Green Space + Parks
When Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) officials recently asked business leaders from across the state to rank their region's planned infrastructure projects by importance, the Greater Cleveland Partnership ranked the West Shoreway project as the number one priority for Northeast Ohio.
For City of Cleveland Planning Director Bob Brown, that's one more reason why ODOT's numbers don't add up. The state agency gave the city zero out of ten points in the "economic development" category on its recent application for $28 million in additional funding to complete Phase II of the project.
"States all across the country are beginning to think differently, and they're realizing that projects like this can actually improve their economic competitiveness," Brown said at a recent community meeting to discuss the project. The 10-year-old plan would transform the underutilized, 50s-style freeway into a landscaped boulevard with bicycle and pedestrian pathways. It would also offer residents and visitors improved access to Lake Erie.
As evidence of economic impact, city officials cited Battery Park, a new home development that has attracted 70 new residents, many of whom bought homes because they believed the West Shoreway project would come to fruition. Phase I of the Shoreway project is underway, and includes the redevelopment of two pedestrian and bicycle tunnels and a new interchange at West 73rd Street.
Residents who attended the meeting also questioned ODOT's cost estimates, which have ballooned from $50 million in 2003 to $100 million today.
"ODOT doesn't have enough controls against contractors coming back for more," Ken Silliman, Chief of Staff for Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson, told the audience. "We believe their contracts are too contractor-friendly. That's why we're trying to convince ODOT to give us the funding and let us manage the project locally."
Cycling advocates who attended the meeting also questioned the city's commitment to bike and pedestrian access, suggesting that Cleveland hasn't fought hard enough to fund the project's multi-modal pathway.
Adopting a mantra of "Keep the promise, finish the job," City officials vowed to press on with the project. They are planning a caravan trip to Columbus on December 15th for a crucial ODOT meeting where funding decisions occur.
Source: Ken Silliman, Bob Brown
Writer: Lee Chilcote
For City of Cleveland Planning Director Bob Brown, that's one more reason why ODOT's numbers don't add up. The state agency gave the city zero out of ten points in the "economic development" category on its recent application for $28 million in additional funding to complete Phase II of the project.
"States all across the country are beginning to think differently, and they're realizing that projects like this can actually improve their economic competitiveness," Brown said at a recent community meeting to discuss the project. The 10-year-old plan would transform the underutilized, 50s-style freeway into a landscaped boulevard with bicycle and pedestrian pathways. It would also offer residents and visitors improved access to Lake Erie.
As evidence of economic impact, city officials cited Battery Park, a new home development that has attracted 70 new residents, many of whom bought homes because they believed the West Shoreway project would come to fruition. Phase I of the Shoreway project is underway, and includes the redevelopment of two pedestrian and bicycle tunnels and a new interchange at West 73rd Street.
Residents who attended the meeting also questioned ODOT's cost estimates, which have ballooned from $50 million in 2003 to $100 million today.
"ODOT doesn't have enough controls against contractors coming back for more," Ken Silliman, Chief of Staff for Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson, told the audience. "We believe their contracts are too contractor-friendly. That's why we're trying to convince ODOT to give us the funding and let us manage the project locally."
Cycling advocates who attended the meeting also questioned the city's commitment to bike and pedestrian access, suggesting that Cleveland hasn't fought hard enough to fund the project's multi-modal pathway.
Adopting a mantra of "Keep the promise, finish the job," City officials vowed to press on with the project. They are planning a caravan trip to Columbus on December 15th for a crucial ODOT meeting where funding decisions occur.
Source: Ken Silliman, Bob Brown
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Brooklyn, Old Brooklyn, Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn Centre – who can blame us for being totally and utterly befuddled? Fortunately, Fresh Water writer Erin O'Brien is here to offer some insight into the Brooklyns of and around Cleveland. Read up: There just might be a quiz later on.
Residents of Lyndhurst typically live 24 years longer than residents of the Hough neighborhood of Cleveland, according to a recent analysis by the Cuyahoga County Place Matters Team. This health disparity is why the group, in collaboration with the Saint Luke's Foundation, has launched a speaker series at the City Club of Cleveland focused on creating healthier communities in Cuyahoga County.
"It shouldn't matter how much money you have, your community should still be thriving," says Sandy Chappelle, Senior Program Officer with the Saint Luke's Foundation and a leader of the Place Matters initiative. "Quality housing, safe streets and other factors all go into whether a community is healthy or not."
This past Tuesday, the Place Matters team hosted a City Club event with Ron Sims, former U.S. Department of Housing and Development Deputy Secretary, who spoke about how land use planning can impact public health outcomes.
The long-term goal of the Place Matters initiative, says Chappelle, is not to drive prescriptive policies, but rather to infuse knowledge of healthy communities into the larger, public policy decisions that are made at the regional level.
"One example of unhealthy planning is that many new schools are built so that kids have to take the bus, which contributes to lack of physical activity and obesity," says Chappelle. "Yet now we're becoming increasingly aware that all sectors must work together to tackle health outcomes. People are also more aware that this is directly connected to our region's economic viability."
Source: Sandy Chappelle
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"It shouldn't matter how much money you have, your community should still be thriving," says Sandy Chappelle, Senior Program Officer with the Saint Luke's Foundation and a leader of the Place Matters initiative. "Quality housing, safe streets and other factors all go into whether a community is healthy or not."
