Design + Build
While public officials beat the drum for more money to raze vacant homes, others are saying, "Not so fast." Creative developers have crafted a way to renovate homes for as little money as it would take to demo them. The loft-like homes offer a taste of downtown, done on a dime.
San Francisco and Austin offer residential curbside composting, but such forward-thinking green ideas have yet to become a reality in Cleveland. A recently-awarded grant from Enterprise Community Partners, however, will help the Detroit Shoreway Community Development Organization think through how to develop a community composting facility for restaurants in the Cleveland EcoVillage.
Although citywide composting may not be in the cards right now, the pilot project could demonstrate ways to scale up composting in a range of city neighborhoods.
A similar $40,000 grant was also awarded to Burton Bell Carr Inc. to develop a safer streetscape plan for the Kinsman EcoDistrict. Forty percent of area residents do not have a car, and a recent multi-car accident here injured five people. BBC will develop a plan to improve the ability to safely bike and walk on Kinsman.
"Cleveland was the only city in the nation that got two projects funded through this program, which is pretty exciting," says Michelle Mulcahy with Enterprise Community Partners. "These projects are neighborhood-scale sustainability approaches that support the area's ongoing community development work."
Once the plans are finalized, these projects also could become national test cases for how to green cities, furthering Cleveland's reputation as a leader in this area.
Enterprise also recently issued a Request for Proposals to provide funding for a neighborhood-based climate action plan that would become part of a citywide plan.
Source: Michelle Mulcahy, Mark McDermott
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Although citywide composting may not be in the cards right now, the pilot project could demonstrate ways to scale up composting in a range of city neighborhoods.
A similar $40,000 grant was also awarded to Burton Bell Carr Inc. to develop a safer streetscape plan for the Kinsman EcoDistrict. Forty percent of area residents do not have a car, and a recent multi-car accident here injured five people. BBC will develop a plan to improve the ability to safely bike and walk on Kinsman.
"Cleveland was the only city in the nation that got two projects funded through this program, which is pretty exciting," says Michelle Mulcahy with Enterprise Community Partners. "These projects are neighborhood-scale sustainability approaches that support the area's ongoing community development work."
Once the plans are finalized, these projects also could become national test cases for how to green cities, furthering Cleveland's reputation as a leader in this area.
Enterprise also recently issued a Request for Proposals to provide funding for a neighborhood-based climate action plan that would become part of a citywide plan.
Source: Michelle Mulcahy, Mark McDermott
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Banks typically lend money to projects; developing them typically is left to homebuilders. Yet Third Federal, which started in a Slavic Village storefront 75 years ago, has taken the unusual step of assembling land and breaking ground on a huge community here.
Construction is underway at Trailside at Morgana Run, a 95-home development that will feature affordably-priced homes within a completely new urban subdivision with access to green space and a rail-trail. The project is located at Aetna and E. 71st Street next to the bank headquarters.
"Slavic Village really is the phoenix rising up in the city," says Jennifer Rosa, Public Relations Manager with Third Federal. "It's not that we couldn't find a developer; it's that the project is so important to us, we want to hold it to our standards and control it. We wanted to provide additional funding to keep Slavic Village going."
The project has taken over a decade to get to this point. Third Federal acquired land from individual owners and cleaned it up using Clean Ohio funds and other sources. The bank formed a public-private partnership with the City of Cleveland, Slavic Village Development and Zaremba Homes and designed the project. Then the recession came along and walloped any plans to break ground until now.
Homes at Trailside at Morgana Run will be priced from $126,000-$132,000 and feature two to three bedrooms and a single-floor master suite option. With down payment assistance, monthly payments fall well below rental rates for similar units.
Rosa says the timing couldn't be better. "We're seeing more jobs being created, more people living in the city. This is a place where people can afford a home."
The first 10 homes are under construction and nearly to the point of being framed. A model home will be available to walk through in July. Although none of the homes are sold yet, Rosa says that buyer interest has been strong.
The urban pioneers who live here will be greeted by a "prairie-like feel," Rosa says. "There will be lots of green space with native Ohio plants and grasses."
Source: Jennifer Rosa
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Construction is underway at Trailside at Morgana Run, a 95-home development that will feature affordably-priced homes within a completely new urban subdivision with access to green space and a rail-trail. The project is located at Aetna and E. 71st Street next to the bank headquarters.
"Slavic Village really is the phoenix rising up in the city," says Jennifer Rosa, Public Relations Manager with Third Federal. "It's not that we couldn't find a developer; it's that the project is so important to us, we want to hold it to our standards and control it. We wanted to provide additional funding to keep Slavic Village going."
The project has taken over a decade to get to this point. Third Federal acquired land from individual owners and cleaned it up using Clean Ohio funds and other sources. The bank formed a public-private partnership with the City of Cleveland, Slavic Village Development and Zaremba Homes and designed the project. Then the recession came along and walloped any plans to break ground until now.
Homes at Trailside at Morgana Run will be priced from $126,000-$132,000 and feature two to three bedrooms and a single-floor master suite option. With down payment assistance, monthly payments fall well below rental rates for similar units.
Rosa says the timing couldn't be better. "We're seeing more jobs being created, more people living in the city. This is a place where people can afford a home."
