Lakewood
Liz Maugins of Zygote Press remembers the moment in 2008 when she realized just how fragile her own organization's existence was in Cleveland's ever-shrinking nonprofit ecosystem. Like many nonprofit groups, she was looking at fewer philanthropic dollars during the worst recession in decades. Meanwhile, many foundations were stressing collaboration or proposing outright mergers.
"Like a lot of nonprofit leaders, I was freaking out and wondering what would come our way," recounts Maugins, who worried that her small nonprofit would be wiped out by the tidal wave of the national recession. "So I started sending out messages to other arts leaders to see if they were feeling the same thing."
Not surprisingly, other nonprofit leaders were losing sleep over their situations, too. Yet rather than retreating to their own private islands to struggle in maudlin isolation, Maugins and her colleagues banded together for survival.
"The number one challenge was that we had no exposure, especially with the dwindling arts coverage locally," says Maugins. "Yet we knew that our arts organizations were doing amazing things with education and other programming, and we're the economic engines of our neighborhoods."
Today, Zygote and 27 other groups in Northeast Ohio have banded together to form the Collective Arts Network (CAN), received a grant from the Ohio Arts Council, and produced a magazine-style journal touting their work. Ten thousand copies have been distributed to galleries and other hotspots in the city.
Next up, the CAN group is working on other kinds of collaboration, including programming, events and sustaining the journal as a quarterly publication.
Source: Liz Maugins
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"Like a lot of nonprofit leaders, I was freaking out and wondering what would come our way," recounts Maugins, who worried that her small nonprofit would be wiped out by the tidal wave of the national recession. "So I started sending out messages to other arts leaders to see if they were feeling the same thing."
Not surprisingly, other nonprofit leaders were losing sleep over their situations, too. Yet rather than retreating to their own private islands to struggle in maudlin isolation, Maugins and her colleagues banded together for survival.
"The number one challenge was that we had no exposure, especially with the dwindling arts coverage locally," says Maugins. "Yet we knew that our arts organizations were doing amazing things with education and other programming, and we're the economic engines of our neighborhoods."
Today, Zygote and 27 other groups in Northeast Ohio have banded together to form the Collective Arts Network (CAN), received a grant from the Ohio Arts Council, and produced a magazine-style journal touting their work. Ten thousand copies have been distributed to galleries and other hotspots in the city.
Next up, the CAN group is working on other kinds of collaboration, including programming, events and sustaining the journal as a quarterly publication.
Source: Liz Maugins
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Inefficient, drafty homes in Cleveland not only are an impediment to attracting savvy urban homebuyers, they're also a harsh economic reality for those who must swallow high utility bills. Despite the daunting prospect of renovating an old home, there are simple, cost-effective ways to save energy -- and money -- that don't involve notching the thermostat down another degree or donning Eskimo-like clothing.
That's the impetus behind Cleveland Energy $aver, a new program just launched by the City of Cleveland, Cleveland Action to Support Housing (CASH), Cleveland Housing Network (CHN), LAND Studio and the U.S. Department of Energy. The program aims to make 100 homes in Cleveland energy-efficient by fall of this year.
Homeowners who enroll in this program can obtain a complete energy audit for a mere $50, a tidy sum that likely amounts to a fraction of their monthly heating bill. After the audit has been completed, owners will work with program staff to develop a scope of work, seek low-interest financing if needed, and hire a contractor. When the job is completed, professionals will help evaluate the work to make sure it's been done properly. As an enticement, owners will save 20 percent off the top, and another 20 percent when the work is complete.
“Cleveland Energy $aver will provide homeowners with tools they need to make energy-efficient improvements to their homes,” says Marcia Nolan, Executive Director of Cleveland Action to Support Housing (CASH). “It will also help Cleveland to become more sustainable and competitive to future residents.”
Source: Marcia Nolan
Writer: Lee Chilcote
That's the impetus behind Cleveland Energy $aver, a new program just launched by the City of Cleveland, Cleveland Action to Support Housing (CASH), Cleveland Housing Network (CHN), LAND Studio and the U.S. Department of Energy. The program aims to make 100 homes in Cleveland energy-efficient by fall of this year.
