Transportation
Tom Gillespie enjoys riding his motorcycle and he loves outdoor activities like golfing and camping. The problem he had was how to transport his gear while on his bike. When he couldn’t find anything that solved his problem, the environmental consultant took things into his own hands and invented The Travel Tube, a hard plastic case that holds golf clubs, fishing gear, firearms and any number of objects. The portable case attaches to a motorcycle or just about any vehicle.
“I kind of had it rumbling around in my head for a while,” Gillespie says of the concept. “I couldn’t find anything like it. So I wrote a patent and took my rudimentary drawings to a manufacturer. After I had the prototype for the Travel Tube I put my golf clubs in it, put it on the back of my motorcycle and rode to Chicago.”
The Travel Tube is lightweight -- only about seven pounds -- is water-resistant, and its hard shell allows it to be checked on airplanes or shipped through the mail. Gillespie took his prototype to COSE’s Cleveland Shark Tank Pitch Contest -- and won. He is now in full production, filling orders for 50 units, each selling for $99. He also is working on a variety of accessories.
Gillespie has a storefront in Ohio City. As he ramps up production and sales, he plans on hiring some salespeople and at least one person to manage the phones.
Source: Tom Gillespie
Writer: Karin Connelly
“I kind of had it rumbling around in my head for a while,” Gillespie says of the concept. “I couldn’t find anything like it. So I wrote a patent and took my rudimentary drawings to a manufacturer. After I had the prototype for the Travel Tube I put my golf clubs in it, put it on the back of my motorcycle and rode to Chicago.”
The Travel Tube is lightweight -- only about seven pounds -- is water-resistant, and its hard shell allows it to be checked on airplanes or shipped through the mail. Gillespie took his prototype to COSE’s Cleveland Shark Tank Pitch Contest -- and won. He is now in full production, filling orders for 50 units, each selling for $99. He also is working on a variety of accessories.
Gillespie has a storefront in Ohio City. As he ramps up production and sales, he plans on hiring some salespeople and at least one person to manage the phones.
Source: Tom Gillespie
Writer: Karin Connelly
Completing the last five-mile leg of the Towpath Trail into Cleveland might be taking longer than it took to dig the entire Ohio and Erie Canal, whose 100-plus mile span was carved out by hand in just two years in the 1820s. Yet thanks to a recent $500,000 grant from the State of Ohio, the trail is inching ever closer to its final destination -- Settlers Landing Park in the Flats.
The grant from the Ohio Cultural Facilities Commission, along with $3 million that was received earlier this year from the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, will allow trail backers to break ground next year on an important .6-mile stretch along Scranton Road. More than 80 miles already have been completed; the last five miles into Cleveland is considered the home stretch for this decades-long project.
The funds will be used to build a 10-foot-wide paved trail along Scranton from Carter Road south to University Road in the Flats. The trail will be isolated for now, until it is eventually connected with the section of the Towpath that runs through the Steelyard Commons shopping center. A portion of the funding will also be used to restore fish habitat along the edge of the Cuyahoga River.
“This grant, and the construction work to come, represents another step forward in fully connecting this important regional resource to downtown Cleveland,” said Cuyahoga County Executive Ed FitzGerald in a statement. “This will mean a more attractive riverfront and a cleaner environment. This is good news for Cuyahoga County.”
Towpath planners predict the last trail sections, which must wend their way through formerly industrial land in the Flats, will proceed in three more stages. The portion from Steelyard to Literary Avenue in Tremont could start in 2015.
Source: Cuyahoga County Office of the Executive
Writer: Lee Chilcote
The grant from the Ohio Cultural Facilities Commission, along with $3 million that was received earlier this year from the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, will allow trail backers to break ground next year on an important .6-mile stretch along Scranton Road. More than 80 miles already have been completed; the last five miles into Cleveland is considered the home stretch for this decades-long project.
The funds will be used to build a 10-foot-wide paved trail along Scranton from Carter Road south to University Road in the Flats. The trail will be isolated for now, until it is eventually connected with the section of the Towpath that runs through the Steelyard Commons shopping center. A portion of the funding will also be used to restore fish habitat along the edge of the Cuyahoga River.
“This grant, and the construction work to come, represents another step forward in fully connecting this important regional resource to downtown Cleveland,” said Cuyahoga County Executive Ed FitzGerald in a statement. “This will mean a more attractive riverfront and a cleaner environment. This is good news for Cuyahoga County.”
