2. 2013 Report to City Council Page 2
Department of Economic Development
CLEVELAND CITYWIDE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
All loans over $40,000 go through a rigorous underwriting review by the Cleveland Citywide Develop-
ment Corporation (CCDC). CCDC consists of members appointed by the Mayor & City Council and
includes bankers, local community members, business representatives and appointed officials. The
loans first are reviewed by the Loan Committee and then go for final review by the Board of Trustees.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Frank Jackson, Mayor
City of Cleveland
Tracey A. Nichols, Director
City of Cleveland,-Economic Development.
Anthony Brancatelli, Councilman
Cleveland City Council
Patricia Ramsey, Vice President
US Bank
Robert Brown, Director
City of Cleveland, City Planning
William J. Reidy, Retired Partner
Coopers & Lybrand Corp.
John P. Colm, Executive Director
Wire-Net
Daryl Rush, Director
City of Cleveland, Community Development
Luke D. Elsass, Vice President
Tri-State Capital Bank
Thomas Stone, Executive Director
Mt. Pleasant Now Development Corp.
Colleen Gilson, Director
Cleveland Neighborhood Development
Corporation
Anthony R. Thornton, Assistant Director
City of Cleveland, Economic Development
Stefan J. Holmes, Sr. Vice President
First Merit Bank
Natoya Walker, Director
City of Cleveland, Office of Equal Oppor-
tunity
Randy Horst, Vice President
PNC Bank
Henry West, Retired
Banker
Gerald Meyer, Senior Director
Community Member
LOAN REVIEW COMMITTEE
Anthony Brancatelli, Councilman,
Cleveland City Council
Randy Horst, Vice President
PNC Bank
Anita R. Brindza, Executive Director
Cudell Improvement
Dale R. Lenzer
Key Bank
Luke D. Elsass, Vice President
Tri-State Capital Bank
Gerald Meyer
Community Member
Kirby V. Freeman, Business Service Advisor
Cuyahoga County Community College
Leonard E. Olsavsky, Vice President
U.S. Bank
Wesley Gillespie, Sr. Vice President
First Merit Bank
Anthony Thornton, Assistant Director
City of Cleveland
3. 2013 Report to City Council
Department of Economic Development
RTA Trolley Project—Expanded Service
RTA expanded their free trolley service to take ad-
vantage of the opening of the Horseshoe Casino and to
improve connectivity to the Science Center, Rock &
Roll Hall of Fame and the lakefront. The project also
connects available parking at the Science Center,
Burke Lakefront and the Municipal Parking lot to the
underserved areas of the NineTwelve District. The es-
timated cost to expand the operations over a 3-year pe-
riod is $3.6 million. The
City of Cleveland provided
a grant in the amount of $100,000 as a pledge towards the
$720,000 local match that needed to be raised to expand the
trolley routes and to extend the hours of operations. The ex-
panded service includes 3 new routes including the C Line
which operates from 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. Monday through
Friday and from 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. on Saturday and
Sunday. The L Line operates from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on
Saturday and Sunday. The NineTwelve Line operates during
morning and evening rush hours Monday through Friday.
Burten Bell Carr, Inc – Urban Agriculture Zone
Burten Bell Carr, Inc. is collaborating with Rid-All Green Partnership, a minority-owned,
not-profit business founded by three local entrepreneurs, and has become a key partner
in the vision of the Urban Agricultural Innovation Zone in the Kinsman Neighborhood.
Their current facility uses urban agriculture to educate the next generation of Cleveland-
ers about sustainable healthy living. Rid-All Green Partnership is seeking to increase
its capacity by expanding the space it has to operate. They are proposing to create addi-
tional hydroponics and aquaponics stations at the project site across from their current
facility. This will allow them to use their existing hoop houses to grow kale, spinach, cel-
ery, and broccoli in the winter months,
while the new structure will focus on toma-
toes which are scarce in the Cleveland dur-
ing the winter months. Burten Bell Carr
Inc. received a UDAG Repayments grant
from the City to help with acquisition and
demolition costs. This project is expected
to create 3 full time jobs over the next 3
years. This project is helping to catalyze
the second phase of this project which will
include a new greenhouse and lead to
$770,000 of new investment.
SUCCESS STORIES
4. 2013 Report to City Council Page 4
Department of Economic Development
SUCCESS STORIES
Jay Lofts
The Jay Lofts project features the reha-
bilitation of a historic building in Cleve-
land’s Ohio City neighborhood. Con-
structed in 1924, this building has served
as a hotel, apartment building, and a
post office at various points. The struc-
ture will be renovated to restore its his-
torical look from the original construc-
tion. When complete, this $2.6 million
project will provide 8 “loft-style” apart-
ments and 14,000 square feet of ground floor retail space. The City of Cleveland will
provide a $720,000 loan based on the creation of 25 full time jobs.
Britton-Gallagher
Britton-Gallagher and Associates is an independent insurance brokerage firm with
three offices in Ohio. The firm
was established in 1942 and has
become one of the largest pri-
vately owned insurance agen-
cies in Northeast Ohio. As the
firm has evolved, Britton-
Gallagher has developed exper-
tise in various areas of Commer-
cial Insurance, Personal Insur-
ance, Health Benefits and Fi-
nancial Services. This expertise
has enabled Britton-Gallagher
to develop and provide insurance services unavailable in the common marketplace.
Britton-Gallagher decided to move its operation to Downtown Cleveland, along with its
60 jobs. The City of Cleveland assisted with a Central Business District grant worth up
to $405,000 over a five year period.
CustomPak
CustomPAK a 3rd generation family owned busi-
ness since 1922, purchased the former Clorox
building at 13501 Enterprise as a second location
to provide the company closer access to key sup-
pliers. CustomPak is your total source for clean-
ing, maintenance and protective products for the
Home, Auto, Industrial and Institutional markets
and a preeminent leader in contract formulating,
blending and packaging. The City offered a
$180,000 Vacant Property Initiative loan to assist
with the acquisition. The project will create a minimum of 30 full time equivalent jobs.
