Downtown
move over silicon valley, here comes the rust belt
In a Forbes feature titled "The Surprising Rebirth Of America's Industrial Centers," Natalie Burg reports on the continued trend of former industrial cities transforming into today's hotbeds of entrepreneurial innovation.
"Move over, Silicon Valley. The American Rust Belt is going fiber optic. Though local economies built on manufacturing may not sound like the perfect candidates to transition into the new economy, cities like Cleveland, Detroit and Pittsburgh are proving otherwise."
Why would tech-minded entrepreneurs choose to live and work in Detroit, Pittsburgh or Cleveland instead of the sunny Silicon Valley?
“They want to see things being made,” the article contends. “These academically high achievers love making things.”
That's not all.
“There’s been an acceleration of restaurants, urban farms, are everything the tech industry require,” Russo said. “Chefs from other regions are relocating here.”
Read the rest of the news right here.
"Move over, Silicon Valley. The American Rust Belt is going fiber optic. Though local economies built on manufacturing may not sound like the perfect candidates to transition into the new economy, cities like Cleveland, Detroit and Pittsburgh are proving otherwise."
Why would tech-minded entrepreneurs choose to live and work in Detroit, Pittsburgh or Cleveland instead of the sunny Silicon Valley?
“They want to see things being made,” the article contends. “These academically high achievers love making things.”
That's not all.
“There’s been an acceleration of restaurants, urban farms, are everything the tech industry require,” Russo said. “Chefs from other regions are relocating here.”
Read the rest of the news right here.
Three prominent community development groups in Cleveland have merged, and staffers say the resulting alliance will help strengthen community revitalization efforts across the city, foster more unified advocacy, and allow for greater efficiency in citywide efforts.
Neighborhood Progress Inc. (NPI), a community development intermediary that provides grants and technical assistance to community development corporations (CDCs), has merged with Cleveland Neighborhood Development Coalition (CNDC) and LiveCleveland. CNDC is a trade association of CDCs; LiveCleveland helps to market city neighborhoods.
That might sound like a mouthful of acronyms to the average city resident, but Joel Ratner, President of NPI, says the collaboration really is about improving Cleveland's neighborhoods.
"We'll have a greater ability to coordinate the marketing of neighborhoods along with advocacy, capacity building and all the other things we've traditionally done," he says. "This is really about uniting the strands of community development across the city in a way that's integrated and strategic rather than separate."
For example, says Ratner, CDCs will be able to have a stronger voice in education reform and other efforts that affect the entire city, residents will see an increased marketing presence, and CDC employees will benefit from shared services like healthcare. It adds up to more effective efforts to improve all of Cleveland.
"Our mission is to foster communities of choice and opportunity throughout Cleveland," says Ratner, who acknowledges that NPI will still only have resources to provide core operating support to a subset of city neighborhoods. "There are lots of ways we can play a role in lifting up all CDCs and neighborhoods."
CNDC Director Colleen Gilson says that while the merger idea was far from popular among CDCs at first -- they feared losing their independence -- individual leaders saw the value in fostering a citywide community development network that provides more effective services to all neighborhoods, not just a select few.
The merger will be publicly rolled out in September, with NPI moving into its new offices in the Saint Luke's project at Shaker Boulevard and E. 116th by January.
Source: Joel Ratner
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Neighborhood Progress Inc. (NPI), a community development intermediary that provides grants and technical assistance to community development corporations (CDCs), has merged with Cleveland Neighborhood Development Coalition (CNDC) and LiveCleveland. CNDC is a trade association of CDCs; LiveCleveland helps to market city neighborhoods.
That might sound like a mouthful of acronyms to the average city resident, but Joel Ratner, President of NPI, says the collaboration really is about improving Cleveland's neighborhoods.
"We'll have a greater ability to coordinate the marketing of neighborhoods along with advocacy, capacity building and all the other things we've traditionally done," he says. "This is really about uniting the strands of community development across the city in a way that's integrated and strategic rather than separate."
For example, says Ratner, CDCs will be able to have a stronger voice in education reform and other efforts that affect the entire city, residents will see an increased marketing presence, and CDC employees will benefit from shared services like healthcare. It adds up to more effective efforts to improve all of Cleveland.
"Our mission is to foster communities of choice and opportunity throughout Cleveland," says Ratner, who acknowledges that NPI will still only have resources to provide core operating support to a subset of city neighborhoods. "There are lots of ways we can play a role in lifting up all CDCs and neighborhoods."
CNDC Director Colleen Gilson says that while the merger idea was far from popular among CDCs at first -- they feared losing their independence -- individual leaders saw the value in fostering a citywide community development network that provides more effective services to all neighborhoods, not just a select few.
The merger will be publicly rolled out in September, with NPI moving into its new offices in the Saint Luke's project at Shaker Boulevard and E. 116th by January.
Source: Joel Ratner
Writer: Lee Chilcote
WorkAdvance, a national program that provides low-income and low-skilled individuals with employment training, in conjunction with Towards Employment, a Cuyahoga County-based employment readiness agency, and seven other collaborators, has enrolled 465 local participants in its training program.
