Entrepreneurs + Innovators
Since the Capitol Theatre at W. 65th and Detroit reopened in 2008 as a state-of-the-art, three-screen movie house, it has incrementally grown its audience by hosting special events and screening must-see indie films. Yet this week, the hottest attraction at this restored vaudeville theatre will be its striking new blade sign.
This Thursday, a holiday-themed lighting ceremony will celebrate this iconic piece of street art. The "Bright Night" event begins at 6:15 p.m. with the lighting of the sign. A street party will follow. The area's unique indie retailers and restaurants also will be open for the occasion.
"The new sign is a near exact replica of the original blade sign that was installed at the theatre in 1921," says Marilyn Mosinski, Director of Economic Development with the Detroit Shoreway Community Development Organization (DSCDO), the group which has spearheaded the $50,000 project over the past three years.
Needless to say, after such a long wait Mosinsky and her cohorts are ready to celebrate. Adding to the festivities is a trio of pop-up shops that are opening for the season this week in the Gordon Square Arts District. In recent years, the Detroit Shoreway neighborhood has become known for its one-of-a-kind holiday shopping options.
Valerie Mayen of Yellowcake is setting up a temporary apparel shop at the corner of W. 65th and Detroit. The Gordon Square Holiday Market is also set to open in the Near West Lofts Building at W. 67th and Detroit.
Finally, a new gallery called Double Feature is also popping up in the district. Located in a two-room space on W. 65th next to the Capitol, it will host artwork, a unique shop and an array of events throughout the season.
Bright Night is a part of Yuletide on the Near West Side, a series of holiday events in the Detroit Shoreway, Ohio City and Tremont neighborhoods.
Sources: Genna Petrolla, Marilyn Mosinski
Writer: Lee Chilcote
This Thursday, a holiday-themed lighting ceremony will celebrate this iconic piece of street art. The "Bright Night" event begins at 6:15 p.m. with the lighting of the sign. A street party will follow. The area's unique indie retailers and restaurants also will be open for the occasion.
"The new sign is a near exact replica of the original blade sign that was installed at the theatre in 1921," says Marilyn Mosinski, Director of Economic Development with the Detroit Shoreway Community Development Organization (DSCDO), the group which has spearheaded the $50,000 project over the past three years.
Needless to say, after such a long wait Mosinsky and her cohorts are ready to celebrate. Adding to the festivities is a trio of pop-up shops that are opening for the season this week in the Gordon Square Arts District. In recent years, the Detroit Shoreway neighborhood has become known for its one-of-a-kind holiday shopping options.
Valerie Mayen of Yellowcake is setting up a temporary apparel shop at the corner of W. 65th and Detroit. The Gordon Square Holiday Market is also set to open in the Near West Lofts Building at W. 67th and Detroit.
Finally, a new gallery called Double Feature is also popping up in the district. Located in a two-room space on W. 65th next to the Capitol, it will host artwork, a unique shop and an array of events throughout the season.
Bright Night is a part of Yuletide on the Near West Side, a series of holiday events in the Detroit Shoreway, Ohio City and Tremont neighborhoods.
Sources: Genna Petrolla, Marilyn Mosinski
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Impact Armor Technologies, a manufacturer of ceramic components used in military and law enforcement armor, listened to their customers and developed a bullet-proof clipboard. The clipboard provides protection from multiple gunshots and point-blank range.
“Basically, our company was in the business of producing custom armor,” says Matt Raplenovich, Impact Armor’s director of operations. “We try to be very involved with our end-users. Instead of designing a product for them, it was designed by them and it’s worked out well for us.”
The clipboard has generated interest from law enforcement agencies around the world. “The response has been very good,” says Rob Slattery, a former police officer and Impact Armor’s law enforcement sales manager. “There are other clipboards on the market, but ours is lighter and provides more protection.”
With police fatalities from firearms up 22 percent this year, Impact Armor has secured the endorsement from the Greater Cleveland Peace Officers Memorial Society. Slattery says paramedics have also expressed an interest in the clipboard.
Impact Armor has doubled in size since its founding in 2006 -- going from six employees to 12 -- and has a commitment to keeping production local. “Our mission is to provide protection to officers,” says Raplenovich. “But in doing so, we want to create jobs locally. Growth is of course our plan, but we try to keep it local.”
Source: Matt Raplenovich and Rob Slattery
Writer: Karin Connelly
“Basically, our company was in the business of producing custom armor,” says Matt Raplenovich, Impact Armor’s director of operations. “We try to be very involved with our end-users. Instead of designing a product for them, it was designed by them and it’s worked out well for us.”
The clipboard has generated interest from law enforcement agencies around the world. “The response has been very good,” says Rob Slattery, a former police officer and Impact Armor’s law enforcement sales manager. “There are other clipboards on the market, but ours is lighter and provides more protection.”
With police fatalities from firearms up 22 percent this year, Impact Armor has secured the endorsement from the Greater Cleveland Peace Officers Memorial Society. Slattery says paramedics have also expressed an interest in the clipboard.
Impact Armor has doubled in size since its founding in 2006 -- going from six employees to 12 -- and has a commitment to keeping production local. “Our mission is to provide protection to officers,” says Raplenovich. “But in doing so, we want to create jobs locally. Growth is of course our plan, but we try to keep it local.”
Source: Matt Raplenovich and Rob Slattery
Writer: Karin Connelly
LaRick Calhoun has been an entrepreneur since he was 11 years old, when he started cutting hair for people in his neighborhood. His mother was a hair stylist and for $5, Calhoun would create his own styles.
“That’s where it all began,” he says. Then, years later as a real estate loan officer, Calhoun realized he could teach others the skills they need to be successful in business and created 2Excel Group.