5. 2013 Report to City Council Page 5
Department of Economic Development
SUCCESS STORIES
6555 Carnegie
The third phase of the Midtown Tech Park campus, 6555 Carnegie, will add 66,000
square feet of high quality office space to the heart of the Health Tech Corridor. While
construction has just begun, the entire first floor has already been leased to Radio One,
one of the nation’s largest minority owned radio broadcasting companies. The City pro-
vided a $4,000,000 HUD 108 loan and a $500,000 Economic Development Administration
loan to help finance the project. The project will create upwards of 80 jobs in the City of
Cleveland.
BEFORE
AFTER
The Agora
A symbol of Cleveland’s rock and roll roots, the historic Agora complex will add 56,000
square feet of renovated space to the Health Tech Corridor while retaining and revitaliz-
ing the music venue from which its fame originates. The City has provided a $180,000
forgivable loan for the project and renovations are well underway on the office space.
Two of the floors are already fully renovated and leased to small startup technology com-
panies. The Agora renovation will retain 15 jobs and create at least 25 new jobs.
MODEL SUITE FINISHED INTERIOR SPACE
6. 2013 Report to City Council Page 6
Department of Economic Development
SUCCESS STORIES
Manitowoc/Cleveland Range
Cleveland Range, located at Amsterdam and St. Clair, was acquired by Manitowoc who
needed to determine whether to close their Cleveland facility or their Ft. Wayne, Indiana
facility. Whichever City was selected would also be the home of the new headquarters for
the division. The Cleveland facility had 260 jobs and if selected would add 120 new jobs.
City Economic Development staff worked with multiple departments city-wide to acquire
land, repair streets, work with local businesses to repair code violations and demolish va-
cant buildings nearby. The City, State and County provided incentives to land the new
facility. Workers at the Cleveland Plant worked to increase plant efficiency. Manitowoc
selected the Cleveland facility. Construction on the plant and the new headquarters
building should begin this spring, 2013.
Health Tech Corridor
The Health Tech Corridor continues to grow and attract businesses. In the past 3 years,
the City assisted with over 334,000 square feet of newly constructed or renovated space.
Completed buildings are fully leased and 6555Carnegie, or Midtown Tech Park III is un-
der construction and is already 40% leased. Over 17 acres of land have been remediated
and received their NFA (No Further Action) Letter and are being marketed with great
interest. The Transit Oriented Development Project has attracted national attention, as
evidenced by the number of tours of the project we are asked to lead and the requests for
the City to attend conferences and discuss the projects successes.
NINETWELVE District
The NINETWELVE District was once
the Hub of Downtown, but had reached a
high vacancy over the past decade. A public-
private partnership came together to re-
brand the area and work to plan for it’s re-
newal. Downtown Cleveland’s office, resi-
dential and retail market continues to
evolve with signs of great progress and posi-
tive momentum. According to CBRE’s Mar-
ketview Report, Downtown Cleveland’s of-
fice occupancy rate has increased 4.9 percent
over the last two years to 81.6 percent.
Much of this growth is concentrated in the
NineTwelve District. Several companies, in-
cluding corporate headquarters, have located here over the past year including AmTrust
Financial Services, BrandMuscle, Britton Gallagher, NorthCoast Media, Alexander Mann
Solutions, Urban Code, Inc. and Quez Media Marketing. These companies are bringing
over 1,700 jobs. They are joined by major downtown employers like Oswald Companies,
Osborn Engineering and Grant Thornton recommitting to the NineTwelve District and
adding new jobs. New restaurants include Cowell & Hubbard and Winks at the Galleria.
7. 2013 Report to City Council Page 7
Department of Economic Development
SMALL BUSINESS INITIATIVES
Grow America Fund
The City has provided another $200,000 for the National Development Council’s Grow
America Fund (GAF). GAF provides financing to growing small businesses throughout
the country and promises to leverage at least 5 times the original capital. GAF operates
as a community development lender to support the creation of jobs and the expansion of
eligible small businesses in underserved areas, particularly minority and women-owned
businesses. The financing provided is partially guaranteed by the U.S. Small Business
Administration. The National Development Council has a loan officer located in our re-
gion as a result of the City and County’s investment. Because NDC is a non-profit organ-
ization and not a bank, their motivation is not profit. Therefore they provide loans with
lower interest rates, longer terms, and lower down payments.
The City partnered with Cuyahoga County to provide funding in 2009 and the City pro-
vided $200,000 at that time as well. That funding lead to 9 loans totaling $4,331,600.
These loans helped to retain and create 233 jobs.
Ohio Mills Corporation was one of the assisted companies. The company manufactures
bins which are used to collect donated clothing. The clothing is then cleaned and sorted
and sold in bulk to national and international customers. They received a loan of
$358,000 to refinance their existing debt and $275,000 towards the purchase of their ex-
isting leased building. The business will retain 83 jobs and add an additional 12 jobs.
Economic and Community Development Institute (ECDI)
The Economic and Community Development Institute
("ECDI") is a U.S. Small Business Administration and
U.S. Treasury designated CDFI micro-lender current-
ly based in Columbus, Ohio. After a locally commis-
sioned study revealed a large gap in funding for start-up and existing small businesses,
the group, led by the Cleveland Foundation, sought an experienced micro-lender. After
several meetings, ECDI agreed to open an office in Cleveland to provide micro-lending
and technical assistance to both Cleveland-based small businesses and those throughout
Northeast Ohio. The group, including Cleveland Foundation, Cuyahoga County local
banks and the City of Cleveland provided operational and loan funds to the organization.
The City is providing $200,000 to ECDI to structure microloans to small businesses that
would not be eligible for traditional bank funding. A portion of the funding ($50,000) is
specifically geared toward immigrant and refugee business. The City’s funding will lev-
erage more than $4 for every dollar the City has committed. ECDI’s lending efforts have
resulted in $516,500 in loans to Cleveland based businesses, the retention of 6 jobs and
creation of an anticipated 35 jobs in the City.
