Tremont Art Walk

Tremont Art Walk
June 13, 2008
Tremont Neighborhood in Cleveland, Ohio
6 to 10pm

Locations and link to map

It may be hot and hazy but that can be easily beat with air conditioning and cool drinks. Go explore one of Cleveland's jewel neighborhoods.

|re|design cleveland query 2 up and running

|re|design cleveland has launced the second query based upon rethinking and reusing a "public" space.

This particular site for intervention is located at West 54th North of Detroit Avenue in the Detroit Shoreway neighborhood and runs from June 4th to August 4th.

You can find more information here.

|re|design cleveland is part of the LAUNCH family.

Kick the Carbon Habit - World Environment Day 2008

Thursday, June 5th, 2008

About World Environment Day 2008

World Environment Day, commemorated each year on 5 June, is one of the principal vehicles through which the United Nations stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment and enhances political attention and action.

The World Environment Day slogan for 2008 is Kick the Habit! Towards a Low Carbon Economy. Recognising that climate change is becoming the defining issue of our era, UNEP is asking countries, companies and communities to focus on greenhouse gas emissions and how to reduce them. The World Environment Day will highlight resources and initiatives that promote low carbon economies and life-styles, such as improved energy efficiency, alternative energy sources, forest conservation and eco-friendly consumption.

The main international celebrations of World Environment Day 2008 will be held in New Zealand. UNEP is honoured that the city of Wellington will be hosting this United Nations day (read the press release).

The day's agenda is to give a human face to environmental issues; empower people to become active agents of sustainable and equitable development; promote an understanding that communities are pivotal to changing attitudes towards environmental issues; and advocate partnership, which will ensure all nations and peoples enjoy a safer and more prosperous future.

What are you going to do?

Get some ideas here or more North American ideas here.

Doing something with nothing, while waiting

Rust belt cities suffer from the heavy mantle of industrial exodus. The loss of jobs is reflected in the loss of tax revenue which decreases the city's ability to maintain its infrastructure, pay for basic services such as education and protection and maintain amenities such as entertainment or arts.

While lands are left vacant waiting for the local economy to turn there exists the potential to use the extended lag periods to passively increase the viability of polluted city sites in order to take advantage of passing opportunity. Many phytoremediation or phytoextraction strategies could be utilized to remove or decrease toxins from the polluted soils of vacated manufacturing plants. Phytostabilization or phytotransformation are strategies for stabilizing/containing a pollutant and for breaking down organic pollutants such as pesticides.

Passing over the Cuyahoga this morning I wondered how difficult or expensive it would be to begin a phytoremediation program to clean up selected sites in The Flats that are not currently slated for any development or where development is many years off.

Would it make sense to begin natural clean up solutions to decrease the toxicity? Would it increase the inherent land value for resale? Could brownfield clean up grants be available for such a project and if so could educational institutions become involved as part of biology or environmental study groups to monitor progress and attempt various techniques?

Could Cleveland become the case study for phytoremediation techniques, utilizing the massive amounts of undeveloped, post-industrial, poisoned land and turning these sites into amenities such as public parks, nature reserves, community gardens while they sit unused waiting to be developed?

Would a program such as this take too long to have an affect? Are we waiting for something worthwhile or amazing to happen instead?

1/3 Movie Night - Battleship Potemkin

1/3 Movie Night presents: Battleship Potemkin
Bela Dubby
Thursday, June 5th
7.30pm

Free movie at a glorious cafe/gallery that also has beer.
MMMMMMMMMM.

Greening Bays Competition

Sure, way back in 2006 we did celebrate Park(ing) Day in Cleveland. I was even able to capture some of the lawn-tivities on camera. For some reason we skipped 2007.

Now as we gear up for 2008 (September 19th this year)it is becoming apparent that people are realizing just how much space their car takes up in the city. As part of an urban exercise and London's Festival of Architecture (which will now be my war cry when someone asks me why I think "other" cities may actually celebrate design and Cleveland doesn't quite yet) the LFoA is holding a competition to locate 14 teams to design and construct these interventions.

While I am actually quite excited about the event I feel I cannot enter simply because I would not be able to fly to London to build the thing.

HOWEVER...

there is no reason we couldn't make 2008 a banner year in Cleveland. Not one at all.