Towpath planners predict the last trail sections, which must wend their way through formerly industrial land in the Flats, will proceed in three more stages. The portion from Steelyard to Literary Avenue in Tremont could start in 2015.
Source: Cuyahoga County Office of the Executive
Writer: Lee Chilcote
It only takes 10 minutes to walk from St. Vincent Hospital at E. 22nd Street and Community College Avenue to Cleveland State University on Euclid Avenue. Yet few people do it, in part because it is not a pedestrian-friendly experience. A new $4.2 million plan to redevelop E. 22nd aims to change that by creating a bicycle- and pedestrian-friendly boulevard and green space that could spur over $100 million in new development.
"We really see E. 22nd Street as a spine for the Campus District neighborhood," says Rockette Richardson, Executive Director of the Campus District, Inc., a nonprofit community development organization. "We developed this plan because we recognized the need for a north-south gateway to our neighborhood."
The plan re-envisions the street as a multi-modal boulevard with bike lanes, landscaped median and new retail, housing and green space development. Fresh opportunities may exist on land that will become available when the ODOT completes the Innerbelt Bridge project. The plan already has $780,000 of committed funding since ODOT is using the street as an alternate highway route and therefore must resurface it in 2013.
"The investment that is taking place by our anchor institutions -- Cleveland State University, St. Vincent and Cuyahoga Community College -- will strengthen their individual campuses and the entire area," says Richardson. She noted that St. Vincent Charity Medical Center is in the midst of a 10-year, $100 million renovation project and Tri-C recently spent $34 million on improvements.
The East 22nd Street plan is part of a larger effort to reconnect these institutions to their communities, Richardson added. "They're deeply rooted here, and they're investing in their campuses and adjoining neighborhoods so they all prosper."
Source: Rockette Richardson
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"We really see E. 22nd Street as a spine for the Campus District neighborhood," says Rockette Richardson, Executive Director of the Campus District, Inc., a nonprofit community development organization. "We developed this plan because we recognized the need for a north-south gateway to our neighborhood."
The plan re-envisions the street as a multi-modal boulevard with bike lanes, landscaped median and new retail, housing and green space development. Fresh opportunities may exist on land that will become available when the ODOT completes the Innerbelt Bridge project. The plan already has $780,000 of committed funding since ODOT is using the street as an alternate highway route and therefore must resurface it in 2013.
"The investment that is taking place by our anchor institutions -- Cleveland State University, St. Vincent and Cuyahoga Community College -- will strengthen their individual campuses and the entire area," says Richardson. She noted that St. Vincent Charity Medical Center is in the midst of a 10-year, $100 million renovation project and Tri-C recently spent $34 million on improvements.
The East 22nd Street plan is part of a larger effort to reconnect these institutions to their communities, Richardson added. "They're deeply rooted here, and they're investing in their campuses and adjoining neighborhoods so they all prosper."
Source: Rockette Richardson
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Photo - Rockette Richardson, Executive Director of the Campus District, Inc.
guide book written for new arrivals and those who'd like to rediscover cleveland
A new Cleveland-centric book joins the slowly growing bookshelf of info-packed guides to our fair city. Written and self-published by Cleveland State University urban planning grad Justin Glanville, New to Cleveland: A Guide to (re)Discovering the City is targeted both to new arrivals as well as those who'd like to rediscover their city.
Readers will find general information about various Cleveland neighborhoods, including listings of restaurants, stores and cultural institutions. But also advice on where to send your kids to school, insights on the Cleveland real estate market, and the best neighborhoods for students, artists, professionals, retirees and those who want to live car-free or car-light.
The 250-page book includes more than 50 full-color illustrations by local artist Julia Kuo. The book is also printed in Cleveland.
The guide book is only the second to be written specifically about present-day Cleveland, the other being Avalon Travel's Moon Cleveland, penned by Fresh Water editor Douglas Trattner.
There will be a launch party from 7 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 14 at Happy Dog.
Books are available online and at this weekend's Bazaar Bizarre.
Readers will find general information about various Cleveland neighborhoods, including listings of restaurants, stores and cultural institutions. But also advice on where to send your kids to school, insights on the Cleveland real estate market, and the best neighborhoods for students, artists, professionals, retirees and those who want to live car-free or car-light.
