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draft calls cleveland 'beertown, usa'
A recent feature in Draft Magazine calls Cleveland "Beertown, USA," in which it reports that, "there’s no doubt that Cleveland is in the midst of a Rust Belt Renaissance, and at the heart of its resurgence are beer-loving foodies."

The feature includes a nice round-up of local breweries, bars and restaurants, including Great Lakes Brewing, Market Garden Brewery, Happy Dog, La Cave du Vin, and Melt Bar & Grilled.

Drink in the rest right here.
maker design studio produces designs that impact the city they love
Westleigh Harper, Brian Bernstein and Michael Horton like to share their view of Cleveland through their designs. The three -- Horton and Harper are project designers and Bernstein is a landscape architect -- often work 16-hour days at their day jobs, yet they repeatedly find themselves working on public art projects in their spare time.
 
So the three formed Maker, a multi-disciplinary design studio to create projects that have a positive impact on the city.

“Basically, we’re just an entity to enter design competitions,” says Harper. “It’s something that the three of us get together and look at the city a little differently.”
 
Their perspective has made an impact of various sites within Cleveland. Harper lists their recent projects: “Over the past several years the three of us have collaborated on small projects that pique our interest, including a four-level live/work space on Prospect Avenue, an installation for the June 2012 Made in the 216 event, and a proposal for re-conceptualizing the Euclid Arcade as an emerging design-based incubator.”
 
Maker is currently working on a small public art project along W. 25th Street for MetroHealth Hospital's 175th anniversary. The project was the result of a conversation the three had with LAND Studio in March.
 
“The three of us expressed a desire to get involved with local community organizations that we felt aligned with our motivations to positively impact our city,” explains Harper. “We've found that there are a lot of other people out there that want to maintain the sense of urgency to keep the momentum going in Cleveland, so we proactively seek out those opportunities and hope we can add to it.”

 
Source: Westleigh Harper
Writer: Karin Connelly
historic downtown buildings will be transformed into apartments using tax credits
The State of Ohio has awarded $35.8 million in tax credits to 18 owners who are planning to rehabilitate 44 historic buildings across the state. Two of the projects, the Vincent building and the Truman building, are located in downtown Cleveland.

The Truman building, located on Euclid Avenue between E. 9th and 12th streets, will be renovated to include retail storefronts, office space, 18 market rate apartments and parking. Construction is expected to create at least 50 jobs.
 
The Vincent Tower, whose upper floors were refurbished for the digital marketing agency Rosetta, will be rehabbed to include 85 market rate apartments. The building, which is located at 629 Euclid Avenue, will receive a $7 million investment. The project will retain 400-plus jobs and create at least 50 construction jobs.

Both projects will feed the strong demand for apartments downtown. Currently, occupancy rates are at about 96 percent and many buildings have waiting lists.


Source: Ohio Department of Development
Writer: Lee Chilcote
ght's matt danko selected as eater 'young gun'
Each year the popular culinary focused website Eater.com announces their Eater Young Guns Class, which honors the most distinguished young industry professionals who are a mere step or two away from becoming a culinary star.
 
“[This year’s] class of 16 is composed of four women and 12 men; nine chefs, two sommeliers, two pastry chefs, and three front-of-house leaders. The youngest person on the list is 25 and the oldest, with just two-and-a-half years in the business, is 32.”
 
Among the 16 honored is pastry chef Matt Danko of The Greenhouse Tavern and Noodlecat. 
 
“Matt started at Greenhouse Tavern on the savory side of the kitchen, but has made pastry his own over the last year. He's now the pastry chef at both Greenhouse and Noodlecat and has become the dessert guy in Cleveland and beyond. He's on the cusp of serious national heat, too: his selection committee champion was none other than Marc Vetri.”
 
Read the full eater.com feature here.
cleveland velodrome set to open this month in slavic village
An Olympic-style cycling track is being assembled by a group of dedicated volunteers on a patch of scruffy, vacant land in Slavic Village where St. Michael's Hospital stood until it was demolished years ago.

The Cleveland Velodrome met its initial $300,000 fundraising goal for the 166-meter, wood and steel banked track thanks in part to a $50,000 grant from the Cleveland Foundation and generous lead donors.

