Stories
NEOSA Tech Week 2012 was held last week at various northeast Ohio locations, promoting the region’s technology companies and the work they are doing in the field. This is the second year for the event, which increased participation by 80 percent with more than 900 people attending nine separate events.
“It was awesome,” says Brad Nellis, NEOSA director. “The main goal is to raise the profile of the technology industry in Cleveland.”
The week kicked off with Tech Pitch night at the 100th Bomb Group, where 10 companies pitched their businesses to IT executives. “The purpose was for business development and to make business connections,” explains Nellis. The audience voted for the most intriguing company, most wanted product and best pitch.
A talent networking event linked 100 young professionals and college students with 25 area companies -- from small employers to international power companies. “We heard from a number of companies who participated about how good it was for them,” says Nellis.
The sixth annual Best in Tech Awards recognized outstanding tech companies and impressive tech entrepreneurs in the region. Six companies out of 60 nominations were named as winners in various categories. Sparkbase was named Tech Company of the Year. The CIO of the Year awards were also announced in four categories.
The Cool Tech Challenge invited 31 area high school teams to compete in web site design. Seventy students on 43 teams competed. Six students on three teams from Mentor High School, Beaumont School and Copley-Fairlawn High School each received $1,000 in scholarships.
Source: Brad Nellis
Writer: Karin Connelly
“It was awesome,” says Brad Nellis, NEOSA director. “The main goal is to raise the profile of the technology industry in Cleveland.”
The week kicked off with Tech Pitch night at the 100th Bomb Group, where 10 companies pitched their businesses to IT executives. “The purpose was for business development and to make business connections,” explains Nellis. The audience voted for the most intriguing company, most wanted product and best pitch.
A talent networking event linked 100 young professionals and college students with 25 area companies -- from small employers to international power companies. “We heard from a number of companies who participated about how good it was for them,” says Nellis.
The sixth annual Best in Tech Awards recognized outstanding tech companies and impressive tech entrepreneurs in the region. Six companies out of 60 nominations were named as winners in various categories. Sparkbase was named Tech Company of the Year. The CIO of the Year awards were also announced in four categories.
The Cool Tech Challenge invited 31 area high school teams to compete in web site design. Seventy students on 43 teams competed. Six students on three teams from Mentor High School, Beaumont School and Copley-Fairlawn High School each received $1,000 in scholarships.
Source: Brad Nellis
Writer: Karin Connelly
Bizdom Cleveland, a business accelerator that mentors and funds up-and-coming entrepreneurs, launched its first six businesses from the fall program. The six businesses were selected from 350 applicants, who were then narrowed down to 32 participants in a 12-week mentoring program.
The six businesses participated in “Demo Day” on Wednesday at Quicken Loans Arena, where they showcased their companies to potential investors.
“Thirty-five investors from throughout the region came to meet the inaugural Bizdom class and take a look at all the hard work they’ve done,” says Paul Allen, team leader for Bizdom Cleveland. “This is just the start of fundraising activities for these six new businesses. They will continue to meet with investors in the region and outside the region.”
The businesses received up to a $25,000 investment in exchange for an eight percent equity share in the new company. The startups will remain in Bizdom’s offices for three months. The companies must remain in Cleveland once they branch out on their own.
The six companies are: BigRiver; BOOM; InStoreFinance; Urban Matrix; SafeCare; and On Demand Interpretation.
“They’re all operating in technology, web and software space and all are performing at a really high level,” says Allen. “Our strategy is on product design and we have high expectations on sales and they are all doing really well.”
Bizdom accepts applications quarterly for sessions. Seventy entrepreneurs applied for the April session, of which four will be selected. The next session begins in July.
Source: Paul Allen
Writer: Karin Connelly
The six businesses participated in “Demo Day” on Wednesday at Quicken Loans Arena, where they showcased their companies to potential investors.
“Thirty-five investors from throughout the region came to meet the inaugural Bizdom class and take a look at all the hard work they’ve done,” says Paul Allen, team leader for Bizdom Cleveland. “This is just the start of fundraising activities for these six new businesses. They will continue to meet with investors in the region and outside the region.”
The businesses received up to a $25,000 investment in exchange for an eight percent equity share in the new company. The startups will remain in Bizdom’s offices for three months. The companies must remain in Cleveland once they branch out on their own.
The six companies are: BigRiver; BOOM; InStoreFinance; Urban Matrix; SafeCare; and On Demand Interpretation.
