[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6234964,"mediaKeyId","3408239-edf800bed49697f092166c6d7ca5b8ec","parentId",3408239,"title","Committee approves project-development agreement enabling four Cleveland trail projects, accepts federal grant funding","audioSeconds",987,"startMs",1997000,"endMs",2984000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3408239-edf800bed49697f092166c6d7ca5b8ec&start=1997&end=2984","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3408239-edf800bed49697f092166c6d7ca5b8ec/thumbnail_1997000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6234964/Cleveland/Cuyahoga-County/Ohio/Committee-approves-project-development-agreement-enabling-four-Cleveland-trail-projects-accepts-federal-grant-funding","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6234964-19c508d5ab8dcd15fca7f0f66cf5b97e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771150889&Signature=m~Mgy0YjyE3og8Dp5kUWDuY0QtIAN5j7BcABdvZI9Q9UINiJx3jaO4B1Wo92uFSlVPqREjuLr9KzPYVsoGGeg0izYyibEMYShZSdNZijz9S4JXh7a01TBTuYNp5xJ5hZTO6xllJrvXX0hzpgeV3kYH9tu-aoiSYMX~p9LSj2X-OihgSktBF1AB1kERkhnQvNXVuehEjHOd3rK37cXzaDmay9am9QHuGKTphsLN-0Fx5M4A5m07mueouvw7odDTxWvAUEPAS5oQ3HRsg29t2nS3sRC3lYXcSCxXA4W1dyVP0CweutTCoJn69dWw06kyhkZj5lPODYw6YHi2ba0QeEGQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Cleveland, OH ","date","2025-05-20T17:50:57.99Z","article","A City Council committee approved Ordinance 496-2025, authorizing the director of capital projects to enter a project-development agreement with the Board of Park Commissioners of the Cleveland Metroparks to design, build and manage four trail projects within Cleveland.

The agreement covers four corridors: the Slavic Village Downtown Connector North, the Morgana Run/Booth Avenue extension, the Euclid Creek Greenway extension and the Opportunity Corridor Connector. City staff and Cleveland Metroparks planners told the committee the projects were developed from the countywide Cuyahoga Greenways plan and advanced through a federal RAISE planning grant. The committee was told a later RAISE construction award—around $19,500,000—targets the Slavic Village Downtown Connector North and the Morgana Run extension.

Why it matters: staff said the trail projects fill critical network gaps on the east side of the Cuyahoga River and will improve multimodal access, street tree canopy and neighborhood connectivity. Council members and staff stressed public-safety design elements such as lighting and “eyes on the trail,” and noted utility relocation and right‑of‑way coordination will lengthen construction schedules in places.

Scope and schedule: planners said the construction grant covers the Slavic Village Downtown Connector North and Morgana Run extension and that detailed design for those segments is nearly complete. The team told the committee they expect to bid the construction packages in the fall and begin construction in spring 2026, with substantial completion targeted around the end of 2027 and minor landscaping into early 2028. Work on the Euclid Creek Greenway extension is in design and feasibility phases; the Opportunity Corridor Connector requires coordination with Norfolk Southern and has no construction funding yet.

Ownership and maintenance: Cleveland Metroparks staff said the trails will primarily use public rights‑of‑way on city streets; the city will remain owner of underlying rights-of-way, while Cleveland Metroparks will maintain and police the new trail segments under the proposed partnership. Committee members discussed prior examples—such as a permanent public easement in Ohio City—when considering whether privately built segments should be dedicated to the city or built with a public easement and a maintenance agreement.

Funding and amendments: the committee considered two technical amendments supplied by the law department and special counsel clarifying bond language and the use of 2025 bond proceeds for the projects. Committee members noted some prior bond proceeds are already allocated to subfunds for these trail efforts. The committee approved the amendments and then voted to pass Ordinance 496-2025 as amended.

Next steps and constraints: staff cautioned that some segments require utility relocations and right‑of‑way work that will extend timelines, and that portions involving Norfolk Southern will need additional real-estate coordination. The committee was told construction of the grant‑funded sections depends on final federal grant agreement execution; as of the committee meeting the city had not yet received the final federal grant contract but was proceeding with design in anticipation of the award.

Public engagement and design priorities: planners described extensive public engagement that shaped project criteria—10‑foot shared-use paths with two‑foot shoulders where feasible, new street trees, lighting and safety measures, and selective conversion of some one‑way streets to create greenway character where the right‑of‑way allows. The projects were presented as part of a larger county greenways vision and as connecting links to other city and regional investments.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Development, Planning & Sustainability Committee, May 20, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","A City Council committee approved Ordinance 496-2025 authorizing a project-development agreement with Cleveland Metroparks to design and build four trail segments, using federal RAISE funding and city bond proceeds.","taxTitle","Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio","taxId",2662,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6234969,"Council committee approves TIF, requires community-benefit contributions for Shoreway Tower project",150,367000,517000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3408239-edf800bed49697f092166c6d7ca5b8ec&start=367&end=517","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3408239-edf800bed49697f092166c6d7ca5b8ec/thumbnail_367000.jpg","/articles/6234969/Cleveland/Cuyahoga-County/Ohio/Council-committee-approves-TIF-requires-community-benefit-contributions-for-Shoreway-Tower-project","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6234969-f3047f1a493451289b14e257ea55b9b9/orig.mp4?Expires=1771150889&Signature=KP7Npdj7slnjhqVLfmUKQbSsp9VGe-U6O874RT5wb~oa4HtB4tf4cWXgi9JZHam-YO7DIACRGz8v2CKvWS0iAjJHzUHUwcq9AXSXrEQC4Al-rYTWWFU6~im8HWCgxmLG-FSwHFzCVpDwnLFmpNQH2iNAOh~j7wwjYXSMuUjDDtJxOS92MTO7AhoYkVnJOoOC7~UhrJpXv3aLxyvFwSpFoRgNkqLkHkWgftYO7m318FLbHg-DgGZKrFZBSUFLyQmygRJuSXnfR5iMV0qpvB00o3zJ9ioDid9paMvhB4b~hXHZl9KKoMCQjo5Jp3eAecpyOR7flZB5oGw97QwNB7wp7g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","An emergency ordinance authorizing the director of economic development to enter a tax-increment financing (TIF) agreement with Shoreway Tower LLC won committee approval, clearing the way for a 13-story addition to the existing Shoreway building in the Detroit Shoreway neighborhood.

