East Cleveland: Development and News

[MyTwoSense]

The mayor seems like a good man, unlike those twit council members, and I'd love him to start thinking outside the box. Imagine rich developers buying entire streets and blocks for dirt cheap, then developing enclosed neighborhoods and gated communities like what they have in south africa. Think of how many students, young professionals and retirees would love that access to UC and downtown while having a safe home to return to. A little urban,  a little artificial - that could appeal to a lot of people.

 

 

 

 

I hope that is sarcasm.

[TBideon]

Dead serious folks, but does anyone really feel like arguing this one. Five pages of back and forth followed by the posts deleted and the board frozen. Nah. My point is I like the mayor a lot, and he seems up to the task to bettering the city.

[Grumpy]

I'm more intrigued by selling South African apartheid to the citizens of East Cleveland!

I was thinking more of modern South Africa with its rampant crime and violence.

[Grumpy]

Dead serious folks, but does anyone really feel like arguing this one. Five pages of back and forth followed by the posts deleted and the board frozen. Nah.

If you want to start a thread on the advantages of turning East Cleveland into South Africa, go ahead.

My point is I like the mayor a lot, and he seems up to the task to bettering the city.

He seems to have the drive to get some things done, and the willingness to try something unconventional, which are important parts of the recipe.

[MyTwoSense]

Dead serious folks, but does anyone really feel like arguing this one. Five pages of back and forth followed by the posts deleted and the board frozen. Nah. My point is I like the mayor a lot, and he seems up to the task to bettering the city.

 

I find it extremely offensive.  Putting up gated communities, in urban landscapes, makes those that live in these communities pre "gated development" feel they are not wanted when new people move in.  These kinds of developments do not unite neighborhoods they divide them and instantly create social "labels".  Its a slap in the face, to those who have held on or tried to better their communities with little or no resources.

[StapHanger]

I think the hypothetical virtues of gated communities in EC or anywhere else is an inreresting discussion, though probably not in this thread, and preferable without TBideon's trolling.

[Coneybear]

I know a thing or two about South Africa.  I'm going to be studying there next semester. I don't think we should try to mimic any of their urban trends (outside of some of the dense growth you can find in Cape Town).

 

Actually, I just wouldn't promote the construction of anymore gated communities, period.

[MyTwoSense]

I think the hypothetical virtues of gated communities in EC or anywhere else is an inreresting discussion, though probably not in this thread, and preferable without TBideon's trolling.

 

Agreed.  But for the sake of the thread, can we all agree to move on?  ;D

[Oldmanladyluck]

I have to agree with MTS- gated communities in urban neighborhoods do not mix well- at least in Cleveland (maybe they do elsewhere).  One that comes to mind is the gated community along E. 105th and St. Clair.  Another is the community on Kingsbury Run with the gate running along Kinsman Rd.  Both have experienced crime- regardless of the gates being there or not.  I would assume that new gated communities in poor urban neighborhoods actually makes people who live in them more of a target than non-gated newer developments.  I could be wrong, but that would make for an interesting study.

 

Even in some of the denser, fully built-out suburbs, gated communities don't go well.  One that comes to mind is the one next to Shoregate along Lakeshore in Wickliffe.  Terrible location for walled-in mcmansions while sitting directly next to post WWII bungalows. 

 

Edit: My bad... moving on

[originaljbw]

Gated communities come in different forms... The condos in Lakewood along the gold coast come to mind as somewhere that's also gated; it's just a set of glass doors with a swipe card style system for entrance instead of a fence around the whole building.

 

I think the real question is what sort of new housing/redevelopment are we expecting? Would modern row houses like battery park be desirable? Mixed use multi story (I'm thinking ~5 floors) apartment buildings be more fesible? I know there is absolutely nothing planned yet, but I would like to see some sort of master plan.

 

This is a chance to essentially build a dense, modern inner ring neighborhood from scratch, without a lot of the challenges faced in much more stable communities.  So much has already been lost in most of the city and so much more is in condemnable condition, it makes sense to me to start from fresh plowed dirt.

