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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.
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
More than 100 people attended the Flats Forward Waterfront Summit, held this week in downtown Cleveland. Those in attendance learned how cities as far away as Duisburg, Germany, and as close as Pittsburgh, have leveraged their historic waterfronts into magnets for recreation, investment and tourism.
Flats Forward is a one-year-old effort to create a new identity for Cleveland's historic birthplace. Planners are now focused on improving the Flats' infrastructure, transportation linkages and recreational amenities, as well as fostering a better balance between residential, industrial and recreational uses. Additionally, civic leaders hope to leverage $2 billion worth of investment taking place within one mile of the Flats to spur more development.
Following a rousing speech by Councilman Joe Cimperman that likened the Cuyahoga River's rebirth after the infamous fire of 1969 to an ecosystem's resilience following a forest blaze, leaders from Germany, England, Italy and Pennsylvania talked about their successes and the lessons they've learned along the way.
Tony Harvey of British Waterways in Birmingham, England, said that his organization has helped leverage $1 billion of investment in the region's waterway network, which dates back to the Roman era. Those waterways now attract more than 13 million visitors and 35,000 licensed boats per year.
Arne Lorz of Duisburg, Germany, described how her city rebuilt itself during an era of industrial decline by focusing on its crumbling inner harbor and building new homes, a marina, offices, retail and museums.
Roberto Bobbio, Professor of Urban Planning and Landscape Preservation at the University of Genoa, Italy, discussed how his dense Mediterranean city invested in a state-of-the-art aquarium that now is the third most visited spot in Italy.
Finally, Lisa Schroeder of Pittsburgh RiverLife Task Force told the audience that her city successfully has reinvented its industrial, long-empty waterfront into a well-connected civic space. Today, more than 15,000 kayaks are rented each year from under a bridge, and "boat-gating," she added, has replaced "tailgating."
Schroeder also offered a concise analysis of what doubtless was on the minds of many participants: "If you can use private funding to help put redevelopment plans together," she advised, "then it's easier to get politicians to fight for the public infrastructure spending that makes reinvestment possible."
Source: Flats Forward Waterfront Summit
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Flats Forward is a one-year-old effort to create a new identity for Cleveland's historic birthplace. Planners are now focused on improving the Flats' infrastructure, transportation linkages and recreational amenities, as well as fostering a better balance between residential, industrial and recreational uses. Additionally, civic leaders hope to leverage $2 billion worth of investment taking place within one mile of the Flats to spur more development.
Following a rousing speech by Councilman Joe Cimperman that likened the Cuyahoga River's rebirth after the infamous fire of 1969 to an ecosystem's resilience following a forest blaze, leaders from Germany, England, Italy and Pennsylvania talked about their successes and the lessons they've learned along the way.
Tony Harvey of British Waterways in Birmingham, England, said that his organization has helped leverage $1 billion of investment in the region's waterway network, which dates back to the Roman era. Those waterways now attract more than 13 million visitors and 35,000 licensed boats per year.
Arne Lorz of Duisburg, Germany, described how her city rebuilt itself during an era of industrial decline by focusing on its crumbling inner harbor and building new homes, a marina, offices, retail and museums.
Roberto Bobbio, Professor of Urban Planning and Landscape Preservation at the University of Genoa, Italy, discussed how his dense Mediterranean city invested in a state-of-the-art aquarium that now is the third most visited spot in Italy.
Finally, Lisa Schroeder of Pittsburgh RiverLife Task Force told the audience that her city successfully has reinvented its industrial, long-empty waterfront into a well-connected civic space. Today, more than 15,000 kayaks are rented each year from under a bridge, and "boat-gating," she added, has replaced "tailgating."
Schroeder also offered a concise analysis of what doubtless was on the minds of many participants: "If you can use private funding to help put redevelopment plans together," she advised, "then it's easier to get politicians to fight for the public infrastructure spending that makes reinvestment possible."
