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).

Sustainability advocates see the retirement of Michael Konicek as director of Cleveland’s Public Utilities Department and his succession by Julius Ciaccia, the former head of the city’s Water Department, as a positive sign. Renewable energy advocates, in particular, are optimistic about the shift, viewing Ciaccia as a potential ally in championing ‘green’ energy development at the city. Case in point, Ciaccia has not ruled out the possibility of developing wind turbines as a source of power for the city’s back up generators.

In addition, the city’s water department has recently begun to explore the possibility of finding a source of biodiesel, or diesel fuel made from food sources such as soybeans or used French fry grease, to assist the city’s backup generators.

The search for biodiesel generators and other renewable energy sources such as wind turbines off the coast of Lake Erie will intensify if the city establishes a director of sustainable initiatives. A sustainability “czar” would most likely be housed in the city’s department of public works and push for the creation of innovative energy programs.

If the stars align, the new position will be funded and in place by this fall, in time for the Green Energy Ohio (GEO)- and the Ohio Department of Development-sponsored Ohio Wind Power Conference, November 9-10, at the Sheraton Cleveland City Centre Hotel in Downtown Cleveland. At the conference, GEO is expected to finally reveal its Ohio wind-mapping project, which identifies the best locations for utility grade wind power.

It’s long been anticipated that certain areas off the shore of Cleveland could produce up to class five, or the highest level, winds. Recently, GEO announced that it had secured permission from the city of Cleveland and funding from the Cleveland Foundation to study the offshore wind potential by building a monitoring tower on the Kirtland Pumping Station Water Intake Crib. GEO estimates that this move will save millions of dollars, or the cost to build a new foundation in the lake.

“While this wind monitoring and community engagement project is not a mandate or guarantee of commercial wind turbines in the lake, it is an important step that may determine another source of clean renewable energy for Northeast Ohio,” GEO writes in its Spring 04 newsletter. To read more.

Cleveland Institute of Art two weeks ago told its staff that it is shutting down the school’s Continuing Education department. Without any prior notice, CIA slashed the entire department, which offers courses such as pay-as-you-go drawing to non-degree students and certificate seeking students alike. A source told Bruce Blog that CIA’s been in cost cutting mode for the last year. Still, the recent move caught many by surprise since Continuing Education is a huge outreach channel for the university. The closing of the department follows a similar move last year when CIA closed down its Career Services department.

Beachwood and Pepper Pike continue to sprawl and fell their last remaining stands of old growth forests in a desperate effort to keep population from moving out to trendier far eastern suburbs.

The damage started in the ‘90s when the corporate office park where MBNA is headquartered and the Jewish Community Center leveled acres of trees. Recently, Park Synagogue managed to get permission to raze a forest just south of Shaker Boulevard East from the sieve-like permitting process of the Ohio EPA (which approves 98% of wetland and stream permits, according to the Ohio Environmental Council). Located within the Chagrin River watershed, the synagogue’s new building will replace a building sited on a large parcel of land just across the median to Shaker Boulevard West. Inexplicably, the congregation has a second building—the main Park Synagogue in Cleveland Heights—which it could have used to hold services while a new Park Synagogue East was built on its original spot.

Then, there’s the case of Sterling Lakes, a new subdivision being built on scores of acres of forested land between South Woodland and Brainard roads. These are the woods, now nearly decimated, that attorney and environmental champion Stanley Adelstein once testified before the Ohio Supreme Court in his fight to have protected.

The visible evidence of sprawl continues despite recent analysis of the 2000 Census indicating that Cuyahoga County’s population is not increasing. In fact, trends show that population loss from Cuyahoga contributed to population gains in surrounding Geauga, Lorain, and Medina counties. Beachwood and Pepper Pike are now competing against Hudson, Avon, Russell, Streetsboro, and Fairlawn and are taking out their last forests to do so.

In response, environmental advocates are hopeful that state lawmakers will begin the process of land-use planning and create an effective Balanced Growth program. Balanced Growth in Ohio might mean offering incentives to communities like Beachwood and Pepper Pike to designate their forested land as priority conservation areas – an idea championed by the bi-partisan Ohio Balanced Growth Task Force. Conversely, the state could offer incentives to redevelop in urban areas that have existing infrastructure.

Meanwhile, developers are benefiting from destroying wetlands without assuming the costs. True, developers are required by a community to pay tap in fees for utilities and other exactions or fees to cover part of the costs to support schools and community services. But, ordinances that limit development if adequate public infrastructure doesn’t exist and impact fees within growth management regimes have been shown “to favor the construction of attached or higher density housing to make more efficient use of infrastructure,” The Brookings Institution concludes in its new volume edited by Anthony Downs, Growth Management and Affordable Housing: Do they conflict?

Growth management in this case refers to programs that ensure an adequate supply of land for dwellings of many kinds, not zoning which excludes multi-family dwellings or imposes a minimum size on single-family detached homes.

Until zoning regulations in subdivisions change and Balanced Growth programs are initiated, there will be few reasons for communities to discourage low density, large lot high-end housing developments that pave over the natural landscape.

The Lincoln Institute of Land Policy is making a documentary film on land use and the potential for smart growth in Cleveland. Filmmakers from Northern Light Productions were in town recently shooting interviews and footage of the city.

This is the second in a series titled, Making Sense of Place. According to the Lincoln Web site, “It is currently conceived as a multi-part series of one-hour documentary films about growth and change in large metropolitan areas. Through the eyes and voices of residents of these areas, the series explores the powerful impact of individual choices and the democratic process on the shape and dynamics of cities.”

The first film was about Phoenix, Arizona. Cleveland got the nod because of the Lincoln connection (manufacturer Lincoln Electric is based in Cleveland), according to the filmmakers.

