Arts + Culture
According to Live Cleveland, there are over two dozen city neighborhoods. But which one is right for you? For urban pioneers, who hope to hit that sweet spot between value and convenience, the answer often is the "emerging neighborhood." Blessed with affordable property, short commutes, and multicultural diversity, these areas possess authentic appeal. And the one ripest for plucking is…
Cities, suburbs and neighborhoods alike often have slick promotional materials that advertise yearned-for amenities such as good schools, low taxes, desirable homes and nearby shopping. What they choose to include offers a glimpse into what the community values. Yet very few of them can boast a giant, colorful wall of books that frames the entranceway to their community.
The Larchmere-Shaker Square neighborhood of Cleveland would be the one exception. To enshrine the east side community's love of books and recognize its rich diversity, local artist Gene Epstein has installed a 74-foot-wide mural of a virtual bookshelf on the side of Loganberry Books, an independent bookstore that has been a mainstay of the eclectic business district since the mid-1990s.
The vividly depicted book spines include "Some Things that Stay" by local novelist Sarah Willis; "The Life and Death of Great American Cities" by oft-cited urban planner Jane Jacobs; and a book about barbering, which was chosen to reflect the growing number of barber shops in the immediate area. Epstein painstakingly photographed each title, then installed the highly visible mural on the east-facing wall of Loganberry.
"The criteria we had was that the books should be 25 percent children's literature, 25 percent related to the Larchmere community, 25 percent representing the businesses, and 25 percent about Cleveland," explains Epstein.
The books were nominated by community members and culled by a committee of residents and shop owners to reflect the area's true diversity. After the mural was printed on vinyl-coated polyester and mounted on sections of plywood, Epstein spent about two weeks installing it in 12-foot-tall sections, much to the wonderment of passers-by and employees of nearby businesses.
Now that it is finally complete, Larchmere-Shaker Square has a work of public art that celebrates what it has already become known for: art and community.
Source: Gene Epstein
Writer: Lee Chilcote
The Larchmere-Shaker Square neighborhood of Cleveland would be the one exception. To enshrine the east side community's love of books and recognize its rich diversity, local artist Gene Epstein has installed a 74-foot-wide mural of a virtual bookshelf on the side of Loganberry Books, an independent bookstore that has been a mainstay of the eclectic business district since the mid-1990s.
The vividly depicted book spines include "Some Things that Stay" by local novelist Sarah Willis; "The Life and Death of Great American Cities" by oft-cited urban planner Jane Jacobs; and a book about barbering, which was chosen to reflect the growing number of barber shops in the immediate area. Epstein painstakingly photographed each title, then installed the highly visible mural on the east-facing wall of Loganberry.
"The criteria we had was that the books should be 25 percent children's literature, 25 percent related to the Larchmere community, 25 percent representing the businesses, and 25 percent about Cleveland," explains Epstein.
The books were nominated by community members and culled by a committee of residents and shop owners to reflect the area's true diversity. After the mural was printed on vinyl-coated polyester and mounted on sections of plywood, Epstein spent about two weeks installing it in 12-foot-tall sections, much to the wonderment of passers-by and employees of nearby businesses.
Now that it is finally complete, Larchmere-Shaker Square has a work of public art that celebrates what it has already become known for: art and community.
Source: Gene Epstein
Writer: Lee Chilcote
call for artists to design murals for new innerbelt bridge
The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) and Cleveland Public Art (CPA) have issued a call for artists to design up to nine murals to adorn Cleveland’s new Innerbelt Bridge, which currently is under construction.
The new bridge's design includes several opportunities for murals in key locations where the bridge will create underpasses. Two of these areas are in Tremont, at Fairfield Avenue and West 14th Street. The other location is at Ontario Street, just south of Carnegie Avenue.
A public information session regarding the public art murals and the application process will be held on Tuesday, November 8th from 4 to 7 p.m. at Cleveland Public Art (1951 West 26th, Street #101) in Cleveland’s Ohio City neighborhood.
For more info click here.
The new bridge's design includes several opportunities for murals in key locations where the bridge will create underpasses. Two of these areas are in Tremont, at Fairfield Avenue and West 14th Street. The other location is at Ontario Street, just south of Carnegie Avenue.
A public information session regarding the public art murals and the application process will be held on Tuesday, November 8th from 4 to 7 p.m. at Cleveland Public Art (1951 West 26th, Street #101) in Cleveland’s Ohio City neighborhood.
