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So remember the other day when plans for an “enlivened” re-design of the Rock Hall’s entry plaza were unveiled to the world and everyone got excited? Us too. It was literally two days ago, and though public reaction included as many “mehs” as “woohoos” (very scientific terms), the general consensus was that it was far beyond time for the Rock Hall to get a face lift and if there’s anything Cleveland can get behind with shares and RTs, it’s articles about something new happening. Sure, “Long Live Rock” is a corny phrase to choose as the very first words for visitors to see, but hey, it was something.
Well, the city of Cleveland’s design review committee apparently didn’t love the plans as much as some of the commentariat. The 10-member group voted unanimously to table the plans today, according to Steve Litt’s report. What’s that matter? Tabling the plans prevents the city’s planning commission from considering or voting on them. Shorter version: thumbs down, guys. Try again.
Comments from the meeting were pretty harsh and echoed those who’ve noted a certain blahness about all the new projects and construction around town (much of which was approved and planned with the express purpose of being done by July for the RNC.)
Members of the committee, mostly architects and community development and real estate experts, said they appreciated the desire to warm up the plaza, which they described as the visually chilly, windswept “corporate” forecourt to architect I.M. Pei’s 1995 Rock Hall building.
“I think you guys have been set an extremely difficult problem,” architect Jack Bialosky, the committee’s chairman, told the Rock Hall’s designers and President and CEO Greg Harris. “You’re dealing with a plaza that’s not contained, not defined.”
But Bialosky called the design concepts underwhelming and static and “in keeping with Cleveland having ideas derivative of other places….”
He added: “there’s nothing unique to this experience that’s all about Cleveland and unique to this place… I don’t think you’ve gone far enough.”
“In keeping with Cleveland having ideas derivative of other places.” That’s… not a ringing endorsement.
Rock Hall CEO Greg Harris said that the project could still be completed by that ever-important and ever-approaching RNC date in July if plans were approved in two weeks, according to Litt’s report.
That hardly seems a date worth chasing if more time and planning could create the plaza the Rock Hall deserves instead of the plaza the Rock Hall can get approval for within 14 days. RNC visitors and the TV cameras will leave in July. We’ll be looking at the Rock Hall long after they’re gone.
This article appears in Mar 2-8, 2016.
Derivative and Corny was being kind.
I’d prefer the post-punk era slogan “F@ck art let’s dance” instead for the plaza.
They should just recreate a scene of moms basement/garage… bring rock back to its roots. finger snacks and all.
I’m not sure I’d put much stock in the man behind the deisgns of the Eton Collection and Crocker Park.
So, in other words, the rock hall will look exactly the same in July as it does now. Not a bad thing, I’m fine with it. You want to spice it up and update things, go for it, just do it with Clevelanders in mind, not all the out of town suits.
I’d really wish we’d quit chasing the RNC’s July dated like they are the Holly Grail for Cleveland.
It is really more likely that we’re going to see the total disintegration of the GOP forever at the July Convention and protests across the region may rival or exceed the Mayor Daily and Chicago PD riot fiasco of 1968.
Who wants to live through watch all that commercial property destruction, and human carnage take place in real time while the GOP Convention goes through nuclear meltdown in our city ?
All indications are that Trump is coming to Cleveland for his coronation (never mind the anti-Trump riots that will occur elsewhere downtown)…so how about just turning the plaza into a pro-Trump rally space?
Make it look like Nuremberg… complete with a huge black swastika made out of multiples of the letter “T” (use your imagination…or just try it…it works) and the words: SEIG HEIL, ROCK AND ROLL? (We can change it permanently to the Chuck Berry “HAIL HAIL” after the Fascists leave…)
Hey, it’s better than the lame bullshit that was originally proposed.
“Meh” is being charitable. How about “yuck” or “yetch” or “gag me with a spoon”…
Chuckles the Clown
You can polish a turd and it’s still a turd… All the rush to make things shiny for the RNC… a group of people, who could give two shits about Cleveland… unless the proposed stage is where they plan to hold the inductions “EVERY” year what’s the damn point… it will be useless 6 months out of the year anyway… There is a fine 80,000 seat facility right next door, that would be the perfect venue for say, a, let’s call it “THE WORLD SERIES of ROCK… ” They use it 8 times a year for a bush league football team, and country music…. we are soooooo Rock n Roll….
It looks like a first year architecture studio project. A “one-liner” as our professors would say. Any time “art” relies too heavily on words, captions, titles, etc. you are taking the easy way out. If you must use the words, the precedent examples shown have much more interest and life to them. At least do something different with the word “ROCK.” Rushing to get this done for the RNC would be unfortunate.
Cleveland and Rock Hall officials should visit the Grammy Museum in Cleveland, Mississippi — to view how a home town history can create a powerful platform for presenting iconic music and legendary artists.