Cleveland Magazine - September 2022 by greatlakespublishing

SCHOOLSPRIVATE UP THE CAMINO One Clevelander’s Journey on Italy’s St. Francis Way MIDWEST NICE Cordelia is East Fourth Street’s Most Cleveland Restaurant SOAK IT UP Concerts, Festivals and More to End Your Summer With a Bang Reports on 141 Elementary & High Schools

See where she couldn’t stop looking up— to her dad. Based on a true vacation. Watch their story and plan yours at visitnc.com

WilmingtonAndBeachesTrips.com ·

Neuro-biological in origin and often hereditary, dyslexia is most simply defined as unexpected struggles with reading and spelling. Functional MRI technology shows dyslexic individuals process language in a different area of their brain, weakening their ability to connect speech sounds with letters and words.

Difficulty pronouncing Useswordsgeneral terms to describe specific objects and/or adds new vocabulary slowly Trouble with the alphabet and letter sounds Difficulty recalling song lyrics, days of the week, colors, numbers, or shapes Struggles to write their

SCAN TO LEARN MORE:

COMMON SIGNS OF DYSLEXIA

But what is dyslexia, really?

to the Yale Center for Dyslexia & Creativity, dyslexia affects 20% of the population, which means every classroom in every school has dyslexic learners sitting at its desks. Yet, many children are still not properly diagnosed and misconceptions persist. There is no correlation between dyslexia and low intelligence or low motivation. A hard-working student with a high IQ can still face reading struggles. Simply seeing letters and words backward is another popular myth—dyslexia is based in the brain, not the eyes.

Sculpting letters/words out of modeling clay is one of many multisensory activities used to teach students to read.

RetellsfineSlowmulti-stepProblemsnamefollowingdirectionsdevelopmentofmotorskillseventsoutoforder

Lawrence School’s Schafer Center for Learning Differences offers 60-minute reading screenings for kids in grades K–3. This free community service helps parents understand if their child would benefit from more intensive literacy instruction.

Reads slowly and/or robotically; doesn’t pause appropriately for languageTroublewordinMayincompleteManyFindswritingProcrastinatessamewordOftenquestionsthey’veTroublesmoothlywords/phrasesratherReadspunctuationword-by-wordthangroupingtogethersummarizingwhatreadoransweringaboutitspellsthesamedifferentlywithinthebodyofwritingreading/tasksschoolexhaustingmissingorassignmentsnothavedifficultymath,butstruggleswithproblemslearningaforeign

They are among the millions of dyslexic individuals whose unique way of thinking positively impacted our world

Steven Spielberg, Eleanor Roosevelt, Richard Branson, Henry Winkler, Whoopi Goldberg, Anderson Cooper, Leonardo DaVinci, Keira Knightly, Winston Churchill, and Thomas Edison

Schools and private psychologists identify dyslexia, also referred to as a specific learning disability or reading disorder, when a student’s reading skills don’t align with their level of intelligence and they exhibit a pattern of weakness with the phonological component of Accordinglanguage.

Loves to listen to stories, but avoids reading on their Difficultyown learning letters and recalling their sounds Substitutes words when reading, and often relies on accompanying pictures Difficulty separating or blending sounds, as well as identifying words that Frequentrhyme errors including reversing, inverting, and substituting letters/words Confuses sight words, such as: at, to, said, and, the, Penciletc.grip is awkward, fist-like, or tight Poor fine motor skills and coordination Reading is laborious with long pauses and Reversesrepetitionsletter sequences: soiled for solid, left for felt Skips over words when reading out loud Difficulty sounding out new Troublewordsdescribing what they read or answering questions about it Slow to discern prefixes, suffixes, and root words Struggles with spelling; spells the same word differently on a single page Illegible andDifficultyhandwritingwithplanningtimemanagement

WHAT DO THESE FAMOUS FOLK HAVE IN COMMON?

While dyslexia isn’t something a person outgrows, the brain is malleable. Parents and educators who notice signs, which can vary in presence and severity, should be proactive. With early identification and a heavy dose of specialized instruction, dyslexic students not only learn to read, but read well!

AGES 2–4 AGES 5–8 AGES 9–12 AGES 13+ FreeScreeningsReading

The list of celebrities, athletes, business titans, well-known scientists, and creative leaders who identify as dyslexic seems to be ever expanding. LinkedIn recently added dyslexic thinking to their lineup of valuable professional skills. The strengths of the dyslexic mind are being discussed everywhere from The New York Times to NPR to TikTok. And right here in Ohio, the Department of Education just published their Dyslexia Guidebook, which lays a foundation for public schools to better support every child’s journey to becoming a reader. For these reasons and many more, the word dyslexia is popping up in conversation quite frequently.

IMPOSTER SYNDROME Cleveland's newest comedy school opens with a mindset of inclusivity.

CONVERSATIONLAYOFTHELAND

“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 2022 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.

SCHOOLHIGHFRANCISCANPADUACOURTESYMYTRACK:/PHOTOGRAPHYBRECHBILLJEANIBUSCH:MICHAELOPREAMARKWAY:FRANCISST.

SIRIANOCHRISTIANCOURTESYCHAGRIN:OFINNTHE/HARSACHRISTIANDRINKS:3RDONYARDTHE

FEATURED

40 TAKE YOUR PICK A guide to Northeast Ohio's best apple orchards to visit this fall.

PRIVATE SCHOOL GUIDE

ON THE COVER 56

28 AMERICAN DEMON Daniel Stashower's spine-tingling new book examines Eliot Ness's hunt for Cleveland's Torso Murderer.

47 THE INN OF CHAGRIN Renowned designer Christian Siriano reimagines the historic Chagrin Falls space.

128 LOOK BACK Explore the legacy of Geauga Lake, the 1887-built Cleveland amusement park, and new plans to resurrect the space.

50 ON THE CAMINO, GOING UP SLOWLY How the death of a family matriarch inspired one Cleveland writer to spend a week hiking Italy's St. Francis Way By Mark Oprea

Contents September 2022 volume 51 / issue 9 47 50 743456

30 FORT WAYNE Exploring the Indiana city's art scene from Vera Bradley's boutique hotel.

10 FROM THE EDITOR 12

All over the region, independent schools provide top-notch educations by rethinking how they approach the classroom and by expanding extracurricular opportunities.

THE YARD ON 3RD The East Side's first food truck park becomes a summertime hit.

49 FEELING THRIFTY TwoOneThrift uses a homespun bleach-dye technique to recreate vintage sports gear.

By Henry Palattella

38 MIDWEST NICE East Fourth Street's newest occupant, Cordelia, celebrates Cleveland.

Edited By Dillon Stewart

Photographed by Angelo Merendino at Lake Catholic High School

GRIT & GLAMOUR

FORAGE & FEAST

19 FAMILY DAY In the wake of the Deshaun Watson scandal, can Cleveland Browns Sundays still be an escape?

4 CLEVELAND 09.22

This year, celebrate the season on an award-winning Caribbean vacation—and leave the holiday hassle in your wake. Explore some of the world’s most breathtaking tropical islands on a ship that’s a destination itself, while we take care of every festive detail. Savor delicious holiday meals with menus crafted by our Michelin-starred chef. Enjoy stunning decorations and entertainment that will get the whole family in the spirit. Ring in the New Year at a ship-wide champagne gala. And the best part? You don’t have to do a single thing but relax. and messaging may not accurately reflect onboard and destination experiences, offerings, features, or itineraries. These may not be available during your voyage, may vary by ship and destination, and may be subject to change without notice. For complete details on our safety protocols on board, visit healthyatsea.com. ©2022 Celebrity Cruises Inc. Ships’ registry: Malta and Ecuador. 1-888-283-6374

Imagery

| CONTACT YOUR TRAVEL ADVISOR VISIT CELEBRITY.COM TURN YOUR AGET-TOGETHERHOLIDAYINTOCARIBBEANGETAWAY SCAN TO SEE OUROFFERSCURRENT

CALL

6 CLEVELAND 09.22 GROUPBREMECTHECOURTESYOHIO!:LANDSCAPE/SCHWARTZDAVIDMAGAZINE:COUNTYLAKEWESTERN WESTERN LAKE COUNTY MAGAZINE Meet five chamber members who are tackling the labor shortage head on. LANDSCAPE OHIO! Check out award-winning landscape projects. HOME BUILDERS ASSOCIATION Learn how local builders and remodelers are navigating challenges to deliver dream designs. READER SERVICES OUT AND DISTINCTIVEABOUTHOMES 09.22 Special Advertising and Promotional Sections Join us for an elegant evening celebrating our vision with dinner, fellowship, auctions and awards. RECOGNIZING Ridge Tool · Discount Drug Mart · Joel Karabinus KEYNOTE SPEAKER DR. DREW PINSKY Renowned doctor and addiction specialist, author, television talk show host and podcaster. THURSDAY, OCTOER 27TH, 2022 5:30 PM - 10:00 PM EMBASSY SUITES CLEVELAND ROCKSIDE 5800 Rockside Woods Boulevard Independence, Ohio 44131 SEMI-FORMAL ATTIRE $150 PER PERSON EVENT SPONSORSHIPS, ADVERTISINNG & CORPORATE TABLES AVAILABLE For more information or to purchase tickets visit one.bidpal.net/thelcadawaygala2022 or call Joe Matuscak 440.989.4919

8 CLEVELAND 09.22 CREDITPHOTO Amazing finds and one-of-a-kinds in Italian home décor, tableware and personal accessories! 19036 Old Detroit Rd., Rocky River, 44116 440-333-9600, solarihome.com

Denise Polverine publisher Dillon Stewart editor associate editors Anthony Elder, Gracie Wilson editorial assistant Becky Boban editor at large Colleen Smitek contributing writers Vince Guerrieri, Kristen Hampshire, Mark Oprea, Henry Palattella, Lynne Thompson, Laura Watilo Blake editorial interns Kaitlin Bender-Thomas, Kaitlyn Hunt, Grace Koennecke, Zach James art director Erin Stinard assistant art director Abigail Archer contributing artists Jeani Brechbill Photography, Erik Drost, Karin McKenna, Angelo Merendino, Mark Oprea, Laura Watilo Blake illustration intern Madeline Salata photography intern Christian Harsa editorial@clevelandmagazine.com advertising vice president Paul Klein senior account managers Sarah Desmond, Tiffany Myroniak account manager Julie Bialowas traffic manager Corey Galloway associate marketing manager Julianne Radish adsales@clevelandmagazine.com content marketing managing editor Jennifer Bowen Sima managing art director Rayanne Medford senior editor Ann-Marie Vazzano associate art director Megan Rosta contentmarketing@glpublishing.com production production manager Jennifer Roberts associate production manager Alyson Moutz Cowan production@clevelandmagazine.com digital media director of digital strategy Jacquie Chakirelis development manager Daniel Klinzing digital project coordinator Camille Ross Lute Harmon Sr. founder Lute Harmon Jr. president & ceo Cleveland Magazine | Ohio Magazine Lake Erie Living | Content Marketing | Quest Digital chief financial officer George Sedlak finance director Perry Zohos operations manager Jennifer Roberts accounts payable coordinator Geli Valli 1422 Euclid Ave., Suite 730, Cleveland, OH 44115 clevelandmagazine@emailcustomerservice.comwww.glpublishing.comSubscriptionservicesor1-800-453-1009

Learn how we empower and encourage young women to create a more compassionate world. Open House • Sunday, October 16 3470 Rocky River Drive • Cleveland, OH • SJA1890.org Sponsored by the Sisters of the Congregation of St. Joseph

Innovative curriculum and state-of-the-art facilities are what you would expect from one of the best private schools in Northeast Ohio. But it is how Gilmour Academy impacts students beyond the classroom that makes our school truly unique. Entrepreneurial opportunities; service projects; and experiential programming in technology, science and the arts provide students endless possibilities to find their passions and build confidence. Our students learn about the real world and, more importantly, how to positively impact it. Gilmour educates the mind and empowers the heart of every student. That’s the advantage of an independent, Catholic school.

We teach the child. We reach the heart. The opportunities at Gilmour empower students to achieve their goals and discover their passions. To learn more or schedule a personal tour, visit gilmour.org/admission

Gilmour Academy is an independent, Catholic, coed school in the Holy Cross tradition. Grades K-12 and Montessori (18 months - Preschool) | 34001 Cedar Road | Gates Mills, Ohio | 44040 gilmour.org

We teach the child. We reach the heart. The opportunities at Gilmour empower students to achieve their goals and discover their passions. or schedule a personal tour, visit gilmour.org/admission

Grades K-12 and Montessori (18 months - Preschool) | 34001 Cedar Road | Gates Mills, Ohio | 44040

Mark Oprea brings us along as he treks Italy’s St. Francis Way on page 50

Montessori for today. Individualized approach Independence & responsibility Social and emotional learning Meaningful social connections • Life skills & college readiness CONTACT US TO REGISTER OR REQUEST MORE INFORMATION (440) www.hershey-montessori.org357-0918 357-0918

Huntsburg Campus (7th-12th Grade) 11530 Madison Rd. Huntsburg, OH 44046 From 9-11 am on Oct. 10 | Nov. 14 | Dec. 12 Feb. 13 | Apr. 10 | May 8 Virtual Info. Session Nov. 16, 7-8 pm 2022-23 OPEN HOUSES www.hershey-montessori.org

•

Concord Campus (Birth-6th Grade) 10229 Prouty Rd. Concord Twp., OH 44077 From 9-11 am on Oct. 12 | Nov. 9 | Feb. 8 Mar. 8 | Apr. 12 | May 10 Onsite Info. Session Sept. 17, 1-3 pm Huntsburg Campus (7th-12th Grade) 11530 Madison Rd. Huntsburg, OH 44046 From 9-11 am on Oct. 10 | Nov. 14 | Dec. 12 Feb. 13 | Apr. 10 | May 8 Virtual Info. Session Nov. 16, 7-8 pm 2022-23 OPEN HOUSES * Registration is required* www.hershey-montessori.org

From the Editor

•

CONTACT US TO OR INFORMATIONREQUEST Individualized approach Independence & emotionalresponsibilitylearningsocialconnectionscollegereadiness

Meaningful social connections Life skills & college readiness Concord Twp., OH 44077 Oct. 12 | Nov. 9 | Feb. 8 Mar. 8 | Apr. 12 | May 10

Mikestellamariscleveland.comMcIntyre, Excecutive Editor, Ideastream Regina Brett, New York Times Bestselling Author, Inspirational Speaker, Journalist for the Cleveland Jewish News

A few weeks later, she stood in white scrubs on the rooftop of the Cleveland Clinic as I professed my love in front of the skyline. Seven years later, that expand ed downtown shimmered from the roof of the Ariel International Center. This time she wore a wedding dress. Do you fall in love with a city like that, or is it just part of you? In his feature this month, Mark Oprea writes: “Place shapes a person so exquisitely that stepping into their realm is like entering their spirit." In the story, Oprea hikes his immigrant grandmother's homeland to find closure after her death. The tale of longing, loss and redemp tion is personal yet univer sal — the type of story this magazine has told so well sinceThese1972.stories, these peo ple and these places define what it means be a Cleve lander. As your new editor, I look forward to telling these stories — your stories — as well as guiding you toward the places where you'll create new ones.

CityThe

Dillon Stewart, editor stewart@clevelandmagazine.com

I SEE MY CLEVELAND story in scenes. Outfielder Manny Ramirez smiling as he hands me back my hat, which had blown into the outfield at Jacob’s Field. My first sausage sandwich — soft roll, sauerkraut, brown mustard — from Frank’s Bratwurst at the West Side Market. Bruce Springsteen commanding the Gund Arena crowd. 2014 is especially vivid. A writer from Ohio University, I took an internship at Cleveland Magazine. My first assignments had me tasting rum with Stefan Was at Porco’s Tiki Lounge, slugging domestics with Harbor Inn's Wally Pisorn, sitting on the floor of the City Club during a speech from Mayor Frank Jackson and concoct ing a monstrosity of a hot dog in front of a disgusted-but-used-to-it Sean Watterson at Happy Dog. Not too shabby. More importantly, that summer I ran into a girl from my high school science class, by then a nurse, at a baseball game. Life

CO.ROOMDARKTHESTEWART:DILLON/OPREAMARKWAY:FRANCISST.ITALY’S

10 CLEVELAND 09.22 (440) 357-0918 CONTACT US TO REGISTER OR REQUEST MORE INFORMATION Social and emotional learning

Montessori for today. Concord Campus (Birth-6th Grade) 10229 Prouty Rd. | Concord Twp., OH 44077

•

Workers' Compensation Discounts Payroll/Credit Card EmployeeShippingProcessingDiscountsandmuchmore....MedicalCoverageEnergySavingsSAVE NOW Workers' Compensation Discounts Payroll/Credit Card EmployeeShippingProcessingDiscountsandmuchmore....MedicalCoverageEnergySavingsSAVEFORNOWMORE IMFORATION AND A FREE QUOTE: 216-447-9900 ce@noacc.org noacc.org/benefits Workers' Compensation Discounts Payroll/Credit Card EmployeeShippingProcessingDiscountsandmuchmore....MedicalCoverageEnergySavingsSAVE SAVENOW BIG FOR MORE IMFORATION AND A FREE QUOTE: 216-447-9900 ce@noacc.org noacc.org/benefits Northern Ohio Area Chambers of Commerce | PO Box 3230, Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44223 Workers' Compensation Discounts Payroll/Credit Card EmployeeShippingProcessingDiscountsandmuchmore....MedicalCoverageEnergySavingsSAVE SAVENOW BIG FOR MORE IMFORATION AND A FREE QUOTE: 216-447-9900 noacc.org/benefits Northern Ohio Area Chambers of Commerce | PO Box 3230, Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44223 Workers' Compensation Discounts Employee Medical Coverage SAVE NOW Workers' Compensation Discounts Payroll/Credit Card EmployeeShippingProcessingDiscountsandmuchmore....MedicalCoverageEnergySavingsSAVE SAVENOW BIG FOR MORE IMFORATION AND A FREE QUOTE: 216-447-9900 noacc.org/benefits Northern Ohio Area Chambers of Commerce | PO Box 3230, Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44223 Workers' Compensation Discounts Payroll/Credit Card EmployeeShippingProcessingDiscountsandmuchmore....MedicalCoverageEnergySavingsSAVE SAVENOW BIG FOR MORE IMFORATION AND A FREE QUOTE: 216-447-9900 noacc.org/benefits Northern Ohio Area Chambers of Commerce | PO Box 3230, Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44223

Eat to Live 90% of respondents to our Instagram poll were able to select the non-superfood out of a lineup (grapes). 90% The most popular healthy snack was mixed nuts (38%) followed by veggies and dip (28%), fruit smoothies (26%) and yogurt (8%). 38 2628 8

MEET THE PUBLISHER Our masthead is looking a little different these days as we welcome Denise Polverine into the role of publisher of Cleveland Magazine . A Clevelander through and through, Polverine got her start as an intern at News 5 Cleveland . After a brief stint as an anchor at New York One , she returned home to help build cleveland.com in its infancy. Most recently, she acted as digital director at WKYC. Now, she shares what she loves about the CLE and her hopes as publisher.

QUESTION OR COMMENT ABOUT THE MAGAZINE? Reach out to us at conversation@clevelandmagazine.com.

“Thank you for helping to CURE HD one Baby at a time! ❤” shares @jeanine neeley on Instagram

SupportShowing

“Wishing you blessings upon blessings as your family starts to grow! ❤ You are so inspiring! ⭐” @brittanygidley writes on Instagram “Cutest couple �� so excited for ya’ll and this new chapter!!” @scyang89 celebrates on

What is your favorite spot in Cleveland? Downtown Cleveland is everything to me. It sets me on fire. I have spent most of my adult life coming down here almost every day. It’s vibrant. Yesterday after work, for example, I heard a singer down the street, and I decided to walk there. Along the way I heard people talking in different languages. I saw people enjoying food and coffee. And I thought for a moment, “I just love it here.”

12 CLEVELAND 09.22 Conversation POLVERINEDENISECOURTESY

@clevelandmagazine@ClevelandMag

What are you most excited for as publisher? I'm excited to connect with the community on all levels and to connect with the organizations and the institutions that make this city what it is. Cleveland Magazine is still evolving and changing. We want to listen and be the media outlet that helps you live a better life, and we want everyone to feel a part of it.

InstagramReaders of our August cover story, which detailed Ohio natives Allie LaForce and Joe Smith’s journey to parenthood and their battle against Huntington’s Disease, were inspired to reach out on Instagram to show their support.

Last month's Best Doctors issue ( com/bestdoctors)clevelandmagazine. tapped local experts on gut health and nutrition. But we wanted to hear from our readers, too. Family history and gastro intestinal distress were the most common ways readers discovered food intoler ances. Here are some other insights they shared.

On the Web Purchase a print subscription and receive access to a digital version of the magazine at no extra charge. Visit clevelandmagazine.com/subscribe today. Sign up for our free e-newsletters to get updates on entertainment and dining delivered straight to your inbox. Register at clevelandmagazine.com/newsletter.

What do you love most about Cleveland Magazine ? Cleveland Magazine unabashedly celebrates what is great about living, working and playing in Cleveland. It is a guide to life here. It tells you what restaurants to go to, but it also asks you which restaurants are your favorites. We cover a lot of what’s good in the city. To be the publisher of Cleveland Magazine is the honor of my career.

At Laurel, girls are leaders in the classroom, on the ﬁeld and on the stage. Through a demanding academic curriculum informed by our Center for Research on Girls, our unparalleled public- speaking coursework and our beyond- the- classroom experiences, girls at Laurel lead every day. Come see how Laurel girls lead. K- Grade 12 Open House October 6 , 5: 00 7: 00 pm R SVP today! Call 216.464.0946 or visit LaurelSchool.org /OpenHouse JOIN US FOR OUR Dream. Dare. Do.SHA K ER HE I GHTS I RUSSELL TOW NS HI P I est. 1 8 96 Laurel girls today. Leaders tomorrow.

CLEVELAND

3) Laura

Makayla

4) Karen

2) Becky

BEST

DUNCANSHELLY

1) Jay

and Stephanie Ferrone April 28, Landerhaven2022Event Center DUNCANSHELLY May 12, 2022 Crocker Park 14 CLEVELAND 09.22

and Kayla

Megen

CLEVELAND MAGAZINE'S ANNUAL OF THE WEST PARTY

THE WEST SIDE'S CELEBRATION, spon sored by BMW, Bradley Stone and Cleve land's Star 102, was held at Crocker Park. The West's finalists, Around the Corner, Heck's Cafe, Aladdin's Eatery and Beck Center for the Arts — to name a few — were selected by Cleveland Magazine read ers in April. More than 30 finalists visited the May event, complete with entertain ment from Rock the House, great eats and a rockin' crowd of 450 attendees. Jessica Dutton and Maureen Gregory Jake Orosz Wes Johnson and Arielle Roberts Ian Grisset, Lauren Grisset, Jim Sanders, Jacinda Sanders, Katelyn Cook and Travis Cook Maratta and Nick Urosveva Christel and Mike Pochatek Kibinski Frisko Hedge, Wheeler, Koskey

MAGAZINE'S ANNUAL BEST OF THE EAST PARTY |

Out and About

THE BEST OF Chagrin Falls, Mentor and more showed out at Landerhaven Event Center for our annual event sponsored by BMW, Bradley Stone, Cleveland's Star 102 and Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer Dis trict. Thirty East Side finalists selected by the readers of Cleveland Magazine — such as Saucy Brew Works, The Fairmount and The Pompadour — offered samples to the event's 450 attendees, who enjoyed live music from Rock the House.

JOIN US AT TPL.ORG

The outdoors belongs to all of us.

Connecting everyone to the outdoorsTM

Access to the outdoors is a fundamental human need. We work to provide more outdoor places to more people, everywhere.

16 CLEVELAND 09.22 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 Exceptional Dentistry for Exceptional People At John Pyke Dentistry,Awarded Top Dentist Year After Year Since 2007! 440. 933.2549 33399 Walker Rd., Suite D Avon Lake, www.avonlakedental.comOH GREATER CLEVELAND PARTNERSHIP'S ANNUAL EVENT | THIS ANNUAL EVENT highlighted the sig nificant progress made both in the private and non-profit sectors of Greater Cleve land and the vision these organizations have to build a great region on a Great Lake. With over 1,300 attendees, it is the largest turnout in history for the GCP's annual event, taking place this year at the Huntington Convention Center of Cleve land. Led by Paul Dolan and Baiju Shah, the panel discussed GCP's All In Plan, followed by a networking reception. 1) Sharona Burns, Liz Peschges and Dawn Wayt 2) Akil Hameed, Brandy Mickens and Cosmo Danielly 3) Jason Therrien and Jim Haviland 4) Jejuana Brown, Patrice Blakemore, Cece President and Chris Howse June 30, Huntington2022Convention Center of Cleveland DUNCANSHELLY

Now accepting applications. For more about our Learn for Life Signature Approach, go to www.myhbgirl.com Or contact our admission team at admissions@hb.edu or 216.320.8767 At Hathaway Brown, girls become their best selves as we prepare them not for school, but for life. Our Signature Approach empowers high-performing students with our distinguished academics and experiential learning. The best gift you could give your daughter EMPOWERMENT

Each year, Best of Cleveland winners crank up the volume for one of the most anticipated parties of the year.

Now in its 16th year, Best of Cleveland will party on the harbor of the Great Lakes Science Center with an amazing lineup of food, drinks, live music and more.

Great Lakes Science CenteR OCTOBER 13, 2022 PA RTY ON THE HARBOR

CLEVELANDMAGAZINE.COM 19 DROSTERIK BY DILLON STEWART INITI A L T H O UGHTS COULD I EVER LET MY DAUGHTER wear a Deshaun Watson jersey? I wrestle with the question as I get ready to welcome her into the world this month. Fall Sundays are about football and family in our house. My wife is one of 50% of NFL fans who are female, and we look forward to continuing that tradition. But man, it's tough to get excited about the Cleveland Browns this sea son. Sports are supposed to be an escape, but if we ignore violence, sexual misconduct and other misdeeds in the name of entertainment, how complicit are we in creating a culture that accepts these acts? By cheering for men like Watson, am I simply telling my daughter that his behavior is not only acceptable but rewarded with glory and riches? Like with Santa Claus, the truth chips away at the enamel of childhood. What's left is the stain of the reality we choose to accept. THE LAND TOWER CITY ADDS GREEN SPACE 20 BRENT KIRBY'S 10X3 RETURNS 24 ELIOT SECONDNESS'SACT 28 FAMILYDAY OFLAY

Here's what else to know about Bedrock's latest attempt to revive Tower City Center.

Bedrock COO Ivy Greaner says reimagining Tower City Center is vital to bringing more Clevelanders back into the shopping mall.

“We want people to enjoy the city and, if they’re living downtown, to stay downtown so that they can help businesses thrive," says Greaner.

Skylight Park, which opened in July, replaces the iconic dancing fountains of Tower City's main concourse, drawing inspiration from the classic Midwestern foliage native to Ohio. Daytime and evening event programming, such as free concerts, private parties and live painting, also points to Tower City's next era as an event space. In fact, that's how it was used during NBA All-Star Weekend in February.

LAY O F T H E LAND 20 CLEVELAND 09.22 BY GRACE KOENNECKE PHOTOS BY CHRISTIAN HARSA

Natural Revival PUBLIC SQUARE

Last month, Bedrock partnered with Cuyahoga Valley National Park to open Skylight Park, a new indoor green space in the mall's Skylight Concourse.

Unfortunately, the park fell short in the eyes of many Clevelanders. While the mall's renovation features a few beds of Eastern Purple Coneflower and Black-eyed Susans, arti ficial plants, the type you might find at any other mall, dominate the greenery.

ower City Center, the mixed-use shopping mall in Downtown Cleveland's Terminal Tower, was in need of a breath of fresh air. Luckily, real estate firm Bedrock, which owns the building, partnered with Cuyahoga Valley National Park this year. The plan was to imbue the '90s-era space with calm ing, natural beauty and increase foot traffic to the mall.

Clevelanders wander between curated natural and artifical plant life at Skylight Park in Tower City Center. Nostalgic Features. The internet, as it does, reacted negatively to the new project. Many were dismayed by the re moval of the dancing-water fountains, a beloved backdrop for the annual Toy Sol dier holiday performance. "Gonna miss the fountains," wrote Stefan Johnson. "They were pretty iconic." Encouraged to Reflect. With hopes of attracting nearby office workers on lunch break, Skylight Park attempts to offer a calm and inviting atmosphere.

"Mindful Moment" plaques feature quotes from environmentalists such as John Burroughs and Rachel Carson on the importance of nature. Inclined plat forms create walking paths through the foliage. “We all know the weather isn’t perfect all year long," Greaner says, "This brings summer inside. Green always makes everybody feel good.”

Family Fun. Skylight Park provid ed family-friendly programs and events throughout the summer, including Tower City Center’s new lunchtime music series on Thursdays. CVNP rangers also make occasional visits for educational events. Only the Best. Skylight Park’s build ing phase took only six weeks. “[Skylight Park] was an opportunity,” Greaner says. “We wanted to partner with [CVNP] to do this park in the way that people who do this for a living do parks.”

THINGS TO DO CATCH A CONCERT

TAKE A HIKE

Cleveland music icons from every era, including DEVO (Sept. 16, Beachland Ballroom) and Nine Inch Nails (Sept. 24, Blossom Music Center), take the stage this month, but the big-ticket event is Kid Cudi’s Moon Man’s Landing (Sept. 17, Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica) featur ing Cleveland's own Chip Tha Ripper.

This summer has been a hot one, so as it starts to cool off, take advantage of gems like the Cleveland Metroparks’ Emerald Necklace, a series of trails that connect to form a network of stunning paths with gorgeous foliage and local wildlife, or the Cuyahoga Valley Nation al Park, the only federally maintained parkland in the region.

ROOT FOR THE HOME TEAM

GET FESTIVE

FIND YOUR BEACH

Summer’s end is on the horizon. Here are six ways to get the most out of the season’s waning days.

DROSTERIKGUARDIANS:SHOW,AIRNATIONALCLEVELAND/WEBERBETSYPARK:NATIONALVALLEYCUYAHOGATIMEVANSONPARK:BEACHEUCLID/FARMALLIGATORTHE@STEVEFESTIVAL:CHALK/PHOTOISTOCKCONCERT: BY GRACIE WILSON

Soak It Up

LAY O F T H E LAND 22 CLEVELAND 09.22

With MLB getting serious and the NFL gearing up, there’s no better time than the end of summer to be a Cleveland sports fan. The Browns celebrate their home opener week two (Sept. 18) against the New York Jets. Meanwhile, the Guardians could be fighting for a playoff spot with a homestand against the Minnesota Twins (Sept. 16-19).

Tired of sitting in that long line of cars waiting to get into Edgewater Beach? Try heading east to Mentor’s Head lands Beach State Park. Ohio’s largest natural sand beach provides views of the Fairport Harbor West Breakwater Lighthouse. Meanwhile, Bay Village’s Huntington Beach offers craft beer and Honey Hut ice cream at The Noshery.

The Cleveland National Air Show takes flight Labor Day Weekend (Sept. 3-5). Watch military planes dance across the sky at Burke Lakefront Airport. On the ground, eat fair food and take cockpit photos with the “Top Gun Experience.” Yet, locals know the best views come from nearby parks or beaches.

Breaking a sweat at a street festival is a summertime staple. This month, the Cleveland Museum of Art turns the sidewalks of University Circle's Fine Arts Garden into a masterpiece at the annual Chalk Festival (Sept. 10-11). Get your fair fill at the Geauga County Fair (Aug. 31-Sept. 5), which offers fried food favorites and classic rides.

GEAR UP FOR THE AIR SHOW

Transitional Kitchen Design “Curated Classic” 12610 Corporate Dr., Cleveland, OH 44130 (216) 362-9200 or (800) 362-2807 | trevarrowinc. com Bravo! Katie Tumino, Lead Designer at Reflections Interior Design, for her 1ST PLACE WIN in the 2019-2021 Trevarrow, Inc’s Kitchen Design Contest for Northern Ohio. The Cedar Road Historic Apartment renovation beautifully blends the state-of-the-art luxury Sub-Zero, Wolf and Cove kitchen appliances with traditional and contemporary furniture and finishes for a classic, timeless design. Special thanks to all the 2019-2021 Kitchen Design Contest Entries! Congratulations Katie Tumino!

MUSIC Back in the Saddle

“I knew it was the last one,” remem bers Kirby, a working musician whose gig income also hung in the balance. “I just knew it in my gut. I was like, Oh man, I better sit back and take this in, because this is not going to be here next week.”

LAY O F T H E LAND 24 CLEVELAND 09.22 BY ANTHONY ELDER PHOTOS BY ANGELO MERENDINO

B rent Kirby knew it was the end. The musician was host ing his weekly 10X3 singersongwriter showcase just as he had every Wednesday for near ly 10 years. As always, 10 art ists played three songs each to a crowd of polite listeners, who sipped wine in the front bar of Brothers Lounge on the Lakewood-Cleveland border. But something felt different. News of a potential pandemic was spreading, and unbeknownst to most, months of shut downs loomed.

“That’s where I came up in 2011-2012,” says rocker Ray Flanagan. “I would play as

How Brent Kirby resurrected and refocused his Cleveland singer-songwriter showcase — reuniting a fractured community.

A wave of restaurant shutdowns and canceled festivals and shows followed, but as concerts made a hesitant return in 2021, the 10X3 was notably absent. For Cleveland’s music scene, it was the end of an era. Kirby’s stage had been a launch pad and a training ground for nearly 2,000 musicians over the decade.

CREDITPHOTO ART BY ARTIST BY WRITER CLEVELANDMAGAZINE.COM 25 IGNITE YOUR PATH

Wherever your path takes you, start it at Saint Ignatius.

Saint

AT SAINT IGNATIUS HIGH SCHOOL

IGNATIUS.EDU @SIHSCLEVELAND Ignatius students are inspired to embrace an attitude of life-long learning and be intellectually competent, open to growth, religious, loving and committed to working for peace and justice.

Jake Briggs, Kate Dedinsky, Jason Meyers, Justin Gorski, Taylor Lamborn, Mikey Silas and Adam Grindler (left to right) are just a few of the 2,000 artists who started at Brent Kirby's 10X3.

The open mic event functions much the same as it did two years ago. Any artist can sign up to play ahead of the event on a first-come-first-served basis. Kirby then slates out 10 performers for the night. Each are responsible for playing at least two original songs. Switching things up a bit, the event now occurs only twice a month, giving reoccurring artists more time to prep between performances. A wider variety of musical styles — 10X3’s rock/folk mixing with the usual jazz music of the Bop Stop — makes this the perfect place for musi cians to grow and listeners to fall in love with something new.

LAY O F T H E LAND 26 CLEVELAND 09.22

“The Bop Stop is not your normal song writer venue,” Kirby says. “They present jazz and world music, and they present stuff that’s really kind of niche-oriented. My hope is that some of those people come around and start to collaborate [with 10X3 regulars] and get integrated with all the other songwriters. Hopeful ly there are some good partnerships that come from that.” As the magic resumes and the commu nity rediscovers itself, expect some of the familiar staples from the showcase’s past. Kirby intends to revive themed events, such as Bob Dylan night, traditionally held the night before Thanksgiving. Most importantly, Kirby hopes to rees tablish 10X3 as a local staple — a place for emerging artists to cut their teeth for years to “We’recome.blessed with so many talented people,” says Kirby, who is dedicated to building a more cohesive music scene that gives Cleveland a reputation as a city of original music. "Yes, I’m all in.”

“I feel like I learned a lot doing that,” Flanagan says. “Because playing different songs, and you’ve never heard them, you [have] to figure out how people think about how to put songs together.” Backstage, Kirby wanted to bring the 10X3 back but no longer had a home. Brothers Lounge had remodeled, and the original room used for the showcase could no longer host live music. “I kept thinking, If I’m going to do it again, it needs to be the right place or I’m not going to do it at all," Kirby remembers. Then, an epiphanal moment came when he thought of the Bop Stop, the Detroit-Shoreway jazz club owned by the Music Settlement. He knew the venue’s operators and that the space could ac commodate his needs and then some. So, Kirby mapped out a pitch, listing out his plan in bullet points to present to Gabe Pollack, director of the Bop Stop. Pollack looked over the comprehensive pitch before telling Kirby, frankly, that all he had to do was ask. The new listening room creates a more-focused, elevated experience. A Steinway grand piano, high-quality PA system and the ability to record every show — invaluable resources to the art ists who call the 10X3 home — make for a considerable upgrade to the experience.

much as I could, and I’d never show up unless I had three new songs.” Flanagan honed his songwriting chops by sitting in with as many as seven acts in a night. The weekly event was an oppor tunity to merge styles, absorb each other’s talents and experiment in front of a friend ly crowd. A kinship between artist and audience — sometimes solely made up of fellow performers — gave the showcase a communal nature.

