Downtown
East Bank or West Bank?
Today’s Flats offer a variety of entertainment options on both sides of the Cuyahoga River, and now the Cleveland Metroparks has eliminated the need to make a decision on which side to dine, dance and play with last month's launch of the eLCee2 water taxi.
For $2, passengers get unlimited rides across the river on the 26-foot Crosby yacht. The taxi can take 18 passengers and four bikes at a time. It's also ADA accessible and dog-friendly.
“The water taxi is exciting for the Flats because it is another ingredient in the revitalization of the area,” says Metroparks director of communications Rick Haase. “For Cleveland Metroparks it is all about helping people connect to our trails and to our parks, while at the same time helping them connect from the East Bank to the West Bank of the Flats.”
The eLCee2 launched ahead of the Memorial Day weekend on Friday, May 27 during a boating safety program hosted by the Metroparks, Flats East Bank and the U.S. Coast Guard. Metroparks CEO Brian Zimmerman cut the ribbon along with Cleveland Metroparks board of park commissioners Bruce Rinker and Debbie Berry. Speakers included Zimmerman, Scott Wolstein with Flats East Bank and lieutenant commander Mickey Dougherty of the Coast Guard's Cleveland Marine Safety Unit.
After the ceremony, the eLCee2 made its maiden voyage across the river from the taxi station at 1170 Old River Road on the East Bank to the West Bank station under the Main Avenue Bridge and back. After that, eLCee2 had a spectacular debut, with 3,579 passengers taking the taxi over Memorial Day weekend alone.
Five Metroparks employees share the captaining of the eLCee2, which is named after a group that included Leadership Cleveland alumni, Metroparks representatives and members of a Kent State University entrepreneurship class. They began floating the idea of a Flats water taxi service in 2014.
eLCee2 runs Thursdays from 4 to 7 p.m.; Fridays from 4 to 9 p.m.; Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. The taxi will operate from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day each season.
Today’s Flats offer a variety of entertainment options on both sides of the Cuyahoga River, and now the Cleveland Metroparks has eliminated the need to make a decision on which side to dine, dance and play with last month's launch of the eLCee2 water taxi.
For $2, passengers get unlimited rides across the river on the 26-foot Crosby yacht. The taxi can take 18 passengers and four bikes at a time. It's also ADA accessible and dog-friendly.
“The water taxi is exciting for the Flats because it is another ingredient in the revitalization of the area,” says Metroparks director of communications Rick Haase. “For Cleveland Metroparks it is all about helping people connect to our trails and to our parks, while at the same time helping them connect from the East Bank to the West Bank of the Flats.”
The eLCee2 launched ahead of the Memorial Day weekend on Friday, May 27 during a boating safety program hosted by the Metroparks, Flats East Bank and the U.S. Coast Guard. Metroparks CEO Brian Zimmerman cut the ribbon along with Cleveland Metroparks board of park commissioners Bruce Rinker and Debbie Berry. Speakers included Zimmerman, Scott Wolstein with Flats East Bank and lieutenant commander Mickey Dougherty of the Coast Guard's Cleveland Marine Safety Unit.
After the ceremony, the eLCee2 made its maiden voyage across the river from the taxi station at 1170 Old River Road on the East Bank to the West Bank station under the Main Avenue Bridge and back. After that, eLCee2 had a spectacular debut, with 3,579 passengers taking the taxi over Memorial Day weekend alone.
Five Metroparks employees share the captaining of the eLCee2, which is named after a group that included Leadership Cleveland alumni, Metroparks representatives and members of a Kent State University entrepreneurship class. They began floating the idea of a Flats water taxi service in 2014.
eLCee2 runs Thursdays from 4 to 7 p.m.; Fridays from 4 to 9 p.m.; Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. The taxi will operate from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day each season.
Fresh Water contributor Brandon Baker uncovers compelling success stories from Clevelanders who have overcome untold challenges and crises.
"Creating jobs is our secret ingredient."
