One the drivers of getting me back in the blogging state of mind was the wonderful story in today’s Plain Dealer about the Euclid Corridor Project by architecture critic Steven Litt. This story recaps some of the exciting things happening on Euclid Avenue, thanks in large part to this rapid-transit/road/sidewalk infrastructure improvement.
As Litt mentions in his article, this project has been called a gigantic waste of time and money by a number of critics. In a way, it’s hard not to blame the casual commuter who sees a big pile of dirt and immediately gets annoyed. A Dick Feagler column even ran with the headline: “Euclid Corridor signifies nothing, and no one will use it,” which I found humorous only for its sheer bluntness. The rest of it irritated me.
If you read Mr. Litt’s article, however, you’ll learn about the investments taking place all the way down the avenue, including some really exciting plans for downtown. All told, $4 billion has been invested, including new museum additions in University Circle, business development in midtown and mixed-use downtown. As work on this project winds down this year, I invite everyone to experience it for themselves, from the pedestrian level, where all great cities must be experienced. Pick a nice day, and walk from the Theater District down to Cleveland State. Notice that with a new road and new sidewalks and cross walks, things seem more systematic now, more sane. While construction has been a nuisance, the changes are like night and day. A new community now grows
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