Levin College of Public Affairs and Education students reimagine Cleveland’s waterfront
During the mid-90s as Cleveland prepared to celebrate its bicentennial, the city’s waterfront enjoyed a renaissance. The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame opened in 1995. The Great Lakes Science Center followed soon after in 1996. Though the beloved Municipal Stadium had been demolished after the stunning and gut-wrenching departure of the Browns franchise, there was hope. A new football facility would soon rise, and the Browns would play again. The lakefront would live again. And the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority, or RTA, was planning a way to connect Clevelanders to the action.
In July 1996, RTA’s Waterfront Rapid Line opened to great fanfare. Beginning at Tower City, the train traveled just south of Cleveland’s then-Municipal Lot and through the east bank of the Flats, becoming a major attraction. But despite its initial success — ridership soared to 1,000,000 annually in the late 90s — the project, a $70,000,000 legacy project of the city’s 200th anniversary, has seen declining usage through the years. Today, it operates only during Browns home games and special events like the recent solar eclipse.
Still, there’s so much potential. So says 17th Street Studios, a group of students in CSU’s Levin College of Public Affairs and Education Master’s of Urban Planning and Design program. The team, led by instructors Professor Tom Hilde and Jim Kastelic, spent eight weeks, alongside Cleveland officials, to conduct an extensive study that envisions “transit-oriented development that fosters livable, walkable, and connected communities.”
“A waterfront that offers more people-centered amenities, embraces equitable housing density, and is integrated into a larger transit network will reinforce transit demand, creating a virtuous cycle that supports regular [Waterfront Line] service,” the group said in its vision statement.
That includes resuming the line’s daily operations, rezoning for future land use, investing in public green spaces, and redesigning roads along the line to support cyclists, pedestrians, and drivers.
“We are fortunate to not only have a great institutional partner like CSU in our own backyard, but also students who are engaged and want to apply their skillsets to local projects like this,” the City said in a statement.
“When government and educational sectors work together, everyone benefits.”
The team, along with Hilde and Kastelic, included students Connor Brentar, Alahjanai Carlisle, Taviana Carr, Christine Fergus, Elizabeth Kravanya, Nate Lull, EJ McGorty, John Miesle, Sam Munro, Jody Olbrecht, Alex Ordodi, Kelsey Phillips, Hanna Sauberan, Krystal Sierra, Celina Sotka and Mae Thompson.
Read more about the project and the full study at revivingourwaterfrontline.com.
Also in This Issue...
Jearl Walker on 50 Years at CSU
The legendary physics professor talks how he got here, why he’s stayed and what’s ahead.
Roads Less Traveled
Phil Kidd, recent CSU student, is on a mission to run every single street in the city of Cleveland. He’s nearly halfway there.
On ‘the razor’s edge of fighting for life while dying right’
Richey Piiparinen’s (MUPD ’11) new book weaves his signature approach to urban planning and his battle with glioblastoma.
Of pierogis and paczkis
Lidia Trempe (BA ’02) has taken her family’s bakery and made it quintessentially Cleveland and one of the city’s hotspots.
A Message from the President
President Laura Bloomberg reflects on CSU’s legacy of equity and access in her letter, highlighting the “Protest to Progress” exhibit and celebrating 60 years of impact and inclusion.
License suspensions could be costing Ohio a big chunk of its workforce
Kyle Fee, a CSU doctoral student, and Brian Mikelbank, an associate professor in Urban Studies, recently authored a study about how suspended driver’s licenses could negatively affect the state’s economy.
White House celebrates one of Cleveland State’s own
Dr. Maryam Younessi, faculty member in CSU’s mechanical engineering department, participated in a White House roundtable on “Commercializing Climate and Clean Energy Technologies.”
CSU|LAW launches Terry Gilbert Wrongful Conviction Clinic
CSU unveiled a new visionary Master Plan proposal capitalizing on its location in the heart of Cleveland that will guide the development of the University’s physical campus over the next decade.
Radiance lights up the night
President Laura Bloomberg said next to commencement, Radiance is her favorite event of the year. It’s a fitting acknowledgment.
Jearl Walker on 50 Years at CSU
The legendary physics professor talks how he got here, why he’s stayed and what’s ahead.
On ‘the razor’s edge of fighting for life while dying right’
Richey Piiparinen’s (MUPD ’11) new book weaves his signature approach to urban planning and his battle with glioblastoma.
A Message from the President
President Laura Bloomberg reflects on CSU’s legacy of equity and access in her letter, highlighting the “Protest to Progress” exhibit and celebrating 60 years of impact and inclusion.
White House celebrates one of Cleveland State’s own
Dr. Maryam Younessi, faculty member in CSU’s mechanical engineering department, participated in a White House roundtable on “Commercializing Climate and Clean Energy Technologies.”
Radiance lights up the night
President Laura Bloomberg said next to commencement, Radiance is her favorite event of the year. It’s a fitting acknowledgment.
Roads Less Traveled
Phil Kidd, recent CSU student, is on a mission to run every single street in the city of Cleveland. He’s nearly halfway there.
Of pierogis and paczkis
Lidia Trempe (BA ’02) has taken her family’s bakery and made it quintessentially Cleveland and one of the city’s hotspots.
License suspensions could be costing Ohio a big chunk of its workforce
Kyle Fee, a CSU doctoral student, and Brian Mikelbank, an associate professor in Urban Studies, recently authored a study about how suspended driver’s licenses could negatively affect the state’s economy.
CSU|LAW launches Terry Gilbert Wrongful Conviction Clinic
CSU unveiled a new visionary Master Plan proposal capitalizing on its location in the heart of Cleveland that will guide the development of the University’s physical campus over the next decade.
Jearl Walker on 50 Years at CSU
The legendary physics professor talks how he got here, why he’s stayed and what’s ahead.
Of pierogis and paczkis
Lidia Trempe (BA ’02) has taken her family’s bakery and made it quintessentially Cleveland and one of the city’s hotspots.
White House celebrates one of Cleveland State’s own
Dr. Maryam Younessi, faculty member in CSU’s mechanical engineering department, participated in a White House roundtable on “Commercializing Climate and Clean Energy Technologies.”
Roads Less Traveled
Phil Kidd, recent CSU student, is on a mission to run every single street in the city of Cleveland. He’s nearly halfway there.
A Message from the President
President Laura Bloomberg reflects on CSU’s legacy of equity and access in her letter, highlighting the “Protest to Progress” exhibit and celebrating 60 years of impact and inclusion.
CSU|LAW launches Terry Gilbert Wrongful Conviction Clinic
CSU unveiled a new visionary Master Plan proposal capitalizing on its location in the heart of Cleveland that will guide the development of the University’s physical campus over the next decade.
On ‘the razor’s edge of fighting for life while dying right’
Richey Piiparinen’s (MUPD ’11) new book weaves his signature approach to urban planning and his battle with glioblastoma.
License suspensions could be costing Ohio a big chunk of its workforce
Kyle Fee, a CSU doctoral student, and Brian Mikelbank, an associate professor in Urban Studies, recently authored a study about how suspended driver’s licenses could negatively affect the state’s economy.
Radiance lights up the night
President Laura Bloomberg said next to commencement, Radiance is her favorite event of the year. It’s a fitting acknowledgment.