Homeowners who enroll in this program can obtain a complete energy audit for a mere $50, a tidy sum that likely amounts to a fraction of their monthly heating bill. After the audit has been completed, owners will work with program staff to develop a scope of work, seek low-interest financing if needed, and hire a contractor. When the job is completed, professionals will help evaluate the work to make sure it's been done properly. As an enticement, owners will save 20 percent off the top, and another 20 percent when the work is complete.
“Cleveland Energy $aver will provide homeowners with tools they need to make energy-efficient improvements to their homes,” says Marcia Nolan, Executive Director of Cleveland Action to Support Housing (CASH). “It will also help Cleveland to become more sustainable and competitive to future residents.”
Source: Marcia Nolan
Writer: Lee Chilcote
trio of cleveland bars make draft mag's 100 best beer bars list
Cleveland bars scored a hat trick on DRAFT magazine’s "100 Best Beer Bars" list for 2012.
Lakewood’s local-brew institution the Buckeye Beer Engine was lauded for its ever-expanding beer list and “topnotch burger menu [that] keeps things interesting with wacky specials like the Xmas Dinner: a patty piled high with ham and sweet potatoes."
Oft-awarded Ohio City staple McNulty’s Bier Markt made the ranks not only for its Belgian and Belgian-inspired beer menu, but for the “test-drive” dynamic it shares with owner Sam McNulty’s new spot, Market Garden Brewery, across the street.
Of Bier Markt, the mag says, "The crowd’s young and cool, the bottle list is long, and the prices are on point: $24 for a 10-beer sampler? Yes, please."
Pulling for the East Side, La Cave du Vin was praised for its hearty collection of limited edition and rarity beers, with editors encouraging a trip to the Cleveland Heights beer bar “when management decides to dip into the archives.” Give us a call -- we locals are never too far away.
Drink up the rest of the good news here.
Lakewood’s local-brew institution the Buckeye Beer Engine was lauded for its ever-expanding beer list and “topnotch burger menu [that] keeps things interesting with wacky specials like the Xmas Dinner: a patty piled high with ham and sweet potatoes."
Oft-awarded Ohio City staple McNulty’s Bier Markt made the ranks not only for its Belgian and Belgian-inspired beer menu, but for the “test-drive” dynamic it shares with owner Sam McNulty’s new spot, Market Garden Brewery, across the street.
Of Bier Markt, the mag says, "The crowd’s young and cool, the bottle list is long, and the prices are on point: $24 for a 10-beer sampler? Yes, please."
Pulling for the East Side, La Cave du Vin was praised for its hearty collection of limited edition and rarity beers, with editors encouraging a trip to the Cleveland Heights beer bar “when management decides to dip into the archives.” Give us a call -- we locals are never too far away.
Drink up the rest of the good news here.
pier w included in list of top restaurant views in america
The Daily Meal, an online publication devoted to food and drink, recently published a feature crowning the "Top 20 Restaurant Views in America." Lakewood's Pier W restaurant garnered the #18 position.
"Some restaurants focus on locavorism, others on great service, and still others on creating unforgettable experiences and signature dishes. But there's a special category of restaurants across the country, one that showcases where they’re situated, creating over-the-top sensory experiences -- allowing diners to see for themselves the beauty that can be found only at that locale, and only from that specific table."
Of Pier W, the article states:
"This chic and stylized Cleveland landmark is placed right on the edge of scenic Lake Erie and across the lake from a stunning city skyline. Enjoy Pier W's romantic view as you sample the New American cuisine focused on seafood, especially the crab cakes and the bouillabaisse with fresh fish, mussels, clams, and shrimp."
Read the rest right here.
"Some restaurants focus on locavorism, others on great service, and still others on creating unforgettable experiences and signature dishes. But there's a special category of restaurants across the country, one that showcases where they’re situated, creating over-the-top sensory experiences -- allowing diners to see for themselves the beauty that can be found only at that locale, and only from that specific table."
