Downtown
“The cities of the Midwest are the undiscovered gems of America,” a friend said to me years ago. I've held that thought ever since and look for proof on a six-game, six-day, six-city baseball tour of Midwestern ballparks.
In a city with no shortage of vacant land on which to cultivate gardens, it might surprise some to learn of the growing trend of gardens in the sky. Not only do rooftop gardens offer a place to relax, they reduce a building's heating and cooling costs while shielding the roof from damaging UV rays.
usa today writer praises noodlecat
In a USA Today feature titled “Great American Bites: Top-notch Asian flavors sourced from Ohio,” writer Larry Olmsted praises Cleveland chef Jonathon Sawyer and the two-year-old Noodlecat, inspired by Tokyo and New York noodle houses.
Olmsted opens discussing the unique atmosphere and its popularity in the community, but like all food writers, focuses much of his attention on the important aspects: the food.
"A former downtown pizzeria has been turned into one of Cleveland's hippest casual eateries. Two-year-old Noodlecat, inspired by Tokyo and New York noodle houses, is the work of beloved Cleveland chef Jonathan Sawyer, renowned for his focus on local and sustainable ingredients, food sourcing and extensive in-house, from-scratch preparation."
“While there are a handful of dinner entrees, the bulk of the menu is small plates and noodle dishes, each of which is available as a large full portion ($11) or a half order ($6). This makes Noodlecat great for grazing or tapas-style dining, though the entrees are quite good as well.”
Check out the full travel piece here.
Olmsted opens discussing the unique atmosphere and its popularity in the community, but like all food writers, focuses much of his attention on the important aspects: the food.
"A former downtown pizzeria has been turned into one of Cleveland's hippest casual eateries. Two-year-old Noodlecat, inspired by Tokyo and New York noodle houses, is the work of beloved Cleveland chef Jonathan Sawyer, renowned for his focus on local and sustainable ingredients, food sourcing and extensive in-house, from-scratch preparation."
“While there are a handful of dinner entrees, the bulk of the menu is small plates and noodle dishes, each of which is available as a large full portion ($11) or a half order ($6). This makes Noodlecat great for grazing or tapas-style dining, though the entrees are quite good as well.”
Check out the full travel piece here.
There are now dozens of high-performing charter and public schools in the City of Cleveland. Yet a culture of school choice still is not the norm in many Cleveland neighborhoods, and as many as 60 percent of city families have not yet chosen a school to attend.
With the deadline looming on August 19th, those families that do not proactively choose a school will be enrolled in their neighborhood school, which may or may not be the best option depending on how the school is ranked on State of Ohio report cards.
Perhaps most startling is the fact that many high-performing schools in the city have empty seats waiting to be filled even as kids are enrolled in failing schools.
That's why the Transformation Alliance has launched an unprecedented campaign to "promote one common goal of driving enrollment to high-performing schools," says Megan O'Bryan, a nonprofit veteran who is its new Executive Director.
"The ultimate goal of the Transformation Alliance is to ensure that every child in Cleveland attends an excellent school and every neighborhood has a portfolio of high-quality school choices," says O'Bryan. "Our goal is to fill empty seats in the high-performing schools, and over time, drive demand to these good choices. In the marketplace, that demand will then naturally drive out low-performers."
Parents can learn more about school ratings at the Right School Right Now site. The group has completed three different mailers to 25,000 households promoting school choice options. Fliers have been passed out through local community groups. Families can also call 211 to learn more about school ratings.
"The goal is to get parents to look at the info and say, 'My child's school is in Academic Watch, but two miles away there's a school rated Excellent. Why?'"
Although the Transformation Alliance and this campaign are so new that they do not yet have formal goals, O'Bryan says the aim is a "cultural shift" that will take time. "I took this job because it’s an opportunity to create that cultural shift. It's very important for every single resident and the region that this shift occurs. It's a matter of equality and social justice. It's about economic success for our region."
