Lee Chilcote
Stories by: Lee Chilcote
Lee Chilcote is founder and editor of The Land. He is the author of the poetry chapbooks The Shape of Home and How to Live in Ruins. His writing has been published by Vanity Fair, Next City, Belt and many literary journals as well as in The Cleveland Neighborhood Guidebook, The Cleveland Anthology and A Race Anthology: Dispatches and Artifacts from a Segregated City. He is a founder and former executive director of Literary Cleveland. He lives in the Detroit Shoreway neighborhood of Cleveland with his family.770 stories found; viewing page 10 of 39.
Welcome to Waterloo, which is fast becoming the weirdest, most creative strip in Cleveland. Thanks to a $1 million grant from the Kresge Foundation, this neighborhood will increase to 25 the number of new arts-based businesses that recently opened along the main drag.
Speaking last week at the annual meeting of the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA), the regional transportation planning agency for Northeast Ohio, Executive Director Grace Gallucci promised a more strategic distribution of money for projects and greater emphasis on multi-modal transportation options.
"We want more choices; that's what freedom -- being an American -- is about," she said. "NOACA is not trying to vilify the automobile; we... Read more >
"We want more choices; that's what freedom -- being an American -- is about," she said. "NOACA is not trying to vilify the automobile; we... Read more >
The Hildebrandt Artist Collective is set to open studio and gallery space in the historic Hildebrandt building, a gigantic warehouse located on Walton Avenue on Cleveland's near west side, sometime next month.
The group joins existing tenants Rust Belt Welding, Soulcraft Woodshop and Wake Robin Fermented Foods in the sprawling complex, which was built a century ago as a meat packing company but has evolved into a hub for local food and art.
Fiber artist Katie... Read more >
The group joins existing tenants Rust Belt Welding, Soulcraft Woodshop and Wake Robin Fermented Foods in the sprawling complex, which was built a century ago as a meat packing company but has evolved into a hub for local food and art.
Fiber artist Katie... Read more >
Ninety two percent of residents in the Central neighborhood live below 200 percent of the poverty line, qualifying them to receive food from food pantries. Yet until recently, the future of the city's largest food pantry -- and the second-largest food pantry in Cuyahoga County -- was seriously in doubt.
Recently, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul of Cleveland (SVDP) stepped in to assume management of Brother Hubbard's Cupboard in the Carl Stokes Building at 6001 ... Read more >
Recently, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul of Cleveland (SVDP) stepped in to assume management of Brother Hubbard's Cupboard in the Carl Stokes Building at 6001 ... Read more >
Cleveland Cyclewerks (CCW), a startup that manufactures and sells its own motorcycles, is set to open the first Cyclewerks-exclusive dealership at its warehouse in the Gordon Square Arts District. The owners will host a party on Saturday, October 5th with food trucks, kegs of free beer and tours of the shop, which sells accessories and also repairs bikes.
"A year ago, this place was a mess," says general manager Jon Dale. "We cleaned it out, pressure washed... Read more >
"A year ago, this place was a mess," says general manager Jon Dale. "We cleaned it out, pressure washed... Read more >
The entrepreneurs behind Piccadilly Artisan Yogurt, who opened their first location in the old Grog Shop space on Coventry Road less than a year ago, will open their second location in Ohio City this fall.
Adrian and Cosmin Bota, Romanian-born brothers who grew up in Parma, have also signed a letter of intent on a retail space at West 117th and Clifton.
The Ohio City location is a slender, 1,100-square-foot storefront that's sandwiched between Crop and Bonbon... Read more >
Adrian and Cosmin Bota, Romanian-born brothers who grew up in Parma, have also signed a letter of intent on a retail space at West 117th and Clifton.
The Ohio City location is a slender, 1,100-square-foot storefront that's sandwiched between Crop and Bonbon... Read more >
Core and shell renovations of the 150,000-square-foot Victory Center, a $26 million project located along the Health-Tech Corridor, are almost complete. Tenant build-outs will follow, and although none have signed leases yet, developer Scott Garson says that will change as his team finishes the common spaces and shows the property to more prospective tenants.
"Everybody thinks it's wonderful, great… The trick is getting the first one in," he says. &qu... Read more >
"Everybody thinks it's wonderful, great… The trick is getting the first one in," he says. &qu... Read more >
Kelli Hanley Potts has lived in Denver and Albuquerque, where she got involved in the slow food movement, replaced her front lawn with a vegetable garden, and worked for some of those cities' top chefs. When she got the urge to move back home to Cleveland, she knew she wanted to do something food-related.
That's when she stumbled upon a business idea. Despite the rise of the local food movement, most people had no idea how to cook kale, make jam or preserve food. ... Read more >
That's when she stumbled upon a business idea. Despite the rise of the local food movement, most people had no idea how to cook kale, make jam or preserve food. ... Read more >
As millenials, empty nesters and other demographic groups flock to downtowns across Ohio, business improvement districts -- or BIDs -- are playing an important role in ensuring that these areas are clean and safe and that residents, office workers and property owners have the amenities they need to thrive.
A business improvement district is a defined area in which property owners pay an additional tax in order to fund projects and services that enhance the area. Downtown ... Read more >
A business improvement district is a defined area in which property owners pay an additional tax in order to fund projects and services that enhance the area. Downtown ... Read more >
There are very few properties in Cleveland where a resident can don a pair sandals and stroll straight to the beach from one's front door. But when it comes online next summer, the Shoreway Building will join that small and privileged group.
