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THE SENSELESS DESTRUCTION OF 218-YEAR OLD PUBLIC SQUARE A.K.A. JIMMY DIMORA SQUARE IN CLEVELAND, OHIO!Submitted by Satinder P S Puri on Sat, 05/09/2015 - 21:11.
THE SENSELESS DESTRUCTION OF 218-YEAR OLD PUBLIC SQUARE A.K.A. JIMMY DIMORA SQUARE IN CLEVELAND, OHIO! WELCOME JIMMY DIMORA SQUARE – A PRODUCT OF CLEVELAND’S CORRUPT SYSTEM!
       ALMOST, WHOLESALE DESTRUCTION:
218-year old Public Square, a.k.a. Jimmy Dimora Square, located in Cleveland, Ohio, has been destroyed – a destruction engineered by the administration of Mayor Frank L. Jackson,
The destruction started on March 9, 2015, and as of May 9, 2015 – it is almost complete.
All trees, granite benches, flower beds, and shrubs have been destroyed.
*SAVED:
While most of Public Square was virtually destroyed – a few components were saved and some will be re-installed in the Jimmy Dimora Square.
The Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument, erected in 1894, will remain and also be open for visitors during construction. Two statues (Moses Cleaveland (1754-1806), founder of Cleveland and Mayor Tom L. Johnson, 1854-1911), and a civil war canon were removed and will be re-installed. Two spherical sculptures were also removed – not sure if they will be re-installed.
*WHY THE NICKNAME: JIMMY DIMORA SQUARE?
A BOGUS PROJECT!
The renovated Public Square, under construction, has been nicknamed “The Jimmy Dimora Square” because of the corruption involved in the design process.
A defective design was selected which City Hall knew would cause delays in travel time to thousands and add to the operating costs of the RTA.
Mass deception was used to promote the project.
No full-scale Traffic Test was conducted and no Public Meetings were held.
RTA rejected the Test and the Public Meetings – saying it was not their project even though they will be spending millions paying for operating costs. The project is estimated to cost the RTA $3.5 million in operating costs during the 16-month construction period, and $1 million in annual operating costs for delays caused by traffic gridlocks afterwards. Where is RTA going to get the extra money and what effect this will have on existing services is not yet known?
No Environmental Impact Statement – explaining the presence of hazardous materials (Asbestos, Lead, Mercury, etc.) in old electrical utilities buried under Public Square was provided.
No plan was submitted explaining how ambulances and firetrucks will get around the crowded perimeter roadway.
Mayor Jackson (“It is what it is is”) did not respond to ten e-mails and two certified letters raising questions about the project.
With a 37% poverty rate, the Casino, Forest City, and others will benefit from a rise in property values while the rest of us will all get screwed.
THIS IS A BOGUS PROJECT!
THERE WAS NO NEED TO DESTROY 218-YEAR OLD PUBLIC SQUARE!
WELCOME JIMMY DIMORA SQUARE A.K.A. PUBLIC SQUARE, CLEVELAND, OHIO -- A PRODUCT OF CLEVELAND'S CORRUPT SYSTEM!
 *HUNGER STRIKE:
There was a 10-day long hunger strike (March 9 to March 18, 2015) to protest the corruption in the project. The fight to combat a corrupt City Hall, Cuyahoga County, and Business Establishment, and a compliant and corrupt media is not an easy one. The CALL FOR HUNGER STRIKE and HUNGER STRIKE, STOP PUBLIC SQUARE CORRUPTION campaign signs were seen by thousands. The fight to combat corruption in the project continues unabated with regular demonstrations.
*DEMONSTRATIONS:
The campaign to educate Clevelanders about corruption continues.
Since August 2014, there have been, as of May 9, 2015, over 350 hours of demonstrations, mostly in Public Square which is the equivalent of walking over 1,000 miles. Up till March 20, 2015 – the demonstrations used the LEAVE PUBLIC SQUARE ALONE signs. Now the WELCOME JIMMY DIMORA SIGNS are being used. The demonstrations, nevertheless, continue unabated.
*ROLE OF MEDIA:
The campaign has been virtually ignored by the media. On March 9, 2015, I was interviewed by a reporter of local WKYC TV – and all my comments critical of the Public Square Project and why I had been demonstrating were edited out of the evening news. Fox 8 TV and NPR ignored me when I was protesting outside the downtown Global Center on March 18, 2015 – the day when President Obama visited Cleveland
*JIMMY DIMORA SQUARE PROJECT:
The $32 million radical makeover of 218-year old Public Square will require the permanent closing of Ontario Street – a major artery and the narrowing of Superior Avenue – another major artery -- from the existing 77 ft. to 48 ft. and limiting the avenue to bus traffic only. However, when there are major events, the narrowed Superior Avenue will also be closed to bus traffic.