8. 2013 Report to City Council Page 8
Department of Economic Development
VACANT PROPERTY INITIATIVE
In the past five (5) years, fifty (50) vacant properties were returned to productive use and over
3,500 jobs were to be created in the City of Cleveland due to this important initiative. A Vacant
Building is a blighting influence and discourages investment. Both vacant land and buildings
collect trash, graffiti and are attractive nuisances, eroding value in neighborhoods. Often vacant
buildings are tax delinquent, bringing in no revenues. The properties also are more likely to have
police and fire calls, using valuable city resources and costing more than the properties bring in,
burdening other tax payers. These are true success stories, reversing sprawl and showing growth
in our community. As the overall market has improved, the city incentive level was reduced as
banks resumed loan participation levels.
Year Borrower Ward
City
Assistance
Total Project
Cost
Jobs to be
Created
Jobs
Retained
2008 9 Loans multi $10,122,500 $58,730,673 2279 75
2009 16 Loans multi $10,988,750 $111,701,503 420 257
2010 St. Vincent Charity Medical Ctr. Parking 5 $130,000 $130,000 6 1200
2010 Ziska Architecture 3 $50,000 $500,000 5 0
2010 Zoresco Equipment Company 3 $70,000 $800,000 15 0
2010 Eaton Bay 17 $70,000 $1,605,000 7 23
2011 American Sugar Refining 5 135,000 750,000 14 96
2011 Ariel International LLC 3 $180,000 $255,000 20 4
2011 BZT Acquisition (Broadvox) 3 $180,000 $4,000,000 60 80
2011 Electric Cord Set 18 70,000 $906,000 28 0
2011 Garson Victory Building 5 $720,000 $7,392,450 75 0
2011 GCCIC-Laird 15 $243,000 $648,000 45 65
2011 Midtown Acquisition (7000 Euclid) 5 $180,000 $6,477,000 50 0
2011 Optima 777 (Crown Plaza) 3 $1,000,000 $73,389,741 250 0
2011 P & M Ohio City (Mitchells) 3 $180,000 $2,225,000 20 0
2011 Playhouse Square (Dwellworks) 3 180,000 $1,687,529 95 0
2011 Tyler Village 8 700,000 $5,600,000 20 0
2011 West 25th Street Lofts 3 $720,000 $4,591,250 20 30
2011 Providence House 3 $70,000 $1,800,000 20 30
2012 Thermagon Inc dba Laird Technologies 17 $148,750.00 $367,962.00 20 80
2012 Hemingway Development (Agora ) 8 $180,000.00 $3,806,466.00 25 15
2012 CustomPAK 18 $180,000.00 $1,000,000.00 30 0
2012 Northeast Shores Development Corporation 11 $41,700.00 $65,200.00 3 0
2012 Northeast Shores Development Corporation 11 $52,230.00 $69,850.00 10 0
Total- 50 loans $26,591,930 $288,498,624 3,537 1,955
9. 2013 Report to City Council Page 9
Department of Economic Development
2012 LOANS /GRANTS UNDER $250,000
Under Ordinance 697-08, the Department of Economic Development may enter into loan
or grant agreements for financial assistance for projects up to $250,000 with the approval
of the Cleveland Citywide Development Corporation, the Mayor and the Councilperson in
whose ward the project is located. Annually, the Department must report these loans to
City Council. Below are the loans for 2012.
Program Client Name
Loan/Grant
Amount
Total Project
Cost
Jobs to be
Created
Jobs
Retained
EDA Binkowsky-Dougherty Distribution, LLC $200,000.00 $600,000.00 7 7
UDAG Bravo Wellness $240,595.00 $962,380.00 125 0
UDAG Burten Bell Carr Development, Inc. $29,000.00 $35,000.00 3 0
UDAG Burten Bell Carr Development, Inc. $50,000.00 $542,740.00 4 0
EDA CardioInsight Technologies, Inc. $200,000.00 $600,000.00 6 18
UDAG Cleveland Rotary Centennial Celebration, LLC $50,000.00 $50,000.00 0 0
UDAG Collinwood & Nottingham Villages Devt Corp. $125,000.00 $125,000.00 0 0
VPI CustomPAK $180,000.00 $1,000,000.00 30 0
StYardTIF Detroit Shoreway Community Development Org $8,310.24 $12,310.24 0 0
UDAG Downtown Cleveland Alliance $100,000.00 $720,000.00 0 0
UDAG Gerald DeBose $23,500.00 $23,500.00 5 0
VPI Hemingway Development $180,000.00 $3,806,466.00 25 15
EDA ICON Technology Solutions Inc. $78,200.00 $237,000.00 5 5
UDAG Koinonia Properties, LLC $50,000.00 $237,394.00 4 0
UDAG Michael Sivo $1,000.00 $2,000.00 0 0
VPI Northeast Shores Development Corporation $41,700.00 $65,200.00 3 0
VPI Northeast Shores Development Corporation $52,230.00 $69,850.00 10 0
StYardTIF Ohio City, Incorporated $8,000.00 $8,000.00 0 0
EDA Ohio Cooperative Solar Inc. $200,000.00 $600,000.00 8 17
StYardTIF Old Brooklyn Community Devt Corporation $8,000.00 $8,000.00 0 0
StYardTIF Old Brooklyn Community Devt Corporation $25,000.00 $25,444.80 0 0
StYardTIF Old Brooklyn Community Devt Corporation $6,000.00 $6,000.00 0 0
UDAG Robert Linkous $2,050.00 $4,100.00 0 0
StYardTIF Slavic Village Development $32,000.00 $32,000.00 0 0
UDAG Terrence Tarantino $10,000.00 $20,000.00 20 0
VPI Thermagon Inc dba Laird Technologies $148,750.00 $367,962.00 20 80
StYardTIF Tremont West Development Corporation $20,000.00 $20,000.00 0 0
StYardTIF Tremont West Development Corporation $64,680.00 $64,680.00 0 0
UDAG Vincent P. Vasko Jr. d.b.a. Vinny's Beverage $10,000.00 $53,000.00 1 1
Totals $2,144,015.24 $10,298,027.04 276 143
10. 2013 Report to City Council Page 10
Department of Economic Development
SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE
NEIGHBORHOOD RETAILASSISTANCE PROGRAM
Colossal Cupcakes
Colossal Cupcakes, a
start-up, female-owned
bakery, moved into re-
tail space that had
been vacant for two
years at the Colonial Marketplace at 530 Euclid Ave-
nue. Colossal Cupcakes’ niche is homemade cupcakes
with creative flavors and designs. The small business
signed a 3-year lease for 1,507 square feet of vacant
space and has created one full-time and one part-time
job. The business has been a popular addition to Lower
Euclid Avenue. They have extended their hours of op-
eration due to the success of their business!