“They’re all operating in technology, web and software space and all are performing at a really high level,” says Allen. “Our strategy is on product design and we have high expectations on sales and they are all doing really well.”
Bizdom accepts applications quarterly for sessions. Seventy entrepreneurs applied for the April session, of which four will be selected. The next session begins in July.
Source: Paul Allen
Writer: Karin Connelly
Studies show that kids who don’t have good literacy skills by the third grade are four times more likely to drop out before finishing high school, making it unlikely they will find productive jobs as adults. The Literacy Cooperative’s Supporting Partnerships to Assure Ready Kids (SPARK) program helps prepare kids for kindergarten and ultimately get them off to a good start.
“The SPARK program started in Canton six or seven years ago and they’ve seen measureable improvement,” says Literacy Cooperative executive director Bob Paponetti. “By third grade, the SPARK children are doing better than standardized testing.”
The SPARK program began last year with four-year-olds getting ready to enter kindergarten in seven schools in three school districts: Cleveland, Cleveland Heights and Maple Heights. The program pairs a parent partner who goes to the child’s home once a month and guides the child and parent through a proven curriculum and teaches parents ways to incorporate learning into daily home activities.
The results have been encouraging, showing a higher percentage of kindergarten-readiness in the participants. “Children who participated in SPARK showed a significant marked improvement over kids in the same classroom,” says Paponetti. “We’re very pleased with the first year and we will continue to track them.”
The program targets kids early on so that they have a better chance of finishing school, going to college and being prepared to compete for good jobs.
“There is a clear connection between how they do early on and how they do later in life,” explains Paponetti. “The jobs that continue to be created require more than a high school diploma. There are 400,000 adults in Cuyahoga County who don’t have those requirements, so it’s important to get kids off to a good start. The investment in early childhood really pays off."
Source: Bob Paponetti
Writer: Karin Connelly
“The SPARK program started in Canton six or seven years ago and they’ve seen measureable improvement,” says Literacy Cooperative executive director Bob Paponetti. “By third grade, the SPARK children are doing better than standardized testing.”
The SPARK program began last year with four-year-olds getting ready to enter kindergarten in seven schools in three school districts: Cleveland, Cleveland Heights and Maple Heights. The program pairs a parent partner who goes to the child’s home once a month and guides the child and parent through a proven curriculum and teaches parents ways to incorporate learning into daily home activities.
The results have been encouraging, showing a higher percentage of kindergarten-readiness in the participants. “Children who participated in SPARK showed a significant marked improvement over kids in the same classroom,” says Paponetti. “We’re very pleased with the first year and we will continue to track them.”
The program targets kids early on so that they have a better chance of finishing school, going to college and being prepared to compete for good jobs.
“There is a clear connection between how they do early on and how they do later in life,” explains Paponetti. “The jobs that continue to be created require more than a high school diploma. There are 400,000 adults in Cuyahoga County who don’t have those requirements, so it’s important to get kids off to a good start. The investment in early childhood really pays off."
Source: Bob Paponetti
Writer: Karin Connelly
cleveland orchestra, visiting san fran, sounds marvelous at sunday opener
"Is music director Franz Welser-Möst -- now in his tenth season with the 'Big Five' orchestra -- in the same league as George Szell and Christoph von Dohnányi and his other illustrious predecessors? Will the orchestra overcome its substantial debt? Are its periodic residencies in Miami and New York acts of desperation, or creative solutions to its fiscal woes?" the San Jose Mercury News asks rhetorically in a review of the visiting orchestra.
"Yada, yada, yada. Sunday night, the orchestra arrived in San Francisco for the first of two programs, and it sounded marvelous from the opening measures of Mendelssohn's Symphony No. 3 in A minor, "Scottish" -- and still better with Shostakovitch's Symphony," it answered itself.
"No. 6, which was like a long and beautiful march to the abyss. Coincidentally, Sunday was the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, but this orchestra wasn't going down. If anything, it sounded titanically impressive at Davies Symphony Hall, where it is performing in honor of another centennial: the 100th anniversary of the San Francisco Symphony."
Enjoy the rest here.
"Yada, yada, yada. Sunday night, the orchestra arrived in San Francisco for the first of two programs, and it sounded marvelous from the opening measures of Mendelssohn's Symphony No. 3 in A minor, "Scottish" -- and still better with Shostakovitch's Symphony," it answered itself.
