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after $3m makeover, zone rec center reopens to the public this saturday
Cleveland's near west side will gain another signature community park when the redeveloped outdoor space at Zone Recreation Center, which is comprised of 22 acres of land south of Lorain Avenue between W. 53rd and W. 65th streets, reopens this Saturday.

A public ribbon cutting ceremony will take place on Saturday at 11 a.m. The celebration will include a farmers market, food trucks, kickball, skateboarding, three-on-three basketball tournament and dog park dedication. Residents and visitors are encouraged to bring their dogs.

The multifaceted park is one of the largest in Cleveland. Features include new tennis courts, resurfaced basketball courts, new water-spray park and playground, new ballfields and a new dog park. The new Zone Rec also includes water-saving features and sustainable landscaping that reaffirm the City's commitment to weaving sustainable design into its community parks.

"The City administration really wants to move forward on low impact development that respects the tag line, 'Green city on a blue lake,'" says Ward 15 Councilman Matt Zone, whose father fought the State of Ohio's proposal to build a highway here 50 years ago, ultimately leading to the development of the recreation center that bears his name. "We want to build it and design it from not only a functionality standpoint, but also lessening our carbon footprint."

Last year, the City of Cleveland opened the new Collinwood Recreation Center in a former Big Lots store along Lakeshore Boulevard. The building is a creative reuse of an existing space that includes many energy-efficient and sustainable features. The new Zone Recreation Center demonstrates similar outside-the-box thinking.

Zone Recreation Center is located in the Cleveland EcoVillage, an area dedicated to sustainable living within the Detroit Shoreway neighborhood. The EcoVillage features a green-built rapid station, large community garden, many eco-friendly homes, a new garden store and a slew of gardens and green spaces. Residents here have long struggled with blight along Lorain Avenue, and many hope that the new Zone Rec will help catalyze other, similar improvements to the faded corridor.

The multipurpose pathway that weaves its way through the new Zone Rec green space will eventually connect with the Towpath Trail via Walworth Run, and to Edgewater Park and Lake Erie via bike lanes planned for W. 65th Street.


Source: Matt Zone
Writer: Lee Chilcote
are we there yet?! 10 ways to entertain your kids (while staying sane)
When late summer rolls around, my kids and I are desperate for adventure. From our house in the Heights, that usually means we’re heading down the hill to Cleveland, where over the years we’ve discovered countless family-friendly things to see and do. The options are many and growing, but here is our pick for Top 10.
booming post-up stand printshop expands from 500 to 30k-square-foot facility
Eight years ago Alon Weiner and Ram Tamir were in the offset printing business, doing flyers and newspaper inserts. But the two of them imagined something bigger – in print format, that is. So, in January 2004, the two founded Post-Up Stand, a large format printing company that does everything from banners and tablecloths to retractable display banners that roll up and down in seconds.
 
“As we looked to diversify the business, we checked the large format printing opportunity,” says Weiner. “After a short time with one large format printer, we realized that this market had much bigger growth potential than offset.”
 
Weiner and Tamir eventually shut down the offset side of the business completely and focused on the large format. “The nice thing about our product is that any business, from mom-and-pop shops to Fortune 500 companies can use them,” says Weiner. “We manufacture for trade shows, retail store displays and non-profits.”
 
Post-Up Stand started in a 500-square-foot office in Valley View with one employee. Today the company has 49 employees and has grown into a 30,000-square-foot facility in Maple Heights.
 
Post-Up Stand has customers across the country, and they are known for quality work done fast. “Everything we do here is custom,” says Weiner. “We keep our technology top of the line. No lens is more than three years old. If we don’t like it, we reprint it.”
 
Weiner credits his customers with Post-Up Stand’s success. “I try to see everything through the customer’s eye,” he says. “Everybody here, no matter what you do, you’re in customer service. We invest a lot in customer service. A lot of returning customers recommend us. Word of mouth is a great tool for us to grow.”

