CCLB 12-04-06 A 1 CCLB 12/1/2006 3:22 PM Page 1 www.crainscleveland.com Vol. 27, No. 49/$1.50 DECEMBER 4 - 10, 2006 LATENEWS GROOVY, BABY ■ RETRO CANDY BIZ EMINENT DOMAIN PUT ON TRANSLATES INTO BACK BURNER UNTIL ’07 SWEET SUCCESS FOR ■ The Ohio Legislature won’t be taking up eminent domain until the TRIO. PAGE 17 new session in January, a victim of a busy legislative calendar dominated by the state capital appropriations budget. State Sen. Timothy Grendell of Chesterland said early last week that he was preparing eminent domain legisla- tion for the current lame-duck session. The legislation would have included a constitutional amend- Condos in offing for Public Sq., Flats ment ballot issue that would have restricted the ability of the state of Howells & Howells LLC, in Howells plans to have one-, two- and and its cities to acquire private Park Bldg., former marina lined up for conversion describing his plans to convert the three-bedroom units costing upwards property. However, after Sen. nine-story Park Building into 26 of $200,000. Grendell met last Thursday with By STAN BULLARD on Scranton Road in the Flats will be for-sale condominiums and to add a The plan calls for the adjoining the Senate leadership, his office [email protected] redone as condominiums under 10th floor of penthouses to the struc- Southworth Building to become two e-mailed that the Legislature plans two different developers are ture at 140 Public Square. floors of attached indoor parking would not be taking the issue up The Park Building, a century-old pursuing. The building has beautifully pre- garage serving the Park Building. The before the end of the year. office building with shuttered upper “We’re working on a real gem served brass elevators, intricately craft- Southworth’s upper floors will be — Jay Miller floors on Public Square in downtown here,” said Matt Howells, a construc- ed terrazzo floors and first-floor retail, developed later as more residences or CHINESE DELEGATION TO Cleveland, and a one-time marina tion manager and managing partner all of which will be retained. Howells & See CONDOS Page 28 MEET WITH OHIO FIRMS ■ A delegation of 70 Chinese business and government leaders will be in Cleveland today and Tuesday to meet with Ohio compa- Fate unclear nies that will try to sell the Chinese group on doing business in Ohio. The event, at the Intercontinental for cluster Hotel in Cleveland, features Chinese vice ministers Ma Xiuhong and Zhang Qiong, along with more of remaining than 30 Chinese industrial compa- nies. The event is organized by the World Trade Center Cleveland. In Tops stores addition to Cleveland, the Chinese representaives also will be visiting By JOHN BOOTH Seattle and Washington, D.C. [email protected] — Shawn A. Turner SURVEY: OHIO IN NO. 1 As Tops prepares to check out of Northeast Ohio for good, the SPOT TO BE COMPETITIVE future of more than one-third of its ■ After a one-year evaluation of remaining stores remains undeter- 100,000 U.S. manufacturers, mined just four days before their Ohio ranked first in the country scheduled closing. among states best positioned Tops’ parent company, Royal to be competitive in a global Ahold N.V. of Holland, announced in economy, according to findings by July it was leaving the Ohio market independent industry research MARC GOLUB and seeking to sell its remaining group eMvoy of Chicago. The Jeffrey Ramsey (left), executive director of the Detroit Shoreway Community Development Organization, and stores here. Deals for 21 of those 46 group scored manufacturing Matthew Zone, Ward 17 councilman, are among those promoting the development of the Gordon Square stores have been announced, and companies in each state, weighing Arts District. The effort includes the planned reopening of the Capitol Theatre (background). unsold stores are scheduled to close such factors as company size, at 3 p.m. this Friday, Dec. 8. ISO certifications, technological Hilco Real Estate LLC of North- innovations and web site content. brook. Ill., lists 12 Tops markets in — David Bennett SUPPLYING DEMAND Northeast Ohio for sale on its web site, www.hilcorealestate.com. Four MEDICAL MUTUAL PLAN Leaders behind resurgence of near West Side’s Gordon Square of those stores were closed in 2005. INCLUDES SUMMA AGAIN The listing would seem to indicate ■ People covered by health confident in its viability as an arts, nightlife destination that no buyer has been found for the insurance from Medical Mutual of other eight stores that still are oper- ating, though Tops spokeswoman Ohio Inc. once again can access By JAY MILLER “When people see the for the Near West Theatre and a health care through Akron’s Tracy Pawelski cautioned against [email protected] Gordon Square Arts renovated Cleveland Public that conclusion. Summa Health System. Medical Theatre. All of it would be capped Mutual and Summa agreed on a District, they’ll know where “They’re being brokered