Later this month, cyclists should be able to go for a spin on the velodrome, which is the only one of its kind between the East Coast and Chicago. Backers of the project hope to eventually construct a multipurpose domed athletic center that will allow avid Cleveland cyclists and area youth to ride during the winter months, as well.

“After many years of hard work, we are thrilled to bring a velodrome track to Cleveland,” said Brett Davis, Board President or Fast Track Cycling, in a release. “Phase I allows Fast Track to implement youth and adult programming and will serve as a tool to raise additional funds to enclose the track for year-round use. While we are very pleased to reach the Phase I target, fund-raising will continue towards the ultimate goal of an enclosed, year-round track and sports center.”

“This is a terrific opportunity for Broadway Slavic Village,” said Marie Kittredge, Executive Director of Slavic Village Development. “The velodrome is a perfect fit for us, because of our central location, and our community’s commitment to active lifestyles and physical fitness. The velodrome will complement the gymnastics programming at the adjacent Sokol Czech Cultural Center, the community’s two new athletic fields, the First Tee Golf Course, and the Morgana Bike Trail.”

Fast Track Cycling is leasing the 8.4 acre site from the City of Cleveland for $1 per year. The Cleveland Velodrome is located on Broadway Ave. near Pershing Ave.


Source: Brett Davis, Marie Kittredge
Writer: Lee Chilcote
babies travel too provides all the essentials parents need while traveling
When Alison Musser and her husband traveled to North Carolina’s Outer Banks, the vacation turned stressful when they couldn’t find a crib for their one-year-old daughter. “We called every hotel to see if they had a crib available,” recalls Musser.
 
While the Mussers were able to eventually rent a crib, the difficulty of finding one prompted the idea for Babies Travel Too. The company rents cribs and other baby equipment to parents traveling to Cleveland who don’t or can’t lug all the necessities with them.
 
“It seemed like a no-brainer,” Musser says of the business idea. “It’s impossible to bring everything you really need for a child when you’re traveling. If you’re flying into town, we’ll meet you at the airport.” Musser will also deliver to area hotels, Cedar Point or someone’s house.
 
Musser researched the idea and found she could provide a resource for traveling families. “What we found out was that even large hotels – with 300 rooms – only have three to four cribs.”
 
Babies Travel Too rents everything from cribs and car seats to baby monitors and bouncer seats. “We do a lot of high chair rentals,” Musser says. “We even do boxes of toys. That’s been really popular.”
 
Babies Travel Too recently won $25,000 in Bad Girl Ventures’ business plan competition, which Musser plans to use for marketing. “People don’t even know they can look for this type of service,” she says.
 
The long term goal is to expand Babies Travel Too to a national level. In the meantime, Musser is hiring a couple of delivery drivers to help her out with the summer peak season.
 
Source: Alison Musser
Writer: Karin Connelly
designers with cle and london firms swap jobs to strengthen their partnership
Vocon, a Cleveland architecture and design firm, had been looking for a way to improve its partnership with BDG Architecture and Design in London. The two firms have had a partnership for a couple of years, but they wanted to take it a step further. So they sent Vocon project designer Lindsey Masarik to London for three weeks in May, while BDG associate Geoff Anderson came to Cleveland in a job swap.
 
“We discovered the firms had a lot of the same philosophies,” says Susan Austin, head of human resources and strategic marketing for Vocon. “We decided to do a swap to find out how we could do things better.”
 
The exposure to new cultures was highly stimulating for Masarik and Anderson. Both employees noticed that design is dictated by the amount of space available. Cleveland has more space, while real estate is at a premium in London.
 
“You’re working with a smaller footprint in London,” says Anderson. “It dictates the way you approach your design. It was interesting to see how the American market works.”
 
Both Anderson and Masarik say it was great experience. “We have the confidence we could work together, we approach things in the same way,” says Anderson. “If we have a joint project we could be in the same room and feel comfortable with each other. It’s an opportunity I hope everyone can experience. It’s very beneficial.”
 

Sources: Lyndsey Masarik, Geoff Anderson, Susan Austin
Writer: Karin Connelly
detroit shoreway launches business plan competition to attract new tenants
The Detroit Shoreway Community Development Organization is looking for a few good shops to add to the charm of the Gordon Square Arts District. To bring additional retail business to the area, the group is holding a Best Business Plan competition.
 
