The first quarter of 2016 found Downtown Cleveland riding a wave of momentum with two major events on the horizon — the NBA playoffs and the Republican National Convention — while simultaneously laying the groundwork for long-term growth well beyond those milestones. Development projects were crossing the finish line across the downtown core even as the next generation of investment was already taking shape. That energy was reflected in the numbers: downtown had become the fastest-growing residential neighborhood in all of Northeast Ohio. Still, the Downtown Cleveland Alliance had its eye on a bigger target — adding 7,000 more apartments and condominiums to push the downtown population past 25,000, a threshold that would unlock greater interest from regional and national retailers and create a self-reinforcing cycle of residents, businesses, and opportunity.

2016 Q1 market report