Whisk LLC d.b.a. Hodge’s
Whisk LLC d.b.a. Hodge’s is a great success story
of a food truck operator transforming to a “bricks
and mortar” restaurant which opened early sum-
mer 2012 at 668 Euclid Avenue. Chris Hodgson,
the owner of Hodge’s Restaurant, leased 4,410 sq.
ft. of space while investing over $250,000. Hodge’s
has created over 25 full-time jobs and an annual
payroll of approximately $414,000. The restaurant
has been a big supporter of purchasing local fruits,
vegetables, meats and herbs from local farmers
and serving the items as part of their menu.
Loan Recipient Ward
City
Assistance
Total Project
Cost
Jobs To Be Jobs
Retained
Created
Colossal Cupcakes LLC 3 $16,000 $28,000 1 0
Whisk LLC d.b.a. Hodge’s 3 $40,000 $250,000 25 0
Vinny’s Beverage 18 $40,000 $53,000 1 2
Hattie Larlham Community Living 18 $9,000 $587,987 20 0
Mac’s Sports Grill 1 $40,000 $98,000 12 0
Alba Market LLC d.b.a. Alba Fresh Market 17 $40,000 $5,000 6 0
Toast of Gordon Square Inc. d.b.a. Toast 15 $40,000 $76,700 8 0
Total $225,000 1,198,687 73 2
11. 2013 Report to City Council Page 11
Department of Economic Development
SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE
Vinny’s Beverage
Vinny’s Beverage is a 25-year old small busi-
ness convenience store in the Bellaire Puritas
Neighborhood at 13531 Lorain Avenue. The
company will make a major investment to re-
place the crumbled parking lot while increas-
ing landscaping for aesthetic improvements
and reduction of storm water runoff. Project
costs are estimated at $53,000 and this project
is expected to retain 2 jobs and create 1 new
job over the next 3 years.
Hattie Larlham -Hattie’s Doggy Day Care & Boarding
The Hattie Larlham family of agencies provides
vocational and social skill training for adults with
disabilities. The doggy day care is located at
18200 Brookpark Road. The project includes a re-
tail boutique store, boarding rooms, and an exer-
cise area. The site is in close proximity to Cleve-
land Hopkins Airport and the Brookpark Road
Rapid Transit station. The location near the air-
port is convenient to dog owners that need to
board their pets when they are traveling. Twenty
new jobs will be created.
Mac’s Sports Grill LLC
Mac’s Sports Grill is a minority-owned café moving into space at 17426 Harvard Avenue
in the Lee-Harvard Neighborhood. The business plans to create 12 full time jobs with an
estimated payroll of $300,000. The café will serve burgers, sandwiches, with a flavor of
soul food. Total project costs are $98,000. The City’s Storefront Renovation program is
assisting with the project.
Alba Fresh Market
Alba Fresh Market is a small neighborhood grocery
store featuring ethnic Albanian and Mediterranean
foods. The store opened at 3353 West 117th Street in
the Westown Neighborhood. The market offers fresh
locally grown produce, deli, meats and hot foods. Alba
Fresh Market’s mission is to provide customers with
quality grocery items and prepared foods. The store
opened operations in 6,700 square feet of space and is
creating 6 full time jobs with the project. The total
project costs are $105,000.
12. 2013 Report to City Council Page 12
Department of Economic Development
SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE
Chamberlain College of Nursing
Chamberlain College of Nursing, a subsidiary of
DeVry Inc., is training Cleveland’s next generation
of nurses. Chamberlain College opened in 2012,
leasing 30,000 square feet of space at 6700 Euclid
Ave. (Midtown Tech Park). Their space is a top of
the line and fully equipped with the most up-to-
date teaching tools used by the nursing industry,
including a SIMCARE center featuring patient
simulators that react much like a live patient
would. The City provided a Citywide Business
Grant worth approximately $60,000. Chamberlain
College will create approximately 50 jobs in the City.
Toast
Toast is a female owned café which will be located at 1365 West 65th
Street. The small business is occupying 2,500 square feet of space in
the Detroit-Shoreway Neighborhood and plans to open in early 2013.
Toast will specialize in providing locally sourced foods and an exten-
sive wine list and will create 8 full time jobs with a total projected
payroll of approximately $142,000. The total costs for this project are
approximately $76,700.
Northeast Shores Development Corporation
Northeast Shores, the City of Cleveland and a
successful small business entrepreneur are col-
laborating to create a restaurant destination on
Waterloo Road. This project looks to build off the
strength of the Beachland Ballroom which at-
tracts thousands annually to concerts, by provid-
ing locations for visitors to eat before or after
shows at the Beachland. The ambitious plan to
establish new destinations in vacant buildings
requires parking in the neighborhood. The City
is providing assistance from the Vacant Property
Initiative – Local Parking Needs program. The City’s assistance will help to develop two
public parking lots including one featuring landscaping, “green” elements, artistic design
and a bioswale to reduce storm water runoff. The project will support new restaurants &
cafes operated by local chefs, and local retail shops.
Famicos Foundation
The City provided an NDP grant in the amount of $5,000 to Famicos Foundation to assist
with pre-development costs for a building located at 12310 Superior Avenue. The build-
ing was formerly occupied by Hot Sauce Williams. Famicos has acquired the building and
is working closely with the City for redevelopment opportunities.
