Wednesday, June 29, 2016
Thursday, June 23, 2016
A VIDEO OF LINK ACCESSIBLE TAXI
FRANKLY, ANYTHING COULD BEAT THE WOEFUL SERVICE UBER, LYFT AND OTHERS PROVIDE TO PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
Click link, scroll to bottom to see video
Click link, scroll to bottom to see video
Tuesday, June 21, 2016
EUCLID BEACH PARK GRAND CAROUSEL
Yes, we used our tokens handed out when you pay museum admission, to take a ride.
Yes we are older than the parents of the kids riding the Carousel.
Yes we picked a horse that moves up and down, shunning the stationary ponies.
Yes we are so big, we feared the piston that moves the horse might break.
Yes we took these photos.
http://www.wrhs.org/explore/exhibits/euclid-beach-park-grand-carousel/
Monday, June 20, 2016
THE CLEVELAND MUSEUM OF ART
SPECTACULAR NEW, 39,000 SF ATRIUM
Famed architect Rafael Viñoly designed the new glass enclosed atrium—at 39,000 square-feet, Cleveland's largest free public space.
http://www.clevelandart.org/join-and-give/support-the-transformation/renovation-and-expansion-project/overview
Sunday, June 19, 2016
GOOD MONDAY MORNING, EUCLID
KUDOS FOR CREATING THE WATERFRONT IMPROVEMENTS PLAN
Euclid’s vision to provide unprecedented public waterfront access, habitat enhancements and upland stability is moving closer to reality.
Phase
II of Euclid’s waterfront plan is in the engineering and design stages
and positioned to break ground in 2017. Complementing the 250’ James
Farrell Memorial Fishing Pier, rededicated in August 2013, the $11.5M
Phase II project features a three-quarter mile multipurpose public trail
along the shoreline heading east from Sims Park to E.246th
Street. Engineered offshore rock structures to improve wave action and
sediment flow, revetments to protect the upland and public access points
connecting the trail are also included. At the western terminus – just
past the location of a future marina - a sand “paddle-craft beach” will
be created to launch kayaks, canoes and other small craft into Lake
Erie.http://www.cityofeuclid.com/community/development/EuclidWaterfrontImprovementsPlan
Saturday, June 18, 2016
Miami-Dade property values surge nearly 9 percent in 2016
Estimates of taxable values at the start of 2016 show Miami-Dade
real estate at a new peak, with 8.6 percent growth countywide
from the Miami Herald
Property values grew 8.6 percent across Miami-Dade at the start of 2016, with $5 billion in new construction driving tax rolls to new levels and allowing local governments to reap windfalls in revenue for the next budget year.
Every local jurisdiction saw growth in taxable values on real estate, with North Miami Beach leading the pack with a 16.6 percent gain, and Virginia Gardens bringing up the rear with a mere 0.3 percent increase.
When it comes to a hot real estate market, tiny El Portal can claim the top spot.
It saw 13.8 percent growth in the taxable value of existing properties, which are now worth $130 million.
A close second went to the Normandy Shores taxing district within Miami Beach (up 12.3 percent) and third place went to Bay Harbor Islands, with a 10.9 percent gain.
PlusUrbia Design commends the Mayor, Village Council and Administration for create such value in an historic Village.
PlusUrbia is proud to serve as the Village's Planning and Zoning staff while working to create a Form-Based Code to regulate managed growth and improve amentities in El Portal.
http://whttp://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article80989917.htmlww.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article80989917.html
real estate at a new peak, with 8.6 percent growth countywide
Property values grew 8.6 percent across Miami-Dade at the start of 2016, with $5 billion in new construction driving tax rolls to new levels and allowing local governments to reap windfalls in revenue for the next budget year.
Every local jurisdiction saw growth in taxable values on real estate, with North Miami Beach leading the pack with a 16.6 percent gain, and Virginia Gardens bringing up the rear with a mere 0.3 percent increase.
When it comes to a hot real estate market, tiny El Portal can claim the top spot.
It saw 13.8 percent growth in the taxable value of existing properties, which are now worth $130 million.
A close second went to the Normandy Shores taxing district within Miami Beach (up 12.3 percent) and third place went to Bay Harbor Islands, with a 10.9 percent gain.
PlusUrbia Design commends the Mayor, Village Council and Administration for create such value in an historic Village.
