Lee Chilcote
Kate Dupuis moved from Bay Village to a condemned Queen Anne Victorian in the Clark-Fulton neighborhood of Cleveland nearly 20 years ago. Now she's fighting to save her adopted community from the ravages of neglect, disinvestment and the foreclosure crisis.
The near-west side neighborhood has been hard hit by the economic downturn and is littered with boarded-up, vacant properties. Yet Dupuis insists that it's worth salvaging -- and it can happen if residents are organized, she adds.
"Our agenda is to bring some attention to a long-neglected neighborhood that has the viability to be saved," says Dupuis, a stained glass artist who chairs the neighborhood's volunteer-led Housing Committee. "Our housing stock is wonderful and extremely affordable, and we have committed, solid residents. But the neighborhood's at a tipping point -- we need to address our urban blight."
Towards that end, Dupuis and other residents have organized a project to fix up an historic, vacant gas station at W. 44th and Storer Ave. in the heart of the neighborhood this Saturday. A team of volunteers will cover the long-neglected building with plywood, repaint it, install a pathway of concrete pavers, and add landscaping that transforms the empty property into a park-like setting.
The project is part of a larger effort by the Housing Committee to involve residents in improvement projects while pressing the city for additional resources. "We have properties in our community that have been vacant for years, and along with that comes the attendant crime," says Dupuis. "We're pushing the city to remedy the worst of the worst by tearing down these houses."
Dupuis stresses that the Housing Committee is also helping to preserve the neighborhood's building stock. This Saturday's effort is one such project. The event is co-sponsored by Cleveland Housing Court and the Stockyard, Clark-Fulton and Brooklyn Centre Community Development Corporation.
Although Dupuis says there isn't much new investment taking place on Storer Ave, she notices subtle, positive changes in the neighborhood. "We're giving people in the community hope because we're taking action and doing things."
Source: Kate Dupuis
Writer: Lee Chilcote
The near-west side neighborhood has been hard hit by the economic downturn and is littered with boarded-up, vacant properties. Yet Dupuis insists that it's worth salvaging -- and it can happen if residents are organized, she adds.
"Our agenda is to bring some attention to a long-neglected neighborhood that has the viability to be saved," says Dupuis, a stained glass artist who chairs the neighborhood's volunteer-led Housing Committee. "Our housing stock is wonderful and extremely affordable, and we have committed, solid residents. But the neighborhood's at a tipping point -- we need to address our urban blight."
Towards that end, Dupuis and other residents have organized a project to fix up an historic, vacant gas station at W. 44th and Storer Ave. in the heart of the neighborhood this Saturday. A team of volunteers will cover the long-neglected building with plywood, repaint it, install a pathway of concrete pavers, and add landscaping that transforms the empty property into a park-like setting.
The project is part of a larger effort by the Housing Committee to involve residents in improvement projects while pressing the city for additional resources. "We have properties in our community that have been vacant for years, and along with that comes the attendant crime," says Dupuis. "We're pushing the city to remedy the worst of the worst by tearing down these houses."
Dupuis stresses that the Housing Committee is also helping to preserve the neighborhood's building stock. This Saturday's effort is one such project. The event is co-sponsored by Cleveland Housing Court and the Stockyard, Clark-Fulton and Brooklyn Centre Community Development Corporation.
Although Dupuis says there isn't much new investment taking place on Storer Ave, she notices subtle, positive changes in the neighborhood. "We're giving people in the community hope because we're taking action and doing things."
Source: Kate Dupuis
Writer: Lee Chilcote
A group of residents in the Shaker Square-Larchmere community of Cleveland have organized the second Neighborhoods of Shaker Square Home Tour to promote the neighborhood's many amenities and raise funds for a legacy project in the community.
The home tour will take place on Saturday, September 17th from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m. The event will highlight the neighborhood's varied housing stock, showcasing single-family and two-family homes, luxury condominiums and apartments.
To attract tour-goers to "live, work and play" within the neighborhoods around Shaker Square, event organizers are touting not only the unique homes within the area, but also the art, antique, restaurant and entertainment establishments in the Shaker Square and Larchmere commercial districts.
In a press release, organizers also cite amenities such as a grocery store and cinema in walking distance; mouth-watering restaurants and farmer's market; proximity to the Shaker Square RTA station; and financial incentives towards purchasing a home through the Greater Circle Living Program.
The weekend kicks off Friday, September 16th with "Rooftop Revelry Over the Square," a fundraiser that will take place on two Shaker Square condominium rooftops that feature spectacular city and skyline views.
Organizers say they intend to use the funds raised from both events to make an as-yet-to-be-named "legacy gift" to the Larchmere Boulevard enhancement project. This $700,000 improvement project will redevelop the Larchmere streetscape with new lighting, street trees, decorative crosswalks, sidewalks and other amenities.
Tickets to the Neighborhoods of Shaker Square Home Tour cost $15 if purchased online beforehand or $20 on the day of the event. The tour begins at Sergio's Sarava on Shaker Square. Tickets to "Rooftop Revelry" cost $75 and include home tour admission.
Source: Katharyne Starinsky
Writer: Lee Chilcote
The home tour will take place on Saturday, September 17th from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m. The event will highlight the neighborhood's varied housing stock, showcasing single-family and two-family homes, luxury condominiums and apartments.
To attract tour-goers to "live, work and play" within the neighborhoods around Shaker Square, event organizers are touting not only the unique homes within the area, but also the art, antique, restaurant and entertainment establishments in the Shaker Square and Larchmere commercial districts.
In a press release, organizers also cite amenities such as a grocery store and cinema in walking distance; mouth-watering restaurants and farmer's market; proximity to the Shaker Square RTA station; and financial incentives towards purchasing a home through the Greater Circle Living Program.
The weekend kicks off Friday, September 16th with "Rooftop Revelry Over the Square," a fundraiser that will take place on two Shaker Square condominium rooftops that feature spectacular city and skyline views.
Organizers say they intend to use the funds raised from both events to make an as-yet-to-be-named "legacy gift" to the Larchmere Boulevard enhancement project. This $700,000 improvement project will redevelop the Larchmere streetscape with new lighting, street trees, decorative crosswalks, sidewalks and other amenities.