First place wins free rent for a year; second place gets six months of free rent; and third place gets three months. Additionally, Cleveland councilman Matt Zone and the Charter One Foundation Growing Communities initiative are offering grants of up to $5,000 to assist the winning businesses with build out and start-up costs. Additional financial resources are also available to businesses in the district.
 
“This is aimed at attracting local retail startup businesses to the district,” says Nick Fedor, Director of Economic Development with DSCDO. “We feel that we have a great base of restaurants and a strong base of assets to build on. We’re hoping this type of contest incentivizes more businesses to locate here.”
 
Ideally, the area could use a home furnishings store, men’s and women’s clothing and accessories store, and a hair or nail salon, Fedor says. “We’re looking for complementary shops to what we have now,” he says. “We are looking to increase the number of reasons why people would want to come to Gordon Square by having a wider variety of retail shops.”
 
The deadline to apply is Friday, June 29th by 5 p.m. Fedor said 40 to 50 people have already expressed an interest in applying. “We’re expecting a robust turnout,” he says.
 
The winners will be chosen July 13th and are expected to open shop in September.


Source: Nick Fedor
Writer: Karin Connelly
famicos renovates historic school into affordable, green apartments
The Famicos Foundation, a nonprofit community development group serving Glenville and Hough, recently completed a green renovation of the historic Doan School building into affordable apartments.

According to the Famicos Foundation website, "Originally constructed in 1904 and expanded in 1906 and 1950, Doan School, located at 1350 East 105th Street, is a national landmark that fell victim to the foreclosure epidemic.  The structure was designed by Frank Barnum, a prominent Cleveland architect who designed many early twentieth-century public schools.  In 1985 the building was converted to 45 units of low-income senior housing; in 2008 it became vacant and boarded."

Last year, Famicos began the $7.4 million renovation of Doan Classroom using low-interest deferred Neighborhood Stabilization Program loans provided by the City of Cleveland, Cuyahoga County and the Ohio Housing Finance Agency. 

Famicos also contributed its own tax credit equity to the deal. This equity was provided by the Ohio Capital Corporation for Housing through syndication of federal Historic Tax Credits as well as Low Income Housing Tax Credits.

The Doan Classroom Apartments project not only demonstrates the principles of historic renovation, but also shows that they can be married with green building.

"This was a large school building that was not built for residential use, yet we were able to renovate it so that it meets Enterprise Green Community standards," says Chuck Ackerman, Associate Director of the Famicos Foundation.


Source: Chuck Ackerman
Writer: Lee Chilcote
bon vivant french bistro opens in renovated house on larchmere
Architect Joe Hanna's design work can be found in restaurants and buildings from the Gordon Square Arts District to downtown Cleveland and Shaker Square. As owner of the Caxton Cafe in the early 1990s, he claims to have pioneered the rebirth of the Gateway District.

Recently, Hanna has set his sights on the funky, independent-minded Larchmere district, where cozy antique shops nudge up against friendly taverns and hip new boutiques. Twenty years later, Hanna has returned to the restaurant business, this time in a charming house-turned-cafe smack in the middle of Larchmere.

Bon Vivant, a French bistro that opened earlier this month, occupies the former Vine and Bean and Cafe Limbo space at Larchmere and East 127th Street. Hanna says the cafe will feature classic French dishes such as steak frite as well as vegetarian favorites favored by patrons of Limbo and Vine and Bean.

"Our goal is to give people another reason to frequent Larchmere," says Hanna, who has partnered with investor Marie-Rose Andriadi, chef Tom Rindleisch and artist James Longs on the cafe. "People have always loved the patio, so we've really made that an emphasis."

In addition to the cute backyard patio, Hanna spruced up the postage stamp yard in front and added five tables with umbrellas for a sidewalk dining experience. He has also added two outside bars on the rear patio and an outdoor lounge area. Finally, he renovated the interior with white marble tables and a fresh look.

Most of Bon Vivant's entrees are priced under $20, and Hanna plans to eventually open for lunch. For now, though, Bon Vivant is open daily from 4 pm until 12 am.


Source: Joe Hanna
Writer: Lee Chilcote
designer launches fashion co-op inside of historic torpedo factory lofts
Don Hayes has a new vision for Cleveland's fashion industry, and the design coop that he's building in a renovated factory on the near west side is helping to make it real by spotlighting young, local designers.

