CLEVELAND -- Mayor Frank Jackson's new $1.5 billion plan to transform the city into a community of choice is ambitious, reported NewsChannel5's Carolina Leid.

"Being able to go to a concert and walk then to a museum and then go into a restaurant and then perhaps into a nightclub setting," said Mayor Frank Jackson. "Then go home to downtown and walk to work the next day."

There are many things to do in the city.

"It's living. It's breathing. People are on the street," Jackson said. "There are things to do, places to go, and anytime day or night you can do something in that city."

Do neighbors draw businesses or do businesses draw neighbors?

"That's a chicken and the egg. That debate will go on forever," Jackson said. "Since I know that we have to do things I don't look at that way. I just know we have to do it."

To make a 24-hour city thrive, Jackson said Cleveland needs 20,000 to 50,000 people working downtown and 150,000 visitors.

"The way that I believe the method of doing it is to create a population that lives downtown, 20,000 to 25,000 people, create demands for housing goods and services," said Jackson.

Realtor Tricia Chapon works and lives downtown.

"With the gas prices the way that they are a lot of people want to save the commute," Chapon said.

The majority of her clients are young professionals and empty nesters.

Chapon said they are doing well at Waterstreet Condominums.

"What would help more are some more opportunities for younger children in the neighborhood to bring more of the young families," Chapon said.

Jackson said that is where Cleveland Schools CEO Eugene Sanders comes in.

"Education is the glue. It is the key," Jackson said. "I believe if I could make our public schools system a system of choice were people their children in our schools because of the excellent education that could get me 100,000 more people overnight."