theguv

Noozer, great article, very inspiring. I wonder what it will take to move Cleveland in this direction? Although Cleveland does not have the climate of Louisville, I wonder what is possible here? I will pass this article along to Marty Cader, head of the City's Bicycle Planning initiatives and also the one responsible for getting bicycles and related infrastructure into the City's Capital Budget. I like that the article focuses on transportation cycling and that it relates cycling to petroleum displacement. FYI - This year's EarthFest celebration at the zoo will feature a velomobile from German Manufacturer Go-One, a true answer to all season cycling > http://www.go-one.us Last, I wonder if Louisville's increased emphasis on 'complete streets' has anything to do with their recent regional approach to City/County Govt, which I believe occurred around 2000.

I really like that elevated running path! very innovative.

Please feel free to integrate this thread to a better/existing location. Emphasis in the following article is my own. In my mind, this is long overdue as an incredible amount of potential synergies exist, including the creation of a biofuels corridor between the two cities, which is also in the preliminary planning stages. Biotech groups to promote Cleveland-Pittsburgh corridor By CHUCK SODER 2:47 pm, April 17, 2007 Cleveland and Pittsburgh are joining forces to promote both cities as one biotechnology corridor. BioEnterprise Corp. of Cleveland and the Pittsburgh Life Sciences Greenhouse plan to seek investments together and establish connections between biotech companies and organizations in each region. The leaders of both biotechnology organizations said promoting Cleveland and Pittsburgh together will help biotech companies gain investments, influence and resources. The collaboration could be expanded to include other technology industries and other cities, said BioEnterprise president Baiju Shah, who announced the plan this afternoon at a forum called Northeast Ohio’s Booming Health Care Economy: New Strategies for Continued Growth. More at cleveland.com http://www.cleveland.com

Cleveland Recycling Info http://www.city.cleveland.oh.us/government/departments/pubservice/pubserwastecol/recycle/clevelandrecycles.html

Not sure who is organizing, but is sounds as if it will take place right AFTER work.

FYI - Monster.com reports that Cleveland is #4 in year-over-year growth for online job postings.... http://alphabet.wordpress.com/2007/04/11/monster-ranks-cleveland-in-top-5/ http://clevelandrealestatenews.blogspot.com/2007/04/would-you-believe-cleveland-ranks-in.html

A nice summary of the Breuer Controversy http://www.recentpast.org/types/skyscraper/cleveland.html Also, it sounds as if a there is going to be protest/demonstration in front of the Breuer sometime next week.

Advertisements perhaps? If that's what keeps it free, I'd honestly rather pay $22/month and subsidize low income connections @ $10/mnth. Sarcastically speaking, the $22 price will come down when the subsidies are no longer needed because everyone has gotten rich creating pornographic gambling sites.

Interesting point, though I reckon all new computers come with wi-fi enabled hardware. Also, reading the aforementioned article more closely yields additional info: each neighborhood center in philly will offer free wi-fi. so low income folks apparently have two options, free wi-fi in a community space or paid broadband $ $9-10/mnth @ home.

Has anyone yet been to Wu's Shanghai on Rockwell, just east of the PD building? The FreeTimes recently wrote it up and while their preparation of Chinese staples is very good, house specials are what really shine! We've dined there (take-out) the last three Sundays (open till 8:30) and have had a chance to get to know the hostess who has subsequently introduced us to a number of Taiwanese dishes that are not on the menu, but are outstanding. I highly recommend it - organic brown rice served with every meal! http://www.wuscuisineshanghai.com

Regarding the redev of the Triangle at Ford & Euclid, there are some fun drawings to look at on the Terra-Mark website. BTW, Terra-Mark was recently announced as leading the retail study commissioned by Dwntwn Clv Alliance, Gateway, & Playhouse Square for lower Euclid. http://www.terremarkpartners.com/

StrapHanger said: "..., adding some secular alternatives to the public schools is probably an important part of supporting increased housing development in the city." I say "definito! Montessori schools thrive in NE Ohio Thursday, March 29, 2007 Angela Townsend Plain Dealer Reporter This year, as thousands of Montessori schools across the country commemorate the movement's 100th anniversary, Northeast Ohio is showing proof of its continuing popularity. In fall 2008, a new Montessori high school will open in University Circle, the first in the area to serve students through 12th grade. The high school will draw upon the resources of the area's museums, University Circle Inc., Cleveland Cultural Collaborative and other groups... more at: http://www.cleveland.com

