University Circle

nytimes writer reflects on 'big five' orchestra designation
In a New York Times story titled “The Big Five Orchestras No Longer Add Up,” James R. Oestreich explores days of old when the newspaper would refer to the premier orchestras of the day (Boston Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, and the Philadelphia Orchestra) as the "Big Five."
 
Other city’s representatives, namely the San Francisco Symphony, would argue against the term claiming it to be outdated. However, as a term of journalistic creation, it tended to stick despite the strength and quality of those not included in the “club.”
 
The Times was by no means alone in using it. At least by the mid-1960s, soon after I had started to follow classical music, the term had become common coin in discussions of the American orchestral scene. And it proved remarkably persistent, even as the mighty handful started to suffer setbacks and other orchestras grew in budget and artistic stature, notably the St. Louis Symphony, the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the San Francisco Symphony.”
 
The piece goes on to detail the struggles all orchestras are facing in modern days and touches upon Cleveland’s own orchestra and steps they have taken to remain relevant.
 
Enjoy the complete feature here.

local writer questions cleveland development boom
In a Rust Wire blog post titled “Questioning Cleveland’s Undying Faith in Development,” local writer Angie Schmitt discusses the appropriation of funding for public projects all in the name of “development.”
 
“We’re just emerging from the biggest real estate bust in a generation, but the lust for development doesn’t seem to have abated. Economic development officials have taken to touting how downtown Cleveland, or Cleveland, is currently seeing $5 ($7, $12?) billion -- as if that were indisputable evidence the city is rebounding.”
 
The story goes on to highlight one argument that public funds could be better used to help the communities this “development” is most affecting while shedding light on different trains of thought.
 
“I was complaining about this on Twitter recently and one of my followers asked: Is Cleveland growing? To which I replied: Ha! His response was: If Cleveland isn’t growing, it’s not really development, “but a spatial change in active/abandoned land distribution.” Which I thought was a pretty compelling point.”
 
Check out the full piece here.

edgehill repaved with bike lanes, sharrows to aid east side commuters
The gradually expanding network of bike-friendly streets in Cleveland and the surrounding suburbs just got a little wider with the addition of a bike lane and sharrows on Edgehill Road from Overlook Road down to Little Italy. The route, one of the most heavily-trafficked for east side bike commuters, was just freshly paved and restriped.

"This is part of the Circle-Heights Bicycle Plan," says Chris Bongorno, Director of Planning with University Circle Inc., which helped to shepherd the project through in collaboration with the City of Cleveland and the City of Cleveland Heights. "We did a study that showed that 25 percent of the University Circle workforce lives within a five mile bike commute. The idea is that there would be more people choosing to bike if we give them facilities that they're comfortable using."

The Circle-Heights Bicycle Plan was funded by the Northeast Ohio Coordinating Agency (NOACA), the regional body that is responsible for divvying up federal transportation funds and helping to establish regional planning priorities. The Edgehill Road project is actually the first aspect of the plan to be completed.

The project was carefully engineered to maximize safety and functionality for cars and bikes. In addition to the five-foot-wide bike lane, there is a four-foot "bike buffer" that adds greater separation between motorists and cyclists. The downhill lane on Edgehill has sharrows, signaling to drivers that bicyclists "share" the road. The reasoning is that bikes travel nearly as fast as cars down the hill (25 mph speed limit). The plan preserves on-street parking on one side of the street.

Other bike infrastructure amenities in the area that will be completed in the next few years include an off-street trail along Cedar Glen Parkway from Cleveland Heights to University Circle. Cleveland is building its portion of the trail this year, and Cleveland Heights expects to complete its portion by 2014 or early 2015.

Coupled with the Lake-to-Lakes Trail and Euclid Avenue bike lanes, the infrastructure is slowly being added to connect the Heights to University Circle and beyond via bicycle. That's one reason why Cleveland was recently awarded a Bronze-level certification as a bike-friendly community from the American League of Bicyclists.


Source: Chris Bongorno, Richard Wong
Writer: Lee Chilcote
next city leaders ask if cle, other cities can diversify beyond the 'cupcake economy'
Young urbanist leaders who were in Cleveland this week for Next City's annual Vanguard conference were asked a provocative question about this city's future. With new development activity happening in neighborhoods across a city that still is devastatingly poor, how can we do a better job of ensuring that these projects will benefit our poorest residents?

