Lee Chilcote
Stories by: Lee Chilcote
Lee Chilcote is an award-winning journalist, writer, and author whose writing has been published in The Washington Post, Associated Press, National Public Radio, Chronicle of Philanthropy, Vanity Fair, Next City, Belt, The Cleveland Plain Dealer, Cleveland Magazine, Crain's Cleveland Business, and many literary journals and anthologies. He has also written poetry chapbooks, produced plays, and won a grant from the Ohio Arts Council. He is founder and past editor of The Land, a local news organization reporting on Cleveland's neighborhoods, and founder and past executive director of Literary Cleveland. He lives in the Detroit Shoreway neighborhood of Cleveland with his family.
Cuyahoga County Public Library has launched a series of programs to serve Northeast Ohio's literary community, including workshops on fiction writing and classes aimed at teenage authors. The programs fill a vacuum created last year by the demise of The Lit, a nonprofit that was dedicated to Cleveland's literary community for more than 30 years.
"This is something that we've wanted to do for some time." says Robert Rua, Assistant Marketing Director with the Cuyahoga County Public Library. "One of our priorities is to help people reconnect with reading, and many folks who are readers are also writers. We're pleased to be able to serve the literary community in a more meaningful way, and we're looking forward to doing even more."
The Cuyahoga County Public Library also continues to support its robust series of author visits, which Rua says have thrived in an era in which there are fewer book stores. Recent visitors include Isobel Wilkerson and Joe Hill. In the next month, "Hollows" author Kim Harrison and local sports legend Joe Tate will also give readings.
"We have some large venues, and we're able to support author events with marketing," says Rua. "We work with Mac's Backs to do book sales."
In the coming months, Rua says that plans are being made to broaden the Library's offerings for writers, but specific details are not yet available.
Source: Robert Rua
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"This is something that we've wanted to do for some time." says Robert Rua, Assistant Marketing Director with the Cuyahoga County Public Library. "One of our priorities is to help people reconnect with reading, and many folks who are readers are also writers. We're pleased to be able to serve the literary community in a more meaningful way, and we're looking forward to doing even more."
The Cuyahoga County Public Library also continues to support its robust series of author visits, which Rua says have thrived in an era in which there are fewer book stores. Recent visitors include Isobel Wilkerson and Joe Hill. In the next month, "Hollows" author Kim Harrison and local sports legend Joe Tate will also give readings.
"We have some large venues, and we're able to support author events with marketing," says Rua. "We work with Mac's Backs to do book sales."
In the coming months, Rua says that plans are being made to broaden the Library's offerings for writers, but specific details are not yet available.
Source: Robert Rua
Writer: Lee Chilcote
When asked if she has a dream project she'd like to fund, Cleveland Carbon Fund Fellow Joanne Neuberger rattles off the top of her list. "I'd love to see a project that capitalizes on the 'Year of Local Food' and helps ramp up Cleveland's local food system while reducing our carbon footprint," she says.
These are the kinds of big ideas which organizers of the Fund hope to spur through their grant making, which supports carbon reduction projects with community benefits. The Carbon Fund recently announced that is it seeking applications for projects up to $10,000. The deadline is March 16th.
The Cleveland Carbon Fund was created in 2009 by the City of Cleveland, Green City Blue Lake Institute at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, Gund Foundation, Cleveland Foundation and Cleveland Clinic. Its goal, as Neuberger puts it, is to "think globally, green locally." While there are plenty of other carbon funds, ours is the first community-based, open-access fund in the U.S.
The Carbon Fund has supported two past projects whose goal was to install 10,000 compact fluorescent light bulbs in the Slavic Village and Detroit Shoreway neighborhoods of Cleveland (organizers installed nearly 5,000 in the end).
As the Carbon Fund continues to grow, Neuberger says that its leaders will seek additional donations from individuals and businesses. She hopes it will become a popular way to reduce our region's carbon footprint and support local initiatives.
Source: Joanne Neuberger
Writer: Lee Chilcote
These are the kinds of big ideas which organizers of the Fund hope to spur through their grant making, which supports carbon reduction projects with community benefits. The Carbon Fund recently announced that is it seeking applications for projects up to $10,000. The deadline is March 16th.
The Cleveland Carbon Fund was created in 2009 by the City of Cleveland, Green City Blue Lake Institute at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, Gund Foundation, Cleveland Foundation and Cleveland Clinic. Its goal, as Neuberger puts it, is to "think globally, green locally." While there are plenty of other carbon funds, ours is the first community-based, open-access fund in the U.S.
The Carbon Fund has supported two past projects whose goal was to install 10,000 compact fluorescent light bulbs in the Slavic Village and Detroit Shoreway neighborhoods of Cleveland (organizers installed nearly 5,000 in the end).
As the Carbon Fund continues to grow, Neuberger says that its leaders will seek additional donations from individuals and businesses. She hopes it will become a popular way to reduce our region's carbon footprint and support local initiatives.
Source: Joanne Neuberger
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Entrepreneurial ventures are often launched out of garages, spare bedrooms and basements. Yet MedWish International, a nonprofit organization that repurposes medical supplies discarded by the healthcare industry for humanitarian aid to developing countries, is probably one of the few that has ever been launched out of a suitcase.
When Cleveland doctor Lee Ponsky visited Nigeria in 1991 and saw the vast level of healthcare need that exists there, he wanted to help in some way. He found a way to do that by carrying suitcases full of medical supplies to Nigeria that would otherwise end up in the landfill. He convinced his friends to do the same.
Ponsky's efforts were the beginning of MedWish International, a nonprofit that now delivers more than 550 tons of medical supplies each year to 97 countries. It operates out of a 40,000-square-foot warehouse that is donated by the Cleveland Clinic. While most of MedWish's supplies are sent in 40-foot shipping containers these days, some are still carried the old-fashioned way -- in suitcases.