A. “There is no reason to continue enduring the pain, discomfort and unsightly disfigurement that is often caused by varicose veins. The CoolTouch Laser has essentially revolutionized the treatment of patients with varicose veins. In addition, this procedure is covered by commercial insurances, as well as Medicare and Medicaid.”

A. I am a Board Certified Vascular Surgeon who specializes in the treatment of patients with varicose veins. I perform a minimally invasive procedure in the office using the CoolTouch Laser. Patients report only mild discomfort and can resume most activities within 24 hours. The results are quite dramatic, with rapid relief of symptoms and a pleasing cosmetic appearance.

A. This Laser is unique in that it seals the vein with the least amount of heat, and thus discomfort to the patient. The CoolTouch Laser treatment replaces ligation and stripping, a painful surgery performed in the hospital with major anesthesia and prolonged recovery.

Q: What do those suffering with Varicose Veins need to know?

Q: What is different about Varicose Vein Treatment with the CoolTouch Laser?

Q: What do you want your patients to know about you?

Mount Vernon Square 6690 Beta Drive, Suite 100 Mayfield Village, OH 44143 440-442-9300 • (fax) 440-442-9308

ASK DR. DUGGAN

The two-pronged plot explores the in tersection of Eliot Ness, the federal agent who took down Al Capone before becom ing Cleveland’s safety director, and Cleveland’s infamous Torso Murders, his local mark.

A n old newspaper clipping is tacked to historical crime author Daniel Stashower’s office wall. “If you enjoy feeling your flesh creep, feeling the small hairs rise on your neck and your heart pound with shameless fear,” reads the eerie prose from Pulitzer Prize winner William Miller, “if that’s what you like, just take a midnight tour through Kingsbury Run.”

Q: What intrigued you about this chapter of Cleveland history, and how does it fit into the larger story of the city?

LAY O F T H E LAND 28 CLEVELAND 09.22 BY BECKY BOBAN

Q. What surprised you most?

theapproximateman’scurrent appear ance. This is like age progression soft ware. The police put their backs in it. They went at it with everything they had.

"Ness's second act in Cleveland is every bit as important as his first act in Chicago,” Stashower says. “He’d been told the job was impossible, but he put his back into it.” Stashower sheds light on the cold case and the personal connection he discovered as he investigated it.

A. The police effort was just incredible. The cor oner pulled together a panel of experts to produce what they called a synthetic portrait of the killer. Today, we would recognize that as There’sprofiling.another stage where the police were looking for a par ticular suspect, but all they had was a photo from when he was 12 years old. So, they projected it on canvas and an artist altered and embellished the image to

A. When I was about 8 or 9, I heard a real ly grisly telling of the story around a camp fire. You really didn’t have to exaggerate too terribly much to turn the story of the Torso Murders into the stuff of Clevelandnightmares.had been an economic powerhouse — the city on the way up before the Great Depression. This new reform-minded mayor, Harold Burton, understood that in order for the city to revive its rugged economic health, it had to clamp down on crime. He felt that Ness was the person to do that. The [torso killings] would have commanded a lot of attention in any city at any time. But in Cleveland, they seem to have been almost calculated to scuttle the city’s economic recovery.

Award-winning author and Clevelandnative Daniel Stashower explores a gruesome 1930s Cleveland as it intersects with Eliot Ness’s second act.

Q. Which locations and research inspired and informed your writing? A. Kingsbury Run — this ancient, driedup riverbed — is not like it was during the depression years, but it was fun to go there and try to soak up some of the echoes, some of the shadows. I spent a lot of time [at] the Western Reserve Historical Society. One day I found a picture of my grandfather in Ness’s scrapbooks. Turns out that Ness and my grandfather must have crossed paths at least once a year at this event called the Anvil Review, which was a political roast. My grandfather, I came to find out, was a cast member for years and years. What a surprise this was, for me, to be paging through these scrapbooks and there’s all these era’s shining lights, FDR and John D. Rockefeller and J. Edgar Hoover, but I did not expect to find Fred P. Stashower.

From Chicago to Kingsbury Run

TRUE CRIME

Written in 1936 for the Plain Dealer, the passage offered a roadmap for the Edgar Award-winning author’s latest piece of nonfiction, American Demon: Eliot Ness and the Hunt for America’s Jack the Ripper, on sale Sept. 6 ($29.99, Minotaur Books).

TURNERDONNASTASHOWER:DANIEL/BOOKSMINOTAURCOURTESYBOOK:

Stashower, a Cleveland-native who now lives in Washington, D.C., has wanted to set a story in his hometown for years. Eventually, he found just the one to tell.

MAGNIFICAT HIGH SCHOOL 20770 Hilliard Boulevard | Rocky River, OH 44116 MAGNIFICAT Educating faith-filled women leaders since 1955 Sunday, October 2, 11 a.m. Register at www.magnificaths.orgOPEN HOUSE

When to Go: Plan your visit during Art This Way’s Annual Art Crawl on Sept. 23. Each stop will fuel your creative juices with live music, art and local eats, all while helping the organization raise money to support local art. artthiswayfw.com/art-crawl

Giving Back: It’s never felt better to shop than when you’re at goodMRKT. Created by Vera Bradley, the boutique features an eclectic mix of brands that support causes such as animal rights and women’s empowerment. agoodmrkt.com

WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY LAURA WATILO BLAKE

Vera Bradley's co-founder lends her name and unique style to the first boutique hotel in Fort Wayne — Indiana’s second-largest city.

LAY O F T H E LAND 30 CLEVELAND 09.22

Unexpected Places

TRAVEL

Vera Bradley, one of the most iconic homegrown fashion brands in the coun try, is adored for its quilted cotton bags with bold prints, slung over the shoulders of women and men everywhere. More than $3 million worth of prod uct ships from the company’s Fort Wayne headquarters every day; not bad for a fe male-run business that started on a ping pong table in co-founder Barbara Bradley Baekgaard’s basement in 1982. The Bradley is a personal labor of love for Baekgaard, who partnered with Prov enance Hotels to open the city’s first bou tique property, located a few blocks from the confluence of the St. Marys, St. Joseph and Maumee rivers. The 124-room and nine-suite hotel brims with sophistication from Birdie’s, a Miami-style rooftop bistro with views overlooking the city, to a rotating collec tion of local art in the main-floor gallery curated by the Purdue University Fort

rt is everywhere in Fort Wayne, Indiana. I didn’t specifically come to the city to take a trip to The Bradley’s powder room, but when my friend emerges excitedly from the ground-floor facilities at the hotel, I’m curious to find out why she’s so animated. “You have to see the bathroom!” she exclaims. The front desk clerk laughs. “We actu ally get that a lot. The restroom’s customdesigned wallpaper is a Vera Bradley exclusive for our hotel only.” Moments later, I’m staring at a restroom wall covered with bold floral print domi nated by peonies and cardinals, Indiana’s state flower and bird. Tucked into the navy blue background, there are illus trations of the Fort Wayne skyline and a classic Vera Bradley handbag. The pattern inspired a product line with the same design sold only at the hotel’s retail shop.

Art of Glass: The Fort Wayne Museum of Art has made a con certed effort to grow its glass art collection. The crown jewel? Dave Chihuly’s Lily Gold Chandelier made of blown glass twisted together in an intricate design. fwmoa.org

We are a Catholic, college preparatoryschool educating young men & women in theFranciscan tradition.

12425 Granger Road Garfield Heights, OH 44125 OPEN HOUSE

Wayne Department of Art and Design.

“I am fluent in airbrush, acrylics, aero sols, screenprinting, Photoshop and any thing that I can get my hands on,” Smith says later when I happen to meet him at Utopian, a coffee bar at The Landing in Fort Wayne’s historic center where he teaches an art class. “I’m a quiet person, but art is my way of talking." His work speaks loudly on the side of several buildings, including an exterior wall across the street at Mercado, where we sip on mezcal margaritas on the patio of the Cali-Mex restaurant. Smith’s mural on nearby Pearl Street, meanwhile, depicts a dog watching the domed Fort Wayne Courthouse melt atop an ice cream cone.

Armed with an interactive Google map from Visit Fort Wayne, we set out to dis cover more works of art along the Fort Wayne Public Art Trail. There’s a cluster of map pins in a two-block radius known as the “Double Plus,” located south of West Berry Street between Harrison and Cal houn. I am not one to wander down back alleys, particularly after dark, but this area has numerous works of art commissioned by Art This Way, which operates under the umbrella of the Fort Wayne Downtown Improvement District. The highlight is 77 Steps, a light instal lation designed by Kelty Tappy Design, a local architecture firm. Hundreds of tubes with programmed colored LED lights gently sway above our heads while we count the number of footfalls it takes to walk the length of the 150-foot alley. As you may have guessed, we counted 77, before taking a few extra steps to grab a bite at 816 Pint & Slice, a local hangout with a patio in yet another colorful alley in Fort Wayne. Prints and products are specifically designed by Vera Bradley for the boutique hotel.

Learn more at www.THS.org/Admissions

Sunday, October 16 @ 1pm - 4pm Monday, October 17 @ 6pm – 8pm

LAY O F T H E L CLEVELANDMAGAZINE.COM 31 October 30th 10:00 AM-12:00 PM

Artwork from more established artists is sprinkled throughout the lobby and in guest rooms. I’m particularly drawn to a series of paint-dipped frames in the lobby created by Theoplis Smith III, aka Phresh Laun dry, who is known for his pop-cultureinspired artwork. In addition to painting a series of trees hanging in the hotel restau rant, he is also one of the many talented creatives who have painted the town with larger-than-life murals.

EAT • SHOP • LIVE • STAY

BRUINS ARE HAPPY, HEALTHY, HOLY AND PREPAREDHIGHLY Visit paduafranciscan.com for the latest information.

OPEN HOUSE

@paduafranciscan 6740 State Road • Parma • OH 44134

SPONSORSTOYOUTHANKOUR

FRES H A P P E TITES CHEF RYAN ENDRIAN HADN’T BEEN TO CLEVELAND — let alone Lake County — before agreeing to become executive chef at Issho Ni Ramen, Sushi and Hibachi in Willoughby. But in April, the Indonesian immigrant by way of Los Angeles, where he studied in a handful of sushi restaurants, doubled down on the East Side by opening Issho Ni Poke Bar on Mentor Avenue. The fast-casual spot in Mentor offers build-your-own bowls with nearly 30 possible ingredi ents, such as fresh ahi tuna, tamago or vegan calamari on a bed of rice or zucchini squash. The stunner, though, is the bright green sticky rice infused with fragrant pandan leaves. “Poke is simple, clean and healthy — that’s what makes it the best,” says Endrian. Add that to an array of Hawaiian classics such as Spam musubi and you’ve got us screaming “Aloha.” isshonipokebar.com BY KARIN MCKENNA BY DILLON STEWART

FEAST CAN THIS HERB REPLACE ALCOHOL? 36 CORDELIA IS MIDWEST NICE 38 GUIDE: APPLE PICKING SEASON 40 POKEMAN FORAGE & PHOTO

CLEVELANDMAGAZINE.COM 33

Otherwise, Dey and co. shoot for “those fun backyard vibes’’ with canned beer, seltzers and wine. “We want you to feel like you’re kicking your feet up at a picnic,” she says.

With a pickup truck theme and more than 60 vendors gathering this summer, this grassy outdoor hangout gives the East Side its first food truck park.

“We’re going to have some of the re gion’s best food trucks,” says Dey. “Every time you come to the yard, we hope you’re experiencing some new cuisine from a truck that you haven’t tried before.”

THE SPACE Fans of the former restaurant might recall the wraparound bar under the pavilion, which has been painted a refreshing white and decked out in hubcaps and neon. Still, the building went through a dra matic renovation to bring the outside in. Astroturf stretches over the 150-person patio and into “the garage,” a three-wall room that used to be Lure’s dining room but now features a bar, picnic tables and protection from the elements. Signs encourage you to “make a friend” at communal tables, and giant Jenga and Connect Four offer fun. The concept is completed by custom seating from sal vaged truck beds and hubcap dog bowls. “The transformation from the prior tenant is just incredible,” says Dey. “It’s crazy to see what we’ve been able to do to transform this into a backyard.”

THE FOOD Opening with CLE Chicken, Original Steaks & Hoagies, the vegan Wild Spork and Royal Dogs, the Yard is on its way to hosting more than 60 indepently owned food trucks this summer.

wo years after the nationwide food truck park trend hit the West Side in the form of Lakewood Truck Park, the East Side finally gets its own outdoor foodie hangout. The Yard on 3rd opened in June in the former home of Lure Bistro on Willoughby's Third Street. Though seasonal, the 4,000-square-foot space is also the year-round home of Geraci’s Slice Shop, an offshoot of the popular local Italian restaurant. Live music entertains eaters and drinkers at more than a dozen picnic tables and a covered island bar, which serves custom cocktails and canned beverages. “It’s the perfect complement to Downtown Willoughby because it’s already such a walkable community with a vibrant small business and bar and restau rant scene,” says Anna Dey, who co-owns the business with Jason Beudert. “We hope this is the most exciting, vibrant outdoor concept that you’ve seen in Cleveland.”

FORAG E & FEAST 34 CLEVELAND 09.22 BY DILLON STEWART PHOTOS BY CHRISTIAN HARSA

THE DRINKS Powered by Simple Times Mixers, a Columbus-based cocktail syrup company, the drink menu features custom flavors that are all-natural, gluten-free, vegan, made by U.S. farmers and enough to spice up a mocktail or something stronger.

Keep on Truckin’

The Yard on 3rd in Downtown Willoughby beat Beachwood Truck Park in the race to become the East Side's first food truck lot by just a few weeks.

FIRST LOOK

The Blueberry Palmer ($10) is a sweet take on the classic Arnold Palmer, but the Willbilly Punch ($10) — available in a gigantic, shareable red solo cup for $40 — has made a summer splash.

storyyour? what' s ST . EDWARD H I GH SCHOOL 13500 DETROIT A VENUE • LAKEW O OD, OHIO 44107 • SEHS.NET JADEN STAINFORTH '23

36 CLEVELAND 09.22 FORAG E & FEAST BY MARK OPREA

“I want people to be relaxed when they walk through the door,” Kovatch says. Probably smart since kava isn’t void of concern. Grown, harvested and consumed for 3,000 years, kava roots are packed with kavalactones, or alkaloids that operate on the brain similarly to drugs like Valium and Xanax. The botanicals Kovatch sells on tap and in tea bags — kanna, kratom and Egyptian Blue Lotus ($6-$12) — all have their histories of warnings. Kratom, for example, is considered a drug of concern by the DEA. Kanna is nicknamed a “natural MDMA” and can be lethal if mixed with antidepressants. A 2002 study claimed Piper methysticum, kava’s scientific name, caused liver dam age or failure in 30 adults. It was subse quently banned or controlled in a doz en European countries. A German court reversed the case in 2014.

PHOTO BY CHRISTIAN HARSA

Sitting in a palm tree-lined cafe in Sem inole Heights, Florida, with his college roommate and Tampa local Mike Young, two coconut shells full of coffee-colored herbal tea arrived. After just a few sips, he felt a wave of sedation, a bodily repose, a bitter numbness of the tongue and euphoria — the effects had taken hold. An herbal root grown in the South Pa cific, kava is legal in Ohio and across the United States. In Polynesian life, business deals are sometimes made over shells, and proponents tout it as a nonaddictive, hangover-free alternative to alcohol. Since the Sunshine State's first bar opened in 2002, Florida is now host to more than 80 kava bars. Hawaii, nine. North Carolina, 11. Ohio? None. Until now. “Somebody was going to be the first,” says Kovatch. “As soon as I came back, we started looking for spaces.” Kovatch and Young, who opened the business in May with three other part ners, settled on a 2,000-square-foot space on Lakewood's Detroit Avenue. Dubbed Muddy Waters, the room is a blend be tween a hookah bar and a Belgian cof feehouse. An acoustic guitar hangs above leather love seats surrounded by greenery. The bar offers a spectrum of strains, from the “socially stimulating” Vanuatu ($4) to the “couch-locked” Solomon Isle ($3.50). The drink is intensely bitter, so Kovatch preps a wide variety of recog nizable flavors, from cold brew-blended lattes ($7) to spritzers ($7).

Ohio's Kava King Muddy Waters is Ohio's first purveyor of kava, an herbal libation that some users claim causes euphoric, energetic and sedative effects.

“Alcohol can spur great conversation,” says Kovatch, pouring me a Tonga ($4) from one of four taps. The taste is one part cocoa, one part tree bark. In less than a minute, I feel more inclined to conform to the shape of my chair than converse.

Across from Kovatch, Young palms a shell glass, one of 200 imported from Thailand. The men cheer in true island tradition, “Bula!”

IT TOOK JUST A FEW SIPS for David Kovatch to get hooked on kava.

“With kava, the conversations are more lasting, more worthwhile," says Kovatch, pouring himself a grape-flavored kratom cocktail. "And you’re never belligerent.”

“I believe in the product,” he says. So much so, he sees expanding Muddy Waters to six other locations by 2024.

“You have to say it collectively,” explains Kovatch. “That’s the way kava’s meant to be done.”

THE DISH

Kava, now sold at Muddy Waters in Lakewood, is a controversial herbal tea grown in the South Pacific.

Kovatch believes kava can be helpful for those looking to quit or cut back on drinking. In 2012, sick of lethargy, he slashed booze from his diet. Nine years later, in that Florida bar, he finally found his everlasting replacement.

Despite the controversy, Kovatch swears by his new pastime, namely by his selec tion of only vetted suppliers from Fiji, Vanuatu, Tonga, the Solomon Islands, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand.

Joe Coyle Judson Park Cleveland Heights | Judson Manor University Circle | South Franklin Circle Chagrin Falls Learn more about how Judson can bring your retirement years to life! judsonsmartliving.org | 216.298.1025

“Expanding

Completely engaged. That’s how Joe Coyle feels about his life at Judson Manor. An award-winning journalist who has lived in Paris, Santa Fe, and New York City, he arrived in July 2020 via the suggestion of a fellow resident. He’s been delighted ever since. “As a writer, I enjoy spending time alone, and these surroundings are perfect: my apartment is quiet, and the views overlooking the Cleveland Museum of Art are lovely. But by far the best part of Judson is the people. Everyone is so knowledgeable about art and culture. I wanted to have stimulating company to spend my time with, and I’ve found that here. These are wonderful, interesting people,” says Joe. Read the full story judsonsmartliving.org/blogat my curiosity about lifeis what it’s all about.”

Rotating frequently, the menu is split into Party Snacks and Relish Trays, Breads and Things, Eat Your Veggies! and From Our Butchers. In an age when everyone is "farm to table," Cordelia sets a new standard. The restaurant so celebrates its purveyors that dishes are named after the farms they come from. Thaxton’s garlic ($9) is a halved garlic head from the or ganic farm in Hudson that is roasted and spread across a thick slice of housemade toast. Kate's Fish at the West Side Market even has its own slot for whatever's fresh est. The kitchen creates unique dishes each week based on the catch. “The farmers and these smaller purvey ors were hit just as hard if not harder than restaurants because they had nowhere for their stuff to go,” he says. “They’re a part of the team,” Watts adds.

WHEN YOU GO Cordelia 2058 E. Fourth St. Cleveland 216-230-2355 cordeliacle.com

Cordelia is a monument to Rust Belt grit and Midwest manners, or as Watts calls it: “Midwest Nice." When an array of farm-to-table small plates come flying out of the open kitchen, chef-partner Vinnie Cimino calls the menu "modern grand ma," a blend of Midwest harvest and Southern-inspired cooking. While that open kitchen might sound familiar to Lola fans, the space is oth erwise unrecognizable from its former occupants. The yearlong restoration proj ect kicked off when the team discovered ‘30s-era terrazzo flooring under the tile. Environmental consciousness led to fur niture, plates, silverware and more being saved from landfills and sourced from vintage companies and thrift stores.

A few dozen gold frames line the staircase to the basement of Cordelia. This collection of “Cleveland family photos,” as the restaurant calls them, fea tures homegrown stars like Kid Cudi, Michael Symon, Steve Harvey and Harvey Pekar. The prideful photo wall is reminiscent of the one in the home of owner Andrew Watts' great-grandmother, the restaurant's namesake.

NiceMidwest

“We took the scenic route, but it was worth the trip,” says Watts.

38 CLEVELAND 09.22 FORAG E & FEAST CORDELIACOURTESY

“We wanted a space that was emblem atic of Cleveland,” Watts says. Cordelia's focus on heritage extends to the menu, in spired by Cimino’s Akron upbring ing and South ern roots. Think Pimento cheese and crackers ($9), crunchy fried chicken ($12) and jojos ($8) — all elevated to exacting mea sures, down to the housemade saltines.

BY DILLON STEWART

The result is an 8,000-square-foot, 200seat space with tall ceilings and cracked, bare walls. Along the back, navy velvet booths sit stark against floral wallpaper. Above the 20-seat bar, the dressiest TV in Cleveland — with rotating still images, such as JR Smith playing Jesus in front of the championship parade crowd — acts as art in a frilly gold frame. The main room splits off to an additional dining room and the former space’s chef table is now a 12-seat bar overlooking the kitchen. A pa tio with 60 seats is set to open eventually.

Cordelia on East Fourth Street is a testament to heritage, Midwest harvests and Cleveland grit.

Chef-partner Vinnie Cimino and owner Andrew Watts met at Greenhouse Tavern, just a few doors down.

FIRST LOOK

“The best thing about Cleveland is that we all cheer for one another, ya know?” says Watts. “It takes a little extra grit to get noticed when you’re from here. We want ed to honor the folks who’ve done it.” Reverance is important when you're standing on hallowed ground. Opened in July, Cordelia replaces chef Symon's Lola Bistro, the Midwest fine dining restaurant that put Cleveland on the culinary map before closing in 2020. As if that wasn’t enough pressure, the operators hit East Fourth Street at a time when a new class of restaurants — including Goma, Indie East Fourth and Blue Agave — are attempting to breathe fresh life into a street that fell into a bit of a valley following the peaks of the 2016 LeBron James days. “Michael Symon put Cleveland culinary on the national stage,” says Watts. “We’re doing our part to push that forward.”

Luckily, the new spot does Symon's iconic restaurant justice — both on the plate and in spirit, by advancing what it means to eat Midwestern.

CLEVELANDMAGAZINE.COM 39 FORAG E & FEASTFORAG E & FEAST

For Cimino, Watts, Boone and many others in the Cordelia orbit, the anal ogies to home are not simply market ing. Reopening on and helping to revive East Fourth Street, however cliche it may sound, is genuinely a full-circle moment.

“The excitement is palpable,” says Cimino. “It’s amazing to watch East Fourth Street come back to life and have a resurgence. There’s fresh blood on this street.”

PALCHESKODYLAN

2020 wasn’t any nicer to Cimino. After a short-lived pandemic stint at Summer House, he and Boone were helping to build the food program at Immigrant Son Brewery in West Lakewood. But that part nership soured just as quickly, leaving the culinary duo to scrape by with pop-ups and various odd jobs. Still, Boone and Cimino found time to launch Cleveland Family Meal, a free food pantry for hospitality workers who lost work during the pandemic. “Honestly, going through two years of reinvention and trying to figure out where the next paycheck came from,” he says, “it feels surreal to be where we are now.”

But the menu also explores the chef's personal journey, which is one of early success followed by trials and tribulations.

The 39-year-old Cimino rose through the ranks of Greenhouse Tavern, just a few doors down from Cordelia’s new home, eventually becoming chef de cuisine. There, he met dozens of talented hospi tality professionals, including Watts and pastry chef Ryan Boone. That project end ed spectacularly in 2019 when the brash executive chef, Jonathon Sawyer, rode his motorcycle off into the sunset of Chica go’s Four Seasons, leaving his staff (and $1.5 million in unpaid debt) in his dust.

While you’re not going to find Green house Tavern wings on this menu, subtle nods to the past appear in dishes like the Burger Box ($20), a quartered, shareable version of the smash burger so beloved at Cimino and Boone’s pandemic popup, FatBoy Sammies. Boone, who has added a sweet touch to Cimino's menus since Greenhouse, is at peak powers with desserts like the slush float ($9), which offers an elevated take on the classic ice cream shop (and Sonic-famous) blend of ice cream and slushie. Delights like the seasonal Eat Your Peas and Carrots ($9) or Tahini-Nut-Butter and Jelly ($7), a tongue-in-cheek custard that references Boone’s allergy to peanut butter, show he's just having fun. So far, some guests have found ordering a bit challenging, since the menu doesn't offer clear entrees or appetizers. Yet, that's what makes it a place that rewards multiple visits. Shoot for about three plates per per son if you're starved, and approach with an open mind and a sense of discovery. With the menu changing as often as Cleveland’s weather, the best way to ensure a great experience is the Belly Up tasting menu ($85), where about six plates chosen by the chef arrive in waves. Complete with pairing suggests, it's just how grandma would serve you.

Coeducational preschool–grade 8 private, independent school in Cleveland. Join us for an Open House Sunday, October 23, 2–4 pm

RSVP today: visit birchwoodschool.org or call 216-251-2321

Potential is a gift. Excellence is a habit. 4400 West 140th Street | Cleveland, OH 44135 | birchwoodschool.org

BAUMAN ORCHARDS WHY WE LOVE IT: Family-owned and -operated since 1929, Bauman Orchards is home to 260 acres of apples, peaches, plums and many other fruits and veg gies. In the fall, its apple pickers gather roughly 300 bushels a day from the more than 40,000 apple trees. TRY THIS: The small fruit gift basket ($21.99) offers an assortment of Bauman Orchards produce. 161 Rittman Ave., Rittman, 330-925-6861, baumanorchards.com

CLEVELAND’S BEST APPLE-PICKING SPOTS ARROWHEAD ORCHARD WHY WE LOVE IT: Originally opened in 1932, Arrowhead has been a staple of the Paris community for nearly a century. Three families of ownership have passed through the over 40-acre apple-picking mainstay over the years. The fourth ownership group — led by lifelong friends and farmers Ray Beck and Kevin Mill er — took over this spring. TRY THIS: Snag a quarter peck of large Honeycrisp apples ($8) from The Applehouse, Arrowhead’s in-house market. 11724 Lisbon St., Paris, 330-862-2733, arrowheadorchard.com

Potential is a gift. Excellence is a habit. 4400 West 140th Street | Cleveland, OH 44135 | birchwoodschool.org

40 CLEVELAND 09.22 FORAG E & FEAST

RSVP today: visit birchwoodschool.org or call 216-251-2321

Coeducational preschool–grade 8 private, independent school in Cleveland. Join us for an Open House Sunday, October 23, 2–4 pm

ORCHARDSBAUMANCOURTESY

BY ZACH JAMES

Dining Guide

TRY THIS: Blue Jay offers a unique getaway opportunity with two quaint, quiet cottages on the orchard grounds (starting at $125 per night). 17909 Rapids Road, Hiram, 440-834-4318, bluejayorchard.com

EDDY FRUIT FARM WHY WE LOVE IT: For 150 years, this familyowned and -operated apple orchard has offered every variety of apple that’s in season, as well as peaches and berries.

GEIG’S ORCHARD WHY WE LOVE IT: In 1997, the Geig family launched its Of the Field can nery, a marketplace collection of prod ucts like canned jam, pie fillings, salsa and pickles that celebrate the farm's harvests. TRY THIS: Geig’s signature applesauce ($7.95) is sure to make your consumption of Mott’s a thing of the past. 8468 Wooster Pike, Seville, 330-7693276, geigsorchard.com

CLEVELANDMAGAZINE.COM 41 FORAG E & FEAST

HEAVENLY HILL FARM

TRY THIS: If you’re looking for a fun time with the kids, check out Story Time with Farmer Bart and Sherman the Sheepdog puppet (free). 12079 Caves Road, Chesterland, 440-729-7842, eddyfruitfarm.com

ORCHARDSHILLCRESTCOURTESY

BLUE JAY ORCHARD WHY WE LOVE IT: This producer of blue berries, apples, sweet cider and honey in Geauga County practices holistic farm ing practices. The organic farm even uses natural processes that it claims re duces pests and boosts immune capa bilities.

WHY WE LOVE IT: Dreaming of a picturesque fall wedding? This 90-acre orchard features a 2,300-square-foot event venue in a for mer apple packaging barn built in 1936. A patio overlooking 5,000 apple trees offers peak fall or summer vibes. TRY THIS: Ped al carts, hayrides, mazes and barrel trains support this spot's claim as the "fun farm." 50336 Telegraph Road, Amherst, 440-965-8884, hillcrestfunfarm.com

WHY WE LOVE IT: Heavenly Hill comes alive in the fall with apple pick ing, pumpkin painting, an escape room and more family fun. TRY THIS: Get in the Halloween spirit a little early with a corn maze, hayride and pumpkin painting session ($10-$15, included with admission). 18373 State Road, North Royalton, 440-537-3018, facebook.com/heavenlyhillfarmfun HILLCREST ORCHARDS

TRY THIS: The house-made apple cider ($6), sold by the gallon, is great cold or warm as well as straight or with some bourbon. 6031 S. Ridge Road, Ashtabula, 440-969-1297, facebook.com/KiralysOrchard-104818692918363 KUNER’S ORCHARD WHY WE LOVE IT: Roughly 26 varieties of apples dot the vast number of trees that can be found on the property, but Honeycrisp is the 1947-built orchard’s signature. TRY THIS: Picking your own apples (prices vary); it’s offered the last two weeks of September and the first week of October. 5424 S. Arlington Road, Clinton, 330-896-1391

HILLSIDE ORCHARD AND FARM MARKET

MILLER ORCHARDS WHY WE LOVE IT: Four generations of the Miller family have run the orchard since its inception in the 1800s. Today, it offers peaches, cherries and 23 va rieties of apples, including McIntosh, Jonagold and Red Delicious. TRY THIS: Apples are great, but cherry season (usually in late June) is short. Sign up for email notifications from the farm to make sure you don’t miss out on next year’s harvest. 8690 Vermilion Road, Amherst, 440-988-8405, millerorchardsltd.com

WHY WE LOVE IT: This Medina Coun ty staple started as a 108-acre family farm with a roadside fruit stand. Today it sits on just 12 acres but offers edu cational field trips and apple picking. You can even snag blueberries or a McIntosh from one of the farm's orig inal trees. TRY THIS: Hillside’s fruit pies ($16.45) are baked fresh at the on-site CountryFresh bakery. 2397 Center Road, Hinckley, 330-225-4748, hillsidefarmfresh.com

42 CLEVELAND 09.22 FORAG E & FEAST SEE WHAT’S NEW AT TOWER CITY More stores, more restaurants and the new Skylight Park! Text TowerCityVIP to 47-47-47 to sign up for details, discounts, and to learn about our FREE family events!

PICK N’ SAVE ORCHARD WHY WE LOVE IT: A family-run orchard for more than 80 years, Pick n’ Save focuses on apples, blueberries, ma ple syrup, various jams and so much more. TRY THIS: Schedule ahead to pick your own apples or berries ($5.75$13). 1222 Ledge Road, Medina, 330-239-1480, picknsaveorchard.com

KIRALY’S ORCHARD WHY WE LOVE IT: Next year marks 100 years of Kiraly’s Orchard. While a lot has changed in a century, the third generation of family owners still shows a dedication to quality as it harvests nearly 15,000 apples per year. Along with 17 apple varieties, the farm pro duces gourds, cabbage and corn.

RICHARDSON FARMS WHY WE LOVE IT: Though the Medina farm produces apples and peaches, its main focus is corn, gourds and soy beans. The farm also raises animals,

WHY WE LOVE IT: Dale Vodraska, who studied horticulture in the '70s at Ohio State University, bought this neglected farm in 2004. Since then, he's revived the orchard, rebuilt the charming market and bakery, and added a brand-new wine and cidery, Bent Ladder Cider and Wine. TRY THIS: Visit the winery and tasting room barn for a sip of Peachber ry ($6 per 16-ounce can), a sweet and tart curbside cider. 13548 Mt. Eaton Road, Doylestown, 330-925-4152, rittmanorchards.com

CLEVELANDMAGAZINE.COM 43 FORAG E & FEAST

TRY THIS: Great with many apple dishes, Monroe’s famous maple syrup ($8) is still being sold after almost 80 years. 6313 Pioneer Trail, Hiram, 330-569-7464, monroesorchard.com which owner Bill Richardson happily introduces you to on tours. TRY THIS: Check out the Richardson booth at the Medina Farmers Market, which runs seasonally, Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. 6984 Lafayette Road, Medi na, 330-722-4029, richardson-farms.com

FORGING HIS OWN PATH TO SUCCESS.

MARKETFARMANDORCHARDMONROE'SCOURTESY

STAHL’S FARM MARKET

WHY WE LOVE IT: Beginning life as a maple syrup operation, Monroe’s Orchard grew into a year-round fruit producer. With educational opportunities, a full-scale market and an annual Apple Harvest Festival, typically the last weekend of Sep tember and first two weekends of October, the Hiram-based farm encourages visitors to “make a memory.”

WHY WE LOVE IT: Run by the Stahl family for over 50 years, the

MONROE’S ORCHARD AND FARM MARKET

RITTMAN ORCHARDS AND FARM MARKET

University School is awarding ten fully-funded, four-year scholarships, regardless of family income, to students entering ninth grade in fall 2023. Learn more about the Jarvis Scholarship program and apply at www.us.edu/jarvis. Learn more at www.us.edu/visit Join us for a fall admission event! For boys, Junior K-12

LITTLE RIDERS. HUGE IMPACT.

1 % made possible by our partners: It’s as easy as riding their bikes...or trikes! And it’s as meaningful as ever, raising dollars to support pediatric cancer research at Cleveland Clinic Children’s. A Trike & Bike benefiting VeloSano ride is coming to a community near you. Children ages 3-12 are invited to ride their bikes with other junior riders, fundraise, and experience the pride of helping kids in need. Prior to each community-organized ride, registered participants will be mailed a Junior Rider Starter Kit filled with fun ways to get kids Whetherinvolved.yourkids are on two wheels, three wheels, or training wheels...it’s all for the cure! For more information or to register your child today, visit trikeandbike.org Visit us on @trikeandbikeclinicFacebook

44 CLEVELAND 09.22 FORAG E & FEAST FARMFRUITPATTERSONCOURTESY market with locations in North Ben ton and Ravenna offers a wide range of homegrown fruits and veggies as well as selections from across the region. TRY THIS: Pick a half bushel of apples ($11 per person). Various locations, stahlsfarmmarket.com SUNRISE FARM WHY WE LOVE IT: This cozy farm offers everything you could ask for from a farmers market, including some un expected gift finds like glassware and baby toys. An on-site boutique women’s clothing store makes this Burton stop a full-fledged shopping destination. TRY THIS: Freshly made dips ($6.50), which come in flavors from raspberry lemon to fiesta nacho cheese. 13115 Kinsman Road, Burton, 440834-1298, facebook.com/sunrisefarmgifts WANT MORE? Check out recommendationsmore at clevelandmagazine.com/food-drink

PATTERSON FRUIT FARM WHY WE LOVE IT: Six generations of Pattersons have run the apple-picking farmers market operation to perfection, eventually bringing family-fun festivals, weddings and so much more into the fold. TRY THIS: While the beloved spot offers fresh produce year round and excellent cider, the in-house bakery offers probably our favorite way to consume apples: donuts ($15.65 per dozen) in flavors like apple cider and caramel apple. Does that count, doc? 11414 Caves Road, Chesterland, 440-729-1964, pattersonfarm.com

CLEVELANDMAGAZINE.COM 45 FORAG E & FEAST

with you.

are

your

Save the

FAVORITE NEW SPOT My favorite new spots are Zhug in Cleveland Heights and Amba in Ohio City. I'm obsessed with Doug Katz’s restaurants. The food is just full of flavor — bright, spicy and acidic. As a chef, you know, we kind of get inspired by other chefs, and he’s one who’s just put out really good food. Every time I go to his restaurants I’m just always amazed at how tasty everything is.

MYTROMATTHEWCOURTESY

Chef Matthew Mytro’s passion for cooking and serving first sparked in his family kitchen. “I had two little brothers that I would cook for at home,” he says. Now, he spends his days preparing pizza and pasta, but when he's not in his East Side Italian kitchen, here are his favorite haunts.

FAMILY-FRIENDLY SPOT

We excited to Ruffing Montessori community Schedule tour calling Rosie at 216.321.7571. date : HOUSE NOVEMBER 12 18 months–8th grade 3380 Fairmount Boulevard, Cleveland Heights ruffingmontessori.net

Chef and co-owner of Flour Restaurant in Moreland Hills

Curiosity, Collaboration & Joyful Learning

We go to a place called Mizu Sushi in Parma. It’s probably our favorite place to go to as a family — myself, my kids and my wife. It’s like this hidden gem. The sushi is so good. Probably one of the best in the city.

