Extreme Makeover

by John Hitch | Dec. 20, 2011 | 5:00 AM

Mayor Frank Jackson wants to unite Public Square's four quadrants into a 6-acre green space and create a more egalitarian city hub that's welcoming to pedestrians and bikers. Streets would be closed, motorists would be directed around the square rather than through it, and RTA bus stops, where thousands of people access public transportation daily, would have to be relocated. The idea is bold, it's visionary, but is it Cleveland's best option?

No // Closing off portions of Superior Avenue and Ontario Street when the Horseshoe Casino Cleveland is soon set to bring an estimated 5 million people annually to the southwest corner of Public Square raises some viability questions for landscape architect James Corner. In 2009, his New York-based firm, Field Operations, submitted a design to the Downtown Cleveland Alliance and ParkWorks that avoided the potential traffic roadblock. It included an artificial hill that arched over the intersection, which allowed roads to remain open while connecting the square's four corners in a pedestrian-friendly way. He says the design also offered adaptability if it was ultimately determined the roads through Public Square could be closed, which Corner says wasn't an option two years ago. He adds that the design also gives Cleveland a civic hub that's functional and original. "In some ways the hill is iconic," says Corner, who also designed Manhattan's High Line park. "Not only would it be a centerpiece, but also a gateway."

Yes // "Cleveland never gave that hillside design serious consideration," says the mayor's chief of staff, Ken Silliman, "because it was likely to be far too costly." It also doesn't address the mayor's vision, which Jackson describes as "the overall redefining of the city of Cleveland." He says that means creating "complete streets" and making pedestrians and cyclists equal to motorists. Assuming the traffic study, which should be released next month, gives the go-ahead on shutting down the roads that cut through Public Square, Silliman isn't worried about traffic congestion. He points to last summer's filming of The Avengers downtown and the fact that East Ninth Street was closed for a month without problems. The city is seeking $68.1 million in federal stimulus money to fund the project. If it gets the money, it will contribute $18.9 million of its own. Significant private investment would also be required. "We will do whatever we need to do on our end to make this happen," Jackson says.