"No. 6, which was like a long and beautiful march to the abyss. Coincidentally, Sunday was the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, but this orchestra wasn't going down. If anything, it sounded titanically impressive at Davies Symphony Hall, where it is performing in honor of another centennial: the 100th anniversary of the San Francisco Symphony."
Enjoy the rest here.
Former Reddstone chef Josh Kabat and his fiance and business partner, Kiaran Daily, have opened Cleveland Pickle, a gourmet downtown sandwich shop. The venue specializes in eclectic sandwiches made from fresh, often local ingredients. Many of the sandwiches are also creatively named after local Cleveland landmarks.
For instance, the Terminal is a savory and sweet sandwich featuring black forest ham, brie, spinach, roasted tomato pesto and apricot jam. The Payne Avenue panini is a twist on the Vietnamese banh mi sandwich, with a touch of chipotle for extra zest.
"Everyone loves sandwiches, and these are sandwiches that people have never seen before," says Kabat. "We use all top of the line ingredients, similar to what you'd find in a fine dining restaurant. Kiaran and I wanted to take our experiences working in chef-driven restaurants as well as bars and bring it all together."
Kabat and Daily make pickles out of their home, adding fresh, delicious chunks of pickle to many of their signature sandwiches. "Love is what sets us apart," says Kabat. "We pour our blood, sweat and tears into this meticulous process."
Cleveland Pickle joins a host of new restaurants and eateries that have opened on Euclid Avenue, including Hodge's, Colossal Cupcakes, Nexus Cafe and Potbelly.
Cleveland Pickle is open Monday to Friday from 9 am until 4 pm. After Memorial Day, the owners plan to stay open Saturdays and until 8 pm during the week.
Source: Josh Kabat
Writer: Lee Chilcote
For instance, the Terminal is a savory and sweet sandwich featuring black forest ham, brie, spinach, roasted tomato pesto and apricot jam. The Payne Avenue panini is a twist on the Vietnamese banh mi sandwich, with a touch of chipotle for extra zest.
"Everyone loves sandwiches, and these are sandwiches that people have never seen before," says Kabat. "We use all top of the line ingredients, similar to what you'd find in a fine dining restaurant. Kiaran and I wanted to take our experiences working in chef-driven restaurants as well as bars and bring it all together."
Kabat and Daily make pickles out of their home, adding fresh, delicious chunks of pickle to many of their signature sandwiches. "Love is what sets us apart," says Kabat. "We pour our blood, sweat and tears into this meticulous process."
Cleveland Pickle joins a host of new restaurants and eateries that have opened on Euclid Avenue, including Hodge's, Colossal Cupcakes, Nexus Cafe and Potbelly.
Cleveland Pickle is open Monday to Friday from 9 am until 4 pm. After Memorial Day, the owners plan to stay open Saturdays and until 8 pm during the week.
Source: Josh Kabat
Writer: Lee Chilcote
If you didn't have a ticket to the Rock Hall Induction, no worries, we've got you covered. This star-studded slideshow takes you from the red carpet to backstage, with appearances by Mayor Frank Jackson, George Clinton, Alice Cooper, David Arquette, Jim Brickman, Michael Stanley, Smokey Robinson, Ron Wood, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, ZZ Top and, as they say, many, many more.
One of the most widely read Fresh Water features was a story on Ohio's burgeoning craft distillery trend. But it wasn't all good news: As it stood at the time of publication, only one permit was allowed in each of Cuyahoga, Franklin and Hamilton counties. What's more, those few permit holders could distill but not sell their wares on-site. A new law eliminates the restrictions on the number of permits while enabling holders to sell their products directly to consumers.
rolling stone mag calls induction 'best in recent memory'
Rolling Stone magazine couldn't resist leading its review of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony with a Titanic reference, but writer Andy Greene quickly righted the ship, so to speak.
"Walking into Cleveland, Ohio's Public Auditorium for the 27th annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony last night, it was hard to not think of the Titanic striking an iceberg on the very same day 100 years ago. In recent days Axl Rose and Rod Stewart, two of the biggest stars entering the Hall of Fame this year, pulled out of the show, making complete reunion performances by the Faces and Guns N' Roses impossible. Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist John Frusciante opted not to come, and the Beastie Boys' Adam Yauch stayed home as he continues to recover from cancer," he wrote.
"One might think that these absences would sink the induction ceremony somewhere deep into the Atlantic Ocean, but it turns out they didn't matter much at all. In fact, it was one of the best Hall of Fame induction ceremonies in recent memory."
