On February 26, 2013, City of Cleveland Economic Development Director Tracey A. Nichols gave this presentation entitled, "Partnering with the Private Sector and Anchor Institutions" at a peer-to-peer exchange on Financing Transit-Oriented Development and Infill Supportive Infrastructure. The exchange was presented by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and The United States Environmental Protection Agency. Practitioners and experts from across the country participated in the two day event in Miami, Florida.

1. Financing TOD and Infill Supportive
Infrastructure Action Team
February 26, 2013
Partnering with the
Private Sector and
Anchor Institutions

2. Cleveland’s BRT
Awarded
2004
Started in
2005
Opened
2008
Cost $200
million
Named the “Healthline” by
Cleveland Clinic (Naming Rights)

3. The Healthline
9.38 miles
36 stations
Travel time from 40 to 28 minutes
Pedestrian Friendly with bike lanes
Landscape/hardscape treatment
• 1,500 trees with irrigation
• Plantings in center island planters along
medians
Integrated/stand alone public art

4. “Rail Like” Characteristics
Higher Travel Speeds
• Exclusive Right-of-way
• Traffic Signal Priortization
Level Boarding “Stations”
Off Board Fare Collections
Real-Time Information

5. A Closer look along
Cleveland’s TOD
Downtown and University Circle are at either
end. Within 3 blocks of the transit line we
have:
Health Care & Health Technology
Incubators
Lots of Vacant land- including Brownfields,
Vacant multi-story brick obsolete
warehouses
Two Universities and a Community College
From 2.8 million riders in ‘08 to over 4.5
million in 2011

6. The Health Tech Corridor-
Before

7. The Problem Statement
We have 2 Major Employment Areas that
are strong and thriving- surrounded by
weaker areas
How do we connect the two areas and
connect residents to employment?
Once we have the transit connection, how
do we EXPAND these strong areas,
attracting new businesses?
How can we keep incubated businesses in
the City after they graduate so we can
capture their growth?

8. The Health Tech Corridor
University
Circle
Institutions
in the
foreground
and
Downtown
in the
background

9. Health Tech Corridor-
Anchors

10. Who do we bring to the
table?
Colleges and
Universities
Chambers
Hospitals
Incubators
Community
Dev’t Corps
State & Local
Gov’ts
Business
Organizations

11. But- While you are Working
on New Partners..
Get Busy! Land Values along transit
generally increase
Example: A 6.2 acre used car lot bought in
1984 for $35,000
Transit announcement: 2005 $75,000
Transit opens: 2008- speculator $110,000
Developer acquires for larger project
$276,000
Land Value 2012 $1.08 million (for 6.2
acres per County appraiser)

12. At First….
It’s a SMALL Group
Not Everyone joins the party
Not everyone believes BRT will be
successful
Not everyone believes that Transit
Oriented Development Can Happen in the
“Corridor”
Hmmm- we need some data from
someone who people will believe

13. The Study
In 2010, several organizations funded
MidTown Cleveland to hire Angelou
Economics to develop an economic
development strategy for the Cleveland
Health Technology Corridor.
Funders: Midtown, Inc; Cleveland
Foundation, City of Cleveland, Port
Authority
Cost: $120,000

14. Some of the Goals
Promote the HTC and Greater Cleveland’s position
as a leading biomedical center.
Create a single point of contact for the corridor
Develop real estate options to meet industry
requirements in every stage of growth
Leverage existing and create new development
financing options
Strengthening the connections between the HTC
and the Port’s International Trade District
Ensure that the region is attracting, retaining, and
producing individuals with the skills needed to meet
future health and technology needs

15. Now We Have a Plan
The initial partners were already working
Supporting existing businesses Planning & Zoning
Brownfield Assessments Code enforcement
Brownfield Clean-up Land Acquisition
We have a big announcement on the plan
CDC’s Annual Meeting
Q & A with Crain’s Cleveland Business
Press Releases and News Coverage
Next: Selling it to more funders/partners

16. Next Steps
More Partners join the table
Health Tech Corridor meetings are more formal
and more regular
Working off the “Plan”
• There’s a workforce piece
• There’s an education piece
• There’s a marketing piece
• There’s a staffing piece
• There’s a funding piece
How will we pay for these items?
• The State, Anchor Partners, Foundations,
re-align existing resources

17. Happy Accidents
Both the Health Tech Corridor (HTC) and
The Greater University Circle Initiative
(GUCI) apply for Living Cities
Several partners staff both initiatives
(GUCI and HTC have similar geographies)
Cross population- new members for both
efforts
Now we are creating jobs AND working to
improve the economic well-being of the
surrounding neighborhoods

18. Can the Corridor Support
Differing Initiatives?
Maintaining the partnership takes work
Not everyone has the same vision- many
private agendas
Example- Permanent Supportive Housing
on the Corridor
• Midtown Cleveland, Inc. against
• Businesses against
• Developers against
• Non-Profit community believes it is crucial
Even Senior Housing was opposed

19. Success Brings More
Partners
Celebrate the successes
Tour people through your project- help
them see “what’s next”
Engage the business community- even if
they are across town
Use your partners to bring the press to
the table- editorial board?
Once people see the project succeeding,
they are interested in participating – even
the naysayers

20. New Investment Spurred
by BRT Health Line

21. Pierre’s Expansion
Build on what you have….
6200 Euclid Avenue- Expansion of an Ice
Cream Making Company already in the corridor

22. Uptown - Mixed Use
Case Western’s College Town
Phase I
complete
•66,000 sf
retail
•102
Apartments
•$44.5 m
project cost
•Phase II
closing Dec
2012

23. Midtown Technology Center
128,000 sf post
incubator space
New home of
Jumpstart,
Cleveland Heart
Lab and
Chamberlain
School of
Nursing

24. 7000 Euclid
• 48,000 square feet
• Office/technology
• LEED Building
• Free parking
• On the Health-line
for easy access to
institutions
• University Hospitals
and Veterans
Administration
have taken space

25. Opinions Change…..

26. City of Cleveland
Tracey Nichols
Director
Dept. of Economic Development
(216) 664-3611
tnichols2@city.cleveland.oh.us