“I noticed that at 100 percent commission, we really didn’t have any resources in training and development,” Calhoun recalls. “So I built 2Excel Group to provide resources to independent real estate professionals. Then I expanded it to all kinds of entrepreneurs. They really liked our meetings, and they didn’t want to miss any of our events.”
Officially launched in 2005, 2Excel Group is a marketing and consulting company that offers regular seminars on starting and growing a business. The company picked up speed in 2009 and now has four core people on staff, a business center in Garfield Heights, and plans to open satellite centers in East Cleveland and Warrensville Heights, as well as hire event and meeting planners. The business center is part incubator, part workspace, part inspirational and motivational center.
Calhoun plans to focus on young entrepreneur in 2012 with the Young Entrepreneur Professional Network. “We will have out-of-the-box activities for small businesses and entrepreneurs who want to be part of something fresh,” he says. “We will be an aggressive, different network. We have to prepare tomorrow’s leaders; we have to talk to them at a young age to motivate them.”
Source: LaRick Calhoun
Writer: Karin Connelly
“That’s where it all began,” he says. Then, years later as a real estate loan officer, Calhoun realized he could teach others the skills they need to be successful in business and created 2Excel Group.
“I noticed that at 100 percent commission, we really didn’t have any resources in training and development,” Calhoun recalls. “So I built 2Excel Group to provide resources to independent real estate professionals. Then I expanded it to all kinds of entrepreneurs. They really liked our meetings, and they didn’t want to miss any of our events.”
Officially launched in 2005, 2Excel Group is a marketing and consulting company that offers regular seminars on starting and growing a business. The company picked up speed in 2009 and now has four core people on staff, a business center in Garfield Heights, and plans to open satellite centers in East Cleveland and Warrensville Heights, as well as hire event and meeting planners. The business center is part incubator, part workspace, part inspirational and motivational center.
Calhoun plans to focus on young entrepreneur in 2012 with the Young Entrepreneur Professional Network. “We will have out-of-the-box activities for small businesses and entrepreneurs who want to be part of something fresh,” he says. “We will be an aggressive, different network. We have to prepare tomorrow’s leaders; we have to talk to them at a young age to motivate them.”
Source: LaRick Calhoun
Writer: Karin Connelly
evergreen co-ops -- aka the cleveland model -- in the news
"Conventional wisdom holds that the forward-looking coastal enclaves of the United States are where we're supposed to expect cutting edge experiments in building a green economy," writes Andrew Leonard for Grist. "But if Ted Howard has his way, every activist who wants to promote green jobs and economic growth should turn instead to the city of Cleveland, Ohio, for inspiration."
In an article titled, "A co-op movement grows in Cleveland," Leonard writes of the Evergreen Cooperatives, which were launched by the Cleveland Foundation in collaboration with Ted Howard from the University of Maryland.
Evergreen is a collection of worker-owned green businesses that leverage the needs of Cleveland's largest institutions such as the Cleveland Clinic, Case Western Reserve University, and University Hospitals.
Read the rest of the good news here.
In an article titled, "A co-op movement grows in Cleveland," Leonard writes of the Evergreen Cooperatives, which were launched by the Cleveland Foundation in collaboration with Ted Howard from the University of Maryland.
Evergreen is a collection of worker-owned green businesses that leverage the needs of Cleveland's largest institutions such as the Cleveland Clinic, Case Western Reserve University, and University Hospitals.
Read the rest of the good news here.
Dwellworks, a company that provides a suite of services for the relocation, real estate and mortgage lending industries, has announced plans to relocate its own corporate headquarters to the historic F. W. Woolworth building in PlayhouseSquare.
"We fell in love with PlayhouseSquare and wanted to be a part of the revitalization of downtown," says Gene Novak, CFO and Executive VP of Dwellworks. "It's hard to say enough about the reception and welcome we received from PlayhouseSquare, the City of Cleveland and Downtown Cleveland Alliance."
That reception included a financial incentives package from the City of Cleveland and a presentation from Downtown Cleveland Alliance to the entire Dwellworks staff about the benefits and logistics of moving downtown. Dwellworks secured a forgivable loan through the Vacant Property Initiative Program and a grant based on new job creation through the Citywide Business Grant Program.
PlayhouseSquare Real Estate Services also obtained federal and state historic tax credits that lowered the cost of renovating the office space by one-third.
Dwellworks plans to move its staff of 30 to 40 employees downtown initially. Its appraisal services department will stay in Warrensville Heights for the remaining two years on its lease. Yet Novak says that the firm is already studying plans for a Phase II that would centralize its operations in the heart of downtown Cleveland.
Source: Gene Novak
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"We fell in love with PlayhouseSquare and wanted to be a part of the revitalization of downtown," says Gene Novak, CFO and Executive VP of Dwellworks. "It's hard to say enough about the reception and welcome we received from PlayhouseSquare, the City of Cleveland and Downtown Cleveland Alliance."
That reception included a financial incentives package from the City of Cleveland and a presentation from Downtown Cleveland Alliance to the entire Dwellworks staff about the benefits and logistics of moving downtown. Dwellworks secured a forgivable loan through the Vacant Property Initiative Program and a grant based on new job creation through the Citywide Business Grant Program.
PlayhouseSquare Real Estate Services also obtained federal and state historic tax credits that lowered the cost of renovating the office space by one-third.
Dwellworks plans to move its staff of 30 to 40 employees downtown initially. Its appraisal services department will stay in Warrensville Heights for the remaining two years on its lease. Yet Novak says that the firm is already studying plans for a Phase II that would centralize its operations in the heart of downtown Cleveland.
Source: Gene Novak
Writer: Lee Chilcote
The City of East Cleveland, a community that has lost thousands of residents in recent years due to the foreclosure crisis and decades of disinvestment, has celebrated two groundbreakings in as many months, suggesting that the city's new pro-development approach may be working.
