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January 27, 2009
Mall Site Chosen For Medical Mart And Convention Center
WCPN Cleveland Public Radio
In a blow to developer Forest City Enterprises, Cuyahoga County's commissioners voted unanimously to build Cleveland's planned Medical Mart on the site of the city's Convention Center — rather than the Tower City site owned by Forest City.
The mall is the site preferred by Merchandise Mart Properties Inc. The Chicago firm is the county's partner in developing and operating the medical mart and convention center. The commissioners made their decision after several hours of closed door discussion which irritated representatives of Forest City Enterprises. Forest City had been trying to sell the commissioners on another site and spokesman Jeff Linton told the Plain Dealer he was "stunned" and dismayed that the commissioners eliminated consideration of the Tower City site with so little public discussion.
NoLandGrab: No wonder Forest City is irritated — they're used to being behind the closed door, inside the back room. Never mind that the Commissioners found that the Tower City site would cost Cleveland $100 million more than the site they selected.
Don't be surprised if opponents of the company's Atlantic Yards project experience a little schadenfreude when hearing that Forest City was "dismayed" that there was "so little public discussion." Will this outcome usher in a new era of openness at Forest City? We already know how committed they are to sharing information.
Posted by eric at January 27, 2009 12:17 PM