Cleveland has long suffered from weak connections between neighborhoods. Pockets of activity are scattered across the city—in places such as Tremont, W. 25th Street, the Warehouse District, Little Italy and Shaker Square. Yet they are often surrounded by areas that do not support a similar level of activity because of compromised urban fabric or streetscapes that cater to cars rather than people. This prevents vibrancy from spreading and reinforces a sense of fragmentation and isolation in many Cleveland neighborhoods. Residents and visitors feel they must “stick to the beaten path” rather than exploring surrounding neighborhoods and making unexpected discoveries—one of the chief pleasures of urban life.
Flats stakeholders have expressed a desire to keep a similar situation from developing in the Flats. Regardless of how well-designed individual developments and public spaces might be, a true neighborhood will take shape in the Flats only if they are connected in a meaningful way. BCbD has met with groups in the Flats who have identified several key connections that must be strengthened or created between anchor developments, public spaces and adjacent neighborhoods (the Warehouse District, Ohio City, Tremont, etc.). BCbD will coordinate the design of these connections with stakeholder groups, and will hire a master architect to design these connections, with possible refinements to be made by separately hired designers.
The specific connections to be considered are:
From the Flats East Bank to the Warehouse District and Canal Basin Park
Flats East Bank developers has hired BCbD to look specifically at streetscape improvements that will strengthen connections from their new mixed-use neighborhood to the Warehouse District and Canal Basin Park. The developers are concerned that the steep hillside dividing the Flats from the Warehouse District will serve as a barrier—particularly in the winter—preventing residents and visitors from moving between the two neighborhoods. Well-designed streetscapes, public art and inviting building facades can encourage pedestrian activity along key connector streets such as W. 9th Street and Main Avenue.
BCbD will bring on a design team that understands the importance of these elements in making the hillside more inviting to residents and visitors. Flats East Bank has also asked for a study of possible transit connections from the Flats to the Warehouse District.
From the Stonebridge development to the riverfront along Main Avenue
Besides connecting to Wendy Park, the K&D Group, developers of Stonebridge, views a strong Main Avenue as a top priority in its public realm planning. This street will serve as the main pedestrian axis through Stonebridge and provide access to the West Bank riverfront. BCbD will lead the design process for this artery, including a streetscape plan and a design for park space flanking the roadway, on buffer land owned by the County Engineer.
Between the Flats East Bank development and Stonebridge across the Cuyahoga River
The developers of Flats East Bank and Stonebridge foresee great mutual benefit in a direct link across the Cuyahoga River between their projects, perhaps connecting the two sides of Main Avenue. Flats East Bank plans some 250,000 square feet of retail space, for which Stonebridge residents represent a large potential customer base. Meanwhile, these retail options are a significant potential amenity for Stonebridge residents, who currently have few stores within walking distance. In fact, the two developers traveled to the International Council of Shopping Centers Convention in Las Vegas in 2007 to jointly market their neighborhoods to national retailers, believing they were more attractive as a package.
BCbD will produce design ideas for getting pedestrians across the Cuyahoga River. Possibilities include restoring the Flats’ water taxi; cantilevering a pedestrian bridge off the Main Avenue Bridge; or even installing an elevated gondola or tram such as the one that links Manhattan to Roosevelt Island in New York City.
Old River Road and a riverfront boardwalk through the East Bank South development
Michael Tricarichi, of Telecom Acquisitions Corp., has assembled several riverfront parcels along Old River Road immediately south of the Flats East Bank project. He plans to develop a mixed-use neighborhood by renovating several existing buildings and constructing at least one new residential tower on a surface parking lot.
Tricarichi and his partners have identified two public space priorities in their development: redesign of the Old River Road streetscape to strengthen connections to the Flats East Bank development and Canal Basin Park; and construction of a riverfront boardwalk behind his properties. This section of boardwalk is critical to achieving continuous riverfront access on the East Bank. It will connect the boardwalk being constructed as part of the Flats East Bank development to the one that will be constructed as part of Canal Basin Park. Together, these three segments will connect to the Center Street swing bridge and provide a new pedestrian route between the East and West banks. Tricarichi has invited BCbD to lead the design process for both the boardwalk and the Old River Road streetscape.