The first 10 homes are under construction and nearly to the point of being framed. A model home will be available to walk through in July. Although none of the homes are sold yet, Rosa says that buyer interest has been strong.
The urban pioneers who live here will be greeted by a "prairie-like feel," Rosa says. "There will be lots of green space with native Ohio plants and grasses."
Source: Jennifer Rosa
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Near West Theatre's new home will be nothing if not active when it opens next year. It will be filled with youth and adults rehearsing for its signature brand of community theatre -- large ensemble productions that bring the arts to youth and city residents.
And when its shows are running, it will draw up to 275 patrons per show into a new, state-of-the-art theatre that caps off a string of investments in the Gordon Square Arts District.
The building not only will be active -- it will be "passive" when it comes to energy consumption. It will boast a super-insulated, passive design common in Europe but still relatively new in the U.S. The 24,000-square-foot ultra-energy-efficient theatre will be the first of its kind in the U.S., featuring super-thick walls, an energy-efficient heat recovery ventilation system, and a 75,000-watt array of solar panels.
"It will be unlike other buildings in the neighborhood," says Hans Holznagel of the new Near West Theatre, which will be located at W. 67th and Detroit in the Gordon Square Arts District. "We hope people will see the sign and say, 'Wow, that metal building looks pretty cool. What's going on in there?'"
Philanthropists Chuck and Char Fowler earmarked a special gift for the building's passive design, which is expected to save more than 35 percent in energy costs, or about $1.2 million over 50 years. That kind of savings appeals to long-term users.
"In a typical commercial building, 30 to 35 percent of the heat going into the building is just to offset air leakage," says Adam Cohen, a Virginia-based architect and passive house consultant who worked on the project. "There's more interest in passive design now, especially from end users who are going to own the buildings."
The project was far from simple. Most passive commercial buildings have fairly static loads, unlike a theatre whose use varies widely. On any given day there could be people working in offices or large casts rehearsing. Cohen helped NWT to develop a high-efficiency mechanical system that can handle such fluctuation.
Holznagel says the theatre will finally realize its dream of moving into a new home (with air conditioning, he says with glee) that offers the right amount of rehearsal, dressing room and backstage space, not to mention modern administrative offices.
"We'll feel very much at home in this energy-efficient building," he says.
Source: Hans Holznagel, Adam Cohen
Writer: Lee Chilcote
And when its shows are running, it will draw up to 275 patrons per show into a new, state-of-the-art theatre that caps off a string of investments in the Gordon Square Arts District.
The building not only will be active -- it will be "passive" when it comes to energy consumption. It will boast a super-insulated, passive design common in Europe but still relatively new in the U.S. The 24,000-square-foot ultra-energy-efficient theatre will be the first of its kind in the U.S., featuring super-thick walls, an energy-efficient heat recovery ventilation system, and a 75,000-watt array of solar panels.
"It will be unlike other buildings in the neighborhood," says Hans Holznagel of the new Near West Theatre, which will be located at W. 67th and Detroit in the Gordon Square Arts District. "We hope people will see the sign and say, 'Wow, that metal building looks pretty cool. What's going on in there?'"
Philanthropists Chuck and Char Fowler earmarked a special gift for the building's passive design, which is expected to save more than 35 percent in energy costs, or about $1.2 million over 50 years. That kind of savings appeals to long-term users.
"In a typical commercial building, 30 to 35 percent of the heat going into the building is just to offset air leakage," says Adam Cohen, a Virginia-based architect and passive house consultant who worked on the project. "There's more interest in passive design now, especially from end users who are going to own the buildings."
The project was far from simple. Most passive commercial buildings have fairly static loads, unlike a theatre whose use varies widely. On any given day there could be people working in offices or large casts rehearsing. Cohen helped NWT to develop a high-efficiency mechanical system that can handle such fluctuation.
Holznagel says the theatre will finally realize its dream of moving into a new home (with air conditioning, he says with glee) that offers the right amount of rehearsal, dressing room and backstage space, not to mention modern administrative offices.
"We'll feel very much at home in this energy-efficient building," he says.
Source: Hans Holznagel, Adam Cohen
Writer: Lee Chilcote
According to Walk Score, Downtown, University Circle and Ohio City rank as the three most pedestrian friendly neighborhoods in Cleveland. What makes these neighborhoods so walkable? And more important: What can we do to make other areas more friendly to residents who prefer to walk and ride than drive?
A great sign does more than announce a business name and brand; it welcomes all who see it into the establishment. Fresh Water photographer Bob Perkoski has a soft spot for attractive bar and restaurant signs, and here's a slideshow of some of his favorites.
The Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging, a nationally-recognized research organization, service provider and policy advocate that works with older adults and caregivers, is set to open a new 6,000-square-foot administrative headquarters and training center.
"What's new about the facility is that we intend to broaden the scope of our training to a couple of new audiences," says CEO Richard Browdie of the building at Fairhill Road and Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. "There are many professions that interface with older people and their families on a routine basis but may or may not have any training available to them."
The building also provides Benjamin Rose with the first permanent home for its training programs. Traditionally, such programs had been conducted at off-site locations. Browdie finds it poetic that the organization is building its home in the Shaker-Buckeye neighborhood of Cleveland where they've been for many years.