 
Source: Alon Weiner
Writer: Karin Connelly
project for public spaces lauds cleveland as a 'market town'
In the lead up to the 8th International Public Markets Conference, which will be held in Cleveland September 21 to 23, the Project for Public Spaces continues to blog about placemaking.

In a recent post titled " You Are Where You Eat: Re-Focusing Communities Around Markets," the writer discusses the importance of public markets like Cleveland's West Side Market.

"If you want to see a Market City in action, you may want to consider attending the 8th International Public Markets Conference in Cleveland this September. Chosen as the host city because of the role that food is playing in its remarkable turnaround, Cleveland illustrates many of the aspects of a Market City, according to David O’Neil."

“From agricultural production areas, to smaller markets, to bigger markets, you can really see things changing in Cleveland,” he says. “For a long time, Cleveland was a Market Town, and now institutions like the West Side Market are leading its post-industrial revival. The WSM isn’t a suburban market, but it’s not right downtown -- it was always a neighborhood market. It’s a good lab for seeing the power that a market can have on its town or district. The Ohio City district has become an attractive place to open up a business because of the market. The effect is becoming so positive that it’s affecting the larger city of Cleveland, itself. The market is becoming a sun, and the city is leaning toward it for oxygen, light, and life.”

Read the rest right here.
enjoying 20-percent annual growth, voss is renovating ohio city headquarters
Voss Industries, an employee-owned aerospace and industrial applications company on West 25th Street in Ohio City, is replacing all the windows on its century-old building -- all 650 of 'em.

The investment will help the company to make key improvements to its headquarters on Cleveland's near west side, where it has been since 1957.

"It's been a rather long project," says Voss President and CEO Dan Sedor with a chuckle. "It's a 100-year-old building, so we're refacing it. What's going on in Ohio City is definitely a renaissance, and our company wants to play a small part in it."

"Small" is not the word that accurately describes the outsized ambitions of this half-century-old company that occupies 240,000 square feet in Ohio City, however. Voss has experienced 20-percent growth annually for the past several years, and has hired 80 workers in the last two years alone. The progress, says Sedor, is due to the improving economy and Voss's competitiveness in the marketplace.

"We're a metal manipulator -- we bend it, roll it, stamp it and machine it," says Sedor. "We've been steadily gaining market share by diversifying the markets we serve and also by providing engineering solutions to many of our customers."

Voss has more than 330 employees. Sedor says he likes Ohio City because it offers a convenient, centralized location for employees, who live throughout the region.


Source: Dan Sedor
Writer: Lee Chilcote
eqed eyes growth as new solar microinverter makes solar more efficient
eQED is developing a solar microinverter that will improve the efficiency of solar panels. As with all solar panels, an inverter converts the output from the panel to AC power. Normal setups use one large inverter for an entire string of solar panels. eQED’s technology places one small inverter under each panel, increasing the amount of power gained from each solar panel.
 
The HIKARI microinverter provides improved energy harvesting, is more reliable than traditional inverters, and is easier to install and requires little maintenance.
 
“With the microinverter you can adjust each panel individually to adjust for shade or bright sun,” explains John Patrick, chief technical marketing officer. “This way you can extract up to 15 percent more power in shady conditions and five to 10 percent more power in normal conditions.”
 
eQED’s 250-watt HIKARI solar microinverter earned the company a NorTech 2012 Innovation Award in March. eQED is a partner company of Quality Electrodynamics (QED), a medical imaging company. Both are growing substantially. QED employs 87 people – up from 75 a year ago.
 
“We probably have five or six openings right now,” says Patrick. “eQED has 10 people, but that number will grow quite a bit as we commercialize the product.” eQED is in the final stages of development before sending it to market. Patrick says they expect to conduct testing on several hundred units later this year and begin commercial shipments in early 2013.
 
