Stories

riverside celebrates new year with new acquisition
Making good on a 2010 goal to build and strengthen its interests in the healthcare industry, The Riverside Company this month announced the acquisition of Physicians Pharmacy Alliance (PPA). The North Carolina-based company specializes in drug dispensing to at-home chronically ill patients. PPA was founded in 2002 and has been recognized as one of the fastest growing companies in the region by the Triangle Business Journal.

Riverside, a private equity firm with offices in Cleveland, considers itself a generalist when it comes to acquisitions; nevertheless, the company has made strides specializing in the healthcare, education and training industries. Riverside benefits from the knowledge and input of senior advisers in these fields. "We bring them into the fold to complement our investment professionals," says Graham Hearns, Riverside's director of marketing and communications.

Also this month, Riverside announced the add-on acquisition of CareFacts Information Systems, a St. Paul, Minnesota provider of software for home care, hospice and public health organizations. CareFacts will join Riverside's HEALTHCAREfirst, which provides web-based software to home care and hospice agencies.


SOURCE: The Riverside Company
WRITER: Diane DiPiero



social media studio teaches ins and outs of new-economy tools
Just when you thought you knew everything about social media, or were afraid to ask anymore questions, a new resource arrives on the scene. Social Media Studio (SMS), a partnership between Rapid Fire Media and Virginia Marti College, launched on January 1 of this year, and is off to a speedy start with the announcement of six upcoming events and the release of its daily e-zine.

"The intent of forming SMS was to create a forum for the best social media practitioners and educators," says Michael DeAloia, the former tech czar of the City of Cleveland and social media guru, who is helping to spearhead this new learning community.

The learning opportunities began on January 11, with an intro to social media led by DeAloia. On January 25, there's a class on effective Twitter tools. "We have planned our first six events for 2011," DeAloia says, "but I suspect we will produce between 20 and 24 events over the course of the calendar year." Experts in social media, marketing and branding will lead various classes. "The Northeast Ohio area is blessed with a rich number of social media experts," he says.

In addition to fee-based classes, SMS recently launched its inaugural Social Media Studio Daily, containing local and national news.

Through classes and the online publication, SMS seeks to broaden Northeast Ohioans' understanding and use of social media. "We have actually created a class where we are going to teach students how to be social media entrepreneurs," DeAolia says.


SOURCE: Michael DeAloia
WRITER: Diane DiPiero
survival kit, a new gallery, debuts in detroit shoreway
Alex Tapie has always wanted to open an art gallery, the kind of space that provides young, emerging artists with an opportunity to show their work to an audience.

"I wanted to create a space that was interactive and that would demystify the art experience," says Tapie, a graduate of the Cleveland Institute of Art. "A collective gallery, studio and venue space."

She mentioned the idea to fellow artists Brian Straw, Dan Price and Suzanne Cofer. "We all clicked creatively," Tapie says. Survival Kit art gallery was born.

The gallery opened with a bang in December, attracting over 200 people to its first show. Rotating exhibits and events, including music and craft fairs, are planned for 2011. On Friday and Saturday, Jan. 21-22, Survival Kit will host the 4th Coast Pop Up Market, an exhibit by local artists, designers and vendors that features art, vintage clothing and music.

Getting to this point wasn't easy, say the owners. To turn vision into reality, Tapie and her cohorts first had to find a space. They stumbled upon the perfect location, a 4,500-square-foot space in the 78th Street Studios, a hub for arts-related businesses in the Detroit Shoreway neighborhood, which Tapie labels "a great arts community."

The problem was that the space was "trashed." Tapie talked the landlord into letting her fix it up in exchange for cheap -- even free -- rent. The artists spent five months cleaning trash and debris, scraping tile, painting floors and building walls.

As for the name, Tapie says it's fitting because the gallery is a creative lifeline for young artists seeking community here. "We started joking around that this project was our survival kit -- that we could survive collectively," Tapie says. "The name just fit." And stuck.


