Karin Connelly Rice
StartMart, the vision of serial entrepreneur Charles Stack, aims to create the kind of environment that will propel startups to success.
Patrick Siegel has lived all over the country, the last 10 years in Minneapolis honing is trade as a tobacconist – hand-blending pipe tobacco.
Although he is originally from Chicago, when Siegel saw Lakewood on a recent visit to his fiance’s home town of Rocky River, he knew Lakewood was the place to open his own shop.
“It just seemed to click,” he recalls. “I love Lakewood, it’s just fun. I love the fact that it’s a walking community.”
So in May, Siegel opened Robusto & Briar, what he describes as the “perfect cigar shop and lounge,” The shop sells premium cigars, house blends of pipe tobacco and accessories in a refurbished 3,000 square-foot storefront at 1388 Riverside Drive.
Before Siegel could open for business, however, he had to rehab the former software company space all the way down to the floor. “We had to cut the whole place down to the studs and re-do it,” he says. “It was a hazard to the public.”
Siegel rebuilt the space using locally-sourced reclaimed and recycled wood, including the floors, barn doors made of alder and an 1880 back bar made of wormy chestnut that he scored from one of the oldest cigar distributors in Ohio.
Rather than use smoke eaters, which cause air pollution while clearing the room of tobacco smoke, Siegel opted for an environmentally-friendly air-to-air heat exchanger to clear the smoke inside.
The walls are adorned with pipe and cigar art “We have the obligatory picture of Winston Churchill, French impressionists and plenty of guys smoking cigars,” Siegel says. Two lounges feature high definition televisions and customers can relax in plenty of leather chairs and couches while enjoying their purchases. Siegel is in the midst of building some private meeting spaces in the lounge.
The biggest feature is a 360 square-foot walk in humidor made of Spanish cedar – one of the largest humidors in the state. “It’s the elephant in the room,” Siegel jokes. “We built the whole thing around it.”
Siegel has found backing for his shop from some unlikely people. “Even the non-cigar smokers have been supportive,” he says. “They say, ‘oh, I’m going to go find my friend who does smoke cigars.’ The decision to be here in this town was good.”
Right now Siegel has one employee and his fiancé, Nicole, helps out at Robusto & Briar.
Although he is originally from Chicago, when Siegel saw Lakewood on a recent visit to his fiance’s home town of Rocky River, he knew Lakewood was the place to open his own shop.
“It just seemed to click,” he recalls. “I love Lakewood, it’s just fun. I love the fact that it’s a walking community.”
So in May, Siegel opened Robusto & Briar, what he describes as the “perfect cigar shop and lounge,” The shop sells premium cigars, house blends of pipe tobacco and accessories in a refurbished 3,000 square-foot storefront at 1388 Riverside Drive.
Before Siegel could open for business, however, he had to rehab the former software company space all the way down to the floor. “We had to cut the whole place down to the studs and re-do it,” he says. “It was a hazard to the public.”
Siegel rebuilt the space using locally-sourced reclaimed and recycled wood, including the floors, barn doors made of alder and an 1880 back bar made of wormy chestnut that he scored from one of the oldest cigar distributors in Ohio.
Rather than use smoke eaters, which cause air pollution while clearing the room of tobacco smoke, Siegel opted for an environmentally-friendly air-to-air heat exchanger to clear the smoke inside.
The walls are adorned with pipe and cigar art “We have the obligatory picture of Winston Churchill, French impressionists and plenty of guys smoking cigars,” Siegel says. Two lounges feature high definition televisions and customers can relax in plenty of leather chairs and couches while enjoying their purchases. Siegel is in the midst of building some private meeting spaces in the lounge.
The biggest feature is a 360 square-foot walk in humidor made of Spanish cedar – one of the largest humidors in the state. “It’s the elephant in the room,” Siegel jokes. “We built the whole thing around it.”
Siegel has found backing for his shop from some unlikely people. “Even the non-cigar smokers have been supportive,” he says. “They say, ‘oh, I’m going to go find my friend who does smoke cigars.’ The decision to be here in this town was good.”
