WHO PAYS THE PRICE OF AMBITION?
The NARI Home Improvement Show is in its 41st year and we are happy to be returning to the newly renovated International Exposition Center! The NARI show has a rich history in Cleveland, as the longest running home show in the Cleveland market. As a non-profit trade organization it is not only our mission but we take pride in bringing together top-notch, professional remodelers with ready-to-remodel homeowners. The NARI Home Show is the perfect show to learn about the latest trends and see the newest products for your home renovations. It is the perfect place to meet and hire your future remodeler and get all the ideas to bring your remodeling dreams to life! Plus with our new fall dates, it is the best time of year to get your plans underway to get your project started the first of the new year and avoid all of the delays with product shortages and the busy schedules of the remodeling industry!
September 29, 30 and October 1, 2023
International Exposition Center, Cleveland
“The Professional Remodeling Industry”
Tickets available online at: NARIHomeShow.com
Save $2 o with Discount Code: CMAG23
Discount coupon also available at NARIHomeShow.com
Whether you are planning a remodeling project, want ideas to update your home or learn how to tackle small projects on your own, the NARI Home Improvement Show is the perfect show for you!
Meet with the area's finest home improvement and design experts
See the newest product releases and check out what's trending for your home, condo or apartment
Attend on-site clinics and seminars for “how-to” presentations for your next remodeling project
Visit the Hot Tub and Swim Spa Pavilion featuring the latest technology in performance, luxury, & quality. Explore sizes, features and options from the over 3,000 square foot on display to help you find the right product to match your unique requirements.
Don’t miss this years “Suite Dreams” Feature Area, which is a replication of a Luxury Owner’s Suite complete with a spa bathroom, walk in closet and beautifully decorated bedroom complete with a build in coffee bar! This feature area is being created be Hurst Design Build Remodel and Remodel Me Today!
32 FULL COURT PRESS Youth sports is a multibillion dollar business that's only growing bigger. What are the costs of competing at the highest level? By Dillon Stewart, Colleen Smitek and Jacob DeSmit
Cover Photo by Casey Rearick
Assisted by Sarah Harp
44 FIGHTING FOR AKRON Shammas Malik's fight for mayorhood in Akron. The candidate would be the youngest mayor in the city's history. Edited by Annie Nickoloff
10 FROM THE EDITOR
12 CONVERSATION
16 BOOKTUBER Local literary influencer Nahomy's Library strives to bring diversity and fun to reading.
17 BAR GAME LEGACY The Cleveland Darter Club keeps the classic game of darts alive and well in The Land.
18 COVENTRY REVIVAL With historic vacancies, what will it take to make the once-bustling village a hotspot today?
FOOD &
23 JUST KEEP SWIMMING The revitalization of Salmon Dave's Pacific Grille in Rocky River after near-imminent closure.
24 LA VILLA HISPANA Explore a diverse and thriving Hispanic culture nestled in this cultural neighborhood.
27 GUIDE: AVON/AVON LAKE From burgers to fine dining, eat your way through the West Side neighborhood.
HOME & GARDEN
165 THE SHOREWAY LOFT This Gordon Square industrial building received a major facelift, creating a cozy and exciting space.
49 PRIVATE SCHOOLS Delve into the diverse and dedicated world of private education, where students dedicate themselves to their community, learning and creativity.
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ANNUAL BENEFIT & RECOGNITION DINNER
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2023 5:30–10pm
EMBASSY SUITES BY HILTON
Cleveland Rockside Road, Independence, Ohio
RECOGNIZING
Premier Truck Sales & Rental and Maud Andre de la Porte
KEYNOTE SPEAKER: Mariel Hemingway
Renowned actress, author and advocate for positive behavioral health
An elegant evening celebrating our vision with dinner, fellowship, auctions and awards. For event advertising, sponsorships, corporate tables and donation of auction items contact Joe Matuscak at 440.989.4919
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.
learn more or schedule a personal tour, visit gilmour.org/admission
Denise Polverine publisher
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contributing writers Jacob DeSmit, Robin Goist, Vince Guerrieri, Kristin Hampshire, Allison Jack, Henry Palattella, Afi Scruggs, Lynne Thompson
editorial interns Brianna Camp, Karyssa Rose, Haley Strnad, Clara Wicinski, Alaina Williams
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I DON'T REMEMBER a single play from my high school football career. No, not because I got my head bashed in (at least I hope not). My most vivid memories happened off the field.
Pregame prayers and postgame pizza parties. Early morning talks on drives to practices — and finding creative ways to get out of them. Shaving my head on the first day of varsity camp and crying on my dad’s shoulder after my final game, which would have sent us to the state championship.
Long before my first job or intimate relationship, sports taught me preparation, humility, acceptance, perseverance and teamwork — that sometimes the ball just doesn’t bounce your way, and that's OK. In my hardest moments, there was always a teammate there to have my back.
This month’s feature, “Full Court
Press,” (pg 32) looks at how youth sports has ballooned into a megabusiness and a culture of more, more, more.
Before children are 10 years old, they often feel pressure to perform. As lofty collegiate goals loom overhead, parents find themselves sucked down a rabbit hole of cutthroat competition that pushes their children over the edge.
During dozens of interviews, though, community was one of the most common themes. Sports presented trials and tribulations, but they also formed bonds that later led to professional connections, best friends and lifelong passion.
We’re a sports town; that'll never change. More than a warning, we hope to remind you that the true value of competition isn't in wins and losses but values and friendships. That's what makes sports such an essential part of life in Northeast Ohio.
Dillon Stewart, editor stewart@clevelandmagazine.com
The Fox 8 anchor opened up to Cleveland Magazine about her powerful and personal battle with breast cancer for our August cover story. Dozens of Clevelanders took to social media with their heartfelt responses.
From the readers: @brittanygidley: @natalieherbick you are an inspiration, friend. ❤
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@natalieherbick: Thank you so much to your amazing team for your unwavering support! So humbled and honored. ��
@popculturecle: @natalieherbick you are beautiful inside and out! Your strength to share your personal journey is honorable and amazing! XO❤
@avery.schneider.5: Such great news … early detection saved my wife’s life. All the best wishes in your continued journey ❤��
@kelschreiber: Thank you @natalieherbick for sharing your story - your journey and experience is inspiring so many to take action!
CORRECTION:
In our recent July issue (Look Back: 1954, pg. 96), we recounted the events surrounding the Bay Village murder of Marilyn Sheppard. In that story we incorrectly named Normandy High School in Parma as the location for an inquest that took place.
The actual meeting happened at Normandy Elementary School in Bay Village.
Follow Cleveland Magazine on Spotify for all your local music listening needs. Our Cleveland Current playlist features Northeast Ohio artists of every genre.
WORKSPACE-APPROVED COFFEE SHOPS: EDITOR’S PICKS TO VISIT
We’re breaking down our list of roomy cafes and coffee hubs that also make for great work and study stations. clevelandmagazine.com/workspaces
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CLEVELAND MAGAZINE and the Greater Cleveland Nurses Association were the proud hosts of the 2023 Faces of Care Gala on June 16. The special event honored area nurses, students and educators who have made an impact in the nursing community in Northeast Ohio. Held at Embassy Suites Cleveland-Rockside in Independence, the event was emceed by Stephanie Haney of WKYC. Guests enjoyed cocktails, a seated dinner, an awards ceremony and dancing.
1) Ann Fiorta, Christina Moran, Richelle Winner, and Arianne Mastandrea
2) Andrea Hudson Smith and Reginald Smith
3) Tee Matthews, Bimpe Adedipe, Erica Portis. Cleveland State
4) James Hopkins and Jacquelyn Church
THE DOG DAYS of Summer Luau
Doggie Brunch brought a tropical twist to Terrestrial Brewing Co. on July 16, offering a delightful experience for both canines and their human companions. Co-hosted by Cleveland Magazine , the event featured luau-themed doggie meals by Spoiled Dog Boss. The highlight of the day was undoubtedly the costume contest and parade, where tail-wagging participants showcased their best island-inspired ensembles. Prizes were awarded to the most creatively dressed canines, making for a fiercely adorable competition.
June 16, 2023
Embassy Suites Cleveland-Rockside
July 16, 2023
Terrestrial Brewing Co.
16
BROWSE NAHOMY'S LIBRARY
17
As the colors turn, some reach for a thick blanket and perhaps a new book courtesy of booktuber Nahomy’s Library; some will kick on their worn-out boots as they work through this year's autumn hiking guide; and concerts don’t slow down for a second, with acts like Eagles and Greta Van Fleet on their way.
Check out our 2023 Fall Fun Guide at clevelandmagazine.com/fallfun for more.
CLEVELAND DART CLUB
18
COVENTRY'S ONGOING REVIVAL
BOOKS
Nahomy Ortiz-Garcia, known as Nahomy’s Library online, exemplifies the values of reading and diversity through her book-focused YouTube and social media presence.
Nahomy Ortiz-Garcia, a 24-year-old Cleveland-based BookTuber known as @NahomysLibrary online, remembers being a kid who cherished reading because it was a rarity.
When she and her family lived in Puerto Rico, the nearest bookstore was almost an hour away; no public libraries nearby.
“I remember reading one of my sister’s books called Vampyr by Carolina Andujar in Spanish,” she says, “and reading over and over again the Dear Dumb Diary series that I’d bought with the $5 my mom gave me at the school book fair in Puerto Rico. The next book I got to own, years later, was The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, and I’m pretty sure that was the first book I read in English.”
Eventually, with the genesis of YouTube and other social media, she was able to access more than she ever dreamt. Books like The Hunger Games, Divergent and Harry Potter shaped her adventurous mind. Today, she hopes to inspire readers with her own YouTube and social media accounts, which have amassed a following of more than 11,000 readers.
“Nahomy’s Library is a haven for book
lovers seeking reviews, discussions and recommendations” she says. “As a proud Latina individual, I bring a unique perspective and voice to my content and shine a light on diverse authors and underrepresented narratives.”
In the past year alone, she’s been on panels for Literary Cleveland and facilitates bimonthly inclusive book club nights that center on Hispanic/Latinx voices at the Julia De Burgos Cultural Arts Center. She also collaborates with the Cuyahoga County Public Library to facilitate other literacy events. Even her day job, working for digital book distributor OverDrive, is focused on helping others gain access to more books. In the name of paying it forward, Nahomy manages a “to-be-read” list, where she reviews and discusses around 20 books per month.
“Making books more accessible to communities is such a huge passion of mine and being able to work for a company that did that for me in my own childhood is so extremely special,” she says. “My hope and dream is that one day my home, Puerto Rico, has the same amount of accessibility to literature as we do here in the United States.”
From the author of The Return , follow the tale of a young woman’s struggle with a witch who seems too good to be true, set within modern day Manhattan and a small upstate New York Village.
Spinning Silver by Naomi
NovikA Rumpelstilskin retelling: a determined moneylender’s daughter embarks on a perilous journey and inadvertently attracts the attention of an icy king, leading her to face an impossible task and uncover a dangerous secret.
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
A shocking psychological thriller of a woman’s act of violence against her husband — and of the therapist obsessed with uncovering her motive.
Scythe by Neal Shusterman
Two teens must learn the “art of killing” in this dystopian young adult.
Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
A mesmerizing tale of power, privilege, and dark magic set among the Ivy League elite.
Cleveland Darter Club hits the bull’s-eye of being a place to be competitive and to help newbies learn the bar game of darts.
For three nights a week, Cleveland becomes a darts town thanks to the Cleveland Darter Club.
At more than 50 bars across the city on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday nights, drinks are poured, darts are thrown and friends become enemies — all thanks to a club as ingrained in Cleveland’s DNA as Edgewater Park or Tower City.
In 1969, a local businessman and his friend started playing darts in their office building Downtown to pass the time and soon became interested in trying to get other people to play. So they, like any Clevelander worth their salt, went to the Harbor Inn in the Flats to see if they could convince others to start playing. And pretty soon the bar was full nearly every night with people playing darts.
Now the group is led by newly elected president Kathleen Mazur, whose journey with darts started when an ex-boyfriend took her to a dart competition. While at the tournament, she ended up working as the scorekeeper for one of the boards, where she learned the golden rule of being the scorekeeper: you stand still.
“At one point, I turned while I was there, and this guy turned and looked at me, lowered his voice, and said, ‘Don’t ever move,’” Mazur recalls. “Now I’m really good friends with him.”
The league is one of the oldest dart
clubs in the nation and is spread across the city, ranging from old-school staples like Pride of Erin on Lorain Road to newer establishments like Rookies Sports Bar & Grill in Parma, which has 10 dartboards.
“It’s the best thing for a bar to put in to get some return on its investment. The people who play it drink,” says previous president Brian Kaczmarski. “It’s like the Cheers of sports.”
The setup of the league is simple: Teams show up and, depending on the night and league, play a mix of single, double and team games. Whichever team has the most points at the end of the season wins the league.
While the makeup of the league is predominantly 35- to 55-year-old males, both Mazur and Kaczmarski say they’re trying to add more diversity to the group, thanks in part to the ease with which you can pick up the game.
“People will come out to the bar, see some dart boards, will want to play and will end up in the league,” Kaczmarski says.
The club’s membership peaked at 3,000 members in the late 1980s but has slowly dwindled due to various reasons ranging from most bars instituting smoking bans to the rise of cell phones.
“No one goes into the bar to play parlor games anymore,” Kaczmarski says.
Even if the league isn’t at the heights it reached in the ‘80s, it still has a strong number of participants, with more than 80 teams playing in the fall and winter leagues. A big driver of that participation is the club’s Trails Program, which consists of weekly tournaments that provide a place for beginners to play while also letting members earn “trail points” that they can then use to pay for costs associated with playing in national events.
But for the city’s veteran throwers, the group provides a place where they can go toe-to-toe with the city’s best while also helping teach the next generation of players.
“The greatest player in the world is probably playing in their basement,” Kaczmarski says with a laugh.
BY HENRY PALATTELLA ILLUSTRATION BY MARK SANTIAGO
Cleveland Heights’ funky Coventry Village welcomes vibrant new businesses while facing historic vacancy rates.
Depending on where you stand and when you visit, the Coventry Village retail strip might look like it’s thriving or like it’s merely surviving.
The thriving comes if you’re at the south end of Coventry Road, near Euclid Heights Boulevard. On Sunday mornings, parishioners hurry to make
the morning service at City Church in the old Centrum movie theater. On any given weeknight, partygoers file into the Grog Shop and the B-Side Lounge for a live show. Head to the intersection of Coventry and Mayfield roads, and you’ll see a food district, with Pacific East Japanese Restaurant, Koko Bakery and Ellie-May’s Gourmet Cookies. Walking down the street, though,
you’ll see the 1800-1836 building has five vacancies out of 10 retail spots. The Key Bank branch closed, emptying a storefront that has held a bank for more than 100 years. Tommy’s Restaurant and Mac’s Backs are anchors, but the space that housed the Big Fun toy store space has been vacant since the shop left in 2018.
Those unoccupied spots worry Kathy
Blackman. She owns the Grog Shop and the B-Side Liquor Lounge.
“I do believe that we have more vacancies than we’ve ever had since I’ve been there,” says Blackman, who has worked in Coventry for more than 30 years. “(Coventry) always had its ups and downs. You know, it’s sort of like a roller coaster. Unfortunately, I would say right now we’re at the bottom of the hill and hopefully on our way up.”
Blackman points to Made Cleveland as the kind of business that does well on the strip. The space features products from 150 regional makers and artisans, selling everything from carved and painted wooden chairs, to jewelry, to locally sourced provisions. Store owner Ash O’Connor opened the brickand-mortar site in 2020 after building her brand and business with online sales and pop-up events. She lives in the neighborhood and the corridor’s eclectic mix reminded her of South Street in her native Philadelphia.
“Coventry has gone through several iterations and identities over the decades,” she says. “But at its core, it remains a very creative and culturally diverse corridor, which is just so beautiful and wonderful, because there aren’t really any other areas in Cleveland that exist like this.”
Brian Anderson, who oversees business development for the City of Cleveland Heights, agrees. While the average visitor might be enticed by the eclectic shops like Passport to Peru and Attenson’s Antiques & Books, Anderson also sees a “main street” district that caters to the densely populated streets surrounding it. The latest census figures place the Coventry shopping district within a neighborhood of roughly 3,700 residents, where the median age of 30 and the mean household income is roughly $63,000.
Anderson lists stores like Marc’s Coventry grocery store and Heights Hardware near Mayfield that serve the residents. They’re as much a part of the corridor’s character as the Grog Shop and Made Cleveland.
But the corridor’s uniqueness isn’t protection from competition, he says.
Now, though, Cleveland districts like West 25th Street, Tremont, Gordon Square and Hingetown are just as walkable and trendy.
One impression to overcome: Rentals along the Coventry strip are more expensive than they are at other locations. Blackman rejects that notion. She says she’s researched rates and the area is comparable to similar corridors in Cleveland Heights. And she’s adamant that landlords will negotiate for the right tenant.
“I do believe the landlords will work with people, “ she says. “(Landlords) want to see the spaces filled.”
Once upon a time, retail spaces in Coventry were more costly than elsewhere, says Anderson. Not anymore.
“Before (Coventry landlords) had as much competition, they were probably able to charge some of the higher rates in the entire Cleveland market,” he says. “So I think the rates are getting more friendly to bring in new folks.”
The real challenge, however, is keeping Coventry, well, Coventry. That means finding a mix of eclectic, unique businesses that will serve the community and visitors who come to the area. O’Connor is upbeat about the future of the strip.
“We are going through a little bit of a period of churn in terms of tenants, but we are seeing new businesses coming in,” she says. “And that is exciting. And I really am hopeful that the landlords continue to have open dialogues with people and are willing to negotiate something that makes sense.”
Ohio’s public indecency laws paint an unclear picture in regard to whether or not women can be topless in public spaces.
Can women go topless in Ohio? The answer is fuzzy in some interpretations of Ohio law.
“This comes up every summer, because every summer, people do this,” says Michael Benza, a Case Western Reserve University School of Law professor. “There will be women who will go out and for whatever reason — whether they want to challenge the statutes, whether they just like to go topless, whether or not
an accident happens — women end up facing charges under this.”
Ohio Revised Code Section’s section on public indecency states that Ohioans cannot recklessly expose private parts in public. This April, an amendment to a definition named female breasts as a private area.
Specifically, the updated definition of “private area” in Section 2907.01 includes “the genitals, pubic area, buttocks, or female breast below the top of the areola, where nude or covered by
an undergarment.”
“‘Where nude or covered by an undergarment’ — that definition makes no sense,” says Benza.
The definition was written as a part of an anti-voyeurism law in the 134th General Assembly, and it applies to most sections of Chapter 2907, which address various sex offenses, including Section 2907.09, public indecency.
That means that the law might have had an unintended consequence: A woman sunbathing topless at an Ohio public beach, for example, could be subject to prosecution. Jeff Tolman, the Communications & Outreach Manager for Cleveland Metroparks, said in an email that women displaying their breasts in public are violating Ohio’s public indecency statute.
“This is statewide, not specific to Cleveland Metroparks or our beaches,” Tolman said in the email.
“We say something in one statute without realizing it has this effect on all
other sorts of statutes. That’s the problem,” Benza says. “We have so many statutes, that it’s really difficult for people to even keep track of what they all are, and to recognize it.”
The new “private area” definition further muddies the waters of an already murky gender equality issue in Ohio law. Can both men and women be topless in public?
The answer isn’t clear-cut.
“It goes back to the relative roles of gender in our law. We treat women’s bodies differently than we treat men’s bodies. This is one example of that — that the legislature has very specifically now defined private parts to only include female breasts,” Benza says.
People have challenged the Ohio law’s applications. Columbus’ ComFest successfully challenged a nudity rule in 2017, for example.
“We all know what this statute is supposed to do. Agree with it, or disagree with it; you kind of have an idea of what it’s supposed to do. The problem is trying to define what it’s supposed to do
in a way that makes any sense,” Benza says. “Most of the courts didn’t want to have to address that issue.”
The updated “private area” definition’s inclusion of female breasts could open a door to prosecuting women who go topless in Ohio’s public spaces.
“Because of this change in the statute, the answer is no longer clear that this is not subject to prosecution, and women run the risk if they go topless, of being charged and prosecuted under that statute,” Benza says. “I think it is a significant change.”
It’s significant enough to have potential legal ramifications on Ohioans.
“Before, my advice to somebody would have been, if you are in an appellate district where this issue has been decided, if you’re a woman, you’re free to take off your top and not be prosecuted,” Benza says. “Now that the legislature has arguably defined it, now the courts are going to have to go back and look at it. My advice for people is, unless you want to challenge it, don’t take off your top if you’re a woman.”
Chemicals in sunscreen have been found to negatively impact life in both saltwater and freshwater.
POPULAR SUNSCREENS containing oxybenzone and octinoxate were proven to negatively impact marine life in saltwater, leading Hawaii and Key West to ban the sale of sunscreens containing those chemicals in 2021.
A major push toward the ban came from the impacts the chemicals have on coral reefs: accumulation on coral tissues, bleaching, DNA damages, deformation and mortality.
But the negative impacts don’t stop there. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, trace amounts of sunscreen can impair the growth of green algae and increase endocrine disruption, affecting reproductive hormones in fish, invertebrates and mammals.
Following the ban, a coalition of 60 community leaders, conservations, organizations and academics petitioned for a federal ban and reclassification of the chemicals by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
A federal ban may be helpful not just to saltwater species but to freshwater as well; limited research shows chemicals in sunscreen may affect freshwater habitats like Lake Erie.
“There are limited studies, but they are showing impacts to growth on algae and water fleas which are a small type of phytoplankton,” says Jill Bartolotta, an extension educator for Ohio Sea Grant and Ohio State Stone Laboratory. “The bottom of the food chain, but everything else depends on that.”
The topic is relatively new and studies must be replicated for evidence. Barlotta says that over the past 10 years, plastic contaminants have become a more popular research topic. She believes the same will happen for sunscreen.
“It is definitely a newer contaminant of concern for the region, and one that requires more research,” Bartolotta says.
Until more is learned, Bartolotta suggests using sunscreen alternatives such as UV-protectant clothing, hats, umbrellas and avoiding the outdoors when the sun is at peak intensity to keep the skin safe from UV rays and the water safe from harmful chemicals. ABIGAIL PREISZIG
GUARANTEED FRESH
GUIDE: GET YOUR GRUB ON IN AVON
PANIC STRUCK ROCKY RIVER at the beginning of the year when Salmon Dave’s Pacific Grille announced plans to close. Thankfully, this 30-year fixture of West Side dining only shuttered for a month as Hospitality Group gave its legacy seafood restaurant a face-lift. A fresh coat of paint, a decor transformation from a dark-wood cabin to a breezy PacificNorthwest seafood house, and new menu items such as East Coast Bouillabaisse ($25) give longtime visitors something new to explore, but as they already know, first-timers will find tried-and-true classics like the Fork and Knife Fried Chicken ($24). “We owed this investment to all the people who have come in and patronized the restaurant and made us so popular in Rocky River for all these years,” says owner George Schindler.
In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, take a bite out of the restaurants in Cleveland’s sprawling Latino neighborhood.
WE STEP PAST a pushed-aside metal grate and enter Pupuseria y Antojitos Guanaquitas for lunch with a sign hanging above that features a pigtailed cartoon woman holding two pupusas.
It’s a transportive experience. Inside the brightly painted restaurant, a world of Salvadoran bites awaits — most notable are the restaurant’s locally famous pupusas ($4), served with a side of fermented curtido slaw in a massive glass jar. On our way to our table, we catch a glimpse of chefs, flattening pupusas in their palms and slapping them into neat rows on a griddle, through an open window to the kitchen.
This is just a taste of a world of Latino culinary delights in this section of Clark-Fulton — except in the past four decades, a neighborhood rebrand has dubbed the area La Villa Hispana.
“I’m sure Clark and Fulton were great guys,” says Jenice Contreras, the executive director of the Northeast Ohio Hispanic Center for Economic Development, “but it doesn’t tell you anything about the vibrancy and the diversity of the neighborhood. That’s why La Villa Hispana is so important.”
The area, Ohio’s most dense Latino neighborhood, is celebrated through the longtime branding effort — one that has placed La Villa Hispana in similar ranks to fellow Cleveland cultural neighborhoods such as AsiaTown, Little Italy and Slavic Village. Now, La Villa Hispana is furthering its efforts with CentroVilla25, a project Contreras and her team spearheaded. Sometime next year, expect this new, vibrant market and gathering space at 3140 W. 25th St. to open.
“CentroVilla25 will be the physical manifestation of rebranding the neighborhood,” Contreras says.
An entry point to the neighborhood is, of course, through its range of eclectic restaurants — ones that showcase every flavor of Hispanic cuisine.
“I think the beauty of what’s happening with the cuisine scene in Cleveland’s Latino community is that for a long time, it was primarily Puerto Rican — because we are primarily a Puerto Rican community,” Contreras says. “But now there’s so much more diversity in the Latino cuisine in Cleveland, and I don’t think these business owners get enough credit. We have Dominican. We have Mexican. We have Salvadoran. We have Guatemalan. We have a lot more than just the traditional Puerto Rican or Mexican, which I feel are mostly recognized by Main Street America.”
Contreras recommends a handful of restaurants — a list which also includes Mexican restaurants Taqueria El Paraiso and Los Dos Fronteras, and Dominican restaurant Quisqueya La Bella — to visit in La Villa Hispana.
Taking over a former incubator space run by the Northeast Ohio Hispanic Center for Economic Development, Cha’Firo landed at the corner of Seymour and West 25th after NEOHCED focused on CentroVilla25. Here, chef Peggy Cruz crafts vegan and vegetarianfriendly Puerto Rican cuisine for catering and takeout — and, soon, will also offer cooking lessons. “It’s almost like Puerto Rican soul food,” Contreras says. “She specializes in making amazing beans that are vegan-friendly, and I’m like, ‘How the heck did you not put any meat in these beans?’” 2886 W. 25th St., Cleveland, chafiro.square.site
Just down the street is Salvadoran staple Guanaquitas, which slings pupusas during its lunch and dinner rushes. It’s preparing to open a second location in Detroit-Shoreway. “It’s another very
ethnic and delicious place to eat,” Contreras says. 2998 W. 25th St., Cleveland, pupuseriayantojitosguanaquitas.com
This beloved institution centers on empanadas, especially its unique open-faced options — but don’t skip its menu of sandwiches, pastries and salads. “The Argentinian empanadas are my favorite thing to have,” Contreras says. “They have a little bit of everything.” 3460 W. 25th St., Cleveland, facebook.com/thehalfmooncleveland
A range of pastries, plus an a la carte menu of buffet-style food, are available to order from this Fulton highlight. “It’s
been a pillar in our community for at least 30 years, if not longer,” Contreras says. 2906 Fulton Road, Cleveland, caribebakeshop.com
Contreras points out the range of options at this restaurant and bakery — everything from traditional Puerto Rican pastries to Puerto Rican-style shish kabobs and pork are available for order. “When I go to Las Villas, I truly feel like I’m in a bakery in Puerto Rico, just from the moment I get out of my car,” Contreras says. “It just smells like a Puerto Rican bakery, and so the whole neighborhood smells like a Puerto Rican bakery.” 3216 W. 41st St., Cleveland, facebook.com/people/Las-Villas-Deli-andPastries/100057349363885
a beautiful patio in the historic French Creek district. TRY THIS: Co-owner and chef Brian Weaver recommends the Sachetti ($24), a dozen pieces of cheese-stuffed pasta in a white truffle cream sauce, finished with Parmesan and fig Vincotto. 37040 Detroit Road, Avon, 440-937-1816, avonbrewingcompany.com
WHY WE LOVE IT: Spell “Avon” backward and you’ll uncover the name of this casual neighborhood restaurant from the same owners as Nemo Grille. You'll enjoy wood-fired flatbreads and burgers next to an impressive bourbon selection and a large patio. TRY THIS: Opt for the homemade Italian meatballs ($15) to start, with tomato sauce, topped with a blend of Italian cheeses finished in the wood-fired oven. 36816 Detroit Road, Avon, 440-695-1083, barnovaavon.com
WHY WE LOVE IT: This long-running hibachi and sushi favorite whips up all your favorite flavorful Japanese dishes in a classic atmosphere. TRY THIS: Experience the shrimp hibachi ($24.95) served with soup, salad, vegetable, shrimp appetizer and fried rice. 35840 Chester Road, Avon, 440-937-3888, fujiyama.weebly.com
WHY WE LOVE IT: Coming from the owners of Hecks Cafe and located next to its Avon branch, this newer modern Italian spot with a patio in the center of Avon serves up all the usual suspects, including pizza, pasta, antipasti and cocktails. TRY THIS: Grab a friend (or maybe you'll need a few) and share the unique chicken Parmesan “pizza” ($33), where breaded chicken is covered with San Marzano
tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, Parmesan and arugula salad. 35568 Detroit Road, Avon, 440-517-0096, anticacleveland.com
WHY WE LOVE IT: “If you come for the beer, you’re going to stay for the food,” says Mathias Hauck, co-owner and brewmaster of the family-owned brewpub. “If you come for the food, you’re going to stay for the beer.” The brewery features
WHY WE LOVE IT: This Cleveland staple for casual-chic American fare and top-notch burgers that began in Ohio City makes for an easy pick to satisfy all palettes with its seasonal and locally sourced menu. TRY THIS: Stay true to the city and order the Avon burger ($16) with balsamic candied onions, blue cheese, truffled potato sticks and baby arugula. 35514 Detroit Road, Avon, 440-937-3200, heckscafe.com
WHY WE LOVE IT: Recognized nationally for its Old World Neapolitan-style, woodfired pizzas, this simple family-run Italian joint follows all the pizza “laws” of the Associazione Vera Pizza Napolitana, meaning it crafts pies topped with fresh vegetables from local farmers and growers in an unassuming storefront. TRY THIS: Devour the signature In Forno ($17) pizza topped with grated mozzarella, fresh mozzarella, sausage, bacon and jalapeno. 35840 Chester Road, Avon, 216-394-9784, infornopizza.com
ISTANBUL MEDITERRANEAN GRILL
WHY WE LOVE IT: Located in a strip mall, this popular restaurant doesn’t look like much from the outside, but inside, guests find some of the most authentic halal Mediterranean and Turkish cuisine around. In a casual bright dining area decorated with art from the region, enjoy fresh hummus served with delectable homemade bread for dipping. TRY THIS: The entire menu is perfectly spiced and flavorful, but the grilled filet mignon kebabs ($27.99), served with rice pilaf, stands out. 35840 Chester Road, 440-937-0733, istanbulgrillavon.com
WHY WE LOVE IT: Grab traditional TexMex food at this newer, bright, modern hotspot in Avon Commons. TRY THIS: Bring a pal for chicken and steak fajitas for two ($31) served with all the fixings from bell peppers and mushrooms to onions and tomatoes, served with rice and beans. 35846 Detroit Road, Avon, 440-6950779, mezquiterestaurante.com
NEMO GRILLE
WHY WE LOVE IT: This fine-dining staple housed in the historic 1850 Alten House whips up globally influenced American cuisine with some inventive twists.
