One of the most compelling places in Northeast Ohio is the area in the Flats where the Cuyahoga River meets Lake Erie (roughly the area of the river valley north of the Lorain-Carnegie Bridge). This is a unique urban setting—one of the coolest places in the country and a gateway for one of the most popular national parks. But it hasn’t come close to achieving its full potential as an asset for the region.

A number of projects (see links below) have been proposed that could dramatically improve this place and make it a central gathering place for people throughout Northeast Ohio.

Public support for these projects exists, but implementation is taking a long time because the projects are being promoted as separate pieces by different groups. If, instead, these projects were packaged as a suite of related projects, they all could gain strength by being interconnected parts of a larger context with regional significance.

Adjacent areas of Cleveland (including the Warehouse District, Lakefront, Public Square, Tower City, Tremont, and Ohio City) can all be strengthened by connecting with a coherent, vibrant public realm featuring pedestrian circulation, bike routes, and other public-use amenities). This, in turn, will strengthen the entire region.

A new project, Building Cleveland by Design, is making the Flats District a focal point for urban greening work. In addition to helping inform and coordinate public space planning among all the parties involved in the district, it is managing the LEED-Neighborhood Development design and certification process for the Flats East Bank development. The goal will be to develop the Flats as a vibrant, 24-hour neighborhood that minimizes environmental impacts.