13. 2013 Report to City Council Page 13
Department of Economic Development
2012 BUSINESS GRANTS
Business Grants include the Central Business District Grant, and the smaller Citywide
Business Grant, Technology Business Grant and Green Technology Business Grant.
These grants are utilized to attract or retain businesses. The program provides a valua-
ble tool to compete with similar products in suburban communities. Total expected value
of the incentive is shown below, however the amount paid is based on actual new pay-
roll, verified annually.
North Coast Media LLC
North Coast Media LLC is a new start-up business-to-business
media company that manages and produces magazines web-
sites, e-newsletters, webinars and events across a wide variety
of markets. The company projects 30 new jobs with an estimat-
ed payroll of $1.7 million will be created within the first year of
operations. North Coast Media has leased 8,200 square feet of
office space at 1360 E. 9th Street.
Quez Media Marketing
Quez Media Marketing, Inc. is
a 3-year old, Hispanic-owned
and operated marketing company which grew from
1,200 sq. ft. to 5,000 sq. ft. at their new location on 1138
Prospect Avenue in Downtown Cleveland. The compa-
ny’s business model is to provide the highest quality
full service interactive and integrated marketing, social
media and web-based fulfillment to their clients. The
small business expects to add 21 employees over the
next 3 years to their current level of 6 employees.
Incentive Recipient City Assistance
Jobs To Be
Created
Jobs Retained
Cohen and Company $42,600.00 23 90
Comrod, Inc. $7,500.00 5 1
Texcel, Inc. $32,689.00 19 0
Dak P, Inc. $5,000.00 5 0
Total Quality Logistics $31,250.00 75 0
Northcoast Media LLC $50,000.00 30 1
ICON Technology Solutions Inc. $5,000.00 5 5
Bravo Wellness $72,500.00 125 0
$246,539.00 282 96
14. 2013 Report to City Council Page 14
Department of Economic Development
Brand Muscle
BrandMuscle, a 12-year old growing marketing firm, moved
their operations to Downtown from Beachwood, OH. The
company moved 157 employees to 55,000 sq. ft. of space at
the 1100 Superior Building. The firm signed an 11-year
lease with an option for additional space based upon their
job growth. BrandMuscle has become a leading expert on
local marketing performance to help their national clients
with creative tools to market, brand and sell their products
or services locally while driving sales. The company has
grown from zero employees in 2000 to 157 full-time employ-
ees with a $12 million payroll. BrandMuscle anticipates
creating an additional 200 jobs, with an additional payroll
of approximately $17.5 million over the next 5 years.
ICON Technology Solutions, Inc.
ICON Technology Solutions, Inc. (“ICON”) began as a home-
based start-up in 2003.. The 9-
year old company has estab-
lished a well trusted reputa-
tion for providing cost efficient
IT consulting for companies
seeking Custom Application
Design and Development, Web
and E-Commerce applications, Database Design, Business to
Business Applications and Mobile Application Design. The com-
pany anticipates doubling their current employment of 5 people
in 2013. They have leased space at the Agora Building located at 5000 Euclid Avenue in
the Midtown Tech Corridor. The City assisted with a $5,000 grant under the Citywide
Business Grant Program and gap financing for a portion of new office equipment in the
amount of $78,200. Total project costs are estimated at $237,000.
Dak P Inc.
Dakota P. Productions, Inc., a minority and female-owned company, was founded in 1995
in Los Angeles, CA. There are several other locations in the United Sates and one Van-
couver BC, Canada. The company is engaged in the development and distribution of
films and stage productions produced from scripts that are purchased by the company.
The current division had sales of $430,000 in 2011 and will continue to have the support
of the Los Angeles office as it generates business in the Cleveland market. Recently the
company produced a successful play called Sepia Girl which was held at Playhouse
Square. They have moved into an office at 12800 Shaker Boulevard. The City assisted
with a $5,000 grant for moving related costs from the Citywide Business Grant Program
to pay some of the associated cost to move equipment in the Theatrical/Stage Division
from Los Angeles and Vancouver, Canada to Cleveland. Dak P. Inc is anticipating the
creation of 5 jobs over the next three years.
2012 BUSINESS GRANTS
15. 2012 Report to City Council Page 15
Department of Economic Development
GARDENING FOR GREENBACKS
Grant Recipient Ward City Assistance
Diane Morgan d.b.a. Maggie’s Farm 15 $3,000
Needham Gardens LLC 18 $3,000
TOTALS $6,000
In summer 2012, the City revised the Gardening for Greenbacks Program by increasing
grant amounts up to $5,000 per eligible business. The increase in grant funding is due to
a financial grant contribution to the program by CoBank, AgriBank, and Farm Credit
Mid-America for the next three years. The group has a newly expanded mission to assist
communities that have a proven track record of supporting a local food initiative by cre-
ating jobs, eliminating food deserts, providing healthy food while improving the quality of
life for its residents. The total grant is $135,000, $45,000 per year for three years.
Diane Morgan d.b.a. Maggie’s Farm
Maggie’s Farm is a female-owned, urban farm on a ¼
acre lot. Vegetable, produce and herbs are grown
and sold at local farm stands, local convenience
stores, Gordon Square, Fifth Street Arcade and
Tremont Farmers’ Markets. The owner has operated
a market garden in the Stockyards neighborhood
since 2011 and completed the OSU Extension Mar-
ket Gardener Training program in 2012. She has
previous experience building three community gar-
dens and is the founder of NxGen, a nonprofit with a
mission of preserving land while growing fresh food.
Total project costs are approximately $3,200. In addi-
tion to herself, one new job was created.
Needham Gardens LLC
Needham Gardens LLC is an urban farm on 1/3 acre
of land at 12021 Kirton Avenue in the Bellaire-Puritas Neighborhood. The urban farm,
owned and operated by Virginia Needham, pri-
marily grows herbs and annual vegetables which
are sold at local farm stands, Kamms Corners
Farmers’ Market, and Rockport Farmers’ Mar-
ket. She has operated a market garden since
2011. She completed her certificate of training
with the OSU Extension Market Gardener Train-
ing Program in 2012. Future plans include ex-
panding the market garden to include a small
greenhouse and converting a garage to a hen-
house and storage shed. Total project cost is
$5,850.
