UH Wolstein Center design applauded

Seen from Euclid Avenue in Cleveland’s University Circle, University Hospitals’
proposed new Wolstein Center classroom and conference facility won unanimous
support today from City Planning Commission’s Design Review Committee
(levelHEADS). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

Detailed plans for a proposed conference and classroom facility at University Hospitals’ (UH) Cleveland Medical Center were unveiled today and won preliminary approval from the City Planning Commission. But considering the commission’s compliments about the project, it would be a surprise if the commission didn’t give the project final approval in the coming weeks.

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Cleveland Airport project’s first two steps take off

To build the new terminal at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, a new trans-
portation center seen at left has to be built. And to build that,  a new parking area at
Terminal D has to come first (Corgan). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

Ten days ago, Mayor Justin Bibb announced a $1.6 billion plan to construct the Cleveland Hopkins International Airport’s Terminal Modernization Development Program (TDMP). Today, more details came to light about that plan, called CLEvolution, as the City Planning Commission unanimously approved the first two steps forward in that eight-year program.

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Haslams: stadium project to advance without county

The Haslam Sports Group said it is no longer counting on support from Cuyahoga
County to build this enclosed stadium in the Cleveland suburb of Brook Park. It is
quite possible that this news is music to the ears of county and state officials who
have called this $3.6 billion project financially risky (HKS).
CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

A spokesman for the owner of the Cleveland Browns, the Haslam Sports Group (HSG), told NEOtrans that they have sent a letter today to Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne stating they will move forward without the county’s support, and saying they believe building an enclosed stadium in Brook Park is the only long-term stadium solution for the region.

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Cleveland-area TOD projects reach high in 2024

Since it was built in 2015, the Little Italy–University Circle station on the Greater Cleve-
land Regional Transit Authority’s Red Line over Mayfield Road has been a big success,
attracting tens of millions of dollars of new development and more ridership. This was
the scene after an Aug. 17, 2024 storm cleared the crowds during the Feast of the
Assumption (NEOtrans). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

An annual report by the Cuyahoga County Planning Commission released this week showed that Transit Oriented Development in the county reached an all-time high in 2024. But 92 percent of countywide TOD activity is occurring in the city of Cleveland. And only four of 26 communities along high-frequency transit routes and walksheds, called TOD corridors, had a TOD project in the past six years indicating a lack of suburban activity.

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Soccer stadium backers seek another property

A conceptual rendering of the proposed Gateway South Cleveland soccer stadium at
left with a Rapid station and rebuilt Old East 9th Street bridge over the Rapid tracks.
To the right of the tracks, in a white building with a dark roof, is a structure that is
either a repurposed or replaced Cleveland Black Oxide which is being acquired
by soccer stadium interests (CSG). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

Once again, we’re breaking the news on a pending real estate deal for a Cleveland-area sports stadium. But, unlike the deal by owners of a certain American football team for 176 acres in Brook Park, this stadium site and purpose were already well known.

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Ten60 Bolivar opening its doors Downtown

Leasing has started for the Ten60 Bolivar apartments in Downtown Cleveland
as construction is nearing its June 1st conclusion. It is the largest residential
development project in downtown right now (NEOtrans).
CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

If you’re looking to live in a new-build residential development in Downtown Cleveland, Ten60 Bolivar, located at 1060 Bolivar Rd., between the Gateway sports-entertainment complex and the Playhouse Square theater district, could be your only opportunity for a while. NEOtrans just got an exclusive tour of the property to show you what’s inside.

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Metroparks breaks ground on Parker Sailing Center

The new Patrick S. Parker Community Sailing Center now under construction at East
55th Street Marina in Cleveland will be first of its kind along Lake Erie in the state
of Ohio (Metroparks). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

The Cleveland Metroparks and its partners today broke ground on the Patrick S. Parker Community Sailing Center, a world-class community center coming to the East 55th Street Marina in Cleveland. When complete in 2026, the center’s two new structures will comprise the first community sailing center of its kind along Lake Erie in Ohio, offering stunning views of the Downtown Cleveland skyline and Lake Erie sunsets.

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Greater Cleveland’s population edged upward

Greater Cleveland continues to struggle with an aging housing stock, much of which
was built before the region’s population stopped growing in the 1960s. Now, most
of its new housing stock is in the exurban counties where population growth is
occurring at the expense of older, already established communities (NEOtrans).
CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

New estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau show that, while population in Greater Cleveland edged up a bit for the second straight year, the metro area is still down overall for the decade so far. And the city of Cleveland saw its population shift at the same it enjoys strong increases in income tax revenues from young professionals and retired empty nesters replacing lower-income families.

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Ohio City boutique hotel plan gets Landmarks nod

    This view from the intersection of Lorain Avenue and West 26th Street in Cleveland's
Ohio City neighborhood shows the location and design of a proposed boutique hotel
in the Market District (DLR). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

A proposed boutique hotel for Cleveland’s Ohio City neighborhood was significantly redesigned after conceptual plans were first presented to the city’s Landmarks Commission six months ago. Members of that same commission praised those changes and the additional design and material details that were presented today by the hotel’s development team.

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GCRTA seeks more railcars; program over budget

      By this time next year, the first of the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority’s
new light-rail train cars may be rolling off the assembly line at Siemens Mobility’s
assembly line in Sacramento, CA. This was the scene several years ago when the
same plant built very similar rail cars to Cleveland’s and were delivered to Calgary,
Alberta in Canada (Siemens Mobility). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

There’s good news and bad news when it comes to the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority’s (GCRTA) new railcar program. And the good news is the result of trying to keep the bad news from getting worse.