"Dr. Ponsky saw the need in Nigeria as well as the waste going into our landfills and thought, 'There must be a way to bridge the gap between our surplus and their scarcity,'" explains Matthew Fieldman, Director of Development for MedWish International. "So he created an organization that is saving the environment in Northeast Ohio as well as helping an international cause."
MedWish was recently selected as one of five organizations competing for $100,000 in the Toshiba Tech Makeover challenge. Vote by clicking here.
Source: Matthew Fieldman
Writer: Lee Chilcote
When Cleveland doctor Lee Ponsky visited Nigeria in 1991 and saw the vast level of healthcare need that exists there, he wanted to help in some way. He found a way to do that by carrying suitcases full of medical supplies to Nigeria that would otherwise end up in the landfill. He convinced his friends to do the same.
Ponsky's efforts were the beginning of MedWish International, a nonprofit that now delivers more than 550 tons of medical supplies each year to 97 countries. It operates out of a 40,000-square-foot warehouse that is donated by the Cleveland Clinic. While most of MedWish's supplies are sent in 40-foot shipping containers these days, some are still carried the old-fashioned way -- in suitcases.
"Dr. Ponsky saw the need in Nigeria as well as the waste going into our landfills and thought, 'There must be a way to bridge the gap between our surplus and their scarcity,'" explains Matthew Fieldman, Director of Development for MedWish International. "So he created an organization that is saving the environment in Northeast Ohio as well as helping an international cause."
MedWish was recently selected as one of five organizations competing for $100,000 in the Toshiba Tech Makeover challenge. Vote by clicking here.
Source: Matthew Fieldman
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Major corporations have long conducted sophisticated research to figure out what kind of consumer you are. Now, a new initiative that is being launched by two young city residents aims to find out what kind of Clevelander you are -- and use the results to engage citizens and drive policy change in the region.
By surveying residents' attitudes towards living in Northeast Ohio, as well as our preferences for urban amenities, the creators of the Clevelander Report hope to place useful information in the hands of policymakers shaping our region's future.
"For all of the studies that have been done on our city, very few of them focus on citizens," explains Hallie Bram, a Detroit Shoreway resident who co-founded the Cleveland Report with Eric Kogelschatz. "Our goal is to create the most comprehensive study of Clevelanders that's ever been completed. We want to use that information to bridge the gap between organizations, government and citizens, and help our policymakers to make informed decisions."
The Clevelander Report surveys residents on such topics as whether or not they are natives, boomerangs, expatriates or have relocated from another city; where they currently live; which cultural institutions and businesses they have visited; their level of interest in urban living; and their attitudes towards the city.
Bram says that the survey has been well-received so far, garnering over 500 responses since it launched one week ago. She and Kogelschatz plan to continue the Clevelander Report through the summer, and then compile an Executive Summary that can be provided to residents as well as policy makers.
Bram and Kogelschatz are the founders of TEDxCLE, a popular annual event that features curated talks by some of Northeast Ohio's biggest thinkers. This year's event will take place at the Cleveland Museum of Art on Friday, April 20th.
Take the survey here.
Source: Hallie Bram
Writer: Lee Chilcote
By surveying residents' attitudes towards living in Northeast Ohio, as well as our preferences for urban amenities, the creators of the Clevelander Report hope to place useful information in the hands of policymakers shaping our region's future.
"For all of the studies that have been done on our city, very few of them focus on citizens," explains Hallie Bram, a Detroit Shoreway resident who co-founded the Cleveland Report with Eric Kogelschatz. "Our goal is to create the most comprehensive study of Clevelanders that's ever been completed. We want to use that information to bridge the gap between organizations, government and citizens, and help our policymakers to make informed decisions."
The Clevelander Report surveys residents on such topics as whether or not they are natives, boomerangs, expatriates or have relocated from another city; where they currently live; which cultural institutions and businesses they have visited; their level of interest in urban living; and their attitudes towards the city.
Bram says that the survey has been well-received so far, garnering over 500 responses since it launched one week ago. She and Kogelschatz plan to continue the Clevelander Report through the summer, and then compile an Executive Summary that can be provided to residents as well as policy makers.
Bram and Kogelschatz are the founders of TEDxCLE, a popular annual event that features curated talks by some of Northeast Ohio's biggest thinkers. This year's event will take place at the Cleveland Museum of Art on Friday, April 20th.
Take the survey here.
Source: Hallie Bram
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Metheny Weir, a home remodeling business which was originally launched out of a Shaker Heights basement, recently expanded to a spacious storefront on Larchmere. The growth spurt is the result of the company inking last year a deal to become Cleveland's only licensed retailer of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint, a hot new product that's generating a buzz in the interior design world.
Metheny Weir co-owner Sue Weir says that the innovative product allows home remodelers to paint furniture and other surfaces without cleaning, sanding or priming -- you just put your brush in the can and start painting.
"Our customers like it because they don't have to move their armoire out of the living room to paint it," says Weir, who co-founded the company with her friend, Kim Metheny. "It's not a big production to change the look of their furniture."
Chalk Paint is low in volatile organic compounds (VOC's) and considered green. Weir says that she recently sold $700 of the new product in a single week.
The paint has also attracted new business for Metheny Weir, which specializes in custom painted finishes and has become known for stylish makeovers of older homes and furniture. "We're redoing a kitchen for someone that fell in love with the Annie Sloan product but didn't want to do the work herself," says Weir.
Weir and Metheny are hosting workshops out of their Larchmere storefront to educate homeowners on how to use the paint. The uptick in interest in home remodeling is partially due to the stalled housing market, Weir says, a trend that has spurred many homeowners to reinvest in their homes and furnishings.
In the next several months, Weir and Metheny will also travel to Chicago and New Orleans to meet Sloan in person and to participate in product demonstrations.