Tickets to the Neighborhoods of Shaker Square Home Tour cost $15 if purchased online beforehand or $20 on the day of the event. The tour begins at Sergio's Sarava on Shaker Square. Tickets to "Rooftop Revelry" cost $75 and include home tour admission.
Source: Katharyne Starinsky
Writer: Lee Chilcote
If community renewal can be spoken of as planting seeds for change, then count the Cudell neighborhood of Cleveland as a change-maker. The community recently won a free orchard from the Edy's Fruit Bars Communities Take Root program.
On August 30th, dozens of new fruit trees will be planted near W. 85th and Franklin Boulevard on vacant land that was recently home to dilapidated row houses.
According to Jeanette Toms, Special Programs Coordinator with the nonprofit Cudell Improvement Inc., the neighborhood secured the gift after winning enough votes in an online competition to place among the top five entries in the country. Facing stiff competition from entries around the country, Cudell solicited votes from as far away as Florida, Italy and Portugal in order to land the win.
"My dad lives in Florida, so when he came to visit, we asked him to help spread the word among his friends," says Toms. "You could vote once per day."
The competition is sponsored by Edy's Fruit Bars and the Fruit Tree Planting Foundation, an international foundation that is "dedicated to planting fruit-bearing trees in places that best benefit the community -- public schools, city parks and low-income neighborhoods," according to the program's website.
Cudell Improvement plans to install an irrigation system to ensure the trees are properly watered. In three to five years, when the trees begin bearing fruit, the group plans to give the fruit away to neighborhood residents and food pantries.
Source: Jeanette Toms
Writer: Lee Chilcote
On August 30th, dozens of new fruit trees will be planted near W. 85th and Franklin Boulevard on vacant land that was recently home to dilapidated row houses.
According to Jeanette Toms, Special Programs Coordinator with the nonprofit Cudell Improvement Inc., the neighborhood secured the gift after winning enough votes in an online competition to place among the top five entries in the country. Facing stiff competition from entries around the country, Cudell solicited votes from as far away as Florida, Italy and Portugal in order to land the win.
"My dad lives in Florida, so when he came to visit, we asked him to help spread the word among his friends," says Toms. "You could vote once per day."
The competition is sponsored by Edy's Fruit Bars and the Fruit Tree Planting Foundation, an international foundation that is "dedicated to planting fruit-bearing trees in places that best benefit the community -- public schools, city parks and low-income neighborhoods," according to the program's website.
Cudell Improvement plans to install an irrigation system to ensure the trees are properly watered. In three to five years, when the trees begin bearing fruit, the group plans to give the fruit away to neighborhood residents and food pantries.
Source: Jeanette Toms
Writer: Lee Chilcote
The Cleveland Design Competition, an open ideas challenge that aims to spur fresh architectural thinking in Cleveland, will soon showcase ideas for a new K-12 public school in downtown Cleveland.
The event organizers, architectural designers Michael Christoff and Bradley Fink, plan to showcase the designs and announce the competition winners at a public ceremony that will be held at the Cleveland State University Student Center beginning at 6 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 19th.
This year's competition focuses on designing a permanent, new home for the Campus International School at CSU, a Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD) school that is one of 17 innovative schools that was launched under the CMSD's Transformation Plan. On the website, event organizers cite high-performing schools as key to attracting and retaining residents in Cleveland.
Campus International School is now located in temporary, leased space at First United Methodist Church at E. 30th and Euclid Avenue. The school is growing by about 60 students per year, and anticipates outgrowing that space by 2013.
The popular school, which uses a curriculum based on the International Baccalaureate Program and aims to instill international-mindedness and an ethic of community service among its students, has attracted so many applicants that CMSD is now using a lottery system to fill the school's open spots.
While there are currently no plans to build a new school, CSU officials have stated their preference for a site bounded by Payne and Superior Avenues and East 18th and 19th Streets that consists largely of parking lots owned by the city. CSU's Master Plan calls for spurring more development at the northern edge of campus.
The Cleveland Design Competition is funded mainly by the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy.
Source: Cleveland Design Competition
Writer: Lee Chilcote
The event organizers, architectural designers Michael Christoff and Bradley Fink, plan to showcase the designs and announce the competition winners at a public ceremony that will be held at the Cleveland State University Student Center beginning at 6 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 19th.
This year's competition focuses on designing a permanent, new home for the Campus International School at CSU, a Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD) school that is one of 17 innovative schools that was launched under the CMSD's Transformation Plan. On the website, event organizers cite high-performing schools as key to attracting and retaining residents in Cleveland.
Campus International School is now located in temporary, leased space at First United Methodist Church at E. 30th and Euclid Avenue. The school is growing by about 60 students per year, and anticipates outgrowing that space by 2013.
The popular school, which uses a curriculum based on the International Baccalaureate Program and aims to instill international-mindedness and an ethic of community service among its students, has attracted so many applicants that CMSD is now using a lottery system to fill the school's open spots.
While there are currently no plans to build a new school, CSU officials have stated their preference for a site bounded by Payne and Superior Avenues and East 18th and 19th Streets that consists largely of parking lots owned by the city. CSU's Master Plan calls for spurring more development at the northern edge of campus.
The Cleveland Design Competition is funded mainly by the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy.
Source: Cleveland Design Competition
Writer: Lee Chilcote
The Civic Commons, a nonprofit organization that helps foster civic engagement through creating community conversations, has relocated its offices to a street-level storefront at Trinity Commons.
"We wanted to be accessible to the community, and a place where people can just drop by," says Dan Moulthrop, Civic Commons Curator of Conversation, of the move. "We don't want to be hidden in an office building somewhere; we want people to feel like the Civic Commons is a place they recognize and own."
Since launching a year ago, the Civic Commons has always planned to move out of the E. 9th Street offices of its parent organization, Fund for Our Economic Future, to a more visible spot. Moulthrop chose Trinity Commons because of its central location, on-the-street presence and reputation as an urban gathering place.
"There's a great mission overlap -- we share a sense of being of service to the community and how important that is," he says. "It's a really nice fit for us."
Trinity Commons, which is located at E. 22nd and Euclid, was developed by Trinity Episcopal Cathedral a decade ago to house its offices, provide community meeting space and create new storefronts. Moulthrop says he is looking forward to using Trinity Commons' meeting space to host face-to-face conversations about important civic issues, supplementing the group's online presence.
