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cleveland clinic's focus on patient satisfaction lauded in wall street journal
In an article on the increased focus on patient satisfaction at hospitals, Wall Street Journal writer Laura Landro highlights positive measures taken at The Cleveland Clinic.
Titled "A Financial Incentive for Better Bedside Manner," the feature illustrates how a patient's opinion of a hospital is greatly shaped by how they are treated both in and out of the operating room.
"Cleveland Clinic Chief Executive Delos "Toby" Cosgrove, a heart surgeon by training, says he had an epiphany several years ago at a Harvard Business School seminar, where a young woman raised her hand and told him that despite the clinic's stellar medical reputation, her grandfather had chosen to go elsewhere for surgery because 'we heard you don't have empathy.'" Landro writes.
To improve the Clinic's patient-satisfaction scores, which ranked below the national average, the hospital opened an Office of Patient Experience, and began putting "caregiver" on the badges of all employees. More than 40,000 staffers -- from doctors to parking attendants -- were put through training programs on delivering ideal patient experiences. The hospital launched HEART -- hear the concern, empathize, apologize, respond and thank. It developed a Healing Services team to offer complimentary light massages, aromatherapy, spiritual care and other holistic services. There were more than 18,000 services offered in 2010.
Since 2008, the Cleveland Clinic's overall hospital ratings have increased by 89%. And compared to last year, the annual volume of complaints the hospital has received will show a 5% decline over last year.
Check out the rest of the report here.
Titled "A Financial Incentive for Better Bedside Manner," the feature illustrates how a patient's opinion of a hospital is greatly shaped by how they are treated both in and out of the operating room.
"Cleveland Clinic Chief Executive Delos "Toby" Cosgrove, a heart surgeon by training, says he had an epiphany several years ago at a Harvard Business School seminar, where a young woman raised her hand and told him that despite the clinic's stellar medical reputation, her grandfather had chosen to go elsewhere for surgery because 'we heard you don't have empathy.'" Landro writes.
To improve the Clinic's patient-satisfaction scores, which ranked below the national average, the hospital opened an Office of Patient Experience, and began putting "caregiver" on the badges of all employees. More than 40,000 staffers -- from doctors to parking attendants -- were put through training programs on delivering ideal patient experiences. The hospital launched HEART -- hear the concern, empathize, apologize, respond and thank. It developed a Healing Services team to offer complimentary light massages, aromatherapy, spiritual care and other holistic services. There were more than 18,000 services offered in 2010.
Since 2008, the Cleveland Clinic's overall hospital ratings have increased by 89%. And compared to last year, the annual volume of complaints the hospital has received will show a 5% decline over last year.
Check out the rest of the report here.
As part of the JobsOhio initiative, Team NEO has asked regional organizations to submit their ideas for job creation and economic development. As one of six JobsOhio regional offices, Team NEO received $4.1 million from the Third Frontier Commission to fund the office and support economic development programs.
“The purpose of the money is to improve the economic development system in Ohio,” says Team NEO CEO Tom Waltermire. “We have been spending quite a bit of time working with the board of trustees on how to spend the $4.1 million. We decided to make it into a proposal process, extending it to organizations that represent the 18 counties.”
Waltermire says they are encouraging the organizations to work together on ideas that will attract business to Northeast Ohio and create jobs. “We’re looking for proposals that will have broad regional benefits,” he says. “Ultimately, we want proposals that result in job creation, attraction, retention and expansion of business.”
Team NEO has received 15 letters of intent. Proposals are due by November 11 and will then be reviewed by a Team NEO task force. The board of trustees will make decisions on December 6. “We’re not just handing out money and hoping for the best,” says Waltermire of the selection process. “We’re going to have some very rigorous reporting requirements from the grantees. We’re holding people accountable and asking them to explain the results they are getting.”
Waltermire is optimistic that the proposed plans will have a positive impact on job creation in the area. “The result should be some fresh thinking and new ideas for ways to help the economy in Northeast Ohio,” he says.
Source: Tom Waltermire
Writer: Karin Connelly
“The purpose of the money is to improve the economic development system in Ohio,” says Team NEO CEO Tom Waltermire. “We have been spending quite a bit of time working with the board of trustees on how to spend the $4.1 million. We decided to make it into a proposal process, extending it to organizations that represent the 18 counties.”
