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ULI Cleveland Bulkhead Technical Assistance Panel Press Release
July 18, 2022
Cleveland Urban Land Institute Publishes Report of Recommendations for Bulkhead Management for Cuyahoga River
The deteriorating condition of many of the bulkheads along the Cuyahoga River has been an impediment to development in the Cuyahoga Valley for the City of Cleveland, Port of Cleveland, Flats Forward, the Cleveland Metroparks, and private landowners.
Cleveland, OH (July 19, 2022) – In an effort to better understand and overcome barriers to developing and utilizing the riverfront and Cuyahoga Valley, the Vision for the Valley partnership engaged the Cleveland District Council of the Urban Land Institute to convene a ten-member multidisciplinary Technical Assistance Panel (TAP) to recommend best practices for financing, rebuilding and maintaining bulkhead infrastructure along one of Cleveland’s two major waterfront, the Cuyahoga River. ULI Cleveland is excited to present its TAP report in partnership with the City of Cleveland, the Cleveland City Planning Commission, Cleveland Metroparks, Port of Cleveland, and Flats Forward at a special forum on August 11.
ULI Cleveland is a non-profit organization of practicing cross-disciplinary real estate and land use professionals and community leaders, that facilitates an open exchange of ideas, information, and experience among industry leaders and policy makers dedicated to creating better places in the entire region of Northeast Ohio. The TAP program of ULI Cleveland is powerful tool that can bring ULI’s resources to bear on a real estate development challenge. A TAP provides the market-based expertise of ULI members from across the country to cities and other organizations that need objective analysis and advice on how to solve difficult real estate development problems. A TAP is a multidisciplinary panel of experts that interview stakeholders, analyze the problem, and propose recommendations that are presented in a final report. The theme of this two-day TAP convened in November 2021 focused on bulkhead management practices that can be adopted to remove barriers to private development, encourage beneficial enhancements to privately-owned riverfront properties, and enhance public access and utilization of the riverfront for recreation, while continuing to effectively service the industry in the Valley.
“Cleveland Metroparks applauds ULI Cleveland’s leadership to improve access and opportunity along the Cuyahoga River,” said Cleveland Metroparks CEO Brian M. Zimmerman. “The TAP study on bulkhead infrastructure will help guide us towards a vibrant riverfront where public access, recreation, industry, entertainment and residency all combine.”
The complete report will be shared at the special event on August 11. An abbreviated TAP report is now available online here.
The TAP chairperson was Debbie Berry, formerly Vice President of Planning and Real Estate Development with University Circle Inc. who now serves as SVP of Major Projects & Real Estate Development for the Greater Cleveland Partnership, and the panel included Don Frantz, owner of Metro Consulting; Michael Antinelli, Co-Founder and Director of Projects and Engineering at Brizaga; Richard Pace, CEO of Cumberland Development; Joshua Ellis, the previous Vice President of Metro Planning Council in Chicago; Fred Geis, CEO of Geisco; Teresa Metcalf Beasley, Member and Chair of the firm’s Public Law Group at McDonald Hopkins LLC; Tracey Nichols, Director of Financial Services at Project Management Consultants; Ken Kalynchuk, Project Director at project Management Consultants; and Joe Ferenczy, Director of Water Resources at Osborne Engineering.
ULI Cleveland will host a special event on Thursday, August 11, 2022 from 8:00 – 10:00 AM , with the City of Cleveland, Cleveland Metroparks, Port of Cleveland, and Flats Forward, where several TAP panelists will present the final report including their recommendations and steps that have already been taken towards a process to improve the bulkheads along the Cuyahoga River. Find out more information here. The TAP report is an important next step in implementing a coordinated effort across government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and private landowners to revitalize the riverfront and Cuyahoga Valley.
About ULI Cleveland
ULI Cleveland is a non-profit organization of practicing land-use professionals and community leaders, founded to share information and experience, showcase new projects and examine trends and innovation in the entire region of Northeast Ohio. The mission of the Urban Land Institute is to provide leadership in the responsible use of land and in creating and sustaining thriving communities worldwide. To request more information on conducting a TAP, please contact ULI Cleveland Executive Director Melanie Kortyka at [email protected]. To learn more about the Urban Land Institute Cleveland chapter, please visit Cleveland.ULI.org.