Cleveland Cuyahoga Riverfront Master Plan Cleveland, Ohio

Services Provided

Urban Design
Landscape Architecture
Placemaking
Riverfront Planning & Design
Stage 1 Documentation

People Involved

Jeffrey Pongonis
Cullen Meves
Michael Mears
Lisl Kotheimer
Isabella Bertolini
Jian Shi
Richard Mills

Reimagining a riverfront downtown district

The vision for the Cuyahoga Riverfront Master Plan is to create a new neighborhood where all Cleveland residents can live, work, gather, and reconnect with the riverfront. MKSK, in collaboration with Bedrock Cleveland and other partners, is working to craft and implement a visionary plan that revitalizes 35 acres of the Cuyahoga Riverfront, creates Ohio’s largest transit-orientated neighborhood, and brings to life the vision of a vibrant downtown that embodies all the principles of a 15-minute neighborhood and 18-hour city.

At the heart of the plan is a commitment to sustainability, equity, and accessibility. It aims to leverage sustainable infrastructure and public spaces as a driver for investment while ensuring equitable delivery of economic growth and opportunities, placing Cleveland at the forefront of innovative urban riverfront and transit-oriented development. The project represents a new era in Cleveland and contains a vision and recommendations that embody Cleveland’s spirit, culture, and character.

The concept revolves around creating a network of parks, open spaces, and riverfront amenities that position Cleveland as one of the world’s only two-waterfront cities and reflect its historic identity as the “Forest City.”

In addition to enhancing green spaces, the plan includes improvements to transportation infrastructure to support economic growth and connectivity. These initiatives aim to foster links between the riverfront, regional bicycle networks, transit hubs, commercial areas, and community spaces, making the neighborhood more accessible and inviting for all. As part of the initial construction sequence of public realm improvements, the project will also reconnect the downtown street grid, creating a new bridge and ramp connection from the Gateway District at Ontario Street down to the Riverfront and existing Stones Levee, creating a vital riverfront connection that has been incomplete for decades.

Cuyahoga Riverfront Master Development Plan

The plan seeks to create a diverse, mixed-use neighborhood with opportunities for both affordable and market-rate housing, entertainment venues, office spaces, and community facilities. Providing community benefits and fostering equitable outcomes aims to attract businesses, residents, and visitors alike, ensuring that economic growth reaches all community members.

Shore-to-Core connectivity through Tower City