the Midline takes shape
The City of Cleveland, in partnership with the Site Readiness for Good Jobs Fund and LAND studio, has launched The Midline Business District & Greenway, a 350-acre redevelopment initiative on Cleveland’s near east side that transforms vacant industrial land into a connected employment district and public greenway.
The continuous trail and open space network will connect seven neighborhoods to emerging job centers, transit, education, and essential amenities. By linking residents directly to employment and transportation networks, the Midline serves as economic and community infrastructure, reducing barriers to opportunity while expanding access to good jobs.
In addition to delivering significant environmental cleanup, the project will create more than four miles of trails, parks, and public spaces that foster recreation, gathering, and community connection.
LAND is leading the planning and design of the greenway and public realm, with ongoing community engagement to ensure the corridor delivers lasting benefits.
opportunity and excitement abound in the community
In my first 100 days at LAND studio, I’ve had the opportunity to experience firsthand the energy, creativity, and care that shape this organization’s work across Northeast Ohio.
LAND studio’s new executive director looks to the future
From community-driven planning in Green, to new public art on Public Square, to massive, transformational projects like The Midline and Irishtown Bend Park moving forward, it is clear that LAND’s work is rooted in connection — connecting people to one another, to place, and to possibility. I’m honored to join this team at such an exciting moment and deeply grateful for the warm welcome from partners,
supporters, and community members. The months ahead hold tremendous opportunity, and I look forward to building on our strong foundation while continuing to create vibrant public spaces that inspire, invite, and bring people together. Thank you for being part of this work and this next chapter for LAND studio.
KEISHA GONZÁLEZ EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
IMAGE C/O CITY OF GREEN
Planning in Green
LAND leads local artwork efforts
LAND is partnering with the City of Green to develop the community’s first comprehensive Public Art Plan, creating a shared vision for how art can strengthen public spaces across the city.
Through community engagement sessions, creative exercises, and cultural
asset mapping, LAND is working with residents and stakeholders to identify
LAND is working with the city to engage residents and use art to energize the community and activate public spaces
stories, places, and opportunities that reflect Green’s identity and aspirations. The planning process is designed to build shared ownership, support equitable investment, and guide future public art, parks, trails, and gathering spaces. Last month’s “A Change of Art” community event offered residents another opportunity to help shape the vision through hands-on participation and feedback. The final digital plan will include site recommendations and long-term strategies for public art throughout Green.
stabilization project puts park’s future on solid ground
The vision for Irishtown Bend reached a milestone this May as the Port of Cleveland completed its $65 million hillside stabilization project, securing the riverbank and establishing the site for the future Irishtown Bend Park.
For more than a decade, LAND studio has played a leading role in design development, partner coordination, and fundraising efforts, while Ohio City Inc. has ensured that community voices have remained central throughout the planning and decision-making process. Together, these efforts have helped transform a long-standing environmental and infrastructure challenge into a generational opportunity to create a new civic destination.
A civic nexus more than a decade in the making rounds a corner
With the hillside stabilization work now complete, Cleveland Metroparks has initiated Phase 1 of park construction. This will complete the final link in the Cleveland Foundation Centennial Trail, creating a continuous trail route that will allow users to travel from Lake Erie through the entire Towpath Trail system to Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
This phase also includes construction of the park’s signature riverfront boardwalk, along with improvements to Franklin Boulevard including new pathways, lighting, and streetscape amenities. Following Phase 1’s anticipated completion in late 2027, Cleveland Metroparks will begin development of the park’s remaining amenities, including an event lawn, the Mandel Maritime Theatre, the Irish Heritage site honoring the area’s history, picnic areas, and a playground.
IMAGE C/O CITY OF GREEN
IMAGE C/O LAND STUDIO
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Summer 2026 THE SPACES BETWEEN
IN THIS ISSUE I Guiding a community’s art identity : A neighborhood-spanning greenway breaks ground : Setting the stage for transformation at Irishtown Bend
a Wild new piece sparks wonder on Public Square
LAND studio recently unveiled Go Wild, a new Art Wall installation on Public Square by artist Jennifer Michelle Price. The vibrant work celebrates the plants, animals, and insects that make Northeast Ohio unique, inviting visitors
to pause, look closely, and reconnect with the beauty of the natural world. “I hope the piece inspires anyone who sees it to take a moment to notice, experience wonder, and go wild and explore,” Price shared. A self-taught painter,
printmaker, illustrator, and author, Price creates work rooted in curiosity, color, and a deep appreciation for people and nature. Stop by the café seating area on Public Square to experience Go Wild in person.