News

Shaker Square has a plan and vision for its future.

Now comes the hard part, backers say: implementation.

A few hundred people, many of whom said they live near the square or have businesses there, filled every seat and lined the doorway of a theater at the Square’s Atlas Cinemas on a cold evening, Thursday, Jan. 23.

They came to hear how the Square’s owners, Cleveland Neighborhood Progress and Burten, Bell, Carr Development, plan to reinvigorate the historic square.

It’s not a reinvention of the square — that’s something backers said they did not need or want, presenters said — but a plan to relaunch the location in its traditional roles as a shopping area and gathering place.

“It needs to be a new era for this Cleveland Classic,” Burten, Bell Executive Director Joy Johnson told the audience.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Cleveland Neighborhood Progress on Thursday revealed its plan to revitalize Shaker Square, which includes adding more housing to the area, finding and keeping unique commercial tenants and improving outdoor amenities.

CNP, along with the Square’s other nonprofit owner, Burten, Bell, Carr Development, have yet to decide whether they plan to own the property long-term, or if they plan to sell it to another buyer in the coming years.

Change is soon to come at Shaker Square intended to usher it into a new generation.

Shaker Square is one of the country’s oldest shopping centers. The square was in foreclosure three years ago before the City of Cleveland purchased it and named Cleveland Neighborhood Progress and Burten, Bell, Carr Development co-owners.

After a $5 million investment into necessary rehabilitation on the property and more than a year of public engagement, Cleveland Neighborhood Progress CEO Tania Menesse said it was clear the public did not want the square to be reinvented.

“All of the elements that make this a unique and special place already exist,” Menesse said. “What it needs is an infusion of energy and investment and a real support of the broader business community to really realize the vision of the square.”

As a result, new programming will be brought to the square as early as this summer, Menesse said.

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.