This 2-acre site between Cuyahoga River and Carter Road on Scranton Peninsula is proposed to become a potential waterfront entertainment venture and beer garden for Great Lakes Brewing Company. Remnants of a former Republic Steel mill that closed in 1973 remain on site. The middle retaining wall reportedly will be kept while the wall at right will be removed. In the background are two apartment complexes under construction with downtown’s skyline beyond (KJP). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.
GLBC’s phase 1 is riverfront entertainment venue
Great Lakes Brewing Company (GLBC) officials today confirmed a report published by NEOtrans last weekend that they are pursuing development on Cleveland’s Scranton Peninsula in the Flats. The first phase of that development was described by GLBC founders Pat and Dan Conway as “a potential entertainment venture and beer garden,” in a statement they issued today.
NEOtrans reported that, on Feb. 6, Environmental Design Group of Akron submitted a permit application on behalf of GLBC to the Cleveland Building Department titled as “Scranton Road Redevelopment Phase One.” The permit requests site preparation work for 1.873 acres of riverfront land at 1989 Carter Rd. That property was bought by GLBC affiliate Carter River Front LLC in 2021 for an undisclosed price.
Three years earlier, GLBC also bought 8 acres of land on the inland side of Carter under the name Carter Inland LLC. That land extends to within a couple hundred feet of Scranton Road. That could be a future phase, especially since the overall project is referenced in the site-prep plans submitted to the city as “Scranton Road Brewery.”
But the Conway brothers are silent on their plans for that site, which is far smaller than a 17-acre site in exurban Avon the company had considered last year and since rejected for a production facility under previous CEO Mark King, NEOtrans revealed.
The Conways founded GLBC as an independent brewery in 1988, has since grown into an operation that serves 16 states and Washington DC, and needs to expand its facilities. GLBC employs more than 200 people at all of its buildings, including a canning facility in Strongsville.
Great Lakes Brewing Company said that, while this 2017 rendering is out of date, the riverfront section of this rendering “has some relevance to current plans.” But the production facility portion beyond the former steel mill retaining wall is no longer relevant (Coburn).
Although there are dozens of acres of vacant and underutilized lands on Scranton Peninsula, they are owned by companies who have reportedly shown an unwillingness to sell or otherwise be a part of redevelopment efforts. NEOtrans reported last fall that GLBC has been looking for financial assistance from the city and others to redevelop Scranton Peninsula.
“While we continue to explore more efficient production options and capabilities, we are also interested in providing experience-based opportunities for Great Lakes Brewing Co. followers – in the city of Cleveland,” said Co-Owner Dan Conway in a written statement.
“That could potentially be a waterfront entertainment venture and beer garden on the Scranton property, which will be easily connected to both Irishtown Bend to the north, and to Bedrock’s 35-acre project to the east, but also involves continued investment and operation of our historic Ohio City brewpub,” he said.
The Conways emphasized they would retain GLBC’s brewpub on Market Avenue in Ohio City and, for now, its neighboring but cramped production facility. GLBC is collaborating with community development corporation Ohio City Inc. on ways to better utilize and program Market Avenue, which was permanently closed in September of 2023, and Market Square Park.
Starting in December 2021, contractors for Great Lakes Brewing Co. began leveling its two Scranton Peninsula sites according to these plans. The smaller of the two, at left, is the 2-acre riverfront site that is the subject of current site preparation work for phase 1 of development. The larger 8-acre site across Carter Road has been considered for a production facility but may be too small to meet the brewer’s needs (EDG).
GLBC is seeking for the riverfront land “minimal site demolition, grading and installation of utility services including water, sanitary and electrical services … necessary to make the property buildable for a future use,” according to the permit application. Cost of the work was estimated at $600,000.
“A potential next phase would be to help connect (the GLBC site) with the (Centennial Lake Link) Trail along the riverfront,” GLBC said in its press statement.
Flats Rivertrail LLC, owned by an affiliate of developer Silver Hills, owns a narrow sliver of property that extends south from its under-construction apartment complex and separates the GLBC land from the water’s edge. Another developer, NRP Group, is finishing up work on The Collins apartments across Carter from Silver Hills’ project. There are 616 apartments under construction on Scranton Peninsula.
In 2021, GLBC spent about $650,000 to level and grade the 8 acres of land on its Carter Inland site, city Building Department records show. But no utility work was involved here. Some of the soil from the inland property was moved to the riverfront property to raise portions of it by about 3 feet.
At far right is Great Lakes Brewing Company’s land along the Cuyahoga River that includes the graffiti-covered retaining wall from Republic Steel’s Upson Nut Division . After the steel mill was demolished in the 1980s, its site was substantially replaced by two massive apartment complexes. The brewer may add to that development (NRP Group).
Site testing and soil remediation was conducted, funded in 2022 by a $1.9 million Ohio Brownfield Program grant. Brewery officials said they intend to use the remaining Brownfield grant funding towards infrastructure costs associated with preparing the land for “an experience-based development” on the riverfront land GLBC owns.
“It’s a picturesque location that could connect us with the skyline and beautiful Cuyahoga River,” Co-Owner Pat Conway added. “Of course there are limitations with the acreage we need to consider. Those 2 acres would not satisfy our need for a production facility but for a smaller more experience-based Great Lakes initiative we see a lot of possibilities.”
In last week’s article, NEOtrans published GLBC-commissioned renderings from 2017 showing a riverfront venue and a production facility on Scranton Peninsula — acknowledging that current plans are unknown and may differ. GLBC confirmed and clarified that.
“While old renderings of a potential new brewery and outdoor development have recently resurfaced, the brewery notes that the while the riverfront section of those renderings has some relevance to current plans, the production facility portion does not,” GLBC said in its press statement.
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