The arrival of the coronavirus pandemic and its attendant economic fallout was the unforeseen but, hopefully, last hurdle to clear.
“There have been so many flags on this project over the years,” said Harbor Bay’s Dan Whalen of some of those issues, including public financing agreements that forced the company to scale the project back from two buildings to one. “And then this COVID stuff happened right around closing. With a loan this size, it’s always stressful, because we also had a second piece with the state up in the air, and then it’s March and we’re seeing the economy start to slow and governments closing stuff down. We pushed like hell to get it done, and we did, all remotely. Our brokers, who work on hundreds of deals nationwide, was telling us that anything not already out for a signature or right near it were being put on hold or killed. So we were fearful if we didn’t push it might have been killed.”
The timber-framed 9-story building will have 40,000 square feet of retail space and 300 apartments.
With everyone staying at home under orders from Gov. Mike DeWine, few have probably noticed that the strip mall that had since the 1970s occupied the land that will become INTRO has now been demolished.
Next up is digging the parking basement, Whalen said. If the demolition was a stunning change, just wait until the next part takes shape.
“This is going to be a big hole. Huge,” he said. “It was an expensive decision to put the parking in the basement, but we wanted to have a dynamic greenspace on the property. So, this is going to be a 70,000-square-foot, 26-foot-deep hole.”
That should be done by July.
Crain’s has a good rundown on the full history here, if you’re interested.
This article appears in Apr 15-21, 2020.
Yay!!! Just with the city needs, is yet ANOTHER huge, costly, yet fully tax-abated, yet overpriced apartment project to benefit the wealthy developers!!!
It’s a shame that the original buildings were torn down for that hideous strip mall. I remember those grand buildings when our family walked to the WSM in the 60’s. Same thing with the parking lot across from Lutheran hospital. There was a magnificent bank building there. And very cool old buildings where that monster apt bldg is on w.25. Can you imagine how cool Cleveland would’ve been if those blogs were left intact? And don’t forget the old city jail off Payne. It could’ve been on movie sets it was such a gothic building.
Very exciting to see this change finally happen! To the guys above- you would rather see some of the most prime real estate in not only cleveland, north East Ohio but probably Ohio in general. But you would rather have a crappy ole weird Parma looking complex right across the street from west side market? Do you think that land was used to the best of the city’s ability? This should be something exciting for the city! There is a ton of development happening now and I am beyond pumped as an Ohio City resident to see things like this continuing to happen.
Wow….you feel that strongly about Ohio city not building new buildings? Is it a bad thing this project is happening? Please explain. And – my feelings are hurt you feel that way about Covid.
That old shopping center was SO suburban and ordinary. Wish people wouldn’t criticize projects until they are completed. I believe everyone will love this new building and the open green space and the large windows. By the time it opens the Conoravirus will be history. Can’t wait !
I have mixed feelings about the whole thing for 1 this is not for the ordinary people that live in the city and pay taxes this is for the rich let’s face it that’s what it is. They will build this building PUD retail stores probably high end stores where we won’t be able to afford anything in there yet will be paying the taxes every single year and unable to enjoy anything that has to do with that building and its retail stores. Just like down in the flats they’ve built all these condos down there where I remember we could go down there and actually park for free and go enjoy the water the different restaurants to different clubs and now it’s all condos and the clubs are so expensive you can’t even afford to buy a drink one drink you’re paying 16 to $18 that’s crazy so what’s the enjoyment in watching them build this building when ordinary people can’t even afford it that’s how it always is. I’m an Uber driver and I’m down there a lot I see and hear a lot of things. Yet in the end we’ll be paying more taxes than them because we don’t have big write-offs and all of that so who really loses and then put on top of that people like me will be in the stores making pennies for wages while they reap all the rewards and benefits I don’t see that as being fair at all it never is it seems. But now they finally getting their wish and putting all the rich downtown and raising everything up so that only the rich can enjoy this great City that we live in while the poor and low-income and middle-income live way out in the suburbs away from the city but still they’re going to be paying taxes and wind up paying more taxes for the city that they live in I don’t see the fairness in that at all. What good is a beautiful building that you can’t even go in because it’s so tight with security because the condos and the rich people? that’s the only thing I don’t like when people do that and how they build up cities like that and shut out half of the city that again pays the most taxes for all the stuff that build for the wealthy. all we are as good as servants for them what a shame!
And a driver and a wedge away from a giant CMHA complex – I’ll pass.
This smacks of input from the ultimate genius, Frank Jackson. Perhaps after this fails, he can build his criminal grandsons a dirt track going around the building.
