Stories
ray's indoor mountain bike heads west
Since opening in 2004, Ray's Indoor Mountain Bike Park has been nothing short of a wild ride. The 100,000-plus square-foot park attracts thousands of thrill-seekers from all across the Midwest, making it a bona fide Cleveland success story. Last week, owner Ray Petro accomplished what he had been planning to do for years: open a second location out of state.
Last week, Petro opened a 110,000-square-foot Milwaukee location in a former Menards Home Improvement Center, a move he pulled off by partnering with Trek.
In a recent Cycling News article, the writer says the new facility "builds upon the success of the original location in Cleveland, Ohio." The indoor park gives riders a place to ride, train, and develop skills -- especially during the long winter months.
The article states that the grand opening of the Milwaukee location had been postponed until New Year's weekend from its original November date because of city permit issues.
Read the trail story here.
Last week, Petro opened a 110,000-square-foot Milwaukee location in a former Menards Home Improvement Center, a move he pulled off by partnering with Trek.
In a recent Cycling News article, the writer says the new facility "builds upon the success of the original location in Cleveland, Ohio." The indoor park gives riders a place to ride, train, and develop skills -- especially during the long winter months.
The article states that the grand opening of the Milwaukee location had been postponed until New Year's weekend from its original November date because of city permit issues.
Read the trail story here.
The first attempt to secure the former Oakwood Country Club for park land has failed. The 90-day purchase option held by the Trust for Public Land
expired recently, before the San Francisco-based group could raise
enough to buy the 150-acre privately owned site, which spans Cleveland
Heights and South Euclid.
Fran Mentch, of the Severance Neighborhood Organization, is disappointed but continues to hope that mostly undeveloped land can be preserved as a public park. As a Facebook page for supporters of this plan notes, " It is a landscape of open rolling hills with tree-lined paved paths and, most notably, a section of Nine-Mile Creek."
"It comes down to, what kind of community do we want to live in?" she explains. And the inner-ring cities of Cuyahoga County need green space, not more commercial or residential development. "If someone had wanted to develop it," she adds, "it would have been a done deal by now."
Mentch says that SNO would like to partner with other groups to raise enough money to buy the land -- the asking price is $5.9 million -- and give it to the Cleveland Metroparks. SNO recently started pushing a letter-writing campaign to Metroparks, and Mentch plans to attend the December 16 board meeting.
"If they would work with us," Mentch says, "the whole thing could move forward. … I'm very optimistic. This is our generation's Cain Park."
Source: Fran Mentch
Writer: Frank W. Lewis
Fran Mentch, of the Severance Neighborhood Organization, is disappointed but continues to hope that mostly undeveloped land can be preserved as a public park. As a Facebook page for supporters of this plan notes, " It is a landscape of open rolling hills with tree-lined paved paths and, most notably, a section of Nine-Mile Creek."
"It comes down to, what kind of community do we want to live in?" she explains. And the inner-ring cities of Cuyahoga County need green space, not more commercial or residential development. "If someone had wanted to develop it," she adds, "it would have been a done deal by now."
Mentch says that SNO would like to partner with other groups to raise enough money to buy the land -- the asking price is $5.9 million -- and give it to the Cleveland Metroparks. SNO recently started pushing a letter-writing campaign to Metroparks, and Mentch plans to attend the December 16 board meeting.
"If they would work with us," Mentch says, "the whole thing could move forward. … I'm very optimistic. This is our generation's Cain Park."
Source: Fran Mentch
Writer: Frank W. Lewis
The recession grinds on, but the new store Native Cleveland has found a surprisingly lucrative niche: Local.
"Business is great," says manager Megan Coffman. "Everybody wants holiday gifts that are locally made."
Pushing local products is Native Cleveland's business model and mission. Located on Collinwood's Waterloo Road, in the former home of Shoparooni, Native Cleveland carries mostly products made in Ohio, and most are from the Cleveland region. Coffman says the idea for the store came from her time at CLE Clothing and seeing how well that company's Cleveland-themed gear sold at festivals and other events.
Native Cleveland is a featured vendor for CLE Clothing products, and Coffman says they're selling well there, too. Another big seller is exclusive Cleveland-themed prints from Grey Cardigan. Current inventory also includes buttons and signs from Northcoast Zeitgeist and Cleveland, Akron and Kent baby onesies.
Native Cleveland's holiday hours are noon to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.
Source: Megan Coffman
Writer: Frank W. Lewis
"Business is great," says manager Megan Coffman. "Everybody wants holiday gifts that are locally made."
