Cleveland Heights
As the number of local bike commuters continues to increase, so too does the number of savvy entrepreneurs who serve and service them. In recent years, a mini boom of bike-based businesses has developed across Northeast Ohio, including frame builders, messenger bag makers, rickshaw drivers and an indoor bike park that attracts visitors from throughout the Midwest.
The newly minted nonprofit Bike Cleveland will bring together Northeast Ohio cyclists through cycling events, educational programming and advocacy work, says Jacob Van Sickle, the group's new Executive Director. The group also will provide area cyclists with a unified voice in transportation planning across the region.
Over the course of the next year, Bike Cleveland plans to focus on prioritizing bike investments in the West Shoreway project, collaborating with the City of Cleveland to update and prioritize its Bikeway Master Plan, creating fun biking events and advocating for cyclist-friendly policies throughout the region.
One of the group's first advocacy projects will be to rally against HR 7, the transportation bill that has been proposed in the U.S. House of Representatives. That bill would eliminate dedicated funding for transportation, cut funding that helps to make streets safer for cyclists and pedestrians, and shortchange funding for repairing existing roads and bridges and improving roadways for cyclists.
For several years, Cleveland's cycling community has been fragmented among different organizations. The launch of Bike Cleveland last summer and now the hiring of Van Sickle unites cyclists under a common banner for the first time.
Van Sickle says Cleveland's energized cycling community has a lot ot be proud of. The 2010 American Community Survey shows that .8 percent of Clevelanders now use a bicycle as their primary mode of transportation to work -- a figure well above the national average of .53 percent. This is a 280-percent increase over one decade, giving Cleveland the highest 10-year increase in the country.
“I am looking forward to working with current and future Bike Cleveland members, and the greater cycling community, to continue to grow the cycling movement in Greater Cleveland," said Van Sickle in a press release.
Source: Jacob Van Sickle
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Over the course of the next year, Bike Cleveland plans to focus on prioritizing bike investments in the West Shoreway project, collaborating with the City of Cleveland to update and prioritize its Bikeway Master Plan, creating fun biking events and advocating for cyclist-friendly policies throughout the region.
One of the group's first advocacy projects will be to rally against HR 7, the transportation bill that has been proposed in the U.S. House of Representatives. That bill would eliminate dedicated funding for transportation, cut funding that helps to make streets safer for cyclists and pedestrians, and shortchange funding for repairing existing roads and bridges and improving roadways for cyclists.
For several years, Cleveland's cycling community has been fragmented among different organizations. The launch of Bike Cleveland last summer and now the hiring of Van Sickle unites cyclists under a common banner for the first time.
Van Sickle says Cleveland's energized cycling community has a lot ot be proud of. The 2010 American Community Survey shows that .8 percent of Clevelanders now use a bicycle as their primary mode of transportation to work -- a figure well above the national average of .53 percent. This is a 280-percent increase over one decade, giving Cleveland the highest 10-year increase in the country.
“I am looking forward to working with current and future Bike Cleveland members, and the greater cycling community, to continue to grow the cycling movement in Greater Cleveland," said Van Sickle in a press release.
Source: Jacob Van Sickle
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Local writer, speaker and entrepreneur Craig James has some big ideas. In fact, he is a regular contributor to NEOtropolis's "What’s the Big Idea" segment on PBS. He and his partner Sue James formed CatalystStrategies, which helps organizations best communicate their message, market and meaning. In this "Letter to Cleveland," James pens an open letter to the city he loves.
There is a surprisingly rich community of accomplished authors living in Cleveland. In fact, if you take a stroll through Cleveland Heights -- and other artsy neighbs -- you might even bump into one of them. Fresh Water recently bumped into three of them: Dan Chaon, Mary Doria Russell and Thrity Umrigar.
cle's top attractions get top billing in pop candy
USA Today's popular PopCandy blog recently ran a round-up of Cleveland's most compelling attractions. Titled "The Pop Traveler: 11 Reasons to Visit Cleveland," the regular feature gives insiders a chance to name their city's top pop-culture hot spots.
