Letter from the Director

Cleveland lost a future champion on February 27th with the passing of Joe Quandt, a student at Cornell’s College of Architecture, Art & Planning. More importantly, I lost a dear friend and someone who will continue to inspire me and hold a special place in my heart. Joe was my first intern at Ohio City Inc. I was in the middle of restructuring our entire office, which led to a mostly new staff, new strategic plan and new name for the organization. Joe walked in during the middle of this reorganization process, which must have been a daunting situation for a high school student. However, his talent and passion made him an instant asset to the organization.

As a first time executive director there were many times during that first year where I was in over my head. Joe was a breath of fresh air during these uncertain times. He reminded me of why I got into community development in the first place. His idealism and passion were contagious and truly kept me going and focused on the importance of our work in the community. He helped organize community meetings, archived decades worth of community plans from paper to digital records, and managed the logistics for Open Air in Market Square.

I was touched by Joe’s earnestness and commitment. He lived in a suburb that was a 30 minute commute from Ohio City, but we couldn’t keep him away from evening and weekend meetings because he was so excited about the work. This was in spite of the fact that Joe played a leadership role within his own family, taking on many responsibilities at home as well as in school and at Ohio City Inc. This is one of many reasons why I was not surprised to learn that he had been accepted into a program as prestigious as Cornell’s College of Architecture, Art & Planning.

Joe’s passion shone through again when he and fellow Cleveland-native and Cornell student Ken Kalynchuk brought their fellow planning students to Cleveland for a three-day tour of the city. My understanding is that they choose one city to visit a year, and Joe’s ability to convince them to visit his hometown is a testament to his passion for planning and for Cleveland. Joe made a strong mark on Cornell during his short time on campus. An article on his passing in the Cornell Daily Sun was filled with quotes from his fellow students and his professors on what a special young man he was.

Professor Hans Pike Oliver, city and regional planning, stated that “Joe was from the Cleveland area; he was very concerned about doing something for Cleveland in the future. Cleveland lost a part of its future,” Oliver said. “I am just disappointed that I’m not going to get to read about him in 10 years in the newspaper when he is governor of Ohio.”

We at Ohio City Inc. are also sad that we will not be reading about Joe’s future exploits, but know that he has already made a mark on his community. Ken Kalynchuk, Joe’s Cornell classmate summed up the thoughts of many, including myself, when he said that “I hope to help represent his legacy and integrity in my life & career.” Joe, you will be missed but your bright smile will be remembered and your legacy will continue far into the future.

Eric Wobser