Midwest - I'm not dead, I'm in Cleveland

I'm not dead, I'm in Cleveland - quote from the Paul Simon movie One Trick Pony filmed in Cleveland in 1980. I thought of this yesterday when I was stuck in CLE for 4 hours due to a missed connection. The airport is just dead. I remember when CLE was United's fourth largest city, not anymore.

Continental calls CLE a hub but after walking the C concourse, it is hard to believe. I realize the economy is bad, but jeez.

The eating options are few and the food I had was very subpar.

What makes it so hurtful is that I am a native Clevelander.

Downtown is even worse. The number of large empty buildings is staggering, the population is dropping. No cabs. CLE is definitely one of the country's dying cities.

Steve

Haven't been in CLE since the end of the year to see the carnage but I understand they've torn out most of the shops/restaurants for a new vendor.
You would think they would do it in stages but common sense and Clevleland politics never married...

Downtown is even worse. The number of large empty buildings is staggering, the population is dropping. No cabs. CLE is definitely one of the country's dying cities.

Steve

At least the river hasn't caught on fire lately.

What happened downtown? Did the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame fall into Lake Erie and the Flats sink into the Cuyahoga?

I was in Cleveland for Memorial Day weekend in 2007 and downtown seemed just fine to me. Maybe I'm too easy to please.

Is why I live in Lake County, about 35 miles east. I work downtown and it is dead. They repaved the main drag Euclid Ave, but all the buildings are empty and it is an eyesore. The building I work in is vacating (right on Euclid Ave) everyone in 2011...probably will turn condo, but who in their right mind would live downtown???

As I look out from my window on 9th and Euclid...nothing is happening, I mean nothing. If you build it they will come just didn't happen.

Why?
Drugs and crime. The homeless on every corner panhandling. No shopping to be had, just bars and sub-par eateries. But they do have a cool bowling alley. The R-n-R hall and the science center are still there.

Alternatives:
University Circle has excellent museums.

Beachwood, and the far western 'burbs have shopping, but no culture.

The West Side Market has good fresh food M-W-F-Sat, but beware of your surroundings.

And now for the airport, yes they are getting rid of most of the junk food and hoping to place a better quality of eateries. It still is a ghost town.

In this depression of an economy I doubt much improvement will be made. Leisure travel will be down and business travel probably will be cut back. My brother's company is cutting back travel and he is a COO of a multi-zillion dollar firm out of Atlanta. He still has to go to India 4x a year. Oh, the pain.

I have lived in this area since 1977. If that matters.

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