"The board just really came back to the conclusion that, no matter what they did, they wanted to remain here in the city," he says. "We have replications of our evidence-based practices all over the country, but our home is in Cleveland."
The building cost about $7.5 million and the project cost $11.4 million. Funds came from the sale of another facility to Kindred Hospital, New Markets Tax Credits and other sources. Browdie says the facility will also be available for rent for retreats and other events hosted by nonprofits organizations with compatible missions. The hilltop location offers sweeping views of downtown Cleveland.
Benjamin Rose will celebrate with a free afternoon celebration on Sunday, May 19th from 2-4 p.m. The new BRIA training center is located at 11890 Fairhill.
Source: Richard Browdie
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"What's new about the facility is that we intend to broaden the scope of our training to a couple of new audiences," says CEO Richard Browdie of the building at Fairhill Road and Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. "There are many professions that interface with older people and their families on a routine basis but may or may not have any training available to them."
The building also provides Benjamin Rose with the first permanent home for its training programs. Traditionally, such programs had been conducted at off-site locations. Browdie finds it poetic that the organization is building its home in the Shaker-Buckeye neighborhood of Cleveland where they've been for many years.
"The board just really came back to the conclusion that, no matter what they did, they wanted to remain here in the city," he says. "We have replications of our evidence-based practices all over the country, but our home is in Cleveland."
The building cost about $7.5 million and the project cost $11.4 million. Funds came from the sale of another facility to Kindred Hospital, New Markets Tax Credits and other sources. Browdie says the facility will also be available for rent for retreats and other events hosted by nonprofits organizations with compatible missions. The hilltop location offers sweeping views of downtown Cleveland.
Benjamin Rose will celebrate with a free afternoon celebration on Sunday, May 19th from 2-4 p.m. The new BRIA training center is located at 11890 Fairhill.
Source: Richard Browdie
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Building off the buzz created by Shaker LaunchHouse, an entrepreneurial incubator, the City of Shaker Heights has partnered with LaunchHouse, Cuyahoga County and Neighborhood Housing Services of Greater Cleveland to renovate two homes on Chelton Road into affordable housing for entrepreneurs.
The homes at 3553 and 3599 Chelton Road, directly behind Shaker Launchhouse in the South Moreland neighborhood, were vacant before the city acquired them. Shaker renovated the homes using $250,000 of Neighborhood Stabilization Funds, and is now in the process of transferring the properties to Neighborhood Housing Services. The agency, which specializes in affordable housing, will own and manage them.
The houses feature a total of nine "units" (a bedroom in a shared house with ample common space) that can be rented for $395 apiece. Amenities include high-speed Internet, free utilities, a comfortable green home with air conditioning, hardwood floors, free laundry and a ceiling projector hook-up in the living room for presentations. The homes are part of a multi-million dollar investment the city has made in the South Moreland community.
"We already have more applicants than we have units," reports Kamla Lewis, Director of Neighborhood Revitalization with the City of Shaker Heights. "We wanted to create a concentrated, collaborative community -- an environment for startups in the neighborhood, but a place where they could afford to live, as well."
Lewis says the first tenants will move into the completed homes as early as this week, and she expects all nine units to be fully occupied by June 1.
Applicants must be entrepreneurs at Shaker LaunchHouse. Its accelerator program begins this summer and has attracted entrepreneurs from outside of Northeast Ohio, who move here while engaged in starting their companies.
Lewis says the project is the first of its kind that she is aware of, and that the city's investment in South Moreland has already attracted further private investment, including several new businesses and a new $5 million apartment complex.
Source: Kamla Lewis
Writer: Lee Chilcote
The homes at 3553 and 3599 Chelton Road, directly behind Shaker Launchhouse in the South Moreland neighborhood, were vacant before the city acquired them. Shaker renovated the homes using $250,000 of Neighborhood Stabilization Funds, and is now in the process of transferring the properties to Neighborhood Housing Services. The agency, which specializes in affordable housing, will own and manage them.
The houses feature a total of nine "units" (a bedroom in a shared house with ample common space) that can be rented for $395 apiece. Amenities include high-speed Internet, free utilities, a comfortable green home with air conditioning, hardwood floors, free laundry and a ceiling projector hook-up in the living room for presentations. The homes are part of a multi-million dollar investment the city has made in the South Moreland community.
"We already have more applicants than we have units," reports Kamla Lewis, Director of Neighborhood Revitalization with the City of Shaker Heights. "We wanted to create a concentrated, collaborative community -- an environment for startups in the neighborhood, but a place where they could afford to live, as well."
Lewis says the first tenants will move into the completed homes as early as this week, and she expects all nine units to be fully occupied by June 1.
Applicants must be entrepreneurs at Shaker LaunchHouse. Its accelerator program begins this summer and has attracted entrepreneurs from outside of Northeast Ohio, who move here while engaged in starting their companies.
Lewis says the project is the first of its kind that she is aware of, and that the city's investment in South Moreland has already attracted further private investment, including several new businesses and a new $5 million apartment complex.
