Lawrence Scarpa Lecture - KSU - 2010.09.07

Lawrence Scarpa of Pugh - Scarpa Lecture

Kent State University

Cartwright Hall

Tuesday, September 7th, 2010

7pm

Chandigarh Lecture - CUDC - 2010.09.03

Jit Kumar Gupta

Director, School of Architecture

Institute of Engineering and Technology Bhaddal, Punjab

will be giving a lecture entitled

"Chandigarh - contemporary planning challenges"

at the CUDC

1309 Euclid Ave. Suite 200 Cleveland, OH 44115

Friday, Septermber 3, 2010

12pm

Enhance Clifton -- What we can learn from the neighbors to our North (part something)

Cycling in Montreal:

I was amazed by the access to bikes and the preferred treatment that so many cyclists were given. Bike lanes, bike roads, shared bike plans (Bixi), etc. It was amazing to witness and made me incredibly jealous. The city was also tremendously walkable, had a fantastic public transit system and phenomenal park system. More on that later, right now we are going to concentrate on cycling and commuting and what is planned for a major corridor in Lakewood and Cleveland.

Enhance Clifton:

I am going to just start this post off with a complete disclaimer before the attempts to discern my intent are misconstrued. I do believe that the ease of vehicular access from the urban core has destroyed our regional vitality and increased our operational costs (translating directly as a tax burden) beyond our current means. With that in mind let me begin by saying that I was hoping that the plans to enhance Clifton would be more aggressive.

Clifton Boulevard is currently 7 lanes of asphalt connected to downtown Cleveland by a slight change from an avenue to highway occurring at Lake Avenue. Clifton is the anomaly in the city of Lakewood, Ohio as it is the only main East/West Corridor that is primarily residential (in Lakewood), the other main corridors (Madison and Detroit Avenue) are primarily commercial or mixed use (residential/commercial). Clifton Boulevard also provides easy access to the suburb of Rocky River to the Cleveland Memorial Shoreway. My hopes were that any redesign of Clifton would accomplish the following goals.

1- Provide dedicated cycling lanes from Rocky River, through Lakewood to Detroit Shoreway neighborhood in hopes of connecting to Clevelands's Bikeway Masterplan.

2- Dedicate lanes to the 55 and 55F bus route which terminates downtown around Cleveland State University and is a hella faster way to get downtown then the #26 on Detroit to the Red Line.

3- Calm traffic so that the residential area north of Clifton (and Lakewood Park) could be more easily accessible from/to the commercial corridors of Detroit Ave./Madison Ave. Lakewood is the most walkable city around Cleveland which is one of it's greatest assets (for all ages, hence one of the reasons there is such a diverse age demographic).

In my opinion it would actually be just fine if Clifton were altered to provide only 2 lanes of traffic each way, a lane for dedicated parking on the north side (longer blocks) and dedicated bike roads (see slide show above for example) on the south side which would provide access/area for buses as the center median would become sort of a give/take area for turning lanes (where necessary) or lane shifts for bus stops.

The proposal for Enhance Clifton is not that aggressive. The only major changes are creating a planted boulevard median which will calm traffic on residential sidestreets which currently act as cut thrus for commuters (I use one that is going to be more difficult to get down, oh well) with the use of a mountable median (for emergency vehicles). A few bustops are going to be relocated and redesigned (yay!), nicer (more obvious) intersections for pedestrians as well as autos and some changes to vegetation (trees and such).

Overall the plan is very logically and does accomplish at least some traffic calming. Since there is no change to the parking on the street there isn't too much for anyone to get all upset about. The new exciting change will be the inclusion of legal U-turns as the central median will require some people to pass their streets or driveways due to the median. I don't know if Hummers can make the turn but a firetruck should be able to.

You can find the overall plan online here and make some comments, etc. as needed. The current plan includes parts of Clifton in both Lakewood and Cleveland.