For more info click here.
Luther Heggs has been a roadie, sound engineer and lighting technician for rock and roll bands from the juke joints of Nashville to the splashy clubs of Las Vegas. He also had stints as an on-air personality for local radio stations. Yet when his kids were born, he switched to wiring studios as his way of earning a living. Still, he often longed for the excitement and drama of the rock and roll shows of his younger years.
That's why he created the Heggs House of Horror. For 15 years, Heggs has transformed the yard of his Old Brooklyn bungalow into a delightful, homemade scare-fest that is a tribute both to rock and roll and the Halloweens of his youth.
"He loves to put on a show, and this became an outlet," says Luanne Bole-Becker, a local filmmaker and personal friend who is creating a documentary about the so-called Master of Scare-a-Monies. "He builds these characters in his yard from all kinds of stuff, whether it's oscillating fans or stuff he finds at garage sales."
The Heggs House of Horror began modestly with a paper mache witch and a giant spider web. Today, the entire yard, driveway and side yard of the house are filled with an artful, ghoulish display that attracts thousands of visitors from Northeast Ohio and beyond each year. Some of the characters include Gene Simmons of Kiss, Freddy Krueger and classics from Heggs' childhood such as Ghoulardi.
"It's become sort of like a block party with a Halloween twist," says Bole-Becker. "Other families get together at Christmas, but his family hangs out at Halloween. Now there are other people on the street decorating their houses, too."
Ultimately, Bole-Becker says that the Heggs House of Horror is not intended to compete with more commercial fare -- Heggs spends his own money on the display and doesn't charge admission. It's designed to bring people together.
"For baby boomers like me, it reminds us of the Halloween of my childhood, when the neighborhood became magical," says Bole-Becker. "It sort of feels that way. This really plain bungalow all of a sudden becomes this odd wonderland."
Source: Luanne Bole-Becker
Writer: Lee Chilcote
That's why he created the Heggs House of Horror. For 15 years, Heggs has transformed the yard of his Old Brooklyn bungalow into a delightful, homemade scare-fest that is a tribute both to rock and roll and the Halloweens of his youth.
"He loves to put on a show, and this became an outlet," says Luanne Bole-Becker, a local filmmaker and personal friend who is creating a documentary about the so-called Master of Scare-a-Monies. "He builds these characters in his yard from all kinds of stuff, whether it's oscillating fans or stuff he finds at garage sales."
The Heggs House of Horror began modestly with a paper mache witch and a giant spider web. Today, the entire yard, driveway and side yard of the house are filled with an artful, ghoulish display that attracts thousands of visitors from Northeast Ohio and beyond each year. Some of the characters include Gene Simmons of Kiss, Freddy Krueger and classics from Heggs' childhood such as Ghoulardi.
"It's become sort of like a block party with a Halloween twist," says Bole-Becker. "Other families get together at Christmas, but his family hangs out at Halloween. Now there are other people on the street decorating their houses, too."
Ultimately, Bole-Becker says that the Heggs House of Horror is not intended to compete with more commercial fare -- Heggs spends his own money on the display and doesn't charge admission. It's designed to bring people together.
"For baby boomers like me, it reminds us of the Halloween of my childhood, when the neighborhood became magical," says Bole-Becker. "It sort of feels that way. This really plain bungalow all of a sudden becomes this odd wonderland."
Source: Luanne Bole-Becker
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Dave Fleischer loves to draw. As a self-described “lifelong animator,” the creative director and president of Tiny Giant Studio has dreams of growing into a full-service animation production studio. And he’s using his passion to attract local talent to his company by hosting a speed-drawing class at Shaker LaunchHouse.
The class, held on Thursday nights, is designed to help potential animators hone their skills. Actors from the CWRU theater department silently act out a skit -- holding each pose for two minutes -- while participants sketch out the poses. The sketches are then transformed into an animatic skit using animation software.
“The more comfortable you are about drawing fast and not really caring about any one drawing, the better you will be as an animator,” explains Fleischer. “It’s a wonderful tool for building animation skills.”
While local animators sharpen their skills, Fleisher scouts out local talent. “Our goal is to grow in size as an animation studio,” he says. He currently runs Tiny Giant with five of his former Cleveland Institute of Art students. “The best way to grow talented people around you is by planting a seed and nurturing it. If I spot really talented people, they can freelance with us or, if they’re young, they can intern.”