[Mov2Ohio]

^Personally I'd like to see taller buildings (10 stories+) along Euclid, moving to 5-10 stories as you move further away, then going to townhouses/rowhouses furthest from Euclid.

 

Of course if we are strictly talking about East Cleveland that city has some existing buildings that you can tell at one time were very nice... maybe some of those can be restored.

[StapHanger]

^Pretty sure we're not going to see anything like highrises in EC.  I'd expect to see some more townhouse projects (probably with more public subsidy) but mostly new single family construction.  I could be wrong, but I think the first target area is Lakeview through Wadena on the south side of Euclid.  This area is slightly cloistered from the rest of EC because of the cemetary and is adjacent to the troubled, but kind of impressive, larger lot/house streets beginning with Roxbury.

[Clevecane]

To paraphrase Jane Jacob's, suburban communities with gated residential to not lower crime rates... they increase them.  If you want lower crime rates, create mixed-use communities where people constantly have eyes on the street.  If East Cleveland tailors new construction to mixed-used neighborhoods where people live and work 24 hours a day, crime rate will soon be lower than Beachwood.

[Mov2Ohio]

^Yeah, I agree about the high rises, I was thinking those would fit closer to the Clinic and UH on the Cleveland side of the train tracks, though East Cleveland already has a few significant high rises, so you never know, but those would be way off in the future.

[MissinOhio]

I'm more intrigued by selling South African apartheid to the citizens of East Cleveland!

I was thinking more of modern South Africa with its rampant crime and violence.

 

Have you ever been to downtown Johannesburg?  My uncle was a golf course superintendent in Gauteng in South Africa, I had the honor of visiting Pretoria, Johannesburg, and Durban.  South Africa is a mess!  Extreme income equality, and even in rich places like Sandton, gates are in front of everyone's driveways.  But back to downtown Jo'burg, the CBD's in all of South Africa's cities are extremely rundown and rampant with crime.  I never once felt comfortable in any of them.  Cleveland easily could follow the South African model, isn't Detroit doing the same?

[MuRrAy HiLL]

Feel good story of the day.

Couple restores 1905 home in East Cleveland: Full House (video)

 

Evelyn Kiefer-Roulet grew up in North Olmsted, but she wishes she had grown up in a place more like her current neighborhood in East Cleveland.

 

Evelyn and her husband, Norm Roulet, rescued and updated a graceful and roomy 1905 Tudor Revival off Euclid Avenue. Rain barrels, the herb garden and the dogs, chickens and rabbits are all evidence that they have put down roots, with panache.

 

The couple paid $35,000 for the house and spent $200,000 on renovations. "We could never sell it for what we paid for it, but we have a really nice house," Evelyn said. She is assistant to the director for the John and Mildred Putnam Sculpture Collection at Case Western Reserve University.

 

 

http://www.cleveland.com/insideout/index.ssf/2012/04/couple_restores_1905_home_in_e.html

 

[KJP]

Thanks for bringing us back on topic, MuRrAy HiLL.

[MyTwoSense]

Feel good story of the day.

Couple restores 1905 home in East Cleveland: Full House (video)

 

Evelyn Kiefer-Roulet grew up in North Olmsted, but she wishes she had grown up in a place more like her current neighborhood in East Cleveland.

 

Evelyn and her husband, Norm Roulet, rescued and updated a graceful and roomy 1905 Tudor Revival off Euclid Avenue. Rain barrels, the herb garden and the dogs, chickens and rabbits are all evidence that they have put down roots, with panache.

 

The couple paid $35,000 for the house and spent $200,000 on renovations. "We could never sell it for what we paid for it, but we have a really nice house," Evelyn said. She is assistant to the director for the John and Mildred Putnam Sculpture Collection at Case Western Reserve University.

 

 

http://www.cleveland.com/insideout/index.ssf/2012/04/couple_restores_1905_home_in_e.html

 

 

Thats a gorgeous house!

[Clevelander17]

What can EC do to really attract new residents to the city and make them feel comfortable/safe without displacing or slapping its current residents in the face?

[MyTwoSense]

What can EC do to really attract new residents to the city and make them feel comfortable/safe without displacing or slapping its current residents in the face?