Source: Flats Forward Waterfront Summit
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Cleveland’s young professionals are charged with shaping the future of the city. And while there are more than 70 organizations catering to the 15,000 young professionals in the area, there isn't one dedicated to uniting these groups to make a difference and make a change. Engage! Cleveland is striving to do exactly that.
“These organizations are extremely important because they integrate young professionals with the community,” says Andrew Bennett, president of the Cleveland Professional 20/30 Club. “But think about the full-time resources and coordinating all of the work they are doing. What would it look like if young professionals were fully integrated into the community?”
Engage! Cleveland grew out of Cleveland ConneXion, which sought to provide a unified voice for Cleveland’s YP organizations. It has continued to evolve over the past year as a forum to engage the area’s young professionals, make them want to stay in Cleveland and work at creating a thriving, vibrant business community that people actually want to be in.
“The private sector employers are interested in attraction and retention issues, the public and the non-profit sectors need a better understanding of what young people want. What do they really think? What do they really want?” says Bennett. “Right now there is no go-to central location to tap into the community.”
That’s where Engage! Cleveland comes in.
“I’m constantly asked, ‘How do I get tapped in to the community,’” says Bennett. “We’re trying to make Engage! Cleveland that hub to better enable and capitalize on all the great things happening here.”
Source: Andrew Bennett
Writer: Karin Connelly
“These organizations are extremely important because they integrate young professionals with the community,” says Andrew Bennett, president of the Cleveland Professional 20/30 Club. “But think about the full-time resources and coordinating all of the work they are doing. What would it look like if young professionals were fully integrated into the community?”
Engage! Cleveland grew out of Cleveland ConneXion, which sought to provide a unified voice for Cleveland’s YP organizations. It has continued to evolve over the past year as a forum to engage the area’s young professionals, make them want to stay in Cleveland and work at creating a thriving, vibrant business community that people actually want to be in.
“The private sector employers are interested in attraction and retention issues, the public and the non-profit sectors need a better understanding of what young people want. What do they really think? What do they really want?” says Bennett. “Right now there is no go-to central location to tap into the community.”
That’s where Engage! Cleveland comes in.
“I’m constantly asked, ‘How do I get tapped in to the community,’” says Bennett. “We’re trying to make Engage! Cleveland that hub to better enable and capitalize on all the great things happening here.”
Source: Andrew Bennett
Writer: Karin Connelly
burning river foundation issues RFP for freshwater grants
Do you or your organization have a bright idea on how to improve Northeast Ohio's regional freshwater resources? If so, Great Lakes Brewing Company’s Burning River Foundation wants to hear from you.
The foundation, a non-profit dedicated to improving, maintaining and celebrating the vitality of our regional freshwater resources, has issued a Request for Proposals for its Fresh Ideas for Freshwater Grant Program. Recipients might be eligible to receive grants in amounts ranging from $1,000 to $20,000.
Projects must be located in the Northeast Ohio region, demonstrate ecological conservation and environmental protection, provide educational outreach, support the local community, and be completed by June 30, 2012.
Applications must be received no later than November 30, 2011.
For more info click here.
The foundation, a non-profit dedicated to improving, maintaining and celebrating the vitality of our regional freshwater resources, has issued a Request for Proposals for its Fresh Ideas for Freshwater Grant Program. Recipients might be eligible to receive grants in amounts ranging from $1,000 to $20,000.
Projects must be located in the Northeast Ohio region, demonstrate ecological conservation and environmental protection, provide educational outreach, support the local community, and be completed by June 30, 2012.
Applications must be received no later than November 30, 2011.
For more info click here.
Michael Christoff and Bradley Fink are all about using imagination to create the unthinkable. That’s the idea behind the Cleveland Design Competition. Now in its fourth year, the competition invites people to address the city’s underused sites and come up with new architectural ideas for their uses.
