In Cleveland, a Flashy New Museum But an Even Better Neighborhood

Posted October 04, 2012 in Articles

Author: Mark Byrnes

Next Monday, the Cleveland's Museum of Contemporary Art will officially move into its new $27.3 million home on Euclid Avenue. Designed by Iranian-born and London-based architect Farshid Moussavi, the sophisticated, gem-shaped museum reminds visitors that Cleveland can still build the kinds of flashy cultural toys associated with bigger, wealthier cities.

MOCA Cleveland may make the loudest design statement, but it's far from the only symbol of bold, 21st century urbanism in the University Circle neighborhood.

The neighborhood has seen a diverse set of investments, including high density residential projects, new medical facilities and academic buildings, even multiple public transit initiatives. University Circle now stands out as a diverse hub of activity in a city clamoring for such things.

Anchored by a stop along the RTA’s HealthLine, a bus rapid transit route that connects East Cleveland to downtown, the Uptown Development Project is a new mixed-use development with apartments and retail. Most importantly, the development gives the former food desert a full-scale supermarket. Constantino’s Market opened earlier this year on the ground floor of Uptown Development, thanks in part to a "Healthy Food Financing" grant from the Department of Health and Human Services.

Blessed by a significant cluster of university, medical, cultural, and transit facilities, it is in a fortunate position to generate private sector development (the neighborhood has grown to support around 3 millionvisitors, 50,000 jobs and 10,000 residents) that many surrounding communities still cannot since losing their industrial base in the last century.

Original Article: http://www.theatlanticcities.com/neighborhoods/2012/10/cleveland-flashy-new-museum-even-better-neigh