The City of East Cleveland, in partnership with Cuyahoga Land Bank, embarked on the Connect East Cleveland initiative to revitalize the urban landscape along Euclid Avenue. This project aims to reshape the city’s western gateway and set a direction for future investments that architecturally and culturally define the neighborhood.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EVENT

Seventh Hill, a prominent local urban design consultancy, led the co-creation process for Connect East Cleveland. A key event in this initiative was an Open House, attended by over 50 community members. 

This event featured seven interactive engagement stations, each fostering hands-on community participation in envisioning the future of the Circle East District. Attendees interacted with a 3D printed neighborhood model to identify areas for new investments, shared their future visions at a storytelling station, and used the UrbanistAI station to transform these ideas into realistic visual renderings of public art murals, streetscapes, and park spaces for this neighborhood.

TAKEAWAYS

UrbanistAI significantly contributed to the effectiveness of the Open House. Its ability to convert community suggestions into visual representations helped create a more inclusive and practical approach to urban planning, aligning closely with the community’s vision for sustainable urban development. 

UrbanistAI’s participatory design platform, used at the event, enabled Seventh Hill to:

• Engage a diverse group of individuals, enriching the urban planning discourse.
• Create a collaborative environment where local insights and innovative design solutions converged.
• Formulate a unified, inclusive vision for East Cleveland, rooted in social democracy and mutual respect.