Breaking Ground

flats forward will champion redevelopment of cleveland's birthplace
Last summer, leaders of the Flats Forward initiative assembled a diverse group of area stakeholders and sent them in a boat down the Cuyahoga River to talk about how they could solve their problems together.

If ever a vivid metaphor was needed, the experience provided one. "It was the first time that people from Cargill Salt were able to talk to people from the bike community in a real, honest, transparent way," says Dan Moulthrop of the Civic Commons, which helped to facilitate the event. "This was not a meeting up on the 24th floor somewhere."

The boat ride was part of an inclusive process designed to spur the revitalization of the Flats Corridor. For years, Cleveland's historic birthplace lacked an effective advocate. Now, after more than a year of work, a new group has formed.

Flats Forward Inc., Cleveland's newest community development corporation, will oversee the redevelopment of the Flats District. The group has a diverse board of stakeholders and a search is underway for an Executive Director. The group is currently housed within the offices of the Cleveland-Cuyahoga Port Authority.

At a recent meeting, Flats Forward representatives touted the East Bank project, the Port Authority's stewardship of the lake and river, the steadily advancing Towpath Trail and Rivergate Park as signs of positive progress in the area.

"When I got here, I was immediately drawn to the Flats and the industrial river valley, and I knew that the Port would get involved," said William Friedman, CEO of the Port Authority, of his organization's commitment to the Flats. "This is one of the most unique maritime environments in the world, and we can tap into that."


Source: Dan Moulthrop, William Friedman
Writer: Lee Chilcote
iconic sammy's slated for encore at new playhousesquare restaurant
The iconic Sammy's Restaurant reigned over the Flats during the entertainment district's erstwhile heyday from 1980 through 2000. Now the venue is making a comeback in a new, transformed location at PlayhouseSquare that is set to open in December.

"We've always been restauranteurs at heart, and we wanted to get back to our roots," says Dena DiOrio of Sammy's, which has focused on catering and facility management for the past decade. "We're excited to bring more energy to a neighborhood that's really thriving."

The opportunity presented itself when the previous tenant, Star Restaurant, closed earlier this year. Sammy's is the caterer for PlayhouseSquare, so the choice was a logical one. The restaurant is being completely redesigned, DiOrio says.

"It will be a completely different storefront," she says. "You'll be able to see through the restaurant to the back wall, which was previously closed in. We're replacing it with a glass wall so visitors can see into the Ohio Theatre lobby."

The restaurant also will have a new entrance off Euclid Avenue, as well as a new layout with a "salon" in the front, bar in the middle and seating area in the back.

DiOrio says that Sammy's aim is to capitalize on PlayhouseSquare's identity as a 24/7 neighborhood and entertainment district whose vitality is fueled by its historic theatres. "We want to make it a destination restaurant."

Sammy's owner Denise Marie Fugo, who is DiOrio's mother, says that the new restaurant will perfectly blend the family's trifecta of experience in restaurants, catering and event management. "Most customers want us to do some kind of concession and banquet management. But we're restaurant people first."

The menu will feature modern American cuisine -- a mixture of small plates, classic Sammy's entrees and new signature entrees. Drink offerings include artisanal wines, microbrews, handcrafted spirits and signature cocktails.

Sammy's at PlayhouseSquare will be located at 1515 Euclid Avenue.


Source: Dena DiOrio
Writer: Lee Chilcote
chef doug katz unveils provenance at cleveland museum of art
Doug Katz, chef-owner of Fire Food and Drink at Shaker Square, has partnered with Bon Appetit Management Company to open Provenance, a new restaurant and cafe at the Cleveland Museum of Art that blends locally sourced food with world cuisine.

"The name is so perfect for what I'm trying to create here," says Katz. The word provenance refers to the history of the ownership of an object. "We want to know where our food comes from just as the museum knows the lineage of its art, where it comes from and its authenticity."

Katz, whom museum head David Franklin calls CMA's "curator of food," says that Provenance actually is two venues in one. The 200-seat cafe offers quick service, while the 76-seat restaurant next door is a fine-dining establishment. Yet both offer made-to-order items carefully orchestrated by the celebrated chef.

