Cleveland Public Square’s continuing transformation

Concrete “jersey” barriers were removed from Downtown Cleveland’s
Public Square today in a ceremonial start to the construction of the Su-
perior Crossing Project to improve pedestrian safety on Cleveland's central
commons (Michael Collier). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

Construction started today on the Group Plan Commission’s Superior Crossing Project with a ceremonial farewell to the unpopular and infamous concrete barriers that have stood on Public Square since its major reconstruction eight years ago. But for the next three months, that means some traffic reroutes, bus detours and transit stop relocations to learn.

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One downtown garage down, more to go?

In November 2023, demolition crews were busily taking down the 65-year-
old Arena Parking garage in downtown Cleveland’s Gateway District. Two
more aging downtown garages were recently closed due to their decaying
conditions and many more garages are reaching the ends of their financial
and structural lives at a time of increasing remote work and declining of-
fice markets (Kevin DeFranco). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

It’s a tough time for Downtown Cleveland parking garages built in the 1950s and 1960s. Three of them in particular, each with just over 300 parking spaces or 966 total, are having a rough go of it. One already was demolished. Two others were closed due to their worsening condition. Many other downtown garages are of a similar age and may face financial and structural uncertainty in a weak office market.

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One Hulett may be saved — in Canton

When the Hulett Ore Unloaders were first introduced, they reduced the time to
unload Great Lake ships from several days to several hours,  thereby allowing
a tremendous increase in the production of steel in Cleveland and other manu-
facturing cities. The economic growth that resulted made Cleveland one of the
wealthiest blue-collar cities in the world. Unfortunately, today, funding could
not be found to save one Hulett in Cleveland. These were Huletts in action on
Whiskey Island in 1948  (Glenn Zahn via the Cleveland Memory Project).

Where once there was four Hulett Ore Unloaders, soon there will be none. But at least one of the massive, dinosaur-like machines that revolutionized the steel industry and Great Lakes shipping through high-volume efficiency, now has a chance to survive extinction.

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It’s official: Board of Elections to ex-Plain Dealer building

Cuyahoga County Council will begin considering next week whether to approve
a lease agreement at the former Plain Dealer building, 1801 Superior Ave., for
relocating the Board of Elections and some Health & Human Services
offices (Google). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

Confirming news first reported here at NEOtrans two weeks ago, Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne informed county staff that he will introduce plans to Cuyahoga County Council on Tuesday to lease the former Plain Dealer building downtown for the new Board of Elections (BOE) offices. In a memo circulated today to certain county employees, he also outlined plans for additional real estate moves by the county.

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Cuyahoga Land Bank gets $10M from Cleveland

This home renovation project on West 89th Street in Cleveland’s Cudell neigh-
borhood is an example of the work the Cuyahoga Land Bank does. This latest
financial infusion from the city will help the countywide agency focus its efforts
on three city neighborhoods (CLB). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

Cleveland City Council has awarded $9.9 million of remaining American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to the Cuyahoga Land Bank to build and renovate homes in three wards that include four historically disinvested neighborhoods including Central, Clark-Fulton, Collinwood and Glenville. The targeted wards are five, 10 and 14.

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Metroparks buying more Cuyahoga Riverfront land

On Whiskey Island is a 4.5-acre piece of riverfront land, across the Cuyahoga
River from Downtown Cleveland. The Cleveland Metroparks is seeking
to buy the property just beyond its new Wendy Park Bridge, overhead,
to expand its waterfront recreation offerings (Google).
CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

Adding 4.5 acres of land along the Cuyahoga River is a relatively small contribution to the 1,000 acres the Cleveland Metroparks has acquired in just the past three years. But this latest addition may be one of its most visible and strategic. The site the Metroparks is acquiring is located in Cleveland on Whiskey Island, between the river and the park system’s new Wendy Park Bridge.

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Irishtown Bend Park design features unveiled

Design features of the Irishtown Bend Park include the Coal Docks site
featuring foundation remnants of the Erie Railroad Coal Derrick and
the Iron Power Building, Sanborn Fire Insurance maps show. Such
workplaces employed Irish and other immigrants 100-150 years
ago. This is at the north end of the planned park, next to the
Cuyahoga River and the Detroit-Superior Bridge (Plural).
CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

Tomorrow, the board of the Cleveland Metroparks is expected to authorize requesting a $10.8 million grant from the state to pay a significant portion of the construction costs of the planned Irishtown Bend Park in Cleveland’s Ohio City neighborhood. The proposed improvements and their projected costs are based on designs that were released today.

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