 
Source: John Patrick
Writer: Karin Connelly
trading the coffee shop for collaboration: more mobile workers choosing to cowork
Coworking is a growing trend whereby freelancers, telecommuters and other mobile workers share space to lessen the costs of facilities and equipment. In Cleveland, The Open Office and Cowork Cleveland are attracting non-traditional workers who are tired of the isolation of working from home or the distractions of jockeying for an outlet at the local coffee shop.
vote for land studio's novel bike box urban bike corral
Voting is underway for a $5,000 Do Good Outdoors Challenge grant on the website GOOD Maker. LAND studio is competing against 115 other ideas for outdoor projects that promote social change.
 
"Spending time outside can make us all happier and healthier, and many of us don’t do it nearly enough. That’s why we have $5,000 to help you use the great outdoors to do GOOD in your community."
 
LAND studio's Bike Box concept "will encourage recreational and commuter cycling by providing safe, sheltered bike parking along a busy retail corridor in Cleveland’s Ohio City neighborhood."
 
Made from a locally-sourced, used shipping container and placed in an existing parallel parking spot, will enclose the sidewalk, providing an intimate gathering area and focal point. The bold graphics facing the street will announce the presence of an active bike community. On top will be a living roof.
 
Vote for the idea here until 3 p.m. August 3.
kamm's attracts 15 new businesses thanks to $12m streetscape project
The Kamm's Corners neighborhood, chock full of Irish pubs, small shops and dive bars, doesn't set out to lure chain restaurants. Yet it's a nice complement, nonetheless, when those companies decide the area has the right demographics to make it desirable to set up shop.

Recently, Chipotle decided to open a new restaurant in a former Kentucky Fried Chicken at 16729 Lorain Avenue. The building had become a bit of an eyesore since closing. Chipotle will renovate the structure, eliminate the drive-through and replace the asphalt front driveway with a landscaped patio that faces Lorain.

"A lot of new businesses have come into Kamm's Corners since the City of Cleveland completed a $12 million streetscape project three years ago," says Steve Lorenz, Executive Director of Kamm's Corners Development Corporation. He cites at least 15 new businesses as well as multiple storefront renovations in that time.

The streetscape project has made the heart of Kamm's Corners -- near the intersection of Lorain and Rocky River Drive -- significantly more attractive and pedestrian-friendly. The re-do spurred additional traffic and investment by restaurant and shop owners. Additionally, residents, business owners and the development corporation have now partnered to put on the Hooley, an annual festival.

"It's nice to see that Chipotle feels we have the target demographics to support their business," says Lorenz. Construction is expected to start this summer.


Source: Steve Lorenz
Writer: Lee Chilcote
dispatch writes about osu, cleveland clinic partnership
"The Cleveland Clinic and Ohio State University agreed yesterday to join forces in fast-tracking the commercialization of health-care technology, signaling a desire to compete less and collaborate more," writes Ben Sutherly for The Columbus Dispatch.

"In addition to health care, cooperation between the two institutions will focus on venture capital, funding and Third Frontier activities," The Dispatch adds.

"Cleveland Clinic Innovations has filed more than 1,600 patents and formed 48 spinoff companies receiving more than $600 million in equity investment, officials said. Cleveland Clinic Innovations and those spinoffs have generated nearly 1,000 jobs. Wexner Medical Center and Ohio State’s College of Medicine have filed 168 patents and have spun off five health-care companies that have secured about $26 million in equity investment. The number of jobs created wasn’t available yesterday."

Read the rest here.
'let's move the olympics to cleveland'
Citing numerous and mounting problems in London regarding the 2012 Olympic Games, this ESPN writer suggests (jokingly, of course) that they be relocated to Cleveland.

Problems thus far include lack of security personel, lousy weather, sluggish ticket sales, transportation woes, and an Opening Ceremony that will feature livestock -- all issues that can be overcome (ostensibly) by moving the games to Cleveland.

"If there’s one city in the world that’s looking to prove itself as a beacon of athletic excellence, it’s Cleveland," writes Steve Etheridge. "Tortured by a 48-year title drought, the city has been yearning for the chance to showcase champions, and with enough stadiums to accommodate any variety of large-scale sporting events, the Olympics could give them the glory they so fervently covet.