TRY THIS: Regulars love the Maple Leaf Farms duck breast ($29) with caramelized onion mashed potatoes, grilled asparagus and black mission fig-marsala sauce. 36976 Detroit Road, Avon, 440-934-0061, nemogrille.com
WHY WE LOVE IT: The historic 1850s Ewers Barn might not be the first place you’d look for aged steaks, seafood and delicious pretzel bread, but in Avon, Strip brings on unique rustic-elegant vibes and an idyllic patio. TRY THIS: Bring your appetite for the massive 22-ounce bone-in cowboy ribeye ($59) or another one of chef Ron Larson’s dishes. 36840 Detroit Road, Avon, 440-934-9900, stripsteakhouse.com
WHY WE LOVE IT: Originally named for low menu prices, this no-frills concept is a local favorite, with a basic beer and cocktail menu, alongside burgers, wings and famous macaroni. TRY THIS: You can’t go wrong starting out with the fried pickles ($9), hand battered and served with ranch. 36931 Detroit Road, Avon, 440-937-8647, twobucks.us/avon
WHY WE LOVE IT: “We have the best patio, bar none, on the West Side,” says chef and owner Matt Heller. The restaurant, found inside a historic home, focuses on elevated American bistro cuisine with a chef-driven menu of chops, steaks, seafood and pasta. TRY THIS: Definitely try the veal osso
bucco ($32) made with red wine-braised veal shank, fresh herb risotto and seasonal vegetables. “People tell us that it’s the best around,” says Heller. “You don’t see it on many menus.” 32045 Detroit Ave., Avon, 440-471-7459, verandabistrobar.com
WHY WE LOVE IT: Besides the real-live lizard, the most interesting thing about the Avon branch of this regional bar food and beer haven is the array of wings, burgers and pizzas alongside a giant draft and bottled beer menu. TRY THIS: The savory white bread pizza ($11) is a real sleeper hit, with garlic oil, herbs, mozzarella and provolone cheeses. 2125 Center Road, Avon, 440-937-7612, winkinglizard.com
CAFE MELISSA
WHY WE LOVE IT: When you’re looking for a bright, modern spot with a slightly elevated casual American menu, visit this small Avon Lake staple for basic fresh fare. TRY THIS: Stop by for brunch and order up the Cali Benedict ($12) featuring poached eggs, Canadian bacon, avocado, tomato, hollandaise, scallion and an English muffin.
32950 Walker Road, Avon Lake, 440-933-9400, cafemelissa.com
WHY WE LOVE IT: A true mom-and-pop style Italian restaurant is a regular rotation for many on the North Shore, whipping up delicious pasta, seafood and other homemade recipes since 1992. TRY THIS: Go for the signature chicken Fratello ($23) with sauteed chicken breasts with Fratello’s sauce and marsala mushrooms. 32085 Electric Blvd., Avon Lake, 440-933-3380, fratellos.net
WHY WE LOVE IT: Restaurant veteran Anthony Ponce crafts beautiful dishes with Spanish and Portuguese influence, many highlighting fresh sea fare. TRY THIS: The paella Valenciana ($32) features fresh seafood in rice with chicken and sausage. 33481 Lake Road, Avon Lake, 440-653-5953, ibizacleveland.com
WHY WE LOVE IT: Although it’s not actually on the lake, this basic, familyowned seafood and American joint is popular alongside Avon Lakers for its fresh sea fare, burgers and other joys, along with its casual, friendly ambiance. TRY THIS: The Lake Erie perch dinner ($20.95) comes with a half-pound of fresh fillets dipped in homemade batter, fried golden brown and served with hand-cut fries, homemade coleslaw and tartar sauce. 32485 Lake Road, Avon Lake, 440-933-8304, jakesonthelake.com
WHY WE LOVE IT: Ten years ago, owner James Mowbray was looking to create a Cheers bar in Avon Lake. “It’s become that spot,” he says. Parker’s serves up hand-cut steaks, fresh seafood, burgers, flatbreads and a big wine list. It's as perfect for the family as it is for a date. TRY THIS: “Slowroasted, scratch-made BBQ ribs ($25) is a fan favorite,” Mowbray says. You’ll dig the fall-of-the-bone tender, sweet and smoky ribs served with coleslaw and fries. 32858 Walker Road, Avon Lake, 440-933-9400, parkersgrilleandtavern.com
WHY WE LOVE IT: This chic, modern eatery opened last year debuting its take on traditional Asian and innovative Taiwanese cuisine. TRY THIS: Choose from a meat or tofu Hunan ($15) served with broccoli, zucchini, mushrooms, carrots, snow pea pods and Chinese cabbages in a hot, spicy brown sauce. 32730 Walker Road, Suite C3, Avon Lake, 440-9302623, plumasianfareandsushi.com
WHY WE LOVE IT: This small husband-and-wife-run, carry-out shop serves up authentic Thai food that locals go crazy over. “It’s just us two,” says owner Tom DeGirolamo. “Pretty much she does all the cooking.” Each order is done individually and is customizable. TRY THIS: “Pad Thai ($16) is the most popular,” says DeGirolamo. “It’s all about the (homemade) sauce.” The dish (choose from vegetarian, tofu, chicken or pork) consists of rice noodle with celery, carrot, egg, bean sprout and green onion topped with ground peanut. Pro tip: Call in your order in advance. 32730 Walker Road, Suite D3, Avon Lake, 440-9338424, thaichiliavonlake.com
OLD SCHOOL PIZZA & WINGS BY PARKER’S
WHY WE LOVE IT: The Parker’s team introduced its classic American pizza shop in 2020 with a relaxing dining room complete with arcade games and checkered tablecloths. TRY THIS: Fried pepperoni ($8) makes for a unique and zesty starter, served with French onion dip. 445 Avon Belden Road, Avon Lake, 440-961-0892, oldschoolavonlake.com
WHY WE LOVE IT: Build your own salads with all the fixings you could dream of at this popular cafe also specializes in other fresh healthier fare, including soups, subs, smoothies and wraps. TRY THIS: Design your own salad ($7.50, large) with vegetables, cheese, meats, dressings and other toppings. 690 Avon Belden Road, Avon Lake, 440-933-9123, saladkraze.com
TAKI’S GREEK KITCHEN
WHY WE LOVE IT: “I’ve been going to Greece every year since I was a little boy,” says chef and owner Taki
Diamantis. “Everything that I’ve seen in Greece I wanted Northeast Ohio to experience.” And that he does this through authentic fish, chops and other traditional dishes of Greece. TRY THIS: Order the braised lamb shank ($33) with orzo, tomatoes and kefalotyri. “What really makes it is we put grated cheese on top of it that makes the whole dish kind of pop.” 377 Lear Road, Avon Lake, 440930-8888, takisgreekkitchen.com
Check out more recommendations at clevelandmagazine.com/food-drink
Meaden & Moore provides you with the expertise to solve today’s challenges while understanding the importance of your strategy, vision, your team, and everything else that matters.
Meet the coaches, trainers and parents behind the high-stakes, competitive youth sports leagues that are raising Northeast Ohio’s athletes.
story by Dillon Stewart
photographed by Casey Rearick
REFEREE SHARES HIS PERSPECTIVE
ON AN AVERAGE WEEK, VANESSA MALONE MUST NAVIGATE GETTING HER CHILDREN TO NO FEWER THAN FOUR AND AS MANY AS SEVEN PRACTICES — NOT TO MENTION POTENTIALLY 10 GAMES OVER A WEEKEND IF BOTH OF HER SPORTS-ACTIVE KIDS ARE PLAYING.
ANESSA
MALONE is going to have to call me right back.
I’ve asked to chat with her son Gregory Price, a sophomore on Hawken School’s high school basketball team, about the lessons, trials and tribulations that come
from playing highly competitive youth sports. But they’re busy, like they always are on Tuesday nights, driving home from an open gym.
Even for those who might have played high-level high school sports as recently as a decade or so ago, the phrase “youth sports” probably conjures up lazy summer evenings of sloppy baseball at a poorly kept local diamond.
But for thousands of Northeast Ohio children like Price and parents like Malone, whose families participate in club sports on the highest level, the stakes are higher than ever.
The National Council of Youth Sports says more than 60 million children participate in sports in some form and about 27% specialize in one. In 2022, youth sports was estimated to be a
“EVERYBODY HATES THIS PROCESS. I MEAN, EVEN THE ONES PLAYING D-I OR WHATEVER, THEY’RE LIKE, ‘GOD THAT WAS STILL HATED THE PROCESS.’ SO I FEEL LIKE THAT WAS KIND OF
$37.5 billion global industry, according to Markets N Research, and by 2030, it’s expected to nearly double, to $69.4 billion.
The growth of this industry has created a never-ending search for the trainer, showcase, team or tournament that is going to give Jimmy or Suzy the edge over their competition. This leads to athletes training like pros long before they’ve even hit puberty.
ents we talked to shared stories of burnout. About 35% of elite athletes reported experiencing conditions like disordered eating, anxiety and depression, according to the American College of Sports Medicine. Often, parents play a role in this.
So if that’s the cost, what’s the payoff?
“Playing at the highest level,” says Price, referring to something
weekend if both of her sportsactive kids (her third child is 3 years old) make runs in tournaments, which are often out of town. She works full time in the supply chain at Moen, the faucet and home fixture company headquartered in North Olmsted.
“Every once in a while I just say, ‘I need some time to myself,’” she says. “So I’ll schedule a spa day or a girls trip.”
But what is the cost of this athletics arms race? Some national surveys estimate the price tag of putting one child through one sport at about $600-$800 per year, and more than 60% of parents reported in 2022 that youth sports put a financial strain on their families. Yet, depending on the sport, the parents, coaches and trainers we spoke to explained how the cost often balloons to more than double that per year. Many sports, such as tennis and baseball, can cost closer to $1,000 per month, and in extraordinary situations, families might spend upward of $25,000 to $50,000 to play tournaments year-round and work with specialized coaches.
But the cost can be far more than just financial. According to the Cleveland Clinic, more than 50% of the sports-related injuries they see come from overuse, and multiple studies show that specialization — or focusing on just one sport — makes sports injuries, including shoulder and elbow injuries in baseball, elbow injuries in tennis and knee injuries in volleyball, more likely.
While some studies find that sports can be a boon for mental health, many athletes and par-
less than 2% of high school athletes achieve. “Playing Division I. That’s always been my goal. I’ve thought about it since I was a kid, but I’m only now really understanding what it takes.”
But first, Price has to get his driver’s license.
When I call, Malone is riding shotgun and editing video clips for Price, who is driving them home from the gym.
Malone films almost every practice and game to help feed Price’s social media accounts, which are dedicated to the 6-foot, 170-pound point guard’s highlight reels and curated to keep the attention of college scouts.
“Give me, like, two minutes to help him pull into a parking space,” she says.
Price’s 16th birthday in January would be a milestone for any parent. But for Malone, it will also mean a little more independence and a little bit of relief.
On an average week, the single mother must navigate getting her children to no fewer than four and as many as seven practices — not to mention potentially 10 games over a
Though he’s now in high school, playing for Hawken’s varsity basketball team, Price still plays in the Amateur Athletic Union, a sports governing body better known as AAU, most of the spring and summer. Founded in 1888, the organization oversees gymnastics, wrestling and more, but it’s most closely associated with basketball thanks to that sport’s more than 700,000 active member athletes.
AAU membership, which typically costs about $600, grants players access to hundreds of tournaments across the nation with the best talent one can find, and teams are often about an additional $1,000. Price often plays about two tournaments a month, which in the past year has taken him to Columbus, Cincinnati and Indiana but never once kept him in Cleveland. Hotels average about $250 with the tournament rate and sometimes players can get disqualified if they choose a hotel other than the sanctioned one. Altogether, a season could easily cost $4,000-$5,000 — and basketball runs cheap compared to volleyball, tennis and hockey.
THAT ARE THE MOST SUCCESSFUL. ONCE THEY’RE DONE AND AWFUL.’ I’M LIKE, ‘WOW, YOU WERE THE ONES WINNING AND YOU COMFORTING — LIKE, MISERY LOVES COMPANY, OR SOMETHING.”
— ANITA ROBERTSON, MOTHER OF TWO TENNIS PLAYERS
Malone has worked to minimize costs by packing snacks and Gatorade, by staying with friends and family who live near the tournaments and by joining teams that limit travel outside of the region.
“I have to budget for that!” says Price. “I typically get my tax refund check in February right before the season starts in March so I can use those funds to pay for the costs.”
Don’t get it twisted; Price’s dedication shows. Likening his work ethic to that of the late Kobe Bryant, he goes hard in the gym. Last year, he even played varsity basketball as a freshman.
But even he can recognize the secret weapon in his corner.
“I think my mom has done more for basketball than what I’ve done for basketball, and I work on it all the time,” says Price. “I feel like she did everything I could have asked her for, and that’s just really the great thing about it. I mean, having a mom that was at all your games, recording them, helping — she did everything she could have
done to put me in the best position possible.”
PUTTING THEIR KID IN the best position to succeed on the field or the court — that’s why parents come to T3 Performance. For more than 12 hours a day, seven days a week, black rubber pellets fly from the blue turf of the wellover-100,000-square-foot Avon Lake athletic complex, as hundreds of athletes from ages 7 to 20 years old train for anything on grass or turf, as its trainers say. The company’s new spot at University Hospital’s Ahuja Medical Center in Beachwood is helping it expand to the court, too.
T3 has produced dozens of Division I college athletes and even a few pro athletes. Book a session and you might be working out next to 6-foot-5 offensive lineman Devontae Armstrong, a two-time state champ at St. Edward High School and a threestar recruit committed to Ohio State University; or Mackenzie Russell, a midfielder from Rocky River continuing her soccer career at University of Dayton.
While T3 has plenty of success stories, these days, trainer Collin Taylor is much more interested in something else.
“What moves the needle the most is developing the human being,” says Taylor, “putting athletes in situations where they feel comfortable failing.”
As one athlete gears up for an epic power lunge of 500 pounds, Taylor, who can often be seen jumping off the turf and walls in his signature cutoff T-shirt, pumps up a crowd around him. The athlete’s teammates bounce up and down and hoot and holler as the young man pulls the bar off the rack. As the powerlifter switches from a left-foot front lunge to a right, Taylor immediately puts his chest to the powerlifter’s back and scoops both arms under his armpits for an extremely active safety spot. The athlete quivers upon the second drop but ultimately returns to his base position. As he reracks the weights, his teammates descend upon him in an embrace to celebrate his weighty achievement.
“Training is failure over and over and over again with the idea that,” Taylor says, “by the time you get to the game, you’ve failed enough to where you feel comfortable giving the amount of effort that it takes to succeed in that highlevel, high-stress situation.”
The native of Carmel, Indiana, grew up a sports nut who got by in school and watched SportsCenter only when it got too dark to keep shooting hoops. A four-sport athlete, Taylor went to Indiana University, where he played on the Hoosier football team. After college, the defensive back and wide receiver ended up in Northeast Ohio, playing for the now-defunct Cleveland Gladiators of the Arena Football League from 2014-2017 before winning a championship in 2019
“TRAINING IS FAILURE OVER AND OVER [UNTIL] YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE GIVING THE EFFORT THAT IT TAKES TO SUCCEED,” SAYS T3 TRAINER COLLIN TAYLOR.
What happens when a love of the game is replaced by a fear of losing?
By Colleen Smitek
As the director of the Ohio Center for Sport Psychology and a former sports psychologist for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Dr. Jack Lesyk has spent decades helping athletes of all ages and levels beat anxiety and perform at their best. We checked in to see the common mistakes parents make — and how we can all do better.
Q. What’s your story?
A. In my late 30s I was overweight, smoking and drinking too much. I wanted to be fit as I turned 40. Two years after that, I ran the first of what turned out to be 15 marathons. That piqued my interest in the mental part of sports. I dealt with all the issues: nervousness, minor injuries, setting goals.
Q. What is the No. 1 mistake parents make?
A. A parent who is really pushing too hard and not trusting the natural development, natural motivation of an athlete. There is so much emphasis on sports that to a tremendous amount of pressure on these kids. Parents say, “Enjoy yourself,” but they come home and are putting pressure on them.
Q. What is the most common concern you hear from young athletes?
A. The No. 1 thing that brings athletes to me across the age brackets is anxiety. The anxiety, of course, is related to performance. They are so worried about underperforming that it spoils the fun but also affects performance. Sometimes, when a mistake happens, they go into a tailspin.
Q. Isn’t it natural to be nervous?
A. If you weren’t nervous, I’d worry about you. Being nervous means you care about your performance. If it’s moderate and paired with feelings of “I’m prepared; I deserve to be here” that’s good nervous. The anxiety becomes problematic when the thoughts are very negative. Instead of “I’m going to have a good day” it’s “I just don’t want to screw up.”
Q. How can parents help kids reap the many benefits of sports even if they’re not very good?
A. I like the concepts of club and intramural sports — for the joy and the exercise.
Q. What are the good parents doing right?
A. They are good listeners and they trust their kids. They are also able to realize there is a point in time, usually by 14 or 15, that the parents stop coaching and trust the coaches. The parents who really are doing a great job are very positive in terms of good performance and, particularly, praising the effort they see and also supporting good sportsmanship. Rather than criticizing, say “How did it go for you?”
SINCE OPENING IN 2009, T3 PERFORMANCE HAS EXPANDED ITS AVON FOOTPRINT TO MORE THAN 100,000 SQUARE FEET AND ADDED A SECOND LOCATION, WHICH CATERS TO SPORTS ON THE HARDWOOD, AT UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL’S AHUJA MEDICAL CENTER IN BEACHWOOD.
with the Albany Empire. Once COVID-19 hit and the AFL went bankrupt, he moved back to Cleveland to work with T3 Performance.
Today, many football parents seek him out due to his background, but he deals with athletes of all types. He deals with parents of all types, too.
“I’m getting these parents who want to train with me five, six, seven times a week,” he says. “I’m trying to tell them that I’ve done this a long time — and, you know what’s better than bringing your kid in for a 9 p.m. weightlifting session after he’s done a double day at basketball practice in the morning and football in the afternoon? Instead of paying me $100, why don’t you get him to bed at 9 p.m. and let him sleep for 10 hours? And very consistently the parents will say, ‘Yeah, I appreciate your opinion, but we’re going to go ahead and book that session at 9 p.m.’”
Taylor’s voice rises and his words grow more rapid as he tells me story after story of badbehaving parents. He apologizes if he was rambling through our nearly two-hour conversation.
Often, once an athlete has warmed up and their parents’ attention is diverted, Taylor asks two simple questions: “How are you feeling? Are you enjoying this?”
Away from their parent’s influential ear, the answer is often no. In fact, studies from the National Institute of Health show that one of the biggest factors that diminishes a child’s love of the game is parental pressure.
ANITA ROBERTSON still remembers the moment when her daughter’s relationship with tennis changed.
Facing yet another out-oftown tournament, Samantha, who was in her early high school years, had put in the work. She attended extra training sessions each week and approached every drill with intensity. She’d done everything her parents and coaches told her. Still, when it came time to compete, the ball just simply wasn’t falling her way.
“She was just feeling so much pressure and not getting the results she wanted,” says Robertson. “There was a point where she was just not enjoying it at all.
It was like she hit rock bottom.”
But it didn’t happen all at once. Robertson admits to, at times, being that mom. After frustrating losses, she’d wonder aloud in front of her daughter: What are we not doing right? Are we doing enough? Why are we spending all this money? For as many travel dinners made memorable by the good times, just as many were marred by frustration.
“I’ve gotten much better, but I’ve made my share of mistakes. I would get really caught up in the intensity of these high-level tournaments,” says Robertson. “I would just keep pushing and pushing, but eventually, I realized no matter how hard we pushed, it just seemed like there was some parent doing so much more. It’s cutthroat.”
Robertson played tennis herself all the way through college. She also played basketball and ran track. Nathan, her 20-yearold son who did not go on to play collegiate sports, shared that generalized experience by playing golf, football, basketball and lacrosse. Yet, around 10 years old, despite staying in basketball until high school, both her
Young athletes need to prepare their bodies, get involved in more than one sport and remember they are children.
By Jacob DeSmitSports physicians continue to see a troubling number of “adult injuries” befall students of the game, including elbow injuries in tennis and shoulder injuries in baseball. Dr. Jacob Calcei, an orthopedic sports medicine physician and shoulder surgeon with University Hospitals, shares how children perform while also protecting their bodies.
1. Be a Multi-Sport player: Today’s young athletes commonly spend much more time practicing one particular sport year-round, which can lead to overuse of muscles and ligaments in ways that two- or three-sport athletes avoid.
“If you’re playing the same sport over and over, you lose some of that dynamic mobility because you’re doing the same moves. By playing different sports, you make yourself a better-rounded athlete and decrease your risk for injury.”
2. Take time to rest: A common issue seen by the physicians on Dr. Calcei’s team involves to little downtime between sports. Moving on to the next season without taking time to unwind can lead to serious trouble down the line.
“There’s no time in between for the body to recover. Professional athletes have an offseason – that’s a couple of months off for the reason that their body needs to heal. A lot of [young athletes] don’t get the opportunity to sort of rest between sports. Some of that is unavoidable, but some can definitely be addressed by the parents and coaches.”
3. Get ready to rumble: While the basics of warming up and cooling down before and after any major exercise are obvious, it’s also important to ramp up to high-intensity training and start each sports season already fit.
“Football starts in the summer, so if you’re not cardiovascularly prepared, you’re putting stress on your body in hot temperatures and pads. The best athletes train appropriately and make themselves ready.”
4. Safety aside, benefits abound: Despite all of these precautions being focused on safety, Dr. Calcei says that research proves that these measures can also help improve an athlete’s performance overall.
“One thing is to understand the misconception that by focusing on one sport early on, you become better at one thing. There’s actually data out there that says that by becoming a more well-rounded athlete, you can become not only less likely to get injured but to become better at your sport. I think that’s really important to remember.”
daughters — 22-year-old Sarah, who played at and graduated from Denison University, and the 18-year-old Samantha — found that they had to focus on tennis year-round in order to keep up.
In 2013, the National Institute of Health found that 70% of tennis players specialized by an average age of 10.4 years old. This year, it found that those who do specialize at a young age are more likely to have tennis-related injuries than most other sports.
Most tennis players, at least locally, start by joining a country club. In the Robertson’s case, most of the girls’ careers were headquartered at Cleveland Racquet Club in Chagrin Falls, which offered a junior membership so the entire family wasn’t forced to join. She ballparked that the junior membership cost about $200. Then, each coaching clinic session, of which there were about three or four a week, cost about $40, with special lessons from pros costing closer to $80 per hour. Tournament fees are typically about $100 apiece, and there are tournaments to play every single weekend of the year,
if you’re willing to travel. Add it all up, and your starting price is about $1,000 per month.
FOR MANY TENNIS PLAYERS, perhaps an even bigger driver than collegiate dreams is the number that hangs over their heads. Yes, other sports have MaxPreps or Hudl, but in sports like tennis and hockey, algorithmic rankings decide who you play and how scouts view you.
Over the years, various ranking systems have become trendier than others and depending on the scout or tournament, one might be more important than the other, but the main benchmarks are the newer World Tennis Number and the Universal Tennis Rating, which allow players to rank themselves against everyone from a novice in their first match to Serena Williams.
The rankings don’t just give insight to scouts; they determine which tournaments you can get into. Naturally, parents work to game the system by having their kids play tournaments every single weekend, attending lowerbar tournaments just to pick up
easy wins and even encouraging their children to cheat on close line calls, which rely on the honor system.
“My daughter’s UTR was, like, a low eight, and she was talking to a college that said, ‘Oh, we’re looking for a high eight. She’s a junior, so maybe she could get it up,’” says Robertson. “These girls would be working for literally a year to get their numbers up by a hundredth of a point.”
When brothers Tim and Alex Okicki grew up playing hockey, there was one objective: to win the game.
Today, as they operate Okicki Hockey, a local organization that hosts summer camps and specialized training in various locations, there is another goal that looms over each team.
Neil Lodin of Indianapolis founded MyHockeyRankings and first published its ranking website in the 2003-2004 season. After finding out that a simple win-loss record didn’t always accurately represent how good it was, Lodin started the site to help his son Ian (who now helps him operate the site) seek out better
“I WOULD JUST KEEP PUSHING AND PUSHING, BUT EVENTUALLY, I REALIZED NO MATTER HOW HARD WE PUSHED, IT JUST SEEMED LIKE THERE WAS SOME PARENT DOING SO MUCH MORE. IT’S CUTTHROAT,” SAYS ANITA ROBERTSON OF HER DAUGHTER SAMANTHA.
Ronnie Miller was a minor league baseball player home to visit his girlfriend when he stepped in for a no-show ref at her 9-year-old brother’s baseball game. He had the right stuff, and tournament officials bribed him with a steak dinner to finish out the tournament. Forty-five years later, the 65-year-old is an active member of the Cleveland Association, a group of 1,500 refs who call basketball, baseball and other games across Northeast Ohio. Here’s what he’s learned from a life in the stripes.
Everyone always says ‘You have to give us a warning.’ We don’t have to give you anything. But I’ve learned over the years to say out loud —“That’s your warning.” — so they can’t say I didn’t tell them. The younger guys don’t always do that.
When someone tells me the coach is a jerk or something, I try to find something outside of the game that we can talk about.
During timeouts or in between innings, I like to hand out candy to the kids. Then when they come to the next game they’ll say “Hey ref, got any candy?”
A game will never get out of hand if you’re in control as a referee. You have to have confidence in your ability to do what you do. You have to know the game and know the rules. You have to be in shape. You can’t show up with a couple-day-old beard, your shirt and pants wrinkled, and 10 days of sleep in the corner of your eyes and expect credibility. You have to play the part.
When you’re out on the court and there’s 5,000 or 10,000 people in the building, you can’t hear the lady yelling out how terrible you are.
Well-coached teams are well-behaved teams, players and parents.
When I go out in public, people notice me. They’ll shake my hand, and believe it or not, I’ve taken pictures and signed autographs on basketballs. Nobody has ever told me I did a bad job.
COVID knocked out a lot of refs. It would help if we got paid more. But I think a lot of people were looking for an excuse to get out. I don’t think anybody wants to get yelled at, but unfortunately, it’s part of the job. You’re going to make a mistake and somebody is going to yell at you, and if you don’t know how to handle that, you’re not going to stick with it.
The one thing that I feel I’m blessed with is that I go out there and I try to have a good time.
competition in other cities.
Today, more than 300,000 visitors flock to it each month to see where their child and their team ranks nationally among more than 24,000 teams. Each year, the website awards a player of the year, and the rankings include teams as young as 10 and under.
“The sad thing is that people really care about it,” says Tim Okicki. “I’ve heard parents tell me that they’re waking up at 6 a.m. on Wednesday mornings (when the website is updated) just to check the latest rankings.”
The rankings are determined by an algorithm, which basically calculates average goal differential versus strength of schedule — or, as the website puts it, “how well they play against other teams and how good those teams are.” The 30-question FAQ page is enough proof that many players, coaches and parents are extremely interested in knowing how the system works — and then gaming it. Still, the rankings are the most commonly used resource for determining a team’s
schedule, and while USA Hockey helped drive a 2022 change to the site that removed numerical rankings from under-12 teams (though they’re still listed in order), the organization itself uses the site for determining at-large bids to its annual tournament for over 14-year-olds.
The rankings have become such a factor in youth hockey that it drives many of the microdecisions parents and coaches are forced to make, whether that’s running up a score or choosing what team to play for.
Not only do rankings affect scheduling and strategy, they’re also often the reason hockey families drive hours upon hours each week or even move to new cities in order to play on a better team.
“You see kids slide from city to city,” says Tim Okicki. “They might be on your team, but now they want to go play for this other team. It creates this one-footout-the-door mentality.”
AS HIGH SCHOOL came around, Samantha eventually found a
love for tennis again. Her sister, Sarah, became a mentor who raved about the team aspect of collegiate tennis compared to travel. This year, Samantha committed to Christopher Newport University, a Division III school in Virginia.
“Everybody hates this process,” Robertson says. “Even the ones that are the most successful. Once they’re done and playing D-I or whatever, they’re like, ‘God that was awful.’ I’m like, ‘Wow, you were the ones winning and you still hated the process.’ So I feel like that was kind of comforting like misery loves company, or something.”
One simple conversation made a world of difference for the Robertson family. Dad, who played more of a fan role to Robertson’s parent-coach, suggested implementing a reassessment meeting, where Sarah and Samantha could talk openly to their mother.
At least once a season, if not more, mother and daughter would sit at their kitchen table and discuss a few questions: Where are we? Are we still having
fun? Is this still what you want?
But the Robertsons aren’t alone in reassessing things. Despite exponential growth, the industry is beginning to take a harder look at itself.
“There’s got to be a point that you get to where you’re like, ‘It’s too much,’” says Taylor.
Nearly every coach we spoke to discussed encouraging their athletes to play multiple sports. Many also discussed cutting back the number of games, tournaments and practices as well as the amount of travel.
Coach Jeff George of Force Volleyball, which runs more than 20 teams for 10- to 18-year-olds in Eastlake, is proud that two of the star players on his elite team were also varsity basketball players, which have seasons that bump up against each other.
Force also is limiting practices.
“I do think athletes are starting to overtrain,” he says. “We need to make sure that kids are getting enough rest and recovery. So we cut out about an hour of practice a week. The kids were just getting burned out and looking at it as more of a job than as fun.”
A mental health boon can also come from finding ways to make drills more fun, says George. The Okickis agreed with that assessment. At their summer camps, especially the ones geared toward younger children, they find a game of tag or pool noodle hockey just as athletically viable as other drills but much more mentally stimulating.
Shane Kline-Ruminski, a Cleveland native who played professional basketball in Europe, now runs the National Basketball Academy in eight cities. Ninety percent of his teams are local, meaning they play about six or seven tournaments across Northeast Ohio and, potentially, one trip to Pennsylvania.
“I love giving the kids the op-
portunity to hang out in a hotel with their friends. It’s a cool experience,” says Kline-Ruminski. “We’ve flown all over the country. It’s just not worth it.”
Are there exceptions? Absolutely. Some basketball players are going to shoot until the sun goes down and then turn on the headlights for some more, and TNBA does send its most elite players to showcases and tournaments to get in front of college coaches. Some volleyball players don’t want to take summers off, which is when Force encourages them to play sand volleyball because the stakes are a little lower and it’s easier on their knees.
