Seeds & Sprouts XXIX – CSU to start arena plans, Downtown garage demo, Olde Cedar’s replacement

Conceptual rendering for Cleveland State University’s new arena on Payne
Avenue, overlooking Interstate 90 at lower left. University officials are
reportedly starting the planning process by seeking a firm to design the
new 5,000- to 7,000-seat facility to host indoor sports, concerts and other
events and allow the university to demolish the 13,610-seat Wolstein
Center (CSU/Sasaki). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM

Cleveland State University is about to start work on plans for a new arena, a downtown parking garage will be demolished -- for a parking lot, and one of the oldest public housing projects in the USA along with the old juvenile justice center will be demolished for a mixed-income housing complex.

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Bibb appoints interim director

Cleveland City Hall (Google). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM

Less than a week after Tessa Jackson left her post as Cleveland’s economic development director, Mayor Justin Bibb has found a replacement — at least temporarily. This morning, Bibb named Terri Hamilton Brown as the city’s interim director of economic development. She was sworn in and began work today following the departure of Tessa Jackson on June 15. The city expects to open the application process for the permanent position later this week.

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Erieview Tower project gains potent partner

The dark-shaded Tower at Erieview stands at the east end of the Galleria, as
seen here from East 9th Street in downtown Cleveland. Developer James
Kassouf gained a significant development partner that is helping to make
redevelopment of the tower and Galleria a reality (Google).
CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM

Despite recent departures from the project, development team members assured NEOtrans that the $100 million redevelopment of the Tower at Erieview in downtown Cleveland is still going forward. A big reason why is because the development team has gained a potent new member — an influential Cleveland-based law firm tied into active developer TurnDev and its financing arm TurnCap.

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Bedrock riverfront offices draw tenants

Bedrock’s riverfront development plan for downtown Cleveland continues to
attract interest from potential tenants, including from those seeking new office
spaces at a time when the office market is far from robust (Adjaye Associates).
CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

Because of their cost and complexity, Downtown Cleveland megaprojects don’t usually have a strong track record of becoming a reality. But Bedrock Real Estate’s vision for the downtown riverfront between Tower City Center and the Cuyahoga River appears to be coming together more quickly as time goes on. And, in recent weeks, NEOtrans has learned that several large tenants are in the works for the major development.

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Erieview Tower redo faces setbacks

Redevelopment of the Erieview Tower in downtown Cleveland appears headed
back to the drawing board after two large, proposed tenants have reportedly
backed out of the project. This follows the recent and impending depar-
tures of two major law firms from the property as well (Google).
CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM

Despite winning $23 million in tax credits to enable a $100 million historic and transformational redevelopment of the Tower at Erieview, two major proposed tenants are reportedly backing out of the project. Conversion of the 1964-built, 40-story office tower and its Galleria mall, 1301 E. 9th St., with more mixed uses could be facing an uphill climb with the apparent withdrawal of a luxury W Hotel and co-working chain Industrious.

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Scranton Peninsula then and now

 Screenshot of Scranton Peninsula video from NEOtrans' YouTube channel.

Scranton Peninsula is one of those places in Cleveland’s urban core that gets no love and seems to always be late to the party because of it. While it’s finally starting to see some significant redevelopment, the 80-acre Scranton Peninsula is historically one of the last areas of the Flats to get attention from investors and developers.

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Astro to launch from a Hard Rock

On the ground floor of the Skylight Office Tower, at the northwest corner
of West Huron Road and West 2nd Street in downtown’s Tower City complex,
a new, large and thematic establishment called The Astro Restaurant could open

as early as this September (Google). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

After sitting empty for seven years, the space at Tower City Center that housed Hard Rock Cafe in downtown Cleveland finally will have a new restaurant with a new theme, possibly as early as this September. But it took an invitation from Bedrock Cleveland to consider the site at 230 W. Huron Rd. before the new restaurant’s partners decided to splashdown there.

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