Waltermire says they are encouraging the organizations to work together on ideas that will attract business to Northeast Ohio and create jobs. “We’re looking for proposals that will have broad regional benefits,” he says. “Ultimately, we want proposals that result in job creation, attraction, retention and expansion of business.”
Team NEO has received 15 letters of intent. Proposals are due by November 11 and will then be reviewed by a Team NEO task force. The board of trustees will make decisions on December 6. “We’re not just handing out money and hoping for the best,” says Waltermire of the selection process. “We’re going to have some very rigorous reporting requirements from the grantees. We’re holding people accountable and asking them to explain the results they are getting.”
Waltermire is optimistic that the proposed plans will have a positive impact on job creation in the area. “The result should be some fresh thinking and new ideas for ways to help the economy in Northeast Ohio,” he says.
Source: Tom Waltermire
Writer: Karin Connelly
It’s hard enough in today’s economy to find a good job. It’s even harder if you can’t read. Nearly half the adult population in Cuyahoga County has literacy levels that are below the state minimum requirements and 270,000 people in the county have no training beyond a high school diploma or GED.
The Literacy Cooperative of Greater Cleveland just released the first of three briefs, “The Economic Case for Literacy,” which points out the need for continued literacy training in the workplace. Even one year of post-secondary education can lead to better pay for the employee and increased productivity for the employer.
“Let’s say someone is currently employed, is a good worker and shows up every day,” says Robert Paponetti, executive director of the Literacy Cooperative. “But they aren’t advancing because of literacy issues. There is often a disconnect between education and training, where they can’t get the training they need.”
The Literacy Cooperative is working with employers to implement workplace literacy programs. Paponetti says healthcare is one industry where literacy is lacking, especially in the terminology of the field. “We’re looking at how we help provide workplace literacy programs so employers who might be able to contribute to their employees’ advancement can,” he says. “We have to look at the people who are in the workforce today and build the skills they need to advance.”
In time, Paponetti hopes such programs will lead to a better trained workforce that can succeed in the changing economic climate. “There aren’t instant solutions to adult literacy issues,” he says. “We have to start putting out resources together to make the best impact.”
Source: Robert Paponetti
Writer: Karin Connelly
The Literacy Cooperative of Greater Cleveland just released the first of three briefs, “The Economic Case for Literacy,” which points out the need for continued literacy training in the workplace. Even one year of post-secondary education can lead to better pay for the employee and increased productivity for the employer.
“Let’s say someone is currently employed, is a good worker and shows up every day,” says Robert Paponetti, executive director of the Literacy Cooperative. “But they aren’t advancing because of literacy issues. There is often a disconnect between education and training, where they can’t get the training they need.”
The Literacy Cooperative is working with employers to implement workplace literacy programs. Paponetti says healthcare is one industry where literacy is lacking, especially in the terminology of the field. “We’re looking at how we help provide workplace literacy programs so employers who might be able to contribute to their employees’ advancement can,” he says. “We have to look at the people who are in the workforce today and build the skills they need to advance.”
In time, Paponetti hopes such programs will lead to a better trained workforce that can succeed in the changing economic climate. “There aren’t instant solutions to adult literacy issues,” he says. “We have to start putting out resources together to make the best impact.”
Source: Robert Paponetti
Writer: Karin Connelly
It wasn't long ago that you couldn't touch a new home in Shaker Heights for less than $300k. That is, if you could find one; in those bygone days, new single-families and condos in this historic, built-out community were scarce, and so was buildable land.
Enter the housing crisis and 2008 recession. Since the dawn of these twin apocalypses, the City of Shaker Heights, which has a reputation for being proactive about the upkeep of its housing stock, has acquired dozens of buildable lots. The city began placing these lots, which came into their hands when empty, foreclosed homes suffered the wrecking ball, into their land bank several years ago.
Now, as Cleveland's post-crash housing market gradually emerges from its stupor, one urban-savvy home builder is working with the city to build new, moderately-priced, green homes on three of its vacant lots.
"We're building Shaker-quality homes on the city's empty lots," says Joe Del Re, Project Manager with Zaremba Homes, a company that has been building homes in Cleveland and inner ring suburbs for 20 years. "They'll have hardi-plank and scalloped siding and other details that fit in with the surrounding community."
