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gay games fostering diversity, garnering good will for cleveland
In a Washington Post item titled “The Gay Games are underway and they’re winning Instagram and Twitter,” Kiratiana Freelon reports on the events currently taking place in Cleveland and Akron and how they are filling social media feeds with positive imagery.
“There’s only one place in the world right now where you will find cheerleaders, track and field athletes, chorus singers and singer Boy George in the same place. That’s the Gay Games in Cleveland and Akron, Ohio,” Freelon writes.
“For the host cities, it’s an opportunity to bring gay communities closer to straight communities, since Akron and Cleveland are not traditionally hailed as gay-friendly cities.”
Tom Nobbe, one of the Games lead organizers, is quoted in the article saying, “The Games are about diversity, about changing hearts and minds.”
“Over the next four days more than 8,500 people will compete in 33 sports, including the traditional ones like track and field, volleyball and wrestling. The competitors will also compete in cultural events like chorus and cheer.”
Read the rest and check out the social media pics here.
“There’s only one place in the world right now where you will find cheerleaders, track and field athletes, chorus singers and singer Boy George in the same place. That’s the Gay Games in Cleveland and Akron, Ohio,” Freelon writes.
“For the host cities, it’s an opportunity to bring gay communities closer to straight communities, since Akron and Cleveland are not traditionally hailed as gay-friendly cities.”
Tom Nobbe, one of the Games lead organizers, is quoted in the article saying, “The Games are about diversity, about changing hearts and minds.”
“Over the next four days more than 8,500 people will compete in 33 sports, including the traditional ones like track and field, volleyball and wrestling. The competitors will also compete in cultural events like chorus and cheer.”
Read the rest and check out the social media pics here.
cleveland museum of art enjoys most visitors in years
On the heels of its multiyear, $320 million renovation and expansion project, the Cleveland Museum of Art is already reaping big gains. Nearly 600,000 visitors came to the museum between July 1, 2013, and June 30, 2014, which was the highest in over a decade and represented a 19% increase over the previous fiscal year.
Museum membership, meanwhile, increased 18% to 23,094, with more than 3,300 new introductory-level members.More than $46 million was raised to support museum operations and programs.
“We are gratified by the continued growth in attendance and membership support, which clearly reflects the excitement being generated by our outstanding new facilities and programming,” said Fred Bidwell, the museum’s interim director.
Read all about the good news here.
Museum membership, meanwhile, increased 18% to 23,094, with more than 3,300 new introductory-level members.More than $46 million was raised to support museum operations and programs.
“We are gratified by the continued growth in attendance and membership support, which clearly reflects the excitement being generated by our outstanding new facilities and programming,” said Fred Bidwell, the museum’s interim director.
Read all about the good news here.
'prodigal son' and award-winning director comes home to find revitalized cleveland
Antwone Fisher began life in Cleveland as a Ward of the State, raised in foster care until the ripe-old age of 18. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy and ended up in Los Angeles.
Twenty four years later, he returned to Cleveland to film “Finding Fish,” the story of his life along with director Denzel Washington, cast and crew.
“My hometown welcomed me back with all the ceremony of a much-loved native son. Each day of filming brought out bigger and bigger crowds,” he writes.
“Clearly, the city was moving into the future, readying for a big comeback. This was evident when I arrived at the city's theater district that's now revitalized with businesses, restaurants, shops and boutiques. The old buildings that I remember have been sandblasted, steamed clean and remodeled as apartments and condominiums for downtown living.”
“LeBron will only add to this revival,” he notes.
“The truth is Cleveland belongs to all of us who have ever had roots there. I know that every city has its issues, but this great American city has given the world so much from the Industrial Revolution to this brand new age and it's still ‘the best location in the nation.’”
Read the rest right here.
Twenty four years later, he returned to Cleveland to film “Finding Fish,” the story of his life along with director Denzel Washington, cast and crew.
“My hometown welcomed me back with all the ceremony of a much-loved native son. Each day of filming brought out bigger and bigger crowds,” he writes.
“Clearly, the city was moving into the future, readying for a big comeback. This was evident when I arrived at the city's theater district that's now revitalized with businesses, restaurants, shops and boutiques. The old buildings that I remember have been sandblasted, steamed clean and remodeled as apartments and condominiums for downtown living.”
“LeBron will only add to this revival,” he notes.
“The truth is Cleveland belongs to all of us who have ever had roots there. I know that every city has its issues, but this great American city has given the world so much from the Industrial Revolution to this brand new age and it's still ‘the best location in the nation.’”
Read the rest right here.
lebron in the bag, cleveland now seeking mvp entrepreneurs
An item in the Huffington Post titled “They've Got LeBron, But Now Cleveland Seeks MVP Entrepreneurs,” writer Daryl Rowland outlines the hard work being done at Shaker LaunchHouse to attract other types of talent to the region.
"Where Los Angeles can be said to be about beauty and fame, or New York about ambition or talent, Northeast Ohio has a long history of manufacturing and celebrating the excellence and hard work required to make or do things well," Rowland writes.
