A University Circle resident, Terri Hamilton Brown is president of University Circle Inc., a nonprofit organization that manages development, police protection and parking. It also banks land for future development within the one-square mile that houses Cleveland Museum of Art, Case Western Reserve University and Severance Hall. University Circle, Inc. has recently completed the Wade Oval renovations in just one year, and now is hosting a series of free events called Third Thursdays, featuring music, food and area vendors. This week, Third Thursdays takes place on Thu 8/19, featuring Doug Wood on progressive acoustic guitar from 11:30AM to 1:30PM, and Anne E. DeChant, playing folk, rock and jazz on the new Kulas Stage from 5-7PM. For more information, see http://www.universitycircle.org
Cool Cleveland: You live in the University Circle area. How do you relax or spend your weekends?
Terri Hamilton Brown: Who relaxes, who has time to? On Saturdays I run errands; I do what all working women do. I love to walk my golden retriever around the Circle. You know, what I’m learning to do now is get out of the Circle to make sure I stay connected with friends and family, and I also do yard work.
You've lived in this neighborhood for about 5 years. How has life changed in the University Circle area over the time you’ve been living here?
Lots of development. And it actually feels like there’s a little more to do, that there are more people coming out. We’ve added a few new restaurants on Euclid, so there are more people out and about.
What hasn’t changed?
There's been a few things, like at 105th Street, there could be more development. There are non-profits around here that are our partners; Famicos Foundation [a nonprofit community housing development] is working on development, but that’s happening slowly. The surrounding neighborhoods have not picked up the pace as it has in the Circle. So we’ve started convening a meeting of the surrounding non-profits, and we’ll be working on some joint projects with them.
Is this the collaborative project you're working on for Peter Lewis that we've been hearing about?
Very separate. We started working on this before; Peter Lewis' involves the institutions within the Circle. But I’m talking about working with our neighbors in the surrounding community; I got that from my other jobs, that the relationships will help us build bridges and to partner with the other communities.
What can you tell us about the planned collaboration between Case and the rest of University Circle that you'll propose for funding to Peter Lewis?
That we’re working together; we’ve not been talking about it publicly, but some wonderful ideas are coming forth.
What is the potential for University Circle?
Unlimited. Our vision is to be the premiere urban district.
In Cleveland?
No, it's unlimited.
In the world?
You got it. We’re making investments, and executing plans to revitalize the Circle.
How do you see University Circle in relation to Downtown Cleveland?
It's right down the street...?
Well, we have two Downtowns. Don't you think when Cleveland's privileged citizens endowed University Circle, it was almost as if they wanted their own playground...
I don’t think it was planned that way. I don’t think when Jeptha Wade endowed this community they knew it would become the educational and medical center that it is now. All the research and biomed happened to be located here; we’re seeing growth in jobs right now and downtown is very important to our city. I work with Jim Haviland [Midtown Corridor] and Lee Hill [Downtown Cleveland Partnership] and we talk about development as the Euclid Corridor project moves forward to spur development along Euclid Avenue.
Do you think University Circle was specifically put here to be away from Downtown?
I think we’re adding this social perspective without thinking about the geography. I’m not that much of a historian, so I don’t know about that, but when [philanthropist and industrialist Andrew] Carnegie gave the gift of libraries, they were meant to be free.
What are the major priorities of University Circle, Incorporated?
We’re focused on development and making University Circle a destination in and of itself, separate from the institutions as we develop more housing, more retail. We look forward to people saying, "Let’s go out to dinner, and then let’s go to University Circle." The improvements to Wade Oval include venues such as Kulas Stage, which is a cool place to come visit. My other focus is on managing the services that make this district a special place; we can’t take it for granted. We have police, transportation and we have signage, things that identify it as a district. It's all about development, destination and district.
How much land does Univeristy Circle Incorporated own?
We were originally founded to do planning, and to be a land bank for future development for our member organizations. We purchased lots of land to allow University Hospital and Case Western University to expand.
Is there a plan for development that is available to the public?
There was a Master Plan that's more than four years old.
Are developers interested in University Circle?
Absolutely. We’re interested in developers finding projects and helping us carry out the vision.
What is University Circle Inc's budget?
It's actually about $18 million, and most of that is parking and administration revenues. We manage 11,000 parking spaces, many for Case and University Hospitals, they own them and we manage them, and we pass that money on.
In Mayor Michael White's administration, you helped oversee the Church Square project, with retail and housing. Do you see something similar for University Circle?
Yes, along Euclid Avenue. Not design-wise, but the mix of residential development on the scale of hundreds of units, plus retail. We are working to make that happen.
How closely do you work with the Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals and Case?
We work with Case and University Hospitals more than Cleveland Clinic Foundation. Case and University Hospitals are the founding members of University Circle Inc., so we work very closely with them.
Do you work with Cleveland Clinic at all?
We’ve had a recent meeting to discuss how to market University Circle to patients, visitors and their employees, and the Inter Continental? Hotel. The Hotel’s management and staff have been great supporters of our efforts. We even have a package deal with an overnight stay and tickets to University Circle institutions.
How do you balance the concerns of residents such as those on Hessler Street, with the need to move ahead with development?
There are specific challenges to a region of the city where most of the residents leave town for the summer. On the other hand, many smaller college towns are able to create a vital, thriving culture based on transient students.
How do you nurture an entrepreneurial environment in University Circle?
It was in the vision because it is important to our stakeholders. We work with our members, but our members are the ones who would drive the spin-off of businesses from the research. Obviously, Case is a good place for that, and in particular the Cleveland Institute of Art. Our job is to create an environment where we go beyond the institutions to the people, so they can innovate, come here and excel. University Circle, Inc. doesn’t do the research or create the jobs, but our institutions do. Many are involved with research and creating jobs.
What’s happening with retail along Bellflower Court?
The Silver Spartan diner was added since that vision, which is great.
The plan calls for stimulating collaboration amongst the University Circle institutions?
We’re all about collaboration, with UCI it has been a good deal for us to come together to respond to Peter Lewis’ challenge. I met with [developer] Peter Rubin recently who’s planning to close later this summer on Shaker Square. We have this RTA circulator that’s connecting Shaker, Coventry, Little Italy, Cedar and University Circle.
About 16,000 young people attend college in University Circle. Do you have any plans for retaining those folks in the Cleveland area to help stem our well-publicized brain drain?
Didn’t I read somewhere that this well-publicized brain drain is somewhat overstated? Cleveland is a wonderful place to live. The more chances we have to integrate young people in the community will encourage them down the road to call it home, so we have an opportunity to do this. We have the SAGES [Seminar Approach to General Education and Scholarship] program for students, having classes offsite for them to become engaged in the community. We’re involved with our University Circle Inc. Community Education Program and CASE to work with the SAGES program, where we work with the institutions and the Cleveland Public Schools to bring interns in.
Your name has come up as a potential candidate for Mayor of Cleveland, but at the same time, you’re on record as not being interested right now. What conditions would have to be in place for you to seek elected office such as Mayor?
I’m not interested in the elected office, I am a public servant. I love my city and I work hard, but I’ve never been interested in public office and I’m not looking to be Mayor.
Interview by Thomas Mulready (:divend:)