The new homes, which will be located on Strathavon Road in the Ludlow neighborhood, will be reasonably priced at $150,000 thanks to a grant from the county's Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP). Del Re says the program has made it possible for Zaremba to break ground on the spec homes.
The new, 1,600-square-foot homes will also feature three bedrooms, two and a half baths and green, energy-efficient amenities. Qualified buyers within income guidelines can also obtain a 20 percent, forgivable second mortgage.
Source: Joe Del Re
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Enter the housing crisis and 2008 recession. Since the dawn of these twin apocalypses, the City of Shaker Heights, which has a reputation for being proactive about the upkeep of its housing stock, has acquired dozens of buildable lots. The city began placing these lots, which came into their hands when empty, foreclosed homes suffered the wrecking ball, into their land bank several years ago.
Now, as Cleveland's post-crash housing market gradually emerges from its stupor, one urban-savvy home builder is working with the city to build new, moderately-priced, green homes on three of its vacant lots.
"We're building Shaker-quality homes on the city's empty lots," says Joe Del Re, Project Manager with Zaremba Homes, a company that has been building homes in Cleveland and inner ring suburbs for 20 years. "They'll have hardi-plank and scalloped siding and other details that fit in with the surrounding community."
The new homes, which will be located on Strathavon Road in the Ludlow neighborhood, will be reasonably priced at $150,000 thanks to a grant from the county's Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP). Del Re says the program has made it possible for Zaremba to break ground on the spec homes.
The new, 1,600-square-foot homes will also feature three bedrooms, two and a half baths and green, energy-efficient amenities. Qualified buyers within income guidelines can also obtain a 20 percent, forgivable second mortgage.
Source: Joe Del Re
Writer: Lee Chilcote
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.
ruth reichl pens a love note to cleveland following recent visit
Ruth Reichl, the former editor of Gourmet magazine and restaurant critic for The New York Times, was recently in town to take part in the Cleveland Public Library's Writers & Readers series. She spoke to a packed house this past Saturday.
Once safely home, Reichl blogged of her recent experience in Cleveland -- and she admits it far exceeded her expectations.
"My plane did not land until nine at night, and I was expecting a hungry evening. What a surprise, then, to walk out of my hotel, near ten o’clock, and find East Fourth Street packed with people, the restaurants jammed, the air alive with excitement. This was not the vision I’d had," she writes.
"I turned into Lola, a dark, sexy little place, for a perfectly lovely dinner. Crisp oysters. Plump pirogi filled with beef cheeks. Tender slices of tongue on suave slices of mushroom. A rare ribeye ringed with smoked onions and accented with blue cheese. Hearty fare - but wonderful - and served with one terrific wine after another."
"But it was the Greenhouse Tavern, the following day, that really blew me away. Jonathon Sawyer has created a fascinating menu, totally his own, and three days later I’m still thinking about some of his dishes."
Reichl singles out Sawyer's steamed clams in foie gras, field mushrooms steamed en papier, and his crispy hominy with pork cracklings, which she describes as "spicy stoner food."
Of our beloved West Side Market, Reichl coos, "It’s a vibrant place that reminded me more of the great markets of Europe than anyplace I’ve seen in America. Some of the purveyors have been there since the start, and they’re still turning out old-time, hand-made smoked meats and charcuterie that’s hard to find anywhere else. I arrived home with a suitcase filled with obscure German and Hungarian sausages - a fine way to remember Cleveland."
Read the rest of her love note here.
Once safely home, Reichl blogged of her recent experience in Cleveland -- and she admits it far exceeded her expectations.
"My plane did not land until nine at night, and I was expecting a hungry evening. What a surprise, then, to walk out of my hotel, near ten o’clock, and find East Fourth Street packed with people, the restaurants jammed, the air alive with excitement. This was not the vision I’d had," she writes.
"I turned into Lola, a dark, sexy little place, for a perfectly lovely dinner. Crisp oysters. Plump pirogi filled with beef cheeks. Tender slices of tongue on suave slices of mushroom. A rare ribeye ringed with smoked onions and accented with blue cheese. Hearty fare - but wonderful - and served with one terrific wine after another."
"But it was the Greenhouse Tavern, the following day, that really blew me away. Jonathon Sawyer has created a fascinating menu, totally his own, and three days later I’m still thinking about some of his dishes."