Shaker LaunchHouse hopes to build upon the strong and growing biomedical products and business services technology industry by growing a hub for technology hardware.
“While many parts of the country are trying to attract tech startups, LaunchHouse, a business accelerator in Shaker Heights… is among the first to focus its efforts on tech hardware and interface technology.”
"With its rich history in manufacturing, Cleveland has become the perfect place for the intersection of technology and hardware," Todd Goldstein, CEO and managing partner at LaunchHouse is quoted in the piece. "We're encouraging the undiscovered MVPs of manufacturing to be like LeBron and set up shop in Northeast Ohio -- where we know how to build and distribute manufactured goods."
LaunchHouse has a track record for launching successful startups, with investment in 51 companies that have raised more than $15.5 million in follow-on funding and created more than 70 jobs in Northeast Ohio.
Read the rest right here.
"Where Los Angeles can be said to be about beauty and fame, or New York about ambition or talent, Northeast Ohio has a long history of manufacturing and celebrating the excellence and hard work required to make or do things well," Rowland writes.
Shaker LaunchHouse hopes to build upon the strong and growing biomedical products and business services technology industry by growing a hub for technology hardware.
“While many parts of the country are trying to attract tech startups, LaunchHouse, a business accelerator in Shaker Heights… is among the first to focus its efforts on tech hardware and interface technology.”
"With its rich history in manufacturing, Cleveland has become the perfect place for the intersection of technology and hardware," Todd Goldstein, CEO and managing partner at LaunchHouse is quoted in the piece. "We're encouraging the undiscovered MVPs of manufacturing to be like LeBron and set up shop in Northeast Ohio -- where we know how to build and distribute manufactured goods."
LaunchHouse has a track record for launching successful startups, with investment in 51 companies that have raised more than $15.5 million in follow-on funding and created more than 70 jobs in Northeast Ohio.
Read the rest right here.
long before lebron's return, cleveland on the upswing
In an Los Angeles Times article titled “Cleveland has been on the rebound even before LeBron James news,” writer Alana Semuels details our town’s renaissance, explaining that the city has been hard at work getting back on the map long before the recent media attention as a result of LeBron, Manziel, and the GOP convention.
“The GOP and LeBron are going to grease the skids on a process that's already started," Richey Piiparinen, a senior research associate at the Center for Population Dynamics at Cleveland State University, is quoted in the piece. "People are realizing it's not your grandpa's Rust Belt anymore."
Semuels writes, “Changes are already evident in the city, where new construction is booming. Hammers and drills sound at all hours on the Flats East Bank, a onetime hip area that fell into disarray a decade ago and is experiencing a renaissance. Downtown, a new convention center just opened, and developers are rushing to build hotels and luxury condos to keep up with demand. Ohio's first casino opened downtown in 2012. And restaurateurs are following in the steps of Cleveland native and James Beard Award winner Michael Symon, opening bistros where you can get entrees such as frog legs and rabbit pie with Parmesan and prosciutto crust.”
Semuels goes on to explain how the changes occurring in Cleveland are attracting young people that had previously fled to larger, trendier cities.
“But as those cities became more crowded with transplants, costs began rising and many people were priced out. Now, he said, there's a push-back against the Brooklynization of these big cities, and people are moving home. And not just to Cleveland -- to Pittsburgh, St. Louis and Buffalo, N.Y., as well.”
Read the rest of the article here.
“The GOP and LeBron are going to grease the skids on a process that's already started," Richey Piiparinen, a senior research associate at the Center for Population Dynamics at Cleveland State University, is quoted in the piece. "People are realizing it's not your grandpa's Rust Belt anymore."
Semuels writes, “Changes are already evident in the city, where new construction is booming. Hammers and drills sound at all hours on the Flats East Bank, a onetime hip area that fell into disarray a decade ago and is experiencing a renaissance. Downtown, a new convention center just opened, and developers are rushing to build hotels and luxury condos to keep up with demand. Ohio's first casino opened downtown in 2012. And restaurateurs are following in the steps of Cleveland native and James Beard Award winner Michael Symon, opening bistros where you can get entrees such as frog legs and rabbit pie with Parmesan and prosciutto crust.”
Semuels goes on to explain how the changes occurring in Cleveland are attracting young people that had previously fled to larger, trendier cities.
“But as those cities became more crowded with transplants, costs began rising and many people were priced out. Now, he said, there's a push-back against the Brooklynization of these big cities, and people are moving home. And not just to Cleveland -- to Pittsburgh, St. Louis and Buffalo, N.Y., as well.”
Read the rest of the article here.
wall street journal digs into cleveland's lakefront development plan
In a feature titled, “In Cleveland, Developer Puts Down Stakes by the Lake,” Wall Street Journal scribe Chelsey Dulaney writes about the ambitious lakefront development plans currently taking shape in downtown Cleveland.
“Cleveland's longtime dream of developing its Lake Erie waterfront took a step forward last month when its City Council approved plans for a $700 million development,” she writes.
Spurred by increasing residential demand from new residents interested in a more urban lifestyle, the project is on its way to fruition.