Hotel Bruce’s concepts for a mixed-use district in Midtown Cleveland may not be so far flung. Midtown Cleveland, Inc. received a grant from The Cleveland Foundation to “support the organization’s efforts in establishing a technology and mixed-use district along Euclid Avenue,” the nonprofit economic development corporation for Midtown wrote in its latest newsletter. To find out how the grant will be used to study the potential for a mixed-use district along Euclid, contact Midtown Cleveland, Inc. at 216-391-5080.

Meagen Kresge, a member of the Cleveland Nonviolence Network, is among
the peace pilgrims walking across Japan, according to the Interreligious Task Force of Greater Cleveland.

After eight months and 4500 km of walking, the International Peace
Pilgrimage (IPP) arrived August 6, at Hiroshima Peace Park. The
walk joined with hundreds from around the world to mark the 59th
anniversary of the US bombing of Hiroshima, and to acknowledge the
millions of others who continue to be affected by the nuclear industry
globally.

The atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima killed around 140,000 people—
almost half the city population of the time—dying immediately, or in
the months after the nuclear bomb, from radiation injuries or horrific
burns.

In the closing of Ex-Ray, you note the injuries to Thomas Ganley informing his decision to close. It is very unfortunate that Thomas felt the need to close Ex-Ray, but as far as safety in Tremont is concerned, there has not been a reported rise in incidents. Merchants in the area in general feel safe, as does the public. Many of the merchants joined together some years ago to hire off-duty Cleveland police to provide additional security and this seems to work well for the neighborhood.

One thing that's brought many people into Tremont is the small town feel that it has, and I think neighbors and business owners tend to look out for one another. This is in contrast to the phony, small town feeling of Legacy Village. Nice as it is, it is a recreation of what
is authentic and organic in Tremont—a growing, diverse community that is rich in history and potential.
—Walter Wright, Tremont West Development Corp. and Re$tore Tremont

Your story about independent merchants in Cleveland losing their businesses
or moving to the suburbs provided important insight that larger local media
has ignored.

"Dynamic developer Peter Rubin" will have his hands full repairing the
massive damage done by the previous developer of Shaker Square. Not only is the successful, small health foods grocery store Feel Rite now in a suburban Heinen's store, but Wild Oats grocery store failed in short order. Now Shaker Square has no quality food shop.

It is little wonder that a developer that is oblivious to a large segment of its local market will build a project that failed so thoroughly.
—Lee Batdorff

Don’t be too tough on Legacy Village developer, Mitchell Schneider of First Interstate. While Legacy Village may be, in part, a factor in Shaker Square’s challenges, other factors cannot be ignored. Consider the following:

Shaker Square is a unique urban setting with unique challenges to achieve a retail tenant mix that will capture consumers living in the affluent suburbs as well as less-affluent urban dwellers.

Shaker Square’s prior ownership (at least, the Florida majority owner) did little to make adjustments after the initial re-tenanting strategy proved to be unsuccessful.

National tenants, such as Wild Oats and The Gap, left Shaker Square before the dirt was turned at Cedar and Richmond for Legacy Village.

But, alas, there is news that brings hope.

First, Peter Rubin and The Coral Company assume ownership of Shaker Square. They understand urban real estate and we can all look forward to a re-visioning of our revered Square.

Second, Mitchell Schneider has announced his intention to bring “big box” retail to Cleveland at the proposed “Steelyard Commons”. Whether you cherish small scale “Main Street” shopping or not, Cleveland consumers have demonstrated their desire to shop the large national retailers. Kudos to Schneider for working to bring these retailers (and their tax revenues) to the City of Cleveland.
—Michael Wager

Mr. Wager is Chairman of the Development Finance Committee of the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority.

August 13
Punk zine publisher and artist Christa Donner has been busy since departing Cleveland for Chicago. Donner is on a tour of the east to promote the latest edition of her biannual Ladyfriend Zine (this is the ‘Cute’ Issue) and a companion piece, Free Advice Zine where Donner solicits words of wisdom from ladies in her daily path. Donner will appear this Friday at Macs Bacs, 1820 Coventry Rd, at 7 p.m. to share stories and projects. Donner has invited art critics Gabe & Lyz Bly to conduct a live interview of her, and will be joined by Miss Melvis, Leslie Nichols & others.

August 13
Downtown neighborhood block party: View the Exhibit, “Downtown Cleveland: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow,” 6-8 p.m. at the Cleveland Public Library Main 3rd floor illustrating the changes in residential architecture from downtown's earliest days. See ideas for its future with graphic contributions from local developers and planners. A reception with live music in the lovely Eastman Reading Garden to follow. Free and open to the public. Call 216-623-2878 for more information.

August 21
Opening reception for “Considering Lee Road: An Exhibition of Community Ideas and Plans,” 6-10 p.m., at HeightsArts Gallery, 2173 Lee Road in Cleveland Heights (open to the public). Sponsored by FutureHeights, a community-based nonprofit in Cleveland Heights, the exhibit will highlight approximately 15 projects conceived by planners, architects, students and everyday citizens for the Lee Road corridor.

The projects to be showcased include several commercial storefront improvement projects, the Cleveland Heights/University Heights Library, an addition to Church of the Savior, as well as residential developments. The layout of the exhibit is designed to solicit comments and suggestions from the viewers which will be compiled and published following the close of the exhibit on August 25.

The gallery will be open on Saturday from 6:00 to 10:00 p.m., on Sunday from 1:00 to 5:00 and Monday through Wednesday from 3:00 – 9:00 p.m.

August 21
Second annual Waterloo festival: Waterloo Road merchants and shops (between E. 152nd and 163rd) sponsor a sidewalk sale with art, food, and entertainment at the Beachland Ballroom parking lot from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. See performance artists, a children's stage and 3-4 bands. Free.