As a side note when I used to take the #55 downtown for work I would do a traffic count of how many cars would pass and their occupancy. I remember that even during the school year (and I was waiting by a school) at least 92% of the vehicles that passed had only one occupant. I have to find that notebook so I can parse out the data.

Clifton Boulevard Design Public Meeting - 2010.08.11 - 6pm

Clifton Boulevard Design Public Meeting

The next public meeting for the design and engineering phase for the Clifton Boulevard Enhancement Project has been scheduled:

Wednesday, August 11th

6 - 8 pm

Garfield Middle School

We will review the 30% submission from the designers and engineers (which means that they are one third there). The submission reflects the public input from previous meetings, we'll need your continued input to continue the project. So, please consider attending.

You can find more information on the Enhance Clifton webbernetsite.

Student Reviews Summer '10

I find myself sitting on student review panels often. I really do overly enjoy them. It is a good excuse to get out of the office, converse openly and off the cuff with students and other (typically) learned individuals whose names I forget on the tedious ride home. Once in a while I will come up with a summation line that I will hope to hold close to the chest and keep in the pocket, sort of a remembrance fortune cookie for when I myself get stuck on an idea.

I find, overall, that students have a very hard time explaining their goals and decisions. It isn't hard to imagine, any person working on a project, forced to put on blinders and concentrate for 8 to 12 weeks begins to create a set of personal rules, a metric of their own device, from which to cull options. The problem typically stems that the metric becomes wholly intuitive, not that intuition is a bad idea, but utilizing intuition only (forgoing logical problem solving) means that when the overall idea is shared, components operate in a vacuum of assumption. I strongly dislike having to guess upon why someone decided option A was better then option B, especially when I don't agree (given my severely limited exposure to the prompt). I feel betrayed and at times overly rude for having to ask seemingly obvious questions as to what the vernacular the student is using actually means. Words have a power when used succinctly and correctly and can make one look quite foolish when not (see our last empire).

I also have to admit (here and now as I do during reviews) that I find when students present an overly pragmatic solution I become intensely perturbed. I realize that the students are not yet aware that when they become boy and girl architects that they will enter a world ruled by devious code enforcement and seemingly random zoning logic where pragmatism (actually it is the powers that be interpretation) can suck the very joy from, yet simultaneous allow existence. However they are not quite yet in the "real world" so they have the chance to "Dream big you f*ing dreamers" (to quote a comedian I don't find funny).

In all regards the latest review of one of the graduate studios at Kent State left me with two statements that have become the profound iteration of my fortune cookie litany (someday to actually be produce in fortune cookie form). I share them with you because I don't want to post photos or type out a diatribe about bike lanes and poor urban planning or how ODOT is directly responsible for our state's economic collapse.

There are three questions you should be constantly asking yourself as you design through a solution; Why not? What if? and Who cares?; Why is said solution to a problem most correct? What does this alter (in implementation/execution or experience? Who does said solution affect (I decipher this as Who the f*** Cares?)?

I admit I find this line of thought not very original, it lends itself to an adaptive reuse of basic journalistic teachings (journalwhawha?), however there is something poetic about how if one considers architecture to be profoundly about the ability to problem solve then getting to the truth becomes requisite to being authentic and successful.

Public Square in Cleveland - When we said rats and vermin we meant to say homeless people

Back in 2007 the City of Cleveland banned food distribution by religious and non-profit organizations in it's downtown Public Square stating that the presence of loose food stuffs was a attraction to rats and vermin. The city pressed for the local organizations such as NEOCH (Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless) to coordinate food distribution efforts and chased many non-profit and religious groups from the square. The result was (last I heard) a worthwhile collaboration for outdoor food programs.