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Officials urge Haslams to publicly release their Lakefront Stadium renovation plans

This rendering of a $1.2 billion renovation of the existing Huntington Bank Field
on Downtown Cleveland’s lakefront was released to and published by Scene
Magazine today. NEOtrans has verified that the rendering is legitimate
(Scene). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM. 

After the first image of a renovated Huntington Bank Field on Downtown Cleveland’s lakefront was publicly released today by Scene Magazine, local officials are asking why it and other images weren’t released sooner by the owners of the Cleveland Browns so that the public could have a more informed opinion on which stadium plan to support.

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Hopkins Airport remake about to take flight

This view is looking southwesterly along a new Cleveland Hopkins International Airport
roadway with the new terminal on the right to be built where the existing “smart garage”
is located today. At left is a new ground transportation center with parking for 6,000 cars,
shuttle bus boarding areas and a Red Line rapid transit train station (Corgan).
CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

Mayor Justin Bibb and Port Control Director Bryant Francis unveiled plans and action steps today for a $1.6 billion first-phase, five-step program of improvements to Cleveland Hopkins International Airport in the next seven years, representing the start of more phases to come. The improvements come as Hopkins celebrates its 100th birthday this year.

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Ohio City’s north end of W. 25th to get refresh

The Nelson Block in the foreground and the Case Building next door on West 25th
Street in Ohio City were acquired by new owners in recent months for renovation
with new uses. Both are across the street from the Irishtown Bend Park site whose
hillside is first being stabilized (Google). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

Out goes the Hulett Hotel proposal. In comes a couple of redevelopment projects intended to reinvigorate the north end of West 25th Street in Cleveland’s Ohio City neighborhood, dubbed Hingetown. It is one of the last sections of West 25th in Ohio City whose historic buildings have yet to be renovated and redeveloped. All it took was a $110 million hillside-public park project across the street to help seal the deal.

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Walz Library-Karam Senior Living gets city OK

At long last, construction is about to get underway on the new Walz Branch of the
Cleveland Public Library and, above it, Karam Senior Living affordable apartments in
in Cleveland’s Detroit-Shoreway neighborhood. It is one of several major construction
projects emerging in this area (Bialosky). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

It’s a $34 million project nearly six years in the making. But after a pandemic, a sharp increase in construction costs, pursuits of additional financing and working out a complicated development partnership to build essentially two buildings in one, construction is finally in sight for the new Walz Branch Library topped by Karam Senior Living apartments.

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GSA confirms Celebrezze Federal Building to be sold

The Anthony J. Celebrezze Federal Building, one of Downtown Cleveland’s largest
buildings as measured in square feet, will be disposed of by the federal government.
The 1.2-million-square-foot building is slightly more than half-full with about 4,000
workers on-site (Google). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) today announced it will initiate a public sale of the 32-story Anthony J. Celebrezze (AJC) Federal Building, 1240 E 9th St, in Downtown Cleveland that could potentially save more than $430 million in total annual operating costs.

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Office leasing cools in first quarter of 2025

Newmark’s latest office market report had some gloomy data on leasing activity, espe-
cially for Cleveland’s central business district, while noting some potential positives
and negatives going forward (NEOtrans). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

Greater Cleveland’s office market in the first quarter of this year saw its second-lowest amount of leasing activity, as measured in square feet, in the last 16 years since the Great Recession. Only the fourth quarter of 2021, following the pandemic and the rise of remote working, saw less leasing activity locally since 2009.

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Ronayne seeks $350M to renovate lakefront stadium

The Cleveland Browns football team plays their home games at Huntington Bank
Field on Downtown Cleveland’s lakefront in a stadium built 26 years ago. The city
of Cleveland and Cuyahoga County leaders want to renovate the stadium to keep
the team and all of its hospitality-related activities downtown (HSG).
CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne has submitted a request for $350 million in state bonds to fund the renovation of the existing, city-owned Huntington Bank Field on Downtown Cleveland’s lakefront. He says it is a fair, affordable request that’s on par with what Cincinnati is seeking to rebuild its own existing football stadium.

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Joy Court-Old Mill Street development gets first win

Looking northeast from the intersection of Barber Avenue and West 32nd Place, the Joy
Court Townhomes at left and the Old Mill Street Apartments at right would continue the
transformation of the BVQ District of Cleveland’s Clark-Fulton neighborhood (Vocon).
CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

There’s been lots of new housing units planned lately for the Barber-Vega-Queen (BVQ) District at the north end of Cleveland’s Clark-Fulton neighborhood. But none is as large as the project that just won support from the city’s Near West Design Review Committee.

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Haslam chides state memos on Brook Park stadium

If state funding can be secured by July, this $2.4 billion enclosed stadium could open
in time to host the first football games of the Cleveland Browns’ 2029 season. But a
previously unanticipated, competing domed stadium of similar size could open one
year later elsewhere in the eastern United States (HKS).
CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

Two memos dropped today from two branches of state government, both urging caution when considering the Haslam Sports Group’s (HSG) economic impact projections from its proposed enclosed stadium and supportive development in suburban Brook Park. But HSG shot back, calling the reports “questionable” and “inaccurate.”

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Harvard-MIT design for power plant redo wins

Bearing no resemblance to its existing conditions of a vacant, post-industrial site,
a team of academic urban designers from Harvard-MIT proposed this vibrant
new vision for the former Lake Shore Power Plant property several miles east of
Downtown Cleveland (Harvard-MIT). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM. 

A redevelopment plan by a team of Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) students for the site of a former coal-fired power plant on Cleveland’s lakefront won the top prize in the 23rd annual Urban Land Institute(ULI)/Gerald D. Hines Student Urban Design Competition.

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