"I'm a little concerned that as we build projects, we're creating a city for yuppies and a city for everyone else," commented Ari Maron of MRN Ltd. in a presentation to 40 leaders from across the U.S. and Canada engaged in fields such as urban planning, entrepreneurship and sustainability. "How many cupcake and yogurt shops can a city sustain?"

Heads nodded and attendees laughed as Maron admitted the challenge was as much to himself as others, since MRN owns three of the city's most prominent new developments, E. Fourth Street in downtown Cleveland, Uptown in University Circle and property along W. 25th in Ohio City.

Several attendees noted that they were surprised by how few of the city's larger developments have translated into prosperity for surrounding neighborhoods. Sitting in the newly-built Museum of Contemporary Art at University Circle, leaders asked how that area's success could benefit its low-income neighbors.

Maron cited the Greater University Circle Initiative and local hiring and procuring efforts by University Hospitals and others. MRN has committed to hiring local residents for its projects, and the company now employs 285 city residents.

"When people from the neighborhood work here, they take ownership of the project because it's their neighborhood," he said, citing DoubleTree Hotel as one example of a University Circle project that employees many local residents.

An attendee from Chicago noted that Cleveland appears to be behind in adding bike-friendly infrastructure. He cited the recent addition of separated bicycle lanes to Surmac Avenue in Chicago as a game-changing project for his city. "Cleveland needs to do one really good pilot project," said the attendee.

Next City is a national nonprofit media organization that organizes the Vanguard conference to highlight best urban practices and develop young urban leaders. Updates from the conference are being posted on Next City's daily blog.


Source: Next City, Ari Maron
Writer: Lee Chilcote
positively cleveland will train hospitality staff, locals to roll out red carpet for visitors
With downtown Cleveland seeing more than $2 billion in travel-related development, we must step up and make sure visitors are provided with the best possible service. We want them to spread the word when they get home about how great Cleveland is.

That was the message from David Gilbert, CEO of Positively Cleveland, at the organization's recent annual meeting. Based on recent research, the organization has determined that the city has "a communication gap" rather than "a product gap."

"We have the product -- amenities that most cities would be jealous of," said Gilbert. "We don't have enough people experiencing it."

To close that gap, Gilbert unveiled an aggressive plan to train hospitality workers as well as locals in how to better market the city and welcome and direct visitors. Positively Cleveland will also focus on legibility and wayfinding signage, online information, streetscape improvements, visitor hospitality, altering local perceptions and better destination branding and communications.

"We've done a great job of building big buildings, but we need more than that," Gilbert said. "It's 'what was the walk like?,' not just the Rock Hall experience."


Source: David Gilbert
Writer: Lee Chilcote
entrepreneurs riding road to success thanks to growing bike-based economy
As cities continue to become more bike-friendly, new bike-based businesses are springing up to support the movement. These bike-centric businesses are both banking on and promoting a growing interest in riding, and in the process they are boosting their cities' economies.
cleveland schools trying new educational approach
In a CBS News story titled “Public, charter schools team up in Cleveland,” Dean Reynolds writes of Cleveland’s historically poor performance in standardized testing and efforts to improve such data through specialized charter schools.
 
“The classrooms are quiet and small -- 15 kids or less. There's individual instruction from teachers on everything from public speaking to personal etiquette.”
 
While the traditional schools are struggling with behavior issues, large class sizes, and overall poor performance, Alan Roskamm, CEO of a group of charters, shares that in the right environment the children can thrive.
 
"Many people will say you have to fix poverty before you can fix education. We believe it is upside down. The only way to fix poverty is to provide our children with a quality education," Roskamm was quoted in the article.
 
Read the full story here.

lou reed gets life-saving transplant at cle clinic
"Lou Reed is recovering after receiving a liver transplant last month," an article in the Rolling Stone begins. That life-saving surgery was performed at the Cleveland Clinic.

The 71-year-old rock god chose the Clinic over facilities in New York because of the "dysfunctional state of hospitals in New York," his wife reported.
 
"I am a triumph of modern medicine, physics and chemistry," Reed said. "I am bigger and stronger than stronger than ever."

Read the rest of the news here.

rta healthline praised as major job creator
In a Huffington Post blog item titled “Transit Initiatives Boosted by Employers,” Laura Barrett writes of the vast amount of good that follows support and investment in public transit.
 
