Cleveland’s Lakefront: Its Development and Planning

Abstract

This article explores the history of planning and development of Cleveland’s lakefront from the mid-nineteenth century through the most recent plans of late 2004. It shows that commercial uses, tied to different forms of transportation, dominated planning objectives, as distinct from recreational uses and attempts to expand public access. The most recent plans seek a better balance between private and public interests in future uses of Cleveland’s waterfront, but there is a lack of consensus among the competing interest groups.