Of Pier W, the article states:
"This chic and stylized Cleveland landmark is placed right on the edge of scenic Lake Erie and across the lake from a stunning city skyline. Enjoy Pier W's romantic view as you sample the New American cuisine focused on seafood, especially the crab cakes and the bouillabaisse with fresh fish, mussels, clams, and shrimp."
Read the rest right here.
While we pride ourselves here at Fresh Water in having crisp, professional prose, the truth is, without art, a feature is just font on a page. Pictures tell a thousand words, we're told, but the best ones simply leave us speechless. Every masthead and feature image since we launched this pub over a year ago has been shot by Fresh Water shooter Bob Perkoski. Here is a collection of some of his finest work.
When Fresh Water launched in September 2010, we promised to highlight Cleveland's most progressive and creative people, businesses and organizations. But more importantly, we endeavored to place those subjects against the most compelling backdrop of all: Cleveland and its wonderful neighborhoods. Each Thursday, our readers are invited to dig a little deeper into this city we call home. What follows is a list of the 10 most-read features of the previous 12 months. Looking at the subject matter of those stories, it's clear that the most important topics to our readers include neighborhood development, sustainability and transportation, and, of course, food and booze.
Despite its long-suffering reputation, Cleveland's real estate market seems just fine to Kosta Almiroudis, an entrepreneur who moved last year from New York City to Lakewood to revive dilapidated old apartment buildings for fun and profit. In the past year, he has bought, renovated and fully leased more than 50 once-vacant units.
"I come from a village in Greece that has a 1,300-year-old castle," says Almiroudis, whose wife's family also lives in the Cleveland area. "So I love acquiring these 100-year-old buildings and bringing them back to life."
The first project that Almiroudis tackled is a 45-unit apartment building situated on Detroit Avenue across from the former Phantasy Concert Club. When he first began visiting his wife's family in Cleveland, he was surprised to learn how affordable real estate prices were. "I sold a single-family home in Greece and had a down payment for a 45-unit apartment building," he says with a laugh.
Since then, he has bought and fixed up another 12-unit building and signed a contract for an additional 11-unit building next door. All of his properties are 100-percent leased. He says the key to being a successful landlord is purchasing distressed properties for no more than 60 percent of their current value, investing up to 85 percent of their post-rehab value and overseeing the work yourself.
Even so, getting a loan was no walk in the park. Lenders are still skittish because they're carrying bad loans from investors who got in over their heads during the boom years. Still, the only way out of the current housing mess and the surfeit of vacant, multi-family buildings is through lending to good investors, he says.
"I don't see many people doing what I'm doing now, most likely because the banks are not releasing funds for these kinds of projects," he says. "They have the money. The only way to put this neighborhood back together is with banks releasing funds. Private investors want to put money back into real estate."
Almouridis, who was weaned on interior renovation projects for the likes of Donald Trump while starting out in New York, isn't holding his breath for an avalanche of easy money, however. Instead, he's partnering with a private investor who sees apartments as a safe bet at a time of low homeownership, high apartment occupancy and wild, tough-to-fathom stock market swings. Together, the pair intend to purchase and rehabilitate additional apartments in Lakewood.
The value-laden properties are plentiful, he says, in part because the professional children of Lakewood's middle-class landlords seem to want nothing to do with rentals. "I think maybe it skips a generation," he says with another laugh.
Source: Kosta Almouridis
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"I come from a village in Greece that has a 1,300-year-old castle," says Almiroudis, whose wife's family also lives in the Cleveland area. "So I love acquiring these 100-year-old buildings and bringing them back to life."
The first project that Almiroudis tackled is a 45-unit apartment building situated on Detroit Avenue across from the former Phantasy Concert Club. When he first began visiting his wife's family in Cleveland, he was surprised to learn how affordable real estate prices were. "I sold a single-family home in Greece and had a down payment for a 45-unit apartment building," he says with a laugh.
Since then, he has bought and fixed up another 12-unit building and signed a contract for an additional 11-unit building next door. All of his properties are 100-percent leased. He says the key to being a successful landlord is purchasing distressed properties for no more than 60 percent of their current value, investing up to 85 percent of their post-rehab value and overseeing the work yourself.