Source: Megan O'Bryan
Writer: Lee Chilcote
With the deadline looming on August 19th, those families that do not proactively choose a school will be enrolled in their neighborhood school, which may or may not be the best option depending on how the school is ranked on State of Ohio report cards.
Perhaps most startling is the fact that many high-performing schools in the city have empty seats waiting to be filled even as kids are enrolled in failing schools.
That's why the Transformation Alliance has launched an unprecedented campaign to "promote one common goal of driving enrollment to high-performing schools," says Megan O'Bryan, a nonprofit veteran who is its new Executive Director.
"The ultimate goal of the Transformation Alliance is to ensure that every child in Cleveland attends an excellent school and every neighborhood has a portfolio of high-quality school choices," says O'Bryan. "Our goal is to fill empty seats in the high-performing schools, and over time, drive demand to these good choices. In the marketplace, that demand will then naturally drive out low-performers."
Parents can learn more about school ratings at the Right School Right Now site. The group has completed three different mailers to 25,000 households promoting school choice options. Fliers have been passed out through local community groups. Families can also call 211 to learn more about school ratings.
"The goal is to get parents to look at the info and say, 'My child's school is in Academic Watch, but two miles away there's a school rated Excellent. Why?'"
Although the Transformation Alliance and this campaign are so new that they do not yet have formal goals, O'Bryan says the aim is a "cultural shift" that will take time. "I took this job because it’s an opportunity to create that cultural shift. It's very important for every single resident and the region that this shift occurs. It's a matter of equality and social justice. It's about economic success for our region."
Source: Megan O'Bryan
Writer: Lee Chilcote
When the Gay Games come to Northeast Ohio next August, 30,000 athletes and spectators are expected to descend upon Cleveland, visiting the city’s attractions, staying in area hotels, eating in restaurants and using other services.
Organizers are making sure small businesses know the impact the games could have on them, as well as how they can get their names out there. A local staff of 10 organizers has hosted two events targeted at small business sponsorship. A third event will be held Tuesday, August 27 at Stonetown Restaurant at 5:30 p.m.
"Gay Games 9 will have a $50 million economic impact on the region,” says Mary Zaller, director of development for the Gay Games. “I want as many small businesses as possible to get a piece of that pie.”
Small business sponsorships range from $500 to $14,000, making it affordable for companies of almost any size to get involved. “For just $500, a small business can be a sponsor of the Gay Games and get our logo on their website and their logo on our website, program and social media,” notes Zaller. “It gives small businesses the power to put themselves out there and show their support of the LGBT community and of equality and equal rights.”
Seventy-five percent of the events planned will take place in downtown Cleveland, with the remaining being held in Akron. “You don’t have to be gay, you don’t have to be good, you just have to be 18 to participate,” says Zaller. “We’re all about inclusion, participation and your personal best.”
Cleveland is the smallest city to ever host the Gay Games, which started in 1980 and takes place every four years. Previous host cities include San Francisco, New York, Chicago, Sydney, Amsterdam and Vancouver.
Source: Mary Zaller
Writer: Karin Connelly
Organizers are making sure small businesses know the impact the games could have on them, as well as how they can get their names out there. A local staff of 10 organizers has hosted two events targeted at small business sponsorship. A third event will be held Tuesday, August 27 at Stonetown Restaurant at 5:30 p.m.
"Gay Games 9 will have a $50 million economic impact on the region,” says Mary Zaller, director of development for the Gay Games. “I want as many small businesses as possible to get a piece of that pie.”
Small business sponsorships range from $500 to $14,000, making it affordable for companies of almost any size to get involved. “For just $500, a small business can be a sponsor of the Gay Games and get our logo on their website and their logo on our website, program and social media,” notes Zaller. “It gives small businesses the power to put themselves out there and show their support of the LGBT community and of equality and equal rights.”
Seventy-five percent of the events planned will take place in downtown Cleveland, with the remaining being held in Akron. “You don’t have to be gay, you don’t have to be good, you just have to be 18 to participate,” says Zaller. “We’re all about inclusion, participation and your personal best.”