 

It's not soleyly and EC problem it's a Suburban/Greater Cleveland, NE Ohio, Ohio, Midwest problem!

[AJ93]

As the article indicates, I think there is sufficient housing stock available that gentrification is the least of the city's problems. Articles like this, that promote people buying, renovating and then living in the homes, showing what a positive lifestyle choice it was for them, that helps tremendously.

 

The problem as I see it lies in the fact that you have a very small population of people with the means to do what this couple did, and the desire to do it. $200M in improvements isn't chicken scratch, not even including the time/effort for renovating. The end result is worth it, but that's no small undertaking.

[StapHanger]

Gentrification should be somewhere between meteorites and stinging jellyfish on the list of things for EC residents to worry about given the near limitless supply of affordable housing stock in the immediate area.

 

Over the next 20 years (at least) the population of EC is going to continue contracting rapidly, and if money is available, there is going to be a continued demolition binge.  I don't see anything turning the city around in the aggregate in terms of population, tax base, city services, crime, etc.  But that said, it does seem more plausible now that heavily subsidized new construction near the western edge of the city can attract some UC employees/students and others, especially if there continues to be focused demolition and redevelopment there that erases, at least superficially, the extreme blight visible now.  It's also possible that more rehabbers/middle class "pioneers" will concentrate on some of the large lot streets on the south side of Euclid, but I agree with AJ93 that it's tough to count on that.

[MuRrAy HiLL]

WOW...so happy of the momentum and progress!  The eastside is being rebuilt!  Phase II??? oh yeah...

 

nearing completion, circle east townhomes are 60 percent preleased

THURSDAY, APRIL 26, 2012

 

As the Circle East Townhomes near completion, 60 percent of the units are pre-leased, and eight of the 12 leased units have been snatched up by University Circle area employees. This proves the viability of new housing options in the area, says Chris Ronayne, Executive Director of University Circle Inc. (UCI).

 

"This is a great moment in time where the Circle is meeting East Cleveland," says Ronayne of the project, which features 20 townhouse-style apartments that are being developed on a former parking lot on Euclid Avenue in East Cleveland. "The fact that Circle area employees are leasing the apartments means that our Greater Circle Living program is working. Employees can get one month's free rent through this effort, and institutions and foundations are putting money into it."

 

Circle East Townhomes are being built on 1.5 acres of land along Euclid between Lakeview Road and Auburndale Avenue. The $5 million project is being co-developed by UCI and the Finch Group, and partial funding comes from federal Neighborhood Stabilization Funds. The three-story units have 2 bedrooms, 2.5 baths and two car garages. Rental rates are $930 per month, and tenants can earn up to 120 percent of area median income (about $60,000) and still qualify.

 

UCI and East Cleveland are now seeking planning grants for Phase II of the project, which would bring an additional 20 units to the site. Ronayne ultimately envisions a mixed-use housing and office development, including technology companies or services related to University Circle's anchor institutions.

 

http://freshwatercleveland.com/devnews/circleeasttownhomes042612.aspx

[McLovin]

Anyone know any news or info on this development on Euclid and Belmore such as a completion date? Is this low income housing, senior citizen housing etc.?

[8ShadesofGray]

From an e-mailed press release distributed today.....

 

CLEVELAND, OH (November 4, 2011) – Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA) will be joined by the Cuyahoga County Land Reutilization Corporation (Cuyahoga Land Bank), the City of East Cleveland, the City of Cleveland, and Cuyahoga County for a ground breaking ceremony for the Euclid Belmore Building on November 7, 2011 at 2 p.m.

 

The Euclid Belmore Building groundbreaking ceremony will take place on the Belmore site in East Cleveland at 14028 Euclid Avenue which is at the corner of Euclid Avenue and Belmore Road. Belmore Euclid will be a three floor apartment building with 39 units, six of which will meet UFAS, designed by LDA Architects.

 

Looks like it's CMHA senior housing ... Rendering and some more basic info at http://www.cmha.net/realestate/euclidbelmore.aspx

 

Not sure about date of completion, though.