In the article, which begins "Eleven ways that Cleveland rocks," a writer who goes by the pseudonym Big Business ticks of his (or her?) favorite finds.
Michael Symon restaurants:
The James Beard Award-winning chef brings a lot of pride and excitement to the restaurant landscape in Cleveland. Lola Bistro is the signature restaurant, but for a fun lunch, the B-Spot is a great place to just get a burger and fries.
Beachland Ballroom:
This concert club is a former Croatian ballroom and Cleveland landmark. The two-stage venue hosts up-and-coming local bands like The Suede Brothers, Afternoon Naps, bears and Cloud Nothings; regional performers and national acts.
Christmas Story House:
Located in Cleveland's Tremont neighborhood, 'twas where they filmed the exterior and some interior shots from the holiday classic A Christmas Story.
West Side Market:
You can buy small portions of items to eat while you stroll through the more than 100 vendors selling fresh fruits and vegetables, fine meats, seafood, baked goods, dairy and cheese.
Big Fun
"Come shopping ... leave smiling." It's that simple at Big Fun. They strive to find the coolest toys and gifts out there, and what you'll find is a veritable cornucopia of delights like G.I. Joe, Star Wars, My Little Pony and Strawberry Shortcake.
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Cedar Lee Theatre, Burning River Roller Girls, Chucklefck comedy nights, Machine Gun Kelly and Stadium Mustard also made the list.
Check out the rest here.
In the article, which begins "Eleven ways that Cleveland rocks," a writer who goes by the pseudonym Big Business ticks of his (or her?) favorite finds.
Michael Symon restaurants:
The James Beard Award-winning chef brings a lot of pride and excitement to the restaurant landscape in Cleveland. Lola Bistro is the signature restaurant, but for a fun lunch, the B-Spot is a great place to just get a burger and fries.
Beachland Ballroom:
This concert club is a former Croatian ballroom and Cleveland landmark. The two-stage venue hosts up-and-coming local bands like The Suede Brothers, Afternoon Naps, bears and Cloud Nothings; regional performers and national acts.
Christmas Story House:
Located in Cleveland's Tremont neighborhood, 'twas where they filmed the exterior and some interior shots from the holiday classic A Christmas Story.
West Side Market:
You can buy small portions of items to eat while you stroll through the more than 100 vendors selling fresh fruits and vegetables, fine meats, seafood, baked goods, dairy and cheese.
Big Fun
"Come shopping ... leave smiling." It's that simple at Big Fun. They strive to find the coolest toys and gifts out there, and what you'll find is a veritable cornucopia of delights like G.I. Joe, Star Wars, My Little Pony and Strawberry Shortcake.
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Cedar Lee Theatre, Burning River Roller Girls, Chucklefck comedy nights, Machine Gun Kelly and Stadium Mustard also made the list.
Check out the rest here.
'fun size' filmed in and around cleveland set for release
The movie "Fun Size," directed by Josh Schwartz and staring Victoria Justice, Johnny Knoxville, and Chelsea Handler, is set to release on October 12, 2012.
Filmed on location at Boulevard Elementary School, Coventry Food Mart, and the Coventry Road Business District in Shaker Heights, this film about a teen girl who loses her little brother on Halloween and her desperate attempt to track him down is reminiscent of John Hughes-style hits according to The New York Times.
While the rest of Cleveland waits on the May 4, 2012 release date of the highly anticipated and action-packed “The Avengers,” filmed downtown last summer, Cleveland continues to be in the national spotlight for additional movies.
Read the full New York Times story here.
Filmed on location at Boulevard Elementary School, Coventry Food Mart, and the Coventry Road Business District in Shaker Heights, this film about a teen girl who loses her little brother on Halloween and her desperate attempt to track him down is reminiscent of John Hughes-style hits according to The New York Times.