"Really, other than the unrelenting rule of a lady in a yellow hat, what does London have that Cleveland doesn’t? A big river? Cleveland’s got that, along with Lake Erie to boot. An efficient public transportation system? Not only does Cleveland have one, but it’s the BEST in North America."

Read the rest here.
babl media proves that art, design and creative thinking can build a better business
As a designer and illustrator, Nick Pavlak sees the artistic elements of creating a successful business. From website design to a company logo, he founded BABL Media in April 2011 around the philosophy that art, design and creative thinking can build a better business.
 
That thought proved to be accurate. A little over a year later, BABL Media has made a reputation for itself, especially among startup companies. “Typically, we work with startups with planning, design, and social media,” Pavlak, who is the company’s creative director, says. “We work with them on logo, color palettes and everything associated with their brand.”
 
Pavlak started BABL Media based on his graphic design background. “When we started I discovered everyone needs a website,” he recalls. But he soon realized he needed a little more. So when he ran into college friend Robert Clark at a Rochester Institute of Technology reunion, Pavlak asked Clark to join the company as the master developer. Soon after, Andrew Wozniak joined the team as art director. “He’s very good at handling the details,” says Pavlak. This summer, BABL Media was able to hire two paid interns to work on development.
 
Pavlak and Clark have gone on to form FounderSync with two other partners, a matchmaking site for entrepreneurs. The concept is to pair up entrepreneurs with different skill sets to help each other succeed. Both companies are based out of LaunchHouse.

"Our long term goals for the company are to continue to grow and develop our own process and team so as we can build and innovate great ideas," adds Pavlak. "The more brilliant people we can put together, the more amazing products and technologies we can bring to market. Our end goal is to find the one (or several hopefully) disruptive and ground breaking products that can actually change the world for the better."

 
Source: Nick Pavlak
Writer: Karin Connelly
the beta space incubator offers entrepreneurial support, mentoring
In a wide open office at MAGNET, a manufacturing advocacy organization situated on the Cleveland State University campus, groups of students are fomenting new ideas. They include an innovative pothole patch, social media tools for landlords, an information technology startup and a biofuels company.

These emerging entrepreneurs have found a new launching pad in The Beta Space, a business incubator and coworking space that offers entrepreneurial support, mentoring and advice from industry experts at MAGNET. David Crain, Director of Entrepreneurial Services at MAGNET, says that he came up with the idea as a way to help student entrepreneurs start companies in Cleveland.

"Students are comfortable starting businesses in their dorm rooms, and yet while they might hear of all these great resources within the region, they're often not sure where to go," says Crain. "Once you have a relationship with someone here, it's really easy to walk down the hallway, ask a question and get an answer."

Students admitted into the Beta Space program have access to a wide array of resources at their fingertips. Not only can they use the physical space anytime they want, but they also have access to coaching services from MAGNET's mentors. Finally, they can brainstorm with other student entrepreneurs.

"We coach them on what they're up against and help them put together a business plan," says Crain. "The entrepreneurial education taking place at the college level is starting to have an impact, and we're seeing a quantum leap in student ideas."

The Beta Space also offers free legal, finance and marketing advice to any entrepreneur, a resource that Crain says is unavailable elsewhere.


Source: Dave Crain
Writer: Lee Chilcote
capital continuum shows entrepreneurs where to find business capital
The Capital Continuum in Northeast Ohio on Thursday, August 2 will feature a panel discussion to help entrepreneurs find ways to access capital for their businesses.

“I believe we’ve created an ecosystem in Northeast Ohio to help entrepreneurs, both public and private,” says Dennis Cocco, manager of the JumpStart Entrepreneurial Network, manager of the Innovation Fund and associate director at Great Lakes Innovation and Development Enterprise (GLIDE). “Entrepreneurship is doing really great in this region, but accessing capital is not the first thing people think about when starting a business.”
 