Such is the slogan of Bloom Bakery, a downtown entity that offers premium pastries and breads as well as opportunities for Clevelanders facing employment barriers. Now the social venture is asking for a little extra "dough" to continue its mission.
Last week, Bloom Bakery launched a $25,000 Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign to provide capital for its Campus District location at 1938 Euclid Ave. (The bakery has another shop at 200 Public Square.) Funding will go to hiring additional staff, says Logan Fahey, Bloom Bakery co-founder and general manager.
"Our reason for doing (crowdfunding) was to get the community involved," says Fahey. "We rely on the consumer to find us and appreciate the mission."
Supporters can pre-purchase coffee, lunch, corporate catering, and exclusive baking lessons before the campaign ends June 10. Bloom Bakery is a benefit corporation - essentially a hybrid of a standard corporation and a nonprofit - owned by Towards Employment, a Cleveland nonprofit that offers job training and placement as well as removal of employment barriers for people previously involved in the criminal justice system.
All revenue from Bloom Bakery goes to Towards Employment's job readiness programs. Meanwhile, the bakery educates, trains and employs low-income and disadvantaged adults for work as bakers, baristas and other positions. Entry-level jobs pay $8 to $10 hourly, with opportunities available for upward mobility within the company.
"Our sole purpose is to give a second chance to individuals who otherwise wouldn't get one," Fahey says. "These jobs can be resume builders or allow people to move onto supervisory positions here."
Bloom Bakery currently has 15 staff members, ranging in age from their 20s to early 60s. New employees are vetted through Towards Employment programming, then undergo another month of training at the bakery.
As of this writing, the social venture's crowdfunding effort has reached 10 percent of its goal. Fahey and his fellow staff members will spend the next couple of weeks pushing the campaign via social media and word-of-mouth. The ultimate goal is to become the state's best bakery while continuing to operate as a "business with a heart."
"There's a large segment of the population in need of an opportunity," says Fahey. "If we become the best bakery, then we can create as many jobs as we want."
Such is the slogan of Bloom Bakery, a downtown entity that offers premium pastries and breads as well as opportunities for Clevelanders facing employment barriers. Now the social venture is asking for a little extra "dough" to continue its mission.
Last week, Bloom Bakery launched a $25,000 Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign to provide capital for its Campus District location at 1938 Euclid Ave. (The bakery has another shop at 200 Public Square.) Funding will go to hiring additional staff, says Logan Fahey, Bloom Bakery co-founder and general manager.
"Our reason for doing (crowdfunding) was to get the community involved," says Fahey. "We rely on the consumer to find us and appreciate the mission."
Supporters can pre-purchase coffee, lunch, corporate catering, and exclusive baking lessons before the campaign ends June 10. Bloom Bakery is a benefit corporation - essentially a hybrid of a standard corporation and a nonprofit - owned by Towards Employment, a Cleveland nonprofit that offers job training and placement as well as removal of employment barriers for people previously involved in the criminal justice system.
All revenue from Bloom Bakery goes to Towards Employment's job readiness programs. Meanwhile, the bakery educates, trains and employs low-income and disadvantaged adults for work as bakers, baristas and other positions. Entry-level jobs pay $8 to $10 hourly, with opportunities available for upward mobility within the company.
"Our sole purpose is to give a second chance to individuals who otherwise wouldn't get one," Fahey says. "These jobs can be resume builders or allow people to move onto supervisory positions here."
Bloom Bakery currently has 15 staff members, ranging in age from their 20s to early 60s. New employees are vetted through Towards Employment programming, then undergo another month of training at the bakery.
As of this writing, the social venture's crowdfunding effort has reached 10 percent of its goal. Fahey and his fellow staff members will spend the next couple of weeks pushing the campaign via social media and word-of-mouth. The ultimate goal is to become the state's best bakery while continuing to operate as a "business with a heart."
"There's a large segment of the population in need of an opportunity," says Fahey. "If we become the best bakery, then we can create as many jobs as we want."