Source: Sue Weir
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Metheny Weir co-owner Sue Weir says that the innovative product allows home remodelers to paint furniture and other surfaces without cleaning, sanding or priming -- you just put your brush in the can and start painting.
"Our customers like it because they don't have to move their armoire out of the living room to paint it," says Weir, who co-founded the company with her friend, Kim Metheny. "It's not a big production to change the look of their furniture."
Chalk Paint is low in volatile organic compounds (VOC's) and considered green. Weir says that she recently sold $700 of the new product in a single week.
The paint has also attracted new business for Metheny Weir, which specializes in custom painted finishes and has become known for stylish makeovers of older homes and furniture. "We're redoing a kitchen for someone that fell in love with the Annie Sloan product but didn't want to do the work herself," says Weir.
Weir and Metheny are hosting workshops out of their Larchmere storefront to educate homeowners on how to use the paint. The uptick in interest in home remodeling is partially due to the stalled housing market, Weir says, a trend that has spurred many homeowners to reinvest in their homes and furnishings.
In the next several months, Weir and Metheny will also travel to Chicago and New Orleans to meet Sloan in person and to participate in product demonstrations.
Source: Sue Weir
Writer: Lee Chilcote
The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (RTA) has seen increases in bus and transit ridership for nine months straight, and the number of riders on the Red Line in January was the highest since 1988.
Yet this month, the U.S. House of Representatives is considering a surface transportation bill known as H.R. 7 that would eliminate dedicated federal funds for public transit across the country.
RTA is advocating against the cuts by working with Representative Steven LaTourette and other members of Congress to promote an amendment that would restore federally guaranteed funding.
"If you leave it up to chance that public transit gets funded, that's a big chance to take," says Mary McCahon, RTA's Media Relations Manager. The change would require agencies to lobby for federal funding each year, she says. "We provide 200,000 rides per day, and federal funding is our third biggest revenue source."
McCahon says that while the bill has been tabled, it is scheduled to come back to the floor of the House of Representatives for further discussion this week.
RTA's increased ridership is due in part to higher gas prices and ongoing Innerbelt construction, McCahon says. Improved marketing efforts, partnerships with businesses and the popularity of the Health Line are also factors.
For more information about H.R. 7 and the ongoing federal transportation bill debate, visit the RTA newsroom or American Public Transit Association website.
Source: Mary McCahon
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Yet this month, the U.S. House of Representatives is considering a surface transportation bill known as H.R. 7 that would eliminate dedicated federal funds for public transit across the country.
RTA is advocating against the cuts by working with Representative Steven LaTourette and other members of Congress to promote an amendment that would restore federally guaranteed funding.
"If you leave it up to chance that public transit gets funded, that's a big chance to take," says Mary McCahon, RTA's Media Relations Manager. The change would require agencies to lobby for federal funding each year, she says. "We provide 200,000 rides per day, and federal funding is our third biggest revenue source."
McCahon says that while the bill has been tabled, it is scheduled to come back to the floor of the House of Representatives for further discussion this week.
RTA's increased ridership is due in part to higher gas prices and ongoing Innerbelt construction, McCahon says. Improved marketing efforts, partnerships with businesses and the popularity of the Health Line are also factors.
For more information about H.R. 7 and the ongoing federal transportation bill debate, visit the RTA newsroom or American Public Transit Association website.
Source: Mary McCahon
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Since its inception in 1915, Cleveland Play House has been focused on nourishing new works of original American theatre. Yet until this season, it was staging the latest contemporary plays in an older, inflexible building that was largely unsuitable for its needs.
Yet thanks to CPH's recent move to the newly rebuilt Allen Theatre complex, the nonprofit finally has a truly inspiring, state-of-the-art home. The complex contains not only the rebuilt, 500-seat Allen Theatre, but also two smaller performing spaces that can be customized to suit CPH's artistic needs.
Now, on top of a hot season that is already drawing big crowds to its impressive, new abode, CPH is debuting the New Ground Theatre Festival. The weeklong celebration of new works, which will take place from May 3-12 and has an even greater emphasis on original theatre, was formerly called FusionFest.
"Our new quarters are fantastic for a festival like this one, so the name just seemed appropriate," says CPH Artistic Director Michael Bloom.
Highlights include a performance of In the Next Room (Or the Vibrator Play); a staging of Every Good Boy Deserves Favor, a Tom Stoppard satire that features a collaboration with the Cleveland Orchestra; solo shows by former Daily Show correspondent Lauren Weedman and rapper-evolutionist Baba Brinkman; and a weeklong residency with Quiara Alegria Hudes, a Pulitzer Prize finalist who has also been awarded the 2012 Roe Green Award. The culmination of the New Ground Theatre Festival will feature a public reading of Hudes' new play.
At the center of the entire festival will be CPH's crowd-pleasing, new home, which Bloom says is the perfect place to see new, original theatre. "The fact that these are new spaces demonstrate that we have a strong commitment to new work."
Source: Michael Bloom
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Yet thanks to CPH's recent move to the newly rebuilt Allen Theatre complex, the nonprofit finally has a truly inspiring, state-of-the-art home. The complex contains not only the rebuilt, 500-seat Allen Theatre, but also two smaller performing spaces that can be customized to suit CPH's artistic needs.
Now, on top of a hot season that is already drawing big crowds to its impressive, new abode, CPH is debuting the New Ground Theatre Festival. The weeklong celebration of new works, which will take place from May 3-12 and has an even greater emphasis on original theatre, was formerly called FusionFest.
"Our new quarters are fantastic for a festival like this one, so the name just seemed appropriate," says CPH Artistic Director Michael Bloom.
