Cleveland waterfront plan expands to 60 acres after Browns exit
Officials aim to be construction ready by late 2027, replacing the old 25-acre stadium footprint with a new street grid and public spaces.
By Rebecca Svoboda ·
Cleveland officials are redefining the downtown lakefront into a 50- to 60-acre district now that the Browns will move to Brook Park. Scott Skinner, executive director of the North Coast Waterfront Development Corporation, explained on 19 Newsmakers how the project shifts from a stadium-centric model to a broader urban extension. The change removes the single anchor that previously dictated the site's layout and scale.
Skinner stated the team had to reset their planning approach because a 25-acre site with an NFL stadium and a 50- to 60-acre site without one are fundamentally different. The new design incorporates a fixed-but-flexible street grid intended to move cars, bikes, and pedestrians through the entire area. A pedestrian-only ribbon will run along the water, while a diagonal walkway will connect a new Lake Erie plaza near the Rock Hall to a central lawn located on the former Huntington Bank Field footprint.
The framework prioritizes social infrastructure alongside physical construction. Planners intend to designate first-floor retail spaces for small and minority-owned businesses and preserve everyday uses such as fishing off the pier. Skinner emphasized the goal is to create public spaces where residents feel a sense of ownership rather than just a place to visit.
The project relies on the city-led North Coast Connector, a fully funded pedestrian bridge and Shoreway realignment. This infrastructure will add traffic signals and integrate the lakefront into the downtown street grid. Skinner noted that the 30- to 40-minute trek from Mall C to the water will be reduced to a five-minute walk once the project is complete.
The Browns' lease runs through the 2028 season, with stadium demolition expected to last through 2029 and into early 2030. Skinner said officials do not plan to wait for the stadium to be gone to show progress. Using settlement dollars, Tax Increment Financing, and a new community authority, the target is to be construction ready by late next year for permanent public space north of the stadium. Temporary activations like the North Coast Yard will continue to draw tens of thousands of visitors each summer during the interim.
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