PlusUrbia is proud to serve as the Village's Planning and Zoning staff while working to create a Form-Based Code to regulate managed growth and improve amentities in El Portal.
http://whttp://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article80989917.htmlww.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article80989917.html
Friday, June 17, 2016
PLAYHOUSE SQUARE
CLEVELAND, OHIO
Playhouse Square, is the Cleveland Theater District in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, the largest performing arts center in the United States outside of New York.
Only Lincoln Center in New York City is larger.
Constructed in a span of 19 months in the early 1920s, the theaters were subsequently closed down, but were revived through a grassroots effort.
Their renovation and reopening helped usher in a new era of downtown revitalization in Cleveland, and was called "one of the top ten successes in Cleveland history."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Playhouse_Square
Thursday, June 16, 2016
LINK PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES TO BETTER MOBILITY
AN IDEA WITH A LOT OF POTENTIAL, FROM DESIGNER ANDREW PERSOFF
Link proposes to create a car hire system tailored to the needs of, and designed in conjunction with, mobility users.
In viewing disability as a creative starting point, rather than a concession, Link will yield a service that is accessible and open to all.
http://linkproject.uk/
Wednesday, June 15, 2016
Little deals highlight big potential in Little Havana
INVESTORS ARE FLIPPING PROPERTIES FOR BIG DOLLARS
from the Real Deal
Little Havana in particular has become a magnet for multifamily investment, broker Patricia Rotsztain told The Real Deal. Rotsztain brokered the sale of two buildings for about $80,000 per apartment in May, and said that asking prices rose by about 30 percent from the time of contract to closing.
The three-story, 24-unit building at 1528 Northwest Third Street sold for $1.92 million in mid May, up from $1.68 million in 2014. The buyer, a Brooklyn-based LLC, plans to renovate the 1923-building and bring the rents up to market rate, Rotsztain said. Pre-renovation, a two-bedroom unit may go for about $700 a month, she said.
In Miami, the median rent in May for a two-bedroom was $2,550, according to listing service Zumper. In Little Havana, a two-bedroom apartment rents for a median of $1,795 to $1,850, Zumper said.
The second building, at 501 Northeast Sixth Court, sold to a Latin American buyer for $2.3 million, Rotsztain said. That deal has yet to clear records, but the new owner has similar plans for the three-story, 29-unit building. Property records show it last sold in 2014 for $1.6 million. The apartments were built in 1925.
Developers and investors are banking on Little Havana’s success. Last year, a neighborhood supermarket in East Little Havana sold for $1.06 million. That property is zoned T6-8-O, and is near Ball & Chain, Azucar Ice Cream and Domino Park. It sold for about $100 per square foot, based on land value.
Just last week, a small strip mall at 1860 West Flagler Street sold for $1.9 million, according to Waterfront Investment Real Estate. Just 13 months prior, the property traded hands for $960,000, netting the seller $850,000.
For residents, Little Havana offers cheaper rents than nearby areas like downtown Miami and Brickell.
New York-based Burke Leighton paid nearly $11 million for a newly completed apartment building at 1430 Southwest First Street in February.
“This location is very striking,” company adviser Morris Matalon told TRD at the time. “We decided to go to Little Havana because of its proximity to Brickell.”
http://therealdeal.com/miami/2016/06/02/little-deals-highlight-big-potential-in-little-havana/
from the Real Deal
Under-the-radar
sales in Miami neighborhoods like Little Havana and the Miami River
underscore the potential for commercial activity just outside the
bustling Greater Downtown Miami market.
Little Havana in particular has become a magnet for multifamily investment, broker Patricia Rotsztain told The Real Deal. Rotsztain brokered the sale of two buildings for about $80,000 per apartment in May, and said that asking prices rose by about 30 percent from the time of contract to closing.
“Now, it’s very hard to find a building for sale at less than $120,000 per door,” Rotsztain, of Rotsztain & Sulichin, said.
The three-story, 24-unit building at 1528 Northwest Third Street sold for $1.92 million in mid May, up from $1.68 million in 2014. The buyer, a Brooklyn-based LLC, plans to renovate the 1923-building and bring the rents up to market rate, Rotsztain said. Pre-renovation, a two-bedroom unit may go for about $700 a month, she said.
In Miami, the median rent in May for a two-bedroom was $2,550, according to listing service Zumper. In Little Havana, a two-bedroom apartment rents for a median of $1,795 to $1,850, Zumper said.