A lot of local entrepreneurs are not aware of the funding resources that are available in the area. The Continuum is designed to illustrate all that is out there. “Here we have precious capital we’re trying to dole out to the best entrepreneurs,” says Cocco. “But they’re not like banks, which have big buildings with their names on every corner. It would be a shame if people with a good idea fail because they don’t know we’re out there.”
 
Panel members include Cocco, Ken Marblestone, president, Charter One and RBS Citizens; Daniel Kellogg, managing director, Crystal Venture Funds; Claiborne Rankin, manager of North Coast Angel Fund; and Jerry Frantz, managing venture partner with JumpStart.
 
The free event will be held at JumpStart’s offices. Cocco says about 30 people have already signed up and he hopes for 50 or 60. “If 100 show up I’ll be really pleased,” he says.

Registration is required.

 
Source: Dennis Cocco
Writer: Karin Connelly
fast-selling clifton pointe development meets demand for new-urban living
A new development of luxury, green-built townhomes in Lakewood overlooking the Rocky River have beat the housing bust, selling 12 of 17 units before the curtains have even been hung in the model suite.

Abode Living, the developer of Clifton Pointe, held a groundbreaking ceremony last month and expects to complete construction on the spoken-for townhomes this winter. Buyers will be living in their new townhomes in time to take advantage of the Rocky River Reservation Metroparks amenities next year.

Developer Andrew Brickman of Abode Living attributes the success of Clifton Pointe to offering a high-quality product that attracts urban-oriented buyers.

"This is how people want to live today," says Brickman, who is also developing 11 River in Rocky River and 27 Coltman in Little Italy. "They're tired of urban sprawl and living in places like Strongsville and Avon Lake and Twinsburg. If you look around the country, there's a strong trend of people moving back to cities."

You can think of Clifton Pointe as an un-gated luxury community, Brickman says. The eco-friendly units will offer a communal kayak, onsite recycling program and sustainable landscaping that is low-maintenance and doesn't need extra watering.

For buyers who think they can't afford riverfront living, Brickman has a message: Do the math. With prices starting at $340,000, a 10-year tax abatement, and interest rates below four percent, purchasers end up with a monthly payment of about $1,300 per month -- less than the cost of a swank two-bedroom apartment, he quips.

"We're trying to open it up," he says. "This is what new urbanism is all about. We tore down three old houses and are creating a $10 million-plus new project."


Source: Andrew Brickman
Writer: Lee Chilcote
venturebeat suggests investing venture capital in ohio
"For investors looking to go off the beaten track to find quality deals, Ohio might be the answer," Mitchell Rosich, partner at Athenian Venture Partners, writes in VentureBeat.

"According to the most recent Ohio Venture Capital Report, venture capital activity in Ohio was up more than 80 percent in 2010, surpassing the national average, which was up only 20 percent."

An increase in pre- and seed-stage investments amounting to $183.8 million is paid to angel groups and state programs.

What makes Ohio so ripe for investment?

1. Untapped investment opportunities: Ohio has significant deal flow in two of the most dynamic market segments — healthcare and information technology.

2. Attractive deals for the right price: Ohio is full of quality investment opportunities that are not typical “club” deals, allowing venture firms to avoid overpaying.

3. Long-term vision: Midwestern investors are more likely to back companies that actually create something tangible – such as a new medical device or electronics products due to the region’s supply chain assets and sophisticated manufacturing workforce.

4. Supporting its entrepreneurs: Ohio has an abundance of resources for entrepreneurs across the state to help them along the way and to get their ideas out. A select few include TechColoumbus, TechGrowth, CincyTech, and JumpStart.

"Investing in Ohio will continue to reap impressive returns over the next 10 years."

Read the rest right here.
'b.y.o.s.' groundbreaking invites towpath supporters to bring their own shovels
However momentous they might be, groundbreaking ceremonies typically are not very interactive affairs. Project leaders and public officials give speeches and take advantage of photo opportunities before they pose gripping the symbolic, all-too-clean shovels.

