Massive School Construction Project Squandering Opportunities

"These should be days of glory for the architecture of Cleveland public schools. Instead, they're becoming days of mediocrity...If ever there were an opportunity for excellence in architecture and planning -- and a chance for Cleveland to distinguish itself nationally -- this is it...It's a chance to revitalize Cleveland, to reinvent urban schools for the 21st century and to preserve historic buildings capable of meeting new educational standards.During the next decade, the district plans to build 51 schools and renovate 59...With so much money coming from the state, the school project represents a rare and massive infusion of cash into a city fighting poverty, physical decay and the loss of jobs and people. But critics say the school district is settling for second-rate design and spurning offers of help from local experts and community organizations."