2012 GARDENING FOR GREENBACKS
16. 2013 Report to City Council Page 16
Department of Economic Development
2012 WORKING CAPITAL LOAN PROGRAM
Funded with US Economic Development Administration (EDA) funds, these loans helped
small companies who were unable to acquire bank loans, in many cases due to more
stringent credit regulations. The program helped companies create and retain jobs.
CardioInsight
CardioInsight, a Cleveland-based med-
ical device company, was founded in
2006 to commercialize a breakthrough
technology designed to improve the di-
agnosis and treatment of electrical dis-
orders of the heart. CardioInsight is
commercializing a revolutionary non-
invasive electrocardiographic mapping
platform. The ECVue system gathers
electrical information about the heart
from a proprietary, multi-sensor elec-
trode "vest" placed on a patient’s body
and combines it with images from a CT
scan to provide 3D maps of the electri-
cal activity of the heart. Unlike conventional catheter-based mapping methods, the
ECVue system is non-invasive and provides a view of the entire heart’s electrical activity
in a single beat, enabling electrophysiologists to better guide treatments to localize ar-
rhythmias, or optimize the placement and settings of CRT devices, such as pacemakers.
The City of Cleveland has provided a $200,000 Working Capital loan to assist CardioIn-
sight in launching its product and continuing to expand here in Cleveland. CardioIn-
sight is expected to create 6 additional jobs.
Binkowsky-Dougherty
Binkowsky-Dougherty Distribution (BDD)
is a fourth generation interior and exterior
lumber distributor. BDD has filled orders
for some of the biggest construction projects
in in Cleveland like the Horseshoe Casino
and the Marriott Hotel. BDD even contrib-
uted to the construction of the World Trade
Center in New York City. BDD is building
a strong reputation in Cleveland and is one
of the only certified female-owned lumber
distributers from Cleveland’s Office of
Equal Opportunity. The City of Cleveland
provided a $200,000 Working Capital loan
to assist BDD in increasing its inventory so
the company could take on new clients and expand its business. In return, Binkowsky
Dougherty Distribution will create a minimum of 7 jobs.
17. 2013 Report to City Council Page 17
Department of Economic Development
BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT:
Remediation Activities
Orlando Bakery -
Orlando Baking Company has
been operating in the City of
Cleveland since 1904. They cur-
rently employ over 300 people at
their location on Grand Avenue.
Landlocked in their present lo-
cation and in need of space for
expansion, Orlando acquired the
neighboring former Van Dorn
site, a brownfield, for the loca-
tion of expanded production
lines and a new freezer facility. The City sought funding from the Clean Ohio Revitaliza-
tion Fund to assist with the demolition and remediation of the property. The clean-up is
expected to take place in 2013 and 2014, with the expansion to break ground in late 2014.
The expansion will allow Orlando to expand operations at their existing site, creating at
least 15 jobs.
Warner Swasey Building– The Department conducted a significant asbestos abate-
ment at the former Warner Swasey facility
to prepare it for transfer in 2013. Over
230,000 square feet of asbestos-containing
material (plaster, tiles, and insulation) was
removed and disposed from July to Decem-
ber 2012. USEPA RLF Funding received in
2011 was supplemented by additional fund-
ing in 2012 to complete the removal project.
With asbestos removal complete, the project
development team is analyzing the struc-
ture to prepare for redevelopment activities
to begin in the coming year.
Recipient Program Ward
City
Assistance
Total Project Cost
Jobs
To Be Created or
Retained
Orlando Baking Co. CORF 5 $1,263,135 $1,693,119 315
Warner Swasey Building -
Asbestos Removal
Cuyahoga Co. ARRA RLF
ODOD ARRA RLF
5
$1,127,937
$200,000
$1,527,937 360
Totals $2,591,072 $3,221,056 675
18. 2013 Report to City Council Page 18
Department of Economic Development
BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT:
Industrial/Commercial Landbank Program
CURRENT PORTFOLIO
Property Acres End Use Requirements Status
Green City Growers 9.85 Food Production—Greenhouse SOLD December 2011—Under
Construction w/ Production to begin
in January 2013
Trinity Building 5.6 Incorporate design guidelines
and meet job requirements
No Further Action Letter—Filed w/
OEPA December 2011
Asphalt Plant 2.7 Incorporate design guidelines
and meet job requirements
Currently Marketing the site.
Crescent Avenue 10.77 Support Maritime Industry and
Green Space Development.
Site environmental data under re-
view. Remediation plan being im-
plemented. Site under negotiation.
Location
5800 Diamond Ave.
9203 Detroit Ave.
West 3rd Ave.
3418 Crescent Ave.
Warner Swasey 5701 Carnegie Ave 2 Incorporate design guidelines
and meet job requirements
Asbestos Abatement Completed
December 2012. Under Option.
Ward Bakery 4501 Chester Ave 2.5 Proposed Third District Police
Station site.
BUSTR NFA Resolved—Site Engi-
neering nearly complete, Construc-
tion expected 2013
Coke Plant-CVIC Independence Ave. 54 Incorporate design guidelines
and meet job requirements
Site work is largely complete. Road
Installation complete. Actively
Marketing Site.
Midland Steel 10615 Madison
Ave.
22.0 Incorporate green design guide-
lines and meet job requirements.
OEPA Covenant Not-to-Sue Issued
July 2012
Former Tops–
Superior and Lake-
view
11905 Superior 6.46 Site of Sav-A-Lot & Forman Mills
Future Site of Advance Auto
SOLD August 2011
OUTLOT Sold—October 2012
E. 57-59th/Chester-
Euclid
Chester Ave. from
E. 57th to E. 61st
7.37 Incorporate green design guide-
lines and meet job requirements
OEPA Covenant Not-to-Sue Issued
October 2012
E. 61st & Chester
Block
Chester Ave. at E.
61st and 63rd St.
