The 2024 Master of Urban Planning and Development (MUPD) class at Cleveland State University’s Levin School of Urban Affairs has earned an Honorable Mention in the 2025 APA Ohio Planning Awards for their capstone project, Reviving Our Waterfront Line. The project was recognized in the Planning Student(s) Showcase category, which highlights exemplary student work in community-focused planning.

Presented at the 2025 APA Ohio Planning Conference in Toledo, the award celebrates projects that demonstrate creativity, public engagement, and practical solutions to planning challenges. The Levin MUPD students, working as 17th Street Studios, explored how reactivating the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority’s Waterfront Line could support equitable access to the city’s lakefront and riverfront.

The project team conducted stakeholder outreach, assessed transit-oriented development (TOD) opportunities, and proposed strategies for integrating transportation with ongoing lakefront development efforts. Their recommendations focus on improving connectivity, accessibility, and land use around the Waterfront Line to help foster a more vibrant and inclusive waterfront district.

The full project report and executive summary are available on the Levin College website: Reviving Our Waterfront Line.