“There are those grinders, but they’re choosing to do that,” says T3’s Taylor. “The parents aren’t pressuring them or telling them, ‘You’re going to play varsity football in a few years, you need to be ready.’ It’s kids being kids and having a good time.”
Without question, sports are good for children. Despite stereotypes, athletes tend to do better academically. Numerous studies prove that being active improves physical and mental health in children, and playing team sports improves selfesteem and instills values like
teamwork and work ethic. The Mayo Clinic even found that tennis players live a decade longer on average.
Nearly all of the coaches and trainers we spoke to were former athletes who praised the communities they’ve built around sports. The Okicki brothers shared how they still play adult hockey with many of their childhood friends, and how former teammates have found jobs in new cities thanks to the vast network hockey provides. Taylor, who got married in August, chose an old teammate and training partner to be his best man.
But one day, even if the friends remain and even if you play adult rec league, the practices and tournaments and car rides and arguments and failures and triumphs end. Then what remains?
“When I was a kid, I had my share of fun. I was out every weekend, but I think it’s really time for me to just lock in,” says Price. “But what do I do when I’m not playing basketball? I guess I’m really just sitting at the house sometimes. I guess I do wish I had a little bit more other hobbies or other things that I could do. I guess I still need to find that in myself.”
BROTHERS TIM AND ALEX OKICKI GREW UP PLAYING HOCKEY. AND TODAY, THEY OPERATE OKICKI HOCKEY, A LOCAL ORGANIZATION THAT HOSTS SUMMER CAMPS AND SPECIALIZED TRAINING IN VARIOUS LOCATIONS.
NOW IT’S HIS TURN TO SHAPE THE FUTURE OF HIS HOMETOWN.
BY ROBIN GOIST PHOTOGRAPHED BY GABE WASYLKOwould be difficult to describe Shammas Malik without mentioning his charisma.
His public speaking abilities set him apart in debates during the Democractic Primary. Malik won that primary in May with 43% of the vote against the the other six candidates running to be Akron’s next mayor. With no Republicans or independent candidates in the general race, he is all but guaranteed to win the mayoral election in November.
When I met Shammas on the patio of Nervous Dog Coffee Bar in West Akron in late May, he spoke with the same professional yet authentic tone he displayed on the campaign trail. At 32, he also has the kind of youthful spark that evokes hope when he speaks about his bold plans for his hometown.
“It’s funny because when we were running, it felt like being younger was both the biggest strength and the biggest weakness,” says Malik, who will potentially be Akron’s youngest mayor (though, some fact-checking of all the 1800s mayors is still required, he says).
He’s also the city’s first millennial mayor, putting him in a league with Cleveland’s Justin Bibb and Cincinnati’s Aftab Pureval, both of whom are also politically progressive. Malik identifies as an “Elizabeth Warren Democrat,” and ran on a platform that included equitable development, addressing housing issues and reforming the police department after the police shooting of Jayland Walker.
“Voters are looking for someone who’s offering something different, and offering a positive and affirmative vision for what the city can be,” Malik says. “And frankly, the city is not doing a very good job as an institution at providing some basic things. That’s not any fault of any one person, but it’s a system that isn’t as coordinated or strategic as it can be. In terms of Aftab and Justin, I think that people are looking for that new energy all across the state.”
Malik will likely succeed Dan Horrigan, who has been mayor since 2016 after the 28-year reign of Don Plusquellic, who was 38 when he was elected. Malik added that former mayor Tom Sawyer was also elected at 38. “So, it’s not the first time we’ve had a mayor in their
30s,” Malik says, flashing his boyish grin.
“I think the most important thing for me is that I have a strong vision for where the city is going,” he says. “And without a vision for where the city’s going to go, even the best manager, even the most experienced person, is going to be stuck with what has happened over the last several decades — my entire lifetime — which is managing decline.”
Some of the people who know Shammas best are quick to attest to his intelligence and maturity at a young age. Gary Rosen is an Akron attorney who met Shammas nearly 20 years ago, as a freshman in high school and a friend of Rosen’s youngest son. Since then, they’ve been close family friends: Rosen says he and his wife joke that Malik is in the running to be their fourth son.
“He’s always been much older than his chronological age,” Rosen says. “He was the oldest 14-yearold I’ve ever met, and he’s a very old 32-year-old now, because he is not only very bright, but he’s also exceptionally understanding of the world around him, and very, very mindful of other people, their concerns, their issues, their anxieties, their desire to have a better life.”
Malik could also be Akron’s first mayor of color (half Pakistani, half Irish) and first Muslim mayor.
“I was 10 when 9/11 happened,” Malik says. “I remember opening up the Akron Beacon Journal and looking at these pictures of these hijackers, looking at their names and thinking that their skin is the same color as mine, and their names are kind of like my name. Is there something about the religion we share that has something to do with what happened in this terrible tragedy?”
The political climate sparked Malik’s interest in foreign policy and national security. While studying political science at Ohio State University and then at Harvard Law School, his internship experi-
“WITHOUT A VISION FOR WHERE THE CITY’S GOING TO GO, EVEN THE BEST MANAGER, EVEN THE MOST EXPERIENCED PERSON, IS GOING TO BE STUCK WITH WHAT HAS HAPPENED OVER THE LAST SEVERAL DECADES — MY ENTIRE LIFETIME — WHICH IS MANAGING DECLINE.”
ences included stints at the Pentagon, the Muslim Public Affairs Council, and the Center for American Progress think tank. He came back to Akron in 2016 for a law department job and was elected to City Council in 2019.
Rosen says those around Malik have always witnessed a sense of bursting potential.
“He was focused on coming back to Akron from the very beginning, and he saw going to Harvard as an opportunity to do that,” Rosen says. “He had unlimited opportunities in front of him, especially after he got to Harvard Law, and I remember talking to him about some of those opportunities, and he did not want to hear about it.
“Life is not like some of the betting sites that we have now, where you can wager on anything,” Rosen adds, “but boy, if that was something that was possible, I would have wagered whatever I had on his likelihood of success, of coming back to Akron and changing our community.”
Sipping a cold brew, Malik reflected on how he got involved in politics when he was a student at Akron’s Firestone High School.
“I was a nerdy kid watching The West Wing DVDs,” he says. “President Obama ran for president when I was a senior in high school, and he came to the John S. Knight Center on a very cold day in 2008, right before the Ohio primary, and I waited in line for hours to hear his incredibly inspiring speech.”
Judy Harrison, a retired teacher and former coordinator for Firestone High School’s International Baccalaureate Diploma Program, recalled how
Malik was a star student, in addition to excelling in an engineering program and extracurriculars, including the Academic Challenge, debate, mock trial and tennis teams.
“He’s one of those students that comes along that you have such a great respect for, and really want to see him succeed,” she says. “He’s got a humility about him that sometimes you don’t find with truly gifted students, but he’s always been very humble.”
Harrison reflected on Malik’s oratory talents. “It’s one thing to be a good communicator, and I think he speaks very well. But he’s also an amazing listener — which, I think in this climate, we need more people who are active listeners.”
It was also during high school that Shammas’ world changed forever. On his last day of junior year, he learned his father had been arrested by the FBI on wire fraud charges that involved blackmail.
“And not only that, but I learned that he had other children that we didn’t know about,” Malik says. “He had basically been living a double life.”
Shammas’ parents had separated when he was about 10, and his mother raised him and his brother, Najjam, as a single parent. But despite their separation, the trauma of the betrayal still stung and continues to impact Shammas and his intolerance for dishonesty. His father was arrested at the same time that his mother was sick with cancer, which ended up being terminal, so, “in some ways,” he says, “it was a process of losing both parents.”
His mother passed away when he was 21.
It was during this conversation about his parents, especially his father, that Shammas’ publicfacing persona faded away. His notorious communication skills started to slip with stutters and
vocal fumbling. He had only just publicly spoken about his father’s arrest for the first time about a month prior. During the April 12 mayoral debate, when he was asked about what integrity means to him, he answered that he had “an amazing mom,” but his dad is “a very dishonest guy” who he grew up talking to through prison glass. Later, he discussed the incident in detail with the Beacon Journal.
These events molded the future mayor. Peeling back that charismatic first layer reveals a complexity to Malik that he rarely lets on — and a wisdom he earned long before the Harvard Law degree.
Dr. Omar Nemer has been friends with Malik since they attended a Copley private primary school, Ghent Academy For Boys, and later Firestone High. Nemer, now a University Hospitals physician, supported Malik as he was forced to grow up quickly.
“It was really, really, really tough for him because his father always kind of preached a sense of morality to us about things that we shouldn’t be doing,” Nemer says. “That kind of flips your world a little bit upside down, to find out that this person is actually not a very good moral compass at all.”
Nemer described how Malik’s late mother, Helen Killory Qammar, was — and in some ways, still is — one of the most important people in Malik’s life.
“His mom is his everything,” Nemer says. “It was tough to see her sick like that, and yet she still dedicated all of her time and her energy to her kids and her work throughout everything that she was going through. I think he really drew a sense of determination out of that and was able to focus on his concept of right and wrong, as he examined his mom’s and dad’s lives, side by side.”
Nemer lives in Bath, 10 minutes away from Malik, who sometimes helps care for Nemer’s two young children. “He’s the best uncle,” Nemer says.
“It’s just so incredible to see how far he’s come and he’s never given up on his aspirations and I don’t think he ever will,” Nemer says. “I think he has a great outlook for the city of Akron and I think every member of Akron stands to benefit from him leading the city. I’m hoping that one day he extends far beyond that: Ohio, nation, world.”
It wouldn’t be terribly surprising if Malik pushes forward to have a future career on a larger political stage. But he says his only ambitions, for now, are focused on running Akron and implementing his progressive vision for the city.
“That work does not happen in four years, and it’s only started in eight years,” Malik says. “Like anyone, I want to make the greatest impact that I can in my career. But I’m focused on doing the job that I’m incredibly honored to hopefully, presumptively have.”
In what remains of his free time, the presumptive mayor is watching Succession and The Mandalorian, jogging and listening to music: Vampire Weekend, Nipsey Hussle and Taylor Swift are on repeat. He sometimes attends Shabbat dinner with Rosen’s family (so often, Rosen says, “He’s probably been to more Shabbat dinners in our house than my kids have. At this point, I feel that he could do the Friday night prayers probably better than my kids.”)
And he continues to attend community events and speak with Akronites as he builds his transition team ahead of taking office in January.
“Let’s get as many people plugged in as possible because it’s truly not about me,” Malik says. “It’s about building a city people can get excited about.”
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
They
in conversation quite frequently. But what is dyslexia, really?
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.
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 language.
According to the Yale Center for Dyslexia
Difficulty pronouncing words
Uses general 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 name
Problems following multi-step directions
Slow development of fine motor skills
Retells events out of order
Loves to listen to stories, but avoids reading on their own
Difficulty 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 rhyme
Frequent errors including reversing, inverting, and substituting letters/words
Confuses sight words, such as: at, to, said, and, the, etc.
Pencil grip is awkward, fist-like, or tight
Poor fine motor skills and coordination
Reading is laborious with long pauses and repetitions
Reverses letter sequences: soiled for solid, left for felt
Skips over words when reading out loud
Difficulty sounding out new words
Trouble describing 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 handwriting
Difficulty with planning and time management
& 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.
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!
Reads slowly and/or robotically; doesn’t pause appropriately for punctuation
Reads word-by-word rather than grouping words/phrases together smoothly
Trouble summarizing what they’ve read or answering questions about it
Often spells the same word differently within the same body of writing
Procrastinates reading/ writing tasks
Finds school exhausting Many missing or incomplete assignments
May not have difficulty in math, but struggles with word problems
Trouble learning a foreign language
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.
SCAN TO LEARN MORE:
Sculpting letters/words out of modeling clay is one of many multisensory activities used to teach students to read. AGES 2–4 AGES 5–8 AGES 9–12 AGES 13+Steven Spielberg, Eleanor Roosevelt, Richard Branson, Henry Winkler, Whoopi Goldberg, Anderson Cooper, Leonardo DaVinci, Keira Knightly, Winston Churchill, and Thomas Edison
are among the millions of dyslexic individuals whose unique way of thinking positively impacted our world
Information on more than 100 Northeast Ohio elementary, middle and high schools.
16-24:
hen the Barnes family relocated from the Washington D.C. area to Cleveland, the first order of business even before house hunting was to find a private school for their son Jack.
“In second grade, we discovered that Jack was dyslexic, and we started tutoring right away,” says Kassie Barnes.
She found Lawrence School in Broadview Heights, which specializes in educating students with dyslexia, ADHD, executive functioning needs and other language-based learning differences. Jack enrolled as a fourth grader, and he excelled through eighth grade when Barnes seriously considered her son’s goal to attend Penn State University. He had always been educated in smallclass environments. Jack’s eighth-grade class included about 40 kids.
make
On a college-prep track, Barnes says, “From where we were to State College, Pennsylvania, was going to be too big of a jump. We needed to figure out something, and I wanted to see what else Cleveland had to offer.”
Barnes sits on the board of Lawrence School and credits it for preparing Jack for his next big step. “They cracked the code for my son,” she says, a lump in her throat and some tears. “It was … just fabulous.”
Barnes felt Jack was ready for takeoff in an environment with a larger student body, a vibrant sports program that would appeal to him — wrapped with learning supports so he could succeed and prepare for college.
A few other parents she knew had smoothly transitioned their kids to St. Edward High School in Lakewood, which offers a robust inclusion program accommodating students with state Individualized Education Plans (IEP) and 504 plans. The school is also home to the St. Andre Scholars Program, a stand-out model in the private school community for students who require more intense supports and a modified curriculum.
The family met with Matt Altieri,
associate dean of student support services. “I continued to email him like any anxious mother would do and he assured me, ‘Kassie, based on what you are telling me about Jack and his transcripts, we can get it done.’”
If you’re thinking private school is out of reach for a child who is neurodivergent or veers off the mainstream learning curve, that’s simply not the case.
Ultimately, private schools can be “specialists,” explains Amy Sheeler, Lawrence School’s director of student advocacy and support services. “Whether that is accelerated academics or helping students with learning differences understand how they best learn to make progress academically, we have that advantage over a public school that is taxed with educating everyone across the spectrum of need.”
The benefits of a private school for students who require accommodations
include smaller classroom sizes. This allows for more personalized instruction and small-group attention that can help with mastering concepts by breaking them down into manageable steps. It’s also more engaging for students who have difficulty attending.
But above all, relationships and a sense of community are reasons why some families opt for private education for their students who require various supports.
When Guy and Katie Trinetti’s son Frankie visited Lake Catholic High School to see if it would be a fit, his IEP for reading comprehension and fluency was the key consideration. But ultimately, the comfort level sold him. “He shadowed, came home and said, ‘This is where I’m going,’ immediately,” Katie says.
The Trinettis figured he’d probably be a better fit in the school district since he is on an IEP. But Lake Catholic has an intervention specialist, Kevin Morton, who serves about a dozen students on learning plans. “Our students
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are getting more individualized, personalized instruction in a private environment,” he says. “Parents want to know we are here to develop the whole student by focusing on self-advocacy and confidence.”
Frankie typically spends his 42minute study hall period with Mr. Morton, reviewing assignments and working through projects that require more hands-on assistance. Their oldest son, Charlie, is strong academically but has an accommodation plan to manage learning with ADHD and anxiety. Now, Charlie is in honors math and Spanish. “He picks and chooses which classes he feels he needs pulled out for,” Katie says.
Altieri at St. Ed’s emphasizes the collaboration necessary to serve students who require learning support. “What makes our program unique is we have individualized relationships with families because we are a private school,” he says.
After all, they’re in the people business. Teaching kids involves connecting with families, too.
St. Ed’s principal Matthew Stepnowsky says, “We want our students to know they belong at St. Ed’s, and that goes beyond accommodations. It includes really getting to know the student, the family and, then, the follow through.”
St. Edward High School stands out among private Catholic schools delivering special services for its interventionist resources, inclusion program and the St. Andre Scholars Program, which started eight years ago with two students, one with Down’s Syndrome and the other on the Autism spectrum. The students’ brothers were attending St. Ed’s. “The question we wanted to solve was how to provide a St. Ed’s education to students with significant learning needs,” Stepnowsky says.
This is a bold approach in the private school arena, though more schools are thinking outside of the box to find ways to diversify their student populations to include learners with varying needs, Sheeler says.
“Once we stopped thinking about what other schools were doing and leaned into our mission and what is right for kids, everything opened up,” Stepnowsky says. “We’re serving each kid for who he is and not who we want him to be. We tell students, the ‘you’ that you share with us is going to make us a stronger school. And we really believe in that.”
This means creating social pathways for students to work and to play together. It means providing accessible tutoring services during the day — for all students, not just those on learning plans, Altieri points out. Jack Barnes
often stops at the library for some extra homework help. Two hours of every student’s school day is designed specifically for this purpose, if needed.
Not all private schools are equipped or designed to educate students with learning differences. Some are specially designed for this purpose but still might not suit a child’s profile. How can parents vet the possibilities?
First, keep all avenues open.
“Don’t assume that an independent or private school can’t meet your child’s needs if they have learning differences,” says Linda Kozler, director of student support and campus wellness at Lake Ridge Academy, where a class size of six students is common. “I’ve had a number of families tell me, ‘Yes, you are providing all of the accommodations we have on the plan, but it’s the way those are being delivered that has made all the difference for my child.’”
For students with an IEP or 504, ask schools what resources are in place at the school to deliver on the plan. “We don’t have some of the same staffing as the public sphere,” Kozler says, pointing to physical therapy or paraprofessionals (aides). “We honor those but we can’t always provide them. Families can contract with someone outside of school, sign a release, and we will partner with them.”
Also, find out if the school will accommodate or modify — an important distinction in learning plans. Accommodations support the existing curriculum, such as providing more time to take tests or small-group support. Modifications actually change the curriculum.
In Lake Ridge Academy’s case, the school accommodates different learners but maintains the same academic rigor for all students. St. Ed’s inclusion program allows for accommodations; the St. Andre Scholars Program modifies curriculum based on students’ IEPs and special needs.
”ONCE WE STOPPED THINKING ABOUT WHAT OTHER SCHOOLS WERE DOING AND LEANED INTO OUR MISSION AND WHAT IS RIGHT FOR KIDS, EVERYTHING OPENED UP. WE’RE SERVING EACH KID FOR WHO HE IS AND NOT WHO WE WANT HIM TO BE. WE TELL STUDENTS, THE ‘YOU’ THAT YOU SHARE WITH US IS GOING TO MAKE US A STRONGER SCHOOL. AND WE REALLY BELIEVE IN THAT.”
–ST. EDWARD’S PRINCIPAL MATTHEW STEPNOWSKY
How the school collaborates with public school districts is also key for students on an IEP or 504.
Home districts “own” the plans that private schools implement. So come time to update the plans, ideally all parties are involved.
“We work with every school district to make sure they have what they need and to provide input for IEPs,” Altieri says, adding that this coordination is crucial. “It’s a missing piece that many people don’t realize — the time and effort put into developing relationships with the school districts.”
Parents should ask how support is delivered. Will your student be pulled out of the classroom? “What will they miss if they are pulled out?” Sheeler says. “How will that work be made up?”
Barnes adds, “Ask what the school has in terms of personnel because it’s
one thing to give lip service and another to have dedicated staff.”
Private school isn’t necessarily the answer.
Independent schools are not required to accommodate IEPs or 504s, and they do not have to modify classes to be sure all students can access the curriculum. But public schools in Ohio are mandated by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA), which requires districts to deliver free, appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment. This means public schools serve children of all needs, no matter what. And they have on-staff or contracted OT, SLP and PT services, along with intervention specialists and paraprofessionals.
“Sometimes, a public school is the best option because they are required
by law to provide instruction in all areas of need, whereas independent schools can determine admission based on their staffing capabilities and what works within their mission,” Sheeler says.
Overall, parents should initiate a straightforward conversation about the school’s philosophy about accommodating different learners.
At St. Ed’s, it’s about taking the “need” out of special services and focusing on learning success.
“In the past, there was a stigma, so I use the term ‘need’ to ‘deserve,’” Stepnowsky says. “You don’t need support, you deserve it. Everyone deserves support. At the end of the day, we’re dedicated to making students feel like they belong to something much bigger than themselves and that everyone here has their backs.”
Meet Ruffing’s exceptional faculty, talk with our Head of School, explore our beautiful and spacious classrooms, and discover for yourself why so many of your friends, neighbors, and colleagues have fallen in love with Ruffing and made it the school of choice for their children.
“A family doesn’t have to go into debt to afford a private education,” says Megan Zahler, Lake Ridge Academy’s director of enrollment. “With the financial aid process, we make it affordable for families to continue living as they were before. This is reachable.”
At Laurel, variable tuition considers family size, number of children attending tuition-charging schools, assets and liabilities not reflected in household income, college savings needs and basically what a family can afford while sustaining their current lifestyle. With this equation — along with tax documents — the school might cover $1,000 to 95% of total tuition.
This process is standard among independent schools. “And it’s not just year to year,” DeCrane says, relating that the school looks at the long-term investment so families aren’t offered an in-reach tuition price that escalates beyond their budget in following years. Yes, they do review each case annually in case circumstances change significantly. “But we always guarantee that the same amount will be awarded as needed for a family each year.”
BY KRISTEN HAMPSHIREPrivate school — we can’t afford that. That’s for them. Not for us. Not exactly.
In fact, this is not at all the case with variable tuition structures that adjust fees based on factors far beyond income, endowed scholarships and merit-based aid. “When families searching for private schooling see the sticker price, there’s an assumption that, ‘Oh, my gosh, I am not used to paying that,’” says Dan DeCrane, director of admission, Gilmour Academy.
“We try to fit the family’s wallet, not ours,” he says. While tuition accounts for up to 80% of most private schools’ budgets, every family is considered on a case-by-case basis.
In other words, the price isn’t necessarily the price.
Lake Ridge Academy calls its program Family Individualized Tuition (FIT), and it’s the same process.
Beyond adjusted tuition rates, independent schools also layer need and merit-based scholarships to create a financially attainable package. Laurel’s Dream, Dare, Do merit scholarship is awarded annually and ranges from $5,000 to $20,000 per year, regardless of financial need. “It’s to reward girls coming into our upper school with exceptional promise who have a lot to offer this community,” says Abigail Steinberg, Laurel’s director of enrollment.
There are also five Sarah Lyman Scholarships that cover four years of upper school, also regardless of finan-
Affordability might be the greatest myth shrouding private education. But the price is right for families who tap into a trove of financial tools.
cial need. These are combined with a smattering of other grants.
At Gilmour, incoming students are tested, and if they score in the 65th percentile or higher, they can earn an Inspire scholarship of $2,500 to $27,000 per year that is renewable for four to six years. “You can take those and apply financial aid and scholarships on top of it,” DeCrane says.
The Excel reward is reserved for students who score in the 93rd percentile or higher for up to $30,000 annually, and four of these awards are granted to incoming seventh and ninth graders, for their entire careers at Gilmour.
Plus, there are more than 45 additional endowed scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $12,500. By participating in the Howley Scholars of Distinction program, families with an expected family contribution (EFC) of $1,000
or less from typically lower-income neighborhoods scholarships to attend the school. Many private schools participate in this program, DeCrane says.
Find out how the tuition fee schedule is structured, says Megan Zahler, Lake Ridge Academy’s director of enrollment. “When do you need to be paid in full, and is there flexibility with payment plans?” she says. And while you’re at it, find out what tuition includes. Most schools provide a balance sheet that lays out covered expenses.
“Find out how much it costs to graduate or play sports,” DeCrane says.
What about uniforms, transportation, optional class trips and standardized testing? Is lunch part of tuition? And how does the school handle tui-
“We are very upfront, and while tuition and fees do slightly increase, we are not about to pull the rug out from families after they decide to invest in an independent school,” Steinberg says. “It’s important to have that conversation with the school about what increases could look like.”
Private insurers offer plans that refund a portion of tuition if your child does not complete the school year. Some schools like Laurel build this into their tuition packages, so you’re already covered (and so are they). “It’s a safeguard for the school and the family,” Steinberg says. This minimizes financial loss if the school just isn’t a fit or a family relocates during the year.