Even so, getting a loan was no walk in the park. Lenders are still skittish because they're carrying bad loans from investors who got in over their heads during the boom years. Still, the only way out of the current housing mess and the surfeit of vacant, multi-family buildings is through lending to good investors, he says.
"I don't see many people doing what I'm doing now, most likely because the banks are not releasing funds for these kinds of projects," he says. "They have the money. The only way to put this neighborhood back together is with banks releasing funds. Private investors want to put money back into real estate."
Almouridis, who was weaned on interior renovation projects for the likes of Donald Trump while starting out in New York, isn't holding his breath for an avalanche of easy money, however. Instead, he's partnering with a private investor who sees apartments as a safe bet at a time of low homeownership, high apartment occupancy and wild, tough-to-fathom stock market swings. Together, the pair intend to purchase and rehabilitate additional apartments in Lakewood.
The value-laden properties are plentiful, he says, in part because the professional children of Lakewood's middle-class landlords seem to want nothing to do with rentals. "I think maybe it skips a generation," he says with another laugh.
Source: Kosta Almouridis
Writer: Lee Chilcote
guide book written for new arrivals and those who'd like to rediscover cleveland
A new Cleveland-centric book joins the slowly growing bookshelf of info-packed guides to our fair city. Written and self-published by Cleveland State University urban planning grad Justin Glanville, New to Cleveland: A Guide to (re)Discovering the City is targeted both to new arrivals as well as those who'd like to rediscover their city.
Readers will find general information about various Cleveland neighborhoods, including listings of restaurants, stores and cultural institutions. But also advice on where to send your kids to school, insights on the Cleveland real estate market, and the best neighborhoods for students, artists, professionals, retirees and those who want to live car-free or car-light.
The 250-page book includes more than 50 full-color illustrations by local artist Julia Kuo. The book is also printed in Cleveland.
The guide book is only the second to be written specifically about present-day Cleveland, the other being Avalon Travel's Moon Cleveland, penned by Fresh Water editor Douglas Trattner.
There will be a launch party from 7 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 14 at Happy Dog.
Books are available online and at this weekend's Bazaar Bizarre.
Readers will find general information about various Cleveland neighborhoods, including listings of restaurants, stores and cultural institutions. But also advice on where to send your kids to school, insights on the Cleveland real estate market, and the best neighborhoods for students, artists, professionals, retirees and those who want to live car-free or car-light.
The 250-page book includes more than 50 full-color illustrations by local artist Julia Kuo. The book is also printed in Cleveland.
The guide book is only the second to be written specifically about present-day Cleveland, the other being Avalon Travel's Moon Cleveland, penned by Fresh Water editor Douglas Trattner.
There will be a launch party from 7 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 14 at Happy Dog.
Books are available online and at this weekend's Bazaar Bizarre.
cuyahoga arts & culture announces this year's project support grants
On Monday, November 14th, the Board of Cuyahoga Arts & Culture (CAC) approved 88 grants totaling $1,029,164 for its 2012 Project Support cycle. The awards include traditional PS I grants and the new Project Support II, a small grant program that provides awards of up to $5,000. Grants range in value from $625 to $49,333.
This year garnered the largest number of applications in CAC’s history. A total of 131 organizations submitted Intent to Apply materials, of which 118 of were eligible. This is an increase of 45% from the previous year, which was also a record-setter.
The largest recipient is Scenarios USA, a nonprofit that that uses writing and filmmaking to foster youth leadership in under-served teens. The smallest is River Valley Ringers, a community handbell choir in Cleveland Heights. Others include EcoWatch, Building Bridges, LakewoodAlive, and numerous neighborhood development corps.
See all the grants here.
This year garnered the largest number of applications in CAC’s history. A total of 131 organizations submitted Intent to Apply materials, of which 118 of were eligible. This is an increase of 45% from the previous year, which was also a record-setter.
The largest recipient is Scenarios USA, a nonprofit that that uses writing and filmmaking to foster youth leadership in under-served teens. The smallest is River Valley Ringers, a community handbell choir in Cleveland Heights. Others include EcoWatch, Building Bridges, LakewoodAlive, and numerous neighborhood development corps.