The 250-page book includes more than 50 full-color illustrations by local artist Julia Kuo. The book is also printed in Cleveland.
The guide book is only the second to be written specifically about present-day Cleveland, the other being Avalon Travel's Moon Cleveland, penned by Fresh Water editor Douglas Trattner.
There will be a launch party from 7 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 14 at Happy Dog.
Books are available online and at this weekend's Bazaar Bizarre.
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
ny times calls uptown new downtown of university circle
A recent article in the New York Times titled "Cleveland Turns Uptown Into New Downtown," written by Keith Schneider, lauds the emerging Uptown arts and entertainment district in University Circle.
With the goal of "rebuilding the city’s core according to the new urban market trends of the 21st century -- health care, higher education, entertainment, good food, new housing and expanded mass transportation" -- the new Uptown project is becoming the new downtown for University Circle.
"When it is finished next year, the new $27 million Museum of Contemporary Art, designed by Farshid Moussavi, will perch, like a lustrous black gem, at the entrance to the district, at Euclid and Mayfield Road. A pedestrian plaza designed by James Corner Field Operations, a designer of the High Line elevated park in New York City, separates the new museum from two four-story, mixed-use residential buildings under construction on the north and south sides of Euclid."
“There are 5,000 more jobs here than in 2005,” Chris Ronayne, president of University Circle Inc., is quoted in the story. “About 50,000 people work here. The number of residents grew 11 percent since 2000. And there are 10,000 people who live here now.”
Read the rest of the good news here.
With the goal of "rebuilding the city’s core according to the new urban market trends of the 21st century -- health care, higher education, entertainment, good food, new housing and expanded mass transportation" -- the new Uptown project is becoming the new downtown for University Circle.
"When it is finished next year, the new $27 million Museum of Contemporary Art, designed by Farshid Moussavi, will perch, like a lustrous black gem, at the entrance to the district, at Euclid and Mayfield Road. A pedestrian plaza designed by James Corner Field Operations, a designer of the High Line elevated park in New York City, separates the new museum from two four-story, mixed-use residential buildings under construction on the north and south sides of Euclid."
“There are 5,000 more jobs here than in 2005,” Chris Ronayne, president of University Circle Inc., is quoted in the story. “About 50,000 people work here. The number of residents grew 11 percent since 2000. And there are 10,000 people who live here now.”
Read the rest of the good news here.
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
At a recent community meeting for Launch Lorain, a grassroots planning process to plot the future of that street, Ohio City advocates eager to push W. 25th Street's development onto gritty Lorain gave a cry akin to Westward Ho!
Yet they were met with beleaguered skepticism by residents and business owners who believe more attention should be paid to basic safety and city services. Other attendees expressed the viewpoint that attracting residents and businesses to the area would create an engaged constituency that demands more from the city.
“When my building got broken into, the police came and told me this is what I get for living in this neighborhood,” said David Ellison, an architect who is rehabilitating a building at W. 41st and Lorain. “Before we look at adding fancy crosswalks, the city needs to fix the basic things such as potholes and crime."
"The best thing that we can do to create a safer Lorain is to get people there for the right reasons," countered Eric Wobser, Director of Ohio City Inc.
Planners believe they can breathe new life into Lorain by improving its streetscape, targeting empty buildings for redevelopment, and creating new housing. The street has the right retail fabric to become the community's main street and spur redevelopment south of Lorain, they argue.
"If you want to live on W. 25th Street, get in line," said Ward 3 Councilman Joe Cimperman. "We need to pull the energy of W. 25th Street up Lorain."
The three-day planning process included meetings with stakeholders and businesses, a group walk through the neighborhood at night and a chili cook-off at Palookaville Chili, one of a handful of new businesses that recently moved into the area. Now that the initial process is complete, planners will continue to gather input as they prepare a new strategic plan for the area.
Sources: David Ellison, Eric Wobser, Joe Cimperman
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Yet they were met with beleaguered skepticism by residents and business owners who believe more attention should be paid to basic safety and city services. Other attendees expressed the viewpoint that attracting residents and businesses to the area would create an engaged constituency that demands more from the city.
“When my building got broken into, the police came and told me this is what I get for living in this neighborhood,” said David Ellison, an architect who is rehabilitating a building at W. 41st and Lorain. “Before we look at adding fancy crosswalks, the city needs to fix the basic things such as potholes and crime."