While the rest of Cleveland waits on the May 4, 2012 release date of the highly anticipated and action-packed “The Avengers,” filmed downtown last summer, Cleveland continues to be in the national spotlight for additional movies.
Read the full New York Times story here.
Adam and Susan Fleischer of the Wine Spot in Cleveland Heights have opened a boutique wine and craft beer store at a time when many big box retailers are vying for this same business. Yet, spend a few minutes with them and you'll realize that their infectious enthusiasm and love of wine is also backed up by creativity and a solid business plan.
Adam Fleischer first developed the store concept as a way to ditch his fast-paced corporate lifestyle, spend more time with his family and do something he loves.
"My wife and I came back to Cleveland from Washington D.C. after our son was born, but my job had me traveling 100 percent of the time," he explains. "I got burned out on the corporate scene and really began to miss my family. So we decided to take our passion and hobby and turn it into a business."
Fleischer freely admits that opening a retail wine and beer store is a "high-risk proposition" these days, yet says he's identified a niche market that is a unique destination. The Wine Spot is more than just a run-of-the-mill beverage store; rather, it's a place where one comes to learn about wine and beer, sample new favorites, and simply enjoy the company of others in a great atmosphere.
Once patrons discover the gorgeous interior, most won't want to leave, Fleischer adds. The store is filled with custom-built wine racks, tables built from repurposed wood by A Piece of Cleveland, an authentic tile floor from the days when it housed Bruder's Dairy, and a large, comfortable bar area. For more than 50 years, the space housed neighborhood favorite Seitz-Agin Hardware.
Fleischer says it's perfect for his diverse Cleveland Heights clientele, who are all passionate about the history represented in the community. "It still feels like an old Cleveland Heights shop, but with all of the modern conveniences."
Source: Adam Fleischer
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Adam Fleischer first developed the store concept as a way to ditch his fast-paced corporate lifestyle, spend more time with his family and do something he loves.
"My wife and I came back to Cleveland from Washington D.C. after our son was born, but my job had me traveling 100 percent of the time," he explains. "I got burned out on the corporate scene and really began to miss my family. So we decided to take our passion and hobby and turn it into a business."
Fleischer freely admits that opening a retail wine and beer store is a "high-risk proposition" these days, yet says he's identified a niche market that is a unique destination. The Wine Spot is more than just a run-of-the-mill beverage store; rather, it's a place where one comes to learn about wine and beer, sample new favorites, and simply enjoy the company of others in a great atmosphere.
Once patrons discover the gorgeous interior, most won't want to leave, Fleischer adds. The store is filled with custom-built wine racks, tables built from repurposed wood by A Piece of Cleveland, an authentic tile floor from the days when it housed Bruder's Dairy, and a large, comfortable bar area. For more than 50 years, the space housed neighborhood favorite Seitz-Agin Hardware.
Fleischer says it's perfect for his diverse Cleveland Heights clientele, who are all passionate about the history represented in the community. "It still feels like an old Cleveland Heights shop, but with all of the modern conveniences."
Source: Adam Fleischer
Writer: Lee Chilcote
melt, a 'restaurant brooklyn is desperately missing'
In a recent article by The L Magazine, a New York publication devoted to all things local, Cleveland's Melt Bar & Grilled gets huge props.
In this fun feature titled "Ten Restaurants Brooklyn is Desperately Missing," writer and (I assume) Brooklyn resident Kara Zuaro dreams up a wish list of new establishments for her neighborhood. Plucked from locales near and far, indie hot spots like Cleveland's Melt and Columbus-based Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams make the list.
"I’d like to think that Pok Pok is opening a Brooklyn branch because I wished really hard for it," she begins. "So, as I impatiently await the opening of the restaurant I willed into being, I’m making a list of 10 more restaurants -- with original locations across America -- that could be wildly successful if they opened new branches here in Brooklyn."