Right now Siegel has one employee and his fiancé, Nicole, helps out at Robusto & Briar.
Construction is slated to begin in January on a 20-floor luxury apartment building at Euclid Avenue and Stokes Boulevard in University Circle. The new high rise would add another high-end residential option in this booming, popular community.
One University Circle, at 10730 Euclid Ave., should be ready for occupancy by January 2018. The 280-unit building will include 268 units averaging about 1,000 square feet, 12 additional penthouses, a four-story parking garage, outdoor grilling area, fitness room and yoga studio. The building also will have a café and market, business center and residents’ lounge.
Dimit Architects designed the building, which includes a window wall and terracotta panel system for the exterior of the building. All of the units will have floor-to-ceiling glass, and some of them will have balconies or patios.
University Circle Inc. president Chris Ronayne, who likens the project to similar apartment projects in New York’s Central Park and Chicago’s Millennium Park, envisions a diverse group of tenants, from academics and millennials to empty nesters. “You’re going to see a pretty diverse cross-section of people in One University Circle,” he predicts. “People who appreciate the amenities.” The building will offer easy access to the RTA HealthLine.
Ronayne adds that the rising demand for city living in Cleveland will contribute to One University Circle’s appeal.
It’s all about density when it comes to revitalizing any neighborhood, he comments. The residential component is just one factor. Retailers and public transportation are the other components that contribute to a thriving city.
“When you’re looking at 280 units on 1.3 acres, you’re looking at the density of a major city,” he explains. “You need that kind of density to create foot traffic, retailers, for public transportation. We want a complete neighborhood where in a 20-minute walk you can find everything you need. The Circle has become a complete neighborhood.”
A portion of the land at 10730 Euclid Ave. currently houses the Children’s Museum, which will be moving to the Stager-Beckwith mansion in Midtown.
First Interstate Properties and Petros Development are partnering with University Circle Inc. on the project. Panzica Construction will be the general contractor.
One University Circle, at 10730 Euclid Ave., should be ready for occupancy by January 2018. The 280-unit building will include 268 units averaging about 1,000 square feet, 12 additional penthouses, a four-story parking garage, outdoor grilling area, fitness room and yoga studio. The building also will have a café and market, business center and residents’ lounge.
Dimit Architects designed the building, which includes a window wall and terracotta panel system for the exterior of the building. All of the units will have floor-to-ceiling glass, and some of them will have balconies or patios.
University Circle Inc. president Chris Ronayne, who likens the project to similar apartment projects in New York’s Central Park and Chicago’s Millennium Park, envisions a diverse group of tenants, from academics and millennials to empty nesters. “You’re going to see a pretty diverse cross-section of people in One University Circle,” he predicts. “People who appreciate the amenities.” The building will offer easy access to the RTA HealthLine.
Ronayne adds that the rising demand for city living in Cleveland will contribute to One University Circle’s appeal.
It’s all about density when it comes to revitalizing any neighborhood, he comments. The residential component is just one factor. Retailers and public transportation are the other components that contribute to a thriving city.
“When you’re looking at 280 units on 1.3 acres, you’re looking at the density of a major city,” he explains. “You need that kind of density to create foot traffic, retailers, for public transportation. We want a complete neighborhood where in a 20-minute walk you can find everything you need. The Circle has become a complete neighborhood.”
A portion of the land at 10730 Euclid Ave. currently houses the Children’s Museum, which will be moving to the Stager-Beckwith mansion in Midtown.
First Interstate Properties and Petros Development are partnering with University Circle Inc. on the project. Panzica Construction will be the general contractor.
Northeast Ohio's top computer programmers, doctors, patient advocates, entrepreneurs and other healthcare professionals will use their talents in innovation and technology to address problems facing healthcare at the first-ever Cleveland Medical Hackathon on September 26th and 27th at the Global Center for Health Innovation.
