Photo illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios. Photo: Matthew Busch/Bloomberg via Getty Images
"Brownfields like this one have held our neighborhoods back for too long. We're now flipping the script — turning a dangerous, decaying eyesore into a world-class job site. With this scale of clean land now in public hands, Cleveland is finally positioned to compete for some of Ohio's largest economic development opportunities."
— Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb, in a statement
What's happening: The Site Readiness for Good Jobs Fund, the city of Cleveland and the Cuyahoga Land Bank broke ground last week on an $11 million demolition and environmental cleanup project at the 13-acre former National Acme site at East 131st Street.
Cleveland has also purchased an adjacent 22-acre site, formerly occupied by Republic Steel.
Why it matters: Taken together, the parcels represent the largest (and therefore most marketable) development site in the city.
Located between Glenville and Collinwood, the site is also considered attractive for its proximity to both major highways and rail lines.
What they're saying: Leaders are pitching the effort as a means to catalyze investment and job growth in high-poverty areas.
"This isn't just about one property," Councilman Anthony Hairston said in a statement. "This is about opportunity. It's about putting our neighborhoods in a position to attract investment, grow jobs and give people in this area a fair shot at economic stability."