The public use of public land, reap what you sow

I remember years ago reading about folks in the UK who would drive around in the dark of night, find some despot of a site, overgrown, forgotten, filled with trash, and then lovingly clean, replant and care for the little oasis. I always found the occurrence scary in a wondrous way. There are so many residual spaces, little areas that are surrounded by public way, confused as to whom has ownership, so they lapse into becoming forgotten hardened dirt, adding nothing to the identity of the area and offering no respite from the hardened facade of the urban jungle.

I was debating with some of the LAUNCHies about the act of Guerrilla Gardening. Surprisingly the few that I talked to about it got all excited and bothered. Some quick research went into the beginning nuances. How best to distribute seeds or plants, what areas would be most beneficial to plant, were we going for a statement, for aesthetics or for balancing the natural order?

We quickly found some rather helpful links, tips and ideas (hint: Google "Guerrilla Gardening").

Then, as some get ready to begin our due diligence I stumble across an article about an LA area Guerrilla Gardener whom has been planting medians with Agave for 10 years, a succulent that has low moisture needs and thrives in the local climate. The best part of the article was that the Superintendent of Grounds Maintenance for the city of Long Beach is rather impressed by the gardeners use of drought tolerant plants and notes that "there is no law against planting on city landscaping, except for ficus tress, who's roots wreck roads and sidewalks".

Not that I want to take the subversive fun out of the act but perhaps this may be a good time for local activists who would like to beautify their cities to start cooperating with local officials to create gardens and local parks (Cleveland already has many programs already with this aim, I will make note of them as I get more information from the various groups - WCPN Sound of Ideas recently discussed how urban gardening may be used to battle the foreclosure crisis). As a renter I do miss digging in the yard. I suppose now I can treat my whole city as, well, mine.

See you on the side of the road with a shovel.

Guerrilla Gardening homepage

Admitting you have a problem is the first step...

I hate to completely summarize a news article but I feel that this is a rather important stepping stone to society assuming accountability for our actions.

Four years late and under the shadow of a court order demanding it the White House produced their climate report this past Thursday.

Scientific Assessment of the Effects of Global Change on the United States

While offering no "new science" it does collaborate previous studies and reports that concentrated on human action, climate change and the resultant environmental impacts upon natural systems.

In 1990 the US Global Change Research Act of 1990 was passed stating that the United States government must issue a comprehensive science assessment of global warming but had not released one since 2000.

I have not had the chance to read the 271 page report. I will try to get through it this weekend however there have already been some tidbits bantered around the internet that I found interesting.

...from the New York Times; The Bush administration, bowing to a court order, has released a fresh summary of federal and independent research pointing to large, and mainly harmful, impact of human-caused global warming in the United States.

...from Yahoo AP ;
• Increased heat deaths and deaths from climate-worsened smog. In Los Angeles alone yearly heat fatalities could increase by more than 1,000 by 2080, and the Midwest and Northeast are most vulnerable to increased heat deaths.

• Worsening water shortages for agriculture and urban users. From California to New York, lack of water will be an issue.

• A need for billions of dollars in more power plants (one major cause of global warming gases) to cool a hotter country. The report says summer cooling will mean Seattle's energy consumption would increase by 146 percent with the warming that could come by the end of the century.

• More death and damage from wildfires, hurricanes and other natural disasters and extreme weather. In the last three decades, wildfire season in the West has increased by 78 days.

• Increased insect infestations and food- and waterborne microbes and diseases. Insect and pathogen outbreaks to the forests are causing $1.5 billion in annual losses.


Alright, so what are we going to do about it? More importantly what are you? The tools are right there to become informed, now act upon the information. Inaction is no longer a viable option.

Live! Work! Waterloo! - Housing Symposium

Waterloor Village Artist Housing Symposium
Sunday, June 8th
Arts Collinwood Gallery
Free and Open to the public

11am :: brunch at the Beachland Tavern - DELICIOUS!