In the piece, Barrett highlights numerous benefits, including job creation, as one of the key factors in drumming up support for new transit creation.
 
“For every $1 billion investment in transit, 60,000 jobs are created, making transit one of the best job generators in our economy.”
 
Our fair city was cited as an example of success when public support paired with corporate involvement work together for the greater good.
 
“Cleveland's two largest employers, The Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals of Cleveland, were involved in a campaign for the HealthLine, one of the nation's most successful Bus Rapid Transit lines.”
 
Read the full post here.

'courage fund' created to help cleveland kidnap survivors
The brave escape of three women held captive in a Cleveland home has garnered a philanthropic response from local political and business entities.

The Cleveland Courage Fund was established by Cleveland City Council members Brian Cummins, Matt Zone and Dona Brady to benefit kidnap victims Gina DeJesus, Michelle Knight, Amanda Berry and Berry's daughter. The funds were set up at the Cleveland Foundation and Key Bank two days after the release of the survivors, and have raised $650,000 to date. The total includes a $50,000 gift from the Cleveland Foundation and a $10,000 donation from Key Bank.

Money can be donated through the foundation's website or at KeyBank branches throughout Northeast Ohio, says Tom Stevens, the bank's vice chair and chief administrative officer. Prospective donors also can mail funds to the Cleveland Courage Fund care of the Cleveland Foundation, 1422 Euclid Ave., Suite 1300, Cleveland, Ohio, 44115.

KeyBank is providing pro bono financial council to the affected women and their families."We hope that through the generosity of the public, we can help these women get the resources they need," Stevens says. "We are delighted to serve as advisors to help ensure that Gina, Michelle and Amanda are able to use the money for their well-being."

Since its inception, the fund has received contributions from all 50 states as well as overseas. Groups including Jones Daywhich is providing free legal council to the women, and The Centers for Families and Children are working to get every penny of the donated dollars into the right hands.

"People have been very generous with their contributions," says Stevens.

 
SOURCE: Tom Stevens
WRITER: Douglas J. Guth
bbc covers cle orchestra's efforts to reach new audiences
The BBC's Jane O'Brien covered the Cleveland Orchestra's novel efforts to reach new (read younger) audiences by performing outside Severance Hall. In this video, O'Brien follows the orchestra from Severance Hall to Happy Dog in Gordon Square as they perform to enthusiastic young crowds.
 
"It is often easier and cheaper to experience great orchestras online and while older music lovers might shudder at the idea, research shows that most Americans under the age of 30 actually prefer it. But Cleveland, Ohio, boasts one of the world's top orchestras and rather than accept the empty seats at Severance Hall, the musicians decided to seek out new audiences in an unlikely venue."
 
Enjoy the video here.

art museum kudos continue for innovative use of technology
In a Christian Science Monitor story titled “An art museum uses technology to lure young patrons,” writer Nicole Wallace explores Cleveland Museum of Art's use of technology to attract younger audiences.
 
"As cultural institutions across the country struggle to attract young visitors, the Cleveland Museum of Art is embracing cutting-edge technology to try to lure new audiences to its collection of masterworks," she writes.
 
“The goal is to make the museum more welcoming, especially to young people who mediate the world through the screen,” David Franklin, director of the museum, is quoted in the piece.
 
Wallace goes on to highlight the 40-foot touch-screen wall, the ability to create personal tours via an iPad, and even touches upon Pablo Picasso’s Blue Period in the La Vie exhibit.
 
Check out the full story here.

meals on wheels: local food truck scene keeps on rollin'
East, West, North and South -- it's getting easier and easier to score a hot, fresh and delicious meal from a food truck. In just three years' time, the Cleveland food truck scene has zoomed from 0 to 60, with dozens of rigs scattered all over town. Here's a little help finding them.
walk this way: cle's most pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods
According to Walk Score, Downtown, University Circle and Ohio City rank as the three most pedestrian friendly neighborhoods in Cleveland. What makes these neighborhoods so walkable? And more important: What can we do to make other areas more friendly to residents who prefer to walk and ride than drive?
explorys lands fourth largest catholic healthcare company, expects to add 20 percent more staff
Last month Trinity Health, the fourth largest Catholic healthcare system in the country, hired Explorys to manage its healthcare data analytics in its hospitals, outpatient facilities and other facilities. Trinity will implement Explorys’ suite of cloud-based big data analytics solutions to manage the company’s clinical data.