From the 3/29/07 PD: Angry exchanges overshadow school-spending testimony Thursday, March 29, 2007 Aaron Marshall Plain Dealer Bureau Columbus - Tempers flared Wednesday as lawmakers got their first chance to directly question Gov. Ted Strickland's budget chief about the governor's $52.9 billion spending plan. Appearing before the House Finance Committee, Pari Sabety answered questions for several hours on a range of budget details, primarily from Republican members of the panel. It was a historic moment - the first time since 1971 that a Democratic budget director appeared to defend a state budget before a Republican-controlled legislature. The session eventually grew heated and partisan emotions boiled over. MORE: http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/news/1175158037286060.xml&coll=2

Green Shopping Mall. Turn it inside out and it sounds like a great concept for the bike-park area of midtown. I envision a relatively low investment necessary to transform a space into a DeConstruction store (art + furnishings + bldg supplies) + GreenPrintShop + Bike Shop + CityWheels + Cafe w/ garden. I believe you could get a pretty quick ROI with this set-up. What think you? Any ideas to fill the space out? Business Week Small Biz March 22, 2007, 12:29PM EST text size: TT The Mall Goes Green Chicago's Green Exchange will be the first shopping center in the U.S. for environmentally responsible and socially conscious businesses by Jeffrey Gangemi Marilyn Jones was a green-business pioneer. Since 1973, the owner and president of Chicago-based Consolidated Printing has been using soy-based inks and recycled paper in her sheet-fed and digital-printing business. And while she admits that in the beginning it wasn't easy being green, Jones says the past three or four years have brought tremendous attention and attracted numerous fellow practitioners to green and socially responsible business. So many new practitioners have emerged, in fact, that the first mall in the U.S. dedicated to green and socially responsible businesses—Green Exchange—will open in Chicago early in 2008. When it does, Consolidated Printing will be one of its original tenants. Jones is ecstatic that Chicago will soon have a place where "greenies" can help each other expand their businesses—and attract a critical mass of consumers. "A lot of people are unaware of how many things they can actually purchase that are green," Jones explains. "And it's certainly going to give [small green businesses] visibility on a grander scale than they could achieve as an independent." Plum Location The 250,000-square-feet building will hold about 100 vendors. And not just retail outfits. Besides Consolidated Printing, Green Exchange will house an organic restaurant and café, a sustainable furniture store, a green building supply company, an eco-friendly printer, architects and designers focused on sustainability, an environmentally-friendly clothing company, a car-sharing service, a bike shop, and more. And the location is plum: an estimated 350,000 motorists pass the site each day. The development is capitalizing on a booming market for all things green, organic, and socially responsible (see BusinessWeek.com, Summer 2006, "Do You Need to be Green?"). The Organic Trade Assn. says sales of organic foods are expected to expand by 20% annually over the next few years, and the market for green residential construction and building materials, not counting residential remodeling, is forecast to grow from $7.2 billion in 2005 to between $19 billion and $38 billion in 2010, according to the National Association of Home Builders and McGraw-Hill Construction. By providing a concentration of green and socially responsible businesses, Green Exchange is helping small green providers get bigger and attract more business in an environment that reinforces their ideals. "Since we have this mission, having a place to rent that goes along with that mission is really important," says Ori Sivan, president of Greenmaker Supply, a Chicago-based building materials supply company that will be a Green Exchange tenant. Taking the LEED It's also making it easier for individual small businesses to help each other. Future tenants are working together on "a collaborative marketing and support network," an online community that provides an e-commerce platform, and a number of events that will eventually be planned for the space. And one of the tenants, Greenmaker Supply, is offering to help each tenant build out their own space using green materials. Once completed, Green Exchange won't only be a home for green businesses, it will be the product of one. Baum Development, a 40-employee Chicago-based real estate development company, is developing the site according to LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) standards, which is a rating system developed by the U.S. Green Building Council. The LEED Green Building Rating System provides benchmarks for the design, construction, and operation of green buildings by recognizing performance in five key areas: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality. The Right Mix Hartshorne & Plunkard, the construction company carrying out the building project, along with Baum, is taking care to preserve many of the historical features of the building. At the same time, the team will also comply with LEED standards when renovating by incorporating an energy-efficient environment, a green roof, clean air quality, a landscaped courtyard, bike rooms, meeting and event space, priority hybrid parking, and on-site parking. Of course, an entirely green project presents its share of challenges. Since the building will only be open to tenants who are doing some kind of ecologically responsible business, the potential pool is smaller than normal. But therein lies the project's uniqueness. "Our biggest challenge is finding the tenant mix, but that will also be what will make it fantastic," says David Baum, co-owner of Baum Development. If successful, the idea of a green mall could soon spread to other cities. If it does, then the next generation of mall rats just might be helping to save the world when they shop. Jeffrey Gangemi is a freelance writer based in Mendoza, Argentina.