This past Tuesday, the Place Matters team hosted a City Club event with Ron Sims, former U.S. Department of Housing and Development Deputy Secretary, who spoke about how land use planning can impact public health outcomes.
The long-term goal of the Place Matters initiative, says Chappelle, is not to drive prescriptive policies, but rather to infuse knowledge of healthy communities into the larger, public policy decisions that are made at the regional level.
"One example of unhealthy planning is that many new schools are built so that kids have to take the bus, which contributes to lack of physical activity and obesity," says Chappelle. "Yet now we're becoming increasingly aware that all sectors must work together to tackle health outcomes. People are also more aware that this is directly connected to our region's economic viability."
Source: Sandy Chappelle
Writer: Lee Chilcote
A handful of U.S. cities have torn down or busted through the '60s-era highway walls that separate their neighborhoods from adjacent waterways. Despite critics' fears that such people-friendly projects will cause calamitous traffic delays, they often reap major economic, social and environmental benefits while adding only a few minutes to the average commute.
Cleveland's version of such a wall is the West Shoreway -- a homely, 2.5-mile stretch of concrete that is designed to move cars in and out of the city, but blocks residents' access to Lake Erie. Until recently, it appeared likely that Cleveland would find a way to bust through this wall. The long-planned West Shoreway project would "transform a 2.5 mile freeway into a scenic, tree-lined boulevard," according to a description on the Ohio Department of Transportation website.
Yet a series of cost overruns, the state's budget crunch and a philosophical shift at ODOT have thrown the very future of the project into question. State officials gave low scores to the city's recent request for additional funding, arguing that reducing the speed limit from 50 to 35 miles per hour would downgrade a functional roadway. Cleveland officials responded by accusing ODOT of trying to kill the project, which has been in the works for more than a decade.
As a December 15th meeting, where funding decisions will occur, looms ahead, cycling advocates, neighborhood residents and public officials are mounting a frontal assault on ODOT to shore up their commitment to the project.
"It's not true that we can't slow cars down -- the George Washington Parkway in D.C. is a major commuter road with bike lanes and crosswalks, and it works well," says Kevin Cronin, a board member of Cleveland Bikes, a nonprofit group rallying to preserve the bike-friendly project. "We need to make sure that this project moves forward, and that it includes bike and pedestrian lanes."
In an effort to get the project back on track, city officials and neighborhood advocates will host a public meeting with ODOT officials on Thursday, December 1st at 6 p.m. at Franklin Circle Church, 1688 Fulton Avenue in Ohio City.
Source: Kevin Cronin
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Cleveland's version of such a wall is the West Shoreway -- a homely, 2.5-mile stretch of concrete that is designed to move cars in and out of the city, but blocks residents' access to Lake Erie. Until recently, it appeared likely that Cleveland would find a way to bust through this wall. The long-planned West Shoreway project would "transform a 2.5 mile freeway into a scenic, tree-lined boulevard," according to a description on the Ohio Department of Transportation website.
Yet a series of cost overruns, the state's budget crunch and a philosophical shift at ODOT have thrown the very future of the project into question. State officials gave low scores to the city's recent request for additional funding, arguing that reducing the speed limit from 50 to 35 miles per hour would downgrade a functional roadway. Cleveland officials responded by accusing ODOT of trying to kill the project, which has been in the works for more than a decade.
As a December 15th meeting, where funding decisions will occur, looms ahead, cycling advocates, neighborhood residents and public officials are mounting a frontal assault on ODOT to shore up their commitment to the project.
"It's not true that we can't slow cars down -- the George Washington Parkway in D.C. is a major commuter road with bike lanes and crosswalks, and it works well," says Kevin Cronin, a board member of Cleveland Bikes, a nonprofit group rallying to preserve the bike-friendly project. "We need to make sure that this project moves forward, and that it includes bike and pedestrian lanes."
In an effort to get the project back on track, city officials and neighborhood advocates will host a public meeting with ODOT officials on Thursday, December 1st at 6 p.m. at Franklin Circle Church, 1688 Fulton Avenue in Ohio City.
Source: Kevin Cronin
Writer: Lee Chilcote
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
inspiring video promotes downtown cleveland lifestyle in fresh light
The latest salvo in Downtown Cleveland Alliance's campaign to get more folks to live, work and play downtown is this video titled "Downtown Cleveland... Is It For You?" Produced by Fusion Filmworks and TWIST Creative, the video has attracted over 9,300 views in under a week.
More than 100 people attended the Flats Forward Waterfront Summit, held this week in downtown Cleveland. Those in attendance learned how cities as far away as Duisburg, Germany, and as close as Pittsburgh, have leveraged their historic waterfronts into magnets for recreation, investment and tourism.
Flats Forward is a one-year-old effort to create a new identity for Cleveland's historic birthplace. Planners are now focused on improving the Flats' infrastructure, transportation linkages and recreational amenities, as well as fostering a better balance between residential, industrial and recreational uses. Additionally, civic leaders hope to leverage $2 billion worth of investment taking place within one mile of the Flats to spur more development.
Following a rousing speech by Councilman Joe Cimperman that likened the Cuyahoga River's rebirth after the infamous fire of 1969 to an ecosystem's resilience following a forest blaze, leaders from Germany, England, Italy and Pennsylvania talked about their successes and the lessons they've learned along the way.