Why do you think this is going to fail? It is always so odd to me when there are so many Cleveland residents that are against positive things for the city. With one of the posts above, I suppose I can understand why someone would be disgruntled because they feel they won’t benefit from the project. You are correct – they are going to be market-rate rents and from the sounds of it, it will be out of your price range. Nothing wrong with that, but I don’t think you should not want something to succeed or have nice things because you can not. This is America and everyone has a shot to make as much as they want and there are opportunities all around. With that said, you mentioned something such as not being able to enjoy the amenities that were there. Most of those have already been moved. H&R Bock is literally half a mile down the street in another brand new development on 41st and Lorain. KeyBank moved down half a mile on west 25th on ANOTHER brand new development. It’s not like you won’t has access to the same exact stores that you were using. They did not get displaced to the suburbs. They are literally within half a mile of where they were still in Ohio City. The idea here is that this will bring MORE people here to enjoy those stores and provide more revenue to West Side Market and the surrounding restaurants. This project will bring NEW business to Ohio City and Cleveland which should be AMAZING to everyone here. (especially since this is a Cleveland website??!?!?) Literally makes no sense. They didn’t displace any residents? There was no one there.
Can someone please give me some reasonable facts on why this is bad for Ohio City?
Change your name and stop living in the past, you corporate kiss-ass.
What makes me a corporate kiss ass? I live in Ohio City and like good things happening for the city.
No, you’re that poster boy for gentrification.
More frat boys stacked up in spiffy new high rises.
Rah rah rah and boola boola.
as an FYI – i was never in a frat but you are correct that I did graduate college. I’m confused on how you are saying this is gentrification in a bad way? I feel like you are just trying to be negative for no reason. Just to say rah rah rah – BOO- there shouldn’t be any new development and the city should continue to suck so people who dont have money to spend can continue to live out their miserable lives and not let anybody else enjoy nice things.
Did I get that right? Just another one of those people who want Cleveland to suck. And if you don’t agree with that, then please tell me 2 things. What is wrong with “gentrification” in this instance? and how is this not positive?
Just because a bunch of other sad and depressed people agree with you on this site including the most of the people who write the damn articles on here agree with you, a shit load of people think this is good for the city for obvious reasons.
And what exactly did you mean stop living in the past? I think you are the one living in the past due to how negative you are about Cleveland. The future looks bright for Cleveland and I’m not going to apologize for wanting good things for the city. Please explain the stop living in the past?
I’ll answer the last and the most irrelevant statement first, and get it out of the way. You need to change your username, that’s all. Lebron is history in this town. Don’t let him live rent-free in your head. It would be like me using “ErnieBanks4ever.” I mean, hell, he’s dead.
Why on earth would anyone want the place they live in to suck? I’ve said that before in answer to the things you’ve said before, becausee they are the same things you are saying now.
You wanted answers about gentrification? Fine…here they are…
Gentrification destroys the quality and the ambiance of older and more established neighborhoods and makes them the same as everywhere else: Bland, plastic, overpriced, elitist enclaves for those with no sense of history and a suburban culture and mindset.
More importantly, it drives long-time residents and low-to-moderate-income families out of their homes, some of which have been in their families for generations. There residences are either demolished or rehabbed until they are almost unrecognizable. Home prices soar and are unaffordable except for the elitists and creatives. Rents skyrocket.
And in a city of crumbling neighborhoods, little islands are created, little Avons and Westlakes and Beachwoods. Same architectural styles, same kind of robotic residents. Completely out of touch with the rest of their immediate surroundings. The kind of people who bring suburban culture with them when they move into the city, when they should be trying to assimilate instead, and become city dwellers.
Ask the man who knows…I’ve been a victim of gentrification a couple of times. It isn’t a pleasant life experience when you are forced out of a place you know and love.
And you call all that a good thing? Easy for you to say. You can afford all that nonsense, so you are part of it. I am not. Most of Cleveand is not. Get out of your bubble.
Of course, this is all a waste of my time and my keystrokes. You aren’t going to change my way of thinking, just as I am not going to change yours. Comment-board pissing contests never do. I like my tiny bungalow out in the sticks. Enjoy your Ohio City McMansion. Do you ever give even a passing thought about what…and who…once lived there?
Thank you for the response!
I get the Lebron reference now! haha. Fair enough on that point. I get it right (maybe not compeltely) but Gentrification does have some negative effects to the people that are in a situation as you just described. I can also speak to some other situations how it is good.
I know of someone in the neighborhood who purchased a home within the past 9 years for less than $20k. They just sold their home for $200k to a developer to literally tear it down. This person was huge into what your saying and was a huge supporter of the people you are discussing and I think still is. But for some reason he just made $180k on a property in 9 years. Seems like that was good?
