The City of Cleveland (Ohio, US) officially announced recently that they are looking for partners and developers to reimage a 50-acre lakefront piece of land which currently includes the Huntington Bank Field – home of the National Football League (NFL) team Cleveland Browns.
‘cleveland19.com’ quoted the Mayor of Cleveland Justin Bibb as stating that eliminating the stadium would double the property available to create a more inviting and exciting place for people to live, work and play.
The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland, Ohio (US). The Browns compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference North Division.
The 67,431-capacity Huntington Bank Field is a stadium in Cleveland, Ohio US. It is the home field of the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL) and serves as a venue for other events such as college and high school football, soccer, hockey, and concerts.
‘cleveland19.com’ further stated that Mayor Bibb said he’s being “pragmatic and crystal-eyed” about the Cleveland Browns’ plans to leave the lakefront for a new stadium in Brook Park in 2029. At this point, he said, it makes sense to pitch developers on the entire site, including the stadium, and not just the 25 or so acres of parking lots to the North and the East – “We have certainty that the Browns are going to Brook Park. And now we have 50 acres of prime real estate on our City’s lakefront to develop. And, so, we’re excited to get proposals from the developers from across, really, the world, who has been reaching out.”
The Cleveland Browns’ ‘Brook Park plans’ refer to their proposed $2.4 billion domed stadium and surrounding mixed-use ‘Brownstown’ entertainment district in Brook Park, Ohio (US), aiming for a 2029 opening.
The request for qualifications (RFQ) is asking the development companies to use certain guidelines and principles to transform the lakefront into something that will change the world’s perception of Cleveland, according to Mayor Bibb.
A Request for Qualifications (RFQ) is a pre-screening tool in the procurement process where an organization asks the potential vendors to submit information about their experience, technical capabilities and financial stability to determine if they are qualified to participate in the future solicitations.
Bibb wrote in the RFQ, “This is more than a development opportunity. It is a once-in-a-generation chance to build a vibrant, connected and iconic neighborhood on the shores of Lake Erie.”
Mayor Bibb has been saying for years that this project is one of his top priorities and that he wants to be the first Mayor in 150 years to finally give the lakefront back to the citizens.
The RFQ makes it very clear that the developers should assume the stadium the Cleveland Browns have called home since the 1990s will no longer be there – “The site currently includes the surface parking lots, the pedestrian and vehicle throughways, a temporary activation project called The North Coast Yard, and the footprint of the current Browns stadium expected to be demolished in 2029 if the Browns move to Brook Park, Ohio.”
The RFQ added, “The City’s current assumption is that the stadium will be demolished in 2029 if the Browns move to Brook Park, Ohio. However, the developers are also welcome to propose a reuse of the existing stadium.”
The City has actually been working for four years on this project even coming up with a master plan that was created in conjunction with the North Coast Waterfront Development Corporation (NCWDC – a not-for-profit organization created by the City of Cleveland, Ohio, to oversee the planning, financing and coordination of the transformation of Cleveland’s North Coast lakefront area).
That master plan had included renderings of what the area around the stadium could look like.
Now that the planning has to include designs for where the stadium used to be that master plan is largely dead.
Except, that the master plan had included countless hours of community outreach to learn how the citizens want to see the area revitalized.
Those visions are being used as guidelines for the perspective developers:
- Economic Opportunity – Strengthen connections between the Downtown and Lake Erie and set the stage for future transformations across Cleveland’s waterfronts;
- Racial Equity – Integrate thoughtful and equitable development centered on the core master plan values of access, equity and environmental health and prioritize wealth creation opportunities for the historically marginalized communities;
- Climate Resiliency – Provide proactive, sustainability-first designs that not only protect against climate change but actively repair the habitats, advance environmental justice and build on Cleveland’s legacy in leading the environmental movement; and
- Joy – Balance and prioritize water access, the community gathering spaces, nature and the green spaces, and economic opportunities that encourage intergenerational and year-round use.
The plan also includes the City moving forward with a land bridge that will connect Downtown with the lakefront.
Construction of what is being called the NorthCoastConnector is expected to begin in 2027.
The RFQ states, “The North Coast Connector consists of two main changes: Constructing a 100+ foot wide pedestrian-only land bridge connecting the site to Downtown as well as transforming the highway that bisects the Project Site from Downtown into a City Boulevard with signalized intersections.”
The RFQ is looking for completed submission by mid-September with the selection of a developer coming as soon as late October.
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