“The downtown's population has risen by 88% since 2000 to more than 12,500, according to a Downtown Cleveland Alliance report published in April. Restaurants, microbreweries and art galleries dot Cleveland's once-lifeless streets.”
Among the plans is a school, boutique hotel and restaurants. Apartment rents will range from $1,000 to $2,000 a month, “making them affordable to young professionals, empty-nesters and families.”
"When I left Cleveland after college, downtown wasn't the place to be," Mr. Halloran said. "Now everybody coming back to Cleveland wants to be downtown. There's life there."
Read the rest right here.
“Cleveland's longtime dream of developing its Lake Erie waterfront took a step forward last month when its City Council approved plans for a $700 million development,” she writes.
Spurred by increasing residential demand from new residents interested in a more urban lifestyle, the project is on its way to fruition.
“The downtown's population has risen by 88% since 2000 to more than 12,500, according to a Downtown Cleveland Alliance report published in April. Restaurants, microbreweries and art galleries dot Cleveland's once-lifeless streets.”
Among the plans is a school, boutique hotel and restaurants. Apartment rents will range from $1,000 to $2,000 a month, “making them affordable to young professionals, empty-nesters and families.”
"When I left Cleveland after college, downtown wasn't the place to be," Mr. Halloran said. "Now everybody coming back to Cleveland wants to be downtown. There's life there."
Read the rest right here.
new york times takes a shine to cleveland's reuse policies
In the Travel section of the New York Times, writer Peter Larson details the robust reuse approach to development taking place in Cleveland. Titled “Cleveland, a City Repurposed,” the article describes various projects in the city that made use of vacant historic structures.
“If there had to be a slogan to describe Cleveland as it is today, ‘what’s old is new again’ would undoubtedly be it,” Larson writes. “In the last few years, locals and businesses in this Midwest metropolis have been repurposing historic buildings from its heyday in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and turning them into restaurants, stores and draws for both residents and tourists. Many of these structures had sat empty for a decade or more before restoration efforts began infusing a vibrancy into this once-somewhat-downtrodden city.”
Examples given include Cowell & Hubbard, Zack Bruell’s upscale French restaurant that opened in a former jewelry boutique of the same name. The Horseshoe Casino, which now occupies the first four floors of the former Higbee’s department store. Ohio City’s Transformer Station, which was built in 1924 as a power-converter station for the local streetcar line. And the Greater Cleveland Aquarium, also built in a defunct power station.
Read the rest right here.
“If there had to be a slogan to describe Cleveland as it is today, ‘what’s old is new again’ would undoubtedly be it,” Larson writes. “In the last few years, locals and businesses in this Midwest metropolis have been repurposing historic buildings from its heyday in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and turning them into restaurants, stores and draws for both residents and tourists. Many of these structures had sat empty for a decade or more before restoration efforts began infusing a vibrancy into this once-somewhat-downtrodden city.”
Examples given include Cowell & Hubbard, Zack Bruell’s upscale French restaurant that opened in a former jewelry boutique of the same name. The Horseshoe Casino, which now occupies the first four floors of the former Higbee’s department store. Ohio City’s Transformer Station, which was built in 1924 as a power-converter station for the local streetcar line. And the Greater Cleveland Aquarium, also built in a defunct power station.
Read the rest right here.
university study ranks cities' walkability; cleveland in top 10
In a recently released report by the Center for Real Estate and Urban Analysis at George Washington University School of Business in conjunction with Smart Growth America, the 30 largest U.S. cities were ranked by how walkable they are. This is key indicator on how cities are shifting from suburban sprawl to urban infill.
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“The researchers, including Leinberger, first looked at Walkscore heat maps, focusing on areas that scored high. They then looked at areas with significant regional importance, meaning they have at least 1.4 million square feet of office space and more than 340,000 square feet of retail space. They combined these factors to determine areas they call "walkable urban places" or WalkUPs.”
But the report doesn’t just evaluate the present; it looks ahead.
“Researchers then tried to predict how these areas would grow in the future by looking at trend lines and pricing premiums in rent space, which indicate demand level. For example, demand around train stations in places like Washington, D.C. is so high commercial and residential renters can pay a premium of between 50 and 80 percent, said Emerick Corsi, president of Cleveland-based Forest City Enterprises Real Estate Services.
Coming in at No. 10 is Cleveland.
“Ohio's largest city hangs on to the bottom spot in the Top 10, but that may change soon. It's set to plummet to No. 24 in the future. Cleveland is one of a handful of older industrial cities where walkability is largely rooted in the past, where a strong city center is walkable while the rest of the surrounding suburban area lacks any kind of walkable urban space.”
Read the rest here.
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“The researchers, including Leinberger, first looked at Walkscore heat maps, focusing on areas that scored high. They then looked at areas with significant regional importance, meaning they have at least 1.4 million square feet of office space and more than 340,000 square feet of retail space. They combined these factors to determine areas they call "walkable urban places" or WalkUPs.”
But the report doesn’t just evaluate the present; it looks ahead.