See all the grants here.
stop-motion trailer for lakewood resident's book on '80s vinyl art
"Put the Needle on the Record" is a new book by Lakewood resident Matthew Chojnacki. It is available locally at Room Service, Music Saves and DuoHome.
Here are the liner notes:
"From a dream of a vinyl collection, Chojnacki presents and compares more than 250 vinyl single covers that represent nearly every prominent '80s musician. However, this is not just a pop-cultural feast for the eyes. From hundreds of hours of interviews, Chojnacki allows the designers and visual talent behind Madonna, Prince, Pink Floyd, Queen, Adam Ant, Iron Maiden, The Clash, Pet Shop Boys, Van Halen, and more to tell the unheard stories behind the decade’s most iconic images."
Here are the liner notes:
"From a dream of a vinyl collection, Chojnacki presents and compares more than 250 vinyl single covers that represent nearly every prominent '80s musician. However, this is not just a pop-cultural feast for the eyes. From hundreds of hours of interviews, Chojnacki allows the designers and visual talent behind Madonna, Prince, Pink Floyd, Queen, Adam Ant, Iron Maiden, The Clash, Pet Shop Boys, Van Halen, and more to tell the unheard stories behind the decade’s most iconic images."
The odyssey that led Deba Gray and Serena Harragin, the couple behind Gray's Auctioneers, to Cleveland is as fascinating as the work they do. The journey, which ends in Lakewood, meandered through Key West and Chicago. It includes a career change in New York, a heart-wrenching epiphany, and the convincing of a reluctant partner.
msnbc calls melt's monster 'crazy gut-buster'
If you were unaware, October 25th is National Greasy Foods Day, a holiday either filled with fatty foods or, more likely, wholly ignored by the entire population. Regardless, our fun-loving fatty foods provider Melt Bar & Grilled was honored with a mention in MSNBC's listicle of "7 Crazy Gut-Busters for National Greasy Foods Day."
Receiving specific mention is the Monster, a grilled cheese "sandwich" that is more test than treat.
"Grilled cheese might be a guilty pleasure, but you could hardly call it a grease-bomb. Unless, of course, you are talking about the grilled cheese at Melt Bar and Grilled in Ohio. There, the Melt Challenge features a grilled cheese sandwich made with 13 types of cheese, 3 slices of grilled bread, french fries and coleslaw. The plate of food comes out to 5 pounds of gooey melted cheese, deep fried potatoes and carbs galore. If you eat the whole thing, you get a T-shirt, a $10 gift certificate, and your name in the Hall of Fame, so your gluttony will be preserved for posterity."
Read about the other entries here.
Receiving specific mention is the Monster, a grilled cheese "sandwich" that is more test than treat.
"Grilled cheese might be a guilty pleasure, but you could hardly call it a grease-bomb. Unless, of course, you are talking about the grilled cheese at Melt Bar and Grilled in Ohio. There, the Melt Challenge features a grilled cheese sandwich made with 13 types of cheese, 3 slices of grilled bread, french fries and coleslaw. The plate of food comes out to 5 pounds of gooey melted cheese, deep fried potatoes and carbs galore. If you eat the whole thing, you get a T-shirt, a $10 gift certificate, and your name in the Hall of Fame, so your gluttony will be preserved for posterity."
Read about the other entries here.
eater.com runs round-up of can't-miss cleveland restos
Eater.com, a national website that covers restaurants, chefs and food personalities, recently ran an article titled "The Eater Cleveland Heat Map." A regular feature of the publication, the Heat Maps tell readers about "newish locales that have been garnering serious buzz."
For the Cleveland article, Eater's second major heat-check of the 216 in a year, the pub asked local food writer (and Fresh Water managing editor) Douglas Trattner to list 10 new places that have locals talking, drooling and, of course, eating. Singled out for inclusion are Crop Bistro, Flour, Ginko, Market Garden Brewery, Noodlecat, Orale, Barroco Grill, Luna Bakery, Dragonfly and Club Isabella.
Accompanying those listings is an interactive map.
In addition to the national version of Eater, the website features city-specific sites devoted to foodie locales such as New York, Chicago, Portland and Seattle. For now, Cleveland will have to fall under the province of Eater National.