About 15 people attended the first speed-drawing event held in October. Fleischer plans to continue to host the event twice a month.
Source: Dave Fleischer
Writer: Karin Connelly
The class, held on Thursday nights, is designed to help potential animators hone their skills. Actors from the CWRU theater department silently act out a skit -- holding each pose for two minutes -- while participants sketch out the poses. The sketches are then transformed into an animatic skit using animation software.
“The more comfortable you are about drawing fast and not really caring about any one drawing, the better you will be as an animator,” explains Fleischer. “It’s a wonderful tool for building animation skills.”
While local animators sharpen their skills, Fleisher scouts out local talent. “Our goal is to grow in size as an animation studio,” he says. He currently runs Tiny Giant with five of his former Cleveland Institute of Art students. “The best way to grow talented people around you is by planting a seed and nurturing it. If I spot really talented people, they can freelance with us or, if they’re young, they can intern.”
About 15 people attended the first speed-drawing event held in October. Fleischer plans to continue to host the event twice a month.
Source: Dave Fleischer
Writer: Karin Connelly
Concord Music Group, a major independent music label that employs nine marketing staff in Northeast Ohio, recently moved to new offices in Beachwood. The company's new address is right across the street from its old one, yet it offers a few much-needed amenities, including a custom-built mastering studio and extra suites to accommodate future growth.
"Building the studio was quite a mountain to climb, but the landlord was willing to work with us to do the build-out," says Jason Linder of Concord. "It had to be acoustically treated so that the engineer could be sure that what he was hearing was true, and it had to be soundproofed from our offices."
Concord Music Group first came to Cleveland in 2005 after it bought Telarc Records, a company that was founded locally in 1977 as a successful purveyor of jazz, classical, blues and world music. Concord has continued that tradition, and its Cleveland staff market these genres.
Although Concord's local presence has actually shrunk in recent years, Linder remains hopeful about the music industry's future. He says it has seen modest growth this year thanks to new marketing strategies that are reaching tech-savvy consumers and a smaller number of new releases. Concord's new office is a sign that the firm is committed to maintaining a presence in Cleveland.
"Cleveland does not have very many record labels, but it's a very active music town," he says. "If you enjoy live music, there are so many venues and types of shows."
Linder is looking forward to the upcoming Grammy Awards, where he expects Concord artists to snag a few wins. He knows they probably won't top last year, however, when jazz artist Esperanza Spalding won Best New Artist.
"It was a huge deal to have a jazz artist win the award," Linder says. "Especially when she was competing against Justin Bieber."
Source: Jason Linder
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"Building the studio was quite a mountain to climb, but the landlord was willing to work with us to do the build-out," says Jason Linder of Concord. "It had to be acoustically treated so that the engineer could be sure that what he was hearing was true, and it had to be soundproofed from our offices."
Concord Music Group first came to Cleveland in 2005 after it bought Telarc Records, a company that was founded locally in 1977 as a successful purveyor of jazz, classical, blues and world music. Concord has continued that tradition, and its Cleveland staff market these genres.
Although Concord's local presence has actually shrunk in recent years, Linder remains hopeful about the music industry's future. He says it has seen modest growth this year thanks to new marketing strategies that are reaching tech-savvy consumers and a smaller number of new releases. Concord's new office is a sign that the firm is committed to maintaining a presence in Cleveland.
"Cleveland does not have very many record labels, but it's a very active music town," he says. "If you enjoy live music, there are so many venues and types of shows."
Linder is looking forward to the upcoming Grammy Awards, where he expects Concord artists to snag a few wins. He knows they probably won't top last year, however, when jazz artist Esperanza Spalding won Best New Artist.
"It was a huge deal to have a jazz artist win the award," Linder says. "Especially when she was competing against Justin Bieber."
Source: Jason Linder
Writer: Lee Chilcote
The I-X Center has launched plans to invest $25 to $30 million in renovations that will enhance its ability to host consumer mega-shows such as the Fabulous Food Show and International Beer Fest. Planned improvements include upgrading food and restroom facilities, adding a third lane to the main access road, and expanding the paved parking areas.
“Our goal is to grow attendance and become even more of a destination venue,” Robert Peterson, President of the I-X Center, said in a release. Peterson noted that the I-X Center has invested more than $75 million over the years.