BAPTIST
FIRST BAPTIST CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
11400 Lagrange Road, Elyria, 440-458-5185, fbcs-elyria.org
CATHOLIC
ALL SAINTS SCHOOL OF ST. JOHN VIANNEY
28702 Euclid Ave., Wickliffe, 440-943-1395, allsaintssjv.org
CLEVELAND MONTESSORI SCHOOL
12510 Mayfield Road, Cleveland, 216-421-0700, clevelandmontessori.org
COMMUNION OF SAINTS SCHOOL
2160 Stillman Road, Cleveland Heights, 216-932-4177, communionofsaintsschool.org
CORPUS CHRISTI ACADEMY
5655 Mayfield Road, Lyndhurst, 440-449-4244, corpuschristiacad.org
GESU CATHOLIC SCHOOL
2450 Miramar Blvd., University Heights, 216-932-0620, gesu.com
GILMOUR ACADEMY
35001 Cedar Road, Gates Mills, 440-473-8000, gilmour.org
HOLY FAMILY CATHOLIC SCHOOL
7367 York Road, Parma, 440-842-7785, holyfamilyschoolparma.org
HOLY FAMILY SCHOOL
3163 Kent Road, Stow, 330-688-3816, holyfamilyschoolstow.org
HOLY TRINITY SCHOOL
2610 Nagel Road, Avon, 440-937-6420, holytrinityavon.org
IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY
2859 Lillis Drive, Cuyahoga Falls, 330-923-1220, ihm.com
INCARNATE WORD ACADEMY
6620 Pearl Road, Parma Heights, 440-842-6818, incarnatewordacademy.org
JULIE BILLIART SCHOOL (AKRON)
380 Mineola Ave., Akron, 234-206-0941, juliebilliartschools.org
JULIE BILLIART SCHOOL (LYNDHURST)
4982 Clubside Road, Lyndhurst, 216-381-1191, juliebilliartschool.org
JULIE BILLIART SCHOOL (WESTLAKE)
3600 Crocker Road, Westlake, 440-471-4150, juliebilliartschools.org
LAKEWOOD
CATHOLIC ACADEMY
14808 Lake Ave., Lakewood, 216-521-0559, lakewoodcatholicacademy.com
MARY QUEEN OF PEACE SCHOOL
4419 Pearl Road, Cleveland, 216-741-3685, maryqueenofpeaceschool.com
MATER DEI ACADEMY
29840 Euclid Ave., Wickliffe, 440-585-0800, materdeiacademy.us
METRO CATHOLIC SCHOOL
2810 W. 54th St., Cleveland, 216-281-4044, metrocatholic.org
NOTRE DAME
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
13000 Auburn Road, Chardon, 440-279-1127, ndes.org
OUR LADY OF THE ELMS
1375 W. Exchange St., Akron, 330-836-9384, theelms.org
OUR LADY OF THE LAKE
175 E. 200th St., Euclid, 216-481-6824, olleuclidschool.org
ST. ALBERT THE GREAT 6667 Wallings Road, North Royalton, 440-237-1032, saint-albert.org
ST. ALBERT THE GREAT AT ASSUMPTION ACADEMY
9183 Broadview Road, Broadview Heights, 440-526-4877, assumptionacademy.org
ST. ANGELA MERICI
PARISH SCHOOL
20830 Lorain Road, Fairview Park, 440-333-2126, samparish.org/school
ST. ANTHONY OF PADUA LORAIN
1339 E. Erie Ave., Lorain, 440-288-2155, stanthonylorain.org
ST. AUGUSTINE SCHOOL
195 Seventh St. NW, Barberton, 330-753-6435, staugschool.net
ST. BARNABAS SCHOOL
9200 Olde Eight Road, Northfield, 330-467-7921, sbcatholicschool.com
ST. BENEDICT CATHOLIC SCHOOL
13633 Rockside Road, Garfield Heights, 216-662-9380, stbenedictohio.org
ST. BERNADETTE SCHOOL
2300 Clague Road, Westlake, 440-734-7717, stbern.net
ST. BRENDAN
4242 Brendan Lane, North Olmsted, 440-777-8433, stbrendannortholmsted.org
ST. CHARLES BORROMEO PARISH SCHOOL
7107 Wilber Ave., Parma, 440-886-5546, saintcharlesschool.org
ST. CHRISTOPHER SCHOOL
1610 Lakeview Ave., Rocky River, 440-331-3075, scsrr.org
ST. DOMINIC SCHOOL
3455 Norwood Road, Shaker Heights, 216-561-4400, stdominicschool.net
ST. FRANCIS CLEVELAND SCHOOL
7206 Myron Ave., Cleveland, 216-361-4858, stfranciscleveland.com
ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI SCHOOL
6850 Mayfield Road, Gates Mills, 440-442-7450, sfaschoolgm.org
ST. FRANCIS DE SALES PARISH SCHOOL
4009 Manchester Road, Akron, 330-644-0638, stfparishschool.org
ST. FRANCIS XAVIER SCHOOL
612 E. Washington St., Medina, 330-725-3345, sfxmedina.com
ST. GABRIEL SCHOOL
9935 Johnnycake Ridge Road, Mentor, 440-352-6169, st-gabrielschool.org
ST. HILARY SCHOOL
645 Moorfield Road, Fairlawn, 330-867-8720, st-hilaryschool.org
ST. IGNATIUS OF ANTIOCH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
10205 Lorain Ave., Cleveland, 216-671-0535, stignatiusofantioch-school.online
ST. JEROME SCHOOL
15100 Lake Shore Blvd., Cleveland 216-486-3587, stjeromecleveland.org/school
ST. JOAN OF ARC SCHOOL
498 E. Washington St., Chagrin Falls, 440-247-6530, stjoanofarc.org
ST. JOSEPH PARISH SCHOOL (AMHERST)
175 St. Joseph Drive, Amherst, 440-988-4244, sjsamherst.org
ST. JOSEPH PARISH SCHOOL (AVON) 32946 Electric Blvd., Avon, 440-933-6233, stjosephparishschool.org
ST. JUDE SCHOOL 594 Poplar St., Elyria, 440-366-1681, stjudejaguars.org
ST. MARK
15724 Montrose Ave., Cleveland, 216-521-4115, stmarkwestpark.com
ST. MARY (AKRON)
750 South Main St., Akron, 330-253-1233, stmaryakron.com
ST. MARY SCHOOL CHARDON 401 North St., Chardon, 440-286-3590, stmaryschoolchardon.org
ST. MARY SCHOOL (ELYRIA) 237 Fourth St., Elyria, 440-322-2808, stmarycatholicschoolelyria.com
ST. MARY OF THE ASSUMPTION SCHOOL
8540 Mentor Ave., Mentor, 440-255-9781, stmarymentorschool.org
ST. MARY BYZANTINE CATHOLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 4600 State Road, Cleveland, 216-749-7980, stmarybyzantine.com
ST. MARY OF THE FALLS
8262 Columbia Road, Olmsted Falls, 440-235-4580, stmaryofthefallsschool.com
ST. MARY OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION
2680 Stoney Ridge Road, Avon, 440-934-6246, stmaryavon.org
ST. MICHAEL CATHOLIC SCHOOL
6906 Chestnut Road, Independence, 216-524-6405, stmichaelschoolinfo.com
ST. PASCHAL BAYLON CATHOLIC SCHOOL
5360 Wilson Mills Road, Highland Heights, 440-442-6766, saintpaschal.com
ST. PATRICK
127 Portage St., Kent, 330-673-7232, stpatskent.org
ST. PETER SCHOOL (LORAIN)
3601 Oberlin Ave., Lorain, 440-282-9909, stpeterlorain.org
ST. PETER SCHOOL
35749 Center Ridge Road, North Ridgeville, 440-327-3212, stpeterschoolnr.org
ST. RAPHAEL SCHOOL
525 Dover Center Road, Bay Village, 440-871-6760, saintraphaelparish-school.com
ST. ROCCO PARISH SCHOOL
3205 Fulton Road, Cleveland, 216-961-8557, saintroccoschoolcle.org
ST. SEBASTIAN PARISH SCHOOL
500 Mull Ave., Akron, 330-836-9107, stsebastian.org/school
ST. STANISLAUS SCHOOL
6615 Forman Ave., Cleveland, 216-883-3307, saintstanislaus.us
ST. THOMAS MORE SCHOOL
4180 N. Amber Drive, Brooklyn, 216-749-1660, stmschool.com
ST. VINCENT DE PAUL PARISH SCHOOL
17 S. Maple St., Akron, 330-762-5912, stvincentelementary.com
STS. ROBERT AND WILLIAM SCHOOL
351 E. 260th St., Euclid, 216-731-3060, srwschool.cc
SETON CATHOLIC SCHOOL
6923 Stow Road, Hudson, 330-342-4200, setoncatholicschool.org
CHRISTIAN
BETHEL CHRISTIAN ACADEMY
12901 W. Pleasant Valley Road, Parma, 440-842-8575, bcakids.org
CORNERSTONE
CHRISTIAN ACADEMY
2846 SOM Center Road, Willoughby Hills, 440-497-0733, ccacornerstone.com
CUYAHOGA VALLEY
CHRISTIAN ACADEMY
4687 Wyoga Lake Road, Cuyahoga Falls, 330-929-0575, cvcaroyals.org
PARMA HEIGHTS
CHRISTIAN ACADEMY
8971 W. Ridgewood Drive, Parma Heights, 440-845-8668, phcawarriors.com
RAMAH CHRISTIAN ACADEMY 4770 Lee Road, Cleveland, 216-581-2626, ramahchristianacademy.org
VALLEY CHRISTIAN ACADEMY 1037 East Blvd., Aurora, 330-562-8191, valleychristian.com
SUMMIT CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
3313 Northampton Road, Cuyahoga Falls, 330-762-3382, summitchristianschool.net
JEWISH
FUCHS MIZRACHI SCHOOL
26600 Shaker Blvd, Beachwood, 216-932-0220, fuchsmizrachi.org
GROSS SCHECHTER DAY SCHOOL’
27601 Fairmount Blvd., Pepper Pike, 216-763-1400, grossschechter.org
HEBREW ACADEMY OF CLEVELAND
1800 Warrensville Center Road, Cleveland, 216-382-3300, hac1.org
JOSEPH AND FLORENCE
MANDEL JEWISH DAY SCHOOL
26500 Shaker Blvd., Beachwood, 216-287-5958, mandeljds.org
THE LIPPMAN SCHOOL
750 White Pond Drive, Akron, 330-836-0419, thelippmanschool.org
BETHANY LUTHERAN SCHOOL
6041 Ridge Road, Parma, 440-884-1010, bethanyparmaschool.org
HOLY CROSS LUTHERAN SCHOOL
4260 Rocky River Drive, Cleveland, 216-941-2770, hclcas.org
LAKEWOOD LUTHERAN SCHOOL
14560 Madison Ave., Lakewood, 216-221-6941, lakewoodlutheranschool.com
LUTHER MEMORIAL SCHOOL
4464 Pearl Road, Cleveland, 216-749-5300, lmslancers.org
MESSIAH LUTHERAN SCHOOL
4401 W. 215th St., Fairview Park, 440-331-6553, messiahfairview.org
REDEEMER CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
2141 Fifth St., Cuyahoga Falls, 330-923-1280, redeemerlutheran.us
ROYAL REDEEMER LUTHERAN SCHOOL
11680 Royalton Road, North Royalton, 440-237-7988, rrls.org
ST. JOHN NOTTINGHAM LUTHERAN SCHOOL
1027 E. 176th St., Cleveland, 216-531-1156, stjohnnottingham.org/school
ST. PAUL WESTLAKE
27981 Detroit Road, Westlake, 440-835-3051, stpaulwestlake.org
ST. THOMAS LUTHERAN SCHOOL
21211 Detroit Road, Rocky River, 440-331-4426, stcr.org
ANDREWS OSBORNE ACADEMY
38588 Mentor Ave., Willoughby, 440-942-3600, andrewsosborne.org
BIRCHWOOD SCHOOL OF HAWKEN
4400 W. 140th St., Cleveland, 216-251-2321, birchwoodschool.org
HANNA PERKINS SCHOOL
19910 Malvern Road, Shaker Heights, 216-991-4472, hannaperkins.org
HATHAWAY BROWN SCHOOL
19600 North Park Blvd., Shaker Heights, 216-932-4214, hb.edu
HAWKEN SCHOOL
5000 Clubside Drive, Lyndhurst, 440-423-4446, hawken.edu
HERSHEY MONTESSORI SCHOOL
10229 Prouty Road, Concord Twp., 440-357-0918, hershey-montessori.org
HUDSON MONTESSORI SCHOOL
7545 Darrow Road, Hudson, 330-650-0424, hudsonmontessori.org
LAKE RIDGE ACADEMY
37501 Center Ridge Road, North Ridgeville, 440-327-1175, lakeridgeacademy.org
LAUREL SCHOOL
1 Lyman Circle, Shaker Heights, 216-464-1441, laurelschool.org
LAWRENCE LOWER SCHOOL
1551 E. Wallings Road, Broadview Heights, 440-526-0003, lawrenceschool.org
THE NEST SCHOOL
27390 Center Ridge Road, Westlake, 440-835-2929, thenestschool.com
OLD TRAIL SCHOOL
2315 Ira Road, Bath Twp., 330-666-1118, oldtrail.org
RUFFING MONTESSORI SCHOOL
3380 Fairmount Blvd., Cleveland Heights, 216-321-7571, ruffingmontessori.net
RUFFING MONTESSORI SCHOOL
1285 Orchard Park Drive, Rocky River, 440-333-2250, ruffingmontessori.org
SOUTH SUBURBAN MONTESSORI SCHOOL
4450 Oakes Road, Brecksville, 440-526-1966, ssmsmontessori.net
SPRING GARDEN
WALDORF SCHOOL
1791 Jacoby Road, Copley, 330-666-0574, sgws.org
UNIVERSITY SCHOOL
20701 Brantley Road, Shaker Heights, 216-321-8260, us.edu
URBAN COMMUNITY SCHOOL 4909 Lorain Ave., Cleveland, 216-939-8330, urbancommunityschool.org
VALLEY CHRISTIAN ACADEMY
1037 East Blvd., Aurora, 330-562-8191, valleychristian.com
ARCHBISHOP HOBAN HIGH SCHOOL
1 Holy Cross Blvd., Akron 330-773-0436, hoban.org
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.
3301 N. Park Blvd., Cleveland Heights 216-321-2954, beaumontschool.org
Beaumont School is an all-girls Catholic high school in the Ursuline tradition that educates women for life, leadership and service.
BENEDICTINE HIGH SCHOOL
2900 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Cleveland 216-421-2080, cbhs.edu
A Catholic high school in the tradition of St. Benedict that shapes a diverse group of young men into leaders.
ELYRIA CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL
725 Gulf Road, Elyria 440-365-1821, elyriacatholic.com
Elyria Catholic is the only coed Catholic high school west of Cleveland. Students are surrounded by an engaged community which strongly supports them both inside and outside of the classroom.
GILMOUR ACADEMY
34001 Cedar Road, Gates Mills 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.
-
HOLY NAME HIGH SCHOOL
6000 Queens Highway, Parma Heights, 440-886-0300, holynamehs.com
Based in Parma Heights, Holy Name is a coeducational, Catholic high school that promotes excellence in education through a challengin college prep curriculum.
LAKE CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL
6733 Reynolds Road, Mentor 440-578-1020, lakecatholic.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.
MAGNIFICAT HIGH SCHOOL
20770 Hilliard Blvd., Rocky River 440-331-1572, magnificaths.org
Founded by the Sisters of the Humility of Mary, Magnificat is a Catholic allgirls, college preparatory high school in Rocky River.
NOTRE DAME-CATHEDRAL LATIN SCHOOL
13000 Auburn Road, Chardon 440-286-6226, ndcl.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.
OUR LADY OF THE ELMS
1375 W. Exchange St., Akron 330-836-9384, theelms.org
The Elms is the only all-girls, faithbased school grades 1 - 12 with a coed pre-school and kindergarten in the Cleveland Diocese.
PADUA FRANCISCAN HIGH SCHOOL
6740 State Road, Parma 216-650-1569, paduafranciscan.com
Padua is a coeducational, Catholic college preparatory school based on the Franciscan tradition.
ST. EDWARD HIGH SCHOOL
13500 Detroit Ave., Lakewood 216-221-3776, sehs.net
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.
ST. IGNATIUS HIGH SCHOOL
1911 W. 30th St., Cleveland 216-651-0222, ignatius.edu
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.
ST. JOSEPH ACADEMY
3470 Rocky River Drive, Cleveland 216-251-6788, sja1890.org
St. Joseph Academy is the only allgirls 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.
ST. MARTIN DE PORRES HIGH SCHOOL
6202 St. Clair Ave., Cleveland 216-881-1689, saintmartincleveland.org
St. Martin de Porres is a Catholic, college preparatory high school for students with limited economic means.
ST. VINCENT-ST. MARY HIGH SCHOOL
15 N. Maple St., Akron 330-253-9113, stvm.com
St. Vincent-St.Mary is a STEM-certified, Catholic Marianist high school in Akron.
TRINITY HIGH SCHOOL
12425 Granger Road, Garfield Heights 216-581-5757, ths.org
Trinity High School is a coeducational, college preparatory high school with a pre-professional internship program in Garfield Heights supported by Franciscan values.
VILLA ANGELA-ST. JOSEPH HIGH SCHOOL
18491 Lakeshore Blvd., Cleveland 216-481-8414, vasj.com
Located on the Lake Erie shore in Cleveland, VASJ is a Catholic, comprehensive, college preparatory school based on the Ursuline and Marianist traditions.
WALSH JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL
4550 Wyoga Lake Road, Cuyahoga Falls 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.
CHRISTIAN CORNERSTONE CHRISTIAN ACADEMY
2846 SOM Center Road, Willoughby Hills 440-943-9260, ccacornerstone.com
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
CUYAHOGA VALLEY
CHRISTIAN ACADEMY
4687 Wyoga Lake Road, Cuyahoga Falls 330-929-0575, cvcaroyals.org
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.
LUTHERAN HIGH SCHOOL EAST
3565 Mayfield Road, Cleveland Heights 216-382-6100, lutheraneast.org
Lutheran East is a Christian, coeducational, college preparatory high school located on a 12-acre campus in Cleveland Heights offering a faithbased community, academic programs, competitive athletics, arts and an Honors Academy.
LUTHERAN WEST
3850 Linden Road, Rocky River 440-333-1660, lutheranwest.com
Lutheran West is a Christian, coeducational, college preparatory high school located on a 17-acre campus in Rocky River.
FUCHS MIZRACHI SCHOOL
26600 Shaker Blvd., Beachwood 216-932-0220, fuchsmizrachi.org
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.
HEBREW ACADEMY OF CLEVELAND
1800 Warrensville Center Road, Cleveland Heights, 216-382-3300, hac1.org
The Hebrew Academy of Cleveland is a nationally recognized Jewish day school with dual Judaic and College Prepatory cirriculums located in Cleveland Heights.
ANDREWS OSBORNE ACADEMY
38588 Mentor Ave., Willoughby 440-942-3600, andrewsosborne.org
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.
GRAND RIVER ACADEMY
3042 College St., Austinburg 440-275-2811, grandriver.org
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.
HATHAWAY BROWN SCHOOL
19600 N. Park Blvd., Shaker Heights 216-932-4214, hb.edu
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.
HAWKEN SCHOOL
12465 County Line Road, Gates Mills 440-423-4446, hawken.edu
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.
HERSHEY MONTESSORI SCHOOL
11530 Madison Road, Huntsburg 440-357-0918, hershey-montessori.org
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.
LAKE RIDGE ACADEMY
37501 Center Ridge Road, North Ridgeville 440-327-1175, lakeridgeacademy.org
Lake Ridge is an independent, nonsectarian day school offering coeducational classes on a 93-acre campus in North Ridgeville.
LAUREL SCHOOL
1 Lyman Circle, Shaker Heights 216-464-1441, laurelschool.org
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.
UNIVERSITY SCHOOL
2785 SOM Center Road, Hunting Valley 216-831-2200, us.edu
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.
WESTERN RESERVE ACADEMY
115 College St., Hudson 330-650-4400, wra.net
Western Reserve Academy is an independent, coeducational boarding and day high school located on 58 acres in Hudson.
34001 Cedar Road, Gates Mills • 440-473-8050 • gilmour.org
As an independent and Catholic school, Gilmour Academy is uniquely able to develop both the minds and hearts of its students.
The school’s independent accreditation means smaller class sizes as well as a variety of real-world learning opportunities. This personalized education allows students to tailor their experience to their interests. They have opportunities such as AP courses; electives ranging from molecular genetics to web development, vocal performance and digital music; semester-long internships in research labs; or the chance to develop their own concentrated set of experiences and coursework around one of five VECTOR themes.
Gilmour’s nature-based learning program includes opportunities for students in all three divisions. The school’s 144-acre campus now features a chicken coop, greenhouse, apiary and Giving Gardens, and environmental science coursework and sustainability initiatives have been added to the curriculum.
The campus’ most recent addition — the Lorraine and Bill Dodero Center for Performing Arts — features a main stage theater,
studio theater, practice rooms and exhibition spaces. This stateof-the-art facility is utilized to advance student engagement and expression through the arts.
Gilmour’s unique combination of offerings allows each student to discover their passions within a rigorous academic setting that calls for students to write more, articulate better and develop their ideas further.
The school’s Catholic identity means students are learning in an environment that is inclusive, thought-provoking and rooted in the Holy Cross tradition. Gilmour empowers students of all faiths and all ages to ask tough questions, think critically and grow spiritually. This gives them the strength to see how they can make a difference in the world.
Through its comprehensive curriculum, faith-based tradition, commitment to service and emphasis on leadership, Gilmour educates the whole person. A Gilmour graduate emerges with an understanding that they have both the talent and the responsibility to make the world a better place. At Gilmour, students from 18 months to 18 years do more than succeed — they thrive.
15 Average class BONUS POINTS
Grades:
Montessori Toddler and Preschool program (18 months-PreK)
Grades K-12
2022-2023
enrollment: 755
2022-2023
tuition and fees: $6,490 – $38,520
7 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
93% Upper School students participate in a varsity sport and/or competitive speech and debate
19600 North Park Blvd., Shaker Heights • 216-932-4214 • hb.edu
Hathaway Brown is an all girls K-12 day school in Shaker Heights. Since 1876, HB has educated and empowered girls with the Learn for Life Signature Approach. The school’s distinguished academics are nationally recognized and are valued by families, top colleges and universities, and employers.
This model allows students to take ownership of their education with outstanding experiential learning opportunities such as the Storyline curriculum in the Primary School, the Academies in Middle School, and the Upper School Fellowships for the Applied Studies.
The Signature Approach, facilitated by an incredibly impressive and engaged faculty, empowers girls to rise boldly to the challenges of the times, achieve their goals and reach their utmost potential.
Seventy-one percent of HB teachers hold advanced degrees. And each faculty and staff member participates in deep and profound racial equity training.
HB’s beautiful 16-acre Shaker Heights campus houses a
four-story glass-paneled atrium, visual and performing arts spaces, an IDEA Lab and Upper School learning commons. Furthermore, there’s an onsite adventure learning course, various dynamic classroom configurations, a working television studio, an aquatics center, tennis courts and turf playing fields. Hathaway Brown is home to 12 varsity athletics teams, along with the first e-sports team in the country established at an allgirls school.
It also has a large and consistently excellent speech and debate team, an award-winning robotics program and several performing arts opportunities.
When girls graduate from Hathaway Brown School, they join an alumnae network of more than 4,000 women residing in 49 states and 27 foreign countries. Ranging in age from 17 to 105, HB alumnae are a celebrated community of civically engaged, trailblazing women who hold positions in every professional industry there is. Many were the first women to complete particular college degree programs or to earn executive-level positions in their respective organizations.
Grades:
K through 12
2022-2023
enrollment: 691
2022-2023
tuition and fees: $23,700 – $38,600
8:1 Students to teacher ratio BONUS POINTS
18
15 Average class size
45% Students receiving tuition assistance
Lyman Campus: 1 Lyman Circle, Shaker Heights
Butler Campus: 7420 Fairmount Road, Russell Township • 216-464-0946 • laurelschool.org
Laurel’s two-campus advantage gives girls the edge. The 11-acre Lyman Campus is in suburban Shaker Heights and just seven miles away in Russell Township, and Laurel students immerse themselves in the natural world and athletics at the beautiful 150-acre Butler Campus.
From Early Childhood to Upper School, the Butler Campus provides a dynamic learning environment. Its youngest learners visit the Butler Campus frequently for interdisciplinary lessons, Middle School students engage in immersive weeks focused on place-based learning, and it is home to the new Environmental Justice Semester for Upper School students.
Third-Fifth Graders spend the entire school year at Butler engaged in an innovative curriculum that invites them to grapple with concepts from multiple perspectives. Students explore autonomy as they develop intellectual strengths, academic skills and resilience while they deepen their engagement with the environment. This experience for 8- to 11-year-old girls is unmatched by any other in Northeast Ohio.
BONUS POINTS
Beyond academics, Butler boasts state-of-the-art athletics facilities and fields that serve as a home for many of the school’s sports teams as well as some youth athletics programming. Laurel’s student athletes practice, compete and benefit from the expertise of dedicated strength and conditioning coaches. The unparalleled advantages of Laurel’s Butler Campus foster academic excellence and athletic development to empower students on and off the field.
Laurel is committed to enrolling academically qualified students and offers Variable Tuition, whereby tuition rates are customized according to each family’s ability to contribute to their educational expenses. Additionally, Laurel offers merit scholarships, including the Sarah Lyman Scholarship which covers all four years of tuition and fees in Laurel’s Upper School — five are made available each year to rising ninth graders and are awarded regardless of financial need. Consideration for a Sarah Lyman Scholarship is highly selective. Successful candidates will have achieved excellence in academics and extracurricular activities.
Grades: Early Childhood School through 12
2022-2023
enrollment: 542
2022-2023
tuition and fees: $7,000–$37,000
8:1 Students to teacher ratio
10-14 Average class size 100% College acceptance rate
$4.4 MILLION Variable tuition and scholarships awarded annually
20770 Hilliard Blvd., Rocky River • 440-331-1572 • magnificaths.org
Magnificat High School is a girls’ Catholic collegepreparatory high school founded by the Sisters of the Humility of Mary that prepares young women to learn, lead and serve in the spirit of Mary’s Magnificat. Students with a diversity of backgrounds, interests and aspirations choose Magnificat for the distinctive educational experience provided. Classroom teaching is enriched through hands-on learning, service, faith formation and leadership opportunities. Under the mentorship of teachers, counselors and advisors, each student designs a unique educational experience, choosing from a course selection that includes 37 AP and Honors courses, more than 50 co-curriculars and 15 varsity sports. Magnificat was the first Northeast Ohio high school to partner with Motogo on a mechanical engineering curriculum, with students learning handson engineering concepts by disassembling and reassembling motorcycles. Students are given the tools to reach their academic and leadership goals as well as the flexibility to discover new interests and talents.
BONUS POINTS
Magnificat has invested in significant capital improvements to campus facilities in recent years that enhance the curriculum and learning environment. The Magnificat Center for Science Exploration & Innovation, which was completed in August 2023, has innovative, flexible spaces that encourage interdisciplinary exploration across the sciences. The fine arts classrooms were redesigned and renovated in the summer of 2022 to completely reconfigure and upgrade spaces for enhanced instruction in ceramics, jewelry making, painting, drawing, photography and multimedia projects. The Magnificat Center for the Performing Arts is a state-of-the-art space that features a 1,100-seat theater, scene shop, green room and dance studio. The Karnatz Family Field synthetic turf, tennis courts and two gymnasiums support Magnificat’s outstanding athletics program, with the volleyball team named state champions in 2021 and state runnerup in 2022.
Magnificat prepares students to be confident, well-rounded leaders in their careers, their communities, and the world.
19% Students of color 47 Municipalities represented in the student body
57% Students receiving need-based tuition assistance
Grades:
9 through 12
2022-2023
enrollment: 685
2022-2023
tuition and fees: $18,500
$3.2 million
Tuition assistance awarded to students annually
1911 W. 30th St., Cleveland • 216-651-0222 • ignatius.edu
Saint Ignatius High School was officially founded on Sept. 6, 1886. As a college-preparatory school, academic excellence is a primary focus.
A challenging curriculum, master teachers and an emphasis on clear thinking and communication skills are hallmarks of a Saint Ignatius education. Academically, Saint Ignatius is a regional and state leader in National Merit finalists and Advanced Placement scholars.
As important as academics are, the spiritual program of the school is an essential characteristic that sets Saint Ignatius apart. While respecting all faith traditions, Saint Ignatius is a Catholic high school defined by Jesuit spirituality.
A solid four-year theology program, annual retreats, frequent liturgies and opportunities for service to those in need are mainstays. Faith and a commitment to the Catholic faith provide the backdrop against which academics, intramurals and social
growth must take place.
Saint Ignatius remains vibrant by being open to a changing world, yet faithful to its academic traditions, the gospel message upon which it was established and its motto: “Men for Others,” after the Man for Others, Jesus Christ.
Located in close proximity to downtown Cleveland in the vibrant and energetic Ohio City neighborhood, the school occupies 23 acres and includes 19 buildings and three athletic fields. The school has 113 faculty members, 90% of whom hold advanced degrees. 60% have spent 10 years or more teaching at Saint Ignatius.
Thanks to alumni and benefactors, nearly 70% of students receive some form of merit or need-based tuition assistance. With 20 programs composing the Christian Action Team, students perform, on average, more than 15,000 hours of non-required service annually.
Grades:
9 through 12
2022-2023 enrollment: 1409
2022-2023 tuition and fees: $19,950
BONUS POINTS
19,000+ Alumni living across the world
30 Honors courses offered
$8 million Tuition Assistance offered to current students in 2022-23 school year
SECTION
Grades: 9 through 12
2022-2023
enrollment: 305
2022-2023
tuition and fees:
$18,540
Beaumont School achieved International Baccalaureate (IB) World School status in 2017 and is the only all-girls high school in Northeast Ohio offering the IB Diploma Programme. The IB for All aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable, and caring young people who help create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.
Our close-knit diverse family and our commitment to exceptional academic performance, small classroom sizes, and the rich curriculum of the IB create a truly transformative global education for students. All of Beaumont’s educators use the IB framework to design curriculum and every student is encouraged to take an IB-level course. Whether they take a single class, earn a subject-specific IB Certificate, or work through the full two-year program towards the IB Diploma,
100% College Acceptance Rate
Grades:
Preschool through 8
2022-2023
enrollment: 248
2022-2023
tuition and fees: $7,125–$10,065 (pre-school); $11,975 (K); $16,740 (1-3); $17,280 (4-5); $18,560 (6-8)
BONUS POINTS
$12.1 million Merit-based scholarships for class of 2023
students benefit from the emphasis on academic achievement, critical thinking, research skills and community service.
Beaumont School Principal, Ann Hoelzel, believes in the IB curriculum. IB cultivates caring, inquiring, internationallyminded and service-oriented young people, which aligns beautifully with the Ursuline mission and charism of forming lifelong learners who strive to make a difference in the world.
Birchwood School of Hawken is a preschool through eighth grade coeducational private school. Its mission is to equip children with the intellectual skills and character traits that will enable them to realize their potential for becoming excellent students with good character.
To this end, Birchwood School of Hawken provides a challenging academic program crafted to lead each student to their highest level of achievement. Birchwood students have gained local, state and national recognition for their work.
In addition, the Birchwood School of Hawken has
developed a remarkable character education program. Through practice, it shows children how to build good work habits and how to benefit and serve the people within their communities.
While maintaining small class sizes, taught by subject specialists, Birchwood is able to set children on a trajectory of academic achievement and success.
To learn more visit birchwoodschool.org.
36 Countries represented by the student body
Grades:
Toddler through 12
2022-2023
enrollment: 1600+
2022-2023
tuition and fees:
$6,950 – $39,680
8) • University Circle (Grades 9-12) • 440-423-4446 • hawken.edu
Hawken School is an independent, coed day school of over 1,600 students, toddler through grade 12, located on two campuses in the eastern suburbs of Cleveland, a campus on Cleveland’s west side (Birchwood School of Hawken) and a campus in University Circle that is home to the Mastery School of Hawken. From recognizing the value of a co-educational environment to designing programs, learning spaces and innovative schedules that support learning by doing, Hawken boldly adapts to prepare students for a promising future.
Hawken’s nationally recognized programming and non-traditional schedules support partnerships with world-renowned institutions. Students are prepared for the real world not only in the classroom, but in laboratories and organizations across Cleveland, our 200-plus acre wooded
36% Students of color
$13.8
campuses, nonprofit agencies in the city and more. These experiences instill in students the skills needed to thrive.
From its earliest days, Hawken School has been committed to developing both character and intellect. Our motto of “Fair Play” encourages every member of our community to be mindful of how we treat others. Providing a strong academic foundation while nurturing essential attributes like compassion, initiative and resilience equips Hawken students with the tools they need to realize and fulfill their potential.
Grades:
Birth through 12
2022-2023
enrollment: 233
2022-2023
tuition and fees:
$9,630 – $25,470
Concord Campus (Birth-6th Grade): 10229 Prouty Road, Concord Township • 440-357-0918 Huntsburg Campus (7th-12th Grade): 11530 Madison Road, Huntsburg • 440-636-6290 • hershey-montessori.org
Hershey is one of the first Montessori schools in the world to offer a birth through 12th grade education, most closely replicating Dr. Maria Montessori’s vision, including a boarding program on a working farm.
The 13-acre Concord Campus educates children from infancy to sixth grade. It includes wooded trails, play areas, gardens and more. Indoor and outdoor classrooms are intentionally designed with Montessori materials and for age-appropriate child development, providing freedom of choice intended to engage interest and stimulate the child’s curiosity.
The 97-acre Huntsburg Campus educates students from
BONUS POINTS
34% Students receiving financial aid
100% College acceptance rate
seventh to 12th grade. Its environmentally sustainable classrooms, working farm, greenhouse, wooded trails, and program barn maker space are intended to provide valorization, a sense of community, social-emotional wellbeing, real-life skills and mastery of comprehensive academics.
Grades: K through 12
2022-2023
enrollment: 385
2022-2023
tuition and fees: $9,500 – $22,000
Nestled on a beautiful 93-acre campus in North Ridgeville, Lake Ridge Academy is the only independent K-12 school on Cleveland’s west side. Students travel from 40 communities to receive an exceptional college preparatory education. The school’s renowned curriculum offers hands-on learning experiences that shape students into critical thinkers. With a low 8:1 student to teacher ratio, each student receives the support they deserve. The Centers of Excellence, the school’s academic pillars, foster creative and innovative thinking to prepare students for the future.
The Center for Scientific Exploration and Research uses a STEAM curriculum to build a foundation in biology, chemistry, physics and engineering. Upper School students can conduct independent two-year research through the Institute for Scientific Research or Institute for Engineering and
36% Multicultural student population
Grades: 9 through 12
2022-2023
enrollment: 750
2022-2023
tuition and fees: $14,100
Innovation.
The Center for Fine Arts develops emerging talents in music, voice, dance, theater and visual arts beginning in the Lower School and culminating with the School of Fine Arts for Upper School.
The Center for Global Citizenship builds political acumen, cultural literacy and empathy. The new Entrepreneurship Certificate will offer real-world experiences with coursework in economics and business.
100% Students attend a four-year college
6740 State Road, Parma • 440-845-2444 • paduafranciscan.com
Padua Franciscan High School is a Catholic, college preparatory high school, committed to the traditions and values of Saint Francis and Saint Clare of Assisi. Padua educates young men and women within a community where all are challenged to achieve academic excellence and to live out a lifelong commitment to Christ in holiness and learning.
Padua will host Fall Open House on Sunday, October 15 from 10 a.m.–1 p.m. and Monday, October 16 from 6–8 p.m. Families will hear from Principal DiRocco about how students are happy, healthy, holy and highly-prepared for college. Teachers, administrators and students will offer small group tours that showcase how Padua utilizes the latest emerging technology to enhance our rigorous academics including our premier programs, including MedTrack and MyTrack.
19 Students per average class BONUS POINTS
37 Honors courses offered
MedTrack is an award-winning, four-year advanced science track. The comprehensive program combines advanced coursework, enrichment opportunities, and practical experiences, while integrating the Franciscan approach to healthcare which only Padua can provide.
MyTrack prepares students in the Franciscan tradition for careers in business, computer science, engineering, law, and studio art by providing strong career exploration, professionalism guidance and hands-on experiences.
Grades: 9 through 12
2022-2023
enrollment: 685
2022-2023
tuition and fees:
$17,000
Saint Joseph Academy, an all-girls, Catholic high school, offers a welcoming environment where young women value their minds, their faith and each other. In addition to gaining a quality Catholic education, students develop independent critical-thinking skills that help them achieve their personal best.
Last year, students volunteered more than 15,800 hours while striving to achieve a life of compassionate leadership.
