Mayor Frank Jackson State of the City Address while east bank razes the roofs.

While Mayor Frank Jackson unveiled his 2007 State of the City Address at the City Club which laid out some of the many major developments currently underway or being planned in order to rebuild the city the east bank of the flats gave witness to the beginning of the process.

WKYC brings us video of Joe's Crabshack (a shack in which crab and other seafare was once served) being treated in a rather rude manner by some heavy equipment.

I was given this information in what could be considered unbridled glee as it may mean that new development along our might river may create some new and vibrant possibilities for the city. I shared this glee (although I tried to hide it). My informant and I sat and blinked at each other for a couple of seconds before he said "Well, it doesn't mean anything may ever get built though". True, I replied. "Also," he continued "it isn't as if we are not used to having things torn down and replaced with vacant lots."

I didn't have the heart to really continue that line of thought. Hopefully this will mean some work for some local folk. Besides, empty lots along a river have got to be better then vacant boarded up buildings that once housed misplaced social experiments such as "Dick's Last Resort", a "restaurant" where the kitch was that the staff was rude. (What the heck is the excuse for the staff at the other thousands of restaurants in the city?)

So what is the State of the City? Well, hopefully I can dig a transcript up or get the City Club's feed to work. Until then just make motor noises with your mouth, pretend to knock things over and imagine that life will move back into the flats.