"The best thing that we can do to create a safer Lorain is to get people there for the right reasons," countered Eric Wobser, Director of Ohio City Inc.
Planners believe they can breathe new life into Lorain by improving its streetscape, targeting empty buildings for redevelopment, and creating new housing. The street has the right retail fabric to become the community's main street and spur redevelopment south of Lorain, they argue.
"If you want to live on W. 25th Street, get in line," said Ward 3 Councilman Joe Cimperman. "We need to pull the energy of W. 25th Street up Lorain."
The three-day planning process included meetings with stakeholders and businesses, a group walk through the neighborhood at night and a chili cook-off at Palookaville Chili, one of a handful of new businesses that recently moved into the area. Now that the initial process is complete, planners will continue to gather input as they prepare a new strategic plan for the area.
Sources: David Ellison, Eric Wobser, Joe Cimperman
Writer: Lee Chilcote
call for artists to design murals for new innerbelt bridge
The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) and Cleveland Public Art (CPA) have issued a call for artists to design up to nine murals to adorn Cleveland’s new Innerbelt Bridge, which currently is under construction.
The new bridge's design includes several opportunities for murals in key locations where the bridge will create underpasses. Two of these areas are in Tremont, at Fairfield Avenue and West 14th Street. The other location is at Ontario Street, just south of Carnegie Avenue.
A public information session regarding the public art murals and the application process will be held on Tuesday, November 8th from 4 to 7 p.m. at Cleveland Public Art (1951 West 26th, Street #101) in Cleveland’s Ohio City neighborhood.
For more info click here.
The new bridge's design includes several opportunities for murals in key locations where the bridge will create underpasses. Two of these areas are in Tremont, at Fairfield Avenue and West 14th Street. The other location is at Ontario Street, just south of Carnegie Avenue.
A public information session regarding the public art murals and the application process will be held on Tuesday, November 8th from 4 to 7 p.m. at Cleveland Public Art (1951 West 26th, Street #101) in Cleveland’s Ohio City neighborhood.
For more info click here.
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
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
In an effort to inspire area students to think about clean energy, this year's Clean Energy Challenge will be open to local college students. NorTech is heading up Ohio’s participation in the business plan contest, sponsored by Clean Energy Trust in Chicago.
“The point of the challenge is to institute more technology transfer out of the universities,” explains Dave Karpinski, NorTech vice president. “It’s a business plan competition that focuses on clean energy technology.”
Students from Ohio colleges are invited to submit their plans in five categories: renewable energy, low-carbon transportation, Smart Grid, energy efficiency and carbon abatement. Participants in the first round submit their ideas and video presentations to compete for $10,000. The top three teams from Ohio will then go on to the regional competition, where they will receive extensive mentoring and compete for $100,000.
“They have an intense mentoring team and help fine tune their ideas,” says Karpinski. “They get lots of support behind them to develop their ideas. That’s what’s really exciting about this competition.”
Although there is a cash prize involved, Karpinski says the competition is really about encouraging new ideas and encouraging students to think about clean energy technology. “It’s not about the prize, it’s that students can get exposure to the different sectors,” he says. “It’s a great and noble mission.”
Source: Dave Karpinski
Writer: Karin Connelly
“The point of the challenge is to institute more technology transfer out of the universities,” explains Dave Karpinski, NorTech vice president. “It’s a business plan competition that focuses on clean energy technology.”
Students from Ohio colleges are invited to submit their plans in five categories: renewable energy, low-carbon transportation, Smart Grid, energy efficiency and carbon abatement. Participants in the first round submit their ideas and video presentations to compete for $10,000. The top three teams from Ohio will then go on to the regional competition, where they will receive extensive mentoring and compete for $100,000.
“They have an intense mentoring team and help fine tune their ideas,” says Karpinski. “They get lots of support behind them to develop their ideas. That’s what’s really exciting about this competition.”
Although there is a cash prize involved, Karpinski says the competition is really about encouraging new ideas and encouraging students to think about clean energy technology. “It’s not about the prize, it’s that students can get exposure to the different sectors,” he says. “It’s a great and noble mission.”
Source: Dave Karpinski
Writer: Karin Connelly
short film is entered for 'changing your city for the better' contest
For the "Changing Your City for the Better" contest, Siemens asked people to create short videos that explore how improvements in sustainability, energy supply, urban infrastructure and mobility can change a city for the better.