Enrollment began in June. The participants are receiving skills training and career services in manufacturing and healthcare. Rebecca Kusner, director of WorkAdvance, says two-thirds of the Cuyahoga County participants are from Cleveland.
The WorkAdvance program is part of a study to show that low-skill and low-income people with barriers to employment can meet companies’ needs if they are offered coordinated skills training and career coaching. “Often, people get GED services, but not technical training,” says Kusner. “WorkAdvance puts together all the services people need to not only get a job, but continue along a career pathway so they don’t end up back on public assistance.”
Northeast Ohio is one of four sites nationwide in the study. The program operates through federal funding from the Social Innovation Fund and under a local investment from the Fund for Our Economic Future.
Manufacturing and health care are two areas most in need of trained workers, Kusner says. “We talked to employers in both fields and asked them where they feel the pain,” she explains, adding that qualified welders were particularly in demand in Northeast Ohio.
Participants received training at places like Tri-C, Lincoln Electric, and Lakeland Community College. Kusner reports that 30 percent of those participants in jobs after training have already received wage increases.
Source: Rebecca Kusner
Writer: Karin Connelly
Enrollment began in June. The participants are receiving skills training and career services in manufacturing and healthcare. Rebecca Kusner, director of WorkAdvance, says two-thirds of the Cuyahoga County participants are from Cleveland.
The WorkAdvance program is part of a study to show that low-skill and low-income people with barriers to employment can meet companies’ needs if they are offered coordinated skills training and career coaching. “Often, people get GED services, but not technical training,” says Kusner. “WorkAdvance puts together all the services people need to not only get a job, but continue along a career pathway so they don’t end up back on public assistance.”
Northeast Ohio is one of four sites nationwide in the study. The program operates through federal funding from the Social Innovation Fund and under a local investment from the Fund for Our Economic Future.
Manufacturing and health care are two areas most in need of trained workers, Kusner says. “We talked to employers in both fields and asked them where they feel the pain,” she explains, adding that qualified welders were particularly in demand in Northeast Ohio.
Participants received training at places like Tri-C, Lincoln Electric, and Lakeland Community College. Kusner reports that 30 percent of those participants in jobs after training have already received wage increases.
Source: Rebecca Kusner
Writer: Karin Connelly
The fourth annual Cleveland Give Camp will be held this weekend on the LeanDog boat by Burke Lakefront Airport. Organizers are expecting 200 volunteers to turn out from Friday, July 19 to Sunday, July 21 to help 18 chosen non-profits with their software and web-based application projects.
In addition to the developers, project managers, designers, creative professionals and other techies, volunteers do everything from making sure everyone is well fed to cleaning up. “Each project team leader, project manager... Every single person who works on Give Camp is a volunteer,” explains spokesperson Amy Wong. “It’s a way for people with a unique set of skills to give back.”
But the people involved in Give Camp, many who come back year after year, also have fun. Many pitch tents for the weekend, while others simply go without sleeping. The event is also a great techie networking opportunity.
“It’s fun, you get to spend the weekend on the lake with a great view,” says Wong. “You meet a lot of great people you never met before and hang with some really smart people. People get sucked in by the non-profits they work with.”
Some of the non-profits receiving help on their projects this year include the Free Clinic, LAND Studio, Malachi House and the May Dugan Center. In addition to LeanDog and Burke hosting the event, 12 additional companies sponsor Give Camp. Some of the top sponsors include Arras Keathley, Explorys, JumpStart and Hyland Software.
“We’re really grateful to all of our sponsors,” says Wong. “They give us everything. They feed us breakfast, lunch and dinner and a special treat on Saturday night.”
Source: Amy Wong
Writer: Karin Connelly
In addition to the developers, project managers, designers, creative professionals and other techies, volunteers do everything from making sure everyone is well fed to cleaning up. “Each project team leader, project manager... Every single person who works on Give Camp is a volunteer,” explains spokesperson Amy Wong. “It’s a way for people with a unique set of skills to give back.”
But the people involved in Give Camp, many who come back year after year, also have fun. Many pitch tents for the weekend, while others simply go without sleeping. The event is also a great techie networking opportunity.
“It’s fun, you get to spend the weekend on the lake with a great view,” says Wong. “You meet a lot of great people you never met before and hang with some really smart people. People get sucked in by the non-profits they work with.”
Some of the non-profits receiving help on their projects this year include the Free Clinic, LAND Studio, Malachi House and the May Dugan Center. In addition to LeanDog and Burke hosting the event, 12 additional companies sponsor Give Camp. Some of the top sponsors include Arras Keathley, Explorys, JumpStart and Hyland Software.
“We’re really grateful to all of our sponsors,” says Wong. “They give us everything. They feed us breakfast, lunch and dinner and a special treat on Saturday night.”
