Stories by: Karin Connelly Rice
Karin Connelly Rice enjoys telling people's stories, whether it's a promising startup or a life's passion. Over the past 20 years she has reported on the local business community for publications such as Inside Business and Cleveland Magazine. She was editor of the Rocky River/Lakewood edition of In the Neighborhood and was a reporter and photographer for the Amherst News-Times. At Fresh Water she enjoys telling the stories of Clevelanders who are shaping and embracing the business and research climate in Cleveland.
When Oris and Mantis Van Sweringen were developing Shaker Heights in the 1920s, and Cleveland was expanding after the completion of the Rapid between downtown and the new suburb, The Van Sweringen Company began building model homes to promote development in Shaker and demonstrate the standards that were expected of the homes.
Most of the model homes remain standing to this day. But one historic model home at 2834 Courtland Blvd. was dangerously close to demolition a few years ago before the Cleveland Restoration Society (CRS) and the City of Shaker Heights got involved.
Read about how this historic house was saved from the wrecking ball here.
Ever since the real estate housing crash in 2008, Cleveland communities have been faced with tackling the problem of vacant and blighted homes—pulling down property values and aesthetic appeal in neighborhoods already struggling.
According to Justin Fleming, director of real estate for Cleveland Neighborhood Progress (CNP), there are about 9,500 vacant homes in the City of Cleveland. “I’d estimate that approximately 4,500 of those are structurally capable of being rehabbed within a reasonable budget,” he says. “The other 5,000 are likely structurally too far gone to reasonably saved.”
But thanks to a three-year, $700,000 grant given to CNP by Detroit-based Quicken Loans, some of those homes that can be rehabbed will get that much-needed work. Read about how this grant will help blighted neighborhoods and rehab vacant homes here.
For many longtime Clevelanders, the holidays conjure up memories of downtown shopping tips to the former Higbee’s Department Store in Public Square. Images of ornate arches, ribbons, and even Bruce the Spruce come to mind in the holiday season.
The historic 1931 Higbee Building at 100 Public Square seems to bring up nostalgic memories at all times of the year, with current office tenants like Quicken Loans incorporating Higbee’s décor into its modern office design and the famous 10th floor—known for its fashion shows and Silver Grille restaurant— recently up for lease.
But JACK Casino, located within the building, has for the sixth year now transformed the casino and the windows lining Public Square into a whimsical wonderland called Holidays at the Higbee.
Read more about JACK Casino's recycling of Higbee's holiday decor here.
Decorating is already in full swing, but will officially kick off today, Tuesday, Nov. 14, with the arrival of the holiday tree. The evergreen, donated by the Hlavin family, makes its debut on the north end of Public Square around 2:30 p.m.
Read more about the tree and Winterfest here.
Read more about the grant application and what it means for Irishtown Bend here.
Read more about their efforts here.
“It’s like a jewel that you’ve had for a long time, and when you shine it, a diamond comes out,” says Ritz-Carlton general manager Yael Ron, who led last Friday's ribbon-cutting ceremony with Mayor Frank Jackson and other notables. “It’s super exciting.”
Read more about the extensive renovations here.
Find out how to get your hands on a rooster here.
If a beautifully lit church has ever caught your eye while driving down I-71, you can thank Cleveland Restoration Society (CRS). Through its Sacred Landmarks Assistance Program, 19 of the city’s steeples and bell towers along the busy interstate freeway have been illuminated as part of its Steeple Lighting Program.
And that’s not all the organization is shining a light on: On Saturday, Nov. 4, CRS will celebrate Cleveland's hundreds of historic places of worship—and their ongoing renovation efforts—with its annual benefit, Shining a Light on Cleveland’s Sacred Landmarks.
Oversized chess and checkers boards, a concrete ping-pong table, and a figure-eight walking track are just a few features of Cleveland's newest playland for kids—and kids at heart. As of this Thursday, Oct. 19, a group of people spanning multiple generations will have a new place to play, learn, and socialize when Cleveland Neighborhood Progress (CNP) dedicates its Intergenerational Playscape and Garden on the front yard of St. Luke’s Pointe in the Buckeye-Shaker neighborhood.
The playscape is one of the final steps in the transformation of the historic St. Luke’s hospital building campus, which has truly become an intergenerational learning center. Read about the dedication ceremony here.
After a decade of creating one-of-a-kind jewelry in her Art Craft Building studio on Superior Avenue, Anne Harrill felt it was time to share her love of the craft on a more personal level.
So Harrill went in search of a space that could incorporate both her studio and a retail storefront. She found the perfect space in the former Trunk Collective space—800 square feet at 6515 Detroit Ave. in the heart of the Gordon Square Arts District. Find out when you can shop at Harrill's new store here.
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More space, more outdoor areas, and more exhibits add up to an all-new wonderland for Cleveland's kiddos. After closing the doors to its University Circle location nearly two years ago, the Children’s Museum of Cleveland will re-open on Monday, Nov. 6 in its new location. Get the details on the new exhibits and amenities here.