Cleveland Public Square is getting a new landlord of sorts.
The Group Plan Commission, the nonprofit organization that guided the massive remake of Public Square and has since managed events there, is about to fade away.
For months, civic leaders and downtown groups have been wrestling over who should control the square’s future development and activities, which include concerts, rallies, holiday celebrations and special events. Foundations and others continue to earmark money for the space, which has proved to be among the city’s favored places since the $50 million renovation was completed in 2016. Several nonprofit groups have a hand in its oversight, in addition to the City of Cleveland.
After hearing that the commission has been unresponsive to people trying to book events there this summer, Signal Cleveland learned of the behind-the-scenes discussions to change management of Public Square.
It appears that Downtown Cleveland Inc., a nonprofit that promotes downtown, is in line to take a lead in the square’s future. Downtown Cleveland Inc. was formerly known as Downtown Cleveland Alliance before rebranding itself in 2023. The organization recently announced that it had won a $100,000 grant to make some modest upgrades and changes on the square.
A spokesperson for Downtown Cleveland Inc. said its president and CEO, Michael Deemer, was unavailable to comment. But the organization offered a written statement to Signal Cleveland confirming that change in coming.
“Downtown Cleveland, Inc., Group Plan Commission, and the City of Cleveland are working together to build a stronger, more sustainable model for park and public space management in the downtown neighborhood,” the statement said. “In the coming weeks, we will have additional announcements about our work to build on our community’s success in creating more welcoming public spaces for Cleveland residents, visitors, and downtown workers,” the group said.
The Group Plan Commission’s CEO of planning and operations, Sanaa Julien, was not available for comment.