The restaurant offers a limited menu of seven items emphasizing world cuisine. For instance, in tandem with CMA's exhibition "Wari: Lord of the Ancient Andes," Katz has designed a three-course prix fixe menu of Peruvian dishes. The cafe features world cuisine as well, but with a decidedly local flair. Right now, for example, visitors can order a Moroccan skewer platter with autumn vegetables. The chef makes a concerted effort to source much of his produce from area farmers.

The pastries are made from scratch by Luna Bakery, and Rising Star provides the coffee. "We're able to do all these things fresh, yet also support local businesses."

When asked about the source of his inspiration, Katz says, "We want it to be the quality of the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, or of some European cafe somewhere. Yet I don't think there's a concept like this anywhere, to be honest."

The cafe's sleekly designed interior is attractive, but likely the best seats are at the tables near the museum's vast new atrium. "It's like a town center in University Circle. To see it come alive, it's such a great community spot."


Source: Doug Katz
Writer: Lee Chilcote
developer announces plans for 72 new market-rate apartments in ohio city
The Cleveland-based developer The Foran Group has announced plans to convert a pair of historic buildings on W. 25th Street in Ohio City into 70 market-rate apartments. The game-changing project, in the works for several years, is the first big new housing project to get off the ground here since the Great Recession.

Positioned between the success of Ohio City's Market District and the popular Stonebridge apartment, office and condo complex, the new West 25th Street Lofts will bring fresh life and vibrancy to a critical dead zone in the heart of Ohio City.

"There is huge demand; we estimate that occupancy will be 93 to 97 percent," says Rick Foran of The Foran Group, who has partnered with developer Christopher Smythe to complete the project. "We're closing the gap between the established Ohio City area, Stonebridge and the Warehouse District."

The project, located at the corner of West 25th and Church, incorporates both the historic Baehr Brewing Company building and the former Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority on Church. It will include first floor garage parking, an interior courtyard that offers outdoor space, and 9,000 square feet of commercial space.

The Baehr Brewing Company, a two-story brick building that dates back to the 1870s -- and once housed horse stables, a powerhouse and a saloon -- will be completely restored on the exterior to federal historic standards.

Inside the buildings, existing historic features will be reincorporated into the apartments. For instance, the former CMHA building features a wood ceiling and iron girders, and these elements will soon become design accents in the suites.

Getting to this point wasn't easy. The project has complex, layer-cake financing from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), state and federal historic tax credits, and Cleveland's Vacant Property Initiative.

Foran expects to close on his HUD financing early next year, start construction immediately afterwards, and begin moving renters into suites by May 2014.

Foran hopes the project will prove catalytic for the neighborhood. Over the long term, a major new park is being planned on the hillside that slopes down to the Cuyahoga River from W. 25th -- an amenity for residents and the entire city.



Source: Rick Foran
Writer: Lee Chilcote
design-inspired helvetica juice bar and cafe opens in lakewood
Friends and colleagues Juan Vergara and Edward Padilla have opened Helvetica Juice Bar and Café in Lakewood, which offers authentic Latin American juices and cuisine with a Latin twist. The team hopes the space will become a gathering place for Cleveland’s graphic designers and creative class.

The café, which is named after a popular font used by designers, is located at 11823 Detroit Avenue across from Virginia Marti College of Art and Design.

“We’ve run out of food twice already,” says Vergara, who also co-owns Barroco Grill, a popular Columbian restaurant on Madison Avenue in Lakewood, with his father Carlos. “We got a huge turnout when we first opened. Now we know better!”

The café’s signature juices are made from pulp imported from Latin America. Other items include a plantain sandwich with beef and a vegan zucchini salad.

“What I did was take every juice from my childhood, very popular drinks in South America, that are different and people haven’t heard of up here,” says Vergara. “I put them all on the menu. We make them from ice, pulp, water and sugar. We also use agave syrup and soy milk. We make them so they’re almost like smoothies.”

