University Circle
Now that the urban farming movement is becoming steadily more mature, cities are looking beyond backyard hens and market gardens to longer-term agricultural land use policies. They can and should learn from what works in other places while also advocating for better public policy at every level.
These were the messages conveyed at a forum on urban agriculture that was held last week at Cleveland State University. Kimberly Hodgson, a planner and public health advocate from Vancouver, Canada, said that Cleveland is considered a leader in the new agrarian movement, but that U.S. and Canadian cities have much to learn from each other.
Baltimore completed a study to prioritize and focus urban agriculture in needed areas, Hodgson told an audience of 100-plus planners, farmers, students and lawyers. Minneapolis conducted an analysis to determine which parcels of land have low value for development and would thus be appropriate for urban farming.
The goal of such plans, Hodgson said, is generally to promote and support equal access to urban farming and gardening, create economic opportunity for residents, reduce regulatory barriers to farming and expand agricultural production.
Other examples Hodgson cited included Vancouver, which has developed urban agriculture design guidelines, and Baltimore, which hired a Food Policy Director using money raised from area foundations. Within six months, the new Director had leveraged enough money on her own to fund the position without subsidy.
Source: Kimberly Hodgson
Writer: Lee Chilcote
These were the messages conveyed at a forum on urban agriculture that was held last week at Cleveland State University. Kimberly Hodgson, a planner and public health advocate from Vancouver, Canada, said that Cleveland is considered a leader in the new agrarian movement, but that U.S. and Canadian cities have much to learn from each other.
Baltimore completed a study to prioritize and focus urban agriculture in needed areas, Hodgson told an audience of 100-plus planners, farmers, students and lawyers. Minneapolis conducted an analysis to determine which parcels of land have low value for development and would thus be appropriate for urban farming.
The goal of such plans, Hodgson said, is generally to promote and support equal access to urban farming and gardening, create economic opportunity for residents, reduce regulatory barriers to farming and expand agricultural production.
Other examples Hodgson cited included Vancouver, which has developed urban agriculture design guidelines, and Baltimore, which hired a Food Policy Director using money raised from area foundations. Within six months, the new Director had leveraged enough money on her own to fund the position without subsidy.
Source: Kimberly Hodgson
Writer: Lee Chilcote
rta the envy of detroit
There may be a bitter rivalry between Ohio and Michigan, but when it comes to Cleveland’s transportation system, Detroit wants to be just like us!
For months legislators have been debating what the best possible solution for Detroit’s transportation issues might be, reports Ashley C. Woods of MLive.com
Congressman Gary Peters is a big fan of Cleveland’s current system and wants to see an adaptation of it in Detroit.
"This is not theoretical. You see it in cities across America," Peters was quoted. "In fact, the most recent one with the bus rapid system, which is where we're looking to go, is the bus rapid transit system in Cleveland..."
"The Health Line has generated $4.3 billion in economic development. Cleveland began operation of the Health Line bus rapid transit system in 2008 after finishing the project on time and on budget."
"That's pretty incredible when you consider that it costs $200 million dollars to build that system, and it's been a magnet for $4.3 billion dollars in investment," Peters said. "Now, you don't need to be a math major to know that's a great return in investment. We know it works in Cleveland, and folks, if they can do it in Cleveland, we can do it here in the Detroit area."
Yup.
Read the full story here.
For months legislators have been debating what the best possible solution for Detroit’s transportation issues might be, reports Ashley C. Woods of MLive.com
Congressman Gary Peters is a big fan of Cleveland’s current system and wants to see an adaptation of it in Detroit.
"This is not theoretical. You see it in cities across America," Peters was quoted. "In fact, the most recent one with the bus rapid system, which is where we're looking to go, is the bus rapid transit system in Cleveland..."
"The Health Line has generated $4.3 billion in economic development. Cleveland began operation of the Health Line bus rapid transit system in 2008 after finishing the project on time and on budget."
"That's pretty incredible when you consider that it costs $200 million dollars to build that system, and it's been a magnet for $4.3 billion dollars in investment," Peters said. "Now, you don't need to be a math major to know that's a great return in investment. We know it works in Cleveland, and folks, if they can do it in Cleveland, we can do it here in the Detroit area."
Yup.
Read the full story here.
Recently, an artistically-minded student at Glenville High School was so inspired by his school's first-ever Sustainability Awareness Day that he painted a rain barrel with the school's signature "G" logo and displayed it at last week's inaugural event.
"It was kind of like a small-scale science fair," says Anthony Body, Community Organizer with the Famicos Foundation, a nonprofit community development organization that serves the neighborhood and hosted the event at its Community Service Center on Ansel Rd. "Each student created a display," which included hydroponics, aeroponics and rain barrel displays.
The program is part of an effort to imbue sustainability practices into Glenville in partnership with residents. The goal is to teach people about sustainability, help them grow and access healthy, local food and make them more self-sufficient. Famicos has partnered with the NEO Restoration Alliance, a nonprofit that promotes community gardening and green jobs, to create the program.
"At first, it was like pulling teeth," says Body of his experience working with high school students. "Then they bit into it more and had more hands-on experiences. We went on field trips to the Rockefeller Greenhouse and Galleria and they learned vermicomposting. They saw how it could relate to their homes."