Cleveland is the smallest city to ever host the Gay Games, which started in 1980 and takes place every four years. Previous host cities include San Francisco, New York, Chicago, Sydney, Amsterdam and Vancouver.
Source: Mary Zaller
Writer: Karin Connelly
If Jon Stahl of LeanDog fulfills his ambitious dream -- as he so often does -- Cleveland could see a string of elevated skylifts along the lake shore. With a planned 11-stop system, the tramway would move passengers between places like the Municipal Lot, Burke Lakefront Airport, the Convention Center, Wendy Park, Edgewater Park, and both banks of the Flats.
All around us are beautiful sculptural elements, affixed to the very buildings we stroll right by on a daily basis. How many of us notice those angels, faces and gargoyles high up on the friezes of our historic structures? Photographer Bob Perkoski does, and he's assembled a few of his favorite images of them.
atlantic tells story of maron family and east fourth
In a recent The Atlantic piece titled “If You Build It, They Will Come: How Cleveland Lured Young Professionals Downtown,” writer Sophie Quinton tells the story of how the Maron family transformed a vision into the East Fourth Street Clevelanders know and love today.
"When the Maron family decided to redevelop an entire city block in downtown Cleveland, the area was so blighted no restaurateur would lease space there. A decade later, the East Fourth neighborhood is home to Food Network personalities, a House of Blues, and free Saturday yoga classes. Café-style seating spills into the pedestrian-only street. Apartments on the block are fully leased, and a 100-unit building under construction across the street has already reached full capacity."
The article discusses at length the history of the Maron family and the work it took to get the project off paper and onto the street. All the hard work has paid off as East Fourth Street has become a major attraction, with quality restaurants, store fronts, activities, and downtown living that is luring young professionals who want to live and work in the middle of all the action.
Enjoy the full piece here.
"When the Maron family decided to redevelop an entire city block in downtown Cleveland, the area was so blighted no restaurateur would lease space there. A decade later, the East Fourth neighborhood is home to Food Network personalities, a House of Blues, and free Saturday yoga classes. Café-style seating spills into the pedestrian-only street. Apartments on the block are fully leased, and a 100-unit building under construction across the street has already reached full capacity."
The article discusses at length the history of the Maron family and the work it took to get the project off paper and onto the street. All the hard work has paid off as East Fourth Street has become a major attraction, with quality restaurants, store fronts, activities, and downtown living that is luring young professionals who want to live and work in the middle of all the action.
Enjoy the full piece here.
An annual study conducted by CSU’s Center for Economic Development at the Levin College of Urban Affairs shows that start-up companies in Northeast Ohio contribute significantly to the economy. The study surveyed tech-based companies that received assistance, either financially or in services, through JumpStart or the North Coast Angel Fund.
The 127 companies who participated in the study generated $211 million in economic benefits in Northeast Ohio in 2012, $270 million state-wide. These companies helped create and retain 1,100 in-state direct jobs, with a total Ohio employment impact of 2,140. The companies and their suppliers also increased total Ohio household earnings by $125 million and contributed nearly $12 million in state and local tax impact.
As the early-stage companies grow, their impact increases, according to the study. Among those surveyed, 44 companies participated over three years -- from 2010 to 2012, showing 53 percent job growth and a 36 percent increase in economic impact over those three years.
“These numbers quantify the impact small companies made,” says Cathy Belk, JumpStart COO. “Small companies make a big difference. It’s exciting to see the impact the companies we see every day are having. We see how hard these companies are working.”
With all of the organizations in Cleveland that support start-ups, in addition to support from Ohio Third Frontier, which provides funding to organizations like JumpStart, the region is ideal for new businesses.
“We continue to believe that Northeast Ohio is the best place in the country to have a small business or a new business,” says Belk. “We have such a robust ecosystem for startups and small business.”