Source: Kamla Lewis
Writer: Lee Chilcote
preservation nation covers story of playhouse square restoration
In a Preservation Nation Blog post titled “Cleveland’s PlayhouseSquare Theaters Set Stage for World’s Largest Theater Restoration Project,” guest writer Linda Feagler highlights the efforts of Ray Shepardson, who took a struggling and decrepit collection of theaters and began the process that has turned PlayhouseSquare into the second-largest performing arts centers in the nation.
“Today, Shepardson’s once improbable effort is Cleveland’s crown jewel: His rescue not only initiated the world’s largest theater restoration project (totaling some $100 million), it transformed that quartet of crumbling venues into a revitalized PlayhouseSquare, one of the largest performing-arts complexes in the country (second only to New York’s Lincoln Center).”
Feagler continues to share additional background story and further explain the enormous project the restoration was.
Enjoy the full feature here.
“Today, Shepardson’s once improbable effort is Cleveland’s crown jewel: His rescue not only initiated the world’s largest theater restoration project (totaling some $100 million), it transformed that quartet of crumbling venues into a revitalized PlayhouseSquare, one of the largest performing-arts complexes in the country (second only to New York’s Lincoln Center).”
Feagler continues to share additional background story and further explain the enormous project the restoration was.
Enjoy the full feature here.
Project and Construction Services provides owner's representation and design-build services to clients, so it's appropriate that the growing 53-person firm custom-built its new offices. Now that it's settling into its new space in the Erieview Tower, executives are experiencing their Goldilocks moment: Just right.
"We decided to right-size our space for our present needs, forecasting into the future," says CEO Bob Strickland, who downsized from 12,500 to 10,300 square feet -- despite adding staff -- by designing the space efficiently. "We have staff that come in from the East Side, West Side and Akron, so we've found downtown serves our needs the best, and we enjoy the vibrant downtown atmosphere."
The new 21st floor headquarters offers views of the lakefront and a kitchen outfitted with pendant lights from Ohio City-based Glass Bubble Project. Strickland and his wife recently moved to Tremont after living for 28 years in Mentor, and they've become big fans of the eclectic glass blowing studio behind the West Side Market.
PCS right-sized its offices by reducing conference rooms and support areas, creating a "huddle space" in the lobby that can be used as a meeting space, and reducing the number of storage, IT and work rooms. The office includes open work stations to accommodate future growth. Strickland says designing offices more efficiently has become a major trend in 21st century workplace design.
PCS looked at a number of spaces downtown but selected Erieview because of the potential to customize the space within an existing shell. The firm worked with owner Werner Minshall and HSB Architects on the design and buildout. Strickland says that being in the NineTwelve District is a plus, as the area has recently gained new restaurants and employees enjoy the food trucks on Walnut Wednesdays.
The company is working on a number of projects in Cleveland currently, including the Victory Building, W. 25th Street Lofts and Residence Inn. The company has offices in Wheeling and Charleston, West Virginia, with 26 staff downtown.
Source: Bob Strickland
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"We decided to right-size our space for our present needs, forecasting into the future," says CEO Bob Strickland, who downsized from 12,500 to 10,300 square feet -- despite adding staff -- by designing the space efficiently. "We have staff that come in from the East Side, West Side and Akron, so we've found downtown serves our needs the best, and we enjoy the vibrant downtown atmosphere."
The new 21st floor headquarters offers views of the lakefront and a kitchen outfitted with pendant lights from Ohio City-based Glass Bubble Project. Strickland and his wife recently moved to Tremont after living for 28 years in Mentor, and they've become big fans of the eclectic glass blowing studio behind the West Side Market.
PCS right-sized its offices by reducing conference rooms and support areas, creating a "huddle space" in the lobby that can be used as a meeting space, and reducing the number of storage, IT and work rooms. The office includes open work stations to accommodate future growth. Strickland says designing offices more efficiently has become a major trend in 21st century workplace design.
PCS looked at a number of spaces downtown but selected Erieview because of the potential to customize the space within an existing shell. The firm worked with owner Werner Minshall and HSB Architects on the design and buildout. Strickland says that being in the NineTwelve District is a plus, as the area has recently gained new restaurants and employees enjoy the food trucks on Walnut Wednesdays.
The company is working on a number of projects in Cleveland currently, including the Victory Building, W. 25th Street Lofts and Residence Inn. The company has offices in Wheeling and Charleston, West Virginia, with 26 staff downtown.
Source: Bob Strickland
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Abode, developer of the Clifton Pointe Townhomes in Lakewood, is set to break ground on the next phase of the project. As soon as this month, the company could break ground on an additional five units to complement the 17 that have already been sold.
Principal Andrew Brickman says that buyers are drawn to the high-quality, green-built construction, the walkable location in the West End of Lakewood, and the views of the Rocky River Valley and Lake Erie. "I wish we could build another 30 of them," he says. "I think we could sell them."
The five units that are planned have drawn the ire of some local residents. About a dozen attended a recent Lakewood City Council meeting to protest the developer's request for a zoning change to allow townhomes, as well as the 10-year tax abatement.
The Lakewood Planning Commission recently unanimously voted to approve the rezoning and the project now moves to the regular council meeting for a full vote.