Working under very tight deadlines, local filmmakers Joe Baur and Dave Kiss produced this extremely insightful short film.
"We found out about the contest pretty late and, long story short, had only 48 hours to put the project together," says Baur. "We're very grateful that Mary McCahon, Ken Prendergast and Will Tarter, Jr. were able to fit us in at the last minute. Not to mention grateful to the Healthline for showing up pretty much every time we needed it to!"
Winners will be selected in the next few weeks, with prizes ranging from $550 to $15,000.
Working under very tight deadlines, local filmmakers Joe Baur and Dave Kiss produced this extremely insightful short film.
"We found out about the contest pretty late and, long story short, had only 48 hours to put the project together," says Baur. "We're very grateful that Mary McCahon, Ken Prendergast and Will Tarter, Jr. were able to fit us in at the last minute. Not to mention grateful to the Healthline for showing up pretty much every time we needed it to!"
Winners will be selected in the next few weeks, with prizes ranging from $550 to $15,000.
The typical Cleveland bus shelter is a drab glass-and-metal box whose primary purpose is keep the wind, snow, rain and salt off riders. They are not exactly known for their aesthetic appeal.
Yet two new shelters installed by the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (GCRTA) on Mayfield Road in Cleveland Heights take a more creative, sustainable approach. The solar-powered shelters light up in various colors at night, contain larger, more comfortable benches, and feature dividers for individual seats.
The new shelters were installed by GCRTA this month using a $100,000 grant from the Federal Transit Administration. They are located at Mayfield and Coventry Roads and Mayfield and Warrensville Center Roads. The project was completed in partnership with the City of Cleveland Heights.
"The solar bus stops are a very exciting project for Cleveland Heights that ties in to our commitment to ‘go green’ and support sustainability projects,” said Cleveland Heights Mayor Edward Kelley in a press release. “This partnership with RTA is a great visual way to promote solar energy.”
RTA General Manager Joe Calabrese stated that the project is evidence of RTA's commitment to sustainability. “Using public transit has always been great for the environment," he said. "Now, we have re-committed all of RTA to be more sustainable."
The shelters are powered by a rooftop solar-powered battery system. The exterior lights turn different colors at night, while the interior lights are motion-sensitive and turn on only when a customer is in the shelter.
The shelters were designed by Solar Impact, a local renewable energy company that is based in Shaker Heights. GCRTA developed the bus shelters as part of its sustainability initiative and Transit Waiting Environment program, an effort to improve its bus shelters so that they are more comfortable for users.
Source: Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Yet two new shelters installed by the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (GCRTA) on Mayfield Road in Cleveland Heights take a more creative, sustainable approach. The solar-powered shelters light up in various colors at night, contain larger, more comfortable benches, and feature dividers for individual seats.
The new shelters were installed by GCRTA this month using a $100,000 grant from the Federal Transit Administration. They are located at Mayfield and Coventry Roads and Mayfield and Warrensville Center Roads. The project was completed in partnership with the City of Cleveland Heights.
"The solar bus stops are a very exciting project for Cleveland Heights that ties in to our commitment to ‘go green’ and support sustainability projects,” said Cleveland Heights Mayor Edward Kelley in a press release. “This partnership with RTA is a great visual way to promote solar energy.”
RTA General Manager Joe Calabrese stated that the project is evidence of RTA's commitment to sustainability. “Using public transit has always been great for the environment," he said. "Now, we have re-committed all of RTA to be more sustainable."
The shelters are powered by a rooftop solar-powered battery system. The exterior lights turn different colors at night, while the interior lights are motion-sensitive and turn on only when a customer is in the shelter.
The shelters were designed by Solar Impact, a local renewable energy company that is based in Shaker Heights. GCRTA developed the bus shelters as part of its sustainability initiative and Transit Waiting Environment program, an effort to improve its bus shelters so that they are more comfortable for users.
Source: Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority
Writer: Lee Chilcote
cleveland bike advocates score 'big' win with complete streets ordinance
Writing for the sustainable transportation and living blog Streetsblog, Angie Schmitt covers the recent victory in Cleveland City Hall regarding so-called "complete streets" legislation.
Titled, "In Cleveland, A Slow Evolution Toward Sustainable Transportation," Schmitt writes that, "Last night was a big moment for sustainable transportation in Cleveland. With a small group of helmet-toting onlookers in the wings, City Council finally gave their nod to a Complete Streets ordinance -- the culmination of more than five years’ struggle."