Highlights include a performance of In the Next Room (Or the Vibrator Play); a staging of Every Good Boy Deserves Favor, a Tom Stoppard satire that features a collaboration with the Cleveland Orchestra; solo shows by former Daily Show correspondent Lauren Weedman and rapper-evolutionist Baba Brinkman; and a weeklong residency with Quiara Alegria Hudes, a Pulitzer Prize finalist who has also been awarded the 2012 Roe Green Award. The culmination of the New Ground Theatre Festival will feature a public reading of Hudes' new play.
At the center of the entire festival will be CPH's crowd-pleasing, new home, which Bloom says is the perfect place to see new, original theatre. "The fact that these are new spaces demonstrate that we have a strong commitment to new work."
Source: Michael Bloom
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Rock the Catwalk, a new fundraiser being introduced by the Women's Leadership Council in support of United Way of Greater Cleveland, will highlight Cleveland's trendiest local fashion boutiques.
Yet it will also put a face on the real human need that unfortunately exists among formerly homeless, unemployed women in our region. The event will highlight the nonprofit agencies that help these women dress for success while also engaging the female clients themselves as runway models.
"Rock the Catwalk will feature all local boutiques and models, including Sandy Pianalto from the Federal Reserve Bank and Erin Kennedy, the new co-anchor of WKYC's morning show," says Jenna Snyder, Marketing Director for United Way. "It will also feature two clients from Transitional Housing Inc., a United Way member organization that helps women transferring out of homelessness."
Local boutiques which are participating in the first-ever Rock the Catwalk event include Amy's Shoes, Anne van H., Cindy Halle, Dredgers Union, Evie Lou, Girl Next Door, Kilgore Trout, Marta Glazen and Saks Fifth Avenue. The event takes place on Thurs., March 29th at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum.
The Women's Leadership Council inspires, educates and engages women to become actively involved in supporting United Way of Greater Cleveland.
Tickets start at $75 and include hors d'ouevres, cocktails and museum access.
Source: Jenna Snyder
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Yet it will also put a face on the real human need that unfortunately exists among formerly homeless, unemployed women in our region. The event will highlight the nonprofit agencies that help these women dress for success while also engaging the female clients themselves as runway models.
"Rock the Catwalk will feature all local boutiques and models, including Sandy Pianalto from the Federal Reserve Bank and Erin Kennedy, the new co-anchor of WKYC's morning show," says Jenna Snyder, Marketing Director for United Way. "It will also feature two clients from Transitional Housing Inc., a United Way member organization that helps women transferring out of homelessness."
Local boutiques which are participating in the first-ever Rock the Catwalk event include Amy's Shoes, Anne van H., Cindy Halle, Dredgers Union, Evie Lou, Girl Next Door, Kilgore Trout, Marta Glazen and Saks Fifth Avenue. The event takes place on Thurs., March 29th at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum.
The Women's Leadership Council inspires, educates and engages women to become actively involved in supporting United Way of Greater Cleveland.
Tickets start at $75 and include hors d'ouevres, cocktails and museum access.
Source: Jenna Snyder
Writer: Lee Chilcote
A seven-member higher education commission that was created by Governor Kasich recently voted to award $12.7 million in capital funding to Cleveland State University. The money will be used to renovate an older building for a new engineering program.
CSU plans to renovate Stillwell Hall with state-of-the-art laboratories and partner with Parker Hannifin Corporation (Parker) of Mayfield Heights to pioneer a new, hands-on program. Parker is a $12 billion company that is the world's leading diversified manufacturer of motion and control technologies and systems.
CSU's Fenn College of Engineering was established in 1923 and is now the ninth largest cooperative education program in the country. Fenn Engineering students "use state-of-the-art equipment to tackle real world challenges, participate in state and national engineering competitions and work closely with corporate partners to create and design new products," the college website states.
The innovative, new partnership with Parker Hannifin will allow CSU to take its engineering program to the next level, university leaders say. The curriculum is being revised and Parker is funding an endowed chair. Stillwell Hall will be transformed into a practical learning environment in which scientists and engineers collaborate with students and faculty on real world projects.
$350 million was available statewide for capital improvement projects. Kasich had tasked the committee with identifying new, innovative projects that leaders believe will move higher education forward in Ohio. The timeline for Stillwell Hall renovations has not been established yet, according to CSU officials.
Source: Cleveland State University
Writer: Lee Chilcote
CSU plans to renovate Stillwell Hall with state-of-the-art laboratories and partner with Parker Hannifin Corporation (Parker) of Mayfield Heights to pioneer a new, hands-on program. Parker is a $12 billion company that is the world's leading diversified manufacturer of motion and control technologies and systems.
CSU's Fenn College of Engineering was established in 1923 and is now the ninth largest cooperative education program in the country. Fenn Engineering students "use state-of-the-art equipment to tackle real world challenges, participate in state and national engineering competitions and work closely with corporate partners to create and design new products," the college website states.
The innovative, new partnership with Parker Hannifin will allow CSU to take its engineering program to the next level, university leaders say. The curriculum is being revised and Parker is funding an endowed chair. Stillwell Hall will be transformed into a practical learning environment in which scientists and engineers collaborate with students and faculty on real world projects.
$350 million was available statewide for capital improvement projects. Kasich had tasked the committee with identifying new, innovative projects that leaders believe will move higher education forward in Ohio. The timeline for Stillwell Hall renovations has not been established yet, according to CSU officials.
Source: Cleveland State University
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Two years ago, cyclist Mike Hulett traded legal briefs and billable hours for bike stands and Allen wrenches when he opened the Broadway Cyclery, a utility-focused bike shop in downtown Bedford.
Recently, he purchased the historic Marshall Building and moved his business into a larger, renovated storefront. He's slowly restoring the structure, originally built to house a drugstore and boasting Terrazzo floors and 15-foot ceilings, to its original beauty.
Hulett says that his business is unique because he carries niche products that aren't available at other shops. "We're a Brooks Dealer of Excellence; we sell leather bike seats from a company that's been around since 1866," he says. "When you see people riding around the country, usually they have a Brooks seat."
