Mandel Foundation Grants $24 Million to Lakefront

On July 11th this year, The Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Foundation announced three major grants for Cleveland’s Lakefront. The three grants, totaling nearly $24 million, look to connect Clevelanders, specifically the St. Clair, Superior and Collinwood neighborhoods, to the Lakefront. “The grants awarded to Cleveland Metroparks, LAND studio, and Western Reserve Land Conservancy will serve as a catalyst in furthering lakefront access and recreational opportunities for all our citizens, but especially the residents of neighborhoods that are adjacent to Lake Erie within The City of Cleveland,” stated Jehuda Reinharz, president & CEO of the Mandel Foundation. “The investments announced today are a significant part of our effort to strengthen neighborhoods and provide our fellow citizens an enhanced quality of life.”

These grants build on the Foundation’s previous $5 million challenge grant to Ohio City, Inc. to support Irishtown Bend Park. That $5 million challenge grant serves as a major step forward in raising funds to create Irishtown Bend Park: a 23-acre dynamic, shared public green space that connects downtown and Cleveland neighborhoods to the Cuyahoga River, Lake Erie, and beyond. The grant is not only enhancing the fundraising efforts of the community-based organizations leading these efforts but is furthering the advancement and strength of the Ohio City neighborhood for generations to come.

This multi-year initiative will ensure St. Clair-Superior is primed for additional investment and will serve as a catalyst for attracting development in the neighborhood. These lakefront development projects will greatly assist the St. Clair-Superior, Glenville, and Collinwood neighborhoods, as they continue their efforts to create strong thriving communities. “St. Clair-Superior is a vibrant lakefront neighborhood that was cut off from our region’s largest natural asset, Lake Erie,” said Jeremy Taylor, executive director at St. Clair-Superior Development Corporation. “We are greatly appreciative of the announcements being made today by the Mandel Foundation and believe that their confidence in our community is one more reason why St. Clair-Superior is Cleveland’s next up-and-coming neighborhood.”