The event is designed to leverage the region’s strength in healthcare against technology and diverse skills in medical innovation. Lead partners behind the Cleveland MedHack include Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals, CWRU, Ingenuity Cleveland, Flashstarts, MetroHealth System and BioEnterprise.
“Hackathons have been very successful in uniting people for a successful cause,” explains Will Morris, associate Chief Information Officer for the Cleveland Clinic. “This is about better healthcare delivery – better, faster, cheaper. It wasn’t so much ‘why don’t we do this” as it was ‘why aren’t we doing this.’”
Nesco Resource, one of the nation’s top staffing and HR firms with headquarters in Mayfield Heights, is sponsoring the Nesco Innovation Awards, which will be awarded to the hackathon teams that excel in developing projects that lead to out-of-the-box solutions.
“Nesco Resource has been a long-time Cleveland based company that has been about connecting talented engineers and IT people with needs in the community,” says James Krouse, Nesco’s director of marketing and communications. “We’re happy to be presenting this event in that tradition.”
First place concepts will receive $3,000, second place will get $1,500 and third place will receive $500.
Organizers are hoping hundreds of participants will attend the MedHack and that it will become an annual event. “This is truly a grassroots effort with an eye toward the North Star of the global issue of how we deliver better patient care,” says Morris.
The event is free to attend, but applications are required to participate. The deadline is to apply is Wednesday, September 2nd.
The event is designed to leverage the region’s strength in healthcare against technology and diverse skills in medical innovation. Lead partners behind the Cleveland MedHack include Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals, CWRU, Ingenuity Cleveland, Flashstarts, MetroHealth System and BioEnterprise.
“Hackathons have been very successful in uniting people for a successful cause,” explains Will Morris, associate Chief Information Officer for the Cleveland Clinic. “This is about better healthcare delivery – better, faster, cheaper. It wasn’t so much ‘why don’t we do this” as it was ‘why aren’t we doing this.’”
Nesco Resource, one of the nation’s top staffing and HR firms with headquarters in Mayfield Heights, is sponsoring the Nesco Innovation Awards, which will be awarded to the hackathon teams that excel in developing projects that lead to out-of-the-box solutions.
“Nesco Resource has been a long-time Cleveland based company that has been about connecting talented engineers and IT people with needs in the community,” says James Krouse, Nesco’s director of marketing and communications. “We’re happy to be presenting this event in that tradition.”
First place concepts will receive $3,000, second place will get $1,500 and third place will receive $500.
Organizers are hoping hundreds of participants will attend the MedHack and that it will become an annual event. “This is truly a grassroots effort with an eye toward the North Star of the global issue of how we deliver better patient care,” says Morris.
The event is free to attend, but applications are required to participate. The deadline is to apply is Wednesday, September 2nd.
A new report shows that while some progress has been made in improving the schools, there is still a long way to go. The conditions are now right for faster changes, leaders say.
SEA Change, a collaborative social enterprise accelerator that provides funding, training and coaching to civic-minded companies, is taking applications for its second round of companies to participate in its accelerator.
Thirteen businesses with a social and economic cause participated in last year’s accelerator and eight companies went on to compete for, and ultimately received, a portion of $50,000 in total funding. Rust Belt Riders and Vineyards and Biocellar of Chateau Hough were among the top companies to receive funding.
This year SEA Change has at least $60,000 in funding and hopes to accept 10 applicants, depending on the applications they get. “We’re looking for the best business ideas that want to improve the community,” says Mike Shafarenko, director of Civic Commons IdesStream, one of the lead collaborators for SEA Change. “Last year we has a wide variety of social enterprises.” He says they are expecting about 50 companies to apply this year.
This year’s accelerator will operate a little differently than last year. “We’re re-developing the accelerator a little bit by using different elements being used across the country,” Shafarenko says. “We’re making it equal parts training and mentorship with a lot of hands-on training and more experiential opportunities than last year.”
Those chosen for the accelerator will participate in a 16 week program of eight weeks of training and eight weeks of pitch preparation and coaching.