[McLovin]

From an e-mailed press release distributed today.....

 

CLEVELAND, OH (November 4, 2011) – Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA) will be joined by the Cuyahoga County Land Reutilization Corporation (Cuyahoga Land Bank), the City of East Cleveland, the City of Cleveland, and Cuyahoga County for a ground breaking ceremony for the Euclid Belmore Building on November 7, 2011 at 2 p.m.

 

The Euclid Belmore Building groundbreaking ceremony will take place on the Belmore site in East Cleveland at 14028 Euclid Avenue which is at the corner of Euclid Avenue and Belmore Road. Belmore Euclid will be a three floor apartment building with 39 units, six of which will meet UFAS, designed by LDA Architects.

 

Looks like it's CMHA senior housing ... Rendering and some more basic info at http://www.cmha.net/realestate/euclidbelmore.aspx

 

Not sure about date of completion, though.

CMHA were the LAST people I wanted to hear be behind this

[MyTwoSense]

From an e-mailed press release distributed today.....

 

CLEVELAND, OH (November 4, 2011) – Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA) will be joined by the Cuyahoga County Land Reutilization Corporation (Cuyahoga Land Bank), the City of East Cleveland, the City of Cleveland, and Cuyahoga County for a ground breaking ceremony for the Euclid Belmore Building on November 7, 2011 at 2 p.m.

 

The Euclid Belmore Building groundbreaking ceremony will take place on the Belmore site in East Cleveland at 14028 Euclid Avenue which is at the corner of Euclid Avenue and Belmore Road. Belmore Euclid will be a three floor apartment building with 39 units, six of which will meet UFAS, designed by LDA Architects.

 

Looks like it's CMHA senior housing ... Rendering and some more basic info at http://www.cmha.net/realestate/euclidbelmore.aspx

 

Not sure about date of completion, though.

CMHA were the LAST people I wanted to hear be behind this

Why?  This is a Senior housing development. 

[McLovin]

From an e-mailed press release distributed today.....

 

CLEVELAND, OH (November 4, 2011) – Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA) will be joined by the Cuyahoga County Land Reutilization Corporation (Cuyahoga Land Bank), the City of East Cleveland, the City of Cleveland, and Cuyahoga County for a ground breaking ceremony for the Euclid Belmore Building on November 7, 2011 at 2 p.m.

 

The Euclid Belmore Building groundbreaking ceremony will take place on the Belmore site in East Cleveland at 14028 Euclid Avenue which is at the corner of Euclid Avenue and Belmore Road. Belmore Euclid will be a three floor apartment building with 39 units, six of which will meet UFAS, designed by LDA Architects.

 

Looks like it's CMHA senior housing ... Rendering and some more basic info at http://www.cmha.net/realestate/euclidbelmore.aspx

 

Not sure about date of completion, though.

CMHA were the LAST people I wanted to hear be behind this

Why?  This is a Senior housing development.

Just because of what happened with that corruption probe gives me bad feelings about the people who are running it. Also can't other people do senior housing why does it have to be CMHA?

[MyTwoSense]

From an e-mailed press release distributed today.....

 

CLEVELAND, OH (November 4, 2011) – Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA) will be joined by the Cuyahoga County Land Reutilization Corporation (Cuyahoga Land Bank), the City of East Cleveland, the City of Cleveland, and Cuyahoga County for a ground breaking ceremony for the Euclid Belmore Building on November 7, 2011 at 2 p.m.

 

The Euclid Belmore Building groundbreaking ceremony will take place on the Belmore site in East Cleveland at 14028 Euclid Avenue which is at the corner of Euclid Avenue and Belmore Road. Belmore Euclid will be a three floor apartment building with 39 units, six of which will meet UFAS, designed by LDA Architects.

 

Looks like it's CMHA senior housing ... Rendering and some more basic info at http://www.cmha.net/realestate/euclidbelmore.aspx

 

Not sure about date of completion, though.

CMHA were the LAST people I wanted to hear be behind this

Why?  This is a Senior housing development.