Every year, the competition has brought entries from around the world. This year’s project was the Cleveland K-12 schools of the future. “Our intent is to get people to look at the different problems at hand,” says Christoff. “We involved education experts and asked participants to produce a public school of the future.”
This year, 92 submissions from 20 countries came in -- 11 from Ohio. Submissions explored how the design of better learning environments -- and their ability to connect with the city -- might help to slow or reverse the population exodus from the public school system in Cleveland and many other urban areas throughout the world.
The winning design this year was submitted by Michael Dickson from Brisbane, Australia. He received $8,000 for his entry. The winners were selected by a jury of representatives from the architectural and educational fields. “The whole idea is to get people to say, ‘wow, I never thought about it that way,’” explains Christoff. “It’s a different way to think about problems.”
Christoff and Fink are already thinking about next year’s competition theme: What should be done with the upper and lower levels of the Detroit Superior Bridge.
Source: Michael Christoff
Writer: Karin Connelly
Every year, the competition has brought entries from around the world. This year’s project was the Cleveland K-12 schools of the future. “Our intent is to get people to look at the different problems at hand,” says Christoff. “We involved education experts and asked participants to produce a public school of the future.”
This year, 92 submissions from 20 countries came in -- 11 from Ohio. Submissions explored how the design of better learning environments -- and their ability to connect with the city -- might help to slow or reverse the population exodus from the public school system in Cleveland and many other urban areas throughout the world.
The winning design this year was submitted by Michael Dickson from Brisbane, Australia. He received $8,000 for his entry. The winners were selected by a jury of representatives from the architectural and educational fields. “The whole idea is to get people to say, ‘wow, I never thought about it that way,’” explains Christoff. “It’s a different way to think about problems.”
Christoff and Fink are already thinking about next year’s competition theme: What should be done with the upper and lower levels of the Detroit Superior Bridge.
Source: Michael Christoff
Writer: Karin Connelly
cleveland claims spot on list of best cities for working moms
For the third straight year, Forbes Woman has published its list of "Best Cities For Working Mothers." New additions to the 2011 list are Cleveland and Columbus.
To determine the rankings, the magazine looked at the 50 largest metropolitan areas and compared factors such as job opportunity, earnings potential, safety, healthcare, education, and cost of living.
Coming in at #10, Cleveland earns high marks for featuring "lower than average cost of living, high employment rates, affordable daycare and commutes under 30 minutes."
Last on the list is Las Vegas, home to the second highest violent crime rate and the highest unemployment rate.
Read the rest of the findings here.
To determine the rankings, the magazine looked at the 50 largest metropolitan areas and compared factors such as job opportunity, earnings potential, safety, healthcare, education, and cost of living.
Coming in at #10, Cleveland earns high marks for featuring "lower than average cost of living, high employment rates, affordable daycare and commutes under 30 minutes."
Last on the list is Las Vegas, home to the second highest violent crime rate and the highest unemployment rate.
Read the rest of the findings here.
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
cuyahoga county land bank is model for other regions, says wash post
In a Washington Post article titled "Banks turn to demolition of foreclosed properties to ease housing-market pressures," Brady Dennis reports that Cuyahoga County's aggressive land bank is serving as a model for other regions nationwide.
"The sight of excavators tearing down vacant buildings has become common in this foreclosure-ravaged city, where the housing crisis hit early and hard," he writes. "But the story behind the recent wave of demolitions is novel -- and cities around the country are taking notice."
Thanks to an ongoing collaboration with banking representatives, the land bank continues to secure abandoned or blighted properties to demolish for community gardens and other uses. Cuyahoga land bank expects to complete roughly 700 demolitions by the end of the year. In return for tax deductions and other expenses in maintaining the properties, banks are pitching in as much as $7,500 per demolition.
Read the rest here.
"The sight of excavators tearing down vacant buildings has become common in this foreclosure-ravaged city, where the housing crisis hit early and hard," he writes. "But the story behind the recent wave of demolitions is novel -- and cities around the country are taking notice."