Although most of the students do not have gardens at home, Body says that two students have started gardens at their homes and one actually now has a hydroponics system. "It opened their eyes," he says.
Body says the area is a "food desert," and that most of the local corner stores do not sell fresh produce. He touts the Circle105 Farmers Market, which is now in its second year and kicks off June 15th, as a viable alternative. The farmers market will accept food stamps and offer additional specials for residents this year.
"I see a lot of people who leave Glenville and never come back and engage the youth," says Body, a graduate of Glenville High School as well as Malone University in Canton, Ohio. "The youth need to be educated on how to do this."
Source: Anthony Body
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"It was kind of like a small-scale science fair," says Anthony Body, Community Organizer with the Famicos Foundation, a nonprofit community development organization that serves the neighborhood and hosted the event at its Community Service Center on Ansel Rd. "Each student created a display," which included hydroponics, aeroponics and rain barrel displays.
The program is part of an effort to imbue sustainability practices into Glenville in partnership with residents. The goal is to teach people about sustainability, help them grow and access healthy, local food and make them more self-sufficient. Famicos has partnered with the NEO Restoration Alliance, a nonprofit that promotes community gardening and green jobs, to create the program.
"At first, it was like pulling teeth," says Body of his experience working with high school students. "Then they bit into it more and had more hands-on experiences. We went on field trips to the Rockefeller Greenhouse and Galleria and they learned vermicomposting. They saw how it could relate to their homes."
Although most of the students do not have gardens at home, Body says that two students have started gardens at their homes and one actually now has a hydroponics system. "It opened their eyes," he says.
Body says the area is a "food desert," and that most of the local corner stores do not sell fresh produce. He touts the Circle105 Farmers Market, which is now in its second year and kicks off June 15th, as a viable alternative. The farmers market will accept food stamps and offer additional specials for residents this year.
"I see a lot of people who leave Glenville and never come back and engage the youth," says Body, a graduate of Glenville High School as well as Malone University in Canton, Ohio. "The youth need to be educated on how to do this."
Source: Anthony Body
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Last week, PNC Bank employees spent time reading "Where the Wild Things Are" to kids enrolled in Head Start, Cleveland Clinic employees shared tips on preparing for the workforce with students at New Tech West, and human resources pros helped people in transitional housing to prepare their resumes.
The events were organized by Business Volunteers Unlimited as part of National Volunteer Week, which rallied more than 1,300 volunteers to participate in 85-plus service projects throughout Northeast Ohio.
"Ordinary Day, Extraordinary Outcomes" (ODEO), a one day event held on Friday, April 20th, engaged 28 corporate teams in combating poverty through education. Two companies, OE Connection and Jo-Ann Fabric and Crafts, hosted a week of volunteer opportunities for all of their employees. Finally, Global Youth Service Day, which engaged young people in volunteering across Greater Cleveland, took place from April 20 to 22.
"We really tried to develop interactive experiences that would engage the community," says Roseanne Deucher, Director of the Volunteer Center at Business Volunteers Unlimited. "This year, we had a focus on education. We also tried to match the skills of folks in the business sector with needs in the community."
She adds, "A lot of people read about issues in the public school system and unemployment, but they don't know how to get involved. After this event, they felt they'd touched lives. Many wanted to volunteer on an ongoing basis."
BVU maintains an online Volunteer Center which lists more than 500 volunteer opportunities throughout Northeast Ohio. The nonprofit group is also currently partnering with the Cleveland Indians to host a Volunteer Challenge. Any individual who completes four hours or more of volunteer work through BVU is eligible for a voucher for two free tickets to select Indians games.
BVU is also hosting its annual Summer of Service day, which seeks to engage young professionals in volunteer activities, on July 18th of this year.
Source: Roseanne Deucher
Writer: Lee Chilcote
The events were organized by Business Volunteers Unlimited as part of National Volunteer Week, which rallied more than 1,300 volunteers to participate in 85-plus service projects throughout Northeast Ohio.
"Ordinary Day, Extraordinary Outcomes" (ODEO), a one day event held on Friday, April 20th, engaged 28 corporate teams in combating poverty through education. Two companies, OE Connection and Jo-Ann Fabric and Crafts, hosted a week of volunteer opportunities for all of their employees. Finally, Global Youth Service Day, which engaged young people in volunteering across Greater Cleveland, took place from April 20 to 22.
"We really tried to develop interactive experiences that would engage the community," says Roseanne Deucher, Director of the Volunteer Center at Business Volunteers Unlimited. "This year, we had a focus on education. We also tried to match the skills of folks in the business sector with needs in the community."
She adds, "A lot of people read about issues in the public school system and unemployment, but they don't know how to get involved. After this event, they felt they'd touched lives. Many wanted to volunteer on an ongoing basis."
BVU maintains an online Volunteer Center which lists more than 500 volunteer opportunities throughout Northeast Ohio. The nonprofit group is also currently partnering with the Cleveland Indians to host a Volunteer Challenge. Any individual who completes four hours or more of volunteer work through BVU is eligible for a voucher for two free tickets to select Indians games.
BVU is also hosting its annual Summer of Service day, which seeks to engage young professionals in volunteer activities, on July 18th of this year.
Source: Roseanne Deucher
Writer: Lee Chilcote
cle fashion week focus of the fashion world
Who knew that Cleveland was the center of focus in the fashion world?