Tony Harvey of British Waterways in Birmingham, England, said that his organization has helped leverage $1 billion of investment in the region's waterway network, which dates back to the Roman era. Those waterways now attract more than 13 million visitors and 35,000 licensed boats per year.
Arne Lorz of Duisburg, Germany, described how her city rebuilt itself during an era of industrial decline by focusing on its crumbling inner harbor and building new homes, a marina, offices, retail and museums.
Roberto Bobbio, Professor of Urban Planning and Landscape Preservation at the University of Genoa, Italy, discussed how his dense Mediterranean city invested in a state-of-the-art aquarium that now is the third most visited spot in Italy.
Finally, Lisa Schroeder of Pittsburgh RiverLife Task Force told the audience that her city successfully has reinvented its industrial, long-empty waterfront into a well-connected civic space. Today, more than 15,000 kayaks are rented each year from under a bridge, and "boat-gating," she added, has replaced "tailgating."
Schroeder also offered a concise analysis of what doubtless was on the minds of many participants: "If you can use private funding to help put redevelopment plans together," she advised, "then it's easier to get politicians to fight for the public infrastructure spending that makes reinvestment possible."
Source: Flats Forward Waterfront Summit
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Flats Forward is a one-year-old effort to create a new identity for Cleveland's historic birthplace. Planners are now focused on improving the Flats' infrastructure, transportation linkages and recreational amenities, as well as fostering a better balance between residential, industrial and recreational uses. Additionally, civic leaders hope to leverage $2 billion worth of investment taking place within one mile of the Flats to spur more development.
Following a rousing speech by Councilman Joe Cimperman that likened the Cuyahoga River's rebirth after the infamous fire of 1969 to an ecosystem's resilience following a forest blaze, leaders from Germany, England, Italy and Pennsylvania talked about their successes and the lessons they've learned along the way.
Tony Harvey of British Waterways in Birmingham, England, said that his organization has helped leverage $1 billion of investment in the region's waterway network, which dates back to the Roman era. Those waterways now attract more than 13 million visitors and 35,000 licensed boats per year.
Arne Lorz of Duisburg, Germany, described how her city rebuilt itself during an era of industrial decline by focusing on its crumbling inner harbor and building new homes, a marina, offices, retail and museums.
Roberto Bobbio, Professor of Urban Planning and Landscape Preservation at the University of Genoa, Italy, discussed how his dense Mediterranean city invested in a state-of-the-art aquarium that now is the third most visited spot in Italy.
Finally, Lisa Schroeder of Pittsburgh RiverLife Task Force told the audience that her city successfully has reinvented its industrial, long-empty waterfront into a well-connected civic space. Today, more than 15,000 kayaks are rented each year from under a bridge, and "boat-gating," she added, has replaced "tailgating."
Schroeder also offered a concise analysis of what doubtless was on the minds of many participants: "If you can use private funding to help put redevelopment plans together," she advised, "then it's easier to get politicians to fight for the public infrastructure spending that makes reinvestment possible."
Source: Flats Forward Waterfront Summit
Writer: Lee Chilcote
cuyahoga county land bank is model for other regions, says wash post
In a Washington Post article titled "Banks turn to demolition of foreclosed properties to ease housing-market pressures," Brady Dennis reports that Cuyahoga County's aggressive land bank is serving as a model for other regions nationwide.
"The sight of excavators tearing down vacant buildings has become common in this foreclosure-ravaged city, where the housing crisis hit early and hard," he writes. "But the story behind the recent wave of demolitions is novel -- and cities around the country are taking notice."
Thanks to an ongoing collaboration with banking representatives, the land bank continues to secure abandoned or blighted properties to demolish for community gardens and other uses. Cuyahoga land bank expects to complete roughly 700 demolitions by the end of the year. In return for tax deductions and other expenses in maintaining the properties, banks are pitching in as much as $7,500 per demolition.
Read the rest here.
"The sight of excavators tearing down vacant buildings has become common in this foreclosure-ravaged city, where the housing crisis hit early and hard," he writes. "But the story behind the recent wave of demolitions is novel -- and cities around the country are taking notice."
Thanks to an ongoing collaboration with banking representatives, the land bank continues to secure abandoned or blighted properties to demolish for community gardens and other uses. Cuyahoga land bank expects to complete roughly 700 demolitions by the end of the year. In return for tax deductions and other expenses in maintaining the properties, banks are pitching in as much as $7,500 per demolition.
Read the rest here.
shaker is a model worth emulating, says pittsburgh tribune-review
In an article titled "Cleveland's Shaker Heights is a model worth emulating," Pittsburgh Tribune-Review writer John Conti describes the attractiveness of this well-planned neighborhood, which will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2012.
Thanks to the Van Sweringen's keen vision and planning, Shaker "appealed to the upper-middle classes in Cleveland in the 1920s, and the result today is neighborhood after neighborhood of stunningly good-looking houses built in the '20s and '30s. Some of these houses are mansions, some are just big, and some are modest. But all are still exceptionally attractive today."
The article goes on to describe with great detail just how the Van Sweringen brothers turned their vision into reality.
"[They] began accumulating land here in the early 1900s. In the teens and '20s, they laid out lots to sell and developed a rapid transit line directly into the center of Cleveland. They also set down the rules for what the owner-built houses in Shaker Heights would look like."