in a he Gordon Square Arts off by the reopening of the different way” than other stores, Ms. new contract that will begin Jan. 1. District isn’t ready to rival they are.” historic Capitol Theatre as a sort- The two organizations canceled Pawelski said. “It should not be Broadway in New York or – Matthew Zone, councilman, of West Side version of the Cedar- their contract two years ago after assumed that there are not prospec- Cleveland’s Playhouse Ward 17 Lee Theater, which shows inde- tive buyers for those stores as well.” unsuccessful negotiations. Medical TSquare as a center of the arts, but pendent and alt-Hollywood films. Mutual has about 170,000 Those eight stores range in size neighborhood planners believe they are in striking “There’s a lot of unmet demand on the West Side,” from 47,475 to 74,310 square feet and members in Summit, Medina and th distance of making the intersection of West 65 Street said Jeff Ramsey, executive director of the Detroit have lease agreements expiring Portage counties. — Shannon and Detroit Avenue the focal point for the arts and Shoreway Community Development Organization, a Mortland between 2011 and 2023. The smallest nightlife on the city’s West Side. nonprofit that is spearheading the arts district effort. store is in Ashtabula; the largest is a In the next 18 months, neighborhood planners Detroit Shoreway owns the Gordon Square Arcade, leased location on East Waterloo Road and fundraisers anticipate the opening of at least which houses the Capitol Theatre. four new eateries, a second art gallery, a new home See GORDON Page 12 See TOPS Page 28 49 SPECIAL SECTION 6 HEALTH CARE NEWSPAPER Movement technology allows Jennings Center 71486 01032 ■ sites to lighten the burden on nurses Page 19 Entire contents © 2006 0 PLUS: ADVISER ■ ON THE JOB ■ & MORE by Crain Communications Inc. CCLB 12-04-06 A 2 CCLB 12/1/2006 3:07 PM Page 1 2 CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS WWW.CRAINSCLEVELAND.COM DECEMBER 4-10, 2006 COMING NEXT WEEK COMING NEXT YEAR More than a hobby Work & Play Whether it’s breeding Cecropia moths or selling scrapbooks and Do you have an innovative home 700 W. St. Clair Ave., Suite 310, Cleveland, OH 44113-1230 comic books, hobby-based entrepreneurs figure out how to turn office, or do you know someone Phone: (216) 522-1383 a leisurely pastime into a business venture. These business who has found an interesting way Fax: (216) 694-4264 owners have not only found their niche in the marketplace, but to incorporate a work space into www.crainscleveland.com they’ve also cashed in on their favorite hobbies. Find out more their home? If so, tell us about it for Publisher/editorial director: Brian D. Tucker ([email protected]) about their unique endeavors in our monthly Small Business our debut Work & Play section, Editor: Mark Dodosh section. scheduled for Jan. 22. E-mail ([email protected]) sections editor Amy Ann Stoessel Managing editor: Scott Suttell ([email protected]) REGULAR FEATURES at [email protected] or call Sections editor: Amy Ann Stoessel 216-771-5155 with tips on people ([email protected]) Classified ...............26-28 Reporters’ Notebook....30 Design editor: Kristen Miller who have home offices that are the Editorial ......................10 Stocks.........................30 ([email protected]) Senior reporter: Stan Bullard envy of the neighborhood. PHOTOS.COM Going Places ...............18 Tax Liens.....................16 ([email protected]) Letters ...................10-11 The Week ....................30 Reporters: David Bennett ([email protected]) Shannon Mortland ([email protected]) Jay MIller ([email protected]) John Booth ([email protected]) Shawn A. Turner ([email protected]) Designer/reporter: Joel Hammond ([email protected]) Research editor: Deborah W. Hillyer ([email protected]) Cartoonist/illustrator: Rich Williams Online editor: Jeff Stacklin ([email protected]) Associate marketing manager: Nicole M. Burke ([email protected]) Account executives: Sarah Toth ([email protected]) Jeanne Cash ([email protected]) Adam Mandell ([email protected]) Art Bouhall Jr. ([email protected]) Classified advertising manager: Don Schwaller ([email protected]) Office coordinator: Toni Coleman ([email protected]) Western accounts manager: Ellen Mazen, 323-370-2477 ([email protected]) Western accounts assistant: Alexander Carlos, 323-370-2400 ([email protected]) Production manager: Craig L. Mackey ([email protected]) Production assistant: Steven Bennett ([email protected]) Graphic designer: Kristen Wilson ([email protected]) Receptionist: Going exactly by the book Jodi Stirtmire ([email protected]) Billing: Susan Jaranowski, 313-446-6024 is not exactly smart. ([email protected]) Credit: Donna Meeks, 313-446-6097 ([email protected]) Circulation manager: Flexible answers from a leading business bank. Erin Miller ([email protected]) Business is hard. It’s competitive. And the rules keep changing.