Reichl singles out Sawyer's steamed clams in foie gras, field mushrooms steamed en papier, and his crispy hominy with pork cracklings, which she describes as "spicy stoner food."
Of our beloved West Side Market, Reichl coos, "It’s a vibrant place that reminded me more of the great markets of Europe than anyplace I’ve seen in America. Some of the purveyors have been there since the start, and they’re still turning out old-time, hand-made smoked meats and charcuterie that’s hard to find anywhere else. I arrived home with a suitcase filled with obscure German and Hungarian sausages - a fine way to remember Cleveland."
Read the rest of her love note here.
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
What's it take to sell a swank new home in Cleveland these days? It helps if you can offer fresh, contemporary design, a sought-after Tremont address, and a 29-foot-wide great room that's filled with light even on the cloudiest of North Coast days.
At least, that's what David Sharkey, one of the principals of Civic Builders in Tremont, has to say. This year, Sharkey and his partners broke ground on a new three-unit development at West 8th and Starkweather called Tremont Lane. With the first unit now nearly completed, the team is hoping to secure additional contracts and complete the two remaining units next year.
"These units are different from anything else out there, because they have a big, wide great room and lots of windows and light," says Sharkey, who also is president of Progressive Urban Real Estate, the firm selling Tremont Lane. "There's still a market here, because there's a lot of confidence in Tremont."
Tremont remains a strong market for custom and semi-custom home building, he adds. "You look at the national numbers on new construction and they're horrible, but in Tremont, people are still willing to pay a lot of money for rehabbed homes or custom homes," he says. "Custom homebuyers have a different mindset; they're not just out there looking for a house, they're creating it themselves."
The custom home market has a pulse -- albeit a weak one -- in a handful of Cleveland neighborhoods, Sharkey says. These include Tremont, Little Italy and along Lake Erie. Sharkey does not expect the new construction housing market in Cleveland to dramatically improve anytime soon, yet he believes that custom homebuyers will continue to seek out -- and create -- their dream homes.
"There's always a time for those buyers," he says. "They know what they want, and they're willing to pay for it."
The first unit at Tremont Lane is expected to sell for about $250,000, including upgrades. Other custom homes in Tremont have transferred for significantly higher sums, and rumor has it that a contemporary, new home going up at West 11th and University may near the $1 million mark when it is completed.
Source: David Sharkey
Writer: Lee Chilcote
At least, that's what David Sharkey, one of the principals of Civic Builders in Tremont, has to say. This year, Sharkey and his partners broke ground on a new three-unit development at West 8th and Starkweather called Tremont Lane. With the first unit now nearly completed, the team is hoping to secure additional contracts and complete the two remaining units next year.
"These units are different from anything else out there, because they have a big, wide great room and lots of windows and light," says Sharkey, who also is president of Progressive Urban Real Estate, the firm selling Tremont Lane. "There's still a market here, because there's a lot of confidence in Tremont."
Tremont remains a strong market for custom and semi-custom home building, he adds. "You look at the national numbers on new construction and they're horrible, but in Tremont, people are still willing to pay a lot of money for rehabbed homes or custom homes," he says. "Custom homebuyers have a different mindset; they're not just out there looking for a house, they're creating it themselves."
The custom home market has a pulse -- albeit a weak one -- in a handful of Cleveland neighborhoods, Sharkey says. These include Tremont, Little Italy and along Lake Erie. Sharkey does not expect the new construction housing market in Cleveland to dramatically improve anytime soon, yet he believes that custom homebuyers will continue to seek out -- and create -- their dream homes.
"There's always a time for those buyers," he says. "They know what they want, and they're willing to pay for it."
The first unit at Tremont Lane is expected to sell for about $250,000, including upgrades. Other custom homes in Tremont have transferred for significantly higher sums, and rumor has it that a contemporary, new home going up at West 11th and University may near the $1 million mark when it is completed.
Source: David Sharkey
Writer: Lee Chilcote
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
robert f. kennedy jr. in cleveland to launch nationwide news service
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., founder and president of Waterkeeper Alliance, will be the keynote speaker at an event celebrating the launch of EcoWatch's new nationwide news service website. The public event will take place at Rivergate Park (1785 Merwin Ave.) on Thursday, Oct. 27 at 2:30 p.m.