The news was especially welcome given recent and major defeats, such as ODOT's refusal to add cycling and pedestrian infrastructure to the new Innerbelt Bridge. Riders instead got a $6-million commitment to add bike and pedestrian improvements to the Lorain-Carnegie Bridge.
Cleveland's current bike-advocacy movement, argues Schmitt, began to coalesce in recent years thanks to Sustainability Director Andrew Watterson, whose multi-day Sustainable Cleveland 2019 birthed the Sustainable Transportation Action Team (STAT).
"Over the past two years, Cleveland’s Critical Mass has been booming, culminating in nearly 450 riders at the August 2011 ride. Growth in the cycling community was further amplified by the creation of a unified cycling advocacy group. Bike Cleveland appointed a board and held a two day summit attended by more than 100 to mark their official debut earlier this month. They plan to hire full-time staff within the year."
"Cleveland’s Complete Streets ordinance requires that 20 percent of every road project’s budget be spent on green amenities like permeable pavement, or cycling and walking amenities. City Council went further, inserting a rider into the legislation that requires the council member from the affected ward to be notified before a road project is exempted from the requirement."
Of course, law and reality are two vastly different things, a fact not lost on John Mitterholzer, a STAT member.
“Its time to celebrate it and thank the mayor for a good policy,” Mitterholzer is quoted in the article. “But we also have to make sure it’s implemented.”
Read the rest of the post here.
Titled, "In Cleveland, A Slow Evolution Toward Sustainable Transportation," Schmitt writes that, "Last night was a big moment for sustainable transportation in Cleveland. With a small group of helmet-toting onlookers in the wings, City Council finally gave their nod to a Complete Streets ordinance -- the culmination of more than five years’ struggle."
The news was especially welcome given recent and major defeats, such as ODOT's refusal to add cycling and pedestrian infrastructure to the new Innerbelt Bridge. Riders instead got a $6-million commitment to add bike and pedestrian improvements to the Lorain-Carnegie Bridge.
Cleveland's current bike-advocacy movement, argues Schmitt, began to coalesce in recent years thanks to Sustainability Director Andrew Watterson, whose multi-day Sustainable Cleveland 2019 birthed the Sustainable Transportation Action Team (STAT).
"Over the past two years, Cleveland’s Critical Mass has been booming, culminating in nearly 450 riders at the August 2011 ride. Growth in the cycling community was further amplified by the creation of a unified cycling advocacy group. Bike Cleveland appointed a board and held a two day summit attended by more than 100 to mark their official debut earlier this month. They plan to hire full-time staff within the year."
"Cleveland’s Complete Streets ordinance requires that 20 percent of every road project’s budget be spent on green amenities like permeable pavement, or cycling and walking amenities. City Council went further, inserting a rider into the legislation that requires the council member from the affected ward to be notified before a road project is exempted from the requirement."
Of course, law and reality are two vastly different things, a fact not lost on John Mitterholzer, a STAT member.
“Its time to celebrate it and thank the mayor for a good policy,” Mitterholzer is quoted in the article. “But we also have to make sure it’s implemented.”
Read the rest of the post here.
Coffee aficionados at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport were at a loss when Banjo’s closed its door last year. The coffee shop was the only stop in the C concourse for Phoenix Coffee junkies to get their fill. So when Auntie Anne’s approached the local roaster about supplying their coffee, Phoenix decided to introduce a unique blend that is all Cleveland: CLE Blend.
“It’s a Cleveland pride thing,” says Phoenix CEO and self-described superbarista Sarah Wilson-Jones. “We thought it was time to have a coffee that is uniquely Cleveland.” The name reflects the Cleveland airport code.
The coffee, which originated as an espresso blend, is a combination of Brazilian, Columbian, Costa Rican and Sumatran coffees and is a medium body blend with floral aromas and touches of vanilla and a chocolate finish. The blend has its own logo – a CLE baggage tag.
Introduced in July, CLE Blend tempts travelers as they enter or leave the airport’s C concourse. It’s also available at Phoenix locations around Northeast Ohio and online. “It was designed to celebrate our relationship with the airport,” says Wilson-Jones. “It’s designed for Clevelanders by Clevelanders.”
Wilson-Jones says Auntie Anne’s approached Phoenix because they wanted a local connection for their coffee products.