Of Cleveland-based Melt, she writes:
"The grilled cheese sandwiches at Cleveland’s Melt don’t even make sense. When I visited, I ate a belly-buster that was piled with pimento cheese, collards, fried chicken and cornbread. There was bread on the outside, but then there was cornbread in the sandwich. It ruled. The current sandwich-of-the-month at Melt, the "Hungry Hungarian Paprikash," involves pulled roasted chicken, huge homemade dumplings, creamy paprikash sauce, and Provolone cheese. There’s also a vegetarian version available. What! Also, they have a crazy beer selection, and it’s kind of a sports bar. We need this in our lives."
The article also includes our good friends down south in Columbus, Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream.
See the rest of the good eats here.
In this fun feature titled "Ten Restaurants Brooklyn is Desperately Missing," writer and (I assume) Brooklyn resident Kara Zuaro dreams up a wish list of new establishments for her neighborhood. Plucked from locales near and far, indie hot spots like Cleveland's Melt and Columbus-based Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams make the list.
"I’d like to think that Pok Pok is opening a Brooklyn branch because I wished really hard for it," she begins. "So, as I impatiently await the opening of the restaurant I willed into being, I’m making a list of 10 more restaurants -- with original locations across America -- that could be wildly successful if they opened new branches here in Brooklyn."
Of Cleveland-based Melt, she writes:
"The grilled cheese sandwiches at Cleveland’s Melt don’t even make sense. When I visited, I ate a belly-buster that was piled with pimento cheese, collards, fried chicken and cornbread. There was bread on the outside, but then there was cornbread in the sandwich. It ruled. The current sandwich-of-the-month at Melt, the "Hungry Hungarian Paprikash," involves pulled roasted chicken, huge homemade dumplings, creamy paprikash sauce, and Provolone cheese. There’s also a vegetarian version available. What! Also, they have a crazy beer selection, and it’s kind of a sports bar. We need this in our lives."
The article also includes our good friends down south in Columbus, Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream.
See the rest of the good eats here.
A few weeks ago, Cleveland Heights City Council passed legislation that allows residents to purchase city-owned residential lots for as little as $100. With this move, the inner ring suburb became the latest city in Northeast Ohio to encourage "blotting," the practice of homeowners absorbing adjacent lots for yard expansion, urban gardening or beautification.
Like many inner ring suburbs, Cleveland Heights has been hard hit by foreclosure and vacancy in recent years, and has pressed hard to demolish homes that it deems beyond saving. As a result, it has acquired vacant lots. City officials deem selling these lots as one way to re-purpose these once-blighted properties.
The city plans to offer these vacant properties to individuals who own the adjacent properties. If both of the neighboring owners are interested, the lot could possibly be split or sold to the highest bidder. Six to 12 properties currently are available, with more expected to become available later this year.
Although the lots are large enough to accommodate new homes, the city expects most of them to be used for activities like gardening and neighborhood cookouts.
Source: City of Cleveland Heights
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Like many inner ring suburbs, Cleveland Heights has been hard hit by foreclosure and vacancy in recent years, and has pressed hard to demolish homes that it deems beyond saving. As a result, it has acquired vacant lots. City officials deem selling these lots as one way to re-purpose these once-blighted properties.
The city plans to offer these vacant properties to individuals who own the adjacent properties. If both of the neighboring owners are interested, the lot could possibly be split or sold to the highest bidder. Six to 12 properties currently are available, with more expected to become available later this year.
Although the lots are large enough to accommodate new homes, the city expects most of them to be used for activities like gardening and neighborhood cookouts.
Source: City of Cleveland Heights
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Liz Maugins of Zygote Press remembers the moment in 2008 when she realized just how fragile her own organization's existence was in Cleveland's ever-shrinking nonprofit ecosystem. Like many nonprofit groups, she was looking at fewer philanthropic dollars during the worst recession in decades. Meanwhile, many foundations were stressing collaboration or proposing outright mergers.
"Like a lot of nonprofit leaders, I was freaking out and wondering what would come our way," recounts Maugins, who worried that her small nonprofit would be wiped out by the tidal wave of the national recession. "So I started sending out messages to other arts leaders to see if they were feeling the same thing."