I am going to admit that I am a little surprised when Cleveland announces a Farmer's Market in the very same Public Square a few years later. I am all for Farmer's Markets. I love food. I just find the way that the city pushes aside some people and panders to others a little crappy. Perhaps I missed something. I hope I have.

some resources for those too lazy to google:

Feeding the Hungry is a Crime

Downtown Farmer's Market Blog

WOIO has all the news, etc., everywhere

Cleveland has good food

About a week ago the MarJ and I returned from 7 glorious days in Montreal. I have been silently stewing on the major and minor differences between the major coastal island town of Montreal and the coastal industrial town of Cleveland. I admit the MarJ and I only saw 7 walking days worth (most of which I spent complaining about the humidex and WALKING) but I think we experienced enough to start drawing some conclusions.

I have also been organizing my photos. Dear god I took a lot of photos. There was some really interesting intentional, um, features say, such as the winding stairs, that really made me giggle. Those that have been in the inner suburbs of Montreal know what I am talking about. Most apartment buildings (up to 4 stories) do not have interior stairways, instead they have exterior circular or winder stairs that exist within the 24 - 72 inches from the sidewalk to the front of the building. Moving must be a major pain, but the personalization and privatized entrance for each unit (including a proper stoop on which to set) should more than make up for the physical inconvenience. Besides Montrealers (or whatever they call themselves) make up for the inadequacies of the aspect of moving by choosing to live in smaller living units. Almost as if they can and do treat the entire city as their living room.

Oh, I guess that is about how it works.

We were astounded by the well kept and integrated park system as well as the the logical and fully functioning (oh and convenient) public transit system that stitched it all together. Throw in free healthcare and I welcome socialism with open arms.

We did miss the food of Cleveland. I will admit that my stomach keeps me here more than anything else. I have formed some opinions based upon the relationship of food and depression as it pertains to industrialized cities that have, well, imploded which I eventually hope to share.

However in the upcoming week(s) I hope to organize some of these photos, compare them to what we currently enjoy in Cleveland and perhaps jump to some conclusions (its a mat... with a bunch of conclusions written on it!). In the meantime I am still catching up at the office (fun) and trying to figure out why it was so very easy and relaxing to get into Canada but flying out was a complete nightmare. Also we wanted to take the train but American rail travel doesn't make a half ounce of sense. Who wants a 6 hour layover in Buffalo? Seriously, Buffalo!

ClevelandBikes Benefit - 2010.07.23

ClevelandBikes Benefit

Friday, July 23rd 2010

Flannery's Pub, East 4th and Prospect, Cleveland, Ohio

5.20-9pm

notice from Ohio City Bike Co-op (OCBC):

OCBC is furnishing bikes for the auction (and partially benefitting from their sales proceeds), so come out to support the folks who saved Euclid Avenue from 2 ft. wide bike lanes; got the City to build the Bike Station, and bring us Bike To Work Day, among many other things:

Flannery's Pub, on East 4th Street and Prospect
5:30-9:00 pm.
Tickets, $30 - $150, include complimentary food and wine (cash bar available) and official Tour de France water bottle

 Live auction of entertainment gift packages; and vintage bicycles from Ohio City Bicycle Co-Op including Bianchi, Kestrel, Basso and Marinoni.
 Watch stage 18 of the Tour de France, from Salies-de-Béarn to Bordeaux
 Tour the "Bike Rack” bike station under construction a few doors away at E4th and High St.

To RSVP: ClevelandBikes, c/o Kevin Cronin
The Brown Hoist Building; 4403 Saint Clair Avenue; Cleveland, Ohio 44103
p: 216 377 0615; f: 216 881c3928; e: kevin@clevelandbikes.org

Great Lakes Burning River Fest - July 24+25

Burning River Fest 2010

July 24th 6-11pm

July 25th 12-5pm

@ Historic Coast Guard Station

The annual Cleveland Eco Event of the Summer is geared up for late July at the infamous Historic Coast Guard Station. The event and location are both stellar. So put on your flip flops and hop on your bike (limited parking, limited as heck!) and get your rears over to Whiskey Island and the Station. Some of the best views in Cleveland are from this vantage, plus there will be ice cream. How can you possibly resist?