“Researchers then tried to predict how these areas would grow in the future by looking at trend lines and pricing premiums in rent space, which indicate demand level. For example, demand around train stations in places like Washington, D.C. is so high commercial and residential renters can pay a premium of between 50 and 80 percent, said Emerick Corsi, president of Cleveland-based Forest City Enterprises Real Estate Services.
Coming in at No. 10 is Cleveland.
“Ohio's largest city hangs on to the bottom spot in the Top 10, but that may change soon. It's set to plummet to No. 24 in the future. Cleveland is one of a handful of older industrial cities where walkability is largely rooted in the past, where a strong city center is walkable while the rest of the surrounding suburban area lacks any kind of walkable urban space.”
Read the rest here.
time out calls cleveland 'a road trip for food lovers'
In a Time Out Chicago feature titled, “Road trips for food-lovers: Cleveland,” writer Rebecca Skoch offer road-trippers a quick itinerary for food-focused visitors to our fair city.
“With a mix of old school restaurants and ambitious chefs, the Ohio city is an up-and-coming culinary destination,” she writes.
“Cleveland's restaurant and bar scene has been gaining momentum over the past few years. Celebrity chefs like Michael Symon of Lola and Lolita have taken the lead in championing local dining, and long-standing favorites are finally gaining the recognition they deserve.”
“Here are a few places not to miss during a summer weekend on the shores of Lake Erie.”
Among the places highlighted in the piece are Flying Fig, West Side Market, Sokolowski's, Greenhouse Tavern and Porco Lounge.
Read the rest here.
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“With a mix of old school restaurants and ambitious chefs, the Ohio city is an up-and-coming culinary destination,” she writes.
“Cleveland's restaurant and bar scene has been gaining momentum over the past few years. Celebrity chefs like Michael Symon of Lola and Lolita have taken the lead in championing local dining, and long-standing favorites are finally gaining the recognition they deserve.”
“Here are a few places not to miss during a summer weekend on the shores of Lake Erie.”
Among the places highlighted in the piece are Flying Fig, West Side Market, Sokolowski's, Greenhouse Tavern and Porco Lounge.
Read the rest here.
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cleveland shakes off the rust thanks to influx of educated, young new residents
In this Forbes article written by Joel Kotkin titled “Shaking Off The Rust: Cleveland Workforce Gets Younger And Smarter Between 2000 and 2012,” Kotkin examines the growing trend of a younger, well-educated generation shying away from expensive “coast cities” to instead take up residence in the Rust Belt, especially Cleveland.
“The Cleveland metro area logged a net gain of about 60,000 people 25 and over with a college degree while losing a net 70,000 of those without a bachelor’s, according to a recent report from Cleveland State University. The number of newcomers aged 25 to 34 increased by 23 percent from 2006 to 2012, with an 11 percent increase from 2011 to 2012 alone. Most revealingly, half of these people came from other states. When it comes to net migration, Atlanta, Detroit, and Pittsburgh were the biggest feeders for those arriving with a bachelor’s degree, while Chicago, Manhattan, Brooklyn and Pittsburgh sent the most net migrants with a graduate or professional degree.”
Kotkin goes on to explain the changing demographic of Clevelanders from past perceptions.
“The picture of Cleveland that emerges from the Cleveland State University study is a very different one from that to which we are accustomed. Rather than a metro area left behind by the information revolution, Cleveland boasts an increasingly youthful workforce that is among the better educated in the nation. In 2009. notes University of Pittsburgh economist Chris Briem, some 15% of Cleveland’s workforce between 25 and 34 has a graduate degree, ranking the area seventh in the nation, ahead of such “brain centers” as Chicago, Austin and Seattle. Old Clevelanders as a whole will remain undereducated, but likely not the next generation.”’
Read the rest of the good news here.
“The Cleveland metro area logged a net gain of about 60,000 people 25 and over with a college degree while losing a net 70,000 of those without a bachelor’s, according to a recent report from Cleveland State University. The number of newcomers aged 25 to 34 increased by 23 percent from 2006 to 2012, with an 11 percent increase from 2011 to 2012 alone. Most revealingly, half of these people came from other states. When it comes to net migration, Atlanta, Detroit, and Pittsburgh were the biggest feeders for those arriving with a bachelor’s degree, while Chicago, Manhattan, Brooklyn and Pittsburgh sent the most net migrants with a graduate or professional degree.”
Kotkin goes on to explain the changing demographic of Clevelanders from past perceptions.
“The picture of Cleveland that emerges from the Cleveland State University study is a very different one from that to which we are accustomed. Rather than a metro area left behind by the information revolution, Cleveland boasts an increasingly youthful workforce that is among the better educated in the nation. In 2009. notes University of Pittsburgh economist Chris Briem, some 15% of Cleveland’s workforce between 25 and 34 has a graduate degree, ranking the area seventh in the nation, ahead of such “brain centers” as Chicago, Austin and Seattle. Old Clevelanders as a whole will remain undereducated, but likely not the next generation.”’