The building at 1260 W. 76th Street, once home to the Globe Machine and Stamping Company, has been used for years as a storage facility by the Catan family (of Pat Catan's Craft Centers).
With the reopening of the ped... Read more >
The building at 1260 W. 76th Street, once home to the Globe Machine and Stamping Company, has been used for years as a storage facility by the Catan family (of Pat Catan's Craft Centers).
With the reopening of the ped... Read more >
The historic Colonial and Euclid Arcades in downtown Cleveland suffered from 40 percent vacancy last year, yet this year they added a slew of new shops and have gone from half-empty to nearly completely full.
Renamed the 5th Street Arcades, the once-moribund properties have been turned around by Dick Pace of Cumberland Development, who has breathed new life into the spaces by luring entrepreneurial tenants with fresh concepts and excitement about downtown.
"... Read more >
Renamed the 5th Street Arcades, the once-moribund properties have been turned around by Dick Pace of Cumberland Development, who has breathed new life into the spaces by luring entrepreneurial tenants with fresh concepts and excitement about downtown.
"... Read more >
If all goes as planned, an ambitious new supper club with two stages for live music and outdoor dining will open on the west bank of the Flats next spring. Pursuing that dream are Mike and Colleen Miller, marketing and concert industry vets who lived in Chicago before moving back to Cleveland.
The founder of the successful Cleveland Flea will soon move her growing business, The Indie Foundry, into a historic mansion on St. Clair Avenue. The location will function as a co-working and classroom space aimed at helping small creative businesses to grow and flourish. It joins a growing list of new startups on that street.
"This is the business development side of a business incubator, a place where you meet other creatives," says Stephanie Sheldon. "Y... Read more >
"This is the business development side of a business incubator, a place where you meet other creatives," says Stephanie Sheldon. "Y... Read more >
Next week, Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry (LMM) celebrates the grand opening of its new headquarters in a former textile manufacturing shop at E. 45th Street and Superior Avenue. The redeveloped office not only makes LMM more efficient, sustainable and accessible, it also contains a 2,400-square-foot central kitchen and 6,000-square-foot metal shop that allows the group to advance its social enterprise branch.
Michael Sering, Vice President at LMM, says that the organizat... Read more >
Michael Sering, Vice President at LMM, says that the organizat... Read more >
Leslie Friend will be the first person to tell you that what she does is dangerous, but it's also a real thrill and great workout. She teaches aerial silks classes, best known as the acrobatic art form of Cirque du Soleil, at two different locations in Cleveland, the Studio Cleveland and Sokol Greater Cleveland.
"It utilizes every aspect of the body: core strength, balance and flexibility," says Friend. "Most importantly for most people, it builds confi... Read more >
"It utilizes every aspect of the body: core strength, balance and flexibility," says Friend. "Most importantly for most people, it builds confi... Read more >
Cotton, a high-end linen store recently launched by Plantation Home owner David Stein, joins an impressive list of new businesses opening in Lakewood. The store sells mid- to high-end sheets, duvets, tablecloths and linens. It also offers tableware and "one-of-a-kind" ladies handbags, according to Stein.
Cotton opened in the ornate stone building where Kucinich once maintained a district office. The rehabbed storefront at 14400 Detroit Avenue boasts new landscap... Read more >
Cotton opened in the ornate stone building where Kucinich once maintained a district office. The rehabbed storefront at 14400 Detroit Avenue boasts new landscap... Read more >
There are now dozens of high-performing charter and public schools in the City of Cleveland. Yet a culture of school choice still is not the norm in many Cleveland neighborhoods, and as many as 60 percent of city families have not yet chosen a school to attend.
With the deadline looming on August 19th, those families that do not proactively choose a school will be enrolled in their neighborhood school, which may or may not be the best option depending on how the school is... Read more >
With the deadline looming on August 19th, those families that do not proactively choose a school will be enrolled in their neighborhood school, which may or may not be the best option depending on how the school is... Read more >
You can add one more to the list of artisan businesses choosing North Collinwood as the place to launch and grow. Fears' Confections, a sweet shop specializing in scratch-made brownies and candies, has opened in the former Arabica space at 818 E. 185th Street.
The business, launched by Cassandra and Jeremy Fear, uses "sweets to die for" as its tagline. The bakery and confectionery offers "thick, fudgy, decadent creations made from scratch using only the... Read more >
The business, launched by Cassandra and Jeremy Fear, uses "sweets to die for" as its tagline. The bakery and confectionery offers "thick, fudgy, decadent creations made from scratch using only the... Read more >
Welcome to Cleveland, an artists' visitation weekend hosted by Northeast Shores CDC and the Community Partnership for Arts and Culture, drew about a dozen artists to Cleveland, many of whom have signed leases and are expected to move here.
"The weekend exceeded our expectations by far," says Brian Friedman, Executive Director of Northeast Shores. "We didn't know they'd be so ready to go."
The artists were impressed not only by Clev... Read more >
"The weekend exceeded our expectations by far," says Brian Friedman, Executive Director of Northeast Shores. "We didn't know they'd be so ready to go."
The artists were impressed not only by Clev... Read more >