Not surprisingly, other nonprofit leaders were losing sleep over their situations, too. Yet rather than retreating to their own private islands to struggle in maudlin isolation, Maugins and her colleagues banded together for survival.
"The number one challenge was that we had no exposure, especially with the dwindling arts coverage locally," says Maugins. "Yet we knew that our arts organizations were doing amazing things with education and other programming, and we're the economic engines of our neighborhoods."
Today, Zygote and 27 other groups in Northeast Ohio have banded together to form the Collective Arts Network (CAN), received a grant from the Ohio Arts Council, and produced a magazine-style journal touting their work. Ten thousand copies have been distributed to galleries and other hotspots in the city.
Next up, the CAN group is working on other kinds of collaboration, including programming, events and sustaining the journal as a quarterly publication.
Source: Liz Maugins
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"Like a lot of nonprofit leaders, I was freaking out and wondering what would come our way," recounts Maugins, who worried that her small nonprofit would be wiped out by the tidal wave of the national recession. "So I started sending out messages to other arts leaders to see if they were feeling the same thing."
Not surprisingly, other nonprofit leaders were losing sleep over their situations, too. Yet rather than retreating to their own private islands to struggle in maudlin isolation, Maugins and her colleagues banded together for survival.
"The number one challenge was that we had no exposure, especially with the dwindling arts coverage locally," says Maugins. "Yet we knew that our arts organizations were doing amazing things with education and other programming, and we're the economic engines of our neighborhoods."
Today, Zygote and 27 other groups in Northeast Ohio have banded together to form the Collective Arts Network (CAN), received a grant from the Ohio Arts Council, and produced a magazine-style journal touting their work. Ten thousand copies have been distributed to galleries and other hotspots in the city.
Next up, the CAN group is working on other kinds of collaboration, including programming, events and sustaining the journal as a quarterly publication.
Source: Liz Maugins
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Inefficient, drafty homes in Cleveland not only are an impediment to attracting savvy urban homebuyers, they're also a harsh economic reality for those who must swallow high utility bills. Despite the daunting prospect of renovating an old home, there are simple, cost-effective ways to save energy -- and money -- that don't involve notching the thermostat down another degree or donning Eskimo-like clothing.
That's the impetus behind Cleveland Energy $aver, a new program just launched by the City of Cleveland, Cleveland Action to Support Housing (CASH), Cleveland Housing Network (CHN), LAND Studio and the U.S. Department of Energy. The program aims to make 100 homes in Cleveland energy-efficient by fall of this year.
Homeowners who enroll in this program can obtain a complete energy audit for a mere $50, a tidy sum that likely amounts to a fraction of their monthly heating bill. After the audit has been completed, owners will work with program staff to develop a scope of work, seek low-interest financing if needed, and hire a contractor. When the job is completed, professionals will help evaluate the work to make sure it's been done properly. As an enticement, owners will save 20 percent off the top, and another 20 percent when the work is complete.
“Cleveland Energy $aver will provide homeowners with tools they need to make energy-efficient improvements to their homes,” says Marcia Nolan, Executive Director of Cleveland Action to Support Housing (CASH). “It will also help Cleveland to become more sustainable and competitive to future residents.”
Source: Marcia Nolan
Writer: Lee Chilcote
That's the impetus behind Cleveland Energy $aver, a new program just launched by the City of Cleveland, Cleveland Action to Support Housing (CASH), Cleveland Housing Network (CHN), LAND Studio and the U.S. Department of Energy. The program aims to make 100 homes in Cleveland energy-efficient by fall of this year.
Homeowners who enroll in this program can obtain a complete energy audit for a mere $50, a tidy sum that likely amounts to a fraction of their monthly heating bill. After the audit has been completed, owners will work with program staff to develop a scope of work, seek low-interest financing if needed, and hire a contractor. When the job is completed, professionals will help evaluate the work to make sure it's been done properly. As an enticement, owners will save 20 percent off the top, and another 20 percent when the work is complete.
