CSX makes CVSR downtown extension infeasible

Buried in the underbrush at the bottom-center of this view are the tracks that could
deliver Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad trains to this site for a potential Downtown
Cleveland station. This view was taken from the Lorain-Carnegie Hope Memorial
Bridge. A proposed CVSR station below this bridge was recommended by Bedrock
Real Estate which is building the Global Peak Performance Center at lower left
and owns riverfront land beyond (KJP). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

Except for one brief instruction, property-owning freight railroad CSX Transportation didn’t participate in a feasibility study for extending the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad‘s (CVSR) passenger trains into Downtown Cleveland. But that instruction, described as “a gold-plated” request, forced the study team to conclude that the CVSR extension would not be feasible — for now.

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McCafferty Center site to be senior housing

The McCafferty Health Center on Lorain Avenue in Cleveland’s Ohio City neighbor-
hood will be demolished for affordable senior housing to be developed by Pennrose.
This view of the mostly vacant health center is from Fulton Court, an alley behind
the property (Google). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

Affordable housing developer Pennrose, LLC. is looking to build on the success of its other Cleveland-area projects with its next venture, this time on the city’s west side. The national developer is partnering with Ohio City Incorporated (OCI) to construct a 72-unit apartment building geared towards seniors and charging rents between 30 percent and 70 percent of the area’s median income.

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Sherwin-Williams HQ grand opening set, tower isn’t

Sherwin-Williams new headquarters tower has joined the family of Cleveland sky-
scrapers. But most of the company’s employees won’t join the tower for months
after its official grand opening ceremony which is scheduled for March (Property
of The Sherwin-Williams Company). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

Although the grand-opening ceremony for the new Sherwin-Williams headquarters tower has been set, repairs to already finished areas are pushing occupancy of the tower months farther into the future. Some employees told NEOtrans they don’t expect to migrate over to the new tower until next fall.

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City seeks future TIF funds for Riverfront work now

Bedrock’s downtown riverfront development isn’t just about new buildings, it’s
also about new infrastructure that make those new buildings possible. But funding
for the infrastructure is coming from tax revenues captured from the new buildings,
requiring an incremental approach for both unless future funding is pledged to
move more quickly, which is what Mayor Justin Bibb’s administration wants
to do (Adjaye Associates). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

Mayor Justin Bibb’s administration is requesting an important amendment to the city’s riverfront tax increment financing (TIF) district that would do two things. One spells out exactly what infrastructure work would be done. A second would extend the 30-year TIF to 42 years. And the third and perhaps most controversial is that it would pledge undefined future TIF revenues to start infrastructure work now.

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Little Italy’s Singer Steel has new owner

Singer Steel on Random Road in Cleveland’s Little Italy has a new owner — a local
real estate developer. But the property, used as covered parking, has a steady revenue
stream even if it isn’t developed (Google). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

Passersby took note of a new sign that has gone up this week on the old Singer Steel building, 2100 Random Rd. in Cleveland’s Little Italy. The sign is for an active local developer named TurnDev of Beachwood, leading those passersby to wonder what’s next for the former industrial building that was turned into covered parking area.

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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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