The Broadway Cyclery also carries a wide assortment of cargo, touring and commuter bikes, kickstands and bags for the practical, commuting cyclist.
Hulett chose downtown Bedford because of its unique, local businesses and central location near highways and bike trails. "We're right by the Bedford Metroparks," he says. "From here, you can bike to Chagrin Falls, Rocky River or Akron. All trails intersect in the area and that makes it a fantastic resource for cyclists."
Source: Mike Hulett
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Recently, he purchased the historic Marshall Building and moved his business into a larger, renovated storefront. He's slowly restoring the structure, originally built to house a drugstore and boasting Terrazzo floors and 15-foot ceilings, to its original beauty.
Hulett says that his business is unique because he carries niche products that aren't available at other shops. "We're a Brooks Dealer of Excellence; we sell leather bike seats from a company that's been around since 1866," he says. "When you see people riding around the country, usually they have a Brooks seat."
The Broadway Cyclery also carries a wide assortment of cargo, touring and commuter bikes, kickstands and bags for the practical, commuting cyclist.
Hulett chose downtown Bedford because of its unique, local businesses and central location near highways and bike trails. "We're right by the Bedford Metroparks," he says. "From here, you can bike to Chagrin Falls, Rocky River or Akron. All trails intersect in the area and that makes it a fantastic resource for cyclists."
Source: Mike Hulett
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Nearly 60 percent of newly-created jobs require a postsecondary degree, yet only six percent of Cleveland residents hold an associate's degree and just eight percent hold a bachelor's degree.
This stark statistic is one of the driving forces behind the fledgling Higher Education Compact of Greater Cleveland, an unprecedented collaboration among 15 colleges and universities, 25 nonprofit organizations, the Cleveland Metropolitan School District and Cuyahoga County. This new effort seeks to boost the number of college graduates in Northeast Ohio.
"Every day, there are 3,000 jobs that the Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals and Summa Health Center can't fill," explains Lee Friedman, CEO of College Now Greater Cleveland, a member organization of the Compact. "If you can't increase educational attainment, then you can't fill jobs. At some point, if these organizations can't find talent, then they can't grow."
While this lofty goal is hardly unusual or unique, what makes the Compact stand out is its regional approach towards addressing the higher education gap. Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson is increasingly touting the benefits of addressing such problems on a regional level. Cuyahoga County has not historically been involved in education, yet Executive Ed Fitzgerald has joined the Compact. Until now, the colleges and universities involved in the Compact also have not worked together to seek a comprehensive solution to the problem.
"It truly takes a village to help students get to school and graduate from school," says Friedman. "Many of the young people we're helping are first generation college students who don't have anyone to help them get on that path. The commitment of these university presidents is truly best in class."
The goal of the Higher Education Compact is to ensure that students are ready for, have access to and graduate from college. To achieve this goal, leaders will create student-focused action plans, educate the community on why college is important, help students become college ready, link them with scholarship and financial aid opportunities and create a College Success Dashboard that measures results.
Source: Higher Education Compact of Greater Cleveland, Lee Friedman
Writer: Lee Chilcote
This stark statistic is one of the driving forces behind the fledgling Higher Education Compact of Greater Cleveland, an unprecedented collaboration among 15 colleges and universities, 25 nonprofit organizations, the Cleveland Metropolitan School District and Cuyahoga County. This new effort seeks to boost the number of college graduates in Northeast Ohio.
"Every day, there are 3,000 jobs that the Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals and Summa Health Center can't fill," explains Lee Friedman, CEO of College Now Greater Cleveland, a member organization of the Compact. "If you can't increase educational attainment, then you can't fill jobs. At some point, if these organizations can't find talent, then they can't grow."
While this lofty goal is hardly unusual or unique, what makes the Compact stand out is its regional approach towards addressing the higher education gap. Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson is increasingly touting the benefits of addressing such problems on a regional level. Cuyahoga County has not historically been involved in education, yet Executive Ed Fitzgerald has joined the Compact. Until now, the colleges and universities involved in the Compact also have not worked together to seek a comprehensive solution to the problem.
"It truly takes a village to help students get to school and graduate from school," says Friedman. "Many of the young people we're helping are first generation college students who don't have anyone to help them get on that path. The commitment of these university presidents is truly best in class."
The goal of the Higher Education Compact is to ensure that students are ready for, have access to and graduate from college. To achieve this goal, leaders will create student-focused action plans, educate the community on why college is important, help students become college ready, link them with scholarship and financial aid opportunities and create a College Success Dashboard that measures results.
Source: Higher Education Compact of Greater Cleveland, Lee Friedman
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Last month, staff from the Cleveland International Film Festival (CIFF) played matchmaker. They held meetings throughout the region in an effort to match the 36th annual festival's most compelling, topical titles with nonprofit organizations whose mission and work relate directly to the content of the film.
When the 2012 festival kicks off on March 22, 125 nonprofit partners will join with CIFF to help market the festival and engage the community in discussions and education about the films. According to CIFF Associate Director Patrick Shepherd, it's a community-based strategy that's really paid off over time.
"We try to take our content and push it beyond just the screen, and one of the ways to do that is to partner with the region's nonprofit organizations," he says. "This targeted marketing has really begun to pay dividends over time, and we believe it's been one of the reasons for our annual increases in attendance."
For example, this year CIFF will screen a film called Brooklyn Castle about an inner-city youth chess program in New York City. Progress with Chess, a local nonprofit that promotes chess as a way to help students develop critical thinking skills, is its community partner. Progress with Chess will hold dozens of chess matches in the Tower City Skylight Concourse to coincide with the film. There will also be a FilmForum to discuss the issues presented in the documentary.
"These kinds of community partnerships are rare among film festivals, and we're really being seen as a national model," says Shepherd, who cites the partnerships as a key part of CIFF's "After the Credits Roll" program that seeks to educate, inform and mobilize the community. "We're very fortunate for that."