Now I understand that you loved the city before it was “cool” but just because that is the case, should we not build new buildings because it could possibly raise your taxes? Isn’t that selfish? I would say most of what is going on has been development on either parking lots or empty lots or spots that are just VERY VERY underutilized. I dont think there has been a crazy push right now to literaly push people out as much as fill in the gaps. Now could this have the affect you are saying by eventually raising property values ?yes. obviously. But again, you love this city right? Don’t you want other people to come in and realize how awesome the city is as well? I definetly don’t think the development that has happened is bland or going to make Cleveland like every other city.
For this city to survive it needs this development and more people with money to move into it. Cleveland is very unique in the sense that you can literally live accross the bridge from one of the top 30 downtown’s in the US at a reasonable price. no traffic effectively besides 2 hours a day. and a ton of awesome food and brewerys. It’s a fun and vibrent place to live.
But yes. I do love my ohio city mcmansion (not really a mcmansion as much as a regular home that fits in with the other homes around me).
old timers gtfo of ohio city. gentrify now. if you cant afford it, boo hoo, go cry about it from parma or some other rat hole.
I’m not a native. I’ve spent just over a third of my life here. Came from a much bigger city that had a lot more going for it, but also a lot of negatives. Hate the winters here because I hate cold and snow. I got used to the wintertime grayness after 15-20 years.
But I’ve learned to like Cleveland, not necessarily to love it. What other choice do I have? Not going anywhere…gonna die here. probably with a snow shovel in my hand.
But you do get more bang for your buck here. You can still live on peanuts, unlike in bigger and “cooler” cities. You can own a house here for a price that wouldn’t get you a doghouse elsewhere. A big house costs less here than a box on a slab on either coast. Cost of living is absurdly low and traffic is zilch and there’s plenty to do.
People who say Cleveland SUCKS are full of crap, and they aren’t trying very hard. They need to get off the couch or off their devices and get out of the house.
Of course, all that is off the table right now, but things will get back to normal in a few years and Cleveland in the summertime will once again be a place where you can stay busy and have fun and enjoy city life. In the winter, not so much…as our Dear Leader (Frank) says…it is what it is.
It’s insane to to think there are no negative affects of gentrification. People are uprooted from their lifestyles, and placed in new situations and forced to “figure it out.” This was the theme for the majority of my young life, however I worked my ass off and am now proud to own & afford a decent home in Ohio City.
To that, I truly believe that in this instance (obviously not all cases of gentrification are the same) the positives will LARGELY outweigh the negatives. If you’re in the area and near/under the poverty line; I understand you may be worried, but you can get through this . Not to start a trickle down economics debate, but the areas directly surrounding “New” Ohio City will reap many benefits. Other than location and being in the heart of Ohio City, lifestyles will be similar, more jobs will be available, communities will be safer & cleaner, and the overall economic health of the area will flourish.
I’m not trying to spin this development of Ohio City into a completely positive thing for all those who will be negatively affected, but if you keep your chin up and focus on things that actually matter (friends, family, self pride).. You can be just as happy/happier than the silver spoon frat boy who bought your house with daddy’s credit card. — but realistically most Ohio City residents are good people and dont fit this stereotype haha
As someone who lost their home for a new development (that literally included a Whole Foods like i was in an episode of south park) and had to move 5 miles away to an affordable apartment complex.. I know first hand that this wont be as bad as people are making it out to be. It made a lot of things easier & nicer for me and my family.
This will be a good thing for the area – and if you’re making these arguments against improving Cleveland while you’re 15+ miles out side of the city, then I’m not sure why you’re so riled up haha this isn’t your community
round of applause for the above! Someone that gets it!
and a quick FYI – I am not a silver spoon credit card person. I came from a poor family that was addicted to drugs and was the first to graduate college in my entire family. I worked my ass off to be able to live and afford the most beautiful and awesome city in Ohio!
Excited to see how awesome this city is going to be in a the next few years!
I am not fifteen miles outside the city. I live within the city limits of Cleveland, pay taxes in Cleveland, deal with Cleveland city services (or the lack of them), and vote for Cleveland politicians.
Not every bungalow out in “the sticks” is in a suburb. Some of them are actually part of the city…whole neighborhoods of them…because the land they were built on was annexed to the city a century ago.
So yes, this IS my community. Parts of it may look like a suburb, but they are just as much a part of the city as Ohio City or Tremont.
Lakewood looks more like a part of the city than a Cleveland suburb. The only reason it’s not a part of Cleveland is because its citizens voted against annexation many moons ago.
Those who live in (and love) Cleveland would do well to study and learn from, its history…and how it became what it is.
Pretty excited for this. The old retail space was pretty rundown. I, for one, like seeing more modern architecture in Cleveland. Paired with the West Side Market across the street, this will quickly become one of the city’s most popular food and retail locations.