Pushing local products is Native Cleveland's business model and mission. Located on Collinwood's Waterloo Road, in the former home of Shoparooni, Native Cleveland carries mostly products made in Ohio, and most are from the Cleveland region. Coffman says the idea for the store came from her time at CLE Clothing and seeing how well that company's Cleveland-themed gear sold at festivals and other events.
Native Cleveland is a featured vendor for CLE Clothing products, and Coffman says they're selling well there, too. Another big seller is exclusive Cleveland-themed prints from Grey Cardigan. Current inventory also includes buttons and signs from Northcoast Zeitgeist and Cleveland, Akron and Kent baby onesies.
Native Cleveland's holiday hours are noon to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.
Source: Megan Coffman
Writer: Frank W. Lewis
christmas story house hot come holiday time
Holiday time in the newspaper biz is great news for Cleveland's A Christmas Story House and Museum. That's the time of year when fun and fluffy holiday-themed stories fill the gaps left by the lack of real news. Here are just a few of the recent mentions about Tremont's most beloved movie abode.
In a Dallas Morning News story titled "Home featured in A Christmas Story is a holiday special," the writer opts to lead with the good-old leg lamp, stating "It stands where it should: in the living-room window."
He then goes on to say, "The living room, the lamp, the tree, the BB gun and more are inside A Christmas Story House and Museum in the Pembroke section of Cleveland. It's the actual house used for exteriors in the movie, made in 1983." Not sure where the heck the "Pembroke section of Cleveland" is, but you get the point.
Read the report here.
Over in Nebraska -- yes, even Nebraska loves Ralphie -- the Lincoln Journal Star ran a story called "What's Christmas without a visit to Ralphie's house in Cleveland?" Well, sad, that's what!
In the article, the reporter states that the "real draws are the house and the museum, featuring original props and costumes and memorabilia from the film and hundreds of rare behind-the-scenes photos. You'll find the red snowsuit, worn by Ralphie's little brother, Randy, and also his silver zeppelin. There's also the ratty coat that McGavin wore while he changed the flat tire. The family car is parked in a garage next to the gift shop."
Check it out here.
Closer in miles but no less enthusiastic, the Columbus Dispatch deems A Christmas Story House worthy of inclusion in a piece titled "Statewide festivities bound to put you in the holiday spirit."
"The home in Cleveland, featured in the beloved 1983 movie, is open year-round for tours but is, of course, especially popular this time of year. Across the street is A Christmas Story House Museum, featuring original props, costumes, photographs and memorabilia from the movie."
Read more here.
So, calling all "connoisseurs of soap." For cripes sake, get thee to the Christmas Story House and Museum.
In a Dallas Morning News story titled "Home featured in A Christmas Story is a holiday special," the writer opts to lead with the good-old leg lamp, stating "It stands where it should: in the living-room window."
He then goes on to say, "The living room, the lamp, the tree, the BB gun and more are inside A Christmas Story House and Museum in the Pembroke section of Cleveland. It's the actual house used for exteriors in the movie, made in 1983." Not sure where the heck the "Pembroke section of Cleveland" is, but you get the point.
Read the report here.
Over in Nebraska -- yes, even Nebraska loves Ralphie -- the Lincoln Journal Star ran a story called "What's Christmas without a visit to Ralphie's house in Cleveland?" Well, sad, that's what!
In the article, the reporter states that the "real draws are the house and the museum, featuring original props and costumes and memorabilia from the film and hundreds of rare behind-the-scenes photos. You'll find the red snowsuit, worn by Ralphie's little brother, Randy, and also his silver zeppelin. There's also the ratty coat that McGavin wore while he changed the flat tire. The family car is parked in a garage next to the gift shop."
Check it out here.
Closer in miles but no less enthusiastic, the Columbus Dispatch deems A Christmas Story House worthy of inclusion in a piece titled "Statewide festivities bound to put you in the holiday spirit."
"The home in Cleveland, featured in the beloved 1983 movie, is open year-round for tours but is, of course, especially popular this time of year. Across the street is A Christmas Story House Museum, featuring original props, costumes, photographs and memorabilia from the movie."
Read more here.
So, calling all "connoisseurs of soap." For cripes sake, get thee to the Christmas Story House and Museum.
steve's lunch gets 'hot dog of the week'
Steve's Lunch (5004 Lorain Ave., 216-961-1460) hasn't closed its doors since 1955, operating for roughly 20,000 days straight. Take that, Brett Favre! Folks of all walks of life -- and at all times of the day and night -- pull up a stool at the lunch counter for cheap, delicious hot dogs topped with chili and cheese or coleslaw and fries.