The I-X Center, which was originally built as a B-29 Bomber plant and later became a tank plant, has become increasingly active in producing its own shows. One example is the Food Show, which draws visitors from as far as New York and Florida to see nationally renowned chefs, including Cleveland's own Michael Symon.
Other successful new shows include the International Beer Fest, Trick or Treat Street, and the Great Big Home and Garden Expo, which returns in February.
The construction of the Medical Mart and Convention Center in downtown Cleveland will only add to the region's ability to draw visitors and generate exciting events, Peterson said. The two facilities serve different market niches.
The I-X Center is one of the largest trade show and exhibition centers in the country, and employs nearly 1,000 people for its shows and events.
Source: Robert Peterson
Writer: Lee Chilcote
“Our goal is to grow attendance and become even more of a destination venue,” Robert Peterson, President of the I-X Center, said in a release. Peterson noted that the I-X Center has invested more than $75 million over the years.
The I-X Center, which was originally built as a B-29 Bomber plant and later became a tank plant, has become increasingly active in producing its own shows. One example is the Food Show, which draws visitors from as far as New York and Florida to see nationally renowned chefs, including Cleveland's own Michael Symon.
Other successful new shows include the International Beer Fest, Trick or Treat Street, and the Great Big Home and Garden Expo, which returns in February.
The construction of the Medical Mart and Convention Center in downtown Cleveland will only add to the region's ability to draw visitors and generate exciting events, Peterson said. The two facilities serve different market niches.
The I-X Center is one of the largest trade show and exhibition centers in the country, and employs nearly 1,000 people for its shows and events.
Source: Robert Peterson
Writer: Lee Chilcote
gotta groove records gets buzz in new york times
Cleveland's Gotta Groove Records was featured recently in the New York Times as the subject of its recurring "You Are Here" column.
Titled "Building a House of Wax in Cleveland," and written by David Giffels, a former Akron Beacon Journal columnist and author of "All the Way Home," the essay showcases one of the few manufacturers of vinyl records.
"In the heart of postindustrial Cleveland, in one of those cheery urban-reclamation areas with freshly painted brick buildings and almost unnaturally green lawn spaces, you’ll find Gotta Groove Records, one of around 20 plants in the United States that still press vinyl," Giffels writes.
Located in Tyler Village, Gotta Groove was started by former corporate attorney Vince Slusarz. As for why he chose to start a vinyle record company in the digital age, Slusarz said, “All these kids getting into vinyl for the first time -- I think it’s a reaction to the constant interruptions in our life. We’re used to instant everything. But to listen to a record, you have to put it on, you have to turn it over. It engages you more.”
Read the rest of Giffels' piece here.
Read a Fresh Water feature on Gotta Groove here.
Titled "Building a House of Wax in Cleveland," and written by David Giffels, a former Akron Beacon Journal columnist and author of "All the Way Home," the essay showcases one of the few manufacturers of vinyl records.
"In the heart of postindustrial Cleveland, in one of those cheery urban-reclamation areas with freshly painted brick buildings and almost unnaturally green lawn spaces, you’ll find Gotta Groove Records, one of around 20 plants in the United States that still press vinyl," Giffels writes.
Located in Tyler Village, Gotta Groove was started by former corporate attorney Vince Slusarz. As for why he chose to start a vinyle record company in the digital age, Slusarz said, “All these kids getting into vinyl for the first time -- I think it’s a reaction to the constant interruptions in our life. We’re used to instant everything. But to listen to a record, you have to put it on, you have to turn it over. It engages you more.”
Read the rest of Giffels' piece here.
Read a Fresh Water feature on Gotta Groove here.
Jacobs Entertainment is pumping $70 million into the world-class Greater Cleveland Aquarium, which is set to open early next year and draw upwards of 480,000 annual visitors. The watery attraction will employ 40 people while generating an economic impact of roughly $27 million per year. But since this is Cleveland, where everything unfolds with a twist, the new aquarium will be housed in a very old building.
tribe's snow days hailed as 'best solution yet' for empty stadium
"There's only one thing more depressing come October than the end of baseball season: the sight of an empty ballpark," Emily Badger writes for The Atlantic. "It's a bitter scene for baseball lovers. But it’s an economic conundrum for cities, too."
