Dual, cooperating studies are underway in Cleveland to reimagine the connections between the city's downtown and lakefront.

Cleveland recently launched a master planning process to revitalize its lakefront, when Mayor Justin Bibb announced a request for proposals for a $500,000 contract that builds on an earlier proposal made by the owners of the Cleveland Browns.
In an article for Cleveland.com, Steven Litt credits a May 2021 proposal by Jimmy and Dee Haslam for jumpstarting the conversation that led to the new master planning process, although there has been a long track record of revitalization plans proposed for linking Cleveland’s downtown core and the lakefront, such as a proposal for an intermodal transit facility picked up by Planetizen in October 2015. Downtown Cleveland and the Lake Erie waterfront are currently “separated by a bleak, 14-acre landscape of concrete and steel,” writes Litt.
“The Haslam concept sparked a $5 million transportation feasibility analysis, funded 50-50 by the city and the Ohio Department of Transportation, that started earlier this year. The feasibility study is aimed at clarifying the impact on local and regional traffic if the Shoreway were altered in order to enable the Mall extension,” adds Litt.
Mayor Bibb’s contract would expend the purview of the city’s studies beyond traffic impacts, however, and in a much larger portion of the city. “The new study area will extend from the Warehouse District on the west to East 18th Street on the east, and the city’s municipal parking lots along South Marginal Road,” writes Litt.
City officials hope to use the two studies in concert to pursue federal funding opportunities, through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, in 2024.

Americans May Be Stuck — But Why?
Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?

Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage
Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.

Placekeeping: Setting a New Precedent for City Planners
How a preservation-based approach to redevelopment and urban design can prevent displacement and honor legacy communities.

San Diego Swaps Parking Lane for Kid-Friendly Mini Park
The block-long greenway will feature interactive play equipment and landscaping.

Tracking the Invisible: Methane Leaks From LA’s Neighborhood Oil Sites
Environmental advocates are using infrared technology to monitor and document methane leaks from neighborhood oil sites, filling regulatory gaps and pushing for stronger protections to safeguard community health and the climate.

Montana Bill Promotes Parking Reform
A bill before the Montana state senate would bar cities from requiring more than one parking spot per new housing unit.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
City of Moreno Valley
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
City of Cambridge, Maryland