Officials from the city, Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA), the Cuyahoga Land Bank and Ohio Capital Corporation for Housing this week celebrated the groundbreaking of a new 39-unit senior apartment building. It is being built on a patch of vacant land at Euclid Avenue and Belmore Road.
Last month, East Cleveland leaders were on hand to give speeches at the groundbreaking for the Circle East Townhomes, a cluster of market-rate apartments on Euclid being developed by the Finch Group.
"We really encourage building in the City of East Cleveland," Mayor Gary Norton said at the groundbreaking ceremony for the senior building. "This project will give the senior citizens in our community a high-quality place to live." The small, enthusiastic crowd, who appeared as hungry for new development as the mayor, all but said "Amen!" each time Norton paused during his speech.
Mayor Norton has been called an effective new leader for this once-prosperous suburb. The Circle East Townhomes project has also been hailed as a rare instance of University Circle's development fervor spreading into East Cleveland. Yet while these two groundbreakings are no doubt worth celebrating, the rows of blighted properties along Euclid suggest the mammoth task that still lies ahead.
CMHA is building the Euclid-Belmore Senior Building with the aid of Neighborhood Stabilization Program funding. It will be built using Enterprise Green Standards to ensure that it is comfortable, energy-efficient and environmentally friendly.
Source: CMHA, Gary Norton
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Officials from the city, Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA), the Cuyahoga Land Bank and Ohio Capital Corporation for Housing this week celebrated the groundbreaking of a new 39-unit senior apartment building. It is being built on a patch of vacant land at Euclid Avenue and Belmore Road.
Last month, East Cleveland leaders were on hand to give speeches at the groundbreaking for the Circle East Townhomes, a cluster of market-rate apartments on Euclid being developed by the Finch Group.
"We really encourage building in the City of East Cleveland," Mayor Gary Norton said at the groundbreaking ceremony for the senior building. "This project will give the senior citizens in our community a high-quality place to live." The small, enthusiastic crowd, who appeared as hungry for new development as the mayor, all but said "Amen!" each time Norton paused during his speech.
Mayor Norton has been called an effective new leader for this once-prosperous suburb. The Circle East Townhomes project has also been hailed as a rare instance of University Circle's development fervor spreading into East Cleveland. Yet while these two groundbreakings are no doubt worth celebrating, the rows of blighted properties along Euclid suggest the mammoth task that still lies ahead.
CMHA is building the Euclid-Belmore Senior Building with the aid of Neighborhood Stabilization Program funding. It will be built using Enterprise Green Standards to ensure that it is comfortable, energy-efficient and environmentally friendly.
Source: CMHA, Gary Norton
Writer: Lee Chilcote
deadline looms for orgs to apply as host sites for cleveland foundation summer internship
The Cleveland Foundation is in the process of recruiting organizations to host interns for its popular Summer Internship Program. The deadline is November 30.
The foundation's Summer Internship Program provides a limited number of college students or recent graduates an opportunity to work in Cleveland-area nonprofit organizations or governmental agencies during the summer months. All interns are required to work full-time as designated by their host organization. In addition, interns attend a weekly seminar highlighting key organizations and programs being conducted in the local nonprofit and public sectors. The Foundation provides funding to the organizations to host the interns.
For more info click here, or contact Nelson Beckford, Program Officer at The Cleveland Foundation.
The foundation's Summer Internship Program provides a limited number of college students or recent graduates an opportunity to work in Cleveland-area nonprofit organizations or governmental agencies during the summer months. All interns are required to work full-time as designated by their host organization. In addition, interns attend a weekly seminar highlighting key organizations and programs being conducted in the local nonprofit and public sectors. The Foundation provides funding to the organizations to host the interns.
For more info click here, or contact Nelson Beckford, Program Officer at The Cleveland Foundation.
The behemothic stone mansion that looms over Franklin Boulevard in Ohio City looks like the perfect spot to film a horror movie -- though some say the frightening events rumored to have taken place here a century ago are even stranger than fiction.
Franklin Castle was built in 1865 by Hannes Tiedemann, a German immigrant. After several of his children died -- some of unknown causes -- he reportedly built gargoyles, turrets and a huge, fourth-floor ballroom to distract his wife from her grief. Ever since, rumors have abounded about strange, illicit activities that may have taken place in the house, as well as ghosts that might occupy it.
Yet, the Castle's new owner was evidently not spooked by its reputation as the most haunted house in Ohio -- nor by its fire-damaged interior and squatting caretaker. She plunked down $260,000 for it after receiving approval from the City of Cleveland to rezone it into a three-family property. She told city officials she plans to renovate the entire property, live in one unit and rent the other two.
Michele Anderson, a realtor with Progressive Urban Real Estate (PURE), says that when her media-shy client first contacted her, she thought it was a put on. "This woman said she was from Italy and wanted to buy a house in Cleveland, and I thought, Yeah, right," she says. "Then I realized she was the real deal."
The buyer's seemingly genuine plans to renovate the property and live there have put neighbors somewhat at ease. The property has changed hands several times since the 1980s, but renovations were never completed. Ever since a tragic fire scarred the interior in 1999, the fate of Franklin Castle has been sitting in limbo.
Now that the landmark property is in the hands of a new caretaker, neighbors hope she'll be able to evict the ghosts that have reputedly squatted here -- rent-free -- for over a century. If nothing else, she'll be able to host some killer parties.
Source: Michele Anderson
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Franklin Castle was built in 1865 by Hannes Tiedemann, a German immigrant. After several of his children died -- some of unknown causes -- he reportedly built gargoyles, turrets and a huge, fourth-floor ballroom to distract his wife from her grief. Ever since, rumors have abounded about strange, illicit activities that may have taken place in the house, as well as ghosts that might occupy it.