Source: Cathy Belk
Writer: Karin Connelly
The 127 companies who participated in the study generated $211 million in economic benefits in Northeast Ohio in 2012, $270 million state-wide. These companies helped create and retain 1,100 in-state direct jobs, with a total Ohio employment impact of 2,140. The companies and their suppliers also increased total Ohio household earnings by $125 million and contributed nearly $12 million in state and local tax impact.
As the early-stage companies grow, their impact increases, according to the study. Among those surveyed, 44 companies participated over three years -- from 2010 to 2012, showing 53 percent job growth and a 36 percent increase in economic impact over those three years.
“These numbers quantify the impact small companies made,” says Cathy Belk, JumpStart COO. “Small companies make a big difference. It’s exciting to see the impact the companies we see every day are having. We see how hard these companies are working.”
With all of the organizations in Cleveland that support start-ups, in addition to support from Ohio Third Frontier, which provides funding to organizations like JumpStart, the region is ideal for new businesses.
“We continue to believe that Northeast Ohio is the best place in the country to have a small business or a new business,” says Belk. “We have such a robust ecosystem for startups and small business.”
Source: Cathy Belk
Writer: Karin Connelly
Zack Bruell used to watch PlayhouseSquare office workers sit outside at Star Plaza and eat sandwiches in the park. He thought, They could be my customers. Now, thanks to Dynomite, a new fast-casual burger shack in the Star Plaza kiosk, many of them are.
During its first week, Dynomite frequently had lines 30-people deep and ran out of hamburger buns by 3 p.m. (don't worry, they ordered more). Bruell hopes this is an omen.
"I was basically opening it so that we could bring more people to the area," says the restaurateur, who owns five other venues in Cleveland (Parallax, Chinato, Table 45, Cowell and Hubbard, L'Albatros). "I wanted to see more street traffic. This is one of the great neighborhoods in the city, and it's in transition."
You can think of Dynomite as a kind of Zack Bruell burger clearinghouse. Modeled after the legendary Shake Shack in New York City, the venue offers four kinds of burgers that are also available at Parallax, L'Albatros, Chinato and Cowell and Hubbard. Each is different and unique. Additionally, Dynomite offers a killer chicken sandwich, regular burger, vegan burger, hot dog and chili dog.
Sides include fries, chili fries, chili, pickles and soft serve ice cream. The most expensive things on the entire menu are the signature burgers, which are priced at $8.
"We're just doing basic food, but we're doing it right," says Bruell. "We're using the same products that we're working with in all of our restaurants."
Dynomite will soon have a full liquor license. Bruell expects the revamped Star Plaza -- which is nearly complete and includes additional outdoor seating, a fire pit and concert stage -- to look and function like a downtown beer garden.
The venue is the latest addition to PlayhouseSquare, which has in recent years been evolving into a dining destination and vibrant 24-7 neighborhood.
Source: Zack Bruell
Writer: Lee Chilcote
During its first week, Dynomite frequently had lines 30-people deep and ran out of hamburger buns by 3 p.m. (don't worry, they ordered more). Bruell hopes this is an omen.
"I was basically opening it so that we could bring more people to the area," says the restaurateur, who owns five other venues in Cleveland (Parallax, Chinato, Table 45, Cowell and Hubbard, L'Albatros). "I wanted to see more street traffic. This is one of the great neighborhoods in the city, and it's in transition."
You can think of Dynomite as a kind of Zack Bruell burger clearinghouse. Modeled after the legendary Shake Shack in New York City, the venue offers four kinds of burgers that are also available at Parallax, L'Albatros, Chinato and Cowell and Hubbard. Each is different and unique. Additionally, Dynomite offers a killer chicken sandwich, regular burger, vegan burger, hot dog and chili dog.
Sides include fries, chili fries, chili, pickles and soft serve ice cream. The most expensive things on the entire menu are the signature burgers, which are priced at $8.
"We're just doing basic food, but we're doing it right," says Bruell. "We're using the same products that we're working with in all of our restaurants."