CHEFS WHO INSPIRE HIM Eric Williams, Doug Katz, Dante Boccuzzi and Rocco Whalen, how they’ve been able to have multiple restaurants. Rocco’s even got a restaurant in Charlotte, North Carolina. He’s just such a personality. He carries himself really well. He takes care of his staff, he’s well respected in the industry. That, to me, goes a long way other than just creativity. Eric is the same way. It’s a hard industry, so you look up to your peers. You see what they do, and you want to mold yourself like them.

LATIN FOOD I have to say La Plaza Supermarket and Taqueria in Cleveland reminds me of Texas a little bit with the tacos. Their tacos are pretty traditional, because you can get beef tongue and pork stomach, just things that you don’t see normally in Cleveland. It’s very authentic and really good.

today by

KAITLIN BENDER-THOMAS WORD OF MOUTH

Julie or

share the

OPEN

MATTHEW MYTRO

SPONSORED BY: Join us at Spitzer Conference Center this Fall to celebrate everything you love about Lorain County at the SEPTEMBER 15, 2022 2022 BEST OF LORAIN COUNTY PARTY Get the latest info on purchasing tickets, entertainment, vendors and more pulselorainmag.com/BOLC

SIRIANOCHRISTIANCOURTESY CLEVELANDMAGAZINE.COM 47BY LYNNE THOMPSON RE N O V A T I ONS THE INN OF CHAGRIN FALLS needed a full face-lift. The 15-room property in the heart of the city's bustling downtown hadn’t been renovated since the late 1980s. “Everything was hunter green and navy blue and burgundy,” remembers managing partner Molly Gebler. Luckily, she knew just the man for the job: Christian Siriano, the New York City-based fashion designer and winner of the fourth season of Project Runway. In 2020, Siriano ventured into interior design, recently renovating the penthouse of The London West Hollywood in Beverly Hills, California.

CLASSIC CHIC: UPDATING THE INN OF CHAGRIN FALLS 48 REVIVESTWOONETHRIFTHOWVINTAGESPORTSGEAR 49 INTOFALLINGPLACE GRIT &

Gebler’s daughter, Emily, happens to be his personal assistant. “I asked my daughter, ‘Do you think Christian would be interested in something like this?’” Gebler remembers. “And she said, ‘Mom, I will give you his e-mail. But other than that, you’re on your own.’”

GLAMOUR

Repurposed Pieces. Siriano re finished or reupholstered many of the Inn’s furnishings, the bulk of which were purchased locally from the now-defunct high-end retailer Brewster & Stroud. “I actually love some of the quirky, older furniture pieces that have been there for a long time,” he says. Armoires originally built to stash televisions were turned into freestanding linen and clothes closets, nightstands masquerade as side tables. A vanity now serves as a writing desk.

Original Art. In the guest rooms, Siria no’s paintings join framed photographs of local scenes. The artist's work tends to be more abstract and sometimes sparse. "There are no rules with [abstract art],” he explains. “It can inspire so many oth er things.” Still, at the Inn, his standout piece is the easily recognizable depiction of the Chagrin Falls in the lobby. Statement Lighting. Also hang ing in the lobby is a Waterford crystal chandelier. This gift, from the family of a longtime regular, quickly earned Siriano's approval. “I love a beautiful crystal or vin tage lighting piece,” he says. “That’s kind of how I grew up. My mom was a big fur niture lover and was always changing out a room. She loved a gorgeous chandelier.”

48 CLEVELAND 09.22 GRIT & G L A MOUR

Neutral Colors. The rooms and pub lic spaces are awash in whites, creams, taupes and grays — colors particularly suited to this property. “Most people, when they go to a hotel, are looking for a fresh palette,” Siriano explains.

New owner Bret Adams, whose Chef Art Pour Restaurant Group bought the Inn in September 2021, wanted a decor that Gebler describes as “clean” and “sexy,” with art-filled interiors that incor porated the latest design trends but respected the Inn’s past. The expanded 1860s cottage had housed Life Savers inventor Clar ence Crane’s landmark Crane’s Canary Cottage restaurant from 1927 to 1942, then an antique shop and artificial plant company before becoming a bed-and-breakfast. Siriano endowed each room with trademark elements of an eclectic style he describes as “clean and modern but with a past.”

SIRIANOCHRISTIANCOURTESY

“We got to have fun and make something that I think the town loves,” the designer says.

A Nod to Fashion. Guests will find fashion books on coffee and side tables and Siriano’s own framed dress sketches hanging on walls. “That, to me, is my sig nature,” he says.

S iriano was sufficiently impressed by Gebler’s description of the Inn and Chagrin Falls in her early 2022 email to take on the project. He'd already heard so much from his assistant about the array of historic homes, the cozy restaurants and the distinct water feature. The village reminded him of his own hometown, Annapolis, Maryland. “[The town] was so cute and chic,” says Siriano. “But I think what really was exciting for me was that this would be our first full hotel project.”

A small skyline sitting just above the sleeve is a subtle way to root for the CLE — near or far. “Anytime I travel I always have to wear a Cleveland shirt,” Maxwell laughs. “I love our skyline.”

THRIFTONETWOCOURTESYPHOTOS:PRODUCT/PHOTOGRAPHYIVY&ASHMAXWELL:REBECCA BY BECKY BOBAN REBECCA

followers by sharing gameday outfit ideas and promoting her gear to millions of viewers in Cleveland and beyond. “I never intended for it to be a full-time business,” admits Maxwell, who bartends at the Velvet Dog. Maxwell still makes each piece herself. When the weather flips, she moves the studio to her bathroom — at one point having to invest in a gas mask. Now, a spray bottle helps with“I’llprecision.make as many pieces as possible within one day,” says Maxwell, who dabbles in embroidery and vinyl printing. “My apartment floor is like lava. Clothes are laid out everywhere.” If Maxwell doesn’t love a piece immedi ately, the veteran thrifter lets it sit. “I know that I may find something dif ferent to pair with it,” Maxwell says. That said, Maxwell admits Cleveland sports and thrifting have one thing in common.“Unpredictability,” she laughs.

Skyline Sleeve ($30-$40)

“They don’t make sports clothes the same as they used to,” says Maxwell, who “fell in love with the hunt” during second hand store escapades with her grandma. Maxwell figured she could gift it to a Steelers-fan friend. Then curiosity struck: How do I make it cooler, more desirable? Maxwell grabbed the sweater and a bottle of bleach and marched to her apartment roof. Drizzling the chemical manipulated the shirt’s colors into a slow fade of tie dye and speckles. The stunning result pro pelled further upcycling experiments. “I put a tweet out with a picture of a few shirts, and they all sold within the day,” Maxwell says. “I was like, Oh wow, I should do this.” Just like that, TwoOneThrift was born. Since making that first sweater in August 2019, she's sold more than 2,100 items on Etsy and amassed almost 40,000 TikTok

Maxwell used to painstakingly hand paint the solid stars across her cozy sweater finds using a stencil. She’s since graduated to screen printing. “They’re my favorite. I probably wear one every week.”

Maxwell'sLooksFavorite

MAXWELL couldn’t leave it at the thrift store. As a devout Clevelander who grew up cheering on the Guardians and Cava liers but especially the Browns, she could never wear it. Yet, the vintage Pittsburgh Steelers crew neck with print down its sleeve was too cool to forget.

These flannels are perfect for football's chilly season. “They’re nice because you can kind of dress those down with leggings and boots,” Maxwell says. “I do some that are bleached, the ombre. Some I just keep basic.”

Flannel Finesse ($30-$45)

TwoOneThrift's creator uses a bleach-dye technique to make one-of-a-kind fan wear out of secondhand threads.

The Thrifting Sport

TwoOneThrift creator and owner Rebecca Maxwell says no two shirts are the same.

Star Sleeve ($45-$60)

CLEVELANDMAGAZINE.COM 49 GRIT & G L A MOUR

VINTAGE

ON THE GOING UP SLOWLY

How the death of a family matriarch inspired one local writer to spend a week on Italy’s St. Francis Way in search of clarity, closure and — ultimately — connection.

Written PhotographedAndByMARKOPREA 50

CAMINO, 51

ine hours after 12 black-robed nuns give me the pilgrim’s prayer, I am dehydrated, lost and seething in the bucolic Tuscany wilderness.I’mlost for two reasons: St. Fran cis and my grandmother, Angelina. St. Francis — the doughnut-haired, tunicwearing lover of animals — because I am a credentialed pellegrino (pilgrim) of his eponymous trail. The 312-mile route is a monthlong trip from the 12th-century convent of La Verna (52 miles southeast of Florence) to the Vespa-and-orangetree metropolis of Rome. I’m on day one. I want to imitate Francis, so I hike with my phone dark, food sparse and St. Ben edict crucifix dangling around my neck. But I also blame my grandmother, a mystic in her own right, a cross between a crystal-owning reiki enthusiast and a Pope John Paul II-era Roman Catholic. For four decades, Nan dreamt of once again walking her madre patria. But aging is an exercise in deprivation. In 1996, Nan lost her second husband, Ralph, to lung cancer. In 2008, after a bout of congestive heart failure in Las Vegas, her ability to fly. In 2016, her North Royal ton two-story townhouse. One year later, her immaculate Ford Taurus. In 2019, her short-term memory. Then, in 2020, us. We all know collective loss now, a type of poverty, if you will. COVID-19 lock downs made us creatures of less. Fewer friends. Fewer restaurants. Fewer church es, desks, parents and lovers. This vacuum shifted our notion of the metaphysical. In 2020, Pew Research Center found that COVID-19, with its trailers of bodies and reddened maps, increased 28% of Americans’ belief in a higher power. A full 35% think “God taught us a lesson.” Two years of emp tiness has, experts say, also increased booking of spiritual travel. “This year has been off the charts,” says Caitlin Weich, marketing specialist at Follow the Camino. Although hikers on Spain’s Camino de Santiago, the world’s most popular pilgrimage, dropped 60% in 2020, 2022’s count is bound to sur pass 2019’s 347,000. June was the com pany’s “biggest sales month ever.”

“A lot of people are just trying to pro cess various emotions that have been intense and built up over the last two years.” These people, she says, “need to reconnect with themselves.” Here is good a point to divulge that, for most of my life, I’ve been a wavering agnostic. At 14, a militaristic nun at Sts. Joseph and John School in Strongsville had to beg me to get confirmed. In col lege, I swore my soul to the Tao of Physics. It’s not that I didn’t believe in God; I just didn’t know what God was On April 30, I bought a one-way tick et on Neos Air for $401. After two years as the pandemic’s grim epicenter, Italy eased travel restrictions. I touched down in Milan on May 6. On May 11, after a tearful family reunion in Pistoia, I waved goodbye and set out for Assisi, the home town of St. Francis and site of historic brotherhood. NAN DISLIKED MOST, if not all, ani mals. Dogs were “annoying.” Cats were “useless.” "Menacing" deer defiled her beloved rose bushes. (She found swans “spiritual,” however.) At my brother Matt’s adopted Holland Lop rabbit, lan guorously named Hopper, Nan crimped her Italian lip. “You let it run around the house?” she asked. “Why?” Ironically, Nan grew up on West 32nd Street and Clark Avenue surrounded by rabbits, cats, dogs and West Side Market chickens. They were reluctant friends — and sometimes food — for a monolin gual Italian girl. This was immigrant hey day Cleveland, 1932. Nan’s dad, a stingy bricklayer with a big forehead named Ciro Pinozzi, had relocated his family to Cleveland after Mussolini’s Black Hand descended on their hometown of Cala mecca. In 1936, Nan lost her 9-year-old twin sister, Bice, to pneumonia. At Bice’s repast, I imagine their mother, Valentina, making coniglio in umido, rabbit stew. Nan’s life was like a deposit box, full of gems to those who were privy to its contents. To leave her father’s house, Nan told me, she married a Roman-nosed tur ret gunner who signed himself “Midge” in wartime V-mail. He’d give Nan five children but eventually abandon her. In 1969, despite the Vatican’s tough mor al code, they divorced. “[The church] shunned her," my mother recalls. "It real ly bothered her because she went to Mass every Sunday.” In the ’70s, Nan blossomed her univer sal principles. In 1973, she remarried, a homebody Cleveland Press print setter she met waiting tables at Perkins Restaurant in Kamm’s Corner. She studied numerol ogy and astrology at Cuyahoga Commu nity College. At the height of the Ameri can New Age craze, she began to explore Spiritualism. I’d later call her the Buddha of West 128th Street. “To do what I can to instruct and teach others to live a purposeful life,” she wrote on June 17, 1994. “To trust and have faith in humanity and the universe.” By 1996, after burying her second husband, Nan had shifted fully into her Catholic Spiri tualist synthesis. By the late ’90s, three or four people came to her a week for a reiki healing or a tarot card life dissection.

In 2018, at the age of 91 and after four carotid artery surgeries and early onset dementia, Nan reluctantly moved into Parma’s Vista Springs, a Disneyland of an assisted care center. An 18-inch statuette of Antonio Canova’s Three Graces and a family acrylic of hilltown Sorano com forted her but teased her lack of locomo tion. Then came the pandemic.

“This will be your year of transforma tion,” she’d tell you, eyelids shut, finger tips on palm. “Something big. A raise? Maybe a new job? Twenty-nine is the year of Jupiter return.” A skeptical 28 year old, I’d offer a snide, “Oh, nice.”

“Mark, maybe we’ll make money,” Nan would nudge, an easy stab for a journalist. “Muh-ney.”

On March 2, I pay an in-person visit to Nan's apartment at Vista. She is on oxy gen and strawing Ensure for lunch. She’s nearly“Mark!”immobile.shecalls from her bed by 52

“Mark, I’m here banging my head against the wall,” she told me over the phone in late 2020 as 6,000 a week were dying in nursing homes. “Is it crazy that I want to shoot myself?”

the window. Only her head is exposed from the comforter. “You had such big, blue eyes. You had such blond hair.” She bends to a Styrofoam cup. Her oxygen machine beeps on rhythm. “I know,” I joke. I pick at my bangs in jest. “What happened to it?” “I’m sorry I’m such bad company,” Nan says. “I’m not able to entertain you.” Her mind cycles. 18th-century British maxims. My brother's famed temper tan trum circa 1997. Her first English word. Italy. The conversation jumps there. “When,” Nan asks, “are you going back to AItaly?”week later, at 5:32 in the afternoon, while holding my Aunt Alicia’s small hands, Nan tilts her head towards the Parma sky, and dies. “LORD, MAKE ME HUMBLE,” Francis’ brotherhood used to pray, “even at the price of losing my two eyes.” A tad masochistic, the prayer summa rizes Francis’ ultimate striving. At 25, after a life of “sin” in wine-drunk Assisi, he for went worldly pleasures. Seeing the divini ty of less, he burned his clothes, became a beggar and lost old friends. “I am in love with a woman,” he gloated to disciples in 1212. “Her name is Lady Poverty.” For this reason, cliché as it sounds, I walk from La Verna to Pieve Santo Stefa no carrying little more than four outfits, a few pears, a bottle of water, a camera, my grandmother’s pewter cross, a tiny copy of Omer Englebert’s St. Francis of Assisi and a prayer card. To be honest, my goal is not 100% clear. Regardless, I have just one week to hike, mostly due to limited funds, so making it to Assisi would be ideal. My only intention is to disappear into the Tau trail markers, as if Francis, in his charcoal tunic and Ben Hur flip flops, had breadcrumbed the pathway himself. It’s what, I believe, Nan would want. Cutting through olive fields, drunk on the air of Aleppo pine, I think: Poverty, less. Less, good. Good, God. Summiting a steep 4,200 footer in 82 degree sun, I also think: You’re grossly out of shape. A nun said Pieve was a brisk four-hour stroll, but six hours in I reached the tiny village of Lama. This is wealthy Tuscany, stucco villas with arsenic green shutters, agriturismo bed and breakfasts, 21st cen tury garages with Subarus parked neatly inside. “Dove vai?” one of the B&B own ers, a bereted man with a face like a base ball mitt, asks me from his Fiat. "Assisi," I say. “Sei solo?” “No,” I tell him, smiling. “Io sono con Dio.” With God. “Beh,” he scolds and drives off. The joke’s on me. Four hours later, around 7:15 p.m., I arrive at another hill top ascent. By now, the Tuscan beauty no longer moves me. I’ve been out of water and food for hours, chewing Italian gum to drink saliva. My legs are robotic slaves to the tick-tock of sundown. Pieve is ob viously not this way. You are a lost failure. You’re not worthy of your Eat, Pray, Love epiphany. I give up, turn my phone on and call my brother Matt. Francis must permit me 3G in a time like this. “Wait, you’re where?” says Matt. He's poolside, sipping White Claws with the boys 4,700 miles away in uptown Dallas. His assessment overtakes my sudden sur vival anxiety. “Calm down, chief. Send me your coordinates. You’re not going to die.”“Ihave really bad cotton mouth,” I say, “I’m, like, 10 minutes away from collaps ing. I can’t walk any fur…”

I“Coordinates!”textMattmylocation — 43º38’33”N, 12º1’34”E — and he informs me I’ve overshot Pieve Santo Stefano by about 80 minutes. I’m essentially on an “express” trail that cuts through the Riserva Statale, a Tuscan Metropark. My legs guide me, as Matt directs to a connecting gravel trail a mile back north. It’s not the muscle giveout, I realize, that’s murdering me. It’s the fact that there was no certainty. “What do you know about wild boar?” I ask Matt. Forty yards away a mother and her five boarlets climb across a ravine. As I approach, the mother stops and pivots. She leaps down to the trail, and snorts at me like the agitated swine in Lost. My body ricochets back like a jackhammer. “You’ve got to be kidding me,” Matt says, again cueing up Google. “Hold on.” I recall the tale of St. Francis and the wolf. A wolf was terrorizing the town of Gubbio. Gubbians were terrified to leave their homes, so Francis meets with the Congregants of Santuario Maria di Petriolo gather to pray over Oprea.

53 BELARDINELLICRISTINA

Michele’s friend Eugenio drives us to Lo Scorpione, a twostory discotheque in Sansepol cro populated by university students. Eugenio speeds, hit ting a vape, as Michele shares his dream of backpacking the Netherlands. We enter Scorpi one with seven other guys in open-necked button-downs or designer T-shirts. "You like?” Michele asks me, as I hand my vax card to the bouncer. Around 3 a.m., we form a loose circle on the dance floor as the deejay plays Jovanot ti’s “L’ombelico del mondo.”

animal. During their confrontation, the wolf growls in a defensive flex. But Fran cis, like a saintly Bear Grylls, shows zero trepidation. Like Matt, he’s calm. “Come here, brother wolf!” Francis shouts. “In Christ’s name, I forbid you to be wick ed!”He brokers a deal: Gubbio feeds the wolf, the wolf ends its reign of terror. It goes back to, I presume, tricking German teenagers in rouge bonnets. “Is it gone?” Matt says, legitimately concerned. “Is the boar still there?”

I’M IN THE CAR WITH Gianluca and Otto for two minutes, and they already want to take me to dinner. You could say I prostrated myself. After reaching the truckstop town of Formo le, dodging the boar attack by sprinting past the family, I came across an idling blue Dodge occupied by two 20-year-old Pieve residents. I bow to them, begging for a ride. They respect my blind 23-mile jaunt. “Ma andiamo a mangiare?” Gianlu ca says with a thousand-dollar smile, sensing my starvation. “No c’e problema.” St. Francis was not St. Francis un til he settled in Rivo Torto, a com mune 58 miles south of Pieve Santo Stefano. Rivo’s not just where the itinerant beggar capped off his First Or der, but where he solidified the Six Fran ciscan Virtues — wisdom, simplicity, poverty, humility, charity, obedience. By singing, eating, sleeping and fishing at Torto, Francis realized: “Spiritual joy is as necessary to the soul as blood is to the body.”Ithink about these virtues — name ly humility — as Gianluca, Otto and I dine at the Hotel Santo Stefano, the fin est eatery in Pieve. Like a bachelor party, we splurge on pints of Peroni, a flank of capicola, sheep’s cheese and pearlshaped gnocchi al ragu that disintegrates on the tongue. “I don’t know how I can thank you,” I say in English, after we empty our pints. Taking the check, lucky to have sufficient euros, I introduce the guys as miei angeli to the server, Giulia. My legs are inoperable, so I’m forced to remain in Pieve the following day. I text Gianluca. He insists I meet him and his Moroccan friends at the nearby Bar Euro pa for a “concert.” I show up at 8 p.m., freshened up. It’s all men, smoking Roth mans or drinking Montenegro, no “con cert.” But they all know who I am: the American pellegrino. As in, the one who mindlessly walked 23 miles without data. Amongst Gianluca’s friends is Michele Dini, a 20-year-old college student in San sepolcro who occasionally moonlights as a deejay. Michele’s tall with a Luke Perry jawline and likes to impress with random Americanisms. “Once you at the top,” Michele says six times that night, “you don’t stop.”

54 SALATAMADELINE

Plumes of cigarette smoke mix with theatrical vapor. Yousseff tears off his shirt in ridiculous masculine pomp.

IT’S 82 DEGREES THE MONDAY I hike to Citerna, a small hilltown 12 miles south of Sansepolcro. My wits are refreshed: I’ve packed two panini, two bottles of water, and down loaded a trail app for offline navigation. But it’s still hot, so after a three-hour jaunt, I find myself resting on the steps of the Comunitá Magnificat, a small church in the town of Fighille. Across from me is a white-tent picnic, decorated with baroque Mother Marys and bottles of Coke. Maybe I’m sub consciously prostrating by now, but my posture attracts the attention of Cristi na Belardinelli, a patron of Magnificat. She walks over curiously. She has in her hands two slices of onion pizza and bot tles of acqua frizzante. “Why,” she says in Italian, “are you sitting alone?” Without pause, Cristina and husband, Enrico, insist I join their congregation of 70. Mark Oprea's path seen in red; St. Francis' way seen in white.

WE BURIED NAN ON A MONDAY, in a discounted plot she bought with Ralph in 1994. First we eulogized her in the same church, St. Rocco’s on Fulton Road, where she was baptized 90 years before. As Matt and I trail the hearse with cous ins from Seattle, I think about how fortu nate we were to have a “normal” funeral. How the wake at Ripepi’s might’ve been just us 20, not the 273 that signed the guestbook. I put on “Un mazzo di fiori,” Nan’s go-to Italian operatic folk song. As if to stave off the near finality, Matt puts on the Eagles’ “Take It to the Limit” as the cemetery plot comes into view. “I can’t believe it,” Matt says, as the sun blinds us through the windshield.

Michele lights up a spliff in soft-eyed ecstasy. Otto nearly spills his gin lemon. It might be a stretch, but as the seven of us jump dance shoulder to shoulder, I can’t help but feel this strange holiness, this ecstatic jolt from this seemingly mundane instance of fraternity. The ef fect is so profound that I start laughing on the dance floor. “Spiritual joy,” Fran cis said, “necessary to the soul.” Michele — reeking of sweat, smoke and cologne — wraps his arm around me. “Mark!” he yells in my ear. “Sei contento?”

“Thirty years she’d been going here,” Mom says as we drive through Erie, Pennsylvania. “It took my mother to pass to go to a place she loved.”

The priest pats my shoulder. “Buon camino, Mark,” he says.

After a reading at the Healing Temple, we walk Lily Dale’s grounds, uncertain of the true meaning of our pilgrimages. We head south to the outdoor pews of Inspi ration Stump, a faux tree podium nestled in the Leolyn Woods, where Nan al legedly saw a floating orb — her beloved Ralph, perhaps. “Mom!” she calls to the air above the Stump. “Mom, if you’re there, give us a sign. We’re here! Let us know if you’re with us!” My mother had spotted Canova’s Three Graces at a gift shop but still seemed relatively unful filled. Trees gently woosh for a minute or two. Leaving, Mom spots a sign for Lily Dale's Pet Cemetery. She laughs. “Tch, you know she never liked going there.” Place becomes a person. It shapes them so exquisitely, that stepping into their realm is like entering their spirit. This imitation isn’t just the highest post humous honor but possibly the best bridge to our future selves. “She would be thrilled to see us here,” Mom says. Her voice cracks. “Just thrilled.” St. Francis died singing. When criti cized for being loud and kooky, Francis guffawed. “Leave me be, brother,” he said. “For in spite of all that I endure, I feel so close to God that I cannot help singing.”

“Oh my God, look,” I say to Mom, stopping on South Street. I can’t believe it. Popping out of a patch of residential shrubs, walled in by concrete brick: a foot-tall statue with a dove huddled on his right sandal. “Look,” I say again. “What,” Mom says from behind me. She finally turns. “Who is that?” she says, as I kneel down to get a closer look.

They feed me and brew me a plastic demitasse of espresso. As their 10-yearold Anna toys with my camera, Enrico tells me Cristina was once a pellegrino on the Camino de Santiago. It was 2002, and it grew his love for her. "Cristina and I have many of the same dreams, some I've done and some she's done." “Oh Dio,” Cristina says, affectionately. Typical for Magnificat, Sunday is their uphill procession to the Santuario Santa Maria di Petriolo, a hilltop church over looking the Umbrian countryside. Know ing about Nan, et cetera, Cristina insists I join, so I do, and do my best reciting the melodic language of the Ave Maria. Mass begins. Fighilleans voice civic con cerns. Others offer motes of gratitude. We sing hymns and hum beatitudes that reverberate off the tiny church walls. We rattle little bells to honor the sacrament, and give peace without shaking hands. Umbria’s celebrity bishop, Mario Cocco belli, drops in to deliver a liturgy, wave to friends, kiss babies. Around one, the priest invites a trans lator up to the altar. “We have someone here today from Cleveland, Ohio,” he says. “Someone here who is a pellegrino. Mark? Mark, will you please come up here.”“Vai,” Cristina says, pushing my back. “Perche “Because?” they want to say a prayer for you.”The curious eyes of the congregation fall on me as I walk up. These people, these strangers — have fed me, humored me, praised me and divulged my soul. Now, I think as I approach the priest’s waving palm, they want to honor me. I’m not worth this. “You can either stand or you can kneel,” the translator says. The priest presses on my head, so I fall into a con fused hypnosis. Should I shut my eyes? Keep them open? Is it disrespectful to be the open-eyed pellegrino? “Cristo é con ti,” he says. He joins the hymn: “Ahhh ahhh ahhh. Cristo é con ti.” Congregants walk up and place their palms on my shoulders. My body reacts in welcomed warmth — admittedly awk ward at first. Nervous laughter comes, dissipates. I open my eyes as everyone hums a cacophony of spacious beati tudes, while others mouth the prayer of the pilgrim. Maybe this is what God is, I think. What fueled St. Francis on his per egrinations. What Nan strove her entire life to attain and perfect. “God is great,” the priest says in En glish. He pets the back of my head as one might a dog or child. “Christ is with you.” She is gone. I want to return and tell her that we rang yellow bells and the on ion pizza tasted like Mazzone’s on Clark and there were wild boars and it was all heavenly and I prayed for it and I might have just found God after all but I cannot because she is gone. “Thank you,” I say standing. Tears well up in my eyes. “Thank you so much.”

THREE WEEKS AFTER I decide to end my pilgrimage in Gubbio, my mother and I drive to Lily Dale, New York, on the eve of her 63rd birthday. It’s Mom’s own pilgrimage, a more fitting tribute than my hastily planned adventure.

Writer Mark Oprea hiked more than 50 miles of Italy's St. Francis Way. 55

Lily Dale is the largest congregation of Spiritualists in the world — I call it the White Light District — and it shows, even in its June off-season. Its walkable corridors, lined with angel statues and butterfly chimes, are quiet, yet dotted with pink-haired SUNY students and signs reading “MEDIUM BACK IN 30.” “Italy was one pillar of her life,” Mom philosophizes, “this is the other.”

56 CLEVELAND 01.22 CREDITPHOTOPRIVATEschoolsHeadStart A high school is more than just a bunch of lockers and classrooms. For the students who spend nearly 40 hours a week there — sometimes more with extracurriculars — it's home. That's why a new generation of private schools are building communities of students through inclusivity, engagement and new-age teaching practices. Stories by Vince Guerrieri and Kristen Hampshire Edited by Dillon Stewart 56 20 22 MERENDINOANGELO

BUSTING Can I Schools?PrivateAfford Is EducationSingle-SexforMyChild? Are InclusiveSchoolsPrivate? 57

CREDITPHOTO CLEVELANDMAGAZINE.COM 57

Forget everything you think you know about private education. The new school does things differently, by pushing inclusion, affordability andPrivateinvolvement.schoolsare prioritiz ing diversity more than ever. Hawken offers a Parents of Color group, while Lake Ridge Academy hosts a Diversity Forum, which draws up to 600 students from 25 area schools to discuss social justice, gen der identity and Black Lives Matter. These schools allow an extra level of focus and participation. “Every aspect of a girls’ school — from the classroom to the athletic field — is designed for girls ,” Steinberg says. “Gradu ates of all-girls schools display stronger community involve ment, cultural competency and political engagement.” Variable tuition is customized to each families’ ability to contribute, while affordability initiatives offer needs-based help. Gilmour Academy, for ex ample, awarded $9.5 million in scholarships in 2021-22, while half of the families at Univer sity School participate in the schools' affordability program. E xtra cash isn't the only reason parents choose private schools. Many families send their chil dren to Cleveland's 34 private high schools and 107 middle and elementary schools for individu alized experiences and a sense of belonging. “There are plenty of opportunities to try new things,” says Abigail Steinberg, director of enrollment management at Laurel School, an all-girls school in Shaker Heights. “Students are encouraged to try new sports, audition for the school play, participate in speech and debate.” Smaller class siz es allow a more personalized experience. For example, University School’s student-to-teacher ratio is 6-to-1, and it offers more than 100 sports, clubs and activities. “At a smaller school, it is easier for the adult community to have a pulse on the daily happenings of students, greatly re ducing social stressors,” Steinberg says. Plus, this sense of community is palpable in the classroom. “The girls hold every leadership role and occupy every seat at the table in class discussions,” Steinberg says. Is private school the right move for your family? Put aside the pretenses and old paradigms and explore more in this year’s Guide to Northeast Ohio’s Private Schools.

MYTH

An elective course, MyTrack Law is de signed to let students interested in legal careers, law enforcement or social work to dig deeper into the reality of those careers.

Similar MyTrack programs offered at Padua focus on medicine, engineering, art, business and computer sciences. These experiences let kids explore sub jects before committing to college cours es, Winger says.

58 CLEVELAND 01.22 SCHOOLHIGHFRANCISCANPADUACOURTESY

ered to two actual prosecutors who review these types of cases,” says Lora Winger, who teaches MyTrack Law courses at Padua Franciscan High School. “I’m very proud to say they were able to get their indictment and prove their case.”

It’s a crime scene — a hypothetical one, anyway. The faux residence, constructed in a classroom, is being examined by stu dents, who are collecting evidence such as a laptop loaded with crimes against chil dren and interviewing "witnesses" on the scene. Members of the Internet Crimes Against Children team, a real life taskforce that investigates crimes across the country, are present to guide the fictional case and discuss students' findings. These findings are presented to the Cuyahoga County assistant prosecutor. “We set up a classroom as the ‘house’ and students had to search it, interview suspects, identify the evidence, and de velop all of this into a report they deliv

business,worldandschoolsIndependentaregivingstudentscareerlifeheadstartsthroughhands-onlearningprogramsthatteachreal-lessonsaboutcharityandtechnology. Spice of Life 58

The program includes Law I and II, Legal Ethics and competitions like Mock Trial and Moot Court, field trips to the state courthouse and quarterly speakers.

MYTRACK LAW IS LEGAL LEARNING

“It’s OK to not know what to say or do. We teach students to ask, ‘What is your name?’ and if they are comfortable, shake hands or give a fist bump,” says McDonald. “Our students get out of their comfort zones and find out we all have more in common than they thought.”

That’s why, every Monday, participants of Walsh Jesuit High School’s Labre Project load into two school vans and hit the streets to seek out those in need. The group of six to 12 students provide members of Akron's homeless community with supplies such as bagged meals, socks, blankets and flashlights.

“We usually see about 60 people per night, and we are usually able to give out two bags of food to each person we see,” says Meghan McDonald, a Walsh alumnus and campus minister who volunteered with Labre Project and now heads up the school’s program. “The main point is to build long-term friendships with our friends on the streets, and some we have seen on a weekly basis for 10 years.”

VILLA-FORTEPEDROCOURTESY

“It’s a self-sustaining economic system that allows students to have agency and independence,” says head of school Paula Leigh-Doyle. “We are doing purposeful work in the areas of market endeavors and working on the farm and the many businesses that come out of it.”

For example, the school runs a bed and breakfast, packages hon ey from the farm’s beehives, creates products such as goat milk and maple syrup and produces woodwork such as cutting boards in the maker space. The Hershey Market sells the goods online. The micro economy is accompanied with classroom lessons, including work shops in financial literacy, entrepreneurship, business management, marketing and sales and business law. “They are working for the greater good of the community, and they understand the labor required,” Leigh-Doyle says. “They have to understand budgeting, pricing, prototyping, labor, the seasonal as pects — they’re making real-world decisions.”

There, adolescents get firsthand examples of how our economy ticks by serving various roles in their community.

Life is just a little easier when you have the essentials.

All About Birds. An invitational on ornithology, or the study of birds, inspired his new passion. “I started studying it and going outside to watch birds,” he says. “I live really close to Shaker Lakes so that is where I do most of my birding.”

Pedro Villa-Forte’s head is in the clouds. He’s not lost. He’s just looking for birds. Meet the 16-year-old who co-founded the Ignatius Audubon Society, inspir ing other future bird nerds. Science Savvy. Villa-Forte says science is “everything that gets me going” because it helps him under stand the world. Yet, Science Olym piad is where he found his compet itive nature. “The best part is going to invitationals and competing.”

CLEVELANDMAGAZINE.COM 59

Sing It Out. Choir is the way he expresses himself, but it's also an expression of brotherhood. “It’s all about the relationships and being there for each other.” Community Spirit. Born in Bra zil and raised in a house where Portuguese is spoken, Villa-Forte just earned his U.S. citizenship. “I’ve been here since I was 2, so I’ve always felt ‘American.’”

LABRE PROJECT TEACHES COMPASSION IN THE COMMUNITY

“Even if they do not go into law, they will know the law as citizens,” she says. “And that is equally valuable.”

Sure, approaching strangers on the street is uncomfortable at first for some students. But that’s part of the growth experience.

Some say schools can't teach entrepreneurship. Hershey Montessori begs to differ. In fact, student-run businesses are blossoming out of the school’s microeconomics program.

But even if they don't pursue careers in these fields, the projects stu dents pursue in the courses, such as the crime scene simulation, offer experience in interviewing, shadowing professionals, public speaking and critical thinking.

Villa-FortePedro Senior, St. Ignatius High School

MICROECONOMICS TEACHES KIDS TO TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS

Hershey's “mini world” economy centers around the maker space, greenhouse and working farm on its 97-acre Huntsburg campus.

Across the world, esports has grown in popularity as a participatory and spec tator sport. A total of 175 colleges in the United States offer varsity esports. In Ohio, 39 colleges offer some type of esports program, be it a varsity or club sport. It’s estimated that one in every five high school students in Ohio are at a school that offers some type of esports.

But in the past five years or so, it’s taken on a whole new level. Games are now more complicated. Graphics have improved to movie qual ity, and eyeballs have turned to streaming services like Twitch, where young gamers rack up billions of views from their living rooms.

“Our students were watching other people play Fortnite on their Chrome books during study hall,” says Nick Rider, former director of technology at Carey Exempted Village Schools. “We asked, How can we harness this in a way that hopefully changes their lives for the better?” Rider convened a meeting with school adminis trators in Northwest Ohio and launched a pilot program of high school esports in spring 2019 with 16 schools, including Lakewood St. Edward.

“High schools and even some middle schools are talking about facilities, too,” Farrell says. “I don’t think this is going anywhere. I think it’s going to grow.”

n a Wednesday after school, Hathaway Brown senior Claire Hofstra is locked in a heated battle. Her teammates shout encouragement. Between matches, her coach offers tips. The competition — with its soaring wins and crushing defeats — could be a scene from any high school sporting event. Yet, the game is Super Smash Bros. And rather than just across the field, Hofstra’s opponent is nearly an hour away at the computer lab of Bio-Med Science Academy, a STEM school in Rootstown, Ohio. Sportsmanship is exhibited over Discord, a messaging app. Hofstra, a Westlake resident who graduated from the all-girls school in May, is a member of Hathaway Brown’s esports team. In 2018, with 10 players, Hathaway Brown became the first all-girls school to field a varsity esports team, playing in a small independent league. Four years later, they’re part of a large organization with hundreds of other Ohio schools offering esports as an organized, vibrant and growing competition.

It’s more than just playing video games. Just ask Hofstra, who was captain of the tennis team as a senior.

For as long as there have been video games, there have been people watching other people play video games. Crowds gathered around arcade games at the mall. Dorm rooms filled as students played GoldenEye 007.

