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The New Urbanism City planners have long argued that America cannot sustain its penchant for big houses on giant lots on once rural land. They say energy demands are too great, and that such neighborhoods also fail in a social way - by isolating people from each other. One alternative is a development design called "new urbanism." It's being embraced from Israel to Australia to Arkansas. As part of Making Change, our continuing coverage of the economy of Northeast Ohio, ideastream's Mark Urycki prepared this report. University Innovation Experts tell us that one-third of all patents in the United States come from just 10 cities, and the research that produces a large portion of the wealth in this country is concentrated in just a few dozen zip codes. Northeast Ohio doesn't have one of those cities or zip codes. The Federal Reserve Bank in Cleveland held a conference recently to examine ways that this region might join that select group. As part of Making Change, our ongoing focus on the economy of Northeast Ohio, ideastream's Mark Urycki reports. Voices & Tough Choices Hundreds of people from across Northeast Ohio spent the better part of a sunny Saturday indoors, plotting a new economic course for the region. It's the latest step in a planning process aimed at giving citizens more say in public policy. As a part of Making Change: Building Our Region's Future, ideastream's David C. Barnett reports the 18-month Voices & Choices has reached a pivotal stage. Cleveland Named Poorest Big City... Again The United States Census Bureau released it's annual report on U.S. poverty and - once again - Northeast Ohio is in the spotlight. The American Community Survey ranks Cleveland as the poorest big city in the country. As a part of Making Change: Building the Region's Future, ideastream's David C. Barnett gauges the local reaction. Voice Your Choices for Solutions We've heard the list of Northeast Ohio problems before: racial divisions, an under-trained workforce, and a lack of funds for public schools. A regional program designed to find practical solutions to these and other issues has just announced the next step of it's action plan. As part of Making Change: Building the Region's Future, ideastream's David C. Barnett has this update on the Voices and Choices project. Weathering the Loss of a Major Employer When we talk about business trends and the changing economy, we often overlook the human stories that live behind all the bar graphs and statistics. As part of Making Change: Building the Region's Future, ideastream's David C. Barnett brings us the story of a couple in Lorain and how they are weathering today's loss of a major employer. Growing Bilingual Attitude in Northeast Ohio A recent population report documents a striking increase in the number Hispanics living in the U.S. As a part of Making Change: Building the Region's Future, ideastream's David C. Barnett reports that some Northeast Ohio institutions and agencies are reacting to this demographic shift with a bilingual attitude. Research vs. Entrepreneurship A new study from Cleveland State University finds that the Cleveland metropolitan area ranks fairly high among like-sized cities for innovation. But it does not measure up well for taking those ideas to market. Still, as ideastream's Mark Urycki reports, the situation is improving. Asian Business Boom Northeast Ohio's Asian-owned businesses are bustling, according to a recent census report. But, that's no surprise to those who argue that immigrant businesses can bring new life to urban areas. As a part of Making Change: Building the Region's Future, ideastream's David C. Barnett takes us on a tour. Celebrating the Year of the Dog In observance of the Chinese "Year of the Dog", the St. Clair-Superior Development Corpration commissioned a number of area artists to decorate 25 dog statues that are on display around the downtown neighborhood. Here are a few examples. Moving Out Two recent reports document a major loss of jobs and population in Cuyahoga County. As part of Making Change: Building the Region's Future, ideastream's David C. Barnett examines the reasons behind these troubling numbers and the effect they are having on Northeast Ohio. Trading Suburban Lawns for City Streets The empty storefronts that run along lower Euclid Avenue in Cleveland stand in contrast to the pedestrian bustle that kept cash registers ringing up and down the street forty years ago. In more recent times, the major activity in these buildings is taking place above street level as dozens of former offices are being turned into living spaces. As part of Making Change: Building the Region's Future, ideastream's David C. Barnett reports that a similar transformation is taking place in other pockets around the city as developers place their bets on suburbanites who see downtown as a place to call home. Viability of City Living - Interview with CSU's Thomas Bier For years, Thomas Bier has tracked housing trends in Northeast Ohio as a faculty member of Cleveland State University's Levin College of Urban Affairs. Recently he spoke with ideastream's David C. Barnett about the viability of people living in the central city. Bier says downtown living is an established tradition all over the world. Growing Jobs In Medina County While a dark economic cloud seems to have stalled over a good portion of Northeast Ohio, Medina County is basking in the new light of prosperity. It's one of the fastest growing regions in the state, and that growth is transforming the local economy. As part of Making Change: Building the Region's Future, ideastream's David C. Barnett reports on how Medina officials are trying to grow jobs that reflect a new world of work. Keeping Up With Global Competition An example of the new world of workforce training needs can be found in an industrial park in Medina County. Destiny Manufacturing is an automotive metal stamping plant