed-uses as has been done to other aging office buildings
downtown (Google). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

Since actions speak louder than words, the rumors of the 22-story office tower 1100 Superior Ave. turning residential are getting shouted down. The louder message is coming from the building’s owner who is re-signing existing office tenants and attracting new ones, despite recent tenant losses and other hardships. The actions are likely the result of a short-term strategy resulting in another sale, however.

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