Description. The Industrial Valley has the smallest population of any city neighborhood, due to the predominance of industry in this area. It was here, in 1870, that the young John D. Rockefeller established his Standard Oil Company and, through his control of shipping, refining and distributing, made Cleveland the center of the American refining industry. Chemicals and steel were also major industries that still have a presence today. Distribution is also a major economic activity in this part of the City. Much of the riverfront is occupied by piles of raw material that are brought into the area by boat and are used in the building and steel industries. Residences are limited to a few streets around East 49 th and Pershing which could be considered part of the North Broadway neighborhood.
Assets. Among the neighborhood’s most significant assets are:
- access to interstates 77, 490 and 90
- access to navigable portions of the Cuyahoga River
- proximity to downtown
- RTA’s rapid transit line in the northern portion of the area
- Mittal Steel’s east side works
- the region’s Main Post Office facility on Orange Avenue
Challenges. Among the challenges faced by the Industrial Valley neighborhood today are:
- large areas of underutilized industrial land, many which need clean-up because they are considered “brownfields”
- determining whether the stockpiling of building materials is the best use for many sites along the Cuyahoga riverfront
- replacement of failing bulkheading along the navigable portion of the river
- improving access between the interstate system and portions of the valley
- determining how the industrial area can be less of an obstacle between the Cuyahoga River and the neighborhoods to the north and east
Vision. Regeneration of industrial brownfield sites for new development and revitalization of the Cuyahoga River can serve as catalysts for the creation and locating of industries focused on sustainable products and processes. Among the development opportunities and initiatives proposed are the following:
- utilize the industrial acreage in Industrial Valley to attract new companies to underused areas such as the Zaclon and Coke Oven site
- connect Industrial Valley to surrounding communities via trail connections such as the Morgana Run trail connector
- further study the economic benefit of material piles along the Cuyahoga River to understand whether it is the best use of the land and whether there are alternative locations for this use
- take advantage of Industrial Valley’s potential connection to the towpath trail via the Kingsbury Run trail connector
- restore and clean-up the mouth of the Kingsbury Run at the Cuyahoga River as a natural area and example of environmental restoration
Printable version: can be downloaded here.
Maps (current as of May 2007): Assets, Development Opportunities, Land Use (existing and proposed), and Retail Strategies are available here. (PDF)
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