1-3pm :: Arts Collinwood Gallery, 15605 Waterloo

treats, info, speakers:
Arts Collinwood
Northeast Shores
Cleveland Action to Support Housing
Community Partnership for Arts and Culture
Primerica Financial Services
Waterloo Artists and Residents
COSE

3pm - ? Tour the Waterloo Village:
Residences, shops, galleries, taverns, restaurants, etc.
(a map will be provided)

Ever since the Midtown TOIstudio flooded the MarJ and I have been debating whether I should take the plunge and start anew. I really like the Collinwood area and enjoy watching it develop over the past 3 - 4 years that it has been really taking off. I enjoy looking at the buildings and thinking to myself. Dang, TOIstudio 2 could work in that space rather well. Right by the freeway, off the lake, near a Home Despot, pretty dang close to Downtown and right near the Euclid Corridor. Actually it is probably closer to downtown than where I am now. Hmmmmm.

Getting close up to the old Cleveland Lifeboat Station #239

It was a glorious Saturday so the MarJ and I wanted to investigate the rumors that the Old Coast Guard Station had recently been made a bit more accessible.

We grabbed the camera and decided to check it out.

I have to admit that I have always been partial to the design of the station. Built in Art Moderne and designed by Cleveland architect J. Milton Dyer the station was a beautiful homage to nautical design. Years of neglect have compromised the structure but the current owner (the City of Cleveland) are currently looking at possible solutions to revitalize the site.

I am extremely excited about any plans to turn this part particular building into an amenity on the lake and feel that the design of the site should be preserved. I could not fathom a more well thought out and beautiful facility for that site, not that I would be one whom would preface any argument based upon the context of forcibly preserving historical precedence. I just believe that the design is an invaluable asset to the community and adds a much needed softness to our architectural vernacular. I am excited to keep tabs upon the future of this project.

Hopefully the increased access will result in greater attention. Make sure to visit it while the weather is nice and the building lasts.

resources:

• J Milton Dyer Landmarks Commission List (.pdf)
• Burning River Fest
• Wendy Park Foundation - Coast Guard Station
• Lifeboat Station #239 History - Cleveland LSS
• Ohio Trespassers Check Out #239
• Green City Blue Lake talks of the earlier discussions to save the site - March 2006
• The Proposed schemes - also GCBL
• Case Western Reserve - Encyclopedia of Cleveland History - Station #239

Beyond all convention (center) - or - I wish I knew now what I knew back then

Back in 1903 or so Cleveland underwent a rather amazing thorough urban public works plan commonly referred to as "the Burnham Plan". This great plan resulted in public square, the malls and the orientation of downtown north to south reaching to the lake.

Over the years many facets of the plan were ignored or changed, the relocation of transit centers from the North side of Mall C (see the location of the Amtrak station to Tower City), portions of public space "readjusted" to become building sites. Somewhere around 1929 a convention center was built under Mall B. It is the replacement of this convention center, in conjunction with the proposed Medical Mart complex that was the purpose of a public forum tonight at the Centers for Families and Children.

Of the three county commissioners only Peter Lawson Jones was able to attend. Estimates of about 70 - 80 of the general public attended. There were various government officials (of which I probably couldn't spell their names correctly so I apologize in advance).

The forum opened with Lawson Jones giving a brief presentation on the program of the convention/medical mart complex and a brief history of how the system has operated to date. Then two of the many suggestions for possible sites were further explained.

First up was Will Vogle of Forest City Enterprises who was a proponent for the site adjacent to Tower City. Dubbed "the Riverview Site @ Tower City" the proposal had the same fault shared with other developments with such bucolic names by falling sort of the conjured mental image relative to such a lofty title. It also had the mission statement of creating "an indoor and outdoor, front door" which I think means that when you enter from the street you know where you are, but when you enter from the interior, you also know where you are. It wasn't that it was confusing, just unnecessary. While Forest City would be offering commercial space to leverage the Medical Mart the strengths were also what I considered the main weaknesses. In a nutshell it created a completely self contained community of connected hotels and transit that would make it not only possible but extremely convenient to come into town for a convention and never leave the building. While that might bode extremely well for the business plan, for the city and the region is seems counter productive to the city as a whole. The project as a whole created a 7 story structure (4 levels of parking) directly on the banks of the Cuyahoga, creating a sheer canyon wall (with 4 levels of party) as the new Western image of the city.

While I don't want to beat on Will too much he did mention how the project would be designed via a "competition" (probably to the chagrin of HNTB who worked on the proposal with Forest City) that would strive to create an "architectural iconic building" that would "green" and whatever other buzzword could be tossed out to the hungry attention starved masses.