Thanks to an ongoing collaboration with banking representatives, the land bank continues to secure abandoned or blighted properties to demolish for community gardens and other uses. Cuyahoga land bank expects to complete roughly 700 demolitions by the end of the year. In return for tax deductions and other expenses in maintaining the properties, banks are pitching in as much as $7,500 per demolition.
Read the rest here.
Jeremy Flack, a steel industry entrepreneur who started his own steel distribution company last year, likes to brag that Flack Steel is the first new steel company to locate in downtown Cleveland in quite a while. Not only did he choose the Warehouse District to locate his fledgling company, he's also a downtown resident.
"People ask, 'Does anyone still make steel in Cleveland?'" Flack says. "The answer is Yes! In fact, the decline of manufacturing jobs in industrial America is really a bit of a fallacy. Right now, there is a trend of 're-shoring' taking place."
Flack Steel doesn't actually make steel or own steel warehouses. Rather, the company uses third-party and contract warehouses to distribute to locations across the U.S., a model that allows it to be flexible and sell to facilities anywhere.
"Using the old model, we had to find a suppler in each market," Flack says. "This model allows us to provide a point of sale when others can't."
Now the one-year-old company, which is headquartered at W. 6th and Lakeside, is going through a growth spurt. Flack just hired a new sales force and is preparing for additional growth. He now employs 16 full-time staffers.
Part of what has made the company successful is the company's investment in technology. "The industry has been woefully behind in understanding technology, and people want information," Flack explains. "We've designed a website that allows people to see the price of steel -- our customers want transparency."
Flack is hoping that he can update Cleveland's reputation as a cradle of old-school manufacturing. He wants it to become known instead as a hub for manufacturing innovation. "There's an opportunity for cities like Cleveland to take advantage of trends and rebuild our manufacturing base using new technologies," he says.
Source: Jeremy Flack
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"People ask, 'Does anyone still make steel in Cleveland?'" Flack says. "The answer is Yes! In fact, the decline of manufacturing jobs in industrial America is really a bit of a fallacy. Right now, there is a trend of 're-shoring' taking place."
Flack Steel doesn't actually make steel or own steel warehouses. Rather, the company uses third-party and contract warehouses to distribute to locations across the U.S., a model that allows it to be flexible and sell to facilities anywhere.
"Using the old model, we had to find a suppler in each market," Flack says. "This model allows us to provide a point of sale when others can't."
Now the one-year-old company, which is headquartered at W. 6th and Lakeside, is going through a growth spurt. Flack just hired a new sales force and is preparing for additional growth. He now employs 16 full-time staffers.
Part of what has made the company successful is the company's investment in technology. "The industry has been woefully behind in understanding technology, and people want information," Flack explains. "We've designed a website that allows people to see the price of steel -- our customers want transparency."
Flack is hoping that he can update Cleveland's reputation as a cradle of old-school manufacturing. He wants it to become known instead as a hub for manufacturing innovation. "There's an opportunity for cities like Cleveland to take advantage of trends and rebuild our manufacturing base using new technologies," he says.
Source: Jeremy Flack
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.
shaker is a model worth emulating, says pittsburgh tribune-review
In an article titled "Cleveland's Shaker Heights is a model worth emulating," Pittsburgh Tribune-Review writer John Conti describes the attractiveness of this well-planned neighborhood, which will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2012.
Thanks to the Van Sweringen's keen vision and planning, Shaker "appealed to the upper-middle classes in Cleveland in the 1920s, and the result today is neighborhood after neighborhood of stunningly good-looking houses built in the '20s and '30s. Some of these houses are mansions, some are just big, and some are modest. But all are still exceptionally attractive today."
The article goes on to describe with great detail just how the Van Sweringen brothers turned their vision into reality.
"[They] began accumulating land here in the early 1900s. In the teens and '20s, they laid out lots to sell and developed a rapid transit line directly into the center of Cleveland. They also set down the rules for what the owner-built houses in Shaker Heights would look like."
