A panel discussion, billed as "The State of Downtown," attracted roughly 250 people -- twice as many as last year. The event was sponsored by the Downtown Cleveland Alliance, a nonprofit group that represents property owners and is tasked with improving the center city.
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A panel discussion on "The State of Downtown" attracted roughly 250 corporate leaders, property owners, developers and residents to the City Club of Cleveland on Wednesday.CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Creating a strong downtown requires public-private partnerships and a push to connect bustling districts, a panel of experts said Wednesday.
The discussion, billed as "The State of Downtown," attracted roughly 250 corporate leaders, property owners, developers and residents to the City Club of Cleveland.
The event, which doubled in size from last year, was sponsored by the Downtown Cleveland Alliance, a nonprofit group tasked with improving the center city.
Construction is underway on large projects including a casino, a medical mart, a new convention center and the Flats East Bank office, hotel and retail development.
Joe Marinucci, the alliance's president and chief executive, said downtown Cleveland faces a rare growth opportunity - one that hasn't been seen since the Gateway District stadiums were planned and built in the late 1980s and early '90s.
The challenge, he added, is to link these projects to create a walkable, inviting downtown.
"Where we may have failed is we haven't connected those investments properly in the past," he said.
Last month, a commission assembled by Mayor Frank Jackson released plans meant to make downtown greener and more pedestrian friendly. Those plans include parks, more attractive streets and sidewalks, outdoor dining and bike paths.
Pittsburgh's experiments with public space - including transforming a downtown intersection into a European-style piazza, could provide examples for Cleveland, said Michael Edwards, former president and chief executive of the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership. Large construction projects are certainly important, he said, but it's essential to make the areas between them pleasant and more vibrant.
Downtown organizations often can respond more quickly and effectively than cash-strapped cities, said David Feehan, president and chief executive of Civitas Consultants LLC in Maryland and an expert on downtown revitalization.
The Downtown Cleveland Alliance, which receives about 60 percent of its funding from property owners, has a crew of ambassadors focused on cleaning and safety services. The group, involved in planning for the Flats and efforts to combat high vacancy in the longtime financial district between East Ninth and East 12th streets, recently launched a downtown marketing effort and opened a business-development center to retain and attract companies.