Every summer, people from all over the Great Lakes region raise a pint at the Burning River Fest to salute the “watershed moment” that raised a new level of eco-consciousness—the 1969 burning of the Cuyahoga River. This year’s party will feature live music, fresh food from local farms and eateries, educational environmental exhibits and a special appearance by Great Lakes Brewing Company’s Christmas Ale!

Proceeds benefit the Burning River Foundation, a local non-profit organization that provides resources for the sustainable future of our waterways. Join us at Burning River Fest on July 24th and 25th at the historic Coast Guard Station on Whiskey Island. Help celebrate the Spirit of Giving and spark a new level of environmental awareness.

List of exhibitors and musicians

For those that facebook they have that too

OCBC will be parking bikes so you don't have to drive and walk all the way from Edgewater

Lakewood Streetwalk + 5K run

Lakewood Streetwalk

July 17th, 2010

Detroit Ave. in Lakewood Ohio, centered around Warren

downloadable map (.pdf)

11am-8pm (with events scheduled - check here)

I have been pretty impressed on what local business and community of Lakewood has been able to plan, organize and EXECUTE in terms of really making Lakewood shine as a city. From legislation for cafe style dining, to partnering governmental organizations with community groups to actively affect change Lakewood seems more alive and hopping then ever.

A prime example is the annual Lakewood Streetwalk, a complete hijacking of the city's main commercial automotive corridor that transforms it into a more vibrant pedestrian (and cycling) only zone. This year there are quite a few activities planned and it looks like it is going to be an enormous good time that highlights Lakewood's walkability and livability.

It is one of the things that makes me completely adore this city.

Taste of Tremont 2010 - one of the few times you will want to put things you find on the street in your mouth

Taste of Tremont (no. 8)

Sunday, July 18th 2010

Professor Street (betwixt Starkweather and Fairfield)

12 - 8pm

If there is anything that Cleveland is known for, it has to be the food (and our burning river, and our affinity towards that rawk-n-roll, and beer is starting to inch up there, and arts, oh and lately its been that, well you know, the HUMIDITY). The Tremont neighborhood (now with freeway access! (again)) has long been a test kitchen for tasty eats and drinks and all the find accoutrement that makes large guys like me happy.

Should you have the time to wander and sample and gawk I suggest you grab some cash and head on down to this annual street-treat. No hyperbole needed, it is that good.

Entertainment Schedule:

Beer Garden:

SLAP: 12:30pm - 3:00pm

Big Ship: 4:30pm - 7:30pm

Corn Hole

Dante Parking Lot: Blues DeVille, 1:00pm

Fahrenheit: DJ on the Patio

The Flying Monkey: Cat Fish Walking, 3:00pm

Lago/806 Parking Lot: DJ and Reggae Band

St. John Cantius Church: Tours available

The Treehouse: The Boys from County Hell, 5:00pm

College & Professor: Annunciation Dance Group, 4:00pm

Music Saves 6th Birthday Celebration!

Has it been 6 years already?

IT’S OUR BIRTHDAY!

We’re having most of the celebration at the Beachland this Thursday (details above).

WE ARE STILL HERE BECAUSE OF YOU!

Saturday is our official birthday, so we will also have coffee and donuts in the store from Buettner’s Bakery, the most fab bakery in Collinwood!

When you come out for our Wolf Parade pre-show DJ gig on Thursday, don’t forget that you can grab dinner in the Tavern, too!

We hope to see you Thursday and/or Saturday for the festivities!

Music Saves website

Lakewood Public Parks Google Map

So, this is something I have been fiddling with (actually I set it up and then stopped fiddling) and am curious how useful these open source mappings could be for communities.