Vergara and Padilla are both artists and graphic designers, so they designed the place as a hangout for creative types. “There’s really no place in Cleveland that’s designated for graphic designers,” says Vergara, who offers a library of graphic design books in the café and showcases successful local businesses on the walls.

Of the location near the Cleveland border, Vergara says, “The eastern end of Lakewood needs some love right now. With downtown becoming redeveloped, it is working its way out from the inside. So I thought, what better way to start?”


Source: Juan Vergara
Writer: Lee Chilcote
former harvey pekar collaborator opens gallery in little italy
Tara Seibel, a Cleveland artist who worked as Harvey Pekar's illustrator before his death in 2010, has opened a gallery and studio in a pied-a-terre above Presti's Bakery on Mayfield Road in Little Italy.

"It's a boutique gallery," says Seibel of the second-floor studio that she leased several years ago when working for Pekar, but gave up after his death. This time, she plans to keep it. "You get to see beautiful architecture out the window, and there's a balcony. It's like a Paris apartment."

The Tara Seibel Art Gallery features "fine art at reasonable prices," including the artist's own illustrations, comic art, paintings, jewelry, scarves and greeting cards. She also markets artwork by other Northeast Ohio artists such as Cathryn Kapp (pencil drawings), Nicole Mawby (glass beadwork) and Mark Nafziger (pottery).

"I'm one of these insane Cleveland people who has moved away twice and come back," she says. "I want to build Cleveland and pioneer the art scene here. I feel really great about promoting other Cleveland artists and helping people that way."

Seibel also plans to offer workshops such as "Crafts and Laughs" that tap into the avante garde crafting scene in Cleveland. Her current art show, "Back to Earth," takes its inspiration from regional nature scenes and runs until December 1.

Regarding the Little Italy location, Seibel cites more than 50 other galleries and arts businesses in the area, along with great restaurants. "It's always bustling."

The Tara Seibel Art Gallery is located at 12107 Mayfield Road, Suite 202.


Source: Tara Siebel
Writer: Lee Chilcote
lakewood's new taco tonto's has roots in kent
Taco Tonto’s, a popular eatery in downtown Kent that has garnered a near cult following over three decades, is expanding to Lakewood with a second location in the home of the former Bela Dubby on Madison.

The restaurant, which offers a simple menu of tasty burritos and tacos handmade from fresh ingredients, opened a few weeks ago. The cozy space has been remade with bright colors, a vintage bar and a new wall dividing the kitchen from the cafe. There's also a handpainted mural featuring such fantastic delights as a half-man, half-bird drinking a margarita and a half-woman, half-goldfish holding tacos.

Taco Tonto’s offers an extensive selection of craft beers as well as meat and vegetarian burritos and tacos, burrito bowls, taco salads, pizzaritos, chips and salsa and guacamole. Menu items are reasonably priced from $5 to $10.

Lakewood owners John and Jill Crino had run Bela Dubby for the past nine years. The couple met at Kent State University and John has dreamed of opening a Taco Tonto’s ever since he graduated. When Bela Dubby had run its course, they contacted Taco Tonto's owners Kevin and Emily Yohn and made a deal.

"When the opportunity to open Taco Tonto's came up, we had no questions about whether it was a good idea," says co-owner Jill Crino, who is now a full partner in the entire business along with her husband John. "Taco Tonto's has a following."

"We don't even have a freezer for anything other than ice," Crino adds of the cafe's scratch cooking. "We cook in small batches so everything is always fresh."

Taco Tonto’s is located at 13321 Madison. It is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, until 1 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and closed on Sundays.


Source: Jill Crino
Writer: Lee Chilcote
ohio business machines relocates offices, 50 staffers to downtown digs
A Cleveland company that has its roots downtown but moved to the suburbs 12 years ago has relocated its headquarters back to the place where it all started.

Ohio Business Machines, a company that offers the latest Sharp office technology to customers in Northern Ohio and Southeast Michigan, recently signed a lease on 8,000 square feet at 1111 Superior.

OBM was located in downtown Cleveland for 25 years before it moved out of the city. With billions in new development either planned or underway and renewed vibrancy downtown, the company's executives believed that the time was right.