Source: Amy Wong
Writer: Karin Connelly
Each week, Fresh Fork Market delivers "grab bags" of locally grown ingredients to thousands of subscribers at various drop-off sites around town. From the customer's point of view, the process is a breeze. But ride along with owner Trevor Clatterbuck, as photographer Bob Perkoski did for this slideshow, and you'll see how much work goes into each bag.
columbus news crew road trips to cleveland
In an ABC 6 report titled “Road Trippin #3: Cleveland,” Columbus reporter Ashley Yore headed north on I-71 to Cleveland to explore our city’s $2 billion worth of new tourism related developments and improvements.
“According to Cleveland representatives, most of the improvements are on the East 4th Street, one of the city’s entertainment districts. Some of the projects include a new casino, a museum of contemporary art and a new aquarium. In addition, The National Senior Games are coming to the city on July 19, as well as “The Rolling Stone: 50 years of Satisfaction,” an interactive exhibit at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.”
Other stops along the route included Melt Bar and Grilled, The Western Reserve Historical Society, and the Great Lakes Science Center.
The full story and a video broadcast of the report are available here.
“According to Cleveland representatives, most of the improvements are on the East 4th Street, one of the city’s entertainment districts. Some of the projects include a new casino, a museum of contemporary art and a new aquarium. In addition, The National Senior Games are coming to the city on July 19, as well as “The Rolling Stone: 50 years of Satisfaction,” an interactive exhibit at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.”
Other stops along the route included Melt Bar and Grilled, The Western Reserve Historical Society, and the Great Lakes Science Center.
The full story and a video broadcast of the report are available here.
With medical marijuana becoming more mainstream every year, backers who favor legalizing it say the moment is ripe for Ohio to join the movement. To that aim, one group is collecting signatures to place the issue on the November 2014 ballot, allowing voters to decide whether or not medical marijuana should be allowed.
Lynde Vespoli has a background in the tourism industry. When she started hearing about projects like the Global Center for Health Innovation, the Cleveland Convention Center and the Horseshoe Casino, as well as plans to host the National Senior Games this summer and the Gay Games next, Vespoli decided to put her talents in destination management to work.
Last November Vespoli started Discover My Cleveland, a Destination Management Company. “Think of it as a one-stop shop for events and meeting planners who are coming to Cleveland,” Vespoli says. “With all of the events coming to Cleveland, we needed a company to assist groups full-time.”
Discover My Cleveland provides group tours of Cleveland attractions and landmarks, such as city bus tours and historical walking tours. Vespoli can tell visitors, and locals, all about the Daniel Burnham Group Plan, the 1903 plan that includes the public buildings on The Mall.
For the National Senior Games, Vespoli has organized some unique tours for the 11,000 athletes and 12,000 spectators expected. Group tours include everything from a visit to Amish country to a Beer and Bourbon tour, to a tour of Cleveland’s sacred landmarks.
These tours, which run daily from July 21 to July 28, are open to the general public as well. In fact, Vespoli encourages Clevelanders to join the tours and act as ambassadors. “It’s a neat way for people to do these things, but also mingle with the athletes,” she says.
Vespoli employs eight tour guides on a contract basis. She says she is always looking for additional guides, who have to learn a script and be able to direct a bus driver with their backs to the window.
Vespoli has some other groups lined up for her tours, and only expects business to increase. “”When people start to realize how affordable Cleveland is and how nice we are, they’ll start coming back,” she predicts. “This is a very exciting time for Cleveland and I’m excited to be a part of it.”
Source: Lynde Vespoli
Writer: Karin Connelly
Last November Vespoli started Discover My Cleveland, a Destination Management Company. “Think of it as a one-stop shop for events and meeting planners who are coming to Cleveland,” Vespoli says. “With all of the events coming to Cleveland, we needed a company to assist groups full-time.”
Discover My Cleveland provides group tours of Cleveland attractions and landmarks, such as city bus tours and historical walking tours. Vespoli can tell visitors, and locals, all about the Daniel Burnham Group Plan, the 1903 plan that includes the public buildings on The Mall.
For the National Senior Games, Vespoli has organized some unique tours for the 11,000 athletes and 12,000 spectators expected. Group tours include everything from a visit to Amish country to a Beer and Bourbon tour, to a tour of Cleveland’s sacred landmarks.
These tours, which run daily from July 21 to July 28, are open to the general public as well. In fact, Vespoli encourages Clevelanders to join the tours and act as ambassadors. “It’s a neat way for people to do these things, but also mingle with the athletes,” she says.
Vespoli employs eight tour guides on a contract basis. She says she is always looking for additional guides, who have to learn a script and be able to direct a bus driver with their backs to the window.
Vespoli has some other groups lined up for her tours, and only expects business to increase. “”When people start to realize how affordable Cleveland is and how nice we are, they’ll start coming back,” she predicts. “This is a very exciting time for Cleveland and I’m excited to be a part of it.”
Source: Lynde Vespoli
Writer: Karin Connelly
BlueBridge Networks isn’t trying to be the biggest cloud-based data storage and recovery company; the Cleveland-based company simply wants to be the best for its customers. To ensure that it is, BlueBridge recently announced a $6 million investment in technology to build the best network and facilities possible.
