Placemaking + Neighborhoods

Cleveland Neighborhood Progress puts residents at heart of newest grant funding
Empowerment was top-of-mind for Cleveland Neighborhood Progress when it recently invested $2.013 million into 17 CDCs, with focus on the residents and needs like home repairs, community engagement, and real estate development.
A different shade of green: Readers Garden adorns Shaker Library lawn
On March 1, LAND studio and Shaker Heights Public Library unveiled The Readers Garden, a public art installation by landscape architect Haemee Han, that features a reading porch of five clusters of larger-than-life books written by 13 local authors with ties to Shaker and the Cleveland area. The project celebrates Shaker's diversity and rich culture of reading and writing.
Public art installation: Reader’s Garden opens tomorrow in Shaker
Officials with the Shaker Heights Public Art department and LAND studio teamed up with and landscape architect Haemee Han of Jaemee Studio and former Shaker mayor Judy Rawson to create the Reader's Garden—a public art space on the library grounds to celebrate Shaker's diversity and rich culture of reading and writing. The dedication and artist talk will be held tomorrow, Friday, March 1.
Grass roots crime fighters: Funding programs to keep kids out of trouble
In late 2023, the City of Cleveland used $10 million in ARPA money to create and support the Cleveland Neighborhood Safety Fund, which helps grassroots organizations fight the root causes of crime with educational, inspirational, artistic classes. FreshWater Cleveland talks to six of the grant recipients and what the programs are doing.
Community ties: Local makers anchor Meijer Fairfax Market
Business is booming for three local entrepreneurs at the new Meijer Fairfax Market. Read the stories of Desira Sallee of D’s Sweet Treats & More, Andrea Catlin of Catlin Naturals, and Charlotte Peachie Tufts of O Taste & C as they find retail success.
Nature Center, Shaker Historical Society to host tour of sites involved in 1960s 'Freeway Fight'
This weekend, the Nature Center at Shaker Lakes and the Shaker Historical Society will host a Historical Homes & Building Tour, with presentations from local historians on the 1960s fight to stop construction of freeways over the wetlands and greenspace in Shaker Heights and Cleveland Heights.
Reflections on year one: Ronayne looks back on his first year as County Executive
In his first year as Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne has made strides in environmental stewardship, community development, and social justice—with a focus on improving services and a commitment to enhancing the quality of life in the county.
Making choices, making history: Facing History mural prompts a look inward, a look forward
Facing History & Ourselves, the organization that uses the lessons of the past to create a better future by helping navigate student conversations about race, equity, justice, and citizenship, worked with LAND studio and artist Isaiah Williams to send its message through a mural on the side on their building on the Urban Community School campus.
Flashback: Big Fun returns to original Coventry home as holiday pop-up shop
This holiday season Steve Presser's Big Fun—the nostalgic store selling vintage toys, gag gifts, old-time candy, and funky jewelry—is returning to Coventry Village as a pop-up shop in the store's original location.
Shaping the future: Union Miles Mt. Pleasant unite as one CDC, initiate renewal plans
Union Miles Development Corporation is adding the Mt. Pleasant neighborhood to its footprint—thanks in part to grants from Cleveland Neighborhood Progress and St. Luke's Foundation. Union Miles CDC executive director Roshawn Samples has big goals for revitalizing Cleveland's southeast side and restoring the pride and investment in the neighborhood where she grew up.
Tales of Terror: Tours of Cleveland to share spooky stories of horror and tragedy in October
Tours of Cleveland founder Scott O'Con wanted to cover something different than the usual haunted house tours and spiritual sightings in his October walking tour series. So, in Tales of Terror, he focuses on Cleveland's true tragedies, murders, and disasters spanning the 19th and 20th Centuries.
Full steam ahead: Irishtown Bend stabilization project breaks ground
Last Friday, Aug. 25 at the Cleveland Rowing Foundation, city officials and organizations celebrated the beginning of the vital next step in the Irishtown Bend project—the stabilization of the banks of the Cuyahoga River to move ahead with a 23-acre park.
Photo essay: Ghost Signs of CLE
This is our second photo installment of ghost signs spotted in and around Cleveland.
Antioch Baptist Church to commemorate its 130th anniversary with historic walk, block party
Antioch Baptist Church, Cleveland's second-oldest Black church, will kick off its 130th anniversary celebration Saturday by duplicating its historic walk from its old church to its current church. The celebration continues next weekend with a block party.
MidTown Opening Day: Celebrate neighborhood pride, Cleveland Foundation HQ opening
It’s MidTown Opening Day this coming Saturday, July 15—a free, daylong neighborhood festival and block party centered on Euclid Avenue and East 66th Street, with activity hubs throughout the MidTown neighborhood.
Positive memories: Six RTA bus stop wraps in Union Miles feature historic figures
Working with RTA, artist Kevin "mr. soul" Harp, and the City of Cleveland, the Union Miles Development Corporation installed six bus stop wraps featuring historic figures to enliven the neighborhood.
Spaced out: Artist Isaiah Williams’ latest creation pays tribute to the Metroparks
Mural Artist Isaiah Williams worked with LAND studio and the Cleveland Metroparks to create a five-wall mural on a warehouse behind Merwin's Wharf in the Flats.
History lessons: Canalway’s Cleveland History Days returns with more than 50 events
Canalway's annual Cleveland History Days starts Friday, with more than 50 events, talks, activities, and tours over nine days.
Hot stuff: Cleveland Heights launches SummerFEST this week
With the official start to summer his week, Cleveland Heights launches SummerFEST—a summer-long slate of free Thursday evening concerts, historic walking tours, kids activities, and more—in the Cedar Fairmount Special Improvement District.
Clean and Beautiful: Advocacy group plans second neighborhood clean-up event in Mount Pleasant
Neighborhood advocacy group Clean and Beautiful Cleveland Block2Block is on a mission to clean up Cleveland neighborhoods, one street at a time. On June 3, the group will be in Mount Pleasant, picking up litter and planting flowers. Volunteers are needed!