The second building, at 501 Northeast Sixth Court, sold to a Latin American buyer for $2.3 million, Rotsztain said. That deal has yet to clear records, but the new owner has similar plans for the three-story, 29-unit building. Property records show it last sold in 2014 for $1.6 million. The apartments were built in 1925.
Developers and investors are banking on Little Havana’s success. Last year, a neighborhood supermarket in East Little Havana sold for $1.06 million. That property is zoned T6-8-O, and is near Ball & Chain, Azucar Ice Cream and Domino Park. It sold for about $100 per square foot, based on land value.
Just last week, a small strip mall at 1860 West Flagler Street sold for $1.9 million, according to Waterfront Investment Real Estate. Just 13 months prior, the property traded hands for $960,000, netting the seller $850,000.
For residents, Little Havana offers cheaper rents than nearby areas like downtown Miami and Brickell.
New York-based Burke Leighton paid nearly $11 million for a newly completed apartment building at 1430 Southwest First Street in February.
“This location is very striking,” company adviser Morris Matalon told TRD at the time. “We decided to go to Little Havana because of its proximity to Brickell.”
- See more at: http://therealdeal.com/miami/2016/06/02/little-deals-highlight-big-potential-in-little-havana/#sthash.gVFAU39q.dpuf
Under-the-radar sales in Miami neighborhoods like Little Havana and the
Miami River underscore the potential for commercial activity just outside the
bustling Greater Downtown Miami market.Little Havana in particular has become a magnet for multifamily investment, broker Patricia Rotsztain told The Real Deal. Rotsztain brokered the sale of two buildings for about $80,000 per apartment in May, and said that asking prices rose by about 30 percent from the time of contract to closing.
501 Northeast Sixth Court in Little Havana sold for $2.3 million
The three-story, 24-unit building at 1528 Northwest Third Street sold for $1.92 million in mid May, up from $1.68 million in 2014. The buyer, a Brooklyn-based LLC, plans to renovate the 1923-building and bring the rents up to market rate, Rotsztain said. Pre-renovation, a two-bedroom unit may go for about $700 a month, she said.
In Miami, the median rent in May for a two-bedroom was $2,550, according to listing service Zumper. In Little Havana, a two-bedroom apartment rents for a median of $1,795 to $1,850, Zumper said.
The second building, at 501 Northeast Sixth Court, sold to a Latin American buyer for $2.3 million, Rotsztain said. That deal has yet to clear records, but the new owner has similar plans for the three-story, 29-unit building. Property records show it last sold in 2014 for $1.6 million. The apartments were built in 1925.
Developers and investors are banking on Little Havana’s success. Last year, a neighborhood supermarket in East Little Havana sold for $1.06 million. That property is zoned T6-8-O, and is near Ball & Chain, Azucar Ice Cream and Domino Park. It sold for about $100 per square foot, based on land value.
Just last week, a small strip mall at 1860 West Flagler Street sold for $1.9 million, according to Waterfront Investment Real Estate. Just 13 months prior, the property traded hands for $960,000, netting the seller $850,000.
For residents, Little Havana offers cheaper rents than nearby areas like downtown Miami and Brickell.
New York-based Burke Leighton paid nearly $11 million for a newly completed apartment building at 1430 Southwest First Street in February.
“This location is very striking,” company adviser Morris Matalon told TRD at the time. “We decided to go to Little Havana because of its proximity to Brickell.”
- See more at: http://therealdeal.com/miami/2016/06/02/little-deals-highlight-big-potential-in-little-havana/#sthash.gVFAU39q.dpuf
Little Havana in particular has become a magnet for multifamily investment, broker Patricia Rotsztain told The Real Deal. Rotsztain brokered the sale of two buildings for about $80,000 per apartment in May, and said that asking prices rose by about 30 percent from the time of contract to closing.
501 Northeast Sixth Court in Little Havana sold for
$2.3 million
“Now, it’s very hard to find a building for sale at less than $120,000 per
door,” Rotsztain, of Rotsztain & Sulichin, said.The three-story, 24-unit building at 1528 Northwest Third Street sold for $1.92 million in mid May, up from $1.68 million in 2014. The buyer, a Brooklyn-based LLC, plans to renovate the 1923-building and bring the rents up to market rate, Rotsztain said. Pre-renovation, a two-bedroom unit may go for about $700 a month, she said.
In Miami, the median rent in May for a two-bedroom was $2,550, according to listing service Zumper. In Little Havana, a two-bedroom apartment rents for a median of $1,795 to $1,850, Zumper said.
