Developer, 63
Why he's interesting: Wolstein's vision for the Flats never wavered, even as the economy did. Now, more than a decade after he and his late father, Bart, first floated plans for a new riverfront, the Flats East Bank is once again the place to be in Cleveland with hot spots such as Alley Cat Oyster Bar, Punch Bowl Social and FWD Day and Nightclub. Vision Quest: "Originally, we really looked at the Flats as an entertainment district and we thought we might be able to add a movie theater to diversify the mix. As the project evolved, the vision became much more of creating a neighborhood." Mother Knows Best: Wolstein credits his mother and business partner, Iris, with the modern look of the Flats. "A lot of the design elements down there are from her. She has a great eye for design — always has." Development Woes: "We had a consortium of four banks and, one by one, they all opted out during the recession. We went back to square one. It was a pretty devastating blow." Sitting Pretty: Future plans include more residential space, restaurants, nightclubs and possibly a VIP cinema. "It's the new rage in movie theaters — reclining leather seats where they serve liquor and dinner. Think of it like club seats at a game. It really is revolutionizing the industry."
Wolstein's favorite place
