June 5, 2010

Dear friend of the Square,

Now that we have congratulated ourselves, here's what's happening.

Square in full bloom

The outdoor Farmers' Market is going strong. And the patios are in full bloom. How good it is!

Summer Concerts have started.

Saturday evening free concerts on the Square started June 5. There'll be one each week through early September. For a schedule, click here.

These concerts are funded by the promotional fees paid by the Square's stores and restaurants. You can thank them with your patronage. We're glad to see these concerts and hope for a big turnout. Why are we pleased?

"Fisher For Ohio" will be here a while

The former Metropolitan Galleries space now houses an office for Lt Governor Lee Fisher's run for the U S Senate. Now that he has won the primary, we'll see the office open through Election Day. Learn more

SHAD has new emailed newsletter

To keep you informed between issues of the quarterly Connection, SHAD (the Shaker Square Area Development Corporation) has just started an emailed newsletter, the eConnection. A good idea. To subscribe, click here.

New condos near Shaker and Coventry are approved .. but

Remember the ruckus over the proposed Coventry Pointe condominiums at the corner of Haddam and Coventry Roads, near Shaker Boulevard. Seven units on a lot that now has only a duplex (more). We wrote "With units priced at $400,000, we hope we won't see a repeat of the unfortunate Avalon Station experience, though on a smaller scale." We've just checked with the Building Department at Shaker City Hall and learned that is no building permit yet.

Vacancies on the Square

There's some space available in every quadrant of the Square:

 ● northeast: two former Joseph-Beth spaces, west of CVS
 ● southeast: the Shaker Square Beverages and East Coast Custard spaces
 ● southwest: the corner space many remember as "the Obama office"
 ● northwest: the large space occupied until July by Metropolitan Galleries
   (now temporarily rented to the Lee Fisher campaign)

But, considering the economy and where the Square was six years ago, before The Coral Company took it over, we're doing very well.

We wish that one of these vacant spaces could become a community meeting place. See our page About Public Spaces and Community.

Senior Wednesdays on the Square 

If you are 60 or older, we hope you'll make Senior Wednesdays on the Square a habit. Perhaps the first joint promotion at the Square in years. Reid Robbins would have called it "small ball" and liked the idea.

New parking signs The Coral Company, making good on a promise made four years ago, has put up big, bold, easy to read signs. They've also taken down the old signs. We are told that the new signs were paid for out of a $750,000 grant the City of Cleveland made last year to the Coral Company. So, as you've helped pay for them, have a look.

You'll also find new directories in each quadrant of the Square. We wish that the phone number for Coral Company security (216-403-4924) was posted on them.

Housing Help near the Square

A foundation-supported initiative offers help — up to $15,000 in forgivable loans — to employees of Case Western Reserve, University Hospitals and the Cleveland Clinic who want to live in Cleveland near University Circle. It's major good news for several neighborhoods, including our own. Learn more.

Website news

This website is ranked #1 by all major search engines. We now have more than 13,000 visitors a month and hope that you find this independent, neighborhood-oriented website useful.

See you on the Square.

Arnie

Thanks for being one of the more than 13,000
persons who visit www.shakersquare.net each month.