The fact that this dog-eared joint earned praise from New York-based Serious Eats, where it recently earned the "Hot Dog of the Week" spot, doesn't surprise local hot dog fans one bit.
"Walking in on a rainy day to a couple of eccentric regulars shooting the breeze was like living inside a panel of American Splendor," writes the reporter.
He adds: "Steve's feels like the type of joint that used to be on every corner in New York -- where drunks, cops and vagrants rub elbows over endless cups of cheap coffee and hot dogs at four in the morning, except there's something about it that's uniquely Cleveland."
Stop in for a couple slaw dogs; It is a culinary experience you won't soon forget.
Consume the rest of the Serious Eats article here.
The fact that this dog-eared joint earned praise from New York-based Serious Eats, where it recently earned the "Hot Dog of the Week" spot, doesn't surprise local hot dog fans one bit.
"Walking in on a rainy day to a couple of eccentric regulars shooting the breeze was like living inside a panel of American Splendor," writes the reporter.
He adds: "Steve's feels like the type of joint that used to be on every corner in New York -- where drunks, cops and vagrants rub elbows over endless cups of cheap coffee and hot dogs at four in the morning, except there's something about it that's uniquely Cleveland."
Stop in for a couple slaw dogs; It is a culinary experience you won't soon forget.
Consume the rest of the Serious Eats article here.
$1.9M grant helps st. vincent hospital rebuilding project
A $1.9 million state grant approved this week will help St. Vincent Charity Medical Center take another major step in its 10-year, $150 million campus transformation and modernization plan. The grant, from the Clean Ohio Revitalization Fund
to the City of Cleveland, will pay for asbestos abatement and
demolition of three buildings on the hospital's campus at East 22nd
Street and Central Avenue.
Three other buildings were razed over the summer, in the first phase of the project, to create new parking areas and some green space. The next round, to begin in the spring, will make way for a new, 110,000-square-foot surgery center, construction of which is scheduled to begin in 2013.
Green building techniques are a priority in the 145-year-old hospital's plans. An overview of the project states that 75 percent of the demolition debris will be reused or recycled, and storm-water runoff at the site will be reduced by about 20 percent.
"We are grateful to the city of Cleveland for being our champion on this project, to the Greater Cleveland community for its support and to the state of Ohio for funding this Clean Ohio application," said hospital CEO Sister Judith Ann Karam in a statement.
Source: St. Vincent Charity Medical Center
Writer: Frank W. Lewis
Three other buildings were razed over the summer, in the first phase of the project, to create new parking areas and some green space. The next round, to begin in the spring, will make way for a new, 110,000-square-foot surgery center, construction of which is scheduled to begin in 2013.
Green building techniques are a priority in the 145-year-old hospital's plans. An overview of the project states that 75 percent of the demolition debris will be reused or recycled, and storm-water runoff at the site will be reduced by about 20 percent.
"We are grateful to the city of Cleveland for being our champion on this project, to the Greater Cleveland community for its support and to the state of Ohio for funding this Clean Ohio application," said hospital CEO Sister Judith Ann Karam in a statement.
Source: St. Vincent Charity Medical Center
Writer: Frank W. Lewis
In a laboratory at Case Western Reserve University's
School of Medicine, Zhenghe John Wang and a team of researchers
developed a panel of new human isogenic cell models, which look much
like mutated cancer cells. Through these cell models, researchers can
get a handle on how cancer takes shape in the human body.
"We actually created a technology where we can add tags into cancer cells so we can track them," says Wang, assistant professor of genetics at Case's School of Medicine. Not only can this technology help researchers to better understand how cancer cells evolve, it can also provide assistance with cancer treatment programs, Wang says.
Now this process has an even greater chance of affecting cancer treatments, as medical research company Horizon Discovery has obtained exclusive rights to the panel of new human isogenic cell models. This means that the British medical research company will be able to add this technology to its existing models, which are used to predict patient response to current and future drug treatments.
Horizon Discovery has licensed the new cell models for ten years and will pay Case an initial fee, with rights to royalties from future product sales.
"We really wanted to work with someone interested in this technology," Wang says, adding that the agreement with Horizon Discovery will allow for research on a grander scale. Meanwhile, Wang and his team will continue to advance use of human isogenic cell models at Case. "Hopefully, we can make a big impact on cancer research," he says.