During construction (March 9, 2015 to June 2016), both Ontario Street and Superior Avenue will be closed to traffic.
The renovated square is scheduled for opening in time for the Republican National Convention in July 2016.
*FUNDING FOR JIMMY DIMORA SQUARE PROJECT:
So far our Foundations have contributed a total of $18 million (Cleveland - $8 million, Gund -- $5 million, Keybank - $4 million, and. Kent Hale Smith -- $1 million) and also have secured naming rights to parts of the renovated park. The Sewer District has contributed $3 million for green infrastructure to be paid over a number of years.
Cuyahoga County is considering using bonds backed by TIF (Tax Increment Financing) to provide $7.5 million for the project. Rock Ohio Caesars, (the company which owns and operates Horseshoe Casino) will repay the bonds with TIF from the historic Higbee Building which houses the casino. Dan Gilbert is the CEO of Rock Ohio Caesars and also of Quickens Loans, Inc. Mr. Gilbert also owns the Cleveland Cavaliers who play in the Quicken Loans Arena which will be the venue for the 2016 Republican National Convention: July 18-21. Mr. Gilbert wants to renovate the arena at an estimated cost of $140 million and would like the County to contribute at least $70 million towards the renovation. So far, the County has not made any commitment.
                                      *IN CLEVELAND, OHIO, THEY DESTROY TREES, DON’T THEY?
All trees were destroyed.
All flower beds and shrubs were destroyed.
     *ALL GRANITE BENCHES WERE DESTROYED!
Jimmy Dimora Square will be built on the cheap using concrete.
        *SCENES FROM PUBLIC SQUARE DESTROYED!
Photographs show scenes from Public Square observed during the period from July/August 2014 to March 8, 2015.
                 *LEAVE PUBLIC SQUARE ALONE CAMPAIGN!
Photographs show scenes from the LEAVE PUBLIC SQUARE ALONE campaign. The signs were carried from August 2014 to March 19, 2015 when they were replaced with the WELCOME JIMMY DIMORA SQUARE signs.
    *OBSERVED GRIDLOCKS SINCE START OF CONSTRUCTION!
Photographs show gridlocks observed in the perimeter roadways since start of construction on March 9, 2015.
When construction started -- both Ontario Street (6 lanes) and Superior Avenue (4 lanes) – two major arteries were closed and the traffic from 10 lanes was routed around the 2/3-lane perimeter roads – creating a ring of steel -- where the inner lane is already dedicated to the 63-foot long articulated buses of the HealthLine. According to the 2012 Traffic Study, this condition will create traffic gridlocks resulting in delays in travel time and up to $3.5 million in additional operating cost to the RTA.
So one to two lanes of the perimeter roadway will have to accommodate cars and buses from ten lanes.
In addition, the traffic will be further constricted in the southwest quadrant (opposite the casino and Renaissance Hotel) where the outer roadway has two RTA stops – one for four trolleys and two bus routes, and the other for six bus routes.
In addition to causing gridlocks and delays in travel time, this constriction poses a safety hazard.
How will ambulances or firetrucks reach a vehicle that needs attention and is stuck in the middle?
         *SAVED FROM DESTRUCTION!
While most of Public Square was virtually destroyed – a few components were saved and some will be re-installed in the Jimmy Dimora Square.
The Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument, erected in 1894, will remain and also be open for visitors during construction. Two statues (Moses Cleaveland (1754-1806), founder of Cleveland and Mayor Tom L. Johnson, 1854-1911), and a civil war canon were removed and will be re-installed. Two spherical sculptures were also removed – not sure if they will be re-installed.
            *WELCOME JIMMY DIMORA SQUARE A.K.A. PUBLIC SQUARE CLEVELAND, OHIO -- A PRODUCT OF CLEVELAND'S CORRUPT SYSTEM!