View Lakewood, Ohio Public Park System in a larger map

I had started this after chatting with Lakewood City Planner, Dru Siley, who has some very positive and vigorous attitudes about Lakewood in general. The disconnects the community may have (in our current insular society - physically, we are rather open on the interweb) most likely means that our limited exploration of our neighborhoods result in not knowing about all the amenities offered. The Lakewood Park System is a perfect example of a fantastic set of urban greenspaces that fulfill a wide variety of roles, from team sports, to child play areas to simple respite.

I am hoping to add photos and more information so if anyone has any suggestions feel free to comment. I am also trying to figure out how this can show up more readily if someone Googles "Lakewood Park System Map".

Happy Birfday TOIstudio Blog. Four Years, 800+ Posts, Lots of Inanity.

It has been four years since this experiment in attempting to complete a long cohesive thought, based primarily on design, Cleveland-centric and environmentally mindful being at the forefront. I admit I am still attempting to parse out the metric of success.

At the formation there were to be some strict guidelines. This was not my dayplanner (although I like posting on happenings that I think I will enjoy and then as an afterthought perhaps put up some thoughts and photos of said event), I will attempt to refrain from posting snarky only commentary (that didn't last long), and I will attempt to concentrate on Cleveland. There are some things I have learnt from the past four years.

1. I do not in any way envy Steven Litt. Writing on Cleveland based architecture and design, playing to politics and being mindful of the minefield that is "popular opinion" would most likely make me homicidal. Litt strikes the fine balance of playing nice and playing often in such a way as to not offend. Of course a side product is that nothing useful is typically said, however some gems pop through unexpectedly (specifically lately) although one (perhaps anyone paying attention) would argue not enough.

2. The environmental movement in Cleveland is strong and progressive. There are strong portents of a good future everywhere, however once an organization is formed that one can get involved with the bureaucracy gelds it. Luckily there is enough "little" things going on where one won't become completely bitter.

3. There is a commission for that. For everything. The bureaucracy that I lament as hindering progress is strong. Everyone wants to feel important instead of just doing things. It would be rather humorous if it didn't slow down progress to the point of entropy. See the Group Plan Commission for more recent specifics. The nice thing is that if plans are happening in the city that one doesn't care for one only has to wait for it to implode under the weight of the involved egos. Eventually a new government moves in and new commissions are formed and everything goes back to start.

4. Cleveland needs stronger design presence downtown. Design doesn't need Cleveland. CWRU losing it's architecture program was a great loss to the city of Cleveland. CIA is underutilized as an idea incubator. CSU and CWRU have great potential for new small business in Cleveland, the sort that could make the city great again. KSU CAED needs a stronger presence in either Akron or Cleveland (I hope they grow the one in Cleveland). Great design requires non-insulated fresh, young minds coupled with those with experience. Design solves problems, great design can solve problems greatly.

5. Cleveland's greatest hinderer is it's potential. It is unlimited. Coupled with the bureaucracy and fear of things relatively new and shiny it can be an unfortunate bear trap. If one were to add in the nepotism and croynism that even dogs on the street recognize one is surprised that there are any businesses in town not owned by a member of the government's family.

6. Cleveland is an amazing city. Despite for the most part being a boring design city, with slow implementation of new ideas and a propensity for self destructive tendencies it is a relatively cheap place to live (if you can find a job), has some interesting amenities (public transit, the Lake, easy access to almost everything, decent colleges, parks, etc.) that can keep one pretty busy and happy. There is an enormous amount of people "trapped" here by the potential and the surge that has been brewing for the past 20 years is bound to break eventually. Or is that more of the trap?

So in what new direction will the new year point this blog? I have a couple ideas. I miss the snarky. Playing nice is boring. Also, I plan to get less involved overall and more involved specifically. Confusing? Probably. As a third I think there needs to be a consistent push to concentrate on the specific issues noted above. I don't know what self indulgent power makes me believe I would have any input on those topics, but one more mind into the fray, cannon fodder at least, probably isn't a bad thing.

We will have to see how long those resolutions last.