The deal puts Explorys, which already is a leader in big data, on top in the clinical data market. Explorys has been rapidly growing since its inception nearly four years ago, and continues to grow. “We’re excited about Trinity,” says Charlie Lougheed, Explorys president and chief strategy officer. “We’ve seen a lot of growth in the past year alone, as well as the last three and a half years. The whole healthcare industry is in the midst of this transformation and big data is in the middle of that.”
 
Explorys’ big data solutions allow hospitals to better manage their data and therefore improve patient care. Trinity is the latest addition to more than a dozen healthcare companies that use Explorys’ solutions. “Trinity recognized they needed to select a platform that is going to expand into the future rather than solve a problem right now,” explains Lougheed. “They were looking for a platform that would grow and develop within their network, and Explorys met that need for them.”
 
Explorys continues to grow in its Cleveland offices. The company has close to 100 employees right now and has new-employee orientations every other month. “We plan to continue to hire people over time,” says Lougheed. “By the end of the year I expect, conservatively, to be at 120 people.”

 
Source: Charlie Lougheed
Writer: Karin Connelly
evergreen coop praised in new york times
In a New York Times post titled “The Cure and Feeding of Small Business,” writer and economics professor at UMass explains that while big business is still able to garner generous grants and tax incentives by promising jobs within political boundaries, it often comes at a price to small business and other civic services.
 
Once such model that is working well to foster success for the smaller enterprise as well as create jobs for the community is the worker-owned cooperative, like those at Evergreen Cooperatives in Cleveland.
 
“Promotion of worker-owned cooperatives is a way to create entrepreneurs and jobs at the same time. The Evergreen Cooperatives of Cleveland represent a stellar example, recently called out by the Federal Reserve Board member Sarah Bloom Raskin as an effective model of local economic development.”
 
Check out the full story here.

cleveland clinic cmo credited for making brand most recognizable
In a Forbes Magazine post titled “Behind the Brand: CMO Paul Matsen On Cleveland Clinic’s Strides As A Global Marketer,” Jennifer Rooney explains how Paul Matsen has taken his experience from prior endeavors such as Delta Air Lines and worked to establish Cleveland Clinic as one of the most recognizable healthcare brands in the world.
 
From the use of digital, social and traditional media, Matsen's primary goal is to increase brand awareness and ultimately get “those who don’t even need its services yet -- but may someday -- to “get consumers to find out who we are and then in the future for them to consider us as one of their first choices.”
 
Read the full piece and watch the interview here.

cle museum of art included in item on upscale museum dining trend
In an Indystar piece titled “Fine art, fresh fare: Museum restaurants revamp menus to meet diners’ expectations,” Jolene Ketzenberger explores how museums are transforming dank snack bars into upscale dining experiences.
 
Museums across the country are revamping their food offerings, including Cleveland’s Museum of Art, where chef-partner Douglas Katz designs special menus around featured exhibits at the newly unveiled Provenance restaurant.
 
“It takes a lot of energy to put these menus together,” says Katz in the piece, who is also chef-owner of Cleveland’s Fire Food and Drink. “But it’s bringing people to the restaurant and giving people a reason to come back again and again.”
 
Check out the full piece here.

in digital world, indie pubs aim to fill void left by waning mainstream print
In the age of digital everything, self-published periodicals are enjoying a bit of a revival. Geared towards those who prefer the tactile sensation of thumbing through an honest-to-goodness magazine, these indie pubs are filling voids left by declining mainstream print.
art daily touts cma's beckmann acquisition
In an Art Daily feature titled “Cleveland Museum of Art acquires dramatic painting by seminal 20th century German artist Max Beckmann,” the editors continue to praise the Cleveland Museum of Art for their ongoing work in building some of the most comprehensive collections in the country, including the recently added painting by German artist Max Beckmann.
 
“The acquisition of the Beckmann marks the successful conclusion of a decade-long hunt for a major work by the artist and adds a fascinating and challenging picture to the museum’s holdings of modern European art,” explains C. Griffith Mann, Ph.D, the museum’s deputy director and chief curator. “The African textiles are notable not only for their quality but also for their provenance, and the gifts speak eloquently to the impact our collectors and donors are capable of making across our collections.”
 
The feature goes on to highlight the life and career of Beckmann, including the nature of his work for which he is most known.
 
Explore the full feature here.