Brickman claims Abode is set to break ground on Phase II even though Phase I is not finished. All Phase I units are sold, but construction work is not complete and they haven't yet closed. He attributes his confidence in the market to the buyer response to Phase I, as well as the increased number of buyers in the market.
"Our buyers are people who put a high premium on lifestyle, who want open space for entertaining and no-maintenance living," he says. "They're people who get it. They're people who aren't waiting in line for an hour and a half at the Cheesecake Factory to eat a mediocre meal. I have a couple coming all the way from Solon, another from Chagrin Falls. They're coming because the product is unique."
The units feature classic modernist design, sunken living rooms with high ceilings and large windows, living-level decks and roof decks. They are priced from $379,000 for a two-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bath unit with 1,770 square feet. Phase I offered a 10-year, 100-percent tax abatement on the improvements.
Brickman says his project is a chink in the armor of urban sprawl. "We’re trying to turn around the trend, bring people back to the core and walkable neighborhoods."
Abode is working to obtain bank financing for Phase II. Brickman says that he is seeing more and more buyers wade into the housing market this year. He and his partners are also shopping around Cleveland for another development project.
As for whether or not prices will go up with Phase II, he just says, "We're trying."
Source: Andrew Brickman
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Principal Andrew Brickman says that buyers are drawn to the high-quality, green-built construction, the walkable location in the West End of Lakewood, and the views of the Rocky River Valley and Lake Erie. "I wish we could build another 30 of them," he says. "I think we could sell them."
The five units that are planned have drawn the ire of some local residents. About a dozen attended a recent Lakewood City Council meeting to protest the developer's request for a zoning change to allow townhomes, as well as the 10-year tax abatement.
The Lakewood Planning Commission recently unanimously voted to approve the rezoning and the project now moves to the regular council meeting for a full vote.
Brickman claims Abode is set to break ground on Phase II even though Phase I is not finished. All Phase I units are sold, but construction work is not complete and they haven't yet closed. He attributes his confidence in the market to the buyer response to Phase I, as well as the increased number of buyers in the market.
"Our buyers are people who put a high premium on lifestyle, who want open space for entertaining and no-maintenance living," he says. "They're people who get it. They're people who aren't waiting in line for an hour and a half at the Cheesecake Factory to eat a mediocre meal. I have a couple coming all the way from Solon, another from Chagrin Falls. They're coming because the product is unique."
The units feature classic modernist design, sunken living rooms with high ceilings and large windows, living-level decks and roof decks. They are priced from $379,000 for a two-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bath unit with 1,770 square feet. Phase I offered a 10-year, 100-percent tax abatement on the improvements.
Brickman says his project is a chink in the armor of urban sprawl. "We’re trying to turn around the trend, bring people back to the core and walkable neighborhoods."
Abode is working to obtain bank financing for Phase II. Brickman says that he is seeing more and more buyers wade into the housing market this year. He and his partners are also shopping around Cleveland for another development project.
As for whether or not prices will go up with Phase II, he just says, "We're trying."
Source: Andrew Brickman
Writer: Lee Chilcote
With downtown Cleveland's office vacancy rate three percent lower than it was two years ago and vacancy rates hovering around four percent for apartments, new retailers are leasing empty storefronts in the area. Eleven new retailers will open this year, bringing fresh concepts to the local scene.
New offerings include Cleveland Chop in the former Cleveland Chophouse location on St. Clair, Mirch Masada, Red the Steakhouse, four new shops in the Fifth Street Arcades, Walk in the Park Cafe, Table 9 Martini Lounge and Market Creations Cafe.
Michael Deemer, Vice President of Business Development and Legal Services for Downtown Cleveland Alliance (DCA), cites Walk in the Park and Table 9 as two examples of downtown's resurgence. "We're seeing the area around Perk Park in the NineTwelve District attract new investment in long-dormant retail spaces formerly occupied by One Walnut and the Atlanta Bread Company," he says.
Although Red the Steakhouse isn't slated to open until late summer or early fall, Walk in the Park and Table 9 could open within the next month, Deemer says.
It's a sign of the market's health that empty spaces are being filled. "Cleveland Chop is being reopened by the original owner of Rock Bottom Brewery," he says. "It really does speak volumes that as places like Cleveland Chophouse and Bricco close and are in need of freshening the concept, they're reopening right away."
"There was a lot of concern initially when Cleveland Chophouse closed, but we knew... that there were literally dozens of inquiries as soon as the news hit."
Although office vacancy increased slightly in Q1 2013, Deemer says this is because of Eaton's departure. "We've had 25 new businesses move into downtown committing over 4,000 new jobs in the last two years," he says. "Retailers are responding exactly how we would expect them to, following where the people are."
Source: Michael Deemer
Writer: Lee Chilcote
New offerings include Cleveland Chop in the former Cleveland Chophouse location on St. Clair, Mirch Masada, Red the Steakhouse, four new shops in the Fifth Street Arcades, Walk in the Park Cafe, Table 9 Martini Lounge and Market Creations Cafe.
Michael Deemer, Vice President of Business Development and Legal Services for Downtown Cleveland Alliance (DCA), cites Walk in the Park and Table 9 as two examples of downtown's resurgence. "We're seeing the area around Perk Park in the NineTwelve District attract new investment in long-dormant retail spaces formerly occupied by One Walnut and the Atlanta Bread Company," he says.