The company has 42 employees and plans to grow its sales department. OBM, which also has an office in Toledo, is known for its excellent customer service.


Source: Ohio Business Machines
Writer: Lee Chilcote
new crust in tremont offers pizzas and more to foodie neighborhood
When it comes to his new takeout restaurant Crust, chef Jeff Fisher is ambivalent about just one thing: calling it a pizza place. With its homemade gnocci, unique sub sandwiches, killer salads and made-from scratch pizzas, it's so much more than that, he says.

Crust, located at 1020 Kenilworth across from Visible Voice Books, aims to capitalize on Tremont's foodie reputation with takeout worthy of its fine dining and bar scene. The pickup counter alone stimulates your tastebuds: With no separation between the kitchen and ordering area, patrons can watch as their foods are being made.

"You're up on stage with us from the minute you walk in the door, watching us work on the orders," says Fisher. "There's a little bit of showmanship going on."

Fisher launched Crust with owner Mike Griffin, who also boasts about the recipes. "It took us three months and four hundred pounds of flour to get the right dough recipe," he says. "Even though it's takeout, everything is from scratch."

Many of the ingredients are sourced locally from the Tremont Farmers Market. Patrons can order pizza by the pie or slice. The big 15-inchers are a nod to the famous New York slice: So large they hang out of the box.

"People have been getting a pizza, taking it across the street to Visible Voice, and having a glass of wine," says Griffin, who originally found the location when his cousin, Visible Voice owner Dave Ferrante, contacted him.

As for how business has been since opening? "So far, so good," notes Griffin.


Source: Jeff Fisher, Mike Griffin
Writer: Lee Chilcote
bizdom moves into larger downtown space to better serve growing portfolio of startups
Bizdom, the nonprofit accelerator created by Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert, recently moved to new, 7,000-square-foot offices in downtown Cleveland to better assist the growing portfolio of startup technology companies in its program.

Bizdom graduated its first class of entrepreneurs in January and has made 13 investments in Cleveland businesses so far. The new office space is designed to provide useable space for entrepreneurs, as well as those who mentor them.

"The goal was to be downtown and near the Quicken Loans family of companies," says Paul Allen of Bizdom. "We have room for approximately 20 businesses and two conference room areas. They can have desk space, network access, printers and meeting breakout rooms. There is also space to play darts, music or foosball."

Bizdom's mission is to "help startup businesses go further faster by helping them at their earliest stages," says Allen. Entrepreneurs accepted into the three-month accelerator program receive a $25,000 investment in exchange for giving up an eight percent equity stake in their company. They also receive free training and mentorship throughout the program. After they graduate, they may receive additional support such as follow-on funding or subsidized office space.

Bizdom is a nonprofit organization, and if a company is sold at a later date (something that has already happened twice at its Detroit office), the proceeds from Bizdom's equity stake will go towards helping other entrepreneurs.

Bizdom's new offices are located at 250 West Huron Road, Suite 203.


Source: Paul Allen
Writer: Lee Chilcote
cleveland foodbank receives $300k grant for new freezer and cooler space
The Cleveland Foodbank has received a $325,000 grant from the Cleveland Foundation that will go towards the cost of expanding its freezer and cooler to provide more fresh produce to families in need.

"Clearly, there's a need and gap in our area," says Karen Pozna, Director of Communications with the Foodbank, citing an annual "meal gap" of 57 million meals in the six Northeast Ohio counties the nonprofit serves. "One of the ways to address it is to distribute more fresh produce, because it's more available and it's also more nutritious."

Food banks across the U.S. have evolved a great deal in recent decades, Pozna says. Although donations of canned goods are still very much needed and accepted, these nonprofits have shifted their focus to trying to get fresh produce into the hands of the families that would benefit from it most. The Foodbank accepts donations from farmers and purchases some produce wholesale.

"Last year, we distributed over 11 million pounds of produce," says Pozna. "We work with over 600 food pantries across Northeast Ohio. We also have 12 trucks at our facility that help distribute produce and other foods to various locations."