Highlights include a "note-perfect 'Sweet Child O' Mine," "an incredible medley of Beastie classics" performed by the Roots and Kid Rock, a "bombastic rendition" of Green Day's "Letterbomb," and the three-song set by Red Hot Chili Peppers that included "By the Way," "The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie" and "Give It Away."
Read more here.
"Walking into Cleveland, Ohio's Public Auditorium for the 27th annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony last night, it was hard to not think of the Titanic striking an iceberg on the very same day 100 years ago. In recent days Axl Rose and Rod Stewart, two of the biggest stars entering the Hall of Fame this year, pulled out of the show, making complete reunion performances by the Faces and Guns N' Roses impossible. Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist John Frusciante opted not to come, and the Beastie Boys' Adam Yauch stayed home as he continues to recover from cancer," he wrote.
"One might think that these absences would sink the induction ceremony somewhere deep into the Atlantic Ocean, but it turns out they didn't matter much at all. In fact, it was one of the best Hall of Fame induction ceremonies in recent memory."
Highlights include a "note-perfect 'Sweet Child O' Mine," "an incredible medley of Beastie classics" performed by the Roots and Kid Rock, a "bombastic rendition" of Green Day's "Letterbomb," and the three-song set by Red Hot Chili Peppers that included "By the Way," "The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie" and "Give It Away."
Read more here.
You know the old saying: Once you start allowing chickens in your neighborhood, any four-legged creature can walk right in off the street.
Well, there goes the neighborhood!
Despite cries of fowl play, it appears that the City of Cleveland Heights is poised to allow residents to raise up to four chickens in their backyards. A group called Hens in Lakewood is lobbying their city to allow chicken-rearing too, yet the group is battling resistance from other residents and skeptical city council members.
The City of Cleveland Heights, once the pristine province of those fleeing the city for greener (yet livestock-free) pastures, may soon return to its roots. A century ago, many small farms flourished here. Although the proposed changes will not allow market gardening (where gardeners sell their wares), they will allow residents to raise their own eggs.
In a few weeks, the Cleveland Heights Planning Commission will consider new, sustainable zoning code recommendations that include allowing up to four chickens. If the board accepts the Planning Department's recommendations, the city will become one of the first suburbs in Northeast Ohio to allow chickens.
"We received a lot of phone calls about this issue, but the pro-chicken people were more vocal," says Karen Knittel, a City Planner with the City of Cleveland Heights. "Concerns were raised around chickens not being well-kept and attracting rats. We're easing into this to make sure people don't disturb their neighbors."
The proposals require chicken coops to be at least 10 feet from a resident's property line, and would-be chicken keepers will have to apply for a conditional use permit from the city that can be revoked if health or safety issues arise.
Despite the widespread flaps about backyard chickens, Jaime Bouvier, a Visiting Legal Writing Professor at the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law at Cleveland State University, says that genuine problems are actually quite uncommon.
"In cities across the country, backyard chickens are always very contentious," she says. "Yet the issue causes more concern than warranted. Typically, there aren't huge amounts of people that do it, and it doesn't get out of control."
Bouvier has written extensively about the legal issues surrounding backyard chickens and aggregated model practices around the country. She has organized an Urban Agriculture Symposium that takes place at CSU this Friday.
Source: Karen Knittell, Jaime Bouvier
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Well, there goes the neighborhood!
Despite cries of fowl play, it appears that the City of Cleveland Heights is poised to allow residents to raise up to four chickens in their backyards. A group called Hens in Lakewood is lobbying their city to allow chicken-rearing too, yet the group is battling resistance from other residents and skeptical city council members.
The City of Cleveland Heights, once the pristine province of those fleeing the city for greener (yet livestock-free) pastures, may soon return to its roots. A century ago, many small farms flourished here. Although the proposed changes will not allow market gardening (where gardeners sell their wares), they will allow residents to raise their own eggs.
In a few weeks, the Cleveland Heights Planning Commission will consider new, sustainable zoning code recommendations that include allowing up to four chickens. If the board accepts the Planning Department's recommendations, the city will become one of the first suburbs in Northeast Ohio to allow chickens.
"We received a lot of phone calls about this issue, but the pro-chicken people were more vocal," says Karen Knittel, a City Planner with the City of Cleveland Heights. "Concerns were raised around chickens not being well-kept and attracting rats. We're easing into this to make sure people don't disturb their neighbors."
