Cool local artist and creative entrepreneur Bridget Ginley - founder W. 25th Street Buzz Gallery - has posted to her lake of consciousness blog, erie.effusion, some great concepts for better integrating and socializing regional brainpower to make NEO a more sustainable, quality place.

I agree completely and see these concepts interconnected with the multiDATA concept I propose. That 4 out of 5 Case students live on their campus, and CSU and CCC are commuter schools, and our other quality universities are far removed from our hubs of economy, are all critical, addressable problems here - the lack of integration of local university students, faculty, alumni and knowledge throughout this community depletes all their potential impacts here, and the value they gain from our local economy and resources. Future development planning for this region should take Bridget's insight into account - she's not alone in this vision for the future!

my civic ideas are simple - move CIA into the downtown area or simply push Case / CSU students more into downtown living....if our downtown had a youthful presence over by the Galleria, think of how many young adults would need housing, clothing, food and of course the fun extras like booze and cigs for the older, more taxable sinning students....they would not inhabit and move out quickly because they are enrolled and every semester you get a fresh crew of people striving for education and higher learning...putting stadiums in for teams that seven years down the road suck and have drained the city financially instead of focusing on a long range plan that intermixes downtown living with an educated population of international infiltration that might stay and grow in our burbs or flourish at their alma mater...

think of the possibilities if they made the Galleria the CIA Grad Center...how many hip young adults would need to drink coffee, eat pizza or hummus, need a art supply shop or check out a movie downtown if they were stuck there for two to four years while reaching a higher educated level in the liberal arts....our city banks on the rich to move in and care but they pretty much regard this town as a footnote in their resume...these people do not create an environment for the arts to grow, to survive and flourish, that is why it is up to individuals to take up the slack and do something worthwhile and impactful on their creative community...i had some hope with those "ARTS SUMMITS" held every year back in the early JC 's administration that this town would finally grow some balls and form a ART COUNCIL so some of these struggling spaces might get some aid every once in a blue moon but nope, there is not a talk of that anymore......i would push for that so then individuals in the visual arts community could get some either serious aid or some exposure for what and how they impact their community...forming a council to put together a real downtown art festival is also something an incoming mayor should promise...you can't imagine the impact on the arts festivals on Clifton or in Cain Park and how the surrounding businesses profit from such creative activity during the warm months with a festival going on...Cleveland needs to get a creative kick in the clue and that's my x-mas wish for this year.

What do you think about developing these opportunities Peter... students...other stakeholders? Post your comments below or add your own page of proposals.