2.53 Incorporate green design guide-
lines and meet job requirements
SITE UNDER OPTION
OEPA Covenant-Not-to-Sue Issued
May 2012
In 2005, the City of Cleveland created the Industrial/Commercial Land Bank as a tool to hold
and remediate brownfield sites for redevelopment. ICLB Projects are more time-consuming
and can be more expensive than traditional development projects. In 2012, many of the first
projects taken on by the ICLB program were administratively approved for redevelopment.
In 2013, the Department of Economic Development expects to contract with a real estate pro-
fessional to aggressively market these properties and bring additional revenues into the City
through land sales and tax-generating construction and development. To date, the ICLB has
taken in 125 acres. 16.3 acres were sold, 4.5 are under option and 96 acres are remediated
and being marketed, leaving 13.5 acres to be remediated.
19. 2013 Report to City Council Page 19
Department of Economic Development
BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT:
Site Assessment Program
The City utilized the USEPA funded Northcoast Brownfield Coalition funding in partner-
ship with the County and Port Authority, the City’s own assessment dollars and received
one Clean Ohio Assistance Fund grants. The funding environment was extremely chal-
lenging with the Clean Ohio program on hold for most of the year and reduced signifi-
cantly in scale. The City and its partners in the Northcoast Brownfield Coalition contin-
ue to seek additional funding from U.S. EPA through the competitive grant program to
bring additional funding to the community and attempt to fill the gap created by reduced
Clean Ohio availability. Fifteen (15) sites were assessed.
Midland Steel
The City acquired the former Midland Steel Complex in 2006. Formerly a major manu-
facturer of car and truck frames, Midland’s business declined substantially in the early
2000s and closed in 2003. The City was able to secure a Clean Ohio grant to supplement
the City’s funds for site remediation and undertook demolition and remediation activities
from 2007 through 2012, encountering several unforeseen site conditions along the way.
Through Cuyahoga County, a USEPA RLF Stimulus Grant was secured in 2011 to com-
plete the abandonment of a gas well and the completion of the site remedy. The site has
secured a No Further Action Letter and a Covenant Not to Sue from Ohio EPA and is
ready to market. Several developers have already indicated interest in the 21-acre indus-
trial development site, one of the largest sites with rail access in the City.
Project Program Ward City Assistance
Jobs To Be
Created
Jobs
Retained
Marquette Site Assess-LB 8 $25,793 34 0
Deluxe Bumper Site Assess-LB 5 $23,943 0 120
Juvenile Justice Center Assess-LB 5 $34,288 N/A N/A
Garrett Square Phase II Assess-Coalition 9 $31,936 15 0
1200 W. 76th St. Assess-Coalition 15 $35,000 3 0
Oberlin Bldg. Co. Assess-Coalition 15 $35,000 0 4
Detroit Shoreway—1265 W. 65th St. Assess-Coalition 15 $26,807 30 0
Detroit Shoreway—5700 Detroit Assess-Coalition 15 $41,437 N/A N/A
National Freezer Assess-Coalition 5 $41,500 10 5
Intesa Lot 45 Assess-Coalition 9 $33,560 500 0
4971 Woodland Ave. Assess-Coalition 5 $8,500 5 0
Euclid 115 Apartments Assess-Coalition 9 $6,000 3 0
Fifth Church of Christ NDP 16 $21,830 20 0
Garrett Square—Phase II NDP 9 $20,000 15* 0
Fortuna Development Site COAF 3 $298,480 20 0
Total $684,072 640 129
BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT:
Success Stories
20. 2013 Report to City Council Page 20
Department of Economic Development
GRANT FUNDING RECEIVED
2 0 1 2 1 5 3 13 11
11
$-
$10,000,000
$20,000,000
$30,000,000
$40,000,000
$50,000,000
$60,000,000
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Number of Grants /Pass Through Loans by Year
Grant & Pass Through Loan Funding Received
Grant Name Funding Source Ward
Year
Awarded
Amount
Fortuna Construction Clean Ohio Assistance Fund 3 2012 $298,480
Orlando Baking Co. Expansion Clean Ohio Revitalization Fund 5 2012 $1,263,135
Walworth Avenue Extension Ohio Roadwork Development (629) 15 2012 $500,000
Warner Swasey—Supplemental EPA RLF (Through County) 5 2012 $672,974
Victory Building Ohio Job Ready Sites Program 5 2012 $1,000,000
Gardening for Greenbacks CoBank Citywide 2012 $135,000
Mayor’s Youth Education Program Private Donors Citywide 2012 $16,000
HOST Internship Cleveland Foundation Citywide 2012 $6,500
Living Cities Operations Living Cities Citywide 2012 $135,000
Living Cities—Website/Portal Living Cities Citywide 2012 $40,000
SC2 Fellow German Marshall Fund Citywide 2012 $15,000
TOTAL $4,082,089
21. 2013 Report to City Council Page 21
Department of Economic Development
BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT:
Success Stories
Shops At Garrett Square
The City sold the former Tops at Lakeview and Superior to CenterMark Development in
2011. In Spring 2012, the renewed Shops At Garrett Square opened, bringing groceries
and retail to the Glenville neighborhood with a Sav-A-Lot and Forman Mills store. The
stores combine to employ 77 Cleveland residents, many of whom are residents of the
neighborhood. In 2012, the City worked with CenterMark on the sale of an outlot on the
southern portion of the property, which will be developed with an Advance Auto and with
the due diligence toward the acquisition of a neighboring property, which will be the sub-
ject of additional retail development in 2013.
Cuyahoga Valley Industrial
Center
Beginning in 2009, the City, in
partnership with the Greater
Cleveland Community Improve-
ment Corporation, embarked on the
conversion of a rolling, contaminat-
ed former coke oven site into the
largest development-ready site in
Cleveland. The project included an
unusual beneficial re-use of dredge
material and slag. In 2012, the pro-
ject neared completion with the fi-
nal grading of the site and the con-
struction of the supporting infra-
structure necessary to market the property in 2013. The completion of this project has
resulted in almost 60 acres of available industrial property, capable of siting up to
750,000 square feet of development, on a brownfield site that few believed would ever be
redeveloped. The site is a major strategic asset for Cleveland that few cities in the re-
gion can offer.