EcoWatch, publisher of EcoWatch Journal with a distribution of more than 80,000 copies across Ohio, will launch the nationwide news service out of Cleveland’s Tremont neighborhood and become part of the growing online news media market. The website will expand EcoWatch’s grassroots coverage nationwide and become the first media source to focus exclusively on environmental news culled from more than 700 environmental organizations across the country.
“Northeast Ohio is a national leader in sustainability and EcoWatch is proud to call Cleveland its home,” said Stefanie Penn Spear, founder and executive director of EcoWatch. “This news service website follows the model we developed in Ohio over the last five years and expands on my more than 20 years of publishing environmental news.”
The public event will feature brief remarks from Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson; Cleveland City Councilman Joe Cimperman; the George Gund Foundation’s Senior Program Officer for the Environment, John Mitterholzer; the Cleveland Foundation’s Program Officer, Nelson Beckford; and Kennedy, a member of EcoWatch’s advisory board, who will serve as keynote speaker.
Kennedy will also keynote a fundraising event at Windows on the River at 2000 Sycamore St. at 6 p.m. the same evening. The event includes a VIP reception, dinner and keynote speech.
Tickets and more info can be found here.
EcoWatch, publisher of EcoWatch Journal with a distribution of more than 80,000 copies across Ohio, will launch the nationwide news service out of Cleveland’s Tremont neighborhood and become part of the growing online news media market. The website will expand EcoWatch’s grassroots coverage nationwide and become the first media source to focus exclusively on environmental news culled from more than 700 environmental organizations across the country.
“Northeast Ohio is a national leader in sustainability and EcoWatch is proud to call Cleveland its home,” said Stefanie Penn Spear, founder and executive director of EcoWatch. “This news service website follows the model we developed in Ohio over the last five years and expands on my more than 20 years of publishing environmental news.”
The public event will feature brief remarks from Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson; Cleveland City Councilman Joe Cimperman; the George Gund Foundation’s Senior Program Officer for the Environment, John Mitterholzer; the Cleveland Foundation’s Program Officer, Nelson Beckford; and Kennedy, a member of EcoWatch’s advisory board, who will serve as keynote speaker.
Kennedy will also keynote a fundraising event at Windows on the River at 2000 Sycamore St. at 6 p.m. the same evening. The event includes a VIP reception, dinner and keynote speech.
Tickets and more info can be found here.
The developer of a fast-growing entrepreneurial village on the eastern edge of downtown is planning a $9-12 million investment that would add nearly 160,000 square feet of office space. Michelle Asher of Graystone Properties, which owns the mammoth Tyler Village complex at East 36th and Superior, says that regional growth in the biotechnology, software development, multimedia design and film industries prompted the bullish move to ready new space for additional tenants.
"We have an eclectic mix of tenants, and we draw creative people," says Asher. "We're somewhere between downtown and a suburban office park, and we have amenities such as a fitness center, Wi-Fi, coffee shop and plenty of parking."
To facilitate the build-out, which Asher hopes to complete within the next 18 to 24 months, Graystone is working with the City of Cleveland to apply for a $4 million state Job Ready Sites grant. The city is also considering providing $700,000 in low-interest loans, $180,000 of which can be forgiven if requirements are met.
"The space we have now is not in move-in condition, and the Job Ready Sites grant will help us to develop more tenant-ready space," says Asher.
Graystone plans to demolish the interior of what is known as Building 42 at Tyler Village, replace its existing windows and build out contemporary, loft office space. The company aims for the project to meet the highest green building standards, a mandate of the Job Ready Sites grant program of the State of Ohio.
Tyler Village was originally home to the W. S. Tyler Company, which built elevator cabs in the sprawling, one-million-square-foot complex. Graystone purchased the property in 2005 and has since demolished older buildings that could not be refurbished and renovated other buildings into market-rate office space.
Source: Michelle Asher
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"We have an eclectic mix of tenants, and we draw creative people," says Asher. "We're somewhere between downtown and a suburban office park, and we have amenities such as a fitness center, Wi-Fi, coffee shop and plenty of parking."
To facilitate the build-out, which Asher hopes to complete within the next 18 to 24 months, Graystone is working with the City of Cleveland to apply for a $4 million state Job Ready Sites grant. The city is also considering providing $700,000 in low-interest loans, $180,000 of which can be forgiven if requirements are met.