that had it's origins in the Rockstedt tool and die company of Cleveland. Rockstedt has built a reputation on making precise metal forms - or "dies" - that Destiny uses to stamp out thousands of hinges and brackets a day. In 1998, the companies moved their operations to Brunswick, where there was room to expand, along with some favorable tax breaks. Destiny's Michael Schuessler recently spoke with ideastream's David C. Barnett about that move and about the changes that his industry has weathered in recent years. Schuessler says, the making of dies used to be a big business here. The Kalamazoo Promise In last year's mayoral election in Cleveland, a number of candidates spoke of the need to bolster public education. Not just because Cleveland schools aren't performing well - they also pointed to public education as a potential economic engine. Kalamazoo, Michigan, shares many of the same issues we face in northeast Ohio: empty factories, an often stagnant real estate market. A group of philanthropists put their heads together with the schools' superintendent and decided to do something revolutionary - offer free college tuition for public school students... all of them. Sounded pretty interesting, so we contacted Bob Jorth - he's the executive director of what the school district is calling the Kalamazoo Promise. He says the program is generating a lot of interest. Three Billion New Capitalists: Interview with Clyde Prestowitz We're all fairly well accustomed to the notion of outsourcing. It happens all the time - customer service or manufacturing jobs move from the Midwest to the far east. But what if more than jobs were moving east? What if what was actually moving was wealth and power? That's exactly what former Reagan Administration trade official Clyde Prestowitz says is happening. Prestowitz is the President of the Economic Strategy Institute, and he recently spoke about this power shift at Cleveland Council on World Affairs. His has a new book, and it's called Three Billion New Capitalists. It's all part of Making Change: Building the Region's Future, which is produced in partnership with Case Western Reserve University. Lorain Business Incubator For years, many Northeast Ohioans have assumed that the local economy won't rebound until big industry comes back. But, some business experts in Lorain see it differently. As part of Making Change: Building the Region's Future, ideastream's David C. Barnett reports on a training program that is hatching some new ideas. Product Innovation Loan Fund If northeast Ohio is to see an economic boom anywhere in the future, the resurgence might have to start with start-ups - entrepreneurs with ideas they hope to bring to market. Since 1984, an organization called CAMP has been helping northeast Ohio small enterprises with advice, and now some seed money through the Product Innovation Loan Fund. 2006 is the third year the fund has been in operation and the application deadline is about a week away. As part of Making Change: Building the Region's Future, we decided to find out more about it. ideastream's Dan Moulthrop spoke to Wayne Zeman, vice president of Venture Development for MAGNET - Manufacturing Advocacy and Growth Network and also the director of CAMP, Inc; and Bill Stan, of a Westlake company called PRES Inc., which was a recipient of the loan in 2004.
Reclaiming the City A drive through some Northeast Ohio neighborhoods is a tour through desolation. Boarded-up houses and abandoned factory buildings are scattered through communities that have fallen on hard times. But, for some, these scarred landscapes are full of potential. As part of Making Change: Building the Region's Future, ideastream's David C. Barnett reports on reclaiming some of our abandoned streets.
Inclusive Development When we talk about economic development, there's always the danger some part of the population will be left behind. The development of the Euclid Avenue Corridor and Steelyard Commons, for example, both promise to bring jobs and revenue to the region, and maybe even improve our quality of life. But what exactly do projects like these bring the region's poorest residents? As part of Making Change: Building the Region's Future, we invited to our studios an expert on what might be called "inclusive development." David Rusk is the former mayor of Albuquerque, New Mexico, and the author of Cities without Suburbs, which has been called call the Bible of the regionalism movement. He spoke to ideastream's Dan Moulthrop.
Immigrant and Minority Business Racial and ethnic differences have long been blamed for dividing Cleveland and contributing to the city’s decline. But a new business group argues that Northeast Ohio’s multi-cultural mix is really a source of strength. As part of Making Change: Building the Region's Future, ideastream's David C. Barnett reports on the Immigrant and Minority Business Alliance.
To Hike or Not to Hike the Minimum Wage It’s been nine years since the federal government set the minimum wage at its current level of $5.15 - or less than $11,000 per year for a full-time worker. Efforts are afoot in Ohio, and a number of other states, to raise it, and as usual, the idea has both ardent support and substantial opposition. As part of Making Change: Building the Region's Future, ideastream’s Cindi Deutschman-Ruiz reports.
Crossing the Policy Bridge: Interview with Randell McShepard When searching for solutions to urban social problems, it's common for think tanks to pore through census data and publish reports. A group of young African American professionals here in Northeast Ohio is making the case that there's often a gap between the researchers and those they study. Their solution was to create their own think tank. As a part of Making Change: Building the Region's Future, ideastream's David C. Barnett recently spoke with Randell McShepard about his new organization, Policy Bridge.
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