In 2006, Near West Theatre embarked on a collaborative capital campaign through the Gordon Square Arts District (GSAD) to create a permanent home and be a part of the revitalization of the Detroit-Shoreway Neighborhood.
At its founding, GSAD represented a collaboration between Cleveland Public Theatre (CPT), Near West Theatre (NWT), and the Detroit Shoreway Community Development Corporation, owner of the Capitol Theatre, that uses the arts as a catalyst for economic development and job creation through preservation and renovations of historical buildings and complementary new construction.
The $30 million campaign funded an enhanced Detroit Avenue streetscape and signage, additional parking for the business district, acquisition and renovations to the CPT complex, the reopening of the long-shuttered Capitol Theatre, and construction of Near West’s first permanent performance venue. Groundbreaking for NWT’s space commenced on November 27, 2012, and in Spring of 2015, we took occupancy and staged the first show in our permanent home.
The Gordon Square Arts District has become an economic cornerstone of Cleveland’s West Side, where a powerful combination of housing, new businesses, the arts, and neighborhood beautification continue to spark the development of new job opportunities.
Leveraging the restoration of the Capitol Theatre, renovation of Cleveland Public Theatre and the construction of the new Near West Theatre has led to more than 80 new businesses coming to the neighborhood since the start of the campaign, and more than $500 million of investment in the neighborhood.
From galleries to boutiques to restaurants to live theater to a pinball gaming parlor, you will find plenty to experience in the Gordon Square Arts District!
For a full directory of the neighborhood, visit Detroit Shoreway CDO’s website.
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