December 2005 - Thank You - Roads - Cedar Center
Well, the election is over, so now I can officially publish this newsletter as your Councilwoman-Elect. I won't take office until January 3, but since the residents of South Euclid's Ward 4 have been starved for representation, I'm already getting calls and letters and questions.
By publishing online, I'll be able to give you news more frequently and update current happenings so we can all be on the same page, with the latest information.
This is an interactive space. I hope you'll use the "comments" feature to ask questions, and I'll answer them here, so that everyone can get information on their concerns at the same time.
THANK YOU
First, let me say thanks to everyone who helped me get elected by telling your friends about me, putting up yard signs, distributing literature, hosting coffee klatches, standing at the polls, signing my petitions, and everything else that went into this effort, especially voting for me. The margin of victory was only 48 votes. For those who didn't believe me when I said every vote would count, I say...see?
Thanks, also, to John Stone and the boys for all the hard work, and to Rabbi Susan, who will be administering my oath of office. To Molly and Jean and Val and especially to Bev and Gentry farmer for walking and standing and helping. To Mayor Welo and Councilman Icove and State Rep Yuko for their endorsements. And to all who contributed cold, hard cash to allow me to publish the print version of this newsletter, mail my postcards, put up yard signs and distribute the seeds to "grow a new South Euclid."
UPDATES ON CONSTRUCTION
E. ANTISDALE/WARRENDALE SEWER PROJECT
The work that has closed off the western end of East Antisdale is NEORSD starting on the sewers. The city has received grant funds and now is getting bids on the tearup and reconstruction of E. Antisdale from the western end to Fenwick, which should get going in spring 2006. That's part of Phase I of the project that will cover the streets west of Fenwick down to Warrendale.
The western section of Warrendale, from Halsey to Fenwick, will also see reconstruction starting in the spring. If the city is successful in getting a new additional grant for the eastern section from Fenwick to Warrensville Center Road, they will do the whole street at once. It would save money to do it all at once, but even if they don't get the second grant, the work on the western part will go forward.
CEDAR/WARRENSVILLE ROADWORK
The first step, widening Cedar Road from Fenwick to Miramar, will come first, possibly as soon as the spring. With all the heavy equipment that will come with the teardown of Cedar Center in preparation for its redevelopment, it makes sense to wait til the buildings come down before repaving Cedar. The city folk still hope to start that teardown in spring.
Warrensville Center Road work from Cedar northward will wait until after the widening of Cedar road is done. That will give folks in the West 5 neighborhoods a little breathing space and room to maneuver around the E. Antisdale and Warrendale street projects.
CEDAR CENTER
The eminent domain letters went to the building owners, and the next step will be to buy the properties and sell them to the developer.
There are a few things you need to know about this eminent domain thing:
1. Most of the property owners have been willing to sell at the market value they were offered, but wanted to wait to get the official letter from the city saying "look, we're buying your property whether you want to sell or not." If they sold before they got the eminent domain letter, they'd have to reinvest the funds within a few months or pay capital gains tax. By waiting for the letter, they can avoid paying those taxes virtually forever. That's why they waited.
2. THE CITY IS NOT TAKING OR BUYING HOMES for this project. Period. Apparently some folks got the wrong impression from a Plain Dealer story, but it's just not happening. It seems that there are real estate speculators going up and down Colony Rd. looking to buy homes. Either they believe that the city will buy them for expanding Cedar Center or that the values will shoot up once the new center is built. Either way, the city won't be taking homes there for the project.
3. The state moratorium on eminent domain does not apply to Cedar Center, since the plan was submitted and the project started before the moratorium was proposed.
4. What about Marc's? The city wants to see as many of the well-loved businesses return once redevelopment is complete. Marc's may be one to return, albeit in a nicer, cleaner store that fits the new development. It's more difficult to ask a restauranteur to move out for as much as a year and then rebuild. They need to keep operating in the interim, but it's so expensive to move, set up in a temporary location and then move back, that it's hard to predict whether or not they'll be able to manage it.
The bottom line is that we'll have to see what arrangements can be made. Some of the businesses may be willing and able to move to other locations in town, some won't. In the end, the new Cedar Center will be a beautiful new entrance into our city, and one that will bring a spark of energy to this tired old spot.
