Cleveland Magazine - December 2023 by greatlakespublishing

FROSTY FUN

From Theaters to Themed Bars, the Land Is the Best Place To Experience the Holidays

SIMPLE DELIGHTS

Tripi Italian Specialties Is the Restaurant of Chef Anthony Zappola’s Dreams

THE FUTURE OF

DECEMBER 2023

HISTORIC HOOPS

The Cleveland Rockers Ended 20 Years Ago, but the Team’s Legacy Still Connects

CLEVELAND

OPEN OR SCAN TO BEGIN.

WISH YOU COULD EASILY GET RID OF YOUR VARICOSE VEINS WITHOUT SURGERY?

PATRICIA A. DUGGAN, MD

Board Certified Vascular Surgeon Vascular Intervention & Venous Associates, LLC Mount Vernon Square 6690 Beta Drive, Ste. 100 Mayfield Village, OH 44143, (440) 442-9300

YOUR WISH IS OUR COMMAND WITH OUR CoolTouch CTEVTM 1320 NM LASER TREATMENT.

CoolTouch −IS A SIMPLE, OFFICEBASED PROCEDURE −RAPID RELIEF FROM SYMPTOMS −COSMETICALLY PLEASING RESULTS −QUICK RETURN TO WORK AND PLAY

RESULTS YOU CAN COUNT ON.

These are pictures of Dr. Duggan’s patients

BEFORE AND AFTER

the CoolTouch Laser Ablation procedure.

BEFORE

AFTER

BEFORE

AFTER

PATIENT REVIEWS ★★★★★

★★★★★

I am so glad I saw a Dr. Duggan ad in a Cleveland Magazine! About 6 months after starting treatments my throbbing/itchy/ bulging veins in both legs are gone! My legs look fantastic. I don’t have to wear cover-up makeup anymore. Dr. Duggan and her staff are a wonderful.. fun.. caring.. team. I have been to other vascular doctors and Dr. Duggan is definitely the best doctor in Cleveland. I will continue to spread good words of Dr. Duggan ....and the great job she did for me!

I saw Dr. Duggan for varicose veins more than five years ago. When it became necessary to see a doctor again, I returned to Dr. Duggan because I was so satisfied with the outcomes. I didn’t seek treatment for cosmetic reasons but because of leg pain, heaviness, cramps, tiredness and restlessness. Procedures are relatively painless, quick, and effective. Dr. Duggan explains everything. She is skilled, professional, and caring. SHE actually calls you after a procedure to check on you. Her husband, also involved in certain procedures, is excellent, too. The office (including support staff and doctors) has a positive vibe that enhances the treatment experience. Outcomes + office environment = optimum satisfaction.

I’ve been bothered by networks of broken veins and anterior leg cramps in both legs for many years and have been treated at other facilities with little success in appearance or reduction of cramps. Came to Dr. Duggan to give treatment one last chance. She and Dr. John thoroughly evaluated my legs and after laser treatment and multiple deftly administered vein injections, both legs look amazingly better and no longer wake me at night with cramping. They were lovely and personable and great at what they do! I’m grateful to Dr. Duggan for the excellent results and wish I had come years sooner.

I went 20 years in daily pain in both my legs due to varicose veins. I did not want to have the inpatient hospital surgery with the lengthy recovery. I finally was seen by Dr. Duggan. She told me about a procedure, called Endovenous Laser Ablation, that would be done in her office to both my greater and lesser saphenous veins. I was truly amazed. No down time and no cutting open. It was a blessing, and I am now pain free. Dr. Duggan is a great doctor who really knows what she is talking about. I felt that I received excellent attentive care delivered at the highest standard. She is professional, focused on the task at hand, but she also took the time to put me at ease and keep me well-informed every step of the way. Plus, she made me feel like her friend and not her patient. I strongly recommend Dr. Duggan!

Contents

December 2023 volume 52 / issue 12 ON THE COVER

FUTURE OF CLEVELAND The future is now in Cleveland. We capture a forward-looking view of living, working and enjoying Northeast Ohio in the years to come. Edited by Dillon Stewart Photo Courtesy of Wil Lindsey

FEATURED

REMEMBERING THE ROCKERS Cleveland once had a rocking WNBA team — but no longer. Hear from players, coaches and more, 20 years after the team was dissolved. By Vince Guerrieri

FROM THE EDITOR

CONVERSATION

AMISH COUNTRY See a unique slice of life in Ohio's own Amish Country.

LAY OF THE LAND

PLAN FOR SUMMER Here are the summertime trips worth planning and booking right now.

20 YEA OR NEIGH Cleveland's mounted police unit seeks better stables — but is the cost worth it?

FOOD & DRINK

24 MAKE THE TRIP TO TRIPI Catch up with this no-frills sandwich concept from chef Anthony Zappola.

123

“Cleveland” (ISSN 0160-8533) is published monthly for a total of 12 issues per year by Great Lakes Publishing Co., 1422 Euclid Ave., Suite 754, Cleveland, OH 44115. / Periodical postage paid at Cleveland, Ohio. Postmaster: send address changes to Cleveland, 1422 Euclid Ave., Suite 730, Cleveland, OH 44115. / Subscription rates: U.S. $16.99 one year, $28.99 two years, $36.99 three years / All subscriptions are subject to state of Ohio sales tax of 8% based on publisher county of origin. / Copyright 2023 by Great Lakes Publishing Co. All rights reserved. / Reproduction or use, without written permission, of editorial or pictorial content in any manner is prohibited. Title registered in U.S. Patent Office. / Printed in the United States. / Unsolicited manuscripts cannot be returned unless accompanied by a properly addressed envelope bearing sufficient postage. The magazine accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, artwork or cartoons.

CLEVELAND

12.23

REVIEW Are there too many cooks in the kitchen at Solstice? The new Lakewood restaurant takes over the former Deagan's space.

GUIDE Winter calls for great soup, and there are more than a few places to highlight in Northeast Ohio.

HOME & GARDEN

123

ROCKY RIVER REBUILD A house in disrepair becomes one family's dream home on Lake Erie, thanks to a challenging redesign plan and careful work from a local interior designer.

CHRISTMAS IN CLE How to spend the holiday season and find some festive cheer in Northeast Ohio.

SPECIAL SECTIONS

I B M Q U A N T U M S Y S T E M : C O U R T E S Y C O N N E C T I N G C L E V E L A N D / C L E V E L A N D R O C K E R S : A P P H OTO /J A M I E - A N D R E A YA N A K / H O R S E S : R O N J A N T Z CABIN: COURTESY MOHICAN MEDIA / CR AB CAKES: NATALIE RENEE PHOTOGR APHY / BATHROOM: COURTESY HOUSE OF L DESIGNS

Merry Christmas Happy Holidays from Sedlak Interiors

Where Quality is Affordable. See it. Feel it. Love it. Worth the Drive, Wherever You Are. Complimentary Delivery and Set-Up Within 60 Miles. 34300 Solon Road | Solon, OH | 440-248-2424 | 800-260-2949 One block south of Rt. 422 & SOM Center Road 9-9 M/Th | 9-5:30 Tu/W/F/Sa | www.sedlakinteriors.com

CELEBRATING

Special Advertising and Promotional Sections 12.23 69 FACES OF CLEVELAND Meet the faces behind some of Cleveland's most innovative companies and discover what makes them leaders in their fields.

INTRODUCING

for Behavioral Health When you need help now. Serving youth, teens and adults.

ohioguidestone.org 844-6CALLOG

Scan the QR code for locations, hours and more on our Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics

HBA'S A HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS

Check out the brand-new Avon home being raffled to benefit Make-A-Wish Ohio, Kentucky & Indiana and meet five local children with critical illnesses who are benefiting from the fundraiser.

NORTH COAST COMMUNITY HOMES NEO nonprofit builds community 103

Surprisingly affordable, beautiful finishes, integral LED lighting, motorized wall cabinet doors are just some of the amazing features our nobilia line of cabinets offer. We are passionate about design, come visit our showroom

evoDOMUS Building Supplies 2176 S Taylor Road, Cleveland Heights, 44118 (216) 772-2603 – www.evo.supplies

WESTERN LAKE COUNTY MAGAZINE Get to know three new and three 111

established local businesses and why they choose to call Western Lake County home.

READER SERVICES 11 OUT AND ABOUT 127 DISTINCTIVE HOMES

CLEVELAND

12.23

COURTESY HBA OF GRE ATER CLE VEL AND

STUNNING EUROPEAN CABINETS

and independence for people with disabilities.

#1 All-Gi rls High Sch ool In Ohio!

Changemaking Starts at Laurel. Laurel School is now accepting applications for its 2024-25 Environmental Justice semesters for Tenth and Eleventh Grade girls from any public, private, charter or parochial school in Northeast Ohio. Spend a “semester away” alongside passionate changemakers, earning a full semester of academic credits, learning from experts in the field, and contributing to meaningful positive change in Northeast Ohio and beyond. COME TO OUR ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE SEMESTER ADMISSIONS EVENT!

Tuesday, December 12 | 6:00 pm | Lyman Campus

BUTLER CAMPUS 7420 Fairmount Road, Russell Township, OH 44072

LEARN MORE!

LYMAN CAMPUS 1 Lyman Circle, Shaker Heights, OH 44122

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE SEMESTER

Amazing finds and one-of-a-kinds in Italian home décor, tableware and personal accessories!

Denise Polverine publisher

Dillon Stewart editor

Ron Ledgard Annie Nickoloff a s s o c i at e e d i t o r Danny Cunningham a s s o c i at e d i g i ta l e d i t o r Abigail Kussow e d i t o r - at - l a r g e Colleen Smitek c o n t r i b u t i n g w r i t e r s Laura Watilo Blake, Jacob DeSmit, Robin Goist, Vince Guerrieri, Allison Jack, Kate Bigam Kaput, Ken Prendergast, Lynne Thompson e d i t o r i a l i n t e r n s Grace Clarke, Sophie Farrar, Christina Rufo managing editor senior editor

Erin Stinard Abigail Archer c o n t r i b u t i n g a r t i s t s Ken Blaze, Jeani Brechbill, Ron Lantz, Wil Lindsey, Casey Rearick, Gabe Wasylko i l l u s t r at i o n i n t e r n Aaliyah Bell editorial@clevelandmagazine.com art director

a s s o c i at e a r t d i r e c t o r

advertising vice president

Paul Klein

senior account managers

Sarah Desmond, Tiffany Myroniak a c c o u n t m a n a g e r Julie Bialowas events and audience marketing manager

Jennifer Roberts Kristen Brickner adsales@clevelandmagazine.com

t r a f f i c c o o r d i n at o r

19036 Old Detroit Rd., Rocky River, 44116 440-333-9600, solarihome.com

content marketing

Jennifer Bowen Sima Rayanne Medford s e n i o r e d i t o r Ann-Marie Vazzano a s s o c i at e a r t d i r e c t o r Megan Rosta

managing editor

managing art director

production

Alyson Moutz Cowan production@clevelandmagazine.com

production manager

digital media

Jacquie Chakirelis Daniel Klinzing o p e r at i o n s a s s o c i at e Camille Ross

d i r e c t o r o f d i g i ta l s t r at e g y development manager

Lute Harmon Sr. founder

AVAILABLE IN-STORE + ONLINE THROUGH DEC. 31 Bonus Cards valid for redemption January 1, 2024 through March 31, 2024.

Lute Harmon Jr. president & ceo

Cleveland Magazine | Ohio Magazine Lake Erie Living | Content Marketing | Quest Digital George Sedlak Perry Zohos Corey Galloway a c c o u n t s paya b l e c o o r d i n at o r Geli Valli accounting@glpublishing.com chief financial officer finance director

o p e r at i o n s m a n a g e r

1422 Euclid Ave., Suite 730, Cleveland, OH 44115 www.glpublishing.com Subscription services clevelandmagazine@emailcustomerservice.com or 1-800-453-1009

monvengroup.com

CLEVELAND

12.23

CLEVELAND CLINIC and THINK MEDIA STUDIOS present “ T H E G R AT I T U D E S E S S I O N S ” NOW STREAMING

cle.clinic/GratitudeSessions

From the Editor

Tomorrow Never Knows My fear wasn’t transitioning from late-night bars to early-morning bottles or even that I might mess up. We all do, after all. My fear was subjecting a child to a painful or even non-existent future. I’m not alone. The Pew Research Center found that 39% of Americans believe we’re living in the end of times. Two-thirds of us experience climate anxiety, according to the American Psychological Association. Apocalyptic fear has existed forever. In the second century, followers of a Christian sect called Montanism believed the second coming of Jesus was nigh. The Black Death decimated life in 1343. A rich German built a threestory ark in 1524, anticipating the Great Flood. Halley’s Comet came close in 1910; the Red Scare and nuclear threats had children hiding under desks in the ’60s and ’70s. We don’t talk about Y2K. I N E V E R WA N T E D K I D S .

CLEVELAND

12.23

Why are we so obsessed with doomsday? Some psychologist believe it’s easier for our caveman brains to comprehend. There’s comfort in the known and little in the unknown. “Apocalyptic beliefs make existential threats — the fear of our mortality — predictable,” Shmuel Lissek, a neuroscientist who studies fear at University of Minnesota, told Scientific American. Now that I have a daughter, the existential crises of our time still scare me. Those silly examples don’t negate the threats of climate change, uncontrollable technology or global unrest, but now, the solutions interest me more. In talking with Mayor Justin Bibb, I’ve always found him to be perpetually optimistic despite facing a constant barrage of information, problems and criticism. His hope comes from his interactions with the city’s youth, our next generation of leaders. “I impress upon not just young people but people in general to identify what you’re passionate about, what your strengths are, and put those passions and strengths to work to make Cleveland better,” he says. “You don’t need a Ph.D. or a leadership position to serve the city. Everyone has a role in making Cleveland great.” Astute readers noticed a theme this year. From January’s Most Interesting People spotlighting the city’s new guard to March’s look at Northeast Ohio as a climate safe haven, Cleveland Magazine is interested in

1. Scan the QR code by placing it in view of your smartphone camera. 2. Click the Adobe Aero link. 3. Click Open. You don’t need to download an app. 4. Click continue. Wait for the experience to load. 5. Anchor the experience by placing the magazine in front of your camera and clicking. 6. Begin exploring the future!

dreaming big about the future. If you scan the QR code on our cover, you’ll find multimedia stories on augmented reality, artificial intelligence and projects that would reshape our cityscape. I don’t believe individuals are personally responsible for problems like climate change. You might not always recycle the right way, but you didn’t create a food system so reliant on plastic packaging. Still, we are all responsible for trying to help, and I do believe in an individual’s — and especially a group of individuals’ — ability to make change. In addition to recycling and voting and all that, I hope you find ways to put your unique talents to use in creating a better world for our children and for yourself — just as our team of talented writers, editors and designers have worked this year to raise awareness for the problems and potential facing our city’s future.

Dillon Stewart, e d i t o r

stewart@clevelandmagazine.com

DILLON STEWART: THE DARK ROOM CO.

On the Cover:

Employee Medical Coverage Employee Medical Coverage Employee Employee Medical Medical Coverage Coverage Workers' Compensation Discounts SAVE NOW Workers' Compensation Discounts Employee Medical Coverage Workers' Workers' Compensation Compensation Discounts Discounts SAVE NOW Payroll/Credit Card Processing SA SA VV E EN N OO WW Employee Medical Coverage Card Processing S A V E B IPayroll/Credit G Payroll/Credit Payroll/Credit Card Card Processing Processing Workers' Compensation Discounts Shipping Discounts S ASVAEV E NO BW I GS A SA VV E EB IBGI G Shipping Discounts Shipping Shipping Discounts DiscountsDiscounts Payroll/Credit Card Processing Workers' Compensation Energy Savings S A V E N OS W AVE BIG Energy Energy Savings Savings Energy Savings Shipping and Discounts much more.... Payroll/Credit Card Processing and and much much more.... more.... and much more.... Energy Savings

SAVE BIG

Shipping Discounts and much more.... SAVE NOW

Energy Savings

FOR MORE IMFORATION AND A FREE QUOTE: F OFR OR MO MR OER E I MI F MOFR OARTAIT OIN ON AN AD ND AA F RFEREE E QU QO UTOET: E :

FOR MORE IMFORATION AND A FREE QUOTE:

and much more....

FOR MORE IMFORATION AND A FREE QUOTE: 216-447-9900 ce@noacc.org noacc.org/benefits 216-447-9900 216-447-9900 ce@noacc.org ce@noacc.org noacc.org/benefits noacc.org/benefits

216-447-9900 ce@noacc.org Northern Northern Ohio Ohio Area Area Chambers Chambers Commerce of Commerce || PO |noacc.org/benefits PO Box Box 3230, 3230, Cuyahoga Cuyahoga Falls, Falls, OHOH 44223 44223 Northern Ohio Area Chambers ofofCommerce PO Box 3230, Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44223 Northern Ohio Area Chambers of Commerce | PO Box 3230, Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44223

216-447-9900

ce@noacc.org

noacc.org/benefits

Conversation

CHINA B E FOR E COM M U NISM

Jazzed About Java There’s just something different about a Cleveland coffee spot. Whether it’s the unique flavor combos, friendly baristas or the complete dedication to a good brew, there’s no contest: Cleveland knows coffee. With the release of our November issue, locals shared in our praise of local cafes — be they quirky, chic, extra spacious or cup-sized.

“A Must See!” ENTIRELY NEW PRODUCTION WITH LIVE ORCHESTRA

JAN 27-28

216-241-6000 ShenYun.com A fabulous gift to all!

CLEVELAND

12.23

🔥

@alicia_smile222: One thing about Cleveland is we’re going to have an abundance of coffee shops and breweries

😂😍

@meeshellue: This is awesome! One thing I absolutely love about Cleveland is all the small businesses that you can’t find anywhere else, especially coffee. ️

❤ @annaintheraw: @27clubcoffee ❤️❤️❤️❤️ @camillemackenzieross: Need to read this issue at @propagandacoffeeshop ☕️ 🤎

Meet the Associate Editor: Danny Cunningham Danny Cunningham is no stranger to the world of sports having spent his career covering the highs and lows of games ranging from college level to the NFL and NBA. There’s no doubt that his most recent years co-hosting on ESPN Cleveland Tonight alongside Matt Fontana have primed him for what The Land has to offer — on field, or court. Now, this native Clevelander is excited to tackle another arena: the soul of our city. “I want to tell the stories of Clevelanders that I otherwise might not know. I’m ready to immerse myself — sports aside — with the day-to-day lives of the people here.” QUESTION OR COMMENT ABOUT THE MAGAZINE? Reach out to us at conversation@clevelandmagazine.com. Follow us @clevelandmagazine @clevelandmag

@mike_tata: A very important article

SCRIB

Purchase an annual print and digital subscription for just $18. Visit clevelandmagazine.com/ subscribe today or scan the QR code. Sign up for our free e-newsletters to get updates on entertainment and dining delivered straight to your inbox. Register at clevelandmagazine.com/ newsletter

COVER: MEGANN GALEHOUSE / DANNY CUNNINGHAM: COURTESY DANNY CUNNINGHAM

—Broadway World

From the readers:

Out and About

12, 2023 BEST OF CLEVELAND | Oct. Great Lakes Science Center

S H E L LY D U N C A N

Cleveland Magazine’s Best of Cleveland Party welcomed more than 1,000 people on Oct. 12 at the Great Lakes Science Center to celebrate the city’s best dining, shopping and entertainment destinations. More than 70 Best of Cleveland editor and reader picks were on hand to showcase what makes them a local favorite. The event was emceed by WKYC’s Betsy Kling and Fox 8’s Natalie Herbick. Entertainment was provided by Apostle Jones and E-V.

1) Eric Wheeler, Briana Anderson, Ebony Ward 2) Fox 8’s Stefani Schaefer, Slider 3) Miesha Wilson, Stomp

FIFTEENTH ANNUAL NOACC CHAMBER 27, 2023 BRIGHT STAR AWARDS | Oct. Sawmill Creek Resort

DISCOVERY PHOTOS

On Oct. 27, NOACC hosted its first Bright Star Summit. The summit featured a captivating keynote address delivered by Kevin Courtois from the U.S. Chamber, shedding light on current trends and strategies. The highlight of the evening was the much-anticipated Bright Star Awards program, which recognized and celebrated the outstanding contributions of 48 chamber volunteers who shone brightly in their respective communities.

1) Tanya Rosen-Jones, Janet Haar, Kathy Perales, Cindy Holzheimer 2) Cindy Holzheimer, Ilasha Jackson, Kennedy Copeland, Steve Petti 3) Evan Webster, Cindy Holzheimer 4) Michael Boyd, Terri Peterman, Isaac Wheeler, Missy McWhorter, Rachel Jolley Kosakowski, Matthew Kosakowski, John Drake CLEVELANDMAGAZINE.COM

Has the Recipe for the Perfect Holiday OH BY GOLLY! Get in the holly jolly spirit by shopping with Lehman’s. Lehman’s has simple gifts for the gardener, the cook, the children, the hard-to-shop-for, and everyone on your list this holiday season. Even Mrs. Claus shops at Lehman’s!

LEHMANS.COM • 800-438-5346 On the Square in Kidron, OH • Open every day except Sunday •

LAY OF

THE LAND

16 IT’S TIME TO PLAN YOUR 2024 TRIPS

17 A PELLEGRINO CHRISTMAS

One photographer got a rare look into the Amish practice of ice harvesting, which is used for food preservation.

PHOTO BY RON JANTZ

20 MEET CLEVELAND’S MOUNTED UNIT CLEVELANDMAGAZINE.COM

THE L A

PHOTO CREDIT

CLEVELAND

12.23

THE L A

SLICE OF LIFE

Cutting Edge Ice cutting, used to preserve food throughout the year, remains vital to Ohio’s Amish community.