Noting that most cities with both pro baseball and football teams now possess separate stadiums for each, the article points out the economic imprudence of multimillion dollar structures that attract tourists just 81 days out of the year.
But what to do with an open-air baseball stadium in the Midwest in mid-winter? the writer asks rhetorically.
"Progressive Field in Cleveland may have come up with the best solution yet to the empty ballpark. Last year for the first time, the team converted the field into a vast winter playground," says the writer, referring to Snow Days.
“When you have lemons, you make lemonade,” says the Cleveland Indians' Kurt Schloss. “In our particular case, we wanted to embrace the cold, embrace Northeast Ohio, because that’s what it is. You can’t put up palm trees and hope for sand.”
New this year is an ice rink that will host youth hockey tournaments and the Jan. 15 marquee matchup between Ohio State and the University of Michigan, which is expected to sell-out of the stadium.
"This is really kind of a brand new concept, it’s taking it into a wholly new dimension,” says Joe Marinucci from Downtown Cleveland Alliance. “I can’t imagine why a franchise would not want to use a facility like this,” he says, “when normally it would be dormant for four or five months.”
Read the rest of the report here.
Noting that most cities with both pro baseball and football teams now possess separate stadiums for each, the article points out the economic imprudence of multimillion dollar structures that attract tourists just 81 days out of the year.
But what to do with an open-air baseball stadium in the Midwest in mid-winter? the writer asks rhetorically.
"Progressive Field in Cleveland may have come up with the best solution yet to the empty ballpark. Last year for the first time, the team converted the field into a vast winter playground," says the writer, referring to Snow Days.
“When you have lemons, you make lemonade,” says the Cleveland Indians' Kurt Schloss. “In our particular case, we wanted to embrace the cold, embrace Northeast Ohio, because that’s what it is. You can’t put up palm trees and hope for sand.”
New this year is an ice rink that will host youth hockey tournaments and the Jan. 15 marquee matchup between Ohio State and the University of Michigan, which is expected to sell-out of the stadium.
"This is really kind of a brand new concept, it’s taking it into a wholly new dimension,” says Joe Marinucci from Downtown Cleveland Alliance. “I can’t imagine why a franchise would not want to use a facility like this,” he says, “when normally it would be dormant for four or five months.”
Read the rest of the report here.
local filmmaker johnny wu unveils superman fan film
It took local filmmaker Johnny Wu roughly nine months to produce "S: A Superman Fan Film," an 18-minute tribute to the Cleveland-born Man of Steel.<br />
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"We did it cause we wanted to pay tribute to our Cleveland born hero Superman," Wu says.<br />
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The lengthy process required about three to four months in preproduction, four and a half days of shooting, and about five months in post-production, explain Wu, who acted as director, producer, and editor on the movie.<br />
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Wu says that he will be submitting the live-action comic book film to several festivals that accept fan films.<br />
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<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/SDADP0MLZHQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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"We did it cause we wanted to pay tribute to our Cleveland born hero Superman," Wu says.<br />
<br />
The lengthy process required about three to four months in preproduction, four and a half days of shooting, and about five months in post-production, explain Wu, who acted as director, producer, and editor on the movie.<br />
<br />
Wu says that he will be submitting the live-action comic book film to several festivals that accept fan films.<br />
<br />
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/SDADP0MLZHQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
short film is entered for 'changing your city for the better' contest
For the "Changing Your City for the Better" contest, Siemens asked people to create short videos that explore how improvements in sustainability, energy supply, urban infrastructure and mobility can change a city for the better.
Working under very tight deadlines, local filmmakers Joe Baur and Dave Kiss produced this extremely insightful short film.
"We found out about the contest pretty late and, long story short, had only 48 hours to put the project together," says Baur. "We're very grateful that Mary McCahon, Ken Prendergast and Will Tarter, Jr. were able to fit us in at the last minute. Not to mention grateful to the Healthline for showing up pretty much every time we needed it to!"
Winners will be selected in the next few weeks, with prizes ranging from $550 to $15,000.
Working under very tight deadlines, local filmmakers Joe Baur and Dave Kiss produced this extremely insightful short film.
"We found out about the contest pretty late and, long story short, had only 48 hours to put the project together," says Baur. "We're very grateful that Mary McCahon, Ken Prendergast and Will Tarter, Jr. were able to fit us in at the last minute. Not to mention grateful to the Healthline for showing up pretty much every time we needed it to!"