By publishing online, I'll be able to give you news more frequently and update current happenings so we can all be on the same page, with the latest information.
This is an interactive space. I hope you'll use the "comments" feature to ask questions, and I'll answer them here, so that everyone can get information on their concerns at the same time.
THANK YOU
First, let me say thanks to everyone who helped me get elected by telling your friends about me, putting up yard signs, distributing literature, hosting coffee klatches, standing at the polls, signing my petitions, and everything else that went into this effort, especially voting for me. The margin of victory was only 48 votes. For those who didn't believe me when I said every vote would count, I say...see?
Thanks, also, to John Stone and the boys for all the hard work, and to Rabbi Susan, who will be administering my oath of office. To Molly and Jean and Val and especially to Bev and Gentry farmer for walking and standing and helping. To Mayor Welo and Councilman Icove and State Rep Yuko for their endorsements. And to all who contributed cold, hard cash to allow me to publish the print version of this newsletter, mail my postcards, put up yard signs and distribute the seeds to "grow a new South Euclid."
UPDATES ON CONSTRUCTION
E. ANTISDALE/WARRENDALE SEWER PROJECT
The work that has closed off the western end of East Antisdale is NEORSD starting on the sewers. The city has received grant funds and now is getting bids on the tearup and reconstruction of E. Antisdale from the western end to Fenwick, which should get going in spring 2006. That's part of Phase I of the project that will cover the streets west of Fenwick down to Warrendale.
The western section of Warrendale, from Halsey to Fenwick, will also see reconstruction starting in the spring. If the city is successful in getting a new additional grant for the eastern section from Fenwick to Warrensville Center Road, they will do the whole street at once. It would save money to do it all at once, but even if they don't get the second grant, the work on the western part will go forward.
CEDAR/WARRENSVILLE ROADWORK
The first step, widening Cedar Road from Fenwick to Miramar, will come first, possibly as soon as the spring. With all the heavy equipment that will come with the teardown of Cedar Center in preparation for its redevelopment, it makes sense to wait til the buildings come down before repaving Cedar. The city folk still hope to start that teardown in spring.
Warrensville Center Road work from Cedar northward will wait until after the widening of Cedar road is done. That will give folks in the West 5 neighborhoods a little breathing space and room to maneuver around the E. Antisdale and Warrendale street projects.
CEDAR CENTER
The eminent domain letters went to the building owners, and the next step will be to buy the properties and sell them to the developer.
There are a few things you need to know about this eminent domain thing:
1. Most of the property owners have been willing to sell at the market value they were offered, but wanted to wait to get the official letter from the city saying "look, we're buying your property whether you want to sell or not." If they sold before they got the eminent domain letter, they'd have to reinvest the funds within a few months or pay capital gains tax. By waiting for the letter, they can avoid paying those taxes virtually forever. That's why they waited.
2. THE CITY IS NOT TAKING OR BUYING HOMES for this project. Period. Apparently some folks got the wrong impression from a Plain Dealer story, but it's just not happening. It seems that there are real estate speculators going up and down Colony Rd. looking to buy homes. Either they believe that the city will buy them for expanding Cedar Center or that the values will shoot up once the new center is built. Either way, the city won't be taking homes there for the project.
3. The state moratorium on eminent domain does not apply to Cedar Center, since the plan was submitted and the project started before the moratorium was proposed.
4. What about Marc's? The city wants to see as many of the well-loved businesses return once redevelopment is complete. Marc's may be one to return, albeit in a nicer, cleaner store that fits the new development. It's more difficult to ask a restauranteur to move out for as much as a year and then rebuild. They need to keep operating in the interim, but it's so expensive to move, set up in a temporary location and then move back, that it's hard to predict whether or not they'll be able to manage it.
The bottom line is that we'll have to see what arrangements can be made. Some of the businesses may be willing and able to move to other locations in town, some won't. In the end, the new Cedar Center will be a beautiful new entrance into our city, and one that will bring a spark of energy to this tired old spot.
posted by Jane Goodman | 10:55 AM
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2 comments