Source: Patrick Shepherd
Writer: Lee Chilcote
When the 2012 festival kicks off on March 22, 125 nonprofit partners will join with CIFF to help market the festival and engage the community in discussions and education about the films. According to CIFF Associate Director Patrick Shepherd, it's a community-based strategy that's really paid off over time.
"We try to take our content and push it beyond just the screen, and one of the ways to do that is to partner with the region's nonprofit organizations," he says. "This targeted marketing has really begun to pay dividends over time, and we believe it's been one of the reasons for our annual increases in attendance."
For example, this year CIFF will screen a film called Brooklyn Castle about an inner-city youth chess program in New York City. Progress with Chess, a local nonprofit that promotes chess as a way to help students develop critical thinking skills, is its community partner. Progress with Chess will hold dozens of chess matches in the Tower City Skylight Concourse to coincide with the film. There will also be a FilmForum to discuss the issues presented in the documentary.
"These kinds of community partnerships are rare among film festivals, and we're really being seen as a national model," says Shepherd, who cites the partnerships as a key part of CIFF's "After the Credits Roll" program that seeks to educate, inform and mobilize the community. "We're very fortunate for that."
Source: Patrick Shepherd
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Mahalls 20 Lanes, a vintage Lakewood bowling alley that's been owned by the same family since it was built in 1924, is being fixed up by new owners. Joe Pavlick and Kelly Flamos are renovating the historic venue, which features two 10-lane bowling alleys, a billiard room, several bars and a kitchen, and also plan to add live music.
"We're still working out the specifics of our plan, but we want to restore Mahalls to its former glory," says Pavlick, a former corporate attorney who bought the building with Flamos, his sister-in-law, and other family members. "Essentially, this is one big family turning it over to another big family, 80 years later."
John Mahall was the first owner of Mahalls, which was originally two buildings and featured an upstairs dance hall. In the 1950s, he annexed the adjacent building and turned into a billiards hall. Until a few months ago, Mahalls was owned by John's son Arthur Mahall and managed by John's grandson Tom Mahall.
Although Mahalls struggled financially for several years before Pavlick and Flamos bought it, the new owners say they'll add fresh appeal to the venue by revamping the menu and adding live music. They hardly plan to touch the historic, vintage character of the interior, however. Unlike newer bowling alleys, Mahalls still requires scoring by hand and is noticeably devoid of overhead televisions.
In another nod to tradition, Pavlick and his wife Emily plan to move into the upstairs apartment -- just as three generations of Mahalls did before them.
Source: Joe Pavlick
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"We're still working out the specifics of our plan, but we want to restore Mahalls to its former glory," says Pavlick, a former corporate attorney who bought the building with Flamos, his sister-in-law, and other family members. "Essentially, this is one big family turning it over to another big family, 80 years later."
John Mahall was the first owner of Mahalls, which was originally two buildings and featured an upstairs dance hall. In the 1950s, he annexed the adjacent building and turned into a billiards hall. Until a few months ago, Mahalls was owned by John's son Arthur Mahall and managed by John's grandson Tom Mahall.
Although Mahalls struggled financially for several years before Pavlick and Flamos bought it, the new owners say they'll add fresh appeal to the venue by revamping the menu and adding live music. They hardly plan to touch the historic, vintage character of the interior, however. Unlike newer bowling alleys, Mahalls still requires scoring by hand and is noticeably devoid of overhead televisions.
In another nod to tradition, Pavlick and his wife Emily plan to move into the upstairs apartment -- just as three generations of Mahalls did before them.
Source: Joe Pavlick
Writer: Lee Chilcote
As the number of local bike commuters continues to increase, so too does the number of savvy entrepreneurs who serve and service them. In recent years, a mini boom of bike-based businesses has developed across Northeast Ohio, including frame builders, messenger bag makers, rickshaw drivers and an indoor bike park that attracts visitors from throughout the Midwest.
A final, critical piece of funding has now fallen into place for the City of Shaker Heights' long-awaited Van Aken District plan. The city recently announced that it had been awarded $4.4 million from the Ohio Department of Public Works (ODPW). That, on top of $14 million the city already has assembled, will allow Shaker to proceed with Phase I late next year.
Phase I of the project will reconfigure the confusing, much-maligned junction of Van Aken, Warrensville and Chagrin roads into a traditional, four-way intersection. The road reconfiguration is just the first step in a larger plan to redevelop this prominent space as a vibrant, mixed-use downtown for the city.
"This vision was shaped by residents," says Joyce Braverman, Planning Director for the City of Shaker Heights. "One of our planning meetings was held during a snowstorm, and we had 120 people show up. They didn't just sit and listen, they sat at tables and helped us to design what the streets would look like."
In addition to the ODPW award, Phase I is being funded by $2.3 million from the City of Shaker Heights, $4 million from the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT), $7 million from the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency, a $500,000 federal appropriation, $500,000 from the Federal Highway Administration and $500,000 from the Cuyahoga County Department of Public Works. In addition to the reconfiguration, there will also be improvements to transit access, pedestrian facilities and streetscapes, including tree planting. Prominent, new crosswalks will improve the pedestrian experience while reducing wait times and making the district easier and safer to navigate.
As Phase I is being completed, the city will continue to move forward on later phases of the plan, including working with RTA to extend the Blue Line rapid transit and seeking a master developer for parcels of land owned by the city and private developers. Shaker Heights ultimately envisions a mixed-use district comprised of 500 new housing units, 160,000 square feet of new retail space and 250,000 square feet of office space and community green space.
Source: Joyce Braverman
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Phase I of the project will reconfigure the confusing, much-maligned junction of Van Aken, Warrensville and Chagrin roads into a traditional, four-way intersection. The road reconfiguration is just the first step in a larger plan to redevelop this prominent space as a vibrant, mixed-use downtown for the city.