Yet, the Castle's new owner was evidently not spooked by its reputation as the most haunted house in Ohio -- nor by its fire-damaged interior and squatting caretaker. She plunked down $260,000 for it after receiving approval from the City of Cleveland to rezone it into a three-family property. She told city officials she plans to renovate the entire property, live in one unit and rent the other two.
Michele Anderson, a realtor with Progressive Urban Real Estate (PURE), says that when her media-shy client first contacted her, she thought it was a put on. "This woman said she was from Italy and wanted to buy a house in Cleveland, and I thought, Yeah, right," she says. "Then I realized she was the real deal."
The buyer's seemingly genuine plans to renovate the property and live there have put neighbors somewhat at ease. The property has changed hands several times since the 1980s, but renovations were never completed. Ever since a tragic fire scarred the interior in 1999, the fate of Franklin Castle has been sitting in limbo.
Now that the landmark property is in the hands of a new caretaker, neighbors hope she'll be able to evict the ghosts that have reputedly squatted here -- rent-free -- for over a century. If nothing else, she'll be able to host some killer parties.
Source: Michele Anderson
Writer: Lee Chilcote
As part of the JobsOhio initiative, Team NEO has asked regional organizations to submit their ideas for job creation and economic development. As one of six JobsOhio regional offices, Team NEO received $4.1 million from the Third Frontier Commission to fund the office and support economic development programs.
“The purpose of the money is to improve the economic development system in Ohio,” says Team NEO CEO Tom Waltermire. “We have been spending quite a bit of time working with the board of trustees on how to spend the $4.1 million. We decided to make it into a proposal process, extending it to organizations that represent the 18 counties.”
Waltermire says they are encouraging the organizations to work together on ideas that will attract business to Northeast Ohio and create jobs. “We’re looking for proposals that will have broad regional benefits,” he says. “Ultimately, we want proposals that result in job creation, attraction, retention and expansion of business.”
Team NEO has received 15 letters of intent. Proposals are due by November 11 and will then be reviewed by a Team NEO task force. The board of trustees will make decisions on December 6. “We’re not just handing out money and hoping for the best,” says Waltermire of the selection process. “We’re going to have some very rigorous reporting requirements from the grantees. We’re holding people accountable and asking them to explain the results they are getting.”
Waltermire is optimistic that the proposed plans will have a positive impact on job creation in the area. “The result should be some fresh thinking and new ideas for ways to help the economy in Northeast Ohio,” he says.
Source: Tom Waltermire
Writer: Karin Connelly
“The purpose of the money is to improve the economic development system in Ohio,” says Team NEO CEO Tom Waltermire. “We have been spending quite a bit of time working with the board of trustees on how to spend the $4.1 million. We decided to make it into a proposal process, extending it to organizations that represent the 18 counties.”
Waltermire says they are encouraging the organizations to work together on ideas that will attract business to Northeast Ohio and create jobs. “We’re looking for proposals that will have broad regional benefits,” he says. “Ultimately, we want proposals that result in job creation, attraction, retention and expansion of business.”
Team NEO has received 15 letters of intent. Proposals are due by November 11 and will then be reviewed by a Team NEO task force. The board of trustees will make decisions on December 6. “We’re not just handing out money and hoping for the best,” says Waltermire of the selection process. “We’re going to have some very rigorous reporting requirements from the grantees. We’re holding people accountable and asking them to explain the results they are getting.”
Waltermire is optimistic that the proposed plans will have a positive impact on job creation in the area. “The result should be some fresh thinking and new ideas for ways to help the economy in Northeast Ohio,” he says.
Source: Tom Waltermire
Writer: Karin Connelly
Jared Rube has a love for both photography and technology. As a third year photography student at Rochester Institute of Technology, Rube got his feet wet in the entrepreneurial world as an intern at Shaker LaunchHouse before creating True Frame Media, which provides video content creators with the ability to standardize work-flow and produce films through online pre and post production processes.
Out of True Frame Media came CinaMaker, a cloud-based collaborative environment for producing films online. The company is a marriage of Rube’s two loves.
“It started as marketing and storage, and grew into editing,” recalls Rube. “Then it grew into ‘Why don’t we make it collaborative?’”
Running a startup business while going to school full time has not been easy. But Rube has gotten a lot of support from the RIT faculty, LaunchHouse, friends and family. And he’s enjoying every bit of the experience. “It’s a really cool learning experience,” he says, “Doing it all, learning how to run a business.”
CinaMaker is quickly growing. Rube has one “unofficial” business partner, one programmer and one designer. He plans on hiring subcontractors to help with the programming. He foresees soon having five to eight programmers and two designers on staff. He also has been working with local and overseas production companies and fellow LaunchHouse company Tiny Giant Studio.
“It’s really moving fast,” he says. “I’m just trying to keep up with it.”
Source: Jared Rube
Writer: Karin Connelly
Out of True Frame Media came CinaMaker, a cloud-based collaborative environment for producing films online. The company is a marriage of Rube’s two loves.
“It started as marketing and storage, and grew into editing,” recalls Rube. “Then it grew into ‘Why don’t we make it collaborative?’”
Running a startup business while going to school full time has not been easy. But Rube has gotten a lot of support from the RIT faculty, LaunchHouse, friends and family. And he’s enjoying every bit of the experience. “It’s a really cool learning experience,” he says, “Doing it all, learning how to run a business.”
CinaMaker is quickly growing. Rube has one “unofficial” business partner, one programmer and one designer. He plans on hiring subcontractors to help with the programming. He foresees soon having five to eight programmers and two designers on staff. He also has been working with local and overseas production companies and fellow LaunchHouse company Tiny Giant Studio.
“It’s really moving fast,” he says. “I’m just trying to keep up with it.”
