Ford Hessler proposal artwork is confusing

To: UCI President Chris Ronayne and Ford Hessler developers
Russell Berusch and Rick Maron

From: Lee Batdorff

A piece of art work portraying the proposed Hessler Ford development is problematic. While there is other art work of the proposal that is more accurate, this inaccurate version is likely being seen by more people than the accurate artwork.

Exhibit 1 — This is the problematic art. This art, provided by the development team, has an odd looking automobile, with rear end chopped off, sitting on the property in a way that other drawings of the proposal don’t propose. The far skyline of the Uptown building shown here is tiny compared to reality. And this depiction also shows the rear of the two-story brick apartment building at 1981 Ford including its porches. And it too, is tiny.

Exhibit 2 — This photo, taken by a Hessler Rd. resident, shows the proposed building site and depicts a more-or-less actual height of the Uptown building skyline, and the mostly accurate size depiction of the rear of the brick apartment building at 1981 Ford Rd.—against the mostly open parking lot there now. This is as seen from across Hessler Road.

Viewing this photo along with the developer provide art in the Exhibit 1 image, makes it apparent that Hessler Rd. will be losing at least two trees to this plan.

Exhibit 3 — This overhead view, provided by the development team, shows 1981 Ford how it actually is, from above. The back end of this two-story brick apartment building properly positioned, where it actually would be obscured by the proposed four-story building on Hessler Road—as seen from across Hessler Road.

Notice that shown in the developer’s artist’s rendition, a vehicle is proposed to sit next to this building, or is the proposal to have the car sit perpendicular to what is shown in this overhead view? Or, will this auto drop off zone actually be positioned as the artist’s rendition shown in Exhibit 1?

This may seem like a small issue to the powers that be with the City of Cleveland, UCI and the developers. Providing the concerned public an errant depiction of the proposal, as this image has done, belittles this proposal and offends people who have to live with this building.

Thank you for allowing this comment to be made.

Lee Batdorff, while not a resident of the Hessler neighborhood, was involved with the Hessler Street Fair from 1999 through 2006, and Fair secretary for two years as well as a gardener in the old Hessler Community Garden at Harmony Park.

3061 E. Overlook Rd., Cleveland Heights, OH 44118
216-773-8422 – Thoroughdays@gmail.com

Leave a Reply Cancel reply