Campaign arrives to expand Cleveland Amtrak service

By Ken Prendergast / August 5, 2022 August 5, 2022

The Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA), Downtown Cleveland Alliance (DCA) and Cleveland Neighborhood Progress (CNP) are advocating to expand Cleveland’s Amtrak service into a central passenger rail line. As the economic powerhouse of Northeast Ohio, Downtown Cleveland is home to the state’s largest jobs hub and residential downtown area, making it central to business, housing and events, and a critical access route within the region and beyond. The organizations are joining forces to seek community input and support for the initiative through a survey, running through the month of August.

Ohio megaproject applications released

By Ken Prendergast / July 28, 2022 July 30, 2022

When real estate developer Bob Stark thought up the Ohio Transformational Mixed Use Development (TMUD) tax credit several years ago, he envisioned it as a means to transition from tapping historic tax credits for renovating old buildings in downtown Cleveland to afford building new ones. His rationale was that, with the supply of obsolete commercial buildings dwindling to provide new residential inventory, a new financial incentive would be needed to overcome Cleveland’s high construction costs and low rents to satisfy downtown housing demand.

Megaproject candidates — a partial list

By Ken Prendergast / July 8, 2022 July 16, 2022

While a complete list of applicants for so-called “megaproject” tax credits won’t be available until sometime next week, NEOtrans has learned who a few of the local applicants are and aren’t, including at least one surprise. The deadline was today at 5 p.m. for submitting applications to the Ohio Department of Development for the second round of Transformational Mixed Use Development (TMUD) tax credits that could total $100 million.

Cleveland, Lakewood rehabs corner historic credits

By Ken Prendergast / June 22, 2022 June 28, 2022

Several Greater Cleveland redevelopment projects in the works for years got a boost today when they were among the 38 projects awarded nearly $40 million in historic tax credits by the Ohio Department of Development. The awards were part of the Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credit Program that is administered in partnership with the Ohio History Connection’s State Historic Preservation Office.

NOACA seeks Cleveland Amtrak hub

By Ken Prendergast / May 13, 2022 May 14, 2022

The director of the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA), a metropolitan planning organization, today said she intends to submit to the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) multiple proposed passenger rail routes through Cleveland for inclusion in the Biden Administration’s multi-billion-dollar rail development program.

Megaprojects program gears up for next round

By Ken Prendergast / May 8, 2022 May 8, 2022

This week, the Ohio Department of Development announced that it is opening round two of its new and popular Transformational Mixed Use Development (TMUD) tax credits program on May 18. Authorized for four years with up to $100 million in tax credits available each year, the deadline for submitting TMUD applications for Fiscal Year 2023 is 4 p.m. July 8.

Luxury car biz may park at Great Northern Mall

By Ken Prendergast / March 25, 2022 March 26, 2022

A Canadian luxury auto dealer hopes to consolidate its local dealerships, service center, Ohio offices and hundreds of jobs at a new $60 million development at Great Northern Mall in North Olmsted.

ODOT Inner Belt plan gets city pushback

By Ken Prendergast / March 19, 2022 March 24, 2022

Yesterday, Cleveland’s City Planning Commission unanimously tabled a request by the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) for consent to construct improvements to the Central Interchange, where Interstate 77 ends and connects with Interstate 90 in downtown Cleveland.

Local megaprojects win, miss TMUD awards

11 Comments / By Ken Prendergast / March 2, 2022 March 9, 2022

Today, the five-member Ohio Tax Credit Authority board awarded $100 million in tax credits to Transformational Mixed Use Developments (TMUD) to 13 applicant projects throughout Ohio. Of the 42 projects statewide and nine from Greater Cleveland that were submitted for credits, four received a total of $53 million in funding.

TMUDs – taking more time

1 Comment / By Ken Prendergast / January 27, 2022 January 27, 2022

It’s going to be a little while longer before the developers of 42 projects, many of them megaprojects, across the state learn whether their project is going to win a golden ticket and get a big step closer to their own groundbreaking ceremony.