Saturday, March 24th - go read a book

Saturday, March 24th, 2007

Not that Vampire Power is news (no, not some new goth band but the electricity that appliances use while in "standby" or "sleep" mode).

Also, we are probably all aware of some of the social problems that have cropped up due to our online/computer habits. Some people even waste time writing about events and sharing their thoughts online with complete strangers! Can you imagine?

Anyway, what would happen if people made a conscious effort to see if they could control their own lives and turn off the computer for an entire day. Disconnect from the internet. Play in the RL? Would we attempt to connect on a personal/physical level? Would we all end up in bed, sweating and shaking, thumbs twitching? Would Fox News stop making up stuff if nobody was there to be astounded by it?

Nobody knows for sure.

If you would like to take part in an international movement to see what might happen then visit Shutdown Day . org. You can register and pledge to unplug for an entire day or voice your inability to go without the hum of the hard-drive lulling you into a vegetable-like state.

There won't be any posts that day, please plan accordingly.

Ohio loves trees something fierce!

Well, this made me smile. Mostly because I wonder if states that have forestry management plans and actually plant tress to replace what has been logged can count those newly planted trees and if so then that means that Ohio worked like crazy to earn the title of top tree planting state!

For the 26th year (in a row?) Ohio has more Tree Cities then any other state. I admit for a while there (up until today) I thought that being a tree city meant nothing more then you had some older trees still alive in your city. I guess I was way of base.

We also had the first eagle born in 2007 (officially somehow).

Awesome. I guess there are more treehuggers in this state then I expected.

Open Architecture Network

I typically don't try to post this early as my head is all cobwebby and I am usually trying to get my morning jumpstarted but I have been waiting for this launch for a while now and wanted to spread the news as soon as I could.

Yesterday marked the launch of The Open Architecture Network (beta), an online community of designers sharing ideas and projects in order to further ideas and solutions for the myriad of community, living, health, sustainability, etc issues that face our growing population and still maintain some control of intellectual property that open dissemination and sharing appears to conflict with.

OAN is a project of Architecture for Humanity and shares the same encompassing goal of "designing like you give a damn", something that should be required reading for every sophomore design school studio class.

OAN is also made possible by TED (the 2007 conference was where the launch was first unveiled), Sun Microsystems, Hot Studio, Creative Commons, AMD and others.

This open network of designers will hopefully allow a broader view of the world to take place, create a model of discussion for disparate regions to find common ground and help designers and community members realize that they don't have to exist within a vacuum.

I just get all excited by the slogan too. "Improving living standards through collaborative design." Woooooo.

Lake wood as an arts district, part deux.

Due to the tenacity of my one other closeted contributor I may have to rethink my perspective upon the possibility of turning Lakewood Ohio into an arts district.

One of Cleveland's "inner ring suburbs" Lakewood is constantly remarked upon as the densest (in terms of population) cities between New York City and Chicago. This proliferation of a strong, multi-generational community continues to attract younger residents which (as current trends show) recognize the importance of amenities in their decision to call an area home.

While proximity to Cleveland allows for shorter commute times and the amazing park access appeals to those who find sanctuary in nature there is a growing argument that Lakewood has the attractions and the population to capitalize on becoming an arts district. The city would also be able to utilize the "arts district" title to wrestle funding for improvements such as the $20,000 grant that went towards a design study to keep the Beck Center local. Recently there was the announcement of ..."A nearly $100,000 grant from Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency is earmarked for streetscape improvements along Detroit".. which could be a major step in magnifying the already evident street life along Detroit in what would be a main artery of the arts district.

While I still contend that I am surprised by the option of making Lakewood an arts district I think I am warming up to the idea the more I learn about how it isn't just an empty label to apply in order to drum up tourism.

I guess the only thing to do is to wait and see what develops, perhaps even take an active role and go to this forum.

Resources:
Plain Dealer article that continued this diatribe.
Lakewood State of the City Address

-more thanks to MarJ

Tremont Art Walk

Tremont Art Walk
Friday, March 9th, 2007

If the card has been updated, I couldn't find it. That makes me sad.

There is time to do some of this before you go to Kevin's Birthday Bash.

Someone please tell me how I can get an "art card" ahead of time so that I can link to it or post it or something, please.

Funtime Friday! Happy Birthday Kevin!