Read the rest of the good news here.
newsweek highlights lee road, the 'bitcoin boulevard' in cleveland heights
In a Newsweek article titled "Bitcoin Makes the Jump to Brick-and-Mortar in Cleveland," reporter Joe Kloc describes the details of a new digital currency, Bitcoin, and how numerous retailers on Lee Road in Cleveland Heights have adapted the system.
"Most of the customers at Mitchell’s Fine Chocolates in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, are locals who have been reared from birth on its chocolate-covered marshmallows, pecan turtles and half-dipped apricots," Kloc writes. "But lately, says Bill Mitchell, the shop’s 54-year-old proprietor, there have been some new faces."
Mitchell goes on to describe a fresh-faced couple who recently shopped at his store, and while the visit was unremarkable, the payment was anything but.
“I couldn’t even tell you what they bought,” the Mitchell confessed. But what he does remember is how the couple paid: "with about 0.12 bitcoins."
"Mitchell is one of a dozen shop owners on Lee Road in Cleveland Heights who have joined together to accept the controversial digital cryptocurrency in the hope of attracting new customers, and as a way to avoid credit card fees. Since May 1, bitcoiners have traveled to the tree-lined street in northeast Ohio from as far away as North Carolina. Here, they trade their bitcoins for ice cream cones, haircuts and handmade Colombian bracelets, and are sent off with a 'buh-bye now,' the local parlance on what bills itself as America’s first Bitcoin Boulevard."
“We don’t expect a windfall,” says Nikhil Chand, founder of the bitcoin consultancy CoinNEO, who conceived of Bitcoin Boulevard late last year. “This is about so much more -- about the hurt from the fees through traditional payment.”
Read the rest of the story here.
"Most of the customers at Mitchell’s Fine Chocolates in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, are locals who have been reared from birth on its chocolate-covered marshmallows, pecan turtles and half-dipped apricots," Kloc writes. "But lately, says Bill Mitchell, the shop’s 54-year-old proprietor, there have been some new faces."
Mitchell goes on to describe a fresh-faced couple who recently shopped at his store, and while the visit was unremarkable, the payment was anything but.
“I couldn’t even tell you what they bought,” the Mitchell confessed. But what he does remember is how the couple paid: "with about 0.12 bitcoins."
"Mitchell is one of a dozen shop owners on Lee Road in Cleveland Heights who have joined together to accept the controversial digital cryptocurrency in the hope of attracting new customers, and as a way to avoid credit card fees. Since May 1, bitcoiners have traveled to the tree-lined street in northeast Ohio from as far away as North Carolina. Here, they trade their bitcoins for ice cream cones, haircuts and handmade Colombian bracelets, and are sent off with a 'buh-bye now,' the local parlance on what bills itself as America’s first Bitcoin Boulevard."
“We don’t expect a windfall,” says Nikhil Chand, founder of the bitcoin consultancy CoinNEO, who conceived of Bitcoin Boulevard late last year. “This is about so much more -- about the hurt from the fees through traditional payment.”
Read the rest of the story here.
philanthropist's efforts to boost young audiences at orchestra in new york times
In a New York Times post titled, "Maintaining a Classical-Music Miracle in Cleveland," writer Craig Duff covers efforts by local philanthropist Milton Maltz to increase the number of young audience members at Cleveland Orchestra performances.
"When Milton Maltz looked down from his box seat in Severance Hall -- the stately home of the Cleveland Orchestra -- he used to fear for its future," writes Duff.
"Where are the young people?" Maltz is quoted in the article.
The aging of audiences is something all orchestras are contending with, but Maltz decided to do something about it. He and his wife donated $20 million to help the orchestra build a younger audience, with the ambitious goal of attracting the youngest audience of any orchestra in America by 2018, the band's 100th birthday.
Incentives include "FanCards" that allow young concertgoers to attend as many concerts as they like per season for $50. Additional deals include free admission to summer outdoor concerts at Blossom for those under age 18. Students also can attend any concert during the subscription season for $10.
Efforts are paying off: in 2010, students made up 8 percent of the audience. Last year, that figure was 20 percent.
Read the rest of the good news here.
"When Milton Maltz looked down from his box seat in Severance Hall -- the stately home of the Cleveland Orchestra -- he used to fear for its future," writes Duff.
"Where are the young people?" Maltz is quoted in the article.
The aging of audiences is something all orchestras are contending with, but Maltz decided to do something about it. He and his wife donated $20 million to help the orchestra build a younger audience, with the ambitious goal of attracting the youngest audience of any orchestra in America by 2018, the band's 100th birthday.
Incentives include "FanCards" that allow young concertgoers to attend as many concerts as they like per season for $50. Additional deals include free admission to summer outdoor concerts at Blossom for those under age 18. Students also can attend any concert during the subscription season for $10.
Efforts are paying off: in 2010, students made up 8 percent of the audience. Last year, that figure was 20 percent.
Read the rest of the good news here.
playhouse square chandelier attracting glow of national media
In a Gizmodo feature titled, "The World's Biggest Outdoor Chandelier Beckons You to Cleveland's Stage," writer Andrew Tarantola describes the past and present of Playhouse Square, and some technical info on the new chandelier.