Those rules dictated that "houses were to be in the romantic Tudor, Colonial or French styles popular in the '20s. They had to be individually designed by architects. Brick and stone walls and slate and tile roofs were encouraged. Tudors had to have dark trim; only Colonials could have white. Buff-colored brick and certain colors of mortar were forbidden. Even the look of leaded-glass windows were regulated. Finally, the Van Sweringens had to approve every design."
All that would have been meaningless if the houses were not maintained. So the city inspects the exterior of every home every five years. An architectural review board must approve any changes to the exterior of a house.
"These are undoubtedly some of the toughest municipal standards anywhere in the United States," Conti writes. "And they can cost money. Considering its top-tier school system, Shaker Heights residents pay the highest property taxes in Ohio. Yet real estate people here will tell you that -- though the general real estate market in Cleveland has been abysmal in recent years -- Shaker Heights houses have held their value."
Read the entire report here.
Thanks to the Van Sweringen's keen vision and planning, Shaker "appealed to the upper-middle classes in Cleveland in the 1920s, and the result today is neighborhood after neighborhood of stunningly good-looking houses built in the '20s and '30s. Some of these houses are mansions, some are just big, and some are modest. But all are still exceptionally attractive today."
The article goes on to describe with great detail just how the Van Sweringen brothers turned their vision into reality.
"[They] began accumulating land here in the early 1900s. In the teens and '20s, they laid out lots to sell and developed a rapid transit line directly into the center of Cleveland. They also set down the rules for what the owner-built houses in Shaker Heights would look like."
Those rules dictated that "houses were to be in the romantic Tudor, Colonial or French styles popular in the '20s. They had to be individually designed by architects. Brick and stone walls and slate and tile roofs were encouraged. Tudors had to have dark trim; only Colonials could have white. Buff-colored brick and certain colors of mortar were forbidden. Even the look of leaded-glass windows were regulated. Finally, the Van Sweringens had to approve every design."
All that would have been meaningless if the houses were not maintained. So the city inspects the exterior of every home every five years. An architectural review board must approve any changes to the exterior of a house.
"These are undoubtedly some of the toughest municipal standards anywhere in the United States," Conti writes. "And they can cost money. Considering its top-tier school system, Shaker Heights residents pay the highest property taxes in Ohio. Yet real estate people here will tell you that -- though the general real estate market in Cleveland has been abysmal in recent years -- Shaker Heights houses have held their value."
Read the entire report here.
Enterprise Community Partners, a national nonprofit organization, wants every affordable housing unit in the U.S. to be green by 2020. Now, thanks to that bold ambition, a Cleveland apartment building will receive a green makeover, making it healthier and more energy-efficient for the people that live there.
Enterprise recently announced that it had closed on its first loan in the Ohio Green Communities Retrofit Fund, a $1 million program to renovate older apartment buildings so that they are more energy-efficient. Harvard Village Elderly Apartments, a 49-unit rental building for low- to moderate-income seniors owned by National Church Residences, will receive a $250,000 loan from the Fund.
National Church Residences plans a $1.4 million retrofit for the property, including new windows and doors and new insulation. The rehabilitation project will be funded by the Ohio Weatherization Assistance Program, the City of Cleveland and owner equity, in addition to the Enterprise loan.
"The theory we're trying to prove is that the savings realized by completing energy retrofits are more than sufficient to pay off the low-interest rehab loan," explains Marc McDermott, Vice President of Ohio Enterprise Community Partners. "It's a tough proposition, because you've got to have an owner that is confident in the energy audit's recommendations and willing to take on debt."
The Harvard Village Elderly Apartments was built as a schoolhouse in 1920. Slavic Village has become known for its commitment to sustainability initiatives, including community gardens, the Green Corps learning farm and a farmers' market.