The second building, at 501 Northeast Sixth Court, sold to a Latin American buyer for $2.3 million, Rotsztain said. That deal has yet to clear records, but the new owner has similar plans for the three-story, 29-unit building. Property records show it last sold in 2014 for $1.6 million. The apartments were built in 1925.
Developers and investors are banking on Little Havana’s success. Last year, a neighborhood supermarket in East Little Havana sold for $1.06 million. That property is zoned T6-8-O, and is near Ball & Chain, Azucar Ice Cream and Domino Park. It sold for about $100 per square foot, based on land value.
Just last week, a small strip mall at 1860 West Flagler Street sold for $1.9 million, according to Waterfront Investment Real Estate. Just 13 months prior, the property traded hands for $960,000, netting the seller $850,000.
For residents, Little Havana offers cheaper rents than nearby areas like downtown Miami and Brickell.
New York-based Burke Leighton paid nearly $11 million for a newly completed apartment building at 1430 Southwest First Street in February.
“This location is very striking,” company adviser Morris Matalon told TRD at the time. “We decided to go to Little Havana because of its proximity to Brickell.”
http://therealdeal.com/miami/2016/06/02/little-deals-highlight-big-potential-in-little-havana/
Investors are flipping properties for big profits
Investors are flipping properties for big profits
Investors are flipping properties for big profits
nvestors are flipping properties for big profits
nvestors are flipping properties for big profits
Tuesday, June 14, 2016
THE FABULOUS ARCADE
The Arcade in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, is a Victorian-era structure of two nine-story buildings, joined by a five-story arcade with a glass skylight spanning over 300 feet (91 m), along the four balconies. Erected in 1890, at a cost of $867,000, the Arcade opened on Memorial Day (May 30, 1890), and is identified as one of the earliest indoor shopping malls in the United States. The Arcade was modified in 1939, remodeling the Euclid Avenue entrance and adding some structural support.
The Arcade was built in 1890 by Detroit Bridge Co., run by Stephen V. Harkness. It is a unique architectural treasure of 19th century urban America. Designed by John Eisenmann, the Arcade is one of the few remaining arcades of its kind in the United States. Modeled after the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II located in Milan, the Arcade comprises two nine-story towers with a skylight, 100 feet (30 m) high, made of 1,800 panes of glass spanning over 300 feet (91 m). The construction was financed by John D. Rockefeller, Marcus Hanna, Charles F. Brush and several other wealthy Clevelanders of the day.
The level of the Superior Avenue entrance is about 12 feet (3.7 m) lower than the Euclid entrance, so that there are two bottom arcade floors, joined by staircases at each end. Since Euclid and Superior avenues are not parallel, a passage leads, at a 23-degree angle, off the Euclid entrance to a rotunda at the southern end of the Arcade. The arcade itself is a 300-foot (91 m)-long covered light court, ringed by four levels of balconies, which step back above the Euclid Avenue level. The vertical lines of the columns, rising nearly 100 feet (33 m) to the glass roof, create a spacious domed interior.
In 2001, the Hyatt corporation redeveloped the Arcade into Cleveland's first Hyatt Regency hotel. The Hyatt Regency occupies the two towers and the top three floors of the atrium area. The two lower floors of the atrium area remain open to the public with retail merchants and a food court. In addition, the Hyatt's lobby and offices are located near the Superior Avenue entrance. That same year, the skylight was also replaced.
Monday, June 13, 2016
THOUGHTS ON ORLANDO TRAGEDY
LOVE, NOT HATE, HEALS WOUNDS
Orlando is an unthinkable tragedy.
I do not have words to express the pain I feel for the loss of life and traumatizing injuries to the LGBT community that I respect and embrace.
But please, let's not demonize all Muslims because of Orlando.
Timothy McVeigh killed 168 and injured more than 600, but we don't expel all white male military vets because one was a monster.
There will always be evil doers -- you can find them hiding behind every religion, race and belief system.
Their actions are not symbolic of the everyday person who shares their birth region or core beliefs -- that monsters so often pervert to justify their violence.
The people I've known who practice the Muslim faith are some of the most kind, welcoming, accommodating human beings I've ever had the pleasure of sharing time with.
This includes a Jordanian family in Ohio that has adopted my 79-year-old mom as their own.
With me being busy with work and caregiving 1200 miles away in Miami, my mom would not have a good quality of life without the unconditional neighborly love of the upstairs neighbors at my mom's apartment.
They are hosting, loving, caring people who are emblematic of real Muslim and Arabic values.
