Thu 6/3 @ noon
Unlike Chicago, Cleveland blew it on conserving its lakefront many years ago, locating industry and a stadium there and cutting off access of east-side communities with the Shoreway.
In recent years, it’s attempted to make up for some of the damage, with improvements to Edgewater Park and the West Shoreway, and the Lakefront Nature Preserve at the north end of MLK Blvd. In other ways, it’s gotten worse: the prefab-looking lego apartments crowding the space behind the Rock Hall and the rushed replacement of one monstrous lakefront stadium with an even uglier one.
You probably know what our answer will be the question posed by the next “Possibilities: Re-Imagining Cleveland’s Lakefront” dialogue series. The topic is “Should Browns Stadium Be Part of the Harbor?”
“There are a great many people in Cleveland who believe the stadium should not have been rebuilt on the lakefront, and the footprint could have been better utilized with development that enhanced the area around the Science Center and Rock Hall, and provide the downtown community with dramatically increased green space and access to the lake,” says The Green Ribbon Coalition, the sponsor of the forum.
Well, yes.
The Coalition “envisions an accessible, connected ribbon of neighborhood, community and regional parks, trails and nature preserves along the Lake Erie waterfront that inspires all stakeholders to protect, enjoy and value this natural asset as an essential element of the region’s economic success, ecological health, civic vitality, and overall quality of life.”
Sort of like Chicago.
“With this vision in mind, aren’t there better uses for 55 acres of prime lakefront land?” they ask. Sounds like we may be on the same page.
Panelists include Port of Cleveland Director of Urban Planning and Development Linda Sternheimer; Cleveland Foundation executive VP & COO Lillian Kuri; and executive director of the Cuyahoga County Planning Commission Mary Cierebiej. City of Euclid Director of Planning and Development Allison Lukacsy-Love moderates; and Chris Lynn, GRC Design Collaborative Team, Associate Principal, Planning & Landscape Architecture Practice Lead, AECOM, hosts.
Upcoming forums will look at alternative sites downtown for Browns Stadium (that we’re talking about another likely taxpayer-funded stadium in less than 30 years in America’s poorest big city is also disturbing), the formation of a Lakefront Development Authority (which the Browns’ owner has any input into what happens to the lakefront, let alone leads the decisions, is disturbing as well), and the proposed Gordon Park Landbridge.
The Zoom event is free; register here.
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