CRAINSCLEVELAND.COM I APRIL 29, 2024
Northeast Ohio ripe for green economy Report outlines how region could benefit from environmentally focused development strategy By Kim Palmer
According to a new publication released by the Fund for Our Economic Future, the emerging global green economy will favor places like Northeast Ohio because it’s a place that makes things.
“The Practical Guide to the Green Economy,” is an urgent call for a green economic development strategy for our freshwater-adjacent, manufacturingrich region, explains Fund for Our Economic Future President Bethia Burke. “The green economy is a real
opportunity to retain current jobs and bring in significant job gains,” Burke said. “The green economy is the future economy, but that transition won’t automatically happen for us without some deliberate action.” The Fund’s Green Guide was
created as a strategic approach for governmental, civic, philanthropic and economic development groups to support and invest in the regional transition to an economy where jobs and technology are not yet in demand. The message, Burke said, is
that this economic shift — unlike the one 20 years ago to a technology-based economy — will reward places with the capability to build and deploy, rather than just program and design. See GREEN on Page 18
“The green economy is the future economy, but that transition won’t automatically happen for us without some deliberate action.”
AMERICAN PUBLIC POWER ASSOCIATION
— Bethia Burke, president of Fund for Our Economic Future
Cavs’ complex design gets the green light Final approval is still needed for downtown riverfront project By Joe Scalzo
The Cleveland Cavaliers’ riverfront project has moved a little further downstream. The Cavaliers received schematic design approval for the proposed Cleveland Clinic Global Peak Performance Center from the Cleveland City Planning Commission on Friday, April 19.
The motion was carried by a 6-0 vote after about 90 minutes of discussion. The Cavaliers will still need to get a building permit for foundation work and get final approval to do vertical construction. “From the Cavaliers perspective, this is amazingly exciting for us,” Antony Bonavita, the executive vice president of venue operations for the Cavaliers. “Moving the team back downtown has been a vision of (owner) Dan Gilbert’s for a while and this was a big step.” See CAVS on Page 18
J Roc Development brings style, flair Firm has quickly spun an array of major projects in Cleveland By Stan Bullard
In 2017, realty developerbroker Jesse Grant said that as a transplant to Cleveland from Portland, Oregon, he looked at Cleveland with “fresh eyes” in terms of possibilities. Fast forward to 2024. J Roc Development, the Tremont-headquartered firm Grant formed with high-profile realty lawyer-developer Nick Catanzarite, has put its stamp on the city with contemporary architec-
ture of scale in Tremont with Electric Gardens and the nearly completed Driftwood, both with more than 100 apartments. Another striking contemporary design is in the works for the Detroit Shoreway neighborhood, along with a wide range of other creations. As interesting as the designforward look of its projects is the fact that Grant and Catanzarite have built J Roc, which has a 15person staff, while continuing other full-time realty jobs. In the first interview J Roc has given about its strategy and formation as an enterprise, Catanzarite said recently he and Grant See J ROC on Page 17
“It’s the tangibility of building something that’s always been a passion. We both have a long history in real estate and love cool projects.” — Jesse Grant, co-founder of J Roc Development
VOL. 45, NO. 17 l COPYRIGHT 2024 CRAIN COMMUNICATIONS INC. l ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
These honorees are trail blazers in banking, venture capital, investment firms and more. PAGE 9
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