We hope to begin restoration of our office building very soon. We have had more than 25 contractors through the building in the last few months. Many of the contractors who saw the space were not interested in a project of this scope. Many didn’t understand our goals of adaptive re use and historical preservation. Most knew little or nothing about building to sustainable standards. It really has been up to us to educate the contractors on what we want. The entire experience has reassured me of the validity of this project. In case you haven’t followed my blog, I will let you know about the most exciting part of our office project. There is a small cottage that sits on the property that is attached to the main building. It will be surrounded by an educational green space that will teach builders and the general public about some of the basics of sustainable landscaping. It will feature native plants and ideas that will encourage native wildlife. We are planning a rain garden to handle some of the stormwater runoff and will install permeable pavers to help manage the rainwater. The cottage building itself will be an educational space that will be open to the public. It will feature exhibits on sustainable ideas and building techniques. The idea is to encourage a two pronged educational approach toward fostering sustainable building ideas. Both the construction community and property owners will be able to learn a little bit about things like dual flush toilets and R values (insulation). Our philosophy is that if Cleveland is going to keep up with the times, it is going to be necessary for builders to learn and educate their clients, and for property owners to learn and demand from their contractors, greener ideas that will save them money and resources. We hope that the next guy who wants a low flow fixture, or ideas about saving on energy costs can come and start at our “Eco Park.”
I have also begun the process of talking to retailers and business owners. We plan on having a 950 square foot office space, in a LEED building, and a 750 square foot retail space. The goal is to attract like minded companies to the area. We hope to work with neighboring property owners to establish a coffee shop. There is plenty of open real estate in the area and we want to attract new investment that will make the Eco Village neighborhood more than just housing and community gardens. As I met with one retailer, she asked me the hard questions. Where would her employees eat? What would attract consumers to the area to shop at her store? Where was the nearest grocery store? I took all of this in, and it made me realize that there was plenty of work to be done outside the scope of our project. Detroit Shoreway is a dense urban neighborhood with shopping, restaurants, and services. There are still gaps to fill along Lorain.
Lorain Ave was once the home of a vibrant business and residential district. The streetcar was laid and the street regrades to make use of the existing development. Now, huge sections of this main corridor lie vacant or underutilized. We hope to work with other like minded businesses to attract new investment and new businesses to the avenue. The infrastructure already exists, and while some buildings are being renovated and rehabbed, new ones are popping up as well. The Urban School is a gem in the area. Closer to the West Side Market, there are buildings being made into showplaces. There are antique stores and small businesses, but we need more. I would like to see a small grocery, like a Mustard Seed or Web of Life. There should be a coffee shop that serves organic and fair trade coffee. A good quality deli that has healthy foods, a vegetarian restaurant, garden store, and eco friendly home supplies and furnishings would all be welcome additions to the area. There is plenty of room for a fitness center that could focus on holistic health, instead of a store front of treadmills and stationary bikes. The old Nautilus Fish buildings would easily house an Eco Mart. Cleveland is ripe and ready for a vibrantly healthy walkable business district, and we want it to be here. The established bicycle store and RTA station make this a perfect fit. I have a vision for the area, would you like to take part?
Safe interior finishes: Low VOC finishes and sealants were used to keep the space free of airborne contaminants. This means that it won’t have a “new house” smell and can be moved into right away.
I was greeted at the door by Amelia. We had never met, but you wouldn’t know it by the way she said hello. One thing that matters when building a successful business is a great team, and I know that Jonathon’s wife is a huge part of that team. Other members of that team include Chef Jonathan Seeholzer, Everest Curley and designer Sin-Jin Satayathum. I enjoyed a great brew while waiters slipped through the crowd with wonderful teasers like steak tartare and rosemary garlic fries. It just made me sad that I couldn’t order a whole meal right then! While we mingled with a few people we knew, I managed to check out the decor. Everyone I looked, I was impressed by the use of re purposed materials. They left as much of the building as it was, which is great. The original architecture is cool itself. The space was then complimented by reclaimed wood from area barns and farmhouses. They took the time to search out usable “previously loved” furnishings to compliment the space. I was thrilled to see carpets made of sample squares and my favorite were the eco-friendly bicycle lights. Locally designed and made and using LED technology to save energy. They utilize motion sensor faucets and solar powered dual flush toilets. Fly ash (an industrial waste product) was added to the concrete to use less natural material. Even the glass in the poured concrete counters was culled from their own recycling!
Just across from the rapid station is the Michael Zone Recreation Center. They have great green spaces and the building view is great.