Saint Joseph Academy offers a Health Sciences Honors Program, Engineering & Design Honors Program, Global Scholars Program, 20 Advanced Placement courses and 39 honors classes and independent study courses. The 4,800-square-foot Howley Makerspace innovation lab is accessible to all students, featuring a variety of hands-on technology. Students benefit from cutting-edge tools, including
77% Students receiving tuition assistance
$19 million
Amount of college merit awards for the Class of 2023
the Google Tilt Brush virtual reality system, the HoloAnatomy Software Suite with Microsoft HoloLens 2, Anatomage Table and more. Through 15 varsity sports, award-winning arts programs and more than 50 clubs, students are encouraged to pursue passions.
For more than 134 years, Saint Joseph Academy has been rooted in the spirituality of the Congregation of St. Joseph and continues to help young women foster unifying relationships with God while achieving academic excellence.
Grades: Jr. K through 12
2022-2023
enrollment: 859
2022-2023
tuition and fees: $18,830 – $39,160
20701 Brantley Road, Shaker Heights • 216-321-8260 (Jr. K-8)
2785 SOM Center Road, Hunting Valley • 216-831-2200 (9-12) • us.edu
University School is a place where each boy is free and supported to let his true self thrive. We seek students of all ambitions: scholars, artists, musicians, athletes and entrepreneurs. Our mission is to inspire boys to become men of character who will lead and serve.
Our dedicated faculty, vigorous curriculum and experiential programs foster intellectual, physical, creative and moral excellence. Students are encouraged to pursue a varied course of study and push beyond minimum requirements. In addition to AP courses, independent research options are available across all disciplines. US is ranked the #1 Private K-12 School in Ohio by Niche.com.
More than $8 million in financial assistance is allocated annually to 50% of our families.
$8 million
Merit awards are available, including the full, four-year Jarvis Scholarship. Ten are awarded each year to rising ninth-grade students.
The average tenure of our teachers is 17 years, and 77% hold advanced degrees. Our low student-to-faculty ratio and intentional and supportive community systems allow teachers to become true mentors to our students. US is designed for boys and is a diverse and inclusive school where each boy is known and loved.
On behalf of the City of Beachwood, the Beachwood City Schools and the Beachwood Chamber of Commerce, we are delighted to bring you the latest edition of Discover Beachwood Business in Beachwood is booming! Strong business investments are changing the environment of the community and bringing even greater amenities to those who live and work here.
The partnerships and collaborations between the City, Schools and Chamber of Commerce provide meaningful opportunities for area companies, organizations and key leaders. The Beachwood Chamber of Commerce is working with our business community daily to bring quality networking opportunities, which are engaging new relationships. Beachwood City School students are embracing engagement with companies like the Ahuja Medical Center, which exposes them to world-renowned leaders of medicine. The City of Beachwood’s Department of Economic Development is working to attract a full range of
businesses including those from small business enterprises to those with a national and international presence, bringing area expertise that is strengthening the community’s distinct clusters and further supporting growth in our region’s targeted industries. Our diverse community brings together an atmosphere of cultivation that drives new business investment. We are pleased to share with you the incredible stories of these organizations, companies and professionals that are working to make a difference here in Northeast Ohio and within the City of Beachwood.
His credentials are impressive — James Voos, MD, chair, UH Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Jack and Mary Herrick Distinguished Chair, Orthopedics and Sports Medicine. And now one of the main voices for the new Drusinsky Sports Medicine Institute. But those who also know Dr. Voos as the head team physician for the Cleveland Browns find it hard not to at least initially ask, “So, are the Browns healthy this year? And if they’re not, can you fix them?”
Voos really doesn’t mind the questions. Just don’t expect a specific answer (doctor/patient confidentiality, of course). But the physician is proud of UH’s 10-year relationship with the Browns as well as its recent contract extension. He appreciates that UH research and health care, involving world-class athletes, can be transferred to all orthopedic patients.
“It’s a privilege to take care of the Browns and their families. It requires us to be on our toes and up to date with the highest level of care for the most complex injuries. We are under a microscope with the public when it comes to the Browns, and that benefits everyone — the players, the staff and other patients,” says Voos.
Voos is a former athlete, too. He knows ACL reconstructions or Tommy John Elbow surgery (really, that’s its official name) may be necessities for getting athletes back on the field or court. And he also sympathizes with athletes whose injuries may postpone their activities.
“I played football in college, and I have the experience of being on the field, in the locker room and being part of a team,” says Voos, who also works with the Cleveland Monsters and is medical director for the Cleveland Ballet.
In his downtime, the surgeon enjoys traveling, kayaking, paddleboarding and boating, as well as running, tennis, biking and hiking through the Cleveland Metroparks with his wife, Kristin Voos, a neonatologist with UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital.
Growing up, Voos’ mother was a nurse, and his father’s career centered on lab work. In high school, Voos had the opportunity to work in a small ambulatory surgery care center. His tasks included mopping floors and changing sheets at first, but he was soon promoted to an unofficial apprentice and even scrubbed for surgeries.
“After high school, I couldn’t imagine doing anything else,” he says. “Those doctors gave me great opportunities. For me, being
here, in a teaching medical center with residents and others, is an important way for me to give back.”
After earning his medical degree from the University of Kansas, Voos’ career included positions with the renowned Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Kansas City Chiefs, New York Giants and WNBA. He joined UH in 2014 and is now chair of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery.
A world-class sports facility, the UH Drusinsky Sports Medicine Institute is a huge economic driver for the City of Beachwood and the region, creating construction and post-construction jobs, administrative and professional positions and auxiliary jobs in the surrounding areas.
“The Institute allows us to attract the best physicians from some of the best orthopedic programs across the county,” says Voos, who will become president of the NFL Physicians Society in 2024. “It’s only been possible because of a community that looks to the future and which continues to grow. And, of course, we have to thank the donors, many who live in Beachwood and have been UH patients themselves.”
Put
Since 2001, NOPEC has been working to keep your gas and electric rates manageable. We make it easy, with no tricky contracts and the flexibility to move between products without penalties or fees. Plus, with our 24/7 Customer Care Center, we’re always just a phone call away. For more than 20 years, NOPEC has had your back. And you can be sure we will continue to for years to come. For more information, visit NOPEC.org or call 855-667-3201.
The Institute allows us to attract the best physicians from some of the best orthopedic programs across the county.
— JAMES VOOS, MD
Really? This is a medical facility? Do I need tickets? Any good seats left? Do they sell souvenirs?
No one will really mistake the new Drusinsky Sports Medicine Institute for an athletic stadium. But the medical building is not at all intimidating, especially to those who enjoy sports and being physically active.
The institute is part of University Hospitals’ $236 million expansion of its Ahuja campus in Beachwood and opened this past June. The three-story, 76,200-square-foot sports medicine institute includes an impressive glass facade and a 40-yard fieldhouse with green artificial turf , complete with white yard lines.
“The goal was to make it look more like an arena than a critical care facility, to make people more comfortable,” says James Voos, MD, chair, UH Department of Orthopedic Surgery. “Patients come in and feel like they are walking into a fieldhouse to see a sports event rather than a medical event. It’s part of the psychological effect. A patient can think, ‘I hurt my knee playing tennis, but I want to get back out there. I am not sick.’ It’s designed to get you back.”
The institute treats athletes of all ages, but it’s not necessary to be a runner or a lacrosse player to receive care.
“If you are in your garden, have fallen and landed on your wrist and are concerned you
might have fractured it, instead of going to the emergency room, you can walk into the injury clinic here and be seen right away by the right specialist,” says Voos. “That way, you can help save the emergency room for those patients who are having critical issues. And it’s more efficient for the patient who is having orthopedic issues.”
UH identifies the Drusinsky Sports Medicine Institute as “the most comprehensive, patient-centered facility of its kind in the United States.” The Orthopedic Injury Clinic, which welcomes walk-ins and offers stateof-the-art imaging and diagnostic services, is just one fraction of what the complex offers.
Services also include on-site surgeries (including knee, shoulder, elbow and hip operations); conditioning and performance assessments (Am I ready for a marathon?); and rehab and performance training (use of a therapy pool and a variety of playing surfaces, etc.).
“We see everything from an ankle sprain to sore knees to complex knee ligament issues. The building is staffed with various orthopedic providers and athlete trainers all on-site, helping to provide you with the level of care you are looking for,” says Voos. “Each patient who walks in
the door really feels their needs have been met.”
An athlete is a whole person. The sports medicine complex recognizes that and provides additional care under one roof that includes concussion and neurological care, nutrition, pain management, sports cardiology and sleep therapy.
“We tell our athletes that although they are seeing a sports medicine doctor, they have the entire health care system on their team,” Voos says. “That helps them get through any injury or issue they are going through.”
From virtual reality surgical simulation to developing human cells and producing post-operative cool-heat devices, Commerce Park is bustling with research, development and technology. These businesses are thriving in Beachwood, where there are opportunities to collaborate.
“There is alignment in cluster initiatives that are spinning off in the health care arena, biomedical R&D — and synergies within the industrial park that can lead to more innovation and commercialization,” says Catherine Bieterman, economic development director for the City of Beachwood.
The city offers various programs to support businesses, from job creation tax credits and abatements to real estate incentives, says Beachwood Mayor Justin Berns. “We are also looking creatively at other ways to continue supporting resources that guide investment in those industry clusters in our community.”
BY KRISTEN HAMPSHIRE
Businesses moving into Commerce Park are changing the way we conduct surgery, manage diabetes and treat acute and chronic pain. Take a look at the innovation that is rejuvenating Beachwood’s longtime industrial park.
VR in the OR — Surgical Theater
The same 360-degree, 3D virtual reality technology behind fighter pilot simulation training is the basis for Surgical Theater’s game-changing advanced imaging technology. It enables surgeons to rehearse patient-specific brain and spine procedures to plan the safest, most minimally invasive approaches.
Surgical Theater is the brainchild of Alon Geri, co-founder and chief technology officer. He spent 25 years as a research and development (R&D) officer and pilot in the Israeli Air Force, honing his tech capabilities and leading the development of flight simulators for F-15 pilots.
“We develop FDA-approved brain and spine simulation devices that are used by surgeons across the U.S. and Europe,” explains Geri. “Surgeons can use them to plan procedures and to explain surgeries to patients. Then, the same technology can be used in the operating room to be very precise in executing the surgical plan.”
Geri and co-founder Mopy Avisar founded Surgical Theater in Northeast Ohio after Geri was deployed here by the Israeli Air Force in the early 2000s for a high-end flight simulator project. Surgical Theater launched in 2011 after Geri retired from the Air Force and helped develop a visualization platform that illuminates complex procedures. Its tagline, “Beyond reality. Beyond imagination,” says it all. He moved the business to Beachwood’s Commerce Park in September 2022, allowing Surgical Theater to manage its entire operation in one location, including R&D and
production. With seven employees based in the office and about 30 more in the field, Geri says Beachwood has been a supportive community. “We feel at home,” he says.
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A bag of frozen peas and cool gel packs are go-tos for most patients who undergo an orthopedic surgery or are dealing with chronic migraine pain. But sticking to a weekslong regimen that should reduce swelling and pain is not so easy to do. Most call it quits much sooner because of the inconvenience.
Innovative Medical Equipment (IME) co-founder Brad Pulver began having these discussions with business partner and renowned plastic surgeon and migraine research pioneer, Bahman Guyuron, MD. Together,
they created a device called SootheAway that runs on 2 ounces of distilled water and can continuously cool the key areas triggering migraine pain. Users can adjust the warm-orcold device from 35 degrees to 125 degrees.
“The patient or physician can set their own temperature or mode, heat or cool, and they have this continuous device that can run for hours, days, weeks at a time,” Pulver explains.
It’s hands free with pads designed for specific pain zones. Since the launch of SootheAway, the company has expanded — and rebranded
the product to ThermaZone — to address other areas of the body including shoulder, back, knee, elbow and ankle.
“The focus is to treat post-orthopedic and post-operative pain in a nonpharmacological way, so you can put this device on after any orthopedic surgery (ACL, rotator cuff, total knee replacement, etc.) and wear it three to four weeks to deliver cooling therapy, which then reduces swelling and the need for opioids,” Pulver says.
Because the device is easy to use, patients are compliant with recovery recommendations from their doctors, Pulver adds.
With 15 employees in its Beachwood office and about 30 sales representatives across the country, IME is expanding, with Pulver developing another business out of this headquarters: Mercury Biomed. “With this company, we are trying to solve the problem of patient temperature management,” Pulver explains.
When a patient goes under anesthesia, core body temperature rapidly drops. “That can lead to life-threatening surgical complications,” he says. This is why the U.S. standard of care is to warm patients while they are under general anesthesia on the operating table. This usually occurs by using forced-air warming blankets and heated covers. But those have been criticized for potentially causing surgical site infections.
“We created a unique way to warm the core body with support from the world’s experts in core body temperature management that performed our first round of clinical trials,” Pulver says, relating that Mercury Biomed received a $1.5 million National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant along with a commercial
— BRAD PULVERacceleration loan from the State of Ohio to fund the development of WarmSmart. It is not yet FDA approved.
All of this is happening in Beachwood’s Commerce Park, where IME is conveniently located by major highways and the airport. Plus, the company has leveraged its large sideyard space by creating a hangout area for employees that includes picnic tables and a fourhole putting green. “People really enjoying coming to work here,” Pulver says, adding that during the pandemic, his team did not want to work from home. “They couldn’t wait to get back in the office.”
We created a unique way to warm the core body with support from the world’s experts in core body temperature management that performed our first round of clinical trials.
Invested in Ohio.
Jan Jensen has a passion for finding a cure for diabetes. This keen interest is ultimately what led the molecular developmental biologist to start Trailhead Biosystems, which develops industrial-grade human cells from stem cells. The technology exists around the high-dimensional design of experiments dependent on computerized designs and robotics.
“We need to get beyond insulin treatments and move on to curing people instead,” Jensen says. “Why do we have to give injections every day?”
1,285 1,680
Jensen is the Eddie J. Brandon endowed chair of diabetes research at Cleveland Clinic, and he has published more than 50 peer-reviewed papers. He and his collaborative team relocated to Commerce Park Road in Beachwood in April 2023, investing more than $2 million into renovations, after running a lab out of the Cleveland Clinic incubator.
3,270
“The company is Ohio born,” Jensen says, adding that the cells are mainly used in cellbased therapy or as a resource for drug discovery.
Inside its spacious building, labs are
70 65 643 79%
1,680 towers/ macro sites
1,130 Invested in Ohio.
1,285 small cell nodes on air
79% estimated population coverage of 11,805,053
65 resident employees
15565 NEO Parkway, Cleveland Ohio 44128
Kevin Krayzel
Data Infrastructure Specialist
Mobile 440.885.2999
kevin.krayzel@crowncastle.com
Michael Kirincic
Business Development Manager Fiber Solutions
216.798.5817
michael.kirincic@crowncastle.com
developing different types of human cells to accelerate drug discovery and deliver human cells for therapeutic purposes.
“Those who need them are hospitals or pharmaceutical companies, and so while we could be located anywhere, it makes sense to be close to avenues where we can get those cells out.”
There is also plenty of room for expansion, which is important given Trailhead Biosystems’ growth trajectory. Jensen sees Beachwood as an ideal location for the burgeoning biotech industry.
3,270 fiber miles
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Our nationwide portfolio of communications infrastructure connects cities and communities to essential data, technology and wireless service — bringing information, ideas and innovations to the people and businesses that feed them.
Collaboration and caring are a running theme among Beachwood nonprofit organizations that support individuals and families coping with cancer, epilepsy, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease and all the challenges these conditions present.
Community support is one overwhelming reason these thriving organizations chose Beachwood as a home base. Synergies with local businesses, vibrant health care and accessibility to the people they serve are also benefits.
“There is a lot of opportunity to bring together the research and development that is occurring in the area and connect it with the support services these organizations offer to clients,” says Catherine Bieterman, economic development director for the City of Beachwood.
“It’s incredible the amount of work these organizations do to provide amenities that support clients during their most difficult times in life,” she continues. “They go above and beyond to find ways to bring comfort and joy back into the lives of those they serve while helping them get through their disease.”
Bieterman sees even more possibility. “We can facilitate a web between these organizations and experts they bring to the table to create a network that leads to more innovation. These networks can help transform the care patients receive.”
together and multiply the positive impact.
About 10 years ago, Leigh Goldie posted a message on Facebook: “If you know someone who has epilepsy, can you message me?”
She had no idea the response she’d receive after living with the condition most of her life and feeling like there were no resources to help her cope, thrive and manage the challenges. “It was something I learned to hide,” she relates. “You don’t talk about your epilepsy, because you are losing control. I needed someone to help me live well, to help me learn how to talk to my doctor so I could get a more accurate diagnosis and treatment sooner.”
She received 40 messages from friends who said the same thing. She then sent out questionnaires asking questions like, “What is it like living with epilepsy?” “Are your needs being met?” “Do people understand it?”
“They all came back to me saying the same thing I felt,” Goldie says. “When I was living with seizures, I felt isolated and alone.”
She founded Empowering Epilepsy in 2014 out of her home with a goal to connect people with epilepsy to experts and peers for education, care, support, fun and family-friendly events at every age and stage. In March 2022, the organization held a grand opening at its Beachwood location, a 2,700-square-foot space on Mercantile Road that houses conference and meeting rooms, along with an art therapy room.
“We are amazing writers, artists, singers, dancers and musicians — and this allows us to discover our artistic flair and all we can do,” Goldie says.
The headquarters also hosts events, educational sessions and classes focused on improving the mind, body and spirit.
Empowering Epilepsy held a brain surgery conference in June, the 30th anniversary of Goldie’s brain surgery that stopped the seizures. She lived with epilepsy for 14 years, and it wasn’t until 10 years after her diagnosis that she finally found out she could be a surgical candidate. She wants others to know there might be options for them, too. During the last few years, Goldie estimates the organization has helped more than 2,000 people.
The work of Empowering Epilepsy is one of a kind. “We focus on patients,” she says, adding that there are many opportunities in Beachwood to collaborate with other helping nonprofits. “If we start focusing on the commonalities of these diseases, we might find out more answers.”
Rebecca was skeptical about college. She knew she was smart, but didn’t know if the college experience would be right for her. Then she came to Tri-C, where she quickly discovered a valuable support network of faculty, staff and fellow students who not only helped her succeed academically — they helped her find a purpose and a future.
Parkinson’s Disease
(PD) is a neurological condition with no cure.
“Once you are diagnosed, it’s something you live with for the rest of your life, so we want to make sure people have the strength — physical and emotional — to cope with their disease,” says Cathe Schwartz, CEO of InMotion.
InMotion provides a variety of exercise classes designed for people with Parkinson’s. “Exercise is medicine,” she says, relating that
evidence-based classes focus on balance, gait and strength. “We also work on the quality-of-life pieces.”
InMotion is unique in the country. “There is nothing else like this,” Schwartz says, adding that the group was founded by five individuals who collaborated and developed the concept. Those were David Riley, MD, Allan Goldberg, Lee Handel, Karen Jaffe, MD and Ben Rossi. “They got together and said, ‘What if we could create a wellness center for people with PD that was free and offered everything they needed to feel stronger and better every day?’”
The organization has grown rapidly, Schwartz reports. In 2019, InMotion purchased a 20,000-square-foot building in Beachwood on Mercantile Road and recently it completed a $3.1 million capital campaign. The facility is accessible to people who have PD who live throughout Northeast Ohio. There, InMotion can offer a wide range of exercise programs, art and music programs, speech and cognition programs, support groups and client assessments.
“It’s a great community, very welcoming and very philanthropic,” Schwartz says of their Beachwood home, pointing to an annual event, the Pals InMotion Race held at Beachwood High School. “The city and school are amazing partners, and it’s an important event because it is responsible for about onethird of our operating budget every year.”
Schwartz encourages those with PD and their families to get to know InMotion. Also, the organization works with other local nonprofits to provide programming. For instance, InMotion and The Gathering Place offered a joint seminar on nutrition they are hoping to repeat this year. “We love collaborating, and it’s a great use of resources when we can all work together,” Schwartz says.
“The hospital cured my cancer. The Gathering Place saved my soul.”
A participant shared this with CEO Michele Seyranian — and it perfectly describes the support, understanding, care and programs offered by The Gathering Place. “We are here to help,” she says simply. “They know someone will walk with them and help them, their families and loved ones understand what to do. We take care of people of all ages.”
Seyranian got to know The Gathering Place soon after it started in 1998. Her 4-year-old daughter had been diagnosed with a rare cancer. “We have a medical librarian who helped us find top specialists for pediatric acute myeloid leukemia,” she shares. Seyranian volunteered, helped with strategic planning, served on the board and became CEO when founder Eileen Saffran retired.
The Gathering Place offers support groups, art and music, nutrition programs, education,
grief and loss counseling, individual consultations, a wig salon — anything you can imagine related to supporting, educating and empowering those coping with the impact of cancer.
“What’s also important is that all of our services are free of charge,” Seyranian says, acknowledging the “financial toxicity” of cancer.
Ultimately, The Gathering Place is a community.
The organization has expanded with a location in Westlake and virtual programming that serves people across the globe who find The Gathering Place online. It is currently raising money to convert a van into a mobile wig salon. Outreach and accessibility are a focus,
with The Gathering Place taking its services into underserved Cleveland communities.
“What makes us unique is that we offer such comprehensive programming for all types of cancer,” Seyranian says.
The Race for The Place, its largest fundraiser, celebrated its 23rd year. With the milestone anniversary, The Gathering Place will be hosting other commemorative events, Seyranian says.
The organization welcomes other nonprofits and groups to share in programming, she adds. “The Alzheimer’s Association is across the street from us, and we do some joint programming,” she points out. “It’s really important that as nonprofits, we help one another succeed.”
From dementia care coaching to guiding caregivers, the Alzheimer’s Association of Cleveland chapter provides a breadth of free programs, supports and tools. These resources guide caregivers so they can figure out what’s next and how to help their loved ones.
Ultimately, the association’s mission is to lead the way to end Alzheimer’s and all other dementia — by accelerating global research, driving risk reduction and early detection, and maximizing quality care and support. The
organization does this by accelerating global research, promoting risk reduction and early detection, and delivering care and support.
It’s a big charge, especially given the number of individuals coping with the disease. More than 6 million Americans have Alzheimer’s, and by 2050, this number is projected to rise to nearly 13 million. The No. 1 risk factor: growing old. Also, one in three seniors dies with dementia. It is responsible for more mortalities than breast and prostate cancers combined.
“We are the largest nonprofit funder of Alzheimer’s research,” points out Mary Ertle, program director.
As a local chapter of the national organization, Ertle says it offers a 24/7 help line so anyone can ask any question. And the doors are always open. “There was a woman who was diagnosed, and after her appointment, she came right to our office and said, ‘OK. What do I do now?’ It’s amazing to see the way we can help people plan for the future and have a say in what the rest of their lives will be.”
The woman began attending support groups, got involved in the annual Walk to End Alzheimer’s that will take place this year on Oct. 21 and called a staff member to say, “I want you to know you changed my life.”
The longtime Beachwood nonprofit finds synergies in the city, located in Commerce Park. “As nonprofits, we have a lot of the same target population, and if we can do a 30-minute program about Alzheimer’s and combine that with a program about Parkinson’s Disease with InMotion, we are helping even more people,” Ertle says.
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It’s amazing to see the way we can help people plan for the future and have a say in what the rest of their lives will be.
— MARY ERTLECOURTESY THE ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION
Two experiential programs in the Beachwood City School District are arming students as young as 12 with early career knowledge and exposure in engineering and medicine: Beachwood Middle School’s Career Design & Exploration program and Beachwood High School’s Medical Academy.
At the high school, the Beachwood Medical Academy prepares students for pre-med programs via coursework, doctor shadowing and hospital immersion opportunities.
“The program was designed for our students who are interested in pursuing a career in medicine, specifically becoming physicians,” says Linda LoGalbo, director of curriculum & instruction for Beachwood City Schools. She leads the academy, which started in 2014.
Students take rigorous coursework, namely advanced placement math and science classes. Then, during the summer, they have the opportunity to get hands-on experience through a partnership with UH Ahuja Medical Center. During a three-day camp, students perform animal heart and lung dissections, learn how to do ultrasounds, get CPR certified and learn how to suture wounds. They also hear a variety of lectures from doctors in disciplines such as brain surgery and cardiology, and they get to meet physicians and learn about these career paths.
“It allows kids to have an opportunity to shadow medical staff to really find out if medicine is something that they’re truly interested in, and then finding ways for them to be involved and help make those connections for
them with different physicians,” LoGalbo says. “We have some pretty motivated kids in Beachwood, and the fact that they have an opportunity to explore a career field as early as ninth grade and get to have some experiences in a hospital setting is pretty unique.”
The 2022-2023 school year saw the launch of the Career Design & Exploration program, led by longtime social studies instructor J.C. Lenk, who is now the career design and exploration instructor.
Using STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics) as his guide, Lenk says he focused his curriculum and projects on various career pathways.
“We have science; we all use technology; we have the arts and we’re a great mathematics school, but engineering is kind of left out at the middle school level,” he says. “The program really opened the eyes of the 260 students who came through, and they were excited about the opportunities.”
Outfitted with a laser engraver, 3D printers and a CNC router, Lenk taught the students how to safely use the equipment and then moved on to hands-on projects.
“Once we got all the training done and all of the designing process of what they wanted to make, they had free rein to go make it. They’re in control of their own learning and exploration. That’s what is really cool,” he says.
Sixth graders start out with mousetrap cars, while older students make items such as chessboards out of the wood and then design chess pieces on the 3D printer. “Some of them are so apprehensive and even afraid of the equipment, but after they make a simple cutting board, they’re so proud of themselves,” Lenk says.
For Lenk, an avid woodworker, the program has been a home run for him personally, too. “I love seeing students grow in confidence as they try new things, create and take risks,” says Lenk. “Every kid can find something they can succeed at in my class.”
As a rising junior, Kevin Zhang would recommend that any of his fellow students who are interested in the medical field spend three days of their summer participating in the Beachwood Medical Academy’s camp. He did, and now he’s considering the physician’s assistant track because it doesn’t require as much schooling as a medical doctor.
“My favorite part of the camp were the dissections we did on the heart and lung of a cow,” he says. “It was pretty cool to just see all the parts. For the lung, they had a thing they used for CPR where they could inflate air and we can see what the lung looked like inflated, and that was also really cool.”
Zhang particularly enjoyed the hands-on learning aspect of the camp. “I think it’s definitely the best type of learning to do,” he says.
He also enjoyed the tour of the new building at the Ahuja Medical Center, noting that he was able to see state-of-the-art technology that he’d never seen in a hospital before, as well as the football field and athletic equipment in the new sports medicine complex.
Parker Borland
As a sixth grader, Parker Borland says he always knew he wanted to be an engineer, so when he found himself in the Career Design and Exploration program, he fully embraced the six-week experiential learning opportunity.
“I’d say that I’m definitely leaning toward mechanical engineering,” he says. “The class was very exciting, and Mr. Lenk put a lot of trust in us after giving us the proper training in how to handle the equipment.”
His first project was a model airplane and then a mousetrap car. “We were free to carve our own designs and use what we needed to create our cars for what we envisioned,” he says, adding that they used all of the equipment, such as belt sanders, bandsaws and precision cutters. “It was the project I’m most proud of, even though it’s simple woodworking.”
Borland especially enjoyed Mr. Lenk’s free-spirited nature in the classroom.
“Mr. Lenk gave us the freedom to explore what we needed to do, what we wanted to do, and he would help us if we needed it,” he says. “But he pretty much let us explore our creativity.”
BY CHRISSY KADLECK
“As a city, we pride ourselves on offering a variety of outdoor opportunities, whether you live, visit or work in Beachwood. From pickleball courts to a new playground, there’s something for all ages and interests.”
Open since summer 2022 in City Park East, the Fitness Park is a year-round workout space free and accessible to all fitness levels and abilities. Located right along the park’s trail system, many people run, bike and walk and then cross train at the Fitness Park, says Derek Schroeder, community services director.
This one-of-a-kind, turf dog park is located at City Park East. Open only to resident canines and their humans, a small annual membership fee of $25 nets you key fob entry and peace of mind knowing that all four-legged friends are up to date on their vaccines.
This year, the city opened an upscaled community garden with 86 newly built, aboveground 8-foot by 8-foot plots for residents to grow to their hearts desire. The area is fenced and comes complete with starting soil and water at the ready, Schroeder says.
By fall, the city will introduce six dedicated pickleball courts for new and veteran players of the super-popular sport. The new pickleball courts will be located next to the tennis courts.
From lap swimming in the early morning to walking against the current in the lazy river to splashing around with friends, the Family Aquatic Center is one of the most popular and prized amenities in the city. It also includes a baby pool, multiple slides, a tree house and two diving boards.
The city recently approved a completely revamped, $3.3 million state-of-the-art playground to replace the current one adjacent to the aquatic center. “It will have rubber and turf surfacing and be completely fenced in with equipment for young kids and older kids,” Schroeder says.
– MAYOR JUSTIN BERNS
216-631-7764
info@NARIcleveland.com NARIcleveland.com
PRESIDENT
Daniel Hurst, MCR, CLC, CRPM Hurst Design Build Remodel
CHAIRMAN
Mark Maltry Jr., CR JEMM Construction LLC
PRESIDENT ELECT
Brian Pauley, CR Remodel Me Today Inc.
VICE PRESIDENT
Robert Doherty Jr. Wolff Bros. Supply Inc.
VICE PRESIDENT Mike Staffileno Chagrin River Co.
TREASURER
Ken Perrin
Artistic Renovations of Ohio LLC
PARLIAMENTARIAN
Kristopher Toth, CRS Toth Painting Solutions Inc.
CHAIRMAN EMERITUS
Chris Kamis, CR Absolute Roofing & Construction Inc.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Kathy Masterson
BOARD MEMBERS
Lori Bryant HTZ Construction Inc.
Gabriel Cantrell Hamilton Parker
Andy Ieropoli, CR Advance Home Improvement LLC
Tony Panzarella MinuteMen OhioComp
Doug Roger Dollar Bank
Robert Schwarz, MCR, CRPM, UDCP and CKBR R.B. Schwarz Inc.
ON BEHALF OF the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) Greater Cleveland Chapter, we welcome you and your family to the 2023 NARI Home Improvement Show. Here, you’ll discover a one-stop shop for everything you need to transform your home from the inside out. Come with ideas in mind or let your imagination run wild with all of the possibilities our experts can offer. Whether you’re looking for a conservative spruce or an entire home remodel, meet professionals from several industries who can’t wait to play a part in turning your dreams into realities. At the show, you can be sure you’re in good hands, as all NARI remodeling members have a favorable Better Business Bureau report and adhere to a code of ethics that protects you.
Get the scoop on the latest trends, gain expert advice and get inspired with some of our remodelers’ stunning before and after displays. Thinking of turning your outdoor space into a staycation destination? Visit our Pool and Spa Pavilion to learn about the latest products and designs.