The proposals require chicken coops to be at least 10 feet from a resident's property line, and would-be chicken keepers will have to apply for a conditional use permit from the city that can be revoked if health or safety issues arise.
Despite the widespread flaps about backyard chickens, Jaime Bouvier, a Visiting Legal Writing Professor at the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law at Cleveland State University, says that genuine problems are actually quite uncommon.
"In cities across the country, backyard chickens are always very contentious," she says. "Yet the issue causes more concern than warranted. Typically, there aren't huge amounts of people that do it, and it doesn't get out of control."
Bouvier has written extensively about the legal issues surrounding backyard chickens and aggregated model practices around the country. She has organized an Urban Agriculture Symposium that takes place at CSU this Friday.
Source: Karen Knittell, Jaime Bouvier
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Great customer service keeps Embrace Pet Insurance growing strong. Embrace has already exceeded its projected 25-percent growth in new policy sales this year. In fact, Monday was the company’s biggest sales day in its history. Now in its ninth year, Embrace's co-founder Laura Bennett credits her customers’ experiences with much of the company’s success.
“You can’t always assume it’s all the things you are doing, and you can’t always assume it’s the improving economy,” says Bennett. “People do their research and they always end up looking at Embrace because we have great customer service and a great product. There’s also a growing awareness of pet insurance.”
Embrace posts testimonials from pet owners about their positive experiences with the company and the cost savings from having pet insurance. “It can take a year or two or three before you need a claim, so we rely on client reviews,” says Bennett. “And we’re doing more marketing with outreach to veterinarians because people listen to them.”
Embrace recently added two positions to its contact center and is looking for an IT person and an internal process manager. They’ve grown from 23 people a year ago to 30 today. “It’s nice to be hiring,” says Bennett.
Source: Laura Bennett
Writer: Karin Connelly
“You can’t always assume it’s all the things you are doing, and you can’t always assume it’s the improving economy,” says Bennett. “People do their research and they always end up looking at Embrace because we have great customer service and a great product. There’s also a growing awareness of pet insurance.”
Embrace posts testimonials from pet owners about their positive experiences with the company and the cost savings from having pet insurance. “It can take a year or two or three before you need a claim, so we rely on client reviews,” says Bennett. “And we’re doing more marketing with outreach to veterinarians because people listen to them.”
Embrace recently added two positions to its contact center and is looking for an IT person and an internal process manager. They’ve grown from 23 people a year ago to 30 today. “It’s nice to be hiring,” says Bennett.
Source: Laura Bennett
Writer: Karin Connelly
Turning commuters, suburbanites and Joe and Jane Doe into "choice riders" -- those who choose public transit over driving -- has been an ongoing battle for mid-size transportation systems across the country, and Cleveland is no exception. Locally, that task falls on the shoulders of the Greater Cleveland Regional Transportation Authority, which is taking significant steps to cultivate a new generation of riders.
photo essay of trip through cleveland
"US Route 6 is the longest contiguous transcontinental route in the USA," says the blog site Stay on Route 6. "Running from Provincetown, MA to Bishop, CA (and before 1964 to Long Beach, CA), Route 6 goes through 14 states. This is your guide along all of its original 3,652 miles. From Revolutionary War sites to pioneer settlements and western mining towns, Route 6 offers an in-depth lesson in US History, charms of yesteryear and comforts of modern times."
For this post, the writer takes readers on a visual trip through Cleveland, with stops along the way in downtown, Asiatown, University Circle, Little Italy, Lakewood, and Detroit Shoreway,
Check it out here.
"US Route 6 is the longest contiguous transcontinental route in the USA," says the blog site Stay on Route 6. "Running from Provincetown, MA to Bishop, CA (and before 1964 to Long Beach, CA), Route 6 goes through 14 states. This is your guide along all of its original 3,652 miles. From Revolutionary War sites to pioneer settlements and western mining towns, Route 6 offers an in-depth lesson in US History, charms of yesteryear and comforts of modern times."
For this post, the writer takes readers on a visual trip through Cleveland, with stops along the way in downtown, Asiatown, University Circle, Little Italy, Lakewood, and Detroit Shoreway,
Check it out here.
A new initiative being pioneered by Cuyahoga County, Policy Matters Ohio and a bevy of partners aims to create more energy-efficient municipal buildings and catalyze the creation of green, living wage jobs.
Now that advocacy within the green jobs movement has shifted away from the state and federal level -- where activity is slow or nonexistent -- organizers are counting on this new initiative to help create a new model for energy-efficient construction as well as stimulate good, union jobs in Cuyahoga County.
