In 2022, two nonprofit organizations took ownership of Shaker Square in an effort to revitalize the commercial center. The nonprofits Cleveland Neighborhood Progress and Burten, Bell, Carr Development have been involved in planning and critical repair work to ready the commercial center for its next chapter.
The organizations presented their "vision plan" for Shaker Square to community members earlier this year, billing it as "a new era for a Cleveland classic," hoping to attract new businesses including restaurants and shops.
Cleveland Neighborhood Progress CEO Tania Menesse told Ideastream Public Media in a recent interview, "It's all about inviting people to the Square. Really making sure that everything from the parking lot to the promenades in front of the Square to the public green space are places where people feel comfortable."
The Square has suffered some losses with the restaurants Edwins and Edwins Too leaving the Square moving to the former Nighttown building on Cedar near the Case Western Reserve University campus. But a newly opened coffee and ice cream shop at the Square called Cafe Indigo has many buzzing. It's billing itself as a "third space" for community members to gather and congregate.
Monday on the "Sound of Ideas," we'll ask the question: can Shaker Square build on this success and become a commercial destination that is welcoming for locals and visitors? What are some of the biggest challenges, including the perception that safety is an issue at Square? And how do you make a thriving center representative of the diverse community living around it?
Later in the hour, the 49th Cleveland International Film Festival has gotten off to a strong start.
The festival includes 104 feature films and 198 short films from 60 countries and every year there are a few films with local connections.
"The Traveler" is a Victorian-era ghost story where a reclusive widow is haunted by— what she hopes is the spirit of her late husband— and not something more nefarious.
That reclusive widow? An actress from right here in Northeast Ohio.
Guests:
- Tania Menesse, CEO, Cleveland Neighborhood Progress
- Joy Johnson, Executive Director, Burten, Bell, Carr Incorporated
- Melissa Barrett, Owner, Cafe Indigo, Unbar
- Matthew Scheffler, Writer and Director, "The Traveler"
- Natalie Knepp, Lead Actress, "The Traveler"