Those rules dictated that "houses were to be in the romantic Tudor, Colonial or French styles popular in the '20s. They had to be individually designed by architects. Brick and stone walls and slate and tile roofs were encouraged. Tudors had to have dark trim; only Colonials could have white. Buff-colored brick and certain colors of mortar were forbidden. Even the look of leaded-glass windows were regulated. Finally, the Van Sweringens had to approve every design."
All that would have been meaningless if the houses were not maintained. So the city inspects the exterior of every home every five years. An architectural review board must approve any changes to the exterior of a house.
"These are undoubtedly some of the toughest municipal standards anywhere in the United States," Conti writes. "And they can cost money. Considering its top-tier school system, Shaker Heights residents pay the highest property taxes in Ohio. Yet real estate people here will tell you that -- though the general real estate market in Cleveland has been abysmal in recent years -- Shaker Heights houses have held their value."
Read the entire report here.
Thanks to the Van Sweringen's keen vision and planning, Shaker "appealed to the upper-middle classes in Cleveland in the 1920s, and the result today is neighborhood after neighborhood of stunningly good-looking houses built in the '20s and '30s. Some of these houses are mansions, some are just big, and some are modest. But all are still exceptionally attractive today."
The article goes on to describe with great detail just how the Van Sweringen brothers turned their vision into reality.
"[They] began accumulating land here in the early 1900s. In the teens and '20s, they laid out lots to sell and developed a rapid transit line directly into the center of Cleveland. They also set down the rules for what the owner-built houses in Shaker Heights would look like."
Those rules dictated that "houses were to be in the romantic Tudor, Colonial or French styles popular in the '20s. They had to be individually designed by architects. Brick and stone walls and slate and tile roofs were encouraged. Tudors had to have dark trim; only Colonials could have white. Buff-colored brick and certain colors of mortar were forbidden. Even the look of leaded-glass windows were regulated. Finally, the Van Sweringens had to approve every design."
All that would have been meaningless if the houses were not maintained. So the city inspects the exterior of every home every five years. An architectural review board must approve any changes to the exterior of a house.
"These are undoubtedly some of the toughest municipal standards anywhere in the United States," Conti writes. "And they can cost money. Considering its top-tier school system, Shaker Heights residents pay the highest property taxes in Ohio. Yet real estate people here will tell you that -- though the general real estate market in Cleveland has been abysmal in recent years -- Shaker Heights houses have held their value."
Read the entire report here.
As an approach to planning, designing and managing public spaces, “placemaking” is gaining momentum across the country. This strategy gives local residents a voice in shaping new development so that addresses their needs as opposed to those of the developers. Simply put, placemaking is likely the best path to improving a neighborhood, city or region.
Two prominent local nonprofit organizations, Cleveland Public Art and Parkworks, have announced plans to merge and form LAND Studio. If the organization's new name sounds like that of an edgy architect's studio, that may be no coincidence. LAND Studio hopes to foster great public spaces in Cleveland by leading civic conversations about design and urban planning.
According to a press release, the mission of the new nonprofit organization will be "to create places and connect people through public art, sustainable building and design, collaborative planning and dynamic programming." LAND is actually an acronym that stands for landscape, arts, neighborhood and development.
The merger is the logical outgrowth of a decade-long history of the two groups working together, says Ann Zoller, the current Executive Director of Parkworks and the new Executive Director of LAND Studio. Ultimately, it will make the combined organization more impactful, thus benefiting Cleveland.
"There's huge potential for an organization that has a wider berth than just public art and public spaces," says Zoller. "This is an important time for Cleveland, and we can help leverage the investment being spent by helping the city and developers to look at placemaking from holistic, forward-thinking perspective."
Talk of a merger began several years ago when the two groups created Building Cleveland by Design, an effort to infuse sustainable, public-oriented design into large development projects in Cleveland. That project led Parkworks to become heavily involved in making the Flats East Bank project more sustainable. Parkworks also helped to acquire a former railway bed in the Flats that proved critical in creating a public trail leading to the Towpath Trail and Lake Erie.
Among the projects that Zoller plans to address with Land Studio are the reuse of vacant land in city neighborhoods, green infrastructure projects led by the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District (NEORSD) and Flats redevelopment.
Yet another opportunity is the work of the Group Plan Commission, says Zoller, an effort to help create more vibrant public spaces on the Malls downtown.
"This merger will allow us to take our agenda -- the importance of investing in connections, anchor public spaces and downtown as an attraction in and of itself -- and really lead," says Zoller.
The new offices of LAND Studio will be at 1939 West 25th Street in Ohio City.
Source: Ann Zoller
Writer: Lee Chilcote
According to a press release, the mission of the new nonprofit organization will be "to create places and connect people through public art, sustainable building and design, collaborative planning and dynamic programming." LAND is actually an acronym that stands for landscape, arts, neighborhood and development.
The merger is the logical outgrowth of a decade-long history of the two groups working together, says Ann Zoller, the current Executive Director of Parkworks and the new Executive Director of LAND Studio. Ultimately, it will make the combined organization more impactful, thus benefiting Cleveland.
"There's huge potential for an organization that has a wider berth than just public art and public spaces," says Zoller. "This is an important time for Cleveland, and we can help leverage the investment being spent by helping the city and developers to look at placemaking from holistic, forward-thinking perspective."