I PHOTO CREDIT

’d always wondered about the Amish practice of harvesting ice and what the work was like. In Sullivan, Ohio, last December, I finally came across the frigid scene. I asked the man in charge of the frozen pond if I could take pictures. I promised to respect the Amish way and not capture any faces. The cold, of course, is the key, with air that turns water into ice thick enough to stand on and a wind that blows into your bones. The Amish cut eight inches deep into the ice using the most basic of tools. Each block weighs about 60 pounds. Once loaded into the back of an old wagon, two Belgian workhorses pull nearly a ton and a half of ice to the homestead. The blocks are stacked in a 6-by-8-foot styrofoam structure. Here, the Amish refrigerate their food. “How long does the ice last,” I asked. “All summer, through the fall and into next winter,” the man answered.

WRIT TEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY RON JANTZ

CLEVELANDMAGAZINE.COM

THE L A

THE CLIFFS AT HOCKING HILLS

THE MOHICANS TREEHOUSE RESORT AND WEDDING VENUE

Rockbridge, Ohio

This stunning 100-acre property near Hocking Hills has been an Instagram sensation since its debut in 2020. The Cantwell Lodge can accommodate up to 18 people, and there are also three twobedroom bungalows that sleep four.

Glenmont, Ohio

When the Mohicans Treehouse Resort opened, these accommodations were just on the verge of a global rise. An appearance on the Animal Planet show Treehouse Masters in 2013 propelled them. Now, the resort has nine unique treehouses with all the amenities.

BOOK BY DAT E S: May

to September 2024 is fully booked already, but dates in the winter, spring and fall are still available.

B O O K BY DATE S : Book

one year in advance for a weekday reservation. Weekend dates are held for on-site weddings, then released three months in advance.

PR IC E : Cantwell Lodge

ranges from $899 per night in the winter months to $1,999 for a summer weekend night. The bungalows go from $299 in the winter to $599 in the summer.

P R I C E : $270 to $449

depending on day and season.

THE LODGE AT GENEVA-ONTHE-LAKE

KELLEYS ISLAND Kelleys Island, Ohio

Kelleys Island has a lot of loyal regulars who book their favorite summer cottage for the same week every year during the island’s 10-week season. July is the busiest month with events such as Island Fest.

TRAVEL

PLANNING AHEAD FOR 2024 How to snag stays at Ohio’s most in-demand destinations.

BOOK BY DAT E S: Make

PR IC E : $69 to $699

per night depending on size of party, dates, size and location.

CLEVELAND

12.23

hether you’re chasing the cosmic thrill of spring’s solar eclipse, longing for sun-soaked beach days or eager to immerse yourself in the splendor of autumn’s leafy grandeur, Ohio will be the heart of it all in 2024. But here’s the catch — lodging options in the most exceptional destinations will vanish like shooting stars. Don’t wait to book accommodations at some of Ohio’s best getaway destinations; seize the opportunity to secure your spot well in advance, especially in these locations.

The Lodge at Genevaon-the-Lake can be found at the west end of the charming and nostalgic cottage community known for its proximity to Ohio’s wine country and beautiful views of Lake Erie. The lodge’s 25 lakeside cottages have spectacular sunrise and sunset views. Take advantage of the lodge amenities like the indoor and outdoor pool.

B O O K BY DATE S : For summer stays, book at least a year in advance for weekend dates.

P R I C E : Cottages range

from $199 to $799 and the lodge rooms go from $159 to $459.

BY L AURA WATILO BL AKE

COURTESY MOHICAN MEDIA

reservations starting in January for summer weekends. Keep in mind that many of the island’s lodging options can’t be found on popular booking websites such as AirBnB or VRBO, so be sure to check out kelleysislandchamber.com and StayonKI.com.

Geneva-on-the-Lake, Ohio

THE L A

BOOKS

Danny Pellegrino’s Holiday Favorites

Favorite Cleveland holiday tradition? I think the thing that I look

The podcast host and author of The Jolliest Bunch dishes on his favorite parts of the holiday season.

tend to do my mom’s side of the family on Christmas Eve. She is the one who takes on the holiday and is doing most of the cooking and planning and gathering. There’s always a lot of chaos on Christmas Eve. Now that I have a bunch of nieces and nephews, I think it’s fun to see them opening gifts and playing with gifts on Christmas Day, so I love that part of the holiday.

forward to the most outside of my family’s cooking is Malley’s Chocolates. I’m a big chocolate person and so I like getting all the seasonal chocolates. I love a solid Santa Claus chocolate.

Favorite family traditions? We

Favorite holiday movie? Christmas

Vacation — but I love so many. Really, with my book, I wanted it to feel like Christmas Vacation. Of course, I love The Family Stone, Home Alone. I love The Muppets’ Christmas things, whether it be A Muppet Family Christmas, The Muppet Christmas Carol. Favorite holiday song? Mariah

Carey. Not “All I Want For Christmas Is You.” To me, it’s probably the bestmade song ever, but I really have a more emotional connection to “Miss You Most (At Christmastime),” which was on that first holiday album. It’s such a beautiful ballad and it’s heartbreaking, but I love it.

BRIAN KAMINSKI

Favorite gift you’ve received for the holidays? There was a 101 Dal-

hile Danny Pellegrino is known for his interviews and analysis of all things reality TV and pop culture on his podcast Everything Iconic, the 38-year-old storyteller’s personal life and upbringing in Solon are also sources of constant conversation. Those stories make up his latest book, The Jolliest Bunch: Unhinged Holiday Stories, which follows his book release in 2022, the bestselling How Do I Un-Remember This? This time around, Pellegrino takes a festive turn, sharing stories centered around Christmas. Pellegrino traveled from his Los Angeles home to Cleveland for a book launch event in October, and we caught up with him backstage at the House of Blues for a lightning round of festive questions ahead of the holiday season. BY ANNIE NICKOLOFF

matians Patch plush that I got when I was really little. It was a special Christmas, but also I had wanted it so badly. Favorite gift you’ve ever given?

I like to give myself something, usually something that’s a nostalgic thing from my past. Oftentimes, it’s something that maybe I wanted as a kid that I didn’t get. That gift recently was a JC Chasez from NSYNC doll. Which I know makes me sound crazy, but that was the gift last year that I gave myself. CLEVELANDMAGAZINE.COM

THE L A

MUSIC

Remembering Jason Molina’s Ohio The creative force behind Songs: Ohia and Magnolia Electric Co., who would have turned 50 this month, found inspiration in his Northeast Ohio upbringing. in the moment, but he was never quite hip to the times. Throughout his life, the late musician and Lorain native wrote hundreds of songs, waking each day laser focused on his craft and with a keen sense of interiority that allowed him to record each idea in its moment. In the process, he conveyed an implicit allergy to what was fashionable. At the height of grunge’s influence in the early '90s, Molina began playing spare, piercing folk songs on the ukulele and attributing them to a love of Hank Williams Sr. and heavy metal. Amid the garage-rock revival of the new millennium, he released expansive and glacial meditations on love, heartache and the natural world. In the midaughts, during the reign of city-based MP3 blogs and the white indie-rock they championed, he formed a scrappy county-rock outfit in an Indiana college town and talked about Warren Zevon and doo-wop music. It wasn’t that Molina was contrarian, though he could be. It was more so that he was antiquarian, an old, analog soul suspended in the rapid-fire progression of post-Broadband society. As the JASON MOLINA LIVED

CLEVELAND

12.23

tened to the radio and to his The late singerdad’s collection songwriter found his of country and artistic voice under the rock records. He moniker Songs:Ohia, while performing at read anything he Oberlin College. could get his little hands on. A well-worn VHS copy of the concert documentary The Song Remains the Same inspired him to perform. Like many kids raised in the Rust Belt, Molina was aware of what the area lacked but found utility in its limitations, which shored up his imagination and ignited his insatiable curiosity about music, history, art, the supernatural and other subjects. In Lorain, overlooking a Great Lake, he was forced to find his own way. As a student at Admiral King High School, playing in wild alternative band The Spineriders and his first solo BY ERIN OSMAN

C O U R T E S Y S E C R E T LY C A N A D I A N

world logged on, Molina sequestered himself with simple objects: composition notebooks, a timer, old books and Mirado Black Warrior wooden pencils. Molina’s contemplative nature and love of the physical may be traced to the shores of Lake Erie, and to a small, wooded lot that housed the former trailer park where he lived with his family in a single-wide unit. In the '70s and early '80s, he grew up without cable television but had the run of the beach and the area’s tree-lined grounds, which abutted a local water-pumping plant. There, he watched for ships and birds and small mammals, and learned to swim. He searched for rocks, fossils, animal bones and manmade detritus. He and his late father, Bill, once donated a set of rusty wrenches they found to the Inland Seas Maritime Museum in nearby Vermilion. With his brother Aaron, he also lis-

Editor's Note Erin Osmon, the author of Jason Molina: Riding with the Ghost, contributed this piece in March to honor the 10-year anniversary of Molina's death.

THE L A

Top: Jason Molina (left) and his brother, Aaron (right), play in the snow outside of their family trailer on Lorain's West Erie Avenue in the 1970s. Bottom: Jason Molina poses for a photo as a student at Admiral King High School in Lorain.

the wealth, privilege and access that surrounded him. As an outsider, he found abundance. Molina often sang and spoke of working; the obvious thing is to trace it to the blue collar environs and shorelines of Lorain, whose talismans are threaded throughout Molina’s lyrics. The owls, fishing poles, ghosts and iron ore ships are all there. But his work was much more than an artful indexing of natural and industrial, physical and supernatural. Before he could be who he was — a Midwestern songwriter with a singular, poetic gift — Molina had to do the hard work of accepting and then amplifying a place whose merit he most clearly saw in hindsight, dangling in a gray zone between defiance and being. It can be a long, hard and winding thing to do. As he told the music magazine Skyscraper in 2002, “You can’t run out of things to say about all that gray.” Lorain set Molina on a path outside of the mainstream, which was perhaps its greatest gift to the singer. Though he never lived according to the times, he always had a clear sense of his place.

outfit Bleem, Molina revolted against the factory mentality that surrounded him. But later, as a scholarship student at Oberlin College, old enough to drive to concerts in Cleveland, he wore the bounds of his upbringing like a congressional medal. He lived with an understanding that Lorain’s confines were what set him in relief from

PLAYLIST: A Taste of 2023 in Cleveland Music

“Waiting For a Little Sunshine” Austin Walkin' Cane "Last Year I Was Broke" Chelsea Pastel "i don't care" Grumpy Plum “Like A Kennedy” Heart Attack Man “The Heart of It All” Joe Wunderle "18 The Hard Way" Kipp Stone “Be Cool” The Labra Brothers “Borrowed Time” Liz Bullock “Field Tapes in Der Trash” Me:You “are you still here” Siena Bella “Sacrifice” Sierra Delaine “Wind Water Sun Moon” Slowspin “Stick Season” Summer Rios “Trouble” Welshly Arms Listen to our Cleveland Current playlist at tinyurl.com/clemagspotify

CLEVELANDMAGAZINE.COM

THE L A

GOVERNMENT

Unstable Housing

Meet Jim. He is part of the Cleveland Police Mounted Unit, which might get new stables at a cost of $13 million.

Should Cleveland spend about $13 million on a new home for the mounted police unit?

fficer Chuck Lipscomb’s nose wrinkles as he’s hit with the smells of fresh hay and horse manure. Such barnyard aromas aren’t common in the city of Cleveland, but they permeate each day here at the Cleveland Police Mounted Unit stables. Lipscomb, a motorcycle officer, has been working at the stables part time for the past few years. He introduces me to his usual horse: Jim, a beautiful, brown draft horse. “Jim is really kind of quiet and more laid-back,” Lipscomb says. “I’ve had him at several events, and on the streets, he’s really 20

CLEVELAND

12.23

easy to introduce to people.” A loud clang comes from a bolder personality: George, a black-andwhite horse, banging his hoof against the door of his stall, signaling that he’s ready to run outside. Max, the “foodie” of the bunch, chows down on hay; well-mannered Larry watches quietly; and Breeze, who is soon to be retired due to an injury, relaxes in the back of her stall. Located on East 38th Street, just south of the Shoreway, the 75-year-old stables became a topic of local political intrigue earlier this year, when Mayor Justin Bibb’s administration considered spending $13 million rebuilding them.

The current building will need to be torn down as part of the Dead Man’s Curve improvement project, so if the Mounted Unit continues to exist, the horses will need a new home. “If we got a new facility, we could have an indoor arena where we could have Christmas or Halloween parties for kids,” says Commander Gordon Holmes, who oversees the motorcycle and mounted units. “We want it to be a place where you can bring your kids or your grandkids.” The $13 million price tag was eye-popping, especially since the mounted unit only has six horses. The Bibb administration has put the project

BY ROBIN GOIST

PHOTOS BY KEN BLAZE

THE L A

on hold and is reviewing its options, a spokesperson says. Each year, the city pays for the horses’ veterinary care, food, training and farrier services. The city spokesperson could not provide the total amount of those costs. A foundation called The Cleveland Mounted Police Charitable Trust covers other expenses, including purchasing new horses for the unit. Yet, the very necessity of a mounted police unit in 2023 is questionable. Far gone are the days of officers needing to chase down suspects on horseback. In recent years, the department has deployed its mounted unit mostly for maintaining a noticeable presence at parades, sporting events, public festivities and protests — about 200 events per year, Holmes says. “In a riotous situation, there’s nothing better than [horses] to clear things out,” Holmes says. “From a community relations standpoint, what price do you put on it? What price do you put on a little kid coming up with his mom who doesn’t trust the police? I think the benefits far outweigh the costs.” Some residents who are rethinking public safety have raised concerns about whether funding the mounted unit is the best use of taxpayer dollars. After all, the unit has existed for more than a hundred years, and despite that, the city has struggled with police brutality, a federal consent decree and a culture of distrust of the police. “Community policing is often trotted out — no pun intended — as a way to smooth the relations between this violent institution and the communities in which they exist,” says C StonebrakerMartinez, co-executive director of the InterReligious Task Force on Central America and Colombia. It’s ironic, Stonebraker-Martinez says, how the proposed $13 million price tag for the stables was almost exactly what People’s Budget CLE requested for one year’s worth of partic-

ipatory budgeting. “And some people are very concerned about where that money is going to come from,” he says, “but if you really look under the covers, you can see millions of dollars are wasted on various things that our community never asked for or doesn’t need, like a mounted police unit.” Josiah Quarles, director of organizing with the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless, questioned the ethics of the new stables amounting to about $2 million per horse, “when we don’t have adequate housing for human beings in our city.” Putting public Officer Chuck Lipscomb dollars toward works part time at the housing, educamounted unit stables. tion and health care, he says, is

animals that can be easily scared and traumatized by loud noises or changes in their environment. “We’re forcing these animals into the literal line of fire, and they can get injured or even killed in the line of duty,” Stewart says. “Human police officers know what they’re signing up for, but these horses didn’t sign up for any of this. They didn’t have a choice, they didn’t get a say, and we’re just making them and putting them in these really dangerous situations against their will.” Back at the stables, Holmes and Lipscomb introduce me to the newest horse, named Leonard — at least, for now, as they consider calling him “Cavalier,” or holding a public naming contest on social media. Leonard still has his long mane — the horses in the unit

more impactful for public safety than “throwing money at antiquated ideas like mounted police.” Stonebraker-Martinez says they would like to see the horses moved to a farm, “where they can have a beautiful life,” rather than locked up in a corner of the city. Amy Stewart, co-founder of Cleveland Animal Save, also takes issue with the use of horses for police work, pointing to how horses are naturally prey

have their manes routinely “roached” or shaved — and lives in a stall secluded from the other horses. He is quarantining and will be slowly introduced to see if he fits into the herd; not every horse is right for the unit, the trainer says. Leonard’s future remains in limbo, between this stable, a new facility or green pastures — just as the future of Cleveland’s mounted police stables hangs in the balance. CLEVELANDMAGAZINE.COM

HEALTHCARE IS ABOUT MORE THAN MEDICINE. It’s about hope, equity, and a healthier community.

Dr. Airica Steed, President & CEO MetroHealth

At MetroHealth, we believe every person in our community deserves access to high-quality care. Vision and innovation have brought us to this moment, and we’re excited to move forward with our President and CEO, Dr. Airica Steed. Dr. Steed—alongside the more than 8,000 dedicated providers, specialists, nurses, and staff who call MetroHealth home—will shape a future dedicated to a healthier community.

metrohealth.org

FOOD &

DRINK Chef Anthony Zappola of Lox, Stock and Brisket taps his Italian roots at Ohio City’s Tripi Italian Specialties.

24 TRIPI’S ITALIAN SIMPLICITY

C O U R T E S Y T R I P I I TA L I A N S P E C I A LT I E S

26 REVIEW: SOLSTICE CHEFS TEAM UP

28 DINING GUIDE: SOUP TIME

CLEVELANDMAGAZINE.COM

& DR

IN K

THE DISH

Simple, Splendid and Scrumptious Anthony Zappola’s Tripi Italian Specialties puts an exclamation point on the chef’s style: No-frills food, produced perfectly.

CLEVELAND

12.23

stacked sandwiches in town, the Papa Tony isn’t big for the sake of being big; it’s intentional and a masterpiece. Served on a soft roll made fresh each morning by Zappola himself, the sandwich features hard salami, Genoa salami, soppressata, capicola, provolone, lettuce and tomato. You don’t have to add all the extras to it — vinegary giardiniera, olive muffoletta, banana peppers and a drizzle of Italian dressing

C O U R T E S Y T R I P I I TA L I A N S P E C I A LT I E S

is the restaurant Anthony Zappola has always dreamed of running. For years, the Solon native worked in restaurants all over the country, from New York City to Los Angeles. When he moved back to Cleveland in 2018, he dove into life as a restaurateur, opening Lox, Stock, and Brisket, a Jewishstyle deli now located in the Van Aken District, and Rice Shop, an Asianinfluenced spot down the street. But Tripi, which opened this summer in Ohio City, has been in the works for more than a decade. “This was the restaurant I wanted to open 12 years ago, back when I didn’t know how to open restaurants,” Zappola says. “I wrote the business plan back in 2011, and it’s still the only one I’ve ever written.” Though he has a background in fine dining and counts Top Chef judge Tom Colicchio among his mentors, Zappola has made a name for himself in Cleveland by homing in on a signature style: no-frills food that is executed absolutely perfectly. “It takes a lot of confidence to build a menu as small as I do,” says the chef, whose family photos adorn the walls at Tripi. “It’s a formula that’s worked for me in the past: producing high-quality food with consistently good service in a good location.” The menu at Tripi includes four different sandwiches with the signature Papa Tony ($14), named for Zappola’s Sicilian grandfather, leading the way. It’s huge, yes, but unlike other T R I P I I TA L I A N S P E C I A LT I E S

— but for the full effect, you absolutely should. “Other than the execution, there’s nothing fancy about it,” Zappola says. “But you eat that, and you’re good for the day.” Also on the menu is Sicilian-style pizza ($3 slice/$40 sheet) and a rigatoni dinner ($12) with your choice of meats. As at any good Italian deli, the refrigerator case is on standby to give your sweet tooth an assist. It’s filled with cannoli and dessert cups ($6) that include the most indulgent Italian cassata cake you’ve ever had. These days, he spends most of his time at Tripi — and not just because he lives upstairs. “Tripi is my focus, Tripi is my future,” Zappola says, “and I’m anxious for the day that, in three or four years, Tripi Tripi Italian Specialties becomes everyfeatures four delicious thing it’s meant sandwiches on its small, simple menu. to be.”

BY KATE BIGAM KAPUT

& DR

IN K

REVIEW

Big Shoes to Fill Can Solstice’s notable cast of hospitality pros make Lakewood diners forget about its predecessor, the 13-year classic Deagan’s Kitchen and Bar?

CLEVELAND

12.23

BY KATE BIGAM KAPUT

NATALIE RENEE PHOTOGR APHY

ew restaurants this year were as hyped as Solstice. When Deagan’s Kitchen and Bar closed in June after 13 years, West Side diners mourned the loss of a happy hour hot spot that managed to do what so few restaurants can: appeal to the masses. Soon, that sadness was replaced with celebration at the news of an all-star group of owners taking over the prominent Downtown Lakewood space, including chef Cory Miess and bartender Eric Ho of Birdtown’s celebrated Viking bar, LBM. The new spot, Solstice, opened to fanfare in mid-September. But despite showing plenty of promise, so far the Detroit Avenue eatery seems to be struggling with a bit of an identity crisis. “I don’t know that we have a specific concept or cuisine, necessarily,” says co-owner and executive pastry chef Annabella Andricks. “We want the menu to

be inviting and the atmosphere to be welcoming.” Right now, unfortunately, that lack of concept is evident. At times, a dining experience meant to be eclectic and inclusive, feels like a dizzying, discombobulated trip around the world. Miess and Ho assembled a seven-member, Avengers-style supergroup of owners with various food service backgrounds: Andricks of Dramatic Snax; general manager Andrea Tsiros and social media and events manager Rachel Rosen, both former employees of Deagan’s; Desserts from Anna front-of-house Andricks of Dramatic manager Bradley Snax are a highlight of Kaczmarski; and the dining experience bar manager Ben at the Lakewood spot. Lebovic, a onetime LBM employee. But is seven people too many cooks in the kitchen to claim an evident independent identity? “We all have a specific role to play,” says Andricks. The team put its own time, energy and elbow grease into making a few major renovations, including beautifully restored floors and painted ceilings. A lush, nature-themed mural by artist Mike Sobek decorates one of the walls. Still, walking into Solstice feels a lot like walking into, well, Deagan’s. Its signature 30-seat bar still takes up half of the 130-seat space, and the neon sign bearing Solstice’s colorful logo seems incongruous against the dark, wooden tones of the largely windowless haunt. Meanwhile, the menu is both reminiscent of Deagan’s and not at all. Correctly assuming they’d retain some of the old restaurant’s customer base, Miess structured Solstice’s offerings in a similar way, which means more small plates and appetizers than entrees, and leveled-up bar snacks like stuffed jalapenos and deviled eggs. “We wanted to keep [Deagan’s] spirit alive but branch out a bit,” Miess says. The result is a mishmash of cultures, flavors and cooking styles that also cater to vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free diets. Miess clearly relishes the chance

to go beyond LBM’s limited menu, pulling from the depths of his repertoire to feature dishes ranging in influence from European to Caribbean. “I tried to streamline it so it wasn’t too all over the place,” he says. “That said, we still have a fair amount from tons of different regions.” A dozen globally inspired small plates include Asian-inspired mushroom spring rolls, Middle Eastern-style curried freekeh and carrots roasted with akvavit, an herbaceous Scandinavian spirit. There are multiple French options, like mussels and a rich cassoulet of chicken and lardons, but there’s also a cozy, spicy Trinidadian curry of chickpeas and potatoes. One of the menu’s biggest wins is the gougere sliders ($15), a trio of light-as-air French pastry puffs that serve as the bun for salty speck, creamy gruyere and tangy pickled spinach with a perfectly balanced mustard compound butter. The crab cake ($25), a latke-like dish that literally came to Miess in a dream, is special, too. A thin, wide crab cake

WHEN YOU GO

Solstice 14810 Detroit Ave., Lakewood

is paired with a crispy potato pancake and served over a bed of Cajun corn maque choux. Much like Solstice itself, the dish aspires to be everything all at once — tender, crispy, savory, The gougere sliders (left) and the crab cake latke (right) are two winners on an inconsistent but eclectic menu.