From Today's (03.28) PD. Unfortunately, the online version eliminates the last third of the article where-in there is mention of CPP looking at nat gas and wind as power generating options. http://www.cleveland.com/plaindealer/stories/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/117507114546300.xml&coll=2 Public Power advised to expand to entire city Wednesday, March 28, 2007 Olivera Perkins Plain Dealer Reporter Cleveland Public Power should invest millions of dollars in more substations and other equipment so that it can deliver power to the entire city, a new five-year plan recommends. The plan also suggests that the city-owned utility begin generating electricity again, something CPP stopped doing more than 25 years ago. Other recommendations include attempting to collect tens of millions of dollars in unpaid bills. "It shows the need to clearly expand the operation and its efficiency," CPP Commissioner Ivan Henderson said of the plan Tuesday. ........

JDD, KJP, and others: Great letters and columns! All need to be heard by a wider audience. Any interest in collaboratively writing an editorial to be published in the PD as well as online sources like gcbl, bfd, and other new media? A great free tool for online collaborative writing exists at http://www.writeboard.com Also, in regards to improving the quality of life - this is Mayor Jackson's #1 priority - "creating a city of choice"

FYI - Informational Event re: Euclid Corridor via: http://upcoming.org/event/168985/ When: Thursday, April 5, 2007, 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM Where: Webtego, 2530 Superior Avenue, Suite 600,Cleveland, Ohio 44114,41.5091, -81.6739 Category: Social Description: Joseph L. Shaffer, PE Deputy Project Manager for Construction of the Euclid Corridor Transportation Project and others from GCRTA will join the Midtown Brews Roundtable to discuss some specifics of the Euclid Corridor Project and the important part that Public Transit plays in shrinking our carbon footprint. Besides talking about shrinking carbon footprints, and how shrinking those footprints offer a wide range of economic development opportunities in Northeast Ohio the conversation will also consider what opportunities the Euclid Corridor Project brings to us. So bring your favorite six pack of brew to share and join the conversation. Homepage: http://meetthebloggers.net

We need a renewable fuel/power standard for Ohio. Anyone know if this is in the cards with the Strickland Administration? NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- .......

Maybe this thread should be renamed 'Ohio Wind Power Dev" Is wind-driven energy really all that free? Springfield News Sun March 25, 2007 .....

I believe that to be the idea, however, IMHO, the sculpture should be raised a few feet in order to allow clearer sight lines. The current view, when approaching from W. 14, is blocked by a melange of directional street signs. Therefore, I think the major flaw resides in the placement/installation. Do you suppose anyone actually checked out the sight lines from the W. 14 approach before they 'glued' the thing in place? On a separate topic, regarding the bike path that connect to the W. 14 sidewalk, I noticed a stroller jogger on the trail a few days ago. Better landscaping would go a long way in making this connector more appealing/attractive to runners, cyclists, etc. Anyone aware of such plans? In fact, the whole SYC area could benefit tremendously from 'best-in-class' landscaping. While it looks like Mr. Schneider has alloted fairly generous space for landscaping, I'm not convinced it's going to be much more than trees and grass. Wouldn't that steep hillside look great planted in wildflowers? Yes, I realize it could get mangy and hold onto blowing trash, but I for one, would like to see the SYC management take a serious look at such 'out-of-the-box' ideas and ensuing strategies for maintenance.