“We are controlling our own destiny,” explains managing director and partner Kevin Goodman. “We’re building our network to be cheaper, better and faster. Over time, the $6 million will be about time, talent and treasure.”
The three key players at BlueBridge -- Goodman, CFO Phillip Weihe, and director of operations Petar Bojovic -- sat down and made a plan for strategic growth that includes hardware and software improvements, updates to facilities and hiring the right people to make it all happen.
“The three of us strategically put together what we have to do to build it better,” says Goodman. “It’s a terrific time for us. Our focus has always been the next step. We always look at operational excellence, but we’re also always poised for growth.”
Pat Garcia, associate partner of technology at Rosetta, one of BlueBridge’s long-term customers, backs up Goodman’s mission to be the best provider to its customers. “We’ve really had a good experience with their response time,” Garcia says. “They are service oriented and all about customers and getting things done right.”
In addition to its Cleveland headquarters, Bluebridge has data centers in Mayfield Heights, Columbus and, more recently, Grand Rapids, Michigan. Goodman says the centers are all located on the line of the technology telecom track and centrally located. The bulk of the investment will be in the Cleveland headquarters, Goodman says, where the majority of the cloud platform is located. The new and improved platform is called bCloud2.0.
BlueBridge currently has 14 employees and 30 contractors. Goodman says they plan to bring on 15 additional people this year, and already are hiring people from all over the country.
Source: Kevin Goodman
Writer: Karin Connelly
“We are controlling our own destiny,” explains managing director and partner Kevin Goodman. “We’re building our network to be cheaper, better and faster. Over time, the $6 million will be about time, talent and treasure.”
The three key players at BlueBridge -- Goodman, CFO Phillip Weihe, and director of operations Petar Bojovic -- sat down and made a plan for strategic growth that includes hardware and software improvements, updates to facilities and hiring the right people to make it all happen.
“The three of us strategically put together what we have to do to build it better,” says Goodman. “It’s a terrific time for us. Our focus has always been the next step. We always look at operational excellence, but we’re also always poised for growth.”
Pat Garcia, associate partner of technology at Rosetta, one of BlueBridge’s long-term customers, backs up Goodman’s mission to be the best provider to its customers. “We’ve really had a good experience with their response time,” Garcia says. “They are service oriented and all about customers and getting things done right.”
In addition to its Cleveland headquarters, Bluebridge has data centers in Mayfield Heights, Columbus and, more recently, Grand Rapids, Michigan. Goodman says the centers are all located on the line of the technology telecom track and centrally located. The bulk of the investment will be in the Cleveland headquarters, Goodman says, where the majority of the cloud platform is located. The new and improved platform is called bCloud2.0.
BlueBridge currently has 14 employees and 30 contractors. Goodman says they plan to bring on 15 additional people this year, and already are hiring people from all over the country.
Source: Kevin Goodman
Writer: Karin Connelly
Three Northeast Ohio architecture firms currently are working within the confines of niche industries like dining, education or healthcare. But far from staunching a designer's creativity, these disciplines are proving a playground where the imagination can run free.
writer proposes dream rapid system for region
In a RustWire post titled “Imagining a Dream Rapid for Cleveland,” Christopher Lohr explores the impact that expanding the rapid transit system would have on the greater Cleveland metropolitan area.
Lohr was inspired by a pair of articles that related to the Baltimore and NYC systems in a somewhat playful fashion. He opted for a more serious approach when creating the “Dream Rapid” for Cleveland that would both serve the community and allow for continued economic growth.
“These articles inspired me to create what I called the Dream Rapid. Rather than base it on existing Subway routes or plans from decades ago, I instead set out to base in on plausible rail and interstate corridors that could accommodate transit.”
The article goes on to detail the various routes and communities served by this dream expansion.
View the full piece here.
Lohr was inspired by a pair of articles that related to the Baltimore and NYC systems in a somewhat playful fashion. He opted for a more serious approach when creating the “Dream Rapid” for Cleveland that would both serve the community and allow for continued economic growth.
“These articles inspired me to create what I called the Dream Rapid. Rather than base it on existing Subway routes or plans from decades ago, I instead set out to base in on plausible rail and interstate corridors that could accommodate transit.”
The article goes on to detail the various routes and communities served by this dream expansion.
View the full piece here.
The Willeyville is named after John Willey, the first mayor of Cleveland, who reputedly demolished a portion of the first bridge to Ohio City to keep a steady stream of business pouring into the Flats. In those bygone days, the area actually was nicknamed "Willeyville" because of the mayor's practice of protecting it.
The new restaurant, which opened at W. 10th and Front streets in the Flats, is a bridge to the city's past and future. With elegant, creative fare served in a lovely setting, Willeyville reminds one why he or she came to the Flats in the first place. It aims to raise the bar on the city's food scene without breaking bank accounts along the way.