“There’s a popular demand for local coffee in the airport,” she says. “And that’s what drove Auntie Anne’s to call us.”
Source: Sarah Wilson-Jones
Writer: Karin Connelly
“It’s a Cleveland pride thing,” says Phoenix CEO and self-described superbarista Sarah Wilson-Jones. “We thought it was time to have a coffee that is uniquely Cleveland.” The name reflects the Cleveland airport code.
The coffee, which originated as an espresso blend, is a combination of Brazilian, Columbian, Costa Rican and Sumatran coffees and is a medium body blend with floral aromas and touches of vanilla and a chocolate finish. The blend has its own logo – a CLE baggage tag.
Introduced in July, CLE Blend tempts travelers as they enter or leave the airport’s C concourse. It’s also available at Phoenix locations around Northeast Ohio and online. “It was designed to celebrate our relationship with the airport,” says Wilson-Jones. “It’s designed for Clevelanders by Clevelanders.”
Wilson-Jones says Auntie Anne’s approached Phoenix because they wanted a local connection for their coffee products.
“There’s a popular demand for local coffee in the airport,” she says. “And that’s what drove Auntie Anne’s to call us.”
Source: Sarah Wilson-Jones
Writer: Karin Connelly
neighborhood crawl intended to highlight cle public transport system
"Partying is hardly the main purpose," promises RTA Bar Crawl organizer Joe Baur.
To be held Saturday, August 27, the Crawl will utilize public transportation to ferry attendees from urban location to urban location, with stops Ohio City, University Circle, Little Italy, Larchmere/Shaker Square and E.4th Street. The day-long event steps off at 1 p.m. and winds down in Ohio City at 8 p.m.
"The purpose of the RTA Bar Crawl is to show Clevelanders and our suburbanite friends that our public transit system is a safe mode of transportation to get around the city," Baur explains. "It's also my hope that people will come away from the crawl envisioning life living in Cleveland proper. Walking, riding a bike or taking public transit to work, being part of the ongoing revitalization and knowing your fellow Clevelanders instead of going from boxed house to box car to office, back home to fall asleep and repeat."
Baur says the inspiration for the event came to him after listening to the "Mike Trivisonno Show," when the host said he would never step foot on the RTA, adding that downtown is filled with people who can't afford to live in the suburbs.
"Meanwhile, I'm laughing to myself," he adds, "because I fought like hell to get out of the suburbs!"
The event will also benefit the charity We Run This City.
For more info, click here.
To be held Saturday, August 27, the Crawl will utilize public transportation to ferry attendees from urban location to urban location, with stops Ohio City, University Circle, Little Italy, Larchmere/Shaker Square and E.4th Street. The day-long event steps off at 1 p.m. and winds down in Ohio City at 8 p.m.
"The purpose of the RTA Bar Crawl is to show Clevelanders and our suburbanite friends that our public transit system is a safe mode of transportation to get around the city," Baur explains. "It's also my hope that people will come away from the crawl envisioning life living in Cleveland proper. Walking, riding a bike or taking public transit to work, being part of the ongoing revitalization and knowing your fellow Clevelanders instead of going from boxed house to box car to office, back home to fall asleep and repeat."
Baur says the inspiration for the event came to him after listening to the "Mike Trivisonno Show," when the host said he would never step foot on the RTA, adding that downtown is filled with people who can't afford to live in the suburbs.
"Meanwhile, I'm laughing to myself," he adds, "because I fought like hell to get out of the suburbs!"
The event will also benefit the charity We Run This City.
For more info, click here.
progressive to hire 131 people in cleveland by end of september
Progressive, the fourth largest auto insurance group in the country, is looking to fill 108 sales, service, and claims phone representative positions as well as 23 information technology and analyst positions by the end of September.
Smart, outgoing people looking for a rewarding career are urged to apply.
"Progressive is known for taking risks and introducing innovative products," John Hoppes, national recruiting director at Progressive, is quoted in the BusinessWire article. "We are looking for energetic, customer-focused people who are passionate about finding new ways to solve problems and create ways to meet and exceed our customers' needs. In return, Progressive offers a culture that understands and welcomes diversity, rewards people for being themselves, thinking differently and for the ideas they bring."
Candidates must have an associate's and/or bachelor's degree for most positions offered except those in customer service roles.