"The Cleveland Fashion Week is one of the largest fashion events in the country attracting designers from the U.S. and Canada who audition to participate in the event," reports Pittsburgh based Moultrie Observer.
Becca Nation, a textile artist and designer who grew up in the Pennsylvania town of Moultrie, plans to unveil the line “Knotty Girl” during Fashion Week Cleveland 2012.
“The staff of judges loved Becca’s unique designs, color, and avant-garde style requesting that she showcase her line in the events grand finale runway model black tie event on May 12th.
Read more about Becca Nation in the full Moultrie Observer article here.
"The Cleveland Fashion Week is one of the largest fashion events in the country attracting designers from the U.S. and Canada who audition to participate in the event," reports Pittsburgh based Moultrie Observer.
Becca Nation, a textile artist and designer who grew up in the Pennsylvania town of Moultrie, plans to unveil the line “Knotty Girl” during Fashion Week Cleveland 2012.
“The staff of judges loved Becca’s unique designs, color, and avant-garde style requesting that she showcase her line in the events grand finale runway model black tie event on May 12th.
Read more about Becca Nation in the full Moultrie Observer article here.
As the Circle East Townhomes near completion, 60 percent of the units are pre-leased, and eight of the 12 leased units have been snatched up by University Circle area employees. This proves the viability of new housing options in the area, says Chris Ronayne, Executive Director of University Circle Inc. (UCI).
"This is a great moment in time where the Circle is meeting East Cleveland," says Ronayne of the project, which features 20 townhouse-style apartments that are being developed on a former parking lot on Euclid Avenue in East Cleveland. "The fact that Circle area employees are leasing the apartments means that our Greater Circle Living program is working. Employees can get one month's free rent through this effort, and institutions and foundations are putting money into it."
Circle East Townhomes are being built on 1.5 acres of land along Euclid between Lakeview Road and Auburndale Avenue. The $5 million project is being co-developed by UCI and the Finch Group, and partial funding comes from federal Neighborhood Stabilization Funds. The three-story units have 2 bedrooms, 2.5 baths and two car garages. Rental rates are $930 per month, and tenants can earn up to 120 percent of area median income (about $60,000) and still qualify.
"Circle East is really a new neighborhood where University Circle meets East Cleveland," says Ronayne, who adds that the project would have remained on the drawing board without the leadership of East Cleveland Mayor Gary Norton and support from Cuyahoga County and the Cuyahoga Land Bank. "We've been planning this for a while, and now we're starting to see development."
UCI and East Cleveland are now seeking planning grants for Phase II of the project, which would bring an additional 20 units to the site. Ronayne ultimately envisions a mixed-use housing and office development, including technology companies or services related to University Circle's anchor institutions.
The first residents are expected to move into Circle East Townhomes by June 15th.
Source: Chris Ronayne
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"This is a great moment in time where the Circle is meeting East Cleveland," says Ronayne of the project, which features 20 townhouse-style apartments that are being developed on a former parking lot on Euclid Avenue in East Cleveland. "The fact that Circle area employees are leasing the apartments means that our Greater Circle Living program is working. Employees can get one month's free rent through this effort, and institutions and foundations are putting money into it."
Circle East Townhomes are being built on 1.5 acres of land along Euclid between Lakeview Road and Auburndale Avenue. The $5 million project is being co-developed by UCI and the Finch Group, and partial funding comes from federal Neighborhood Stabilization Funds. The three-story units have 2 bedrooms, 2.5 baths and two car garages. Rental rates are $930 per month, and tenants can earn up to 120 percent of area median income (about $60,000) and still qualify.
"Circle East is really a new neighborhood where University Circle meets East Cleveland," says Ronayne, who adds that the project would have remained on the drawing board without the leadership of East Cleveland Mayor Gary Norton and support from Cuyahoga County and the Cuyahoga Land Bank. "We've been planning this for a while, and now we're starting to see development."
UCI and East Cleveland are now seeking planning grants for Phase II of the project, which would bring an additional 20 units to the site. Ronayne ultimately envisions a mixed-use housing and office development, including technology companies or services related to University Circle's anchor institutions.
The first residents are expected to move into Circle East Townhomes by June 15th.
Source: Chris Ronayne
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Clevelanders have always known that the Cleveland Museum of Art (CMA) brings a tremendous amount of economic activity and out-of-town prestige to Northeast Ohio. Yet thanks to an in-depth study by economic and business consulting firm Kleinhenz and Associates, we now have the numbers to prove it.
According to a study released this week, CMA generates more than $140 million annually in economic activity in Cuyahoga County and creates or sustains over 1,200 jobs. Additionally, CMA's renovation and expansion project has generated $593 million in activity and created or sustained an average of 500 jobs per year.
To CMA Director David Franklin, that level of activity signals not only that the museum is an economic powerhouse, but also that given today's "creativity-driven economy," it generates returns well beyond traditional expectations.
"The Cleveland Museum of Art is a magnet for business and talent attraction," Franklin said at a press conference this week. "It upends the traditional story of the division between business and the arts. We are a true 'house of muses' as well as a cylinder for Ohio's economic engine -- not one or the other, but both."