Dynomite will soon have a full liquor license. Bruell expects the revamped Star Plaza -- which is nearly complete and includes additional outdoor seating, a fire pit and concert stage -- to look and function like a downtown beer garden.
The venue is the latest addition to PlayhouseSquare, which has in recent years been evolving into a dining destination and vibrant 24-7 neighborhood.
Source: Zack Bruell
Writer: Lee Chilcote
young companies and startups aid both local and state economies
In a Techli story titled “Greater Cleveland Startups Improve Ohio With Jobs, Tax Dollars and Impact,” writer Annie Zaleski explores how important startups and young companies are to the success of a region’s economy.
In a study from Cleveland State University, a report found that 127 young companies generated $270 million in economic benefits for Ohio in 2012 alone.
“The companies in the report -- a group comprised of businesses that successfully leveraged things such as business assistance or seed capital -- helped create and retain 1,100 in-state direct jobs (with a total Ohio employment impact of 2,140). In the last three years, these very young companies are already contributing significantly -- more than $688 million -- to Ohio’s economy.”
The story goes on to discuss that the figures only represent a small portion of development in the region and do not encompass all of Northeast Ohio. Taking that into account, the importance of startups and young companies on the economy becomes even more significant.
Enjoy the full piece here.
In a study from Cleveland State University, a report found that 127 young companies generated $270 million in economic benefits for Ohio in 2012 alone.
“The companies in the report -- a group comprised of businesses that successfully leveraged things such as business assistance or seed capital -- helped create and retain 1,100 in-state direct jobs (with a total Ohio employment impact of 2,140). In the last three years, these very young companies are already contributing significantly -- more than $688 million -- to Ohio’s economy.”
The story goes on to discuss that the figures only represent a small portion of development in the region and do not encompass all of Northeast Ohio. Taking that into account, the importance of startups and young companies on the economy becomes even more significant.
Enjoy the full piece here.
From Gordon Square to North Collinwood, a definite shift is occurring among young homebuyers, who increasingly are choosing to raise families in the city. Thanks to phenomenal amenities and a growing roster of good schools, Cleveland is becoming downright kid-friendly!
When Gordon Daily founded BoxCast in 2008 after a funeral director asked his business partners to create a way for family members to privately observe funeral services at his chapel, he had no idea the concept of simple, live streaming video would be so popular.
Today, business is booming, especially in the church and on athletic fields. BoxCast allows anyone with a camera to stream live video to BoxCast’s cloud-based service. Users can then watch the video anytime, anywhere.
“We have eclectic audiences looking to do things they’ve never been able to do before,” explains Daily. “It’s simple and affordable because no one has to be a technical expert to stream live video.”
With JumpStart’s recent $250,000 investment, things are moving even more quickly. “The JumpStart funding was the jump start of our company, it really was,” says Daily. “Until we had the funding, we couldn’t do what we really needed to do.”
What BoxCast needed to do was hire the right people to implement and market the company’s technology and build the right business relationships. “Now, it’s all happening,” says Daily. “The pieces are coming together. A lot of partnerships are coming together.”
Daily says a lot of high schools, colleges and churches are interested in BoxCast for their sporting events and other activities. But he says he’s also seen a lot of unique potential customers surfacing. “There are a lot of neat ideas -- interesting and unique entertainment venues that never had video,” he says. “People with specific, eclectic interests that didn’t realize they could do it.”
BoxCast has grown to 12 employees and Daily is looking for an administrative person to help around the office. To accommodate the growth, BoxCast recently moved into a 4,000-square-foot office at Burke Lakefront Airport.
Source: Gordon Daily
Writer: Karin Connelly
Today, business is booming, especially in the church and on athletic fields. BoxCast allows anyone with a camera to stream live video to BoxCast’s cloud-based service. Users can then watch the video anytime, anywhere.
“We have eclectic audiences looking to do things they’ve never been able to do before,” explains Daily. “It’s simple and affordable because no one has to be a technical expert to stream live video.”