   PREVIOUS RELATED POSTS ON REALNEO:
05-08-15: LIVE PUBLIC SQUARE A.K.A. JIMMY DIMORA SQUARE WEBCAM CONSTRUCTION UPDATES FROM TOWER CITY CENTER IN CLEVELAND, OHIO
05-03-15: Youtube Video: Protesting Corruption in the Public Square Project, Cleveland, Ohio
04-06-15: CONTINUING SENSELESS DESTRUCTION OF 218-YEAR OLD PUBLIC SQUARE AS VIDEO TAPED ON MARCH 31, 2015
03-20-15: HUNGER STRIKE TO COMBAT CORRUPTION IN THE PUBLIC SQUARE PROJECT IN CLEVELAND, OHIO – ENDS AFTER TEN DAYS!
03-18-15: DOWNTOWN CLEVELAND ROCKS WITH PRESIDENT OBAMA’S VISIT & PROTESTERS ON THE TENTH DAY OF HUNGER STRIKE!
03-17-15: DOWNTOWN CLEVELAND ROCKS WITH ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARADE ON THE NINTH DAY OF HUNGER STRIKE!
03-12-15: FOURTH DAY (March 12, 2015) OF HUNGER STRIKE: VIEWS FROM PUBLIC SQUARE
03-09-15: 3-HR. DEMONSTRATION ROCKS CLOSED PUBLIC SQUARE ON THE FIRST DAY OF HUNGER STRIKE.
03-07-15: CALL FOR HUNGER STRIKE: FIGHTING CORRUPTION IN THE PUBLIC SQUARE PROJECT!
02-20-15: GREATER CLEVELAND RTA THROWS 40,000 CUSTOMERS UNDER THE BUS ON THE PUBLIC SQUARE PROJECT!
02-14-15: IS CITY HALL COMPROMISING WITH SAFETY BY CHOKING PUBLIC SQUARE’S MAJOR ARTERIES?
12-27-14: A 3-HOUR DEMONSTRATION IN PUBLIC SQUARE ON A PLEASANT FRIDAY, 12-26-14, AFTERNOON!
12-21-14: CAVS vs. GRIZZLIES! FANS SUPPORT THE LEAVE PUBLIC SQUARE ALONE CAMPAIGN IN CLEVELAND, OHIO!
12-14-14: BROWNS vs. BENGALS! FANS AGAIN SUPPORT THE LEAVE PUBLIC SQUARE ALONE CAMPAIGN IN CLEVELAND, OHIO!
12-07-14: BROWNS’ FANS SUPPORT THE LEAVE PUBLIC SQUARE ALONE CAMPAIGN IN CLEVELAND, OHIO!
12-04-14: PUBLIC SQUARE ROCKS WITH TWO DEMONSTRATIONS ON A COLD THURSDAY, 12-04-14, AFTERNOON!
11-27-14: CONFLUENCE OF TWO DEMONSTRATIONS IN PUBLIC SQUARE IN CLEVELAND, OHIO!
10-31-14: BEATING THE RAIN IN PUBLIC SQUARE ON A DRIZZLY HALLOWEEN AFTERNOON!
10-30-14: PUBLIC SQUARE IN DOWNTOWN CLEVELAND ROCKS WITH CAVS’ FANS DURING A COOL BUT PLEASANT THURSDAY 10-30-14 AFTERNOON/EVENING!
10-26-14: TALK OF THE TOWN – I: The LEAVE PUBLIC SQUARE ALONE Campaign Rocks Cleveland, Ohio!
09-06-14: TRANSIT POLICE QUESTION ACTIVIST WAVING “LEAVE PUBLIC SQUARE ALONE” SIGN IN DOWNTOWN CLEVELAND, OHIO
08-17-14: LEAVE PUBLIC SQUARE ALONE: DON’T CLOSE ONTARIO STREET, DON’T NARROW SUPERIOR AVENUE, & DON’T MESS UP THE TRAFFIC
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Public Square and RTA rate hikes
The true cost? The square was built on the backs of senior and disabled RTA riders - and the local media ( and political hacks) don't want any one to discuss this issue.
Chris Stocking - who regularly rides public transit outlines the same issues, also documented by Mr. Puri (retired structural engineer).
A WORD ON PUBLIC SQUARE RECONSTRUCTION
Lastly, I am concerned about the cost of the Public Square construction has had on RTA. I do not think it is a coincidence that the construction and the proposed fare increase and service cuts are happening at the same time. The last 3 out of 4 times I have taken the #81 bus it has been over 20 minutes late. The last time I boarded the bus the driver pulled over, apologized to all riders about the delay, stating “There will be a 10-20 minute delay on this bus line as long as there is construction on Public Square.” I am wondering what the cost of delays and overtime is to RTA?
Read more here: http://eatrighteous.org/rta/#square
From Mr. Puri :