Chris Warren of the City of Cleveland and Tom Waltermire of Team NEO both testified to the fact that the museum has vast intangible effects on Northeast Ohio's economy, as well. It acts as a prestige-driver for the region and serves as a calling card as they travel the world to attract new business, they said.
Helen Forbes-Fields, a CMA Trustee, stated that she had participated in the museum's Diversity Construction Committee and that CMA has been "a University Circle leader in hiring and contracts for construction jobs," with 22 percent filled by minority workers and 10 percent filled by female workers.
Tom Schorgl, President of the Community Partnership for Arts and Culture, touted the impact of the Cuyahoga County arts tax, which must be renewed in 2015. "CMA is a splendid example of a public-private partnership," he said.
Source: David Franklin, Chris Warren, Tom Waltermire, Helen Forbes-Fields, Tom Schorgl
Writer: Lee Chilcote
According to a study released this week, CMA generates more than $140 million annually in economic activity in Cuyahoga County and creates or sustains over 1,200 jobs. Additionally, CMA's renovation and expansion project has generated $593 million in activity and created or sustained an average of 500 jobs per year.
To CMA Director David Franklin, that level of activity signals not only that the museum is an economic powerhouse, but also that given today's "creativity-driven economy," it generates returns well beyond traditional expectations.
"The Cleveland Museum of Art is a magnet for business and talent attraction," Franklin said at a press conference this week. "It upends the traditional story of the division between business and the arts. We are a true 'house of muses' as well as a cylinder for Ohio's economic engine -- not one or the other, but both."
Chris Warren of the City of Cleveland and Tom Waltermire of Team NEO both testified to the fact that the museum has vast intangible effects on Northeast Ohio's economy, as well. It acts as a prestige-driver for the region and serves as a calling card as they travel the world to attract new business, they said.
Helen Forbes-Fields, a CMA Trustee, stated that she had participated in the museum's Diversity Construction Committee and that CMA has been "a University Circle leader in hiring and contracts for construction jobs," with 22 percent filled by minority workers and 10 percent filled by female workers.
Tom Schorgl, President of the Community Partnership for Arts and Culture, touted the impact of the Cuyahoga County arts tax, which must be renewed in 2015. "CMA is a splendid example of a public-private partnership," he said.
Source: David Franklin, Chris Warren, Tom Waltermire, Helen Forbes-Fields, Tom Schorgl
Writer: Lee Chilcote
cleveland orchestra, visiting san fran, sounds marvelous at sunday opener
"Is music director Franz Welser-Möst -- now in his tenth season with the 'Big Five' orchestra -- in the same league as George Szell and Christoph von Dohnányi and his other illustrious predecessors? Will the orchestra overcome its substantial debt? Are its periodic residencies in Miami and New York acts of desperation, or creative solutions to its fiscal woes?" the San Jose Mercury News asks rhetorically in a review of the visiting orchestra.
"Yada, yada, yada. Sunday night, the orchestra arrived in San Francisco for the first of two programs, and it sounded marvelous from the opening measures of Mendelssohn's Symphony No. 3 in A minor, "Scottish" -- and still better with Shostakovitch's Symphony," it answered itself.
"No. 6, which was like a long and beautiful march to the abyss. Coincidentally, Sunday was the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, but this orchestra wasn't going down. If anything, it sounded titanically impressive at Davies Symphony Hall, where it is performing in honor of another centennial: the 100th anniversary of the San Francisco Symphony."
Enjoy the rest here.
"Yada, yada, yada. Sunday night, the orchestra arrived in San Francisco for the first of two programs, and it sounded marvelous from the opening measures of Mendelssohn's Symphony No. 3 in A minor, "Scottish" -- and still better with Shostakovitch's Symphony," it answered itself.
"No. 6, which was like a long and beautiful march to the abyss. Coincidentally, Sunday was the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, but this orchestra wasn't going down. If anything, it sounded titanically impressive at Davies Symphony Hall, where it is performing in honor of another centennial: the 100th anniversary of the San Francisco Symphony."
Enjoy the rest here.
Turning commuters, suburbanites and Joe and Jane Doe into "choice riders" -- those who choose public transit over driving -- has been an ongoing battle for mid-size transportation systems across the country, and Cleveland is no exception. Locally, that task falls on the shoulders of the Greater Cleveland Regional Transportation Authority, which is taking significant steps to cultivate a new generation of riders.
photo essay of trip through cleveland
"US Route 6 is the longest contiguous transcontinental route in the USA," says the blog site Stay on Route 6. "Running from Provincetown, MA to Bishop, CA (and before 1964 to Long Beach, CA), Route 6 goes through 14 states. This is your guide along all of its original 3,652 miles. From Revolutionary War sites to pioneer settlements and western mining towns, Route 6 offers an in-depth lesson in US History, charms of yesteryear and comforts of modern times."
For this post, the writer takes readers on a visual trip through Cleveland, with stops along the way in downtown, Asiatown, University Circle, Little Italy, Lakewood, and Detroit Shoreway,
Check it out here.
"US Route 6 is the longest contiguous transcontinental route in the USA," says the blog site Stay on Route 6. "Running from Provincetown, MA to Bishop, CA (and before 1964 to Long Beach, CA), Route 6 goes through 14 states. This is your guide along all of its original 3,652 miles. From Revolutionary War sites to pioneer settlements and western mining towns, Route 6 offers an in-depth lesson in US History, charms of yesteryear and comforts of modern times."
