Groups work to improve Cleveland's Warehouse District

CLEVELAND - Cleveland's "Warehouse District" was one of the city's first areas to be redeveloped. Various groups continue working to grow and improve the neighborhood. Monday, city of Cleveland officials and neighborhood stakeholders met to report on their progress and challenges.

At the quarterly Downtown Business Forum, attendees heard Vice President of Flats East Development Adam Fishman update the status of the office tower and hotel currently being built at the edge of the Warehouse District. Fishman said construction of the Ernst & Young Tower and attached Aloft Hotel is on schedule and on budget. Fishman said the environmentally friendly LEED certified building's 'shell' will be complete next summer. And phase I of the development project should open in the spring of 2013.

Cleveland Division of Police Chief Michael McGrath also spoke at the forum. McGrath recapped the successful efforts by the city to eliminate many of the problems that had plagued the Warehouse District's entertainment area in recent years. McGrath said a partnership between police, bar and business owners and parking lot operators has led to a substantial decline in after-hours violence near the nightclubs in the area.

Joe Marinucci, President and CEO of the Downtown Cleveland Alliance, told the group his organization is actively pursuing retailers throughout the region in an effort to bring a more diverse retail mix to the Warehouse District and beyond. The initiative is called the "Best of Cleveland" strategy -- and seeks to help area retailers expand to downtown.

Also speaking at Monday's event were; Deb Janik, Senior Vice President of Real Estate & Business Development for the Greater Cleveland Partnership, and Kevin Schmotzer, Executive of Small Business Growth for the city of Cleveland.

Click the following link to see a live camera picture of the Flats East Development project:
http://flatseast.com/webcam.htm