“Cleveland Energy $aver will provide homeowners with tools they need to make energy-efficient improvements to their homes,” says Marcia Nolan, Executive Director of Cleveland Action to Support Housing (CASH). “It will also help Cleveland to become more sustainable and competitive to future residents.”
Source: Marcia Nolan
Writer: Lee Chilcote
trio of cleveland bars make draft mag's 100 best beer bars list
Cleveland bars scored a hat trick on DRAFT magazine’s "100 Best Beer Bars" list for 2012.
Lakewood’s local-brew institution the Buckeye Beer Engine was lauded for its ever-expanding beer list and “topnotch burger menu [that] keeps things interesting with wacky specials like the Xmas Dinner: a patty piled high with ham and sweet potatoes."
Oft-awarded Ohio City staple McNulty’s Bier Markt made the ranks not only for its Belgian and Belgian-inspired beer menu, but for the “test-drive” dynamic it shares with owner Sam McNulty’s new spot, Market Garden Brewery, across the street.
Of Bier Markt, the mag says, "The crowd’s young and cool, the bottle list is long, and the prices are on point: $24 for a 10-beer sampler? Yes, please."
Pulling for the East Side, La Cave du Vin was praised for its hearty collection of limited edition and rarity beers, with editors encouraging a trip to the Cleveland Heights beer bar “when management decides to dip into the archives.” Give us a call -- we locals are never too far away.
Drink up the rest of the good news here.
Lakewood’s local-brew institution the Buckeye Beer Engine was lauded for its ever-expanding beer list and “topnotch burger menu [that] keeps things interesting with wacky specials like the Xmas Dinner: a patty piled high with ham and sweet potatoes."
Oft-awarded Ohio City staple McNulty’s Bier Markt made the ranks not only for its Belgian and Belgian-inspired beer menu, but for the “test-drive” dynamic it shares with owner Sam McNulty’s new spot, Market Garden Brewery, across the street.
Of Bier Markt, the mag says, "The crowd’s young and cool, the bottle list is long, and the prices are on point: $24 for a 10-beer sampler? Yes, please."
Pulling for the East Side, La Cave du Vin was praised for its hearty collection of limited edition and rarity beers, with editors encouraging a trip to the Cleveland Heights beer bar “when management decides to dip into the archives.” Give us a call -- we locals are never too far away.
Drink up the rest of the good news here.
It’s not exactly a news flash that tattoos have become decidedly more mainstream. Long the province of drug-addled rock stars, ex-cons and bikers, tats now can be spotted on even the most civilized among us. And as the tattoo market continues to heat up, more talented artists are finding work in Cleveland's new tattoo studios.
If you fancy yourself a fan of Cleveland and its offerings, you have doubtless been asked for a recommendation or three. Having lived and worked in town for 20 years, Nina McCollum considers herself an unofficial tour guide, dispensing advice on everything from food and shopping to arts and entertainment. In preparation for a visit from an out-of-town friend, McCollum has devised her dream weekend in Cleveland.
Contractor Matt Berges loves it when he hears that home energy prices are going up. Nope, he doesn't own stock in utilities -- he just knows that ever-rising heating and cooling costs will jolt the market for making homes more energy-efficient.
Berges earns his living by retrofitting older homes and building new homes to ultra-green standards. He's banking on the fact that rising energy costs will make construction of innovative passive homes like the SmartHome at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History more attractive to consumers.
This winter, Berges has had an opportunity to put some of his green dreams into practice. The owners of an historic home on Devonshire Road in Cleveland Heights tore it down to build a new, passive home that doesn't require a furnace. Although Berges, like many others, was sad to see the old house go, he says in some cases there are no cost-effective ways to make older homes energy-efficient.
"Green retrofits and passive home construction are happening all over the country, and they will make more sense as the housing market begins to come back," he says. "We're kind of pioneers in this area."