"We've tried to be both an online presence and out in the community since the beginning, yet we can't be in the community all the time," he says. "We're a community asset and we want to show that in our physical presence."
Moulthrop adds that the synergy between virtual and real discussions lies at the heart of the Civic Commons mission. "The vision is that thoughtful online conversation can have an impact on community conversation," he says. "The trick is doing meaningful activity in both places and connecting them in conversation. You see this when people are live-blogging or tweeting a town hall meeting."
Moulthrop is also enjoying his central location in the Campus District near downtown Cleveland. "We're close to a lot of things, and very accessible because we're right on Euclid Avenue, a major artery into downtown," he says.
Source: Dan Moulthrop
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"We wanted to be accessible to the community, and a place where people can just drop by," says Dan Moulthrop, Civic Commons Curator of Conversation, of the move. "We don't want to be hidden in an office building somewhere; we want people to feel like the Civic Commons is a place they recognize and own."
Since launching a year ago, the Civic Commons has always planned to move out of the E. 9th Street offices of its parent organization, Fund for Our Economic Future, to a more visible spot. Moulthrop chose Trinity Commons because of its central location, on-the-street presence and reputation as an urban gathering place.
"There's a great mission overlap -- we share a sense of being of service to the community and how important that is," he says. "It's a really nice fit for us."
Trinity Commons, which is located at E. 22nd and Euclid, was developed by Trinity Episcopal Cathedral a decade ago to house its offices, provide community meeting space and create new storefronts. Moulthrop says he is looking forward to using Trinity Commons' meeting space to host face-to-face conversations about important civic issues, supplementing the group's online presence.
"We've tried to be both an online presence and out in the community since the beginning, yet we can't be in the community all the time," he says. "We're a community asset and we want to show that in our physical presence."
Moulthrop adds that the synergy between virtual and real discussions lies at the heart of the Civic Commons mission. "The vision is that thoughtful online conversation can have an impact on community conversation," he says. "The trick is doing meaningful activity in both places and connecting them in conversation. You see this when people are live-blogging or tweeting a town hall meeting."
Moulthrop is also enjoying his central location in the Campus District near downtown Cleveland. "We're close to a lot of things, and very accessible because we're right on Euclid Avenue, a major artery into downtown," he says.
Source: Dan Moulthrop
Writer: Lee Chilcote
When John Stahl launched LeanDog, his now four-year-old software development company that has grown to 34 employees, he was looking for a space that would stretch his clients' minds and embody the expansive thinking LeanDog tries to instill.
He found what he was looking for in a former Lake Erie barge, which dates back to 1892 and was last used as the floating restaurant Hornblower's. "We help companies envision who they want to be," says Stahl. "With a view of the trains, the Rock Hall, Lake Erie and downtown Cleveland, we figured this was the place to do that."
Now Stahl has partnered with the owner of Arras, a 20-year-old marketing and brand innovation company that currently has offices in the Terminal Tower, to purchase and renovate the barge, now permanently moored at 1151 N. Marginal Road. The project will add a full second story to accommodate the companies' growth.
Stahl and his business partner plan to purchase the barge for $500,000. They have also received a $275,000 loan package from the City of Cleveland towards the costs of renovations. That welcome support is part of a larger effort by the city to lure technology companies to the waterfront district, Stahl says.
The entrepreneurs will create open offices that maximize employee collaboration -- in essence modeling what LeanDog teaches. "We help companies change how they work, even as we deliver software," says Stahl. LeanDog is a practitioner of 'Agile' software development, which fosters an open, flexible culture.
The 34-employee company also hopes its offices will continue to serve as a meeting space for Cleveland's tech community. Currently, LeanDog hosts software user groups as well as organizations like Cleveland Startup Weekend and Cleveland Give Camp. "It's part of our values to help the community," says Stahl.
Stahl also plans to create a dock so visitors can arrive by boat. The second floor bar will disappear -- but not for long. Stahl hopes to recreate it on a new third-floor deck, complete with stunning views of Cleveland's skyline and Lake Erie sunsets.
Source: John Stahl
Writer: Lee Chilcote
He found what he was looking for in a former Lake Erie barge, which dates back to 1892 and was last used as the floating restaurant Hornblower's. "We help companies envision who they want to be," says Stahl. "With a view of the trains, the Rock Hall, Lake Erie and downtown Cleveland, we figured this was the place to do that."
Now Stahl has partnered with the owner of Arras, a 20-year-old marketing and brand innovation company that currently has offices in the Terminal Tower, to purchase and renovate the barge, now permanently moored at 1151 N. Marginal Road. The project will add a full second story to accommodate the companies' growth.
Stahl and his business partner plan to purchase the barge for $500,000. They have also received a $275,000 loan package from the City of Cleveland towards the costs of renovations. That welcome support is part of a larger effort by the city to lure technology companies to the waterfront district, Stahl says.
The entrepreneurs will create open offices that maximize employee collaboration -- in essence modeling what LeanDog teaches. "We help companies change how they work, even as we deliver software," says Stahl. LeanDog is a practitioner of 'Agile' software development, which fosters an open, flexible culture.
The 34-employee company also hopes its offices will continue to serve as a meeting space for Cleveland's tech community. Currently, LeanDog hosts software user groups as well as organizations like Cleveland Startup Weekend and Cleveland Give Camp. "It's part of our values to help the community," says Stahl.
Stahl also plans to create a dock so visitors can arrive by boat. The second floor bar will disappear -- but not for long. Stahl hopes to recreate it on a new third-floor deck, complete with stunning views of Cleveland's skyline and Lake Erie sunsets.
Source: John Stahl
Writer: Lee Chilcote
With the recent opening of the Urban Orchid, a new flower and gift shop located at 2704 Bridge Avenue, an empty storefront has been filled and a new business has been added to Ohio City's artisan economy.
Owner Brandon Sitler describes the Urban Orchid as "a small gift boutique and full-service flower shop that offers custom arrangements and delivers flowers throughout Cuyahoga County -- and anywhere in the world, really." The cozy, 400-square-foot space boasts an open floor plan that allows customers to watch the floral designer at work.