216-767-5775

solsticelkwd.com

& DR

IN K

sweet — and in this case, it really works. Unfortunately, the misses really miss. The calamari ($14), is perfectly breaded but nearly flavorless; the Indianinspired spinach and artichoke pakoras ($12) are promisingly crispy but too dry to be palatable. Frustratingly, Solstice’s portions are so big that the disappointments cast a shadow over the meal, resulting in leftovers you hate to leave but don’t want to finish. Nothing eases the blow of an inconsistent dining experience like strong drinks and tasty desserts. Each night before the start of service, Lebovic whips up five-gallon batches of 11 classic cocktails like negronis, Manhattans and cosmos, a more efficient prep that leads to extraordinarily consistent (and extremely boozy) sippers. Andricks’s desserts, which will soon be available to go, are delightfully indulgent, especially her huge, shareable s’mores tart ($10), topped with a bourbon marshmallow and torched to order. A few months after opening, Solstice is still grappling with its identity. It’s similar enough to Deagan’s to feel familiar, but not yet different enough to feel wholly new and independent. With such a talented crew behind the scenes and a new menu launching just before Christmas, it offers lots of hope — but for now, little guarantee. CLEVELANDMAGAZINE.COM

& DR

Dining Guide

BEST SOUPS IN CLEVELAND CHINA JADE RESTAURANT WHY WE LOVE IT: Since 1985, this tasty, no-frills Chinese family restaurant has been cooking up Cantonese-, Sichuan- and Hunan-style dishes with plenty of authentic flavor. TRY THIS: Grab a pint of h ot and sour soup ($4), a slightly spicy, slightly sweet flavorful combination of tofu, pork, bamboo shoot, dried mushrooms and lily flower, and cozy up on the couch. 2190 Brookpark Road, Cleveland, 216-749-4720, chinajadecleveland.com

P RI M A RY C A M P U S LO G O S PRIMARY CAMPUS LOGOS

H O L D E N FO R E S T S & GA R D E N S

H O L D EN FO RE S T S & G A RD EN S

Experience this astounding event before it thaws. Enchanting realms of sparkling lights, ice frosted plants, and more await you— at Northeast Ohio’s newest immersive holiday experience.

OPEN NOW - DEC 31 | BUY TICKETS @ HOLDENFG.ORG

CLEVELAND

12.23

BY ALLISON JACK

COURTESY CLEVELAND CHOP

CLEVELAND CHOP WHY WE LOVE IT: Book a table at this vibrant Downtown steakhouse specializing in chops, burgers and sea fare in a welcoming space with a warm ambiance showcasing industrial elements like exposed brick and beams in the heart of the action. TRY THIS: What’s a steakhouse without a fabulous traditional crab bisque ($8) prepared with tarragon cream? Sink your spoon into this classic. 824 W. St. Clair Ave., Cleveland, 216-696-2467, clevelandchop.com

Laurel girls today. Leaders tomorrow.

# Explore a Laurel education for your daughter. Learn about how Laurel’s Center for Research on Girls puts cutting-edge research into action to create an environment in which girls thrive. Hear about all the ways to aﬀord Laurel, including our Sarah Lyman Scholarships—awarded each year to up to ﬁve Ninth Graders— that cover full tuition and fees for four years in the Upper School.

Come see how Laurel girls lead! SHAKER HEIGHTS, OHIO I NOVELT Y, OHIO I e s t. 189 6

ALL-GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL! IN OHIO

Come see us! Visit LaurelSchool.org/Visit or call 216.464.0946 for open house information or to schedule a tour. LYMAN CAMPUS

1 Lyman Circle Shaker Heights, Ohio

BUTLER CAMPUS

7420 Fairmount Road Novelty, Ohio

LaurelSchool.org

& DR

IN K

COOL BEANS CAFE WHY WE LOVE IT: Overlooking historic Medina Square, this intimate coffee shop is home to a menu of baked goods, wraps, salads, paninis, soups and a full espresso menu. “The location is phenomenal to anyone who is downtown checking out Medina Square,” says owner Laura Cavey. “When it gets cold, everyone wants soup.” What sets this spot apart is the cooking school inside that hosts different classes throughout the year — and the soup flight ($10), she says. TRY THIS: “Our tomato basil bisque ($4.99) is our signature soup that’s so popular every single day of the year, including summer,” says Cavey. The cafe is known for its creamy rendition with roasted tomatoes and fresh basil. 103 W. Liberty St., Medina, 330-723-7174, coolbeansmedina.com

3838, corkyandlennys.com

CLEVELAND

12.23

CORNER 11 BOWL & WRAP WHY WE LOVE IT: Corner 11 Bowl & Wrap serves ramen, poke bowls and other Asian fusion food, in an inviting, casual setting. Try a strawberry or original Japanese soda and grab a seat by a window. TRY THIS: Warm up with wonton soup ($8) made with pork and shrimp dumpling served with bok choy and onion in a clear broth. 2391 W. 11th St., Cleveland, 216-7131757, corner11cleveland.com

Mason’s Creamery

COURTESY MASON'S CREAMERY

CORKY & LENNY’S WHY WE LOVE IT: Iconic Corky & Lenny’s is the classic Jewish deli from your dreams, serving up oversized sandwiches, a variety of baked goods and bowls of warm soups for more than 60 years. TRY THIS: You can’t miss the Mish Mash matzoh ball, noodles and rice soup ($5.95 a pint/$10.95 a quart), perfect for a comforting night in. 27091 Chagrin Blvd., Woodmere, 216-464-

COURTESY HECK'S CAFE

EDWINS LEADERSHIP & RESTAURANT INSTITUTE WHY WE LOVE IT: At first glance you may just see a nice French restaurant, before learning the business gives back the community by training and employing formerly incarcerated adults in the culinary and hospitality industries. Here, dishes are crafted the long way with the right ingredients. “Everything here is about time and patience and tradition. There’s noting that can rush that,” says Brandon Chrostowski, president of Edwins Leadership & Restaurant Institute. TRY THIS: Edwins and Edwins Too, its sister restaurant, whip up a rotating selection of fresh soups. The lobster bisque ($12) is crafted with a slow extraction of flavors over the course of three to four hours, says Chrostowski. “Our soup has a soul to 13101 Shaker Square, it. It has a tradition.” Cleveland, 216-921-3333, edwinsrestaurant.org

GEORGE’S KITCHEN WHY WE LOVE IT: It doesn't get much more classic than this old-fashioned Cleveland diner. Grab a comforting meal from this longstanding (1980) spot that fills your belly without emptying your wallet.

& DR

IN K

Locals love the large plates. Come for the burgers, clubs and homestyle American dishes. TRY THIS: Don’t miss the housemade chicken noodle soup ($2.25 cup). 13101 Triskett Road, Cleveland, 216-671-0430, facebook.com/georgeskitchen2020

HECK’S CAFE WHY WE LOVE IT: For many diners at Heck's Cafe's three locations, the soup is the main event, not a side dish. “The soup du jour comes from the inspiration of the chef each morning," says owner Fadi Daoud; it’s created from “whatever fresh ingredients they have that day.” TRY THIS: “The French onion ($7) is a staple, and the recipe has been the same for decades now,” says Daoud. “It’s one of the best things we make, I think.” The recipe uses both sweet and red onions, slowly cooked after caramelizing, along with garlic, herbs, beef stock and a bit of Guinness, finished with French baguette and melted cheese. Various locations, heckscafe.com

Exceptional Dentistry for Exceptional People

Awarded Top Dentist

Year After Year Since 2007!

440. 933.2549

33399 Walker Rd., Suite D Avon Lake, OH www.avonlakedental.com

At John Pyke Dentistry, You and Your Family Can Expect:The Best Dental Care on Cleveland’s West Side An Experienced Team Dedicated to Your Oral Health and Overall Comfort A State-of-the-Art Dental Office A Full Array of Dental Services to Help You Maintain Healthy Teeth and a Healthy Body

CLEVELANDMAGAZINE.COM

& DR

IN K

GREAT LAKES BREWING CO. WHY WE LOVE IT: Known for its quintessentially Cleveland beer and comforting American bar fare like Bavarian pretzels ($12) and veggie pierogi ($14), the low-key Ohio City brewpub is home to delicious soups in a lively space. TRY THIS: Stilton cheddar soup ($6 cup) is a customer favorite that combines magic ingredient Dortmunder Gold lager, Stilton blue cheese and cheddar for a cozy meal or side.

LE PETIT TRIANGLE CAFE WHY WE LOVE IT: Grab a friend to meet at this eclectic Parisian extension of your living room for an espresso, pastry or savory soup for breakfast or lunch in Ohio City. Make a night of it with French delicacies served on a tablecloth with a bottle of wine. TRY THIS: It doesn’t get any more authentic than the specialty: vegan-based three onion soup ($7), topped with a cheesy toasted crouton.

with delicate split pea soup ($9). “We start with smoked ham hocks, carrots, celery and onion, and make the broth for about five hours,” says chef Jeff Thomas. The smoky, creamy, sweetand-sour finish stands out in this dish that includes smoked pork loin in the bottom of the bowl, garnished with parmesan, fresh cut chives and fennel gastrique. 11401 Bellflower Road, Cleveland, 216-791-7880, albatrosbrasserie.com

1881 Fulton Ave., Cleveland, 216-281-1881

2516 Market Ave., Cleveland, 440-771-4404,

greatlakesbrewing.com

land, 216-465-9600, herbntwine.com

“BEST DRY CLEANER” One thing has not changed for over 140 years; D.O. Summers Cleaners keeps Clevelanders looking good! Over the decades we have always lived by the Cleveland tradition of quality—keeping up with state-of-the-art improvements while always holding on to a personal commitment to excellence and quality service to our neighbors and neighborhoods. We celebrate that legacy and remain committed to building upon its foundation.

CALL 216.402.5141 OR VISIT DOSUMMERS.COM TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR SERVICES & LOCATIONS. Best of the East Winner - 10 Years in a Row! 32

CLEVELAND

12.23

COURTESY HERB'N TWINE

L’ALBATROS BRASSERIE + BAR WHY WE LOVE IT: Escape to an old carriage house transformed into an elevated French brasserie near worldclass museums on the campus of Case Western Reserve University. Explore a menu of cheese, wine and flavors of France. TRY THIS: Begin your night out

HERB’N TWINE WHY WE LOVE IT: Grab a sammy and soup to go at this busy designer sandwich shop known for creative twists on massive sandwiches made with fresh daily house-baked bread. TRY THIS: Herbed blue cheese croutons give this tomato bisque ($4) a unique twist that you shouldn’t sleep on. 4309 Lorain Ave., Cleve-

& DR

IN K

ABIGAIL ARCHER

LUNA BAKERY & CAFE WHY WE LOVE IT: Pastry chef Bridget Thibeault has built a welcoming fromscratch cafe with locations Downtown, in Cleveland Heights and in Moreland Hills. Spend an afternoon in one of the relaxing cafes, and choose from a menu of paninis, crepes, salads, from-scratch vegan and gluten-free soups, sweet treats and espresso. TRY THIS: Start with a hearty bowl of corn chowder crafted with golden potatoes, corn and other vegetables, with multigrain bread ($7). The potatoes give this soup a thicker base, with the flavors of garlic, cayenne and thyme coming through. Various locations, 216-279-9988, lunabakerycafe.com MASON’S CREAMERY WHY WE LOVE IT: If you’re in the know in The Land, you’re keenly aware that a small batch ice cream shop in Ohio City undergoes a yearly fall transformation into the tastiest ramen shop around. Owners Jesse Mason and Helen Qin hailed from Los Angeles 10 years ago before working trial-and-error style to finalize the best recipes for their scratch-made chicken, pork (tonkotsu) and vegetarian broth bases. Soy-marinated eggs are also popular (soft boiled egg with mirin soy sauce and garlic), says Mason. TRY THIS: “What makes ours stand out is really the time that goes into it,” says Mason. The hearty tonkotsu ($16) with char-siu pork, veggies, seaweed and a soft-boiled egg boils for more than 24 hours. “Time is the best ingredient when it comes to soup.” This season the shop will offer flavor-enhancing add-ons for soup bases, and new enclosed seating on the patio. 4401 Bridge Ave., Cleveland, 216-762-1095, masonscreamery.com

ACCELERATE THE RACE TOWARD HOPE JOIN US FOR AN INSPIRATIONAL NIGHT BENEFITING

Don’t be left at the starting gate for one of Cleveland’s signature events. SAVE THE DATE:

05 04 24

For 30 years, Cleveland’s party of the year has funded lifesaving pediatric care at Cleveland Clinic Children’s, making the impossible possible for children in our region and around the world. Celebrate with us on May 4 at the Derby Day Soirée. We’ll sport our finest hats, arrive on the red carpet, sip mint juleps and watch the run for the roses. The fun lasts one night, but the impact lasts for years.

Join us in the winner’s circle and help children cross the finish line.

Relive all the best moments of the 2023 Derby Day Soirée here:

CLEVELANDMAGAZINE.COM

learn more at noexitmusic.com

piano

! d a

free and open to the public

Friday Mar 8th 7:00 pm CSU/Drinko Hall Saturday Mar 9th 7:00 pm The Bop Stop Friday Mar 15th 7:00 pm KSU/Ludwig Hall Saturday Mar 16th 7:00 pm Heights Arts

& DR

MELT BAR AND GRILLED WHY WE LOVE IT: For nostalgic decor (think Halloween blow mold lights, record cover menus and other kitsch), gourmet grilled cheese, a wide beer selection and savory homemade signature soups, stop by one of the many regional Melt locations. After getting its start in Lakewood, the well-known cheese giant continues to craft up wonderful French onion soup and four-bean vegetarian chili. TRY THIS: Follow the sacred ritual — dip your gooey grilled cheese into your soup of choice. We love the hearty and spicy four bean vegetarian chili ($5.50 cup) topped with cheddar, sour cream and scallions. Various locations, meltbarandgrilled.com

PARIS ROOM WHY WE LOVE IT: A quaint dining room in idyllic downtown Chagrin Falls transports hungry Clevelanders to a Parisian retreat, complete with an authentic French menu, and the ambiance of a colorful, modern French bistro with comfort food, craft cocktails and live jazz music. TRY THIS: While you’re already in a small-town Hallmark movie complete with a beautiful waterfall, warm up with traditional flavorful French onion soup au gratin ($8.50), a guest favorite, made by local partner Trifles Catering, a fellow Chagrin Falls business for more than 40 years. 7 N. Franklin St., Chagrin

CLEVELAND

12.23

Various locations, thesoupermarket.com

SUPERIOR PHO WHY WE LOVE IT: There's big demand in Cleveland for authentic pho from this hidden AsiaTown gem. The hot brothy comfort food is a top pick at the family-owned Vietnamese restaurant that’s earned many accolades including Cleveland Magazine’s Silver Spoon award for best Vietnamese/ Cambodian food (2019 and 2022). TRY THIS: A meal in itself, the hearty pho rice-noodle soup is crafted from a long running family recipe made with broth that’s simmered all day. Order up a small pho ga ($11.95): authentic noodle soup with chicken. 3030 Superi-

or Ave., Cleveland, 216-781-7462, superiorpho.com

Falls, 440-247-0444, parisroombistro.com

PIER W WHY WE LOVE IT: Featuring a panoramic view of Lake Erie — plus the Cleveland skyline — the longtime upscale ship-inspired fresh sea and land fare dining spot is ideal for celebrating. Stop by for Sunday brunch buffets fit for a king, and legendary happy hours. TRY THIS: Indulge in Pier W’s Famous Bouillabaisse ($44) in a saffron seafood broth, with Mediterranean bass, pacific snapper and Lake Erie walleye lobster tail, clams, fennel, toasted crostini and saffron aioli. 12700 Lake Ave., Lakewood, 216-228-2250, pierw.com

SOUPER MARKET WHY WE LOVE IT: With five casual locations across Cleveland and the West Side, Souper Market is your basic soup shop with seasonally changing savory soups, salads and grilled cheese. Guests can also buy the takehome stock for recipes. TRY THIS: Taste the famous top-selling hearty chicken paprikash soup (12 oz. for $6), featuring classic Eastern European flavor, complete with a chunk of bread.

COURTESY SUPERIOR PHO

scan me

& DR

IN K

COURTESY THAI THAI

SUSY’S SOUP & DELI WHY WE LOVE IT: For 23 years and counting, this award-winning soup joint with two Cleveland locations, in Reserve Square and at Tower City, offers up sandwiches, wraps, salads, breakfast and other unique options. TRY THIS: Eat your tacos with a spoon with this cheesy, creamy and mildly spicy chicken tortilla soup ($5.29 for a cup), lovingly prepared in-house with chicken, green peppers, corn, jalapeno, onion, cream, cheese, milk, garlic, hot sauce and a special blend of seasonings, served with a choice of bread, roll, crackers or tortilla chips. Various locations, 216-600-9940, susyssoup.com

THAI THAI WHY WE LOVE IT: Discover authentic Bangkok-style Thai street food at an unassuming, seven-year-old storefront in Lakewood. Complete with curry, stir fried noodles, fried rice, spring rolls and other delights made from family recipes, the soups sell out daily at this hotspot. “It doesn’t matter if it’s summer or winter, people will come and get our soup,” says owner Kiwi Wongpeng. Check Instagram for updates on monthly over-the-top, colorfully decorated bubble tea specials (with titles like "unicorn," for example).

TRY THIS: “Our roasted duck noodles soup ($13.95) stands out,” Wongpeng, says. With bean sprouts, fresh cilantro and roasted garlic, the fresh vegetables bring out the broth's flavor and a bit of sweetness. 13415 Madison Ave., Lakewood, 216-226-4890, thaithailakewood.com

WANT MORE? Check out more recommendations at clevelandmagazine.com/food-drink

$100 ENTERS YOU TO WIN A PAIR OF

BROWNS, CAVS & GUARDIANS

SEASON TICKETS PROCEEDS BENEFIT LOCAL NONPROFIT

CLEVELANDSPORTS.ORG/GOLDENTICKET CLEVELANDMAGAZINE.COM

WHAT’S IN STORE FOR CLEVELAND’S

AEROSPACE CLEVELAND

01.23

ART

DEVELOPMENT

FOOD

HEALTH

HOUSING

SPORTS

PHOTO CREDIT

Our

future hasn’t

always

felt

bright.

We’ve missed out on major

opportunities, like the 2017 bid

for Amazon’s HQ2, which would have

added 40,000 jobs to the region’s offerings.

Our population has dropped from 914,808 in

1950, to 501,662 in 1999, to 367,991 in 2021. Franklin

County surpassed Cuyahoga County’s population in 2017. But with expanding, forward-thinking cultural and business assets, our city has world-class potential. Let us introduce you to the people and projects that are setting the stage for our future. Is

Northeast

Ohio

ready for 2050? Are you?

EDITED BY

DILLON STEWART

STORIES BY

PHOTO CREDIT

DANNY CUNNINGHAM, JACOB DESMIT, SOPHIE FARRAR, ANNIE NICKOLOFF, KEN PRENDERGAST, CHRISTINA RUFO

CLEVELANDMAGAZINE.COM

T HE F U T U R E O F H E ALT H I S Consider this: You’re having a party and want to set different moods in different rooms. To get the optimal amount of mood lighting in each room, a dimmer is more useful than the standard “on” and “off” of a basic switch. With a dimmer in every room of the house, the lighting possibilities across all rooms are endless compared to a standard switch. Offered by Dr. Lara Jehi of the Cleveland Clinic, the light switch example proves a surprisingly useful way to conceptualize the hospital’s IBM Quantum System One, the world’s first quantum computer specifically designed for health care research. In this analogy, the simple

VAST.

light switch is like a bit, the most basic storage unit of a supercomputer, where information is stored as either 1 or 0. Meanwhile, the dimmer is similar to the quantum computer’s qubit, capable of storing information as both 1 and 0 simultaneously. “If you had to sequence the genetic code of one individual and put it in a (super)computer, you need 1.5 gigabytes — that’s 1.5 billion bytes,” Jehi says. “If you wanted to store the genetic data of the human race of the living people on Earth, no supercomputer can do it. You can do this with a quantum computer with 68 qubits, and the one that we have in Cleveland Clinic now is 127 qubits.”