The groundbreaking ceremony for the first publicly funded leg of the Towpath Trail to be built in Cleveland promises to be different. Community members have been clamoring for this project to be completed for years, and trail backers want to give them a chance to participate in the grand occasion. So after the project leaders and public officials take their turn, it's a B.Y.O.S. (Bring Your Own Shovel) event, and everyone is invited to join in.

The event is scheduled for Monday, July 30th at 11 a.m. at 1871 Scranton Road.

"We wanted to figure out a way to involve the many people who have anxiously awaited the project," says Tim Donovan, Executive Director of Ohio Canal Corridor, the nonprofit spearheading the effort with the City of Cleveland, Cleveland Metroparks and Cuyahoga County. "I don't sit on a boatload of shovels, but if you bring your own, then we can capture it. If you can't be there, send us a photo of you with your shovel, and we'll print them up and have them on site."

So far, Donovan has received photos of supporters with shovels from as far away as New Mexico. Those bringing a shovel will be eligible to have their names entered into a raffle to win a $100 gift certificate from Lockkeepers restaurant.

The .6 mile trail will follow Scranton Road from Carter Road south to University Road along the Scranton Peninsula. A portion of the $9.1 million total price tag will be used to restore 11 acres of polluted industrial land. The project will also replace a portion of decrepit river bulkhead with a more natural stone and plant terrace.

The project was funded by the Clean Ohio Conservation Fund, Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and the State of Ohio, among other funding sources.


Source: Tim Donovan
Writer: Lee Chilcote
rta healthline drives growth in cleveland, says urbanland
"Euclid’s role as an essential link between the central business district downtown and University Circle -- a hub of world-class medical facilities and arts and culture amenities -- rendered the corridor impossible to ignore," writes Jason Hellendrung for UrbanLand.

The resulting $200 million, 6.8-mile Euclid Corridor Transportation Project catalyzed a powerful transformation along the avenue. Since the BRT line opened in 2008, the corridor has attracted $5.8 billion in investment -- $3.3 billion for new construction and $2.5 billion for building rehab, together totaling more than 110 projects. Disproving naysayers and exceeding the expectations of supporters, the project has generated the economic growth that many thought could only be achieved with rail -- and at a fraction of the cost."

"Ridership has increased steadily over the years and now totals about 15,100 people per day. "

Read the rest of the article here.
second time around: restoring cleveland's past, one building at a time
Are the dark days of mass demolition behind for the city of Cleveland? Thanks to progressive thinkers -- and historic tax credits and support from local and county government -- more and more architectural gems are being sustainably renovated to accommodate modern businesses.
ohio technical college expands, removes blighted buildings from neighborhood
Ohio Technical College, an automotive technology school at East 51st and St. Clair Ave., has grown its student population in recent years. As it has done so, OTC has continued to invest in the St. Clair Superior neighborhood where its main campus is located.

Recently, OTC purchased two corner bars that had been considered a nuisance by neighborhood residents. OTC also leased or purchased several other buildings, including the former City Desk, which is slated to house classrooms, offices and a visitor center. These efforts have removed blighted buildings from the area.

OTC's growth has been fueled in part by the innovative partnerships it has formed with automotive companies. In April, the school celebrated the opening of the new Edelbrock Academy, a partnership with Edelbrock Performance Products, one of the world's leading manufacturers of high performance, aftermarket auto parts.

OTC has also formed a similar partnership with Jasper Engines and Transmissions in Jasper, Indiana, which is one of the country's leading producers of engines and transmissions. For both Jasper and Edelstein, this kind of partnership is beneficial because the companies need mechanics who are familiar with their products.

Through these partnership, OTC is helping to educate the next generation of mechanics in the heart of Cleveland. Currently, enrollment is 1,200 at the main campus on East 51st and 300 at the Power Sports Institute in North Randall.

Ohio Technical College offers "a wide array of technician training programs in automotive, motorcycle, diesel equipment, collision repair and refinishing, classic car restoration, high performance and racing, alternative fuel vehicles, power generator systems, and BMW," according to the institution's website.


Source: Ohio Technical College
Writer: Lee Chilcote