For this post, the writer takes readers on a visual trip through Cleveland, with stops along the way in downtown, Asiatown, University Circle, Little Italy, Lakewood, and Detroit Shoreway,
Check it out here.
A new initiative being pioneered by Cuyahoga County, Policy Matters Ohio and a bevy of partners aims to create more energy-efficient municipal buildings and catalyze the creation of green, living wage jobs.
Now that advocacy within the green jobs movement has shifted away from the state and federal level -- where activity is slow or nonexistent -- organizers are counting on this new initiative to help create a new model for energy-efficient construction as well as stimulate good, union jobs in Cuyahoga County.
"We were pushing on the national level, but when the cap and trade legislation fell apart, we still lacked a comprehensive energy strategy," says Shanelle Smith, local organizer for the Emerald Cities Cleveland-Cuyahoga County project. "We had the economic stimulus, but now that the money is on the ground, it's about organizing locally so it benefits all of us."
Emerald Cities, which was approved last week by Cuyahoga County Council, aims to "create a clean energy economy by developing community workforce opportunities, enhancing environmentally sustainable practices and working to make government buildings more energy efficient," according to a release.
The initiative aims to make municipal buildings in Cuyahoga County 20 percent more energy-efficient by 2020. Emerald Cities will achieve this by seeking financing mechanisms to help local governments pay for projects, creating community workforce agreements to help foster union jobs, and participating in the U.S. Department of Energy's Better Buildings Challenge.
"We want to build a pipeline to unionized apprenticeships for underrepresented communities," says Smith. "Our goal is to help create family-sustaining jobs."
Now that the initiative has been approved by Cuyahoga County, Emerald Cities partners are working together to assemble a strategic plan for implementation.
Source: Shanelle Smith
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Now that advocacy within the green jobs movement has shifted away from the state and federal level -- where activity is slow or nonexistent -- organizers are counting on this new initiative to help create a new model for energy-efficient construction as well as stimulate good, union jobs in Cuyahoga County.
"We were pushing on the national level, but when the cap and trade legislation fell apart, we still lacked a comprehensive energy strategy," says Shanelle Smith, local organizer for the Emerald Cities Cleveland-Cuyahoga County project. "We had the economic stimulus, but now that the money is on the ground, it's about organizing locally so it benefits all of us."
Emerald Cities, which was approved last week by Cuyahoga County Council, aims to "create a clean energy economy by developing community workforce opportunities, enhancing environmentally sustainable practices and working to make government buildings more energy efficient," according to a release.
The initiative aims to make municipal buildings in Cuyahoga County 20 percent more energy-efficient by 2020. Emerald Cities will achieve this by seeking financing mechanisms to help local governments pay for projects, creating community workforce agreements to help foster union jobs, and participating in the U.S. Department of Energy's Better Buildings Challenge.
"We want to build a pipeline to unionized apprenticeships for underrepresented communities," says Smith. "Our goal is to help create family-sustaining jobs."
Now that the initiative has been approved by Cuyahoga County, Emerald Cities partners are working together to assemble a strategic plan for implementation.
Source: Shanelle Smith
Writer: Lee Chilcote
As a region we are fortunate to have NOCHE, the Northeast Ohio Council on Higher Education, leading our regional efforts to increase college attainment levels. Their efforts, called The Northeast Ohio Talent Dividend, has three primary goals: improve college readiness of high school and adult students, increase student retention through degree completion, and increase degree attainment among adults with some college experience but no degree.
"Events like TEDxCLE are changing how people feel about Cleveland and rebranding the city," says founder Hallie Bram Kogelschatz. More than simply inspirational, the annual event is about "inspiration turned into action." Despite a larger space -- the 700-seat Gartner Auditorium at the Cleveland Museum of Art -- all tickets still managed to sell out in minutes. Here's a sample of what's in store.
95-year-old cleveland artist updates historic diversity mural for tedxcle
Mort Epstein, a distinguished 95-year-old Cleveland artist and designer who founded Epstein Design in 1962 and has a lengthy history of social activism, will present a talk entitled "A Designer and the Community" at this year's TEDxCLE event. In keeping with the event, whose theme is "The Maker Class," Epstein has updated an iconic mural he completed for Cleveland State University in the mid 1970s.
The original artwork, which featured six black and white electrical outlets beside one another, celebrated CSU's commitment to diversity. The new design by Epstein features nine red and black outlets set against a sleek, black background, as if inviting viewers to plug into the opportunities before them. The term "The Maker Class" also hails Cleveland's past and present as a hub for creativity and ingenuity.
TEDxCLE founder and organizer Hallie Bram Kogelschatz says that she commissioned the design to celebrate Cleveland's little-known history as a place of distinctive, high-quality public art, the role of artists and designers in making cities better places to live, and Cleveland as a place that sparks opportunity.
"We wanted to pay homage to Mort as a designer and take this iconic artwork and update it. The city is an outlet and you just need to plug in to make it happen."
Source: Hallie Bram Kogelschatz
Writer: Lee Chilcote
The original artwork, which featured six black and white electrical outlets beside one another, celebrated CSU's commitment to diversity. The new design by Epstein features nine red and black outlets set against a sleek, black background, as if inviting viewers to plug into the opportunities before them. The term "The Maker Class" also hails Cleveland's past and present as a hub for creativity and ingenuity.