Sitler worked at Flowerville in University Heights for eight years before striking out on his own. His new store offers handmade gift items such as greeting cards adorned with Ohio City scenes by artist David Horneck, head bands by designer Lindsey Bower of Black Bow Designs, and bags made from recycled materials.
The entrepreneur was inspired to open the store after he won an international design competition from a wholesale organization and garnered grant funding from Ohio City Inc. and Charter One Bank last year. The confidence boost and cold, hard cash allowed him to make the proverbial leap from idea to actuality.
"Having that support helped me to get into this space, fix it up and make my dream a reality," says Sitler, an Ohio City resident who decided the time was right to launch a flower shop because there are no others on the near-west side.
Sitler hopes to continue creating custom arrangements for weddings and other events while also serving walk-in customers at his shop, which is open on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The Urban Orchid also specializes in green and sustainable gifts. Sitler buys work from local artists that is handmade or made from recycled materials. "Flowers make you think of what you're leaving behind, your footprint," he says. "So the idea of my flower shop was to keep it green and give back."
Source: Brandon Sitler
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Owner Brandon Sitler describes the Urban Orchid as "a small gift boutique and full-service flower shop that offers custom arrangements and delivers flowers throughout Cuyahoga County -- and anywhere in the world, really." The cozy, 400-square-foot space boasts an open floor plan that allows customers to watch the floral designer at work.
Sitler worked at Flowerville in University Heights for eight years before striking out on his own. His new store offers handmade gift items such as greeting cards adorned with Ohio City scenes by artist David Horneck, head bands by designer Lindsey Bower of Black Bow Designs, and bags made from recycled materials.
The entrepreneur was inspired to open the store after he won an international design competition from a wholesale organization and garnered grant funding from Ohio City Inc. and Charter One Bank last year. The confidence boost and cold, hard cash allowed him to make the proverbial leap from idea to actuality.
"Having that support helped me to get into this space, fix it up and make my dream a reality," says Sitler, an Ohio City resident who decided the time was right to launch a flower shop because there are no others on the near-west side.
Sitler hopes to continue creating custom arrangements for weddings and other events while also serving walk-in customers at his shop, which is open on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The Urban Orchid also specializes in green and sustainable gifts. Sitler buys work from local artists that is handmade or made from recycled materials. "Flowers make you think of what you're leaving behind, your footprint," he says. "So the idea of my flower shop was to keep it green and give back."
Source: Brandon Sitler
Writer: Lee Chilcote
In American culture, automobiles have long symbolized personal freedom. But present-day bike advocates say the exact opposite is true: Rather than create a sense of giddy liberty, cars foster feelings of isolation and enclosure. For that reason and more -- environmental concerns, high gas prices, the desire for a healthier lifestyle -- more people are opting to go "car-light" and "car-free."
Many a native Clevelander wears his or her hometown pride on their sleeve. Now, a new shop in North Collinwood's Waterloo Arts District is helping them do that in style.
In recent years, the T-shirt, once a ubiquitous symbol of hometown or team pride, has been transformed into a hip, ironic fashion statement. Nowadays, cheeky tees celebrate a city's attributes, quirky mistakes and even inferiority complexes. (Witness the proliferation of Cleveland T-shirts referencing the now-infamous 1969 Cuyahoga River fire.)
Native Cleveland, a new store that opened in December at 15813 Waterloo Road, aims to help shoppers find the perfect threads to celebrate their unique brand of Cleveland and Ohio pride. Some of the T-shirts the shop sells include the classic Cleveland -- You Gotta Be Tough, CLE Clothing Company's Elliot Ness for Mayor, and funky tees with Hello, Cleveland in bubble letters.
The T-shirts all have local themes, and most are designed and made in Northeast Ohio. The store owners decided to locate in the up-and-coming Waterloo Arts District after having success selling their wares at that neighborhood's annual summer festival.
In addition to shirts, the store also sells quirky "Ohio" bags, metal fish necklaces, and posters that read, "Erie: A lake so great it is what legends are made of." A selection of locally themed buttons and stickers are also available.
Some ethnic Clevelanders get a two-for-one shout out, as in the case of shirts that feature an outline of Slovenia with "Cleveland" printed at the top, a reference to our huge Slovenian community (the largest population of Slovenes outside of Slovenia).
Most adult shirts at Native Cleveland are in the $20 to 25 range.
Source: Native Cleveland
Writer: Lee Chilcote
In recent years, the T-shirt, once a ubiquitous symbol of hometown or team pride, has been transformed into a hip, ironic fashion statement. Nowadays, cheeky tees celebrate a city's attributes, quirky mistakes and even inferiority complexes. (Witness the proliferation of Cleveland T-shirts referencing the now-infamous 1969 Cuyahoga River fire.)
Native Cleveland, a new store that opened in December at 15813 Waterloo Road, aims to help shoppers find the perfect threads to celebrate their unique brand of Cleveland and Ohio pride. Some of the T-shirts the shop sells include the classic Cleveland -- You Gotta Be Tough, CLE Clothing Company's Elliot Ness for Mayor, and funky tees with Hello, Cleveland in bubble letters.
The T-shirts all have local themes, and most are designed and made in Northeast Ohio. The store owners decided to locate in the up-and-coming Waterloo Arts District after having success selling their wares at that neighborhood's annual summer festival.
In addition to shirts, the store also sells quirky "Ohio" bags, metal fish necklaces, and posters that read, "Erie: A lake so great it is what legends are made of." A selection of locally themed buttons and stickers are also available.
Some ethnic Clevelanders get a two-for-one shout out, as in the case of shirts that feature an outline of Slovenia with "Cleveland" printed at the top, a reference to our huge Slovenian community (the largest population of Slovenes outside of Slovenia).
Most adult shirts at Native Cleveland are in the $20 to 25 range.
Source: Native Cleveland
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Gateway Animal Clinic, a Tremont pet hospital that is known for accepting four-legged patients regardless of their owners' ability to pay, has relocated to a new, larger facility across the street from its original Abbey Road location.
Gateway's old home was torn down this year to make way for the Innerbelt bridge project, which is now under construction. Although Dr. Brian Forsgren, who founded the clinic 12 years ago, scoured the city for prime real estate, he ultimately decided to move across the street.
"He felt very strongly about staying in the neighborhood, so we made it work," says architect Bob Vayda, who designed the new facility at 1819 Abbey Road.
