Cleveland's North Coast Land Bridge Gets $20 Million Closer to Reality

Clevelanders are a tad bit closer to seeing those barren, gray parking lots north of Browns Stadium go away for good.

This week, the 135th Ohio General Assembly of the State Legislature okayed a $4.2 billion spending bill that allocated tens of millions of state dollars to high-stakes Cleveland development in progress.

Its biggest allotment for Northeast Ohio: $20 million for the North Coast Connector, the long-elusive land bridge planned to link Mall C with the land around the stadium and the shores of Lake Erie.

The state also will contribute dollars to the makeover of the West Side Market ($2.4 million), to the hillside renovation that is Irishtown Bend Park ($2 million) and the proposed Cleveland Women's Soccer Stadium south of Progressive Field ($1 million).

But the land bridge might be what City Hall is most excited about.
[content-2] This "is a game-changer for Cleveland, and will have a lasting impact on our city's economic growth and development," Mayor Justin Bibb wrote in a press release.

"We are incredibly grateful for the support and dedication of our state partners who championed this project," he added, "as well as the residents, business and civic leaders who advocated tirelessly for its realization."

First unveiled in earnest under the City Hall Rotunda in late 2021, the land-bridge quickly became Bibb's development white whale when promising renderings—parking lots replaced by greenery and playgrounds—were released by architecture firm James Corner Field Operations the following year.

Bridging that longstanding gap between Mall C's green over the railroad tracks and the Shoreway could cost the city, and its taxpayers, at least $230 million, an early estimate predicted.

The cost to convert a part of Cleveland's already hard-to-access shoreline could be complicated if Browns owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam decide to relocate the team to Brook Park, which could signify a hefty price tag if the lakeside stadium is marked for demolition.

Plans and budgets will likely change in the coming year or so, as construction costs and lending rates fluctuate with a global market tough on large-scale projects and apartment conversions.

In April, James Corner Field Operations requested an extra $400,000 from City Council for its ongoing study of the proposed bridge and Master Plan—an ask that seemed to irritate a council itching to be more involved.

The Assembly's spending package also set aside $7 million for the second-phase renovation of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, along with $8 million for the massive Bedrock Riverfront development south of Tower City Center. [content-1]

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