Street Plans partnered with Cleveland’s North Coast Waterfront Development Corporation to transform an underutilized downtown parking lot into North Coast Yard, a dynamic seasonal pop-up space on Lake Erie’s shoreline. Located just north of the Cleveland Browns’ stadium, this one-acre lakefront activation opened in June 2025 to catalyze implementation of the city’s ambitious North Coast Master Plan. The project creates a much-needed opportunity for Clevelanders to enjoy their waterfront while testing flexible design concepts and operations models for future development.
Working alongside local partners Seventh Hill Design and Tom Starinsky Planning + Design, Street Plans delivered comprehensive development and implementation of this large-scale pilot project. Our scope spanned site design (from concept to construction drawings), strategic infrastructure improvements, and stewardship and staffing. We designed and oversaw implementation of everything from a two-court basketball layout that doubled as space for futsal and skateboarding, to a modular stage and shaded seating areas, a bar and rotating food trucks, and a play kit sparking joy and fun for all ages.
Street Plans provided hands-on construction management with a locally-based contractor and led a week-long community build series engaging dozens of volunteers in shaping the site with their own hands. Beyond design, we directed end-to-end operations—hiring and training Yard staff, recruiting food and beverage partners, coordinating documentation and marketing, and producing a robust summer-long calendar of free programming with over 70 organizations from 17 Cleveland neighborhoods.
Since opening, North Coast Yard has welcomed more than 20,000 visitors for activities ranging from casual lakefront relaxation to special celebrations, concerts, and community gatherings. The space combines near-term design interventions with intensive community programming, creating an authentic testing ground for future waterfront development while providing immediate value to Cleveland residents.