Artist rendering
22. 2013 Report to City Council Page 22
Department of Economic Development
BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT:
Success Stories
Midtown—Chester-Euclid Block (57th-61st Street)
The Department of Economic Development had significant successes in bringing ICLB
projects to completion in 2012. In 2002, the City received a Clean Ohio grant for the
Midtown neighborhood block bordered by Euclid Avenue, Chester Avenue, E. 57th
Street, and E. 61st Street. The original developer and several additional end-users
pulled out of the project and left the City to complete the grant implementation and
clean-up of the property. In 2012, the City’s efforts were rewarded with a No Further
Action Letter and Covenant Not to Sue under Ohio’s Voluntary Action Program. As a
result, the City now owns one of the most attractive development sites in Cleveland. Lo-
cated in the heart of the Health-Tech Corridor, the 8+ acre site is expected to draw sig-
nificant interest in 2013.
Trinity Building
The City acquired the Trinity Building site in 2004 through the State Forfeiture process.
The property was thoroughly assessed and the decrepit building, a site of several fires,
was demolished in 2005 and 2006. After the discovery of unknown contamination and
an emergency removal action by USEPA in 2008, the site was released to the City to
complete remediation in late 2010. Additional remedial activities were completed in
2011 and the site achieved a No Further Action Letter in 2012. The City is finalizing
the Covenant Not to Sue with Ohio EPA and expects to be marketing a clean site in
2013. Located in the heart of the Cudell neighborhood, this formerly blighting influence
will be redeveloped as an asset to the community.
Industrial Commercial Landbank Properties
Fortuna Construction—The 2727 Transport Road
site has a long and checkered past. At one time used
for chemical manufacturing, the site was not proper-
ly managed and operations were eventually shut
down by USEPA. Fortuna Construction is a grow-
ing, female-owned small business, engaged in hous-
ing and excavating throughout the region. Fortuna
has begun the exploration of acquiring the
Transport Road site as its headquarters. The site’s
centralized and industrial location will help save
the company time and money in its services. With
the assistance of Fortuna’s environmental counsel,
the Department and Fortuna secured a Clean Ohio
Assistance Fund grant to thoroughly assess the site and develop a plan for remediation.
The assessment work was nearly completed by the end of 2012 and Fortuna has begun
exploring options to fund the remediation of the site and move forward with their reloca-
tion to Cleveland.
23. 2013 Report to City Council Page 23
Department of Economic Development
2013 BUDGET
FUNDING SOURCE BUDGET
UDAG REPAYMENTS $4,352,318.43
EDA TITLE IX (WORKING CAPITAL) $808,774.30
BUSINESS GRANTS $329,875.15
NDIF $3,245,091.76
NDP $378,966.68
RAILROAD FUNDS $89,564.67
CORE CITY I $0.00
CORE CITY II $0.00
EMPOWERMENT ZONE 108 $10,419,557.89
EMPOWERMENT ZONE EDI $1,730,494.18
HUD 108 & BEDI Grant $27,125,000.00
N.R.A.P., Food Cart & Gardening for Greenbacks $1,096,991.45
Small Business Revolving Loan Funds (CD Funds) $44,774.65
TOTALS $49,621,409.16
Inside Cleveland Business Plus Awards
Department of Economic Development
Sweeps the Awards
The Department of Economic Development
was presented with 4 awards at the Annual
Economic Development Awards in June. Eco-
nomic Development Agencies, Chambers of
Commerce, educational institutions and local
communities from 18 counties compete to be
the best in a number of categories. The City
entered 4 categories and won all four includ-
ing Business Expansion (Cleveland Research),
Asset Creation (Great Lakes Towing); Public
Private Partnership (Midtown Tech Center);
Business Expansion and Retention (AmTrust
Financial).
Director Tracey Nichols with staff holding their
awards. From Left to right: David Lukas, Kevin
Schmotzer, Liz Forester and Robin Brown. The
Plus Awards are the highest recognition in the re-
gion for Economic Development.
24. 2013 Report to City Council Page 24
Department of Economic Development
Tracey Nichols, Director
216-664–3611 tnichols2@city.cleveland.oh.us
Anthony Thornton, Assistant Director
216-664–2832 athornton@city.cleveland.oh.us
Marilu Acevedo, Administrative Assistant to the Director
216-664–3677 macevedo@city.cleveland.oh.us
Shaunquitta Walker, Office Manager/Legislation/Prev. Wage
216-664–3644, swalker3@city.cleveland.oh.us
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & TECHNOLOGY
Robin Brown, Project Manager
216-664–3612 robin.brown@city.cleveland.oh.us
David Lukas, Project Coordinator
216-664–3010 dlukas@city.cleveland.oh.us
Michael Elliott, Project Coordinator
216-664-4470 melliott@city.cleveland.oh.us
SMALL BUSINESS
Kevin Schmotzer, Executive for Small Business Growth
216-664–3720 kschmotzer@city.cleveland.oh.us
Anthony Stella, Project Coordinator
216-664-4363 astella@city.cleveland.oh.us
SPECIAL PROJECTS/BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT
David Ebersole, Brownfield Program Manager
216-664–2204 debersole@city.cleveland.oh.us
Daniel Budish, Development Officer
216-664-4274 dbudish@city.cleveland.oh.us
Genna Petrolla, Special Project Coordinator
216-664-3605 gpetrolla@city.cleveland.oh.us
Cheng Han Yu, Intern 216-664-2202 cyu@city.cleveland.oh.us
FISCAL/ADMINISTRATION
Dan Rehor, Fiscal Manager
216-664–3610 drehor@city.cleveland.oh.us
Byron Demery, Controller 216-664–2203
Greg Perryman, Assistant Controller 216-664–3672
Trinette Wiggins, Auditor 216-664-3622
Brandon Hoffman, Fiscal Intern 216-664-3621
Ethel Maheu, Administrative Manager 216-664–3676
Alicia Torres, Paralegal 216-664–2406
ClevelandEconomicDevelopmentTeam