Bibb says "cranes are coming" to Cleveland's southeast side
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In one of few newsworthy announcements in his annual State of the City address Wednesday, Mayor Justin Bibb said the city was launching a search for project teams to enhance publicly owned properties in Cleveland's Lee-Harvard neighborhood.
Why it matters: On top of the $15 million in federal pandemic stimulus funds allocated to southeast side redevelopment, the new projects will bring the city's total investment to nearly $100 million in a historically Black, impoverished part of town.
- "Promises made, promises kept," said Bibb. "The southeast side vision promise is no longer just a vision."
Zoom in: The properties include the three-acre former Gracemount School site on Glendale Avenue and the 14-acre former John F. Kennedy High School and recreation center site on Harvard Avenue, according to a city request for qualifications issued Wednesday afternoon.
The big picture: Bibb used most of his speech to recap his administration's accomplishments of the previous year.
- Those include the unveiling of a 10-year strategic plan, the RISE initiative for police officer recruitment, the "Residents First" housing legislation and waterfront development.
The intrigue: Bibb made no mention of the Browns stadium renovation or relocation, though that topic surely would have come up in a traditional audience Q&A.
- Instead, Cleveland State University President Laura Bloomberg moderated a Q&A following Bibb's remarks with filmed questions from Cleveland residents.