Source: Alex Tapie
Writer: Lee Chilcote
neighborhood initiative gives south euclid bungalows a green makeover
If South Euclid's Green Neighborhoods Initiative were a reality TV show, it would be called "Extreme Bungalow Makeover." The suburb has now completed renovations on two previously bank-owned bungalows. In December, the city hosted an open house to showcase the dwellings to buyers looking for a low-maintenance lifestyle.

"The city realized it has aging housing stock that doesn't make sense in today's marketplace, and wanted to do something," says Joe Del Re, New Business Development Manager for Home Again Homes, the company that rehabbed the properties.

Historically a quiet, tucked-away suburb known for its ubiquitous bungalows, South Euclid has been hit hard by the mortgage crisis and is saddled with 600 vacant homes. The Green Neighborhoods Initiative, launched in 2010, targets two areas pocked by empty properties. South Euclid plans to rehab 10 foreclosures by the end of 2011.

To make the project possible, the city applied for and was awarded a grant of almost $1 million from the federal Neighborhood Stabilization Program and the Vacant Residential Property Fund of the First Suburbs Development Council. "The city put more into the rehab than the homes sell for," explains Del Re. "Grant funding helps cover the gap."

The city hopes the bungalows, priced at $129,900, will prove attractive to condo buyers and empty nesters. Features include first floor bedrooms, modern floor plans, high-efficiency furnaces, whole house insulation and Energy Star appliances. To qualify, buyers must meet income guidelines of 120% of Average Median Income -- about $70,000 for a family of four. South Euclid is also offering $10,000 down payment assistance.

Despite the hooks, the houses haven't sold. "It's a tough market and we haven't seen traction so far," says Del Re. "I expect things to get a little better in 2011."


Source: Joe Del Re
Writer: Lee Chilcote

cleve hotspots fair well in mag's 'best of ohio' list
In its January article titled "Best of Ohio," Ohio magazine lists what it believes are the best places to go and things to do around the Buckeye state. Cleveland-based attractions faired well, snagging four spots on the list.

Under the category "Best Way to End the Work Week," Happy Dog's polka happy hour is billed as "a riotous affair" where "a fake-beard-clad polka aficionado spins classics for a diverse crowd of college students, families and seniors, all dancing along to scratchy tunes spun on vintage vinyl."

Those with a sweet tooth were directed to Lilly Handmade Chocolates. "What a concept: selling artisanal chocolates and fine wines and craft beer in one location," the article declares. "Amanda and Joshua Montague, both classically trained chefs, help customers pair spirits with delicious chocolates, some of which also have a hint of alcohol."

Listed as a "Restaurant to Bank On," Dante Boccuzzi's Dante restaurant in Tremont dishes out a "reliably delectable menu including pasta, fish and beef, it's located in the regal confines of an old bank, and guests can request to dine in the old vault."

Earning props for its big makeover this year, Cleveland's IngenuityFest snags the category best "Fest Makeover," citing the new location beneath the Veterans Memorial Bridge as reason #1. "In 2010, one of Cleveland's most unique festivals changed things up a bit and brought in more fest-goers than ever: More than 40,000 people.

Check out the rest of the rankings here.

flats east bank to be cleveland’s first green-certified neighborhood
The Flats has often been called the birthplace of Cleveland. Soon, it will gain a new tagline when it's reborn as the city's first green-certified neighborhood.

The Wolstein Group and Fairmount Properties, co-developers of the Flats East Bank project, are using sustainable building practices in the $272 million project, which broke ground in December. The project's financing dried up in 2008, but the developers revived the deal, cobbling together more than 35 public and private funding sources. The first phase will include an office tower, hotel, retail and 14-acre riverfront park.

Last year, the U.S. Green Building Council certified that the project had met Phase I criteria for Leadership in Energy Efficiency and Design for Neighborhood Development (LEED-ND). LEED is considered to be the national standard for sustainable design.

"Early on, the developers committed to pursue LEED Neighborhood status, and also a green-built project," says Justin Glanville, Project Director for Building Cleveland by Design (BCBD), a collaboration of two nonprofits, ParkWorks and Cleveland Public Art, to inject more thoughtful design into prominent building projects in Cleveland.