"We were pushing on the national level, but when the cap and trade legislation fell apart, we still lacked a comprehensive energy strategy," says Shanelle Smith, local organizer for the Emerald Cities Cleveland-Cuyahoga County project. "We had the economic stimulus, but now that the money is on the ground, it's about organizing locally so it benefits all of us."
Emerald Cities, which was approved last week by Cuyahoga County Council, aims to "create a clean energy economy by developing community workforce opportunities, enhancing environmentally sustainable practices and working to make government buildings more energy efficient," according to a release.
The initiative aims to make municipal buildings in Cuyahoga County 20 percent more energy-efficient by 2020. Emerald Cities will achieve this by seeking financing mechanisms to help local governments pay for projects, creating community workforce agreements to help foster union jobs, and participating in the U.S. Department of Energy's Better Buildings Challenge.
"We want to build a pipeline to unionized apprenticeships for underrepresented communities," says Smith. "Our goal is to help create family-sustaining jobs."
Now that the initiative has been approved by Cuyahoga County, Emerald Cities partners are working together to assemble a strategic plan for implementation.
Source: Shanelle Smith
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Now that advocacy within the green jobs movement has shifted away from the state and federal level -- where activity is slow or nonexistent -- organizers are counting on this new initiative to help create a new model for energy-efficient construction as well as stimulate good, union jobs in Cuyahoga County.
"We were pushing on the national level, but when the cap and trade legislation fell apart, we still lacked a comprehensive energy strategy," says Shanelle Smith, local organizer for the Emerald Cities Cleveland-Cuyahoga County project. "We had the economic stimulus, but now that the money is on the ground, it's about organizing locally so it benefits all of us."
Emerald Cities, which was approved last week by Cuyahoga County Council, aims to "create a clean energy economy by developing community workforce opportunities, enhancing environmentally sustainable practices and working to make government buildings more energy efficient," according to a release.
The initiative aims to make municipal buildings in Cuyahoga County 20 percent more energy-efficient by 2020. Emerald Cities will achieve this by seeking financing mechanisms to help local governments pay for projects, creating community workforce agreements to help foster union jobs, and participating in the U.S. Department of Energy's Better Buildings Challenge.
"We want to build a pipeline to unionized apprenticeships for underrepresented communities," says Smith. "Our goal is to help create family-sustaining jobs."
Now that the initiative has been approved by Cuyahoga County, Emerald Cities partners are working together to assemble a strategic plan for implementation.
Source: Shanelle Smith
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Developers of the long-awaited Flats East Bank development broke ground in the worst economy in generations by hook or crook, breaking the project into phases and layering public-private financing together in a deal that was dizzyingly complex.
This week, they're singing a different tune as they celebrate new leases from five high-profile restaurant tenants, including well-known Akron restaurateur Ken Stewart and national country music venue chain Toby Keith's I Love This Bar and Grill.
Four new restaurants will open as part of Phase I, which is expected to be complete in 2013. I Love This Bar and Grill will open as part of Phase II, which the developers hope to break ground on next year if they can assemble financing.
Ken Stewart's, well-known for steak and seafood, will add a new name to the downtown restaurant scene. Lago will move its successful Tremont location to a new, larger space in the Flats East Bank. Flip Side is a gourmet burger bar with two locations in Hudson and Columbus, while Dos Tequilas will be a high-end, urban taqueria.
Toby Keith's I Love This Bar and Grill will add a new element to the downtown music scene. The developers hope the venue, a barbeque joint that will be shaped like a guitar, will tap into an unmet demand for live country music in Cleveland.
"We had interested operators from the beginning, but we took our time to select those that were most exciting," says Randy Ruttenberg with Fairmount Properties. "We're currently working on the capital stack for Phase II, which will feature around 150 residential units, waterfront retail and entertainment."
Source: Randy Ruttenberg
Writer: Lee Chilcote
This week, they're singing a different tune as they celebrate new leases from five high-profile restaurant tenants, including well-known Akron restaurateur Ken Stewart and national country music venue chain Toby Keith's I Love This Bar and Grill.
Four new restaurants will open as part of Phase I, which is expected to be complete in 2013. I Love This Bar and Grill will open as part of Phase II, which the developers hope to break ground on next year if they can assemble financing.