Source: Jared Rube
Writer: Karin Connelly
The odyssey that led Deba Gray and Serena Harragin, the couple behind Gray's Auctioneers, to Cleveland is as fascinating as the work they do. The journey, which ends in Lakewood, meandered through Key West and Chicago. It includes a career change in New York, a heart-wrenching epiphany, and the convincing of a reluctant partner.
What is most unusual about Trailside at Morgana Run, a new development of 100-plus new homes in the Slavic Village neighborhood of Cleveland, is not simply that it is a rare example of speculative housing development in today’s morbid real estate market.
No, what seems even more unique is that Third Federal Bank, whose headquarters is located adjacent to the site, is actually the developer of the project. Typically, banks do not take an active role in development.
“Third Federal has historically been all about homeownership,” says Joe Del Re of Zaremba Homes, the urban homebuilder that has been hired to oversee construction. “What better statement could they possibly make to the community than to not only put their headquarters here, but also to build homes?”
Trailside features new, single-family homes that are priced from $135,000 to $150,000. The 2- to 3-bedroom units are highly energy-efficient and have access to green space filled with native plantings. Morgana Run, a trail that weaves through Slavic Village and connects to Mill Creek Reservation, runs by the site.
Del Re says the project might appeal to young professionals as well as older homebuyers seeking to downsize from larger neighborhood homes. The units feature a first-floor bedroom option, yards and detached two-car garages.
Zaremba, Third Federal and Slavic Village Development worked together for more than five years to acquire and redevelop the project site, which was an environmentally contaminated brownfield until it was cleaned up a few years ago.
Del Re says that Third Federal is taking on the project because of its commitment to Slavic Village and because the site is literally located in its backyard.
Source: Joe Del Re
Writer: Lee Chilcote
No, what seems even more unique is that Third Federal Bank, whose headquarters is located adjacent to the site, is actually the developer of the project. Typically, banks do not take an active role in development.
“Third Federal has historically been all about homeownership,” says Joe Del Re of Zaremba Homes, the urban homebuilder that has been hired to oversee construction. “What better statement could they possibly make to the community than to not only put their headquarters here, but also to build homes?”
Trailside features new, single-family homes that are priced from $135,000 to $150,000. The 2- to 3-bedroom units are highly energy-efficient and have access to green space filled with native plantings. Morgana Run, a trail that weaves through Slavic Village and connects to Mill Creek Reservation, runs by the site.
Del Re says the project might appeal to young professionals as well as older homebuyers seeking to downsize from larger neighborhood homes. The units feature a first-floor bedroom option, yards and detached two-car garages.
Zaremba, Third Federal and Slavic Village Development worked together for more than five years to acquire and redevelop the project site, which was an environmentally contaminated brownfield until it was cleaned up a few years ago.
Del Re says that Third Federal is taking on the project because of its commitment to Slavic Village and because the site is literally located in its backyard.
Source: Joe Del Re
Writer: Lee Chilcote
JumpStart introduced IdeaCrossing to the entrepreneurial community in 2007 as a tool for developing and growing a new business. More than 6,000 users nationwide -- 2,000 in Ohio -- use the free online tool to find funding, talk with investors and hash out their ideas. Now IdeaCrossing has launched Workspaces, an online collaborative meeting place.
Workspaces gives entrepreneurs a virtual meeting place to collaborate with their advisors and stakeholders "without being bound by geography or business hours." Through Workspaces, entrepreneurs can request online feedback, share documents, and obtain referrals to others who can help advance the business. Both IdeaCrossing and Workspaces are free to use.
“Workspaces is the next step in IdeaCrossing,” explains Tiffan Clark, IdeaCrossing vice president. “We found that nine out of 10 entrepreneurs who came to us said they were looking for money, but weren’t ready. This is a private discussion forum, where only those in Workspaces can see the documents and get feedback. It’s like a virtual meeting without the video component.”
WorkSpaces offers a private meeting space to bring all of an entrepreneur’s advisors, mentors and collaborators together in one place. “It brings all those advisors into this virtual private space to see the collaboration of those ideas,” says Clark. “We connect the community with the resources they need to grow their business, no matter what stage they may be at.”
Source: Tiffan Clark
Writer: Karin Connelly
Workspaces gives entrepreneurs a virtual meeting place to collaborate with their advisors and stakeholders "without being bound by geography or business hours." Through Workspaces, entrepreneurs can request online feedback, share documents, and obtain referrals to others who can help advance the business. Both IdeaCrossing and Workspaces are free to use.
“Workspaces is the next step in IdeaCrossing,” explains Tiffan Clark, IdeaCrossing vice president. “We found that nine out of 10 entrepreneurs who came to us said they were looking for money, but weren’t ready. This is a private discussion forum, where only those in Workspaces can see the documents and get feedback. It’s like a virtual meeting without the video component.”
WorkSpaces offers a private meeting space to bring all of an entrepreneur’s advisors, mentors and collaborators together in one place. “It brings all those advisors into this virtual private space to see the collaboration of those ideas,” says Clark. “We connect the community with the resources they need to grow their business, no matter what stage they may be at.”
Source: Tiffan Clark
Writer: Karin Connelly
It wasn't long ago that you couldn't touch a new home in Shaker Heights for less than $300k. That is, if you could find one; in those bygone days, new single-families and condos in this historic, built-out community were scarce, and so was buildable land.
Enter the housing crisis and 2008 recession. Since the dawn of these twin apocalypses, the City of Shaker Heights, which has a reputation for being proactive about the upkeep of its housing stock, has acquired dozens of buildable lots. The city began placing these lots, which came into their hands when empty, foreclosed homes suffered the wrecking ball, into their land bank several years ago.
Now, as Cleveland's post-crash housing market gradually emerges from its stupor, one urban-savvy home builder is working with the city to build new, moderately-priced, green homes on three of its vacant lots.