Just because of what happened with that corruption probe gives me bad feelings about the people who are running it. Also can't other people do senior housing why does it have to be CMHA?

 

It gives pause, but lets think, just because the people at the top were rotten that doesn't mean the folks managing individual buildings are on the take.

[McLovin]

From an e-mailed press release distributed today.....

 

CLEVELAND, OH (November 4, 2011) – Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA) will be joined by the Cuyahoga County Land Reutilization Corporation (Cuyahoga Land Bank), the City of East Cleveland, the City of Cleveland, and Cuyahoga County for a ground breaking ceremony for the Euclid Belmore Building on November 7, 2011 at 2 p.m.

 

The Euclid Belmore Building groundbreaking ceremony will take place on the Belmore site in East Cleveland at 14028 Euclid Avenue which is at the corner of Euclid Avenue and Belmore Road. Belmore Euclid will be a three floor apartment building with 39 units, six of which will meet UFAS, designed by LDA Architects.

 

Looks like it's CMHA senior housing ... Rendering and some more basic info at http://www.cmha.net/realestate/euclidbelmore.aspx

 

Not sure about date of completion, though.

CMHA were the LAST people I wanted to hear be behind this

Why?  This is a Senior housing development.

Just because of what happened with that corruption probe gives me bad feelings about the people who are running it. Also can't other people do senior housing why does it have to be CMHA?

 

It gives pause, but lets think, just because the people at the top were rotten that doesn't mean the folks managing individual buildings are on the take.

That's true not everyone is bad but I still have natural hesitations about this project. I'm still happy it's getting built though because with the previous mayoral regime you didn't see any development but at least 3 projects are completed/underway with Gary Norton.

[jjames0408]

The townhomes are looking good as well.  I was going to mention the CMHA project was going up, but you beat me to it...wasn't able to snap pics this weekened.

[StapHanger]

Looks like East Cleveland is likely to remove a lot of traffic lights from Euclid in the coming years, including the light at Lakeview.  Great for traffic flow, but not so good for pedestrian crossing (i.e., HL riders).  Hopefully the planners take this into account. http://www.cleveland.com/roadrant/index.ssf/2012/04/study_shows_that_majority_of_e.html

[KJP]

Anyone know any news or info on this development on Euclid and Belmore such as a completion date? Is this low income housing, senior citizen housing etc.?

 

Great to see the new construction. I know it's common to post pics of downtown projects, but construction in the neighborhoods interests me at least as much.

[CLE618]

Anyone know any news or info on this development on Euclid and Belmore such as a completion date? Is this low income housing, senior citizen housing etc.?

 

Great to see the new construction. I know it's common to post pics of downtown projects, but construction in the neighborhoods interests me at least as much.

 

I *THINK* it's a senior community.

 

I'm also excited that a lot of the lights are coming down, especially at Euclid and Lakeview-- NOW.... if we can pave Lakeview so I can have an easy time driving home to CircleEast! Haha

[biker16]

Anyone know any news or info on this development on Euclid and Belmore such as a completion date? Is this low income housing, senior citizen housing etc.?

 

Great to see the new construction. I know it's common to post pics of downtown projects, but construction in the neighborhoods interests me at least as much.

 

I *THINK* it's a senior community.

 

I'm also excited that a lot of the lights are coming down, especially at Euclid and Lakeview-- NOW.... if we can pave Lakeview so I can have an easy time driving home to CircleEast! Haha

 

since the > 50% of the community does not own a car I am not happy about reducing the number of safe intersections those people have to cross at, and as a result increasing the  speed of traffic.

[Clueless,Ohio]

 

Circle East construction...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Across Lakeview Rd, prepping for the next phase of townhomes? (http://freshwatercleveland.com/devnews/circleeasttownhomes042612.aspx)

 

 

 

 

[tradition7]

I am not a fan of those colors but I like the development.

[clvlndr]

That vacant land surrounding Circle East would be a great place for a new Red Line/Lakeview station.  With the E. 120 station moving SW to Mayfield, there will be a large 1+mile gap between this station and Superior.  More importantly for E. Cleve, however, is the fact that this former factory/vacant land would be prime TOD land that could greatly boost EC's fortunes... more, later, on the mass transit/RTA thread.