SOURCE: Case Western Reserve University
WRITER: Diane DiPiero
"We actually created a technology where we can add tags into cancer cells so we can track them," says Wang, assistant professor of genetics at Case's School of Medicine. Not only can this technology help researchers to better understand how cancer cells evolve, it can also provide assistance with cancer treatment programs, Wang says.
Now this process has an even greater chance of affecting cancer treatments, as medical research company Horizon Discovery has obtained exclusive rights to the panel of new human isogenic cell models. This means that the British medical research company will be able to add this technology to its existing models, which are used to predict patient response to current and future drug treatments.
Horizon Discovery has licensed the new cell models for ten years and will pay Case an initial fee, with rights to royalties from future product sales.
"We really wanted to work with someone interested in this technology," Wang says, adding that the agreement with Horizon Discovery will allow for research on a grander scale. Meanwhile, Wang and his team will continue to advance use of human isogenic cell models at Case. "Hopefully, we can make a big impact on cancer research," he says.
SOURCE: Case Western Reserve University
WRITER: Diane DiPiero
Technically, Ohio Knitting Mills' first retail store in Cleveland is temporary. "But the reception has been tremendous," says owner Steve Tatar, "and it's encouraging for staying the long term."
Tatar's Ohio Knitting Mills sells sweaters and other apparel manufactured long ago -- between 1947 and 1974 -- by a large Cleveland-based company of the same name. "Beginning after World War II, the Mill plucked samples of each style they produced and put them into storage," the website explains. "We've opened this time capsule, and offer to you our collection of perfectly preserved American fashion and industrial craftsmanship."
In addition to selling online, Tatar ran a retail shop in Brooklyn, N.Y., for a couple years before returning to Cleveland in 2008. The new "pop-up shop", at 6505 Detroit Rd. in the Gordon Square Arts District (the former home of Room Service), has been well received, even by those who know nothing of the company's intriguing story.
"At first people were coming in and were like, 'This is cool -- what am I looking at? Who are you, what are you doing here?'" Tatar explains. So the store has become something of a gallery or museum, reviving interest in Cleveland's extensive but unheralded history as a garment-manufacturing center.
The store is also helping Tatar meet more Clevelanders who are creating things, like clothing and furniture, and slowly creating national buzz in their respective industries. Ohio in general, and Cleveland in particular, are reclaiming their reputations for high-quality manufacturing. As Tatar put its, "We still have the souls of makers."
Source: Steve Tatar
Writer: Frank W. Lewis
Tatar's Ohio Knitting Mills sells sweaters and other apparel manufactured long ago -- between 1947 and 1974 -- by a large Cleveland-based company of the same name. "Beginning after World War II, the Mill plucked samples of each style they produced and put them into storage," the website explains. "We've opened this time capsule, and offer to you our collection of perfectly preserved American fashion and industrial craftsmanship."
In addition to selling online, Tatar ran a retail shop in Brooklyn, N.Y., for a couple years before returning to Cleveland in 2008. The new "pop-up shop", at 6505 Detroit Rd. in the Gordon Square Arts District (the former home of Room Service), has been well received, even by those who know nothing of the company's intriguing story.
"At first people were coming in and were like, 'This is cool -- what am I looking at? Who are you, what are you doing here?'" Tatar explains. So the store has become something of a gallery or museum, reviving interest in Cleveland's extensive but unheralded history as a garment-manufacturing center.
The store is also helping Tatar meet more Clevelanders who are creating things, like clothing and furniture, and slowly creating national buzz in their respective industries. Ohio in general, and Cleveland in particular, are reclaiming their reputations for high-quality manufacturing. As Tatar put its, "We still have the souls of makers."
Source: Steve Tatar
Writer: Frank W. Lewis
According to the latest census figures, roughly 30,000 Asian-Americans call Cuyahoga County home. Many of these folks live, work, shop and eat in Cleveland's AsiaTown neighborhood, which is loosely bordered by E. 30th and 40th streets and St. Clair and Payne avenues. Located in this dense district are numerous Asian-owned restaurants, markets and bakeries. Here are some of the stand-outs.
CPAC announces creative workforce fellowships
Community Partnership for Arts & Culture (CPAC), a nonprofit arts and culture organization, recently announced its latest class of Creative Workforce Fellowships. Made possible with support of Cuyahoga County citizens through Cuyahoga Arts and Culture, the annual Fellowships offer a $20,000 financial award to 20 outstanding artists.