Each year, we pride ourselves on taking the NARI Home Improvement Show a step further, and this year is no exception. With the show’s move to fall, we’re excited at the opportunity to help visitors make the most of their homes during any season, including the holidays. Let us show you how preparing your home for get-togethers and seasonal celebrations can be a pleasure with the right resources and expert design advice.
Beyond that, we have an entire weekend filled with activities for everyone to enjoy, from cooking demonstrations to a Makers Market complete with an array of home decor, furniture and handmade products.
It’s all coming to the I-X Center for one weekend at the end of September. So mark your calendars and kick of autumn with an awesome experience.
It’s our mission to provide an enjoyable event for you and your family to meet with the area’s top home improvement contractors and learn about the latest remodeling trends. We look forward to seeing you at the show!
DISCOVER A FIRST-CLASS HOME EXPERIENCE COMPLETE WITH EXPERT ADVICE, COOKING DEMOS, A MAKERS MARKET AND MORE, ALL UNDER ONE ROOF AT THIS YEAR’S NARI HOME IMPROVEMENT SHOW.
BY KRISTEN HAMPSHIRESHOW in Cleveland returns to the I-X Center for its 41st year with fresh fall dates, Sept. 29 to Oct. 1. “You’ll find everything you need to update, renovate and recreate your home — and the opportunity to meet with professional NARI contractors who share inspiration and answer your questions,” says Kathy Masterson, executive director of NARI Greater Cleveland.
“We are excited to be back at the I-X Center, which is newly renovated and centrally located, making it a convenient place to access no matter where you live,” she adds.
The timing is also just right. With a theme of “Your Home for All Seasons,” the fall dates are ideal for holiday preparation, seasonal decor ideas and entertaining “courses,” along with large-scale remodeling and building project examples.
The show feature, Suite Dreams, presents the latest luxury bathroom, custom closet and master bedroom materials and design. Meanwhile, attendees can learn and ask questions during Ask the Experts sessions, experience cooking demonstrations and visit the Makers Market with artisan decor, furniture and
handmade products.
The Pool and Spa Pavilion highlights the latest outdoor living products and designs as a “show within a show.”
Above all, the venue and event provide a first-class home improvement experience.
“It’s a one-stop shop, so if you have a project in mind, you don’t have to call several contractors. You can bring your ideas here,” says Chris Kamis, owner, Absolute Roofing and Construction Inc. and NARI Home Show Chairman.
Before-and-after displays throughout the show highlight remodeling projects, materials, finishes and other product selections like appliances. See how plans evolve from CAD renderings to final results, and learn about the design/build process and what to expect as you go into your next project.
“Consumers can learn about industry standards, contracts, selecting materials and more,” Masterson relates. “NARI takes pride in serving as an advocate and resource for the remodeling industry and consumers, and the annual Home Improvement Show is one way to bring our member contractors together with guests so they can leverage the talent and services they have to offer.”
International Exposition Center 1 I-X Center Drive, Cleveland
Friday, Sept. 29: 10 a.m.-8 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 30: 10 a.m.-8 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 1: 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
General Admission: $15 (Children 15 and younger are free)
Discounts: $2 online purchase discount using promo code CMAG23, $7 discount tickets FRIDAY ONLY at the door for adults 60+ and all weekend for veterans and military with proper ID.
Parking: $10
For the latest information about the show, including seminar and stage schedules, exhibitor list and other features, as well as to purchase tickets, visit narihomeshow.com.
A modular interlocking shower surround system using large format porcelain that is mechanically attached to traditional stud framing without the use of thinset.
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touch is selling even some die-hard Christmas tree farm goers on the artificial alternative.
As for last-minute projects before the holidays set in, Kalfas says the most common refresh efforts are paint and flooring. But keep in mind, there’s really no such thing as “last minute” in remodeling with waits for materials and professional labor to perform the work. While the supply chain has loosened, and NARI contractors are reporting a much less wait time, “everyone in the industry is extremely busy right now,” Pauley says.
YOUR FRONT DOOR is a seasonal stage that you can edit through the holidays for an ever-changing display that is welcoming and makes a statement. It’s a first-impression builder and an approachable decor project amid a time of year when there’s way more activity than time.
Preparing your home for the holidays can be a pleasure when you tap into a one-stop resource for inspiration, seasonal home accessories and expert design advice at the NARI Home Improvement Show.
“A front door display is easy to set up and can accommodate any time of year or holiday, and entryways are also a high impact space for holiday decor,” says Brian Pauley, president of Olmsted Falls-based Remodel Me Today and president-elect of NARI Greater Cleveland. Also “in season” is a desire to bring the outdoors in, and that includes during the holidays, says Cortney Kalfas, vice president,
R.A. Kalfas Construction in Strongsville. This aligns with the demand for outdoor living spaces, airy windows that usher in natural sunlight and a move toward a more organic color palette with greens and creams.
For holidays, Kalfas says, “We’re bringing in greenery and plants, wood accents and pinecones versus the standard ribbons for the tree. Instead, think branches and berries, more natural elements rather than prefabricated decor.”
Along those lines, Christmas tree picks and splays holding fronds of frosted foliage and even vibrantly colored leaves add texture and interest to the standard spruce, Kalfas says. Also, there’s a move toward realistic artificial trees that are sustainable and, lately, more cost effective since you can reuse them year after year. The cost of live trees increased 5% to 15% last year. Meanwhile, an expanding variety of “fakes” that look and feel real to the
Holidays are also a time when gatherings inspire project planning. Maybe there’s not enough room in the kitchen to cater to guests, or you wish there was a better flow for visitors — or more seating nooks. Take note of functionality shortfalls for future projects.
“We look at our homes as serving a couple of different purposes: daily living and entertaining for get-togethers and the holidays,” says Dan Hurst, owner and COO of Hurst Design-Build Remodel in Westlake. “Think about how your home serves your needs for your daily routines, and how it serves you when you are having special occasions. When you think of remodeling in those terms, you can plan a project that will make better use of your space all year.” —KH
“Think how your home serves your needs for your daily routines, and how it serves you when you are having special occasions.
—Dan Hurst,, Hurst Design-Build Remodel
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.
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.
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.
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.
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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.
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.
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.
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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.
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.
Pella is the most preferred window and
Pella is the most preferred window and door brand by
NARI PROFESSIONALS REVEAL FACTORS YOU SHOULD CONSIDER WHEN CHOOSING THE EXPERT WHO BEST FITS YOUR HOME IMPROVEMENT NEEDS.
IT’S A MATCHMAKING GAME in many ways. You want a remodeler whose strengths align with your project — one who speaks your language. We’re talking about open lines of communication. Plus, you need a building pro fessional who is experi enced and can prove it with licensing and a portfolio of successful projects. Not to mention, likability matters. “You want to select a contractor you can work with,” says Ken Perrin, owner, Artistic Renovations, Independence. “If they are abrasive in the beginning, it will only get worse.”
A red flag: “Sure, I can start your project tomorrow!”
“If a contractor in today’s market says they can start a proj ect even in the next month or two, I would highly recommend you proceed with caution,” says Brian Pauley, president, Remodel Me Today, Olmsted Falls. “Everyone in the industry is extremely busy now, so if a contractor is eager to get started quickly, that could be a warning sign.”
Pauley says his business generally runs four or five projects at a time and is booking into the first quarter of 2024. This is a conversation he has during the initial phone call — and it’s a question any homeowner considering remodeling should ask, from the get-go, he says.
Deciding who to hire for a project that will transform your home and the way you live in it requires diligent vetting. Here are suggestions from NARI professionals, so you can pick a partner that’s an ideal match.
Plan it out. Before reaching out to any contractor, Perrin suggests preparing a preliminary scope of wants and needs and prioritizing that list. Next, establish a budget in your comfort zone. “Remember, friends and relatives you talk to might not always tell you what they spent on remodels because no one wants to feel as if they overpaid,” he says. “Also with budgeting, realize that product and materials cost do not have any rational
connection to what you paid for the house, what the home is currently worth or what you can sell it for in the future.”
Basically, the price is what it is. “Once you are prepared, a phone conversation should go very smoothly and you can get better feedback to see if the contractor is a fit.”
Permit, please. You shouldn’t have to pull permits for your project. Enlist in a contractor who will handle the administrative red tape on your behalf, which is an expected industry standard, Pauley says. “You want a contractor that will handle all of the permitting and inspections,” he says. Every municipality is different, and most require that a contractor is registered with the city. Also check a contractors’ licensing, certifications and proof of insurance. Ask for customer referrals — and call those folks to find out what the remodeling experience was really like.
Based on experience. Find out how long the contractor has been in business. Ask if the company is a NARI member. “Being in NARI shows they care about their industry and are looking to improve their level of service to clients,” Perrin says. “NARI contractors learn by the classes offered from NARI and from manufacturers’ classes on how to properly install products. They also learn from experienced contractors, and that elevates the industry.”
“Being in NARI shows they care about their industry and are looking to improve their level of service to clients.”
—Ken Perrin, Artistic Renovations
By Kristen Hampshire
Every season introduces opportunities to prepare your home for events, protect it from whatever weather is next and reinvent spaces with remodeling projects that deliver enjoyment and a return on investment. At the 41st annual NARI Home Improvement Show, inspiration and expertise is a long-standing tradition. Plus, with the new fall dates, September 29 to October 1, guests can gather ideas, interview contractors and even shop for the holidays.
At the show, you can gain a vision for “your home for all seasons,” this year’s theme.
“Whether winterizing the home to summer maintenance, holiday entertainment and seasonal decor, our focus is on the range of projects that homeowners can take on throughout the year to improve their indoor and outdoors spaces,” says Kathy Masterson, executive director of NARI Greater Cleveland.
The NARI Home Improvement Show is your one-stop shop.
“The show highlights the excellent contractors from NARI who are vetted, so it takes the stress out of the process of finding a remodeling professional,” says Chris Kamis, a Haag-certified inspector and owner of Absolute Roofing and Construction in Cleveland. “These are award-winning professionals who do the job right. You’re meeting the best of
the best at the show, and that gives people confidence when they are discussing potential home projects.”
Learn more about what’s in store for the show’s return to the newly renovated I-X Center.
This year’s show features a fully loaded master suite equipped with a luxury spa bathroom, custom closet dressing space and bedroom that is designed to be a true escape within the home. “It highlights the latest in bathroom and closet design and materials — the entire package,” says Dan Hurst, owner and chief operating officer, Hurst Design Build Remodel, Westlake, Ohio.
Unique storage solutions are in-demand, he adds.
“There are so many ways to get smart about how you organize and store, from valets to hang clothes on to smart hardware and shoe storage,” Hurst says. “People are really taking time to consider what they are keeping in their closets and then maximizing organizing features to meet their needs.”
More often, homeowners are requesting bench seating, expansive and decorative mirrors and vanities for jewelry and makeup. “We’re thinking differently than the tradi-
tional walk-in closet,” Hurst says.
The bathroom space presents the latest in shower-bath solutions: the wet room with heated tile that encompasses a freestanding tub and zero-entry shower. “Products are getting smarter,” Hurst points out. “Whether it’s low-flow showerheads that use pressure to make it feel like there’s a lot of water — all of that is out there.”
All of the latest smart appliances, fixtures and home systems are in reach at the NARI Home Show.
While elegant and resort-like, the Suite Dreams exhibit also demonstrates how beauty can be low-maintenance. Case in point: large format tiles made of porcelain that resemble marble. Fewer grout lines make for easy cleaning. Also back in are mosaic details for accents like an inset behind the tub.
The idea of a show feature like Suite Dreams is to provide inspiration so you can borrow ideas that resonate with your sense of style and functional needs. Kamis adds, “You’ll see the latest and greatest in products on the market and how professional contractors put them to work.”
Masterson says, “Guests really enjoy our feature areas because they showcase a remodeled portion of a home, and you can see the transformations that are possible when you work with a professional, experienced contractor.”
A returning show favorite is center stage again this year. Ask the Experts seminars offer engaging, informative learning sessions that allow you to ask questions and gain insight into all aspects of the remodeling process, design trends, new products and lessons learned.
Find out how to refresh your interior to prepare for the holidays. Take notes on what to look for in a contractor, learn about industry standards regarding scheduling backlog and materials wait times, along with how the entire remodeling process plays out. (See Choosing the Right Remodeler on page 10.)
Culminating with advice from longtime NARI contractor members and designers like John Hall of JH Design International, with four decades of experience, is a kitchen remodel feature that is a “set” for cooking demonstrations with top local chefs and catering companies.
“We’ll talk about decorating your home and getting ready for the holidays so you can tackle what you need to do now,” Masterson relates.
An expanded Makers Market of handmade and artisan wares offers aisles of displays featuring home decor, wall art, unique furniture and other local products. “This is a great venue for anyone looking for holiday gifts, seasonal decorations and special touches to add to the home,” Masterson says, relating that the success of the market in past years led to its growth for this year’s show.
Kamis adds, “We’ve had artists creating paintings at their booths, and the Makers Market really offers some handmade decor you can’t find anywhere else.”
Gathering a variety of entrepreneurial creatives into a dedicated space at the NARI Home Improvement Show “brings it all together so they can get their wares out there for the public to see,” Kamis relates.
Aside from the main show feature, Suite Dreams, NARI contractors’ booths are packed with inspiration and remodeling concepts, presenting before-and-after boards that illustrate how a professionally completed project can transform a home.
“While you can find information on the Internet, it’s a whole different perspective to be at the show in person and looking at proj-
ects that remodelers and home improvement companies have completed,” Hurst says. “You can talk to contractors about the process.”
Also, with the array of projects contractors display, you’ll find a home with a similar floor plan or aesthetic as your own so you can relate how renovations might play out. “You can see all of the options,” Hurst says, relating that he often overhears guests remark, “Oh, that home ‘before’ looks like ours.”
“Then, you can find out what contractors accomplished to update spaces so they function for their clients’ lifestyles,” he adds.
Aside from renovations like kitchens, bathrooms, closets and new additions, showgoers can connect with building professionals who focus on other aspects of the home: roofing, siding, windows and outdoor living spaces.
Not to mention, a dedicated Pool and Spa
Pavilion is practically a “show within a show,” Masterson says. Check out the latest outdoor living trends, the latest pools and spas and ideas for properties of all sizes, whether you’re in the market for a deck jacuzzi, a “spool” spa-pool or an inground swimming pool for the family.
As the longest running home improvement show in Cleveland, the NARI Home Improvement Show is “the best place consumers can go to connect with building professionals and contractors,” Hurst says. And again, because most professionals on site are NARI members, they follow the organization’s code of ethics, are licensed and insured “and do business the right way,” he notes.
Make the most of the show by checking out
If you have remodeling plans or ideas, bring them along, This is a great place to interview contractors because they are all right there. You can compare what windows you like, what bathroom projects are appealing, and get a feel for contractors you might work with and their philosophies.
— Kathy Masterson, executive director of NARI Greater Clevelandseminar schedules in advance so you can earmark programs you want to experience. Ask the Expert sessions will be available online at narihomeshow.com.
If you have remodeling plans or ideas, bring them along, Masterson encourages. “This is a great place to interview contractors because they are all right there,” she says. “You can compare what windows you like, what bathroom projects are appealing, and get a feel for contractors you might work with and their philosophies.”
Ask companies what their strengths are. Find out about scheduling and how much time you should allow for the type of project you’re considering. The timing of this year’s show is ideal for planning, Masterson points out. “This is an exciting opportunity for members and consumers at the end of the year to get ready for projects they want to start so they can begin planning and scheduling.”
The show guide includes an exhibitor listing with companies’ contact information and websites, which is a convenient resource for referring to professionals you met during your time there. Also, NARI contractors are diligent with follow-up to be sure your questions are answered, Kamis says.
He adds, “It’s a valuable show for ideas and information — and you know the contractors there will take care of you.”
Start building a Pinterest board and save ideas from Houzz. The more you can tell NARI remodelers about your plans, the better they can share ideas and guide you as you select a pro and begin the home improvement process. In addition to saving ideas you do like, don’t forget to take note of some of the styles and designs you don’t like and why.
Before you meet or interview contractors at the show, know the answer to some of these questions:
• Will you maintain the same floorplan and layout, or will the project require removing
or building walls?
• What is the existing space like? Note the year the house (and that space in particular) was built/previ ously remodeled. What type of material or treatments (paneling, carpet, hardwood, popcorn ceiling, etc.) make up this space?
• What level of finishes are you considering? High-end, mid-tier or cost-conscious?
• What is your budget?
• What are your must-haves, and what are the nice-to-haves of the project you want to execute?
Check out the show’s online guide to find
out which remodeling professionals will be exhibiting. “That way, you can map out your time,” Kamis says, adding that peak times tend to be Saturday morning through early afternoon, Saturday from 4 to 7 p.m., and Sunday morning. Slower times can afford more opportunity to connect with contractors and share ideas.
excellent starting pay and a great career path.
Explore every option to find your passion. Consider a career in a trade. Job security, excellent starting pay and a great career path.
73%
in the U.S. Craft Your Future. 1 USA Today Learn more at NARI.org/WFD
Glass Coating & Tinting Suntrol Co. 800-466-8468 Green Products Absolute Roofing and Construction Inc. 216-898-1563 Suntrol Co. 800-466-8468 Gutters & Downspouts Absolute Roofing and Construction Inc. 216-898-1563 Handicap Remodeling Dover Home Remodelers Inc. 440-777-7555 Insurance Restoration Absolute Roofing and Construction Inc. 216-898-1563 Kitchen Remodeling Artistic Renovations 216-520-0838 Cabinet-S-Top 330-239-3630 Dover Home Remodelers Inc. 440-777-7555 Hurst Design Build Remodel 440-234-5656 R.A. Kalfas Construction 440-238-5498 R.B. Schwarz Inc. . 440-729-2480 Patio & Porch Enclosures Dover Home Remodelers Inc. .................... 440-777-7555 Roofing Absolute Roofing and Construction Inc. 216-898-1563 Siding Absolute Roofing and Construction Inc. 216-898-1563 Window Nation 888-817-7551 Skylights Absolute Roofing and Construction Inc. 216-898-1563 Sunrooms Dover Home Remodelers Inc. 440-777-7555 Water Damage Repair & Restoration Absolute Roofing and Construction Inc. 216-898-1563 Whole House Renovation Absolute Roofing and Construction Inc. 216-898-1563 Artistic Renovations 216-520-0838 Dover Home Remodelers Inc. 440-777-7555 Hurst Design Build Remodel 440-234-5656 R.B. Schwarz Inc. . 440-729-2480 Window Treatments Suntrol Co. 800-466-8468 Windows Window Nation 888-817-7551 Windows & Doors Absolute Roofing and Construction Inc. 216-898-1563 Dover Home Remodelers Inc. 440-777-7555
TRADE-RELATED
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MODERN •
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clevmag-nov-2014schwartz8.25x11.125.indd WHOLE-HOUSE RENOVATIONS • ADDITIONS • KITCHENS • BATHROOMS clevmag-nov-2014schwartz8.25x11.125.indd 1 12/2/14
MCR, CRPM UDCP, CKBR IMPROVE YOUR HOME WITH CONFIDENCE Additions Bathrooms Basements Kitchens Design & Build Interior & Exterior Remodels Custom Carpentry Painting Handyman Services Computerized Plans Itemized Specifications Electrical & Plumbing (State License #28631) Roofing, Siding & Gutters Driveways Patios Basic Home Maintenance Replacement Windows & Doors FREE ESTIMATES CALL 440-777-4406 4486 West 220th Street Fairview Park, OH 44126 www.KlotzbachCustomBuilders.com
3rd Generation Home Improvement Inc.
Michael Scaperato
35835 Vine St., Eastlake, OH 44095 440-942-0001, 3rdgenerationhomeimprovements.com
A Glass Block Vision 5959
Dave Villoni Carsten Road, Medina, OH 44256 330-321-4251, aglassblockvision.com
Absolute Roofing and Construction Inc.
Chris G. and Michael T. Kamis 12301 Sprecher Ave. Cleveland, OH 44135 216-898-1563 • FAX 216-898-1853 mkamis@absoluteroofing.com absoluteroofing.com 2020
Northeast Ohio’s most trusted roofing company. With 35-plus years of operation, we are committed to excellence in craftsmanship. From roofing, siding and additions to historic restoration-renovation, we are truly a full-service company. First-place category winner of the prestigious NARI CotY award 19 years in a row. Named one of the top 100 roofing contractors in the nation in 2012 by RoofingContractor magazine and awarded a Big 50 designation by RemodelingMagazine. We have three HAAG-engineering-certified roof inspectors on staff to meet your storm/hail damage needs.
Action Door
Dino Mastantuono
201 E. Granger Road
Brooklyn Heights, OH 44131
216-739-3667 • FAX 216-739-3680 action-door.com
Since 1968, Action Door has been the leader in the garage door industry. With more than 70 trucks on the road every day, we are always close to you. Action Door’s new residential garage doors have many new colors, styles and windows to pick from. New residential motor operator options include LED lighting and battery back up, Wi Fi and have cameras attached. For garage door service and more, call Action Door!
AD Remodel LLC
Andy Demian 8986 Lindbergh Blvd., Olmsted Falls, OH 44138 440-476-9370, ad-remodel.com
Advance Design and Remodel
Andy Ieropoli, CR 29299 Clemens Road, Ste 1-C, Westlake, OH 44145 216-544-0455, advanceremodel.com
Alair Homes Hudson
David Nystrom
10 W. Streetsboro St., #201, Hudson, OH 44236-2851 440-893-9600, alairhudson.com
All American Gutter Protection
Josh Elliott 7336 Whipple Ave., North Canton, OH 44720 888-323-8090, allamericangutterprotection.com
All Basement Windows
Scott Armstrong P.O. Box 42, Doylestown, OH 44230 allbasementwindows.com
All Construction Services
Dave Lehotan 945 Industrial Pkwy. N, Brunswick, OH 44212 330-220-6666, allconstructionohio.com
American Plaster & Drywall
Nicholas Foley 711 W. Bagley Road, Suite R4 Berea, OH 44017 440-333-6208, americanplasterinc.com
American Wood Reface Inc.
Jason Hicks 854 Medina Road, Medina, OH 44256-9615 800-645-4594, woodreface.com
Artistic Renovations of Ohio LLC
Kenneth Perrin
12333 Ridge Road, #1B, North Royalton, OH 44133 216-520-0838, artisticreno.com
Bennett Builders & Remodelers
Terry Bennett 27899 Clemens Road, Westlake, OH 44145-1141 440-835-3277, bennettbuilders.com
Brad Smith Roofing Co. Inc.
Brad Smith
24550 Sperry Dr., Westlake, OH 44145-1572 440-835-3377, bradsmithroofing.com
Cabinet-S-Top Inc.
Betty Nairn
1977 Medina Road, Medina, OH 44256-9623 330-239-3630, cabinet-s-top.com
California Closets
Juan Antunez
1100 Resource Dr., Ste 3, Brooklyn Heights, OH 44131-1888 216-741-9000, calclosets.com
Carrieri Construction Inc.
Michael Carrieri
11133 W. Sprague Road, North Royalton, OH 44133-1264 440-842-6718, carriericonstruction.com
Chagrin River Co.
Mike Staffileno 9311 Wisner Road, Chardon, OH 44024-9606 440-729-7270, chagrinriverco.com
Closet Factory
Bob Pietrick
5305 Commerce Pkwy. W, Cleveland, OH 44130-1274 216-362-4660, closetfactory.com/cleveland
Curb Appeal Painting
Andrew Smola
26351 Curtiss Wright Pkwy, Suite C Richmond Hts., OH 44143 216-291-2422, curbappealpainting.com
D&D Home Improvement
Mark Babarick
3883 Baird Road, Stow, OH 44224-4205 330-688-5542, ddhomeimprovement.net
Desborough Construction
John Desborough
3335 Teresa Ct., Perry, OH 44081-9227 440-259-1050, desboroughconstruction.com
Dover Home Remodelers Inc.
James C. Orr Jr., MCR, CLC
29341 Lorain Road North Olmsted, OH 44070 440-777-7555 • FAX 440-777-8188
Since 1984, Dover Home Remodelers has been at the forefront of grand and elaborate remodeling projects. In addition to our design talents, we can transform any size living space and even perform general maintenance. Our professionalism remains at the highest level. For any project, small or large, call us today!
Dream Home Construction
Scott & Yvonne Burton
13980 Claridon Park Dr., Chardon, OH 44024-9468 440-285-8516, dreamhome-construction.com
Eagle Design & Construction
Daniel Garry 2538 Circle Dr., Painesville, OH 44077 440-223-7755, eagledesignconst.com
Element Design Build Remodel
Vlatko Demrovski
6721 Chittenden Road, Hudson, OH 44236 330-523-6919, neohomerenovations.com
FA Makoski Construction & Remodeling
Frank Makoski
11139 Caves Road, Chesterland, OH 44026-1342 440-729-1158, makoski.com
Floor Coverings International
Jen Toth
681 Moore Road, #E, Avon Lake, OH 44012-2390 440-225-3944, floorcoveringsinternational.com
Forest City Builders Group LLC
Stefan Mendrea P.O. Box 91, Hinckley, OH 44233 330-441-0263, forestcitybuilt.com
Frank’s Custom Remodeling Ltd.
Frank Pajcic, III
2718 Lucerne Ave., Parma, OH 44134-2620 440-759-0985, frankscustomremodeling.com
Golden Hammer Remodeling Group
Donald Foldesy 39327 Thornfield Drive, Avon, OH 44011-1776 440-934-6307, goldenhammer440.com
Green Home Solutions
Pat Caporossi, Gabriel DeJesus 4900 Brookpark Road, Cleveland, OH 44134-1008 216-459-8800, ghsohio.com
The Hall Design Group
John Hall 547 E. Washington St., Chagrin Falls, OH 44022 216-870-2644, thehalldesigngroup.com
HTZ Construction Inc.
Lori Bryant 10077 Acme Road, Rittman, OH 44270 440-588-8644, htzconstruction.com
Hurst Design Build Remodel
Pat Hurst, Owner/CEO, MCR, GCP
Dan Hurst, Owner/COO, MCR, CRPM, CLC 26185 Center Ridge Road Westlake, OH 44145 440-234-5656 • FAX 440-234-5747 hurstremodel.com
Hurst Design Build Remodel, an award-winning, full-service design-build firm, specializes in combining innovative design solutions and expert craftsmanship into one seamless experience. Let us create the perfect kitchen, bath, addition, basement or renovation for you. The Fine Art of Reinventing Home.
Infinity from Marvin - Cleveland
Jon Hammer 16900 Bagley Road, Middleburg Heights, OH 44130- 2542 440-243-5000, infinitywindowsohio.com
J.P. Grabenstetter Construction LLC
Cheryl Pratt 1188 Meadow Sq., Akron, OH 44333 330-850-1574, jpgrabenstetter.com
J.R. Luxury Bath and Plumbing
John Weddell
6739 Wise Ave. NW, North Canton, OH 44720-7358 330-494-2365, jrluxurybath.com
JEMM Construction LLC
Mark Maltry Jr. 200 Blackbrook Road, Painesville, OH 44077-1215 440-358-0008, jemmconstruction.net
Joyce Factory Direct & Bath Planet
Todd Schmidt
1125 Berea Industrial Pkwy., Berea, OH 44017-2928 440-243-5700, joycefactorydirect.com
Klassic Custom Decks
Phillip Klonowski 2921 Center Road, Brunswick, OH 44212-2333 330-468-3476, klassicdecks.com
Leisuretime Warehouse
Ted Dellas
30140 Lakeland Blvd., Wickliffe, OH 44092-1779 440-623-7554, leisuretimewarehouse.com
LoGrasso Deco Co. Inc. and Kitchens by LoGrasso
Ronald LoGrasso
24300 Solon Road, Bedford Heights, OH 44146-4778 440-232-2366, kitchensbylograsso.com
Luxury Heating Co.
Paul Samek
5327 Ford Road, Elyria, OH 44035-1349 440-366-0971, luxuryheatingco.com
M.R. Plank Construction
Michael Plank 100 Pettit Road, Hudson, OH 44236-2030 216-292-7582, mrplank.com
NEO Custom Closets
Tony Smolinski 5400 State Road, Cleveland, OH 44134 216-925-3437, neocustomclosets.com
Neubert Painting Inc.
John Neubert
15401 Commerce Park Dr., Brookpark, OH 44142-2012 216-529-0360, neubertpainting.com
NHD Construction & Design
Aaron Strang
11476 Hawke Road, Suite D, Columbia Station, OH 44028-8802 440-748-2658, newhorizon.com
North Coast Accessible Homes
Mike Murar
14221 Broadway Ave., Cleveland, OH 44125-1953 216-365-2614, northcoastaccess.com
Odell Construction Inc.
Justin Odell, CR
871 Canterbury Road, Unit F, Westlake, OH 44145-1482 440-471-7935, odellconstructioninc.com
Ohio Basement Systems
Adrienne Robenstine
8295 Darrow Road, Twinsburg, OH 44087-2307 330-425-0797, ohiobasementsystems.com
Ohio Garage Interiors
Scott Gleske
5231 Spruce Pointe Lane, Brunswick Hills, OH 44212-6236 440-520-9370, ohiogarageinteriors.com
Ohio State Waterproofing
Paul Trecarichi
365 East Highland Road, Macedonia, OH 44056-2103 330-467-1055, ohiostatewaterproofing.com
Paradise Renovation & Repair
Richard Kasunic Jr. 5261 state Route 305, Southington, OH 44470-9769 216-313-6298
R.B. Schwarz Inc.
Robert B. Schwarz, MCR, CRPM, UDCP, CKBR 12944 S. Woodside Drive Chesterland, OH 44026 216-952-9801 • 440-729-2480
rbschwarzinc.com
R.B. Schwarz Inc. restores historic homes for modern families. Specializing in kitchen and bathroom remodeling and full-house renovation, Schwarz excels at maintaining historical integrity of gracious homes in Northeast Ohio. The same team of meticulous craftsmen have been working together since 1987. Their technical competency and professionalism ensure the success of every job.
Radiant Windows LLC
Mike Shadoan
13230 Schiller Road, Oak Harbor, OH 43449-9179 440-230-4291, radiantwindows.com
Remodel Me Today
Brian Pauley 25564 Bagley Road, Olmsted Falls, OH 44138 440-249-7665
remodelmetoday.com
R.A. Kalfas Home Improvement Inc.
Cortney Kalfas 12001 Prospect Road Strongsville, OH 44149-2935 440-238-5498 • FAX 440-238-6255 rakalfas.com
R.A. Kalfas Construction is a family-owned and -operated general contractor located in Strongsville. A recognized and trusted name throughout the Cleveland area for more than35 years, we are a full-service remodeler,offering architectural services and interior/exterior design services. R.A. Kalfas is a goodstanding member of the Cleveland Better Business Bureau, NARI, the HBA and the Strongsville Chamber of Commerce.