The second presentation was by Gene Baxendale of Osborne Engineering who presented a proposal done by LMN, Madison International and Bostwick Design Partnership which consisted of redesigning the existing convention center to handle modern exhibitions, refurbish the auditorium complex to the east and open up the site south of the current administration building for the Medical Mart which would put it right on Public Square. The Mall B&C proposal offered the most elegant solutions which seemed to offer the best opportunity to invigorate street life along a typically empty urban area while still allowing the Mall to retain it's usage as a public space. It also made allowances for connecting to the Lake via a pedestrian bridge that would cross the train tracks and highway and allow easy access to the Science Center and Rock Hall while creating back of house access that would allow trucks to utilize loading areas without having to traverse downtown streets from the highway.

After both presentations the public was allowed to speak. Most of the general public voiced the opinion that the Mall B plan was favored to the Tower City Plan. I would have to agree due to the statements above and also because...

• It would allow for a connection to be made to the Amtrak Station increasing the value of passenger rail travel.
• It would create an easy access to Browns stadium, the Rock Hall and the Science Center which unfortunately are currently cut off from the rest of the city.
• It allows for design statements to be subtle and controlled instead of an overindulging complex that would possibly overwhelm the context of the Burnham Plan and create an uncomfortable exterior space.
• The Mall B plan is more centrally located to parking, hotels, restaurants than the Tower City plan which is bordered by the Cuyahoga and therefore loses an entire side to ease of access.
• It would be similar distance to the Red Line as the Tower City Sight and both sites are directly on the Health Line around Public Square.

The important thing is that the people of the city are able to be involved in the planning and site selection for what could be the most important project with the greatest potential to change the fate of the city for the near future. It will a project that requires not only our scrutiny but also our diligence and care in order to make sure that it measures up to our necessary standards.

Cameron Sinclair Lecture Reminder

In case you missed the heads up over a month ago...

The New Face of Architecture
Cameron Sinclair of Architecture for Humanity
Talalay Lecture Series
Westfield Insurance Studio Theater
Wednesday, May 21st, 2008
6pm (seating closes at 5.45pm, they say...)

Limited Seating
Please contact Andrea Kormos at 216.421.8671 xt. 21 to reserve your space.

Brought to you by MOCA Cleveland

The Verdant Walk - Mall B invasion

While it may look as if Mall B of downtown Cleveland has recently been invaded by some sort of weird alien pod people, what we are really witnessing is an amazing installation by Peter and Alissa North of North Design Studio. Complete with solar powered glowing spheres and strips of native field grasses the occupation of a formal park with natural objects and objectification is rather intriguing.

I think it is wondrous and beautiful and applaud the simplicity of execution.

Cleveland Public Art (click on the Mall B link) has the artist's statement which says it so much better.

It was a beautiful day downtown, the sun was setting, the city sparkled and the malls reminded me of how beautiful a formal city park could be. If there would have been a soft pretzel vendor about I would have been the happiest guy in town. Take an evening or a lunch and go check it out. I am unsure if there will be a ceremonial groundbreaking or whatever but it is out for everyone to see so you really don't have to wait.

Whiskey Island Access Bridge Now Open

I had heard rumors that the new bridge was officially open and decided to bike on over to Whiskey Island, one of my favorite parks in/around the city (once all the dead chad sink) to see for myself.

Apparently I was a day late for the official opening of the bridge but no bother, I will simply relish that it is open, wide enough for two cars to cross in opposite directions at the same time while also having a safe side bridge for pedestrian access.

While I have to admit I am a little disappointed that Burning River Fest changed venue to Nautica instead of Whiskey Island. I fear the reasoning was to accommodate more automobiles, which seems counter intuitive to the whole notion of the Burning River Fest. Actually I am a little saddened by the prospect that it will not be on the banks of a green lake park but rather shuffled off to take place on some asphalt oasis alongside the river surrounding by the empty hulks of our fallen industrial might.

However I do hope that this improved access will attract the people of downtown who would like another glorious spot to enjoy our all too short summers on the banks of the mighty Lake Erie and notorious Cuyahoga River overlooking (underlooking?) downtown. The views from the river portion of the park are much better than what I took from the bridge. Of course you should go and judge for yourselves.