TONIGHT - Meeting to STOP Removal of Mature Trees along Professor Ave. Tremont 6:00 p.m. Press Wine Bar

Submitted by lmcshane on Thu, 04/11/2013 - 09:36.
04/11/2013 - 18:00
04/11/2013 - 20:00
Etc/GMT-4

 Hello All:

 
Local businessman Tom Leneghan asked me to forward this email out to you all regarding a very important meeting tonight about the Professor Ave. Streetscape. See message from TWDC below.
 
As a person involved four to five years ago I do not recall any details mentioned about Tree removal. Again TWDC is basically a intermediary here and is nor responsible for the implementation of the plan or the money's this id county NOACA money utilized.
 
Cory had told me yesterday that 17 mature trees will be removed along Professor and then be replaced with over 40 smaller trees within the new streetscape. Hopefully detailed plans will be available this evening.
 
No matter what anyone's opinion over this is, I would hope you would attend and let your voices be heard. I feel this effects many stakeholders and residents in all of Tremont.
 
Regards,
 
Henry P. Senyak
Tremont Resident
 
 

Professor Avenue Streetscape Construction Timeline Public Meeting

 

Thursday, April 11th, 6pm at Press Wine Bar located at 2221 Professor Avenue

The City of Cleveland has announced a public meeting to discuss the construction schedule, expectations and to address individual concerns with the project team.
If you have any questions regarding this project's construction timeline or any other concerns, please call Cory Riordan at 216-575-0920, ext. 101.

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Gallery Owner -Tremont -Meeting TONIGHT

Submitted by lmcshane on Thu, 04/11/2013 - 09:53.

 

Hello Tom
 
I own the art gallery at the corner of Professor and College in Tremont. Will you be at the meeting tomorrow night at Press Wine Bar (corner of Literary and Professor) at 6:00 pm at which Tremont West Development Co (TWDC) will answer residents questions regarding the street improvements along Professor Ave. which will begin next week. (see the initial NOACA 1/2011 announcement attached).
 
There is a controversy regarding not only the plan and but also the approval procedure; a) 17 mature flowering trees along Professor are marked with yellow dots to be cut down within days (including 3 at the Treehouse), b) not one business that I spoke with along Professor was aware that cutting down these trees was part of the "bumpout" plan and c) the meeting is supposed to be about information and comments from owners and residents, but actually the contracts and specs are already in place...with no community review that I am aware of. In fact, the final specs are substantially different than what was originally announced.
 
Many stakeholders, owners and residents along Professor want proper review and actual input...and that tomorrow night's meeting will not fall on deaf ears.
 
Hope to see you there.
 
Rob
 
 
 

Rob Hartshorn Studio & Gallery

2342 Professor Avenue
Tremont Arts District
Cleveland, OH 44113

Your $$$ - Trees in Tremont to be axed...SOS

Submitted by lmcshane on Fri, 04/12/2013 - 10:21.

Subject: Re: Update on the meeting regarding Professor Streetscape and Tree Removal

Good Morning:
 
I am sending out a email stemming from the public meeting about construction related matters for the Professor Ave. Streetscape. The meeting was very well attended. About 50 resident and business owners that in my mind counted. About 80% of people not including staff of TWDC, City of Cleveland, and presenters voiced astonishment that they were being just recently informed about the removal of now 20 mature trees.
 
A handful of NOL residents voiced support to remove trees, I will not mention their names.
 
Some of the attendees that spoke and raised concerns over the Trees and turning radius's for RTA busses were Tom Leneghan, Robert Hartshorn, Mike Snyder, Rocco Whalen, Chris Lieb, Jeff Chiplis, Eric Hooper, Mike Koski, myself and a few others.
 
I was in attendance from day one while sitting on the TWDC board at all the planning meetings for the TLCI original plan designed by McKnight and Associates. Most were in conjunction with the South of Jefferson Block Club meetings and Traffic meetings with Rob Mavec from Traffic Engineering.
 
While I still do as I did in the past support the original design concept, I would testify that I was never told Trees were to be removed. The sad part of this is this is really not a Professor Ave. Streetscape, its only work being done at four intersections and only within 100ft of the intersection on Professor Ave.
 
The design consultant interviewed by our friends at Channel 19 stated in the meeting that the majority all these trees on Professor have reached their maturity. Maturity means to him and his landscape architect near death and to be cut to bits. Several are sick etc. I asked since you are only cutting 20 trees "Mature" that are within 100ft. of the four intersections  what about the rest of the "Mature Trees" on Professor. They had no valid answer, nor could anyone in the room provide a total inventory of all the mature trees along Professor from West 10th / Fairfield to Starkweather. They plan on replacing the trees with two inch in diameter trees probably six or eight foot.
 
Reps from the City said if there is any delays to this project it could put the whole funding of the project in jeopardy. One of my questions was what did the City of Cleveland Department of Urban Forestry say about the condition of the trees? The answer was they did not return our calls.
 
Wouldn't one think if this was a true complete streetscape that a inventory was done for all the Trees, and if in these so called experts making a killing on our tax dollars they would state that every tree needs replaced on Professor instead of the 20 in the way of construction. The canned answers put up red flags to me ant to many others, and I am not a tree hugger.
 
This puts TWDC Executive Director Cory Riordan into a trick bag, He has been here for only over one year. It is clear to me the City of Cleveland came into the equation and since they control the money and funding, including handing out the contracts for this project  that they can do or say what they want.
 
I stated at the end that a moratorium on the tree issue should be put into place for 30 days. In the next week or two they will be out their in full force butchering the trees.
 
Some business owners stated they had a interest in filing a injunction in the court system to save the trees. One thing I know with the level of opposition here that will continue to significantly grow how can this be done without pressure hitting the Jackson Administration.
 
Many people in attendance was asking where their Councilman was tonight, but others knew he was having his fundraiser. Several people asked where the Board members of TWDC were who they elected to support them.
 
Not many happy campers in Tremont this evening. Someone has to ask why especially with two past Presidents of TWDC Tom Cook and I, and several block club chairpersons and civic groups like Tremont Gardner's and vocal popular chefs stating this was never part of the original debate that someone does not intervene and say we need to review a small part of this real important project in our Community.
 
See Channel 19 link
 
 
 
Please email Councilman Cimperman and ED Cory Riordan and ask them for a complete inventory of the Trees on Professor, and ask that experts employed with the City of Cleveland Department of Urban Forestry inspect each tree on Professor.
 
Take care,
 
Henry P. Senyak
Tremont Resident