"The fashion scene in Cleveland has a lot of potential," he says. "There are a number of designers here, but people aren't necessarily aware of them."

Recently, Hayes launched Design Lab Inc., a fashion co-op consisting of three separate companies: Cloud 9 Boutique, Project Model Academy and Cloud 9 Event and Royal Wedding Planning. Cloud 9 boutique showcases 11 local designers.

In a former torpedo factory off of Clark and West 33rd with exposed brick walls and lofted ceilings, Hayes and another designer create and sell clothes on site.

"You can literally watch clothes go from the sewing machine to the rack," Hayes says of the 2,500 square foot space, which is at once a studio, office and store.

Hayes also partners with Collinwood High School to offer interns the opportunity to work in the fashion industry. "You don't have to leave Cleveland to be successful, and it's helpful to have a mentor on that journey."


Source: Don Hayes
Writer: Lee Chilcote
hgtv’s front door praises cycling in cleveland
Once a center of industry and mass-production, Cleveland is becoming recognized for green initiatives and sustainability.  What a turn of events for the place we call home.
 
The latest bump of good press comes in the form of HGTV's article, "The 10 Greatest Cycling Cities in America."
 
“The underdog of this list, this historic rust belt city is home to an impassioned and persevering community of bike riders." states the writer.
 
In comparison to the leaders on the list, which contain the likes of Portland, New York, and San Francisco, it is easy to see why Cleveland is once again referred to as an “underdog.”
 
"Cleveland was one of the first cities in the country to temporarily close streets to motorized traffic so they can be enjoyed by cyclists and pedestrians," say local rider Jeff Sugalski.”
 
The article also notes, “Another exciting feature of Cleveland's urban cycling scene is its Metroparks, or nature preserves with walking, hiking and bicycling trails along river paths and creeks.”
 
Check out the full series in addition to the Cleveland piece here.
cleveland’s trans fat ban draws national attention
In light of New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg proposing a ban on the sale of large-sized sugary drinks, Joe Palazzolo of the Wall Street Journal points out that citizens need to look no further than Cleveland, Ohio, when it comes to local government determining what can and cannot be consumed by residents and guests.
 
“The Cleveland city council passed a law last year to ban restaurants from using cooking oils containing trans fats.”
 
In the meantime, those both for and against the ban have been battling it out in court whether it is within the local government’s jurisdiction to impose such a ban.
 
On Monday, June 11, “Cuyahoga County Judge Nancy Russo sided with the city, finding that Cleveland was within its powers to outlaw trans fatty cooking oils.”
 
This might serve as proof that local government may have more say about what its citizens can and cannot do than anyone ever thought.
 
Read the full WSJ story here.
a visual celebration of cleveland's summertime festivals
If there's one thing we Clevelanders can count on, it's that when the weather heats up, so too does the festival schedule. Summers here are filled with all matter of artsy, edgy and just-plain-fun festivals. Here is a visual tour of some of the best in town, including Parade the Circle, Cleveland Asian Fest, Hessler Street Fair, Gay Pride, the Feast, and more.
pixel thought foundry chooses downtown lakewood for new offices
Designer Will Kesling recently launched Pixel Thought Foundry, a web, motion and print design studio, in a cozy 750 square foot office suite above Geiger's Sporting Goods in downtown Lakewood.

In doing so, he not only gladly gave up his cluttered home office, but also joined the ranks of a growing number of entrepreneurs who are choosing Lakewood.

"Lakewood is really supportive of small businesses," says Kesling, a Pittsburgh native who moved to Cleveland to work for a major firm before going out on his own. "There's a lot of opportunity to start a business and keep your overhead low. Space is affordable, so you don't have to worry about whether you’ll make rent."

One of the advantages of doing business in downtown Lakewood, Kesling says, is that there are a bevy of like-minded firms within walking distance -- or even in the same building. Pixel Thought Foundry, for instance, is located on the same floor as Sprokets, another small, Lakewood-based web development firm.

"There's a really good network here, and we can provide the same services as larger companies by teaming up," says Kesling. "That's how we get our A team."

Pixel Thought Foundry specializes in helping clients to develop research-driven marketing and web development strategies. Recently, Kesling says, he's carved out a successful niche by helping authors to develop trailers for their new books.