The new building is twice as large as the old one, says Vayda, and can better accommodate the clinic's growth and the needs of the neighborhood. "They'd outgrown the old building years ago," he says. The new facility, which Vayda describes as "the old building on steroids," is about 8,000 square feet.
The clinic's new location presented an interesting set of design challenges, says Vayda. For one thing, the site is largely fill dirt, which means that it had to be regraded and stabilized before a structure could be built on it.
"Back when Cleveland had street sweepers, the city apparently dumped all of its crud on that lot," he says. "When we excavated, we found evidence of old buildings with dirt floors."
Now that the move is finally complete, Gateway's staff is thrilled. "There's more room to move around, and they can see more patients," says Vayda.
Source: Bob Vayda
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Gateway's old home was torn down this year to make way for the Innerbelt bridge project, which is now under construction. Although Dr. Brian Forsgren, who founded the clinic 12 years ago, scoured the city for prime real estate, he ultimately decided to move across the street.
"He felt very strongly about staying in the neighborhood, so we made it work," says architect Bob Vayda, who designed the new facility at 1819 Abbey Road.
The new building is twice as large as the old one, says Vayda, and can better accommodate the clinic's growth and the needs of the neighborhood. "They'd outgrown the old building years ago," he says. The new facility, which Vayda describes as "the old building on steroids," is about 8,000 square feet.
The clinic's new location presented an interesting set of design challenges, says Vayda. For one thing, the site is largely fill dirt, which means that it had to be regraded and stabilized before a structure could be built on it.
"Back when Cleveland had street sweepers, the city apparently dumped all of its crud on that lot," he says. "When we excavated, we found evidence of old buildings with dirt floors."
Now that the move is finally complete, Gateway's staff is thrilled. "There's more room to move around, and they can see more patients," says Vayda.
Source: Bob Vayda
Writer: Lee Chilcote
For more than a year, advocates of multi-modal transportation have lobbied the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) to add bike and pedestrian lanes to the new Innerbelt bridge. They lost that fight, yet ODOT agreed to fund a $6 million renovation of the Lorain-Carnegie bridge.
That project, scheduled to be completed next fall, will add a broad, multi-use path on the north side and narrow intersections so they can be crossed more easily. It will also narrow driving lanes from 12 to 11 feet to allow room for bikers, add 'sharrows' that let drivers know they're sharing the road, and install new bike route signs from W. 20th to Abbey Avenue. This once-dicey link to Tremont will be improved with five-foot-wide bike lanes and new, historic-style lighting.
Does this high-profile victory indicate that the bike advocacy community is becoming a political force with which to be reckoned? Marc Lefkowitz, web editor for GreenCityBlueLake at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, thinks so. "When people ask why it's important to have a bike and pedestrian advocacy group, point them to sustainable transportation advocates 'Access for All,' who negotiated a $6 million commitment from ODOT," he blogged recently.
Now, cyclists are building on this victory by forming a new organization, Bike Cleveland, to amplify their voice in Northeast Ohio. "Cleveland needs a single, strong advocacy organization that will bring the cycling community together," explains Jacob Van Sickle, Active Living Coordinator for Slavic Village Development, a regular bike commuter and one of the the group's organizers. To get cyclists involved, Bike Cleveland will hold a kick-off summit on September 10th and 11th at Windows on the River in the Flats.
Yet despite having wind at their backs, cyclists in Cleveland still have a ways to go, as evidenced by Cleveland's recent approval of casino developers' plans to demolish the Columbia building on lower Prospect Ave. It will be replaced with parking, an overhead pedestrian walkway and valet parking for gamblers.
Until recently, this section of Prospect was envisioned as a prime spot for bike- and pedestrian-friendly redevelopment -- plans that opponents of the demolition say were hastily scrapped to satisfy casino developers' demands.
Source: Jacob Van Sickle, Marc Lefkowitz
Writer: Lee Chilcote
That project, scheduled to be completed next fall, will add a broad, multi-use path on the north side and narrow intersections so they can be crossed more easily. It will also narrow driving lanes from 12 to 11 feet to allow room for bikers, add 'sharrows' that let drivers know they're sharing the road, and install new bike route signs from W. 20th to Abbey Avenue. This once-dicey link to Tremont will be improved with five-foot-wide bike lanes and new, historic-style lighting.
Does this high-profile victory indicate that the bike advocacy community is becoming a political force with which to be reckoned? Marc Lefkowitz, web editor for GreenCityBlueLake at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, thinks so. "When people ask why it's important to have a bike and pedestrian advocacy group, point them to sustainable transportation advocates 'Access for All,' who negotiated a $6 million commitment from ODOT," he blogged recently.
Now, cyclists are building on this victory by forming a new organization, Bike Cleveland, to amplify their voice in Northeast Ohio. "Cleveland needs a single, strong advocacy organization that will bring the cycling community together," explains Jacob Van Sickle, Active Living Coordinator for Slavic Village Development, a regular bike commuter and one of the the group's organizers. To get cyclists involved, Bike Cleveland will hold a kick-off summit on September 10th and 11th at Windows on the River in the Flats.
Yet despite having wind at their backs, cyclists in Cleveland still have a ways to go, as evidenced by Cleveland's recent approval of casino developers' plans to demolish the Columbia building on lower Prospect Ave. It will be replaced with parking, an overhead pedestrian walkway and valet parking for gamblers.
Until recently, this section of Prospect was envisioned as a prime spot for bike- and pedestrian-friendly redevelopment -- plans that opponents of the demolition say were hastily scrapped to satisfy casino developers' demands.
Source: Jacob Van Sickle, Marc Lefkowitz
Writer: Lee Chilcote
When asked why he decided to open his custom-engraved baseball bat store, Johnnyville Slugger, on W. 25th Street in Ohio City, owner Johnny Smatana naturally employed a sports metaphor.
"If you go to the Yankees and bat .280, they'll hate you," he says. "If you go to a little place where you can do some good, they'll still like you."
Smatana, whose career includes a stint playing football for the Miami Hurricanes and 27 years moving freight for Estes Forwarding Worldwide, says he spent a month looking at different locations, but felt most at home here.
"There's so much happening here; Ohio City is the most up-and-coming part of the city," he says. "Also, this part of the street was in dire need."