[inlovewithCLE]

I believe that land across Lakeview is for an unrelated UCI project

[Clueless,Ohio]

 

The power plant?

[CLE618]

Does anyone have a sketch of the power plant?

 

Circle East already has plans to expand the current development, doubling the number of units, most of the new ones going on a new segment stretching north along Lakeview to the rail bridge.

 

Apparently there are plans to develop the abandoned building across the street into a commercial site.

[McLovin]

Sketches and Pics of Circle East Town homes progress...Not impressed so far with the interior shots by the way how many units are there? The site says 20 units are still available but that looks like how many are being built.

 

http://www.circleeasttownhomes.com/photo_gallery.html

[MuRrAy HiLL]

Does anyone have a sketch of the power plant?

 

This is the only info I have on the project:

 

Advanced Energy Facility (University Circle/East Cleveland) -- $270 million http://development.cuyahogacounty.us/pdf_development/en-US/CuyahogaCountyCORFNotice_1.pdf

[ClevelandOhio]

Sketches and Pics of Circle East Town homes progress...Not impressed so far with the interior shots by the way how many units are there? The site says 20 units are still available but that looks like how many are being built.

 

http://www.circleeasttownhomes.com/photo_gallery.html

 

They kind of look dated... Ha!

[inlovewithCLE]

 

The power plant?

 

Yep.

[jjames0408]

More work going on at the power plant site...hopefully we will see some kind of updates soon to see what exactly this thing will add/detract

IMG_2458 by lilblondiecan2003, on Flickr

 

Quick shot of Circle East

IMG_2459 by lilblondiecan2003, on Flickr

 

And apparently the spillover is slowly happening...looks like the gas station just east on Euclid is being rehabbed...

IMG_2460 by lilblondiecan2003, on Flickr

[McLovin]

More work going on at the power plant site...hopefully we will see some kind of updates soon to see what exactly this thing will add/detract

IMG_2458 by lilblondiecan2003, on Flickr

 

Quick shot of Circle East

IMG_2459 by lilblondiecan2003, on Flickr

 

And apparently the spillover is slowly happening...looks like the gas station just east on Euclid is being rehabbed...

IMG_2460 by lilblondiecan2003, on Flickr

That gas station shouldn't even need rehab it was just renovated for the last gas station and lasted only a few months. I wonder what station is going there now.

[CLE618]

Just want to put my two cents in on this topic- I have a foot in on info for these developments--

 

The townhomes look GREAT inside! The pictures online do not match what they really look like inside. They are all heavily secured with outdoor cameras, very limited access, alarm systems.. it is thought out very well. It was also just announced that a phase II will be built with what is currently standings. -- I believe about 20 more units behind the current project, really making a small community on Euclid Avenue.

 

I also have info that the building across the street has plans to renovate. The building standing next to that one is vacant and the townhome developers are seeking to buy and renovate it into a commercial space. <-- Really hope this happens.

 

Also, from what I have been told, the power plant is not a power plant anymore. From what I've been told, UH/Case is interested in making it an administrative building. There are no plans anywhere online and there is no direct info on the site of the construction, so I am left to trust in my reliable source. I'm really hoping this is true.. I would much rather prefer a normal building on Euclid, rather than a power plant.  :wtf:

[StapHanger]

^Thanks for the info about Phase II- great to hear!  I guess that means leasing has been brisk.  Great news, too, about the commercial buildings across the street. I really, really love the cool Art Moderne building with the "Mickey's" marquee and would love to see that guy rehabbed.

 

I think we discussed the power plant right before CircleEast was announced, and I think expressed pessimism that serious redevelopment would take hold on this stretch of Euclid in the near future.  I am so happy to be so wrong.  I still think a thoughtfully designed/efficiently sited power plant, maybe wrapped in an admin building, would be fine on that other big lot, but whatever they put there better be good!

[jjames0408]

I did hear that 60% of the first phase is already leased...the majority of which are University Circle employees ...and even that was a couple weeks ago, so may be nearly sold out.