The ordinance, No. 499-2025, tasks the director with finalizing a TIF agreement that will support construction of a project that developers say will total about $92,000,000 and create 161 apartment units, including an addition of roughly 110 units to the existing converted Shoreway building. Tom McNair, director of economic development for the city of Cleveland, told the committee the city expects the development to produce tax revenues over time but will use a back-end TIF to incent the project.

The project team said the new tower will include studios through three‑bedroom units, about 4,000 square feet of retail—reworking the existing Good Company restaurant space—public gallery space, and 169 indoor structured parking spaces. Adam Comer of J Rock Development described the total investment as “a roughly $92,000,000 investment in the community.”

Why it matters: city staff framed the TIF as necessary to close financing gaps that otherwise would prevent the private investment, and committee members emphasized the project’s neighborhood impacts and the community benefits package attached to the development agreement.

Committee discussion and community benefits: city and developer representatives said the TIF will produce some new tax revenue for the city and schools over the 30‑year term, though McNair noted the net gains to the Cleveland Metropolitan School District and the city are limited after residential abatements and other tax captures. McNair summarized the forecast to the committee, saying the city expects roughly $712,000 in additional income taxes over the 30‑year life of the TIF and an estimated $1,700,000 for the non‑school portion over the same period; he characterized the net numbers as modest.

As part of the community benefits agreement (CBA) negotiated with Councilwoman Spencer and neighborhood stakeholders, the developer will make a $500,000 cash contribution intended for design and construction of a Battery Park Boulevard extension to connect the development area to W. 70th and to improve pedestrian access toward Edgewater. McNair said the CBA includes safeguards that allow the city to repurpose remaining funds for other community development in the area if the roadway cannot be built after best efforts.

The CBA also specifies workforce elements: committee members were told the agreement requires two apprenticeships and two internships tied to the project, and that the apprenticeships will be Cleveland resident apprenticeships. Comer and city staff said the Office of Equal Opportunity and the developer are coordinating to recruit apprentices and link general contractors to potential trainees through outreach events.

Affordability and unit mix: committee members pressed the developer about affordability. The developers said that “up to 5%” of units would be offered at or below 100% of area median income (AMI). Council members noted that “up to 5%” could technically be zero; Comer said the developer’s intent is to include some units at or below 100% AMI and that they expect to set a nonzero portion as they finalize unit mix and rents. The project team confirmed the final building will include studio, one‑bedroom, two‑bedroom and some three‑bedroom units.

Right-of-way and connector design: the Battery Park Boulevard extension proposed in the CBA sits on private property now used as a cut‑through. Speakers described options the city and developer are weighing: a developer-built street dedicated to the city, or private construction with a permanent public easement and a maintenance agreement. City staff noted prior examples—such as a pedestrian easement in Ohio City—where private property was paired with a permanent public easement to preserve public use while allowing private ownership of the underlying lots.

Committee action and next steps: after questions from council members, the committee voted to approve Ordinance 499-2025. The ordinance authorizes the director of economic development to finalize the TIF agreement; committee discussion indicated additional design and implementation steps remain, including finalizing the CBA details and the TIF agreement terms. No further committee action was recorded in the transcript regarding exact vote tallies. The ordinance was announced as approved by the chair.

Community context: council members said the project expands housing supply in Ward 15 and noted its proximity to arts amenities such as 70 Eighth Street Studios. City and developer representatives emphasized the contribution to local connectivity and public infrastructure as central features of the negotiated community benefits.

What remains unresolved: the transcript records open items that will be decided later—final unit rents and the exact number of affordable units, final design and the funding mechanism for the Battery Park Boulevard extension (including whether the city will accept ownership), and the formal TIF agreement terms. The transcript does not provide a final effective date for the TIF or a binding schedule for the roadway construction.","An emergency ordinance authorizing the director of economic development to enter a tax-increment financing (TIF) agreement with Shoreway Tower LLC won committee approval, clearing the way for a 13-story addition to the existing Shoreway building in the Detroit Shoreway neighborhood.","actionData","errors"]

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Committee approves project-development agreement enabling four Cleveland trail projects, accepts federal grant funding

Council committee approves TIF, requires community-benefit contributions for Shoreway Tower project