"The concept has always been old-school cocktails and everything from scratch," says Christopher DiLisi, a restaurant veteran who has worked at the Baricelli Inn and Flour and waited two years to open Willeyville with his wife, Kristi. "I don't want to be a special occasion place; I want to be a place you go all the time. It's just more fun. Fine dining's not dead -- this is fine dining. It's just changed."
Willeyville, which seats 86 inside and 32 on its corner patio, is a beautiful space with concrete floors, large windows and a lofty ceiling. Homey touches like wood tables crafted from reclaimed lumber by A Piece of Cleveland and comfy benches upholstered in faux leather add warmth. The walls are painted an attractive shade of orange and the open kitchen thrusts into the dining room like a theatrical stage.
A few menu standouts include the "duck mic muffin" (duck sausage and an over-easy egg in a homemade muffin); the adobo shrimp in house-made tortillas (made of whole grain corn soaked in lime); and the Ohio-raised, grass-fed hangar steak.
DiLisi already has been doing 110 covers per lunch, he reports -- and that's despite the challenging parking situation. Options currently include a dozen free spaces, a paid lot or the Aloft Hotel garage. DiLisi hopes to work out more options down the road.
He is confident about Flats East, which will celebrate the opening of Lago restaurant next week. "This will always be a restaurant-bar, not just a bar that serves food. The Flats used to be party central, but now the developers are focused on getting a great mix."
As for the name, he's second-guessing it. "In retrospect, after paying for the sign, I wish it didn't have so many letters," DiLisi quips. "Maybe it should have been 'W.'"
Source: Christopher DiLisi
Writer: Lee Chilcote
The new restaurant, which opened at W. 10th and Front streets in the Flats, is a bridge to the city's past and future. With elegant, creative fare served in a lovely setting, Willeyville reminds one why he or she came to the Flats in the first place. It aims to raise the bar on the city's food scene without breaking bank accounts along the way.
"The concept has always been old-school cocktails and everything from scratch," says Christopher DiLisi, a restaurant veteran who has worked at the Baricelli Inn and Flour and waited two years to open Willeyville with his wife, Kristi. "I don't want to be a special occasion place; I want to be a place you go all the time. It's just more fun. Fine dining's not dead -- this is fine dining. It's just changed."
Willeyville, which seats 86 inside and 32 on its corner patio, is a beautiful space with concrete floors, large windows and a lofty ceiling. Homey touches like wood tables crafted from reclaimed lumber by A Piece of Cleveland and comfy benches upholstered in faux leather add warmth. The walls are painted an attractive shade of orange and the open kitchen thrusts into the dining room like a theatrical stage.
A few menu standouts include the "duck mic muffin" (duck sausage and an over-easy egg in a homemade muffin); the adobo shrimp in house-made tortillas (made of whole grain corn soaked in lime); and the Ohio-raised, grass-fed hangar steak.
DiLisi already has been doing 110 covers per lunch, he reports -- and that's despite the challenging parking situation. Options currently include a dozen free spaces, a paid lot or the Aloft Hotel garage. DiLisi hopes to work out more options down the road.
He is confident about Flats East, which will celebrate the opening of Lago restaurant next week. "This will always be a restaurant-bar, not just a bar that serves food. The Flats used to be party central, but now the developers are focused on getting a great mix."
As for the name, he's second-guessing it. "In retrospect, after paying for the sign, I wish it didn't have so many letters," DiLisi quips. "Maybe it should have been 'W.'"
Source: Christopher DiLisi
Writer: Lee Chilcote
The two square miles of real estate between downtown Cleveland and University Circle are bursting with development. A local nonprofit has established a fund to ensure that work continues to flourish.
On June 20, economic development corporation MidTown Cleveland, Inc. announced the creation of the MidTown Cleveland, Inc. Endowment Fund at the Cleveland Foundation. The fund, under the foundation's guidance, proposes to build a sustainable revenue source to secure continued activity in the burgeoning district. This will include promotion of the health-tech corridor, a three-mile expanse of hospitals, business incubators, educational institutions and high-tech companies situated within MidTown.
The growing tech corridor isn't the only project the fund will support, notes MidTown chairman John Melchiorre. The group plans to leave other "footprints" on the community as well, be they demolishing old buildings, planting flowers along Euclid Avenue or helping transform distressed properties into job-creating enterprises.
"The Cleveland Foundation has been a leading supporter of the revitalization of Midtown, so this is just the latest way our two organizations have joined forces for the betterment of that neighborhood," said Kaye Ridolfi, senior vice president of advancement at the Cleveland Foundation.
Founded by Cleveland businessman Mort Mandel and others some 30 years ago, MidTown Cleveland has helped develop the area into a business district home to 600 companies and 18,000 employees. Executive director Jim Haviland views MidTown as part of the city's renaissance, and believes the fund will sustain the region for decades to come.
"It helps us to continue the role we play" within the neighborhood, says Haviland.