“I wouldn’t consider it that much of a difference,” she says. “I learned to be a leader playing esports.”

Hathaway Brown and Holy Name High School are among a growing number of Ohio’s schools that have adopted varsity esports since the launch of Esports Ohio, a new statewide governing body.

Esports isn’t just an opportunity for advancement for Farrell. It can do the same for high school students, who can earn scholarships for esports to college — some of which are considering building new facilities for them.

Ohio remains on the cutting edge of esports on the high school level — and college, too. Farrell will remain active as a teacher and coach at Holy Name, but he’s going to be the esports director at Cleveland State University.

60 CLEVELAND 01.22 The RiseThe RiseThe Rise of esports The RiseThe RiseThe RiseThe Rise O

Since then, Esports Ohio has grown to include nearly 200 schools and is now the governing body of esports in Ohio high schools. There is even talk of esports partnering with the Ohio High School Athletic Association on a “We’retournament.excited about the possibility,” says Bob Goldring, the OHSAA’s director of communications and special projects. “It’s a growing participation space.” Maybe it's become so popular because it encourages participation among stu dents who might not typically participate in P.J.sports.Farrell, a technology teacher at Holy Name in Parma Heights, started the school’s esports team with 20 players in its first year. It's grow to around 70 stu dents. Almost 70% of the players don’t participate in any other school activities, and 10% of the student body participates — a number that rivals football and track.

“It breaks down barriers,” he says. “Kids are learning communication skills. They’re learning basic computer trouble shooting. They plan strategy and then adapt if that strategy doesn’t work.”

Following Footsteps. Hice is con sidering following his mother into law. Gilmour’s Vector program lets him shadow lawyers and get a feel for the profession. “I didn’t really know all the little things that go into being a lawyer. The work is really important.”

HODGE,BAILEY Junior at

Always try new

CLEVELANDMAGAZINE.COM 61

BENNETT,EVAN Graduate of St. prepareMentallyTakeWrestlingEdward,LESSONS:feedback, “As a freshman, I got asperformwon’tmentalnotmatch.leadingrightdoingopponent;wrestlingYou’rereallymentalnia.)sityattendpionshiptheMarch,ofaasinsport.studentbecomeitfeedback,regularandhelpedmeabetteroftheAfterIlostthestatefinalsajunior,Ihaddifferentkindfireinme.(InhewonStateChamandwilltheUniverofPennsylvaWinningthegameisimportant.notjustyourit’severythingtheweekuptotheIfyou’reinagoodstate,youbeabletoaswellyouwantto.”

GRITGRIDIRON Ohio's more than 300,000 student athletes do it for the teach.andleadershipfriendship,skillsgritsports

MARY LUTZ, Senior, Magnificat, TeamworkRowingLESSONS: wins, Respect your tools “Rowing gives me a sense of team work that I hav en’t equipment.”tocanNomakesandmakesthere.whenbackputpartswetrailer,putoffwithbringtravel,all.doonewin.thebutateamworkIanywhereexperiencedelse.mean,there’son,say,basketballteam,inrowing,it’sonlywaytoYouworkasoryoudon’tanythingatWheneverwewehavetoourboatsus.Wetaketheriggers,theboatinamakesurehavealltheandthentheboatstogetherwegetThat’swhatitfun,that’swhatitdifferent.othersportIthinkofhastakeapartits

HockeyBrown,HathawayFieldLESSONS:Be a leader, things “I was cut from the you.”willTryingbeandastoon.puttingongettingnewItieopeningthereman.teamvolleyballasafreshIwastoldwasanforgoalinfieldhockey.wascompletelytome.IwasprimersrulesasIwasmypadsBut,Iwasablestartonvarsityasophomore,I’mexcitedtoaleadernow.newthingsalwaysbenefit

On the Ice. But he’s even more ex cited for hockey season. The Lanc ers are defending state champions, having beaten St. Francis de Sales School in triple overtime. “I don’t think I’ll ever forget that moment. We threw our helmets up and ran over to the student section and we were all pounding on the boards.”

Gilmour Academy senior Rocco Hice, a three-sport athlete who takes five Advanced Placement courses, is busier than most. Learn more about how this super achiever ticks. Football Guy. Hice was named first-team all-district and thirdteam all-Ohio as a linebacker. Gilmour advanced to the playoffs but lost to Girard High School, leaving Hice eager to put the pads on again. “I cannot wait.”

LUTZMARYANDHODGEBAILEYHICE,ROCCOBENNETT,EVANCOURTESY 61 Rocco Hice Senior, Gilmour Academy

Helping Glove. Hice surpassed his mandated 60 service hours long ago, working with local food banks and at a variety of hockey camps. “I get to help kids to fall in love with the sport like I have.”

62 CLEVELAND 01.22 ACADEMYJOSEPHST.COURTESY

Anatomy class used to require cutting cadavers. But the Antatomage, a new touch-screen table that looks like a giant iPad, is letting the young women of St. Joseph Academy’s Health Science Hon ors Program forget the frog as they learn about the human body.

This advanced tech tool lets students explore and manipulate 3-D images of human and animal bodies. Five years ago, St. Joe’s was the first high school in North east Ohio to acquire the equipment, which originated in medical schools.

Teaching Forward 62

GO DEEP WITH THE ANTATOMAGE

“Our young women can touch and ro tate the bodies or organs and look at them from different vantage points as they en gage with anatomy or biology class,” says Innovative toolsprogramshands-onandtechgivestudentsalearningedge.

MCMAHONNATALIECOURTESY

“That allowed them to talk to others who are experiencing the issue, go to design and work through a potential solution, take that back to his grandparent and ask, ‘Would this work? Test it out,’” says Jarc. "Then they got feedback and could work through prototypes.”

“We are really trying to push the envelope as to what 3D printing can do and connect it to the real world, environmental activism and sustainability,” says Jarc.

CLEVELANDMAGAZINE.COM 63

3D PRINTING AND DESIGN THINKING

In addition to the interactive table, the honors program sends students into the field to spend time with health and science professionals. “Then they can come back and really digest what they learned in the classroom,” she says.

Kathryn Purcell, the school’s presi dent. “We feel so strongly we want to set our girls up for success. We want to give them the opportunity to use the tools they will experience in a university or work setting.”

One student, for example, had a grandparent with Parkinson’s Dis ease who was struggling to use utensils. So, he and a classmate de signed and prototyped a different silverware setup.

Tech’s not just about breaking things. When used correctly, new tools can fix the world’s problems. That’s what students at St. Ignati us set out to do during the Digital Literacy and Design Course in the school’s maker space, which features 15 3D printers. There, project-based learning forces students to think crit ically about the world around them. “As they move around in the world and notice things that might be broken or inconvenient, we have them figure out solutions,” says teacher Jon Jarc, who oversees the program.

The 3D printing program also teaches sustainability thanks to a 3D printing filament recycler, which grinds recyclable plastic containers into new 3D printing filament. St. Ignatius is the only school in the area with the technology.

The stage is Natalie McMahon's comfort zone. “When I’m on stage, I can step into someone else’s shoes and leave behind the stress of daily life,” she says. From playing Rosie in Bye Bye Birdie to lead in The Drowsy Chaperone , this alto shares why she's eying a performing arts career. Tears of Joy. At the International Thespian Festival in Bloomington, Indiana, in June, she sang Andrew Lippa’s I’m Not Waiting , earning a superior score. “Part of the song needs tears. I hadn’t been able to cry until I performed in that room. Coming out, a judge stopped me and said, ‘You made me cry. Won derful job.’” Theater Kid. “Theater has given me a lot of different skills, includ ing healthy coping mechanisms because there is a lot of pressure in private school. Theater really prepares you to feel comfortable in front of an audience, carry conver sations and adapt quickly.” So Fetch. McMahon has a big heart but loves to explore a sassy side on stage. “My dream role in a musical is Regina George in Mean Girls .”

McMahonNatalie Senior, Lake Ridge Academy

A: One size does not fit all. If you have a really competitive kid, grades are comparative. Some kids are motivated by, I’ll prove you wrong. But for kids who internalize teacher feed back as critique that questions their self-confidence or abilities, grades can get in the way.

A BETTER WAY?

Hawken Head of School Scott Looney, who launched a national movement, explains his argument for ditching grades and GPAs in exchange for mentorship.

Q: How did this system come about in the first place?

Q: If there are no grades or credit hours, what does this mean when college admissions reviews transcripts? A: That is the most frequent ly asked question. [Colleges] have been taking ungraded kids forever. They are not disadvan taged. If you present a kid in a way that is understandable to college admissions personnel, they get a sense of who the kid is and whether they can do the work. So far, not a single college has rejected one of our mastery transcripts.

A: Kids earn credits for portfolios, not classes. The departments of a mastery school are strengthsadmissionsshowproud‘featuredtioncreativecollaboration,communication,criticalthinking,thinkingandcultivaofself.Studentsdecideoncredits’theyaremostof.Itallowsakidtoreallyoffinawaythatacollegereadercanseetheiranddoadeepdive.

64 CLEVELAND 01.22 BY WRITER ART BY ARTIST

A: They already have. There is not a single U.S. college that has not heard of a mastery transcript. We’ve only been sending them for three years. The current sys tem makes teachers, students and parents feel like they are the problem. When a system has that kind of impact on people’s sense of how they fit in, you need a healthier system.

Q: Is this mastery movement something you think more schools will adopt?

A: The combination of fixed time and comparative ranking and sorting is not great for kids. For example, when I give a kid a grade they do not like, they think about that in one of two ways: “Mr. Looney is a jerk,” or “I’m not good enough.” Neither of those mindsets are helpful. There is no growth without failure.

Q: How does a family decide whether a traditional or mastery curriculum is best for their child?

S cott Looney was tired of the education system look ing like an assembly line — credit hours, testing, scor ing and comparing. So, in 2017, the head of school for Hawken founded the Mastery Transcript Consortium, an organization of nearly 400 schools in 23 countries working to change the high school transcription system. Launched three years later, Hawken Mastery School is a project-based option, where teachers act as mentors who coach students through programs so they can work at their own pace. There are no exams or grades. We sat down with Looney to figure out why potentially the world’s coolest principal wants to end — or at least dramatically alter — the grading system.

Q: How does the mastery transcript work?

Q: What’s not working with the current grading system?

A: Our education system was modeled after the 18th-century factory. We start the assembly line at age 5 and move students down one year at a time and call them 'done' at 18. But if you look at all of the research on human development, it doesn’t make sense to move everyone along at the same pace. The systems of schools are organized for the convenience of adults, not the needs of children. As with the industrial revolution, the ethic of the time was to be efficient.

Every student at the co-ed school in Akron fills out a needs assessment, and one question the survey asks is to identify a “go-to person” in the school — a teacher, coach, administrator or anyone else to whom they feel comfortable talking. A byproduct of the assessment was a grief support group for several students who expressed needing help after experiencing loss. The school even partnered with Red Oak Behavioral Health to bring a full-time mental health counselor into the building.

Future Flight: What’s next for Arai? As design thinking goes, he’ll be testing, improving, retesting and tweaking his theories. Presenting his studies to military researchers opened his eyes to opportunities outside of civilian life. “I have been able to expand my horizons while also exploring future careers."

In a program called Roundtable, students in small groups participate in regular check-ins.

How Are You Really?Doing—

CLEVELANDMAGAZINE.COM 65ART BY ARTIST BY WRITER ARAIJUSTICECOURTESY

Most studies say around 20% or more of teens face mental illnesses and around 20% have seriously considered suicide. That’s why over the last couple of years, Archbishop Hoban has ramped up its mental wellness efforts with an in-house counselor, training for teachers, small student groups and a Wellness Wednesdays program. Together, the school hopes these services can offer layers of support so each student can access help in their own way.

“We have them rate themselves 1 to 5, and I might ask them to find an emoji or meme that speaks to the way they are feeling,” she relates. “So much of this is about building a positive relationship with kids. When they feel like there’s someone in their corner, if issues come up, they are more likely to reach out for help.”

This year, the school will institute Wellness Wednesdays with activities that keep mental health in the forefront.

What if a plane or drone flew like an owl? Well, Justice Arai says, it’d be a whole lot quieter. In April, the 16-year-old was one of five students from Ohio to present his research at the National Junior Science and Humanities Sympo sium in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Peek inside the scientist's mind. Curious nature. Noise pollution contributes to hearing loss, high blood pressure, speech interfer ence, unhealthy sleep and loss in productivity, says Arai. “This takes biological strategies inspired by na ture and incorporates them into our own technology. I took inspiration from owl flight to reduce the overall noise made by propellers.”

“We’re educating our teachers to have hard conversations with kids to make sure they are OK, and if they are not OK, getting them to a resource that can help,” Madison says.

“We’re trying to remove any barriers for kids to get them the resources they need,” Madison says.

“Receiving counseling in our building allows students that opportunity during the school day because they have homework, sports and jobs, so there are obstacles with parents arranging appointments,” Madison says.

Fostering success. Arai says programs at University School have helped cultivate his experience and gave him a lab to pursue projects like this one on biomimicry. “Our research advisor Dr. Sara Laux offers advice with problems we encounter along the way."

With cases of mental health rising since the pandemic, some schools are making it a priority.

A s a student, it's hard to be successful if you're not OK mentally, says Jennifer Madison, associate principal of student services at Archbishop Hoban High School.

Faculty and staff are also trained by Life Act, an organization that offers free mental health programming such as QPR, a “mental health CPR” course that encourages teachers to “Question, Persuade and Refer.”

Justice Arai Junior, University School

BENEDICTINE HIGH SCHOOL 2900 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Cleveland, 44104 216-421-2080, cbhs.edu

1831 9-12 None Boys Yes No N/A

Beaumont School is an all-girls Catholic high school in the Ursuline tradition that educates women for life, leadership and service.

Cornerstone Christian Academy’s mission is to provide a quality education based on God’s truth, resulting in Christ-like students who will impact their world for the glory of God.

EDUCATIONALENVIRONMENTYEARFOUNDEDDESCRIPTION GRADELEVELS RELIGIOUSAFFILIATION ENTRANCEEXAMS EXAMDATESBOARDING

1914 9-12 Catholic Coed No Yes 10/26, 11/12, 11/19, 11/30 & 12/7

CORNERSTONE CHRISTIAN ACADEMY

1984 PreK-12 Jewish Coed No Yes During admissionsprocess GILMOUR ACADEMY 34001 Cedar Road, Gates Mills, 44040 440-473-8000, gilmour.org Gilmour is an independent Catholic school. It is coeducational, college preparatory and based in the Holy Cross tradition. Its mission is rooted in educating both the mind and the heart of every student.

2846 SOM Center Road, Willoughby Hills, 44094 440-943-9260, ccacornerstone.com

HEBREW ACADEMY OF CLEVELAND

Hershey Montessori School serves elementary to high school students on two campuses: Concord and Huntsburg. The high school campus in Huntsburg has a working farm and offers boarding.

2000 PreK-12 Christian Coed No Yes Fall appointment,by 1/21, 2/25, 3/18, 4/29 & 5/20

1946 PreK-12 Catholic Coed Yes Yes Utilizes the ISEE;test-takingmultiple options GRAND RIVER ACADEMY• 3042 College St., Austinburg, 44010 440-275-2811, grandriver.org

Hawken is an independent, nonsectarian, coeducational school located on two campuses on Cleveland’s East Side, one on the West Side and a campus in University Circle.

A Catholic high school in the tradition of St. Benedict that shapes a diverse group of young men into leaders.

6733 Reynolds Road, Mentor, 44060 440-578-1020, lakecatholic.org

1968 6-12 Christian Coed No Yes NovemberJune ELYRIA CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL 725 Gulf Road, Elyria, 44035 440-365-1821, elyriacatholic.com

Grand River Academy is a college preparatory boarding and day school serving young men grades 9-12 that sets students up for success in college and life beyond.

HERSHEY MONTESSORI SCHOOL

1876 K-12 None Girls No Yes Accepts both the ISEE SSATand

CUYAHOGA VALLEY CHRISTIAN ACADEMY 4687 Wyoga Lake Road, Cuyahoga Falls, 44224 330-929-0575, cvcaroyals.org

Lake Catholic is a Roman Catholic, coeducational college preparatory high school located on a 35-acre campus in Mentor providing an environment that emphasizes a commitment to excellence with a spirit of respect and compassion.

Private66 schools

* This school also offers College Credit Plus and/or College Level courses. ✦ Hebrew Academy of Cleveland has separate divisions for boys and girls.

1915 PreK-12 None Coed No Yes ISEE will be given 11/19 & 12/10

Fuchs Mizrachi School is a Modern Orthodox Jewish Day School dedicated to Torah values, religious Zionism, fostering leadership skills and helping each child reach their highest potential.

HOLY NAME HIGH SCHOOL 6000 Queens Highway, Parma Heights, 44130 440-886-0300, holynamehs.com

FUCHS MIZRACHI SCHOOL 26600 Shaker Blvd., Beachwood, 44122 216-932-0220, fuchsmizrachi.org

ARCHBISHOP HOBAN HIGH SCHOOL 1 Holy Cross Blvd., Akron, 44306 330-773-0436, hoban.org

PRIVATE HIGH SCHOOLS ANDREWS OSBORNE ACADEMY• 38588 Mentor Ave., Willoughby, 44094 440-942-3600, andrewsosborne.org

1953 9-12 Catholic Coed No Yes September-November BEAUMONT SCHOOL

1927 9-12 Catholic Boys No Yes 9/24, 10/15, 11/9 & 12/3

HATHAWAY BROWN SCHOOL 19600 N. Park Blvd., Shaker Heights, 44122 216-932-4214, hb.edu

HAWKEN SCHOOL 12465 County Line Road, Gates Mills, 44040 440-423-4446, hawken.edu

Andrews Osborne Academy is a private, coed, college-preparatory school offering pre-K through 12th grade. Andrews Osborne Academy strives to prepare students for higher education and empower them to be successful leaders.

11530 Madison Road, Huntsburg, 44046 440-357-0918, hershey-montessori.org

1800 Warrensville Center Road, Cleveland Heights, 44121 216-382-3300, hac1.org

1978 PreK-12 None Coed Yes No N/A

Hathaway Brown is an independent K-12 day school for girls. Hathaway Brown’s Learn for Life signature approach inspires girls to take ownership of their education, rise boldly to challenges and achieve their utmost potential.

1970 9-12 Catholic Coed No Yes 10/13,10/2510/22,&11/9

CVCA is a college-preparatory, interdenominational Christian middle and high school (grades 6-12) in northern Summit County. CVCA is committed to academic excellence in a supportive, distinctively Christian environment.

Founded by the Brothers of Holy Cross, Hoban is a Roman Catholic, coeducational, college preparatory school built to nurture the hearts and educate the minds of its students.

1850 9-12 Catholic Girls No Yes 10/8,11/1210/10,&12/3

1947 9-12 Catholic Coed No Yes 10/22 & 11/5

1943 PreK-12 Jewish Coed ✦ Yes Yes TBD

LAKE CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL

Elyria Catholic is the only coed Catholic high school west of Cleveland. Students are surrounded by an engaged community who strongly support them both inside and outside of the classroom.

Based in Parma Heights, Holy Name is a coeducational, Catholic high school that promotes excellence in education through a challenging, college prep curriculum.

The Hebrew Academy of Cleveland is a nationally recognized Jewish day school with dual Judaic and College Prepatory cirriculums located in Cleveland Heights.

3301 N. Park Blvd., Cleveland Heights, 44118 216-321-2954, beaumontschool.org

1910 PreK-12 None Coed Yes Yes TBD

%MINORITY %TAKESAT %TAKEACT %TAKEAP %TAKEIBIBCOURSESAPCOURSESOPENHOUSEDATES STUDENTS(9-12) TUITION(9-12) %RECEIVEFINANCIALAID AVERAGESATSCORE(OUTOF1600) FOREIGNLANGUAGES ARTS OFFERINGS NONACADEMICCLUBS INTERSCHOLASTICSPORTS NATIONALMERITFINALISTSAVERAGEACTSCORE(OUTOF36) SERVICE/VOLUNTEERREQUIREMENT Sources: Information supplied by the individual schools. Cleveland Central Catholic, St. Vincent-St. Mary, Lawrence School, The Lyceum, Open Door Christian Schools and St. John School declined to participate. N/A 151 63% $26,525-$26,847 33% 1360 59% 29.0 31% 14* 65% 0 N/A Mandarin,Spanish 29 32 12 0 16 hours per year 10/23 800+ 25% $12,700 80% 1260 10% 23.0 100% 11* 25% 0 N/A French, Italian Latin, Spanish 23 14 27 2 10 hours (9), 15 hours (10), 20 hours (11), 30 hours (12) 10/30 295 30% $18,000 68% 1245 29% 27.0 92% 3 61% 21 85% French,SpanishLatin, 25 30 11 1 50 hours 10/5, 11/13 & 4/23 300 60% $13,400 96% N/A 0% 18.0 90% 6* 12% 0 N/A German,SpanishLatin, 17 30 11 0 40 hours Wednesdaysappointmentby 120 50% $8,885 25% N/A 15% 22.0 100% 4 10% 0 N/A Spanish 8 10 14 0 None 10/21; prospectiveevents January-February 600 25% $11,700-$12,300 40% 1111 N/A 23.0 N/A 24* 90% 0 N/A Greek, Latin, Spanish 30 30+ N/A N/A 16 hours per year 10/16 & 4/27 460 25.7% $9,000 91% N/A N/A 19.5 100% 9* 19% 0 N/A French & Spanish 19 25 20 0 20 hours per year N/A 100 3% $24,000-$26,000 50% N/A 0% 26.0 100% 15 50 0 N/A Hebrew 2 7 0 N/A 15 hours per year 10/30 505 16% $29,410-$32,210 59% 1196 60% 26.0 61% 18* 48% 0 N/A French,SpanishLatin, 32 50 26 2 Gilmour’s St. Brother Andre Service Program requires 60 hours by graduation N/A N/A 33% $49,500 52% 1020 100% N/A N/A 4 10% 0 N/A Spanish 3 12 8 0 None October-March 365 44% $34,200-$37,000 46% 1322 61% 29.0 72% 18 54% 0 NA Chinese, French, Latin, Spanish 23 45 12 6 None 11/6 & 4/23 521 34% $35,260-$37,950 45% 1317 66% 29.0 43% 16 40% 0 N/A Chinese, French, Latin, Spanish 25 40 22 8 None N/A 190 N/A $14,000-$16,000 80% N/A N/A 20.0 100% 4* 37% 0 N/A Hebrew 2 8 0 0 50 hours per year 11/14,10/10,2/13,4/10&5/8 29 7% $18,470-$24,250 50% N/A 13% 24.0-28.0 100% 0 N/A 0 N/A Mandarin & Spanish 9 eachvaryyear 0 0 None 10/16 580 24% $11,100 65% 1210 10% 24.0 100% 9* 18% 0 N/A French,SpanishLatin, 17 30 20 1 20 hours (9-11), 10 hours (12) 9/19, 11/7 & 3/27 450 35% $11,300 65% 1150 N/A 21.2 100% 10* 8.9% 0 N/A German, Latin, Spanish, Italian 33 15 16 0 50 hours 67

Laurel School is a nationally recognized, college preparatory, independent day school for girls, kindergarten through grade 12, with a coeducational Early Childhood program for children 18 months-Prekindergarten. 1896 PreK-12 None Girls No Yes throughoutVariesyear

ST. VINCENT-ST. MARY HIGH SCHOOL 15 N. Maple St., Akron, 44303 330-253-9113, stvm.com St. Vincent-St.Mary is a STEM-certified, Catholic Marianist high school in Akron. 1972 9-12 Catholic Coed No Yes 10/22,11/1911/5,&12/3

PSAT,SSAT,AcceptsISEE,SAT&ACT

St. Joseph Academy is the only all-girls Catholic high school in Cleveland. Since its founding by the Congregation of St. Joseph, the graduate of St. Joseph Academy is a woman who lives unifying love through empathetic justice, service to the dear neighbor without distinction, personal integrity and emerging wisdom.

• The information for these schools is from our 2021 survey.

MAGNIFICAT HIGH SCHOOL 20770 Hilliard Blvd., Rocky River, 44116 440-331-1572, magnificaths.org

1923 PreK-12 Catholic Girls No Yes Call for appointmentan PADUA FRANCISCAN HIGH SCHOOL 6740 State Road, Parma, 44134 216-650-1569, paduafranciscan.com

1959 9-12 Lutheran Coed No Yes Varies appointmentby LUTHERAN WEST 3850 Linden Road, Rocky River, 44116 440-333-1660, lutheranwest.com

Lake Ridge is an independent, nonsectarian day school offering coeducational classes on a 93-acre campus in North Ridgeville. 1963 K-12 None Coed No Yes October-July LAUREL SCHOOL 1 Lyman Circle, Shaker Heights, 44122 216-464-1441, laurelschool.org

Padua is a coeducational, Catholic college preparatory school based on the Franciscan tradition.

St. Martin de Porres is a Catholic, college preparatory high school for students with limited economic means. 2003 9-12 Catholic Coed No No N/A

UNIVERSITY SCHOOL 2785 SOM Center Road, Hunting Valley, 44022 216-831-2200, us.edu

LAKE RIDGE ACADEMY 37501 Center Ridge Road, North Ridgeville, 44039 440-327-1175, lakeridgeacademy.org

Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin is a coeducational, college preparatory high school sponsored by the Sisters of Notre Dame and located on a 75-acre campus. 1988 9-12 Catholic Coed No Yes websiteCheck OUR LADY OF THE ELMS 1375 W. Exchange St., Akron, 44313 330-836-9384, theelms.org

University School is a same-sex, college preparatory day school with two campuses — one for high school and one for elementary school — in Hunting Valley and Shaker Heights. 1890 K-12 None Boys No Yes 10/15, 2/4,12/10,11/19,1/21,3/4&4/1

ST. JOSEPH ACADEMY 3470 Rocky River Drive, Cleveland, 44111 216-251-6788, sja1890.org

St. Edward is a college preparatory, same-sex Catholic high school in the Holy Cross tradition that serves students from various communities in Northeast Ohio.

WALSH JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL 4550 Wyoga Lake Road, Cuyahoga Falls, 44224 330-929-4205, walshjesuit.org

Walsh Jesuit is a Catholic, coeducational, college-preparatory high school in the spirit of St. Ignatius located in Cuyahoga Falls. 1964 9-12 Catholic Coed No Yes 10/1510/29&

Trinity High School is a coeducational, college preparatory high school with a pre-professional internship program in Garfield Heights supported by Franciscan values. 1926 9-12 Catholic Coed No Yes November-December

ST. EDWARD HIGH SCHOOL 13500 Detroit Ave., Lakewood, 44107 216-221-3776, sehs.net

WESTERN RESERVE ACADEMY 115 College St., Hudson, 44236 330-650-4400, wra.net

LUTHERAN HIGH SCHOOL EAST 3565 Mayfield Road, Cleveland Heights, 44118 216-382-6100, lutheraneast.org

Lutheran West is a Christian, coeducational, college preparatory high school located on a 17-acre campus in Rocky River. 1958 6-12 Lutheran Coed No Yes 10/15, 10/29 & 11/19

Lutheran East is a Christian, coeducational, college preparatory high school located on a 12-acre campus in Cleveland Heights offering a faith-based community, academic programs, competitive athletics, arts and an Honors Academy.

YEARFOUNDED

Founded by the Sisters of the Humility of Mary, Magnificat is a Catholic all-girls, college preparatory high school in Rocky River. 1955 9-12 Catholic Girls No Yes NovemberOctoberNOTRE DAME-CATHEDRAL LATIN SCHOOL 13000 Auburn Road, Chardon, 44024 440-286-6226, ndcl.org

1890 9-12 Catholic Girls No Yes 10/29,10/22,11/2,1/7&2/1

Located on the Lake Erie shore in Cleveland, VASJ is a Catholic, comprehensive, college preparatory school based on the Ursuline and Marianist traditions.

PRIVATE HIGH SCHOOLS

DESCRIPTION GRADELEVELS RELIGIOUSAFFILIATION ENTRANCEEXAMS EXAMDATESBOARDINGEDUCATIONALENVIRONMENT

The Elms is the only all-girls, faith-based school grades 1 - 12 with a coed pre-school and kindergarten in the Cleveland Diocese.

1961 9-12 Catholic Coed No Yes 10/8, 10/29 & 11/5

ST. IGNATIUS HIGH SCHOOL 1911 W. 30th St., Cleveland, 44113 216-651-0222, ignatius.edu

TRINITY HIGH SCHOOL 12425 Granger Road, Garfield Heights, 44125 216-581-5757, ths.org

1949 9-12 Catholic Boys No Yes 10/8, 10/22, 11/2 & 11/5

VILLA ANGELA-ST. JOSEPH HIGH SCHOOL 18491 Lakeshore Blvd., Cleveland, 44119 216-481-8414, vasj.com

Private schools

1990 9-12 Catholic Coed No Yes 10/1, 10/15, 11/9, 11/29 & 12/10

ST. MARTIN DE PORRES HIGH SCHOOL 6202 St. Clair Ave., Cleveland, 44103 216-881-1689, saintmartincleveland.org

Western Reserve Academy is an independent, coeducational boarding and day high school located on 58 acres in Hudson. 1826 9-12 None Coed Yes Yes

Sources: Information supplied by the individual schools. * This school also offers College Credit Plus and/or College Level courses.

Founded in 1886, St. Ignatius is a same-sex, Catholic Jesuit high school with a 23-acre, 19-building campus in Ohio City rooted in Ignatian spirituality. 1886 9-12 Catholic Boys No Yes 10/22, 11/5 & 11/16

◊ Due to its unique educational model, this school’s families only pay on average $400 for tuition per year thanks to money students earn through the Corporate Work Study Program, state vouchers and philanthropy. %MINORITY %TAKESAT %TAKEACT %TAKEAP %TAKEIBIBCOURSESAPCOURSESOPENHOUSEDATES STUDENTS(9-12) TUITION(9-12) %RECEIVEFINANCIALAID AVERAGESATSCORE(OUTOF1600) FOREIGNLANGUAGES ARTS OFFERINGS NONACADEMICCLUBS INTERSCHOLASTICSPORTS NATIONALMERITFINALISTSAVERAGEACTSCORE(OUTOF36) SERVICE/VOLUNTEERREQUIREMENT 69 TBD 150 44% $12,320-$33,800 70% 1299 73% 28.0 55% 17 56% 0 N/A French Spanish& 34 20 10 1 None 10/6, 11/2 & 4/15 204 33% $30,350-$32,500 46% 1310 63% 29.0 60% 15* 61% 0 N/A Chinese,Hebrew,French,Latin,Spanish 22 36 13 4 50 hours TBD 325 99% $9,981 100% N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A French Spanish& 7 5-10 6 0 1 school day a year; Day of Giving 9/23 & 10/10 520 38% $12,000 90% N/A N/A N/A 100% 5* 7% 0 N/A German,SpanishFrench, 18 10-15 20 0 Varies by class each year 10/2 711 17% $17,700 75% 1191 14% 22.9 100% 19* 22% 0 N/A Arabic,SpanishFrench, 27 59 15 0 30 hours in sophomore year 10/5 10/26& 713 8% $15,050 60% 1124 7% 24.0 97% 3* 12% N/A N/A French Spanish& 24 28 17 N/A 20perhoursyear 10/5 & 1/29 147 38% $12,100 27% 1250-1280 17% 26.0 100% 10 41% 0 N/A French,SpanishLatin, 7 15 10 1 25 hours (9 and 10), 35 hours (11 and 12) 10/1610/17& 670 18% $13,550 55% 1221 25% 22.3 100% 13 76% 0 N/A Chinese, French, SignSpanishLanguage, 29 30 25 2 25 hours per year 10/2,10/2410/17,&11/7 881 23% $18,750 64% 1121 98% 24.0 61% 10* 25% 25 62% French,SpanishLatin, 20 35 17 3 10 hours (9 and 10), 14 hours (11), 20 hours (12) 9/25 1,427 21% $19,000 50% 1198 98% 25.6 69% 24 39% 0 N/A French, Greek, Latin,SpanishMandarin, 27 114 0 12 45 hours Sophmoreduringyear 10/16 & 3/30 681 19% $17,000 75% 1170 25% 23.7 98% 19 44% 0 N/A French,Mandarin,Latin,Spanish 27 38 15 4 20perhoursyear TBD 400 98% $400 ◊ 100% N/A N/A N/A N/A 5* 24% 0 N/A Spanish 4 28 10 0 Requiredhours/tripsservice 9/20, 11/5 & 3/24 670 30% $12,500 64% N/A 99% N/A N/A 16 22% N/A N/A Russian,Mandarin,French,Spanish 29 32 26 0 25perhoursyear 10/30 335 72.5% $12,500 100% N/A 1.10% 19.1 100% 6* 13% 0 N/A Spanish 11 17 16 0 80 hours required for graduation 10/18, 11/6 & 12/1 406 47% $34,740-$37,840 50% 1351 79% 28.0 56% 29 N/A 0 N/A Chinese, Greek, Latin,FrenchSpanish, 21 40+ 13 10 15 hours 10/9, 11/3 & 3/8 462 73% $10,200 95% N/A N/A N/A N/A 4* N/A 0 N/A French,Mandarin,Spanish 11 21 17 0 Service project (9), 25 hours per year (10, 11, 12) 9/29 & 4/20 981 14.6% $13,800 61% N/A N/A N/A 100% 13* N/A 0 N/A Chinese, French, Latin, Spanish 23 46 28 N/A 15 hours (9), 20 hours (10) and 25 hours (11 and 12) 9/21 10/29& 440 27% $44,300-$68,425 40% 1337 58% 26.8 50% 0* N/A 0 N/A Latin,Mandarin,Spanish,French 25 43 26 2 None

BAPTIST FIRST CHRISTIANBAPTISTSCHOOL

Private70 schools

HOLY FAMILY SCHOOL 3163 Kent Road, Stow, holyfamilyschoolstow.org330-688-3816, Tuition: $4,935-$6,125 Grades: K-8# Students: 391 Faculty: 23 Avg. Class Size: 23 Receiving Financial Aid: N/A

HOLY TRINITY SCHOOL 2610 Nagel Road, Avon, 440-937-6420, holytrinityavon.org Tuition: $3,750 Grades: K-8# Students: 490 Faculty: 40 Avg. Class Size: 25 Receiving Financial Aid: 5% HEARTIMMACULATEOFMARY 2859 Lillis Drive, Cuyahoga Falls, 330-923-1220, ihm.com Tuition: $4,700 Grades: K-8# Students: 304 Faculty: 29 Avg. Class Size: 18 Receiving Financial Aid: 15% WORDINCARNATEACADEMY 6620 Pearl Road, Parma Heights, 440-8426818, incarnatewordacademy.org Tuition: $5,500 Grades: K-8# Students: 317 Faculty: 26 Avg. Class Size: 20 Receiving Financial Aid: 30%

ST. ANTHONY OF PADUA LORAIN 1339 E. Erie Ave., Lorain, 440-288-2155, stanthonylorain.org Tuition: $5,500 Grades: K-8# Students: 240 Faculty: 33 Avg. Class Size: 26 Receiving Financial Aid: 95% ST. AUGUSTINE SCHOOL 195 Seventh St. NW, Barberton, 330-7536435, staugschool.net Tuition: $5,500 Grades: K-8#* Students: 175 Faculty: 14 Avg. Class Size: 20 Receiving Financial Aid: 95% ST. BARNABAS SCHOOL 9200 Olde Eight Road, Northfield, 330-467-7921, sbcatholicschool.com Tuition: $4,395 Grades: K-8#* Students: 480 Faculty: 40 Avg. Class Size: 22 Receiving Financial Aid: 12% ST. BENEDICT CATHOLIC SCHOOL 13633 Rockside Road, Garfield Heights, 216-662-9380, stbenedictohio.org Tuition: $5,500 Grades: K-8#* Students: 411 Faculty: 25 Avg. Class Size: 25 Receiving Financial Aid: N/A ST. BERNADETTE SCHOOL 2300 Clague Road, Westlake, 440-734-7717, stbern.net Tuition: $4,395 Grades: K-8# Students: 400 Faculty: 48 Avg. Class Size: 22 Receiving Financial Aid: 15% ST. BRENDAN 4242 Brendan Lane, North Olmsted, stbrendannortholmsted.org440-777-8433, Tuition: $4,100 Grades: K-8# Students: 130 Faculty: 15 Avg. Class Size: 13 Receiving Financial Aid: 30% ST. CHARLES BORROMEO PARISH SCHOOL 7107 Wilber Ave., Parma, 440-886-5546, saintcharlesschool.org Tuition: $3,500-$5,500 Grades: K-8# Students: 361 Faculty: 25 Avg. Class Size: 20 Receiving Financial Aid: 100% KEY † These schools also offer 9-12. See pages 66-69. # These schools offer PreK. * These schools offer Early Childhood Education. ’ Information supplied from the 2020 survey. • Information supplied from last year's 2021 survey. SOURCE: Information supplied by individual schools, which were contacted via phone and mail. Some schools did not respond or chose not to participate.