The new Johnnyville Slugger -- which will include a glass-partitioned workshop in the rear of the store where customers can watch the bats being made -- is slated to open this month near the corner of Bridge and W. 25th.
Smatana, who made bats in his Sagamore Hills barn for three years before venturing out to look at storefronts, specializes in making bats that people display in their offices or homes. "They're more art than anything," he says.
Some of his favorite bats include the pearl-white Elvis slugger, studded with seven rhinestones, and the Troy Polamalu bat. "The key is putting your signature on it," he says. "The guys flip out over this stuff. I call them 'man sticks.'"
Smatana will make almost every part of the bats in his W. 25th St. shop. "I'm a cradle to grave guy -- we sand the bats, dip them, stain them and engrave them," he says. "People tell me what they want on the bats, and I do it."
Smatana, who discovered Ohio City when he and his wife began frequenting the restaurants there, is looking forward to making it his home away from home. As evidence of his commitment, he cites his unusual 30-year lease agreement.
"It's like a bacon and eggs breakfast," he quips. "The chickens are involved but the pig's committed."
Source: Johnny Smatana
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"If you go to the Yankees and bat .280, they'll hate you," he says. "If you go to a little place where you can do some good, they'll still like you."
Smatana, whose career includes a stint playing football for the Miami Hurricanes and 27 years moving freight for Estes Forwarding Worldwide, says he spent a month looking at different locations, but felt most at home here.
"There's so much happening here; Ohio City is the most up-and-coming part of the city," he says. "Also, this part of the street was in dire need."
The new Johnnyville Slugger -- which will include a glass-partitioned workshop in the rear of the store where customers can watch the bats being made -- is slated to open this month near the corner of Bridge and W. 25th.
Smatana, who made bats in his Sagamore Hills barn for three years before venturing out to look at storefronts, specializes in making bats that people display in their offices or homes. "They're more art than anything," he says.
Some of his favorite bats include the pearl-white Elvis slugger, studded with seven rhinestones, and the Troy Polamalu bat. "The key is putting your signature on it," he says. "The guys flip out over this stuff. I call them 'man sticks.'"
Smatana will make almost every part of the bats in his W. 25th St. shop. "I'm a cradle to grave guy -- we sand the bats, dip them, stain them and engrave them," he says. "People tell me what they want on the bats, and I do it."
Smatana, who discovered Ohio City when he and his wife began frequenting the restaurants there, is looking forward to making it his home away from home. As evidence of his commitment, he cites his unusual 30-year lease agreement.
"It's like a bacon and eggs breakfast," he quips. "The chickens are involved but the pig's committed."
Source: Johnny Smatana
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Over the past year, more than $48,000 has been invested in energy audits and "green" retrofits for merchants along Buckeye Road on Cleveland's East Side.
According to Deepa Vedavyas, Associate Director for Development at Buckeye Area Development Corporation (BADC), this is just the beginning. She hopes to see Buckeye Road merchants become the first "green-certified retail district" in Cleveland.
"We're using this as a learning opportunity, and encouraging them not to stop after the audit and retrofit," she says. "Energy-efficient businesses save on utility bills, which gives them an extra dollar to use towards marketing or expansion."
In all, 20 Buckeye Road merchants received energy audits, which assess the energy-efficiency of storefronts and determine cost-effective ways to help them save on their energy bills. Ten of these also received a $3,000 retrofit grant and participated in the Green Plus educational program. Green Plus is a national organization that is based at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and provides technical assistance and certification for retailers that go green.
The energy audits and retrofits were supported by a partnership with the Council of Smaller Enterprises (COSE) and funding from the Ohio Department of Energy (ODE). The Generation Foundation provided funding for the Green Plus program.
Buckeye businesses that completed audits also received $150 energy saver kits that included such items as LED exit lights, spray-in foam insulation and water-saving faucet aerators. Those that did retrofits have completed such tasks as adding insulation and sealing up air leakages at windows and doors.
Vedavyas plans to work with merchants to monitor their progress, evaluate their energy usage and see how much they save on utility bills over the next year.
Source: Deepa Vedavyas
Writer: Lee Chilcote
According to Deepa Vedavyas, Associate Director for Development at Buckeye Area Development Corporation (BADC), this is just the beginning. She hopes to see Buckeye Road merchants become the first "green-certified retail district" in Cleveland.
"We're using this as a learning opportunity, and encouraging them not to stop after the audit and retrofit," she says. "Energy-efficient businesses save on utility bills, which gives them an extra dollar to use towards marketing or expansion."
In all, 20 Buckeye Road merchants received energy audits, which assess the energy-efficiency of storefronts and determine cost-effective ways to help them save on their energy bills. Ten of these also received a $3,000 retrofit grant and participated in the Green Plus educational program. Green Plus is a national organization that is based at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and provides technical assistance and certification for retailers that go green.
The energy audits and retrofits were supported by a partnership with the Council of Smaller Enterprises (COSE) and funding from the Ohio Department of Energy (ODE). The Generation Foundation provided funding for the Green Plus program.
Buckeye businesses that completed audits also received $150 energy saver kits that included such items as LED exit lights, spray-in foam insulation and water-saving faucet aerators. Those that did retrofits have completed such tasks as adding insulation and sealing up air leakages at windows and doors.
Vedavyas plans to work with merchants to monitor their progress, evaluate their energy usage and see how much they save on utility bills over the next year.
Source: Deepa Vedavyas
Writer: Lee Chilcote
January of last year, a natural gas explosion ripped through a vacant house on W. 83rd Street in Cleveland, destroying the home, damaging 57 others, and displacing at least 15 families.
Ultimately, investigators determined that the devastating eruption was caused by a gas main that hadn't been shut off at the street. This prompted neighbors and city officials to wonder if many of Cleveland's vacant and abandoned homes aren't ticking time bombs, waiting to explode under the right conditions.
In the weeks and months following the incident, the Detroit Shoreway Community Development Organization (DSCDO) found homes for the displaced families and co-hosted a benefit that raised over $30,000. Yet the hazard of potential gas explosions and arson continue to loom large in Cleveland's neighborhoods.
