Featured Stories
While U.S. job growth overall might be stuck in neutral, IT professionals should be chomping at the bit. Experts say technology occupations will be at the leading edge of job growth for at least the next decade. Better still: Three of the hottest cities for IT jobs right now are here in Ohio.
For just shy of three years, Crop Bistro & Bar attracted diners to its Warehouse District home, where chef Steve Schimoler wowed them with creative American gems. That all ended last spring when Schimoler decided to transplant his Crop to Ohio City. How could he not, he said, after first laying eyes upon the old bank space that could -- and would -- be his restaurant's new home. After months of construction -- all followed by Fresh Water shooter Bob Perkoski -- Crop Bistro opens its doors tonight and begins the next chapter of its delicious existence.
As an approach to planning, designing and managing public spaces, “placemaking” is gaining momentum across the country. This strategy gives local residents a voice in shaping new development so that addresses their needs as opposed to those of the developers. Simply put, placemaking is likely the best path to improving a neighborhood, city or region.
This week marks the first anniversary for Fresh Water. It feels like just yesterday that we sat down to map out what the first few weeks and months of our new publication would look like. From the start, Fresh Water wanted to highlight the game changers in our city who are striving to make Cleveland a better place to live, work and play. We feel we are doing that.
In Cleveland, some wide-eyed literary activists are launching a new form of creative writing workshops. Not only will these programs measurably improve the writing and verbal skills of the students who enroll, they are inspiring youth to discover worlds beyond their own. In turn, these programs very well might be providing the keys to future success.
Last month, crowds poured into the third annual F*SHO, an exhibit that showcased locally made contemporary furniture. The goal of the Midtown event was to promote what is widely being described as a burgeoning local industry. This year's F*SHO was twice the size of last year's. If you didn't make it, check out Fresh Water photographer Bob Perkoski's visual tour.
There's no quibbling that Dan Moulthrop is one of the "smartest guys in the room." What many of us don't know is that he was also a high school English teacher. Unfortunately for his students, he couldn't afford to continue teaching them. His experiences led him to pen a book titled "Teachers Have It Easy: The Big Sacrifices and Small Salaries of America's Teachers." That book was the impetus for the documentary "American Teacher," which follows the careers of four young teachers.
Despite dire news to the contrary, the indie bookstore is not dead -- especially in Cleveland, one of the most literate cities in the nation. But that doesn't mean booksellers can coast on sales of Woolf, Pynchon and Roth. More than simply literary vending machines, the best indie bookstores have learned to adapt by offering poetry readings, book signings, live music, and even glasses of Australian chardonnay.
Bizdom U, a business accelerator that trains, mentors and funds innovative, growth-oriented startup companies, kicks off its inaugural class in less than two weeks. Based on a similar program in Detroit that was launched three years ago by Quicken Loans owner Dan Gilbert, Bizdom U hopes to kindle a new wave of entrepreneurial spirit in Cleveland.
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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.
This weekend, September 16 through 18, IngenuityFest returns to its shadowy perch on the lower level of the Detroit-Superior Bridge. Now in its seventh year, the event has blossomed into one of the largest art and technology experiences in the nation. The theme for this year's production is Cur(Re)nts -- as in the power of forces that flow around us every day, be they air, water, information or grey matter.
Imagine if we'd all had a crash course in Cleveland -- a tutorial, administered while we were still young and impressionable, on all the great things this city has to offer. Each year, hundreds of high-school and college students are getting just such a lesson. Thanks to internships offered by dozens of local firms and non-profits, students from within and without our region's borders are learning about Cleveland and its potential as a place to live, work and play.
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.
“Downtown is where the action is,” says Alex Cortes, an attorney who lives in the Warehouse District. Cortes is one of the 10,000 people who call downtown home. But to reach the 20,000-resident figure that boosters say Cleveland needs to truly become a vibrant neighborhood in the city, more retail, green space, and housing options will have to come online.
When it opens on September 1, The Nest will be yet another creative weapon in Tremont's arsenal to lure art-friendly shoppers to the neighborhood. Located in a storefront immediately adjacent to Edison's Pub, the boutique and gallery will feature an eclectic array of fine art, photography, jewelry and clothing -- all locally produced.
From University Circle to Slavic Village to Buckeye and beyond, art abounds in and around Cleveland. In this pictorial essay, Fresh Water photographer Bob Perkoski trains his lens on the stunning, stirring and thought-provoking works that can be found inside Cleveland's finest repositories of art to some of Cleveland's most overlooked urban enclaves. Art, both classical and modern, architecture and design fill this city with beauty, imbue its citizens with hope, and brighten up the places we live, work and play.
"We're taking boarded-up schools in Cleveland's neighborhoods and bringing them back to life," says Alan Rosskamm, CEO of Breakthrough Schools. "This is about keeping families in the city." With a lofty goal of opening 20 new charter schools by 2020, Breakthrough is on a mission to provide quality education to Cleveland students regardless of zip code. Opponents, on the other hand, argue that charters create a two-tiered education system that siphons off the best students.
According to Robert Hatta, not everybody is cut out for the startup world. He should know -- as Vice President of Entrepreneurial Talent for Jumpstart, Hatta helps emerging companies find the right talent. "How do you know if the pace, pressures and pivots of a startup are right for you?" he asks in this guest column. "There was a time when I wasn't sure it was for me."
As the economic malaise enters its umpteenth year, many creative folks are using it as an opportunity to grab a little slice of the artisan marketplace. With or without day jobs, a new breed of craftspeople are cultivating home-grown companies by doing what they love. Some are eager to branch out, while others are just tickled to have a creative outlet.