"This vision was shaped by residents," says Joyce Braverman, Planning Director for the City of Shaker Heights. "One of our planning meetings was held during a snowstorm, and we had 120 people show up. They didn't just sit and listen, they sat at tables and helped us to design what the streets would look like."
In addition to the ODPW award, Phase I is being funded by $2.3 million from the City of Shaker Heights, $4 million from the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT), $7 million from the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency, a $500,000 federal appropriation, $500,000 from the Federal Highway Administration and $500,000 from the Cuyahoga County Department of Public Works. In addition to the reconfiguration, there will also be improvements to transit access, pedestrian facilities and streetscapes, including tree planting. Prominent, new crosswalks will improve the pedestrian experience while reducing wait times and making the district easier and safer to navigate.
As Phase I is being completed, the city will continue to move forward on later phases of the plan, including working with RTA to extend the Blue Line rapid transit and seeking a master developer for parcels of land owned by the city and private developers. Shaker Heights ultimately envisions a mixed-use district comprised of 500 new housing units, 160,000 square feet of new retail space and 250,000 square feet of office space and community green space.
Source: Joyce Braverman
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Steven Peffer cannot easily explain why he calls his new record shop House Frau; he just likes the German-sounding name, which reminds him of dark, wood-paneled bars and frothy steins of beer. Yet the entrepreneur has a crystal-clear view of why he's opening a vinyl record store in a digitally-oriented economy: Shoppers are hungry for tangible shopping experiences, he says, and there's a viable niche market for new and used records.
"Sure, you can fire up a website, sit around in your boxer shorts and look for music on your computer. But I think people want more of an experience," says Peffer, a sound engineer at Now That's Class, a punk club on Detroit Avenue near the Lakewood border. "People took shopping for granted in the past, but now I believe bricks and mortar stores can be successful because they stand out."
Peffer says House Frau will sell new and used records featuring selections of punk, synth, jazz and blues. The store, which opens this month, will also offer curated records from plenty of other genres. Peffer recently finished building record crates and was amazed at how much good stuff he was able to pack into the cozy, 434-square-foot shop. (You'll have to bring your own German beer, though.)
The launch of House Frau continues the renaissance of indie shops on Cleveland's near west side, which has seen dozens of new stores open in the last few years.
Source: Steve Peffer
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"Sure, you can fire up a website, sit around in your boxer shorts and look for music on your computer. But I think people want more of an experience," says Peffer, a sound engineer at Now That's Class, a punk club on Detroit Avenue near the Lakewood border. "People took shopping for granted in the past, but now I believe bricks and mortar stores can be successful because they stand out."
Peffer says House Frau will sell new and used records featuring selections of punk, synth, jazz and blues. The store, which opens this month, will also offer curated records from plenty of other genres. Peffer recently finished building record crates and was amazed at how much good stuff he was able to pack into the cozy, 434-square-foot shop. (You'll have to bring your own German beer, though.)
The launch of House Frau continues the renaissance of indie shops on Cleveland's near west side, which has seen dozens of new stores open in the last few years.
Source: Steve Peffer
Writer: Lee Chilcote
When Will Friedman took the helm of the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority in June 2010, he soon learned about Dike 14, an outcropping of land on Cleveland's east side that had been a dredging facility from 1979 until 1999. Friedman quickly realized that the Port could do more to transform this burgeoning wildlife paradise -- which was closed to the public due to environmental concerns -- into a world-class nature preserve.
"I saw it as a potentially great addition to the lakefront," says Friedman. "Previously, the Port had not been all that interested in retaining it, but I didn't see it that way. I told our board this was an asset we'd inherited, there was nothing preventing us from opening it, and that we should get on with it."
So get on with it he did. Working in collaboration with environmental groups that had lobbied for a park, the Port spearheaded efforts to move the project forward. A year and a half later, the Cleveland Lakefront Nature Preserve is now open to the public.
That kind of leadership and gumption not only has earned Friedman high marks from environmental groups, it also has set the Port sailing in a new direction -- creating new waterfront parks and green space. Although that might sound like an unusual role for a Port Authority to play, it's actually not, Friedman says.
"I came from the Port of Seattle, which has 15 parks and green spaces," he says. "Port authorities are typically front and center in environmental projects, and helping to plan for and create green spaces is definitely in our wheelhouse."
Friedman also led the creation of the Port Authority's new strategic plan, which makes creating public green spaces a part of the organization's ongoing work.
Next, Friedman and his staff are working on the future of the Preserve, including enhancing habitat value, creating additional trails and adding an observation deck to maximize the stunning views of downtown Cleveland and Lake Erie.
The Port also is working closely with partners to plan the future of the Flats, including creating better riverfront access for city residents and visitors.
Source: Will Friedman
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"I saw it as a potentially great addition to the lakefront," says Friedman. "Previously, the Port had not been all that interested in retaining it, but I didn't see it that way. I told our board this was an asset we'd inherited, there was nothing preventing us from opening it, and that we should get on with it."
So get on with it he did. Working in collaboration with environmental groups that had lobbied for a park, the Port spearheaded efforts to move the project forward. A year and a half later, the Cleveland Lakefront Nature Preserve is now open to the public.
That kind of leadership and gumption not only has earned Friedman high marks from environmental groups, it also has set the Port sailing in a new direction -- creating new waterfront parks and green space. Although that might sound like an unusual role for a Port Authority to play, it's actually not, Friedman says.
"I came from the Port of Seattle, which has 15 parks and green spaces," he says. "Port authorities are typically front and center in environmental projects, and helping to plan for and create green spaces is definitely in our wheelhouse."
Friedman also led the creation of the Port Authority's new strategic plan, which makes creating public green spaces a part of the organization's ongoing work.