"The space we have now is not in move-in condition, and the Job Ready Sites grant will help us to develop more tenant-ready space," says Asher.
Graystone plans to demolish the interior of what is known as Building 42 at Tyler Village, replace its existing windows and build out contemporary, loft office space. The company aims for the project to meet the highest green building standards, a mandate of the Job Ready Sites grant program of the State of Ohio.
Tyler Village was originally home to the W. S. Tyler Company, which built elevator cabs in the sprawling, one-million-square-foot complex. Graystone purchased the property in 2005 and has since demolished older buildings that could not be refurbished and renovated other buildings into market-rate office space.
Source: Michelle Asher
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Steve Orlando wants to make cell phones free for all. He plans to do that through advertising. The CEO of Cell-A-Spot started the company in 2009 with the idea of selling ad space for cell phone apps and the concept has been growing ever since.
“We essentially are implementing advertisements in mobile phones,” Orlando says. “It started with a couple of ideas, but when we got our first customer we created our first app.”
Cell-a-Spot has created patent pending technology that couples a one-to-one interactive targeting for advertisers with the ability to generate revenue streams for mobile providers. Cell-A-Spot’s first app builds ads into a cell phone’s 411 service. Instead of paying for 411, the costs are offset by ads.
“Say you call 411 to search for pizza places... Ads for places like Pizza Hut will come up,” Orlando explains. “A lot of plans right now charge a fee to call 411. The way we built this app, it’s free.”
Orlando moved his business into Shaker LaunchHouse last April and has found the resources there to be invaluable in growing Cell-A-Spot. They became a LaunchHouse portfolio company about a month ago. “We’re lean, we’re small and we are able to keep our overhead really low,” he says. “Working in LaunchHouse, we get a lot of resources there.”
As Cell-A-Spot grows Orlando plans to build a full staff, from a sales team to accountants and administrative assistants. “My goal is to in three to four years have 12 employees,” he says. “But maybe we’ll get to 40 or 50 employees.”
Source: Steve Orlando
Writer: Karin Connelly
“We essentially are implementing advertisements in mobile phones,” Orlando says. “It started with a couple of ideas, but when we got our first customer we created our first app.”
Cell-a-Spot has created patent pending technology that couples a one-to-one interactive targeting for advertisers with the ability to generate revenue streams for mobile providers. Cell-A-Spot’s first app builds ads into a cell phone’s 411 service. Instead of paying for 411, the costs are offset by ads.
“Say you call 411 to search for pizza places... Ads for places like Pizza Hut will come up,” Orlando explains. “A lot of plans right now charge a fee to call 411. The way we built this app, it’s free.”
Orlando moved his business into Shaker LaunchHouse last April and has found the resources there to be invaluable in growing Cell-A-Spot. They became a LaunchHouse portfolio company about a month ago. “We’re lean, we’re small and we are able to keep our overhead really low,” he says. “Working in LaunchHouse, we get a lot of resources there.”
As Cell-A-Spot grows Orlando plans to build a full staff, from a sales team to accountants and administrative assistants. “My goal is to in three to four years have 12 employees,” he says. “But maybe we’ll get to 40 or 50 employees.”
Source: Steve Orlando
Writer: Karin Connelly
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
msnbc calls melt's monster 'crazy gut-buster'
If you were unaware, October 25th is National Greasy Foods Day, a holiday either filled with fatty foods or, more likely, wholly ignored by the entire population. Regardless, our fun-loving fatty foods provider Melt Bar & Grilled was honored with a mention in MSNBC's listicle of "7 Crazy Gut-Busters for National Greasy Foods Day."
Receiving specific mention is the Monster, a grilled cheese "sandwich" that is more test than treat.
"Grilled cheese might be a guilty pleasure, but you could hardly call it a grease-bomb. Unless, of course, you are talking about the grilled cheese at Melt Bar and Grilled in Ohio. There, the Melt Challenge features a grilled cheese sandwich made with 13 types of cheese, 3 slices of grilled bread, french fries and coleslaw. The plate of food comes out to 5 pounds of gooey melted cheese, deep fried potatoes and carbs galore. If you eat the whole thing, you get a T-shirt, a $10 gift certificate, and your name in the Hall of Fame, so your gluttony will be preserved for posterity."