12510 Mayfield Road, Cleveland, 216-4210700, clevelandmontessori.org Tuition: $9,500-$10,000 Grades: K-8# Students: 75 Faculty: 7 Avg. Class Size: 24 Receiving Financial Aid: 50% COMMUNION OF SAINTS SCHOOL 2160 Stillman Road, Cleveland Heights, communionofsaintsschool.org216-932-4177, Tuition: $5,500 Grades: K-8# Students: 185 Faculty: 18 Avg. Class Size: 22 Receiving Financial Aid: 90% CORPUS CHRISTI ACADEMY 5655 Mayfield Road, Lyndhurst, 440-449-4244, corpuschristiacad.org Tuition: $6,450 Grades: K-8# Students: 182 Faculty: 18 Avg. Class Size: 20 Receiving Financial Aid: 45% GESU CATHOLIC SCHOOL 2450 Miramar Blvd., University Heights, 216932-0620, gesu.com Tuition: $4,975 Grades: K-8#* Students: 650 Faculty: 50 Avg. Class Size: 25 Receiving Financial Aid: 10% GILMOUR ACADEMY 35001 Cedar Road, Gates Mills, 440-473-8000, gilmour.org Tuition: $18,620-$29,190 Grades: K-8†#* Students: 170 Faculty: 30 Avg. Class Size: 14 Receiving Financial Aid: 46% HOLY FAMILY CATHOLIC SCHOOL• 7367 York Road, Parma, holyfamilyschoolparma.org440-842-7785, Tuition: $3,200-$11,000 Grades: K-8†#* Students: 242 Faculty: 17 Avg. Class Size: 27 Receiving Financial Aid: 42%

PRIVATE ELEMENTARY & MIDDLE SCHOOLS

JULIE BILLIART SCHOOL (AKRON)• 380 Mineola Ave., Akron, 234-206-0941, juliebilliartschools.org Tuition: $28,400 Grades: K-8 Students: 105 Faculty: 31 Avg. Class Size: 14 Receiving Financial Aid: 100% JULIE BILLIART SCHOOL (LYNDHURST) 4982 Clubside Road, Lyndhurst, 216-381-1191, juliebilliartschool.org Tuition: $31,000 Grades: K-8* Students: 132 Faculty: 18 Avg. Class Size: 16 Receiving Financial Aid: 100% JULIE BILLIART SCHOOL (WESTLAKE)• 3600 Crocker Road, Westlake, 440-471-4150, juliebilliartschools.org Tuition: $28,400 Grades: K-4 Students: 40 Faculty: 19 Avg. Class Size: 14 Receiving Financial Aid: 100% LAKEWOOD CATHOLIC ACADEMY 14808 Lake Ave., Lakewood, lakewoodcatholicacademy.com216-521-0559, Tuition: $5,825 Grades: K-8#* Students: 440 Faculty: 41 Avg. Class Size: 25 Receiving Financial Aid: 85%

MARY QUEEN OF PEACE SCHOOL 4419 Pearl Road, Cleveland, maryqueenofpeaceschool.com216-741-3685, Tuition: $5,500 Grades: K-8# Students: 275 Faculty: 26 Avg. Class Size: 16 Receiving Financial Aid: 99% MATER DEI ACADEMY 29840 Euclid Ave., Wickliffe, 440-585-0800, materdeiacademy.us Tuition: $5,200 Grades: K-8#* Students: 235 Faculty: 24 Avg. Class Size: 23 Receiving Financial Aid: 98% METRO CATHOLIC SCHOOL 2810 W. 54th St., Cleveland, 216-2814044, metrocatholic.org Tuition: $5,500 Grades: K-8 Students: 420 Faculty: 35 Avg. Class Size: 25 Receiving Financial Aid: 100% NOTRE ELEMENTARYDAME SCHOOL 13000 Auburn Road, Chardon, 440-279-1127, ndes.org Tuition: $6,475-$7,000 Grades: K-8# Students: 385 Faculty: 48 Avg. Class Size: 22-24 Receiving Financial Aid: 35% OUR LADY OF THE ELMS 1375 W. Exchange St., Akron, 330-836-9384, theelms.org Tuition: $8,000-$9,200 Grades: K-8†#* Students: 188 Faculty: 22 Avg. Class Size: 24 Receiving Financial Aid: 58% OUR LADY OF THE LAKE 175 E. 200th St., Euclid, 216-481-6824, olleuclidschool.org Tuition: $5,200 Grades: K-8# Students: 320 Faculty: 25 Avg. Class Size: 15-22 Receiving Financial Aid: 100% ST. ALBERT THE GREAT 6667 Wallings Road, North Royalton, 440237-1032, saint-albert.org Tuition: $3,350 Grades: K-8# Students: 781 Faculty: 61 Avg. Class Size: 30 Receiving Financial Aid: 5% ST. ALBERT THE GREAT AT ASSUMPTION ACADEMY • 9183 Broadview Road, Broadview Heights, assumptionacademy.org440-526-4877, Tuition: $3,425 Grades: K-8#* Students: 220 Faculty: 33 Avg. Class Size: 25 Receiving Financial Aid: 15% ST. ANGELA MERICI PARISH SCHOOL 20830 Lorain Road, Fairview Park, 440-3332126, samparish.org/school Tuition: $4,500 Grades: K-8#* Students: 380 Faculty: 25 Avg. Class Size: 20 Receiv ing Financial Aid: 15%

CATHOLIC ALL SAINTS SCHOOL OF ST. JOHN VIANNEY’ 28702 Euclid Ave., Wickliffe, 440-9431395, allsaintssjv.org Tuition: $3,350 Grades: K-8# Students: 310 Faculty: 15 Avg. Class Size: 25 Receiving Financial Aid: 20% MONTESSORICLEVELAND SCHOOL

11400 Lagrange Road, Elyria, 440-458-5185, fbcs-elyria.org Tuition: $6,450 Grades: K-8†#* Students: 164 Faculty: 25 Avg. Class Size: 12 Receiving Financial Aid: 45%

ST. CHRISTOPHER SCHOOL 1610 Lakeview Ave., Rocky River, 440-3313075, scsrr.org Tuition: $4,570-$6,175 Grades: K-8* Students: 229 Faculty: 16 Avg. Class Size: 25 Receiving Financial Aid: 35% ST. DOMINIC SCHOOL 3455 Norwood Road, Shaker Heights, 216561-4400, stdominicschool.net Tuition: $6,500 Grades: K-8 Students: 197 Faculty: 25 Avg. Class Size: 22 Receiving Financial Aid: 25% ST. FRANCIS CLEVELAND SCHOOL • 7206 Myron Ave., Cleveland, 216-3614858, stfranciscleveland.com Tuition: $4,750 Grades: K-8# Students: 225 Faculty: 20 Avg. Class Size: 25 Receiving Financial Aid: 100% ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI SCHOOL 6850 Mayfield Road, Gates Mills, 440-442-7450, sfaschoolgm.org Tuition: $5,150-$7,300 Grades: K-8# Students: 290 Faculty: 24 Avg. Class Size: 18 Receiving Financial Aid: 10% ST. FRANCIS DE SALES PARISH SCHOOL 4009 Manchester Road, Akron, 330-644-0638, stfparishschool.org Tuition: $3,750 Grades: K-8# Students: 296 Faculty: N/A Avg. Class Size: 10 Receiving Financial Aid: N/A ST. FRANCIS XAVIER SCHOOL 612 E. Washington St., Medina, 330-725-3345, sfxmedina.com Tuition: $4,400 Grades: K-8# Students: 352 Faculty: 24 Avg. Class Size: 20 Receiving Financial Aid: N/A ST. GABRIEL SCHOOL 9935 Johnnycake Ridge Road, Mentor, 440352-6169, st-gabrielschool.org Tuition: $5,150 Grades: K-8#* Students: 600 Faculty: 75 Avg. Class Size: 24 Receiving Financial Aid: 25% ST. HILARY SCHOOL 645 Moorfield Road, Fairlawn, 330-867-8720, st-hilaryschool.org

ST. MARY OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION 2680 Stoney Ridge Road, Avon, 440-9346246, stmaryavon.org Tuition: $3,750-$4,350 Grades: K-8#* Students: 170 Faculty: 25 Avg. Class Size: 20 Receiving Financial Aid: 5% ST. MICHAEL CATHOLIC SCHOOL • 6906 Chestnut Road, Independence, 216524-6405, stmichaelschoolinfo.com Tuition: $38,000 Grades: K-8# Students: 225 Faculty: 16 Avg. Class Size: 19 Receiving Financial Aid: N/A ST. PASCHAL BAYLON CATHOLIC SCHOOL 5360 Wilson Mills Road, Highland Heights, 440-442-6766, saintpaschal.com Tuition: $5,145-$6,905 Grades: K-8# Students: 296 Faculty: 30 Avg. Class Size: 17 Receiving Financial Aid: 8% ST. PATRICK 127 Portage St., Kent, 330-673-7232, stpatskent.org Tuition: $3,000 Grades: K-8# Students: 210 Faculty: 22 Avg. Class Size: 16 Receiving Financial Aid: 20% ST. PETER SCHOOL (LORAIN) 3601 Oberlin Ave., Lorain, 440-282-9909, stpeterlorain.org Tuition: $5,500 Grades: K-8#* Students: 350 Faculty: 35 Avg. Class Size: 18 Receiving Financial Aid: 95% ST. PETER SCHOOL 35749 Center Ridge Road, North Ridgeville, 440-327-3212, stpeterschoolnr.org Tuition: $3,700 Grades: K-8# Students: 275 Faculty: 35 Avg. Class Size: 25 Receiving Financial Aid: 25% ST. RAPHAEL SCHOOL 525 Dover Center Road, Bay Village, 440-871-6760, saintraphaelparish-school. com

ST. JUDE SCHOOL 594 Poplar St., Elyria, 440-366-1681, stjudejaguars.org Tuition: $5,500 Grades: K-8# Students: 500 Faculty: 100 Avg. Class Size: 25 Receiving Financial Aid: 65% ST. MARK 15724 Montrose Ave., Cleveland, 216-5214115, stmarkwestpark.com Tuition: $5,500 Grades: K-8# Students: 411 Faculty: 27 Avg. Class Size: 23 Receiving Financial Aid: 98% ST. MARY (AKRON) 750 South Main St., Akron, 330-253-1233, stmaryakron.com Tuition: $5,500 Grades: K-8 Students: 220 Faculty: 20 Avg. Class Size: 22 Receiving Financial Aid: 100% ST. MARY SCHOOL CHARDON 401 North St., Chardon, stmaryschoolchardon.org440-286-3590, Tuition: $4,500-$5,600 Grades: K-8#* Students: 165 Faculty: 25 Avg. Class Size: 18 Receiving Financial Aid: 20% ST. MARY SCHOOL (ELYRIA) 237 Fourth St., Elyria, 440-322-2808, stmarycatholicschoolelyria.com Tuition: $6,000 Grades: K-8 Students: 101 Faculty: 19 Avg. Class Size: 11 Receiving Financial Aid: 100% ST. MARY OF ASSUMPTIONTHESCHOOL 8540 Mentor Ave., Mentor, 440-255-9781, stmarymentorschool.org Tuition: $3,550-$4,600 Grades: K-8# Students: 275 Faculty: 27 Avg. Class Size: 17 Receiving Financial Aid: 90% ST. MARY BYZANTINE CATHOLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 4600 State Road, Cleveland, 216-749-7980, stmarybyzantine.com Tuition: $5,500 Grades: K-8# Students: 160 Faculty: 13 Avg. Class Size: 18 Receiving Financial Aid: 100% ST. MARY OF THE FALLS 8262 Columbia Road, Olmsted Falls, 440235-4580, stmaryofthefallsschool.com Tuition: $3,525-$4,975 Grades: K-8# Students: 210 Faculty: 35 Avg. Class Size: 23 Receiving Financial Aid: 15%

Tuition: $4,590 Grades: K-8* Students: 612 Faculty: 37 Avg. Class Size: 23 Receiving Financial Aid: 5% ST. ROCCO PARISH SCHOOL 3205 Fulton Road, Cleveland, 216-9618557, saintroccoschoolcle.org Tuition: $5,500 Grades: K-8# Students: 136 Faculty: 14 Avg. Class Size: 14 Receiving Financial Aid: 99% ST. SEBASTIAN PARISH SCHOOL 500 Mull Ave., Akron, stsebastian.org/school330-836-9107, Tuition: $4,350 Grades: K-8# Students: 335 Faculty: 24 Avg. Class Size: 19 Receiving Financial Aid: 7% ST. STANISLAUS SCHOOL • 6615 Forman Ave., Cleveland, 216-8833307, saintstanislaus.us Tuition: $5,000 Grades: K-8* Students: 204 Faculty: 21 Avg. Class Size: 16 Receiving Financial Aid: 99% ST. THOMAS MORE SCHOOL 4180 N. Amber Drive, Brooklyn, 216-7491660, stmschool.com Tuition: $5,600 Grades: K-8#* Students: 147 Faculty: 11 Avg. Class Size: 18 Receiving Financial Aid: 35%

Tuition: $4,620 Grades: K-8 Students: 525 Faculty: 60 Avg. Class Size: 21 Receiving Financial Aid: 14% ST. IGNATIUS OF ANTIOCH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL • 10205 Lorain Ave., Cleveland, stignatiusofantioch-school.online216-671-0535, Tuition: $4,650 Grades: K-8#* Students: 270 Faculty: 18 Avg. Class Size: 20 Receiving Financial Aid: 98% ST. JEROME SCHOOL • 15100 Lake Shore Blvd., Cleveland stjeromecleveland.org/school216-486-3587, Tuition: $46,650 Grades: K-8# Students: 250 Faculty: 16 Avg. Class Size: 25 Receiving Financial Aid: 90% ST. JOAN OF ARC SCHOOL 498 E. Washington St., Chagrin Falls, 440247-6530, stjoanofarc.org Tuition: $5,040 Grades: K-8 Students: 150 Faculty: 15 Avg. Class Size: 16 Receiving Financial Aid: 15% ST. JOSEPH PARISH SCHOOL (AMHERST) 175 St. Joseph Drive, Amherst, 440-9884244, sjsamherst.org Tuition: $4,650 Grades: K-8# Students: 190 Faculty: 16 Avg. Class Size: 24 Receiving Financial Aid: 40% ST. JOSEPH PARISH SCHOOL (AVON) 32946 Electric Blvd., Avon, 440-933-6233, stjosephparishschool.org Tuition: $4,175 Grades: K-8# Students: 227 Faculty: 23 Avg. Class Size: 18 Receiving Financial Aid: 13%

ST. VINCENT DE PAUL PARISH SCHOOL

17 S. Maple St., Akron, stvincentelementary.com330-762-5912, Tuition: $6,200 Grades: K-8# Students: 195 Faculty: 17 Avg. Class Size: 22 Receiving Financial Aid: 20% STS. ROBERT AND WILLIAM SCHOOL 351 E. 260th St., Euclid, 216-731-3060, srwschool.cc Tuition: $5,650 Grades: K-8#* Students: 410 Faculty: 25 Avg. Class Size: 25 Receiving Financial Aid: 100% SETON CATHOLIC SCHOOL 6923 Stow Road, Hudson, 330-342-4200, setoncatholicschool.org Tuition: $6,395 Grades: K-8# Students: 462 Faculty: 52 Avg. Class Size: 25 Receiving Financial Aid: 18% CHRISTIAN BETHEL CHRISTIAN ACADEMY 12901 W. Pleasant Valley Road, Parma, 440842-8575, bcakids.org Tuition: $4,670-$5,215 Grades: K-8# Students: 156 Faculty: 17 Avg. Class Size: 14 Receiving Financial Aid: 80% CHRISTIANCORNERSTONEACADEMY 2846 SOM Center Road, Willoughby Hills, 440-497-0733, ccacornerstone.com Tuition: $6,350 Grades: K-8†# Students: 370 Faculty: 47 Avg. Class Size: 18 Receiving Financial Aid: 25% CUYAHOGA VALLEY CHRISTIAN ACADEMY 4687 Wyoga Lake Road, Cuyahoga Falls, 330-929-0575, cvcaroyals.org Tuition: $8,085-$9,750 Grades: 6-8*† # Students: 340 Faculty: 35 Avg. Class Size: 20 Receiving Financial Aid: 40% PARMA CHRISTIANHEIGHTSACADEMY 8971 W. Ridgewood Drive, Parma Heights, 440-845-8668, phcawarriors.com Tuition: $4,550 Grades: K-6*# Students: 145 Faculty: 12 Avg. Class Size: 23 Receiving Financial Aid: 55% RAMAH CHRISTIAN ACADEMY 4770 Lee Road, Cleveland, ramahchristianacademy.org216-581-2626, Tuition: $5,800 Grades: K-8* Students: 180 Faculty: 15 Avg. Class Size: 20 Receiving Financial Aid: 95% VALLEY CHRISTIAN ACADEMY’ 1037 East Blvd., Aurora, 330-562-8191, valleychristian.com Tuition: $6,560 Grades: K-8#* Students: 156 Faculty: 20 Avg. Class Size: 19 Receiving Financial Aid: 31% SUMMIT CHRISTIAN SCHOOL 3313 Northampton Road, Cuyahoga Falls, 330-762-3382, summitchristianschool.net Tuition: $5,500 Grades: K-8 Students: 255 Faculty: 20 Avg. Class Size: 16 Receiving Financial Aid: 80%

Private72 schools

SEPTEM B E R 8 - 18 , 2022

O F J E W I SH CIN E M A

CLEVELAND JEWISH MANDEL JCC T H E BEST

film fest

JEWISH FUCHS MIZRACHI SCHOOL 26600 Shaker Blvd, Beachwood, 216-932-0220, fuchsmizrachi.org Tuition: $13,000-$20,000 Grades: K-8#*† Students: 413 Faculty: 70 Avg. Class Size: 25 Receiving Financial Aid: 50% GROSS SCHECHTER DAY SCHOOL’ 27601 Fairmount Blvd., Pepper Pike, 216763-1400, grossschechter.org Tuition: $13,650 Grades: K-8* Students: 126 Faculty: 25 Avg. Class Size: 11 Receiving Financial Aid: 31% HEBREW ACADEMY OF CLEVELAND 1800 Warrensville Center Road, Cleveland, 216-382-3300, hac1.org Tuition: $12,200 Grades: K-8†#* Students: 1,018 Faculty: 120 Avg. Class Size: 20 Receiving Financial Aid: 80% JOSEPH AND FLORENCE MANDEL JEWISH DAY SCHOOL • 26500 Shaker Blvd., Beachwood, 216-287-5958, mandeljds.org Tuition: $12,200 Grades: K-8*# Students: 350 Faculty: 100 Avg. Class Size: 12 Receiving Financial Aid: 55% THE LIPPMAN SCHOOL • 750 White Pond Drive, Akron, 330-836-0419, thelippmanschool.org Tuition: $12,320 Grades: K-8# Students: 105 Faculty: 20 Avg. Class Size: 12 Receiving Financial Aid: 75% LUTHERAN BETHANY LUTHERAN SCHOOL 6041 Ridge Road, Parma, 440-884-1010, bethanyparmaschool.org Tuition: N/A Grades: K-8# Students: 230 Faculty: 20 Avg. Class Size: 25 Receiving Financial Aid: N/A HOLY LUTHERANCROSSSCHOOL 4260 Rocky River Drive, Cleveland, 216-941-2770, hclcas.org Tuition: $5,500 Grades: K-8# Students: 69 Faculty: 8 Avg. Class Size: 9 Receiving Financial Aid: 100% LUTHERANLAKEWOODSCHOOL 14560 Madison Ave., Lakewood, 216-2216941, lakewoodlutheranschool.com Tuition: $5,400 Grades: K-8# Students: 25 Faculty: 6 Avg. Class Size: 8 Receiving Financial Aid: 100% LUTHER MEMORIAL SCHOOL • 4464 Pearl Road, Cleveland, 216-749-5300, lmslancers.org Tuition: $6,000 Grades: K-8# Students: 200 Faculty: 10 Avg. Class Size: 22 Receiving Financial Aid: 100% MESSIAH LUTHERAN SCHOOL 4401 W. 215th St., Fairview Park, 440-331-6553, messiahfairview.org Tuition: $8,235 Grades: K-8# Students: 109 Faculty: 15 Avg. Class Size: 12 Receiving Financial Aid: 100% REDEEMER CHRISTIAN SCHOOL 2141 Fifth St., Cuyahoga Falls, 330-923-1280, redeemerlutheran.us Tuition: $5,500 Grades: K-8*# Students: 90 Faculty: 12 Avg. Class Size: 14 Receiving Financial Aid: 69% ROYAL REDEEMER LUTHERAN SCHOOL • 11680 Royalton Road, North Royalton, 440237-7988, rrls.org Tuition: $5,050 Grades: K-8#* Students: 225 Faculty: 27 Avg. Class Size: 17 Receiving Financial Aid: 65% ST. JOHN LUTHERANNOTTINGHAMSCHOOL 1027 E. 176th St., Cleveland, 216-5311156, stjohnnottingham.org/school Tuition: $5,500 Grades: K-8* Students: 130 Faculty: 13 Avg. Class Size: 15 Receiving Financial Aid: 100% ST. PAUL WESTLAKE • 27981 Detroit Road, Westlake, 440-835-3051, stpaulwestlake.org Tuition: $4,995 Grades: K-8# Students: 180 Faculty: 16 Avg. Class Size: 20 Receiving Financial Aid: 25% ST. THOMAS LUTHERAN SCHOOL 21211 Detroit Road, Rocky River, 440-331-4426, stcr.org Tuition: $3,600 Grades: K#* Students: 45 Faculty: 5 Avg. Class Size: 10 Receiving Financial Aid: 0% NO AFFILIATIONRELIGIOUS OSBORNEANDREWSACADEMY 38588 Mentor Ave., Willoughby, 440-942-3600, andrewsosborne.org Tuition: $14,537-$20,476 Grades: K-8†# Students: 131 Faculty: 25 Avg. Class Size: 14 Receiving Financial Aid: 30%

Explore. Educate. Entertain. From dramatic to humorous, the 16th annual FilmFest presents powerful, entertaining and award-winning films for all movie lovers.

The 11-day festival showcases 30 films from 10 countries. Find your favorite and purchase tickets at mandeljcc.org/filmfest.

SCHOOLBIRCHWOODOFHAWKEN

SOUTH SUBURBAN MONTESSORI SCHOOL • 4450 Oakes Road, Brecksville, 440-526-1966, ssmsmontessori.net Tuition: $9,390-$9,620 Grades: K-8#* Students: 100 Faculty: 18 Avg. Class Size: 15 Receiving Financial Aid: 15%

22-0717

THE NEST SCHOOL • 27390 Center Ridge Road, Westlake, 440-835-2929, thenestschool.com Tuition: $190 per week Grades: K#* Students: 18 Faculty: 1 Avg. Class Size: 10 Receiving Financial Aid: 1% OLD TRAIL SCHOOL • 2315 Ira Road, Bath Twp., 330-666-1118, oldtrail.org Tuition: $19,850-$23,020 Grades: K-8#* Students: 350 Faculty: 55 Avg. Class Size: 15 Receiving Financial Aid: 30% RUFFING MONTESSORI SCHOOL 3380 Fairmount Blvd., Cleveland Heights, 216-321-7571, ruffingmontessori.net Tuition: $13,650-$17,700 Grades: K-8#* Students: 203 Faculty: 34 Avg. Class Size: 20 Receiving Financial Aid: 26% RUFFING MONTESSORI SCHOOL 1285 Orchard Park Drive, Rocky River, 440333-2250, ruffingmontessori.org Tuition: $11,900 Grades: K-8# Students: 252 Faculty: 40 Avg. Class Size: 28 Receiving Financial Aid: 16%

SPRING GARDEN WALDORF SCHOOL• 1791 Jacoby Road, Copley, 330-666-0574, sgws.org Tuition: $9,733 Grades: K-8#* Students: 130 Faculty: 14 Avg. Class Size: 16 Receiving Financial Aid: 33% UNIVERSITY SCHOOL 20701 Brantley Road, Shaker Heights, 216321-8260, us.edu Tuition: $24,360-$34,740 Grades: K-8†# Students: 444 Faculty: 116 Avg. Class Size: 14 Receiving Financial Aid: 60% URBAN COMMUNITY SCHOOL 4909 Lorain Ave., Cleveland, 216-9398330, urbancommunityschool.org Tuition: $12,360Grades: K-8#* Students: 568 Faculty: 51 Avg. Class Size: 21 Receiving Financial Aid: 99% VALLEY CHRISTIAN ACADEMY • 1037 East Blvd., Aurora, 330-562-8191, valleychristian.com Tuition: $3,400-$7,100 Grades: K-8#* Students: 165 Faculty: 40 Avg. Class Size: 18 Receiving Financial Aid: 40%

The right education can boost your lifetime earning power by hundreds of thousands of d llars. Start now with a college education you can afford. $ tri-c.edu/startnow

4400 W. 140th St., Cleveland, 216-251-2321, birchwoodschool.org Tuition: $11,975 Grades: K-8#*Students: 230 Faculty: 51 Avg. Class Size: 13 Receiving Financial Aid: 45% HANNA PERKINS SCHOOL 19910 Malvern Road, Shaker Heights, 216991-4472, hannaperkins.org Tuition: $3,900-$12,000 Grades: K#* Students: 24 Faculty: 8 Avg. Class Size: 18 Receiving Financial Aid: 40% HATHAWAY BROWN SCHOOL 19600 North Park Blvd., Shaker Heights, 216-932-4214, hb.edu Tuition: $23,100-$33,100 Grades: K-8†#* Students: 323 Faculty: 43 Avg. Class Size: 14 Receiving Financial Aid: 34% HAWKEN SCHOOL 5000 Clubside Drive, Lyndhurst, 440-423-4446, hawken.edu Tuition: $23,300-$35,280 Grades: K-8†#* Students: 586 Faculty: 88 Avg. Class Size: 16 Receiving Financial Aid: 39% HERSHEY MONTESSORI SCHOOL 10229 Prouty Road, Concord Twp., 440357-0918, hershey-montessori.org Tuition: $12,100-$47,610 Grades: K-6† #* Students: 111 Faculty: 20 Avg. Class Size: 18 Receiving Financial Aid: 28% HUDSON MONTESSORI SCHOOL’ 7545 Darrow Road, Hudson, 330-650-0424, hudsonmontessori.org Tuition: $13,890$16,630 Grades: K-8#* Students: 135 Faculty: 12 Avg. Class Size: 24 Receiving Financial Aid: 33% LAKE RIDGE ACADEMY 37501 Center Ridge Road, North Ridgeville, lakeridgeacademy.org440-327-1175, Tuition: $8,720-$29,800 Grades: K-8 † Students: 245 Faculty: 54 Avg. Class Size: 7 Receiving Financial Aid: 70% LAUREL SCHOOL 1 Lyman Circle, Shaker Heights, 216-464-1441, laurelschool.org Tuition: $19,700-$29,100 Grades: K-8†#* Students: 241 Faculty: 40 Avg. Class Size: 11 Receiving Financial Aid: 37% LAWRENCE LOWER SCHOOL’ 1551 E. Wallings Road, Broadview Heights, 440-526-0003, lawrenceschool.org Tuition: $19,036-$28,122 Grades: K-6 Students: 90 Faculty: 15 Avg. Class Size: 9 Receiving Financial Aid: 92%

Comic Relief

By Henry Palattella

Four years ago, Michael Busch moved to Cleveland without a plan. Now he’s reinventing how the city thinks about sketch comedy.

Photographed by Jeani Brechbill Photography

THE BONES OF BUSCH’S IMPROV TRAINING are on display on a warm July night in Ohio City’s Forest City Brewery.

Since June, Busch has performed at and hosted Imposters' weekly comedy night at Forest City Brewery every Sunday. This particular evening kicks off with graduation performances from Imposters’ level-two and -three improv classes.

In 2002, Second City opened an outpost at the 13th Street Theatre in Playhouse Square. The opening created an initial buzz but didn't last long. The Chicago-based comedy-troupe closed its Cleveland location in 2003, leaving local sketch per formers reeling without a place to call their own.

“It left a bunch of performers in the city with no theater to perform at,” says Deena Nyer Mendlowitz, an instructor at Im posters Theater who got her start at Cleveland’s Second City.

Busch began his comedic journey while growing up in Men tor. As a kid he spent hours consuming reruns of Kids in the Hall on Comedy Central, where he was drawn to Dave Foley, who was able to steal a scene with a single word or facial expres sion. After graduating from high school, Busch attended Ohio University, where he helped start the sketch improv group Four Funny Guys and Matt. He spent four years in charming South east Ohio before heading to Los Angeles. “We didn’t have any other marketable skills,” Busch jokes.

when he says he wants to change Cleveland's comedy scene. Armed with metal-framed glasses, a soft voice and welcom ing smile, the 43-year-old Busch looks like a combination of your cool English teacher and the guy who fixes your laptop at Best Buy. His everyman presence combined with his comedic chops landed him appearances on several big television shows, with roles as diverse as a puzzled student (Community, season one, episode 24), the clapper on a fake television show (Key & Peele, season four, episode 11) and an angsty nerd (Pretty Little Liars, season four, episode five). But when Busch returned to Cleveland nearly five years ago, after spending 15 years entrenched in Los Angeles’ vibrant com edy scene, he felt like a man without a country.

M I C H A E L B U S C H

In many ways, Busch seems like the perfect person to lead Cleveland’s comedy scene to its next chapter. He’s a veteran of the major comedy scene and still holds connections (he flew out to Los Angeles last summer to shoot a few scenes for Nope, director Jordan Peele’s new film), but he's also a Northeast Ohio native who understands Cleveland and what the city needs. “Most midsized cities have at least one place dedicated to improv comedy,” he says. “Cleveland has zero.”

T J O K I N G BUSCHMICHAELCOURTESY

A pack of groundhogs, a bonobo monkey running a night club and the ‘Juicy Fruit killer,’ stole the scenes. One group went so far as to dub themselves ‘Anime Michael Busch’ — perform ing their set while sporting shirts with Busch’s face on it. “I had no clue they were going to do that,” Busch says with an ear-to-ear grin. When Busch takes the stage, one of his group’s scenes has evolved into him role-playing as a son who brought home a seven-foot-tall statue of Scooby-Doo — much to the chagrin of his dinner-party hosting mother. As Busch continually tries (and fails) to hide the “statue” (played by fellow performer Jamie Holloman), laughter echoes throughout the brewery. It's all laughs now, but the improv comedy scene in Cleve land has had its ups and downs.

CLEVELANDMAGAZINE.COM 75

But even as Busch trudged across Cuyahoga County without a permanent comedic home, he felt compelled to help the place that developed him.

This past year, he’s been the catalyst for the kind of change he’d like to see in Cleveland as the founder of Imposters The ater, a group that focuses on improv, sketch and alternative comedy in a theater on Professor Avenue in Tremont. But he’s about to do a whole lot more. As Busch has been teaching and cultivating Cleveland’s theater scene, he’s also been working on opening a new, pro fessional theater space for comedy in Cleveland. This month, that dream comes true at the new Imposters Theater on Lorain Avenue, a 1,200-square-foot space that is primed to become the epicenter of the Cleveland sketch and improv scene. With a small stage, inviting windows and an intimate atmosphere, Busch sees the place as much more than a theater. “Not only will it be a place for improv, sketch and alternative comedy but also a place where people have fun,” he says.

With no Second City, the community started improv jams at pop-up locations across Tremont. One popular location for I S N’

So he came up with a plan: Head to an improv comedy the ater, join one of the groups and go from there. The only problem? There was no such theater. For two years, Busch existed in a comedy wilderness, teaching classes in peo ple’s basements and the backrooms of bars while also doing sketch and stand-up comedy at venues across the city.

When Imposters instructor Ryan Santa graduated from Case Western Reserve University in 2008, he immediately moved to Chicago and joined the Second City outpost there because there was no comedy scene in Cleveland at the time. Santa won ders whether he would've made the move if Northeast Ohio had a space like Imposters.

When Busch arrived back in Cleveland, he wasn’t sure how long he’d stay or how much comedy he’d be able to do. Now, four years later, he’s turned into Cleveland’s king of comedy after opening up the first space dedicated to sketch comedy in the city since Second City closed 20 years ago.

“I saw them performing improv and was like, I miss it,” says Atchison, who also did sketch comedy at Ohio University and now performs in Busch’s improv group. "I joined, and I’ve been doing it ever since." Despite not having a dedicated space, Cleveland’s improv scene continued to grow thanks to comics like Mendlowitz and Atchison putting on shows of their own while still performing in groups. The city’s comic heartbeat wasn’t in a specific place; it throbbed throughout the community. Performances were often held in bars, studios and nontraditional spaces like "the apart ment" stage at Mahall's 20 Lanes in Lakewood.

“People go to Chicago because that’s where the stages are,” Santa says. “Giving Cleveland a theater for comedy will give people a reason to stay.”

“The biggest thing about having a dedicated space is that you’re getting students to come in, which means you’re build ing a community,” Mendlowitz says. “We’ve been craving that.”

With that, Imposters gained a physical home. While it wasn’t the biggest space, it had just enough room for Busch and his fellow instructors to teach comedy classes in a safe, secure and judgment-free environment. As Imposters’ numbers began to grow, so did Busch’s dreams. Not long after opening the teach ing space, he began to put his mind toward a permanent space. He purchased the new theater on Lorain Avenue in the spring. Renovations began soon after. In June, Busch initiated a Kickstarter to raise money for the startup and build-out costs, with pledge prizes ranging from t-shirts to naming a toilet. In a month, the campaign raised more than $22,000, beating its set goal of $20,000.

performances was Visible Voice Books. The independent Trem ont bookstore is where Dionne Atchison got her improv start.

76 CLEVELAND 09.22 BUSCHMICHAELCOURTESY

WHILE IMPOSTERS may be a full-fledged comedy theater now, it's still a construction site when I visit in July. Despite paint cans and hammers, Busch’s enthusiasm is palpable, pointing out where things would go as we tour the one-story space.

Then, in August 2021, Busch and Imposters earned the Trem ont West Development Corp.’s Small Business Incubator Pro gram. The prize? Three months of free rent and seven months of below-market rent at a 400-square-foot space on Professor Avenue in Tremont.

And while this new theater won’t put Cleveland on the same level as Chicago or Los Angeles, it’s a step in the right direction toward growing our own scene.

“Cleveland has the opportunity to be a mid-sized Midwest city with a solid, well-rounded comedy scene,” says Busch, who believes his house of improv is a missing piece to a comedy scene rich with stand-ups like Mary Santora and Mike Polk. “It’ll be great to have our own place where people can congre gate after a show and allow for the community to grow.”

“When I came back, I didn’t know if I’d be here for two weeks or two years. I just kind of came back with an open mind,” he says. “But it’s turned into an incredible experience, and I’ve loved being able to build something here in Cleveland.”

The corner covered in dust and paint cans is the stage, he says, before motioning to the future location of about 50 seats. The bar, which is currently covered in clutter, is at the front of the venue. One can imagine patrons sitting and drinking in the area by the front-facing windows. As he bounces around the room, Busch marvels at the op portunities this new venue will bring, ranging from more inti mate comedy shows to the chance for touring comics to host local workshops. Behind those glasses, his eyes light up as if he's already envisioning the scenes.

In March 2020, he took tangible steps towards making his dream of establishing a comedy venue in Cleveland a reality. He registered the business name “Imposters Comedy LTD” just weeks before the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the world. Luckily for Busch, most of Imposters’ classes and production could be managed virtually, meaning he was still able to teach comedy even as the world shut down.

As Busch became more and more involved in that communi ty, he kept going back to the same thought: “There should be a venue dedicated to this.”

PLUS An update on new schools SERVING: Eastlake • Kirtland • Lakeline • Timberlake • Wickliffe • Willoughby • Willoughby Hills • Willowick Local businesses find creative ways to hire and retain employees. BuildingTeam DIRECTORYMEMBERCHAMBERINSIDE: SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL SECTION Presented by

For a full list of hours and specialties, visit ClevelandClinic.org/LakeCounty. Express Care is available. LAKE COUNTY Mentor Hospital Opening 2023 Madison Rehabilitation and Sports Therapy Madison Medical Office Building Concord Medical Outpatient Center Consultants in Gastroenterology Mentor Medical Office Building Mentor Rehabilitation and Sports Therapy Willoughby Hills Family Health Center Willoughby Hills Behavioral Health Willoughby Hills Rehabilitation and Sports Therapy Mentor Hospital (Opening 2023) Close to you in Lake County. 10 locations 200+ providers 40+ specialties Coming soon. Willoughby Hills Family Physicians

Karen W. Tercek, President/CEO Willoughby Western Lake County Chamber of Commerce 440-942-1632wwlcchamber.com

BUILDING TOWARD THE FUTURE

SCHWARTZDAVIDCOVER:

The Willoughby Western Lake County Chamber of Commerce has worked hard this year to help our businesses continue to grow with educational marketing workshops, networking meetings and many other events to bring businesses together and help them thrive. We also collaborate with other Lake County organizations to bring workforce development events such as the Lake County job fair and the Lake County Think Manufacturing Student Expo, which help our members identify and hire employees.