Next, Friedman and his staff are working on the future of the Preserve, including enhancing habitat value, creating additional trails and adding an observation deck to maximize the stunning views of downtown Cleveland and Lake Erie.
The Port also is working closely with partners to plan the future of the Flats, including creating better riverfront access for city residents and visitors.
Source: Will Friedman
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Grace Brothers, a seven-acre nursery and garden store in Broadview Heights that previously relied upon the suburban market, is vying for a new, urban market. This month, the family-owned company will open a gardening, farming and pet store in the growing Detroit Shoreway neighborhood on Cleveland's west side.
"We were selling to the new home market and kind of living the bubble, but then it evaporated over the last four years and things came to a standstill," says Kevin Grace, who co-owns the company with his brother, Don Grace. "We saw the revitalization happening on the near west side, and attended the GardenWalk Cleveland and saw how people take an interest in their yard. We definitely believe there's an underserved market here that's grown in the last few years."
When the dust settles on their renovation work, the pair will open Grace Brothers Farm, Garden and Pet in a vacant storefront at W. 65th Street and Fir Avenue in the Cleveland EcoVillage. The location is a quarter mile from the Gordon Square Arts District, the centerpiece of a multimillion dollar neighborhood redevelopment. It's also just a few blocks from Zone Recreation Center, whose exterior grounds are being rebuilt into a sustainable, family-friendly park.
Grace Brothers will sell seeds, soils and fertilizers for backyard gardeners (including many organic products). The store will also offer herbs, vegetable plants and fruit trees. Budding urban farmers can purchase chicks here each spring, as well as support products such as chicken and rabbit feed and bird seed. Finally, Grace will market some cost-effective brands of cat and dog food, too.
"We'll be selling organic mulches and other materials that you can't find in Home Depot and other big box stores," says Kevin Grace. "We will also be offering classes in raising chickens, and as part of the fee, you'll get three chicks."
Having watched the urban gardening market soar in other cities, Grace believes Cleveland has similar potential. "Can we make any money on it? I'm hopin'."
Source: Kevin Grace
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"We were selling to the new home market and kind of living the bubble, but then it evaporated over the last four years and things came to a standstill," says Kevin Grace, who co-owns the company with his brother, Don Grace. "We saw the revitalization happening on the near west side, and attended the GardenWalk Cleveland and saw how people take an interest in their yard. We definitely believe there's an underserved market here that's grown in the last few years."
When the dust settles on their renovation work, the pair will open Grace Brothers Farm, Garden and Pet in a vacant storefront at W. 65th Street and Fir Avenue in the Cleveland EcoVillage. The location is a quarter mile from the Gordon Square Arts District, the centerpiece of a multimillion dollar neighborhood redevelopment. It's also just a few blocks from Zone Recreation Center, whose exterior grounds are being rebuilt into a sustainable, family-friendly park.
Grace Brothers will sell seeds, soils and fertilizers for backyard gardeners (including many organic products). The store will also offer herbs, vegetable plants and fruit trees. Budding urban farmers can purchase chicks here each spring, as well as support products such as chicken and rabbit feed and bird seed. Finally, Grace will market some cost-effective brands of cat and dog food, too.
"We'll be selling organic mulches and other materials that you can't find in Home Depot and other big box stores," says Kevin Grace. "We will also be offering classes in raising chickens, and as part of the fee, you'll get three chicks."
Having watched the urban gardening market soar in other cities, Grace believes Cleveland has similar potential. "Can we make any money on it? I'm hopin'."
Source: Kevin Grace
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Public Square Group, a nonprofit organization that promotes skateboarding and skate parks as tools for redeveloping urban neighborhoods, engaging youth in positive activities and promoting active lifestyles, is opening an office and indoor skatepark in the MidTown neighborhood of Cleveland.
The new office and skatepark, which has been dubbed "Skate Kitchen," will be located in the historic Cadillac Building at E. 30th and Chester, adjacent to Jakprints. Skate Kitchen will be open 24/7 for higher-level donors, as well as for special events, contests and lessons.
"We wanted to move our offices into Cleveland because so many of our projects and members are in the city," says Vince Frantz, Executive Director of Public Square Group. "For our higher-level donors, instead of a mug or a sticker, they'll get a key to the Skate Kitchen. After the kids are in bed, they can come down and skate for a few hours."
The move will allow the Public Square Group to further expand its portfolio of projects in Northeast Ohio, says Frantz. He estimates that there are 10,000 active skateboarders across the region. The City of Cleveland is already ahead of the curve in embracing skateboarding as a tool for urban development, he says, citing as examples the skateboard parks planned in the Flats and Slavic Village.
Public Square Group also will continue to run the Skate Kitchen Truck, which pops up in various Cleveland neighborhoods offering mobile skate spots and demos.
Source: Vince Frantz
Writer: Lee Chilcote
The new office and skatepark, which has been dubbed "Skate Kitchen," will be located in the historic Cadillac Building at E. 30th and Chester, adjacent to Jakprints. Skate Kitchen will be open 24/7 for higher-level donors, as well as for special events, contests and lessons.
"We wanted to move our offices into Cleveland because so many of our projects and members are in the city," says Vince Frantz, Executive Director of Public Square Group. "For our higher-level donors, instead of a mug or a sticker, they'll get a key to the Skate Kitchen. After the kids are in bed, they can come down and skate for a few hours."
The move will allow the Public Square Group to further expand its portfolio of projects in Northeast Ohio, says Frantz. He estimates that there are 10,000 active skateboarders across the region. The City of Cleveland is already ahead of the curve in embracing skateboarding as a tool for urban development, he says, citing as examples the skateboard parks planned in the Flats and Slavic Village.
Public Square Group also will continue to run the Skate Kitchen Truck, which pops up in various Cleveland neighborhoods offering mobile skate spots and demos.
Source: Vince Frantz
Writer: Lee Chilcote