CLEVELAND — Along with the Downtown Cleveland Alliance, city and county officials rolled out a new comprehensive strategy for building and accelerating growth in the Downtown core beyond the hours of the traditional, 9-to-5 work day.
Stressing that the city’s Downtown cannot go back to a pre-pandemic “normal,” Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb, Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne and Downtown Cleveland Alliance President Michael Deemer outlined a series of short and long-term strategies to transform Downtown from a traditional business district into a more vibrant, mixed-use neighborhood.
The strategies include:
- A better utilization of the public spaces downtown through smaller, more frequent events.
- A more concerted effort at developing and sustaining a downtown retail sector.
- Additional lighting, way-finding and placemaking improvements and helping to facilitate the conversion of vacant office spaces into flex spaces or residential units.
“If you think we’re going back to a pre-COVID world, you’re sadly mistaken. We’re not,” Mayor Bibb said. “The future of Downtown has to be bold. It has to be different. We have to change the value proposition of our Downtown.”
The so-called Reimagined Downtown emphasizes three things: the economy, environment and experience.
Although roughly 60% of Downtown’s workforce has returned to the office and the Downtown residential sector remains strong, retail options in the Downtown core are quite limited, which has long been a lament of Downtown residents. To meet this need, the DCA and Destination Cleveland have partnered with Streetsense, a consultant, to draft an action plan for attracting new Downtown retail tenants and more women- and minority-owned businesses.
In addition to filling vacant storefronts, the new Downtown plan seeks to double down on more office-to-residential conversions. In the wake of the pandemic, Downtown workers are spending less time Downtown and, instead, are only reporting to the office two or three times a week. This glutton of excess office space presents the opportunity to add more residential units in the downtown core, officials said.
“This is the era of the mid-size city. I believe we have one of the best Downtowns in America,” Bibb said. “This strategy that we have outlined today will go a long way toward making that vision a reality in our city.”
Despite a greater focus on Downtown’s residential sector, officials aren’t abandoning all attempts at attracting new companies to Downtown Cleveland. Officials hinted at a renewed and revamped job incentive program that would provide incentives to companies new to the city and create at least 50 jobs. City officials are also exploring possible changes to the zoning code to make it easier for developers to invest in Downtown by altering or removing specific parking requirements and, instead, pushing more transit-oriented and multi-modal developments.
For the remainder of the year, residents and employees working in and around Downtown can expect a more robust roster of events in public spaces. Last year, there were some 450 events at public spaces Downtown, according to the DCA. In 2023, that number is expected to increase to 600. Also, the DCA and Destination Cleveland will invest in green space enhancements, landscaping, and public art. Better lighting and experiential lighting will be added to additional way-finding and placemaking signage.
The DCA plans on adding 20 additional Downtown ambassadors specially trained in de-escalation tactics to help complement the existing police presence downtown.
“Having that clean, safe, welcoming environment, having those great experiences, is what leads to having a strong economy,” Deemer said.
Long term, the group stressed the importance of finally building a land bridge connecting Downtown to the lakefront. The so-called North Coast Connector project has been discussed for decades. Still, it has gained traction amid discussions about a future renovation of Browns Stadium and new leadership at the city and county levels.
“The infrastructure right in front of us will change. We will have a Downtown resident community and Downtown office community reach its harbor as it should,” Ronayne said. “We will get over that beast between us — that highway that has divided us. We will be a partner in that infrastructure. I truly believe that our best days in Downtown are ahead.”