![Adam Savage of Mythbusters (right) with Ian Charnas, manager of think[box]](/galleries/News_Items/2016/May_2016/Issue_254/savagethinkbox.jpg?s=lf)
The nationally syndicated columnist chats about the state of feminism in America, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.
Dropping that plastic water bottle into a recycling bin is just the beginning of the story. And far too often, we're all making big recycling mistakes.
Seven Rock Boxes, a public art project featuring giant amplifiers along East 9th Street, are almost ready to rock downtown Cleveland and connect visitors to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum.
Commissioned in the fall of 2014 by Destination Cleveland and the Rock Hall as a way to promote our town's rock 'n' roll soul and the museum that embodies it, the $500,000 project was designed by Sheffield native and Cleveland Institute of Art graduate Mark Reigelman for LAND studio. Reigelman's been the creative force behind a host of notable area projects such as the "Wrap" planters that dot downtown and "Cold Front" along the West 76th Street underpass.
“They were looking for a way to further the connection to downtown because the Rock Hall is a bit isolated being on the [North Coast] Harbor,” explains LAND studio project manager Sarah Siebert. “Destination Cleveland wanted a connective impact for folks downtown. The seven Rock Boxes – all located along E. 9th Street – will create a “bread crumb effect,” says Siebert, leading to the Rock Hall.
Locations include Progressive Field on Bolivar; Medical Mutual on Prospect; The RTA HealthLine stop median at Euclid; Rockwell Park; One Cleveland Center at St. Clair; the RTA North Coast Rapid station; and the Rock Hall.
The boxes will sound off in unison about two or three times a day, playing 30- to 90-second sound clips from a list of two selections from each of the Rock Hall inductees. “We want it to have a similar effect as church bells,” says Siebert. “Over time, folks will see a pattern.”
LAND studio is still testing the decibel level of the boxes. “We want to make sure they’re heard, but not be overwhelming,” Siebert promises, adding that the songs will have universal appeal. “Folks can relate to it, regardless of age, generation or time.”
While an exact date for the installation’s completion has yet to be determined, Siebert expects the Rock Boxes to be complete by the end of June, in time for the Republican National Convention in July.
Commissioned in the fall of 2014 by Destination Cleveland and the Rock Hall as a way to promote our town's rock 'n' roll soul and the museum that embodies it, the $500,000 project was designed by Sheffield native and Cleveland Institute of Art graduate Mark Reigelman for LAND studio. Reigelman's been the creative force behind a host of notable area projects such as the "Wrap" planters that dot downtown and "Cold Front" along the West 76th Street underpass.
“They were looking for a way to further the connection to downtown because the Rock Hall is a bit isolated being on the [North Coast] Harbor,” explains LAND studio project manager Sarah Siebert. “Destination Cleveland wanted a connective impact for folks downtown. The seven Rock Boxes – all located along E. 9th Street – will create a “bread crumb effect,” says Siebert, leading to the Rock Hall.
Locations include Progressive Field on Bolivar; Medical Mutual on Prospect; The RTA HealthLine stop median at Euclid; Rockwell Park; One Cleveland Center at St. Clair; the RTA North Coast Rapid station; and the Rock Hall.
The boxes will sound off in unison about two or three times a day, playing 30- to 90-second sound clips from a list of two selections from each of the Rock Hall inductees. “We want it to have a similar effect as church bells,” says Siebert. “Over time, folks will see a pattern.”
LAND studio is still testing the decibel level of the boxes. “We want to make sure they’re heard, but not be overwhelming,” Siebert promises, adding that the songs will have universal appeal. “Folks can relate to it, regardless of age, generation or time.”
While an exact date for the installation’s completion has yet to be determined, Siebert expects the Rock Boxes to be complete by the end of June, in time for the Republican National Convention in July.
The Fixers, a series of short films that will be presented in SPACES next month, offers street-level tours Clevelanders would give RNC delegates if given the chance.
Fresh Water updates five major development projects that will prove to conventioneers this July that Cleveland is a city on the move.