Kevin "sexiest music store dude's" 30th Birfday Party
Friday, March 9th, 2007
@ Music Saves Record Good Time Happy Palace!
Starts promptly at 8pm with musical quests: Trouble Books and Woodenships!

There is the promise of Pizza! Hot!

Then go next door to Beachland Ballroom (tavern) for Six Parts Seven, Good Morning Valentine & Poor Sailor (only 8 bux!)

I suck at linking files ------->pizza party invite .pdf

Also, check out Music Saves newish website that seems to keep getting updated, like fanatically. So nice I linked to em twice!

Support local businesses!

James Beasley - welcome to your new office

This has been quite a couple of years of missed and ignored possibilites lately for the region of Northeast Ohio. Topping the would be the Cleveland Trust Tower, the possible re-configuring of Cleveland's innerbelt trench and of course the innerbelt bridge project both of which are discussed in detail, here

Luckily for the new ODOT director, Mr. James Beasley, he only has to deal with two of those top three issues. With a warm welcome from WCPN ( href="http://www.wcpn.org/podcast/audio/2007/03/0306news.mp3">audio link - it starts about 4 minutes into the cast) the city would like to extend its arms in a gracious embrace while we whisper softly in the ear "Please don't screw us up."

Of course, what would make your day more welcome then a fresh airing of complaints with the direction of how the past leadership has dealt with these problems. For that I would like to offer Mr. Ed Hauser's wonderfully exhaustive letter to Mr. Beasley of welcome - reprinted here for your enjoyment.

To: James Beasley

Director, Ohio Department of Transportation

1980 W. Broad Street

Columbus, OH 43223

From: Ed Hauser

11125 Lake Avenue #402

Cleveland, Ohio 44102

Subject: Public Comments for the Cleveland Innerbelt Conceptual Alternatives Study and Request for a "Peer Review" of the Innerbelt Bridge Project - Reply Requested

cc: Federal, State, County, and City Public Officials; Interested Citizens; and the Media

Dear Director Beasley:

First of all, I want to congratulate you on your appointment as the director of the Ohio Department of Transportation. I was pleased to learn about an ODOT transition report and have a renewed hope in ODOT operations with Governor Strickland's and your "new ODOT vision." The report states, "The Strickland-Fisher Turnaround Ohio plan outlines a new direction for the state that requires ODOT to engage more fully as a partner, to live within its means of available resources and to rethink its role as an agent for change and prosperity for all Ohioans."

My comments will focus on the Innerbelt Bridge Project, which ODOT has still not revealed to the taxpayers that it will cost $1.16 BILLION. To put the Innerbelt Bridge Project in perspective: (1) It is the most costly public works project in the history of Cleveland (Hopkins Runway project is $500 million); (2) It is over ¾ of the cost for the entire Cleveland Innerbelt Project ($1.5 Billion).

I am sending my comments and request directly to you because ODOT is still moving ahead with its Innerbelt Bridge Project without taking into account its "new ODOT vision." I understand that the new administration has inherited the Innerbelt Project problems, but we need your leadership get this project under control and do the right thing for Northeast Ohio. For over one-year I have expressed my concerns about the Cleveland Innerbelt Project by submitting five assessments and numerous letters along with comments at public meetings and at the Section 106 consulting party meetings.

My comments and requests will cover the topics highlighted below:

· ODOT's Proposed Innerbelt Bridge Plan- Invalid because ODOT is conducting a flawed Project Development Process and Public Involvement Process.

· ODOT's Proposed Innerbelt Bridge Plan- Demolishes three structures recommended for the National Register of Historic Places.

· ODOT's Proposed Innerbelt Bridge Plan- $1.168 BILLION Innerbelt Bridge Project is the most costly public works project in the history of Cleveland!

· Request to Public Officials- It's time to do this right and take responsible action to restore the public's trust and confidence in the State and Federal processes and to use our tax dollars wisely.

· REQUESTED SOLUTION- Federal, State, County and City Public Officials must commission a "Peer Review" and hire an independent (unbiased) consultant to conduct a valid engineering study and economic impact study to compare the costs, feasibility, traffic interruptions and economic impact for ODOT's Northern Bridge Alignment and the "original" Southern Bridge Alignment (new two-way bridge).