Source: Marc McDermott
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Enterprise recently announced that it had closed on its first loan in the Ohio Green Communities Retrofit Fund, a $1 million program to renovate older apartment buildings so that they are more energy-efficient. Harvard Village Elderly Apartments, a 49-unit rental building for low- to moderate-income seniors owned by National Church Residences, will receive a $250,000 loan from the Fund.
National Church Residences plans a $1.4 million retrofit for the property, including new windows and doors and new insulation. The rehabilitation project will be funded by the Ohio Weatherization Assistance Program, the City of Cleveland and owner equity, in addition to the Enterprise loan.
"The theory we're trying to prove is that the savings realized by completing energy retrofits are more than sufficient to pay off the low-interest rehab loan," explains Marc McDermott, Vice President of Ohio Enterprise Community Partners. "It's a tough proposition, because you've got to have an owner that is confident in the energy audit's recommendations and willing to take on debt."
The Harvard Village Elderly Apartments was built as a schoolhouse in 1920. Slavic Village has become known for its commitment to sustainability initiatives, including community gardens, the Green Corps learning farm and a farmers' market.
Source: Marc McDermott
Writer: Lee Chilcote
The building boom kicking up dust in downtown Cleveland soon will give visitors to the Medical Mart, Convention Center and Horseshoe Casino another spot to lay their heads after a night out on the town. Optima Ventures and Sage Hospitality have purchased the former Crowne Plaza Cleveland City Centre hotel and plan to spend $64 million to renovate it into a new, luxurious 481-room Westin Hotel.
The project was spurred by an anticipated influx of visitors to downtown Cleveland, the developer said in a press release. "This is the perfect time for a four-star luxury hotel to be entering the downtown Cleveland market, and we expect to see strong occupancy from both business and leisure travelers," said Ken Geist, Executive Vice President and Partner at Sage Hospitality.
The developers plan to remodel all of the hotel rooms, meeting spaces and public spaces and add energy-efficient windows, a new roof and other exterior improvements. When the new Westin opens in July 2013, it will feature a high-end restaurant with outdoor dining space, a business center, fitness center and a spa. The hotel is expected to employ between 300 and 350 individuals.
The Cleveland International Fund, which operates a federal Eb-5 zone that permits wealthy foreign investors to expedite obtaining U.S. visas if they invest at least $500k in a project that creates jobs, has committed $36 million to the project. The Fund, which was also a critical force in the Flats East Bank project, is becoming an increasingly visible player in urban redevelopment.
The project will also likely be funded by a tax increment financing agreement with the City of Cleveland and the Cleveland-Cuyahoga Port Authority, as well as the sale of bonds. Both are still in the works and have not yet been finalized.
The developers plan to shut down the Crowne Plaza hotel in November to start construction.
Source: Sage Hospitality
Writer: Lee Chilcote
The project was spurred by an anticipated influx of visitors to downtown Cleveland, the developer said in a press release. "This is the perfect time for a four-star luxury hotel to be entering the downtown Cleveland market, and we expect to see strong occupancy from both business and leisure travelers," said Ken Geist, Executive Vice President and Partner at Sage Hospitality.
The developers plan to remodel all of the hotel rooms, meeting spaces and public spaces and add energy-efficient windows, a new roof and other exterior improvements. When the new Westin opens in July 2013, it will feature a high-end restaurant with outdoor dining space, a business center, fitness center and a spa. The hotel is expected to employ between 300 and 350 individuals.
The Cleveland International Fund, which operates a federal Eb-5 zone that permits wealthy foreign investors to expedite obtaining U.S. visas if they invest at least $500k in a project that creates jobs, has committed $36 million to the project. The Fund, which was also a critical force in the Flats East Bank project, is becoming an increasingly visible player in urban redevelopment.
The project will also likely be funded by a tax increment financing agreement with the City of Cleveland and the Cleveland-Cuyahoga Port Authority, as well as the sale of bonds. Both are still in the works and have not yet been finalized.