Fellows also receive membership with the COSE Arts Network, a tuition waiver for CPAC's Artist as an Entrepreneur Institute, and inclusion in a publication of Fellows' work.
Five of the awards went to Cleveland Institute of Art faculty members and four went to CIA alums, including Dean of Faculty and Professor Matthew Hollern.
"These wonderful CPAC awards for our faculty and alumni speak volumes about the influence of CIA on the culture and economy of our region," said CIA President Grafton Nunes. "These artists contribute in very tangible ways to the vibrancy of Greater Cleveland and the national arts culture."
See the complete list of artists here.
Fellows also receive membership with the COSE Arts Network, a tuition waiver for CPAC's Artist as an Entrepreneur Institute, and inclusion in a publication of Fellows' work.
Five of the awards went to Cleveland Institute of Art faculty members and four went to CIA alums, including Dean of Faculty and Professor Matthew Hollern.
"These wonderful CPAC awards for our faculty and alumni speak volumes about the influence of CIA on the culture and economy of our region," said CIA President Grafton Nunes. "These artists contribute in very tangible ways to the vibrancy of Greater Cleveland and the national arts culture."
See the complete list of artists here.
Fresh Water will be taking a brief winter's nap during the weeks of Christmas and New Year's. Therefore, we will NOT be publishing issues on December 23 and 30. We will return on January 6 with a shiny new addition. Please enjoy the holidays, be safe, and know that we are extremely grateful for your support of Fresh Water. Cheers! The Fresh Water Team
cleve competes for 2012 democratic convention
Snagging the 2012 Democratic National Convention will be a coup for whichever of the four finalist cities -- Charlotte, Cleveland, Minneapolis and St. Louis -- manages to secure the honor. According to this New York Times article, "cities vying to be the host expect to benefit from an injection of millions of dollars into their local economies and a blast of free publicity."
The article also states that Cleveland would not be in the running as a finalist if it didn't already meet basic logistical requirements in the areas of hotel rooms, airport and local transportation systems.
Cleveland has in its favor the title as bona fide battleground state. "Democrats cannot win without it. The fact that Democrats did so badly here in the midterm elections should be all the more reason for the party to plant the flag with its convention. And Ohio has more electoral votes, 20, than any other state vying for the convention."
Dings against us? A disappointing turnout at an Obama rally two days before the midterm elections, ongoing County corruption investigations, and the petite size of our main convention hall.
Read the full analysis here.
The article also states that Cleveland would not be in the running as a finalist if it didn't already meet basic logistical requirements in the areas of hotel rooms, airport and local transportation systems.
Cleveland has in its favor the title as bona fide battleground state. "Democrats cannot win without it. The fact that Democrats did so badly here in the midterm elections should be all the more reason for the party to plant the flag with its convention. And Ohio has more electoral votes, 20, than any other state vying for the convention."
Dings against us? A disappointing turnout at an Obama rally two days before the midterm elections, ongoing County corruption investigations, and the petite size of our main convention hall.
Read the full analysis here.
Digiknow and Downtown Cleveland Alliance have partnered up in a new mobile marketing plan that uses QR codes to provide information to on-the-go residents. The QR codes will connect residents and customers to online profiles of downtown stakeholders such as bars, restaurants, entertainment venues, hotels, and commercial and residential properties.
CLE equity firm riverside continues to make deals, grow staff
The Riverside Company is experiencing its strongest fourth quarter in the company's 22-year history. That, in addition to snagging Mergers & Acquisitions Journal's recent designation as "Private Equity Firm of the Year."
"It has been a remarkably busy time," admits Graham Hearns, director of marketing and communications for the Cleveland-based private equity firm. "We've had four or five acquisitions and a couple of business exits so far, and we could have as many as six or seven more transactions in the next two weeks."
Hearns attributes this growth to lenders once again offering money to businesses and to more realistic buyer and seller expectations.
For Riverside, this meant moving forward with company acquisitions that it has been researching in the midst of an economic downturn. "During the whole global financial crisis we never came to a standstill," Hearns says. "We are generalists, so we like to window shop."
Riverside has found success in maintaining its general portfolio while also beefing up two key areas of company acquisitions: healthcare and education and training. The company's latest investment is G&H Wire Company, a Franklin, Indiana-based manufacturer and supplier of orthodontic products. G&H becomes Riverside's 49th healthcare transaction. Overall, Riverside has made more than 200 acquisitions of companies with $200 million or less in enterprise value.