Winners will be selected in the next few weeks, with prizes ranging from $550 to $15,000.
cle to host 2011 individual world poetry slam
Held in Cleveland October 12 through 15, the Individual World Poetry Slam (iWPS) is a performance poetry tournament designed for individual competition. Poets from all over the world meet and compete in a multi-day performance poetry contest.
For more info, click here.
For more info, click here.
Two prominent local nonprofit organizations, Cleveland Public Art and Parkworks, have announced plans to merge and form LAND Studio. If the organization's new name sounds like that of an edgy architect's studio, that may be no coincidence. LAND Studio hopes to foster great public spaces in Cleveland by leading civic conversations about design and urban planning.
According to a press release, the mission of the new nonprofit organization will be "to create places and connect people through public art, sustainable building and design, collaborative planning and dynamic programming." LAND is actually an acronym that stands for landscape, arts, neighborhood and development.
The merger is the logical outgrowth of a decade-long history of the two groups working together, says Ann Zoller, the current Executive Director of Parkworks and the new Executive Director of LAND Studio. Ultimately, it will make the combined organization more impactful, thus benefiting Cleveland.
"There's huge potential for an organization that has a wider berth than just public art and public spaces," says Zoller. "This is an important time for Cleveland, and we can help leverage the investment being spent by helping the city and developers to look at placemaking from holistic, forward-thinking perspective."
Talk of a merger began several years ago when the two groups created Building Cleveland by Design, an effort to infuse sustainable, public-oriented design into large development projects in Cleveland. That project led Parkworks to become heavily involved in making the Flats East Bank project more sustainable. Parkworks also helped to acquire a former railway bed in the Flats that proved critical in creating a public trail leading to the Towpath Trail and Lake Erie.
Among the projects that Zoller plans to address with Land Studio are the reuse of vacant land in city neighborhoods, green infrastructure projects led by the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District (NEORSD) and Flats redevelopment.
Yet another opportunity is the work of the Group Plan Commission, says Zoller, an effort to help create more vibrant public spaces on the Malls downtown.
"This merger will allow us to take our agenda -- the importance of investing in connections, anchor public spaces and downtown as an attraction in and of itself -- and really lead," says Zoller.
The new offices of LAND Studio will be at 1939 West 25th Street in Ohio City.
Source: Ann Zoller
Writer: Lee Chilcote
According to a press release, the mission of the new nonprofit organization will be "to create places and connect people through public art, sustainable building and design, collaborative planning and dynamic programming." LAND is actually an acronym that stands for landscape, arts, neighborhood and development.
The merger is the logical outgrowth of a decade-long history of the two groups working together, says Ann Zoller, the current Executive Director of Parkworks and the new Executive Director of LAND Studio. Ultimately, it will make the combined organization more impactful, thus benefiting Cleveland.
"There's huge potential for an organization that has a wider berth than just public art and public spaces," says Zoller. "This is an important time for Cleveland, and we can help leverage the investment being spent by helping the city and developers to look at placemaking from holistic, forward-thinking perspective."
Talk of a merger began several years ago when the two groups created Building Cleveland by Design, an effort to infuse sustainable, public-oriented design into large development projects in Cleveland. That project led Parkworks to become heavily involved in making the Flats East Bank project more sustainable. Parkworks also helped to acquire a former railway bed in the Flats that proved critical in creating a public trail leading to the Towpath Trail and Lake Erie.
Among the projects that Zoller plans to address with Land Studio are the reuse of vacant land in city neighborhoods, green infrastructure projects led by the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District (NEORSD) and Flats redevelopment.
Yet another opportunity is the work of the Group Plan Commission, says Zoller, an effort to help create more vibrant public spaces on the Malls downtown.
"This merger will allow us to take our agenda -- the importance of investing in connections, anchor public spaces and downtown as an attraction in and of itself -- and really lead," says Zoller.
The new offices of LAND Studio will be at 1939 West 25th Street in Ohio City.
Source: Ann Zoller
Writer: Lee Chilcote
A group of teenage artists have cleaned up graffiti, added a fresh coat of paint and installed a large, colorful mural entitled "Waterworks" on a long vacant gas station at West 45th and Detroit Avenue in Ohio City. The artwork, which was created by the nonprofit Building Bridges Arts Collaborative, aims to raise awareness of water pollution issues in Cleveland and create job opportunities for local youth.
