CLEVELAND, Ohio — A plan for Cleveland’s lakefront is taking shape. New details about what’s been deemed the “North Coast” project emerged during a virtual meeting Monday afternoon.
The latest draft, which the planning team says is about 60% complete, highlights new features to make Lake Erie near downtown more accessible and enjoyable for the masses.
“When I was a kid, my mom used to bring us down to the lake, and they had muckrakers. And literally, there were guys that raked the muck aside so you could get into the lake,” recalled Laurie Dean, who grew up in Cleveland and was enjoying the Monday afternoon weather from the Downtown Mall.
She said she looks forward to new development and better utilization of the lakefront. Others agree the natural resource has untapped potential as an attraction for those who live, work and play in the city.
“I think there are so many cool things they could do with it,” said Maggie Wachtel, a downtown resident, who pointed to other lakefront cities like Chicago as inspiration.
The cornerstone of the North Coast Master Plan is the North Coast Connector, a land bridge from downtown to the lakefront. Direct access is currently disrupted by railroad tracks, the Shoreway and a large drop in elevation. The curving land bridge would also enclose more structured parking, freeing up current surface lots to be repurposed.
“We would definitely use it to walk down there every day on our afternoon walks,” said Jen McCafferty, who works downtown and walks with friends during afternoon breaks.
The most recent version of the North Coast Master Plan provided more details about the development planned on the other side of the land bridge. Where a parking lot currently sits North of the Cleveland Browns stadium, developers hope to create a mix of commercial, residential and recreational space with attention to the lake’s historical and ecological importance.
“The water is more than just a symbol of an asset, but it’s really our stakeholder — our great relationship with the lake,” said Cleveland Planning Director Joyce Pan Huang.
Some of the changes from previous iterations of the proposal include a rescaled “multi-modal hub” to accommodate more public transportation, refined plans for a boutique hotel and reconfigured beach and wetlands separate from boating channels.
Using feedback from previous community surveys and input meetings, the latest draft also features a cookout grove, natural play area, outdoor amphitheater and summer splash pad, which could be converted into a winter skating rink.
The planning team also highlighted a large food hall, space for small businesses and an urban promenade.
The project currently has no set price tag or funding plan. Developers are also awaiting the results of the economic impact study of Burke Lakefront Airport and the Cleveland Browns’ plans for renovating the team’s stadium. Both could affect the scope of the North Coast project.
“The Browns, as well as other stakeholders on the lakefront, all have been working collaboratively on this effort. What we know from the Haslam Sports Group is they plan to build a comprehensive and integrated stadium,” Pan Huang said.
Future phases of the North Coast project may include redevelopment of the Shoreway and Muni Lot, though developers expect the phases to be several decades away.
The development team is planning more community engagement events and encouraging residents and visitors to take part in an online survey.
You can find more details about the proposal and next steps by clicking here.