Next Thursday, July 28th, a new art and architecture installation will be unveiled that is intended to be a creative, healing response to the incident. Dubbing it "urban therapy," area residents Richey Piiparinen and Melissa Daubert will create an art installation at a vacant home on W. 83rd, then deconstruct it and reuse parts of it to create a nearby community park and reading garden.
Piiparinen and Daubert, who have volunteered their time on this project, spent the past year raising funds, gathering neighbors' ideas about what "home" means to them, and tracing residents' silhouettes. During the 10-day installation, these ideas and silhouettes will be projected onto the windows of the home at 2040 W. 83rd, just a few doors down from the lot where the explosion occurred.
"There's a therapy component and an intervention component," explains Piiparinen. "We're transforming the dead symbol of this house into a sign of rebirth, and we're also creating a neighborhood asset inspired by the explosion."
Piiparinen and Daubert led a team of volunteer residents that included designer Jim Fish, architect Robert Donaldson, contractor Chris Shimp and electrician Julie Lindstrom. The new community park was funded by the West End Urbanteers Block Club, DSCDO, the city of Cleveland and Neighborhood Connections.
A public reception for the West 83rd Street Project will be held on July 28 beginning at 7:30 p.m.
Source: Richey Piiparinen
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Ultimately, investigators determined that the devastating eruption was caused by a gas main that hadn't been shut off at the street. This prompted neighbors and city officials to wonder if many of Cleveland's vacant and abandoned homes aren't ticking time bombs, waiting to explode under the right conditions.
In the weeks and months following the incident, the Detroit Shoreway Community Development Organization (DSCDO) found homes for the displaced families and co-hosted a benefit that raised over $30,000. Yet the hazard of potential gas explosions and arson continue to loom large in Cleveland's neighborhoods.
Next Thursday, July 28th, a new art and architecture installation will be unveiled that is intended to be a creative, healing response to the incident. Dubbing it "urban therapy," area residents Richey Piiparinen and Melissa Daubert will create an art installation at a vacant home on W. 83rd, then deconstruct it and reuse parts of it to create a nearby community park and reading garden.
Piiparinen and Daubert, who have volunteered their time on this project, spent the past year raising funds, gathering neighbors' ideas about what "home" means to them, and tracing residents' silhouettes. During the 10-day installation, these ideas and silhouettes will be projected onto the windows of the home at 2040 W. 83rd, just a few doors down from the lot where the explosion occurred.
"There's a therapy component and an intervention component," explains Piiparinen. "We're transforming the dead symbol of this house into a sign of rebirth, and we're also creating a neighborhood asset inspired by the explosion."
Piiparinen and Daubert led a team of volunteer residents that included designer Jim Fish, architect Robert Donaldson, contractor Chris Shimp and electrician Julie Lindstrom. The new community park was funded by the West End Urbanteers Block Club, DSCDO, the city of Cleveland and Neighborhood Connections.
A public reception for the West 83rd Street Project will be held on July 28 beginning at 7:30 p.m.
Source: Richey Piiparinen
Writer: Lee Chilcote
The Community Partnership for Arts and Culture (CPAC) announced Tuesday that it has selected North Collinwood for its Artists in Residence Program, an effort to use artist-based development to help revitalize one urban neighborhood.
The two-year, $500,000 pilot program will provide a small loan program for artists buying or rehabbing homes in the target area, a small grant program to support artists' work in carrying out community-based projects, and artist home ownership services such as credit counseling and saving programs.
A panel of arts, community development and planning experts selected the target neighborhood through a competitive process. Seth Beattie, Strategic Initiative Director for CPAC, said the panel was impressed by the grassroots, arts-based approach of Northeast Shores Development Corporation, the nonprofit that serves the neighborhood. A total of 13 community development corporations from various Cleveland neighborhoods applied to the program.
"We wanted to work with someone that got it, and Northeast Shores made a compelling case," says Beattie. "They've done a great job of giving artists license to use the neighborhood as their canvas, yet they've followed behind and supported them, resulting in organic, grassroots redevelopment of the neighborhood." He cited the arts-based businesses on Waterloo Road as one example.
Although the details of the program have yet to be worked out, Beattie mentioned several possibilities, including $2,500-$10,000 grants to artists for community-based projects, arts-based community dialogues, and integrating arts-based development into current redevelopment projects in a deeper way.
The program is being funded in part through a $250,000 grant from Leveraging Investments in Creativity's Creative Communities Challenge Grant Program, a one-time competitive grant program made possible through the support of the Kresge Foundation.
CPAC is a nonprofit arts and culture service organization that works to strengthen Greater Cleveland's arts and culture sector. Some of its programs include the Artist as an Entrepreneur Institute, a business training course addressing the needs of working artists, and From Rust Belt to Artist Belt, a conference series that examines the role of artists in the redevelopment of industrial cities.
Source: Seth Beattie
Writer: Lee Chilcote
The two-year, $500,000 pilot program will provide a small loan program for artists buying or rehabbing homes in the target area, a small grant program to support artists' work in carrying out community-based projects, and artist home ownership services such as credit counseling and saving programs.
A panel of arts, community development and planning experts selected the target neighborhood through a competitive process. Seth Beattie, Strategic Initiative Director for CPAC, said the panel was impressed by the grassroots, arts-based approach of Northeast Shores Development Corporation, the nonprofit that serves the neighborhood. A total of 13 community development corporations from various Cleveland neighborhoods applied to the program.
"We wanted to work with someone that got it, and Northeast Shores made a compelling case," says Beattie. "They've done a great job of giving artists license to use the neighborhood as their canvas, yet they've followed behind and supported them, resulting in organic, grassroots redevelopment of the neighborhood." He cited the arts-based businesses on Waterloo Road as one example.
Although the details of the program have yet to be worked out, Beattie mentioned several possibilities, including $2,500-$10,000 grants to artists for community-based projects, arts-based community dialogues, and integrating arts-based development into current redevelopment projects in a deeper way.
The program is being funded in part through a $250,000 grant from Leveraging Investments in Creativity's Creative Communities Challenge Grant Program, a one-time competitive grant program made possible through the support of the Kresge Foundation.
CPAC is a nonprofit arts and culture service organization that works to strengthen Greater Cleveland's arts and culture sector. Some of its programs include the Artist as an Entrepreneur Institute, a business training course addressing the needs of working artists, and From Rust Belt to Artist Belt, a conference series that examines the role of artists in the redevelopment of industrial cities.