Although Red the Steakhouse isn't slated to open until late summer or early fall, Walk in the Park and Table 9 could open within the next month, Deemer says.
It's a sign of the market's health that empty spaces are being filled. "Cleveland Chop is being reopened by the original owner of Rock Bottom Brewery," he says. "It really does speak volumes that as places like Cleveland Chophouse and Bricco close and are in need of freshening the concept, they're reopening right away."
"There was a lot of concern initially when Cleveland Chophouse closed, but we knew... that there were literally dozens of inquiries as soon as the news hit."
Although office vacancy increased slightly in Q1 2013, Deemer says this is because of Eaton's departure. "We've had 25 new businesses move into downtown committing over 4,000 new jobs in the last two years," he says. "Retailers are responding exactly how we would expect them to, following where the people are."
Source: Michael Deemer
Writer: Lee Chilcote
PlayhouseSquare already is a gem in the crown of downtown Cleveland, yet its sparking renaissance will become even more breathtaking with the addition of a 20-foot-tall LED "chandelier spectacular" at E. 14th and Euclid in the theatre district.
That chandelier, boasting over 4,600 crystals and hoisted 40 feet in the air, is the centerpiece of a $16 million transformation that will bring the beauty found inside PlayhouseSquare's historic theatres out onto the streets of the district.
The project will also feature new electronic signage and lighting, gateway entry points to define the neighborhood, and the addition of a full-service cafe and state-of-the-art outdoor stage to the Star Plaza outdoor space. The district will gain some of the drama found in Times Square in New York City and Millenium Park in Chicago while retaining the elegant, historic character that's uniquely Cleveland.
"We believe this will be transformational," says Art Falco, President and CEO of PlayhouseSquare. "It's not just a district anymore, it's a neighborhood. We see it as an economic development project as well as a physical enhancement project. It will draw more office tenants and spur more residential and retail development."
The project was designed by the experiential design firm The Barycz Group, which has completed similar projects in Chicago, Las Vegas and Dubai.
PlayhouseSquare has not yet raised all of the funds necessary to complete the project, but Falco expressed confidence in the project's success. Star Plaza is already under construction and work will be completed in time for a slew of summer events. The remainder of the project will be completed in 2014. Public-private partnership, naming rights and philanthropic contributions will fund it.
"We feel we're going to set a very high level of design standard," he says. "I think that others who follow us will be compared to us."
Source: Art Falco
Writer: Lee Chilcote
That chandelier, boasting over 4,600 crystals and hoisted 40 feet in the air, is the centerpiece of a $16 million transformation that will bring the beauty found inside PlayhouseSquare's historic theatres out onto the streets of the district.
The project will also feature new electronic signage and lighting, gateway entry points to define the neighborhood, and the addition of a full-service cafe and state-of-the-art outdoor stage to the Star Plaza outdoor space. The district will gain some of the drama found in Times Square in New York City and Millenium Park in Chicago while retaining the elegant, historic character that's uniquely Cleveland.
"We believe this will be transformational," says Art Falco, President and CEO of PlayhouseSquare. "It's not just a district anymore, it's a neighborhood. We see it as an economic development project as well as a physical enhancement project. It will draw more office tenants and spur more residential and retail development."
The project was designed by the experiential design firm The Barycz Group, which has completed similar projects in Chicago, Las Vegas and Dubai.
PlayhouseSquare has not yet raised all of the funds necessary to complete the project, but Falco expressed confidence in the project's success. Star Plaza is already under construction and work will be completed in time for a slew of summer events. The remainder of the project will be completed in 2014. Public-private partnership, naming rights and philanthropic contributions will fund it.
"We feel we're going to set a very high level of design standard," he says. "I think that others who follow us will be compared to us."
Source: Art Falco
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Even in Ohio City's Market District, where monthly announcements of new businesses opening are not uncommon, this one is noteworthy. Boris Music, the Slovenian-born owner of the Hansa Import Haus at West 28th and Lorain, is set to break ground on a multi-million-dollar expansion that will transform a dated store into a restaurant and microbrewery.
For years, Hansa Import Haus has been a favorite of locals and those in-the-know -- its faded, faux-German exterior concealing the treasures of European chocolates, cheeses, meats and beer within. To outsiders, it was like: "That place? Is it even open?"
Yet Music, who owned eight other businesses in Cleveland but has shut them all down to start this project, says that the Ohio City neighborhood has finally been redeveloped to the point where he can jump in and pursue his dream project.
"The building was built as a fortress 30 years ago because we had to keep the vandals out," says the 56-year-old. "Now we're moving in the opposite direction. It will be much friendlier, with lots of windows that let the natural light in."
Although Music will roll out his new business in stages, the new Hansa House will hold an exclusive license to brew Pivovarna Lasko beer, Slovenia's largest beer producer, and also feature a European-style restaurant that offers lunch and dinner service. Later, Music plans to add a wine cellar and offer breakfast.
Designs for the new venue show the defensively-designed exterior opened up with large storefront-style windows and a new addition on the current parking lot. The design looks a bit like an Austrian ski lodge crossed with an ethnic beer garden.