Digest the entire meal here.
For the Cleveland article, Eater's second major heat-check of the 216 in a year, the pub asked local food writer (and Fresh Water managing editor) Douglas Trattner to list 10 new places that have locals talking, drooling and, of course, eating. Singled out for inclusion are Crop Bistro, Flour, Ginko, Market Garden Brewery, Noodlecat, Orale, Barroco Grill, Luna Bakery, Dragonfly and Club Isabella.
Accompanying those listings is an interactive map.
In addition to the national version of Eater, the website features city-specific sites devoted to foodie locales such as New York, Chicago, Portland and Seattle. For now, Cleveland will have to fall under the province of Eater National.
Digest the entire meal here.
With its youth-friendly atmosphere, vibrant arts and culture scene, and main drags lined with restaurants, bars and funky shops, Lakewood has long felt like a college town without possessing a single university.
That's about to change. This week, Lakewood city officials are celebrating the opening of a new University of Akron satellite branch in the heart of that city. It will occupy an 11,000-square-foot space in the newly renovated Bailey Building at Warren and Detroit. Although it will open with only a handful of students, it eventually will offer classes to a few hundred pupils at a time.
"This is going to bring more people into downtown Lakewood, which will add to the urban vibrancy that's already here," says Ian Andrews, Executive Director of Lakewood Alive, a nonprofit economic development organization that will help to the market the branch. "More people on the sidewalk checking out the great amenities Lakewood has to offer will further drive up demand for goods and services."
The University of Akron has said that it plans to concentrate a few specific programs within the space, including health care and education degrees. The branch will also likely offer continuing education and distance learning programs.
This Thursday, the University of Akron and Lakewood city officials are celebrating the opening of the new branch with a ribbon cutting ceremony at 5 pm and a public open house from 5-8 pm. Planned activities include guided tours, performances by groups from Lakewood High School and a distance learning technology demonstration. Members of the public are invited to attend.
Source: Ian Andrews
Writer: Lee Chilcote
That's about to change. This week, Lakewood city officials are celebrating the opening of a new University of Akron satellite branch in the heart of that city. It will occupy an 11,000-square-foot space in the newly renovated Bailey Building at Warren and Detroit. Although it will open with only a handful of students, it eventually will offer classes to a few hundred pupils at a time.
"This is going to bring more people into downtown Lakewood, which will add to the urban vibrancy that's already here," says Ian Andrews, Executive Director of Lakewood Alive, a nonprofit economic development organization that will help to the market the branch. "More people on the sidewalk checking out the great amenities Lakewood has to offer will further drive up demand for goods and services."
The University of Akron has said that it plans to concentrate a few specific programs within the space, including health care and education degrees. The branch will also likely offer continuing education and distance learning programs.
This Thursday, the University of Akron and Lakewood city officials are celebrating the opening of the new branch with a ribbon cutting ceremony at 5 pm and a public open house from 5-8 pm. Planned activities include guided tours, performances by groups from Lakewood High School and a distance learning technology demonstration. Members of the public are invited to attend.
Source: Ian Andrews
Writer: Lee Chilcote
St. Paul's Lutheran Church couldn't save itself, yet the developer of a new CVS in Lakewood is at least saving it from the wrecking ball. Zaremba Group, a Lakewood-based developer, has recycled 80 to 90 percent of St. Paul's Lutheran Church at 15501 Detroit Avenue, where a new drug store is slated to be built this fall.
Some of the church's finer elements have been rescued from the landfill and soon will gain new life as locally-made furniture or raised garden beds. The bulk of the steel, brick and concrete will be crushed and recycled as fill.
Sean McDermott, Senior Development Manager with Zaremba Group, says that while it's unusual for retail developers to recycle old buildings, the historic character of the church cried out for some kind of creative reuse.
"We found huge timbers in the roof trusses -- eight-inch-square yellow pine that was over 100 years old," he says. "Because of the age of this stuff and the fact that you can't find it anymore, we knew reusing it was the right thing to do."
Zaremba Group partnered with Reclaimed Cleveland, a Lakewood-based company run by Aaron Gogolin, to harvest the church's floorboards, woodwork and oak doors. These materials will be made into furniture.
