Contracts awarded for
EcoVillage Rapid station

Greater Cleveland RTA issued the following press release on November 18, 2002.

The Board of Trustees of the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (RTA) today awarded a $3.35 million contract to Ohio Diversified Services to demolish and completely rebuild the Red Line rapid transit station at West 65th Street.

The station will close in early 2003. Sunday, Jan. 19, is the last day the W. 65th Street rail station will be open for service until renovations are completed. Construction is expected to last 18 months, so the new station should be open in mid-2004.

While the station is closed, passengers can easily walk to frequent bus service -- Route #22 on Lorain Avenue, and Routes #25B and #25W on Madison Avenue.

Ohio Diversified Services has worked on several other RTA projects, including the Tower City Station and the Waterfront Line.

The new station is the cornerstone of a public-private partnership called EcoVillagean environmentally friendly urban village in the heart of the City. RTA's partners in the project are the Detroit-Shoreway Community Development Organization and EcoCity Cleveland.

"I appreciate RTA's efforts to involve the community in the planning process of this new station," says Ward 17 Councilman Matthew Zone, who lives near the site. "The impact of the renovation of this station will create ripple effects throughout the West Side community, and give an attractive alternative for transit while maintaining affordability."

Zone can be reached at 216-664-4235.

New Rapid Station

The current station, built in 1953, is just north of the Zone Recreation Center. It is uniquely integrated into the residential area of the neighborhood it serves. The below-grade station consists of a pedestrian bridge that spans rail tracks, a wooden platform, and steel stairs that connect the platform to Madison Avenue. A pedestrian bridge links the neighborhood to Lorain Avenue.

The station has limited access, no parking, and is not visible from either Lorain Avenue or Madison Avenue.

MAI Architects of Cleveland was directed to design a new station that:

• Reflects a high degree of neighborhood involvement and participation.
• Is consistent with the neighborhood vision and plan.
  
• Incorporates environmentally friendly building technologies.
  Creates a presence for RTA on Lorain Avenue.
  

The new 2.5-story station will offer an entry pavilion to a 1,200 square foot climate-controlled passenger waiting area. The station will include an elevator, attendant booth, a police mini-station, state-of-the-art security systems, RTA system information and a possible concession area. Vendors are now being sought. The station will meet all requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

The new station will be visible from Lorain Avenue. Its design will resemble a typical neighborhood house, with a color scheme that reflects the neighborhood and the preferences of area residents. Its roof design matches that of the nearby St. Coleman's Church, a neighborhood icon.

The station site plan includes:

• A landscaped plaza fronting on Lorain Avenue.
  
• Additional landscaping and benches on Madison Avenue.
  
• A canopied stairway on Madison Avenue.
  
• Public art, with exact details to be determined.
  

The existing pedestrian bridge will be renovated, with the ability to be closed off when necessary.

Six parcels of land near the site were purchased, and some tenants were relocated, at a total cost of $400,000. About 80 percent of the construction costs will be paid with federal funds.

RTA's partners in the project greeted the awarding of the contract today enthusiastically.

Detroit-Shoreway Community Development Organization

"The fact that RTA has so strongly allied itself with the EcoVillage project and its partners speaks volumes of not only its commitment to the Detroit-Shoreway neighborhood, but also its belief in the environmentally-focused nature of this project as a whole," says David Rowe, a staff member of the Detroit-Shoreway Community Development Organization and EcoVillage Project Manager.

"This new station, as part of the EcoVillage project, is an example of the forward-thinking green approach to urban planning that will become the rule for future redevelopment in both the Greater Cleveland area and across the country. The clean, secure and tastefully designed building will be the cornerstone of continued revitalization in the neighborhood.

For more than 20 years, the Detroit-Shoreway agency has been assisting homebuyers, residents and business owners preserve the revitalization of the neighborhood, which extends from I-90 to Lake Erie, and from West 45th Street to West 85th Street. The agency offers home weatherization and energy audits and Crime Watch programs. For more info, call Rowe, 216-961-4242.

EcoCity Cleveland

"The new station will be the centerpiece of neighborhood development oriented toward transit," says David Beach, Director, EcoCity Cleveland. "Residents of the EcoVillage will have transportation options that will help them save money and protect the environment."

EcoCity Cleveland is a non-profit organization that promotes the design of cities in balance with nature in Northeast Ohio. Beach can be reached at 216-932-3007.

RTA background

RTA's mission is to enhance the quality of life in the region by providing outstanding, cost-effective public transportation services. RTA's 2,740 employees operate 758 buses on 1,100 route miles, and 108 rail cars on 34 miles of track.

Bus operators drive more than 90,000 route miles every day, and RTA carries more than 45 percent of all public transit riders in Ohio. RTA's bus and rail fleet is the 13th largest in the nation, and RTA carries an average of 181,000 riders each weekday. Revenue from a one percent countywide sales tax makes up more than 70 percent of RTA's $230 million operating fund. Passenger fares generate 20 percent, and the other 10 percent comes from federal and state funds, and transit advertising.

In 2001, more than 58.2 million passengers rode RTA's trains, buses, Community Circulators and paratransit vehicles.

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EcoCity Cleveland
3500 Lorain Avenue, Suite 301, Cleveland OH 44113
Cuyahoga Bioregion
(216) 961-5020
www.ecocitycleveland.org
Copyright 2002-2003

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