Letter from the Executive Director
April 30, 2013
Dear Friends of the Campus District,
It’s an exciting time for the Campus District, Inc. (CDI) organization. The Board of Directors of CDI is embarking on an update to its strategic plan starting this month and going through September. We’ll be identifying our top priorities for advancing the District and leveraging its many assets.
The Board and I are committed to learning from other organizations in Cleveland and other nearby cities about how to build on the strength of our “eds and meds” anchor institutions to revitalize the entire district. Our first learning experience was in Detroit where we met with staff and leaders of Midtown Detroit, Inc. We saw their impressive work of the past 25 years in real estate development, marketing and events, beautification, business support and attraction and safety.
We learned about their new employment and “live local” initiatives in collaboration with the anchor institutions of Wayne State University, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit Medical Center and the College for Creative Studies. In Cleveland we look forward to learning from University Circle, Inc. and the Greater University Circle Initiative. We’ll share this information with you and keep you updated on our strategic planning work.
Campus International School: A Student’s Perspective
April 25, 2013
Adam Sedlock, a fourth grader at the Campus International School. Photo by Donna Dieball.
My name is Adam and I am in the fourth grade at the Campus International School at East 30th and Chester Avenue. We opened in August of 2010 in the back of the United Methodist Church at East 30th and Euclid Avenue. Our side of the building faced Prospect.
When we started in 2010, we were Kindergarten through second grade. Our goal is to add a grade each year until we are K-12, and by then we will be in our third building.
Our curriculum is IB, standing for International Baccalaureate. We stand to do as our curriculum says: we make the world a better place. As a student of this school, you have to follow the six essential agreements, which are Listen, Be Inclusive, Respect Personal Space, Speak Kindly, and Stay With the Group.
We get to use Cleveland State’s Waetjen Auditorium for our winter and spring concerts. We also get to go to Playhouse Square to watch plays. Also, we get to have a PREP Rally before taking the Ohio Achievement Assessment test. This year, we are getting T-shirts that state IB profiles and attitudes on the back for the third and fourth grades, the grades that will take the test this year.
Lakefront Parks Survey: Take a moment to share your thoughts.
April 25, 2013Officials from the Cleveland Metroparks are seeking your input on how to make the Lakefront Parks (Edgewater Park, Gordon Park, Euclid Beach, and Villa Angela/Wildwood) the best they can be.
Please help by taking ten minutes of your time to share your valuable opinion. Go to http://svy.mk/YVFEK1 to participate. Thanks!
Student essay: You know my name, not my story
April 25, 2013
Sherrell Adams, an 8th grader at Carl & Louis Stokes Central Academy, stands with Assistant Principal Kamilah Williams. Sherrell is receiving a $1,000 college scholarship, sponsored by the Sisters of Charity Foundation of Cleveland, from the Carson Scholar’s Award. Photo provided by Joan Mazzolini.
Wow! Where can I begin? I mean, there have been tons of times I’ve had a problem that I had to overcome. But there is only one time, one DISATEROUS time, that I remember the most.
It was a spring night in 2009 – May 29 – when the problem began. I remember this night as if it were yesterday. Shynnelle and I were lying in bed, getting ready to go to sleep so we could get started with our next day, when our mother walks into the room and says…
“Hey you guys turn on the television and turn to the news!“ My sister and I were confused. Why did she want us to turn to the news? What was going on? My sister Shynnelle immediately turned the TV on and turned to the news. She didn’t like the horrid look on my mother’s face. We just watched, afraid of what was going to happen next. My mother had a worried look on her face.
She turned the TV off and looked into our eyes and held our arms and said as clear as day, “That might be you guys’ father.”
We looked at her with a confused look on our face. What is she talking about?
“Huh?” was all we said.
“Well, the news reporter stated that a man was gunned down on Buckeye Road and your father lives near Buckeye Road. All I’m saying is, this could be Thomas,” she answered.
“That’s not our dad. We know that’s not our dad. It can’t be,” Shynnelle said.
CSU is really “Putting On A Show!”
April 25, 2013
A portion of the Merit Scholarship Exhibition. In center, Ryan Upp’s “Our Eden’s a Failure.” Photo by Dan Morgan.
Cleveland State University has been redeveloping its Downtown Cleveland campus for several years now. The process has demolished some older buildings and spurred the construction of new buildings. This story focuses on the realignment of the Art Department and Galleries at Cleveland State, shifting the “spotlight” to Playhouse Square on the western fringe of the Campus District.
The Galleries at CSU at 1307 Euclid Avenue, in the Cowell and Hubbard Building, opened in September of 2012, after moving CSU art classrooms into the nearby, newly renovated Middough Building in January. CSU is also playing a leading role in the newly reopened Allen Theater on Playhouse Square.
Robert Thurmer, The Galleries at CSU’s director, also teaches at Cleveland State University.
David Jolley: Memories of Cedar-Central
April 25, 2013
David Jolley, Cedar-Central resident. Photo by Nick Downer.
Sparrows were building their nests in the eaves, their chirping filling the air, as David Jolley and I settled into our folding metal chairs in an upper room of the Central Rec Center on a sunny Tuesday morning.