The developer also donated truckloads of bricks to Lakewood Earth and Food for use in the city's community gardens.
While several large trees on the property are being cut down, that wood will also be used to make furniture. Additionally, Zaremba plans to plant several large trees that will ultimately grow to a height of 35 feet.
The most costly aspect of the recycling project, according to McDermott, was the time delay it caused. He adds that while this the biggest recycling project Zaremba has undertaken, the company would definitely consider doing it again.
The new CVS will also have some green features, including three bioswales that will catch and release storm water into the ground rather than into storm sewers. This will help to reduce stormwater fees, which are rising with the Northeast Ohio Sewer District's new regulations, while also helping the environment.
Source: Sean McDermott
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Some of the church's finer elements have been rescued from the landfill and soon will gain new life as locally-made furniture or raised garden beds. The bulk of the steel, brick and concrete will be crushed and recycled as fill.
Sean McDermott, Senior Development Manager with Zaremba Group, says that while it's unusual for retail developers to recycle old buildings, the historic character of the church cried out for some kind of creative reuse.
"We found huge timbers in the roof trusses -- eight-inch-square yellow pine that was over 100 years old," he says. "Because of the age of this stuff and the fact that you can't find it anymore, we knew reusing it was the right thing to do."
Zaremba Group partnered with Reclaimed Cleveland, a Lakewood-based company run by Aaron Gogolin, to harvest the church's floorboards, woodwork and oak doors. These materials will be made into furniture.
The developer also donated truckloads of bricks to Lakewood Earth and Food for use in the city's community gardens.
While several large trees on the property are being cut down, that wood will also be used to make furniture. Additionally, Zaremba plans to plant several large trees that will ultimately grow to a height of 35 feet.
The most costly aspect of the recycling project, according to McDermott, was the time delay it caused. He adds that while this the biggest recycling project Zaremba has undertaken, the company would definitely consider doing it again.
The new CVS will also have some green features, including three bioswales that will catch and release storm water into the ground rather than into storm sewers. This will help to reduce stormwater fees, which are rising with the Northeast Ohio Sewer District's new regulations, while also helping the environment.
Source: Sean McDermott
Writer: Lee Chilcote
When savvy small business owners with an eye for form and function set their sights on historic Cleveland properties, the resulting atmosphere soars beyond the reach of boxy suburban strip malls and bland skyscrapers. Behold recycling on the most profound level: repurposing spaces created decades ago into modern, functional, and inspiring workplaces.
Like many immigrants, Carlos Vergara came to the United States in search of a better life for his family. His dream -- a quality education for his sons -- was foremost on his mind when the Vergaras made the journey from Colombia to Cleveland. In the end, it was a partnership with his oldest son Juan that returned the favor.
anglers get a taste of melt bar & grilled in latest issue of field & stream
Just when you think there couldn't possibly be any national media outlets out there that haven't yet praised Matt Fish's grilled cheese empire Melt Bar & Grilled, along comes Field & Stream magazine.
In the Sportsman’s Notebook section of the latest issue of the world's leading outdoor magazine, “Wild Chef” Jonathan Miles mentions Melt's Lake Erie Monster, pronouncing it one of the best ways to enjoy a catch.
“Melt Bar & Grilled, in the Cleveland suburbs,” Miles writes, “has one specialty: grilled cheese sandwiches. The menu of 26 variations on that humble childhood favorite is just one indicator of how far and wide owner Matt Fish is willing to take a grilled cheese. My favorite: the Lake Erie Monster, in which a Guinness-battered walleye fillet is swamped in a gleeful mess of melted American cheese, jammed between thick slices of toast, and served with jalapeño-spiked tartar sauce. This is fish-camp cuisine taken to its belt-loosening outer limits.”
This latest shout-out joins recent mentions in USA Today, Boston Globe, and ESPN The Magazine, which named Melt one of the top 10 best sports bars in the country.
ESPN mag names melt bar & grilled one of the 10 best sports bars in usa
Melt Bar & Grilled, Cleveland's favorite grilled cheese emporium, has nabbed a spot in ESPN Magazine's list of top ten best sports bars in the country.