Currently dreaming of a new kitchen or bath? Visit our showroom to find quality cabinetry, tile, fixtures, flooring and an award-winning design staff to help guide you or your client on the design decisions from beginning to end. Remodel Me Today is a consumer, builder and remodeler’s showroom that also offers design build services, if desired.
SemBro Design & Supply
Vitaliy Tkach 16035 Industrial Pkwy., Cleveland, OH 44135 216-777-7925, sembrodesigns.com
NARI Greater Cleveland (NARI) is dedicated to being the best resource for knowledge and training in the remodeling industry. Our organization exists for two reasons: To help professionalize members of the home improvement industry and to serve as an ally to Ohio’s homeowners.
Members shall observe the highest standards of integrity, frankness and responsibility in dealing with the public, while adhering to the following principles:
1. Only those home improvement projects, which are structurally and economically sound, shall be fostered and encouraged.
2. All advertising statements shall be accurate and free of the capacity to mislead or deceive the consumer.
3. Accuracy shall be required of all salespersons in their descriptions of products and services.
4. All contracts employed shall be unambiguous and fair to all parties concerned.
5. All contractual obligations shall be promptly fulfilled.
6. All work shall be performed in a manner compatible with recognized standard of public health and safety and applicable laws.
The mission of the Ethics Committee is to uphold the ethical standards of the Association by enforcing the Code of Ethics and to promptly deal with consumer and member complaints. The Ethics Committee is assigned the duty of receiving and considering violations of the NARI Code of Ethics, brought by the general public against a member or by another member of the organization.
To submit a written complaint, a consumer needs to contact the NARI office at 216-631-7764 and request to speak to the Ethics Committee liaison, who will mail or email out a complaint packet.
ONCE YOU HAVE COMPLETED THE PACKET and delivered your complaint to the Ethics Committee liaison, you will receive a letter confirming receipt and requesting any additional information. Next, the member company at issue will be contacted and asked to respond. Once the response is received, the Committee will attempt to resolve the complaint. If an amicable resolution cannot be reached, the Committee will make a determination as to whether NARI’s Code of Ethics was violated and recommend or take action as deemed appropriate.
AGAIN, NARI GREATER CLEVELAND’S GOAL is to help the parties involved come to an amicable agreement by opening the lines of communication. NARI accepts complaints reported within two years of the discovery of the issue in question. NARI will accept complaints on behalf of consumers who have engaged legal counsel and will review the conduct of the member in relation to the NARI Code of Ethics, but will not be able to act as third-party mediator.
Suntrol
John Hansen
5075 Taylor Drive, Suite D Cleveland, OH 44128
800-466-8468 • sales@suntrol.com suntrol.com
Choose award-winning Suntrol.
• Improve energy savings & UV protection.
• Enhance privacy & interior design.
• Prevent bird-collision deaths.
• Enhance safety & security. Lifetime Limited Warranty. 90-day Satisfaction Guarantee. Book a free consult at suntrol.com.
TAG Renovations LLC
Marc Beas
6755 Engle Road, Middleburg Heights, OH 44130 440-212-7703, tagrenovation.com
Tamer Construction Inc.
John Tamer 6134 State Road, Parma, OH 44134-3702 440-886-4700, tamerconstruction.com
TH Custom Hardwood
Timothy Palermo
1438 Barn Run Drive, Valley City, OH 44280-9421 330-225-2800, thcustomhardwood.com
Thermal Construction
Laura McGuire 33700 Lakeland Blvd.., Eastlake, OH 44095-5210 440-946-1007, thermalc.com
Toth Painting Solutions Inc.
Kristopher Toth 210 Hayes Dr., #E, Brooklyn Heights, OH 44131-1056 216-459-8684, tothpainting.com
Turning Point Builders
Ryan Brown 2413 N. Cleveland Massillon Road, Bath, OH 44333 888-285-8798, turningpointbuilds.com
Unique Home Solutions Inc.
Carrie Fitzwater 6925 Engle Road, Suite E, Middleburg Heights, OH 44130 800-800-1971, uniquehomesolutions.org
THINK YOUR RENOVATION PROJECT THROUGH from start to finish. Careful planning of your home improvement projects will enable you to update your home, increase the value of your investment and customize your living space, all for a lot less than the cost of a new home.
LOOK OVER YOUR PROPERTY CAREFULLY. What repairs are needed? What improvements would you like to make? Think ahead and determine your future needs. Professional remodeling contractors can help outline options and discuss the improvements you can make within your budget.
BE SURE TO REVIEW YOUR HOMEOWNER’S INSURANCE POLICY and make adjustments for the added value of the work being done.
Universal Windows Direct Inc.
Joe Becony
24801 Rockside Road, Bedford Heights, OH 44146 216-543-3814, universalwindowsdirect.com
USA Insulation Co, Inc./USA Enterprises Inc.
Jack Jones 31920 Vine St., Willowick, OH 44095-3569 440-602-4107, usainsulation.net
USA Waterproofing & Foundation Repair
Steve Rusk 1632 Enterprise Pkwy., Unit O, Twinsburg, OH 44087-2282 800-872-1799, usawaterproofing.com
Village Construction
Doug Mocny 9040 Osborne Dr., Mentor, OH 44060-4326 440-974-7659, thevillagegroup.com
Window Nation
Visit one of our design centers: 4350 Renaissance Parkway, Warrensville Heights 4760 Grayton Road, Cleveland 2255 Mentor Ave., Mentor 216-472-1456 windownation.com
Window Nation has grown to become the third-largest window retailers as ranked by Window and Door Market Magazine. A family-owned business by Cleveland natives, Harley and Aaron Magden take great pride in offering locally made windows and doors installed by factory-trained and certified professionals. Window Nation has installed nearly 2 milion windows in more than 150,000 homes and backs all products with comprehensive warranties. Call Window Nation today to set up a FREE, no-obligation, in-home or virtual estimate, good for up to a year.
Window Universe
Andy Sykora
17411 Detroit Ave., Lakewood, OH 44107-3427
440-536-8116, windowuniversecleveland.com
ABC Supply Co. Inc. - Cleveland
Leo O'Connor 4855 W. 130th St. Suite 1, Cleveland, OH 44135-5137 216-362-1400, abcsupply.com
Active Plumbing Supply
Debbie Armstrong 216 Richmond St., Painesville, OH 44077 440-352-4411, activeplumbing.com
Apollo Siding Supply Inc.
Dennis Reber 38396 Apollo Pkwy., Willoughby, OH 44094-7724 440-942-4647, apollosupply.com
Bradley Stone Industries Ltd.
Sarah Binder 30801 Carter St. Solon, OH 44139 440-519-3277, ext. 402 bradley-stone.com
Quality and Service — Consistently
Bradley Stone offers expert services in a wide variety of applications: quartz, granite, marble, soapstone, porcelain and more. Visit our extensive showroom with designers on staff to help you make the perfect selection. Call Bradley Stone today to start your home remodeling project with proven professionals.
Cambria
Lisa Gritton 1510 St. Clair Ave., Kent, OH 44240-4364 952-944-1676, cambriausa.com
Carter Lumber
Charlie Ash 172 North Case Avenue, Akron, OH 44305-2540 330-784-5441, carterlumber.com
Choice Cabinet
Jessica Ricard 4856 Richmond Road, Warrensville Heights, OH 44128 216-378-2828, choicecabinet.com
Chuck-It Containers LLC
Chuck Whitfield 2919 E. 37th St., Cleveland, OH 44115-3521 216-441-3333, chuckitcontainers.com
Cleveland Tool & Cutter Inc.
Gina Cathcart 14181 Foltz Pkwy., Strongsville, OH 44149-4760 440-238-5770, clevelandtoolandcutterinc.com
Daltile
Randy Bowlin
900 Resource Dr., Brooklyn Heights, OH 44131-1882 216-661-4994, daltile.com
DAP Products Inc.
Bill Longo 3735 Green Road, Beachwood, OH 44122-5705 440-520-6522, dap.com
Ferguson Bath & Kitchen Gallery
Steven Caldwell 24441 Miles Road, Warrensville Heights, OH 44128-5483 216-825-2200, ferguson.com
Firenza Stone
Ray Cellura
33205 Curtis Blvd., Eastlake, OH 44095 440-953-8883, firenzastone.com
First Choice Exteriors
John Yoder 7051 state Route 83, Holmesville, OH 44633-9603 330-674-7051, firstchoiceexteriors.com
Hamilton Parker
Gabriel Cantrell
1100 Resource Dr., Brooklyn Heights, OH 44131-1854 216-351-2030, hamiltonparker.com
The Hardwood Lumber Co.
Ray Yoder
13813 Station Road, Burton, OH 44021 440-834-3420, hardwood-lumber.com
The Home Depot
James Polish 9000 Brooktree Road, #300, Wexford, PA 15090-9288 330-233-2265, homedepot.com
Kohler Co.
Amanda Karhoff
769 Norton Dr., Tallmadge, OH 44278-2935 330-208-6990, kohler.com
Mentor Lumber & Supply Co. Inc.
Rick Yaeger 7180 Center St., Mentor, OH 44060 440-255-8814, mentorlumber.com
Moen Inc.
John Seelie 25300 Al Moen Dr., North Olmsted, OH 44070-5619 216-385-8500, moen.com
Mont Surfaces by Mont Granite Inc.
Carol Payto 6130 Cochran Road, Solon, OH 44139-3306 440-287-0101, montgranite.com
National Design Mart
Jennifer Gonzalez 2255 Medina Road, Medina, OH 44256-9695 330-721-1914, nationaldesignmart.co
Ohio Bath Solutions LLC DBA Bath Fitter
Aaron Gross 7465 Worthington-Galena Road, #C, Worthington, OH 43085-6714 614-785-1040, bathfitter.com
Rocksolid Surfaces / Wood Dimensons
J.B. Walsh
4031 W. 150th St., Cleveland, OH 44135-1301 216-251-5509, rocksold-surfaces.com
Schluter Systems
Art Porter 194 Pleasant Ridge Road, Plattsburg, NY 12901-5841 800-472-4588, schluter.com
Sherwin-Williams Co.
Andrew Ulbright 10740 Broadway Ave., #B, Garfield Heights, OH 44125-1651 330-353-2838, sherwin-williams.com
Gunton Corporation
Pella Window & Door Co. - Gunton
Brian Rutherford 26150 Richmond Road
Bedford Heights, OH 44146 216-831-2420, ext. 1010 • FAX 216-591-1561
Gunton Corp. — Your local distributor of Pella Windows and Doors. “Viewed to be the Best.”
Sims-Lohman
Doug Page 34601 Ridge Road, Unit 9B, Willoughby, OH 44094 440-373-1195, sims-lohman.com
Monrovia Kitchen
©2022 Ferguson Enterprises LLC 1022 3865661
Outside of buying a home, it may be the single-biggest investment a homeowner makes. One needs to know that the remodeling contractor chosen is a full-time, dedicated remodeling professional. NARI’s certification programs offer this assurance through an extensive screening and testing process.
Only full-time remodeling professionals are eligible for NARI certification. A NARI Certified Remodeler is an individual who has made a strong commitment to his/ her business. Remodelers are not eligible for certification until they have been actively involved in the remodeling industry for a minimum of five years, so you are assured that the NARI Certified Remodeler has had time to develop the experience and skills that can only be gained through extensive hands-on practice.
NARI certification is a challenging process, requiring extensive knowledge of the industry and a commitment to professional conduct. Even highly experienced and skilled remodelers find the screening and testing process formidable.
Nicholas Atkins, CLC Hurst Design Build Remodel
Terry Bennett, CR Bennett Builders
Francesco Cirino, CLC Hurst Design Build Remodel
Anthony Costanzo, CR, CLC Costanzo Builders and Remodelers
Andrew Demian, CLC AD Remodel and Design, LLC
Doug Dilley, CLC Hurst Design Build Remodel
Chris Eccher, CLC Odell Construction Inc.
Receive a satisfactory review by the NARI Certification Board, by providing an outline detailing his or her hands-on experience, industry training and continuing education. In addition, he or she must prove is or her technical skills, practices in business management, association involvement and community service hours served.
Commit to intensive study on a broad range of critical industry issues. Most certification candidates participate in a formal study group and spend eight to 12 weeks studying in preparation for a difficult written exam.
Successfully complete a comprehensive and challenging written exam covering critical subject areas such as sound business management practices, knowledge of building codes and construction law, plans and specification, proper and safe use of tools and equipment, safety, standards of practice, math and several special skill areas.
ONCE AWARDED THEIR CERTIFICATION, NARI Certified Remodelers must meet annual re-certification requirements, involving continuing education credits and participation in industry-related programs.
HOMEOWNERS WHO HIRE A NARI CERTIFIED REMODELER can be assured they have chosen a professional with specific experience, dedication to training and a commitment to ethical conduct.
NARI GREATER CLEVELAND IS PROUD TO PRESENT its Certified Professionals…the best of the best in the remodeling industry!
Joshua Gillies, CLC Hurst Design Build Remodel
Zach Guthrie, CLC Hurst Design Build Remodel
Daniel Hurst, MCR, CLC, CRPM Hurst Design Build Remodel
Patrick G. Hurst, MCR, GCP Hurst Design Build Remodel
Andy Ieropoli, CR Advance Home Improvement
Chris G. Kamis, CR Absolute Roofing and Construction Inc.
Richard P. Kasunic Jr., CR Paradise Renovation & Repair
Frank Kinczel Jr., CFS Gunton Corp. dba Pella Window & Door Co.
Dennis Keller, CR Hurst Design Build Remodel
Ronald J. LoGrasso, MCR, CKBR LoGrasso Deco Co. Inc. and Kitchens by LoGrasso
Mark Maltry Jr., CR JEMM Construction LLC
Kevin McDonald, CR, CLC Hurst Design Build Remodel
Betty Nairn, CR Cabinet-S-Top Inc.
James C. Orr Jr., MCR, CLC Dover Home Remodelers Inc.
Frank J. Pajcic III, CRPM
Frank’s Custom Remodeling Ltd.
Brian Pauley, CR Remodel Me Today
Thomas Paulus, CLC Hurst Design Build Remodel
Mark A. Schwarz, CLC R.B. Schwarz Inc.
Robert B. Schwarz, MCR, CRPM, UDCP and CKBR R.B. Schwarz Inc.
John M. Tamer, MCR, UDCP Tamer Construction Inc.
Kristopher Toth, CRS Toth Painting Solutions Inc.
CLC
Michael Voloschuk, CR, CLC Hurst Design Build Remodel
Tyler Wilhelm, CLC, CRPM Hurst Design Build Remodel
Justin Odell, CR Odell Construction Inc.
Jeffrey Silcox, CLC Hurst Design Build Remodel
Not pictured: Dan Dolsen, CRPM Chagrin River Company; John Lesnak, CRPM Chagrin River Company; Mark Rocca, CLC Joyce Factory Direct
Snow Bros. Appliance
Melissa Kent
5528 Mayfield Road, Lyndhurst, OH 44124-2914 440-449-2650, snowappliance.com
Somrak Kitchens
Linda Hilbig 26201 Richmond Road, Bedford Heights, OH 44146-1400 216-464-6500, somrakkitchens.com
SRS Distribution Inc. (Lucrotec FBO) 100 Enterprize Dr., Ste. 101, Rockaway, NJ 07866
Timan Custom Window Treatments Inc.
Kathleen Timan 4533 Willow Pkwy., Cleveland, OH 44125-1041 216-741-8285, timanwindowtreatments.com
Trevarrow Inc., Sub-Zero and Wolf Distributor
RoseMary Eager
12610 Corporate Drive, Cleveland, OH 44130-9309 216-362-9200, trevarrowinc.com
Valley City Supply
Chris Kronenberger
1323 W. River Road, Valley City, OH 44280 330-483-3400, valleycitysupply.com
Virginia Tile Co.
Cody Burgess 4670 Richmond Road, Warrensville Heights, OH 44128-6410 216-741-8400, virginiatile.com
Welker-McKee Supply Co., Division of Hajoca
Ron Buffa
6606 Granger Road, Cleveland, OH 44131-1429 216-447-0050, welkermckee.com
Willoughby Supply Co.
Brad Stalder
7433 Clover Ave., Mentor, OH 44060-5211 440-269-1600, willoughbysupply.com
Winsupply Cleveland, OH Co.
Eunice Evans 4547 Hinckley Industrial Pkwy., Cleveland, OH 44109-6014 216-741-1929, winsupplyofcleveland.com
Wolff Bros. Supply Inc. - Akron
Bob Doherty Jr. 1200 Kelly Ave., Akron, OH 44306-3735 330-773-0200, wolffbros.com
EMPLOY A CONTRACTOR with an established business in your area. Check references from past customers in your area or through your local Better Business Bureau (BBB).
OHIO DOESN’T REQUIRE contractors to be licensed, so we recommend hiring a NARI remodeler. NARI members are put through a screening process to ensure favorable status with the BBB and the Ohio Attorney General’s office. Proof of appropriate local registration, liability insurance and workers’ compensation insurance and pledging to follow a strict Code of Ethics are requirements of NARI members.
IF YOU SOLICIT BIDS from several different contractors, be sure they’re bidding on the same scope and quality of work. Discuss variations in bids and beware of any bid that’s substantially lower than the others.
1-888-OHIOCOMP
John Oliverio
2900 Carnegie Ave., Cleveland, OH 44115-2649 216-426-0646, 1-888-ohiocomp.com
Amanda Tietze
1434 Cleveland Ave. NW, Canton, OH 44703-3103 330-454-9401, canton.bbb.org
Greater Cleveland
Sue McConnell
200 Treeworth Blvd. Broadview Heights, OH 44147 216-241-7678 • FAX 216-861-6365 bbb.org
For more than 100 years, Better Business Bureau has been helping people find businesses, brands and charities they can trust. Your BBB offers FREE business ratings, scam alerts, customer reviews, request-a-quote and more! Find a trustworthy business at bbb.org.
BOCONEO (Building Officials Conference of Northeast Ohio)
Michael Gero
P.O. Box 505, Novelty, OH 44072 440-537-4548, boconeo.org
City of Cleveland Deptartment of Community Development
Tania Menesse
601 Lakeside Ave., Suite 302, Cleveland, OH 44114-1015 216-664-4000
City of Cleveland Landmarks Commission
Fred Collier
601 Lakeside Ave., Cleveland, OH 44114-1027 216-664-2531, planning.city.cleveland.oh.us/landmark
Cleveland Dumpster Crush aka Crushr
Rob Previte
675 Madison Ave., Aurora, OH 44202 440-725-6020, clevelandcrushr.com
Cuyahoga County Department of Development
Theodore Carter
2079 E. 9th St., Cleveland, OH 44115-1302 216-443-7275
Dollar Bank
Doug Rogers
6868 Pearl Road, Middleburg Heights, OH 44130 440-688-1009, dollarbank.com
Great Lakes Publishing
Paul Klein
1422 Euclid Ave., Suite 730, Cleveland, OH 44115-2001 216-377-3693, clevelandmagazine.com
ISI Solutions LLC
Tim Smelcer
3505 Perkins Ave., Huron, OH 44839 419-871-4549, isisolutions.org
Katzbach Insurance Agency Inc.
John Katzbach Jr.
902 Westpoint Pkwy,. #300, Westlake, OH 44145-1534 440-835-1770, katzbachinsurance.com
Lorain County Habitat for Humanity
Kelly LaRosa
300 Rice Industrial Pkwy., Amherst, OH 44001-2464 440-322-2355, loraincountyhabitat.org
NAWIC (National Association of Women in Construction)
Bonnie Felice P.O. Box 31911, Cleveland, OH 44131-0911 nawiccleveland.org
USE THIS YEAR’S TOP PROJECTS AS INSPIRATION TO PLAN YOUR BACKYARD ESCAPE
President Stephanie Gray, LIC, OCNT
Executive Director
Sandy Munley
Associate Director
Rick Doll
For advertising information, please call 216-377-3693.
On the cover: Suncrest Gardens
The Ohio Landscape Association is excited to announce the winners of the 26th 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
Stephanie Grayof highly qualified peers. Thirty-three awards were given at this year’s Awards Gala, 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!
Respectfully,
Stephanie Gray, LIC, OCNT 2023 OLA President
A local leader in the landscape industry is honored for his contributions.
Each year since 1992, the Ohio Landscape Association Board of Directors selects a deserving individual to receive the Lifetime Dedication and Contributions to the Landscape Industry Award. This year, the OLA recognizes Ric Haury, owner of Suncrest Gardens in Peninsula, as the 32nd recipient of this prestigious award.
Haury was the fourth of five children born to Charles and Gerry Haury. The family lived in Stow, where Haury has been a lifelong resident. He learned to love gardening working in the family’s large vegetable garden and enjoyed watching the plants grow.
Haury graduated from Stow-Monroe Falls High School in 1971. Winning the Good Park Golf Tournament in August of ’71 convinced him that he could play in college. He went on to the University of Akron and earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting. His love of golf led him to create the Golf Classic.
All of Haury’s college days were focused on either schoolwork or golf. In fact, during college he was working at the Pro Shop of a
public golf course when the girl working in the snack bar caught his eye. They began dating and he married Bev two years later in 1978. In 1988, Haury and Bev added to their family with the birth of their daughter, Maggie, who works at Suncrest but is also a very talented singer.
Haury founded Rite Landscaping in 1976 with his accounting background, his interest in horticulture and his strong desire to build a full-service landscape business. In 1987, the Management Group was formed.
Expansion in 1990 lead the business to its current location in Peninsula and Rite Landscaping became a full-service Landscape Construction Company with Design/Build and Maintenance divisions. In 1997, a new garden center was added, and the Rite Landscaping name was retired in favor of Suncrest Gardens. A second expansion was completed in 2006 with an enlarged store, new greenhouses for the Garden Center and new offices.
Haury served on the OLA Board from 1997 through 2001, serving as Board President in
1999. While on the board, Haury helped plan the CLT program, though the biggest legacy he leaves with OLA is being the creator of its Scholarship Golf Classic, which has helped many students achieve their goal of attending college.
Haury has been an instrumental leader in the OLA’s quest for a permanent solution for the H2B program, having traveled to Washington D.C. countless times, and has helped organize and participate in political fundraisers to further this cause.
Haury spent time on Tri-C’s Plant Science & Landscape Contracting Advisory Board, served on the Urban Forestry Commission in the City of Stow for more than 10 years, and has taught adult education classes on landscaping in the City of Stow.
Haury says that he has been guided throughout his life by the wonderful example set by his parents, the love of his family and friends and his faith in God. He adds that hopes he has been able to do the same.
WATER FEATURES
SPECIALTY GARDENS
5 Lifestyle Landscaping Inc.
A Private Residence Amherst, Ohio
GARDEN STRUCTURES/ PAVEMENTS, CATEGORY III
6 Ground Works Land Design
A Private Residence Bay Village, Ohio
GARDEN STRUCTURES/ PAVEMENTS, CATEGORY IV
Landscapes by Terra
7 The Hideaway Haven Powell, Ohio
BEST USE OF COLOR
8 Blooming Designs
A Four Seasons Garden Richfield, Ohio
RESIDENTIAL MAINTENANCE
A Blooming Designs
The Four Seasons Garden, Richfield, Ohio
B The Pattie Group
A Private Residence, Shaker Heights, Ohio
COMMERCIAL MAINTENANCE
C Suncrest Gardens
CEIA USA, Hudson, Ohio
RESIDENTIAL INSTALLATION, CATEGORY I
D Suncrest Gardens
A Private Residence, Hinckley, Ohio
RESIDENTIAL INSTALLATION, CATEGORY II
E Ground Works Land Design
A Wooded Project, Westlake, Ohio
RESIDENTIAL INSTALLATION, CATEGORY III
F Sasak Landscaping Inc.
A Private Residence, Bay Village, Ohio
RESIDENTIAL INSTALLATION, CATEGORY IV
G Ground Works Land Design
Lakeside Luxury II, Avon Lake, Ohio
H #1 Landscaping
A Private Residence, Westlake, Ohio
RESIDENTIAL INSTALLATION WITH SWIMMING POOLS
I Suncrest Gardens
A Private Residence, Hinckley, Ohio
J Landscapes by Terra
A Rustic Pool Retreat, Galloway, Ohio
K Sasak Landscaping Inc.
A Private Residence, Westlake, Ohio
• Alvord’s Yard & Garden
• Bedford Glens Garden Center
• Belgard Hardscapes
• Bigfoot Landscape Supply
• Botson Insurance Group
• Cascade Lighting
• Chagrin Valley Nurseries
• Cleveland Magazine
• Davis Tree Farm & Nursery
• Earth ‘N Wood
• Great Big Home & Garden Show
• Green Vision Materials
• Klyn Nurseries Inc.
• Kurtz Bros. Inc.
• Lake County Nursery
• Lowe’s Greenhouse
• M.H. Eby
• Oberfields
• Rusty Oak Nursery
• Schill Grounds Management
Doug Brown SITE DESIGN PROS
Hillary Henry EASTSIDE LANDSCAPING
Becca Lanning VIZMEG LANDSCAPE INC.
Cameron Maneri WOLF CREEK CO.
Penny McDowell URBAN DIGS DESIGN AND GARDEN
Shawn Moore S.A.M LANDSCAPING
Bill Nettling OBERFIELDS
Ken Pund BEDFORD GLENS GARDEN CENTER
Jeff Rak LAND CREATIONS LANDSCAPING
Karen Sasak HEMLOCK LANDSCAPES
• SiteOne Landscape Supply
• Snow & Ice Management Association
• Stanley Black & Decker
• Unilock Ohio Inc.
• Valley City Supply
• Vermeer All Roads
• Willoway Nurseries
• Wolf Creek Co.
GARDEN STRUCTURES/PAVEMENTS, CATEGORY I
P Suncrest Gardens
A Private Residence, Aurora, Ohio
GARDEN STRUCTURES/PAVEMENTS, CATEGORY II
Q Suncrest Gardens
A Private Residence, Hinckley, Ohio
R Executive Landscaping
A Private Residence, Columbiana, Ohio
GARDEN STRUCTURES/PAVEMENTS, CATEGORY III
S Ground Works Land Design
Lakeside Luxury II, Avon Lake, Ohio
Y Executive Landscaping
A Private Oasis, Girard, Ohio
GARDEN STRUCTURES/PAVEMENTS, CATEGORY IV
U Landscapes by Terra
A Rustic Pool Retreat, Galloway, Ohio
V Landscapes by Terra
A Tuscan Arrival, Dublin, Ohio
BEST USE OF COLOR
W The Pattie Group
A Private Residence
COMMERCIAL INSTALLATION, CATEGORY I
X M.J. Design Associates
The Industrial Parkway Association
Roundabout, Plain City, Ohio
COMMERCIAL INSTALLATION CATEGORY II
Y Suncrest Gardens
CEIA USA, Hudson, Ohio
As we continue to move forward toward post-pandemic normalcy, residents of Northeast Ohio are making the big decision of whether to stay and remodel their existing homes or purchase a new home. In taking a closer look at market conditions, rates and home prices have significantly increased over the past year. While some people are choosing to stay and make improvements to their current homes to avoid higher rate financing, many are deciding that they would get more value by investing that money into a newly constructed home.
Northeast Ohio is seeing new construction popping up in rural areas with farmland being transformed into new housing developments. Columbia Station is one example. Working from home has given people the opportunity to live farther away from metropolitan areas. People are looking for community and friendships that are often formed in these developments. New homes and residents build stability within communities to keep them thriving and vital, often with plenty of green spaces, new restaurants and excellent schools.
This is a unique time for builders. While they are still facing challenges with lingering supply chain issues and labor shortages, they have also adapted to these challenges and are still evolving. They are collaborating with each other to create innovative ideas and efficiencies to make the building process go more smoothly for their buyers. Builders are also exploring new designs that allow them to incorporate better materials and improved green technologies.
The Home Builders Association (HBA) of Greater Cleveland provides its own
community for builders to learn and share ideas. One of the goals of the HBA is to keep our region progressing by working with all our members — lenders, contractors, real estate agents, design teams, developers and others — in enterprising ways. New construction means more jobs, exciting development opportunities and a dynamic place to live, work and enjoy life.
When you are considering your new build or remodel, be sure to do your homework. When you are looking at financing, many lenders are offering creative options like adjustable-rate mortgages and low closing cost options. Take the time to research and consider choosing a professional that is a member of the HBA. Get your wish list together and have candid conversations with your contractors. HBA members have completed some incredibly beautiful projects throughout Northeast Ohio. Let them create something spectacular for you and your new or existing home.
Sincerely,
Debra Branske President, Home Builders Association (HBA) of Greater ClevelandDebra Branske (President)
Third Federal Savings & Loan
Andrew Gotlieb (Vice President)
Keystate Homes & Development
Dan Smoulder (Treasurer/Secretary)
Petros Homes
Rob Myers (Immediate Past President)
Myers Homes/RHM Homes
Brenda Callaghan (Executive Director)
HBA of Greater Cleveland
Board of Trustees
Joe Archer
Sherwin-Williams
Leslee Archer
GLT Products
Tim Bennett
Bennett Builders
Steve Caldwell Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery
Dennis Dlugosz
Corrigan Krause CPAs
Mike Gero
Property Inspections
Brian Miller
Mont Surfaces by Mont Granite
Laura Mineff
Array Design
Dana Novotny
K Hovnanian, Cleveland Division
Dennis Reber
Apollo Supply
Jason Rodgers
Paine Creek Builders
Rodney Simon
Simcon Custom Homes
Legal Advisor
Russell O’Rourke, Esq.
Meyers, Roman, Friedberg & Lewis
On the Cover
Otero Signature Homes
Courtesy Otero Signature Homes, HBA
2023 Cleveland Choice Award Winner: Interior Architectural Design of the Year –Single-Family | $500,000 to $750,000
Brickhaus Partners
$3-5 MILLION
Lindsay Artzner
ProBuilt Homes
$5-10 MILLION
Amanda Bundy
Drees Homes
George Pelesky Jr.