Interested in checking out the second Northeast Ohio home to seek passive house certification? You can tour it this Saturday, Jan. 14th at 2 pm. The tour is free, but the group is limited to 40 people and advance registration is required. Berges, the owners and architect will be on hand to discuss the project and answer questions.
For more information or to register for the event, email info@neogreenbuilding.org.
Source: Matt Berges
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Berges earns his living by retrofitting older homes and building new homes to ultra-green standards. He's banking on the fact that rising energy costs will make construction of innovative passive homes like the SmartHome at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History more attractive to consumers.
This winter, Berges has had an opportunity to put some of his green dreams into practice. The owners of an historic home on Devonshire Road in Cleveland Heights tore it down to build a new, passive home that doesn't require a furnace. Although Berges, like many others, was sad to see the old house go, he says in some cases there are no cost-effective ways to make older homes energy-efficient.
"Green retrofits and passive home construction are happening all over the country, and they will make more sense as the housing market begins to come back," he says. "We're kind of pioneers in this area."
Interested in checking out the second Northeast Ohio home to seek passive house certification? You can tour it this Saturday, Jan. 14th at 2 pm. The tour is free, but the group is limited to 40 people and advance registration is required. Berges, the owners and architect will be on hand to discuss the project and answer questions.
For more information or to register for the event, email info@neogreenbuilding.org.
Source: Matt Berges
Writer: Lee Chilcote
While we pride ourselves here at Fresh Water in having crisp, professional prose, the truth is, without art, a feature is just font on a page. Pictures tell a thousand words, we're told, but the best ones simply leave us speechless. Every masthead and feature image since we launched this pub over a year ago has been shot by Fresh Water shooter Bob Perkoski. Here is a collection of some of his finest work.
When Fresh Water launched in September 2010, we promised to highlight Cleveland's most progressive and creative people, businesses and organizations. But more importantly, we endeavored to place those subjects against the most compelling backdrop of all: Cleveland and its wonderful neighborhoods. Each Thursday, our readers are invited to dig a little deeper into this city we call home. What follows is a list of the 10 most-read features of the previous 12 months. Looking at the subject matter of those stories, it's clear that the most important topics to our readers include neighborhood development, sustainability and transportation, and, of course, food and booze.
guide book written for new arrivals and those who'd like to rediscover cleveland
A new Cleveland-centric book joins the slowly growing bookshelf of info-packed guides to our fair city. Written and self-published by Cleveland State University urban planning grad Justin Glanville, New to Cleveland: A Guide to (re)Discovering the City is targeted both to new arrivals as well as those who'd like to rediscover their city.
Readers will find general information about various Cleveland neighborhoods, including listings of restaurants, stores and cultural institutions. But also advice on where to send your kids to school, insights on the Cleveland real estate market, and the best neighborhoods for students, artists, professionals, retirees and those who want to live car-free or car-light.
The 250-page book includes more than 50 full-color illustrations by local artist Julia Kuo. The book is also printed in Cleveland.
The guide book is only the second to be written specifically about present-day Cleveland, the other being Avalon Travel's Moon Cleveland, penned by Fresh Water editor Douglas Trattner.
There will be a launch party from 7 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 14 at Happy Dog.
Books are available online and at this weekend's Bazaar Bizarre.
Readers will find general information about various Cleveland neighborhoods, including listings of restaurants, stores and cultural institutions. But also advice on where to send your kids to school, insights on the Cleveland real estate market, and the best neighborhoods for students, artists, professionals, retirees and those who want to live car-free or car-light.
The 250-page book includes more than 50 full-color illustrations by local artist Julia Kuo. The book is also printed in Cleveland.
The guide book is only the second to be written specifically about present-day Cleveland, the other being Avalon Travel's Moon Cleveland, penned by Fresh Water editor Douglas Trattner.
There will be a launch party from 7 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 14 at Happy Dog.