"For a time in the Vaudeville Era, few theater districts outside of Broadway were hotter than Cleveland, Ohio's. But as the decades rolled on and times changed, the district fell upon hard times. But now, after a concerted revitalization effort, the the crown jewel of the district is back in business -- and it sports the world's largest outdoor chandelier to prove it," he writes.
The world's largest permanent crystal chandelier is "comprised of more than 4,200 crystals and illuminated by 70 GE LED Infusion Modules. The 20-foot tall crystalline (actually acrylic resin, not glass) structure is suspended from steel trusses some 44 feet off the ground at the corner of E. 14th Street and Euclid Avenue."
"And don't worry about the snow," he writes, "this installation has been designed specifically to cope with the frigid conditions presented by Cleveland's harsh winters, and has been thoroughly stress tested."
Read the rest of the news here.
"For a time in the Vaudeville Era, few theater districts outside of Broadway were hotter than Cleveland, Ohio's. But as the decades rolled on and times changed, the district fell upon hard times. But now, after a concerted revitalization effort, the the crown jewel of the district is back in business -- and it sports the world's largest outdoor chandelier to prove it," he writes.
The world's largest permanent crystal chandelier is "comprised of more than 4,200 crystals and illuminated by 70 GE LED Infusion Modules. The 20-foot tall crystalline (actually acrylic resin, not glass) structure is suspended from steel trusses some 44 feet off the ground at the corner of E. 14th Street and Euclid Avenue."
"And don't worry about the snow," he writes, "this installation has been designed specifically to cope with the frigid conditions presented by Cleveland's harsh winters, and has been thoroughly stress tested."
Read the rest of the news here.
introducing cleveland, the 'entertainment capital you never knew about'
In a Travelers Today feature titled "Five Reasons Cleveland is the Entertainment Capital You Never Knew About,' writer Will Walker calls our fair city "one of largest and most underrated cultural hot-spots in the country."
According to Walker, here are five reasons Cleveland is the entertainment capital that's "ripe for exploration by any traveler adventurous enough to take a chance on it."
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
"Opened in 1995 by Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegun, the Rock Hall marks a must-see destination for anyone interested in Rock & Roll, music, or pop culture in general.
Cinematheque
The Cleveland Institute of Art's Cinematheque offers what the New York Times called one of the country's "best repertory movie theaters."
Cleveland Museum of Art
Cleveland has one of the "best and most important art museums in the country, boasting works from artists as diverse as Caravaggio, David, and Monet."
Playhouse Square
"The second largest theatrical complex in the country (outside of New York) Playhouse Square's nine theaters sprawl over two city blocks, casting an impressive shadow of cultural sophistication that the rest of the city can't help but take note of."
Cleveland Orchestra
According to the British music periodical Gramophone, the Cleveland Orchestra ranks as the seventh best in the world, topping every single United States orchestra outside of Chicago.
Read the rest of the good news here.
According to Walker, here are five reasons Cleveland is the entertainment capital that's "ripe for exploration by any traveler adventurous enough to take a chance on it."
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
"Opened in 1995 by Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegun, the Rock Hall marks a must-see destination for anyone interested in Rock & Roll, music, or pop culture in general.
Cinematheque
The Cleveland Institute of Art's Cinematheque offers what the New York Times called one of the country's "best repertory movie theaters."
Cleveland Museum of Art
Cleveland has one of the "best and most important art museums in the country, boasting works from artists as diverse as Caravaggio, David, and Monet."
Playhouse Square
"The second largest theatrical complex in the country (outside of New York) Playhouse Square's nine theaters sprawl over two city blocks, casting an impressive shadow of cultural sophistication that the rest of the city can't help but take note of."
Cleveland Orchestra
According to the British music periodical Gramophone, the Cleveland Orchestra ranks as the seventh best in the world, topping every single United States orchestra outside of Chicago.
Read the rest of the good news here.
as cleveland goes: how the local craft beer scene is shaping up
This is the first of a three-part series written by Columbus-based Kyle Kastranec that chronicles the state of craft beer in Ohio, and how it could lend insight into national trends and future growth for the entire industry. He begins with Cleveland.
"Over the last few years, a new wave of breweries has been reshaping the craft beer landscape along the shores of Lake Erie," he writes. "It's not the most mature market in the country; it's not even the most mature market in the region. But Cleveland, with its fleet of fledgling and developing breweries, is becoming a bellwether for national trends and craft beer's narrative arc across the country."
Kastranec writes how beer and breweries directly affect the local economy and the revitalization of neighborhoods.
"[Andy] Tveekrem returned to Cleveland in 2010 and partnered with a local entrepreneur, Sam McNulty, to launch Market Garden Brewery, a venture that kick-started the transformation and revitalization of West 25th Street and the entire Ohio City neighborhood. "When we opened, there was about 75% vacancy on West 25th between these three blocks," Tveekrem says. "Now it's zero."
Of course, Great Lakes Brewing played a major role in launching the craft beer scene in Cleveland and Ohio. "But more than that, the GLBC history has shaped the very fabric of the local brewing community. Everyone is connected, and all roads lead back to Great Lakes, whose culture and attention to detail has prepared the current generation of brewers to innovate, to adapt, to grow, to anticipate market demands, and most importantly, to ensure quality through it all."