While the program doesn’t being until October, applications are due by Saturday, August 15 by 8pm.
Thirteen businesses with a social and economic cause participated in last year’s accelerator and eight companies went on to compete for, and ultimately received, a portion of $50,000 in total funding. Rust Belt Riders and Vineyards and Biocellar of Chateau Hough were among the top companies to receive funding.
This year SEA Change has at least $60,000 in funding and hopes to accept 10 applicants, depending on the applications they get. “We’re looking for the best business ideas that want to improve the community,” says Mike Shafarenko, director of Civic Commons IdesStream, one of the lead collaborators for SEA Change. “Last year we has a wide variety of social enterprises.” He says they are expecting about 50 companies to apply this year.
This year’s accelerator will operate a little differently than last year. “We’re re-developing the accelerator a little bit by using different elements being used across the country,” Shafarenko says. “We’re making it equal parts training and mentorship with a lot of hands-on training and more experiential opportunities than last year.”
Those chosen for the accelerator will participate in a 16 week program of eight weeks of training and eight weeks of pitch preparation and coaching.
While the program doesn’t being until October, applications are due by Saturday, August 15 by 8pm.
In an effort to improve Cleveland Heights neighborhoods and create a new kind of social interaction, FutureHeights is now offering mini-grants of up to $1,000 for neighbors to get together for improvement projects.
“It’s a way to strengthen our neighborhoods,” says FutureHeights executive director Deanna Bremer Fisher. “The way we do that work is with our residents and strengthen their assets.”
The grass-roots program is loosely based on Cleveland’s Neighborhood Connections program, which offers grants of up to $5,000 for neighborhood enhancement projects and is partially responsible for the creation of popular events like Larchmere PorchFest.
Years ago, Bremer Fisher says neighborhood block clubs were prevalent in Cleveland Heights. While some of the groups still exist and thrive, such as in the Fairfax neighborhood where the block has as many as 10 events a year, many of the groups have dissolved.
“This will be an incentive to be able to do small projects – do little things from a social aspect or physical appearance,” says Bremer Fisher. “Whether it’s a project that works on some aspect of physical appearance or strengthens a social network, we’re really open to all ideas. Let’s talk about it.”
FutureHeights has $7,500 budgeted for the mini-grants. Groups must consist of at least three people in the same neighborhood, and they will be required to match 20 percent of the grant in either money or volunteer hours.
The organization plans to offer the program again in the spring, depending on the interest. “We have no idea what kind of response we’ll get,” Bremer Fisher says. The application deadline is September 15. An informational meeting is scheduled for this Wednesday, July 29 at 7pm at the Cleveland Heights-University Heights Lee Road Library.
“It’s a way to strengthen our neighborhoods,” says FutureHeights executive director Deanna Bremer Fisher. “The way we do that work is with our residents and strengthen their assets.”
The grass-roots program is loosely based on Cleveland’s Neighborhood Connections program, which offers grants of up to $5,000 for neighborhood enhancement projects and is partially responsible for the creation of popular events like Larchmere PorchFest.
Years ago, Bremer Fisher says neighborhood block clubs were prevalent in Cleveland Heights. While some of the groups still exist and thrive, such as in the Fairfax neighborhood where the block has as many as 10 events a year, many of the groups have dissolved.
“This will be an incentive to be able to do small projects – do little things from a social aspect or physical appearance,” says Bremer Fisher. “Whether it’s a project that works on some aspect of physical appearance or strengthens a social network, we’re really open to all ideas. Let’s talk about it.”
FutureHeights has $7,500 budgeted for the mini-grants. Groups must consist of at least three people in the same neighborhood, and they will be required to match 20 percent of the grant in either money or volunteer hours.
The organization plans to offer the program again in the spring, depending on the interest. “We have no idea what kind of response we’ll get,” Bremer Fisher says. The application deadline is September 15. An informational meeting is scheduled for this Wednesday, July 29 at 7pm at the Cleveland Heights-University Heights Lee Road Library.