Source: Will Kesling
Writer: Lee Chilcote
larchmere porchfest: where music and front porches collide for community's sake
Now in its fourth year, Larchmere PorchFest has blossomed into one of the most beloved of summer festivals. This homespun event does more than bring music to the front porches of this diverse Cleveland neighborhood; it highlights local independent businesses, fosters a sense of community, and markets the area to future residents.


neosa survey shows steady growth in technology jobs in northeast ohio
NEOSA recently completed its quarterly survey of Northeast Ohio’s tech sector, which measures how tech businesses are succeeding and their hiring trends and expectations, and the results are strong.
 
“What we’re seeing right now is not overly aggressive growth, but steady growth,” says NEOSA director Brad Nellis. “What I see are generally positive trends. When we compare results from previous surveys, we’re moving in the right direction. We’re really going on measured expansion going on two years.”
 
The survey showed that 67 percent of respondents said first quarter business was either good or very good; 87 percent expect their overall business to improve within the next year; and 73 percent plan to increase their staff.
 
Eighty-two percent of the companies surveyed reported they are currently hiring, which Nellis says is an all-time high in the seven years NEOSA has conducted the survey. The downside is companies are still struggling to find the right talent.
 
“I’m worried about the lack of talent," says Nellis. "The problem is we don’t have a pipeline in the colleges – they’re not graduating enough IT students.”
 
While the lack of IT talent graduating from college is a national problem, Nellis said Cleveland's reputation is improving. “The challenge is it can be difficult to get people to move here from outside the region,” says Nellis. “But Business Week listed Cleveland as one of the hottest tech jobs markets in the country.”
 
And area organizations are working diligently to attract the talent to Cleveland. For instance, Global Cleveland is planning an online career fair for tech jobs.
 
Source: Brad Nellis
Writer: Karin Connelly
 
 
connecticut post posts about sawyer and wusthof campaign
It appears as if Cleveland’s other culinary golden boy, Jonathon Sawyer, is lending his name and reputation to a popular cookware manufacturer. 
 
Olivia Just from the Connecticut Post reports that the "Defining the Edge" campaign from Wusthof cutlery centers around three chefs, "The Rebel," Richie Nakano from San Francisco; "The Poet," Camas Davis from Portland, Ore.; and "The Believer," Jonathon Sawyer from Cleveland, Ohio.
 
“Each of the chefs has a story that fits in with the spirit of the campaign: Nakano started with a pop-up food stand Hapa Ramen, Davis learned the art of butchery and founded the Portland Meat Collective, and Sawyer opened the Greenhouse Tavern, Ohio's first certified green restaurant.”

The campaign is not just about lending their culinary celebrity to a commercial brand but also educating consumers on improving their techniques and knife skills.
 
"We are looking to target food-centric and hyper-connected college-educated, 25- to 35-year-olds," Garaghty said. "We are also trying to reach those who are newly married, a first-home buyer, or someone in the process of updating their kitchen."
 
Read the full story here.
cooking light dubs west side market a hidden gem
Here in Cleveland, we all know what a treasure and luxury it is to have the West Side Market available to us for all of our culinary needs. Now the readers of the health conscious food magazine Cooking Light know it as well. Recently, the 100-year-old public market was recognized as one of the mag's favorite “Hidden Gems & Delicious Destinations” in the country.

“In this beautiful, 27,000-square-foot hall, shoppers find ethnic specialties like kielbasa and smoked sausage, barrel-aged sauerkraut, and potato-filled pierogi. But these days, they also come for grass-fed beef, farmstead cheeses, local honey, and handmade pasta," touts the foodie mag.
 
We have known this all along but in order to give the accolades more weight; Cleveland’s own Michael Symon pipes in as well: “The West Side Market maintains all of the integrity and uniqueness that it always has, even after 100 years,”
 
Check out the full series in addition to the West Side Market piece here.
battle of the amusement parks: a pittsburgher conjures a kennywood-cedar point throwdown
In the spirit of summer fun, Pittsburgh-based writer Elaine Labalme compares her beloved Kennywood amusement park to Cedar Point, our own little pleasure factory. Comparing the two parks in regards to thrill rides, wooden coasters, classic rides, water rides, food and atmosphere, the writer comes to an unscientific decision that both parks are worthy of a summer visit.