With JumpStart’s recent $250,000 investment, things are moving even more quickly. “The JumpStart funding was the jump start of our company, it really was,” says Daily. “Until we had the funding, we couldn’t do what we really needed to do.”
What BoxCast needed to do was hire the right people to implement and market the company’s technology and build the right business relationships. “Now, it’s all happening,” says Daily. “The pieces are coming together. A lot of partnerships are coming together.”
Daily says a lot of high schools, colleges and churches are interested in BoxCast for their sporting events and other activities. But he says he’s also seen a lot of unique potential customers surfacing. “There are a lot of neat ideas -- interesting and unique entertainment venues that never had video,” he says. “People with specific, eclectic interests that didn’t realize they could do it.”
BoxCast has grown to 12 employees and Daily is looking for an administrative person to help around the office. To accommodate the growth, BoxCast recently moved into a 4,000-square-foot office at Burke Lakefront Airport.
Source: Gordon Daily
Writer: Karin Connelly
City of Cleveland officials and non-profit leaders are taking notice of how an improved cycling infrastructure can reshape the future of our city for the better. How the city proceeds with a handful or projects could make or break our momentum.
For 10 years, my husband and I have called Ohio City home, where we are now raising our three young children. This summer, Team Taseff created a “Cleveland Summer Bucket List,” which includes 10 places and activities to explore in Cleveland that are free, fun and close to home.
npr takes close look at cleveland's image
In an NPR story titled “Making Sense Of Cleveland’s Good And Bad News,” Nick Castele writes of the national attention Cleveland has gotten due to its recent high-profile crimes.
Castele shares Colette Jones of Positively Cleveland’s thoughts on our fair city as she states, "I think most people have outdated perceptions of Cleveland. Most people don't really know much about the city. I think the things they see typically relate back to what they see on television, whether it has to do with our sports teams or something else like that."
While some feel a changed image will be the entire fix Cleveland needs to become a booming town again, others are not so optimistic. Focus still needs to be placed on poverty, vacancy, and dwindling populations.
Check out the full feature here.
Castele shares Colette Jones of Positively Cleveland’s thoughts on our fair city as she states, "I think most people have outdated perceptions of Cleveland. Most people don't really know much about the city. I think the things they see typically relate back to what they see on television, whether it has to do with our sports teams or something else like that."
While some feel a changed image will be the entire fix Cleveland needs to become a booming town again, others are not so optimistic. Focus still needs to be placed on poverty, vacancy, and dwindling populations.
Check out the full feature here.
OnShift, which produces staff scheduling software for the healthcare and senior living industries, recently made new additions to its software to comply with Affordable Care Act (ACA) requirements. The ACA, which goes into effect in 2014, puts penalties on companies that mismanage employee’s part-time and full-time hours. OnShift’s new predictive analytics helps employers keep better track of employees’ hours.
“Labor is the number-one operating expense for employers,” explains OnShift CEO Mark Woodka. “Companies have to really understand what is full-time and what is part-time. If they don’t, they may accidentally assign someone too much work and part-time becomes full-time, which leads to penalties and additional coverage requirements under the ACA.”
The upgrade is free to existing OnShift customers. “Our commitment to our customers is to keep them current about impending legislation,” says Woodka.
Business is booming for OnShift because of the new updates to its systems and the ACA requirements. “We’ve already won some business because of this and we think it will be a trigger event for other customers,’ says Woodka. “We’re having a great year and we’re growing like gangbusters.”
Woodka predicts OnShift will hire 10 to 15 new employees this year. The company has already added three positions this year and currently has five open in positions in everything from customer service to developers.
Source: Mark Woodka
Writer: Karin Connelly
“Labor is the number-one operating expense for employers,” explains OnShift CEO Mark Woodka. “Companies have to really understand what is full-time and what is part-time. If they don’t, they may accidentally assign someone too much work and part-time becomes full-time, which leads to penalties and additional coverage requirements under the ACA.”
