MuRrAy HiLL

And one more: Downtown Cleveland's boom is real, experts say, thanks to millennials moving in Published: Thursday, March 29, 2012, 5:03 PM Updated: Thursday, March 29, 2012, 7:32 PM By Robert L. Smith, The Plain Dealer Plans to convert the East Ohio Building at East Ninth Street and Superior Avenue into into an apartment tower may ease the housing crunch downtown. With young professionals moving in, vacant apartments are scarce and experts are bullish on downtown's future. Cranes have returned to the downtown skyline. Apartment vacancies are hard to find. And office workers from the suburbs are moving into empty urban spaces. A rising downtown Cleveland may have the economic power to lift the region, a panel of experts said Thursday. But much will depend upon young professionals and whether they find the housing and amenities they seek in a city hoping to reinvent itself. The millennial generation, the children of the baby boomers, commanded a good deal of attention at the annual State of Downtown forum at the City Club of Cleveland. Sponsored by the Downtown Cleveland Alliance, the luncheon drew a capacity crowd sprinkled with young adults, many of whom appeared to live or work downtown. "We know that millennials choose downtowns over suburbs by a big percentage," said Finkle, whose Washington-based group represents economic development specialists around the world. http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2012/03/downtown_cleveland_is_on_the_r.html

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame teams up with City of Cleveland on airport `Induction 2012' banners Published: Thursday, March 29, 2012, 3:50 PM Updated: Thursday, March 29, 2012, 4:01 PM By Michael Heaton, The Plain Dealer For anyone who didn't already know that Cleveland rocks, they'll find out as soon as they land in town. Thanks to a partnership between the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, the city and Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, visitors and folks coming and going will see banners proclaiming just that. Rock Hall president Terry Stewart and Cleveland's chief of government affairs Valerie McCall held a news conference Thursday at the airport to show off Cleveland Rocks banners and signage and to talk about plans and events for the Rock Hall induction ceremony at Public Hall on Saturday, April 14. "In 2009 the induction ceremony brought in $13 million in revenue to the city of Cleveland," said Stewart, standing in the baggage-claim area with "Cleveland Rocks" banners hanging over the walkway. "We had a week of events leading up to the event, and folks from New York said it was the best induction they'd ever seen. This year we believe it will bring in $20 million to the city, there will be 10 days of events, and we think it will be bigger and better than what we did in 2009." McCall highlighted the partnership between the Rock Hall, city and airport. http://www.cleveland.com/rockhall/index.ssf/2012/03/rock_and_roll_hall_of_fame_tea.html

Here's the overview for the next few rounds. Next up -- vs Knoxville, TN on April 4-5 http://www.facebook.com/SoMeTourism/app_208195102528120 EDIT: let's rename this thread, chopping off the "Voting ends tonight" part

A blurb from freshwater on the progress of Playhouse Square area: playhousesquare primed for plenty of peak performances DOUGLAS TRATTNER | THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 2012 Q: What happens when you combine unseasonably warm weather, a hot new restaurant opening, and a world-class whodunit? A: You get a downtown streetscape absolutely percolating with energy. PlayhouseSquare has always had its own beat, but lately, it seems positively supercharged. As the second-largest performing arts district in the nation, home to a dozen or so performance spaces, the neighborhood attracts well over one million visitors annually. That figure is on the rise thanks to the recent relocation of Cleveland Play House and CSU's theatre department to the renovated Allen Theatre. They will round out a calendar already bursting with theater, opera, dance and music taking place at the Hanna, Ohio, State and Palace theaters. http://www.freshwatercleveland.com/features/playhousesquarebuzz032912.aspx

np, and here's one more: Apr 1 -- Cleveland Urban Iditarod http://www.freshwatercleveland.com/filter/default.aspx#f9ab34f2-3b0b-4883-baac-2e63b52724ce

Another turbine! Cleveland Foundation awards $16.2 million to nonprofit groups and community groups Published: Thursday, March 29, 2012, 6:17 PM Updated: Thursday, March 29, 2012, 7:32 PM By Tonya Sams, The Plain Dealer CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Foundation awarded $16.2 million to nonprofit and community groups this week. The largest amount, $1.75 million, went to Case Western Reserve University's Great Lakes Energy Institute. The grant will help the sustainable energy research institute pay for electrical grid research and education. http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2012/03/the_cleveland_foundation_award.html

