Jeff Buster certainly demonstrates "Why Citizen Journalism [1]" regularly, with his impactful and important reporting and photojournalism on many matters of hyper-local, regional and global importance, on REALNEO, followed by the world. Today, the Cleveland Plain Dealer followed Jeff's lead investigation of a disgraceful, failed development in University Heights, "UNIVERSITY SQUARE MALL PARKING STRUCTURE - CLOSE IT NOW? [2]" The PD's Patrick O'Donnell writes "University Square battles empty storefronts, parking garage problems [3]", offering a very different set of perspectives on all matters related to this failure, while completely validating all construction-related observations first revealed by Jeff, a lifelong construction professional.
That REALNEO allows an expert in construction to raise awareness and force solutions to a significant structural problem in an expensive public structure, funded with public assistance, certainly proves why citizen journalism matters.
I am not surprised to see such failure in a modern suburban retail structure, as these developments are poorly designed and as cheap in every respect as possible... from Crocker Park to Severance Center. That leaders of suburbs like University Heights are so foolish as to allow low quality developers to blight their nice, stable, bedroom communities with inappropriate projects like this is pathetic. It seems to me incompetent small town politicians are creating bloated, ineffective feifdoms that are ruining their cities, at great tax burden to all citizens.
Shame on all parties involved with University Square... now the residents are stuck with a Randall Park Mall at the tight, congested drive-by intersection of Warrensville and Cedar. Don't they realize people with a choice avoid this intersection like the plague... there were lots of good, local authentic destinations around there before the current generation of ownership and "leadership" ruined everything - Geracie's, Corky and Lenny's, Bialy's, Davis Bakery, Peking Gourmet... many great ethnic restaurants and shops - and now this area is such a mess I don't even seek any of the worthy destinations out, any more.
So when is that mayor up for reelection?
So who decides how port authority money is invested?
Seems there are more questions still unanswered about this situation than answered, even if the PD has twice declared no-fault and mission accomplished for their friends. Jeff, keep us all posted!
Links:
[1] http://realneo.us/The-Newest-Observer
[2] http://realneo.us/blog/jeff-buster/university-square-mall-parking-structure-close-it-now
[3] http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/1209717103150610.xml&coll=2&thispage=1