HOW THE CLEVELAND CLINIC’S QUANTUM COMPUTER

REVOLUTIONIZE

WILL

HEALTH CARE

Located in the Cleveland Clinic’s Lerner Research Institute, the machine is accessible to the Clinic’s research team through the cloud. Roughly the size of a laptop, the computer must be housed in a 10-by-10-foot structure, in order to cool its mighty processor chip down to a temperature of absolute zero, akin to the cold of outer space. The computer is a milestone of a 10-year partnership between IBM and the Cleveland Clinic, announced in 2021. The goal is to advance the pace of biomedical research through artificial intelligence, quantum computing and high-performance computing by way of the hybrid cloud. For now, the quantum computer is being used to improve research capabilities and pioneer technological advancements in medicine. For example, the processor can be used for quantum testing, which involves testing variations of a chemical formula for effectiveness. By cutting out the need to create each chemical variation in order to test, drug discovery research can be conducted more quickly and efficiently. Jehi says she hopes that the Discovery Accelerator partnership results in research that the Clinic can share with the world and that finds actual solutions from quantum computing technology. “The other dream that I have is that in 10 years from now, whenever the word quantum is uttered in the context of medicine anywhere in the world, Cleveland and Cleveland Clinic will be known as the epicenter of biomedical information using cutting-edge technology,” Jehi says. // JD

Four Exciting Medical Breakthroughs

NEXT-GENERATION VACCINES

PSYCHEDELIC PSYCH

SPECIAL PRESCRIPTION DELIVERY

EQUITABLE CANCER CARE

Breakthroughs in RNA-based vaccines, which synthesize this building block of life to jump-start the body’s natural protein factory and train the body to fight disease, allowed the discovery of the COVID vaccine. Now, some believe the technology could help combat other previously unsolvable health care problems.

Psychedelics have taken a long, strange trip in Western culture from counterculture to a potential mental health panacea. Researchers from the Cleveland Clinic and Ohio State University are testing popular recreational drugs like LSD, ketamine and MDMA as potential salves for anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder.

The Cleveland Clinic plans to launch prescription drone delivery service by 2025. Using Zipline’s Platform 2 system, the hospital system hopes to start by delivering specialty medication from about 12 Northeast Ohio locations. The airborne vehicles would fly at 300 feet and can complete 10-mile deliveries in about 10 minutes.

In March, the MetroHealth System completed its 1,300-square-foot Good Manufacturing Practice facility. This state-of-the-art vector and cellular facility produces cellular immunotherapies that fight cancer, such as chimeric antigen receptor T-cell and lymphocyte cancer therapies, which fight tumors.

CLEVELAND

01.23

COURTESY CLEVELAND CLINIC

CLEVELANDMAGAZINE.COM

T HE F U T U R E O F FOOD I S

CREATIVE.

“ WE’RE NOTICING THINGS

GROWING IN OUR REGION THAT

CLEVELAND

01.23

NEVER

USED TO GROW HERE.”

Food safety tools, such as packaging that changes color when a product goes bad, could help prevent the more than 6,000 deaths from food borne illnesses every year. Katz took a role with Morrison Healthcare, which provides food to the Cleveland Clinic, to help make drab hospital food delicious and nutritious. Finally, if Cleveland’s population does grow as a climate safe haven, as some have predicted, a more diverse community would be beneficial to Cleveland’s food scene, says Katz, whose successful Indian and Mediterranean small plates restaurants were unimaginable 20 years ago. “Our food system has been broken. But when it comes to food, there are always solutions to our problems,” says Katz. “Our culture is going to change, and I’m excited for that because as a chef it opens up so much more creativity and possibility.” // DS

ISTOCK PHOTO

A robot waiter arrives at your table with a serving of chapulines, a traditional Mexican dish made from spicy grasshoppers that are seasoned and fried, and tacos filled with 3D-printed, plant-based steak. “Yes,” the robot computes, “the cricket flour brownies, topped with a locally grown peach reduction, are keto.” As our food system get disrupted by climate change, inflation, labor costs and health-conscious trends, local experts see a food future that looks drastically different than today’s grub. “It’s totally realistic,” says Doug Katz, owner of Amba and Zhug and chef-partner at Provenance Cafe and Morrison Health Care. “I think you’re going to see creativity enhance the experience.” Yields of corn and soybean, both major Ohio exports, are expected to drop due to climate change. Fewer deep freezes could negatively impact the production of maple syrup, for example. But warmer temperatures could also lengthen Ohio’s growing season and even create opportunities for new crops to thrive, such as stone fruits or higherquality grapes for our wine industry. “We’re noticing things growing in our region that never used to grow here,” says Katz. As climate change also forces meat producers to contend with feed scarcity, heatstroke and disease in animals, and more extreme weather events, the cost of meat, especially beef, which has already ballooned by double digits, is expected to rise. Plant-based protein replacements, such as chickpea pasta or faux meat, are expected to double their market share in the next decade. “It’s going to be staggering, the number of manufactured foods — for example, different types of proteins,” says Hope Barkoukis, chair of the department of nutrition at Case Western Reserve University. “We’re barely at the cusp of this whole idea of creating meat in laboratories.” Beyond flashy changes like robot servers or insect farming, which some laud as a small footprint protein solution, the development of better food technology could also lead to a healthier populace.

COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF AKRON

Inside Akron’s Robot Food Delivery

Beep, beep: Pizza is here! As part of a new partnership with robotics company Starship Technologies and food provider Aramark, University of Akron students can now get food and drinks delivered to their dorm room or favorite study spot by an autonomous cooler. The robots, which can hold about three grocery bags’ worth of food, deliver Starbucks, Qdoba and other nearby offerings to any campus building or residence hall. Upon arrival, students scan a QR code to access their food. UA currently has a fleet of 10 robots, but the service has been so popular at schools such as Purdue University and Ohio State University that campuses have had to add more autonomous couriers. “The robots have been really well received,” says Cristine Boyd, senior director of external communications at UA. “It’s kind of interesting to watch them drive around campus. They’re always going somewhere, so the orders are coming in.”

CLEVELANDMAGAZINE.COM

T HE F U T U R E O F DEVELOPME N T IS The data is clear: America’s housing market is unaffordable for too many. As rents, sale prices, interest rates, insurance premiums (especially in climate-vulnerable regions) and student loan debts rise — as wages don’t keep up — Gen Z and Millennials are all but locked out of the housing market. “That’s driven, in part, by the shortage of quality for-sale housing but also the rapid increase in prices and interest rates that have put home ownership out of reach for many,” says Michael Sikora III, managing partner at the Cleveland-based real estate law firm Sikora Law and president-elect of the Commercial Real Estate Development Association. “First-time homebuyers have been hit especially hard by these factors.” According to the National Association of Realtors’ most recent affordability index, the average price for a starter home was higher ($342,200) in the second quarter of 2023 than it was in the full year of 2020 ($255,200). Due to mortgage interest rates nearly doubling from 3.17% in 2020 to 6.1% in June, the average monthly payment among firsttime homebuyers also almost doubled between 2020 ($1,021) and 2023 ($2,012). The problem comes from qualifying for mortgages, especially among first-time homebuyers. NAR data shows the median family income nationwide rose from $84,394 in 2020 to $98,270. Sounds decent, right? Nope. In fact, here’s where it gets ugly. NAR says the average qualifying income to buy

Developing Cleveland’s Waterfronts

CLEVELAND

01.23

WILL GEN Z BE ABLE TO OWN HOMES?

After a century of lakefront plans that have sunk like a rusty, discarded barge, just about everyone has an opinion about what what our waterfront should look like and whether or not it’ll get done. Any city planner would find it difficult to get a consensus from a divided population. Who are we building for? Locals or tourists? Urbanists or suburbanites? Wealthy or poor? Parents or singles? Foodies or hikers? The inability for our diverse and often distrustful city to find consensus is a big reason for the century’s worth of discarded plans. Downtown Cleveland’s 22-acre lakefront project site is large and could be far larger if the 450-acre Burke Lakefront Airport is partially or totally redeveloped, and the city’s waterfront gets even bigger when the banks of the Cuyahoga River are included. The work there is farther ahead, with construction underway on the 23-acre Irishtown Bend Park. The challenge is to keep our waterfronts from becoming a confusing mishmash of seemingly disconnected uses. Everyone must consider the waterfront to be “ours.” The spaces need to feel secure and encourage unity. Cleveland is fortunate to have waterfronts, but that comes with a burden of care. In Cleveland’s case, that means transitioning from a dirty, deeply entrenched industrial past to post-industrial glory. If local leaders can finally implement a coherent lakefront vision, it may do more than just reacquaint Greater Clevelanders with their waterfronts: It may reacquaint Greater Clevelanders with each other and unify the population to achieve more great things. // KP

PHOTO CREDIT

By 2050, Bedrock wants to reimagine 35 acres of Cuyahoga Riverfront, while the North Coast Plan might finally take advantage of the lakefront. But Cleveland has heard promises before. What would it mean to build up our waterfront dreams?

COMPLICATED.

ISTOCK PHOTO

a new house with a mortgage in 2020 was $49,680, which is based on a 25% qualifying ratio for monthly housing expense to gross monthly income with a 20% down payment. In August, NAR data showed the qualifying income in most areas is above $100,000 — more than the average family income. Many potential first-time buyers believe renting or living with family remains the only option. But there is a way to beat the market. NAR’s affordability index, which ranks U.S. metropolitan areas based on

housing prices, costs of living and incomes, Ohio’s metro areas are more affordable than almost anywhere in the country. Combined with remote work, Cleveland’s recent “brain gain,” or influx of college-educated individuals, makes more sense. The higher the index number is, the more affordable it is. As a national average, the index was 169.9 in 2020 and fell to 103.8 in 2022. Not one of the 180 metro areas in NAR’s affordability index saw affordability improve in 2022. Yet, in Ohio, all eight metro areas were more affordable than the national average. Youngstown-WarrenBoardman, OH-PA was the most affordable at 232.6, followed by Toledo (226.0); Akron (206.2); Canton-Massillon (201.0); Cleveland-Elyria (185.0); Dayton (183.3); Cincinnati

HERE’S WHERE IT GETS UGLY.

(163.9); and Columbus (142.4). Still, between 2021 and 2022, all Ohio metros saw affordability fall, with Toledo’s dropping the least (17%) and Columbus falling the most (26.5%). Cleveland’s fell 26%. Akil Hameed, president of the Akron Cleveland Association of Realtors, notes that, while Northeast Ohio is more affordable than the national average, the region’s housing inventory is down 17% and sale prices continue to rise. Looking forward, Northeast Ohio needs to rebuild or replace housing stock, which he considers old. Unfortunately, he and Sikora say, banks are tightening their lending for new single- and multi-family housing, requiring more public incentives to consummate deals. That means the situation may continue unchanged until the presidential election in 2024. // KP CLEVELANDMAGAZINE.COM

T HE F U T U R E O F CI T Y LI FE IS

What is a 15-minute city? A 15-minute city is a concept where city residents can get to most of the things they’d need (home, work, school and grocery stores, for example) within a 15-minute walk, bike ride or transit ride. It doesn’t limit or ban cars, but the concept emphasizes car-free modes of transportation. What would it mean for Cleveland? More bike routes, improvements to the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority, zoning changes and more. At its heart, a 15-minute city would allow folks without a car to get around town just as easily as those who have a car. How is Cleveland pursuing the idea? In a variety of ways. It has designed protected bike lane projects, installed more speed tables, traffic signals and bus stop islands and extended e-scooter hours. In September, Market Avenue in Ohio City was closed to cars to create a more walkable part of the popular neighborhood. Last summer, City Council passed the Complete and Green Streets ordinance, emphasizing city-sponsored road projects that make streets more accommodating to pedestrians, bicyclists and public transportation, along with cars. In July, Cleveland put out a request for proposals for a Citywide Mobility Plan. In August, City Council passed a Transportation Demand Management policy, and the city will begin designing the program. What’s the mobility plan? It’s a guide to the next five years of multimodal access, incorporating bikes, transit and walking. In 2024, it will replace the city’s former Bikeway Master Plan and provide a strategy through 2028.

DO WE WANT TO BE ONE? 44

CLEVELAND

01.23

What do Cleveland’s leaders have to say about it? Mayor Justin Bibb and Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne are fond of it. “Putting people over cars allows us to build a city that is safer, healthier and more accessible,” Bibb said in a statement. “The time is right to prioritize and leverage equitable investments along our low carbon transportation network, especially along chronically vacant historic commercial corridors.” What are some of the nearterm projects in Cleveland’s 15-minute city journey? Keep an eye on the Superior Midway project — which is expected to be under construction by the summer of 2025. In the meantime, Matt Moss, the City of Cleveland’s manager of strategic initiatives, says the city is also looking at “neighborhood greenway” mapping: identifying residential streets that connect commercial districts and parks for bicyclists, which need signage and intersection updates. A good example, Moss says, are the neighborhood streets that connect Old Brooklyn’s Brighton Park and Harmody Park. Would a 15-minute city affect parking? In some ways. Moss says one potential initiative could update street parking rules for people who need short-term parking to purchase groceries or a cup of coffee, for example. In October, Cleveland’s parking rates increased as the city continued to make steps toward its goal of smart metered parking. “Just to further reinforce that this isn’t about getting rid of cars or banning cars, it’s about using the

space we have in smarter, better ways,” Moss says. What about Cleveland being an “18-hour city?” What’s the difference? An 18-hour city features more late-night businesses and offerings, meaning it’s “open” for 18 hours a day. A 15-minute city refers to transportation. Bibb wants us to be both. What are the big challenges in becoming a 15-minute city? Money, says Jenna Thomas of Clevelanders for Public Transit and the Advocacy & Policy Manager for Bike Cleveland. However, many updates promoted by a 15-minute city could invest in the city’s future, Thomas says. “We could use a repopulation in the city,” Thomas says. “I hope this policy is one of many ways to get us back to a competitive population that mirrors something like Cincinnati, so we have more money to do more things for people.” Are there examples of where this is being done well? Yup — and you don’t have to look far. Ohio City, Tremont, Little Italy, Detroit-Shoreway and Larchmere are all examples of neighborhoods that fit into a 15-minute city framework, with public transportation and walkability at their forefronts. “There’s joy in just walking around, riding a bike, or even hopping off the train in these spaces,” Moss says. However, it’s not balanced across the city, Thomas points out. “These are the more expensive neighborhoods in Cleveland. I want to make sure we see that this creates equitable investment and not just the same investment we’ve been seeing.” // AN

PHOTO CREDIT

WHAT IS A 15-MINUTE CITY AND WHY

ACCESSIBLE.

WIL LINDSEY

CLEVELANDMAGAZINE.COM

T HE F U T U R E O F S PORTS I S

Opened in 1999 and renovated in 2014-15, the 67,431seat, open-air stadium is home to the Cleveland Browns and hosts concerts, international soccer games and more. When the Browns’ 30-year lease with the city expires after the 2028 season, the Haslam Sports Group hopes to secure upward of $500 million in public and private financing to renovate the stadium and develop the city-owned land surrounding it. Principal owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam said the Browns “won’t leave Northeast Ohio,” which infers that the team could head to the suburbs if a deal isn’t made soon.

CLEVELAND

01.23

ROCKET MORTGAGE FIELDHOUSE

The 19,432-seat concert arena and home of the Cleveland Cavaliers and AHL franchise Cleveland Monsters opened in 1994 but was just renovated in 2018 and 2019. The Cavs’ lease was extended by seven years to 2034 with two five-year renewal options. Some real estate insiders speculate that Dan Gilbert, owner of the Cavs and Rock Ventures, is already thinking ahead to 2034 and that he could seek a replacement to what would by then be a 40-year-old arena. Another Rock Venture company, Bedrock Real Estate, bought 3 acres of land just north of the arena earlier this year for future development.

JAMES: ASSOCIATED PRESS / BROWNS STADIUM: SHAWN GEORGE MOONDOG AND SIR CC: COURTESY CLEVEL AND CAVALIERS

CLEVELAND BROWNS STADIUM

EPIC.

LEBRON JAMES

This month, LeBron James turns 39 years old while in the midst of his 21st season in the NBA. Take a trip to 2050 with us, as we dream about the future of Northeast Ohio’s most famous son.

PROGRESSIVE FIELD: ERIK DROST IRIS S. WOLSTEIN CENTER: COURTESY CLE VEL AND STATE UNIVERSIT Y

The year is 2050, and a 66-year-old LeBron James is finally retired, spending his time flying between homes in Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Northeast Ohio. He keeps close tabs on the new NBA team in Vegas, of which he is a part-owner. He also enjoys ownership in the Las Vegas Aces, the city’s successful WNBA team. After playing at a high level into his 40s — a feat that is nothing short of remarkable — he is still the NBA’s all-time leader in points scored and holds the crown for most games played and longest tenure in the league, eclipsing the current mark of 22 years held by Vince

Carter. After the Cavs selected his oldest son Bronny with a second-round pick in 2025 and his youngest son Bryce in 2027, James returned to Cleveland for a storybook ending to a legendary career. After being inducted into the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame early in the 2030s, Akron’s native son turned his focus to more than just basketball. His production company, SpringHill Entertainment, continues to produce movies and television shows. As a result of his lifetime endorsement deal with Nike, James is also still in the apparel game, with his signature crown logo adorning the uniforms of his team in Vegas as well as the

PROGRESSIVE FIELD

Opened in 1994, the 34,830-seat outdoor ballpark is under a two-year renovation that started in October and costs $202 million. A recently signed 15-year lease began after the 2023 season and includes two optional five-year extensions. After that, could the stadium move? It’s not likely, with minority owner David Blitzer expected to acquire Larry Dolan’s majority stake in 2026, plus there’s future development of a ballpark village reportedly planned. (The Guardians have even acquired two properties, including the Gateway East Garage, totaling 3.8 acres just north of Progressive Field.)

2050

Cleveland Cavaliers. Despite continuous calls for him to run for president of the United States, James has stayed true to his word that he won’t run. Still, he continues the fight for racial justice, and his foundation’s I Promise School in Akron has made a difference in the lives of more than 10,000 people. After first hitting Forbes’ billionaire list in 2023, James’ combined ventures puts him among the wealthiest people in the world. More than that, one of the greatest athletes to ever walk the planet has rewritten the blueprint for what’s possible as just a kid from Akron. // DC

THE BERT L. AND IRIS S. WOLSTEIN CENTER Opened in 1991, the 13,610-seat home of Cleveland State University basketball is not long for this world. Earlier this year, CSU announced a campus redevelopment masterplan that includes new housing, retail and campus buildings. By the end of 2023, officials hope to select a development team, financing plan and a proposal for a new multi-purpose, 5,000-seat indoor arena on Payne Avenue just east of Downtown. The Wolstein Center will be demolished for CSU’s planned Partnership District, mixing research and development activities in cooperation with private enterprise. CLEVELANDMAGAZINE.COM

T HE F U T U R E O F A RT I S

INTERACTIVE.

HOW CLEVELAND’S

MUSEUMS

ARE ADAPTING AND EXPANDING Gone are the dusty dioramas and stuffy exhibitions; Cleveland’s biggest museums are looking to the future with community in mind, armed with new technology and formats to infiltrate some of the city’s most educational spaces in the years to come. The world-famous, iconic artworks on Cleveland Museum of Art’s walls won’t go away — but the museum’s emphasis on technology will only strengthen in years to come. “I think that Cleveland is staying true to itself. We’re a serious museum with a serious collection,” says Heidi Strean, the chief exhibition, design and publications officer of CMA. “One of the things I love is we haven’t just gone off and done some fantasy, buzzy sort of thing; [the tech] is not just decorative, and I think that’s really important.” Most strikingly, expect to see exhibitions of digital-born artwork, through the museum’s

ArtLens art tool and app. “Artists are even thinking differently,” says Jane Alexander, the chief digital information officer of CMA. “That will probably be the gateway into this whole new experience.” Instead of walking through a gallery, visitors might walk through an augmented-reality landscape, as they did last year in CMA’s groundbreaking Revealing Krishna: Journey to Cambodia’s Sacred Mountain. Using HoloLens, CMA is able to immerse visitors into an environment to learn more context around featured artworks. Other local institutions are growing — literally. The Cleveland Museum of Natural History, for example, is in the midst of a massive redesign and expansion, and that extra space will be used in a forward-thinking way, says CMNH Curator of Invertebrate Zoology Gavin Svenson. The museum’s extra 50,000 square feet will incorporate new and developing technology, like augmented and virtual reality. Future developments will include projections on displays to show environmental seasons, along with virtual simulators for guests to explore new places. With that being said, the museum’s impressive collection will always be the focus, soon to be organized around “how” and “why” questions as opposed to the traditional “what.” Technology will aid access. “We live in a technological world,” Svenson says. “It doesn’t mean it needs to replace

everything. It just means it can be used to enhance authentic experiences in different ways.” The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is also expanding. The new 50,000-square-foot addition will be designed for experiencedriven connection through exhibits — and also more room for educational events, concerts and programming. Expect past artifacts and new technology to be paired in future exhibits, but only when it’s meaningful. (Think of the museum’s The Garage performance exhibit space as an example.) The museum also continues to expand its digital reach, particularly in its educational programs. “Absolutely technology is part of the equation. To do it well, we need to be authentic in everything that we do,” Rock Hall President Greg Harris says. “It has to really reflect the rock ‘n’ roll DNA, and the very trusted voice in that conversation. We love when you mix the analog and digital.” // AN

PHOTO CREDIT

CLEVELAND

01.23

MICHAEL CRAWFORD: COURTESY MICHAEL “LIL MIKE” CRAWFORD / ISAIAH HUNT: COURTESY ISAIAH HUNT KARA GUT: COURTESY KARA GUT / UNC D: ANTHONY DIRIENZO

49 MICHAEL CRAWFORD

ISAIAH HUNT

The likes of Machine Gun Kelly, Krayzie Bone and Kevin Hart have been blown away by the detailed wooden boxes from this creative Cleveland carpenter. The multi-hyphenate artist is best known for his specialty engraving projects that use tech equipment, such as 3D printers and laser engravers. Crawford held a free art show at Sears ThinkBox in November titled LOVE: Learning to Overcome Violence & Envy and hopes to launch a creative academy for local youth. “My inspiration is to show kids that you can express yourself and break barriers through art and tech,” he says.

A writer of Afrofuturstic short stories and poems, Hunt’s narratives, which often take place in Cleveland, examine how the technology that’s embedded into human life affects our emotions, our experiences and Black culture. Recently earning his MFA in creative writing, Hunt teaches fiction writing at John Carroll University, encouraging the next generation to find its voice. “I do have cautionary tales, but I want to make sure the worlds I’m creating are not bad, that there are glimmers of hope,” he says. “One of those glimmers is that in the future Cleveland is getting noticed.”