"This is the direction the market is headed," adds Glanville. "Prospective tenants asked the developers about energy-efficient design because it lowers occupancy costs."

The Flats East Bank project meets LEED-ND criteria by incorporating LEED-certified buildings, energy-efficient lighting fixtures, the use of recycled content in building materials, roof gardens, reduced water use, and a reduced parking footprint. It also gets points for compact development, connection to the river and brown field remediation.

BCBD states that Cleveland is fourth in the U.S. in the number of projects seeking LEED-ND certification. The developers hired BCBD to complete the certification process.


Source: Justin Glanville
Writer: Lee Chilcote

window dressing: cleveland storefront art aims to brighten up landscape one window at a time
Cleveland Storefront Art aims to brighten up the downtown landscape by filling the windows of vacant properties with works of visual art. Through their tireless efforts, Robert Carillio and Joan Smith have crafted an artful albeit temporary solution to an irritating problem.
cleveland gears up for new bike parking facility
No brakes are being applied now on the new Bike Rack parking station in Downtown Cleveland. The City of Cleveland is overseeing the transformation of a city-owned parking garage at East 4th Street and Huron Road, expected to be completed this spring.

A search for a bike station operation manager was announced last month by Downtown Cleveland Alliance (DCA), and the position was offered, but the name of the applicant has not yet been identified. DCA says it was in search of an entrepreneurial-spirited individual to manage the Bike Rack and make it a self-sustaining business. The goal is for the Bike Rack to eventually be owned and operated by the manager without DCA involvement. In addition to the full-time operation manager, the Bike Rack will initially employ two part-time staffers.

More than just a place to park your two-wheeler, the Bike Rack will offer lockers, bicycle repair services, bike rental and an information center. The garage will be open 24/7 and will have room for at least 50 bikes, according to Josh Taylor, marketing and public relations manager for DCA. If this first venture into bike parking is as successful as experts predict, other stations will likely open around the city in the future, Taylor adds.


SOURCE: Josh Taylor
WRITER: Diane DiPiero
new case wind turbine spins out green power
Sleepy Case Western Reserve University students on their way to or from finals last semester may have gotten a surprising visual wake up call: a 156-foot-tall wind turbine that sprang up near the Veale Athletic Center in late November. The 100-kilowatt unit is being used for alternative energy research and will supply about 19 percent of the power used annually by the athletic center.

David Matthieson, an engineering professor at Case, is credited with the idea of creating a wind turbine on campus. His thought was to use "a wind turbine as a research instrument to allow companies to demonstrate their products." Companies that helped with funding of the project, including Cleveland Electric Labs, will have the opportunity to use the wind turbine to further their own research.

Case plans three more wind turbines as part of its analysis on creating wind energy in an urban environment. But the intent goes beyond research. The university has undertaken a number of issues to reduce its carbon footprint and bring awareness to faculty and students about the need for being eco-friendly. Solar-powered trash compactors are another initiative recently established on campus.


SOURCE: David Matthieson
WRITER: Diane DiPiero





nonprofit co-op launches effort to tackle inner-city environmental issues
The recent announcement of a $1.1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to create urban farms along Kinsman Avenue is just one example of the growing power of the green movement in Cleveland's urban neighborhoods.

Another example is the 2009 award of a $75,000 grant from the U.S. EPA to help create Neighborhood Leadership for Environmental Health (NLEH), a partnership between three nonprofits to improve the environmental health of four east side neighborhoods. Organizers launched the program in 2010 and convened a neighborhood summit in October.

"This is a grassroots effort to help people to understand the issues, prioritize the ones that are most important, and develop ways to address them," says Mark McLain, Director of Health and Environmental Initiatives at Neighborhood Leadership Institute (NLI). "It's about taking action to make our communities healthier."

