CLEVELAND, Ohio — Downtown Cleveland has experienced a significant revitalization over the years.

What You Need To Know


  • The Erieview District is approved for nomination to the National Register of Historic Places

  • It's situated in area of downtown Cleveland considered by many to be in need of a makeover

  • The Downtown Cleveland Alliance said the district has a couple million square feet of vacant space

“It’s life on the streets. It’s the fact that I can now leave the office and go places downtown and have multiple choices of places where I want to go grab a drink or dinner or a show, and I’m going to see a lot of people on the street,” said Antonin Robert.

Robert moved to Cleveland in 2007. He’s the president of community development for GBX Group, which has an office downtown. 

"In 2007, I could have walked out at 6 o’clock from my office and I was alone. I arrive at 9 o’clock or 8:30 in the morning, I could park on the street almost on Superior. There was nobody there."

When walking in the Erieview District, you’ll find some buildings with vacancy, but the Downtown Cleveland Alliance said help is on the way. 

"Some of the buildings are half vacant. Some of the buildings are totally vacant. There’s some really unique opportunities here," said Tom Yablonsky, executive vice president of the Downtown Cleveland Alliance and the executive director of the Historic Gateway Neighborhood Corporation. 

He said the Erieview District is approved for nomination to the National Register of Historic Places. With approval, 28 buildings would be eligible for federal and state historic tax credits, which will open the door for investments in offices, homes and hospitality. 

"They have great potential, but they need a lot of care and thought behind the strategy to reinvest. So it can’t be something cosmetic. It has to be something very comprehensive, and that’s why it’s very important this historic district can raise the investment and capital stack that allows for a comprehensive revitalization," said Yablonsky.

And Robert said the GBX Group, which specializes in revitalizing historic buildings, is excited about the opportunities to invest in the neighborhood. 

"Tremendous and in many respects," Robert said about the potential of the area. "Cleveland in particular is a fantastic example of how historic real estate has changed the face of Downtown Cleveland."

New opportunities are on the way for a new chapter of Downtown Cleveland’s revitalization.