Riverside has 19 offices around the world, but Cleveland continues to be its largest with about 50 employees. "There's been a continuous growth of the Cleveland team," Hearns says, adding that Riverside hired about six new people in 2010 and expects to add about the same amount in the next year or so.
SOURCE: The Riverside Company
WRITER: Diane DiPiero
"It has been a remarkably busy time," admits Graham Hearns, director of marketing and communications for the Cleveland-based private equity firm. "We've had four or five acquisitions and a couple of business exits so far, and we could have as many as six or seven more transactions in the next two weeks."
Hearns attributes this growth to lenders once again offering money to businesses and to more realistic buyer and seller expectations.
For Riverside, this meant moving forward with company acquisitions that it has been researching in the midst of an economic downturn. "During the whole global financial crisis we never came to a standstill," Hearns says. "We are generalists, so we like to window shop."
Riverside has found success in maintaining its general portfolio while also beefing up two key areas of company acquisitions: healthcare and education and training. The company's latest investment is G&H Wire Company, a Franklin, Indiana-based manufacturer and supplier of orthodontic products. G&H becomes Riverside's 49th healthcare transaction. Overall, Riverside has made more than 200 acquisitions of companies with $200 million or less in enterprise value.
Riverside has 19 offices around the world, but Cleveland continues to be its largest with about 50 employees. "There's been a continuous growth of the Cleveland team," Hearns says, adding that Riverside hired about six new people in 2010 and expects to add about the same amount in the next year or so.
SOURCE: The Riverside Company
WRITER: Diane DiPiero
It started out as Dyke College in the late 1800s. About 100 years later it became Myers University. The early 2000s proved somewhat tumultuous, but the school emerged under new leadership and with a new name: Chancellor University.
Name changes aside, the school has a rich history here in Cleveland, and it is using new forms of communication to spread the good news.
"Our Voice" is a new campaign by Chancellor University in which alumni provide video testimonials that can be tied into their own Facebook and Twitter pages.
In addition to touting the benefits of a Chancellor education, the "Our Voice" campaign also strives to help current students connect with possible job resources, explains Beth Bateman, Chancellor's director of student services. Students also have the opportunity to create a video detailing their area of study and their career goals. Linking current students with alumni who can mentor them or provide employment opportunities creates a valuable networking experience, Bateman adds.
The campaign can be viewed at Our Voice.
Source: Beth Bateman
Writer: Diane DiPiero
Name changes aside, the school has a rich history here in Cleveland, and it is using new forms of communication to spread the good news.
"Our Voice" is a new campaign by Chancellor University in which alumni provide video testimonials that can be tied into their own Facebook and Twitter pages.
In addition to touting the benefits of a Chancellor education, the "Our Voice" campaign also strives to help current students connect with possible job resources, explains Beth Bateman, Chancellor's director of student services. Students also have the opportunity to create a video detailing their area of study and their career goals. Linking current students with alumni who can mentor them or provide employment opportunities creates a valuable networking experience, Bateman adds.
The campaign can be viewed at Our Voice.
Source: Beth Bateman
Writer: Diane DiPiero
heights' new development director sees opportunity everywhere
Howard Thompson's appraisals of Cleveland Heights bring to mind the phrase "target-rich environment." The city's new development director, on the job about three weeks, enthusiastically rattles off the opportunities he sees for the inner-ring suburb in 2011.
There's the old Coventry School, parts of which will be used next year by Ensemble Theatre. In the rest, Thompson imagines an entrepreneurial development center. There's the on-again, off-again Top of the Hill plan, which would bring some combination of new housing, commercial and office space to the 3.5-acre city-owned site, most of it parking lot, at Cedar Road and Euclid Heights Boulevard (behind Nighttown). There's the former Oakwood Country Club, which many would like to see preserved as green space but is also a rare large tract (144 acres) in an otherwise densely packed city.
Heights' commercial and residential density -- and close proximity to each other -- are desirable traits, says Thompson, who worked most recently in Beachwood. "But it's also a bit of a challenge at the same time," he adds, "because you have to create development opportunities."
There are many small-scale opportunities in Heights' many architecturally intriguing but technologically lacking buildings. "Some properties just need to be updated or renovated," he says. And as businesses in nearby University Circle grow, Heights could become an attractive place to expand.
Thompson's career began in Cleveland Heights. He interned in city hall while earning a master's degree in public administration at Cleveland State in the early '90s.