In addition to medical, dental, vision and life insurance benefits, Progressive employees also enjoy potential bonuses, on-site fitness center, child-care subsidy and tuition assistance.
To find out more about jobs at Progressive, visit here..
To read the article, click here.
Smart, outgoing people looking for a rewarding career are urged to apply.
"Progressive is known for taking risks and introducing innovative products," John Hoppes, national recruiting director at Progressive, is quoted in the BusinessWire article. "We are looking for energetic, customer-focused people who are passionate about finding new ways to solve problems and create ways to meet and exceed our customers' needs. In return, Progressive offers a culture that understands and welcomes diversity, rewards people for being themselves, thinking differently and for the ideas they bring."
Candidates must have an associate's and/or bachelor's degree for most positions offered except those in customer service roles.
In addition to medical, dental, vision and life insurance benefits, Progressive employees also enjoy potential bonuses, on-site fitness center, child-care subsidy and tuition assistance.
To find out more about jobs at Progressive, visit here..
To read the article, click here.
The Civic Commons, a nonprofit organization that helps foster civic engagement through creating community conversations, has relocated its offices to a street-level storefront at Trinity Commons.
"We wanted to be accessible to the community, and a place where people can just drop by," says Dan Moulthrop, Civic Commons Curator of Conversation, of the move. "We don't want to be hidden in an office building somewhere; we want people to feel like the Civic Commons is a place they recognize and own."
Since launching a year ago, the Civic Commons has always planned to move out of the E. 9th Street offices of its parent organization, Fund for Our Economic Future, to a more visible spot. Moulthrop chose Trinity Commons because of its central location, on-the-street presence and reputation as an urban gathering place.
"There's a great mission overlap -- we share a sense of being of service to the community and how important that is," he says. "It's a really nice fit for us."
Trinity Commons, which is located at E. 22nd and Euclid, was developed by Trinity Episcopal Cathedral a decade ago to house its offices, provide community meeting space and create new storefronts. Moulthrop says he is looking forward to using Trinity Commons' meeting space to host face-to-face conversations about important civic issues, supplementing the group's online presence.
"We've tried to be both an online presence and out in the community since the beginning, yet we can't be in the community all the time," he says. "We're a community asset and we want to show that in our physical presence."
Moulthrop adds that the synergy between virtual and real discussions lies at the heart of the Civic Commons mission. "The vision is that thoughtful online conversation can have an impact on community conversation," he says. "The trick is doing meaningful activity in both places and connecting them in conversation. You see this when people are live-blogging or tweeting a town hall meeting."
Moulthrop is also enjoying his central location in the Campus District near downtown Cleveland. "We're close to a lot of things, and very accessible because we're right on Euclid Avenue, a major artery into downtown," he says.
Source: Dan Moulthrop
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"We wanted to be accessible to the community, and a place where people can just drop by," says Dan Moulthrop, Civic Commons Curator of Conversation, of the move. "We don't want to be hidden in an office building somewhere; we want people to feel like the Civic Commons is a place they recognize and own."
Since launching a year ago, the Civic Commons has always planned to move out of the E. 9th Street offices of its parent organization, Fund for Our Economic Future, to a more visible spot. Moulthrop chose Trinity Commons because of its central location, on-the-street presence and reputation as an urban gathering place.
"There's a great mission overlap -- we share a sense of being of service to the community and how important that is," he says. "It's a really nice fit for us."
Trinity Commons, which is located at E. 22nd and Euclid, was developed by Trinity Episcopal Cathedral a decade ago to house its offices, provide community meeting space and create new storefronts. Moulthrop says he is looking forward to using Trinity Commons' meeting space to host face-to-face conversations about important civic issues, supplementing the group's online presence.
"We've tried to be both an online presence and out in the community since the beginning, yet we can't be in the community all the time," he says. "We're a community asset and we want to show that in our physical presence."
Moulthrop adds that the synergy between virtual and real discussions lies at the heart of the Civic Commons mission. "The vision is that thoughtful online conversation can have an impact on community conversation," he says. "The trick is doing meaningful activity in both places and connecting them in conversation. You see this when people are live-blogging or tweeting a town hall meeting."
Moulthrop is also enjoying his central location in the Campus District near downtown Cleveland. "We're close to a lot of things, and very accessible because we're right on Euclid Avenue, a major artery into downtown," he says.
Source: Dan Moulthrop
Writer: Lee Chilcote