Future CONTENTS4 Future Ready New schools are assets to the community. 6 Building a Solid Workforce Local businesses are finding creative ways to hire and retain employees. 10 Chamber Member Listings 2022 Meghan Wickline, owner of Fiona's, and some of her employees ON THE COVER

DESIGN/BUILD • CONSTRUCTION MANAGMENT • MULTI-FAMILY HOUSING • SPECIAL PROJECTS • SITE • CARPENTRY & INTERIOR FINISHES

Looking Toward a Brighter

CLEVELANDMAGAZINE.COM WWLC3

Committed to our clients, employees and community for over four decades. 36933 Vine Street | Willoughby, OH 44094 | 440.951.3904 | marousbrothers.com

DESIGN/BUILD • CONSTRUCTION MANAGMENT • MULTI-FAMILY HOUSING • SPECIAL PROJECTS • SITE • CARPENTRY & INTERIOR FINISHES

BUILDING TOWARD THE FUTURE

Committed to our clients, employees and community for over four decades. 36933 Vine Street | Willoughby, OH 44094 | 440.951.3904 | marousbrothers.com

THE WILLOUGHBY WESTERN LAKE County Chamber of Commerce is happy to see how many of our business chamber members have weathered the storm over the past two years! Many of our businesses have come back stronger than their 2021 revenues, and we look forward to seeing our businesses continue to build momentum. This special insert shares what some of our business members are doing to tackle ongoing workforce challenges. Hopefully, as we continue to share ideas on this topic, it will help all of us as businesses find new ways to hire, engage and retain employees. Also, in this insert, we learn about the new kindergarten through senior high school that is under construction in Wickliffe, as well as two recently built high schools in the Willoughby-Eastlake School District. Strong and updated schools draw residents to our communities, which also draws businesses. We are excited to see this new educational infrastructure in our communities.

Looking to grow your business? The Willoughby Western Lake County Chamber of Commerce can connect you with more than 500 other local businesses and owners in western Lake County as well as provide business discount benefits, leadership training and economic devel opment resources. Business growth is only a membership away. Invest 10 minutes to learn more about the WWLCC.

“While there is some movement in small districts to go to a single building campus, it’s relatively unique in the state of Ohio,” Spiccia says.

The two-story new build for Wickliffe School District will house pre-K through 12th grade in one modern complex that is both on time and on budget for a June 2023 completion in preparation for the start of the 2023-2024 school year, says superintendent Joe Spiccia.

The result will be a welcoming, parklike campus that incorporates spaces that will greatly expand opportunities for the curriculum and enhanced learning, provide students better collaborative spaces and promote flexible classrooms.

A collaborative, multi-year imagining effort coupled with unparalleled community support has been the real ground broken for the new Wickliffe Cam pus, a 205,000-square-foot building designed to embrace new ways to educate and inspire the district’s 1,400 students.

NEW LAKE COUNTY SCHOOLS ARE DESIGNED TO MEET THE NEEDS OF A DIVERSE GROUP OF STUDENTS AS WELL AS THE COMMUNITY.

READYFUTURE Garden Courtyard

Reimagination of Education

The district’s original plan in 2017 was to renovate its aging school buildings. “Our cur rent middle school and elementary school are both almost 115 years old and in poor shape,” he adds. “We discovered that it was more expensive actually to do the renovation than to look at a new construction project.”

The priority is to ensure that students are future ready and that the district provides well-designed curriculum and programs to meet the needs of a diverse group of stu dents, Spiccia says. “We wanted to create a space that was going to help students and the community become successful in whatever it is they want to become,” he adds. “Our thinking behind that was first to empower staff to use the skills and the knowledge and the experiences they have to create a great educational pro gram, and second to create a building which the community can be really proud of.”

Through an inspired and exhaustive process Spiccia calls the “reimagination of education,” led by the district’s director of strategic innovation, Julie Ramos, the district examined every one of its practices and every thing that happens inside the school building. “For the past year and a half, every month we met individually with all licensed staff members in the district, every single teacher, every single school counselor,” Spiccia says. “We also meet every single week with students, and we meet once a month with community mem bers. And essentially the question is: If you could build an educational program, what would it look like? What is the dream out there? Why do we do what we do and is that the best way to do it?”

WWLC4 CLEVELAND 09.22 DISTRICTSCHOOLWICKLIFFECOURTESY

For example, the district’s preschool, kinder garten, first- and second-grade students will be in traditional, self-contained classrooms, but beginning in the third grade, students will not have one single teacher but rather move from place to place based on their needs. “We will do a lot of progress monitoring and formative assessment to determine where students belong,” says Spiccia, referencing the concept that a student who excels in reading in the fourth grade could move easily to join a ninth grade reading group and then shift to another level for science or English. Before, this fluidity to match advanced students with a personalized educational plan wasn’t possible when grades and curriculum were separated in different school buildings.

BY CHRISSY KADLECK

In November 2019, voters generously supported a $60 million bond issue to build the campus, which will replace all of the district’s existing school buildings. The con struction, which is on the site of the current high school, officially began in May 2021.

Humanities Hub Community Hub and Media Center

Other important considerations were color schemes that have been shown to promote a sense of calm and versatile fur niture choices. “Almost all of our furniture can be adjusted for the size of students, and you’ll find very flexible arrangements that include standing desks, high-top table desks as well as traditional desks — whatever it is that helps students be most successful,” Spiccia says. In addition, the new facility will have im proved athletic areas, a beautiful performing arts center that seats 500 and the expansion of the Family Resource Center, a community center that offers free services to many who are in need.

South High School

During the planning phases of the con struction for South High School, the district collaborated with the city of Willough by and the YMCA and built shared spaces to keep costs down and provide additional opportunities for all community members. “Including shared spaces in our construc tion projects has given all community members an asset that Willoughby-Eastlake is proud to provide,” Thompson adds. North High School

Large group spaces have also been incor porated into the modern design to create more of a collegiate feel for older students. For instance, there will be a coffee shop type space where students can go when they have a free period, replacing the herded feeling of study halls.

Building Design

“There will be opportunities for our older kids to work with our younger kids as aca demic tutors, as mentors, as supportive role models,” Spiccia says. “I have a great deal of confidence and faith in young people. What we know is going to happen is every single one of our students will benefit from having a broad range of ages.”

CLEVELANDMAGAZINE.COM WWLC5

SCHOOLSCITYWILLOUGHBY-EASTLAKECOURTESY

Assets to the Community

The new Willoughby South and Eastlake North high schools opened in 2019 and ushered in a new era of structured learning for students in grades 9 through 12 in the Willoughby-Eastlake School District. Both schools were designed to facilitate collaborative learning coupled with partnerships to expand learning opportunities for students. For example, there are kiosks managed by Cardinal Credit Union. The Credit Union sends employees to the school to run the kiosks, and students work with the banking partner. This enables them to learn finance and banking skills. The district was also able to incorporate the most up-to-date safety measures. For exam ple, 3M film has been installed on windows to delay access of an intruder. There are also cameras throughout the buildings, as well as bullpen entrances and secured entrances. “Building new schools is an opportunity that very few districts have the chance to experience. It was my privilege to come together with staff members, students and the citizens in the community to be able to provide safe, state-of-the-art facilities that will serve students for generations to come,” says superintendent Stephen L. Thompson.

JACKSONSHARONCOURTESY

Early Steps Learning Centers serve about 160 children on a daily basis across the three childcare centers, nearly a 50% decrease compared to pre-pandemic numbers, and most of that is the result of a workforce shortage, Jackson says. “We have wait lists for people trying to get in, but we don’t have additional staff to in crease enrollment. We’ve also had to reduce our hours,” she says.

BY CHRISSY

Early Steps Learning Center

EXPERTS EXPLAIN WHY FINDING EMPLOYEES IS SO CHALLENGING RIGHT NOW, AND FIVE LOCAL BUSINESSWOMEN SHARE CREATIVE WAYS THEY’RE NAVIGATING THE LABOR SHORTAGE. KADLECK

If you’re a job seeker looking for a new opportunity with increased pay and a hybrid or flexible work schedule, there has not been a better time in recent years.

He said there are still a lot of challenges that are keeping people out of the workforce, most notably childcare. Not only have many childcare facilities closed as a result of the pandemic, people who are on the lower end of wage levels are staying home because they either don’t have or can’t afford childcare. That being said, a lot of companies are responding to workforce development chal lenges by focusing on retention and provid ing flexibility. On the following pages, we’ll hear from five local businesswomen who are helping their companies stay successful while navigating the labor shortage.

If you’re an employer, not so much. Em ployers, especially those in the manufactur ing sector, are having to do some corporate soul searching to differentiate themselves to attract quality candidates from a shrinking pool of workers.

Tim Bleich, president of Vector Techni cal, which has been connecting companies to job candidates for 30 years, says the last two and a half years have made people a lot more“Theyself-reflective.arelooking at ‘what’s most import ant to me,’ and a lot of people are moving into better-paying positions and better career opportunities,” says Bleich, who works with a lot of manufacturing companies in the area. “When they polled the top reasons for voluntarily leaving a position, for Gen Z and millennials, the number one reason was growth opportunities; for baby boomers, the number one reason was better compensa tion.” Bleich notes that candidate flow and quality have improved significantly thanks to overdue wage increases.

Sharon Jackson, owner and CFO of the company, which has three centers — two in Richmond Heights and one in Wickliffe — says there isn’t a playbook or business model she can reference to help her navi gate a pandemic.

It’s clearly an employees’ market, says Jim Levine, owner of Express Employment Profes sionals; he owns two of the area’s job placement offices and he’s doubled his staff and produc tion between 2020 and 2021.

—Sharon Jackson

“There are a lot of things going on in terms of increased pay and benefits, signing bonuses and all kinds of things to attract people,”

Retention and hiring bonuses, enhanced benefit packages and a 20% increase in wages across the board are some of the ways Early Steps Learning Center is trying to attract quality employees to its childcare centers.

Jackson’s centers were open during the pan demic shutdown for frontline workers, so her staff never got a break. “Internally, the biggest impact is mentally trying to figure out a way that we can help our core staff with the stressful work environment, because if you have limited staff, you don’t have as much flexibility in scheduling and giving time off to use all their vacation time and personal days," she adds.

“You have to kind of be creative, try to think out of the box and try to look at your business and say, ‘What is it that we value? What is our mission? What is it that we are trying to accomplish and what’s the best way to do it?’” says Jackson, who opened her business in 2003. Her centers care for infants through school age, from six weeks to age 12. “We’ve been tremendously impacted from the standpoint of finding quality staff members who have the credentials to be able to work in our preschools and work with the children but at the same time trying to keep our current workforce in a place where they are motivated and feel as though they are being valued for basically hanging in there through the last two years,” Jackson says.

BUILDING WORKFORCESOLIDA

“You have to kind of be creative, try to think out of the box ... ”

Levine says, adding that he has seen pay in crease an average of 24%. “But from a recruit ing perspective, it’s extremely challenging. We already saw the handwriting on the wall of a smaller workforce and the shortage of skilled trades. The pandemic definitely exacerbated that situation, and there’s a number of people that, for a variety of reasons, are not willing or not able to return to the workforce.”

WWLC6 CLEVELAND 09.22 JACKSONSHARONCOURTESY

API-Trucast

Fiona’s Coffee Bar & Bakery

Universal Metal Products

“Hiring has definitely been difficult. There are just more open jobs than there are working people,” she says, adding that they have spent quite a bit of time working with staffing agencies in the area to get the company name and job openings out there, as well as partnering with Auburn Career Center to bring in apprentices from their machining program.

The company often hosts employee luncheons, bringing in food from popular eateries such as Barrio or Chick-Fil-A, or even picking up some pizzas.

“We’re the backbone of the workforce,” she says. “If there’s no childcare anywhere, then that’s going to place a hardship on people being able to actually go out to work.”

“We want everyone to feel like there’s room for improvement, and we’re going to help them achieve their goals for their own development path,” says Katy Baden, operations manager for API-Trucast and a member of the leadership team of its sister companies, which support the aerospace industry. Between the three operating com panies, approximately 130 employees work among the four facilities on Hammond Parkway in Willoughby.

BADENKATYCOURTESY/SCHWARTZDAVID

“We always try to make the work atmosphere—Meghanfun.”Wickline

“We also have a really nice benefit package that we offer our staff,” Jackson says. "We offer medical benefits, 401(k) plan with matching benefits, childcare discounts and scholarships for individuals who are interested in pursuing an early childhood education degree. As far as my current staff, we’ve paid them retention bonuses, we’ve increased our salaries sig nificantly, we have paid vacations, and we’ve added holidays to our benefit package.”

One way Jackson has tried to reward her team is by celebrating a Hero’s Day, where she closed the center on a Friday and gave her 20 employees a paid day off as a celebra tion of their dedication and hard work.

“We are extremely lucky in all of our busi nesses as far as employees go,” says Wickline. “In each restaurant, we have at least a hand ful who have been with us for a long time, which, in this business, you’re very lucky if you have people like that.” At Mickey’s, which just opened in April, Wickline employs mostly high school stu dents, and at Fiona’s it’s most college-aged kids in the summer. She employs about 18 people at each spot. “We always try to make the work atmo sphere fun,” she says. “It’s very welcoming and inviting at all of our restaurants, and it’s kind of like your family when you come in. I think that’s why a lot of people are attracted to working there.” She says her culture is built on appreciating her staff, whether it’s through a summer party, Christmas party, bonuses or offering all em ployees a 25% discount to the restaurants. “And I always say please and thank you,” Wickline adds. “I do appreciate every single person who works for me, and I do appre ciate every single thing that they bring to the business, because everybody brings something different.”

Building upon company values such as continuous improvement, the management team at API-Trucast and its sister compa nies of Apollo Products and Trucast have taken a holistic approach to attracting and retaining employees.

Partnering with Wickliffe High School, Universal Metal Products is building aware ness about the jobs that are available at its metal stamping plants and has been success ful in recruiting students to its workforce.

CLEVELANDMAGAZINE.COM WWLC7

They have identified key focuses such as work-life balance and flexible work sched ules. They also recently implemented an employee assistance program offering ser vices such as mental health counseling and financial counseling.

The companies have raised their starting rates after undertaking a job analysis to make sure people were being paid appropriately for their skill levels. In addition, they added layers to their organizational structure, so each department now offers more room for growth and development.

“We just try and do things to let them know that we do realize how important they are, that we wouldn’t be here without them, and we really do appreciate everything that they’re doing,” Baden says.

Unlike most in the service industry, Fiona’s Coffee Bar & Bakery has an overload of appli cants wanting to work at the popular breakfast and lunch spot in downtown Willoughby. The same goes for all the concepts owned by Meghan Wickline and her two brothers, in cluding Mickey’s, a new ice cream shop, as well as Nora’s Public House and The Wild Goose.

“We want everyone to feel like there’s room for improvement, and we’re going to help them achieve their goals for their own development path.”—Katy Baden

Stabilization grants from the state of Ohio earmarked for the childcare industry have helped. Those funds have been used toward recruitment, hiring, retention and to increase wages, as well as to offer signing bonuses.

Process Technology Opening a plant in Mexico was one way Process Technology has been able to combat the workforce crunch and labor shortage that continues to hamper its ability to deliver its highly technical products for the semicon ductor, surface finishing and electroplating industries as quickly as it would like. “I want to make all of our customers happy, which means I want to get them their product in a reasonable amount of time, and right now, it’s not a reasonable “Hiring is one thing, but retaining people is another.”—Kristin Jenkins

Other Products

Quality Gaskets from Quality People™ Rev 2021 GMIGaskets®

DieCut, Laminated, Slit and Calendered Rubber Sheet and all are available with Cloth Inserted Fabrics. All Products are available with FDA Metal Detectable and FDA X-Ray Detectable Powders and FDA Teflon® Powder for Improved Abrasion Resistance.

G-M-I, Inc.® 4822 East 355th Street, Willoughby, Ohio 44094-4634 USA Telefon/-Fax: 440-953-8811/-9631

G-M-I, Inc.® 4822 East 355th Street, Willoughby, Ohio 44094-4634 USA Telefon/-Fax: 440-953-8811/-9631 Email: gmiinc@msn.com Url: www.gmigaskets.com

GMIGaskets® Extruded Rubber Profiles

Plus Many More Extruded Rubber Profiles, Solid Rubber Cord and Tubing USDA Project No.: 13377

Quality Gaskets from Quality People™ Rev 2021

Molded Gaskets and Variable Capacity Tank Seals SS Orifice Plate, SS Perforated Disc, SS Screen, O-Ring & Custom Gaskets

Go Downtown Conveniently located at the Lloyd Road exit, Laketran’s new Wickliffe Transit Center offers seven weekday departures to get you to Downtown Cleveland with Park-n-Ride Route 12.

Plus Many More Extruded Rubber Profiles, Solid Rubber Cord and Tubing USDA Project No.: 13377

SS Orifice Plate, SS Perforated Disc, SS Screen, O-Ring & Custom Gaskets

With a total workforce of approximately 300 people, Universal has engaged in recruit ment efforts that have included job boards, TV, radio and corporate sponsorships — anything to attract potential new hires. “Competition in the labor market is the highest it’s ever been. Hiring is one thing, but retaining people is another,” Jenkins says. “Some things that we focus on are continuous communication with our em ployees, performance reviews and compen sationUniversaladjustments.”offersan attractive tool and die apprenticeship program and career paths for employees to build their skills so they find growth opportunities and stay with the company. “We do have a lot of longevity here, and we have some employees who have been there 20, 30, even 40 years,” Jenkins says, adding that they have an employee referral program that rewards employees for helping to recruit new hires. “We try to make new hires feel welcome and give them the tools and resources to do their job,” Jenkins adds.

Extruded Rubber Profiles

Other Products

Extruded Rubber Profiles

G-M-I, Inc.® 4822 East 355th Street, Willoughby, Ohio 44094-4634 USA Telefon/-Fax: 440-953-8811/-9631 Email: gmiinc@msn.com Url: www.gmigaskets.com

Extruded Rubber Profiles

Quality Gaskets from Quality People™ Rev 2021 Plus Many More Extruded Rubber Profiles, Solid Rubber Cord and Tubing GMIGaskets®

This USDA Officially Accepted Strainer Gasket is designed to eliminate any possibility of the Elastomer material migrating into any exposed perforations within the Elastomer ID of the Stainless Steel Barrier. Molded Gaskets and Variable Capacity Tank Seals

WWLC8 CLEVELAND 09.22 JENKINSKRISTINCOURTESY

SS Orifice Plate, SS Perforated Disc, SS Screen, O-Ring & Custom Gaskets

G-M-I, Inc.® 4822 East 355th Street, Willoughby, Ohio 44094-4634 USA Telefon/-Fax: 440-953-8811/-9631 Email: gmiinc@msn.com Url: www.gmigaskets.com Quality Gaskets from Quality People™ Rev 2021

Quality Gaskets from Quality People™ GMIGaskets®

“It’s a great way to build talent and introduce kids through our local commu nity around us,” says Kristin Jenkins, vice president, director of sales and diversity at Universal, whose main plant is in Wick liffe. “We also partner with vocational schools like Auburn, and we partner with AWT, the Alliance for Working Together, and also our local chamber of commerce to bring awareness of the manufacturing opportunities and what we do at Universal Products,” she says.

GMIGaskets®

Quality Gaskets from Quality People™ Rev 2021 GMIGaskets®

Molded Gaskets and Variable Capacity Tank Seals SS Orifice Plate, SS Perforated Disc, SS Screen, O-Ring & Custom Gaskets

Serving Routes:

Laketran Wickliffe Transit Center Park-n-Ride

Plus Many More Extruded Rubber Profiles, Solid Rubber Cord and Tubing USDA Project No.: 13377

Extruded Rubber Profiles

Other Products

Plus Many More Extruded Rubber Profiles, Solid Rubber Cord and Tubing

TTravel Locally Local Routes 2 & 3 travel to the Wickliffe Transit Center hourly connecting destinations such as Downtown Willoughby, Shoregate Shopping Center, Willoughby Commons, Pine Ridge Plaza, and Lakeland Community College

USDA Project No.: 13377

Plus Many More Extruded Rubber Profiles, Solid Rubber Cord and Tubing USDA Project No.: 13377

Other Products

Plus Many More Extruded Rubber Profiles, Solid Rubber Cord and Tubing USDA Project No.: 13377

Other Products

Molded Gaskets and Variable Capacity Tank Seals

Email: gmiinc@msn.com Url: www.gmigaskets.com

Extruded Rubber Profiles

G-M-I, Inc.® 4822 East 355th Street, Willoughby, Ohio 44094-4634 USA Telefon/-Fax: 440-953-8811/-9631 Email: gmiinc@msn.com Url: www.gmigaskets.com

CLEVELANDMAGAZINE.COM WWLC9

EDELMANMARIANACOURTESY

amount of time,” says Jody Richards, president and CEO of Process Technology, which serves additional industries such as flat panel display, nanotechnology, aero space, automotive, aquaculture, biomedical andThepharmaceutical.growingcompany, which employs about 300 people, has been in business more than 40 years and currently has its headquarters and R&D center in Willough by. Other than in 2020, Process Technology has grown double digits year over year for the past six years. Richards expects to dou ble sales this year, and then double them again next year. “I need a lot of people,” she says. “I need to be more Recruitmentefficient.”efforts have included a ban ner at Great Lakes Mall, job boards, recruit ing agencies, working with local schools, internship programs and referral incentives for current team members that pay out as much as $1,500. “We are constantly checking on the current wage rate and making sure that we’re compet itive,” Richards says. “We have extremely good benefits. Our individual and family pay for insurance is very low, and we have no copays. We offer some hybrid schedules and flexibility to those who work on the floor. We have tui tion reimbursement programs, and we believe strongly in professional development and send people to all kinds of conferences.” In addition to performance bonuses every year, Process Technology does a salary review every year and reviews every six months. They also have a 401(k) match dol lar for dollar up to 6% and 11 paid holidays. “We really do love to promote people from within, which goes back to continuing edu cation and professional development,” Rich ards says. “These people already understand the company, and you know that culturally they’re a good fit, and it’s good for them because they get a new opportunity to learn something else and to grow their salary.”

“We really do love to promote people from within, which goes back to continuing education and development.”professional—Jody Richards

Lakenetwork CONSULTING, ENVIRONMENTAL & SAFETY Training Services International CONTRACTOR/RESTORATION Classic Interior Completions PuroClean of Western Reserve CONTRACTOR/RESTORATION, RENTAL SUPPLIES & SERVICES, SERVICE INDUSTRIES Servicemaster by Disaster Recon CONTRACTORS Access Floor Specialists A.R.J. Inc. Dever Design & Build LLC Firenza Stone Inc. Great Lakes Crushing Ltd. Huffman Equipment Rental & Contracting Inc. J D M Enterprises LLC Klemenc Construction Co. Inc. Lake Erie Closets Inc. Lakeland Construction Group Lou Severino Construction LLC Marous Brothers Construction Inc. Trax Construction Co. Wiesler Painting & Decorating CONTRACTORS, CONCRETE, HOME IMPROVEMENT A-1 Concrete Leveling of Cleveland - East CONTRACTORS, DISTRIBUTORS Toku America Inc. CONTRACTORS, ELECTRICAL Kost Electric Inc. Streb Electric LLC

WWLC10 CLEVELAND 09.22

Sonny’s Diamond Shine Inc.

Third Federal Savings & Loan US Bank BOUTIQUE RETAIL/WHOLESALE TRADE Siopa Boutique BUILDER Biltmore Construction BUSINESS CONSULTANTS Top Sales Success Group LLC BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL CONSULTING Problem Solved Consulting BUSINESS SERVICES Processing Advisors Wick Willo Professional Building BUSINESS SERVICES, STAFFING & HR SERVICES Ultra Personnel LLC

First Baptist Church of Willowick First Presbyterian Church Historic Kirtland Visitors Center

Custom Cleaning & Maintenance Do It All Cleaning LLC Four Leaf Clover Office Cleaning Co. LLC

ACCOUNTANTS Hupp Tax Service HW & KeptnerCo.Accounting & Tax LLC Martinet Recchia Inc. Sadar Group, The Vitalone & Associates BUSINESSACCOUNTANTS,CONSULTANTS Bottom Line Accounting Solutions LLC ADVERTISING & MEDIA C. Pearson Trophy & Sales Co. Eagle Advertising Gold 93.7 FM Josie Passafiume - Advance LocalRepresenting The Plain Dealer and ValpakCleveland.com

PARTYCATERERS,CENTERS, RESTAURANTS/TAVERNS Normandy Catering and Party Center CATERERS, RESTAURANTS/TAVERNS Dino’s Catering La-Vera Party Center Regovich Catering St. Noel Banquet Center

CHAMBER LISTINGMEMBER

COMPUTER SERVICES Affordable-IT AXXON Technologies Burk Technology Inc. Exodus Integrity Services Inc. Griffin Technology Group

Tech Dynamix COMPUTER SERVICES, INTERNET WEBSITETELEPHONETECHNOLOGY,SERVICES,SYSTEMS,DESIGN

AUTOMOBILE SERVICE A-1 Mr. Limo BTA ClevelandAutomotiveCustom Detailing D&S Automotive Collision and Restyling Defender Auto Glass Finish Line Express Car Wash Krauss Garage Ltd. Leikin Motor Companies Mike Gisondo’s Auto Service Parts Pro Automotive Warehouse Rad Air of Wickliffe RTS Service Center Velotta Auto Service Vintage & Auto Rebuilds Inc. Willo WilloughbyWash Hills Auto Repair BAKERIES & CAFES Brice Brokerage Inc. Elsa’s Coffee Roasters The Sweets Geek BANKING INSTITUTIONS Dollar FirstERIEBANKBankFederal Lakewood Key Bank - Eastlake KeyBank - Willoughby Premier Bank The Middlefield Banking Co.

COMPUTER SERVICES, BUSINESS TELEPHONETECHNOLOGY,SERVICES,SYSTEMS

CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE Willoughby Western Lake County Chamber of Commerce

CHILD CARE Early Steps Learning Center Little Scholars Inc. Small Hands Big Dreams CHIROPRACTORS Aligned Chiropractic and Physical KirtlandChiroRehabilitationCLEChiropractic CHURCHES & ORGANIZATIONSRELIGIOUS

CHURCHES & ORGANIZATIONS,RELIGIOUS EDUCATION/TRAINING Center for Pastoral Leadership

Domenick Electric Sewer Cleaning Co.

CIVIC MEMBERS Linda Wise

ADVERTISING & MEDIA, BUSINESS SERVICES, GRAPHIC MARKETINGINTERNETDESIGN,SERVICES,&PUBLIC RELATIONS, PRINTING & PUBLISHING, WEBSITE DESIGN Meister Media Worldwide ADVERTISING & MEDIA, MARKETING & PUBLIC RELATIONS, WEBSITE DESIGN Mimi Digital & Print ANTIQUES & COLLECTIBLES Antiques & Uniques LLC Shops by the Lake APARTMENT & HOME RENTALS K&D Management LLC Moskowitz & Co. DBA Western Reserve Property Management Oak Hill Village ARCHITECTS Michael H. Wildermuth, AIA, Architect NRC ThenDesignInc. Architecture (TDA) ART GALLERIES/DEALERS Stella’sFinestraArt Gallery The Art Gallery ART RETAIL/WHOLESALEGALLERIES/DEALERSTRADE GV Art & Design LLC ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT FineAdobeArts Association ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT, RECREATION/PARKS Wickliffe Lanes Inc. ASSISTED LIVING CENTERS Brookdale Senior Living Solutions Mapleridge Senior Living Ohio Living Breckenridge Village Tapestry Senior Living Wickliffe ATTORNEYS & LAW FIRMS Buckley King, LPA Cardenas Ruple Kurt LLC DiCello DworkenLevitt&Bernstein Co., LPA Fortress Law Group Kurt Law Office Meyers Roman Friedberg & Lewis The Bangerter Law Office The Law Firm of Patrick J. Ebner LLC Tibaldi Law Office Wade Mitchell Mediation Wiles & Richards Attorneys at Law AUCTIONEERS Dempsey Auctions

CLEANING & MAINTENANCE SERVICES

CLEANING & MAINTENANCE SERVICES, CONTRACTOR/RESTORATION, SERVICE INDUSTRIES

EFFtechnologies LLC COMPUTER MARKETINGSERVICES,&PUBLICRELATIONS

AUTOMOBILE SALES & SERVICE Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram of Willoughby Classic SerpentiniLexusChevrolet of Willoughby

Milan Door Service CONTRACTORS, PLUMBING J.R. Sbrocco Plumbing Inc. Reeves Plumbing and Heating Co. Richards Plumbing

LIBRARIES Kirtland Public Library W-E Public Library, Administration W-E Public Library, Eastlake W-E Public Library, Willowick Wickliffe Public Library Willoughby Hills Public Library Willoughby-Eastlake Public Library

CREDIT UNIONS Cardinal Community Credit Union Eaton Family Credit Union DENTISTS Cary Goldstein, D.D.S. Center For Dental Health Kent A. Caserta, D.D.S. Inc Philip J Weiss, D.D.S. Ltd.

CLEVELANDMAGAZINE.COM WWLC11 Chamber Member Listing

Cranberry & Pine Beauty Great Clips - Willo Plaza Refined Design Hair Salon HEALTH & FITNESS CLUBS Aesthetic Essentials

StevenDavED DiFranco Jewelers LANDSCAPERS, LAWN CARE & SNOW REMOVAL Absolute Grass Inc. AVV EcolawnLandscaping

Four Points by Sheraton ClevelandEastlake MAILING & PROMOTIONALPRINTINGMARKETINGADVERTISINGPACKAGING,&MEDIA,&PUBLICRELATIONS,SERVICES,PRODUCTS

MANUFACTURING A P I Pattern Works Inc.

HOMECONTRACTORS,IMPROVEMENT Thermal Construction Inc. SERVICEHOMECONTRACTORS,IMPROVEMENT,INDUSTRIES

REALCONTRACTORS,ESTATESERVICES

INTERNET WEBSITERELATIONS,DESIGN,COMPUTERBUSINESSADVERTISINGSERVICES,&MEDIA,SERVICES,SERVICES,GRAPHICMARKETING&PUBLICTECHNOLOGY,DESIGN Torva Local INTERNET COMPUTERSERVICES,SERVICES

Arlo Precision Products Ball Gage & Inspection Inc. Bevcorp LLC BOS Services Co. Bowden Manufacturing Bud Industries Inc. Bud Manufacturing Inc. Budzar Industries Carbide Specialists Inc. Cast Nylons Ltd. Commercial Anodizing Co. Inc. Component Repair Technologies

CONTRACTORS, HEATING & COOLING Bryan & Suns Heating & Air Conditioning Hoernig Heating & Air Conditioning Inc.

DIGITAL SERVICES CRE8IVRHO Digital DISTRIBUTORS American Specialty Metals Inc. Essentialware - Global Principals Holmbury Inc. K-J Fasteners Inc. My-Happy Feet Socks US Foils Inc. DISTRIBUTORS, MANUFACTURING Produce Packaging Inc. EDUCATION, TRAINING Auburn Career Center Fred Astaire Dance Studios Functional Fitness Ohio I STEM Geauga E.C.H.S. Kirtland Local Schools Lake Erie College MBA Program NK Consulting of Ohio LLC Precision Machining Institute Raphael’s School of Beauty Culture Inc.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY & SECURITY MANAGED SERVICES Equus Group LLC Monreal IT INSURANCE

Alexy All-CraftMetalsWellman Apollo Products Inc.

StateSpoonerHealthmarkets-InsuranceRiskControlServicesFarm-LoriSmulInsurance Agency State Farm Insurance - Ferguson State Farm - The Estes Agency Thomas J. Waina & Assoc.Farmers Insurance WestPoint Wealth Management/ Scott C. Hanna INSURANCE , INDUSTRY Lann Insurance Agency

The Bar Athletics HEALTH CARE Apex Dermatology AppleGate Recovery/The Coleman Institute Axelix Health Consulting Inc. BrightView - Willoughby Cleveland Clinic Concord MOC Cleveland Clinic Madison MOB Cleveland Clinic Willoughby Hills Family Health Center CSL Plasma Go Bare Skin Clinic Kirtland Rehabilitation and Care Lake County ADAMHS Board Mark F. Kapusta, OD Inc. Moral Medical Justification LLC

FINANCIAL SERVICES Ace Credit Repair LLC Barbish Financial Group Billpro Management Systems Inc. Centry Financial Advisors LLC Edward Jones Investments Ohio Payroll Plus Paul F. Sharaba’sRodgersFinancial Services Winfield Associates Inc.

Lake County General Health District GRAPHIC DESIGN, SIGNS & DISPLAYS Signs PDQ HAIR & NAIL SALONS

INTERIOR DESIGN & FURNISHINGS

Blackbird Digital JEWELERS

LODGING Holiday Inn - Mentor Marriott Courtyard Willoughby LODGING, CATERERS, PARTY CENTERS, RESTAURANTS/TAVERNS, TRAVEL SERVICES

Consolidated Metal Service Inc. CPP-Consolidated Precision Products DAI Ceramics Inc. ENPAC EnpressLLCLLC

Kahoe Air Balance Co. Northeastern Refrigeration Corp. Reeves Plumbing and Heating Co. Royal Heating & Air Conditioning Service

MAILING & PACKAGING, BUSINESS SERVICES, INDUSTRY, SERVICE INDUSTRIES

Deepwood Industries Inc.

The Botanist The Nu Me, MD Todd J. Pesek, MD Inc. University Hospitals, Lake Health US Ultrasound Services Windsor Laurelwood HEALTH NONPROFITCARE,ORGANIZATIONS

Direct Marketing Solutions

Helpful Home Staging CONTRACTORS, ROOFING Powers Roofing and Exteriors

The Carol Connection LLC Wickliffe City School District Willoughby-Eastlake City Schools EDUCATION, TRAINING INDUSTRY Lakeland Community College ENGINEERS CT Consultants Inc. Tec TechnicalInc. Assurance Inc. ENGINEERS, CIRCUIT DESIGN Digital Laboratories Inc. ENGINEERS, CONTRACTORS/ELECTRICAL, MANUFACTURING I-C Automation

Lake County Council on Aging HEALTH CARE, SENIOR CITIZEN SERVICES Wickliffe Country Place HEARING TESTING/HEARING AIDS Holly’s Hearing Aid Center INDUSTRY IWI Inc. INDUSTRY, ARCHITECTS Joseph L. Myers, Architect Inc. INDUSTRY CONTRACTORS/ELECTRICAL PanelTech LLC INDUSTRY, MANUFACTURING Astro Manufacturing & Design Weiss North America Inc. INDUSTRY, SALES/SERVICE INDUSTRIES Stevenson Oil INDUSTRY, SERVICE INDUSTRIES Apollo Welding & Fabricating Inc.

The DMG Group FINANCIAL SERVICES, INSURANCE The Hamm Agency & Associates FLORISTS Plant Magic Florist FUNERAL SERVICES Brickman Bros. Funeral Home Davis-Babcock Funeral MonrealMcMahon-Coyne-VitantonioHomeFuneralHomeFuneralHome GOLF COURSES Little Mountain Country Club GOVERNMENT City of Eastlake City of Kirtland City of Wickliffe City of Willoughby City of Willoughby Hills City of Willowick Lake County Board of Commissioners Lake Development Authority OhioMeansJobs - Lake County HEALTHGOVERNMENTCARE

Neuros Medical Inc. NovaCare Rehabilitation Optima Dermatology & Medical Aesthetics ProMedica Skilled Nursing and SynergyRehabilitationPhysicalTherapy and Wellness

EJS Design Well Dressed Windows Inc.

Blue Sky Yoga & Healing Arts Inc. Club Pilates Willoughby South Java Yogini OsteoStrongLLC

AFLAC represented by Kay Catlett Allstate InsurancePaul Radolovic Agency BobBaehrAssuredPartnersInsuranceAgencyLingenfelter,Life,Health Ins. & Fringe Benefits Bosu Insurance Group Corsaro Insurance Group Kevin P. Davis Insurance Agency Inc. Merhar MormileAgencyAgency Inc. Ohio Health Insurance LLC Sheila McInerney

FINANCIAL SERVICES, BUSINESS SERVICES, INSURANCE , SENIOR CITIZEN SERVICES

PEST CONTROL Endeavor Pest Management PET SITTER, DOG WALKER Kat and Dogs Ohio LLC

PRINTING & PUBLISHING Great Lakes Publishing PRINTING SERVICES Activities Press Inc. Jones Printing Services Inc.