The developers plan to shut down the Crowne Plaza hotel in November to start construction.
Source: Sage Hospitality
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Green City Growers, a for-profit, employee-owned produce company that is part of the nonprofit Evergreen Cooperatives, will break ground next week on a 3.25-acre hydroponic greenhouse. The project, which will cost $17 million and is expected to eventually create about 40 full-time jobs, will be built in an east side neighborhood so wracked by poverty it has been dubbed "The Forgotten Triangle."
The greenhouse, which is being constructed on a scruffy, 10-acre patch of land at Kinsman and Ensign in the city's Central neighborhood, will grow fresh lettuce and herbs that will then be sold to large University Circle institutions, grocery store chains, and food service companies in Northeast Ohio.
"Cleveland is one of the leaders in the nation in terms of local food initiatives, and this project fits perfectly with where Cleveland is and where it's going," says Mary Donnell, CEO of Green City Growers Cooperative. "This greenhouse project will allow us to provide local food year-round to residents of Northeast Ohio."
A recent study by the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Food Policy Coalition found that while 37 percent of Cleveland residents say it is important that their food is grown locally, only two percent of the food purchased in the region is grown here.
In addition to selling the freshest heads of lettuce and cutting the region's carbon footprint, Green City Growers aims to employ Cleveland residents -- especially those living in Central.
"We're creating good jobs and distributing the profits back to worker-owners," says Donnell. "People are looking at Cleveland and Evergreen Coops from all over the country -- they're calling it 'The Cleveland Model.'"
Source: Mary Donnell
Writer: Lee Chilcote
The greenhouse, which is being constructed on a scruffy, 10-acre patch of land at Kinsman and Ensign in the city's Central neighborhood, will grow fresh lettuce and herbs that will then be sold to large University Circle institutions, grocery store chains, and food service companies in Northeast Ohio.
"Cleveland is one of the leaders in the nation in terms of local food initiatives, and this project fits perfectly with where Cleveland is and where it's going," says Mary Donnell, CEO of Green City Growers Cooperative. "This greenhouse project will allow us to provide local food year-round to residents of Northeast Ohio."
A recent study by the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Food Policy Coalition found that while 37 percent of Cleveland residents say it is important that their food is grown locally, only two percent of the food purchased in the region is grown here.
In addition to selling the freshest heads of lettuce and cutting the region's carbon footprint, Green City Growers aims to employ Cleveland residents -- especially those living in Central.
"We're creating good jobs and distributing the profits back to worker-owners," says Donnell. "People are looking at Cleveland and Evergreen Coops from all over the country -- they're calling it 'The Cleveland Model.'"
Source: Mary Donnell
Writer: Lee Chilcote
eater.com runs round-up of can't-miss cleveland restos
Eater.com, a national website that covers restaurants, chefs and food personalities, recently ran an article titled "The Eater Cleveland Heat Map." A regular feature of the publication, the Heat Maps tell readers about "newish locales that have been garnering serious buzz."
For the Cleveland article, Eater's second major heat-check of the 216 in a year, the pub asked local food writer (and Fresh Water managing editor) Douglas Trattner to list 10 new places that have locals talking, drooling and, of course, eating. Singled out for inclusion are Crop Bistro, Flour, Ginko, Market Garden Brewery, Noodlecat, Orale, Barroco Grill, Luna Bakery, Dragonfly and Club Isabella.
Accompanying those listings is an interactive map.
In addition to the national version of Eater, the website features city-specific sites devoted to foodie locales such as New York, Chicago, Portland and Seattle. For now, Cleveland will have to fall under the province of Eater National.
Digest the entire meal here.
For the Cleveland article, Eater's second major heat-check of the 216 in a year, the pub asked local food writer (and Fresh Water managing editor) Douglas Trattner to list 10 new places that have locals talking, drooling and, of course, eating. Singled out for inclusion are Crop Bistro, Flour, Ginko, Market Garden Brewery, Noodlecat, Orale, Barroco Grill, Luna Bakery, Dragonfly and Club Isabella.