Cleveland Shelves Gassification Plans After Learning It Would Cost Millions of Dollars a Year POSTED BY MAUDE L. CAMPBELL ON THU, MAR 29, 2012 AT 1:28 PM Last week the City of Cleveland officially canceled its $1.5 million contract with the New Jersey businessman hired to design a trash-gassing plant the city wants on Ridge Road. The problem with the work performed by Peter Tien and his Princeton Environmental Group? Mostly he sucked at math. Despite Tien’s assurances that the plant would be a moneymaker, a check of his figures showed it would actually cost millions every year, which the city determined is not the preferable flow of cash for a $200 million investment. Back in February, Tien submitted reports showing that the trash-processing units would deposit an average of $40.7 million a year into city coffers. A small problem arose when it was learned that Tien had inexplicably multiplied the plant’s actual energy earnings by 10. The error was caught quickly — not by the city or Tien, but by folks at Ohio Citizen Action, a nonprofit watchdog that posted a detailed accounting of Tien’s promises on its website. Correcting for Tien’s faulty math, the group learned that the city’s $40.7 million profit would more closely resemble a $17 million annual loss, a feat City Hall can accomplish any number of other ways. http://www.clevescene.com/scene-and-heard/archives/2012/03/29/cleveland-shelves-gassification-plans-after-learning-it-would-cost-millions-of-dollars-a-year

Stanley Block ownership is deadlocked; judge rules that casino group holds 50 percent stake Published: Thursday, March 29, 2012, 8:36 PM Updated: Thursday, March 29, 2012, 8:36 PM By Michelle Jarboe McFee, The Plain Dealer CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The company that owns the Stanley Block building is deadlocked -- a situation that might lead to dissolution of the ownership group and the sale of its only asset, the small building on Ontario Street in downtown Cleveland. A Cuyahoga County judge ruled Thursday in favor of 2115-2121 Ontario Building LLC, a company affiliated with casino developer Rock Ohio Caesars LLC. Common Pleas Court Judge John P. O'Donnell concluded that the casino group holds 50 percent of Macron Investment Co., the company that owns the Stanley Block. The other shareholders, members of the Maloof and Anter families, claimed that they owned nearly 51 percent of the shares in Macron, and therefore controlled the property. http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2012/03/stanley_block_ownership_is_dea.html

Cleveland casino construction nearing completion Published: Thursday, March 29, 2012, 12:00 PM Updated: Thursday, March 29, 2012, 5:21 PM By Thomas Ott, The Plain Dealer CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Construction of the Horseshoe Casino Cleveland is almost done, leaving paperwork as the bigger obstacle to opening in mid-May. May 14 remains the target date for opening the first of four Ohio casinos authorized by voters in 2009, said Jeffrey Cohen, a principal in Dan Gilbert's Rock Gaming LLC and head of the construction project. Rock Gaming owns the Cleveland casino in a joint venture with Caesars Entertainment. Matthew Schuler, executive director of the Ohio Casino Control Commission, is not certain the casino will debut exactly on May 14 but is hopeful it will open that week. http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2012/03/cleveland_horseshoe_casinos_op.html

^ no problem at all. One more: Cleveland development experiencing renewed momentum as more people move downtown CLEVELAND - When Cassia Curtis recently moved from Columbus to downtown Cleveland, she fell in love with the city. She noticed right away there's a lot to do within walking distance of her downtown apartment. Marinucci said the vast majority of those moving downtown are between the age of 25 and 34. Nearly 96 percent of all downtown residential living is occupied. More apartments are needed for new workers at the new casino and med mart, who don't like to spend time and money commuting, and want to be close to entertainment and sporting events. Read more: http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/news/local_news/cleveland_metro/Cleveland-development-experiencing-renewed-momentum-as-more-people-move-downtown#ixzz1qYS2FnfO

demolition of old cleveland school of the arts makes way for new, state-of-the-art campus THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 2012 Many teachers and graduates of Cleveland School of the Arts, the acclaimed, arts-focused school that sits at the edge of University Circle, have been patiently waiting for more than 30 years for a new school. "We've had a makeshift arts school for 30 years," says Christine Bluso, Executive Director of Friends of Cleveland School of the Arts. The historic school building was built atop the culverted Doan Brook and does not have a cafeteria or facilities suitable to teaching the arts. "Now they're building us a real arts school. This is part of a premier arts specialty system that's being put into place in the district, and our goal is to write the curriculum to create a conservatory-level 9th-12th grade school." The demolition of the former Cleveland School of the Arts began earlier this month. Current CSA students are housed at another district school until the new campus is ready. Bluso says that the district plans to break ground on the new, state-of-the-art school in June and open it to students in August 2014. The green-built facility will feature an outdoor plaza and new interior spaces such as art galleries and music rooms that are specially built for arts classes. http://www.freshwatercleveland.com/devnews/clevelandschoolofthearts032912.aspx

