tinkerbelle

X, I haven't seen any new "Hough McMansions" lately either. I must say that the Dispatch article is more positive than anything the Plain Dealer has put out about Cleveland... I've been confused ever since I arrived in Columbus for school: Which parts are actually the inner city? I've searched for neighborhood maps but all I can find is the one of the areas in downtown and immediately surrounding downtown like Short North. Is it that Columbus completely annexed suburbs and now they have Columbus' school system, mayor, etc.? Or do separate suburbs like Dublin, Bexley, and Whitehall share city services and therefore the city has decided to add these suburbanites to the city's overall population?

Well... I've been featured on local news twice, met with 96.5 KISS FM and some cheerleaders from a local high school that were there (unfortunately I didn't get a shout out on 96.5 but I did get to pass out flyers), wrote and called about 12 area schools...twice, passed out flyers at a Cool Cleveland party (in case the people had younger siblings or kids that they could give flyers to), posted the link on the Cleveland/Akron forums on a youth site called Tremor.com, passed out flyers to kids that were involved in the Cleveland Brain Gain program, called people at alternative newsweeklies (Call & Post, Free Times, Scene) and sent them press releases, Myspace/Facebook groups. When the magazine first launched I planned on giving away tickets to a concert and called three radio stations that people my age listen to a lot. None of them helped and I ended up going to the show with friends because no one knew I was giving away tickets (it was a GREAT show with great seats...people missed out...too bad for them). I might be forgetting some stuff. In a nutshell, a lot. I think I agree with older people: People my age can be apathetic.

Columbus and Cleveland. I guess kind of like regionalism on steroids.

In today's issue of the Columbus Dispatch, I saw part of the series about saving Ohio cities and a light bulb went off: what if the cities worked together for a common goal (making the state a more viable place) instead of trying to outdo each other? Of course mayors are humans and everybody wants to have the biggest, coolest city, so I understand it's an idealist thought. However, Ohio is a pretty diverse state in terms of the types of people and the land ([PD's Five Ohios thing comes to my head- http://www.cleveland.com/fiveohios/wide/index.ssf?/fiveohios/charts/0704a.html ). So, I'm wondering in your ideal Ohio, where the economy is going well and everything is dandy, how would the seven major Ohio cities (or whatever the number is) contribute by using their respective strengths?

Me? Why, thank you! I'm a she btw.

Thanks :-)! Hmmm, perhaps I am trying to do too many things at once. I never really thought about it but it seems like it would be a good idea to narrow things down...

I know this isn't a high school or college aged dominated forum but does anyone have any comments or suggestions? :?

Any new developments?

http://www.districtofdesign.com/ I searched but didn't see an actual "District of Design" thread. I was able to hear about this project along with the Gordon Square project this past summer at the City Club (for free 8-) ). It sounded pretty interesting and I wish that the local media covered it more. I had NO idea that so many industrial design firms were scattered throughout NEO. It sounds logical to move them to a central location. So does anyone know of any new developments?

Thanks!

I have a family member that teaches in the Hough area. She said besides the mini mansions and nice pockets, it is hard living. This is a woman that grew up in inner city Cleveland (in what was a good neighborhood at the time but she still knows what is *truly* rough and what isn't). She taught in SE Cleveland and said the mindset of the kids in the "hoods" there is different from impoverished kids in Hough and other impoverished parts of the NE side. She said the poverty is more apparent. For one, I've noticed a lot more projects/tenement housing in this area. I have family throughout Mt. Pleasant and although it isn't a great neighborhood I would much rather live there than Hough.

A little bit about myself: I'm a first year college student in Central Ohio but from the Cleveland area. I have career interests in Marketing Communications and of course Urban Planning. I used my interests in communications and planning to start an online magazine for Northeast Ohio youth during my ninth/tenth grade years of high school. I got funding from the Cleveland Civic Innovation Lab and was even in/on the news and at different events tirelessly promoting my project. It didn't take off and after almost three years and turning it into a blog, my website is sitting there and getting NO love. I've only had two contributors that I could count on might I add. Since I've started college, I've given up on it for a while. I am not one to give up completely and am trying to take an alternative route. Plug: http://www.back-talk.org . My website is basically general interest. Area high school and college students can submit anything (within reason) about any topic (within reason). I also find local events that would interest my age group to get them out of their neighborhoods and exploring the coolness of the region. I hope to relaunch the site in 2008 and would like to have a more defined focus: -More area specific: Focus on area (especially locally-owned) stores, restaurants, and places in general. Focus on musicians from or coming to the area. Focus on area politics and youth issues. I'm thinking Free Times for the younger set. -I also wish that more people my age knew about the development projects. I know of tons in inner city Cleveland alone and could probably find some more for Akron, Lorain, Youngstown, and Canton. If they knew of the things going on they might not think the area is so boring and devoid of life. -I want youth to get ACTIVELY involved in community development and telling their views. What do inner city Cleveland youth want to see differently in their neighborhoods and schools that would make them more livable? What's life like for a farm kid in the rural parts of the region? What styles are hot and which ones aren't in Northeast Ohio? I don't want to just showcase the area and talk about how perfect it is...it is not perfect and we need to address the issues if we want change. Esp. those of the youth. I need some ideas from you all because I don't want BackTalk to flop again.

So is the District of Design within the Arts Quarter?

Besides the Euclid Corridor, I didn't know that so much construction/renovation was going on in Playhouse Square! Now, downtown will have both an upscale bowling alley AND an upscale pizza joint. Next, I'm thinking gourmet corned beef...*lightbulb*

I've been to Steelyard Commons twice. Once for the grand opening week of Dots and that is the best Dots that I've shopped at! It looks like a nice, legitimate store (instead of one of those hole in the walls where you get fake designer clothes). The clothing in that Dots seemed nicer too. Then when I was home for break a few weeks ago, I decided to venture into the WalMart Supercenter. I thought it was nice too. Although I shop at "big box" national chains, I prefer to support local places. I still think that Steelyard Commons wasn't a completely awful idea. So many people went to the suburbs and frequented those stores anyway and at least they are putting innovation into the planning (the whole "steelyard" theme, the towpath, etc.). It could have been the typical, bland boxes found in suburbia. That's perfect for the Flats! Heinen's is local and the prices are competitive.

I go to OSU and members of Come Home to Cleveland were passing out flyers during this year's Welcome Week. I haven't heard much since though... Also I had no idea about the College 360 site. It's a great idea and should be publicized more.

I have fond memories of Geagua Lake but the fondest ones are from before Six Flags took over. I like new, big thrill rides, however, the simplicity was better. I wish the park kept more of an old school Kennywood type feel. Now, I know how my parents felt when Euclid Beach kicked the bucket. So will the land turn into yet another big box development? Housing Developments like Shady Lakes Amusement Park?