The Observer, April 6, 2007
Volume XXXIX, Issue 23
Cleveland on Fire: Cleveland planners need to make better choices
When, in the course of city events, it becomes necessary for leaders to sever the bonds that have defined them and move ahead as a region, it is vital for them to act for the greater good. The Cleveland City Planning Commission is at an apex for multiple development projects that will have a significant impact on the future of the region and they must act according to their title – as planners, not as politicians.
A few years ago, the Ohio Department of Transportation and the city of Cleveland commissioned studies to determine the feasibility of downgrading the West Shoreway (Ohio Route 2) from a 55 mile-per-hour speedway to a 35 mph boulevard with pedestrian access to Edgewater Park and Lake Erie. Included in this change would have been additional park space, multi-purpose paths, and trees replacing concrete. In communities across the country and the world, this has been done – freeways have been replaced or completely removed to create a better place for residents and visitors. This movement however, has been met with considerable protest from local city council members.
The debate falls under the deletion of entrance and exit ramps near Lake Road and the Shoreway that would add acres of green space to the park. However, opponents argue that this would stymie traffic during rush hour going into and out of downtown. What the critics are not acknowledging is that there are multiple and equal alternatives for commuters to choose from in the morning and afternoon. Furthermore, the traffic in Cleveland is virtually non-existent when compared to any other major city. A couple minutes' delay is worth it to create an accessible, safe, and enlarged park on Lake Erie. The Planning Commission needs to stand its ground and act on the principles of looking ahead to the future, not just tomorrow morning at 8 a.m.
Also in front of the Commission is the much larger issue of the relocation of the Cuyahoga County Headquarters. After having purchased four buildings at the corner of East 9th Street and Euclid Avenue, the county commissioners have voted 2-1 in favor of razing three of the structures. One of the buildings is under great debate – both in our backyard and across the nation – as architecture advocates are fighting to save it.
The 28 story Ameritrust Tower is seen by many as architecturally important, as it is a remnant of the Brutalist movement. Others feel that a building in the skyline should not be knocked down for something less significant. Yet the most compelling argument to keep the structure is the economics. The renovation and refurbishing of the building is estimated at a significantly smaller cost than demolition and rebuilding. In a region strapped for cash, the County Commissioners should worry less about their own personal prowess and more about advancing Northeast Ohio through region-wide collaboration.
This ill-advised economic spending has been implemented by the county before – most notably in the major sport venue developments of the 1990s. Although those projects were important for the community values attached to the sports teams, they have not been economically viable. In that sense the Planning Commission can stop the demolition.
Having already approved the demolition of two minor buildings on the site, the city will most likely approve the demise of the Ameritrust Tower although it has not yet. This glimmer of hope is a chance for the supposed planners of tomorrow to step up and realize that the county administrators should not run freely with the money of Northeast Ohio but be held accountable for the frugal planning of today and the success of tomorrow.
Verespej is a senior Political Science/Pre-Law student involved in the performing arts and is also the Executive Director for the Student Turning Point Society.
