Cleveland unveils massive East Side redevelopment
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Map: Courtesy of the Site Readiness for Good Jobs Fund
Cleveland leaders on Wednesday unveiled The Midline, a sweeping plan to transform more than 350 acres of long-vacant industrial land on the city's East Side into a business district and greenway.
Why it matters: It's the largest industrial redevelopment project in modern Cleveland history. The vision includes new factories, multipurpose trails, and community-centered public spaces.
- It's also Mayor Justin Bibb's most ambitious attempt to date to reconnect historically disinvested neighborhoods to jobs and economic growth, part of his agenda dubbed the "Cleveland Era."
Zoom in: The Midline stretches through parts of the Central and Fairfax neighborhoods, stitching together fragmented parcels along the old Norfolk Southern rail corridor.
- Leaders hope to lure advanced manufacturing, biomedical and R&D employers to the district.
By the numbers: The Midline envisions 1.5 million square feet of industrial and commercial space with more than 2,500 good-paying jobs, per a press release.
- Once fully realized, the project is projected to generate as much as $100 million in annual tax revenue for the city.
- A multi-use greenway is also planned, with parks and trails that connect to nearby RTA Rapid Transit lines.
What they're saying: Keisha Gonzalez, the new executive director of Land Studio development firm partnering on the project, noted Wednesday that 30% of nearby residents bike out of necessity, so the trails are more than recreational infrastructure.
- "The Midline is an effort to turn barriers into gateways," she said.
The big picture: The project is part of a broader effort by the Site Readiness for Good Jobs Fund, launched by the city in 2023 with pandemic-era federal dollars and Cleveland Foundation support to prepare industrial land for redevelopment.
- Roughly $11 million has already been spent on land acquisition, demolition and environmental work in the Midline footprint.
Between the lines: Bibb emphasized Wednesday that the project is more about people and neighborhoods than buildings or ribbon-cuttings.
- He said his grandparents left the segregated South for industrial jobs in Cleveland that promised a pathway to the middle class, and that today's residents deserve the same opportunities.
What's next: A full master plan is expected by the end of summer, with additional community meetings planned throughout the year.
- The Cleveland Foundation is now stewarding a permanent endowment fund to support the Site Readiness Fund's work.
- "This is a long-term financial engine behind the acquisition, cleanup and preparation of sites across Cleveland in perpetuity," said Cleveland Foundation CFO Rosanne Potter.