NLEH is a partnership between Environmental Health Watch, the Earthday Coalition and the Neighborhood Leadership Institute. The four targeted neighborhoods are Central, Fairfax, Mount Pleasant and Buckeye-Woodland. Since launching the effort, organizers have brought together a group of residents and stakeholders to brainstorm top environmental issues. Currently the group is winnowing down the list to their most important concerns, as well as specific projects to address them in 2011. Issues include air pollution, energy inefficiency in homes, childhood lead poisoning and asthma.

Once the planning is complete, the nonprofits plan to apply for additional EPA funding to implement projects to improve the environmental health of these communities.

McLain says this project is unique because it uses a grassroots approach and focuses on 'greening' entire neighborhoods. "There is growing awareness in inner-city neighborhoods that issues like health, safety and education relate to the environment," he says.


Writer: Lee Chilcote
Source: Mark McLain, Neighborhood Leadership Institute


welcome to cleve-burgh!
In a Pittsburgh Post-Gazette editorial titled "Welcome to Cleveburgh!," regional economist Christopher Briem urges Pittsburghers (and Clevelanders) to rethink their place in the world.

"It may be time to talk about the once-unthinkable," he writes: A combined Cleveland-Pittsburgh metro region.

In terms of population and workforce heft, the combined region is mighty formidable, he asserts.

"The metropolitan statistical areas of Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Akron, Canton, Steubenville, Weirton and Youngtown, along with adjacent counties, add up to a population of more than 6 million and a labor force of more than 4 million," reports Briem.

To compete as a united front, he adds, both regions must share resources, ideas, capital and talent. "Cleve-burgh could take advantage of a much broader set of strengths than either Pittsburgh or Cleveland can tap on its own."

Aside from the gridiron, the beginning of a partnership already exists. The Regional Learning Network was formed in 2009 and brings together local leaders of Cleveland, Youngstown and Pittsburgh to address shared problems, Briem points out. And the TechBelt Initiative brings together emerging technology industries of the greater Pittsburgh and Cleveland regions.

So, the next time you come across somebody wearing a Steelers jersey, say, "Howdy, neighbor!"

Read the well-reasoned piece here.

tech company MCPc to move 165 jobs from 'burbs to downtown
Don't call us Silicon Valley just yet, but Cleveland has a growing list of small and mid-sized technology companies that call downtown home. In late December, Strongsville technology company MCPc announced that the firm will join their ranks, bringing 165 jobs and their corporate headquarters to downtown Cleveland in June.

MCPc, an international provider of tech products and support services with 320 employees, will move to the Plain Dealer building at 1801 Superior Ave., just east of the central business district. As two reasons behind its move, the company cited a desire to join downtown's growing hub of tech companies, and to be more centrally located. Incentives from the City of Cleveland and State of Ohio sweetened the deal.

"From major sporting events to entertainment venues, downtown Cleveland has a lot to offer our customers," says Beth Stec, Director of Corporate Communications and Human Resources. She added, "Our CEO, Mike Trebilcock, was excited about moving downtown."

The move was also celebrated by the Plain Dealer, whose headquarters is now just 70 percent full after years of cost-cutting. The building was completely occupied when it was built in 2001. MCPc plans to fill about 48,000 square feet on the third floor, as well as 49,000 square feet within the first floor parking garage. MCPc will spend about $3 million on improvements, including a new Customer Experience Center to allow clients to experience products first-hand, and a technology and distribution center.

MCPc plans to create at least 45 new jobs in downtown Cleveland. Since 2004, more than 30 technology companies have set up shop downtown, bringing over 1,000 jobs. More than half of these businesses moved from Cleveland suburbs.


Writer: Lee Chilcote
Source: Beth Stec, MCPc

cleveland pursues 'ingenious recovery strategies'
What do Munich and Cleveland, Barcelona and Seattle, Turin and Philadelphia, and Seoul and Minneapolis-St. Paul have in common? According to syndicated columnist Neal Peirce, who pens this editorial for the Seattle Times, these cities all have faced moments of serious economic challenge but then devised ingenious recovery strategies.

The recent Global Metro Summit, held last month in Chicago and sponsored by the Brookings Institution, celebrated the comeback efforts of the above cities, including those of Cleveland.