KARA GÜT

UNC D

This artist is known for her use of digital elements, such as in a livestreamed three-act play within the video game Red Dead Redemption. Video games allow Güt to play with time through an interactive medium. Güt believes video generated art and artificial intelligence is the future of art. “The future is incredibly bright,” says the recent honoree of the prestigious Knight Foundation fellowship. “There’s much more experimentation that can be done and every new technology has potential to make new creations.”

This local musician is turning a traditional sound upside down. Mumble Jazz mixes scatting with live auto-tune and hip-hop. Creator Dante Batista, who goes by Unc D, believes he’s in rare company by merging electronic music and instrumental improvisation. Unc D releases new music every week, using social media to promote his creations. He cites Reddit as a great way to build a following, connect with fellow artists worldwide and get people talking. “It’s weird music,” Batista says. “Nobody else sounds like it.” CLEVELANDMAGAZINE.COM

T HE F U T U R E O F AE ROS PAC E IS

AMBITIOUS.

TRAVELING AT THE SPEED OF SOUND.

There are few things worse than a redeye flight from Cleveland to Los Angeles, right? Even if you can get a non-stop, you’re looking at more than four hours. But what if you could get there in two-and-a-half? That’s exactly what the NASA Glenn team contributing to the X-59 aircraft — an experimental plane that flies faster than the speed of sound — hopes to help accomplish. Cruising at 50,000 feet, the supersonic aircraft looks like a skinny fighter jet that’s 94 feet long with a 29.5-foot wingspan and can maintain speeds of Mach 1.42 for about an hour. There’s one pesky problem when you’re traveling at the speed of sound, and that’s the sonic boom. At about 110 decibels, sonic booms are about as loud as an explosion or an AC/DC concert, which might get annoying if you lived near an airport. So, people like engineer Raymond Castner, the propulsion lead on the X-59 at NASA Glenn Research Center, are working on lowering the boom. The goal the project is to create sonic booms above various test cities in order to test technology designed to quiet the plane and find out just how much sonic boom people in the cities below are willing and able to put up with. “We’re predicting right now that’s about 75 decibels,” says Castner. “A sonic boom is actually a series of booms that collects as it travels to the ground. New technology allows us to distribute that energy into a series of smaller shock waves that the ear perceives as a softer thump.” // DS

CLEVELAND

01.23

engine for that vehicle. A main component of the Gateway (a school bus-sized capsule that will serve as the lunar space station) called “solar electric propulsion” is also being developed at NASA Glenn. This should power and propel the spacecraft for as many as 15 years. The solar rays, which make the Gateway grow to about the size of a football field, were tested in Sandusky. The next step is a launch in November that will see humans travel farther than we’ve ever been before. In 2025, humans will return to moon for the first time since 1972, and by 2029, the Gateway should be operating and in orbit. In all, there are more than 3,000 scientists and technologists working on this project just in Northeast Ohio, creating almost $2 billion in economic impact every year. “There’s only 10 NASA centers in the country,” says Barrett. “To have one in our backyard creates so many opportunities. It’s really exceptional.” // DS

THE FIRST STEP TO

MARS

ISTOCK PHOTO

The Artemis program is one of the most ambitious projects NASA has ever taken on — and some of its most vital developments are taking place right here in Cleveland. If all goes as planned, by 2050, humans will not only have visited the moon again, not only have established a permanent presence across the moon’s surface, but humans will also have stepped foot on Mars’ dusty floors and maybe built a somewhat permanent presence there. But the moon, seen as a launchpad to Mars, is the first step — a 238,900-mile rest stop before continuing your 34.6 million-mile, seven-month flight. “Not only to Mars but maybe some other planets, too,” says Michael Barrett, director of Space Flight Systems Directorate at NASA Glenn. “This is way bigger than Apollo was, both in capability and in the intention to have a sustained presence on the moon, and to use it as that stepping stone for Mars.” Here at Cleveland’s NASA Glenn Research Center, as well as Sandusky’s Neil Armstrong Test Facility, some of the world’s most capable test facilities, manufacturing abilities and brilliant minds are being put to use to get us there. Already, the Artemis I mission, where dummy passengers orbited the moon, saw the Orion Spacecraft take flight in November 2022. NASA Glenn was instrumental in testing and even building elements like the

CLEVELANDMAGAZINE.COM

REMEMB

COURTESY DAN HUGHES

PG 52

ERING THE WNBA TEAM EXISTED FROM 1997 TO 2003, AND THE WOMEN WHO PLAYED REMAIN FOND OF THEIR TIME IN CLEVELAND, EVEN IF THE ARRIVAL OF LEBRON JAMES MARKED THEIR DEPARTURE.

WRITTEN BY VINCE GUERRIERI

PG 53

A CHOICE

PG 54

L E F T: A P P H OTO /J A M I E - A N D R E A YA N A K / R I G H T: C O U R T E S Y D A N H U G H E S

was about to be made, and everyone knew it. That was the situation on Aug. 29, 2003, at Gund Arena. There was more at stake than just advancing to the next round of the WNBA playoffs for the Cleveland Rockers when they met the Detroit Shock in the first game of the opening round. The Rockers, a charter member of the WNBA when the league formed in 1997, were in a tenuous spot — due, at least in part, to one of the 8,450 fans at their playoff game. Rockers All-Star forward Chasity Melvin says she and other players recognized LeBron James in the stands. How could you not? The high school star from Akron had been drafted by the Cavs two months before. He was a magazine cover fixture and about to become one of the faces of the NBA. Melvin and her teammates were uneasy about the Rockers’ fate. “We all felt it,” she says. “We were really trying to win the championship that year in hopes that maybe they wouldn’t fold.” The Rockers joked about the 18-year-old James potentially buying the Rockers. “He’d just signed a $90 million Nike contract,” she says. No official word was out, but George and Gordon Gund, the brothers who owned the Cavaliers and Rockers, needed to let go of the fledgling Rockers in order to get the most out of James’ addition. “It was disheartening, and it was a business,” says

Melvin. “They knew LeBron James was going to be a savior. They had to sell us.” There was no championship. The Rockers lost the best-of-three series to the Shock, which went on to win their first WNBA title that year. In September, Melvin’s fears were confirmed. The Gunds would no longer operate the Rockers. Efforts were made to find a new owner, either in Cleveland or in another city. There was some fan protest to keep the team in town, including one outside Gund Arena for James’ NBA debut in October, but it was all to no avail. In December, the team’s folding was announced. There would be a dispersal draft the following month. “I’ve coached in four different stops in the WNBA,” says Dan Hughes, the Rockers’ second coach. “I won two championships in Seattle and spent 12 years in San Antonio, but the job I probably wanted the most to work out was in Cleveland.” Melvin is even more blunt. “I really think if they didn’t get a pick that would change the stratosphere, the Rockers might still be in Cleveland.” Women’s sports were having a moment in 1996. The Summer Olympics that year in Atlanta featured new women’s sports and a total of 800 more women competing than had four years prior. And no sport captured fans’ imagination that year like women’s basketball. In 1992 a change was made that allowed professional athletes to compete for USA Basketball, leading to the formation of the men’s Dream Team. That squad of NBA All-Stars blew through international competition, winning the gold medal. Four years later, a similarly star-studded women’s team featuring Rebecca Lobo, Dawn Staley, Lisa Leslie, Sheryl Swoopes and

COURTESY DAN HUGHES

Teresa Edwards dominated the Olympics after a 10-month tour. “Interest was so strong, it validated the decision to form the WNBA right after the 1996 Olympics,” says Val Ackerman, who worked for the NBA at and then became the founding President of the WNBA. In fact, interest was so strong that two professional women’s basketball leagues started. The American Basketball League started its play in the winter of 1996. The WNBA would start in 1997, playing in the summer during the NBA offseason. The ABL actually paid better, Ackerman notes, but they also required players to sign exclusive contracts. Ackerman says the WNBA was structured to allow players to play abroad in the off-season. “I made 10 times what I made in the WNBA playing overseas,” says Rushia Brown, whose seven-year WNBA career included six summers in Cleveland. The new WNBA featured eight teams which were initially owned and operated by the league, with all of them based in cities home to an NBA team. In most cases, the WNBA team’s nickname was even a nod to the local NBA franchise. For instance, the WNBA’s Charlotte Sting and Sacramento Monarchs referencing the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets and Sacramento Kings, respectively. “We’d identified Cleveland as one of our charter cities,” Ackerman says. “I think the biggest factor was [NBA Commissioner] David Stern’s relationship with Gordon Gund. He was very supportive of the league and of David’s vision to strengthen the connection of pro basketball and women. Geographically, it was a good fit, too. Cleveland really was a Midwest anchor for us.” It was a good fit geographically for Janice Brax-

The WNBA started in 1997 with the Rockers as a charter member. It has been 20 years since they left, but the players all recall having a great time being part of something new.

ton, a forward for the Rockers during their first three seasons. She’d spent the previous decade playing overseas, where she met her husband, a Cleveland area native. “I said I wanted to play in Cleveland, or I couldn’t play, and they allowed me to do it,” she says. The Rockers — the name a nod to the recentlyopened Rock & Roll Hall of Fame — opened their season in the summer of 1997 to great fanfare. Among the Rockers’ fans? Then-Cavs announcer Joe Tait, who filled the same role with the new team. Amanda Petrak, who did media relations for the Cavs and Rockers, noted that the WNBA team still flew commercial flights — and Joe was willing to make the trip with them. “We were really, really fortunate that Joe Tait was willing to do the WNBA and NBA games,” Petrak says. In a 2002 Sports Illustrated story, Tait said he appreciated the women’s game, calling it “basketball the way it ought to be.” (Tait died in 2021.) “Joe Tait was the best,” Braxton says. “As long as Joe was on the radio, we knew we were good.” The late 1990s were a heady time to be in Cleveland. In addition to the Rock Hall, the Rockers and Cavs played in a new arena — right next to a new ballpark for the Indians, which would host the AllStar Game in 1997. A lot of players lived in Reserve Square downtown, including Brown. “We had everything there we needed,” she says. “Postgame, we would always go down to the Flats because no place Downtown was open.” (Brown noted, somewhat ruefully, that the nice restaurants close to the arena came after LeBron’s arrival.) “Cleveland was the bomb,” says Melvin, who PG 55

WHERE ARE THEY NOW? Va l Ac ke r m a n is Commissioner of the Big East Conference.

A m a n d a Pe t ra k still lives in the Cleveland area and works at KeyBank. R u s h i a B rown lives in Atlanta and is a motivational speaker. She has worked in WNBA front offices and helped found the Women’s National Basketball Alumnae. C h a s i t y M e lvi n is a high school basketball coach in North Carolina and an on-air announcer for the Washington Mystics. D a n H u gh e s is retired from coaching and living in the Dayton area. He occasionally consults and does some broadcasting, and remains a regular visitor to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. J a n i c e B ra x to n lives in the Cleveland area. She works as an office manager and is active in Cleveland’s National Basketball Retired Players Association chapter.

PG 56

joined the team in 1999. “It will always have a special place in my heart.” The Rockers went 15-13 in 1997. They didn’t advance to the postseason, but players already felt like they’d accomplished something. “We had a chance to do something great,” Brown says. “You don’t always focus on the result. You focus on the process and relationship. That first year, we had an amazing time — and we won a few games.” In 1998, the Rockers fared even better, going 2010 to win the five-team Eastern Conference, but lost the semifinals to Phoenix, dropping a deciding third game. That year was the Rockers’ peak in attendance, averaging 10,350 fans per game. The WNBA also got some welcome news at the end of that year. Its only stateside competition, the ABL, filed for bankruptcy protection and folded. “They went out of business quickly,” Ackerman says. “They went head-to-head with college basketball and the NBA. They were aggressive with player salaries, and didn’t have the wherewithal to support that.” Things bottomed out for the Rockers in 1999, as they went 7-25. The team fired coach Linda HillMcDonald and hired Hughes, an Ohio native who was well-traveled among the college ranks in the state. His father had alerted him to a new women’s league starting, and he ended up as an assistant in Charlotte. After 12 games in 1999, Sting coach Marynell Meadors was fired, coincidentally after a loss to the Rockers, and Hughes became the coach. Charlotte recovered to advance to the playoffs, losing to the New York Liberty in the conference finals, and Hughes parlayed that into the Cleveland job. By then, Hughes said, the Rockers had really become a part of the Cleveland sports fabric. The crowds were not enormous (in most instances, seating for games was limited to the lower bowl of Gund Arena), but the Rockers had developed a following through their play and personal appearances. “Our crowds and our product was pretty competitive with what I saw around the league,” he says. “We saw as many or more fans.” The Rockers advanced to the playoffs in each of the next two years but had a down year in 2002, going 10-22. After that season, ownership of the WNBA teams was transferred from the league to the local teams. It was a fateful decision, as two teams moved and two others folded. In the spring of 2003, Gordon Gund said he remained committed to the Rockers, but it soon be-

AP PHOTO/ TONY DEJAK

The Rockers look back at their time with the team and in Cleveland with fond memories. They are beginning to put plans together for a reunion when the Women’s Final Four is here in April.

came obvious that wouldn’t be the case. “The Cavs had the opportunity to draft a talented high school player named LeBron James, and the word came down that the team was focusing on rebuilding the Cavs,” Ackerman says. “The WNBA just became a lesser priority at that point.” Hughes says he had no idea the team would fold. The Rockers went 17-17 before losing to Detroit in the playoffs. “You have your year-end meeting with players, and I didn’t sense anything wrong,” he says. “But then I had a meeting with ownership. (Cavs GM) Jim Paxson said as long as the Rockers are here you’ll be the coach. I didn’t understand what he meant.” Two weeks after the end of the season, it was announced that the Gund brothers would no longer own and operate the Rockers, citing a lack of revenue and declining attendance (down to 7,400 in 2003, the lowest in team history). A year earlier, the Gunds had sold their NHL franchise, the San Jose Sharks — and in early 2005, they’d sell the Cavs. “I think they weren’t sure if the Rockers would be a help or a hindrance in a sale,” Petrak says. “I don’t know that they actually tried to shop the Rockers.” “I didn’t quite understand the reasoning how this all happened,” Hughes says, “but I realized it about a year later when I saw Mr. Gund sell the team.”

The new Cavs owner was Dan Gilbert, who still owns the team today. “I feel like Dan Gilbert would have really liked to own a WNBA franchise, too,” Petrak says. “I just feel like the timing wasn’t right.” The Rockers were dispersed in January 2004. Some players went to other WNBA teams, some went overseas. But there’s a sense of camaraderie that hasn’t gone away even two decades later. “I’m still very good friends with most of my Cleveland teammates,” says Brown, who plans to have a Rockers reunion in Cleveland when the city hosts the Women’s Final Four in April. “There was a culture of family that allowed us all to be friends after we went our separate ways.” “This was my city,” Melvin says. “This was my team. I wanted to be like [San Antonio Spurs Hall of Fame forward] Tim Duncan and take Cleveland to the finals.” “I owe Cleveland immensely, and I’m sad I couldn’t be here my whole career,” Hughes says. “The Rockers really gave me my brand, and San Antonio and Seattle were wonderful stops, but I wish I could have been in Cleveland my whole career. I do wonder what might have been.” It’s not just idle chatter. That 2003 team was a great collection of talent. In addition to Melvin, the team had Penny Taylor, who was at the start of an all-star career in the WNBA, as well as Jen Rizzotti, who has gone on to a lengthy coaching career. In fact, both Rizzotti and Hughes served as assistants on former Rockers assistant and current Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve’s 2021 US Women’s Olympic Team coaching staff that helped to capture the gold medal. Today, there are 12 teams in the WNBA. Expansion is happening, as the league announced a new team in the Bay Area beginning in 2025, and plans to add a 14th team by that time, as well. “It’s certainly not a flash in the pan like a lot of people expected it to be,” says Petrak, who played college basketball at St. Bonaventure before embarking on her media relations career. “Women’s basketball has come so far. The fan base and skill set has expanded and improved.” Since the Rockers folded, there hasn’t been a serious attempt for Cleveland to return to the WNBA. But people still remember. “I still meet people who recognize me and knew I played for the Rockers,” Braxton says. “They enjoyed it. And they always ask, ‘When are they bringing the Rockers back?’” PG 57

PROMOTION

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

Tequila Herradura Ultra (750ml bottle: $62.99 plus tax) is an incomparable cristalino anejo tequila. This premium tequila starts with one of our finest anejos and undergoes a charcoal filtering process to remove color and enhance smoothness.

Celebrate the season with these great gifts for anyone in your life.

herradura.com/products/ultra

Make Details your shopping destination for home decor, women's fashion accessories ($25-$168), home entertaining and more.

Make your holiday shopping stress-free and give Charles Scott Salon & Spas gift cards. You can purchase a $100 gift card for $85 during its holiday sale Nov. 24 through Dec. 24.

Olde Avon Village, 36840 Detroit Road, Avon, 440-934-3457, Facebook @detailsavon

19025 Old Lake Road, Rocky River, 440-333-7994; 34970 Detroit Road, Suite 230, Avon, 440-899-1957, charlesscott.com

Stay warm with Everarbor's portable fire pit — made and sourced in Cleveland. Weighing just 2.5 pounds, Folding Flame is made to be portable. At about an inch and a half thick while folded up, its compact design makes for easy packing, quick set up and tear down.

CLEVELAND

12.23

22350 Lorain Road, Fairview Park, 440-734-3838

PHOTO CREDIT

2617 Scranton Road, Cleveland; 58 SS, Comet Lane, Crocker Park, Westlake, 216-333-1598, everarbor.com

If your car is too cold in the winter or hot in the summer, Viper Remote Car Starter (starting at $299) from Wired Right Automotive Electronics is the perfect solution. Remote start your car from the comfort of your home or office with the world’s best-selling vehicle security and remote start brand.

PROMOTION

The Essex Quilted Vest by Peter Millar is constructed from windproof and waterresistant quilted fabric that provides optimal protection in blustery weather ($230), at Ford's Clothier. The interior is fleece-lined for ideal warmth and features six interior pockets for functionality. It's finished with a stand-up collar, hidden zip-front and exterior side pockets. 19821 Detroit Road, Rocky River, 440-333-2355, fordsclothier.com.

Give a loved one a day of shopping at Legacy Village with a gift card, available in any denomination from $5 to $500. They are accepted at most shops and restaurants, including L.L. Bean, Nordstrom Rack, Crate & Barrel and more. 25001 Cedar Road, Lyndhurst, 216-382-3871, legacy-village.com

The Salon and Spa of Venus carries a large variety of all natural, vegan and Made in the USA beauty and haircare products. Holiday sale from Black Friday thru Dec. 31, prices starting at $10.

PHOTO CREDIT

17578 Pearl Road, Strongsville, 440-268-6261, salonofvenus.square.site

Treat someone special with natural skin care this holiday season. STEM Handmade Soap has 20 natural scents. Gift sets run $12-$60.

Immerse yourself in Italian tradition with a hand thrown and handpainted Limoncello bottle ($86) and cups ($20 each). Made in Italy by skilled Umbrian artists!

Van Aken District in Shaker Heights, Birdtown Neighborhood in Lakewood, 216-505-5531, stemsoaps.com

Solari - Quintessentially Italian, 19036 Old Detroit Road, Rocky River, 440-333-9600, solarihome.com

CLEVELANDMAGAZINE.COM

HOLIDAYS IN CLEVELAND

s to way n e z do

ou in the spirit during th e ho keep y l

CLEVELAND

12.23

s ea

so n.

PHOTO CREDIT

BY GRACE CLARKE, SOPHIE FARRAR AND VINCE GUERRIERI

iday

ILLUSTRATION BY AALIYAH BELL

BY WRITER

ART BY ARTIST

More than a Million Lights

Musical Light Show

Buy online and save FutureForWildlife.org/lights

HOLIDAYS IN CLEVELAND

FROST AT CLEVELAND BOTANICAL GARDEN

DECK THE HALL AT STAN HYWET HALL

$7+, 3-8 p.m., Various dates through Dec. 30, 714 North Portage Path, Akron, stanhywet.org

LET US STAY WITH YOU. ®

Unwrap the gift of unforgettable moments this holiday season.

From festive dining to beloved traditions, The Ritz-Carlton, Cleveland invites guests to embrace the magic of the season. Surprises are in store for both children and adults as the city’s only luxury hotel decks the halls, ensuring each moment is merry and bright. Discover more at ritzcarlton.com/cleveland. © 2023 The Ritz-Carlton Hotel

CLEVELAND

12.23

$7+, Various times, Through Dec. 31, 11030 East Blvd., Cleveland, holdenfg.org

COURTESY STAN HY WE T

The inscription above the Akron estate’s front door, “Non Nobis Solum,” (Not For Us Alone) shows that the home was always intended for public display, and it’s never more evident during the holiday season. The 65-room Tudor revival home, first owned by Akron rubber magnate and co-founder of Goodyear F.A. Seiberling is decorated to the hilt for the holidays. More than 1 million lights will be displayed on the estate’s 70-acre grounds.

A reworking of previous years’ Glow and Twinkle in the 216, Frost features special horticultural displays celebrating Cleveland’s historical and cultural landmarks, plus outdoor light displays and, of course, gingerbread houses. Also returning this year is Breakfast With Santa and the monster-filled Krampus Night.

S H O P. E AT. P L AY. S TAY. Discover the Holidays at Legacy Village CLEVELAND’S PREMIER LIFESTYLE CENTER Anthony Vince Nail Salon Arhaus Furniture Bar Louie Barre3 Black Box Fix Brio Italian Grille California Pizza Kitchen The Capital Grille Candytopia

The Cheesecake Factory Chico’s Chipotle Mexican Grill Contessa Gallery Crate & Barrel Deka Lash Dick’s Sporting Goods Drybar Esporta Fitness

Ethan Allen Giant Eagle Hyatt Place Hotel J. Crew Factory Jos. A. Bank Clothiers Ladies & Gentlemen Salon & Spa Lilly Pulitzer L.L. Bean

Loft Lovesac Marlisa Dunn Art The Melting Pot Milan Laser Hair Removal Nordstrom Rack Pearle Vision

RH Gallery Soft Surroundings Sola Salon Studios Soma Starbucks Talbots Tempur-Pedic White House / Black Market Wild Mango

Visit Legacy-Village.com for information on shop and restaurant hours, enter-to-win promotions, holiday events, and more! LEGACY VILLAGE FOLLOW LEGACY VILLAGE

. E AT HOP

Y. S T A L P .

AY.