ODOT's Proposed Innerbelt Bridge Plan- Invalid because ODOT is conducting a flawed Project Development Process and Public Involvement Process

ODOT and the FHWA continue to ignore the major problems with the PDP and PIP after being notified to correct the problems in writing and by public comments. The result of this inaction will jeopardize the mandated federal process for the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) Section 106 process and the subsequent National Transportation Act (NTA) Section 4(f) process, which are part of the overall National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Environmental Impact Statement. Once again, I will highlight several of the major flaws in the PDP and PIP below:

· The "original" Southern Bridge Alignment Alternative (new two-way bridge) was invalidly removed because ODOT and Burgess & Niple purported that it would take the Greek Orthodox Church in June 2005.

· In November 2005, ODOT revised that claim by stating that the Southern Bridge Alignment would encroach on the Tremont Historic District, but never seriously reconsidered that alternative.

· The original Southern Bridge Alignment Alternative was never fully developed and replaced by a "hybrid" southern alignment with a new East Bound Bridge and keeping the existing bridge.

· Predetermined outcome for the Northern Bridge Alignment because ODOT began acquiring properties for that bridge alignment in November 2005 (PDP-Step 10) before the federal Section 106 Process began in May 2006 (PDP-Step 4). ODOT skipped 6 steps of the PDP!

· Predetermined outcome for the Northern Bridge Alignment because ODOT claimed to have endorsements from public officials on January 21, 2006, prior to the release of the Conceptual Alternatives Study and the evaluation of public comments on the study. The public comment period for the study remains open until March 5, 2007.

· The federal process schedule to inform the public on how and when to participate was released in November 2005. None of the scheduled items were followed and the schedule was not updated until December 2006. The public was removed from being involved in the process by not being able to provide any meaningful input while decisions were made concerning the Innerbelt Bridge.

· ODOT's director wrote a letter in May 2006, acknowledging the "deficient performance" by the lead consultant in several areas but not limited to: leadership; NEPA processes and documentation; documentation and evaluation of alternatives and public involvement meetings; schedule management…

· The problems stated above clearly demonstrate major flaws in ODOT and federal processes.

ODOT's Proposed Innerbelt Bridge Plan- Demolishes three structures recommended for the National Register of Historic Places

After reviewing the "Identified Historic Structures with Potential Impacts" display board at the public meeting on February 1, three (3) of the five (5) identified historic structures will be demolished if ODOT implements its "Recommended Preferred Alternative" for the Northern Bridge Alignment.

· ODOT no longer references or displays any bridge alternatives that will not impact historic structures recommended for the National Register of Historic Places.

· The flawed processes led to an outcome that will demolish three (3) historic structures without a viable alternative because the Southern Bridge Alignment Alternative was invalidly removed.

· Cleveland will lose the historic Broadway Mills Building, Marathon Gas Station and Distribution Terminal Warehouse, which were recommended for the National Register of Historic Places.

· The federal historic review processes for the NHPA-Section 106 and NTA-Section 4(f) will be jeopardized if ODOT and the FHWA fail to fully develop the "original" Southern Bridge Alignment (new two-way bridge) as an alternative. That Southern Bridge Alignment Alternative does not impact any structures recommended for the National Register of Historic Places.

· These federal processes call for the consideration of all "feasible alternatives" that have the least impact to structures and sites eligible or listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

ODOT's Proposed Innerbelt Bridge Plan- $1.168 BILLION Innerbelt Bridge Project is the most costly public works project in the history of Cleveland!

On January 31, 2006, I submitted my "Assessment #1 Findings - Request for the FWHA & ODOT to: Correct the Project Development Process & Public Involvement Process and Reconsider the Southern Innerbelt Bridge Alignment Alternative - Reply Requested." This was the first of five assessments submitted to ODOT and FHWA that were never addressed or replied to.

· My first assessment concluded by stating, "I will argue that the ODOT "Recommended Preferred Alternative" for the Northern Bridge Alignment will cost us over $1 Billion. That is because ODOT has not acknowledged the cost to replace the existing bridge in the future."

· We waited one year and two days (2/1/07) for ODOT to calculate the cost to replace the existing bridge and finally acknowledge that its proposed Innerbelt Bridge Project will cost taxpayers over ONE BILLION DOLLARS for its proposed Northern Bridge Alignment!

· $1.168 BILLION is ODOT's projected total cost for the Northern Bridge Alignment Project. ODOT's numbers: $1,168,000,000 = $511,000,000 [New Westbound Bridge] + $137,000,000 [Repair Existing Bridge] + $520,000,000 [New Eastbound Bridge]. WOW! That's a lot of money!

