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A project years in the making, shaped by civic leaders, designers, and community members working toward the same goal.
LAND studio, Midtown Cleveland, and Cornell University design students began exploring the idea of a trail network along the Norfolk Southern rail line on Cleveland's near east side. Separately, Allegro Real Estate conducted a parcel assessment of the area, funded by the Sisters of Charity Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts.
The City of Cleveland established the Site Readiness for Good Jobs Fund to support industrial redevelopment on the near east side. That same year, LAND Studio, Midtown Cleveland, and Merritt Chase began exploring trail routes and design concepts for the greenway, laying the groundwork for what the corridor could become.
The Site Readiness for Good Jobs Fund acquired 7000 Central Avenue and adjacent industrial properties, securing the land needed to make the project a reality. A planning grant through the US Economic Development Administration was also awarded to connect local residents with local workforce opportunities. That same year, the Cleveland Foundation established the Site Readiness Fund Endowment — designed to provide long-term resources to acquire, remediate, and prepare industrial brownfield sites for redevelopment in perpetuity, ensuring the Midline's impact extends well beyond a single project.
LAND studio and the Site Readiness for Good Jobs Fund joined forces, combining the business park and greenway into a single, connected vision. The Midline Business District and Greenway was officially established, and a USDOT grant was awarded to build capacity, conduct a market analysis, and launch the master planning process. Engineering assessments, an advanced energy district feasibility study, and the market analysis were completed, laying the groundwork for what comes next.
Master planning and community engagement begin, bringing together the Site Readiness for Good Jobs Fund, LAND studio, Merritt Chase, and Utile to shape the Midline's future with input from the people who live and work here.
The Midline is announced — Cleveland's largest-ever industrial redevelopment is introduced to the world.
The master plan is revealed — The full vision for the Midline Business District and Greenway is unveiled — bringing together site designs, trail routes, park concepts, and a roadmap for what this corridor will become. The result of months of planning, engineering, and community engagement, the master plan marks the moment the Midline moves from vision to reality.