HELP US #CREATEJOY STOP BY THE LAWN FOR DETAILS! Legacy Village gift cards make the perfect gift!

216.382.3350 PLACE.HYATT.COM

25333 CEDAR ROAD, SUITE 303 • LYNDHURST, OH 44124 • (216) 382-3871 • LEGACY-VILLAGE.COM

HOLIDAYS IN CLEVELAND

From Dec. 13-23, Severance Music Center will again host the holiday sounds of the Cleveland Orchestra, with a variety of contemporary and traditional songs, and some special guests. Tickets $49+, Various times, Dec. 13-23, 11001 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, clevelandorchestra.com

CLEVELAND BALLET PRESENTS THE NUTCRACKER AT PLAYHOUSE SQUARE

Returning to Playhouse Square with new dances, characters and costumes, Cleveland Ballet’s rendition of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker promises to dazzle audiences. Artistic director Gladisa Guadalupe, has created a distinctly Cleveland version of the familiar story that has a twist, making it a must-see performance. $28-$131, Dec. 14-17 and 21-23, Connor Palace at Playhouse Square, 1615 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, clevelandballet.org

CLEVELAND

12.23

BALLET; SUSAN BESTUL PHOTOGRAPHY / ORCHESTRA: COURTESY CLEVEL AND ORCHESTRA

CLEVELAND ORCHESTRA HOLIDAY CONCERTS

A CHRISTMAS CAROL AT GREAT LAKES THEATER Ebenezer Scrooge returns to Cleveland for Great Lakes Theater’s annual production of A Christmas Carol. People of all ages can get into the holiday spirit and experience the magic of the season as the protagonist of Charles Dickens’ classic novella does the same on stage. $35-$80, Nov. 24-Dec. 23, Mimi Ohio Theatre at Playhouse Square, 1511 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, greatlakestheater.org

C H R I S T M A S C A R O L : T R G M U LT I M E D I A

TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA: GHOSTS OF CHRISTMAS EVE Experience the enchanting magic of the holiday season with the legendary Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Join them for a single, unforgettable day as this exceptionally talented group invites you to embark on a whimsical and breathtaking journey with the Ghosts of Christmas Eve. Let the captivating melodies and mesmerizing performances of TSO transport you to a world of wonder and joy, igniting your Christmas spirit like never before. Don’t miss this iconic musical celebration – it’s a holiday experience you’ll treasure forever. $39+, Dec. 22,, 3 p.m., 7:30 p.m., 1 Center Court, Cleveland. rocketmortgagefieldhouse.com

FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC!

Cleveland Play House is proud to present the Festival of Trees in the Allen Theatre lobbies. This beloved holiday tradition is a display of beautiful trees decorated by talented artists and designers made possible by generous sponsors in support of our artistic and educational programming. For more information, dates and hours, visit clevelandplayhouse.com/FoT.

CLEVELANDMAGAZINE.COM

HOLIDAYS IN CLEVELAND

AGATHA CHRISTIE’S MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS AT GREAT LAKES THEATER

T. CHARLES ERICKSON

In one of Agatha Christie’s most famed stories, detective Hercule Poirot is stranded with passengers of the Orient Express on a snowy track as he fights time to find out who killed a passenger before the murderer strikes again. Great Lakes Theater’s stage adaptation will have audience members invested in the winding road of Poirot’s journey. $15-$89, Feb. 9-March 3, 2024, Hanna Theatre at Playhouse Square, 2607 Fourth St., Cleveland, greatlakestheater.org

After a two-year layoff due to COVID-19, the Inventionasium returns to Tower City. The immersive, theatrical, STEM-accredited educational event allows kids to design and build a toy. Expect a few surprises, too. $34+, Various times, through Dec. 24, Tower City, 230 W. Huron Road, Cleveland, mrkringle.com/kringles-inventionasium

A N ight on

SUNDAY DECEMBER 31, 2023

the RunwayS

OPEN PREMIUM BAR • DOORS OPEN AT 8PM Get ready to take your New Year’s Eve celebration to new heights as we invite you to an unforgettable night of glamour, excitement and entertainment that will leave you soaring into the next year. Located across from the Cleveland Airport runways, The Aviator is the perfect setting to bid farewell to the old and embrace the new! to be dazzled as Sophia the • Prepare Fire Performer welcomes you with

an electrifying display of fiery artistry upon your arrival!

• Live Band - We Are The Radio • Silent Disco Room by Ohio DJ Pros

Tickets Available Now - $165

20920 Brookpark Road • Cleveland AviatorCLE.com • 216-770-5300

CLEVELAND

12.23

TOAST THE NEW YEAR with Chef’s Grazing Stations, dancing and drinks. Let the night flow through our 4 rooms and over 30,000 square feet of different entertainment, premium bars and lavish menu.

Grazing Food Stations featuring • Chef’s cuisine from around the world Speakeasy Lounge with pianist • and vocals by Don DiSantis the Slight of Hand Magician • Wes will be tricking you all night

Live Ball Drop on MASSIVE Video Walls!

D ress t Im pess!o

• Champagne Room by Mumm • Photo booths to capture the moment • Late night snacks Hats, noisemakers, and • party poppers! SCAN HERE TO PURCHASE YOUR TICKETS!

For hotel accommodations, contact The Orbit by Wyndham at 440-471-4828

/ COURTESY MR. KRINGLE'S INVENTIONASIUM

MR. KRINGLE’S INVENTIONASIUM

THIRD FRIDAYS AT 78TH STREET STUDIOS Every third Friday of the month, 78th Street Studios opens more than 50 studios inside the building at the same time in order to present a variety of visual exhibits, music, food and pop-up vendors. Boasting four floors of architecture, displays and 60-plus businesses, Third Fridays offer a unique experience for visitors to shop, appreciate and interact with local artists. Also, don’t miss Cleveland Bazaar’s ultimate gift shopping experience taking place on Dec. 9-10 at the building, bringing holiday vendors and plenty of festive cheer. Free, Every third Friday of the month, Oct. 20-April 18, 5-9 p.m., 78th Street Studios, 1300 W. 78th St., Cleveland, 78thstreetstudios.com

CAVALIERS GAMES Cleveland’s favorite basketball team has games throughout the winter, giving fans an excuse to hide inside, away from the cold reality of Northeast Ohio winters. Take a trip to watch them in one of their many home matchups at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. $33+, Dec. 21-Mar. 11, 2024, Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, 1 Center Court, Cleveland, nba.com

JIM BRICKMAN IN CONCERT

ERIK DROST

A Shaker Heights native, Brickman is a regular on the adult contemporary chart. The Grammy-nominated singer and pianist has worked with a variety of well known gospel and country artists. His A Joyful Christmas tour arrives at Playhouse Square for three shows with Chrissy Mentz this season. $50+, 2 and 8 p.m. Dec. 16 and 2 p.m. Dec. 17, Hanna Theatre, 2067 E. 14th St, Cleveland, jimbrickman.com

Holiday Concerts WITH

THE CLEVELAND ORCHESTRA AND CHORUS

Presenting Sponsor:

NORTHEAST OHIO’S FAVORITE HOLIDAY TRADITION!

DEC 13–23 clevelandorchestra.com

CLEVELANDMAGAZINE.COM

HOLIDAYS IN CLEVELAND

BROWNS GAMES The Browns face three opponents at home in December. The Jacksonville Jaguars, Chicago Bears and New York Jets. The last game is a Thursday night matchup against the Jets on Dec. 28 at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Here’s to hoping that this game is warmer than when they played the New Orleans Saints last December in the coldest regular-season home game in Browns history, with a kickoff temperature of only 6 degrees. ERIK DROST

$41-$356+, Dec, 10, 1 p.m., Jaguars; Dec. 17, 1 p.m., Bears; Dec. 28, 8:15 p.m., Jets; Cleveland Browns Stadium, 100 Alfred Lerner Way, Cleveland, clevelandbrowns.com

The Deck 2024

of approximately 70

Gift Cards

The only gift cards redeemable at all our member locations. Available in $10, $25, $50 and $100 denomintions. 68

CLEVELAND

12.23

SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL SECTION

Meet the people who provide the thought, love and drive that make our city special.

MGM NORTHFIELD PARK PG. 70 SPRY HEALTHCARE PG. 72 CUYAHOGA COMMUNITY COLLEGE PG. 73 TIMAN CUSTOM WINDOW TREATMENTS PG. 74

CLE SMILES BY DR. NIKI PG. 75 JUDSON SENIOR LIVING PG. 76

HEALTH ACTION COUNCIL PG. 80 PONSKY FACIAL PLASTIC SURGERY PG. 81

ZAPPY’S AUTO WASHES PG. 77

CONCIERGE MEDICINE OF WESTLAKE PG. 82

EVERGREEN PODCASTS PG. 78

REMODEL ME TODAY PG. 83

ABSOLUTE ROOFING AND CONSTRUCTION PG. 84 BRADLEY STONE INDUSTRIES PG. 85 HARRINGTON DISCOVERY INSTITUTE AT UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS PG. 86

CLEVELANDMAGAZINE.COM

KEN BLAZE

CLEVELAND

12.23

THE FACE OF

WINNING ––– NICK MONTI

MGM Northfield Park

Nick Monti, general manager of MGM Northfield Park, knows a thing or two about bringing world-class entertainment to the masses. His career journey started in Las Vegas when he was a teenager, first serving as a pool attendant within MGM Resorts. He grew with the company, holding a variety of positions in different departments. Having worked at Treasure Island, Mandalay Bay and Bellagio, he was most recently the vice president of casino marketing at ARIA Resort and Casino.

His focus is on employee culture and customer experience. “Each and every team member makes a valuable contribution to excellent customer service; they are the heart and soul of MGM Northfield Park,” says Monti. “We go out of our way to ensure our guests are greeted upon arrival, their special occasions celebrated and any problems resolved as if they were our own. In part, this is why we were recognized as the Best Entertainment Complex in Cleveland and why guests come back time and again.” MGM Northfield Park, an award-winning gaming, dining and entertainment destination, is located on the Northfield Park harness racing grounds. MGM’s newest additions include Valley’s Edge Steak & Seafood and BetMGM Sportsbook, where guests can catch all the games. 10777 Northfield Road, Northfield, 330-908-7625, mgmnorthfieldpark.com

CLEVELANDMAGAZINE.COM

THE FACES OF

PERSONAL PRIMARY CARE ––– RAISA LERNER, MD AND LAUREN O’BYRNE GOPAL, DO Spry Healthcare

811 Prospect Ave., Suite 200, Cleveland, 216-957-7779, myspry.com

CLEVELAND

12.23

DENNIS CRIDER

At Spry, we tailor care to your needs and your life. When you schedule an appointment, we take time to listen and build a relationship. You always deal directly with your board-certified physician for total-spectrum care, and we use our internal medicine training to address complex medical scenarios. We personally coordinate every facet of your care, simplifying a complicated health-care system and expediting the healthiest outcome. Spry delivers an elevated experience, and our membership model allows us to provide benefits you won’t find anywhere else — because, at Spry, your health is as personal to us as it is to you.

THE FACES OF

A COMMUNITY COLLEGE ––– DR. TODD KITCHEN, DR. MICHAEL BASTON, DR. SCOTT LATIOLAIS, DR. LISA WILLIAMS, DR. DENISE MCCORY Cuyahoga Community College

CASEY REARICK

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C) has had an indelible impact on Northeast Ohio since opening its doors to students 60 years ago. Since then, more than one million community members have come to Tri-C in search of a better life. Over the decades, we have created new ways to contribute to the region socially, culturally and economically by meeting the evolving needs of Northeast Ohio’s residents and businesses and strengthening our corporate and community partnerships. We imagine a future in which every citizen, regardless of where they live, is educated and supported to enter a career where they can earn what they need to care for their family ― a future where their children can grow and prosper here in Northeast Ohio. To that end, we are committed to providing greater clarity around career pathways and increasing postcollege success. Our impact is not confined to our campuses. It reverberates throughout Cuyahoga County and beyond, shaping the future of our community, one student, one program and one partnership at a time. 700 Carnegie Ave., Cleveland, 216-987-6000, tri-c.edu

CLEVELANDMAGAZINE.COM

THE FACES OF

GREAT WINDOW COVERINGS ––– KATHLEEN TIMAN, ADAM TIMAN, JASON SNIDER, RACHELLE ZWEINER, REBECCA PORTER, ERICA DEMUCH, BROOKE CALVETTA Timan Custom Window Treatments

4533 Willow Parkway, Cleveland, 216-741-8285, timanblinds.com

CLEVELAND

12.23

CASEY REARICK

Unleash your creativity and give your living space a captivating makeover with Timan Window Treatments. We invite you to discover a new world of elegant possibilities for your windows and exterior living spaces. With decades of expertise, Timan brings its unmatched craftsmanship into every detail, ensuring your window coverings become the focal point of any room. From luxurious drapery to effortlessly functional blinds to screened in patio enclosures, our premium selection and personalized design process guarantees that you will find the perfect match. Choose Timan to bring your unique vision to life and transform your home. Elevate your style with Timan.

THE FACE OF

COSMETIC DENTISTRY ––– DR. NIKI COCHRAN

CASEY REARICK

CLE Smiles by Dr. Niki

Dr. Niki Cochran has created thousands of sparkling smiles for more than 20 years practicing dentistry. Proudly serving Northeast Ohio, Dr. Niki treats her patients with attentive compassion, combining artistry with the science of comprehensive and cosmetic dentistry. Always investing in new technology, she is able to do a complete crown on your lunch hour and discuss any other dental enhancements you desire. CLE Smiles’ priority is to deliver a painless procedure from start to finish. Whether it is a single tooth repair or a complete smile makeover, Dr. Niki is here for you. CLE Smiles looks forward to meeting you soon. 15901 Hilliard Road, Lakewood, 216-226-3800, drnikicochran.com

CLEVELANDMAGAZINE.COM

THE FACES OF

VIBRANT SENIOR LIVING ––– JOHN SCHNEIDER, DOUG WANG AND GANN ROBERTS Judson Senior Living

Judson Senior Living has served Northeast Ohio since 1906 as a not-for-profit continuing care retirement community. Judson is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors, including residents’ representation. Their dedication ensures that Judson remains an innovative leader in living options for older adults (residents John and Gann are seated; Board Chair Doug is standing).

Judson has a long-held reputation for creating an environment for successful aging, upholding its mission of “Bringing Community to Life.” 2181 Ambleside Drive, Cleveland, 216-791-2436, judsonsmartliving.org

CLEVELAND

12.23

KEN BLAZE

The four communities include Judson Park, Judson Manor, South Franklin Circle and Judson at Home members. Smart Living™ Signature Programs provide a range of health services to support older adults 24/7. Lifelong learning opportunities through partnerships, campus-based artistic resources and recreational activities encourage residents to live life to the fullest. The Judson at Home membership program provides home-based individuals with access to amenities, programs, wellness, dining and health care services at any of the Judson campuses.

THE FACE OF

AUTO DETAILING AND WASHING ––– AJ ZAPPITELLI Zappy’s Auto Washes

AJ Zappitelli and the Zappitelli Family started Zappy’s Auto Washes in 2007 with one car wash location in Mentor. They now have over 20 locations in the Cleveland area.

KEN BLAZE

Zappy’s prides itself on having all your car care needs covered, including expert auto detailing services, mobile detailing, touchless laser washes and tunnel drive thru washes. Zappy’s also provides an extensive selection of auto detail products at the Zappy’s retail store. Zappy’s offers bumper-to-bumper car care at Zappy’s Auto Care Center in Mentor, and a Zappy’s Gas Store is located right down the street.

The Zappy’s team strives to be your one-stop shop, making you fall in love with your car over and over again. 9410 Mentor Ave., Mentor, 1-844-ZAP-WASH, zappysautowashes.com

CLEVELANDMAGAZINE.COM

THE FACES OF

CLEVELAND PODCASTING ––– GERARDO ORLANDO, SAKEENAH BARI-HAROLD, DOUG “DRAMA” BAILEY, SAMANTHA MALOY, DAVID ALLEN MOSS, ANGELA BARTUNEK, MICHAEL DEALOIA, DAVE DOUGLAS, BRIGID COYNE, ANNE WADE Evergreen Podcasts

2644 S. Clair Ave., Cleveland, 216-212-4067, evergreenpodcasts.com

CLEVELAND

12.23

GABE WASYLKO

Evergreen Podcasts is an established podcast network with a catalog of entertaining and thought-provoking shows rooted in high production quality and artistic integrity. With a diverse range, spanning genres such as true crime, pop culture, comedy, and beyond, Evergreen Podcasts connects listeners with engaging content that informs, entertains and inspires. The network has grown from 17,800 downloads in 2017 to more than 20 million downloads in 2023. Evergreen Podcasts, known for its diverse range of high-quality podcast content, has a rich history of supporting podcasters and fostering creativity.

CLEVELANDMAGAZINE.COM

THE FACE OF

HEALTH ADVOCACY ––– PATTY STARR

Health Action Council

6133 Rockside Road, Suite 210, Cleveland, 216-328-2200, healthactioncouncil.org

CLEVELAND

12.23

GABE WASYLKO

Patty Starr’s mission is to advocate and implement positive change in employee benefits and the health care delivery system. She knows that happy and healthier workplaces improve productivity and contribute to greater employee longevity. As CEO of Health Action Council, Starr works to improve the relationship between business and health by spearheading programs and services that approach health challenges in new ways and by bringing stakeholders together in partnership for their mutual benefit. This leads to a sincere focus on mental and physical well-being, proactive strategies to encourage overall health and identifying and remedying disparities in health care.

THE FACE OF

FACIAL AESTHETIC SURGERY AND SELF-EMPOWERMENT ––– DR. DIANA PONSKY

Ponsky Facial Plastic Surgery

KEN BLAZE

To Dr. Diana Ponsky, the true “Faces of Cleveland” are her clients — individuals with the courage and determination to become the best versions of themselves. Driven by her passion for empowering people and enhancing their natural beauty, she instills confidence through customized plans that focus on the nose, face and neck. Her work transcends the surgical realm; it’s about helping her clients embrace their unique features, celebrate their individuality and showcase their newfound confidence. She is a double board-certified facial plastic surgeon who has earned many awards, including a Cleveland’s Best Doctors designation and the peernominated Castle Connolly Top Doctors award. 3700 Park E. Drive, #160, Beachwood, 216-508-4055, drdianaponsky.com

CLEVELANDMAGAZINE.COM

THE FACE OF

WOMEN’S HEALTH AND MENOPAUSAL MEDICINE ––– ALEXA FIFFICK

Concierge Medicine of Westlake

Dr. Fiffick works with each patient to develop an individualized plan that addresses their specific health needs. She believes in empowering patients to take an active role in their health by providing them with the education they need to make informed decisions. She is a passionate educator of patients and clinicians alike, working to change how health care is provided and received. 28885 Center Ridge Road, Suite 202, Westlake, 440-797-1871, conciergemedicineofwestlake.com

CLEVELAND

12.23

JEANI BRECHBILL PHOTOGRAPHY

Dr. Fiffick is a highly esteemed concierge family medicine practitioner based in Westlake. She is a board-certified family physician and completed a women’s health fellowship at the prestigious Cleveland Clinic, where she received comprehensive training in a wide range of women’s health issues, such as menopause, sexual dysfunction and vulvar pain.

THE FACE OF

KITCHEN AND BATH DESIGN ––– BRIAN PAULEY

JEANI BRECHBILL PHOTOGRAPHY

Remodel Me Today

Experience the pinnacle of kitchen and bathroom transformation at Remodel Me Today, a family-owned showroom founded by Brian Pauley in 2000. The newly expanded showroom is a haven of innovation, offering custom kitchens, luxurious bathrooms and top-tier design-build services.

A team of visionary dreamers and design professionals passionately merge beauty and functionality to create remarkable spaces at RMT. Operating in Northeastern Ohio with materials and services being sought out in Michigan, Tennessee and Montana, RMT’s expertise is in high demand.

Why wait until tomorrow when you can Remodel Today? Visit the newly expanded showroom and let product experts assist you in making perfect selections. Elevate your home with the best in kitchen and bathroom design. Your dream space is just a showroom visit away.

25564 Bagley Road, Olmsted Falls, 440-249-7665, remodelmetoday.com

CLEVELANDMAGAZINE.COM

THE FACE OF

ROOFING ––– CHRIS KAMIS

Absolute Roofing and Construction

As one of only a few Owens Corning Roofing platinum contractors in the region, Absolute Roofing is well-equipped to serve both residential and commercial roofing needs. The company proudly maintains its longstanding membership with the National Association of the Remodeling Industry and boasts an impeccable A-plus rating with the Better Business Bureau. Absolute Roofing extends the courtesy of free estimates, ensuring that your roofing requirements are met year-round. Choose Absolute Roofing for your roofing needs, and experience a commitment to excellence. 12301 Sprecher Ave., Cleveland, 216-898-1563, absoluteroofing.com

CLEVELAND

12.23

JEANI BRECHBILL PHOTOGRAPHY

Mike and Chris Kamis, two dedicated brothers, stand as trailblazers in Northeast Ohio’s roofing industry, tirelessly championing professionalism, integrity and top-notch craftsmanship. With a collective wealth of experience exceeding 60 years, they possess the expertise to tackle a diverse range of roofing and associated projects, encompassing shingles, slate, tile, flat roofs, gutters, skylights, copper craftsmanship, gutter guards, storm damage repair and restoration of historic roofing and structures.