Read the rest of this great beer feature here.
"Over the last few years, a new wave of breweries has been reshaping the craft beer landscape along the shores of Lake Erie," he writes. "It's not the most mature market in the country; it's not even the most mature market in the region. But Cleveland, with its fleet of fledgling and developing breweries, is becoming a bellwether for national trends and craft beer's narrative arc across the country."
Kastranec writes how beer and breweries directly affect the local economy and the revitalization of neighborhoods.
"[Andy] Tveekrem returned to Cleveland in 2010 and partnered with a local entrepreneur, Sam McNulty, to launch Market Garden Brewery, a venture that kick-started the transformation and revitalization of West 25th Street and the entire Ohio City neighborhood. "When we opened, there was about 75% vacancy on West 25th between these three blocks," Tveekrem says. "Now it's zero."
Of course, Great Lakes Brewing played a major role in launching the craft beer scene in Cleveland and Ohio. "But more than that, the GLBC history has shaped the very fabric of the local brewing community. Everyone is connected, and all roads lead back to Great Lakes, whose culture and attention to detail has prepared the current generation of brewers to innovate, to adapt, to grow, to anticipate market demands, and most importantly, to ensure quality through it all."
Read the rest of this great beer feature here.
downtown rental boom covered in wall street journal
In a Wall Street Journal feature titled, "Developers Turn Former Office Buildings into High-End Apartments," writer Eliot Brown covers Cleveland's downtown rental boom and efforts to ease that demand by converting former commercial space into residential space.
"Historically, office space has commanded substantially higher rent than residential space," Brown writes. "But that is starting to change, especially for older buildings that have lots of architectural charm -- often located in urban downtowns -- but are no longer desirable as top-notch office space."
"The Residences (in the East Ohio Gas building) are in the vanguard of a major realignment taking place in cities across the U.S. as landlords repurpose their buildings from spaces where people work to spaces where they sleep."
With demand for downtown rental apartments so strong, developers are racing to repurpose buildings.
By 2015, Downtown Cleveland Alliance "projects that the area will have 7,071 residential units, up from 2,881 in 2000. That includes nearly 600 units in seven office-to-apartment conversions that are under way -- the most ever at one time for the city."
Read the rest of the story here.
"Historically, office space has commanded substantially higher rent than residential space," Brown writes. "But that is starting to change, especially for older buildings that have lots of architectural charm -- often located in urban downtowns -- but are no longer desirable as top-notch office space."
"The Residences (in the East Ohio Gas building) are in the vanguard of a major realignment taking place in cities across the U.S. as landlords repurpose their buildings from spaces where people work to spaces where they sleep."
With demand for downtown rental apartments so strong, developers are racing to repurpose buildings.
By 2015, Downtown Cleveland Alliance "projects that the area will have 7,071 residential units, up from 2,881 in 2000. That includes nearly 600 units in seven office-to-apartment conversions that are under way -- the most ever at one time for the city."
Read the rest of the story here.
cleveland clinic's new herbal therapy ward highlighted in time mag
In a Time feature titled "Cleveland Clinic’s New Medicine," Alexandra Sifferlin writes about the Cleveland Clinic's nonconforming efforts to incorporate Eastern herbal medicine with traditional Western medical practices.
"Though herbal therapy has been practiced in China for centuries, it is still an afterthought in the U.S., in part because pharmaceutical remedies are usually easier to obtain," Sifferlin writes. "Now that’s beginning to change: in January, the Cleveland Clinic opened a Chinese herbal-therapy ward."
In this small division, therapists at the clinic treat patients suffering from chronic pain, fatigue, poor digestion, infertility and sleep disorders.
“Western medicine may not have all the answers,” Daniel Neides, the clinic’s medical director, is quoted in the piece.
A certified herbalist runs the unit under the supervision of Western-trained doctors. Patients must be referred to the clinic by their doctor, who must oversee their treatment for at least a year.
Executives at the Cleveland Clinic say the clinic "is the first of its kind to be affiliated with a Western hospital."
“We’re incorporating ancient knowledge into patient care,” says in-house herbalist Galina Roofener.
Read the rest of the news right here.
"Though herbal therapy has been practiced in China for centuries, it is still an afterthought in the U.S., in part because pharmaceutical remedies are usually easier to obtain," Sifferlin writes. "Now that’s beginning to change: in January, the Cleveland Clinic opened a Chinese herbal-therapy ward."
In this small division, therapists at the clinic treat patients suffering from chronic pain, fatigue, poor digestion, infertility and sleep disorders.
“Western medicine may not have all the answers,” Daniel Neides, the clinic’s medical director, is quoted in the piece.
A certified herbalist runs the unit under the supervision of Western-trained doctors. Patients must be referred to the clinic by their doctor, who must oversee their treatment for at least a year.
Executives at the Cleveland Clinic say the clinic "is the first of its kind to be affiliated with a Western hospital."
“We’re incorporating ancient knowledge into patient care,” says in-house herbalist Galina Roofener.