The upgrade is free to existing OnShift customers. “Our commitment to our customers is to keep them current about impending legislation,” says Woodka.
Business is booming for OnShift because of the new updates to its systems and the ACA requirements. “We’ve already won some business because of this and we think it will be a trigger event for other customers,’ says Woodka. “We’re having a great year and we’re growing like gangbusters.”
Woodka predicts OnShift will hire 10 to 15 new employees this year. The company has already added three positions this year and currently has five open in positions in everything from customer service to developers.
Source: Mark Woodka
Writer: Karin Connelly
Cleveland has a proud and colorful comic book legacy, which begins with Superman and ends (for now) with Captain America. And that heroic heritage is taken seriously at local comic book shops, where geek is chic and comic book enthusiasts no longer are relegated to the shadowy corners of what's cool.
The Northeast Ohio Sustainable Communities Consortium (NEOSCC) has mapped out what our region's future looks like if we stay on the same, urban-sprawl-lovin' course. Spoiler alert: It ain't good.
The group's "Business as Usual" scenario attempts to answer the question, "What will happen over the next 27 years if Northeast Ohio just keeps doing what it has been doing?" using sophisticated mapping.
NEOSCC's predictions include 2.4 percent growth in population and 6.2 percent growth in employment across 12 counties. Yet given our current land use patterns, about 92,500 acres will be used for new development and 77,100 acres will be abandoned.
That means Northeast Ohio is "on pace to abandon 10.5 percent of its housing units by 2040" or "18 units abandoned per day," according to the NEOSCC.
Although NEOSCC will not reveal its recommendations at this point, staff will present four scenarios to the public at open houses in the coming weeks.
These scenarios include "business as usual" (sprawl with limited growth), "doing things differently" (more sustainable development with limited growth), "grow the same" (sprawl with growth at a higher level than is occurring now) and "grow differently" (more sustainable development with greater growth).
After receiving input from residents, NEOSCC will recommend a scenario to the four metropolitan planning organizations that help divvy up transportation dollars for the region and create long-term land use plans. Jeff Anderle of NEOSCC says that the group must create a "shared vision" to be successful with its efforts.
"We're not a governing organization; we don't have implementation power," he says. "It's been tricky, but we've gotten great participation from elected officials throughout the region. There's a lot of 'Let's see how and where this comes out.'"
To participate in the process, Northeast Ohio residents can attend one of the upcoming open houses or check out the Imagine My NEO tool on the website.
Source: Jeff Anderle
Writer: Lee Chilcote
The group's "Business as Usual" scenario attempts to answer the question, "What will happen over the next 27 years if Northeast Ohio just keeps doing what it has been doing?" using sophisticated mapping.
NEOSCC's predictions include 2.4 percent growth in population and 6.2 percent growth in employment across 12 counties. Yet given our current land use patterns, about 92,500 acres will be used for new development and 77,100 acres will be abandoned.
That means Northeast Ohio is "on pace to abandon 10.5 percent of its housing units by 2040" or "18 units abandoned per day," according to the NEOSCC.
Although NEOSCC will not reveal its recommendations at this point, staff will present four scenarios to the public at open houses in the coming weeks.
These scenarios include "business as usual" (sprawl with limited growth), "doing things differently" (more sustainable development with limited growth), "grow the same" (sprawl with growth at a higher level than is occurring now) and "grow differently" (more sustainable development with greater growth).
After receiving input from residents, NEOSCC will recommend a scenario to the four metropolitan planning organizations that help divvy up transportation dollars for the region and create long-term land use plans. Jeff Anderle of NEOSCC says that the group must create a "shared vision" to be successful with its efforts.
"We're not a governing organization; we don't have implementation power," he says. "It's been tricky, but we've gotten great participation from elected officials throughout the region. There's a lot of 'Let's see how and where this comes out.'"
To participate in the process, Northeast Ohio residents can attend one of the upcoming open houses or check out the Imagine My NEO tool on the website.
Source: Jeff Anderle
Writer: Lee Chilcote