The Cleveland Foodbank built a new facility in North Collinwood in 2005, yet it has outgrown its cooler and freezer space as the number of families in need has continued to rise throughout the recession. The Foodbank has the room to expand at its current location, and plans to build an addition to its current building.

Pozna says that Foodbank hopes to raise another another $400,000 this fall so that it can break ground before the holidays. The total cost of the project is over $2 million, and leaders would like to raise $1 million before starting the project. The nonprofit's goal is to have the new freezer and cooler open by June 2013.


Source: Karen Pozna
Writer: Lee Chilcote
rta breaks ground on redevelopment of cedar-university rapid station
The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (RTA) has broken ground on an $18.5 million redevelopment of its Cedar-University rapid station that will make it safer, easier to navigate, more efficient and more inviting. RTA officials hope it will become a stronger hub for the growing University Circle area and its surrounding neighborhoods.

"It will look a heck of a lot better," says Mary Shaffer, Media Relations Manager with RTA, of the project's impact. "It is safe and functioning now, but there will be a greater sense of security. We want to help people in the community to be able to recommend RTA."

The current Cedar-University rapid station was built nearly 50 years ago. The facility's layout requires a long walk to transfer between bus and rail, and greater efficiency and easier connections will offer a huge improvement, Shaffer says.

"We'll have bus and rail on the same side of the street, and that will make it a lot easier for transfers," says Shaffer. "Behind Tower City and Windermere/Stokes, this is the largest bus-rail transfer station that we have in the RTA network."

The glassy new station will also be more attractive and welcoming. "When you have things like MOCA coming into the area, having a state-of-the-art rail/bus station in the heart of the University Circle area is really a positive thing."

RTA won a $10.5 million competitive TIGER II grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation to be able to complete the project. The agency also contributed $4 million from its own capital budget and raised money from other local sources.

The station is actually the first of two newly revamped stations in the University Circle area. The University Circle-Little Italy station is next to be redeveloped, and that project was recently funded by a federal transportation grant, as well.

The Cedar-University station will incorporate additional green space and public art. RTA will also increase the frequency of its train service to serve local riders.

Shaffer says that RTA is now seeing the 17th straight month of growth in overall ridership. The Red Line leads the pack. She says this is attributable to higher gas prices and new development in Cleveland that is making it harder to find parking.

"This is most likely attributable to people who are making the decision to ride," says Shaffer. "They want to avoid the Innerbelt or see a lack of parking in University Circle or by the Clinic. We're glad to be a solution for them."


Source: Mary Shaffer
Writer: Lee Chilcote
indie cafe gypsy beans adds second location in lakewood
Gypsy Beans and Baking Company, the popular cafe that has become a hub in the Gordon Square Arts District, is expanding to a second location. Owner Nicole Gillota's homemade pastries, signature Passport coffee drinks, and soups and sandwiches will soon be available in Lakewood when Gypsy takes over the Beck Center Cafe on Detroit Avenue.

Gillota, who opened Gypsy in 2007 with a "monster kitchen" primed for growth, says that she began hunting for a second spot last year. When the Beck Center Cafe became available and the managers called her, it was a "no-brainer."

"I love being part of the theatre community," says Gillota. "One of the reasons I was attracted to Gordon Square was because of Cleveland Public Theatre. There's always been a good synergy between the theatre crowd and the coffee crowd."

Fortunately, the Beck Center space doesn't need much renovation because former manager and art dealer Paul Sykes did a great job fixing it up. "It's absolutely beautiful," says Gillota, noting that she'll keep the waterfall feature.

Gillota expects to feature many similar menu items to Gypsy Beans in Detroit Shoreway, but will add new dessert items, as well. "The space is a little bit more refined, and we're going to cater to the after-dinner theatre crowd there, as well."

Yet Gypsy's unmistakable brand -- as a community nexus that combines fresh food, great coffee and made-from-scratch pastries -- isn't going anywhere. "I think we're an all-inclusive, all-encompassing spot," Gillota says. "I love that."