RECREATION/PARKS Holden Arboretum Forest & Gardens Lake County Captains Lost Nation Sports Park Morgan Tennis The Jumpyard RECREATION/PARKS, ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT, GOLF COURSES, GOVERNMENT Lake Metroparks RECREATION/PARKS, NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS Lake County YMCA-c RENTAL SUPPLIES & SERVICES Aladdin WilloughbyRentsGeneral Store RESTAURANTS/TAVERNS 1899 Pub Alesci’s of Shoregate Auntie Tam Signature Salads and More Culver’sChick-Fil-AChagrinChagrinBarrocoBallantineLLCRestaurantArepaBarRiverDinerLLCRiverPub Fiona’s Coffee Bar & Bakery GarageFreshly’sBar Willoughby LLC Giuseppe’s Pizza Inc. Hola JerseyTacosMike’s Subs Marathon Sports Bar

PERSONNEL SALES/SERVICESERVICES,INDUSTRIES From Nature’s Hands PERSONNEL SERVICES, STAFFING & HR SERVICES Vector Technical Inc.

INDUSTRIES&CONSULTING,SERVICES,ENVIRONMENTALSAFETY,SALES/SERVICE Global Real Estate Advisors Inc.

Rino’s Woodworking Shop Inc. Sawyer Technical Materials LLC Slabe Machine Products Co. Smolic Machine Co. Spence Technologies Inc. Sticker Corp. T.C. Service Co. The Heisler Tool Co. Inc. The Kennedy Group Trucast Inc. United Industrial Sales Co. Inc. Universal Metal Products Volk Optical Inc. Willoughby Iron & Waste Materials LLC Winter Equipment Co. Inc. Z & Z Manufacturing Inc. MANUFACTURING, SALES/SERVICE INDUSTRIES The Lubrizol Corp. United Machine & Tool Inc. MARKETING & PUBLIC RELATIONS 440 BMAMarketingMediaGroup MARKETING & PUBLIC RELATIONS, ADVERTISING & MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS, PROMOTIONAL PRODUCTS, WEBSITE DESIGN Owll Marketing MARKETING & PUBLIC RELATIONS, ADVERTISING & MEDIA, GRAPHIC DESIGN, WEBSITE DESIGN Visia Marketing MARKETING & PUBLIC RELATIONS ADVERTISING & MEDIA WEBSITE DESIGN Alpha Key Digital

PROMOTIONAL PRODUCTS Craig Specialty Advertising Paulich Specialty Co. Rouhier Advertising Specialties

NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, RECREATION/PARKS Miracle League of Lake County OFFICE SUPPLIES & EQUIPMENT, MARKETING & PUBLIC RELATIONS, PRINTING RETAIL/WHOLESALEPROMOTIONALSERVICES,PRODUCTS,TRADE Staples PARTY CENTERS, RESTAURANTS/TAVERNS Kirtland Party Center PERSONNEL SERVICES Fate Into Destiny Wellness Center

REAL ESTATE SERVICES 4800 E. 345th Street 7851 Reynolds Road LLC Angela Little - Homesmart Real Estate Momentum Century 21 Fine Homes & Estates Century 21 Homestar Great Lakes Realty Hallum Homes - eXp Realty LLC Hessler Holdings LLC Karen Kosek, REALTOR Keller Williams Greater Cleveland Northeast/Great Lakes Home Team Lake Metropolitan Housing McDowellAuthorityHomes - Nicole Peterson/ Cleveland Realtor Group Natalie Antosh Realtor LLCKeller Williams Greater Cleveland Northeast Parattto Ross Real Estate Quality RE/MAXRE/MAXManagementCommunityInc.ResultsResults-Kristina

Industrial Motor & Control Interlake Stamping of Ohio Inc. JAB Supply Corp. Kottler Metal Products Inc. Langa Tool M R D Solutions LLC Magnus Engineered Equipment Midwest Precision LLC Mika Metal Fabricating Neway Stamping OhioManufacturing&Inc.Broach&Machine Co. Ohio Carbon Blank P M C Gage Inc. Pace Engineering Inc. Power-Pack Conveyor Co. Prestan Products Process Technology Quality CNC Machining Inc.

The News Herald

The Lake County Tribune

FREE COFFEE NETWORKING EVENT • Meet Business •Owners Meet Business Owners • Network & Socialize with Decision •Makers Network & Socialize with Decision Makers • Make Business •Connections Make Business Connections For more information, please call 440 942 1632 or visit wwlcchamber.com Looking to buy a home, sell a home,invest in real estate or become a REALTOR®? CALL, TEXT OR EMAIL ME: NATALIE J. ANTOSH 440-364-HOME NatalieAntosh@gmail.comNatalieAntosh.KW.com(4663)

NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS Crossroads Health Disabled American Veterans Greater Cleveland Area Community Chapter #147 Extended Housing Inc. Lake County Lake-GeaugaReutilizationLandCorp.Habitat For Humanity LGBTQ+ Allies Lake County RemarkableOhioGuidestoneLake County, Ohio/ Lake County Visitors Bureau Torchlight Youth Mentoring UnitedAllianceWay of Lake County Wickliffe Eagles, Aerie #4086 Willoughby Area Welcome Center Inc.

PHOTOGRAPHY BDK PulsartKuceraBonniePhotographyBPhotographyInternationalInc.mediaLLC

Zeleznik Remax Results - Greg Gilson Ruple Holdings LLC USA Management & Development Inc. Weston Inc. REAL ESTATE SERVICES, BUILDER Marous Development Group LLC Marous Management REAL ESTATE

NEWSPAPERS

Ericson Manufacturing Euclid Heat Treating Federal Gear and Machine Feedall LLC Fusion GeneralGearTecInc.Inc.Machine Products Inc. Hudco Manufacturing Inc.

Vedda WilloughbyPrintingPrinting Co. X Press Printing Services Inc.

Non-profit NOPEC softens the ride with stable rates and no-risk terms. We buy electricity and natural gas in bulk, then pass the savings and benefits on to you. We even help protect you from unreasonable utility rate increases and unfair regulation by fighting for consumer-friendly energy legislation. To learn more, call (855) 667-3201 or visit nopec.org.

Chamber Member Listing Mario Fazio’s Restaurant and Catering Mickey’s Ice Cream Nora’s Public House Panini’s Franchise Group Panini’s Bar & Grill Sol SpiritsLLCin Willoughby The Wild Goose The Yard on 3rd Timber Kitchen & Social Tony’s Pizza and More Vittorio’s Buon Appetito RESTAURANTS/TAVERNS, CATERERS The Patrician Party Center RETAIL The Baby Fairy Shoppe RETAIL, WHOLESALE TRADE Ace CommonwealthBuckeyeBickfordBarktownHardwareWilloughbyFlavorsReliefLLCLumber Co. Cozy Noze LLC Great Lakes Mall Jeff Hagey Floor & Wallcovering Inc. McDonald Equipment Company ProfessionalPapapaintCLESmokesElectric Products Co. Sheraton Furniture The WoodhillVaultSupply Inc. RETAIL, WHOLESALE EDUCATION/TRAININGTRADE, Showstoppers School of Baton & Dance RETAIL, WHOLESALE TRADE, SERVICE INDUSTRIES Northcoast Memorials RETAIL, WHOLESALE TRADE, SIGNS & DISPLAYS EZ Pole Flagpole SALES/SERVICE INDUSTRIES Alpha/AXS Holding LLC, DBA Alpha Imaging Avanti Aerospace Inc. Clean Express Auto Wash EZshred GomillionLLCFurniture Services Inc. Pickands Mather Lake Services Regal Industries Inc. SALES/SERVICE INDUSTRIES, DISTRIBUTORS, INDUSTRY DeMilta Sand & Gravel Inc. SECURITY SYSTEMS Santee Lock & More LLC Sievers Security Inc. Total ID Solutions Inc. SENIOR CITIZEN SERVICES, REAL ESTATE SERVICES Willoughby Hills Senior Apts. SERVICE INDUSTRIES Smart Choice Cleaning The National Basketball Academy The WAY Virtual Offices Viva Spanish! SERVICE INDUSTRIES, GRAPHIC DESIGN, PRINTINGMANUFACTURING,SERVICES FASTSIGNS of Mentor

CLEVELANDMAGAZINE.COM WWLC13

Choose NOPEC: the safe choice for Western Lake County residents.

SM SM

Getting jerked around by volatile utility rates?

For-profit energy suppliers offer low rates at first. But it never lasts.

WWLC14 CLEVELAND 09.22 LORAIN COUNTY’S MAGAZINE June 2022 Volume 15, Issue 2 It’s time to get outside and have fun. We’ve plotted courses to try. BIKE Lorain County PLUS Oberlin’s National Plus: HealthHospitalitySchoolsCareRecreation 2022 Produced by Thriving DiscoverTogetherhowthe CelebrateHistory The Rocky River Chamber of Commerce celebrates 100 years and looks back on a century of supporting local businesses and helping the community thrive. PLUS Connecting with the Library Collaborative Efforts at the Schools Rocky RiverDestination TAKE A LOOK AT PRESENTED BY THE CITY OF BRUNSWICK BRUNSWICK.OH.US 2022 Meet Seth Greenfelder, one of the city’s most beloved and admired residents, who’s competing in the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games. PLUS Discovering an inclusive Supportingcommunitynewentertainmentdestinations HEART OFGold MAKE A SPLASH IN YOUR COMMUNITY PLUS An update onnew schoolsSERVING: Eastlake • Kirtland • Lakeline Timberlake • Wickliffe Willoughby Willoughby Hills Willowick Local businesses findcreative ways to hireand retain employees. BuildingTeam DIRECTORYMEMBERCHAMBERINSIDE: SPECIALPROMOTIONALSECTION Presented by REACH CONSUMERS AND GET THE MOST IMPACT FOR YOUR MARKETING DOLLAR Community magazines have a long history of helping local businesses by giving them direct access to readers who buy local to support where they live. Residential | Commercial | Industrial • Fire Sprinkler Systems • Basement Waterproofing • High Pressure Water Jetting • Sewer Inspections & Cleaning • Back-flow Installation & Testing • Hot Water & Steam Heating Systems • Gas, Water & Sewer Line Repair & Install • D.O.I. Certified for Gas Lead Repair & Install 440.278.4151Licensed.www.sbroccoplumbing.comBonded.Insured. Are You Tired of Slow or Clogged Drains? J.R. SBROCCO PLUMBING | SIGNS & DISPLAYS Agile Sign & Lighting Maintenance Inc. SMOOTHIES Robeks SOLID WASTE HAULING/RECYCLING Euclid Disposal Co. STAFFING & HR SERVICES The Reserves Network STAFFING & HR SERVICES, BUSINESS PERSONNELMANUFACTURING,SERVICES,SERVICES Express Employment Professionals STORAGE/MOVING Final Destination Moving Co. Two Men and a Truck REALSTORAGE/MOVING,ESTATESERVICES Moving Ahead Services SURVEYORS Polaris Engineering & Surveying TECHNOLOGY j.Patrick Audio Video Ltd. SpotOnMaxcomKnowtionInc.Transact TITLE COMPANIES Emerald Glen Title TRANSPORTATION Five Star Trucking Inc. Laketran TRAVEL SERVICES Starlight2Travel Inc. UTILITIES FirstEnergy Corp. VETERINARY CLINIC Kirtland Veterinary Hospital LLC WEBSITE DESIGN Hart Creative LLC Lakenetwork WHOLESALE CLUBS Sam’sInterestedClub in joining the Willoughby Western Lake County Chamber of Commerce? Visit wwlcchamber.com/join-the-chamber Benefits include: • Discounts on health insurance, prescription drugs, office supplies and business services • Worker’s Compensation through Sedgwick • Energy cost savings and gas and electric programs • Extensive networking opportunities COMMERCEOFCHAMBERCOUNTYLAKEWESTERNWILLOUGHBYCOURTESYJoin Us!

CLEVELANDMAGAZINE.COM WWLC15 N urturing the spirit. Engaging the intellect. Inspiring creative thinking. 2022-23 OPEN HOUSES *Registration is required* Concord Campus (Birth-6th Grade) 10229 Prouty Rd. Concord Township, OH 44077 From 9-11 am on Oct. 12 | Nov. 9 | Feb. 8 Mar. 8 | Apr. 12 | May 10 Birth - 6th Grade: (440) 357-0918 7th -12th Grade: (440) admissions@hershey-montessori.org636-6290 Children Need a Hershey Montessori Education Now More Than Ever Ask about our transportation & boarding options! V isit our website at www.Hershey-Montessori.org CONTACT US TO REGISTER OR REQUEST MORE INFORMATION Individualized approach Academic Stress-reducingMeaningfulSocialIndependencemastery&responsibilityandemotionallearningsocialconnectionsintegrationwith nature Life skills & college readiness World-renowned education Huntsburg Campus (7th-12th Grade) 11530 Madison Rd. Huntsburg, OH 44046 From 9-11 am on Oct. 10 | Nov. 14 | Dec. 12 Feb. 13 | Apr. 10 | May 8 Virtual tours are available on our website. Onsite Information Session Sept. 17, 1-3 pm Virtual Information Session Nov. 16, 7-8 pm Ea stla k e Pu b li c Lib ra ry 36706 Lak e s h ore oule v a r d 440-942-7880 W ill ughb y Pu b li c Lib ra ry 30 u b li c Squa r e 440-942-3200 W ill ughb y ills Pu b li c Lib ra ry 3 400 har d o o ad 440-942-3362 W ill i ck Pu b li c Lib ra ry 263 . 30 S tr ee t 440-943-4 WE247.ORG YOUR ADVENTURE AWAITS ! LAKE COUNTY LANDLORDS: WE NEED YOUR HELP! Lake MHA is currently seeking landlords to partner with to facilitate housing for eligible HCV (Section 8) applicants. Increasing our database of available properties will enable participants to more quickly move into a Lake County home of their choice! Please contact our office at 440-354-3347 for more information Currently accepting applications for multifamily only. The waiting list for Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) is currently closed. Benefits to landlords include: On-time direct deposits of rental Applicantpaymentsbackground checks Annual inspections to ensure that both the landlord and the resident maintain clean and safe living conditions ••• Building Foundations for Families

MAGAZINE SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL SECTION OUTDOOR OASIS AWARD-WINNING LANDSCAPE PROJECTS ENHANCE VALUE AND APPEAL AT HOME Fall • Winter | 2022

PEOPLE SERVING PEOPLE TO ENHANCE EVERYDAY LIVING Single Source Provider • hmlandscaping.com • 440-564-1157 © David Alan Photography SCAN HERE AND VISIT TODAY! HFSAVAILABLEFINANCING

AssociationOhioLandscape President Brian Maurer, LIC Executive Director Sandy Munley &CommunicationsEventsManager Rick Doll For information,advertisingplease call 216-377-3693. Bremec Group he Ohio Landscape Association is excited to announce the winners of our 25th Annual Landscape Ohio! Landscape Enhancement Awards Program. Each year, the Ohio Landscape Association holds the Landscape Ohio! Awards Program to emphasize how landscapes can increase property value, add to your living space, improve the environment and to applaud property owners who invest in quality landscapes. Projects must meet or exceed tough standards to qualify for an award and are scrutinized by a panel of highly qualified peers. Thirtysix awards were given at this year’s Awards Gala, which was held at Windows on the River in June. In the pages that follow, you will see some of the finest landscapes recently installed throughout Ohio. We hope these beautiful landscapes provide you with inspiration to plan your landscape project!

2022BrianRespectfully,Maurer,LICOLAPresident

THEBEHINDPROJECTS

Landscape Ohio! Magazine | Fall/Winter 2022 O LA AWARDS ■ OLA3landscapeohio.com Bring your Vacation to your Backyard! Enterprises Your new outdoor oasis, designed and constructed by New Vista Enterprises, makes taking a vacation as simple as stepping into your backyard. 216-291-1100 - newvistaent.com

On the cover: The

Gregory Malone, M.Ed.

The 2022 OLA lifetime contributions honoree has provided a wealth of knowledge to the landscaping industry.

■ O LA LandscapeAWARDSOhio! Magazine | Fall/Winter 2022OLA4 landscapeohio.com Gardening or Landscaping Project? Need Help? Cahoon Nursery Makes It Easy. 70 YEARS BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS TO HELP YOU SUCCEED IN YOUR YARD Call or see us for details. 27630 Detroit Road · Westlake, OH 44145 440.871.3761 · cahoonnursery.com FIND YOUR LANDSCAPE

GROWING BOUNTIFULA CAREER

TIPS FOR HIRING A PROFESSIONAL FREE REFERRAL SERVICE PLANT RECOMMENDATIONS JOB POSTINGS

AND ohiolandscapers.orgMORE...

PROFESSIONAL TRANSFORMLANDSCAPE!YOUR

Using a professional landscape contractor will not only help increase the value of your home, but is the best way to ensure that your family has an outdoor living space that they will enjoy for years to come. As a free service provided to the general public, the Ohio Landscape Association created ohiolandscapers.org, a website featuring dedicated resources intended to bridge the gap between homeowners and qualified landscape contractors. To find a qualified contractor in your area, please visit our website at ohiolandscapers.org, email our staff directly info@ohiolandscapers.org,at or call our offices at 440.717.0002. ach year since 1992, the OLA Board of Directors selects a deserving individual to receive the Lifetime Dedication and Contributions to the Landscape Industry Award. This year, the OLA recognizes Gregory Malone, M.Ed as the 31st recipient of this prestigious award. Greg Malone was the fourth of five sons born to Harry and Jane Malone. Born in Pittsburgh, his family made a permanent move to the Greater Cleveland area when he was 10. Malone’s dad was an amateur horticulturist who was especially interested in growing roses. As a child, Malone would help him in the garden. In addition to helping tend the roses, Malone started to mow the lawn at age 9 with an original O.M. Scott and Sons reel type push mower. He attended North Olmsted High School, and as a junior got a job at Dugan’s Garden Center in Olmsted Township. There he discovered a passion for retail horticulture. He also discovered the love of his life, Ginny, in June of 1975, when she walked into the store. They were married on August 13, 1977. Malone attended The Ohio State ATI when he and Ginny were newlyweds. They now have three boys — Matt, Chris and Steve. After graduating ATI, Malone and his business partner purchased Dugan’s Garden Center. They ran a successful business for nearly 20 years, during which they gave a lot back to the community. Malone continued to develop a love for customer service. Unfortunately,

An opportunity opened up at Cuyahoga Community College in 2013 when a Program Manager was needed to help overhaul the Plant Science and Landscape Technology program. Malone saw this as an exciting opportunity and took the position. In 2016, he was promoted to associate dean of Health Careers and Sciences, where he still oversees the PSLT program as well as many others.

Malone’s philosophy on life is: “Don’t neglect the people that support you most your spouse or significant other, your children and your friends. Life is too short to miss the important things.” 2022 OLA President Brian Maurer; Ginny Malone; Greg Malone, M.Ed.; 2021 OLA President Jim Funai, Ph.D.

Landscape Ohio! Magazine | Fall/Winter 2022 O LA AWARDS ■ OLA5landscapeohio.com

⊳

Over the years, Malone has served in many roles with the Ohio Landscape Association including on the OLA Board of Directors from 2006 through 2010, and he was OLA president in 2009. He’s served as the landscape expert on the Planning and Design Commission for the City of North Olmsted for 20 years, is on the Speaker’s Bureau for Tri-C delivering regular presentations on Horticulture, is a judge for fruits and vegetables at the Geauga and Lorain County Fairs, as well as a judge for the North Olmsted Garden Club. Additionally, Malone helps businesses and organizations with strategic planning.

OHBEDFORD,PHOTOGRAPHY,TCP

zoning issues led to the end of that era, at which time he went to work for Kurtz Bros. for eight years, which exposed him to corporate business and gave him a better understanding of business management. This led Malone to want to further his education. He went on to get his bachelor of business technical management from DeVry University, a master’s in education from American College of Education, and an MBA from University of the People. Still, Malone says he didn’t know how much he didn’t know about business management until he went back to school. He says he would encourage business owners and key personnel to continue their education.

The homeowner of this brick home loves plants and wanted to soften the look of the brick and add an intimate space for entertaining. A patio was created with a brick fireplace to match the home. It was nestled into planting beds that incorporated a number of specimen plants that provided a variety of shapes, colors, and textures to allow of seasonal interest.

The Bremec Group A Private Residence in Pepper Pike

2022 WINNERS 1 4 2 5 3 6

RESIDENTIAL INSTALLATION, CATEGORY IV 4

This backyard oasis includes an infinity edge pool as its main feature. The pool has a bluestone deck and sandstone cap with the same sandstone was used on the cultured stone wall and planter. A covered patio was added to include an outdoor kitchen and television. The project is finished off with planting beds, outdoor lighting, fencing and an irrigation system.

■ O LA LandscapeAWARDSOhio! Magazine | Fall/Winter 2022OLA6 landscapeohio.com

Every aspect of this property is maintained on a year-round basis providing attention to detail. The lawn is mowed, fertilized and kept weed free. Planting beds are deep edged and manicured. Plants are kept healthy — a key to a great looking landscape. Enhancements of seasonal color are added throughout the year. The hardscape is cleaned and sealed as needed and kept weed free and the irrigation system is maintained regularly.

The Bremec Group A Private Residence in Moreland Hills Expanding on an addition of a workout and meditation room to a small shed in the backyard, a multi-level patio was tucked into this site. Not to leave out any form of relaxation a spa, water feature, fireplace and cozy gathering areas were included in this backyard just a short walk out the backdoor. The tranquil area is hugged by shrubs and plantings to create a calm, peaceful setting.

The Bremec Group A Private Residence in Pepper Pike

RESIDENTIAL INSTALLATION, CATEGORY III 3 M.J. Design Associates Inc.

RESIDENTIAL INSTALLATION, CATEGORY V 5 Vizmeg Landscape Inc.

A Private Residence in New Albany

RESIDENTIAL MAINTENANCE 1

RESIDENTIAL INSTALLATION, CATEGORY VI 6 H&M Landscaping A Private Residence in Pepper Pike

This prestigious home sits on top of a hill and the goal was to give the client a beautiful view from every angle. The walk from the covered porch leads you down the stone steps to a landing, where it splits so you can enter the lower patio. Colorful plantings include deciduous and evergreen shrubs for interest all year. In warm weather, landscape is enhanced with seasonal plantings of annuals and topicals.

Nestled on two lots, this large-scale residential home was the perfect canvas to create a beautiful backyard setting. Two man-made ponds create a magnificent focal point. A cedar arbor on the lower-level patio anchors the space and includes a spa and firepit that sits only steps from the water creating incredible ambiance for entertaining.

HONOR

RESIDENTIAL INSTALLATION, CATEGORY II 2

A Private Residence in Wadsworth

AWARDS

This pondless water feature is tucked between two gathering spaces. It is situated on a grade change that gives a nice drop for the wide waterfall. The water feature is surrounded by pocketed plantings amongst the rocks and has a backdrop of various shrubs. The beautiful view and tranquil sound it creates is enjoyed by everyone.

GARDEN STRUCTURES AND PAVEMENTS, CATEGORY III 11 H&M Landscaping A Private Residence in South Russell

Landscape Ohio! Magazine | Fall/Winter 2022 O LA AWARDS ■ OLA7landscapeohio.com COMMERCIAL INSTALLATION, CATEGORY II 7 #1 Landscaping

SPECIALTY GARDENS 9

The University Hospital’s Bolwell Courtyard in Cleveland Hospital administrators took a chance, in the middle of a pandemic, on this project that would signal the rebirth to this courtyard. It now provides a beautiful and safe outdoor area for staff, patients and visitors to relax, enjoy coffee or eat lunch while social distancing in the fresh air.

GARDEN STRUCTURES AND PAVEMENTS, CATEGORY II 10 Vizmeg Landscape Inc. A Private Residence in Chagrin Falls Carved into a wooded lot with a ravine and river running through it, this pavilion provides the perfect setting to entertain and relax. A wood burning fireplace with a cedar mantle complements a pavilion with a hand-sewn cedar trim that connects the natural beauty of this lot into the outdoor space. This space provides everything needed to enjoy a beautiful day with family and friends.

BEST USE OF COLOR 12 The Bremec Group A Private Residence in Moreland Hills

This new home’s living space was increased to include the backyard. Here the homeowners can relax and entertain guests on their patio that includes a fire table and pergola. A built-in spa is just steps outside the main suite, and an outdoor kitchen flanks the opposite side of the patio with a granite top, grill, trash receptacle and storage.

The Bremec Group A Private Residence in Moreland Hills

This Healing Garden is only a short walk from the backdoor. It is surrounded on two sides by wooded areas, but is open enough to receive light. Beautiful gardens border the patios where you can enjoy the sounds of the birds, the waterfall or the crackling fire, or you can lounge in the spa. The shed was added onto and repurposed to become a meditation and workout room.

WATER FEATURES 8 The Bremec Group A Private Residence in Moreland Hills

The natural woods create a tall, dark backdrop to offset the lawn and plantings. Large swaths of annuals lead your eye around the property. Japanese Maples and hydrangeas bloom amid a sea of bright chartreuse Japanese Forest Grass. The combination of colors and textures repeat throughout the garden and keep all the spaces tied together. 7 10 8 11 9 12

Landscape Ohio! Magazine | Fall/Winter 2022OLA8 landscapeohio.com ■ O LA AWARDS RESIDENTIAL MAINTENANCE A The Bremec Group A Private Residence in Orange Village B M.J. Design Associates Inc. A Private Residence in Plain City COMMERCIAL MAINTENANCE C Vizmeg Landscape Inc. Western Reserve Academy in Hudson RESIDENTIAL INSTALLATION, CATEGORY I D Blooming Designs A Private Residence in Kent RESIDENTIAL INSTALLATION, CATEGORY IV E Rice’s RedefinedLandscapes A Private Residence in Akron F Landscapes by Terra A Private Residence in Dublin RESIDENTIAL INSTALLATION, CATEGORY V G Angelotta AssociatesLandscapeLLC A Private Residence in Shaker Heights H Vizmeg Landscape Inc. A Private Residence in Akron RESIDENTIAL INSTALLATION, CATEGORY VI, WITH SWIMMING POOLSISuncrest Gardens A Private Residence in Hudson J Vizmeg Landscape Inc. A Private Residence in Richfield COMMERCIAL INSTALLATION, CATEGORY II K ManagementEnvironmentalInc. Mirror Lake at The Ohio State University in Columbus L Vizmeg Landscape Summa Health West Tower in Akron WATER FEATURES M Lifestyle Landscaping Inc. A Private Residence in Avon SPECIALTY GARDENS N #1 Landscaping The University Hospital Bolwell Courtyard in Cleveland O The Bremec Group A Private Residence in Orange Village GARDEN PAVEMENTS,STRUCTURES/CATEGORY I P The Bremec Group A Private Residence in Pepper Pike Q Vizmeg Landscape Inc. A Private Residence in Wadsworth GARDEN PAVEMENTS,STRUCTURES/CATEGORY II R Suncrest Gardens A Private Residence in Hudson S Yard Smart Landscaping Inc. Sherwin Williams in Cleveland T Rice’s RedefinedLandscapes A Private Residence in Jackson Township GARDEN PAVEMENTS,STRUCTURES/CATEGORY III U Ground Works Land Design A Private Residence in Lakewood V #1 Landscaping The University Hospital Bolwell Courtyard in Cleveland BEST USE OF COLOR W The University of Akron Coleman Common in Akron X Blooming Designs Shisler’s Cheese House in Orrville MERIT AWARDS 2022 WINNERS A E B F D H C G KLJI

Landscape Ohio! Magazine | Fall/Winter 2022 O LA AWARDS ■ OLA9landscapeohio.com Doug Brown SITE DESIGN PROS Sandy Eli THE PATTIE GROUP Mary Finley FINLEY LANDSCAPING SERVICE Jim Funai, PhD CUYAHOGA COMMUNITY COLLEGE Wendy Moore DAVIS TREE FARM & NURSERY Bill Nettling SITE ONE LANDSCAPE SUPPLY Ken Pund BEDFORD GLENS GARDEN CENTER Jeff Rak LAND CREATIONS LANDSCAPING INC. Rose Spena SPENA LANDSCAPE CONTRACTORS Jenni Unrath BRIGHTVIEW LANDSCAPE SERVICES JUDGES Landscape Ohio! SPONSORS • Alvord’s Yard & Garden • Bedford Glens Garden Center • Belgard Hardscapes • Bigfoot Landscape Supply • Botson Insurance Group • Cascade Lighting • Chagrin Valley Nurseries • Cleveland Magazine/Great Lakes Publishing • Davis Tree Farm & Nursery • Earth ‘n Wood Products • Great Big Home + Garden Show • Klyn Nurseries Inc. • Kurtz Bros. Inc. • Lake County Nursery • Oberfields • Premier Plant Solutions • Rusty Oak Nursery Ltd. • SiteOne Landscape Supply • Snow & Ice Management Association • Unilock Inc. • Valley City Supply • Vermeer All Roads • Wolf Creek Co. MNPORQ WUVSTX

Only Mother Nature Does It Better. Breathtaking Ohio landscapes since 1968 | 440.338.1288 | www.pattiegroup.com

ReimaginingyourHome

Showcase of HOMEBUILDING 2022 Keystate Homes SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL SECTION Learn how local builders and remodelers are navigating today’s challenges to deliver dream designs that meet homeowners’ evolving needs.

DESIGN.INSPIRE. CREATE. FULL KITCHEN & HOME RENOVATIONS DESIGN - BUILD - REMODEL - CUSTOM CABINETRY PHONE: 800.380.9186 EMAIL: INFO@DASOCUSTOMCABINETRY COM VISIT US ONLINE AT WWW.DASOCUSTOMCABINETRY.COM SERVING GREATER CINCINNATI, DAYTON, AND SURROUNDING COLUMBUS AND CLEVELAND FOLLOW US ON FOR MORE INSPIRATION STRONGSVILLE CRESTON • DUBLIN VISIT US IN STRONGSVILLE, OH 17200 PEARL RD. STRONGSVILLE, OH 44194 Coming Soon POWELL

The scarcity of skilled labor, delays in de liveries and constant price increases contin ue to affect the day-to-day operations of all construction companies, despite how large or small they are. Most contractors are busy. However, this year is different from the previous ones. The issues we have been experiencing were ex pected to be back to normal by now, but that is not the case. Since most of the issues have not im proved, the discussions between you and your contractor about any delays in ma terials, labor shortages and cost increases need to happen early. Please know that your builder is trying their best to deliv er quality work on schedule, but there are global issues affecting many day-to-day as pects of any project. It is important to remember that we are all in this together, and we need to be more understanding, more flexible and be able to work together to get through the many challenges. To ensure your project is a memora ble and positive experience, take time to choose a professional builder or remodel er that is a member of the Home Builders Association (HBA) of Greater Cleveland. They will have access to all the necessary information important to your job — es pecially during turbulent times. With any problem there is growth and learning, and these current market conditions have highlighted the benefits of being patient and working together. In the end, every project gets done.

So, get your wish lists together, contact an HBA builder or remodeler and get start ed. A beautiful new project is just waiting to be built!

CLEVELANDGREATEROFASSOCIATIONBUILDERSHOMECOURTESY CLEVELANDMAGAZINE.COM HBA3

HBA PresidentPresidentMyers Homes

Leslee Archer GLT Products

Steve Caldwell Ferguson Bath & Kitchen Dennis Dlugosz Corrigan Krause CPAs

Next month, the HBA will be having its annual Fall Parade of Homes — mark your calendar for Oct. 1-2 and 8-9 to tour some beautiful, new model homes.

OfficersHBA& Board

Mancuso Homes Debra Branske (Treasurer)

On the Cover Keystate Homes

Sincerely, Rob Myers

Jason Rodgers Paine Creek Builders

This is not the time to put off major renovations; it is just the opposite. Inter est rates are rising, so the cost of borrow ing will be higher next year, as will the cost of most everything.

Courtesy Keystate Homes, HBA 2022 Cleveland Choice Award Winner: Best Green Built Home (2501-4000 Square Feet)

Tim Bennett Bennett Builders & Remodelers

Paul Klein Great Lakes Publishing Frank Makoski, CGR, CGP, CAPS Makoski Construction & Remodeling

Edgewood Homes Brenda Callaghan (Executive Director)

Dave Hocevar Property Inspections

We’re in this 2022

Keystate Homes & Development Mike Kandra (Immediate Past President)

Although we were dealing with a world wide pandemic, HBA members finished some of the most amazing projects this past year. Some of these award-winning homes are highlighted throughout this section, and we are proud of the people and com panies involved in designing them.

Building a new home or remodeling an existing one can be an exciting time — yet not without challenges. Today, more than ever before, the relationship between a builder or remodeler and their client is extraordinarily important. Good commu nication is the key to successful projects.

Third Federal Savings & Loan Andrew Gotlieb (Secretary)

Dennis Reber Apollo Supply

Darryl Mancini Darryl Mancini, Consulting Brian Miller Mont Surfaces by Mont Granite

Roger Frisman Revere Title Agency

Every one of these projects faced hur dles, but the homeowners and builders collaborated and created these awesome projects — and yours can be, too.

HBA of Greater Cleveland Board of Trustees

Rob Myers (President) Myers Homes/RHM Homes Darren Mancuso (Vice President)

Dan Smoulder Petros LegalHomesAdvisor Russell O’Rourke, Esq. Meyers, Roman, Friedberg & Lewis

Together

HBA4 CLEVELAND 09.22 HOMESEDGEWOODCOURTESY 2022 HBA Showcase of Homebuilding Edgewood Homes Edgewood Homes

NAVIGATING A NEW NORMAL

During a time where the only certainty is uncertainty, homebuilders and remodelers discuss the state of the industry and what lies ahead. by rachel hagenbaugh I n 1992, Hurricane Andrew stormed through eastern Florida, ripping apart thousands of homes and leaving more than 250,000 people homeless and 82,000 businesses damaged or destroyed. It was the state’s second costliest natural di saster (Hurricane Katrina was No. 1) and resulted in shortages and rises in the costs of building supplies, particularly plywood and shingles. “For a month, month-and-a-half, you couldn’t get those plywood panels,” says Myers Homes president Robert My ers, whose career in the homebuilding and remodeling industry spans more than 35 years. “That’s the only comparable situation to what we’re facing now, and that was short-lived.”

Offer Valid on Potomac and Imperial LS Models. 4 Window Minimum. Cannot be combined with any other offer. Excludes Labor. Financing offers a no payment - no interest feature (during the “promo tional period”) on your purchase at an APR of 17.99%. No finance charges will accrue on your account during the promotional period, as set forth in your Truth in Lending Disclosures, and you will not have to pay a monthly payment until the promotional period has ended. If you repay your purchase in full before the end of the promotional period you will not have to pay any finance charges. You may also prepay your account at any time without penalty. Financing is subject to credit requirements and satisfactory completion of finance documents. Any finance terms advertised are estimates only. Normal late charges apply once the promotional period has ended. Offer expires on 9/30/2022.

“The cost of lumber did go down, but as soon as it went down, it went right back up,” says Brett Dawson, division vice president of Payne & Payne Builders in Chardon. “Depending on the different an alysts you talk to, it’s interesting because it was falling, and I was try ing to get a large project bid. I was talking with two different lumber guys, and one was like, ‘I don’t want to bid it until Monday because it’s going to fall because it’s still falling.’ And the other guy said, ‘Let’s lock this in today because it’s going to go back up.’ So no one knows. They say it’s going to flatten, but it hasn’t quite yet. Even when it does, it’s not going to flatten to the point where it was before COVID-19.

Since COVID-19 turned the industry on its head more than two years ago, it seems that the only certainty lies in the constant uncer tainty regarding product availability and costs, which inevitably re sults in longer lead times for projects.

Seeing Through Supply Shortages

We’ll never see pricing like we did three years ago.”

For today’s homebuilders and remodelers, the material shortages run the gamut, from lumber and aluminum to glass. This, of course, impacts the availability of a range of products, including flooring, windows, and appliances such as refrigerators and dishwashers. “There’s a massive inflation environment that is just now being felt,” Myers says. “Lumber went up more than 300%,” he says. “In 2020, a lumber package for a typical home was $30,000 to $40,000. Last year, that same package could have been $120,000.”

Tim Lynch, sales manager for the trade/new construction segment at Gunton Corp., a distributor for Pella Windows and Doors in Bedford Heights, agrees that prices will continue to increase, noting the variety of components that go into something as seemingly simple as a window.

“Because of COVID-19 and the supply chain issues, we’re ordering everything upfront,” says Pat Perrino, president of Perrino Custom Builders LLC in Chesterland, adding that his happiest customers are the ones who pick out their furniture ahead of time with the company’s designers because they’re putting the entire house together at once — nothing is an afterthought. “Our houses are turning out gorgeous — just beautiful — and the difference is that everything is planned.”