Please let's not let our anger overtake our ability to differentiate between extremists who create hell on earth and the overwhelming majority of people who may practice a faith different than our own -- but are giving, loving, valuable human beings.
Diversity. America needs to appreciate it and embrace it.
Sunday, June 12, 2016
GOOD MORNING
EUCLID, OHIO
The National Cleveland-
The National Cleveland-
Friday, June 10, 2016
HAPPY 28TH ANNIVERSARY, SWEETIE
It's been an epic journey:
First house
Law School graduation
First professional jobs
Promotions
Resignations
Home remodeling and refinancing
A book co-authored and published before we were 30
The passing of both our father's, near age 80
A miracle move to Miami, the Magic City
Elections won
Elections lost
1920s house upgrade to modern wheelchair access
Trips all over Spain
Visits to Florence, Italy
Annual pilgrimages to NYC
Spiritual journeys to the heart of Monument Valley
Audiences with celebrities, murderers and Kings
Flights to Colombia on a whim
Too many surgeries and rehabs to count
Turning gray haired
Caring for a herd of donkey in central Ohio
Presenting at top-flight universities
Endless battles to protect and enhance the civil rights of people with disabilities
Awards
Car thefts
Last second dashes through torrential rain to claim the last half price seats of a Broadway show
Nightly visits from ghosts South of Granada
John's dog Brutus
Puchy, the angel dog
Honey Bear, the Princess of Siam, our Siamese rescue cat baby
CALLE OCHO INTERVIEW BY THE ATLANTIC MONTHLY'S
CityLabLatino/Univision
PlusUrbia Design's Juan Mullerat shares a vision for a people-friendly Calle Ocho Corridor.
The interview is in Spanish:
https://www.facebook.com/950763244980533/videos/vb.950763244980533/1118891301501059/?type=2&theater
Wednesday, June 8, 2016
Federal Donuts opening first location outside Philadelphia
In Miami’s Wynwood
We are thrilled about this for many reasons:
Federal Donuts has the best food we tasted outside of the famous Reading Terminal Market when we were in Philly last summer.
We are affiliated with PlusUrbia Design, the Miami-based studio that created the Wynwood Neighborhood Revitalization District that ushered in unprecedented development.
We are big fans for Fortis Development Group, the visionary developer that created 250 Wynwood.
Who doesn't want to ring in the New Year in 2017 with chocolate donuts and Korean Fried Chicken?
By Ina Cordle
Federal Donuts will open its first location outside Philadelphia in Miami at 250 Wynwood, as the artsy neighborhood continues to attract trendy eateries, The Real Deal has learned.
The popular shop, which serves gourmet donuts as well as Korean-style fried chicken created by Philadelphia chef Michael Solomonov, signed a 10-year lease for a 2,200-square-foot retail space.
The asking rent was $65 a square foot, and the store will open in January 2017, a Thor spokesman told TRD.
In September, New York-based Thor Equities began leasing two retail spaces with an option to buy at 250 Wynwood, a new six-story condo project at 250 Northwest 24th Street developed by Fortis Development Group.
The other retail space, with 1,800 square feet, is in contract negotiations, the Thor spokesman said.
http://federaldonuts.com/main/
www.plusurbia.com
http://therealdeal.com/miami/2016/06/08/federal-donuts-opening-first-location-outside-philadelphia-in-miamis-wynwood/
Monday, June 6, 2016
PlusUrbia Design’s “LA TERRACITA” parklet
Named
Finalist for 2016 Public Space Challenge by the Miami Foundation
PlusUrbia Design’s vision
to create
a parklet out of parking spaces in Little Havana is a finalist in the 2016
Public Space Challenge sponsored by the Miami Foundation. The Coconut
Grove-based studio’s proposal for a low-cost, high-impact urban oasis was
chosen from more than 400 submissions.
PlusUrbia is well-known for its urban
interventions in Little Havana, including myCalle8.org - for a complete streets
redesign of Calle Ocho. The studio’s parklet would create a public gathering space
(to play dominoes or to just hang out) in a densely populated area in a
neighborhood with one of the lowest indexes of open space per capita in the
country.
“This parklet
is for the locals, away from the tourists of Calle8. Separated from traffic,
raised above street level to connect to the existing sidewalk, this small
grouping of tables and chairs can be the start of something big – an emphasis
on livability in Little Havana.”
Parklets
can be replicated throughout Miami to create welcoming open spaces in urban
areas.