Read the rest of the news right here.
entrepreneur mag says 'think like cleveland' to boost biz growth
In an Entrepreneur feature titled "Think Like Cleveland: 6 Ingredients to Boosting Business Growth," Jane Porter writes how Cleveland went from being on the bottom of the list in terms of startup-friendly cities to being near the top.
"In an Entrepreneur ranking of startup-friendly cities in 2002, Cleveland came in 61 out of 61. At the time, entrepreneurs had little by way of funding options and the startup economy was suffering," writes Porter.
But thanks in large part to the formation of Jumpstart, a nonprofit organization focused on helping idea-stage tech companies gain access to funds and resources, things began to turn around -- quickly.
The feature goes on to enumerate the six key ingredients that helped propel Cleveland forward, including innovators, advocates and storytellers.
Read the entire feature here.
"In an Entrepreneur ranking of startup-friendly cities in 2002, Cleveland came in 61 out of 61. At the time, entrepreneurs had little by way of funding options and the startup economy was suffering," writes Porter.
But thanks in large part to the formation of Jumpstart, a nonprofit organization focused on helping idea-stage tech companies gain access to funds and resources, things began to turn around -- quickly.
The feature goes on to enumerate the six key ingredients that helped propel Cleveland forward, including innovators, advocates and storytellers.
Read the entire feature here.
crop bistro included in listing of cool restaurants in converted spaces
In a Thrillist feature titled, "Drinking in Banks and Jails: 21 Restaurants/Bars Converted from Very Different Buildings, Crop Bistro in Ohio City earns a spot.
"We've all been in a Thai restaurant that was obviously once a Pizza Hut, but even the ghost of a stuffed-crust pizza haunting your pad Thai has nothing on a cool, old building that's been converted to a place where you can stuff your face or give your liver a workout," writes Andy Kryza. "From an old elementary school to a jail and an airplane, these 21 joints keep their historical roots while also keeping you fat and happy."
Crop Bar and Bistro
Cleveland, OH
What it was: A gigantic 1925 bank, complete with marble columns, huge arches, and 17,000 feet of floor space.
What it is now: "One of Ohio's most-lauded restaurants, Crop has kept the integrity of the space intact -- from the remastered columns to the gigantic murals over the bar -- while cooking up high-end cuisine in an open kitchen set up right in the middle of the packed floor. In the basement, meanwhile, you can rent out the vault space, which is great for parties or, in the event of a zombie apocalypse, survival."
Read the rest of the listacle here.
"We've all been in a Thai restaurant that was obviously once a Pizza Hut, but even the ghost of a stuffed-crust pizza haunting your pad Thai has nothing on a cool, old building that's been converted to a place where you can stuff your face or give your liver a workout," writes Andy Kryza. "From an old elementary school to a jail and an airplane, these 21 joints keep their historical roots while also keeping you fat and happy."
Crop Bar and Bistro
Cleveland, OH
What it was: A gigantic 1925 bank, complete with marble columns, huge arches, and 17,000 feet of floor space.
What it is now: "One of Ohio's most-lauded restaurants, Crop has kept the integrity of the space intact -- from the remastered columns to the gigantic murals over the bar -- while cooking up high-end cuisine in an open kitchen set up right in the middle of the packed floor. In the basement, meanwhile, you can rent out the vault space, which is great for parties or, in the event of a zombie apocalypse, survival."
Read the rest of the listacle here.
cleveland clinic exports marquee brand to abu dhabi
In a Reuters article titled, "Cleveland Clinic exports marquee Ohio brand to Abu Dhabi," by Robin Respaut writes about the Clinic's plans to open a hospital on Al Maryah Island in Abu Dhabi.
"For decades the Cleveland Clinic has provided healthcare to the upper echelons of Middle Eastern society who fly halfway across the world for treatment at the Ohio-based private medical center," she writes. "Soon, they can skip the trip."
Early next year, the Cleveland Clinic will open an ultra-modern, 364-bed hospital on Al Maryah Island in Abu Dhabi. The Clinic currently helps manage the Sheikh Khalifa Medical City facility in Abu Dhabi, but this will be the first time it puts its name and personnel in the region.
"We look at it as our petrodollars coming home to Cleveland," Cleveland Clinic's chief executive officer Dr Toby Cosgrove said during an interview. "It's money coming back to us."
Read more about the state-of-the-art facility here.
"For decades the Cleveland Clinic has provided healthcare to the upper echelons of Middle Eastern society who fly halfway across the world for treatment at the Ohio-based private medical center," she writes. "Soon, they can skip the trip."
Early next year, the Cleveland Clinic will open an ultra-modern, 364-bed hospital on Al Maryah Island in Abu Dhabi. The Clinic currently helps manage the Sheikh Khalifa Medical City facility in Abu Dhabi, but this will be the first time it puts its name and personnel in the region.
"We look at it as our petrodollars coming home to Cleveland," Cleveland Clinic's chief executive officer Dr Toby Cosgrove said during an interview. "It's money coming back to us."
Read more about the state-of-the-art facility here.