'The Midline' project, Cleveland's largest industrial redevelopment, to transform near east side into job hub, community greenway

350-acre district will convert vacant industrial land into a connected employment center with
new trails, parks and transit access for Cleveland workforce

CLEVELAND, May 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The City of Cleveland, in partnership with the Site Readiness for Good Jobs Fund, today announced The Midline, a 350-plus acre redevelopment initiative that will convert long-vacant industrial land on the city's near east side into a connected employment district, public greenway and community asset linking major job centers.

The development project, years in the making, brings together fragmented, underutilized parcels along the historic Norfolk Southern rail corridor to form a unified district designed for advanced manufacturing, research and development and related industries. The site sits within reach of bus rapid transit routes, two RTA rail stations and interstate highways, placing it within a 30-minute commute of nearly 900,000 workers.

"For generations, neighborhoods like Central and Fairfax were places where Clevelanders could live, work, and build a future within a few blocks of home. When industry left, and jobs disappeared, contaminated land was left behind — creating barriers to opportunity that held these neighborhoods back for decades. Today, we are changing that. This is one of the most ambitious neighborhood revitalization efforts Cleveland has undertaken," said Mayor Justin M. Bibb. "The Midline is exactly what the Cleveland ERA is about: reconnecting neighborhoods, creating opportunity, and ensuring every resident can share in Cleveland's growth."

The Midline is being developed as a district-wide strategy rather than a single-user project, with the goal of attracting larger-scale employers across manufacturing, R&D, office and supporting service sectors. Plans call for at least 1.5 million square feet of new industrial and commercial space, supporting more than 2,500 direct jobs within reach of public transit. At full build-out, the project is projected to generate up to $100 million in annual tax revenue for the city.

The Site Readiness for Good Jobs Fund (SRF), the entity driving the development forward for the City, was launched in 2023 with the transformative mission of returning 1,000+ acres of vacant industrial land across Cleveland to productive use. This development has been central to their efforts since that time, focused on providing Cleveland residents with economic opportunities through the transformation of long-neglected urban parcels into job centers and multi-use community assets.

"This project is about taking land that has sat idle for decades and making it usable again in a way that works for the city and its residents," said Brad Whitehead, managing director of the Site Readiness for Good Jobs Fund. "When we prepare sites like this, we are attracting investment, creating real pathways to jobs and economic mobility for Clevelanders."

The redevelopment plans also include a continuous greenway, parks and open space network designed to improve walkability, expand tree canopy and restore ecological function along the corridor. Community benefits are expected to include expanded access to public space, improved air quality and activation of long-vacant industrial corridors. A complete master planning project is now underway for the site, led by the design teams of Merritt Chase and Utile. The detailed Master Plan is expected to be published in full by the end of summer 2026.

"For years, this land has contributed to environmental stress in surrounding neighborhoods," said Keisha Gonzalez, LAND studio Executive Director & CEO. "Our goal is to reduce those health impacts through cleanup and bring in green space that gives residents cleaner air, more nature, and a better everyday environment—while also restoring a sense of belonging and dignity of place, so people see themselves, their health, and their future reflected in the spaces around them."

Much of The Midline area currently consists of complex, long-vacant industrial land. Environmental contamination, fragmented ownership, aging infrastructure, and high remediation costs have kept private investment away. Early phases of redevelopment will prioritize environmental cleanup and brownfield remediation, including reusing on-site materials where it is feasible to reduce landfill use, truck traffic, and emissions. The Midline will also blend adaptive reuse of select historic structures with new construction, preserving elements of Cleveland's industrial legacy while repositioning the district for modern uses.

Neighborhoods surrounding The Midline, Central, and Fairfax, rank among the most burdened in Ohio on key health and environmental indicators, including elevated rates of asthma, heart disease, and exposure to industrial pollution. Remediation efforts tied to the project will directly address legacy impacts from decades of industrial activity and neglect, while new green infrastructure will improve long-term public health outcomes. Additionally, SRF is advancing opportunities for residents to invest in, co-own, and build long-term wealth through these developments, with further information to be released.

Councilman Richard Starr, who represents the Central neighborhood, said the project represents a significant shift in economic trajectory. "This Midline Priority Investment Area is about turning long-neglected, contaminated land into opportunity. For too long, Ward 5 has carried the burden of contaminated, vacant land while waiting for real investment. I support this designation but let me be clear: this cannot just be another plan on paper. This project area must lead to real cleanup, real jobs, and real opportunities for the residents who live here today."

By consolidating fragmented parcels into a single investment-ready district, The Midline is intended to accelerate redevelopment timelines while expanding access to jobs, transit, and neighborhood amenities. With this initiative, Cleveland is positioning itself to convert legacy industrial land into a connected employment district that supports long-term economic growth and neighborhood revitalization.

"In today's economy, companies move fast, and they choose places that are ready now," said Lydia Mihalik, Director of the Ohio Department of Development. "Investments in projects like The Midline help Cleveland compete for transformative projects and the high-quality jobs that come with them."

The Midline is designed for industries that maximize jobs, wages, innovation, and accessibility to economic mobility — including biomedical, food and beverage production, advanced light manufacturing, and emerging production-oriented sectors. Leaders emphasized the district is not intended for low-job-density uses like data or distribution centers or for industries that pollute the environment. The goal is to create a modern urban employment district that provides good jobs while fostering vibrant public spaces for Clevelanders.

Of The Midline's 350-plus acres, approximately 150 acres are currently occupied by active businesses that will remain in place. The redevelopment will focus on roughly 200 acres of underutilized and vacant land, building on the presence of established local employers such as Pierre's Ice Cream, SNAP Gourmet Foods, Orlando Baking, Nor-Am Cold Storage and Miceli Dairy Products.

For more information, or to learn more about upcoming community meetings where residents and stakeholders can help shape The Midline's plans, please visit www.clevelandmidline.org.

The Midline is a cornerstone of Mayor Bibb's Cleveland ERA agenda, driving economic resurgence through industrial revival, neighborhood vibrancy, and government innovation citywide.

About Site Readiness for Good Jobs Fund
Established by the City of Cleveland in 2023, the Site Readiness for Good Jobs Fund is a nonprofit organization created to transform long-vacant industrial land into thriving job hubs for Clevelanders. Its mission is to reactivate 1,000 acres and help generate 25,000 jobs by transforming abandoned and underutilized brownfields into platforms for economic mobility, particularly in neighborhoods that have borne the brunt of systemic disinvestment and environmental harm. The Site Readiness for Good Jobs Fund is supported by a permanent endowment, stewarded by the Cleveland Foundation, designed to grow over time and sustain site clean-up across the city for generations.

SOURCE Site Readiness for Good Jobs Fund