Updated: Under Construction: Cleveland State University Mixed-Use North Campus Apartments (308 units) -- $45 million http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2011/06/new_neighborhood_to_rise_on_cl.html In the pipeline: The Park Building and Southworth Building apartments (34 apartments) -- $21 million http://development.ohio.gov/Urban/OHPTC/documents/Round7ApprovedApplications.pdf Hanna Annex Apartments (102 apartments) -- $23 million http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2011/12/playhousesquare_to_sell_downto.html Schofield Building (24-30 apartments) -- $40 million http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2010/06/four_northeast_ohio_projects_i.html Planning Stages: Rosetta Center Building (85 apartments) -- $4 million http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2012/03/part_of_rosetta_center_office.html East Ohio Building at 1717 East Ninth St (223 apartments) http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2012/03/kd_group_plans_to_buy_redevelo.html Truman Building at 1030 Euclid (20 apartments) http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2011/11/with_apartments_full_developer.html Avenue District conversion into apartments at 1211 Saint Clair Ave (up to 62 units) http://www.crainscleveland.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110725/FREE/307259967 Proposed: Garfield Building (E.6th) Baker Building (E.6th) Flats East Bank Residential (150-600 apartments) http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2011/11/with_apartments_full_developer.html Arcade (100 apartments) http://crainscleveland.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?Category=TOC When pigs fly: 515 Euclid Ave (240 units) http://www.desman.com/hotproperty/task,view/id,59/Itemid,168/ Huntington Bank Building at 917 Euclid Ave http://blog.cleveland.com/business/2008/11/huntington_moving_to_200_publi.html Standard Building at 1370 Ontario St http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2012/01/railroad_union_nations_oldest.html Warehouse District mixed-used Transit Hub http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2011/11/post_536.html Lakefront Residential http://blog.cleveland.com/architecture/2011/11/new_lakefront_plan_from_clevel.html Playhouse Square parking lot across from Palace Theater http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2011/12/playhousesquare_to_sell_downto.html

More info and media: http://freshwatercleveland.com/forgood/kidsagainsthunger032212.aspx

^ here are a few ideas to get your gears turning: Downtown: Moondog Coronation Ball http://www.theqarena.com/events/moondog_120331/ RRHOF Moondog Coronation Ball talk (FREE) -- http://rockhall.com/event/RRNS-Moondog/ 36th Cleveland International Film Festival http://www.clevelandfilm.org/ Cleveland Critical Mass -- http://www.facebook.com/events/308446065887562/ Cleveland Cavs http://www.nba.com/cavaliers/schedule/ Playhouse Square http://www.playhousesquare.org/default.asp?playhousesquare=11&urlkeyword=Events-Tickets Red -- Cleveland Playhouse http://downtowncleveland.com/profile/Event/Red--Presented-by-Cleveland-Playhouse Emo Phillips -- Pickwick and Frolic http://www.pickwickandfrolic.com/Hilarities/bio/comicLibrary/ePhillips.html University Circle: Remembering Rembrandt -- Cleveland Museum of Art http://www.cleveland.com/arts/index.ssf/2012/03/cleveland_museum_of_arts_rembr.html http://blog.clevelandart.org/?p=2477 Mythic Creatures: Dragons, Unicorns & Mermaids -- Cleveland Museum of Natural History http://www.universitycircle.org/events/2012/03/mythic-creatures-dragons-unicorns-mermaids Cleveland Orchestra http://www.clevelandorchestra.com/

Typo fixed -- thanks. Yeah, I like my self-created categories to define the projects.

^Another reminder of the happening density:

Updated -- promoted the East Ohio Gas building to "Planned." Am I understanding the E.6th prospects correctly?? Under Construction: Cleveland State University Mixed-Use North Campus Apartments (308 units) -- $45 million http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2011/06/new_neighborhood_to_rise_on_cl.html In the pipeline: The Park Building and Southworth Building apartments (34 apartments) -- $21 million http://development.ohio.gov/Urban/OHPTC/documents/Round7ApprovedApplications.pdf Hanna Annex Apartments (102 apartments) -- $23 million http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2011/12/playhousesquare_to_sell_downto.html Schofield Building (24-30 apartments) -- $40 million http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2010/06/four_northeast_ohio_projects_i.html Planning Stages: East Ohio Building at 1717 East Ninth St (223 apartments) http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2012/03/kd_group_plans_to_buy_redevelo.html Truman Building at 1030 Euclid (20 apartments) http://www.allbusiness.com/real-estate/commercial-residential-property/12867378-1.html#ixzz1iMEeIeBP Avenue District conversion into apartments at 1211 Saint Clair Ave (up to 62 units) http://www.crainscleveland.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110725/FREE/307259967 Proposed: National City Investments Building (Euclid Ave and E.6th) Garfield Building (E.6th) Baker Building (E.6th) Flats East Bank Residential (150-600 apartments) http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2011/11/with_apartments_full_developer.html Arcade (100 apartments) http://crainscleveland.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?Category=TOC When pigs fly: 515 Euclid Ave (240 units) http://www.desman.com/hotproperty/task,view/id,59/Itemid,168/ Huntington Bank Building at 917 Euclid Ave http://blog.cleveland.com/business/2008/11/huntington_moving_to_200_publi.html Standard Building at 1370 Ontario St http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2012/01/railroad_union_nations_oldest.html Warehouse District mixed-used Transit Hub http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2011/11/post_536.html Lakefront Residential http://blog.cleveland.com/architecture/2011/11/new_lakefront_plan_from_clevel.html Playhouse Square parking lot across from Palace Theater http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2011/12/playhousesquare_to_sell_downto.html