Ken Stewart's, well-known for steak and seafood, will add a new name to the downtown restaurant scene. Lago will move its successful Tremont location to a new, larger space in the Flats East Bank. Flip Side is a gourmet burger bar with two locations in Hudson and Columbus, while Dos Tequilas will be a high-end, urban taqueria.
Toby Keith's I Love This Bar and Grill will add a new element to the downtown music scene. The developers hope the venue, a barbeque joint that will be shaped like a guitar, will tap into an unmet demand for live country music in Cleveland.
"We had interested operators from the beginning, but we took our time to select those that were most exciting," says Randy Ruttenberg with Fairmount Properties. "We're currently working on the capital stack for Phase II, which will feature around 150 residential units, waterfront retail and entertainment."
Source: Randy Ruttenberg
Writer: Lee Chilcote
new york times reviews induction ceremony
"The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, a gleaming glass pyramid on the shore of Lake Erie, has become a proud symbol of this city. And Cleveland’s rock fans turned out in droves for the hall’s 27th induction ceremony on Saturday, only the third time it has been held here," writes the New York Times.
Highlightes include The Red Hot Chili Peppers playing with Slash of Guns N’ Roses, George Clinton of Parliament-Funkadelic and Ronnie Wood of the Faces and the Rolling Stones. For a Beastie Boys tribute, Kid Rock, Black Thought of the Roots and Travie McCoy of Gym Class Heroes rapped in old-school green Adidas jumpsuits.
"The ceremony, at the stately Public Auditorium -- a 1920s Beaux-Arts monolith a few blocks from the museum -- also honored Donovan; the blues guitarist Freddie King; the linked British invasion bands Small Faces and the Faces; the music executive Don Kirshner; and an array of backup groups."
"And in between encomiums, blistering jams and shaggy-dog stories about rockers’ early years, musicians spoke of cities as inspiration, common ground or hell."
Read the rest of the liner notes here.
Highlightes include The Red Hot Chili Peppers playing with Slash of Guns N’ Roses, George Clinton of Parliament-Funkadelic and Ronnie Wood of the Faces and the Rolling Stones. For a Beastie Boys tribute, Kid Rock, Black Thought of the Roots and Travie McCoy of Gym Class Heroes rapped in old-school green Adidas jumpsuits.
"The ceremony, at the stately Public Auditorium -- a 1920s Beaux-Arts monolith a few blocks from the museum -- also honored Donovan; the blues guitarist Freddie King; the linked British invasion bands Small Faces and the Faces; the music executive Don Kirshner; and an array of backup groups."
"And in between encomiums, blistering jams and shaggy-dog stories about rockers’ early years, musicians spoke of cities as inspiration, common ground or hell."
Read the rest of the liner notes here.
Tech Corps, the Columbus-based organization that brings technology education to school age children around Ohio, is bringing Techie Camp to Cleveland this summer at the University Settlement. The goal is to teach elementary and middle school kids computer programming, robotics and web development to better prepare them for a future in technology.
“Kids today are technology savvy, but there’s a real disconnect between the technology they use and programming,” says Lisa M. Chambers, national director of Tech Corps. “We know they like to play video games, but we want them to design video games.”
Techie Camp is designed to change that with a hands-on introduction to the field.
Sponsored by Time Warner Cable of Northeast Ohio/Western Pennsylvania, Techie Camp is a week-long program designed to educate and excite participants in technology and prepare them for future careers in the field. The hands-on program features daily projects on specific topics.
Studies show that even though today’s students are proficient in computers, very few express an interest in going into a technology career.
“Last year we didn’t see an increase in the United States in kids planning on a degree in computer science,” says Chambers. “We really have to make sure we have an early involvement with these kids. If we start teaching technology at an early age, so it becomes a part of the conversation early on, then they say, “this is what I want to do when I grow up.’”
Source: Lisa M. Chambers
Writer: Karin Connelly
“Kids today are technology savvy, but there’s a real disconnect between the technology they use and programming,” says Lisa M. Chambers, national director of Tech Corps. “We know they like to play video games, but we want them to design video games.”
Techie Camp is designed to change that with a hands-on introduction to the field.
Sponsored by Time Warner Cable of Northeast Ohio/Western Pennsylvania, Techie Camp is a week-long program designed to educate and excite participants in technology and prepare them for future careers in the field. The hands-on program features daily projects on specific topics.
Studies show that even though today’s students are proficient in computers, very few express an interest in going into a technology career.
