Downtown Cleveland, Inc. Champions the Future of the City’s Core at 24th Annual Meeting
Downtown Cleveland, Inc., the leading champion for the city center, celebrated its achievements and unveiled an ambitious vision for the future at its 24th Annual Meeting, sponsored by Huntington Bank. With a focus on shaping downtown into a thriving 18-hour, 15-minute neighborhood that fuels regional prosperity, the event highlighted transformative progress, tackled critical challenges and introduced new initiatives to propel the core’s development.
“A strong region demands a strong downtown, and a strong downtown requires bold, visionary leadership,” said Karen M. Fanger, Chair of Downtown Cleveland and President & COO of K&D, in her opening remarks. “Downtown Cleveland brings together developers, businesses and civic leaders to advocate for downtown and drive strategic initiatives that bring our shared vision to life.”
Downtown Cleveland showcased this vision for the future with the release of its annual video.
Driving Progress & Impact
During his address, Downtown Cleveland President & CEO Michael Deemer emphasized the organization’s pivotal role in reshaping the core into a vibrant and accessible destination for residents, businesses and visitors. “Completing downtown’s transformation requires a laser focus on improving the public realm and reducing barriers to doing business,” noted Deemer. “This past year, we made tangible progress.”
National Leader in Office Conversions – Downtown Cleveland ranks first nationwide, positioning the city to thrive in the post-pandemic era.
Visitor and Workforce Recovery – Downtown Cleveland’s recovery ranks among the top 10 in the U.S., with vibrant new storefront businesses and residential developments.
Placemaking and Beautification – More than 300 activations and events have taken place, 54 new trees have been planted and numerous enhancements have been made to Public Square under Downtown Cleveland’s management.
City of Cleveland Mayor Justin M. Bibb and Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne joined Deemer on stage to discuss their shared vision and reiterate the critical role Downtown Cleveland plays as the driving force behind the city center’s transformation, affirming their unwavering support for the organization’s work to bolster regional growth, inclusivity and economic vitality.
Innovative Leadership to Address Challenges & Achieve a Greater Downtown Vision
Deemer, acknowledging that challenges remain for downtown, outlined targeted strategies to address them—in partnership with the city and county—and issued a call to action for civic and business leaders to engage in this vitally important work, including:
Public Safety – Downtown Cleveland deploys high-quality Clean & Safe services daily, from 7 a.m. to midnight, with unified operations across downtown districts and systems enhanced with smart technology. Ambassadors are supplemented with Neighborhood Safety Specialists and the Court Watch program to improve safety and accountability, while fostering unprecedented collaboration with city and county partners.
Development and Advocacy – Downtown Cleveland advocates for high-density development by reducing barriers to doing business in the core and enabling significant growth. Recent achievements include launching a new Downtown Retail Action Plan to attract businesses and customers, securing $750,000 in state capital funding for new play and recreation facilities and establishing a Tax Increment Financing District to fund public infrastructure improvements and spur economic activity.
The Greater Downtown Vision – Taking the next step in Reimagining Downtown, in collaboration with the City of Cleveland, this landmark initiative unites existing development plans into a cohesive Greater Downtown Vision. Rooted in five pillars—Safety, Walkability, Connectivity, Activation and Inclusive Prosperity—the vision focuses on improving public spaces, enhancing connectivity and supporting private development. Projects prioritize retail corridor improvements, greenspace activation and creating a public realm that encourages exploration from one end of downtown to the other.
Honoring Legacy & Inspiring Action
The event also honored the legacy of Ruth Ratner Miller with the presentation of the 2024 Ruth Ratner Miller Award to Oswald Companies, recognizing their 130-year legacy of dedication to the downtown community and their decision to remain downtown following the pandemic.
“Today’s meeting was not just a celebration of progress but a call to action for our community to embrace and champion Cleveland’s downtown vision,” said Deemer. “With the support of our partners and the collective commitment of our community, we are leading the way and are poised to reimagine downtown as a dynamic hub that attracts residents, businesses and visitors alike.”