Read about the other entries here.
Receiving specific mention is the Monster, a grilled cheese "sandwich" that is more test than treat.
"Grilled cheese might be a guilty pleasure, but you could hardly call it a grease-bomb. Unless, of course, you are talking about the grilled cheese at Melt Bar and Grilled in Ohio. There, the Melt Challenge features a grilled cheese sandwich made with 13 types of cheese, 3 slices of grilled bread, french fries and coleslaw. The plate of food comes out to 5 pounds of gooey melted cheese, deep fried potatoes and carbs galore. If you eat the whole thing, you get a T-shirt, a $10 gift certificate, and your name in the Hall of Fame, so your gluttony will be preserved for posterity."
Read about the other entries here.
Urban Community School recently announced it has received a $5 million pledge from an anonymous donor. That pledge, the largest in the school's history, will allow the well-regarded institution to expand by one-third and serve an additional 150 children.
"This gift will help us to continue to provide quality education to kids that don't otherwise have access to it," says Sister Maureen Doyle, Director of Urban Community School, which is located in Ohio City and serves mostly low-income students who live in the immediate area. "We're focused on the children who need us most."
Urban plans to construct a two-story addition off W. 50th Street, in the rear of the school's campus. Doyle says the new classroom space, which will add a state-of-the-art middle school that will complement the existing building completed in 2005, will "meet the needs of city kids for the 21st century."
"We're redesigning not only the facility but also the program to meet the needs of our students," explains Doyle. "We're looking at things like writing and science labs, meeting space, expandable walls and state-of-the-art technology. We want to make sure what we're providing kids helps them to be successful in high school."
Other options under consideration include extending the school day for middle school students, creating a leadership program to involve them in the community, and promoting shared teaching responsibilities to ensure an integrated curriculum.
Fortunately, Urban need not develop new designs for the facility since it had planned the expansion when it originally broke ground on the existing building.
Although Urban does not have a specific timeline for its expansion plans, Doyle expects the school to complete the project within the next three years.
Source: Sister Maureen Doyle
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"This gift will help us to continue to provide quality education to kids that don't otherwise have access to it," says Sister Maureen Doyle, Director of Urban Community School, which is located in Ohio City and serves mostly low-income students who live in the immediate area. "We're focused on the children who need us most."
Urban plans to construct a two-story addition off W. 50th Street, in the rear of the school's campus. Doyle says the new classroom space, which will add a state-of-the-art middle school that will complement the existing building completed in 2005, will "meet the needs of city kids for the 21st century."
"We're redesigning not only the facility but also the program to meet the needs of our students," explains Doyle. "We're looking at things like writing and science labs, meeting space, expandable walls and state-of-the-art technology. We want to make sure what we're providing kids helps them to be successful in high school."
Other options under consideration include extending the school day for middle school students, creating a leadership program to involve them in the community, and promoting shared teaching responsibilities to ensure an integrated curriculum.
Fortunately, Urban need not develop new designs for the facility since it had planned the expansion when it originally broke ground on the existing building.
Although Urban does not have a specific timeline for its expansion plans, Doyle expects the school to complete the project within the next three years.
Source: Sister Maureen Doyle
Writer: Lee Chilcote
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.
Vintage maven Cindy Deering has opened a new store that brings her eclectic array of '60s and '70s clothing and accessories to a long-empty storefront on W. 25th Street in Ohio City.
Deering Vintage, which features hardwood floors, marble countertop from its days as a flower shop, and a mezzanine for the in-house seamstress, plugs one of the few remaining retail gaps on the street. Just one year ago, the Gillespie building at Bridge and W. 25th was half-dark. Today, it is filled with a bike shop, Mexican restaurant, custom baseball bat fabricator and, now, vintage shop.
Deering, who hopes to grow roots in her current location -- describing it as her "latest and last" -- reports strong foot traffic since she opened last week. "Ever since people heard that Mitchell's was opening across the street, there's been a positive buzz around here," she says.
Her success stems in part from the fact that vintage has done well in this sour economy, drawing younger and older patrons who prefer to wear gently-used clothing. "We're kind of like the original 'green' of shopping," Deering says.