TEDxCLE founder and organizer Hallie Bram Kogelschatz says that she commissioned the design to celebrate Cleveland's little-known history as a place of distinctive, high-quality public art, the role of artists and designers in making cities better places to live, and Cleveland as a place that sparks opportunity.
"We wanted to pay homage to Mort as a designer and take this iconic artwork and update it. The city is an outlet and you just need to plug in to make it happen."
Source: Hallie Bram Kogelschatz
Writer: Lee Chilcote
saving cities documentary aims to tell true story of a rising rust belt
A year ago, Jack Storey launched an ambitious project to create a documentary about the Rust Belt with no money, no filmmaking experience and no camera.
But he did have Kickstarter.
Today, Storey and his partners have raised over $20,000 through the popular arts-focused fundraising website. They have crisscrossed the Rust Belt region while garnering more than 100 hours of footage of entrepreneurs and civic-minded individuals. Saving Cities, the grassroots "idea bank" that Storey helped found in 2010, plans to release the documentary, entitled Red, White and Blueprints, early next year.
"We're stubborn and we love it here, but we don't defend ourselves very well to the outside, and the perspective of national media tends to be lopsided," explains Storey, who recently participated in a panel discussion of Cleveland artists funded through Kickstarter. "Our goal is to have a very positive piece of media that tells the story of the Rust Belt from boom to decline, and also talks about the future and entrepreneurs who are doing creative things with very few resources."
Red, White and Blueprints will highlight the connections between small, hyperlocal efforts taking place in various Rust Belt cities to paint a coherent picture of a diverse, interconnected region. It will also suggest that Rust Belt cities could do a significantly better job sharing successes between various metropolitan areas, and in turn, furthering these connections for mutual benefit.
"All of these cities used to be connected by railroads," says Storey. "We're talking about the Rust Belt as a mega-region. We can digitally reconnect these cities in conversation."
Saving Cities has launched another Kickstarter campaign to fund the final leg of the documentary, including editing and duplication. Storey hopes to begin sending the film to festivals and organize a series of community screenings next year.
Now that the project is nearing fruition, Storey has a better understanding of why he needed to do it. "Maybe for good reason, we're the only people to do this. We were crazy enough to get in a car and drive around the region several times. In hindsight, I'm glad we did it, but it was a huge undertaking."
Source: Jack Storey
Writer: Lee Chilcote
But he did have Kickstarter.
Today, Storey and his partners have raised over $20,000 through the popular arts-focused fundraising website. They have crisscrossed the Rust Belt region while garnering more than 100 hours of footage of entrepreneurs and civic-minded individuals. Saving Cities, the grassroots "idea bank" that Storey helped found in 2010, plans to release the documentary, entitled Red, White and Blueprints, early next year.
"We're stubborn and we love it here, but we don't defend ourselves very well to the outside, and the perspective of national media tends to be lopsided," explains Storey, who recently participated in a panel discussion of Cleveland artists funded through Kickstarter. "Our goal is to have a very positive piece of media that tells the story of the Rust Belt from boom to decline, and also talks about the future and entrepreneurs who are doing creative things with very few resources."
Red, White and Blueprints will highlight the connections between small, hyperlocal efforts taking place in various Rust Belt cities to paint a coherent picture of a diverse, interconnected region. It will also suggest that Rust Belt cities could do a significantly better job sharing successes between various metropolitan areas, and in turn, furthering these connections for mutual benefit.
"All of these cities used to be connected by railroads," says Storey. "We're talking about the Rust Belt as a mega-region. We can digitally reconnect these cities in conversation."
Saving Cities has launched another Kickstarter campaign to fund the final leg of the documentary, including editing and duplication. Storey hopes to begin sending the film to festivals and organize a series of community screenings next year.
Now that the project is nearing fruition, Storey has a better understanding of why he needed to do it. "Maybe for good reason, we're the only people to do this. We were crazy enough to get in a car and drive around the region several times. In hindsight, I'm glad we did it, but it was a huge undertaking."
Source: Jack Storey
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Do you want to see more mountain bike trails in the Metroparks? Or spur trails that lead visitors through secluded, natural landscapes? Could the Metroparks take over the city's ailing, neglected lakefront park system, which suffers from millions in deferred maintenance from the cash-strapped State of Ohio?
These issues and many others will be the focus of public meetings scheduled in April and May by the Cleveland Metroparks. The Metroparks is seeking to present and gather feedback on its Emerald Necklace Centennial Plan, a document that has been in the works for more than two years and will guide the park system for the next decade.
The focus of the Metroparks over the past 10 years has been on preserving a well-maintained park system while also completing a loop trail through the Emerald Necklace. The new Master Plan will address basic maintenance needs like roads and bridges, while also planning for new projects, such as completing more spur trails. The plan comes at a crucial time, as the park system is dealing with a decline in state funding and the need to pass a new operating levy in 2013.
There has also been discussion about the Metroparks taking over lakefront parks in Cleveland, as well as Wendy Park at Whisky Island and, ultimately, the newly-created Cleveland Lakefront Nature Preserve. According to Jim Kastelic, Senior Park Planner at the Metroparks, the Master Plan directly addresses these opportunities.
