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| - life in the downtown
urban splendor in the Cleve
west ninth monolith
By now, I have lived here longer than any other tenant. There are 247 apartments in this huge converted warehouse that stretches from West 9th street to the banks of the Cuyahoga.
So here it is, my review of Bridgeview Apartments along with life in the Warehouse District.
My apartment itself is a corner unit on the 13th floor. Northeast corner, windows on 2 walls. I can see the lake, Public Square, and Terminal Tower. And the Justice Center's jail. I look down and there is Anatomy and the Maproom. And the Adultmart for color. The walls are covered with shiny glass subway tile from a previous life as a dairy processing facility and coffee packaging place.
If I did not love it, I would have moved long ago.
On the downside, the walls a pretty thin. You get to know your neighbors rather intimately at times. The bathrooms are tiny. The apartments are all electric. This was an issue last winter when I thought I would need to move. CEI decided to jack everyones rates up and my heating bill skyrocketed from about $80 a month to (areyoufuckingkiddingme???) almost $500. I'm glad that changed back, since I bet anyone living here would have moved. Since I have lived here, I have had a few things break down and wear out. My carpet was replaced. My refrigerator, in it's death throws, was replaced as well. My rent is about a buck a foot, and has not been raised every year, and minimally other years.
The building has Direct TV for your cable non-option. This really blows. Your "basic" service is expensive and the channel selection is poor, unless you enjoy all of the home shopping channels. Also, any rain falling makes it go out. Indoor parking is not cheap at $150/mo, but you are downtown. Outdoor lots are about $90. The garage itself is a test of your turning skills with all of the wooden building supports everywhere, but it is an old warehouse after all.
There is a wonderful daytime concierge, Ms. Sherry, who takes your packages and leaves you a note if you are not there. Full security during evening and nighttime. 24 hour decent fitness center with well worn but mostly functional equipment, treadmills, dumbells etc...
The maintenance crew is spot on. The ladies in the front office are all charming and beautiful. Public areas are clean and maintained.
The building houses a Phoenix Coffee, that you can call from your apartment to have your coffee waiting by the time you get downstairs in your bathrobe to pick up. There is a dry cleaner. The Brasa meat orgy is also down there if you like that sort of thing... ...meh.
Next door there is Constantino's Grocery Store that is like having a huge pantry at your disposal. Major bonus. When I moved here, what is now The Adult Mart was open 24/7 and doubled as a neighborhood convenience store aside from the more exotic specialties. Yup; chips, smokes, papers of both types, magazines, batteries, whipped cream chargers, window deicer... ...It is much more specialized now, with actual hours of operation. You can still get batteries though and any imaginable sex toy as well.
Living in the Warehouse District (WHD) is also an adventure. It has developed quite nicely since I moved here. You have a variety of restaurants at every price point all within walking distance. The Maproom is the neighborhood watering hole, and a damn good one at that. Most places have outdoor seating for people watching. Fellas, I will say this, if you move here, get the yoga studio schedules to see when yoga classes let out and then admire all of the young bendies coming and going.... just sayin' guys...
Lots of people with dogs in the 'hood too, and they clean up after themselves for the most part.
As for safety, I think this may be the safest of all Cleveland neighborhoods with all of the cops everywhere. After a while, you get to know who the unfortunate homeless are, and who are the scammers. Not too much of an issue either. One summer it seemed a bit heavier than usual, but it was very temporary. The overblown racial issue of last summer was just that. Overblown. Burbsters get all wigged out about crap like that. And then theres the ones that proudly proclaim that they have not been downtown in 25 years, and envision it to be filled with roaving hordes of scary homeless people and rife with criminals. Actually, I'm glad they stay away. And yes, it can get a bit noisy when the bars let out, but c'mon... You are downtown.
Downtown Cleveland Alliance does a great job keeping the streets and sidewalks clean. A new full service barber shop just opened up on W9th just south of St. Clair, and there are 2 salons, Mandolfino's and Dino Palmieri on W6th.
The free RTA loop bus can take you to the Rapid@Tower City every 10 minutes or so. The demographic is heavy on young professionals with a few empty nesters in the mix. All good in the hood.
Carry on.
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