Books are available online and at this weekend's Bazaar Bizarre.
cuyahoga arts & culture announces this year's project support grants
On Monday, November 14th, the Board of Cuyahoga Arts & Culture (CAC) approved 88 grants totaling $1,029,164 for its 2012 Project Support cycle. The awards include traditional PS I grants and the new Project Support II, a small grant program that provides awards of up to $5,000. Grants range in value from $625 to $49,333.
This year garnered the largest number of applications in CAC’s history. A total of 131 organizations submitted Intent to Apply materials, of which 118 of were eligible. This is an increase of 45% from the previous year, which was also a record-setter.
The largest recipient is Scenarios USA, a nonprofit that that uses writing and filmmaking to foster youth leadership in under-served teens. The smallest is River Valley Ringers, a community handbell choir in Cleveland Heights. Others include EcoWatch, Building Bridges, LakewoodAlive, and numerous neighborhood development corps.
See all the grants here.
This year garnered the largest number of applications in CAC’s history. A total of 131 organizations submitted Intent to Apply materials, of which 118 of were eligible. This is an increase of 45% from the previous year, which was also a record-setter.
The largest recipient is Scenarios USA, a nonprofit that that uses writing and filmmaking to foster youth leadership in under-served teens. The smallest is River Valley Ringers, a community handbell choir in Cleveland Heights. Others include EcoWatch, Building Bridges, LakewoodAlive, and numerous neighborhood development corps.
See all the grants here.
The City of Cleveland Heights has released a Request for Development Proposals (RDFP) that it hopes will lure new office space, jobs and tax revenue to the inner ring suburb. The city is asking for development ideas for a 39,000-square-foot parcel at Lee and Meadowbrook roads in the heart of the Cedar-Lee commercial district. Responses are due in January.
Given that two high-end condo projects proposed here in the mid-2000's never came to fruition, the city evidently is hoping the third time's the charm. After the demise of these projects, the city land-banked the site, tearing up the asphalt parking lot and planting grass.
Yet Howard Thompson, the city's Director of Economic Development, says there is reason for optimism in the city's new approach, which is more broadly focused on economic development rather than pinpointing for-sale housing.
"I see the growth happening in University Circle, and I want to tap into that," he says. "There are healthcare and technology professionals living in Cleveland Heights, and my goal is to drive business development opportunities here."
Although this streetcar suburb is isolated from highways, Thompson says it enjoys many locational advantages, including its walkable, urban streetscape and amenity-rich environment. "Areas like MidTown are still at the beginning stages, yet here you have 27 different restaurants directly around you," he says.
The city also owns a 377-space parking garage directly behind the project site, 82 spaces of which are dedicated towards whatever building is ultimately developed.
As for public-private partnerships, Thompson says that the City of Cleveland Heights is ready to provide assistance if it is needed. "We're asking developers to spell out in their proposals what kinds of assistance they'd be asking for."
Source: Howard Thompson
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Given that two high-end condo projects proposed here in the mid-2000's never came to fruition, the city evidently is hoping the third time's the charm. After the demise of these projects, the city land-banked the site, tearing up the asphalt parking lot and planting grass.
Yet Howard Thompson, the city's Director of Economic Development, says there is reason for optimism in the city's new approach, which is more broadly focused on economic development rather than pinpointing for-sale housing.
"I see the growth happening in University Circle, and I want to tap into that," he says. "There are healthcare and technology professionals living in Cleveland Heights, and my goal is to drive business development opportunities here."
Although this streetcar suburb is isolated from highways, Thompson says it enjoys many locational advantages, including its walkable, urban streetscape and amenity-rich environment. "Areas like MidTown are still at the beginning stages, yet here you have 27 different restaurants directly around you," he says.
The city also owns a 377-space parking garage directly behind the project site, 82 spaces of which are dedicated towards whatever building is ultimately developed.
As for public-private partnerships, Thompson says that the City of Cleveland Heights is ready to provide assistance if it is needed. "We're asking developers to spell out in their proposals what kinds of assistance they'd be asking for."
Source: Howard Thompson
Writer: Lee Chilcote