The Hildebrandt Company, a sprawling, 115,000-square-foot complex on Walton Avenue on Cleveland's west side, was built as a meat processing facility. From 1885 until 1971, Hildebrandt made sausages and smoked meats that were sold throughout the city.

More recently, the building has been reinvented as a creative hub and artist enclave. Space in the building is occupied by artisan welders and metalsmiths, custom woodworkers and other craftsman entrepreneurs. Lake Erie C... Read more >

COSE is looking for a few good startups. The organization’s second annual business pitch competition will be held on Thursday, October 18 at Pickwick and Frolic. Competition finalists will outline their ideas to a panel of experts, including Jeff Hoffman, founder of Priceline.com.
 
“So many small business owners just starting out with a new idea need more than money and someone to talk to,” says Megan Kim, COSE director of education and programs. &l... Read more >

An innovative software program developed by the Center for Urban Poverty at Case Western Reserve University is helping Cleveland neighborhood development practitioners reinvent their urban communities in strategic, data-driven ways.

NEO CANDO, a publicly accessible database, provides one-stop-shopping for anyone looking to research property information in their neighborhood. The site allows users to go beyond researching individual properties and look at snapshots of neig... Read more >

Justin Coulter, a sculptor, bartender and rock band frontman, was elated when Beachland Ballroom owner Cindy Barber suggested that he craft an original piece in tribute to Harvey Pekar.

When the offer was made, he was outside smoking a cigarette during a 2010 memorial for Pekar at the Beachland. Barber, who had only just learned that her employee is a talented sculptor whose work can be found all over Cleveland, was suddenly inspired by the idea of hiring Coulter.
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High-profile projects like a wind turbine and solar panels combined with aggressive recycling and composting programs give the Tribe a green leg up on much of the competition. By using their standing in the community, the Indians are getting people to think about sustainability, alternative energy, and recycling.

Mario Schulzke has always been fascinated with the spirit and drive behind entrepreneurs. The Plettenberg, Germany native came to America on his own at age 16, went to college and ended up in advertising in Los Angeles.
 
“I always wanted to be an entrepreneur but I couldn’t because of my work permit,” Schulzke recalls. So in 2009, he launched IdeaMensch, a vehicle to celebrate and learn from entrepreneurs. “I’d always admired entrepreneu... Read more >

The 2.3-acre site of a former school in Old Brooklyn that has been fallow since it was torn down in 2008 will once again be used for educational purposes. This time, however, it will be used to teach adults with disabilities and city residents how to farm.

In partnership with the City of Cleveland and Cuyahoga Land Bank, Koinonia Homes will transform the former Memphis School into a small farm featuring two greenhouses, a poultry building for fresh eggs, eight crop fields... Read more >

Northeast Ohio's 80-plus young professional organizations play a critical role in plugging new talent into Cleveland. Research shows that there’s a 90-day window from when people move to a city to influence them and give them reasons to stay. Once plugged in, these YPs are helping to reshape the city’s future.

When musician educators with Roots of American Music hold workshops in Cleveland public schools, it almost goes without saying that they are entering a place that doesn't have a full-time music teacher. Most cannot afford to hire full-time music staff, so they rely on part-time faculty and visiting artists.

The 14-year-old nonprofit organization educates more than 15,000 students throughout Northeast Ohio each year, teaching social studies, financial literacy and heal... Read more >

Fresh Water photographer Bob Perkoski takes us on a visual tour of some of Cleveland's most popular free, outdoor events. With stops at Wade Oval Wednesday, Lakewood Library's Front Porch Concert Series, and Tremont's Arts in August, this colorful sideshow gives viewers a front seat to fun, Cleveland-style.

To build off of the growing economic and residential development taking place downtown, Old Stone Church and the YMCA of Greater Cleveland are launching a new preschool on Public Square.

The preschool will be located in Old Stone Center, next to the church, and will accommodate up to 55 children. Early-bird registration opportunities will be available to downtown residents, church members and YMCA members. Drop-off and pick-up parking during the peak periods when downtown... Read more >

Thrive Cleveland, a new grassroots "happiness incubator," wants to amaze you. The goal is to provide experiences that are "surprising," "boundary expanding" and "beyond your comfort zone," according to cofounder Scott Simon.

"What we’re doing is creating what you could call a happiness gym," says Simon. "It will be a series of ongoing, curated experiences for Clevelanders. We want to get them to meet other peopl... Read more >

The St. Ignatius Reaching MAGIS program is designed to help students get on the track for college in Catholic schools.

“We try to identify young boys in sixth through eighth grade who are promising, rising students, and get them involved early,” explains school principal Dan Bradesca.  “These are students from schools throughout the Cleveland area who spend 15 Saturdays in English, test prep and study skills, and computer and graphic arts.”Read more >

When Earl Pike of the Cleveland Leadership Center helped design the new Civic Engagement Boot Camp, he tapped the popular national trend of half marathon benefits as a wellspring of inspiration.

"People want to be challenged," he says. "We didn't want to do the typical thing of getting a bunch of young people in a room to listen to an old person pontificate. We wanted to ask people to do something really hard and put their hearts and souls into it."... Read more >