Despite the popularity of online shopping, Deering says vintage stores are still a draw. "I tried sitting in my house and selling on eBay, but I like being with people," she says. "All of our stuff is one of a kind and very personal."
Now that she's in her new location, Deering says that her loyal customers are seeking her out. "I have some longtime customers whose kids practically grew up with me, and now those kids are adults that shop at my store," she says.
Some of her recent visitors include other Ohio City business owners, who seem happy for her to join the retail mix.
"Some of my neighbors brought a bottle of wine over," she says. "The street has been very welcoming."
Source: Cindy Deering
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Deering Vintage, which features hardwood floors, marble countertop from its days as a flower shop, and a mezzanine for the in-house seamstress, plugs one of the few remaining retail gaps on the street. Just one year ago, the Gillespie building at Bridge and W. 25th was half-dark. Today, it is filled with a bike shop, Mexican restaurant, custom baseball bat fabricator and, now, vintage shop.
Deering, who hopes to grow roots in her current location -- describing it as her "latest and last" -- reports strong foot traffic since she opened last week. "Ever since people heard that Mitchell's was opening across the street, there's been a positive buzz around here," she says.
Her success stems in part from the fact that vintage has done well in this sour economy, drawing younger and older patrons who prefer to wear gently-used clothing. "We're kind of like the original 'green' of shopping," Deering says.
Despite the popularity of online shopping, Deering says vintage stores are still a draw. "I tried sitting in my house and selling on eBay, but I like being with people," she says. "All of our stuff is one of a kind and very personal."
Now that she's in her new location, Deering says that her loyal customers are seeking her out. "I have some longtime customers whose kids practically grew up with me, and now those kids are adults that shop at my store," she says.
Some of her recent visitors include other Ohio City business owners, who seem happy for her to join the retail mix.
"Some of my neighbors brought a bottle of wine over," she says. "The street has been very welcoming."
Source: Cindy Deering
Writer: Lee Chilcote
In an effort to inspire area students to think about clean energy, this year's Clean Energy Challenge will be open to local college students. NorTech is heading up Ohio’s participation in the business plan contest, sponsored by Clean Energy Trust in Chicago.
“The point of the challenge is to institute more technology transfer out of the universities,” explains Dave Karpinski, NorTech vice president. “It’s a business plan competition that focuses on clean energy technology.”
Students from Ohio colleges are invited to submit their plans in five categories: renewable energy, low-carbon transportation, Smart Grid, energy efficiency and carbon abatement. Participants in the first round submit their ideas and video presentations to compete for $10,000. The top three teams from Ohio will then go on to the regional competition, where they will receive extensive mentoring and compete for $100,000.
“They have an intense mentoring team and help fine tune their ideas,” says Karpinski. “They get lots of support behind them to develop their ideas. That’s what’s really exciting about this competition.”
Although there is a cash prize involved, Karpinski says the competition is really about encouraging new ideas and encouraging students to think about clean energy technology. “It’s not about the prize, it’s that students can get exposure to the different sectors,” he says. “It’s a great and noble mission.”
Source: Dave Karpinski
Writer: Karin Connelly
“The point of the challenge is to institute more technology transfer out of the universities,” explains Dave Karpinski, NorTech vice president. “It’s a business plan competition that focuses on clean energy technology.”
Students from Ohio colleges are invited to submit their plans in five categories: renewable energy, low-carbon transportation, Smart Grid, energy efficiency and carbon abatement. Participants in the first round submit their ideas and video presentations to compete for $10,000. The top three teams from Ohio will then go on to the regional competition, where they will receive extensive mentoring and compete for $100,000.
“They have an intense mentoring team and help fine tune their ideas,” says Karpinski. “They get lots of support behind them to develop their ideas. That’s what’s really exciting about this competition.”
Although there is a cash prize involved, Karpinski says the competition is really about encouraging new ideas and encouraging students to think about clean energy technology. “It’s not about the prize, it’s that students can get exposure to the different sectors,” he says. “It’s a great and noble mission.”
Source: Dave Karpinski
Writer: Karin Connelly
Kicking off what is being billed as "A Day of Social Innovation," bigBANG! will shine the spotlight on a number of innovative local nonprofits that are benefitting our community. The day-long forum, hosted by Cleveland Social Venture Partners (CSVP) and taking place at the CSU Student Center, is the event's inaugural year.