Community unity: Public block party will celebrate opening of MidTown Collaboration Center
Two years after breaking ground on a new innovation center, the Cleveland Foundation, JumpStart, KeyBank, and other partners this Friday, May 16, will celebrate the grand opening of the MidTown Collaboration Center (MCC) with a free block-party from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on E. 66th Street between Euclid and Chester Avenues in the Hough neighborhood.
The celebration will feature music, food, and activities for all ages, hosted by the MidTown Collaboration Center tenants. Highlights include:
• Health screenings and wellness activities
• Community art installations
• Technology innovation showcases
• Complimentary light bites and beverages
• Live music performances featuring Apostle Jones, Jul Big Green, and DJ Joker.
The block party will highlight the plan to bring research and programming initiatives together under one roof, uniting multiple companies and disciplines with a common goal.
The Center, located across from the Cleveland Foundation’s headquarters, is designed to boost economic activity that centers around community. The 98,000-square-foot project builds upon the momentum of activity in the area, creating a space for creative unions and new opportunities for partnership.
The hope is that the MCC will create 250 full-time jobs within the organizations co-locating in the new building as they launch innovative programs that focus on community.
The new MidTown Collaboration Center’s tenants and subtenants are:
• Cleveland Institute of Art Interactive Media Lab
• Cleveland Arts Education Consortium
• Case Western Reserve University Center for Population Health Research
• Economic & Community Development Institute (ECDI) and Women’s Business Center
• Hyland
• University Hospitals Diabetes Center
The MCC building will also include an Innovation Hall that will host public programming for the community.
Doors open at 4 p.m. on Friday, May 16, with music and activities running until 5:30 p.m., when there will be a ribbon cutting and remarks. Music, tours, and interactive activities then run from 5:45 p.m. to 7 p.m.
MCC is located at 1974 E. 66th Street, Cleveland 44103.
The block party, sponsored by KeyBank and hosted by the Cleveland Foundation, includes light bites and beverages. Free valet parking will be available on East 65th street on a first-come, first-served basis, with free self-parking at Pierre's Ice Cream Co. and Gallucci's—both on Euclid Avenue. Additional street parking is available on surrounding side streets.