Design + Build

Renovation of Little Italy's historic Alta House is a win-win for all involved
Alta House needed a new social mission and Cleveland Montessori needed a new home. The two came up with the perfect solution.
Vintage La Salle set to explode with arts, mixed usage and zoomin' Internet
This year, residents finally saw groundbreaking for the transformation of the La Salle Theatre into a mixed-use community anchor.
W. 73rd Street underpass brings new access to the city's greatest asset: Lake Erie
A long time in the planning, the W. 73rd Street underpass gives Detroit Shoreway residents east access to lakefront gems.
A road less traveled: The attempted revival of Willey Avenue
Willey Avenue connects Tremont and Ohio City, but the often-forgotten street needs repairs and renovations to keep up with the demands of a growing residential neighborhood.
Cleveland Confidential: the mysteries of Willey Avenue
Taking Root: Five new residents share how they came, or came back, to CLE and why they love it
Whether they grew up here and left or are just experiencing Cleveland for the first time, five residents share why they came here and what they love about the city.
Video: They made their own spaces
Making Our Own Space summer project ends with satisfaction and life lessons for area teens.
Up to 250 new sharing bikes coming to the 216 ahead of the RNC
Bike Cleveland has teamed up with the Cuyahoga County Department of Sustainability to secure 250 bikes for a bike sharing program in time for the Republican National Convention next July. The move is part of a larger countywide initiative.
 
"Over five years we need 700 bikes in 70 stations," explains Mike Foley, executive director of Cuyahoga County's Department of Sustainability.
 
In order to get started on that tall order, last month the team identified CycleHop-SoBi as the preferred vendor for the new bike share system. Negotiations are ongoing, although Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA) awarded the county $357,000 in federal funding to bring the plan to fruition. With 20 percent in matching funds, the group has $446,000 available to purchase the bikes.
 
"The federal government requires us to own these things at least for their usable life," explains Foley, "which is deemed five years." The program in its entirety will cost more, he adds, and will depend on a private-public partnership that relies on business and other private sponsors adopting stations and systems. Downtown will be the initial focus area for the first wave of bike stations.
 
The CycleHop-SoBi brand is a collaboration of two entities.
 
"CycleHop operates the system,"explains Foley. "SoBi manufactures the bikes," which he describes as sturdy and equipped with GPS systems. "Heaven forbid a bike is stolen or not returned," he says, "they'll be able to find it. It also helps figure out routes. They call it a smart bike. We were impressed with technology."
 
The bikes can also be locked anywhere.
 
"You don't have to go to a SoBi bike station," says Foley. "You can lock it up at regular bike stop and go get your coffee."
 
The versatility doesn't stop there. Although still tentative, Foley sees the program having flexible membership options, with yearly, monthly and weekly fee structures available, as well as an hourly rental system for one-time users.
 
As the program expands to reach that 700 number, Foley sees it reaching across the county.
 
"There are suburban communities that I know are interested in this. Cleveland Heights is chomping at the bit to be part of it," he says, adding that Lakewood has also expressed interest.
 
"We want this to be larger than just the city of Cleveland."
 
MOCA: enduring vanguard
MOCA, Cleveland's Museum of Contemporary Art, continually stretches art far beyond the canvas, but the internationally revered icon started out as a tiny bastion of counterculture during the tumultuous 60s.