"We've been to thousands of them," the magazine claims, "dark, dank bars with the same overfried food, flat beer, sticky floors and TVs that never seem to have the right game on. But every once in a while, we stumble upon a joint that makes us happy we gave up our remote for the night. These are those joints…"
Melt sits at No. 10 and was the only restaurant listed in the tri-state area of Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
"Think watching the Cavs is hard to stomach?" quips the mag. "Try eating five pounds' worth of grilled cheese and fries in one sitting," referring to The Melt Challenge, a dare to down Melt's monster grilled cheese featuring 13 different cheeses, three slices of grilled bread and a pile of hand-cut fries and slaw -- more than five pounds of food!"
ESPN's nod is the latest in a long string of national attention, which includes "Diner's, Drive-ins and Dives," USA Today, Esquire, "Man vs. Food" and others.
"We've been to thousands of them," the magazine claims, "dark, dank bars with the same overfried food, flat beer, sticky floors and TVs that never seem to have the right game on. But every once in a while, we stumble upon a joint that makes us happy we gave up our remote for the night. These are those joints…"
Melt sits at No. 10 and was the only restaurant listed in the tri-state area of Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
"Think watching the Cavs is hard to stomach?" quips the mag. "Try eating five pounds' worth of grilled cheese and fries in one sitting," referring to The Melt Challenge, a dare to down Melt's monster grilled cheese featuring 13 different cheeses, three slices of grilled bread and a pile of hand-cut fries and slaw -- more than five pounds of food!"
ESPN's nod is the latest in a long string of national attention, which includes "Diner's, Drive-ins and Dives," USA Today, Esquire, "Man vs. Food" and others.
cimperman is 'darling' of food policy summit in portland
Last May, Councilman Joe Cimperman participated in the annual Community Food Security Coalition, a food policy conference in Portland, Oregon. Turns out, he killed.
"The surprise darling of the Community Food Security Coalition conference last May was a little-known city councilman from Cleveland," Hannah Wallace writes for Faster Times. "He spoke fervently about his city, a city of flourishing community gardens, backyard bee hives and chicken coops, a city where all farmers markets accept food stamps, where schools get discounts for sourcing local food, and where both trans-fats and smoking on playgrounds are banned. His name? Joe Cimperman."
In this lengthy Q and A, Cimperman discusses some of the efforts that are helping Cleveland become a "food justice utopia," and a model for other cities to emulate.
Cimperman explains how in 2007, Cleveland became the first city to pass an urban farm zoning law, leading to an explosion of community gardens. He says that by 2020, the goal is to have a community garden within five blocks of every Cleveland resident.
He also mentions progressive city programs like urban chickens and bees, farmers markets accepting food stamps, and shoring up food deserts with fresh produce.
"Community gardens just make us a nicer city," Cimperman says in the article. "They make us share more, pay more attention to each others' kids, understand each others' cultures more. There are just so many ancillary benefits to community gardens -- we can't imagine."
Digest the rest here.
"The surprise darling of the Community Food Security Coalition conference last May was a little-known city councilman from Cleveland," Hannah Wallace writes for Faster Times. "He spoke fervently about his city, a city of flourishing community gardens, backyard bee hives and chicken coops, a city where all farmers markets accept food stamps, where schools get discounts for sourcing local food, and where both trans-fats and smoking on playgrounds are banned. His name? Joe Cimperman."
In this lengthy Q and A, Cimperman discusses some of the efforts that are helping Cleveland become a "food justice utopia," and a model for other cities to emulate.
Cimperman explains how in 2007, Cleveland became the first city to pass an urban farm zoning law, leading to an explosion of community gardens. He says that by 2020, the goal is to have a community garden within five blocks of every Cleveland resident.
He also mentions progressive city programs like urban chickens and bees, farmers markets accepting food stamps, and shoring up food deserts with fresh produce.
"Community gardens just make us a nicer city," Cimperman says in the article. "They make us share more, pay more attention to each others' kids, understand each others' cultures more. There are just so many ancillary benefits to community gardens -- we can't imagine."
Digest the rest here.