ProBuilt

“Pre-planning is vastly crucial to what’s going on out there in the construction industry.”

This, of course, has led to an overall increase in the cost of new builds and remodeling projects. Bo Knez, president of BR Knez Homes, a resi dential market rate developer in Painesville, says two years ago his com pany offered starter homes at $250,000. Now, they’re $370,000.

“You’re certainly seeing a reduction in the flexibility that builders have, because it takes a lot longer to get materials,” Dawson says. “Where a change could have taken three to four weeks and people could live with that, now it’s taking two to three months.” This means that preconstruction planning is critical.

“These are the longest lead times I’ve seen in my 25 years with Pella, and that’s all inclusive,” says Lynch. “It’s just not the way it was five years ago where you could sign a contract to do a project at your home, and you pretty much knew within days when that project was going to be completed. There’s just so many variables right now.” Overall, local homebuilders are estimating projects to take an additional 30 to 60 days to complete. One big factor of the longer lead times is that it reduces the number of changes people can make throughout the construction process.

“Pre-planning is vastly crucial to what’s going on out there in the construction industry. We have many products today that are being ordered before a shovel hits the ground, and typically, that’s not the case,” Lynch says. “Pre-pandemic, we had two- to four-week lead times. We see those in the 12- to 18-week range, and some of those go much further depending on the specialization of your product.” Perhaps one of the silver linings to the pandemic’s negative effects on the homebuilding and remodeling industry is that it has caused homeowners to plan their projects from start to finish during the pre-planning stage, which is fantastic for the results.

The Importance of Pre-Planning

HBA6 CLEVELAND 09.22 HOMESPROBUILTCOURTESY

– Tim Lynch, Gunton Corp. Homes

Although price hikes have not yet had an impact on demand, the market is “Interestchanging.ratesare going up, so that will be interesting to see how that affects the market, as well as new construction. It will certainly slow it, but to what extent is really unknowable at this point,” Dawson says. “COVID-19 was a huge game-changer in people figuring out how they want to live in their homes.”

“I don’t think the costs are going to go down. I think they’re going to continue to go up, but not at as rapidly of a pace as we’ve been seeing,” he says, adding that he has not heard anything from his suppliers regard ing increases in availability or decreases in prices of materials.

“You’ve got metal aluminum that’s involved in the product, and that price is skyrocketing. There have been glass shortages, which is 90% of a window. Even wood and vinyl and non-wood composite materials, we saw a lot of that come from Texas, and they’ve been having weather issues. Since the pandemic, there have been storms that have ripped through those manufacturing facilities,” he says. “I think you will see increases in the cost of products to the end user, but I don’t know if it will be in materials as much as it will be in labor, and that’s considering production labor. Even the price of moving a product from a manufacturing facility to wherever the product is distributed is going up due to rising fuel costs and other factors.”

“I think we sometimes take for granted what we have available to us in Cleveland...”

On average, a large-scale remodel or new home build involves be tween 20 and 30 trades. Although labor shortages existed prior to 2020, COVID-19 certainly magnified the issue. “Becoming a carpen ter or electrician or skilled laborer is something that is going to be in huge demand during the next two, five or 10 years,” Lynch says.

“The different responses in states regarding lockdowns had a massive effect on how people used their homes,” Myers says. “That brought a reawakening of people’s interests in making their homes nicer to be in or finding cities with more amenities that reflect their lifestyle. On the national scale, it caused consumers to move out of some states and into others.”

“There are so many jobs out there available for trades or skilled labor ers, and we do not have a resource pool to choose from right now.” So what’s causing these labor shortages? Across the board, home builders and remodelers attribute the issue to a lack of understanding young people have regarding the benefits of a career in the trades. At one point, Knez says, there was a huge push for high school students to attend college after high school — no one was educating students about attending a vocational school, learning a trade and turning it into a career. Lynch adds that although he commends the number of high school students who are graduating and attending college, it needs to be accepted that college is not for everyone. In fact, 32.9% of undergraduates do not complete their degree program.

Coming to Cleveland

“I think we sometimes take for granted what we have available to us in Cleveland, and if you’re an outsider looking at it with a fresh set of eyes, you’re not accustomed to looking at all of these things,” he says. “It’s just about finding a great place to live.”

HBA8 CLEVELAND 09.22 HOMESMYERSCOURTESYHOMESKNEZBRCOURTESY 2022 HBA Showcase of Homebuilding

So what’s attracting people to Cleveland?

– Bo Knez, BR Knez Homes Myers Homes BR

Working Through Labor Shortages

“To be able to take a raw piece of land and provide [a home] for a person, a couple or a family, not only from the time they move in, but for the next 100-150 years … It provides a place for the family to gather, to eat together and raise their children. It’s a good thing,” he says. “I see young men and women who are getting in here now and making a very strong living without student debt, and they have more work than they could possibly handle.”

“There are trade jobs out there that are well-paying jobs. There are people who start in a trade who become such an expert that they de cide to open their own company and hire people and train people in their likeness so they become business owners,” he says. “There’s not a pile of debt you face at the end of four years. You’re earning income every year after you graduate from high school. And you will continue to earn an income because you will continue to be needed.”

Knez, who’s been a part of the homebuilding industry for nearly 40 years, describes his trade as a very rewarding career, and he couldn’t imagine doing anything else.

One of the biggest effects COVID-19 had on the region’s home building and remodeling industry is the influx of people moving to Northeast Ohio from Illinois, New York and California.

“We’re seeing a lot of out-of-state people coming into Cleveland surprised by the amenities that we have and the price point that these homes are available at and find it a great place to live,” Knez says, add ing that he’s also seeing a lot of the rubber band effect, where people who moved out of state are moving back to Ohio. That’s true for all age demographics, from millennials to people in their 60s.

Knez Homes

Also as a result of the pandemic, many employees now have the option to work 100% remote, so their living options are not limit ed by where their company’s offices are located. Those who move to Ohio from out of state boast of the friendliness of the Midwest, Knez explains. They appreciate Cleveland’s cultural diversity, the arts dis trict, sports teams, Cleveland Metroparks and Lake Erie. And, while Clevelanders are feeling the effects of the pandemic and seeing hous ing prices increase, Knez notes that they are still at a reasonable price point for those coming from larger metropolitan areas such as Chica go or New York City.

5528 Mayfield Rd. Lyndhurst, Ohio, 440-449-2650 - snowappliance.com Exceptionally Thermador. Priced.Irresistibly Leap into Luxury with Appliance Packages Starting Just Under $10k Complete your home with a kitchen for your inner chef, a laundry room for all of life’s messes or a dinning room for parties of two or twenty. At Snow Brothers, you’ll find appliances that compliment every room and style — ones for making a statement or blending in with built-ins. Worry less and enjoy more knowing your appliances are in our caring and experienced hands. 5528 Mayfield Rd., Lyndhurst, OH | (440) 449-2650 | www.snowappliance.com MAKESEXPERIENCEADIFFERENCE SNOW BROS.

Anticipate longer lead times. Never assume that something is available, Kent suggests, and take wait times with a grain of salt. “Distributors give us their best estimates, but there’s a lot of factors going into it that can change that,” she says, adding that it’s a good idea to pick a backup option. “A lot of people do that during the selection process. They pick what their dream piece would be, then they also pick what they would want to be their plan B.” Communication is key. “When you are working with a reputable contractor or builder, you need to get yourself to a level of comfort with the project manager,” Lynch says. “That person is going to be your information highway about what’s going on with your project. That communication is paramount to a successful project.”

101

Hire a reputable contractor.

Pre-planning is vital.

by rachel hagenbaugh PLANNING

“Pre-planning is vastly crucial to what’s going on out there in the construction industry. We have many products today that are being ordered before a shovel hits the ground,” says Tim Lynch, sales manager for the trade/new construction segment of Gunton Corp., a distributor for Pella Windows and Doors, noting that even a planning session with a representative is huge. “Most builders or contractors will allow a project owner direct access to their supply. Take advantage of that as early as possible in the process.”

“Make sure you’re doing your project with a reputable, reliable contractor, because they will be the ones who have access to the suppliers that have facilities that homeowners need to pre-plan their project,” says Lynch. Choose a contractor with several years of experience and a library of projects to view. Also go online and read testimonials. “The biggest thing is before and after pictures,” Lynch notes. “That’s where you can get an idea of the scope and scale of projects that are in a certain builder or remodeler’s wheelhouse.”

HBA10 CLEVELAND 09.22 ISTOCK 2022 HBA Showcase of Homebuilding Industry experts share six tips for how to prepare for your next homebuilding or remodeling project.

PROJECT

Pick your appliances first. Prior to COVID-19, choosing the appliances was considered one of the last steps of the homebuilding or remodeling process. Now, with the supply chain issues, it should be one of the first things you check off your list. “You have to pick your appliances first, even though they go in last,” says Melissa Kent, vice president of Snow Bros. Appliance, a 100-year-old appliance center with a showroom in Lyndhurst. Kent notes that while some appliances are readily available, others take 12 to 14 months to deliver.

“If the items deliver before the customer is ready to install it, Snow Bros. will hold appliances until the customer is ready,” she says. Do your research. “A lot of people think luxury products are out of reach for their budgets, but there are packages that can be put together that are really comparable,” says Carol Amato, trade sales representative for Trevarrow Inc., a luxury appliance company with a showroom in Cleveland. “When you’re doing a remodel or build, you want to match the quality of the appliances to the build.”

Granite Marble Quartzite natural Quartz SoapStone onyx travertine enGineered Quartz porcelain preciouS Stone Grand Rapids Cincinnati Columbus Louisville Pittsburgh Detroit Indianapolis Cleveland See our Live Inventory at Cleveland | 6130 Cochran Road | Solon OH 44139 | 440.287.0101 Mont Quartz Venetian

OPENING UP THE INDOORS

Get the scoop on the latest home trends and ways to reimagine rooms into fun, fashionable and functional spaces.

Along with open-concept living comes a desire for big kitchen is lands, many large windows and covered porches to expand living areas.

aximizing square footage — that’s what it’s all about in today’s homebuilding and remodeling industry. That means wide open spaces and seamless transitions from room to room, including outdoor living areas. As peo ple continue to spend more time at home, they’re redefining what’s important to them, placing a heavy focus on entertaining and getting the most bang for their buck. “When people walk into these homes, they want to see open spac es. They want entertainment spaces,” says Pat Perrino, president of Perrino Custom Builders LLC, a custom homebuilding and remod eling company in Chesterland. “Open kitchens blending into family rooms and dinettes — we’re seeing a lot of that.”

“When people walk into these homes, they want to see open spaces. They want entertainment spaces.”

Not only do people get a lot of use out of in-ground pools because they are heated, they also add aesthetic appeal.

“I’ve had a pool in my yard in various houses I’ve owned for the past 30 years,” Perrino says, adding that since the pandemic started, it’s something that’s on people’s wish lists. “They also just add a great appearance in your backyard. It makes it more of a resort-style living space.” Showcase of Homebuilding

One such design feature is the movable glass partition — a floor to ceiling folding or sliding glass door that creates easy transitions from kitchens and great rooms to outdoor living spaces, which continue to skyrocket in popularity. From pizza ovens and fire pits to bars, hang ing televisions, in-ground pools, hot tubs and more, it’s all about ex panding the entertainment footprint.

– Pat Perrino, Perrino Custom Builders LLC Otero Signature Homes

Ten years ago, entertainment looked a lot different. Instead of out door spaces, layouts featured a home theater.

by rachel hagenbaugh M

2022 HBA

“The thing that we learned over the past three years is how we can make houses more practical and livable. A lot of people are spending a lot of money making their homes more livable and expanding them,” says Tim Lynch, sales manager for the trade/new construction segment at Gunton Corp., a distributor for Pella Windows and Doors in Bedford Heights. “Today, we’re seeing more contemporary, open designs, less closed off spaces, less interior walls. All of that is attributed to the ar chitectural community in Northeast Ohio. There are just some incredi ble designs out there and some incredible projects right now that have been completed and are in the works to open spaces up.”

“That’s definitely seen a huge spike in the past three years, and I think that’s going to continue,” Lynch says. “We put a premium on the time that we spend outdoors in Northeast Ohio. As soon as spring hits, we’re outside until as far into fall and winter as we can go.”

HOMESSIGNATUREOTEROCOURTESY

“Usually it was on the lower-level, and you could go downstairs, shut the door, it’d be dark, and you had your surround sound, and you loved that experience,” Lynch says. “I don’t see as many of those today, but every house I see has outdoor living built into it. It’s just a place where the family can get together.”

HBA14 CLEVELAND 09.22 FURNITURESHEELY’SCOURTESY 16816 Chillicothe Rd. - Chagrin Falls Ohio 44023 (440) 543-3333 - oterohomes.comDesign, Build, Remodel Thank you to our customers, employees, and vendors for making us Cleveland’s #1 Custom Home Builder

“I think the whole work from home aspect is bringing in a different way of looking at things, where you have a place to be able to work from home, but it’s not on your kitchen countertop,” says Bo Knez, president of BR Knez Homes, a market rate developer in Painesville. “It’s a segmented room that is allocated for that. Once you’re done working, you can leave the room and close the door. It’s more like a mini office — or offices if more than one person is working from home — usually in a space where they won’t be distracted or distract ing others if they’re on a call or having meetings online.”

Brett Dawson, division vice president for Payne & Payne Build ers, a homebuilding company in Chardon, agrees that the work from home dynamic is very prevalent and continuing to change today’s floor plans. He adds that instead of just one office space, a lot of people are looking at two office spaces, or even flex spaces that offer a little more privacy than the open spaces of the kitchens and great rooms. Think pocket offices, which are located close to the kitchen and offer small, cozy spaces for people to open a lap top, store paperwork and work without being closed off from the rest of the first floor.

Winner of Best Overall Custom Home of the Year Office Space Comeback Overall, the open-concept reigns supreme. But, with more people opting for hybrid or 100% remote work environments, homeowners also are finding an increasing need for quiet, private spaces to focus and conduct business.

Sheely’s Furniture

“With more people working from home, we’re seeing a demand for those separate office spaces, which for the large part, were starting to go away to some extent,” Dawson says. “But we’re still seeing that large open concept where people want the eating area attached to the kitchen attached to the great room. That’s still a pretty popular con cept having not as much of a designated dining space but utilizing it as part of the great room space.” Because the kitchen has become a prominent destination for mingling with guests, homeowners want that space to remain clean and free from clutter. This means expanding the pantry, allowing for space to store large appliances (sometimes even the refrigerator), as well as including an island to provide a closed off space to tempo rarily set aside dirty dishes. “So you can use your kitchen to entertain and serve people, and then you can put that leftover stuff into a large pantry space and close the door so it’s instantly clean,” Dawson says. “So if people are gathering in your large, open great room or dining space, the food isn’t out for hours, and it allows for a quick cleanup.”

Whether it’s new home builds or remodeling projects, trends are lean ing toward putting modern twists on traditional designs. For example, modern farmhouses saw a huge spike in 2020. And although that style is still popular, people want to see different variations of it. This includes adding gray stone to the exterior, which offers a little more dimension.

“Years ago, it was an upgrade to go to a granite countertop. Now, it’s very limited. Quartz has pretty much taken over granite,” Knez says, describing quartz as having less deflection in coloring than granite. “There’s also a lack of fabric in the home. Everything is pretty much hard surface. The reason for that is green building is a big push, which we’re a huge advocate of.”

“You know how they’ve taken the Chevy Camaro or the Ford Mus tang, and they’ve modernized the car but kept some of the tradition al features? That’s what we’re doing with our homes,” Perrino says. “There’s nothing like taking an older home and transforming and modernizing it. It’s a huge feeling seeing these homes come from dark woods, darker walls and being brightened up.”

Perrino points specifically to the popularity of white quartz.

“We’ve had areas where people are putting money into remodel ing their houses where the remodel is worth more than what they could have bought a house for,” Perrino says. “They’re putting in that money because they want to stay where they’ve lived for the past 20 or 30 years. They’re not worried about the resale price.” When it comes to new builds, Perrino says customization is key. About 80% of his clients customize the company’s existing floor plans, of which there are more than 30. The other 20% want designs drawn from scratch.

One of the results of the pandemic is that people are spending more money on homebuilding and remodeling projects. Although some of this can be attributed to people using money they would have spent on vacation toward upgrading their homes instead, it’s also a testament to homeowners spending more time at home and redesigning spaces to accommodate their lifestyles. To that end, peo ple are not as concerned about the overall value projects add to their homes. Instead, it’s all about customizing spaces to fit their needs.

“It’s just top-of-the-line,” he says, adding that the quality of mate rials has significantly increased during the past couple of years and is

Perrino Custom Homes

“We’re completely custom,” he says, adding that clients are cus tomizing everything from ceilings and trimwork to built-ins. “We’ll do whatever they want.”

CLEVELANDMAGAZINE.COM HBA15 HOMESCUSTOMPERRINOCOURTESY Save 10% up to $500 OFF New InstallationRoof 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 10/31/22 NORTHEAST OHIO’S Most Trusted Roofer SHINGLES • SLATE • TILE • SLIDING • FLAT ROOFS • COPPER TEAR OFFS • WINDOWS GUTTERS • INSURANCE WORK • REPAIRS WE ARE THE HAILEXPERTS! CallusToday!Weworkwithallinsurancecompanies Spotless Clean-up FREE No Contact Estimates Call 216-898-1563Today! ABSOLUTEROOFING.COM Family Owned & Operated Since 1981 AS HEARD ON WTAM 1100 Accommodating Custom Living

“For windows and doors, black or white probably represents 70% of the products we sell,” Lynch says, noting that it’s all a nod to the popularity of more contemporary designs featuring sleek, minimal istic“Forfinishes.along time, we were seeing the white-on-white trend in every thing, and that’s still very popular,” Dawson adds. “But we’re seeing lighter taupes, lighter grays — not completely full white as much. Still light though — we’re not seeing a ton of trends into the dark colors, except for accent pieces.”

Overall, as a greater number of people spend more time in their houses, whether it be for work or entertainment purposes, trends will continue to evolve as homeowners dive into the importance of trans forming their spaces to fit their lifestyle needs and desires.

in home consultation

“When people weren’t able to go to work and were at home, they had to find ways to live in their houses, and that started the whole mass migration of figuring out their housing needs and everything that’s been happening in the past two or three years,” Dawson says, adding that it’ll be interesting to see how the trends change in the near future. “I think we’re in the middle of trying to figure out where those trends will ultimately land.”

2022 HBA Showcase of Homebuilding Alexandra Fine Homes HOMESFINEALEXANDRACOURTESY

For (440) 235-7460 • www.nytextiles-oh.com

Think white ceilings, clean lines, brick behind a vanity and gen erally lighter colors. White on white is still popular, but customers are also incorporating darker accents to give the room some con trast while still allowing for a light, airy atmosphere. Perrino high lights the popularity of mixing blue, black or even stained cabinets with white cabinets.

affecting everything from countertops and flooring to lighting. “We’re still applying a lot of the old features, just modernizing them.”

HBA16 CLEVELAND 09.22 Serving Northern Ohio for more than 65 years! • Custom Window Treatments • Interior Design Services

CLEVELANDMAGAZINE.COM HBA17

in. Metal Roofing Brick Style /HOMESMANCUSOCOURTESY/BUILDERSMJCOURTESY REMODELERSANDBUILDERSBENNETTCOURTESY Bennett Builders & Remodelers MJ Builders Mancuso Homes

The modern farmhouse style — white houses with black windows — is still trending. Looking to change it up? Capitalize on the popularity of col ored windows by deviating from black and instead, opting for a dark brown or light clay tone. Blues also are ris ing in popularity, especially blue and white combinations, including darker blue exteriors with white trim. three ways to create a picture-perfect, eye-catching home from the outside

Metal roofing is popular over covered porches, adding a textural element to the outside of the house. “In a lot of our houses, we’re doing portions of metal roofing. It’s more of an accent than a full-blown metal roof,” Perrino says. “The majority of metal roofing is black. The copper roofs are coming back, some are more of a greyish gun metal, but those aren’t as big as black.” Brick is back. But for those who want to deviate from the traditional red tones, painted brick in white or gray tones are welcome transformations.

Exceptional Exteriors Discover

“She actually just put her faith in me and said, ‘Whatever you want, I’m going to do it,’” Lepore says, adding that this was a special project to design. “I’m doing something I love, and this is what I do every day, but I also made a big difference in her life.”

DAZZLING

“Our core purpose as a company is to make lives better,” says Dean Tompkins, vice president of the Chardon-based company. Such was the case for the spaces that won Payne & Tompkins Design Renovations two categories in the 2022 HBA Cleveland Choice“[TheAwards.bathroom renovation] has been, to-date, one of my favorite projects,” says Payne & Tompkins interior designer Morgan Lepore, describing a client who had lived in her home for almost 20 years. She was in a wheelchair, and her primary bathroom was not functional for her. “It was a struggle for her every day,” Lepore says, adding that she envisioned a space that would completely change her client’s life. The first order of business was removing the hallway entrance to the bathroom. The space already had an entrance from the client’s primary bedroom, and creating more square footage was a top priority, Lepore says. Next, elements such as the freestand ing tub and pedestal sink were replaced with options that better served the client’s needs, such as a curbless shower with an ex tended half-wall and a floating sink.

“We updated everything in the bathroom,” Lepore says, adding that she replaced the space’s original orange walls with a stone color and brought in warmth with custom walnut cabinets and stone tiles in the shower. Horizontal, 3D-textured tile that stretch es across the back wall adds a calming effect.

When it came to the space’s ambiance, the client’s only request was a “zen” feel.

The award-winning kitchen renovation is another memorable project for Lepore for similar reasons. This client’s three main pain points were the lack of kitchen space, lighting and storage. She has two kids who like to do their homework in the kitchen while she’s preparing dinner, a difficult task with limited counter space. “The dining room had great lighting from the front of the home and large windows,” Lepore says. “We were able to switch the kitchen with the dining room and made the dining room more of an eat-in area.”

The client also had a side door that was not being used and taking up valuable real estate. Payne & Tompkins was able to take that out and replace it with a walk-in pantry, which offered plenty of storage space for larger appliances and food.

DESIGNS 2022 HBA Showcase of Homebuilding Payne & Tompkins Design Renovations Best Bathroom Renovation | $50,000 to $100,000 Best Kitchen Renovation | $80,000 to $130,000 RENOVATIONSDESIGNTOMPKINS&PAYNECOURTESY

“Everything was redone in those spaces, including flooring and moldings, and we also replaced some of the windows as well,” Lepore says. The cabinetry, plumbing, lighting, furnishings and Get a sneak peek at these total transformations and showstopping spaces creatively curated by some of this year’s winners of the HBA Cleveland Choice Awards.

HBA18 CLEVELAND 09.22

When it comes to masterfully crafting creative, thoughtfully de signed and functional spaces, Payne & Tompkins Design Renova tions’ talented staff has the winning strategy — dedicated employ ees who love what they do and care about their clients.

OCTOBER 1-2 / 8-9 TWO WEEKENDS • Noon - 5 PM Find GetBrowseHomes.Photos.Directions. All within the HBA CLE Parades mobile app. Get the app! Available from the App Store & Google Play HBAcleveland.com HBA of Greater Cleveland • HBA of Summit & Portage Counties • HBA of Medina County Buy your tickets at www.HBAHomeForTheHolidays.org 2022 Your chance to win this house in 2022 Tickets$100Are

When the homeowners need to wind down, they can retreat to the quieter and more private side of the house, where the pri mary bedroom and den are located. A spiral staircase in the den leads to the basement, which features a bar and workout room.

Imagine being a homebuilder or interior designer with a com pletely blank canvas where your imagination can run wild. The only restraint is, of course, the budget. That was the golden tick et for this model home JEMM Construction beautifully crafted from start to finish.

appliances also were replaced. “With the new space, we definitely made it brighter with a marble-looking quartz countertop, and the cabinet color was stunning and has become my most request ed cabinet color. It’s really unique because it’s a deeper blue, but it has a greenish undertone to it.”

“The neat part about this house is that we had a client who had the first right to purchase the house, and they bought it sim ply because they knew about our reputation and have been fol lowing JEMM for a while,” says Josh Edgell, owner of the Paines ville-based homebuilding and remodeling company. “They had

“Almost every home that we’re doing now, people are put ting in workout rooms,” Scott says, adding that another pop ular element is clean spaces free from clutter. “Chaos — espe cially in these times — and clutter cause anxiety. They wanted a nice, clean look.”

“They wanted kind of an open floor plan with privacy, so the entire great room opens up to the kitchen, which then opens up to the veranda through a movable glass partition,” Scott explains. “This house was built forBut,entertainment.”themovable partitions aren’t even the most unique aspect of the home. Two years ago, the homeowners trav eled to Italy to choose the tile flooring that appears through out the entire house. For the floor to ceiling fireplace, North Star Builders chose every piece, stone by stone. “This is their forever home, and when you’re designing a for ever home, it’s whatever they want,” Scott says. “That’s why we do custom homes — we get great satisfaction being able to make people’s dreams come alive.”

JEMM Construction Interior Design of the Year | Under $500,000

2022 HBA Showcase of Homebuilding North Star Builders

HBA20 CLEVELAND 09.22 BUILDERSNORTHSTARCOURTESY/RENOVATIONSDESIGNTOMPKINS&PAYNECOURTESYCONSTRUCTIONJEMMCOURTESY/

Interior Design of the Year | $750,000 to $1,000,000

North Star Builders is all about making a statement, so when a client approached this custom Avon homebuilder about cre ating a unique space on the edge of a golf course, the sky was the“Thelimit.rear of the house faces a tee box,” says Jason Scott, owner, adding that his clients are friends with a lot of people who frequent the golf course, so an open, inviting atmosphere was a top priority.

“I really love doing kitchens and baths,” Lepore says. “They are definitely our niche.”

A large island in the center of the room completes the kitchen, giving the family ample space to move around and accomplish individual tasks while also spending time together.

Two of the most compelling features of the home are the movable glass partitions — floor to ceiling sliding or folding glass doors that create a seamless transition from the inside to the great outdoors.

absolutely no input on the house. They were going on faith that they’ve seen our designs and knew they’d love it.” Because this was one of JEMM’s smaller model home de signs, Edgell says his team wanted the clients to get a lot of bang for their buck. That meant higher ceilings and trim details that aren’t typically found in other homes. The interior design features a Scandinavian-inspired style — light spaces with bold pops of colors. “We were going back to some of our roots with this design, with everything being very clean looking, and the knotty alder adding a nice, rustic charm,” Edgell explains, adding that gray tones rounded out the colors in the house.

CLEVELANDMAGAZINE.COM HBA21

The star of the show is the home office. The entire space — walls, trim, ceiling and bump-out bay window with a built-in bookshelf — were all painted urbane bronze, a dark, neutral shade and Sherwin Williams’ 2021 Color of the Year. “It’s actually a huge room, so we wanted to bring the ceiling down a bit and create a room that felt more like a sitting room or cigar room, but for an office,” Edgell says. “Working within the parameters of the budget, but also being on the cutting-edge of new design trends and showing off, is a fun balance and, as a team, we really enjoyed trying to pull that off.” When the clients finally got to see their new home, they in stantly fell in love with it. “For them, it was like Christmas when they showed up and saw what we put into it,” Edgell says. “It really starts with our design team. We set ourselves apart as a new homebuilder by having that team on staff. It’s so fun to have that collaboration and work with other professionals.”

CONSTRUCTIONJEMMCOURTESY

Visit our Showroom where every cabinet is built to fit our clients’ space Family Owned Community Oriented 2556 Bagley Road Olmsted Falls, OH 44138 info@remodelmetoday.com440-249-7665

Showcase of HOMEBUILDING 2022 Keystate Homes Learn how local builders and remodelers are navigating today’s challenges to deliver dream designs that meet homeowners’ evolving needs. ReimaginingyourHome A digital edition of hbacleveland.com is available online at Showcase of HOMEBUILDING

“The client indicated to us that they wanted to do that as a show feature and art piece. They fell in love with this agate stone,” Otero says. “We were able to incorporate that with LED lighting. It’s a showstopper.”Whilethemain floor incorporates an upscale, modern farm house style, the basement reflects a smooth transition to a more dramatic, industrial design. “We are huge fans of not having the entire house consistent, so we pushed the basement to a different level,” Otero says, high lighting the striking wine cellar that boasts a custom-made, lit-up tasting table. “The integration of stone and translucent granite in the center island is phenomenal.”

Otero Signature Homes/Ovation Interior Design Best Overall Custom Home/Best Interior Design of the Year | Over $2,500,000 2022 HBA Showcase of Homebuilding ACCREDITED BUSINESS ® Looking For a Trusted Contractor? Get a Quote From a BBB® Accredited Business Contact Us Better Business Bureau Serving Greater Cleveland MyBBB@Cleveland.BBB.org · (216) 241-7678 GETBBB.ORG/GET-A-QUOTEAQUOTE: 216.513.6996 Modern Elegance. Traditional Quality. mjbuildersinc.com

“We pride ourselves on making our homes very functional and livable,” Otero says.

Husband and wife team Ted and Kelly Otero are an unstop pable duo taking Cleveland’s high-end homebuilding, remodel ing and design industry to new, unimaginable levels. It started in 2003 with Otero Signature Homes, based in Chagrin Falls. “The company was created out of a passion to bring profession alism and a sense of high customer service within the industry. Since then, we’ve created multiple companies, one of which is Ovation Interior Design,” says Ted Otero, who manages Otero Signature Homes while Kelly is at the helm of Ovation Interior Design. “Ovation stemmed from our clients wanting to work with the same interior designer they worked with during the design construction process to help them with their custom furniture, drapes, rugs, etc., rather than turning to an outside source.”

HBA22 CLEVELAND 09.22 FREE ESTIMATES CALL 440-777-4406 IMPROVE YOUR HOME WITH CONFIDENCE DesignBasementsBathroomsAdditionsKitchens&Build Interior & Exterior Remodels Custom ComputerizedHandymanCarpentryPaintingServicesPlans Itemized Specifications Electrical & Plumbing (State#28631)License Roofing, Siding & Gutters DrivewaysPatios Basic Home Maintenance Replacement Windows & Doors 4486 West 220th Street Fairview Park, OH 44126 Builders.comwww.KlotzbachCustom DESIGNINTERIOROVATIONANDHOMESSIGNATUREOTEROCOURTESY

Outside, the backyard features private patios, an in-ground pool and a hot tub with a cabana. Otero’s favorite aspect of the home is the second-floor balcony, which overlooks the pool area and offers spectacular views of the magnificent property and adja cent reservoir, where bald eagles are often spotted.

That collaboration and seamless transition from start to finish is reflected in the multimillion-dollar project for which Otero Signature Homes won Best Overall Custom Home and Ovation Interior Design won Best Interior Design of the Year. The immaculate 10,000-square-foot home, featuring five bedrooms and six-and-a-half bathrooms, sits on two parcels on a cul-de-sac and overlooks a reservoir. Among the many unique characteristics of the home are three large backlit agate stone panels that add stunning texture and blue hues to the space.

We Make the Entrance Grande 30815 Solon Rd. Solon • 440-248-0050 • finelliironworks.com Excellence since 1961

Pella is the most preferred door by

brand

homeowners* COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS Whether you're an architect, contractor, property manager or developer, Pella Commercial is standing by with expertise, capabilities and experience to make your window or door projects run smoothly. Let us show you how we act as an extension of your team to support you every step of the way. RESIDENTIAL REPLACEMENT Replacement windows provide homeowners with many benefits, including enhanced curb appeal, improved energy efficiency and better noise reduction. Discover the wide variety of Pella wood, fiberglass and vinyl replacement window options available for your home. NEW CONSTRUCTION There are so many choices to make when you're building a new home. The team at Pella works with you and your builder to find the right mix of style and functionality to make your home the envy of the neighborhood. SHOWROOMS: Akron | Bedford Heights | Canfield | Columbus | Mentor | Westlake CALL: 833-304-3170 VISIT: PellaCleveland.com | PellaColumbus.com *Based on a 2021 survey of leading window brands among homeowners.

window and

BRATENAL |

| $700K Exceptional

$700K

CLEVELAND Northwest corner unit with walls of windows and breathtaking panoramic Lake Erie views. A vast field of vision from Avon Point to past the Cleveland Stadium. Light maple flooring. Open floor plan. Fresh, tasteful minimalist decor.

CLEVELANDMAGAZINE.COM 127 RE/MAX REG | LOU BARBEE (440) 899-0000RE/MAX REG | LOU BARBEE (440) 899-0000 RE/MAX REG | LOU BARBEE (440) 899-0000 RE/MAX REG | LOU BARBEE (440) 899-0000 RE/MAX REG | LOU BARBEE (440) 899-0000 RE/MAX REG | LOU BARBEE (440) 899-0000 BROOKLYN $220K Solid 3 bedrooms 1.5 bath brick ranch. Freshly painted. Hardwood flooring throughout. Spacious living and dining areas. Large windows to the backyard. Light, bright kitchen. Lower level rec room. Covered porch. Private patio. 2 car garage. MENTOR | $250K SECLUDED. Over 5 acres in South Mentor. Many possibilities. Small existing home on lushly wooded lot. A fabulous place to build your very private “dream home” (or a cluster home subdivision.) Zoning allows up 5 horses. Rare offering/opportunity. LAKEWOOD | $1.5M Lake Erie. Breathtaking northeast and northwest views from the very top. This 2-story luxury condo with flawless decor. Over 5000 sq. ft. of sophisticated style and luxury finishes. Massive great room with floor to ceiling windows. Balcony with amazing outdoor seating

$850K Outstanding cluster with 1st floor master and home office. Fresh. Bright. Recently redone. 4000 sq. ft. above grade plus 2400 sq. ft. finished lower level. Secluded setting in a lovely gated community. Steps to Shoreby Club with every amenity. 2 car attached garage.

LAKEWOOD Simply beyond description. Incredible downtown views. Master with fireplace, private sitting room-office, Huge walk-in with built-ins. Sensational master bath w/steam shower, Jacuzzi, and so much more. Every detail meticulously done. 4 car garage. 899-0000

RE/MAX REG BARBEE (440) 899-0000

stone

RE/MAX REG | LOU BARBEE (440)

CLEVELAND and Cape Cod on amazing private lot in Cleveland’s West Park. Lovely details inside and out. Fresh. Pretty. Tasteful throughout. Huge 2nd floor master with private half bath. Garden-like yard. 2 car garage.

Distinctive Homes RESULTS. GUARANTEED. LOU BARBEE | 440-899-0000

| $1.5M

| LOU

CLEVELAND |

| $225K Beautiful brick

Sensational sweeping balcony. Everything redone and upgraded. 2 generous bedrooms. 3 full baths. Completely wired for sound! Maple and stainless kitchen. 2 garage spaces. Outstanding amenities: concierge service, fitness center, car wash, more.

BY BECKY BOBAN128 CLEVELAND 09.22 1982

Look Back

COLLECTIONLIBRARY/PHOTOGRAPHPUBLICCLEVELANDCOURTESY

SCREAMS OF JOY and clattering metal rat tle the air as the roller coaster spirals and slices up its track at 45 miles per hour. Thrill seekers throw their hands up in worship — yet another group of converts to the church of the Corkscrew, a favorite at Geauga Lake along with Double Loop and Big Dipper. The Geauga Lake saga is its own roll er coaster. The park, eventually growing to more than 600 acres straddling Bainbridge and Aurora, began in 1817 as 100 acres of farmland beside a 50-acre kettle lake owned by Joel S. Giles. In the 1880s, the railroad helped Giles transform “Picnic Lake” into a Clevelander’s resort. By 1876, a carousel appeared, then a 75-room hotel, a steam boat and a dance hall. In 1925, Big Dipper became the park’s first coaster. In 2001, the park’s owner, Six Flags, made a detrimental move. Their purchase of neighboring Sea World gave guests two attractions for one price, and attendance dwindled. Cedar Fair bought the park in 2004 but couldn’t revive it. September 2007, the gates shut. The property's water park, Wildwater Kingdom, remained in op eration until 2016. While Bainbridge and Aurora officials debated the property for more than a de cade, drone footage uploaded to YouTube captured the amusement park's last, soli tary ride, Big Dipper, coiled beside desolate weed-coddled walkways. Despite rezoning squabbles, failed ex ploits to save Big Dipper and an odd log ging incident, today, excavators sit atop dirt heaps, poised to create a business, residen tial and shopping area reminiscent of Crock er Park on the property, with homage to its amusement park history.

WIN A TRUCK *, FREEPLAY ® & MORE IN SEPTEMBER! Must be 21 years or older to gamble. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, help is available. For free confidential help 24/7, call the Ohio Problem Gambling Helpline at 1.800.589.9966 or visit org.ohio.gov. 10777 Northfield Road, Northfield, OH 44067 | 330.908.7625 | MGMNorthfieldPark.com mgmresorts.com/gamesense * Make and model may vary.