"We're building Shaker-quality homes on the city's empty lots," says Joe Del Re, Project Manager with Zaremba Homes, a company that has been building homes in Cleveland and inner ring suburbs for 20 years. "They'll have hardi-plank and scalloped siding and other details that fit in with the surrounding community."
The new homes, which will be located on Strathavon Road in the Ludlow neighborhood, will be reasonably priced at $150,000 thanks to a grant from the county's Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP). Del Re says the program has made it possible for Zaremba to break ground on the spec homes.
The new, 1,600-square-foot homes will also feature three bedrooms, two and a half baths and green, energy-efficient amenities. Qualified buyers within income guidelines can also obtain a 20 percent, forgivable second mortgage.
Source: Joe Del Re
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Enter the housing crisis and 2008 recession. Since the dawn of these twin apocalypses, the City of Shaker Heights, which has a reputation for being proactive about the upkeep of its housing stock, has acquired dozens of buildable lots. The city began placing these lots, which came into their hands when empty, foreclosed homes suffered the wrecking ball, into their land bank several years ago.
Now, as Cleveland's post-crash housing market gradually emerges from its stupor, one urban-savvy home builder is working with the city to build new, moderately-priced, green homes on three of its vacant lots.
"We're building Shaker-quality homes on the city's empty lots," says Joe Del Re, Project Manager with Zaremba Homes, a company that has been building homes in Cleveland and inner ring suburbs for 20 years. "They'll have hardi-plank and scalloped siding and other details that fit in with the surrounding community."
The new homes, which will be located on Strathavon Road in the Ludlow neighborhood, will be reasonably priced at $150,000 thanks to a grant from the county's Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP). Del Re says the program has made it possible for Zaremba to break ground on the spec homes.
The new, 1,600-square-foot homes will also feature three bedrooms, two and a half baths and green, energy-efficient amenities. Qualified buyers within income guidelines can also obtain a 20 percent, forgivable second mortgage.
Source: Joe Del Re
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Dave Fleischer loves to draw. As a self-described “lifelong animator,” the creative director and president of Tiny Giant Studio has dreams of growing into a full-service animation production studio. And he’s using his passion to attract local talent to his company by hosting a speed-drawing class at Shaker LaunchHouse.
The class, held on Thursday nights, is designed to help potential animators hone their skills. Actors from the CWRU theater department silently act out a skit -- holding each pose for two minutes -- while participants sketch out the poses. The sketches are then transformed into an animatic skit using animation software.
“The more comfortable you are about drawing fast and not really caring about any one drawing, the better you will be as an animator,” explains Fleischer. “It’s a wonderful tool for building animation skills.”
While local animators sharpen their skills, Fleisher scouts out local talent. “Our goal is to grow in size as an animation studio,” he says. He currently runs Tiny Giant with five of his former Cleveland Institute of Art students. “The best way to grow talented people around you is by planting a seed and nurturing it. If I spot really talented people, they can freelance with us or, if they’re young, they can intern.”
About 15 people attended the first speed-drawing event held in October. Fleischer plans to continue to host the event twice a month.
Source: Dave Fleischer
Writer: Karin Connelly
The class, held on Thursday nights, is designed to help potential animators hone their skills. Actors from the CWRU theater department silently act out a skit -- holding each pose for two minutes -- while participants sketch out the poses. The sketches are then transformed into an animatic skit using animation software.
“The more comfortable you are about drawing fast and not really caring about any one drawing, the better you will be as an animator,” explains Fleischer. “It’s a wonderful tool for building animation skills.”
While local animators sharpen their skills, Fleisher scouts out local talent. “Our goal is to grow in size as an animation studio,” he says. He currently runs Tiny Giant with five of his former Cleveland Institute of Art students. “The best way to grow talented people around you is by planting a seed and nurturing it. If I spot really talented people, they can freelance with us or, if they’re young, they can intern.”
About 15 people attended the first speed-drawing event held in October. Fleischer plans to continue to host the event twice a month.
Source: Dave Fleischer
Writer: Karin Connelly
Dan Young is an avid cyclist. But he’s also quite busy running his software and technology business. One day, while stuck in the office and dreaming about how he’d rather be riding, Young came up with an idea: What if there was a way to pedal at his desk?
“I was just kind of thinking one day, ‘I can’t stand sitting here; I want to get out and ride,’” recalls Young. And with that, the seed was planted for Kickstand Furniture.
The Cleveland company makes specialized desks under which you can park your bicycle and pedal while you work.
“The real mission was to build a line of furniture geared toward the avid cycler,” explains Young. “I love bicycles and if I had my way I’d be riding them every day. Now I can.”
The custom-built desks are 45 inches high and can be raised or lowered by six inches. The large work surface features sliders to move it out of the way for easy mounting. Customers can specify if they want footers for hard floors or carpeting. And they are available in a variety of finishes. “It’s a lot more complicated than just pulling up a bike to the desk,” says Young.
Young is now in production for the holiday season and plans to introduce additional furniture, like stools, in the future.
“All suppliers and fabricators are local,” he says. “I’m really happy about this. Now I can sit, pedaling at my desk while the snow is falling.”
Source: Dan Young
Writer: Karin Connelly
“I was just kind of thinking one day, ‘I can’t stand sitting here; I want to get out and ride,’” recalls Young. And with that, the seed was planted for Kickstand Furniture.
The Cleveland company makes specialized desks under which you can park your bicycle and pedal while you work.
“The real mission was to build a line of furniture geared toward the avid cycler,” explains Young. “I love bicycles and if I had my way I’d be riding them every day. Now I can.”
The custom-built desks are 45 inches high and can be raised or lowered by six inches. The large work surface features sliders to move it out of the way for easy mounting. Customers can specify if they want footers for hard floors or carpeting. And they are available in a variety of finishes. “It’s a lot more complicated than just pulling up a bike to the desk,” says Young.