Source: Howard Thompson
Writer: Frank W. Lewis
There's the old Coventry School, parts of which will be used next year by Ensemble Theatre. In the rest, Thompson imagines an entrepreneurial development center. There's the on-again, off-again Top of the Hill plan, which would bring some combination of new housing, commercial and office space to the 3.5-acre city-owned site, most of it parking lot, at Cedar Road and Euclid Heights Boulevard (behind Nighttown). There's the former Oakwood Country Club, which many would like to see preserved as green space but is also a rare large tract (144 acres) in an otherwise densely packed city.
Heights' commercial and residential density -- and close proximity to each other -- are desirable traits, says Thompson, who worked most recently in Beachwood. "But it's also a bit of a challenge at the same time," he adds, "because you have to create development opportunities."
There are many small-scale opportunities in Heights' many architecturally intriguing but technologically lacking buildings. "Some properties just need to be updated or renovated," he says. And as businesses in nearby University Circle grow, Heights could become an attractive place to expand.
Thompson's career began in Cleveland Heights. He interned in city hall while earning a master's degree in public administration at Cleveland State in the early '90s.
Source: Howard Thompson
Writer: Frank W. Lewis
Personal frustration led Jeremy Handel to come up with his company's latest product: a gaming app for Apple's iOS platform.
"I subscribe to several gaming magazines, and I was finding that I would read game previews months in advance of the release," says the founder of Handelabra. At other times, games would come and go without Handel realizing it. He began tacking post-it notes on his computer as reminders of when games would be released, but when that became too cumbersome, Mandel realized a game-reminder app would be much more efficient.
GAME.minder, which is the result of a partnership with Case Western's student think tank Qube Lab, currently tracks more than 1,000 games. Thanks to the free, fully interactive app for iPhone/iOS, users can search and filter their favorite games by platform, title, popularity or release date. Setting a "RE.minder" tells GAME.minder to notify the user before a new game hits the shelves.
Handelabra has two other apps already on the market: StyleAssist, a photo-sharing app focused on hair styles; and Better Clock, a universal alarm clock app for iPhone and iPad. The three-person Handelabra team is currently focused on the iOS platform, according to Handel, who adds that the company's long-term goal "would be to bring successful products to other smartphone platforms like Android. We do not currently plan to extend our products to the desktop, preferring to focus on mobile exclusively."
SOURCE: Jeremy Handel
WRITER: Diane DiPiero
"I subscribe to several gaming magazines, and I was finding that I would read game previews months in advance of the release," says the founder of Handelabra. At other times, games would come and go without Handel realizing it. He began tacking post-it notes on his computer as reminders of when games would be released, but when that became too cumbersome, Mandel realized a game-reminder app would be much more efficient.
GAME.minder, which is the result of a partnership with Case Western's student think tank Qube Lab, currently tracks more than 1,000 games. Thanks to the free, fully interactive app for iPhone/iOS, users can search and filter their favorite games by platform, title, popularity or release date. Setting a "RE.minder" tells GAME.minder to notify the user before a new game hits the shelves.
Handelabra has two other apps already on the market: StyleAssist, a photo-sharing app focused on hair styles; and Better Clock, a universal alarm clock app for iPhone and iPad. The three-person Handelabra team is currently focused on the iOS platform, according to Handel, who adds that the company's long-term goal "would be to bring successful products to other smartphone platforms like Android. We do not currently plan to extend our products to the desktop, preferring to focus on mobile exclusively."
SOURCE: Jeremy Handel
WRITER: Diane DiPiero
ohio technical college adds performance-vehicle training with new edelbrock academy
Preparing students to excel at classic car restoration, collision repair and refinishing, and custom paint and graphics is what Ohio Technical College (OTC) has been doing in Cleveland for years.
Through a new partnership with Edelbrock, a manufacturer and distributor of performance vehicle replacement parts, students can now master the finer points of building and tuning America's latest obsession: muscle cars and performance vehicles. OTC and Edelbrock recently announced the founding of the Edelbrock Academy.
OTC, an accredited, private, post-secondary technical college, already offers a full catalog of courses in automotive care, including alternative-fuel vehicles. The college, established in 1969, has more than 1,000 students currently enrolled at its MidTown campus. The founding of the new Edelbrock Academy will add to OTC's offerings by providing the skills necessary to make the jump to the muscle car and performance vehicle market.
The "mascot" of the Edelbrock Academy is a 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air, which was built entirely by OTC students. For the next several months, the Chevy Bel Air will travel around the country to high schools and car shows as part of OTC's promotion of the Edelbrock Academy.
