shakersquare

On Thursday, Shaker Square unveiled their new vision plan designed to position the destination for its next chapter.

CLEVELAND — Thursday night, the nonprofits that own and operate Cleveland’s Shaker Square unveiled an ambitious revitalization plan to the community that includes new housing and retail development.

It’s a vision to restore the historic landmark that’s more than two years in the making, after the neighborhood staple had to be rescued from foreclosure.

Officials gave their presentation before a packed theater at Shaker Square’s Atlas Cinemas. The plan includes more green space, outdoor patios for unique restaurants, more than 170 new housing units outside the square for a bigger customer base, and additional attractions to make the town square a destination.

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – An uptick in crime and crumbling infrastructure has pushed some tenants in Shaker Square out. However, things may finally be looking up thanks to millions in improvements by the Square’s new owners.

On Thursday the two nonprofit owners announced their final community vision plan.

In the past two years, the new owners have replaced roofs, improved lighting, and installed 60 security cameras, but some shoppers believe Shaker Square has changed for the worse.

Deshawn Hayes has been shopping at Shaker Square since he was 13 years old.

“I would like the crime to go down and everyone can walk safe and be peaceful out here because the crime is up here high,” Hayes said.

CLEVELAND — After years of planning and critical repairs, the public is finally getting a look at what’s in the works for the re-envisioned Shaker Square, which was purchased in 2022 by two nonprofit organizations — Cleveland Neighborhood Progress and Burten, Bell, Carr Development Inc.

The nonprofits are unveiling their final vision plan on Thursday night at Atlas Cinemas.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Several businesses of Shaker Square opened their doors Saturday afternoon to children and their families to properly bring in the holiday season with tons of activities.

Families walked along the square to pop in and out of the businesses to get hot cocoa, have their faces painted, decorate cookies, see Santa, roast marshmallows and more.

It was an area of holiday celebration during the free Seasons Greetings from Shaker Square event, the second time the holiday event has been held. “Reindeers” danced outside Santa’s workshop and music played, echoing across the square.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — As the “visioning” plan for a revitalized Shaker Square comes down the home stretch, owners and consultants hope to capitalize on the landmark’s built-in competitive advantage.

It starts with the “good bones” the original visionaries laid out nearly a century ago.

That includes a transit hub surrounded by four quadrants of quality commercial space in the middle of densely diverse residential neighborhoods.

“You can’t build something like this place today, with these kinds of buildings,” said Tania Menesse, CEO and president of Cleveland Neighborhood Progress (CNP), one of the non-profit owners of the historic square.

CLEVELAND — Courtney Laves-Mearini moved her dance studio to Shaker Square in 2007.

Since then, she’s seen the ups – and the downs.

A recession and a pandemic. A foreclosure and receivership at one of the nation’s oldest shopping centers. A rescue effort led by two local nonprofits – with substantial help from the city – to keep an East Side landmark from being auctioned to the highest bidder.

“We’ve adapted through all the changes,” said Laves-Mearini, who is wrapping up an expansion at her business, Cleveland City Dance.

Change is coming to Shaker Square. On Thursday, the public got a first look at what those changes might mean to the nearly 100-year-old shopping center in Cleveland near the Shaker Heights border.

“The community has spoken — authenticity is Shaker Square’s key asset,” said Tania Menesse, CEO of Cleveland Neighborhood Progress, a nonprofit that co-owns the shopping center with Burten, Bell, Carr Development, a neighborhood development organization.

The owners have been collecting public input on the project for months. The first Shaker Square consensus-building event took place in May. About 200 people attended. Feedback included a desire for additional security, local business support, safe crossings and walkways for pedestrians, more programming and a space for artists, according to the Shaker Square Vision Project.

One of the central messages organizers have received in collecting feedback on the square’s future, including survey results from nearly 500 people, is that the public doesn’t want the square reinvented, Menesse said. It wants it relaunched.