Source: Nicole Gillota
Writer: Lee Chilcote
the intergenerational school will move to renovated space on saint luke's campus
The Intergenerational School, a high-performing charter school that is part of the Breakthrough Schools network, recently signed on to become part of the redeveloped Saint Luke's Hospital campus at Shaker Boulevard and E. 116th Street.

The highly-rated school, which has operated out of the nearby Fairhill Center for the past decade, will have the opportunity to grow within the Buckeye-Shaker Square community, customize classroom space to meet their unique needs and engage the seniors living at Saint Luke's.

"It's a great school and this will be a catalytic project for the community," says Joel Ratner, President of Neighborhood Progress Incorporated (NPI), the nonprofit developer of the Saint Luke's project. "Their model is to create intergenerational learning opportunities for kids, and now they'll be able to physically do that."

TIS is part of Phase III of the Saint Luke's project, says Ratner. Phases I and II are low-income senior housing. This final phase will complete the redevelopment of the historic, red brick hospital, which has been badly vandalized since it closed over a decade ago. Ratner also expects the Boys and Girls Club to open a small space in the building, and NPI will move its office headquarters there, as well.

NPI is now in a frantic push to complete the project by July 1, 2013 so that TIS can move in before the start of the 2013-2014 school year. The organization must raise another $3 million by May of next year in order to make that happen.

So far, the Cleveland Foundation, Saint Luke's Foundation and several private individuals have contributed to the project, which will cost a total of $6 million.

"We've already ordered the windows," says Ratner. "That alone was half a million dollars, including installation, because there are literally hundreds of custom windows. We're doing this project because it's the right thing to do."

Ratner also hopes the presence of TIS will help improve Harvey Rice School, a newly built K-8 school that is not performing well. "We'd like to get mentors there like they have at TIS, and potentially do programming together," says Ratner. "The Cleveland schools say they're open to it. This will be a huge lift."


Source: Joel Ratner
Writer: Lee Chilcote
uptown project in university circle primed for its public debut
Following a spate of recent openings, the Uptown Cleveland project has more than doubled the number of stores and restaurants previously available along Euclid Avenue in University Circle. It also has brought high-end contemporary design to an area known for traditional, classic architecture.

"All of the retail space is full, and we're pretty excited about that," says Tammy Oliver, Director of Leasing and Marketing for MRN Ltd., the developer of the project, which includes ground-level retail with apartments above. "We pretty much came into construction with letters of intent on everything."

Some of the new businesses that have opened include Constantino's Market, Barnes and Noble, Panera, Starbucks, Verizon Wireless, Jimmy John's, Chipotle and Anne van H. Businesses that will open this fall include Accent (a new restaurant helmed by chef Scott Kim), Mitchell's Ice Cream, a second location for ABC the Tavern, and three additional restaurants.

The project includes a brick interior courtyard for strolling, patio dining and events. The public space between Uptown and the new Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland (MOCA), which was named Toby's Plaza in honor of donor Toby Lewis, will be programmed by its owner, Case Western Reserve University.

"We're hoping you can wake up and do tai chi or yoga there, lay out and read or simply have lunch there," says Oliver. "There will be a constant change of events and programming, and we want to involve the community and visitors in that."

The Uptown apartments, which are priced aggressively for the Cleveland market, are more than 70 percent leased, says Oliver. She cites the loft-style ceilings, large windows, green features, high-end finishes and flexible spaces as the reasons why.

"There is a demand for this new style and new way of living in Cleveland," she says. "This is the only new construction apartment building to be built in Cleveland for many years. Historic renovations bring fantastic character, but with modern living spaces such as these, you can bring your own character."


Source: Tammy Oliver
Writer: Lee Chilcote
new community woodshop to serve 'growing maker movement'
Peter Debelak was a frustrated lawyer with a passion for woodworking when he stumbled on a soon-to-be-available woodshop space in a former meat processing plant on Cleveland's near west side.

"There was a woodworker who had been in there for 30 years, and his space opened up," says Debelak, who fell in love with the medium of wood 12 years ago and has worked with it ever since. "The opportunity was hard to pass up."