I know Chris Ronayne has stated he wants to get rid of all parking lots in University Circle...well I'm happy to report even the necessary Uptown lot behind the street-front mixed use are made of brick:

UPDATE of the new Circle Vistas, which will free up the adjacent land for a later phase of Uptown -- Construction crews were moving some dirt today:

Thanks Chris! I really tried to go a shout out to the region economic engines -- Jumpstart, NorTech, CWRU -- who have been growing Cleveland through technology start up companies... And the bright future for the region as a startup hotbed. Too bad I couldn't give a plug to my upcoming event... Oh well

I'll be on NPR Sound of Ideas tomorrow at 9 AM...and I'll try to go give a plug for the event. Listen in!

A shout out from the Columbus Dispatch: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/travel/2012/03/25/1-aquarium-fills-unusual-venue-in-clevelands-flats.html

I wanted to pass along info for a charity event my company is hosting: If you are a CWRU undergrad, 30 tickets were unanimously purchased. Send me a message and I can get you a seat. Come enjoy a one-of-a-kind union of two sustainable social enterprises, who have come together to tell a story with great potential for positive change. We hope those who attend will find networking value, learn how to get involved and engaged, and have fun! By buying a $40 ticket, 200 nutritious meals will be provided to the Cleveland community provided by the Cleveland Chapter charity of Kids Against Hunger. Below is the full information of the event: WHAT: LorkTech Presents: Celebrating Sustainability and Entrepreneurship. A Benefit for Kids Against Hunger. WHEN: April 2, 2012 from 5:30 - 8 PM WHERE: Thwing Ballroom (11111 Euclid Ave) TICKET INFO: http://case.universitytickets.com/user_pages/event.asp?id=299&cid=24 Jenita McGowan, Chief of Sustainability, City of Cleveland -- http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2012/01/jackson_names_new_chief_of_sus.html Cathy Belk, CRO, Jumpstart -- http://www.jumpstartinc.org/en/AboutUs/whoweare/seniorleadership/cathybelk.aspx Ian Charnas, Think[box] -- http://cwru-daily.com/news/?p=5757 Stephanie Corbett, Sustainability Director, CWRU -- http://cwru-daily.com/news/?p=1010 For more information on the event, go to http://www.lorktech.com/LorkTechPresents.htm to be redirected to the informational sheet. To buy a ticket for the event and reserve your spot, go to http://case.universitytickets.com/user_pages/event.asp?id=299&cid=24

Great initiative happening at CWRU ro spur initiate, creativity, and business: Case Western Reserve University opens high tech workshop for students, faculty and staff Published: Saturday, March 24, 2012, 12:00 PM By Karen Farkas, The Plain Dealer CLEVELAND, Ohio - Case Western Reserve University has created a high-tech playground for students to design and develop prototypes that may one day be produced commercially. The think[box] includes $500,000 in equipment, including a circuit board printer, a computer-controlled table router that cuts a sheet of wood or plastic and a 3-D printer that can create plastic pieces with moving parts. It is open to faculty, staff and students from all university departments and other institutions in University Circle. Most importantly, it encourages them to collaborate. http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2012/03/case_western_reserve_universit.html

Historic Bridgeview Cafe to Re-Open After Decades of Darkness POSTED BY DOUGLAS TRATTNER ON FRI, MAR 23, 2012 AT 4:14 PM "This last week I couldn’t eat, couldn’t sleep. I've been so excited," says David Hridel, sounding a bit like an expecting father. "I just signed the lease an hour ago and finally have the key." Hridel is talking about the historic Bridgeview Café, the squat green-roofed building on Lorain, just a couple blocks east of the West Side Market. The funky building has been squarely in the sights of many an entrepreneur, but until now, it's been an elusive prey. "It's literally one of my favorite buildings," says Hridel, for years a fixture in the Cleveland bar and dining scene. "I've been trying to track down the owner for years." http://www.clevescene.com/scene-and-heard/archives/2012/03/23/historic-bridgeview-cafe-to-re-open-after-decades-of-darkness