DCA strives to make Downtown Cleveland the most compelling place to live, work and play.
Downtown Cleveland Alliance’s mission is to make Downtown Cleveland the region’s most dynamic place to live, work, play and visit.
To create a vibrant city center by enhancing the pedestrian experience and attracting more investment into Downtown Cleveland through strategic initiatives and advocacy efforts.
In 1993 Gateway, the city’s new sports complex, was under construction. The community recognized that in order to better prepare for the opening of the Indians and Cavaliers’ new home the following year, a new partnership was needed to prepare downtown for the new visitors these facilities would bring. Under the leadership of Mayor Michael White and Forest City Chairman Albert Ratner, Downtown Development Coordinators (DDC) was born. DDC concentrated its efforts to improve the neighborhood surrounding the Gateway complex. As downtown continued to grow and evolve, DDC needed to expand its efforts to impact the entire central business district. DDC merged with North Coast Harbor to create Downtown Cleveland Partnership (DCP), a membership-based organization, which looked to work with the city on plans for downtown and to implement real estate strategies to attract additional investment. In 2005 a committee of stakeholders was formed to explore creating a new governance model for downtown. The committee brought together property owners, civic leaders and downtown neighborhood-based organizations– including Playhouse Square District Development Corporation (PDDC) and the collaborative of Historic Gateway Neighborhood Corporation (HGNC) and the Historic Warehouse District Development Corporation (HWDDC). These discussions lead to the establishment of a comprehensive government strategy for downtown. property owners in Downtown Cleveland came together to establish a Special Improvement District (SID) to promote the economic, residential, and cultural vitality of our urban core. As a result, the Downtown Cleveland Improvement Corporation (DCIC) was created to manage the SID and oversee the use of assessment dollars. Downtown Cleveland Alliance, a collaboration of our neighborhood based organizations, property owners and downtown businesses, was simultaneously created as a private, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to the long-term economic health of Downtown Cleveland. As a non-profit, the Alliance can implement the strategic initiatives listed above and provide services that enhance the pedestrian experience and attract more investment into Downtown Cleveland. For the past 12 years, Downtown Cleveland Alliance has worked diligently to create a cleaner, safer environment for every person that lives, works, plays, or visits Downtown Cleveland. Staying true to the organization’s name, the Alliance does not work alone. Our allies include the local government, our neighborhood-based partners, property owners, business leaders, entrepreneurs, young professionals, foundations, and other civic leaders who share our mission and understand the value of a dynamic downtown. Together we enhance the quality of life in our SID by facing challenges and identifying opportunities that help position downtown for success.