In the editorial, Peirce writes that "Seattle, the Twin Cities and the Cleveland area are even in the midst of what Brookings is heralding as a new era of applying modern business-style planning to the economic-development potential of entire citistates."

Touting "highly participatory planning processes that create vision," Peirce points to numerous examples of cities experiencing remarkable economic turnarounds.

"Could a U.S. region such as Cleveland and its sister cities of Akron and Youngstown -- erstwhile continental champions in steel, rubber, chemicals and auto assembly, now on the economic ropes -- produce similar results?" he asks rhetorically before offering the following encouraging words.

"Spirited Northeast Ohio efforts to coalesce and stop internecine warfare among the region's local governments have led to a business-type planning initiative, the "Fund for Our Economic Future." Spearheaded by more than 50 regional foundations, with an unprecedented collection of the area's local governments, business, civic and academic leaders signed on, it has developed an extensive data set, market-based intelligence and a new initiative based on boosting productivity of the region's 1,600 small to midsized manufacturing firms."

"The idea is that many Ohio firms that have traditionally worked in polymers, chemicals and metals could translate well into such current high-demand areas as global health, flexible electronics, transportation and clean energy."

Read the rest here.
andrew zimmern dishes on greenhouse
Delta travelers this month who pick up the airline's in-flight magazine Sky will be treated to a heaping portion of Cleveland's Greenhouse Tavern. In an article titled "3 Masters of Comfort Food," food celeb Andrew Zimmern singles out some of this nation's finest, including Cleveland's Jonathon Sawyer.

"He's only 30, but Jonathon Sawyer brings a stacked resume to the table," Zimmern writes, adding that the chef "played instrumental roles in the opening of Michael Symon's Lolita and Parea." Not to mention snagging Food & Wine's "Best New Chef" award.

Zimmern steers "food geeks" straight to Greenhouse's roasted pig's head, while directing tamer palates to the garlic-roasted chicken.

Devour the entire spread here.
welcome to collinwood: plan to attract artists with affordable housing is work of art
Northeast Shores Development Corporation continues its push to attract out-of-town artists by offering affordable housing. Since 1994, the North Collinwood-based nonprofit has rehabbed approximately 125 area homes. A more focused development plan is concentrating efforts within a tight 14-block footprint.
NEORSD commits to spending $42M to reduce hazardous run-off
When it comes to rainfall, we tend to focus on keeping it off of our heads -- not where it goes after hitting the pavement. Yet storm water runoff is a major issue in Northeast Ohio. With every downpour, millions of gallons of rainwater run off parking lots, streets and sidewalks, carrying pollutants into our streams, rivers and Lake Erie.

A new program launched by the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District (NEORSD) in December aims to address Combined Sewer Overflows (CSO's) that result in untreated wastewater entering our rivers and Lake Erie. NEORSD is evaluating the potential to control CSO's by helping communities to design streets, sidewalks and other impervious areas in ways that reduce runoff. NEORSD has committed to spending at least $42 million to control a minimum of 44 million gallons per year of CSO through the use of better storm water management or "green infrastructure." commits

"This is about the re-greening of our urban areas and potentially making a positive out of our vacant land problems," says Kyle Dreyfuss-Wells, Manager of Watershed Programs with NEORSD.

Take your local commercial district as an example. Landscaping requires water and maintenance. Every time it rains, the water sluices towards the catch basins in the street, ending up in the lake. What if communities designed streets so that rainwater funnels to the plants, providing more sustainable landscaping and reusing the water?

Forty-two million is a razor-thin slice of the $3 billion sewer upgrade, but NEORSD officials are hoping that a few key pilot projects will lead to a big change in how Northeast Ohio communities plan and implement infrastructure projects.


Writer: Lee Chilcote
Source: Kyle Dreyfuss-Wells, NEORSD

draped in history, garland looks to an even stronger, greener future
The Garland Co. may not be a household name to everyone in Cleveland, but the fact is that the company has been providing roofing solutions for businesses, industrial facilities and public properties for about 115 years. "Garland has a great local story to tell," says Brain Lambert, director of products and systems. That story involves having a presence in the area since 1895, a reputation for innovation that includes green building and a common sense approach to business that has resulted in zero layoffs during tough economic times.