Source: Ohio Technical College
Writer: Diane DiPiero
Through a new partnership with Edelbrock, a manufacturer and distributor of performance vehicle replacement parts, students can now master the finer points of building and tuning America's latest obsession: muscle cars and performance vehicles. OTC and Edelbrock recently announced the founding of the Edelbrock Academy.
OTC, an accredited, private, post-secondary technical college, already offers a full catalog of courses in automotive care, including alternative-fuel vehicles. The college, established in 1969, has more than 1,000 students currently enrolled at its MidTown campus. The founding of the new Edelbrock Academy will add to OTC's offerings by providing the skills necessary to make the jump to the muscle car and performance vehicle market.
The "mascot" of the Edelbrock Academy is a 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air, which was built entirely by OTC students. For the next several months, the Chevy Bel Air will travel around the country to high schools and car shows as part of OTC's promotion of the Edelbrock Academy.
Source: Ohio Technical College
Writer: Diane DiPiero
It may seem like the massive and sometimes controversial Innerbelt
Bridge project has been in the works since Elliot Ness called Cleveland
home, but design planning is reaching its final stages. Tremont
residents and others with questions or concerns about what this
behemoth will look like, particularly where it touches down on city
streets, should not miss the Ohio Department of Transportation's next
public meeting.
"The lion's share of the design work is already committed," says Chris Garland, executive director of Tremont West Development Corporation, which has worked with ODOT on this project for several years. What remains are "the more subtle aspects," like placement of lighting and the type fencing to be used on the Abbey Road bridge, which will remain the neighborhood's connection to downtown.
Design options, and a survey, have been posted online. But Garland stresses the importance of attending the meeting, December 13, 5-8 p.m., at Pilgrim Church Fellowship Hall, 2592 W. 14th St. Various design options will be displayed, and ODOT officials will be on hand to answer questions. "Just because you don't see something [in a design] doesn't mean it won't be included," he notes. His message to residents has been, "The most important thing is to show up."
Source: Tremont West
Writer: Frank W. Lewis
"The lion's share of the design work is already committed," says Chris Garland, executive director of Tremont West Development Corporation, which has worked with ODOT on this project for several years. What remains are "the more subtle aspects," like placement of lighting and the type fencing to be used on the Abbey Road bridge, which will remain the neighborhood's connection to downtown.
Design options, and a survey, have been posted online. But Garland stresses the importance of attending the meeting, December 13, 5-8 p.m., at Pilgrim Church Fellowship Hall, 2592 W. 14th St. Various design options will be displayed, and ODOT officials will be on hand to answer questions. "Just because you don't see something [in a design] doesn't mean it won't be included," he notes. His message to residents has been, "The most important thing is to show up."
Source: Tremont West
Writer: Frank W. Lewis
Amy and Montri Visatsud met in a Thai restaurant, so it's only fitting that they'd open their own. Banana Blossom debuted in November at 2800 Clinton in Ohio City.
The couple considered Brunswick, but the choice wasn't difficult. "I'm a Cleveland native," says Amy, "and I'm really excited to see all the new businesses coming into the neighborhood, and this seemed like a good opportunity to get in there."
The move quickly paid off. Amy says she's pleasantly surprised by the local support, especially considering that the site -- the former home of Jazz 28 and Halite -- is a couple blocks off the main West 25th Street drag. "We have a lot of regulars already," she reports. "We had one girl who was there four times in the first week we were open."
Montri worked in an aunt's restaurant in Seattle, but is a first-time owner. Partner Sengchan Misaiphon is the chef. Both are from Bangkok, and they strive for authenticity in their extensive menu, which includes 58 entrees.
Source: Amy Visatsud
Writer: Frank W. Lewis
The couple considered Brunswick, but the choice wasn't difficult. "I'm a Cleveland native," says Amy, "and I'm really excited to see all the new businesses coming into the neighborhood, and this seemed like a good opportunity to get in there."
The move quickly paid off. Amy says she's pleasantly surprised by the local support, especially considering that the site -- the former home of Jazz 28 and Halite -- is a couple blocks off the main West 25th Street drag. "We have a lot of regulars already," she reports. "We had one girl who was there four times in the first week we were open."
Montri worked in an aunt's restaurant in Seattle, but is a first-time owner. Partner Sengchan Misaiphon is the chef. Both are from Bangkok, and they strive for authenticity in their extensive menu, which includes 58 entrees.
Source: Amy Visatsud
Writer: Frank W. Lewis