Talk of a merger began several years ago when the two groups created Building Cleveland by Design, an effort to infuse sustainable, public-oriented design into large development projects in Cleveland. That project led Parkworks to become heavily involved in making the Flats East Bank project more sustainable. Parkworks also helped to acquire a former railway bed in the Flats that proved critical in creating a public trail leading to the Towpath Trail and Lake Erie.
Among the projects that Zoller plans to address with Land Studio are the reuse of vacant land in city neighborhoods, green infrastructure projects led by the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District (NEORSD) and Flats redevelopment.
Yet another opportunity is the work of the Group Plan Commission, says Zoller, an effort to help create more vibrant public spaces on the Malls downtown.
"This merger will allow us to take our agenda -- the importance of investing in connections, anchor public spaces and downtown as an attraction in and of itself -- and really lead," says Zoller.
The new offices of LAND Studio will be at 1939 West 25th Street in Ohio City.
Source: Ann Zoller
Writer: Lee Chilcote
With the recent decision by the Supreme Court of Ohio that South Euclid voters should be allowed to vote on a rezoning referendum this fall, the controversial Oakwood Commons big box retail project has taken yet another interesting turn.
Citizens for Oakwood, a group that opposes the redevelopment of the former Oakwood Country Club into retail, collected over 600 petition signatures earlier this year to place a referendum on the ballot. Yet the group was dealt a blow this summer when their petition was disqualified due to a legal technicality.
According to a protest filed by developer First Interstate Properties, a set of pre-petition documents were not filed with the correct City of South Euclid department. The city agreed with the developer, and decided that the referendum was invalid and could not be placed on the ballot. Citizens for Oakwood filed a lawsuit, and the matter ended up before the Supreme Court of Ohio.
In a 6-1 decision, the Supreme Court sided with Citizens for Oakwood and directed South Euclid to repeal the rezoning decision or put it on the November ballot.
“The Court granted a writ of mandamus to compel council to either repeal a zoning amendment ordinance or submit it to a vote of the city’s electors on Nov. 8,” according to the announcement on the Ohio Supreme Court website.
"We're very grateful that the Supreme Court of Ohio has upheld a basic tenet of our government -- people's right to vote," says Fran Mentch of Citizens for Oakwood. "Clearly, First Interstate is fighting this because they realize they've met their match in the will of the people of South Euclid."
South Euclid City Council unanimously approved the rezoning in June. That allows First Interstate, which bought 62 acres of the Oakwood land that lies in South Euclid in December, to build a mix of retail and residential properties there. First Interstate has also offered to set aside a portion of the property for parkland.
First Interstate has argued that the development will benefit the City of South Euclid with needed tax revenues and will provide additional retail to an underserved inner suburban area. Citizens for Oakwood has said there is too much retail in the area already and the property should be turned into a park.
On Monday, First Interstate filed a request for reconsideration of the Oakwood ruling with the Supreme Court, leaving open the possibility that it could be reversed.
If the ruling stands, then South Euclid voters will have the opportunity to vote 'yes' or 'no' on Nov. 8th regarding their support for the rezoning of Oakwood for a mixed-use retail development.
Source: Fran Mentch
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Citizens for Oakwood, a group that opposes the redevelopment of the former Oakwood Country Club into retail, collected over 600 petition signatures earlier this year to place a referendum on the ballot. Yet the group was dealt a blow this summer when their petition was disqualified due to a legal technicality.
According to a protest filed by developer First Interstate Properties, a set of pre-petition documents were not filed with the correct City of South Euclid department. The city agreed with the developer, and decided that the referendum was invalid and could not be placed on the ballot. Citizens for Oakwood filed a lawsuit, and the matter ended up before the Supreme Court of Ohio.
In a 6-1 decision, the Supreme Court sided with Citizens for Oakwood and directed South Euclid to repeal the rezoning decision or put it on the November ballot.
“The Court granted a writ of mandamus to compel council to either repeal a zoning amendment ordinance or submit it to a vote of the city’s electors on Nov. 8,” according to the announcement on the Ohio Supreme Court website.
"We're very grateful that the Supreme Court of Ohio has upheld a basic tenet of our government -- people's right to vote," says Fran Mentch of Citizens for Oakwood. "Clearly, First Interstate is fighting this because they realize they've met their match in the will of the people of South Euclid."
South Euclid City Council unanimously approved the rezoning in June. That allows First Interstate, which bought 62 acres of the Oakwood land that lies in South Euclid in December, to build a mix of retail and residential properties there. First Interstate has also offered to set aside a portion of the property for parkland.
First Interstate has argued that the development will benefit the City of South Euclid with needed tax revenues and will provide additional retail to an underserved inner suburban area. Citizens for Oakwood has said there is too much retail in the area already and the property should be turned into a park.
On Monday, First Interstate filed a request for reconsideration of the Oakwood ruling with the Supreme Court, leaving open the possibility that it could be reversed.
If the ruling stands, then South Euclid voters will have the opportunity to vote 'yes' or 'no' on Nov. 8th regarding their support for the rezoning of Oakwood for a mixed-use retail development.
Source: Fran Mentch
Writer: Lee Chilcote
rodale institute honors work of garden guru maurice small
It's only fitting that as Cleveland's urban farms continue to attract national attention, so too should Cleveland's pioneering urban farmers.