Drees Homes
Michael Yoe
Payne & Payne Builders
Michele Mave
Drees Homes
Jason Baylor
Payne & Payne Builders
David Kronenberg
ProBuilt
Dave Hesse
Payne & Payne Builders
$10 MILLION OR MORE
Larry Underwood
Drees Homes
Keith Stumpf
Drees Homes
Erin Rodgers
Drees Homes
Emily Gentry
Petros Homes
Jill Scot
Drees Homes
Carla Houdek
Drees Homes
Debbie Meyer
Drees Homes
David Binder
Petros Homes
Chelsey Berkey
Petros Homes
Chris Whalen
Drees Homes
EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR
Dean Tompkins, Payne & Tompkins
Design Renovations
INTERIOR DESIGN OF THE YEAR
UNDER $500,000
Cuyahoga Land
Reutilization Corporation
$500,000 - $750,000
Perrino Custom Builders
$750,000 - $1,000,000
Perrino Custom Builders
$1,000,000 - $1,500,000
Perrino Custom Builders
$2,000,000 - $2,500,000
Brickhaus Partners
OVER $2,500,000
Ovation Interior Design
INTERIOR
ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN OF THE YEAR –SINGLE FAMILY
$500,000 - $750,000
Otero Signature Homes
$750,000 - $1,000,000
Drees Homes
$1,000,000 - $1,500,000
MJ Builders Inc.
$2,000,000 - $2,500,000
Otero Signature Homes
INTERIOR
ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN OF THE YEAR – CONDO/ CLUSTER/TOWNHOME
UNDER $500,000
ProBuilt Homes
OVER $500,000
Brickhaus Partners
EXTERIOR
ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN OF THE YEAR –
SINGLE FAMILY
UNDER $500,000
Cuyahoga Land
Reutilization Corporation
$500,000 - $750,000
Edgewood Homes
$750,000 - $1,000,000
Drees Homes
$1,000,000 - $1,500,000
Payne & Payne Builders
$2,000,000 - $2,500,000
Larry Bloch Builders
OVER $2,500,000
Larry Bloch Builders
EXTERIOR
ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN OF THE YEAR – CONDO/ CLUSTER/TOWNHOME
OVER $500,000
Brickhaus Partners
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
BEST URBAN INFILL DEVELOPMENT
Knez Homes
OVERALL CONDO
CLUSTER TOWNHOME OF THE YEAR
UNDER $500,000
Kensington Homes Inc.
OVER $500,000
Petros Homes
CONDO CLUSTER
COMMUNITY OF THE YEAR
ProBuilt Homes
SINGLE FAMILY
COMMUNITY OF THE YEAR
Payne & Payne Builders
REMODEL OF THE YEAR
BEST BATHROOM RENOVATION
UNDER $50,000
Keselman Construction Group
$50,001-$100,000
Otero Signature Homes
OVER $100,000
Payne & Tompkins Design
Renovations
BEST BASEMENT RENOVATION
Payne & Tompkins Design
Renovation
BEST KITCHEN RENOVATION
UNDER $80,000
Keselman Construction Group
80,001-$130,000
Mancuso Homest
OVER $130,000
Studio 76 Kitchens & Baths
BEST INTERIOR RENOVATION
UNDER $150,000
Keselman Construction Group
OVER $150,000
Payne & Tompkins Design
Renovations
BEST EXTERIOR RENOVATION
UNDER $100,000
HTZ Construction, Inc.
$100,000-$250,000
Bennet Builders & Remodelers
BEST OVERALL ADDITION
UNDER $150,000
Mancuso Homes
$150,000-$300,000
Mancuso Homes
$300,000-$450,000
Mancuso Homes
OVER $450,000
Payne & Tompkins Design
Renovations
BEST ENTIRE HOME RENOVATION
UNDER $250,000
Cuyahoga Land
Reutilization Corporation
$250,000-$500,000
Mancuso Homes
OVER $500,000
Bennet Builders & Remodelers
CUSTOM HOME OF THE YEAR
BEST SPECIALTY ENTERTAINMENT ROOM (INDOORS OR OUTDOORS)
Horner Networks, LLC
BEST GREEN BUILT HOME
UNDER 2500 SQ. FT.
Keystate Homes & Development
2501-4000 SQ. FT.
Keystate Homes & Development
OVER 4000 SQ. FT.
Payne & Payne Builders
BEST OVERALL CUSTOM HOME
UNDER $500,000
Skoda Construction Inc.
$500,000-$750,000
Simcon Homes
$750,000-$1,000,000
Perrino Custom Builders
$1,000,000-$1,500,000
Simcon Homes
$2,000,000-$2,500,000
Otero Custom Homes
OVER $2,500,000
Larry Bloch Builders
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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High demand, low supply, increased interest rates, continued supply chain issues, labor shortages — all these aspects and more have been impacting the housing market in recent years and may continue to do so for many more to come.
Despite these headwinds, the homebuilding and remodeling industry has persisted.
“We’re not back to where we were in 2005 by any means, but we’re holding our own, which is good for the industry, good for employment and good for the economy,” says Rob Myers, president of Myers Homes.
Experts weigh in on all the facets impacting the current housing market and how they affect the future of homebuying and remodeling.
by sarah webbHTZ Construction
A higher demand for houses than supply of houses and higher interest rates pose the primary challenges for potential homebuyers, according to Jennifer Rosa, public relations manager for Third Federal.
In fact, Rosa notes that the higher rates have dwindled the stock in the market because current homeowners have less motivation to sell.
“Other than a lifestyle change, there is not as much incentive to sell. When a homeowner has a mortgage interest rate of under 4% and interest rates are now in the 6% to 7% range, that can be an exponential increase on any home purchase,” Rosa says.
However, despite the supply and demand mismatch and higher interest rates, people continue to buy new homes.
“While interest rates are higher, lifestyle changes such as relocating, growing families and downsizing are all trends that continue, so people are still buying homes,” Rosa says. “Northeast Ohio still offers great communities and great options for those who are looking to buy.”
That lack of housing inventory may also be pushing more potential buyers to choose to build a home, according to Myers.
“The market has shown remarkable staying power where new home sales are continuing to take place, and there’s not a lot of supply in terms of resale market, so that’s forcing people to take a hard look at new construction,” Myers says. “For those of us who are involved in new construction, our numbers are still very strong this year, and that’s been a bright spot for us.”
For potential buyers choosing to build a new home, Rosa advises they lock in their rate early.
“The Federal Reserve has already increased the prime rate from 4% to 8.25% in 12 months,” Rosa says. “So, when building a home, it’s
important to lock in your rate, because if interest rates continue to trend upward, it may be harder to qualify once the home is completed.”
Myers adds that because the cost of developing lots and improving them has gone up dramatically, the best time for homeowners to start a new project or buy a new home is now.
“The least expensive time to buy your new home is today, because tomorrow it will cost more,” Myers says. “With interest rates and inflation and regulations, if your income qualified you for a mortgage two years ago, you may not even qualify for that mortgage to buy that same exact house this year. For every dollar added to the cost of a home, there’s a certain number of people knocked out of the homebuying market based on income levels.”
Despite the challenges in the market, Myers encourages those looking to purchase a new home not to give up.
“Enjoy the experience, and find a home that you love and want to live in for a while,” he says.
While supply chain shortages have eased a bit, the labor market remains fairly tight across the board, according to Myers.
He says that the homebuilding industry has been skillful so far at managing the supply chain crisis.
“We’ve been able to work our way around a lot of these bottlenecks, either by finding alternative materials or by managing timelines better and placing orders well in advance of when we’re going to need them,” Myers says. “The issue now is less broad. So, while some suppliers and vendors are still having problems, and some people might not get exactly what they wanted, they’re still getting a substitute that works just as well.”
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For those who prefer to stay in their current homes, remodeling provides homeowners the ability to increase the value of their home, according to Lori Bryant, owner of HTZ Construction.
“For a lot of people, their home equity has increased so much since COVID-19, so if you’re debating between renovating and moving and there aren’t a lot of houses that fit [your] needs, it makes sense for people to just put that money into their own home and customize it to make it what they want,” Bryant says.
Before embarking on a remodel, Bryant says there are several factors that homeowners must consider.
1. Think about how long you plan to stay in your current home.
“If you’re going to be in your home for five years or more, then it’s a good idea to do your dream design, but if you’re planning on moving within the next five years, you probably want to stick with a lower budget and make cosmetic changes, because if you do a full renovation and gut the house, you’re not going to get your return on investment in that timeframe,” Bryant says.
Cosmetic changes can include adding a fresh coat of paint, refreshing lighting fixtures, incorporating new hardware to cabinets
and updating floors with a luxury vinyl plank flooring, which, Bryant says, is fairly affordable and easy to install.
“That kind of thing can really freshen up a look for a homeowner,” she says.
2. Consider how much money you’re willing to put into a project.
“Once you have that number, you can really make decisions. It’s silly to design a whole project and then realize you can only afford half of it,” Bryant says. “Once you have your budget figured out, then you can look at photos for inspiration and start having an idea of what you want to accomplish.”
However, Bryant warns potential remodelers that items may cost more than expected.
“We get a lot of homeowners who base their budget on Google searches of, for example, how much a bathroom renovation costs, but those number don’t consider everything,” Bryant says.
She adds that if homeowners are financing a project, they will need to discuss that with their bank.
To make home remodeling projects financially feasible, Rosa says a home equity line of credit is one option.
“Because interest rates are higher after being low for so long, it’s no longer a viable funding alternative to apply for a cash-out refinance for home projects, because the homeowner will refinance into a higher interest rate,” Rosa says. “A home equity line of credit (HELOC) lets the homeowner keep their current, lower, first mortgage rate and use the HELOC for remodeling projects.”
3. Do your due diligence to find a contractor who fits your needs.
“Make sure you find a contractor who is registered in the city you’re remodeling in and who will pull all the necessary permits if the job requires it,” Bryant says.
The HBA’s Charitable & Education Foundation is supporting a preapprentice certified training program for the construction trades. The pilot program is being offered this fall in a public high school in one of Cleveland’s eastern suburbs. The high school students enrolled in the program will graduate with a set of skills that allows them to enter the construction workforce immediately.
“We don’t know yet what the numbers are in the program. However, I do know that we are short 65,000 construction workers in the state of Ohio, and we’re not going to move the needle on that by hunting and pecking for workers,” says Rob Myers, president of Myers Homes and past-president of the HBA. “We need to make these kinds of programs available to high school students across the state to educate kids that they can earn a good living, enjoy a great lifestyle and become entrepreneurs — without having to borrow a lot of money to obtain a four-year college degree.”
By Leslie Basalla-McCafferty
Getting ready to build a home should be a time of excitement, not anxiety. But right now, with home prices hovering high and interest rates on the rise, affording that perfect place might seem like an impossible mission. Banking pros, though, are getting creative with cutting costs — helping borrowers ink deals with confidence.
With mortgage interest rates dangling just below 7%, an adjustable rate mortgage (ARM) might be tempting. Typically, ARMs have a lower starting interest rate and monthly payment than fixed-rate mortgages — but loan officers have differing opinions about them.
Liz Schneider, a construction loan specialist with Dollar Bank, explains that ARMs begin with a fixed-rate period of five, seven or 10 years, after which the rate varies based on market conditions. That means there’s a risk of even higher rates at the end of the fixed period.
“The only time I’d suggest an adjustable-rate mortgage is if you’re sure you’re only going to be in the home for the length of the fixed term of the adjustable loan,” she says.
However, Todd Urmson, a loan officer with Andover Bank, thinks they’re a great option for saving money. Understanding the risks versus the benefits is the key.
“I am not afraid of an adjustable mortgage at this time,” he says. “Right now, I’m not recommending less than a five-year adjustable, because I don’t know what rates are going to do in the next five years. But it makes it worthwhile — you’re saving more money on a monthly basis. Our adjustable rates only adjust every three years after the initial fixed period, which significantly reduces the risk of the rate increasing rapidly compared to many that adjust annually or even every six months.”
Conventional wisdom says new construction loans always demand a 20% to 25% down payment. Lenders consider them riskier than mortgages for existing homes, so while the median down payment on an existing home in 2022 was just 13%, according to the National Association of REALTORS, loans for homebuilding have not been so flexible — until now. Some banks have even ditched the requirement for private mortgage insurance (PMI) that typically accompanies a lower down payment.
”For pretty much anyone that qualifies, on a business-as-usual basis, we can do 5% down on construction loans, with PMI,” Urmson says. “We have a community program where we can do lower down payments and no PMI, and we have a program for individuals that are in certain professions, that we can do with no down payment and no PMI.”
Urmson says his company is also saving borrowers money by reducing or limiting some of the construction loan fees.
Dollar Bank also offers construction financing with as little as 5% down payment or lot equity — if you’ve already purchased your lot.
However you choose to finance, get your loan lined up in advance, Schneider says, and don’t budge once you set a budget.
“Get prequalified first so that you and your builder know what your budget is and what you can afford,” she says. “Because if, during the course of construction, (material costs) go up, you’re going to get faced with a bill from your homebuilder at the end.”
Schneider also notes that delays and surprises are inevitable in homebuilding.
“Be patient with the process,” she says. "A lot of things are out of the homebuilder’s control. I know this sounds old, but there are still some supply chain issues; there’s a construction labor shortage. Have fun in the process. It’s not all stress, but just pack your patience.”
From farmland to future abodes — new construction is on the rise in Northeast Ohio’s traditionally rural areas, including Amherst, Perry and Columbia Station.
“When we talk about rural, people automatically think they’re going to be living out in the country somewhere,” says Dana Novotny, region vice president of sales for K. Hovnanian Cleveland Division. “But rural is really just defined by how many people live in an area, and it could even be relatively close to the city.”
A report from the National Association of Home Builders notes that while the growth rate in large metro outlying counties fell from 17.4% in the first quarter of 2022 to
-22.3% in the first quarter of 2023, the rural single-family home building market share has increased from 9.4% at the end of 2019 to 12% by the first quarter of 2023.
“You see a lot of builders in that area, and if you look at the last year or two, there’s been tremendous growth just in those places,” says Jeff Copp, director of marketing for Pulte Homes.
Shortages of lots — and high prices of those lots — in traditional suburbia is one driver of these new developments, according to Gary Naim, president of Petros Homes.
Naim says that potential homebuyers are also flocking to the lower prices of those new
builds compared to what they’d find in an inner suburb or city.
“Everything is impacted by price and the ability to amass a larger parcel of land where you can build a planned unit development,” Naim says. “There’s a low supply of land in the inner suburbs, so you have to extend yourself out to where land is more available.”
Novotny notes that in addition to potential homebuyers acquiring more house for their buck, new residents to these areas often pay lower taxes than in other areas.
“So, there's an affordability component because they’re often paying a lot less for city services through their taxes,” Novotny says. “They may be a full percent lower in some cases.”
Additionally, the fact that oftentimes homebuilders have their own mortgage company and can offer lower rates than what’s being offered right now — somewhere around 4.99% versus 7.5% — only sweetens the deal, Novotny adds.
Lower prices aren’t the only reason people have expanded outward. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, many people moved out of cities and densely populated areas in droves, Novotny says.
New developments cropping up in lower population areas means more opportunities for homebuyers.
“During the pandemic, people were eager to get out of cities where they felt like they were on top of their neighbors and in close proximity, because there were a lot of health concerns and fear and uncertainty,” Novotny says.
And yet, that trend has not completely reversed post-pandemic.
“There are some people returning to cities and suburbs, but there is still a contingent that works remotely and who want to be in a rural area,” Novotny says. “The trend we
thought was going to be temporary is actually more permanent as people are looking for that smaller town feel, bigger fenced-in yards for their pets, more affordability and easier access to parks and recreational offerings.”
Naim adds that because many people are working remotely, proximity to the city doesn’t matter nearly as much.
“Working remotely, people are less concerned with commutes and are more apt to move farther away from the city to reach the price point that’s better than what they’d get in an inner ring suburb,” Naim says.
Copp notes that just because the homes are outside of the city doesn’t mean that residents won’t still have access to the amenities the city provides.
“From one of our developments in Columbia Station, you can still get downtown easily, and residents still have easy access to everyday needs and highway access,” he says.
While there are many reasons people move to these new developments, Copp says
the desire to live in a strong school district is one of them.
“School systems are very important to us,” he says. “In Columbia Station, for example, Columbia Local Schools are highly rated.”
The benefits don’t end in the classroom, either.
Residents are also enticed by easy access to recreation, walking trails and the outdoors, according to Novotny.
“There’s a health and well-being component where, being outside of the city, things slow down. It seems to take the stress away, and people thrive when they have greater access to sports, recreation, the outdoors and that serene environment,” Novotny says.
And what better way to enjoy the outdoors than with neighbors?
Homeowners living in these developments reap the benefits of their community feel.
“In smaller towns, people really get to know their neighbors, and there’s a greater sense of community,” Novotny notes. “There’s also a greater sense of safety.”
These new developments cater to more than just one demographic. One example is empty nesters looking to downsize.
“In our experience, I’ve seen a little bit of everybody, but in one development in particular, we have an age-targeted community where the average age is around 60. People are downsizing, and they want one-floor living. As they approach retirement, they want to be able to enjoy their lifestyle and have a little bit less stress,” says Novotny, adding that the homes for these developments range from 1,600 square feet all the way up to 3,100 square feet.
Other homes in these developments are servicing first-time homebuyers.
“We have different product lines and floor plans to suit everyone’s needs, including two-story homes and ranch homes with varying sizes, with two- to three-car garages,” Copp says.
ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF HOME BUILDERS Home Building Geography Index (HBGI) for the first quarter of 2023, rural markets have exhibited strength in new home builds in recent years. The rural (Micro Counties and Non Metro/Micro Counties) singlefamily homebuilding market share has increased from 9.4% at the end of 2019 to 12% by the first quarter of 2023. On the flipside, the combined Large Metro areas (Core, Suburban and Outlying) market share has fallen for the last seven quarters to a share of 49.7%. This is the first time the combined Large Metro market share has fallen below 50% market share since the inception of the HBGI.
WCheck out these inspiring designs from three HBA 2023 Cleveland Choice Award winners.
By Lisa GalekInterior Architectural Design of the Year –Condo/Cluster/Townhome | Over $500,000
Interior Design of the Year | $2 million to 2.5 million
Exterior Architectural Design of the Year –Condo/Cluster/Townhome | Over $500,000
Nestled on the picturesque shores of Lake Erie in Rocky River, 700 Lake stands as a symbol of exceptional design and unparalleled luxury. This magnificent property boasts 25 condo units and eight townhomes, with most residences already occupied. Prospective residents can still call 700 Lake their home at prices ranging from $1 million to $3 million.
The vision for this project was meticulously crafted by the Brickhaus Design Team led by Andrew Brickman. What sets this development apart is the careful curation of materials from abroad. For example, the kitchen cabinetry was created in Italy by Aran, the same company responsible for the kitchens at 42 Park, the iconic building overlooking Central Park in New York City. From the kitchen cabinetry to the doorknobs, every detail has been considered to offer the highest quality finishes and latest technological advancements. “This level of luxury isn’t commonly seen in Ohio,” says Kritika Cerreta, senior interior designer. “There is absolutely nothing else like this in Cleveland.”
Beyond the interiors, the views from 700 Lake are breathtaking. Situated right on the shores of Lake Erie, every home boasts a lakeside view. “I truly
believe it’s the most luxurious piece of land you can find between New York and Chicago,” says Cerreta. Residents can indulge in top-tier amenities, including an infinity pool set to open next season. Outdoor enthusiasts will appreciate access to an outdoor kitchen, a fire pit and water activities like kayaking and jet skiing.
However, what makes 700 Lake truly unique is its sense of community. The building is thoughtfully designed with communal spaces that encourage interaction and foster a sense of camaraderie among residents. The environment cultivates a feeling of belonging. “It’s really conducive to this friendly, intimate atmosphere, which Rocky River is known for,” Cerreta says.
The journey toward the completion of 700 Lake has not been without challenges. COVID-related disruptions, including
temporary closures of suppliers in Italy, caused unforeseen delays. Since many of the materials were hand-curated from Italy, that country’s shutdown created obstacles.
Despite these hurdles, the project has received multiple awards from the Home Builders Association, thanks to the exceptional design and attention to detail.
Interior Architectural Design of the Year – Single-Family | $500,000 to $750,000
Known for custom designs, Otero Signature Homes recently gained recognition for one of its model homes. The design, which reflects the company's innovative “Living in Place” philosophy, is located in Bainbridge Township. It offers three bedrooms inside 3,200 square feet of living space with a 500-square-foot covered back porch.
The goal is to create residences that are accessible and comfortable for individuals of all ages and abilities. To achieve this, the model incorporates attractive designs and modern features such as zero-entry thresholds, open floor plans, wide doorways, flush tile entry into the showers and smart technology. “It's really great, easy living,” says Ted Otero, president of Otero Signature Homes. “Everyone seems to appreciate the ease of entry. It’s really been popular for us.”
Inside, homeowners will find high-quality materials that are also reasonably
priced. Luxury vinyl plank flooring spans the entire house, offering a seamless transition from room to room. Bathrooms feature stylish tile designs, adding elegance to the space. The multiple vaulted ceilings, indirect lighting and backlighting contribute to a warm and inviting ambiance. Custom cabinetry, a feature of Otero Signature Homes, allows for personalized kitchen designs that cater to individual client needs. MSI Quartz Countertops by American Countertops further enhance the overall appeal and provide minimal maintenance to the homeowner.
The standout feature of this particular model is its trend-forward, contemporary kitchen design. Otero’s interior designers expertly combined various colors and textures, creating a visually striking environment. The kitchen cabinetry showcases three colors — a dark shade for the lower cabinets, white for the upper cabinets and natural woodwork on the island. “It’s different than what our clients have been asking for,” says Otero, “but it was very well received by those who walked through the home.”
In June, the award-winning model was showcased in the HBA 2023 Summer Parade of Homes. The house quickly found a buyer, highlighting the appeal of its open floor plan, spacious great room and well-designed kitchen. The owners are thrilled with their new home and the recognition it has garnered.
“We’re extremely proud of the awards we’ve won,” says Otero. “We’re very positive about the market, and we’re always looking to challenge it and push the envelope on our design.”
Best Kitchen Renovation | $80,000 to $130,000
Renowned for exceptional renovation projects, Mancuso Homes recently tackled a remarkable kitchen transformation for a busy Lakewood family. With parents juggling professional commitments, an active social life, three teenagers and two dogs, the family wanted a more spacious and inviting kitchen to meet their needs.
One of the primary challenges the family faced was the lack of natural light in their old kitchen. Kate Mancuso, owner and designer for Mancuso Homes, devised a plan to reconfigure the kitchen’s layout and add four additional windows. A glass door was also installed in the walk-in pantry, allowing even more light to flow into the kitchen. “It’s just lighter and brighter,” says Mancuso.
Many older homes on the West Side of Cleveland lack spacious kitchens and walk-in pantries. However, once a double, this particular house had been converted into a single-family home, allowing for a larger kitchen. An adjacent bathroom was repurposed into a walk-in pantry with custom shelving.
“They didn’t live the way that we live (now) 100 years ago. They didn’t have big kitchens,” says Mancuso. “We do a lot of those conversions of older homes.”
The kitchen cabinets were custom made with practical drawer inserts, ensuring efficient use of space. Quartzite (a durable natural stone resembling marble) was chosen for the countertops, providing both elegance and functionality. The rangehood above the stove was designed to fit seamlessly within the kitchen’s aesthetics. New, white-oak hardwood flooring was installed to tie the kitchen together with the rest of the house.
A distinctive characteristic of the renovated kitchen is the absence of upper cabinets. While this choice meant sacrificing some storage space, it allowed for the installation of eye-catching decorative elements, including wall sconces and handcrafted zellige tiles. “You always question whether you should sacrifice storage for pretty things. In this case, I feel like it was worth it,” says Mancuso.
The homeowners chose to work with Mancuso Homes after purchasing a house the company remodeled in 2015. When the family moved into their current home, they asked the company to renovate their new kitchen.
“That’s the best compliment we can have — repeat business or referrals from our clients,” says Mancuso.
LAURA MINEFF ALWAYS WANTED to live in a converted industrial building — “to have that loft-y experience,” as the owner of Array Design Studio in Cleveland puts it. Renting a two-bedroom unit on the second floor of The Shoreway, the repurposed home of the Globe Machine & Stamping Co. in the city’s Gordon Square arts district, provided it with exposed brick walls, banks of factory windows and polished concrete floors. But the space, particularly the open kitchen/living area, came with interior design challenges.
“The building [owner] said to me, ‘Go ahead and do whatever you would like to the unit,’” she says says. “So that’s what I did.”
Before: Mineff inherited an updated but nonetheless pedestrian wall of wood-look laminate cabinetry with the requisite solid-surface countertops, stainless-steel appliances and an island separating it from the rest of the room. After: Mineff’s first step was to paint the baby-blue walls a brick red to inject vibrant color. She outfitted the island with a pair of white-leather hydraulic stools that adjust to each user’s preferred height and swivel, allowing them to join conversation in the living space and a metal bench with a reverseleather-hide cushion at the end. The latter does more than provide extra island seating — it provides a spot to slip shoes on and off near the unit’s entrance. A copper resin lamp on the top and an arrangement of reeds in a blue glass vase, along with a plant, on the floor at one corner make the island read more like a table. Displaying works of art on shelves, on top of the cabinets, even on top of the refrigerator, reinforces it.
Before: The space, furnished in a combination of transitional and contemporary pieces in grays and blacks, looks finished.
After: Mineff filled the room with art, hanging a three-piece abstract giclee print in yellows, grays and white over the Italian bombe chest and spacing nine custom-made geometric designs she created, executed by a manufacturer in seven layers of media, over the television. The new coffee table, distinguished by a top covered in velvet with orange-and-gray cotton-thread accents, is a work of art. But Mineff ditched the sofa table, replacing it with a cylindrical lamp she had custom-made in Morocco and two cylindrical shell-covered side tables that create depth and dimension.
Before: Mineff moved into the unit with a bed frame, mattress and cream-leather headboard, a dramatic 6-foot-high feature quilted in a geometric pattern — and, in contrast, not much else worth noting. Color, pattern and texture were lacking.
After: Mineff punched up her white linens by folding a sunny yellow coverlet at the end of the bed and placing a couple of matching accent pillows against full-size ones in existing black shams. She drew the eye even higher by adding a linear porcelain-metal-and-gold artwork over the headboard. A corner of the room was enlivened by tossing a white throw and another yellow accent pillow on a chair, swapping a table for two round marble-topped stacking tables — pieces that add dimension, different shapes and materials — and hanging a vibrant dimensional piece on the wall.
Before: Mineff needed a guest room to comfortably accommodate visiting parents and adult children. “But at the same time, I ran my business out of my home,” she says. The traditional bedand-nightstand setup simply didn’t work for her in a space that had to pull double duty.
After: Mineff installed a Murphy bed she designed and built. The bed lifts into a plywood cabinet finished in a wood-look laminate that looks like a storage casement piece when the double doors are closed. The star of the room is a smoked-glass-topped desk with curving metal legs — a piece light enough for Mineff to move to a corner of the room when guests are in town. Unobtrusive shelving units supply additional storage, while a white faux-fur rug provides “a comfort space for [her] feet” on the building owner’s dark-gray modular carpeting.
LAKEWOOD
Rare LAKEFRONT opportunity. Exquisite views. This mid-century ranch sits on an amazing property. So much privacy yet so close to every amenity. Quietly tucked away at the end of the most secluded part of Edgewater. End of cul-de-sac near Lakewood Park. One floor living on Lake Erie.
RE/MAX REG | LOU BARBEE (440) 899-0000
Battery Park. This prime corner unit is a study in sophisticated style. 1st floor office (or possible 3rd bedroom.) Sun-drenched open floor plan. Kitchen with soft close cabinets, brushed gold hardware, waterfall quartz island, granite front and slate appliances. Dining room with crystal chandelier.
RE/MAX REG | LOU BARBEE (440) 899-0000
PARMA |
Charming ranch with many recent updates. Living room open to dining. Refinished wood floors in bedrooms. Exceptional maintenance. Furnace, air and water in 2020. Bluetooth thermostat. Siding in 2021. Finished lower level with glass block and full bath. Absolutely move-in-ready. 2 car garage.
RE/MAX REG | LOU BARBEE (440) 899-0000
Beautiful Mariners Cove in Vermilion. This end unit ranch condominium features an open floor plan, vaulted ceilings and floor to ceiling windows. 10 foot ceilings throughout. “Galley” kitchen, dining area, laundry space and powder room. One floor living with private master suite and office.
RE/MAX REG | LOU BARBEE (440) 899-0000
LAKEWOOD | $850K
Vaulted great room. Open concept floor plan. Much of the value is in the location and land. This solid brick Lake Erie residence could be fabulous – or a tear down. Hillside deck. Breakwall. Not in the Coastal Erosion Area. Water access in need of some refining. 2 car attached garage.
RE/MAX REG | LOU BARBEE (440) 899-0000
CLEVELAND | $639K
Outstanding décor and upgrades throughout. Master with large walk-in double vanities and tiled shower. 2nd bedroom, remodeled quartz and porcelain bath and laundry complete this level. Amazing views from the private rooftop terrace. Approved conventional 0% down/no PMI loan. Tax abated until 2030.
RE/MAX REG | LOU BARBEE (440) 899-0000
Manicured 2-acre country estate. Home with large vaulted great rooms and fantastic views of its stocked pond. Many special features. An excellent home for entertaining. 40x60 barn with HVAC. 13 indoor parking spaces. Zoned residential and commercial. Generator. Owner financing possible.
RE/MAX REG | LOU BARBEE (440) 899-0000
A unique opportunity. Just moments from Lake Erie in a wonderful community. The patio and balcony overlook the picturesque pond. The walkout lower level doubles the square footage with its 20x23 family room, fireplace and full guest suite. Excellent additional storage. 2 car attached garage.
RE/MAX REG | LOU BARBEE (440) 899-0000
ON SEPT. 25, 1960, John F. Kennedy was the featured speaker at the Cuyahoga County Democratic Party’s “Steer Roast.” It wasn’t actually a roast; just a day for a party faithful to gather at Euclid Beach Park on Cleveland’s East Side.
It was the third consecutive year Kennedy spoke at the event, and in that span, he’d gone from the “glamour boy of U.S. politics,” which The Plain Dealer had called him in 1958, to the Democratic candidate for president.
Kennedy flew into the lakefront airport (it would be named in honor of former Mayor Thomas Burke the following month), met with elected officials and spoke at the Hollenden Hotel. He then was driven in a convertible 200 blocks east to the amusement park, through streets lined with cheering fans. Cleveland officials said they hadn’t seen anything like it since
President Franklin D. Roosevelt a generation earlier, and Russell Baker of The New York Times noted it was particularly impressive given that the Browns were on television that afternoon. (They pounded the Philadelphia Eagles, who went on to win the NFL title that year.)
In his speech, Kennedy went on the offensive against Vice President Richard Nixon, the Republican candidate, in anticipation of their debate the following night — the first to be televised. And he noted the importance of Ohio, saying, “I think the next President of the United States will carry Ohio, and we have to carry it.”
Kennedy won the election — but Nixon won Ohio. On election night, when that became clear, Kennedy rolled up his sleeve to display a hand and forearm swollen from shaking hands. “Ohio did that to me,” he said.
