No Mistake: The Foundry features a boathouse, a rowing-centric gym, indoor rowing tanks and a riverfront park. "When Gina and I were growing up, we always heard Cleveland was 'The Mistake on the Lake,' " says Mike. "I think the mistake really is that the kids aren't on the lake. It's the mission we've taken on."
Family Ties: Their three all-star rowing offspring were motivation to pursue the project. Michael rowed at the University of Washington, Alyssa rowed at Hobart and William Smith Colleges in New York, and Kristian, a junior at St. Edward High School, captured a national championship at the Scholastic Rowing Association of America. "Something we noticed with our oldest daughter going off to college is that she immediately had 40 very close friends as part of the rowing program," recalls Mike.
Future Plans: For Michael's senior project in high school, he worked with a local architect to map out a family training center. Later, he decided a rowing center would have been a more beneficial way to train during the winter months. It sparked the idea for the Foundry. "We're kind of marching to his vision," Mike says.
Living on the Edge: Both Mike and Gina were raised less than a mile away from Edgewater Park and live nearby today. "It's been great to see the park evolve," says Gina. "When I was growing up, we were pretty much told not to go into the water. The transition that's taken place has been really beautiful."
Performance Art: Gina, a former ballerina, finds similar beauty in rowing and considers it more art than sport. "It has so much precision and timing," she says.
Trail Blazers: Although Mike and Gina aren't rowers, sports have long played an important role in their lives. Gina was a gymnast and Mike played tennis and ran marathons. Today, they both enjoy cruising the Cleveland Metroparks bike trail. "It's truly the jewel of Cleveland," admires Gina.