On September 16, 2011, Maurice Small will receive such an honor when he receives a Rodale Institute Organic Pioneer Awards. Held annually in Kutztown, Penn., the awards recognize the farmers, scientists and activists who lead the organic movement in America.
Honored for work as youth organizer, Maurice Small was co-director and youth program advisor for Cuyahoga County's City Fresh Project.
“The organic movement has come a long way, and it is largely in thanks to pioneers like Dr. Harwood, Drew and Joan Norman, and Maurice Small, who believed in the power of organic from the beginning and weren't afraid to take a stand early on. They are an inspiration for all of us, especially for the next generation of organic leaders," notes Maria Rodale, chairman and CEO of Rodale Inc.
"Regarded as a visionary, a food broker, an educator, and a friend of worms, Maurice Small has more than twenty years of experience in creating excellent soil, growing delicious food and cultivating young leaders in Northeast Ohio. Deservedly distinguished as an “Urban Action Hero,” Maurice saves lives each day through his mission and work."
Rodale Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to pioneering organic farming through research and outreach. It celebrates its 30th anniversary this fall.
Reap the rest of the awards right here.
On September 16, 2011, Maurice Small will receive such an honor when he receives a Rodale Institute Organic Pioneer Awards. Held annually in Kutztown, Penn., the awards recognize the farmers, scientists and activists who lead the organic movement in America.
Honored for work as youth organizer, Maurice Small was co-director and youth program advisor for Cuyahoga County's City Fresh Project.
“The organic movement has come a long way, and it is largely in thanks to pioneers like Dr. Harwood, Drew and Joan Norman, and Maurice Small, who believed in the power of organic from the beginning and weren't afraid to take a stand early on. They are an inspiration for all of us, especially for the next generation of organic leaders," notes Maria Rodale, chairman and CEO of Rodale Inc.
"Regarded as a visionary, a food broker, an educator, and a friend of worms, Maurice Small has more than twenty years of experience in creating excellent soil, growing delicious food and cultivating young leaders in Northeast Ohio. Deservedly distinguished as an “Urban Action Hero,” Maurice saves lives each day through his mission and work."
Rodale Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to pioneering organic farming through research and outreach. It celebrates its 30th anniversary this fall.
Reap the rest of the awards right here.
“Downtown is where the action is,” says Alex Cortes, an attorney who lives in the Warehouse District. Cortes is one of the 10,000 people who call downtown home. But to reach the 20,000-resident figure that boosters say Cleveland needs to truly become a vibrant neighborhood in the city, more retail, green space, and housing options will have to come online.
Long-planned renovations to Perk Park, a downtown park where two men were shot in a grisly robbery more than two years ago, are now almost finished. The new park is set to reopen in October.
The $1.6 million first phase of the project, which was completed last fall, removed sunken areas that were considered unsightly and unsafe because they provided places for individuals to hide. Funding for this phase came from the City of Cleveland, Downtown Cleveland Alliance, businesses and foundations.
The $1.3 million second phase that is now underway includes new seating, trees, plants, art and a trellis along E. 12th Street. Construction for this phase stems from the $20 million sale of the Convention Center to Cuyahoga County.
The Perk Park project was originally designed in 2003 during Mayor Campbell's administration, but was not constructed at that time due to lack of funding. The nonprofit organization ParkWorks led the redesign process. Landscape architects Thomas Balsley of New York and James McKnight of Cleveland designed it.
The new park adds to the number of redeveloped green/public spaces that exist in downtown Cleveland. There are nearly 3,000 residents living within a three-minute walk of the park, according to Downtown Cleveland Alliance. The Erieview District, as it's called, has the second largest concentration of downtown residents (the Warehouse District is first). The location is also a major hub for office jobs.
Source: Downtown Cleveland Alliance/ParkWorks
Writer: Lee Chilcote
The $1.6 million first phase of the project, which was completed last fall, removed sunken areas that were considered unsightly and unsafe because they provided places for individuals to hide. Funding for this phase came from the City of Cleveland, Downtown Cleveland Alliance, businesses and foundations.
The $1.3 million second phase that is now underway includes new seating, trees, plants, art and a trellis along E. 12th Street. Construction for this phase stems from the $20 million sale of the Convention Center to Cuyahoga County.
The Perk Park project was originally designed in 2003 during Mayor Campbell's administration, but was not constructed at that time due to lack of funding. The nonprofit organization ParkWorks led the redesign process. Landscape architects Thomas Balsley of New York and James McKnight of Cleveland designed it.
The new park adds to the number of redeveloped green/public spaces that exist in downtown Cleveland. There are nearly 3,000 residents living within a three-minute walk of the park, according to Downtown Cleveland Alliance. The Erieview District, as it's called, has the second largest concentration of downtown residents (the Warehouse District is first). The location is also a major hub for office jobs.
Source: Downtown Cleveland Alliance/ParkWorks
Writer: Lee Chilcote
From University Circle to Slavic Village to Buckeye and beyond, art abounds in and around Cleveland. In this pictorial essay, Fresh Water photographer Bob Perkoski trains his lens on the stunning, stirring and thought-provoking works that can be found inside Cleveland's finest repositories of art to some of Cleveland's most overlooked urban enclaves. Art, both classical and modern, architecture and design fill this city with beauty, imbue its citizens with hope, and brighten up the places we live, work and play.