THE FACES OF

CUSTOM STONE DESIGN & FABRICATION ––– STACY STEIDEL, BRADLEY DISANDIS AND KEVIN MACKO

KEN BLAZE

Bradley Stone Industries

Brothers-in-Law Bradley Disandis and Kevin Macko, along with Operations Manager Stacy Steidel, have grown Bradley Stone Industries into the largest and most technologically efficient company of its kind in the region. A recognizable brand for over 30 years, the management team attributes its success to a “no fail” team concept that has the whole staff’s buy-in, including sales, production and installation. Bradley Stone Industries offers the most diverse product line of applications, including marble, quartz, quartzite, granite, porcelain, glass, ceramic and other hybrid materials. Every project receives the full measure of attention, from the simplest counter to the most high-end and complex in the residential market — as well as many of the most noteworthy commercial projects in the area. 30801 Carter St., Solon, 440-519-3277, bradley-stone.com

CLEVELANDMAGAZINE.COM

THE FACES OF

LIFE-SAVING NEW MEDICINES ––– DAVID CAMERON, JILL HARRINGTON, NANCY HARRINGTON AND RONALD G. HARRINGTON Harrington Discovery Institute at University Hospitals

11407 Euclid Ave., Floor 2, Cleveland, 216-675-6800, harringtondiscovery.org

CLEVELAND

12.23

CYRUS MOWER

The Harrington family partnered with University Hospitals to launch the Harrington Discovery Institute in 2012 with an ambitious goal to make a meaningful, positive impact on health challenges affecting millions of people around the world. In partnership with the University of Oxford, Harrington Discovery Institute established the Oxford-Harrington Rare Disease Centre to address the enormous unmet need in rare disease across the globe and deliver clinical impact for patients. The Centre recently launched a Therapeutics Accelerator to identify, fund and advance innovative projects from academic partners across the U.S. and U.K., with the goal to deliver 40 new, potentially lifesaving therapies for rare diseases into clinical trials over the next 10 years.

2023

Win this home!

A Gift of

Hope The HBA Charitable & Education Foundation and Make-A-Wish® Ohio, Kentucky & Indiana are once again raffling off a new home to make wishes come true for critically ill children. SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL SECTION

MANCUSOHOMES.COM

216-250-2501

@MANCUSOHOMES

A Home for the Holidays

A Gift of Hope

COURTESY MAKE-A-WISH OHIO, KENTUCKY & INDIANA

t’s the most wonderful time of the year — because we get to partner with the Home Builders Association of Greater Cleveland for the annual A Home for the Holidays raffle again! For the past four years, local craftsmen, corporate partners and other kind and caring people have come together to make wishes and someone’s dream of owning a brand-new home come true. Thanks to the support of the Home Builders Association of Greater Cleveland and all its partners, we’ve been able to grant more than 50 wishes for Northeast Ohio kids with critical illnesses, some of whom you’ll learn more about in the coming pages. Get ready to be inspired by their stories of courage and strength. Make-A-Wish is about more than wish-granting; it is a global movement transforming lives through hope. In 2023, we celebrated our 40th anniversary and granted our 20,000th wish. After 40 years of wish granting, Make-A-Wish Ohio, Kentucky & Indiana has proven time and time again that light can shine in even the darkest and most uncertain times. This holiday season, thank you for helping give the gift of hope to children and families in our community. Stephanie McCormick President & CEO Make-A-Wish® Ohio, Kentucky & Indiana

SINCERELY,

Spotless Clean-up

Family Owned & Operated Since 1981

NORTHEAST OHIO’S Most Trusted Roofer

FREE

No Contact Estimates Call Today! 216-898-1563

ABSOLUTEROOFING.COM AS HEARD ON WTAM 1100

THE WE ARXEPERTS! E HAIL !

Today Call usrk with all s We woce companie insuran

Save 10% up to

$500 OFF New Roof Installation

SHINGLES • SLATE • TILE • SLIDING • FLAT ROOFS • COPPER TEAR OFFS WINDOWS • GUTTERS • INSURANCE WORK • REPAIRS

ABSOLUTE ROOFING • 216-200-4295 Must present coupon at time of initial estimate. Minimum $1500 new roof. Not valid with previous or other orders. Offer expires 1/31/24 HBAHomeForTheHolidays.org

HBA3

A Home for the Holidays

A Message from the Mayor

T Bryan K. Jensen Mayor City of Avon

SINCERELY,

HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS www.Sims-Lohman.com HBA4

CLEVELAND

12.23

Avon Lake 440.934.1751

Brooklyn Heights 440.799.8285

Willoughby 440.373.1195

COURTESY CIT Y OF AVON

he City of Avon is a suburb about 20 miles west of Cleveland with a population of just over 25,000 residents. We are so proud of our city’s toprated school system, excellent safety forces, expanding parks and green spaces, as well as our vibrant retail and business sector. In addition, the number of top-notch health care choices we have in Avon is something we never take for granted. We are thrilled that the next HBA/Make-A-Wish A Home for the Holidays house is located here in our city. Make-A-Wish OKI, and its partner, the HBA of Greater Cleveland, are incredible organizations. Through their A Home for the Holidays partnership, they grant wishes to children with critical illnesses, bringing hope, joy and strength to them and their families during a very difficult time. Their work embodies the true spirit of compassion and community — two values that we hold dear in Avon. It is our absolute privilege to be associated with an event that will have such a positive impact on these children who are facing such extraordinary challenges. The city of Avon is truly blessed, and we thank the HBA of Greater Cleveland for allowing us to be a small part of this very important program.

SENDING YOU WARM WISHES... AND DINNERS, T H I S H O L I D AY S E A S O N !

KITCHEN APPLIANCES

5 5 2 8 M AY F I E L D R O A D LY N D H U R S T, O H I O 4 4 1 2 4 M O N . - S A T. 1 0 A M - 6 P M C L O S E D S U N D AY S R E A C H U S AT 4 4 0 . 4 4 9 . 2 6 5 0 O R W W W. S N O W A P P L I A N C E . C O M

LAUNDRY

OUTDOOR COOKING

A Home for the Holidays

Win a Home Support a Cause Find out how you could win a brand-new Avon home while supporting a good cause.

HOW TO PARTICIPATE

he Home Builders Association of Greater Cleveland’s Charitable & Education Foundation, along with Make-A-Wish OKI, are once again offering a chance to win a brand-new home through the annual A Home for the Holidays fundraiser. The purchase of a $100 ticket enters you into a raffle to win the $799,000+ home, located in Avon and custom-built by Rocky River-based Mancuso Homes. Proceeds from ticket sales benefit Make-A-Wish OKI and HBA’s Charitable & Education Foundation. In addition to helping grant wishes to children battling severe illnesses, the raffle supports local charities as well as scholarships for students entering the construction trades industry.

BUY A TICKET Tickets: $100, with no purchase limit Online: HBAHomeForTheHolidays.org Order tickets by phone: 216-447-8700

WINNING TICKET Winning ticket will be drawn on Dec. 31, 2023 Winner will be notified by phone and by mail

HOUSE OF LIGHTS

Proud Provider of Lighting for Make a Wish!

50% off all lighting 25% off of all lamps & accessories 5818 Mayfield Road (1 Mile West of I-271) Mayfield Heights, OH 440-449-3500 | www.houseoflights.biz

HBA6

CLEVELAND

12.23

2023 H B A C E F

for the

COURTESY HBA OF GRE ATER CLE VEL AND

TOUR THE HOME Address: 33678 Via San Angelo Drive (Sublot 538) Avon, OH 44011 M, T, Th, F, Sat., Sun.: Noon-5 p.m. Wed.: Noon-8 p.m. Closed: Dec. 25 — Christmas Day Virtual Tour: HBAHomefortheHolidays.org

A Home for the Holidays

The Power of Wishes A Home for the Holidays makes dreams come true for children facing critical illness and their families. Prepare to be inspired and empowered by their fight — and deeply touched by their resilience. STORIES BY KRISTEN HAMPSHIRE | PHOTOS COURTESY MAKE-A-WISH OHIO, KENTUCKY & INDIANA

One raffle ticket will unlock a brand-new Home for the Holidays while granting up to 20 wishes for critically ill children. The fourth-annual Home Builders Association of Greater Cleveland’s A Home for the Holidays fundraiser benefits MakeA-Wish Ohio, Kentucky & Indiana and the HBA Charitable & Education Foundation that supports workforce development. “People really want to win a home, and they also really want to do good, and this is a way to do both over the holidays,” says Katie Ferrell, OKI spokesperson. As a 501(c)(3), fundraising opportunities such as this are essential for ensuring that Wish Kids can access life-changing experiences. Last year, the house raffle raised $180,000 for MakeA-Wish, and the organization has exceeded the $500,000 donation mark since the fundraiser launched in 2020. That translates to more than 50 wishes for families in the region. “The need for wishes is so great,” says Ferrell, noting that

the Ohio, Kentucky & Indiana chapter is the country’s largest, with 14 referring hospitals. “Public support year after year is so integral. While the kids are in a fight is when they need the dose of hope that a wish gives.” About 80% of Make-A-Wish children eventually thrive to reach adulthood, “and so many of them tell us that their wish was the turning point in their fight,” Ferrell says. The meaningful impact close to home is so important, says Brenda Callaghan, HBA of Greater Cleveland executive director. “Knowing that we are able to grant wishes to critically ill children in our own communities makes it even more special. We’re proud to be a partner with Make-A-Wish,” she says. Wishes are as wide-ranging as children’s creativity can span, from becoming a dolphin trainer for a day to holding a sloth, feeling sand on a beach or watching a favorite sports team play.

Meet five inspiring Wish Kids and the family members who share their experiences. Under the Sea & Me Jaina Cormack

“When Jaina is home sick, feels terrible or is back at the doctor’s office to get labs done — she has been to the ER twice in the last month — we look through our Make-AWish book and it just warms our hearts and gives us hope,” says Lisa Cormack. Jaina Cormack

Lisa and Douglas Cormack’s daughter, Jaina, 13, was diagnosed with autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease at age 4. The inherited disease causes clusters of cysts to develop, mostly in the kidneys. The cysts cause the kidneys to enlarge and lose function over time. Other complications that Jaina deals with include high blood pressure, anemia and migraines. Currently, her kidneys are functioning at 40%. Once function declines to 20%, Jaina will go on a transplant waiting list. Jaina’s wish was to become a dolphin trainer for the day. But you’re not supposed to swim with sea animals after the transplant due to a compromised immune system. So, Make-A-Wish made this dream come true in fall 2022 by sending the North Ridgeville family on vacation to Islamorada in the Florida Keys, where

they stayed at the Cheeca Lodge & Spa and interacted with dolphins at Dolphins Plus Marine Mammal Responder. On the way to the Keys, they stopped at The Turtle Hospital in Marathon, Florida. “I got to adopt a turtle named April, and they send us a letter every four months to share how she is doing, so that’s really cool — a lasting experience even after the wish,” Jaina says. At Islamorada, Jaina learned to perform tricks with the dolphins, along with feeding them and swimming with them. “I have a passion for all animals and would like to become a veterinarian,” she says. At Islamorada’s Theater of the Sea, they painted with dolphins and sea lions, watched the live shows and met a nurse shark. The trip included a snorkeling adventure, too. “It was so magical,” Jaina says.

We look through our Make-A-Wish book and it just warms our hearts and gives us hope.”

– Lisa Cormack

HBA8

CLEVELAND

12.23

A Home for the Holidays

We just love when he is laughing and smiling. It never gets old.” – Cheyenne Parker Weylon Parker

a feeding tube, and “he wholly depends on us to move him and do everything,” Cheyenne describes. “We just love when he is laughing and smiling,” she adds. “It never gets old.” That’s why the family chose a New Orleans riverboat jazz cruise as a wish for Weylon, a trip they took in November. Interviewed prior to their experience, Cheyenne says, “We are looking forward to doing something for fun that is solely for Weylon and does not revolve around the hospital or his health.”

Breathing in Life Annika Kelner

Music Awakens Smiles Weylon Parker

When jazz music is playing, 4-year-old Weylon Parker smiles and giggles as a sense of peace washes over the red-head’s face. His parents, Cheyenne and Isaak, discovered their son’s interest in the genre by accident. “We happened to put some on, and he loved all the instruments, especially the saxophone, and we have been listening to jazz over the years,” Cheyenne says. Weylon suffered a hypoxic brain injury at birth, and the Parkers were told he probably would not live through the night. After a month in the neonatal intensive care unit, the family returned to their home in Norton. “Being able to leave the NICU was a miracle,” Cheyenne says. Because of his traumatic birth, Weylon has spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy, a permanent neuromuscular disorder that impacts all four limbs. “Our whole life revolves around him, as anyone with a child would say,” Cheyenne says. “Weylon has taught us a lot — to not take life for granted and to make the best of every day. Even in the hard moments, we work through them.” Weylon is a snuggler, and since he does not walk, he is mostly carried by his parents, though he has a standing frame he uses and a chair he prefers. He eats through

One day, with three older siblings home from school sick, Kourtney Kelner wasn’t surprised when her 3-monthold, Annika, came down with the same adenovirus. “But she started acting not quite right, so we took her to a local ER, and they sent her to University Hospitals Ahuja Medical Center for precautionary measures,” says Kourtney. Within 12 hours, Annika was expedited to UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital and intubated on life support. The prognosis plummeted. “She was on palliative care, and we didn’t know if she was going to make it out of the ICU,” says Kourtney, who lived at the hospital with her daughter while her husband and other children were home in Jefferson, a village in Ashtabula County. Annika was discharged after two months, and she went home with a feeding tube and oxygen, only to return to the hospital a week later. “Our house was transformed into what looked like a hospital, with a ventilator, permanent IV line and oxygen, along with palliative care and therapy providers,” Kourtney says. Annika has bronchiolitis obliterans, a terminal disease of which there is no cure. One of the few treatments is a lung transplant. She was deemed a candidate. “Then COVID happened. It was scary for everyone and nothing short of terrifying for us,” Kourtney says.

Finally, in September 2021, the family received a call. The transplant would happen. “Come now,” they urged. After a 12-hour procedure through the night, the Kelners could finally lay eyes on Annika. “I’ll never forget walking into the cardiothoracic ICU and she is intubated with wires and monitors everywhere, a massive chest incision, and she opens her eyes and points at me and the tube, making a pulling signal. I’m like, ‘You will not pull that tube out.’ But all morning, she kept telling them to take it out.” About seven hours after the transplant, the team agreed to remove the breathing tube. “They took it out, and she had this huge breath, and the biggest smile came across her face,” Kourtney recalls. “I started sobbing. It was the first time she could ever experience what it was to breathe in years.” Now, Annika is 8 years old with a “ginormous” vocabulary and a side of sass, anyone who knows her would say, Kourtney laughs. The family celebrated Annika’s two-year lung transplant anniversary in September, and her recovery has been remarkable. Her Make-A-Wish dream was multipronged. “She is obsessed with sloths and watches a Annika Kelner

I don’t think people realize how much the wish impacts the entire family. We are so grateful for it.”

– Kourtney Kelner

HBAHomeForTheHolidays.org

HBA9

A Home for the Holidays

I don’t have it nearly as bad as others, so I wanted to give back to others.” – Aidan McCabe Aidan McCabe

lot of zoo videos,” Kourtney says. She also wanted to visit a beach and feel the sand and water. The family will visit a sloth sanctuary in central Florida where visitors can interact with the keepers and hold the animals, and the destination is on the way to Clearwater Beach, known for its fine white sand and warm salt water. “Now we have something to look forward to together, having fun and doing something not medically related,” Kourtney says. “I don’t think people realize how much the wish impacts the entire family. We are so grateful for it.”

Fueling Good Works Aidan McCabe

A wish to give back was fulfilled when Aidan McCabe, 14, decided to funnel his Make-A-Wish grant into a $5,000 gift for the University Hospitals Food for Life Market, which serves pulmonary or cystic fibrosis patients who are food insecure. He presented staff with a supersized, posterboard check during a celebration with the care team who has helped him since he was 10 days old. Aidan, of Shaker Heights, lives with cystic fibrosis (CF), a progressive, genetic disease that affects the lungs and digestive system. The condition affects about 40,000 HBA10

CLEVELAND

12.23

children and adults in the U.S. It’s a rare disease that Aidan’s family discovered during a standard newborn screen. The disease causes a thick, sticky mucus to build up in the organs, creating complications “literally from head to toe,” explains Cari McCabe, Aidan’s mother. The good news is, life expectancy is much higher with modern medications and treatments, including a vest Aidan wears twice daily that vigorously shakes his chest to loosen up mucus so he can express it. He takes approximately 12 medications a day, and daily nebulizer treatments aid with breathing. Aidan says, “I don’t have it nearly as bad as others, so I wanted to give back to others.” When deciding how to use the wish funds, he asked the social worker on his CF team how he could help the UH CF team and patients. “I just thought of all the people who are so kind to me, so I want to do something for them,” he says. “I really like food, and so I wanted it to be food-related.” With his Make-A-Wish gift, “I hope to help people at UH and people with CF,” Aidan says.

An Eye on Winning

diagnosed with optic nerve glioma due to a genetic condition called neurofibromatosis. In 2019, Chase’s teacher called Denise and reported that he had bumped into a chain-link fence. “He was running, playing and didn’t see it,” she relates. “They suggested we see an eye doctor.” After an exam at Cleveland Clinic’s Cole Eye Institute, the physician suggested performing an MRI on Chase’s brain. This imaging uncovered a tumor behind the optic nerve, causing him to be legally blind in his left eye with no peripheral vision. Monthly chemotherapy for three years shrunk the benign tumor and halted its growth. During chemo, Denise would encourage her son: “Don’t ever give up. You know you’ve got this.” Of course, there were days when it didn’t feel that way. But, she says, “He was still being silly and trying to be active.” Chase attends Meadowlawn Intermediate School in Sandusky, and the family is optimistic that his regular MRIs will continue delivering good news. Denise says, “It’s a big sigh of relief, even though we don’t know what is yet to come.”

Just seeing him have so much fun made us so happy.”

– Denise Highlander

Chase Miller

Before the Browns’ season kicked off, Chase Miller, 9, and his dad, Ryan Miller, were behind the gates with the team holding a No. 32 Jim Brown flag that Chase passed off to running back Nick Chubb. The stadium roared with cheers and applause when Chubb ran out on the field — and Chase could hardly believe he was right there in the middle of the action. The young fan’s wish was to see a Browns game at Cleveland Browns Stadium with his family. Not only did he attend practice the day before the opener, Chase met the team and rooted for them at the Sept. 10 game. “Just seeing him have so much fun made us so happy,” says Denise Highlander, who says her third-grade middle child “has no fear.” This attitude certainly helped him manage through chemotherapy after he was

Chase Miller

APOLLOSUPPLY.COM Apollo Supply is among Cleveland’s last family owned & operated wholesale suppliers of exterior building products. We provide residential & commercial building material solutions by distributing wholesale windows, siding, roofing, and door products to contractors & builders in the Greater Cleveland area. Apollo Supply is different from your current supplier. We focus on what matters most – the customer – by delivering fast & accurate service, offering a wide array of products, and providing construction solutions through our knowledgeable team that you will find nowhere else. With two locations servicing Cleveland, Apollo is prepared to deliver on your needs. We are local like you, the proof is in our service. Visit Apollo Supply today! CONTRACTOR & BUILDER SPECIAL: WHOLESALE EXTERIOR PRODUCTS Experience the Apollo Difference on your next construction project. • Exterior building products available from dozens of manufacturers • Open 6 Days a week for DIY, Contractors, and Builders Year Round • Express Rooftop or Ground Drop Delivery • Knowledgeable Staff with Decades of Industry Experience • Product Consultation & Preferred Contractor Referrals • Multiple locations servicing Greater Cleveland

440-942-4647

West Location: 12625 Berea Road, Cleveland, OH 44111 South Location: 1090 West Wilbeth Ave., Akron, OH 44316 East Location: 38396 Apollo Parkway, Willoughby, OH 44094

BLINDS. SHADES. SHUTTERS. DRAPERY. EXTERIOR.

TIMAN

From interior shades, exterior shades, custom draperies and beyond. Timan Custom Window Treatments offers the perfect element to your home. timanblinds.com CHAGRIN FALLS 440.247.8285

CALL TODAY FOR A FREE DESIGN CONSULTATION!

CLEVELAND 216.741.8285

ROCKY RIVER 440.331.0185

MEDINA 330.295.2011 HBAHomeForTheHolidays.org HBA11

A Home for the Holidays

A WIN-WIN-WIN TICKET

The benefits of A Home for the Holidays are three-fold — help children receive a wish, support workforce development and potentially win a brand-new home. BY KRISTEN HAMPSHIRE

’T

is the season for holiday gathThrough fundraising efforts, the HBA of erings, baking, gift giving — Greater Cleveland launched a pilot program and giving back. The Home at Mayfield High School called Pre-ApprenBuilders Association of Greatticeship Certified Training, or PACT, this fall. er Cleveland’s Charity’s annual A Home for “Funds from A Home for the Holidays the Holidays fundraiser is an opportunity have allowed us to pay licensing fees, equip to make a child’s wish come true and posthe students with tools and conduct hardsibly win a $799,000+, two-story home in hat tours, as well as hire a grant writer to Avon’s Red Tail community. grow the PACT program,” Callaghan says. A $100 raffle ticket can instill hope in a Darren Mancuso, the home’s builder and critically ill child battling for better health, co-owner with Kate Mancuso of Mancuso thanks to the partnership with Make-AHomes, says the opportunity to make a Wish Ohio, Kentucky & Indiana. Half of the remarkable impact on children’s lives and proceeds also go to supporting workforce promote the industry is a win-win. “It’s imdevelopment programs for skilled trades — portant to all of us involved,” he says. without them, we can’t build homes. In addition, funds benefit organizations such as Support the Cause Homes for Our Troops, Cleveland VA Fisher Someone must win. Why not you? Last House and the American Foundation for year, Karen Michalczyk of North Olmsted Suicide Prevention. purchased a ticket a few days before Christ“We feel very fortunate to help kids in our mas. “It was December 22, and I thought, communities, and our members feel close ‘This is better odds than playing the lottery, to the organization,” HBA of Greater Cleveand it’s for a good cause,” she says. land executive director Brenda Callaghan On New Year’s Eve, her sister’s friend says. During the last few years, A Home for texted her. “They announced on Channel 5 the Holidays has helped raise more than that the winner of the Make-A-Wish home $500,000 for Make-A-Wish OKI, amounting is Karen from North Olmsted. Is that you?” to approximately 50 wishes. More than 40 HBA member compa“Knowing that we can grant wishes nies are involved in the project. “They to critically ill children in our own have been so generous by donating products and some providing labor, and they communities makes it even more realize that not only does it help Make-Aspecial. We’re proud to partner with Wish, but it also helps their industry by supporting the trades,” Callaghan says. the Make-a-Wish OKI that grants

Sure enough, she learned the next morning that her name was drawn for the $699,000 ranch home after spending just $100 for a ticket. Last year, the HBA sold more than 12,500 tickets. The goal is to beat that number this year. “This event has truly become a staple in Northeast Ohio, and the wishes we have been able to grant because of it are transformational,” says Katie Ferrell, spokesperson for Make-A-Wish OKI. The home also presents a showcase for opportunities in the trades, with the HBA running regular student tours during the construction process. Callaghan sees a reemerging “makers’ market” and appreciation for careers in the trades. “We believe when kids pursue a career in the trades, they usually stay in their communities, so it keeps talent here, and we also encourage entrepreneurism,” she says.