SOURCES: John Melchiorre, Jim Haviland, Kaye Ridolfi
WRITER: Douglas J. Guth
On June 20, economic development corporation MidTown Cleveland, Inc. announced the creation of the MidTown Cleveland, Inc. Endowment Fund at the Cleveland Foundation. The fund, under the foundation's guidance, proposes to build a sustainable revenue source to secure continued activity in the burgeoning district. This will include promotion of the health-tech corridor, a three-mile expanse of hospitals, business incubators, educational institutions and high-tech companies situated within MidTown.
The growing tech corridor isn't the only project the fund will support, notes MidTown chairman John Melchiorre. The group plans to leave other "footprints" on the community as well, be they demolishing old buildings, planting flowers along Euclid Avenue or helping transform distressed properties into job-creating enterprises.
"The Cleveland Foundation has been a leading supporter of the revitalization of Midtown, so this is just the latest way our two organizations have joined forces for the betterment of that neighborhood," said Kaye Ridolfi, senior vice president of advancement at the Cleveland Foundation.
Founded by Cleveland businessman Mort Mandel and others some 30 years ago, MidTown Cleveland has helped develop the area into a business district home to 600 companies and 18,000 employees. Executive director Jim Haviland views MidTown as part of the city's renaissance, and believes the fund will sustain the region for decades to come.
"It helps us to continue the role we play" within the neighborhood, says Haviland.
SOURCES: John Melchiorre, Jim Haviland, Kaye Ridolfi
WRITER: Douglas J. Guth
A trio of local creatives, whose work in the arts ranges from entrepreneurship to philanthropy, have been acknowledged for the impact they make on the community.
Young Audiences of Northeast Ohio, a nonprofit that promotes creative learning through the arts for local children and teenagers, announced the winners of its 2013 Arts, Education and Entrepreneurship Awards late last week.
As part of its 60th anniversary celebration, the organization recognized those who have made a lasting contribution in the three key categories, says development director Jerry Smith.
The winners are:
* Stephanie Morrison-Hrbek, founder and director of Near West Theatre. Located in the Gordon Square Arts District, the theater was deemed by Young Audiences as a bastion for Cleveland youth struggling with their identities.
* Anna Arnold, director of the Florence O’Donnell Wasmer Gallery. An artist and educator, Arnold works with at-risk children, encouraging them to positively express their thoughts and values through art.
* Jeff Lachina, CEO of Lachina. The entrepreneur's educational product company recruits from Cleveland Institute of Art and other area universities to demonstrate to students that an active career in the arts can happen locally.
The three award-winners each will have an endowment established in their names, and be recognized during Young Audience's anniversary commemoration in September.
"They all reached out into the community in a unique way, touching the lives of people for whom the arts is not always readily available," says Smith.
SOURCE: Jerry Smith, Jennifer Abelson
WRITER: Douglas J. Guth
Young Audiences of Northeast Ohio, a nonprofit that promotes creative learning through the arts for local children and teenagers, announced the winners of its 2013 Arts, Education and Entrepreneurship Awards late last week.
As part of its 60th anniversary celebration, the organization recognized those who have made a lasting contribution in the three key categories, says development director Jerry Smith.
The winners are:
* Stephanie Morrison-Hrbek, founder and director of Near West Theatre. Located in the Gordon Square Arts District, the theater was deemed by Young Audiences as a bastion for Cleveland youth struggling with their identities.
* Anna Arnold, director of the Florence O’Donnell Wasmer Gallery. An artist and educator, Arnold works with at-risk children, encouraging them to positively express their thoughts and values through art.
* Jeff Lachina, CEO of Lachina. The entrepreneur's educational product company recruits from Cleveland Institute of Art and other area universities to demonstrate to students that an active career in the arts can happen locally.
The three award-winners each will have an endowment established in their names, and be recognized during Young Audience's anniversary commemoration in September.
"They all reached out into the community in a unique way, touching the lives of people for whom the arts is not always readily available," says Smith.
SOURCE: Jerry Smith, Jennifer Abelson
WRITER: Douglas J. Guth
Clevelanders are spoiled with an abundance of natural resources -- from water and parklands to wide-open spaces. But that doesn’t give us liberty to be careless about the way we use those assets. We chat with a pair of local "green gurus" to see what we all can be doing to live greener lives.
pgh praises cle healthline, wants one of its own
In a Pittsburgh Post-Gazette story titled “Cleveland’s HealthLine bus route could be a model for Pittsburgh,” writer Jon Schmitz praises Cleveland for its dedicated route that connects downtown with the Cleveland Clinic.
The new line transformed a 46-minute trip along the nine-mile corridor into a route with its own reserved lanes, and through traffic lights that are programmed to give the busses priority. Fares are paid via vending machines at the 40 stops along the route.
“The $197 million project literally remade Euclid Avenue, replacing ancient underground infrastructure and crumbling sidewalks, reconstructing the road surface, adding station kiosks and landscaping medians between the stops.”
Schmitz goes on to detail other aspects that make the line a benefit to both riders and the surrounding community.
Enjoy the full piece here.
The new line transformed a 46-minute trip along the nine-mile corridor into a route with its own reserved lanes, and through traffic lights that are programmed to give the busses priority. Fares are paid via vending machines at the 40 stops along the route.