Source: Seth Beattie
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Situated on the edges of Cleveland and Shaker Heights, and home to a diverse, international community of residents, Shaker Square has long been a community gathering place for people of different backgrounds.
So it only makes sense, in a way, that Bruce Altchouler (a Clevelander and electrical contractor with a knack for project management) and Ziv Sarig (an Israeli businessman with a finance background) would meet and discover they shared a passion for historic Shaker Square and fixing up older buildings.
Together, the two entrepreneurs, who are neighbors in Cleveland Heights, have formed BruZiv Partners. The nascent development company recently wrapped up renovations on an historic, nine-suite apartment building located at 2646 N. Moreland Boulevard, just off Shaker Square. It is the first multi-family building in Cleveland to meet the Enterprise Foundation's Green Community Standards.
"We saw an opportunity to take an older property that had declined over the years and do something positive for us and the community," says Altchouler. "Once we'd purchased it, we decided to step it up and do a green rehab."
Within the preserved shell of the historic building, the developers installed high-efficiency windows, insulation, a new boiler and Energy Star appliances. The units also feature high-end maple cabinetry and granite countertops.
"We wanted to attract high-quality tenants to the area, and you do that by showing a good product," says Altchouler. "Renters are also becoming more aware of 'green,' and appreciate the fact that we use healthy, low-VOC paints."
Getting to this point wasn't easy, but it was worth it, Altchouler says. To meet the Green Community Standards, BruZiv had to adhere to lengthy guidelines and hire an independent rater to assess the project.
In exchange, the City of Cleveland granted a tax abatement on the improved value of the building. The developers also obtained low-interest financing from Dollar Bank through Cleveland Action to Support Housing (CASH), a nonprofit whose mission is to revitalize urban neighborhoods through rehabilitation lending.
Source: Bruce Altchouler
Writer: Lee Chilcote
So it only makes sense, in a way, that Bruce Altchouler (a Clevelander and electrical contractor with a knack for project management) and Ziv Sarig (an Israeli businessman with a finance background) would meet and discover they shared a passion for historic Shaker Square and fixing up older buildings.
Together, the two entrepreneurs, who are neighbors in Cleveland Heights, have formed BruZiv Partners. The nascent development company recently wrapped up renovations on an historic, nine-suite apartment building located at 2646 N. Moreland Boulevard, just off Shaker Square. It is the first multi-family building in Cleveland to meet the Enterprise Foundation's Green Community Standards.
"We saw an opportunity to take an older property that had declined over the years and do something positive for us and the community," says Altchouler. "Once we'd purchased it, we decided to step it up and do a green rehab."
Within the preserved shell of the historic building, the developers installed high-efficiency windows, insulation, a new boiler and Energy Star appliances. The units also feature high-end maple cabinetry and granite countertops.
"We wanted to attract high-quality tenants to the area, and you do that by showing a good product," says Altchouler. "Renters are also becoming more aware of 'green,' and appreciate the fact that we use healthy, low-VOC paints."
Getting to this point wasn't easy, but it was worth it, Altchouler says. To meet the Green Community Standards, BruZiv had to adhere to lengthy guidelines and hire an independent rater to assess the project.
In exchange, the City of Cleveland granted a tax abatement on the improved value of the building. The developers also obtained low-interest financing from Dollar Bank through Cleveland Action to Support Housing (CASH), a nonprofit whose mission is to revitalize urban neighborhoods through rehabilitation lending.
Source: Bruce Altchouler
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Sustainable Cleveland 2019 (SC 2019), an effort by the City of Cleveland and local environmental groups to promote sustainability as a means of growing the economy in Northeast Ohio, will soon have a physical home in Tower City Center.
Andrew Watterson, Cleveland's Chief of Sustainability, says the purpose of the new Sustainable Cleveland Center is to promote efforts to green Northeast Ohio, provide central meeting space for environmental groups, and offer affordable shared office space for companies and nonprofits working to advance sustainability within the region.
"We're increasing our audience by putting the Mayor's Office of Sustainability into a more public space," says Watterson. "Forest City has been extremely generous by donating the space, and we've signed a two-year lease."
The Office of Sustainability will set up shop on the second floor of a two-story retail space that is accessible from the Huron Road entrance to Tower City Center. A number of regional companies, including GE Lighting, Alcoa and Eaton Corporation, have donated materials for the build-out.
Watterson stresses that the Sustainable Cleveland Center is a "collaborative effort" that will ultimately house many partners. The nonprofit Entrepreneurs for Sustainability (E4S) has indicated an intent to lease space on the first floor, but has not yet signed a lease. A range of other companies and organizations have indicated a desire to showcase products, information and materials.
Watterson hopes the center will eventually lead to the creation of a sustainable business incubator in downtown Cleveland. "We're testing the idea out at a scale that's manageable," he says. "In the meantime, it provides us with an excellent way to tell the story of what's happening with sustainability in Cleveland."
Source: Andrew Watterson
Writer: Lee Chilcote
When Zone Recreation Center's 22 acres of green space reopen next year following a $2.5 million "green" facelift, the rainwater that falls there will be reused on site, rather than being funneled into sewers to pollute our lake, rivers and streams.
"We're using it to rehydrate the park," explains Ward 15 Councilman Matt Zone, who allocated funding for the park's revitalization.
The redesigned park's water conservation features will include permeable pavers that allow rainwater to filter into the ground (unlike most parking lots or hard surfaces, which send water cascading into the nearest sewer). "Bioswales" will also capture water and direct it into rain gardens, which will be seeded with native plants that don't require a lot of mowing, chemicals or maintenance.
One area of the park will even feature a bridge traversing a rain garden, thus allowing visitors to look down into the garden and see how it works as they pass by.
Zone Rec's new splash park will also recycle and reuse its own water. A filtration system will be installed to ensure that the water is cleaned before reuse.
The recreation center is located at W. 65th Street and Lorain Avenue in the Cleveland EcoVillage, a green community that is part of Cleveland's Detroit Shoreway neighborhood. Other green-built projects in the area include new energy-efficient townhomes and single-family homes, a large community garden, and the energy-efficient RTA station on Lorain, which is a stop along the Red Line.
Source: Matt Zone
Writer: Lee Chilcote