Young is now in production for the holiday season and plans to introduce additional furniture, like stools, in the future.
“All suppliers and fabricators are local,” he says. “I’m really happy about this. Now I can sit, pedaling at my desk while the snow is falling.”
Source: Dan Young
Writer: Karin Connelly
Anyone who has ever been in college knows the benefit of using a classmate’s notes to catch up on what’s going on in class or to study for a test. Dave Petruziello and Mike Matousek have created a way to share those notes -- and make some money at the same time.
FlashNotes came out of a class project Matousek was working on for business class while at Kent State University in 2009. The company is a virtual marketplace where students can buy and sell study materials -- notes, book notes, study guides, custom flash cards, and book summaries.
The two launched FlashNotes last spring at four universities in Ohio and Michigan and the site instantly went vital. “We’re like Amazon or eBay for class notes and study guides,” says CEO Petruziello. “We’ve had a lot of success with it.”
FlashNotes is now at 44 colleges and universities across the country. “We never did any promotion,” says Petruziello of the company’s success. “People just grabbed it and have taken it to new locations.”
Users sell their notes at $1.99 and higher, depending on content, difficulty of the class and length. FlashNotes takes a 20 percent commission on the sale, the seller keeps the rest. “We’ve had students make over $500 a week selling their notes,” says Petruziello. “We provide a service for students.”
Petruziello stresses the social networking aspect of the concept. “It’s not about whether you missed class, it’s just additional study materials,” he says, noting that they have added a feature where users can search for notes by ISBN number for specific textbooks being used by different classes.
FlashNotes is growing quickly. Petruziello and Matousek plan on opening additional offices in Boston and they are in the process of hiring a CTO. Additionally, they plan on bringing their web development team in-house and hiring student reps on campuses.
Source: Dave Petruziello
Writer: Karin Connelly
FlashNotes came out of a class project Matousek was working on for business class while at Kent State University in 2009. The company is a virtual marketplace where students can buy and sell study materials -- notes, book notes, study guides, custom flash cards, and book summaries.
The two launched FlashNotes last spring at four universities in Ohio and Michigan and the site instantly went vital. “We’re like Amazon or eBay for class notes and study guides,” says CEO Petruziello. “We’ve had a lot of success with it.”
FlashNotes is now at 44 colleges and universities across the country. “We never did any promotion,” says Petruziello of the company’s success. “People just grabbed it and have taken it to new locations.”
Users sell their notes at $1.99 and higher, depending on content, difficulty of the class and length. FlashNotes takes a 20 percent commission on the sale, the seller keeps the rest. “We’ve had students make over $500 a week selling their notes,” says Petruziello. “We provide a service for students.”
Petruziello stresses the social networking aspect of the concept. “It’s not about whether you missed class, it’s just additional study materials,” he says, noting that they have added a feature where users can search for notes by ISBN number for specific textbooks being used by different classes.
FlashNotes is growing quickly. Petruziello and Matousek plan on opening additional offices in Boston and they are in the process of hiring a CTO. Additionally, they plan on bringing their web development team in-house and hiring student reps on campuses.
Source: Dave Petruziello
Writer: Karin Connelly
What's it take to sell a swank new home in Cleveland these days? It helps if you can offer fresh, contemporary design, a sought-after Tremont address, and a 29-foot-wide great room that's filled with light even on the cloudiest of North Coast days.
At least, that's what David Sharkey, one of the principals of Civic Builders in Tremont, has to say. This year, Sharkey and his partners broke ground on a new three-unit development at West 8th and Starkweather called Tremont Lane. With the first unit now nearly completed, the team is hoping to secure additional contracts and complete the two remaining units next year.
"These units are different from anything else out there, because they have a big, wide great room and lots of windows and light," says Sharkey, who also is president of Progressive Urban Real Estate, the firm selling Tremont Lane. "There's still a market here, because there's a lot of confidence in Tremont."
Tremont remains a strong market for custom and semi-custom home building, he adds. "You look at the national numbers on new construction and they're horrible, but in Tremont, people are still willing to pay a lot of money for rehabbed homes or custom homes," he says. "Custom homebuyers have a different mindset; they're not just out there looking for a house, they're creating it themselves."
The custom home market has a pulse -- albeit a weak one -- in a handful of Cleveland neighborhoods, Sharkey says. These include Tremont, Little Italy and along Lake Erie. Sharkey does not expect the new construction housing market in Cleveland to dramatically improve anytime soon, yet he believes that custom homebuyers will continue to seek out -- and create -- their dream homes.
"There's always a time for those buyers," he says. "They know what they want, and they're willing to pay for it."
The first unit at Tremont Lane is expected to sell for about $250,000, including upgrades. Other custom homes in Tremont have transferred for significantly higher sums, and rumor has it that a contemporary, new home going up at West 11th and University may near the $1 million mark when it is completed.
Source: David Sharkey
Writer: Lee Chilcote
At least, that's what David Sharkey, one of the principals of Civic Builders in Tremont, has to say. This year, Sharkey and his partners broke ground on a new three-unit development at West 8th and Starkweather called Tremont Lane. With the first unit now nearly completed, the team is hoping to secure additional contracts and complete the two remaining units next year.
"These units are different from anything else out there, because they have a big, wide great room and lots of windows and light," says Sharkey, who also is president of Progressive Urban Real Estate, the firm selling Tremont Lane. "There's still a market here, because there's a lot of confidence in Tremont."
Tremont remains a strong market for custom and semi-custom home building, he adds. "You look at the national numbers on new construction and they're horrible, but in Tremont, people are still willing to pay a lot of money for rehabbed homes or custom homes," he says. "Custom homebuyers have a different mindset; they're not just out there looking for a house, they're creating it themselves."