Although the Nature Center at Shaker Lakes is well-known for its picturesque cattail-filled marsh, the plant is actually an invasive species. It was somehow introduced here in the 1970s, and has been multiplying wildly ever since.
In recent years, the aggressive species has established such a dominant presence here that it has crowded out many other plants. The result has been a less diverse ecosystem in the marsh, including fewer species of birds and other animals.
Now, thanks for a $78,000 grant from the Environmental Protection Agency, the Nature Center is in the midst of a two-year project to remove the cattails from the marsh and return it to greater ecological health. This spring, Nature Center staff and volunteers planted some 3,000 grasses and wildflowers, 200 shrubs and 20 large trees, all of which are native to Northeast Ohio.
To kill the hardy, fast-spreading cattail plants, a variety of treatments were used, including cutting, hand-pulling and spraying with a low-percentage herbicide.
More than 25,000 people visit the Nature Center annually. Staff here are using the marsh restoration as an opportunity to highlight the problem of invasive species in Ohio, the importance of preservation and what ordinary citizens can do.
The Nature Center at Shaker Lakes was founded in 1966 as the result of a grassroots community effort to preserve the Shaker Heights park lands from becoming the route for a new freeway connecting the east side to downtown. Today, it is recognized as a model urban environmental resource center.
Source: The Nature Center
Writer: Lee Chilcote
In recent years, the aggressive species has established such a dominant presence here that it has crowded out many other plants. The result has been a less diverse ecosystem in the marsh, including fewer species of birds and other animals.
Now, thanks for a $78,000 grant from the Environmental Protection Agency, the Nature Center is in the midst of a two-year project to remove the cattails from the marsh and return it to greater ecological health. This spring, Nature Center staff and volunteers planted some 3,000 grasses and wildflowers, 200 shrubs and 20 large trees, all of which are native to Northeast Ohio.
To kill the hardy, fast-spreading cattail plants, a variety of treatments were used, including cutting, hand-pulling and spraying with a low-percentage herbicide.
More than 25,000 people visit the Nature Center annually. Staff here are using the marsh restoration as an opportunity to highlight the problem of invasive species in Ohio, the importance of preservation and what ordinary citizens can do.
The Nature Center at Shaker Lakes was founded in 1966 as the result of a grassroots community effort to preserve the Shaker Heights park lands from becoming the route for a new freeway connecting the east side to downtown. Today, it is recognized as a model urban environmental resource center.
Source: The Nature Center
Writer: Lee Chilcote
The bunker-like concrete building at the corner of Euclid and E. 22nd was built in 1971 as a Holiday Inn. It became Cleveland State University's first dormitory in 1986. Over the years, Viking Hall has come to be seen as something of a relic -- and a barrier to the new, outward-focused identity of the university.
Now, after being closed since 2010 when CSU opened the nearby Euclid Commons residential development, the Campus District eyesore is set to be demolished. CSU has applied for a $2 million "Clean Ohio Fund" grant to help pay for asbestos removal and demolition, and university officials have stated their intention to bring the building down as soon as possible. Grant awards from the Ohio Department of Development will be announced in November.
CSU aims to turn the site into a $50 million commercial, retail and residential development. Currently, the university is preparing a Request for Proposals (RFP) to obtain ideas from developers for potential uses of the property.
The demolition of Viking Hall and preparation of the site for future development is part of a larger effort by the university to transform its campus into a more welcoming, more residential campus. Promoting student life and building a walkable campus environment and retail amenities will encourage students to apply to CSU while helping to improve the neighborhood, say university officials. CSU also received a boost from the completion of the Euclid Corridor project, which has improved infrastructure and spurred new development in the area.
CSU officials plan to use the project to better link Euclid with Wolstein Center to the south. A public walkway or green space are possibilities. The university would like to find a developer for the site by sometime next year, and begin construction by 2013. CSU plans to remain involved in the development project to ensure that its outcome aligns with the goals of the campus Master Plan.
Adding to a slew of recently completed development projects, the university also has announced plans to partner with Polaris Real Estate Equities to develop Campus Village, a $45 million, 308-unit project being built on Chester at E. 22nd that aims to attract faculty, staff, graduate students, professors and young professionals to live on campus.
Source: Cleveland State University
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Now, after being closed since 2010 when CSU opened the nearby Euclid Commons residential development, the Campus District eyesore is set to be demolished. CSU has applied for a $2 million "Clean Ohio Fund" grant to help pay for asbestos removal and demolition, and university officials have stated their intention to bring the building down as soon as possible. Grant awards from the Ohio Department of Development will be announced in November.
CSU aims to turn the site into a $50 million commercial, retail and residential development. Currently, the university is preparing a Request for Proposals (RFP) to obtain ideas from developers for potential uses of the property.
The demolition of Viking Hall and preparation of the site for future development is part of a larger effort by the university to transform its campus into a more welcoming, more residential campus. Promoting student life and building a walkable campus environment and retail amenities will encourage students to apply to CSU while helping to improve the neighborhood, say university officials. CSU also received a boost from the completion of the Euclid Corridor project, which has improved infrastructure and spurred new development in the area.
CSU officials plan to use the project to better link Euclid with Wolstein Center to the south. A public walkway or green space are possibilities. The university would like to find a developer for the site by sometime next year, and begin construction by 2013. CSU plans to remain involved in the development project to ensure that its outcome aligns with the goals of the campus Master Plan.
