Cleveland needs local businesses, viable downtown residential areas, and support for these things by our local government in order to become a destination city once again. What it doesn't need is a monstrous big box strip mall only a few miles from downtown and the emerging cultural hotspots of the near west side.

What I am talking about is Steelyard Commons, a shopping plaza planned for an area once occupied by the steel mill that will be anchored by a WalMart Supercenter and will also include the usual national chain stores and restaurants. Our local councilman understood these concerns and more, and along with the rest of the city council created zoning legislation to stop this once before. This week we found out that the developer had been meeting secretly with city officials including the mayor to move forward with this project and keep the council from being able to block it.

Cleveland area bloggers have banded together to try to stop this "done deal". An organizational meetup is being scheduled for Wednesday, May 25, 7pm, at the Treehouse in Tremont. Spread the word. |