The custom home market has a pulse -- albeit a weak one -- in a handful of Cleveland neighborhoods, Sharkey says. These include Tremont, Little Italy and along Lake Erie. Sharkey does not expect the new construction housing market in Cleveland to dramatically improve anytime soon, yet he believes that custom homebuyers will continue to seek out -- and create -- their dream homes.
"There's always a time for those buyers," he says. "They know what they want, and they're willing to pay for it."
The first unit at Tremont Lane is expected to sell for about $250,000, including upgrades. Other custom homes in Tremont have transferred for significantly higher sums, and rumor has it that a contemporary, new home going up at West 11th and University may near the $1 million mark when it is completed.
Source: David Sharkey
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Concord Music Group, a major independent music label that employs nine marketing staff in Northeast Ohio, recently moved to new offices in Beachwood. The company's new address is right across the street from its old one, yet it offers a few much-needed amenities, including a custom-built mastering studio and extra suites to accommodate future growth.
"Building the studio was quite a mountain to climb, but the landlord was willing to work with us to do the build-out," says Jason Linder of Concord. "It had to be acoustically treated so that the engineer could be sure that what he was hearing was true, and it had to be soundproofed from our offices."
Concord Music Group first came to Cleveland in 2005 after it bought Telarc Records, a company that was founded locally in 1977 as a successful purveyor of jazz, classical, blues and world music. Concord has continued that tradition, and its Cleveland staff market these genres.
Although Concord's local presence has actually shrunk in recent years, Linder remains hopeful about the music industry's future. He says it has seen modest growth this year thanks to new marketing strategies that are reaching tech-savvy consumers and a smaller number of new releases. Concord's new office is a sign that the firm is committed to maintaining a presence in Cleveland.
"Cleveland does not have very many record labels, but it's a very active music town," he says. "If you enjoy live music, there are so many venues and types of shows."
Linder is looking forward to the upcoming Grammy Awards, where he expects Concord artists to snag a few wins. He knows they probably won't top last year, however, when jazz artist Esperanza Spalding won Best New Artist.
"It was a huge deal to have a jazz artist win the award," Linder says. "Especially when she was competing against Justin Bieber."
Source: Jason Linder
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"Building the studio was quite a mountain to climb, but the landlord was willing to work with us to do the build-out," says Jason Linder of Concord. "It had to be acoustically treated so that the engineer could be sure that what he was hearing was true, and it had to be soundproofed from our offices."
Concord Music Group first came to Cleveland in 2005 after it bought Telarc Records, a company that was founded locally in 1977 as a successful purveyor of jazz, classical, blues and world music. Concord has continued that tradition, and its Cleveland staff market these genres.
Although Concord's local presence has actually shrunk in recent years, Linder remains hopeful about the music industry's future. He says it has seen modest growth this year thanks to new marketing strategies that are reaching tech-savvy consumers and a smaller number of new releases. Concord's new office is a sign that the firm is committed to maintaining a presence in Cleveland.
"Cleveland does not have very many record labels, but it's a very active music town," he says. "If you enjoy live music, there are so many venues and types of shows."
Linder is looking forward to the upcoming Grammy Awards, where he expects Concord artists to snag a few wins. He knows they probably won't top last year, however, when jazz artist Esperanza Spalding won Best New Artist.
"It was a huge deal to have a jazz artist win the award," Linder says. "Especially when she was competing against Justin Bieber."
Source: Jason Linder
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Lisa Dunn is socially conscious with an artistic flair. As owner of Revive boutique in Cleveland Heights and Lyndhurst’s Legacy Village, Dunn showcases the works of artisans from around the world, all while making sure they earn a fair wage for their work.
The two stores carry eco-fashions for children, women and men, as well as products for the home. The handcrafted pieces hail from more than 30 countries and are made of various sustainable materials, such as organic cotton and hemp, vegetable dyes, recycled glass and magazines, shells and seeds.
“What’s unique about our boutique is that everything we sell is fair trade,” says Dunn. “And I design about 20 percent for what we sell.” While Dunn communicates regularly with her artisan groups via the internet, she also travels one to three times a year to visit the artists with whom she works. “It helps refresh and ground me in the mission of why we are doing this,” she says. “I really try to focus on the long-term relationships with the artisan groups we work with.”
Dunn just returned from Guatemala before the grand re-opening of the Legacy Village store in a new location and a speaking engagement at the Ohio Fair Trade Expo at John Carroll University last weekend.
In the five years she has been in business, Dunn has grown her business from one store with one employee (her, pulling 100-hour weeks) to two stores with nine employees.
“Every year we’ve grown,” she says. “And my employees are so committed and dedicated to the mission of fair trade.” Additionally, she hires four to six interns a year and plans to hire another one in November.
Source: Lisa Dunn
Writer: Karin Connelly
The two stores carry eco-fashions for children, women and men, as well as products for the home. The handcrafted pieces hail from more than 30 countries and are made of various sustainable materials, such as organic cotton and hemp, vegetable dyes, recycled glass and magazines, shells and seeds.
“What’s unique about our boutique is that everything we sell is fair trade,” says Dunn. “And I design about 20 percent for what we sell.” While Dunn communicates regularly with her artisan groups via the internet, she also travels one to three times a year to visit the artists with whom she works. “It helps refresh and ground me in the mission of why we are doing this,” she says. “I really try to focus on the long-term relationships with the artisan groups we work with.”
Dunn just returned from Guatemala before the grand re-opening of the Legacy Village store in a new location and a speaking engagement at the Ohio Fair Trade Expo at John Carroll University last weekend.
In the five years she has been in business, Dunn has grown her business from one store with one employee (her, pulling 100-hour weeks) to two stores with nine employees.
“Every year we’ve grown,” she says. “And my employees are so committed and dedicated to the mission of fair trade.” Additionally, she hires four to six interns a year and plans to hire another one in November.
Source: Lisa Dunn
Writer: Karin Connelly