"When we surveyed Northeast Ohioans about whether Cleveland's lakefront parks should be operated by the same organization, 47 percent said yes and 37 percent said they weren't sure," says Kastelic, who cites the Metroparks' recent acquisition of two acres at Rivergate Park in the Flats and its agreement to manage the Towpath Trail in Cleveland as evidence of its commitment to urban parks and recreation. "That tells us that it's something that we need to look at."
Kastelic says the Centennial Plan will also focus on such key areas as green infrastructure, health of surrounding watersheds, strengthening the Metroparks' role in urban areas and creating a regional greenway system.
Additional meetings slated for April and May will largely focus on plans for individual Metroparks. Once the plan is finalized, the Metroparks will develop a list of strategic priorities and seek a levy in November of 2013.
Source: Cleveland Metroparks
Writer: Lee Chilcote
These issues and many others will be the focus of public meetings scheduled in April and May by the Cleveland Metroparks. The Metroparks is seeking to present and gather feedback on its Emerald Necklace Centennial Plan, a document that has been in the works for more than two years and will guide the park system for the next decade.
The focus of the Metroparks over the past 10 years has been on preserving a well-maintained park system while also completing a loop trail through the Emerald Necklace. The new Master Plan will address basic maintenance needs like roads and bridges, while also planning for new projects, such as completing more spur trails. The plan comes at a crucial time, as the park system is dealing with a decline in state funding and the need to pass a new operating levy in 2013.
There has also been discussion about the Metroparks taking over lakefront parks in Cleveland, as well as Wendy Park at Whisky Island and, ultimately, the newly-created Cleveland Lakefront Nature Preserve. According to Jim Kastelic, Senior Park Planner at the Metroparks, the Master Plan directly addresses these opportunities.
"When we surveyed Northeast Ohioans about whether Cleveland's lakefront parks should be operated by the same organization, 47 percent said yes and 37 percent said they weren't sure," says Kastelic, who cites the Metroparks' recent acquisition of two acres at Rivergate Park in the Flats and its agreement to manage the Towpath Trail in Cleveland as evidence of its commitment to urban parks and recreation. "That tells us that it's something that we need to look at."
Kastelic says the Centennial Plan will also focus on such key areas as green infrastructure, health of surrounding watersheds, strengthening the Metroparks' role in urban areas and creating a regional greenway system.
Additional meetings slated for April and May will largely focus on plans for individual Metroparks. Once the plan is finalized, the Metroparks will develop a list of strategic priorities and seek a levy in November of 2013.
Source: Cleveland Metroparks
Writer: Lee Chilcote
After three years of fundraising -- and a generous last-minute gift from an anonymous donor -- a bronze statue of Dante Alighieri is now being crafted at Studio Foundry in Cleveland. It will be installed in the Italian Cultural Gardens in Rockefeller Park in June.
"I view this as a Cleveland project," says Joyce Mariani, Executive Director of the Italian Cultural Gardens Foundation, who championed the project after discovering unfinished plans for the Italian Garden that included the Dante sculpture. "It brings back an urban space, and reflects the greatness of what Italy has given the world. We're all beneficiaries of what the Italians have done."
The statue, which costs $135,000, was designed by Italian sculptor Sandro Bonaiuto, who was originally born in Cleveland. It presents Dante in his 30s, around the time he wrote the Divine Comedy.
In the statue, Dante gazes out from where he sits in a Renaissance chair with the Divine Comedy in one hand and a pen in the other. The base of the statue portrays heaven, hell and purgatory, and a scroll located beside the statue includes the epic poem's most famous canto in Italian and English.
The Dante statue will be dedicated on June 29th, and Mariani will host Opera in the Garden, a free performance, on Sunday, July 29th beginning at 6 pm.
Source: Joyce Mariani
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"I view this as a Cleveland project," says Joyce Mariani, Executive Director of the Italian Cultural Gardens Foundation, who championed the project after discovering unfinished plans for the Italian Garden that included the Dante sculpture. "It brings back an urban space, and reflects the greatness of what Italy has given the world. We're all beneficiaries of what the Italians have done."
The statue, which costs $135,000, was designed by Italian sculptor Sandro Bonaiuto, who was originally born in Cleveland. It presents Dante in his 30s, around the time he wrote the Divine Comedy.
In the statue, Dante gazes out from where he sits in a Renaissance chair with the Divine Comedy in one hand and a pen in the other. The base of the statue portrays heaven, hell and purgatory, and a scroll located beside the statue includes the epic poem's most famous canto in Italian and English.
The Dante statue will be dedicated on June 29th, and Mariani will host Opera in the Garden, a free performance, on Sunday, July 29th beginning at 6 pm.
Source: Joyce Mariani
Writer: Lee Chilcote
When Costas Mavromichaelis opened Constantino's Market in downtown Cleveland, he knew that he was an urban pioneer. Downtown residents and businesses had been crying out for a small, full-service grocery store for years, yet no entrepreneur had been willing to take the plunge.
Eight years later, Constantino's Market on W. 9th Street is still going strong, and Mavromichaelis is hoping for another shot in the arm when the Horseshoe Casino opens this year and the Medical Mart and Convention Center open next year. The growing demand for downtown apartments also bodes well, he says.