Check the Design @ http://www.designrag.blogspot.com for a copy of the brochure created by 'Taxpayers Against Waste'

With the recent announcement of bicycle infrastructure being part of the City of Cleveland's 2008 Capital budget and the recent installation of 500 bike (parking) racks around the region (and possible bike station) as well as the impending completion of the northern terminus of the towpath and the re-purposing of Rt. 2 as a boulevard with bike trails alongside (and a fight for a grade-separated bike lane on the new innerbelt bridge), I believe we have reason for a new thread. < NorthEast Ohio Bicycle Planning > Cleveland's Bicycling Advocacy Group is Cleveland Bikes > http://www.clevelandbikes.org If you need a new (to you) ride for the spring, check out the great folks and great deals at the Bike Co-op www.ohiocitycycles.org Check out and attend this event (via greencitybluelake) sponsored by 'rails to trails' entitled "What Would Cleveland do with $50 million for trail, bicycle, and pedestrian improvements? Start: Apr 16 2007 - 1:00pm End: Apr 16 2007 - 3:00pm Rails-to-Trails Conservancy is working to build on a 2005 pilot program in the next federal transportation reauthorization. We envision a program serving at least 40 communities, with $50 million per community over 6 years, to promote the growth of trails, biking and walking for urban mobility. We have entitled this initiative our “2010 Campaign.” Cleveland has been identified as a potential 2010 community. Explore the potential for Cleveland to make a compelling case for its inclusion in such a program. Krieger CanalWay Visitors Center 4524 E. 49th Street Cuyahoga Heights, OH United States

Please patronize the many good businesses in the OC: From the OCNW listserve.... 2) Fulton Foods, on the NW corner of Woodbine and Fulton, is trying to attract residents of this community with an improved selection of import and craft brews, as well as with a nice Australian wine selection and a full selection of other misc. convenience store items. Their expanded import and craft beer selection includes: · Great Lakes Brewery: Dortmunder, Burning River, Elliot Ness, Holy Moses and Blackout Stout, as well as Sierra Nevada · Belgian Beer: Stella Artois and Hoegaarden · Guiness Stout, Harp, Bass Ale and Red Stripe · A full array of Mexican and Canadian beers, and much more! Stop in to see owners Khaldoun and Melissa, and congratulate Khaldoun for his recent US citizenship (he is VERY proud to be a citizen). They would love to move away from the malt liquor and cheap wine products, but need the neighborhood to patronize their quality products. Ask them to show you their drawer full of confiscated fake ID's, which they continue to confiscate when underage buyers attempt to purchase alcohol. They also will not allow legal adults to purchase beer for minors either, and follow any suspicious sale out of the store to confiscate the beer if it is being handed off to a minor. They are trying to be good neighbors, and would appreciate our support. Stop in at least for a cup of fresh coffee, and let them know they are doing the right thing in carrying their quality selection of beer and wine.

Fostoria cheers ethanol plant By JIM MAURER Staff Writer The Findlay Courier FOSTORIA -- Fostoria officials were celebrating Wednesday after Broin Companies unveiled plans to build a $105 million ethanol plant there. The 50,000-square-foot plant will be constructed on a portion of 250 acres of land on the eastern edge of Fostoria. The plant is expected to employ about 40 people in technical jobs, and will have annual gross sales of $100 million. The facility, to be located off Ohio 12 east of Fostoria, just west of Township Road 47 (Yochum Road) and north of County Road 60, will produce about 65 million gallons of the alternative fuel annually. The facility will be north of the Norfolk Southern Railroad line and a rail spur will be installed so train cars can haul corn to the plant. The facility will operate under the name Fostoria Ethanol. Construction will begin in late April or early May and take 12-14 months to complete. A total of 50-200 construction personnel will be working at the site throughout the building process. The property already has been rezoned M-2 (general business) from agriculture. MORE: http://www.thecourier.com

a local developer, who was recently highlighted in crain's as an inner city developer, is negotiating with the owner's of the OLD riteaid space (w65), to put doctor's (clv clnc) offices there. i know nothing more.