Jolley, a composed, friendly man in his seventies, wearing a striped shirt and Indians ball cap, began to talk about his life and Central as he remembered it. Born in Georgia, Jolley moved with his parents to Cleveland in 1944, where they initially lived close to 75th and Kinsman before moving to East 19th street off of Woodland.
Although “Everybody went to East Tech,” Jolley attended Thomas Edison on 71st and Hough, and later Central High School. Jolley has fond memories of how the western part of the Central neighborhood used to be before redevelopment, remembering the residential streets and neighborhood attractions, some of them now vanished – like the East Side Market. Located where the Indians stadium is now, “you could buy just about anything you wanted” in the area. The neighborhood also boasted an open-air market between East 19th and 20th on Woodland Avenue, where Jolley worked Friday and Saturday nights from “5 o’clock in the morning to 10 or 12 at night.”
What We Love in the District – Stephanie Sparks
April 25, 2013
Stephanie Sparks
Her favorite place in the district: A quiet bench behind CSU’s Science and Research Building.
A “hidden gem” in the district more people should know about: Norton Furniture at East 21st and Payne.
One new thing she’d add to the district: A roller-skating rink.
- Stephanie is an Honors student at Cleveland State, triple-majoring in English, Sociology and Criminology and is excited about graduating this month. She lives in the district at 1900 Euclid Lofts and loves being so close to CSU.
- Stephanie is a Success Coach at CSU’s Tutoring and Academic Success Center. She’s also a retail associate at Macy’s.
- Outside of school and work, Stephanie loves reading and exercising. She also loves to roller-skate, particularly at Brookpark Skateland in Parma. Her favorite time to go is during “Retro Night,” when a wide variety of Michael Jackson songs are played.
- Stephanie loves dogs and is the happy owner of two beagles, Penny and Ginger.
Pizza Hut First Retailer to Sign at The Langston
April 25, 2013
Photo by Donna Dieball.
America’s favorite pizza is coming to Cleveland’s newest mixed-use development, The Langston at Cleveland State University. Buckingham Companies and Polaris Real Estate Equities have signed Pizza Hut as their first restaurant tenant, which will occupy 1,094 square feet of retail space in the development. The new restaurant will be located at 2211 Chester Ave, Suite B.
The new store, a carry-out and delivery concept, will serve signature Pizza Hut menu items, pasta and its specialty Wing Street chicken and wings entrees. The store plans to open in August 2013.
Pizza Hut, “America’s Favorite Pizza,” delivers more pizza, pasta and wings than any other restaurant. The only pizza company to be named a top ten franchise in 2009 by Entrepreneur Magazine, Pizza Hut began 50 years ago in Wichita, Kansas, and today operates nearly 10,000 restaurants in more than 90 countries. Pizza Hut, Inc. is a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc. (NYSE: YUM). To check out what’s new at Pizza Hut visit PizzaHut.com, or keep up with the brand via its social media channels at social.PizzaHut.com.
“Pizza Hut is the perfect match for The Langston,” said Denise Kouril, director of commercial real estate for Buckingham Companies. “It’s a highly regarded and well-known dining option that will be embraced by residents, students and working professionals in the area, and we can’t wait for its opening.”
The Campus International School: Building an Educational Institution from the Ground Up
April 25, 2013
Campus District Intern Kristina Biro intevriews CIS Principal Julie Beers. Photo by Nick Downer.
To say that the Campus International School (CIS) is a unique schooling environment would truly be an understatement. Upon entering the school, I could tell there was something special about it. The building was filled with music and artwork; the atmosphere was lively and welcoming.
Julie Beers, principal of the CIS, was formerly the principal of Nobel Elementary in Cleveland Heights. When she was approached with the opportunity to work in conjunction with CSU and share her vision for the school, she could not turn the position down. What Beers enjoys most about her position is observing the academic and emotional growth of CIS students and watching them become leaders.
What We Love in the District – Mansoor Khan and Sarah Knight
April 25, 2013
Mansoor Khan and Sarah Knight
Mansoor and Sarah both attend Cleveland State. They’ve been friends for almost two years.
Mansoor’s favorite place in the Campus District: The 1900 Euclid Convenience Store.
A “hidden gem” in the district more people should know about: The view from an eighth story window in CSU’s Rhodes Tower.
One new thing he’d add to the district: A Taco Bell.
- Mansoor is a Chemical Engineering major at Cleveland State. For the past several semesters, he’s had a co-op position at Swagelok.
- Mansoor enjoys reading and is president of a book club at CSU. Some of his favorite books are Game of Thrones and The Great Gatsby. He also spends much of his spare time playing video games and football.
- He hopes to someday attain a job that equips him with a personal assistant.
- Fun fact about Mansoor: He’s never shaved his face!
Sarah’s favorite place near the district: The Starbucks at East 14th Street – the people are always friendly!
A “hidden gem” in the district more people should know about: A quiet garden area outside of the CSU Law Building.
One new thing she would add to the district: A place to buy fresh fruit and vegetables.
- Sarah is a Health Sciences major at CSU focusing on pre-occupational therapy. She volunteers as an occupational therapy assistant at Southwest Lifeworks. She’s also worked in produce at Marc’s for the past three years.
- Sarah loves CSU because it’s a short commute from home and also because of the great professors she’s had.
- In her spare time, Sarah likes playing video games and training her dog, Sophie.