As for the menu, Music says that he'll serve simple, high-quality food priced well. "Good ingredients, good quality," he says. "If you put something good in the pot, you get something good out. If you put garbage in the pot, you get garbage out."
More specifically, Music plans to bring in rotating chefs from Europe to deliver a menu that will focus on cuisine from a specific region for several months at a time. Cuisine from Hungary, Italy and Slovenia are likely options. Music says it's a concept he's seen work well in New York City that he wants to import here.
The Hansa Haus will also have a full bottling line. "This is nothing bombastic, it's not Great Lakes Brewery," he says. "We'll still be a microbrewery, and we want to help local breweries be more effective by offering them a cost-effective service."
Music intends to begin brewing beer in July and open the brewpub by October.
Source: Boris Music
Writer: Lee Chilcote
For years, Hansa Import Haus has been a favorite of locals and those in-the-know -- its faded, faux-German exterior concealing the treasures of European chocolates, cheeses, meats and beer within. To outsiders, it was like: "That place? Is it even open?"
Yet Music, who owned eight other businesses in Cleveland but has shut them all down to start this project, says that the Ohio City neighborhood has finally been redeveloped to the point where he can jump in and pursue his dream project.
"The building was built as a fortress 30 years ago because we had to keep the vandals out," says the 56-year-old. "Now we're moving in the opposite direction. It will be much friendlier, with lots of windows that let the natural light in."
Although Music will roll out his new business in stages, the new Hansa House will hold an exclusive license to brew Pivovarna Lasko beer, Slovenia's largest beer producer, and also feature a European-style restaurant that offers lunch and dinner service. Later, Music plans to add a wine cellar and offer breakfast.
Designs for the new venue show the defensively-designed exterior opened up with large storefront-style windows and a new addition on the current parking lot. The design looks a bit like an Austrian ski lodge crossed with an ethnic beer garden.
As for the menu, Music says that he'll serve simple, high-quality food priced well. "Good ingredients, good quality," he says. "If you put something good in the pot, you get something good out. If you put garbage in the pot, you get garbage out."
More specifically, Music plans to bring in rotating chefs from Europe to deliver a menu that will focus on cuisine from a specific region for several months at a time. Cuisine from Hungary, Italy and Slovenia are likely options. Music says it's a concept he's seen work well in New York City that he wants to import here.
The Hansa Haus will also have a full bottling line. "This is nothing bombastic, it's not Great Lakes Brewery," he says. "We'll still be a microbrewery, and we want to help local breweries be more effective by offering them a cost-effective service."
Music intends to begin brewing beer in July and open the brewpub by October.
Source: Boris Music
Writer: Lee Chilcote
playhouse square's multi-million dollar facelift gets attention
In an Associated Press story published on Vindy.com titled “Playhouse Square theater district in Cleveland to get $16M exterior upgrade,” editors write of the streetscape upgrade in the works for Cleveland’s famed PlayhouseSquare Theater District.
“The nonprofit PlayhouseSquare Foundation plans to spend $16 million over the next year to upgrade the district with bright signs, gateway arches and digital displays,” the article states.
The highlight of the proposal would be the installation of a 24-foot-tall glass and crystal chandelier over the district’s prime intersection. Other features would include gold-colored signage that span entrances to the district and architectural lighting that highlights details of the historic buildings.
Enjoy the full story here.
“The nonprofit PlayhouseSquare Foundation plans to spend $16 million over the next year to upgrade the district with bright signs, gateway arches and digital displays,” the article states.
The highlight of the proposal would be the installation of a 24-foot-tall glass and crystal chandelier over the district’s prime intersection. Other features would include gold-colored signage that span entrances to the district and architectural lighting that highlights details of the historic buildings.
Enjoy the full story here.
The journey that led Adrian and Cosmin Bota to open an organic, self-serve frozen yogurt shop on Coventry was a long, winding one that included illegally trekking across the Romanian border with their family to escape their tumultuous homeland.
The Bota brothers, who recall traveling miles at a time at night with their parents and three siblings, were just kids then. Eventually, the family made its way to the U.S. and was granted asylum. The family moved to Parma, where the boys grew up.
After stints living in New York and Florida, Adrian (who works for Cleveland Clinic Innovations) and Cosmin (a real estate entrepreneur) decided to pursue their dream of opening a small business. After studying the market, they landed on an organic, self-serve "fro-yo" concept and targeted the Coventry neighborhood. Piccadilly Artisan Yogurt, located at 1767 Coventry Road, is the result.
The shop, which sells yogurt and assorted toppings for $0.57 per ounce (yielding a healthy portion for a few bucks), is well-lit with big storefront windows, colorful tables, high ceilings and furniture built of reclaimed wood and other materials.
The fro-yo is touted as "full of healthy probiotics, vitamin D, calcium, protein and yummy goodness" while free of "high fructose corn syrup, hormones, artificial flavors, colors and preservatives." Toppings include fresh fruit sourced from the West Side Market. It's tasty stuff -- this writer can vouch for that.
"We wanted to couple health-conscious, quality-conscious food with a walkable, urban location," says Adrian Bota. "Places like Menchie's tend to go in malls. We went away from the franchise model from the beginning. We wanted it to be local."