· The proposed BILLION DOLLAR Innerbelt Bridge Project makes it the most expensive public works project in the history of Cleveland and over 3/4 of the projected cost for the entire Cleveland Innerbelt Project ($1.5 BILLION). Over twice the cost of the Cleveland Hopkins runway project ($500 million), currently most expensive public works project.

· ODOT did not provide the cost for the future East Bound Bridge or the entire cost of the Innerbelt Bridge Project to Cleveland City Council or the Cleveland City Planning Commission at the "Innerbelt Update and Overview" meetings in January 2007.

· No Guarantee that ODOT will fund the future East Bound Bridge for $520 million in 15 years. ODOT has already begun slashing $1.2 BILLION for major construction projects from its budget.

Request to Public Officials- It's time to do this right and take responsible action to restore the public's trust and confidence in the State and Federal processes and to use our tax dollars wisely

After six years of actively participating in these State and Federal processes and with a background in process control engineering, I want to make my following observations perfectly clear:

· The ODOT Project Development Process and Public Involvement Process- lack timely and factual information; lack true public involvement; and lack transparency in decision making.

· I am losing all trust and confidence in these processes because of my experiences and treatment while actively participating in these processes.

· Renewed hope with Governor Strickland beginning to "Turnaround" ODOT with a new director and stating the new leadership will re-examine Cleveland's massive Innerbelt Project.

REQUESTED SOLUTION- Federal, State, County and City Public Officials must commission a "Peer Review" and hire an independent (unbiased) consultant to conduct a valid engineering study and economic impact study to compare the costs, feasibility, traffic interruptions and economic impact for ODOT's Northern Bridge Alignment and the "original" Southern Bridge Alignment (new two-way bridge)

CONCLUSION- If our public officials choose NOT to commission the "Peer Review" for the Innerbelt Bridge Project stated above, I recommend a "Minimal Build" alternative for the Cleveland Innerbelt Project. That would entail straightening the Innerbelt Curve ("Dead Man's Curve") at $98 million and rehabilitate the existing Innerbelt Bridge for 50 years at $268 million for a total cost to the taxpayers of $366 million. That would save the taxpayers $1.134 BILLION ($1.5B-$366M) that could be used elsewhere. The citizens and taxpayers of Ohio cannot accept substandard state and federal processes that yield substandard outcomes!

Really, quite wonderful stuff.

Resources:
03-31-06%20ODOT%20Innerbelt%20Bridge%20Assessment%20%234.doc
04-21-06%20ODOT%20Innerbelt%20Bridge%20Assessment%20%235.doc
Hauser-ODOT%20Docs.PDF
Hauser-ODOT%20Innerbelt%20CAS%20Comments%20%26%20Request%20.doc
ODOT-Officials%20Docs.PDF

Wow, you guys read all the way down here? Good for you! Heads up thanks to MarJ.

Skin Deep Kent Arch/Design Exhibition

.pdf postcard

I get excited when I think about the potential of showcasing all the work that goes on with local schools. I know from personal experience that we did many projects and studies on the local environment from site specific projects to trying to re-imagine master planning techniques for entire communities. There seems to be practically an EXPLOSION of recent exhibits and competitions attempting to get communities to realize that currently there is much discussion about the city and that if they should be at least aware of it, if not actively part of it.

Granted, many of the exhibits seem to be granting exposure to a smaller selection of designers (that is the nature of many exhibits regardless) but that is no excuse for not participating in the many competitions and charrettes that citizens are attempting to jumpstart in order to accelerate this dialog and interact with the larger community.

There is so much POTENTIAL for this town. There just needs to be more voice and involvement behind it.

Gallery 1point618
Kent State College of Architecture and Environmental Design

Cleveland International Film Festival

March 15 - 25, 2007
Cleveland International Film Festival

Where, there isn't really much to say about this. Instead I will just offer a wide variety of links. Most of which you could have just found on your own.

Films at the fest
Film schedule and location

Also, I noticed that my monthly bus/rail pass looked all, I don't know, DIFFERENT having all this text all over it. Closer examination revealed that I can use my RTA pass and save $1.00 per ticket! Imagine the savings if I used my pass to get to the films and then used it to buy my tickets. Bwahahahahahahaha!

Bwahahaha INDEED!