Tour the Home

Guests spend an average of 45 minutes taking in all of the home’s spaces and features. Last year, more than 3,000 visitors toured the home, and Callaghan expects close to 5,000 this season. “I encourage people to go into the home to find out about the latest features in residential construction,” she says, adding that literature in the home will offer details on participating suppliers and materials. Fish Furniture will give a $100 coupon with any purchase of $399 or more to every person who tours the Red Tail property. The home is open to the public daily beginning Nov. 25 through Dec. 31, from noon to 5 p.m. (8 p.m. on Wednesdays). Tickets are available on-site or online at HBAHomefortheHolidays.org.

wishes here in Ohio.”

– BRENDA CALLAGHAN

HBA12

CLEVELAND

12.23

COURTESY HBA OF GRE ATER CLE VEL AND

For more information, visit HBAHomefortheHolidays.org

A Home for the Holidays

HOME SPOTLIGHT

A bright and airy two-story foyer welcomes guests into the home.

Tour the custom new home in Avon daily from Nov. 25 through Dec. 31. BY KRISTEN HAMPSHIRE

COURTESY HBA OF GRE ATER CLE VEL AND / COURTESY FISH FURNITURE

lassic craftsmanship and transitional European aesthetics define this year’s custom-built A Home for the Holidays raffle house, which benefits Make-A-Wish Ohio, Kentucky & Indiana (Make-A-Wish OKI) and the Home Builders Association of Greater Cleveland’s Charitable & Education Foundation. Built by Mancuso Homes and located in Avon’s Red Tail community on a lot with pond views, the 3,100-square-foot, four-bedroom home with three and a half baths includes a three-car garage and all the trappings of easy-going, luxury living. Natural light pours into expansive windows, some floor-to-ceiling. An open firstfloor plan accommodates entertaining while offering the privacy of a dedicated office. “It’s for today’s living,” says Darren Mancuso, who started Mancuso Homes with wife, Kate Mancuso, to specialize in buying, selling and renovating distressed properties throughout Northeast Ohio. The company expanded to become a full-service design-build construction company with a portfolio of hundreds of properties. Lately, Avon is a frequent ask from buyers and those desiring a new build, Darren says. The site, in an area of Red Tail with only a few available lots, will land the winner of this year’s A Home for the Holidays raffle in a

prime location. “There is golf, a swimming pool, social events and a lot of activities in the community,” says Darren, who starred with Kate in HGTV’s Gut Job. Designed by Daniel Posar of Planworks LLC, who donated his time and experience, and other sponsoring HBA members who donated or discounted materials, the home came to life thanks to the hearts of many. Here’s a sneak peek tour of its stand-out features.

Fish Furniture chose warm tones for furnishings.

A Grand Welcome

The home’s white brick exterior is complemented by crisp, white trim and custom features, such as a copper-roofed front porch that shelters the front door. The home’s combination of long-and-lean and generous rectangular windows lend a European feel. Entering the home, a two-story foyer with an over-the-post balustrade system creates a continuous section of handrail. It draws the eye up to an open second floor with hallways in hardwood that match the main level’s surface for a seamless finish.

Designed for Easy Living

“Gone are the days of walk-by rooms — every room has its purpose,” says Kitty Bracey, buyer and merchandiser at Fish Furniture, which staged the interior furnishings. In this home, the main level is outfitted for work, play, entertaining and everyday family

life. An office with a vaulted ceiling can be sealed for privacy with French, glass-plated doors that offer an open feel. “One-time formal dining and living rooms have morphed into craft areas, office spaces and playgrounds,” Bracey adds. The entry flows into a great room and kitchen, with hardwood flooring throughout in a timeless maple-stained color. Coffered ceilings in the great room add interest, and all walls are awash in Sherwin-Williams’ Classic Gray, a very bright HBAHomeForTheHolidays.org HBA13

A Home for the Holidays shade that also functions as white. A fireplace with a quartz surround and painted-wood mantel sets the stage for a relaxing conversation space with cozy furnishings. An adjoined dine-in area features a live-edge table with ivory-colored upholstered seating that flows into the kitchen. Another highly functional feature for families: a first-floor laundry and mudroom landing spot off the garage, equipped with a bench and hooks, along with a folding area and storage.

Warm wood cabinets and quartzite countertops, plus an oversized island, create an inviting kitchen.

A Classic Kitchen

Bracey adds, “The beautiful brown tones the builder selected for flooring and some cabinetry allowed us to incorporate a warmer, organic flavor with hints of modern peeking through. Rich whites to soft ambers, different mediums providing depth — the mixing of wood tones and shades of metal all create a unified sense of comfort and style.”

Flexible Space Upstairs

A bonus room is staged for fun and games with seating, but anything goes. The

Commercial, Residential & Industrial Standing Seam Metal Roofing.

Collaborating with builders & contractors, delivering unparalleled attention to detail.

windsormetalroofingoh.com HBA14

CLEVELAND

12.23

440-313-5799 Middlefield

COURTESY HBA OF GRE ATER CLE VEL AND

Warm wood cabinets by Sims-Lohman Fine Kitchens and Granite complement white, quartzite natural stone countertops with camel veining. The wood range hood and off-white, larger-format subway tiles add a unique touch. The perimeter cabinetry is French vanilla-colored with a Shaker inlay, while a roomy, eight-foot island accommodates plenty of seating and a generous amount of storage. “For fixtures and hardware, we chose mixed metals in antique brass and polished nickel,” Kate says. The kitchen floor is a consistent hardwood to emphasize the open floor plan.

space could serve as a guest’s living room or a play area. Three bedrooms on the second level include a guest suite with an attached full bath. A Jack-and-Jill bathroom connects the other two rooms. Fish Furniture outfitted the guest suite with a queen-sized bed featuring an upholstered headboard, and furnished a child’s room with a full bed. “The room is feminine with soft lines,” Bracey describes. Guiding the home from design to completion is fulfilling, Darren and Kate say. “But the most gratifying thing is when we get to present the check from the fundraiser’s proceeds at the Make-A-Wish gala and meet the Wish Kids,” Kate says. “To connect with them is inspiring, and we think about them as we are working on the designs.” Darren adds, “The impact is huge, and we are fortunate to do something like this that can help so many kids.” The project’s partners and sponsors share this sentiment. “We are so grateful to be able to help,” Bracey says. “Dan Geller, the third-generation owner and true heartbeat of [Fish Furniture], is very philanthropic and loves to help with these types of projects. It means a lot to us to give back.”

Making Home Happen NEO nonprofit builds community and independence for people with disabilities Why Residents Feel Welcome SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL SECTION

Building on the

FOUNDATION North Coast Community Homes is building on its prior success to plan the next path forward. // By Chrissy Kadleck

rom its first purchase in 1986 to today’s portfolio of more than 200 homes and growing, so much has changed in the four decades North Coast Community Homes (NCCH) has been developing and preserving safe, high-quality homes for those with developmental disabilities and mental health challenges. “Before NCCH, most of our residents would be living in [one of] two places — either in an institution or with their families,” says Chris West, president. “Back in the ’60s and ’70s, people started to question the viability of institutions, and had concerns because of deplorable conditions.” 2 NORTH COAST COMMUNITY HOMES / 2023

NCCH entered the scene in 1984 as a nonprofit created through a partnership with Cuyahoga County Board of Developmental Disabilities and the Federation for Community Planning. Since then, under the initial leadership of founding CEO Steve McPeake and a dedicated board, NCCH has grown to include 200 homes across five counties. These residences have allowed individuals with developmental disabilities and mental health challenges to leave institutions and their parents’ homes to embark on a life of supported independence as part of a community. Everyone with a developmental disability or mental health challenge deserves a place

to call home where they can lead lives of dignity, self-expression and connection, West says. And that is what NCCH provides. Like all people, the profiles of individuals in the NCCH community are all unique and have a spectrum of needs, wants and abilities. “We’re here to serve everybody and allow everybody to live in a home in the community.” West relates one of his favorite stories, in which he met some NCCH residents with whom he had a lot in common: “One had a ‘Star Wars’ shirt on, and I’m thinking, ‘Yeah, I love Star Wars,’ so I’m right with him. The other guy was sitting there watching ‘The Price is Right,’ his favorite show,

north coast community homes

“As I and others joined the organization, a new vision developed looking for what else we can do to help our residents beyond just the brick-andmortar and being a landlord.” // Chris West and I’m thinking, ‘Yeah, that’s my favorite show.’ Then I went over and talked to this other guy who had on an Indians hat, and we were talking about the Browns … I have a lot of stories like that,” says West, who has led the organization for the last five years. Since West has taken the helm, the focus has broadened from just the physical assets of the organization to a more resident-centric approach. “We really have taken the next step, and our entire focus is on our residents and how North Coast Community Homes can help them,” he says. North Coast Community Homes not only provides affordable, accessible housing solutions for Northeast Ohioans, but its Residential Services Program takes the next step to provide a holistic support system and make day-to-day expenses affordable and independent living attainable. The goal is to enable the residents to share in the cost of the house, get consistent support services and better quality of life in their independent living journey. The NCCH team members work with various direct service providers (DSP), residents, their families and the county agency to develop connections, interventions and solutions to benefit the entire system. Through the Residential Services Program, NCCH has connected with the local Food Bank to supply many of its homes with monthly food deliveries. In addition, NCCH is working with a local fraternity that has a pantry to provide eight homes with monthly supplies. NCCH has also developed a donation program for collecting like new furniture and home goods to assist residents many of whom are low-income. “Things like that have never happened at North Coast before,” West says of the new initiatives. “As I and others joined the organization, a new vision developed, looking for what else we can do to help our residents beyond just the brick-and-mortar and being a landlord. We are focused on quality of life

and being collaborative. We want to help the system thrive.” While the typical NCCH residence is a three- to four-bedroom ranch that houses three to four non-related individuals with DSP staff on-site 24/7, West says the organization is exploring new concepts. One of those projects is a “tiny home” concept currently in consideration for a local suburb. The tiny home is an additional living unit that will be on the property of an existing NCCH home where three residents live and have DSP staff. The tiny home could be an ideal concept for a highly functioning individual who is able to live independently with minimal support. The residential needs of those with developmental disabilities and mental health challenges will continue to grow and housing models will evolve in Northeast Ohio. Housing is a basic, human need and West says many individuals still live with their aging family members. “As an organization, we’re trying to figure out how we get in front of them and offer them what they need,” he says.

NCCH works to find the best possible properties in neighborhoods throughout Northeast Ohio that can accommodate or be modified to meet the specific needs of individuals with disabilities. Houses are customized with fire safety systems, ramps, lifts, barrier-free showers and other accommodations to ensure safety, comfort and maximum independence. NCCH also offers consulting services to help families determine what accommodations they might need in their homes, and guide them through the remodeling process. “We have a crew of expert remodeling staff that actually do the work,” West adds.

Houses are customized with modifications such as fire safety systems, ramps, lifts, barrier-free showers and other accommodations to ensure safety, comfort and maximum independence.

ncch.org / NORTH COAST COMMUNITY HOMES 3

Moving BEYOND Disabilities As North Coast Community Homes gets ready to celebrate its 40th year of service, it’s easy to see the difference its programs have made in the community. // By Chrissy Kadleck

fter years of being seen as only a landlord in its relationship with people with developmental disabilities and mental health challenges, North Coast Community Homes (NCCH) has broadened its brick-andmortar reputation. By leveraging its four decades of experience, NCCH has become a resource and thought leader on alternative housing models that challenge the limits for enhanced 4 NORTH COAST COMMUNITY HOMES / 2023

independence and autonomy for those living with disabilities. In its early years, the organization focused on paving the way for those with developmental disabilities to live in residential neighborhoods rather than in institutions or with family members. Single-family homes where individuals share the space and rent, supported by a direct service provider, were the primary focus of NCCH, and that model has been successful.

Melanie Rak, chief program officer with the Cuyahoga County Board of Developmental Disabilities (Cuyahoga DD), says NCCH has been an incredible partner through the years — purchasing and renovating homes in the community for people with developmental disabilities. “We’re grateful for North Coast Community Homes and our longstanding partnership,” she says. “They really helped us get a lot of people out of institutions and into the community.”

north coast community homes

While the single-family home model has worked exceptionally well, many families in Cuyahoga County, which includes the largest population NCCH serves, have been looking for additional options. In response, NCCH has developed several new housing model options in its service area. NCCH purchased and adapted a quadplex apartment building in the Gordon Square neighborhood. These single-bedroom apartments are designed to serve higher-functioning individuals with greater independence. Assistive technology, safety monitoring systems and drop-in support services ensure residents’ safety and well-being. In February 2022, NCCH in partnership with Cuyahoga DD opened its innovative TryTech Apartments in Lakewood. The organization bought and retrofitted a 100-year-old, multi-tenant building for accessibility and technology supports. The four first-floor apartments in the building are available for Cuyahoga DD to offer to individuals to try independent living with the support of assistive technology. The other 10 apartments are market rentals making this building an integrated, inclusive community. The TryTech concept allows residents to live in these apartments for three weeks at a time, during which they can use all the assistive technology and modifications to see firsthand what works for them. This helps them know what technology supports to invest in for their long-term residences. Some of the assistive technology includes fully accessible living spaces with voice-activated monitoring, locking mechanisms, touchless faucets, ventless combination washer-dryer units, safety shut-offs for stoves, solar-powered blinds that work through voice commands or remote, barn doors for easy sliding functionality, wheelchair-accessible bathrooms with a wide turn radius and barrier-free showers. “We knew that there were already places where people could see technology, but their families and their parents still just weren’t

“We’re grateful for North Coast Community Homes and our longstanding partnership. They really helped us get a lot of people out of institutions and into the community.” // Melanie Rak feeling confident that individuals could use technology or specific assistive devices and help them live more independently,” Rak says. “We thought of this ‘try-it-before-youbuy-it’ model.” The building location was thoughtfully considered, too. “We wanted to launch the TryTech program in an integrative setting — not just an apartment where only people with disabilities live, but in a community that was near a bus line that had a lot of amenities,” Rak notes, adding that the location offers walkability and easy access to restaurants, shops, churches and more. Since its opening, more than 20 people have stayed at the TryTech apartments, and the results have been encouraging. “We’ve had several people gain that confidence, and even their families gain the confidence, in their ability to live somewhere more independently,” Rak says. This year, NCCH and Cuyahoga DD collaborated on a youth, small-group residential project targeting younger individuals with more complex support needs. This home will support up to six individuals between the ages of 12 and 17, offering residential and therapeutic services. The youth residential home will be unlike any other in the area. “North Coast Community Homes has again been very creative, very open-minded to do something with us that’s a little bit different than what they’ve done in the past,” Rak says of the project. “And that’s what we greatly appreciate about partnering with them.” Later this year, NCCH and Cuyahoga DD are again teaming up to build a first “tiny home” adjacent to a current NCCH property. The

NCCH has become a resource and thought leader on alternative housing models that challenge the limits for enhanced independence and autonomy for those living with disabilities.

240-square-foot, one-floor home will be designed with a fully accessible, barrier-free bedroom, bathroom and kitchen. The tiny house concept allows people with disabilities to live independently while highlighting the fact that a home doesn’t need to have a big footprint. In addition to these new programs, NCCH regularly offers consulting services to help find the best solutions for individuals who have limits or comfort barriers in their dayto-day living. ncch.org / NORTH COAST COMMUNITY HOMES 5

People Making a

DIFFERENCE North Coast Community Homes supporters are drawn to help the organization for personal reasons. // By Chrissy Kadleck

or North Coast Community Homes (NCCH), an organization and mission close to his heart, Sean O’Donnell regularly goes the extra mile. Even beyond his role as finance chair for the organization’s Board of Trustees, O’Donnell and a team of 28 family members, friends and coworkers logged many collective miles participating in NCCH’s Race You Home fundraiser at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo this past August. The team from O’Donnell-LLK Greenhouse Solutions, where O’Donnell is vice president and partner, represented about 10% of the racers who converged at the zoo to show their support and raise awareness for NCCH. “It was a great event that enables everybody, from infants in strollers to disabled individuals, to participate,” O’Donnell says. The event aims to increase awareness about developmental disabilities and mental health challenges in our community. O’Donnell says this mission is near and dear to him. “I have some friends that deal with either developmental disabilities or mental health challenges and have family members that have

6 NORTH COAST COMMUNITY HOMES / 2023

north coast community homes

“I see how dedicated they are to “Our providing each individual with the goal is to ability to live independently while provide a providing their family members with physical comfort and knowing their loved ones home that’s can live independently in a safe environment.” based on caring. It’s // Sean O’Donnell based on dignity, it’s those challenges as well,” says O’Donnell, who dignity, it’s based on loving these folks because based on loving these joined the board in 2020 after learning about they’re just like you and me — they just have folks because they’re NCCH’s mission of developing and preserving some challenges that a lot of us don’t have.” safe, high-quality homes where individuals The board’s mission is to ensure the organijust like you and me living with developmental and mental health zation is sustainable and can grow and evolve challenges can lead a life of dignity. as it strives to meet the growing demand for — they just have some “It just immediately resonated with me safe and supported independent homes and and I’ve seen firsthand the struggle that these services throughout Northeast Ohio. challenges that a lot of individuals face,” he says. “Now that I’ve been “Whether that’s fundraising, whether that’s with [NCCH] for three years, I see how ded- awareness, whether that’s legislation — any us don’t have.” icated they are to providing each individual with the ability to live independently while providing their family members with the comfort of knowing their loved ones can live independently in a safe environment.” That peace of mind meant the world to O’Donnell’s aunt and uncle, who had struggled to find a suitable independent living solution for their adult son, who had cerebral palsy. “These solutions are a challenge to find across the country,” O’Donnell says, adding that pushing back against the stigma that individuals with developmental disabilities and mental health challenges face is important to him. Dennis Burnside, board chair and executive managing director for Vestian in Cleveland, joined the NCCH board after meeting founder Steve McPeake in 2000 as part of Leadership Cleveland. McPeake’s passion was contagious, Burnside says, especially when he explained the worries parents carry about who will take care of their children when they no longer can. “That struck me and tugged at my heartstrings,” says Burnside, who has served on the board for close to 20 years. Burnside believes NCCH’s biggest challenge is awareness. “We are the best-kept secret in Ohio, and our biggest challenge as an organization, I believe, is making people aware of who we are,” he says. “Our goal is to provide a physical home that’s based on caring, it’s based on

number of things to help the organization thrive and sustain itself — our board steps up,” Burnside says. “We’ve grown both in terms of number of residents and homes we facilitate. So there is a steady trend upward in terms of people who we serve.” Jan Gusich, vice chair of the Board of Trustees, founder and senior strategist of Akhia Communications, has always had an innate interest in the care of vulnerable populations. Since 18, she has been involved with organizations that serve those with developmental disabilities. That involvement eventually led her to NCCH about 15 years ago. “It was just sort of a natural fit for me to join the board, because it’s something I had a passion and a love for my whole life,” she says. “At NCCH we provide homes for people with developmental disabilities, but we go way beyond just providing the home. It’s really about meeting the individual needs of each person who lives in our home. Everyone is different,

// Dennis Burnside and they each require different amenities and services to improve the quality of their lives.” Some may be in wheelchairs, for example, and may need their home to be designed with that in mind. Some individuals are highly physical and may need reinforced furniture and walls. Others may have their own personal passions like gardening, for instance, and NCCH will create a garden for them. “We make sure that that home fits the person’s individual needs. The focus is, ‘How else can we enhance and improve your independence and your quality of life?’” she says. “This organization in particular really cares about the population that they serve, and people are so passionate about it. That’s what keeps me involved in the organization. They’re really good, nice, kind-hearted people who want to serve this community.”

“Everyone is different, and they each require different amenities and services to improve the quality of their lives.” // Jan Gusich ncch.org / NORTH COAST COMMUNITY HOMES 7

Inside Impact Resident-focused

Signature Service

Resources

As a nonprofit organization

NCCH is the housing

NCCH offers

Support & Collaboration

serving Northeast Ohio — we

specialist for our

programs and

NCCH works with county

excel at providing safe homes

partner organizations

support services

agencies and care

that support our residents

seeking guidance on

that contribute to

provider organizations

physical, emotional and social

home modifications to

the comfort and

to modify our homes to

well-being.

ensure it is safe and

happiness of our

make them physically

>P riority is the resident’s

fully accessible.

residents.

safe for the resident and

ability to live successfully and

their specific abilities.

independently in their home.

200 homes

impacting the lives of over

600 residents.

NCCH is a dedicated team with an unwavering passion. Your generosity fuels our mission and financially supports the operations of our 200 homes and impacts the lives of over 600 residents. NCCH exists to serve individuals with disabilities and mental health challenges by providing housing resources. Be a part of progress and innovation to provide stable, safe and supportive housing.

Learn More. Visit NCCH.ORG

14221 Broadway Ave., Cleveland, OH 44125 • (216) 662-1880 • NCCH.ORG 8 NORTH COAST COMMUNITY HOMES / 2023

WESTERN

LAKE COUNTY MAGAZINE 2023-24

BUSINESS PARADISE

Get to know new and established local businesses and find out why Western Lake County has been the perfect place for them to flourish.

PLUS WWLCC Member Directory Chamber Members Lend a Helping Hand