The
Competitiveness
of Cleveland
Sheri Bontrager - Pete Farina - Jason Russell
Housing in Downtown
Cleveland
Employer Assisted Housing (EAH)
• Benefits of EAH
• Recruitment
• Retention
• Revitalization
• Community Relations
• Reduced Commute Times
Employer Assisted Housing
(EAH)
• Come Home Cleveland (CHC)
• Market living in Downtown Cleveland & CHC
• Financial Assistance
• Real Estate Consultant
• Housing Consultation
Come Home Cleveland (CHC)
Marketing
• Overcome the negative
connotation associated with
living downtown
• Market CHC to companies in Downtown Cleveland
to
increase the number of employers participating.
Come Home Cleveland (CHC)
• Financial Assistance
• Forgivable Loan
• Typically 3-5 years
• Cleveland Clinic 12 months
• Loan are used to subsidize or
cover up-front costs
• Rental Assistance
• Security Deposit covered, rent subsidized monthly
• Hard to administer
Come Home Cleveland (CHC)
• Real Estate & Housing
Consultant
• CHC could be the one-stop shop for
potential downtown residents.
• Housing Consultation would be a
requirement for employees receiving
assistance
Come Home Cleveland (CHC)
• Funding Source
• Case by Case Employer Contribution
• State Tax Credits
For-Profit
REACH Example
Regional Employee Assistance Collaboration for Housing
Education
“Some 50 four- and two-year colleges are
located in the eight Ohio cities highlighted by
our report and should be encouraged to
develop downtown satellite campuses”
- Bruce Katz, Brookings Institute
“We are working on a plan with the
Playhouse Square Foundation,
through Mr. Art Falco’s good efforts, to
move our theater program into a
theater at that location”
- President Michael Schwartz, CSU
Other Catalysts of
Competitiveness
Streetscape
Clean, Safe, Attractiveness?
Education
Coop program with businesses & universities
Marketing
Cleveland Plus+ (More local focus?)
Safety
Private police to patrol residential districts
Nightlife
Create a 24/7 city one night a week/month
Including RTA and Taxi services
Current Cleveland
Initiatives
GOAL
Where Cleveland has plans on
gaining its competitive edge
competitive amongst its future and
potential developments/ideas.
Public Art
Enhances Environment
Street Level
Pedestrian Friendly
District ID
Cohesion
Civic Pride
Reduces Crime
Inward Investments
Neighboring Properties Superior Corridor
Installation by Stephen Manka
1% of total construction costs
Green Cleveland
Cuyahoga Regional Energy Task Force
Goal
Cleveland Sustainability Program
Reduce Environmental Footprint of Cleveland on
Environment
Sustainability as Economic Development Tool
Take $ Saved and Put Towards Funds to Support
Businesses/Community Sustainability
Tax Breaks for Energy Efficiency/Sustainability in
Developments
50% Construction and Demolition Projects – local
recyclers
Clean fuel and fleets
Wind Turbines in Cleveland?
Urban Turbine
4 – 10 Wind Turbines on Lake Erie
First water-borne windmills in US
First freshwater wind turbines in the world
Megawatts Produced
Offshore Wind Power Development and Manufacturing
Regional, National, Global Market
Job Creation
Wind Research Center
Funding
To Be Continued
Bike Paths
Connecting the Neighborhoods
Tourists
Chicago Lakefront Bike Paths
Demographics
Incorporating Bike Paths Into New Projects
Lakefront Development
Slowing down the Cleveland Memorial Shoreway and
making pedestrian/bicycle friendly.
Port Relocation
Lakefront Development
Prime Real Estate
Incorporate Greenspace
Ports Along St. Lawrence Seaway
Logistics
3 Potential Relocation Points
Concentrating On Selection Of Investments
Good or Bad?
Stark’s Proposed Development
Location: Warehouse District
Cleveland IS a Mid-Sized City
Can Not Build Another Key Tower
Green Buildings
Putting People At The Street Level
Benches Along The Streets of Cleveland
Need to Densify Downtown
1.2 Million SF of Office
1 Million SF of Residential/Hotel
1 Million SF of Retail
Wayfinding Signage
Creating a better Cleveland Experience
What is Wayfinding Signage?
“Wayfinding is the process of using spatial and environmental cues
to navigate through an environment. In its most literal sense,
wayfinding is the ability of a person to find his or her way to a
destination.” Corbin Design
“Wayfinding can be defined as the orderly structuring of information
required to enable people to comfortably and successfully access
an environment.” Central Atlanta Progress
Signage is Versatile
Useful for drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists
Actively highlights a city’s assets
Identify services: public transit and parking
Public art that enhances the streetscape and
creates a sense of “place”
Promotes connectedness between districts
History of Cleveland Wayfinding Signage
• Result of recent
construction of Jacob’s Field
and the Gund Arena
• Downtown Development
Coordinators created the plan
Current Signage
Incomplete System
Poorly Maintained
Unattractive
Insufficient Information
No Confirmed Plans for
the future
Other Models
Atlanta, Georgia
New program currently implemented
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Original program sustained successfully since
its implementation in 1995
Atlanta’s Signage Program
Previous program in 1996
2002 plans for new
program
Maintenance plan with
future funding sources
Pittsburgh’s Signage Program
Plan implemented in
1995
Local signage
company
Successful
maintenance plan
Revisiting Current Problems
Incomplete System
Follow through with entire plan
Poorly Maintained
Establish plan and have a funding source
Unattractive
Incorporate ideas about public art, streetscape, place-making
Insufficient Information
Destination signage with means to connect districts
Downtown Experience
Improve downtown “travelability”
Clearly recognize Cleveland’s assets
Streetscape and Public Art
How does this make Cleveland a more
competitive city?
Creating a Competitive Cleveland
Our goal: to investigate many current and
potential projects that will enhance Cleveland’s
wealth of assets.
Employer Assisted Housing
Green Initiatives and Current
Projects
Wayfinding Signage