The entrepreneur is now set to open a 16,000-square-foot branch of Constantino's in University Circle. City leaders contacted him after failing to secure leases from Dave's Market or Heinen's. Mavromichaelis says that the urban market isn't an easy or simple place to do business, but that he's addressing unmet demand.
"This is an important and developing area of Cleveland, and the density of and demand for housing because of the university and hospitals make it attractive," he says. "There's been a lack of shopping amenities in University Circle, but that's changing, and the Uptown project will make the area even more attractive."
Mavromichaelis says the new Constantino's will be very similar to the downtown store, and will be geared towards young professionals, students, small families and empty nesters. It will offer a full selection of groceries as well as a salad and hot foods bar, prepared foods, pizza and an impressive wine selection.
To make the deal work, the developer, MRN Ltd., leased the space to Case Western Reserve University, who in turn subleased it to Mavromichaelis. Uptown is a large, new retail and apartment development along Euclid Avenue in University Circle. The new Constantino's will be located at E. 115th and Euclid.
Mavromichaelis has also recruited his daughter and son-in-law, Anna Mavromichaelis and Andrew Revy, to move from Chicago to Cleveland to work in the business. His daughter has helped him to run the business and open new locations, while Revy will soon manage the University Circle location.
"My daughter was working as an accountant in Chicago, but she grew up in the business, coming to the Clifton store from the time she was seven or eight years old," says Mavromichaelis. "I guess she never got it out of her system."
Source: Costas Mavromichaelis
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Eight years later, Constantino's Market on W. 9th Street is still going strong, and Mavromichaelis is hoping for another shot in the arm when the Horseshoe Casino opens this year and the Medical Mart and Convention Center open next year. The growing demand for downtown apartments also bodes well, he says.
The entrepreneur is now set to open a 16,000-square-foot branch of Constantino's in University Circle. City leaders contacted him after failing to secure leases from Dave's Market or Heinen's. Mavromichaelis says that the urban market isn't an easy or simple place to do business, but that he's addressing unmet demand.
"This is an important and developing area of Cleveland, and the density of and demand for housing because of the university and hospitals make it attractive," he says. "There's been a lack of shopping amenities in University Circle, but that's changing, and the Uptown project will make the area even more attractive."
Mavromichaelis says the new Constantino's will be very similar to the downtown store, and will be geared towards young professionals, students, small families and empty nesters. It will offer a full selection of groceries as well as a salad and hot foods bar, prepared foods, pizza and an impressive wine selection.
To make the deal work, the developer, MRN Ltd., leased the space to Case Western Reserve University, who in turn subleased it to Mavromichaelis. Uptown is a large, new retail and apartment development along Euclid Avenue in University Circle. The new Constantino's will be located at E. 115th and Euclid.
Mavromichaelis has also recruited his daughter and son-in-law, Anna Mavromichaelis and Andrew Revy, to move from Chicago to Cleveland to work in the business. His daughter has helped him to run the business and open new locations, while Revy will soon manage the University Circle location.
"My daughter was working as an accountant in Chicago, but she grew up in the business, coming to the Clifton store from the time she was seven or eight years old," says Mavromichaelis. "I guess she never got it out of her system."
Source: Costas Mavromichaelis
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Moving counter to the assertion that Print is Dead!, two local optimists have just launched a new print magazine. Edible Cleveland is a new print quarterly that focuses on the local food scene -- not just restaurants and chefs, but also farmers, history, tradition and lore. FW's Erin O'Brien brakes bread with publishers Noelle Celeste and Jon Benedict.
case scientists share in pre-human discovery
“Now it seems that Lucy shared Eastern Africa with another prehuman species, one that may have spent more time in trees than on the ground,” writes John Noble Wilford of the New York Times.
The name Lucy was given to the famous 3.2-million-year-old skeleton discovered in Eastern Africa and is considered the oldest known ancestor to modern day humans.
“A 3.4-million-year-old fossil foot found in Ethiopia appears to settle the long-disputed question of whether there was only a single line of hominins -- species more closely related to humans than to chimpanzees -- between four million and three million years ago,” Wilford continues.
Beverly Z. Saylor of Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland is a member of the scientific team making the discovery and an author of the report announcing the group’s findings. She states, “the time this hominin lived, the region had many lakes and streams with wooded shores, thus ample opportunities for arboreal habits.”
Fellow CWRU colleague and author Bruce M. Latimer states, “The findings clearly showed that the adaptation to bipedality, though considered one of the decisive transitions in early human evolution, was not a single, isolated event.”
Read the full New York Times story with Cleveland connections here.
The name Lucy was given to the famous 3.2-million-year-old skeleton discovered in Eastern Africa and is considered the oldest known ancestor to modern day humans.
“A 3.4-million-year-old fossil foot found in Ethiopia appears to settle the long-disputed question of whether there was only a single line of hominins -- species more closely related to humans than to chimpanzees -- between four million and three million years ago,” Wilford continues.
Beverly Z. Saylor of Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland is a member of the scientific team making the discovery and an author of the report announcing the group’s findings. She states, “the time this hominin lived, the region had many lakes and streams with wooded shores, thus ample opportunities for arboreal habits.”
Fellow CWRU colleague and author Bruce M. Latimer states, “The findings clearly showed that the adaptation to bipedality, though considered one of the decisive transitions in early human evolution, was not a single, isolated event.”
Read the full New York Times story with Cleveland connections here.