Accompanying those listings is an interactive map.
In addition to the national version of Eater, the website features city-specific sites devoted to foodie locales such as New York, Chicago, Portland and Seattle. For now, Cleveland will have to fall under the province of Eater National.
Digest the entire meal here.
SironRX Therapeutics, which spun out of Juventas Therapeutics and the Cleveland Clinic almost a year ago, is finding marked success in healing wounds. The company received $1 million in Third Frontier funding to continue clinical trials in wound healing.
“What we observed at Juventas in treatments for heart disease, we have observed in wound treatment with the same product,” explains Rahul Aras, SironRX president and CEO. “With SRX100, we accelerate treatment in dermal wounds and prevent scarring. While normal healing occurs in about 21 days, healing occurred 20 to 30 percent faster with significantly less scarring with our product.”
The product will be used in post-surgical incisions, chronic diabetic ulcers and burns. SironRX’s goal is to develop a cost-effective interactive wound therapy that can be topically administered with the potential to significantly improve function of the damaged tissue.
“It’s a great concept, applying concepts that make the body heal,” Aras says. “Repairing injured organs to heal themselves, I think that’s pretty exciting.”
As clinical trials continue, SironRX will be ramping up a full-time management teams, including a full-time CEO, and operational staff.
Source: Rahul Aras
Writer: Karin Connelly
“What we observed at Juventas in treatments for heart disease, we have observed in wound treatment with the same product,” explains Rahul Aras, SironRX president and CEO. “With SRX100, we accelerate treatment in dermal wounds and prevent scarring. While normal healing occurs in about 21 days, healing occurred 20 to 30 percent faster with significantly less scarring with our product.”
The product will be used in post-surgical incisions, chronic diabetic ulcers and burns. SironRX’s goal is to develop a cost-effective interactive wound therapy that can be topically administered with the potential to significantly improve function of the damaged tissue.
“It’s a great concept, applying concepts that make the body heal,” Aras says. “Repairing injured organs to heal themselves, I think that’s pretty exciting.”
As clinical trials continue, SironRX will be ramping up a full-time management teams, including a full-time CEO, and operational staff.
Source: Rahul Aras
Writer: Karin Connelly
tribe's soon-to-be-installed wind turbine generating green buzz
"There will soon be a new homerun target for batters at Progressive Field," writes Alice Henly, a research fellow with the Natural Resources Defense Council. "At the top of the south-east corner of the ballpark, down the first base line, the Cleveland Indians will be installing a micro wind turbine in March 2012."
The Tribe has partnered with Cleveland State University’s Fenn College of Engineering on the project, which features an innovative helical design. The 18-foot wide cylinder rotates constantly to find the most turbulent wind to keep the four 6-foot turbines spinning. The project hopefully will boost regional renewable job opportunities by providing a real-world test of a locally-manufactured technology.
The turbine is anticipated to generate a minimum of 40,000 kWh/year, the amount of energy it takes to power four average American households for a year. The turbine joins the Tribe's other green measures, including a 42-panel solar electric system, a comprehensive composting program, only purchasing paper products made of 100 percent post consumer content, and only using Green Seal certified cleaning products.
Read the rest of the program here.
The Tribe has partnered with Cleveland State University’s Fenn College of Engineering on the project, which features an innovative helical design. The 18-foot wide cylinder rotates constantly to find the most turbulent wind to keep the four 6-foot turbines spinning. The project hopefully will boost regional renewable job opportunities by providing a real-world test of a locally-manufactured technology.
The turbine is anticipated to generate a minimum of 40,000 kWh/year, the amount of energy it takes to power four average American households for a year. The turbine joins the Tribe's other green measures, including a 42-panel solar electric system, a comprehensive composting program, only purchasing paper products made of 100 percent post consumer content, and only using Green Seal certified cleaning products.
Read the rest of the program here.