"We wanted to take something that is spoiled, raise it onto the wall and transform it into something beautiful," says Katherine Chilcote, Executive Director of Building Bridges, who created the mural based on photographs of water in everyday life such as car windshields, sewer grates and oily puddles in parking lots. "We focused on this site because it needed beautification."
The former BP gas station was tagged with graffiti, littered with trash and poorly maintained when it was selected as the site for the Waterworks mural. Chilcote, local youth and volunteers from St. Paul's Community Church removed 10 bags of trash and painted over the graffiti. Provenzale Construction at 4529 Detroit donated labor to install the mural on their building and the former BP.
The mural project started in 2010, when Chilcote began working with the Detroit Shoreway Community Development Organization and the Cleveland Police Department to map locations where crime, graffiti and abandoned buildings were most prevalent. The corner of Detroit and West 45th naturally stood out.
"The building was constantly being tagged," says Chilcote. "There's also a bus stop there, so we knew it was a high-traffic area that needed to be improved."
Waterworks was inspired by 19th-century maps of local watersheds. After researching the area's buried creek beds, Chilcote dreamed of ways to artistically 'free' these waterways. Waterworks uses images of water runoff shaped by its urban environment to explore the beauty and degradation of water in Cleveland.
Although not quite as flashy as the 300-foot cranes that now hover over downtown, thanks to the Flats East Bank and Med Mart projects, Chilcote says her program provides paid internships and job training for youth.
"It's really another form of economic development," she says. "The kids that worked on this mural are saying, 'We're taking this corner back.' Through the process, they learn to see their community in a new way."
Source: Katherine Chilcote
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Disclosure: Katherine Chilcote is the writer's sister.
"We wanted to take something that is spoiled, raise it onto the wall and transform it into something beautiful," says Katherine Chilcote, Executive Director of Building Bridges, who created the mural based on photographs of water in everyday life such as car windshields, sewer grates and oily puddles in parking lots. "We focused on this site because it needed beautification."
The former BP gas station was tagged with graffiti, littered with trash and poorly maintained when it was selected as the site for the Waterworks mural. Chilcote, local youth and volunteers from St. Paul's Community Church removed 10 bags of trash and painted over the graffiti. Provenzale Construction at 4529 Detroit donated labor to install the mural on their building and the former BP.
The mural project started in 2010, when Chilcote began working with the Detroit Shoreway Community Development Organization and the Cleveland Police Department to map locations where crime, graffiti and abandoned buildings were most prevalent. The corner of Detroit and West 45th naturally stood out.
"The building was constantly being tagged," says Chilcote. "There's also a bus stop there, so we knew it was a high-traffic area that needed to be improved."
Waterworks was inspired by 19th-century maps of local watersheds. After researching the area's buried creek beds, Chilcote dreamed of ways to artistically 'free' these waterways. Waterworks uses images of water runoff shaped by its urban environment to explore the beauty and degradation of water in Cleveland.
Although not quite as flashy as the 300-foot cranes that now hover over downtown, thanks to the Flats East Bank and Med Mart projects, Chilcote says her program provides paid internships and job training for youth.
"It's really another form of economic development," she says. "The kids that worked on this mural are saying, 'We're taking this corner back.' Through the process, they learn to see their community in a new way."
Source: Katherine Chilcote
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Disclosure: Katherine Chilcote is the writer's sister.
cle met zoo's 'dub the cubs' contest a smash
In the popular "Dub the Cubs" campaign, fans of the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo were asked to vote on one female name and one male name each from a list of five potential choices. The names were selected by the zoo to represent the history and geography of the cubs’ home state of Wyoming.
Votes were cast from 41 different states, with 1,415 being cast for the female cub and 1,364 being cast for the male cub.
In the poll for the female cub’s name Cheyenne finished with 43 percent of the votes cast. The race for the male cub’s name was only a little bit closer with Jackson finishing with 42 percent of the vote.
Cheyenne and Jackson joined Montana grizzly cub brothers Cody and Cooper on exhibit last week. All four cubs are about 7 months old and weigh between 70 and 85 pounds.
Read the report here.
Votes were cast from 41 different states, with 1,415 being cast for the female cub and 1,364 being cast for the male cub.
