Transforming The Cuyahoga Riverfront

Bedrock, the City of Cleveland and the Rocket Community Fund have unveiled that they are working together on a transformational plan to build on the city’s momentum by revitalizing approximately 130 acres of riverfront in Downtown Cleveland.

The goal of this long term, comprehensive movement is to create jobs and career development opportunities for Clevelanders while connecting Downtown Cleveland with its riverfront, ultimately creating a 15-minute neighborhood and 18-hour city.

So, what is a 15-minute neighborhood and an 18-hour city?

Through strategic planning, the public and private partnership will focus on creating an equitable, accessible and sustainable community where all residents live within a 15-minute walk of any essential service. This means easier access to things like schools, hospitals, grocery stores, parks and public transit.

The 18-hour city operates on an 18 hour a day schedule – outside of the traditional hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. – which allows for more opportunities than a traditional small city environment while still retaining some of the small-town charm that isn’t typically seen in giant, 24-hour hubs. In other words, residents will have access to amenities outside of typical 9-to- 5 working hours so it’s easier to shop and connect in the city.

The City of Cleveland’s plan includes the continued construction, development and rehab of commercial and residential properties that incorporate community facilities, green space, recreational, retail and entertainment amenities. This not only provides a modern, adaptive and inclusive space for the city’s residents, but also produces high-paying and skill-developing career opportunities.

The riverfront plan is dependent on a series of public and private partnerships, mixing private capital, federal and state funding to successfully execute. To achieve this, Bedrock and the City of Cleveland are inviting interested collaborators to join forces and help reach the riverfront’s full potential like the Rocket Community Fund, which coordinates Dan Gilbert, Bedrock and Rocket Companies® philanthropic and volunteer programming.

The Rocket Community Fund plans to continue to build on its work within the Cleveland community, implementing volunteer programs and deploying several housing stability investments to mitigate blight, end property tax foreclosure and increase access to repair resources within the city’s neighborhoods.

As the largest central business district in Ohio and a generator of more than 25% of the city’s property tax revenue, Downtown Cleveland is poised for tremendous growth therefore, Bedrock and the City of Cleveland’s announcement couldn’t come at a better time. In the last decade, more than 9,400 jobs have been added downtown, now the largest job hub in the state. Bedrock’s proposal would also generate new property tax revenue for the city each year while driving new investment and community development.

This fall, Bedrock is taking the first step toward realizing this Cleveland vision with the reimagining of Tower City Center – an anchor of the long-term plan – as a destination marketplace. The iconic building on Public Square will become a mixed-use development and a hub for shopping, pop-up retail experiences, dining and entertainment while also introducing local small and minority-owned businesses to one of downtown’s most popular areas.