Hotel Bruce

Welcome to the Bruce blog—a weekly update on news, events and issues affecting life in Cleveland. Reporting as it happens on transit, development, planning, environment and arts & culture.

Basically, we write about creative ideas forming, talk to the people who have an inside track on the issues, and sometimes offer a commentary of our own. (For disclosure purposes, Bruce blog is a local, independent writer who also works part-time with nonprofit organization EcoCity Cleveland. The opinions expressed here are not necessarily those of EcoCity or any other organization).

Cleveland artist Steve Manka was selected to design and build a public art installation for the City of Shaker Heights as part of its streetscape modifications at the Lee Road and Chagrin Boulevard district. Manka’s design is a 12 x 180 ft. sculptural installation composed of giant blocks of Amherst sandstone resting on steel piers. The stones will be elevated on the steel structure and spaced every 50 ft. just above plantings of prairie grasses.

“Hopefully, it will appear as if the wall is floating, just above the grasses in the summer,” says Manka. Manka, who won last year’s competition to design and fabricate the ‘eco-fence’ at the Cleveland Environmental Center, adds that the piece pays thematic homage to the historic Shaker gristmills.

About 25 to 30 artists entered the competition, which was sponsored by the city. Manka was awarded a $1000 stipend and will work with the head of the Sculpture Department at the Cleveland Institute of Art to fabricate the piece for installation in early fall 2004. The public art is the first step in remaking the Lee-Chagrin shopping district into a lifestyle retail center with new housing, traffic calmed, narrower roads and an avenue that cuts through the giant parking lot.

Recently, the heads of all the major organizations housed in University Circle were handed a roadmap to Peter B. Lewis’ heart—and the key to unlocking his millions in philanthropic dollars. Lewis explained that the UC directors have to collaborate if a future proposal is to get his Benjamins. The Progressive chief explained that he intends to support a mixed-use development, i.e. one that includes commercial, residential, public uses and retail such as restaurants, bars, bookstores, coffee houses, movies, newsstands and fun things for people of all ages. Of course, with developer Bert Wolstein committed to a mixed-use space at Ford and Euclid Avenue, perhaps Lewis’ largess could be directed toward other areas of Euclid or even a mixed-use development around a Rapid station. A source informs Bruce blog that the directors have been meeting and taking long walks in University Circle.

“This is one of the answers to sustaining affordable housing,” says Marge Misak, founder and director, of the Cuyahoga Community Land Trust. “The difference between a land trust house and a traditionally subsidized home is the affordability.”

The time may never be more perfect for a land trust considering the recent debate about the role of public money in residential development. If you doubt it, just try buying a house in Ohio City these days. Misak is convinced that the land trust will change a few minds about the supply side economics of affordable housing in Cleveland’s hottest market area. And maybe even spur a slumbering giant in others. Read the full article...

Ohio City Near West Development Corporation executive director John Wilbur has left the nonprofit community development corporation and will accept a position as assistant director in the city of Cleveland’s Community Development department. Wilbur (and development director Laura Noble, now assistant director at OCNW) was the primary force behind the revitalization of the Market Square district and storefront development on W. 25th Street.

Also, starting in March 2004, Mandy Metcalf joined the Cleveland EcoVillage as its new project director. She succeeds David Rowe, who moved to a position in the City of Cleveland's Department of Community Development.

Metcalf previously was an urban planner at Kent State University's Urban Design Center of Northeast Ohio, where she worked on redevelopment projects in the Broadway and Cudell neighborhoods. She also helped plan improvements to RTA transit stops, including the recent Transit Waiting Environment survey.

And Tim Russo, who has worked on political campaigns in Ohio including the winning state senate campaign for Mahoning County’s Tim Ryan, joined the Greater Ohio balanced growth campaign as the Northeast Ohio director. Russo was most recently working with civic advocacy groups and political parties in the UK, Eastern Europe, the former Soviet republics, and Central Asia on election campaigns, legal reform, election observation missions, and citizen participation in local government. Tim is a graduate of Cleveland State University and Case Western Reserve University School of Law.

Share your opinion of bike lanes in Euclid Corridor with ODOT
In February, ODOT District 12 staff objected to the Euclid Corridor's proposed design for bike lanes. More specifically, local ODOT officials didn't like a detail which ends the stripe for bike lane markings well back from each intersection whenever a "choice lane" exists (straight or right turn allowed). It was the reason stated for pulling the lanes from the project. As of March 29, ODOT still has not decided, so the letter writing campaign continues.

Cycling advocates responded by pointing to an option in the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials guide which was absent from ODOT's manual. The advocates’ move was seen as instrumental in getting ODOT to retreat from its position, even though the lanes are not yet back in the design.

If you want to see bike lanes included in the Euclid Corridor project, consider writing a letter to the director of ODOT District 12 and copying Mayor Campbell (addresses below).

Cycling advocates note that the City of Cleveland is actively defending the bike lanes, and that RTA is at least neutral (simply want to keep the project moving forward). ODOT officials are the only ones who have advocated the removal of bike lanes from the Euclid Corridor.

Send letters to:

David J. Coyle
Director, ODOT District 12
5500 Transportation Blvd
Garfield Hts, OH 44125