In the poll for the female cub’s name Cheyenne finished with 43 percent of the votes cast. The race for the male cub’s name was only a little bit closer with Jackson finishing with 42 percent of the vote.
Cheyenne and Jackson joined Montana grizzly cub brothers Cody and Cooper on exhibit last week. All four cubs are about 7 months old and weigh between 70 and 85 pounds.
Read the report here.
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.
The Historic Haunts Walking Tour, an event now in its fifth year, provides family-friendly Halloween treks through the Detroit Shoreway neighborhood. Local residents sporting top hats and toting lanterns lead audiences along historic West Clinton and Franklin Boulevards. They stop at porches to watch costumed actors bring to life tales of murder, love and mayhem from the neighborhood's storied past.
Yet last year, the event did more than just entertain. It also led Cleveland couple Tim Brown and Andy O'Conke straight to the doorstep of their dream home.
"I looked up and saw a two-story house with a pillared porch," recalls Brown of the West Clinton colonial that he purchased earlier this year. "I thought: 'Three minutes from work, a small yard for the dog... This is the home for me!'"
Brown and O'Conke moved into their new home in mid-August -- just in time for this year's Historic Haunts. The couple's broad, welcoming porch has now been incorporated into the walking tour, and they're looking forward to the event.
In addition to the home's many green features, which were added during a top-to-bottom renovation by the Cleveland Housing Network (CHN), Brown and O'Conke were drawn to Detroit Shoreway by its welcoming, hyper-social residents.
"This is unbelievable neighborhood," says O'Conke. "As soon as we'd moved in, we met more neighbors than we had ever known at any other place we lived."
The home was renovated as part of the Opportunity Homes program, a targeted effort by the nonprofit Neighborhood Progress Inc. (NPI) and CHN to bring renovated, energy-efficient homes to six Cleveland neighborhoods.
(The tours take place October 7 and 8.)
Source: Judith Allen, Andy O'Conke, Tim Brown
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Yet last year, the event did more than just entertain. It also led Cleveland couple Tim Brown and Andy O'Conke straight to the doorstep of their dream home.
"I looked up and saw a two-story house with a pillared porch," recalls Brown of the West Clinton colonial that he purchased earlier this year. "I thought: 'Three minutes from work, a small yard for the dog... This is the home for me!'"
Brown and O'Conke moved into their new home in mid-August -- just in time for this year's Historic Haunts. The couple's broad, welcoming porch has now been incorporated into the walking tour, and they're looking forward to the event.
In addition to the home's many green features, which were added during a top-to-bottom renovation by the Cleveland Housing Network (CHN), Brown and O'Conke were drawn to Detroit Shoreway by its welcoming, hyper-social residents.
"This is unbelievable neighborhood," says O'Conke. "As soon as we'd moved in, we met more neighbors than we had ever known at any other place we lived."
The home was renovated as part of the Opportunity Homes program, a targeted effort by the nonprofit Neighborhood Progress Inc. (NPI) and CHN to bring renovated, energy-efficient homes to six Cleveland neighborhoods.
(The tours take place October 7 and 8.)
Source: Judith Allen, Andy O'Conke, Tim Brown
Writer: Lee Chilcote
in preparation for sale, contents of pnc smarthome up for bid
For the past four months, visitors to the PNC SmartHome exhibit at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History enjoyed a prototype of an ultra energy-efficient abode that stays comfy year-round without need of a furnace. In Cleveland.
In preparation for the home's move and eventual sale, many of the interior artwork and furnishings -- much of it sustainably produced -- will be offered for sale to the public. Designed by Cleveland-based Doty & Miller Architects, the house was as attractive inside and out as it is green.
Items include work by artists such as Susie Frazier, Judith Brandon, Nicole McGee, Liz Maugans and Charlotte Lees.
The sale will be help Sunday, October 9, noon to 4 p.m.
For a more info, including a list of items up for sale, visit here.
In preparation for the home's move and eventual sale, many of the interior artwork and furnishings -- much of it sustainably produced -- will be offered for sale to the public. Designed by Cleveland-based Doty & Miller Architects, the house was as attractive inside and out as it is green.
Items include work by artists such as Susie Frazier, Judith Brandon, Nicole McGee, Liz Maugans and Charlotte Lees.
The sale will be help Sunday, October 9, noon to 4 p.m.
For a more info, including a list of items up for sale, visit here.