Although the Botas have not yet been able to obtain local dairy, they're working on that. Meanwhile, many other products are sourced locally.
Coventry denizens will hardly recognize the former Grog Shop space, which has been vacant for 10 years. Landlord Michael Montlack apparently has been waiting for just the right tenant. He seems to have found it. The design-savvy duo transformed the club's front door into a table, keeping the sticker-laden graffiti on its underside.
The Botas are working with Cleveland Institute of Art students to program local artwork on the walls and hold regular openings. They envision the space as a community hub. Next up, they're dreaming of expanding to Ohio City.
Source: Adrian and Cosmin Bota
Writer: Lee Chilcote
The Bota brothers, who recall traveling miles at a time at night with their parents and three siblings, were just kids then. Eventually, the family made its way to the U.S. and was granted asylum. The family moved to Parma, where the boys grew up.
After stints living in New York and Florida, Adrian (who works for Cleveland Clinic Innovations) and Cosmin (a real estate entrepreneur) decided to pursue their dream of opening a small business. After studying the market, they landed on an organic, self-serve "fro-yo" concept and targeted the Coventry neighborhood. Piccadilly Artisan Yogurt, located at 1767 Coventry Road, is the result.
The shop, which sells yogurt and assorted toppings for $0.57 per ounce (yielding a healthy portion for a few bucks), is well-lit with big storefront windows, colorful tables, high ceilings and furniture built of reclaimed wood and other materials.
The fro-yo is touted as "full of healthy probiotics, vitamin D, calcium, protein and yummy goodness" while free of "high fructose corn syrup, hormones, artificial flavors, colors and preservatives." Toppings include fresh fruit sourced from the West Side Market. It's tasty stuff -- this writer can vouch for that.
"We wanted to couple health-conscious, quality-conscious food with a walkable, urban location," says Adrian Bota. "Places like Menchie's tend to go in malls. We went away from the franchise model from the beginning. We wanted it to be local."
Although the Botas have not yet been able to obtain local dairy, they're working on that. Meanwhile, many other products are sourced locally.
Coventry denizens will hardly recognize the former Grog Shop space, which has been vacant for 10 years. Landlord Michael Montlack apparently has been waiting for just the right tenant. He seems to have found it. The design-savvy duo transformed the club's front door into a table, keeping the sticker-laden graffiti on its underside.
The Botas are working with Cleveland Institute of Art students to program local artwork on the walls and hold regular openings. They envision the space as a community hub. Next up, they're dreaming of expanding to Ohio City.
Source: Adrian and Cosmin Bota
Writer: Lee Chilcote
A nonprofit seeking to create environmentally sound, high-performance building districts in Cleveland recently got a hand with its city-greening mission.
The Cleveland 2030 District, a group that would like downtown edifices to consume less energy and water and produce less greenhouse gases, received a $175,000 grant from The Kresge Foundation, funding that will go in part to the salary of the organization's first executive director as well as additional staff support.
The new executive director is Jon Reidy, who has been with the group of architects and engineers since 2011. The bulk of the grant will allow the group to intensify efforts put forth by the national Architecture 2030 project, which aims to reduce climate-changing emissions from the global building sector.
"We're creating a demand downtown for energy efficient projects in the interest of business development," says Reidy, a 15-year veteran of the architecture industry.
The Cleveland group is an offshoot of Mayor Frank Jackson’s Sustainability 2019 project, an effort to transform the city’s economy by "building a green city on a blue lake."
Cleveland 2030 works with owners, managers and developers within the downtown district to expand the number of buildings participating in the project. Five property owners controlling approximately 3.5 million square feet of Cleveland's brick and mortar are signed up so far.
Reidy hopes more area building owners share the project's vision of a future Cleveland where energy efficiency and a cleaner environment are the norm.
"Sustainability can be the foundation for rebuilding our economy," he says.
SOURCE: Jon Reidy
WRITER: Douglas J. Guth
The Cleveland 2030 District, a group that would like downtown edifices to consume less energy and water and produce less greenhouse gases, received a $175,000 grant from The Kresge Foundation, funding that will go in part to the salary of the organization's first executive director as well as additional staff support.
The new executive director is Jon Reidy, who has been with the group of architects and engineers since 2011. The bulk of the grant will allow the group to intensify efforts put forth by the national Architecture 2030 project, which aims to reduce climate-changing emissions from the global building sector.
"We're creating a demand downtown for energy efficient projects in the interest of business development," says Reidy, a 15-year veteran of the architecture industry.
The Cleveland group is an offshoot of Mayor Frank Jackson’s Sustainability 2019 project, an effort to transform the city’s economy by "building a green city on a blue lake."
Cleveland 2030 works with owners, managers and developers within the downtown district to expand the number of buildings participating in the project. Five property owners controlling approximately 3.5 million square feet of Cleveland's brick and mortar are signed up so far.
Reidy hopes more area building owners share the project's vision of a future Cleveland where energy efficiency and a cleaner environment are the norm.
"Sustainability can be the foundation for rebuilding our economy," he says.
SOURCE: Jon Reidy
WRITER: Douglas J. Guth