An employee-owned business, Garland makes products for new construction, renovation, retrofit and maintenance projects. The company also services companies through engineering, design-build construction management and computerized roof asset management. Garland has been "going green" before it was a popular thing to do. In the mid-1990s, Garland introduced a modified roofing system using post-consumer recycled tires. Garland Energy Systems, Inc., created as a subsidiary of the company in 2007, focuses solely on alternative energy solutions such as thin-film solar rooftop cells.

Being forward-thinking while respecting its strong history seems to be a successful combination for Garland, which has received numerous awards and recognitiions over the last year. Garland's Green-Lock product, a polymer-based, VOC-free flood coat, made it to the list of Top Products of 2010 by Building Operation Management magazine. Garland has also been named to the North Coast 99 list of best places to work for 11 years in a row.

SOURCE: The Garland Co.
WRITER:  Diane DiPiero
        
medcity media among companies to snag year-end investments from jumpstart
JumpStart Ventures closed out 2010 strong, adding to its portfolio and making second investments in two existing companies. A $250,000 investment in Cleveland-based MedCity Media, formerly MedCity News, will allow the online news service to expand its healthcare-specific content to Philadelphia and Raleigh/Durham. JumpStart Ventures president, Lynn-Ann Gries, says that MedCity's media model has created a unique niche in the industry.

JumpStart also announced an investment in another Cleveland company, Caralon Global. This startup is producing a thermal insulating material that because of its ultra-thin design can be used in very small spaces. Caralon Global received a loan in early 2010 from Cuyahoga County's North Coast Opportunities (NCO) Technology Fund, which allowed the company to create molds for the manufacturing process.

JumpStart also showed support for the continued growth of two of its existing portfolio companies: Tursiop Technologies and OnShift. Tursiop Technologies received a second investment of $150,000 for the development of its MRI coil devices. OnShift, which provides employee scheduling and communications technology, also received a $150,000 second investment from JumpStart. That was part of a total $2.3 million venture capital investment rounds in OnShift.

In 2010 alone, JumpStart invested in 15 companies, with a total financial offering of more than $3 million.


SOURCE: JumpStart Ventures
WRITER: Diane DiPiero
new development news editor joins team
We would like to officially welcome Lee Chilcote to the Fresh Water team. Though Lee has been a regular contributor to the e-zine, penning some of our most popular features, this issue marks his first as Development News Editor. He is taking over for Frank Lewis, who will remain a regular contributor. Originally from Cleveland Heights, Lee lives in the Detroit-Shoreway neighborhood with his family. Since 2000, he has also worked in urban real estate development and community development, making him a natural fit for the Development News beat.

corporate united ends 2010 on a strong note with 91% growth
E pluribus unum. If this motto hadn't already been snatched for the United States seal, it might have worked nicely for Cleveland's Corporate United. The group-purchasing organization manages the contracts and suppliers of its member companies, which include Akron General Health System, Caribou Coffee, Malt-o-Meal, PolyOne, Progressive, Sherwin Williams and Toro.

According to president Marc Rosen, the purchasing strength of the companies it serves fuels Corporate United's growth. "As a member-based organization, we measure success by the bottom-line value we generate for our members. This value leads to the positive growth of Corporate United as a whole," Rosen says.

Corporate United enjoyed 91 percent growth in 2010, and was recognized locally and nationally for its efforts. Corporate United ranked 56 on the Weatherhead 100, was named a Crain's Leading EDGE award winner for its service to a 17-county region in Northeast Ohio and made it onto Inc's list of the 5,000 fastest-growing small- to mid-sized companies in America. Supply & Demand Chain Executive Magazine also recognized Corporate United for its role in preparing member companies for post-recessionary growth.

Corporate United added three members to its staff last year, and plans to make another new hire in the first half of 2011.


Source: Corporate United
Writer: Diane DiPiero