Still, starting the woodshop was a leap of faith. "I realized it was now or never," he adds. "I could get into the inertia of my next job and it would stay an idea, or I could just do it."

This past July, Debelak opened Soulcraft Woodshop, an artistic space for his own furniture making and a hub for woodworking lessons and workshops. He partnered on the project with fellow woodworkers Jim Doyle and Jim McNaughton.

"There's definitely an existing and growing 'maker' movement among people in their 20s and 30s and retirees," says Debelak. "It's about going back and working with your hands, making your own things and having a connection to objects."

Unless you have a woodworking shop in your basement, there is a dearth of spaces to explore this field, he adds. "Shop class has been eliminated in just about every curriculum in public and private schools. There's a hole in terms of market need."

Soulcraft Woodshop currently offers classes on an ad hoc basis based on inquiries. However, the owners will soon roll out regular classes such as "Introduction to Furniture Making" or "How to Build an Adirondack Chair in a Weekend."

Budding woodworkers can also purchase a monthly membership pass for $120 or a pay-as-you-go pass to complete an individual project for as little as $50 to $80.

Soulcraft Woodshop is located in the Hildebrandt Building at 3610 Walton Avenue.


Source: Peter Debelak
Writer: Lee Chilcote
chamberlain college of nursing to open new campus in health tech corridor
Chamberlain College of Nursing has announced plans to open a new campus in the MidTown Tech Center amidst Cleveland's Health-Tech Corridor this January. The new school will offer an accelerated, three-year Bachelor of Nursing degree program.

"Chamberlain is sensitive to the nursing shortage and the need to create nurses at the bachelors level to provide care where there's high levels of need," says Adele Webb, President of the new Cleveland campus. "We're a three year program, so within three years, we can contribute nurses to market."

According to the Health Policy Institute of Ohio, there is likely to be a deficit of 32,000 nurses statewide by 2020. According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, Ohio turned away more than 2,300 nurses last year.

Chamberlain's new Cleveland campus -- its 12th in the nation and second in Ohio -- offers several innovative features. The school's SIMCARE Lab gives students a chance to work on mannequins that simulate real-world situations such as labor, birth and when a patient stops breathing. The school also will include a Center for Academic Success to help students get the resources they need to stay in school.

The rising demand for nurses due to health care reform, an underserved market in Cleveland and the opportunity to be a part of Cleveland's medical community were all factors driving Chamberlain's decision to locate in the city, Webb says.

"As the City of Cleveland is trying to develop the Health-Tech Corridor around major institutions, this was an opportunity for us to be a part of it," Webb says.

The new Chamberlain School of Nursing facility will be located at 6700 Euclid Avenue.


Source: Adele Webb
Writer: Lee Chilcote
cmha's new solar panel array to reduce energy consumption by up to 80 percent
The Cleveland Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA) will soon break ground on an array of 4,200 solar panels -- one of the largest solar arrays in Cuyahoga County -- that will reduce energy consumption on its campus by as much as 80 percent.

"When Mayor Jackson said that he wanted to be leading a green city by a blue lake, CMHA took heed of that," says Donovan Duncan, Director of Real Estate and Development for CMHA. "This is one way of reducing our carbon footprint."

The solar panel project will be developed and administered by Carbon Vision, a renewable energy analysis and project development company based in Shaker Heights. Carbon Vision will lease the land from CMHA, and after a period of 15 years, CMHA will have an option to purchase the panels at a sizeable discount.

The project is being developed at CMHA's headquarters, a LEED-certfied building at E. 82nd Street and Kinsman Avenue. Carbon Vision is developing the project using a combination of federal energy tax credits and New Market Tax Credits.

"We selected Carbon Vision because they've been a leader in this industry and had the most successful track record of those responding to our RFP," says Duncan.

Carbon Vision also will hire local residents to work on the project, which will generate high-quality jobs and is expected to take about six weeks to build.

CMHA has undertaken a wide variety of sustainability projects in recent years, including adding solar panels to other development projects, building rooftop gardens and green roofs, and building homes to energy-efficient standards.


Source: Donovan Duncan
Writer: Lee Chilcote