CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Cleveland City Planning Commission has approved The Midline Master Plan, a proposal to transform about 350 acres of long-neglected industrial land on the city’s Near East Side into an employment district with light industry, new open spaces and a two-mile greenway, according to the Site Readiness for Good Jobs Fund (SRF), which developed the plan with the City of Cleveland and LAND studio.
The plan identifies 21 potential development sites that could accommodate more than 1.5 million square feet of light industrial space and support more than 2,500 new jobs, SRF said. At full build-out, SRF projects The Midline would generate $1.3 billion in annual economic impact and up to $100 million in annual city tax revenue, with a proposed two-mile greenway trail and 10 acres of open space anchoring the district.
“For decades, disinvestment and the legacy of Cleveland’s industrial past have left a lasting mark on the Near East Side. The Midline is our opportunity to change that trajectory with a clear plan and a commitment to action,” Cleveland Mayor Justin M. Bibb said in SRF’s announcement. “This plan is about making sure the people who call these neighborhoods home are part of what comes next,” Bibb said in that announcement…