Cleveland's latest endeavor: Inman Street Corridor
The City of Cleveland began its long-awaited Inman Street Corridor project at the start of 2024. The project had a kickoff meeting on Jan. 9 at the Museum and Cultural Center at 5ive Points. Construction officially started on Jan. 8, with the closure of Broad Street SW to 1st Street SW.
The Inman Street Corridor is considered by city officials to be the “gateway to the heart of Cleveland.” In fact, Inman Street is the major east-west downtown corridor.
The current area, often used solely as a pass through, will be transformed into a safe and appealing environment for pedestrians, transits, and automobiles. According to the Cleveland City government website, the purpose of this project is to create a “safer, more attractive, economically vibrant Inman Street Corridor in downtown Cleveland.”
C. Seth Sumner, the Transportation Planner for the City of Cleveland and the Inman Street Corridor point person, is eager to get this project off the ground. “It's a very exciting time and really good timing for us to be able to get this project done to really help create the environment that's going to be conducive for private investment, to grow and create new businesses and draw more people into downtown,” said Sumner.
The idea of this project was first proposed in 2004 in the Mainstreet Cleveland Downtown Master Plan. This original plan has been vital to the restoration and rebuilding of the City of Cleveland. The corridor was again included in the 2019 Downtown Revitalization Plan. Now, after two decades of planning, the city is ready and able to implement the corridor.
Sumner said that the Inman Street Corridor “is part of a very large infrastructure package that the city council’s put in place.” This is a $138 million dollar “Build Cleveland’s Future Initiative” package. Now that the right funds are in place “we're trying to run full speed ahead to get all these things done in the next three years,” said Sumner.
The city is dedicated to completing this project in a timely manner. “We have a team of five of us, mostly engineers … We’re working, we’re meeting weekly, just to try and get this and keep this project on schedule,” Sumner said.
Construction will be enacted in three phases.
Photo courtesy of the City of Cleveland.
Thus far, Sumner reports that the project is on pace and is set to be fully completed in October of 2024.
When asked about the property owners and tenants' responses to Inman’s newest construction, Sumner said, “I can’t speak for everyone … but everyone that has spoken to me has very positive things to say about this project.” According to Sumner, Cleveland residents have rallied around this project and have shown a genuine interest in wanting to see their city improved.
Future projects that Cleveland residents can look forward to in the next three to four years include:
Increasing the greenway network, with the hopes that most of them will be interconnected.
A new park called Sharp Park.
Buying the old Whirlpool property and converting it into a green space or a new aquatic center.
Repaving Paul Huff Parkway.
Cleveland’s future includes many new projects, all of which will work together to create a comfortable and welcoming city. The Inman Street Corridor will serve as “a wonderful new front porch to the city with spirit,” said Sumner.
For more information on the Inman Street Corridor click here.
Any questions can also be directed to project contact C. Seth Sumner InmanProject@clevelandtn.gov