“Last year we didn’t see an increase in the United States in kids planning on a degree in computer science,” says Chambers. “We really have to make sure we have an early involvement with these kids. If we start teaching technology at an early age, so it becomes a part of the conversation early on, then they say, “this is what I want to do when I grow up.’”
Source: Lisa M. Chambers
Writer: Karin Connelly
Revere Data, a San Francisco-based information services firm, relocated its research headquarters to Youngstown. We asked John Slanina, Senior Research Analyst, a few questions about Revere, its workforce, and what it looks for in new hires.
As a region we are fortunate to have NOCHE, the Northeast Ohio Council on Higher Education, leading our regional efforts to increase college attainment levels. Their efforts, called The Northeast Ohio Talent Dividend, has three primary goals: improve college readiness of high school and adult students, increase student retention through degree completion, and increase degree attainment among adults with some college experience but no degree.
cleveland revs up for rock and roll hall of fame induction festivities
In a long and sweeping feature in Rolling Stone, the magazine highlights the events in Cleveland surrounding the 27th annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony.
"Bill Rowley, chair of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum board, compares the induction ceremony to a Super Bowl that comes to town every three years. Cleveland fans "not only support [the induction] financially, but they will be there at every party, every night, and it will be jam-packed," he says.
"Bill Rowley, chair of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum board, compares the induction ceremony to a Super Bowl that comes to town every three years. Cleveland fans "not only support [the induction] financially, but they will be there at every party, every night, and it will be jam-packed," he says.
Read more here.
There was good news and bad news when David Uram and David Burg learned in June of 2009 about their application for Low Income Housing Tax Credits from the State of Ohio. The owners of PIRHL, an affordable housing development firm, were seeking to develop a 44-unit housing project on Euclid Avenue in MidTown called Church Square Commons.
The good news was that they'd been awarded tax credits for the project. PIRHL has completed 24 successful projects in five states in the past seven years.
The bad news was that the tax credits were worth at least 20 percent less than they had been before the recession, ripping a giant hole in the project proforma and making it impossible to continue without securing additional funding.
That funding came in the form of about $1.8 million in federal stimulus dollars and $600,000 in Housing Trust Fund dollars from the City of Cleveland. The developers broke ground on Church Square Commons in November 2010 and completed it a year later. PIRHL is hosting a dedication ceremony with Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson and other dignitaries and community partners on April 20th.
"This project provides much-needed affordable housing development in the City of Cleveland," says Uram. "Many low-income seniors fall behind in maintaining their homes and can't keep up. The project has also removed significant blight along Euclid Avenue, and helped facilitate redevelopment of the area."
The 44-unit project contains many green, sustainable features, including high-efficiency insulation that cuts down on heating bills for tenants. It also contains 4,000 square feet of common areas, including a hair salon, fitness center and community rooms, some of which are accessible to non-residents.
Uram, who helped found the company in his partner's basement and has a background in nonprofit community development, says affordable housing is a critical piece of redeveloping neighborhoods. "As we gentrify neighborhoods, folks in Cleveland need a place to live," he says. "It's a critical piece of the urban fabric."
Source: David Uram
Writer: Lee Chilcote
The good news was that they'd been awarded tax credits for the project. PIRHL has completed 24 successful projects in five states in the past seven years.
The bad news was that the tax credits were worth at least 20 percent less than they had been before the recession, ripping a giant hole in the project proforma and making it impossible to continue without securing additional funding.
That funding came in the form of about $1.8 million in federal stimulus dollars and $600,000 in Housing Trust Fund dollars from the City of Cleveland. The developers broke ground on Church Square Commons in November 2010 and completed it a year later. PIRHL is hosting a dedication ceremony with Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson and other dignitaries and community partners on April 20th.
"This project provides much-needed affordable housing development in the City of Cleveland," says Uram. "Many low-income seniors fall behind in maintaining their homes and can't keep up. The project has also removed significant blight along Euclid Avenue, and helped facilitate redevelopment of the area."
The 44-unit project contains many green, sustainable features, including high-efficiency insulation that cuts down on heating bills for tenants. It also contains 4,000 square feet of common areas, including a hair salon, fitness center and community rooms, some of which are accessible to non-residents.
Uram, who helped found the company in his partner's basement and has a background in nonprofit community development, says affordable housing is a critical piece of redeveloping neighborhoods. "As we gentrify neighborhoods, folks in Cleveland need a place to live," he says. "It's a critical piece of the urban fabric."
Source: David Uram
Writer: Lee Chilcote