“The $197 million project literally remade Euclid Avenue, replacing ancient underground infrastructure and crumbling sidewalks, reconstructing the road surface, adding station kiosks and landscaping medians between the stops.”
Schmitz goes on to detail other aspects that make the line a benefit to both riders and the surrounding community.
Enjoy the full piece here.
writer discovers cleveland is nothing like stereotypes
In a Post-Searchlight story titled “Cleveland -- from gritty to gleaming,” Dan Ponder shares his pleasant surprise upon discovering that Cleveland is far from the dark and dismal stereotype so prevalent among the uninformed.
Ponder writes how he came to the city on a dreary and rainy day, which only served to reinforce his opinion of what our city is like. But once he arrived downtown from his drive from the airport, those opinions quickly changed.
“From that point on, everything we saw and did was a pleasant surprise," he writes. "Cleveland, once the fifth largest city in the United States, is now the 45th largest city. However, they have literally transformed their downtown area into a bustling area full of public parks. It was clean and felt safe. There were interesting restaurants everywhere and downtown seemed alive -- full of people living in converted loft apartments.”
Ponder goes on to talk about the various sports stadiums, the new convention center, and many other attractions that make Cleveland special.
Read the full article here.
Ponder writes how he came to the city on a dreary and rainy day, which only served to reinforce his opinion of what our city is like. But once he arrived downtown from his drive from the airport, those opinions quickly changed.
“From that point on, everything we saw and did was a pleasant surprise," he writes. "Cleveland, once the fifth largest city in the United States, is now the 45th largest city. However, they have literally transformed their downtown area into a bustling area full of public parks. It was clean and felt safe. There were interesting restaurants everywhere and downtown seemed alive -- full of people living in converted loft apartments.”
Ponder goes on to talk about the various sports stadiums, the new convention center, and many other attractions that make Cleveland special.
Read the full article here.
A Shaker Heights High School project about the Kent State shootings will be brought into classrooms throughout the Cleveland area thanks to a nonprofit that believes education is the key to stopping such events from happening again.
Facing History and Ourselves awarded Shaker Heights High School teacher John Morris $3,000 to collaborate with Kent State University professor David Hassler on the project. American history, literature and theater students at Shaker Heights will learn about the ramifications of the massacre through the play May 4th Voices: Kent State 1970. Pupils at regional Facing History classrooms will also be part of the program, says Mark Swaim-Fox, executive director of the local chapter of Facing History.
The play offers different viewpoints from a violent moment in American history, investigating a critical moment in the social protest movement. Stagings of May 4th Voices will take place for students as well as the wider Cleveland community, with help from Facing History staff and educators.
"It aligns with critical thinking of how we remember the past," says Swaim-Fox. "We want this to be a resource for the kids in our network."
Facing History is a Massachusetts-based educational group working across the country to combat racism and prejudice through education. Swaim-Fox hopes the play garners a new audience, with curricular materials about the shootings circulated to a new generation of young learners.
"The play is uncovering untold stories from a chapter of history that sometimes gets passed over," he says. "This will be a great vehicle for students to look at a complicated time period."
SOURCE: Mark Swaim-Fox
WRITER: Douglas J. Guth
Facing History and Ourselves awarded Shaker Heights High School teacher John Morris $3,000 to collaborate with Kent State University professor David Hassler on the project. American history, literature and theater students at Shaker Heights will learn about the ramifications of the massacre through the play May 4th Voices: Kent State 1970. Pupils at regional Facing History classrooms will also be part of the program, says Mark Swaim-Fox, executive director of the local chapter of Facing History.
The play offers different viewpoints from a violent moment in American history, investigating a critical moment in the social protest movement. Stagings of May 4th Voices will take place for students as well as the wider Cleveland community, with help from Facing History staff and educators.
"It aligns with critical thinking of how we remember the past," says Swaim-Fox. "We want this to be a resource for the kids in our network."
Facing History is a Massachusetts-based educational group working across the country to combat racism and prejudice through education. Swaim-Fox hopes the play garners a new audience, with curricular materials about the shootings circulated to a new generation of young learners.
"The play is uncovering untold stories from a chapter of history that sometimes gets passed over," he says. "This will be a great vehicle for students to look at a complicated time period."
SOURCE: Mark Swaim-Fox
WRITER: Douglas J. Guth
Summer traditionally is the season for kids to laze about or get shuttled off to camp by their parents. Cleveland Public Library has whipped up an imaginative way keep children engaged in reading during the hot months through its Summer Reading Club.
This year's Make it a Great Summer program will run until August 2. While it is designed to keep the minds of its young participants active and ready for a return to the classroom, that doesn't mean sitting them among dusty stacks and placing books in their hands.
In addition to reading, the club encourages children to build and create through hands-on programs at any of the system's 27 branches as well as the main library, notes Aaron Mason, assistant director of outreach programming at CPL.
"There's the traditional component of kids logging their reading over the summer, but we also wanted them actively involved," Mason says.
