Downtown Cleveland Inc. has been awarded $100,000 to continue developing Public Square into a vibrant space for events, visitors, and residents. This comes as DCI is preparing for the “boom” of people to soon follow when Sherwin Williams opens its new headquarters in Public Square.
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Cleveland's Public Square is the blueprint for many cities across the country exhibiting the fact that downtowns can indeed flourish again.
“Public Square isn’t just the heart of downtown Cleveland, in many ways, it's the front porch for the city and the entire region,” said Michael Deemer, President and CEO of Downtown Cleveland Incorporated.
Deemer is working to keep Public Square at the forefront of city living, working, and play.
“It’s a great example of what high-quality public spaces can have on a community and on a neighborhood Public Square has had that impact to downtown,” Deemer said.
DCI was recently awarded a $100,000 grant by Project for Public Spaces. It’s a New York City-based non-profit that will work with DCI to make Public Square a better multi-purpose use space with visitor resources, not just a park or a RTA bus line hub like it is now.
“The idea is to have a hub where people can easily access information about what's going on in the square what’s coming up in Public Square,” Deemer said. “Also to make it easier to hold events might be somewhere we can have supplies to keep the space activated.”
Part of the grant will go towards enhancing programming, like possibly more live music and festivals throughout the year. Including removing the eye-sore tan road barriers.
“We have been working with the group planning commission and the City of Cleveland for a number of months on a plan to remove those barriers and replace them with something equally secure, but more aesthetically pleasing that blends into the environment better and we will have a lot more to say about that in the coming weeks as well,” Deemer said.
Despite some off-putting situations at Public Square last year like the Christmas tree lighting shooting Deemer said none of the grant money will go towards increased security efforts but adds DCI is working with the city of Cleveland to improve safety.
“It’s a high priority for downtown Cleveland to make sure we have that safe secure environment that makes people want to come in and enjoy Public Square,” Deemer said.
Downtown Cleveland Inc needs your help though. They want community input on how to move forward with these environmental upgrades and increased programming efforts. Click here to take the survey.