Adding to a slew of recently completed development projects, the university also has announced plans to partner with Polaris Real Estate Equities to develop Campus Village, a $45 million, 308-unit project being built on Chester at E. 22nd that aims to attract faculty, staff, graduate students, professors and young professionals to live on campus.
Source: Cleveland State University
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Kate Dupuis moved from Bay Village to a condemned Queen Anne Victorian in the Clark-Fulton neighborhood of Cleveland nearly 20 years ago. Now she's fighting to save her adopted community from the ravages of neglect, disinvestment and the foreclosure crisis.
The near-west side neighborhood has been hard hit by the economic downturn and is littered with boarded-up, vacant properties. Yet Dupuis insists that it's worth salvaging -- and it can happen if residents are organized, she adds.
"Our agenda is to bring some attention to a long-neglected neighborhood that has the viability to be saved," says Dupuis, a stained glass artist who chairs the neighborhood's volunteer-led Housing Committee. "Our housing stock is wonderful and extremely affordable, and we have committed, solid residents. But the neighborhood's at a tipping point -- we need to address our urban blight."
Towards that end, Dupuis and other residents have organized a project to fix up an historic, vacant gas station at W. 44th and Storer Ave. in the heart of the neighborhood this Saturday. A team of volunteers will cover the long-neglected building with plywood, repaint it, install a pathway of concrete pavers, and add landscaping that transforms the empty property into a park-like setting.
The project is part of a larger effort by the Housing Committee to involve residents in improvement projects while pressing the city for additional resources. "We have properties in our community that have been vacant for years, and along with that comes the attendant crime," says Dupuis. "We're pushing the city to remedy the worst of the worst by tearing down these houses."
Dupuis stresses that the Housing Committee is also helping to preserve the neighborhood's building stock. This Saturday's effort is one such project. The event is co-sponsored by Cleveland Housing Court and the Stockyard, Clark-Fulton and Brooklyn Centre Community Development Corporation.
Although Dupuis says there isn't much new investment taking place on Storer Ave, she notices subtle, positive changes in the neighborhood. "We're giving people in the community hope because we're taking action and doing things."
Source: Kate Dupuis
Writer: Lee Chilcote
The near-west side neighborhood has been hard hit by the economic downturn and is littered with boarded-up, vacant properties. Yet Dupuis insists that it's worth salvaging -- and it can happen if residents are organized, she adds.
"Our agenda is to bring some attention to a long-neglected neighborhood that has the viability to be saved," says Dupuis, a stained glass artist who chairs the neighborhood's volunteer-led Housing Committee. "Our housing stock is wonderful and extremely affordable, and we have committed, solid residents. But the neighborhood's at a tipping point -- we need to address our urban blight."
Towards that end, Dupuis and other residents have organized a project to fix up an historic, vacant gas station at W. 44th and Storer Ave. in the heart of the neighborhood this Saturday. A team of volunteers will cover the long-neglected building with plywood, repaint it, install a pathway of concrete pavers, and add landscaping that transforms the empty property into a park-like setting.
The project is part of a larger effort by the Housing Committee to involve residents in improvement projects while pressing the city for additional resources. "We have properties in our community that have been vacant for years, and along with that comes the attendant crime," says Dupuis. "We're pushing the city to remedy the worst of the worst by tearing down these houses."
Dupuis stresses that the Housing Committee is also helping to preserve the neighborhood's building stock. This Saturday's effort is one such project. The event is co-sponsored by Cleveland Housing Court and the Stockyard, Clark-Fulton and Brooklyn Centre Community Development Corporation.
Although Dupuis says there isn't much new investment taking place on Storer Ave, she notices subtle, positive changes in the neighborhood. "We're giving people in the community hope because we're taking action and doing things."
Source: Kate Dupuis
Writer: Lee Chilcote
cle's vacant land as ecological research site
Cleveland, like many cities, is in possession of numerous vacant lots -- 20,000 or so, say some estimates. Land banks, which purchase, raze and repurpose some parcels, is one solution. Urban farms are another.
In this lengthy essay in The New York Times, written by Michael Tortorello, another use of vacant land is discussed: ecological research.
"As it happens," reads the piece, "a team of local scientists has designated this accidental landscape an Urban Long-Term Research Area -- that is, Ultra. And having won a $272,000 exploratory award from the National Science Foundation, the researchers call their project Ultra-Ex. There's enough turf here for everybody: Ultra-Ex scientists are studying bird and insect populations, watershed systems, soil nematodes and urban farms.
Their mission? To document the ecological benefits that vacant lots might provide and to redefine the land, from neighborhood blight to community asset.
Read the compelling piece here.
In this lengthy essay in The New York Times, written by Michael Tortorello, another use of vacant land is discussed: ecological research.
"As it happens," reads the piece, "a team of local scientists has designated this accidental landscape an Urban Long-Term Research Area -- that is, Ultra. And having won a $272,000 exploratory award from the National Science Foundation, the researchers call their project Ultra-Ex. There's enough turf here for everybody: Ultra-Ex scientists are studying bird and insect populations, watershed systems, soil nematodes and urban farms.
Their mission? To document the ecological benefits that vacant lots might provide and to redefine the land, from neighborhood blight to community asset.
Read the compelling piece here.