Creativity is at the heart of these activities aimed at Cleveland public school students in grades K-12, adds the CPL spokesman. Kids can build their own balloon rocket or balloon-powered rocket car. Another program will have them learn about movie making while creating hand-held movies using flipbook animation.
For children who read and log 10 books or more, the festivities will culminate with a free family trip to the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo on August 17. Anything that drives young people to their local library is a positive in Mason's book.
"We want to get them engaged," he says. "These activities encourage kids to keep on reading."
SOURCE: Aaron Mason
WRITER: Douglas J. Guth
This year's Make it a Great Summer program will run until August 2. While it is designed to keep the minds of its young participants active and ready for a return to the classroom, that doesn't mean sitting them among dusty stacks and placing books in their hands.
In addition to reading, the club encourages children to build and create through hands-on programs at any of the system's 27 branches as well as the main library, notes Aaron Mason, assistant director of outreach programming at CPL.
"There's the traditional component of kids logging their reading over the summer, but we also wanted them actively involved," Mason says.
Creativity is at the heart of these activities aimed at Cleveland public school students in grades K-12, adds the CPL spokesman. Kids can build their own balloon rocket or balloon-powered rocket car. Another program will have them learn about movie making while creating hand-held movies using flipbook animation.
For children who read and log 10 books or more, the festivities will culminate with a free family trip to the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo on August 17. Anything that drives young people to their local library is a positive in Mason's book.
"We want to get them engaged," he says. "These activities encourage kids to keep on reading."
SOURCE: Aaron Mason
WRITER: Douglas J. Guth
Both Bizdom and LaunchHouse received hundreds of entrepreneurs applying for their respective accelerator programs this year. LaunchHouse received a record 115 applications for 10 spots in its 2013 LHX accelerator program, while Bizdom already has seen more than 100 applications this year from all over the country.
Both organizations each received $200,000 from Ohio’s New Entrepreneurs (ONE) Fund earlier this year. So, Bizdom and LaunchHouse decided to collaborate in investing in 20 technology startups this year.
"We feel it is important to collaborate with every organization that is helping to revitalize the region and LaunchHouse is certainly one of these organizations,” says Bizdom leader Paul Allen. “When we found out that Shaker LaunchHouse had also received ONE Fund support for its accelerator we reached out to see how we could closely collaborate to optimize the experience for all founders and to show the startup community that we are coordinated in our efforts.”
The organizations plan to share mentoring sessions, jointly host classes and open up their office spaces to each other’s entrepreneurs. “We have a strong network, and so does Bizdom,” says LaunchHouse CEO Todd Goldstein. “So why not collaborate to build a successful business community in Northeast Ohio?”
The whole idea is to foster the growth of Northeast Ohio as a hotbed for startups and a place that supports entrepreneurs. “Really, we are about the accelerator and the entrepreneurs working together to build a great community,” says Goldstein. “We’re not on an island by ourselves. We’re all out to build successful entrepreneurs in Northeast Ohio.”
Allen agrees that the collaboration will help the entrepreneurs as well as continue to attract startups from outside the region. “Participants will be able to socialize with a greater number of peers and hopefully they will be able to learn from one another,” he says. “Collaboration strengthens the Northeast Ohio entrepreneurial community because it gives us an opportunity to articulate a consistent and more powerful message within and outside the region about the opportunities and resources that exist here."
Sources: Paul Allen, Todd Goldstein
Writer: Karin Connelly
Both organizations each received $200,000 from Ohio’s New Entrepreneurs (ONE) Fund earlier this year. So, Bizdom and LaunchHouse decided to collaborate in investing in 20 technology startups this year.
"We feel it is important to collaborate with every organization that is helping to revitalize the region and LaunchHouse is certainly one of these organizations,” says Bizdom leader Paul Allen. “When we found out that Shaker LaunchHouse had also received ONE Fund support for its accelerator we reached out to see how we could closely collaborate to optimize the experience for all founders and to show the startup community that we are coordinated in our efforts.”
The organizations plan to share mentoring sessions, jointly host classes and open up their office spaces to each other’s entrepreneurs. “We have a strong network, and so does Bizdom,” says LaunchHouse CEO Todd Goldstein. “So why not collaborate to build a successful business community in Northeast Ohio?”
The whole idea is to foster the growth of Northeast Ohio as a hotbed for startups and a place that supports entrepreneurs. “Really, we are about the accelerator and the entrepreneurs working together to build a great community,” says Goldstein. “We’re not on an island by ourselves. We’re all out to build successful entrepreneurs in Northeast Ohio.”
Allen agrees that the collaboration will help the entrepreneurs as well as continue to attract startups from outside the region. “Participants will be able to socialize with a greater number of peers and hopefully they will be able to learn from one another,” he says. “Collaboration strengthens the Northeast Ohio entrepreneurial community because it gives us an opportunity to articulate a consistent and more powerful message within and outside the region about the opportunities and resources that exist here."
Sources: Paul Allen, Todd Goldstein
Writer: Karin Connelly