In 2015, the City of Cuyahoga Falls initiated a downtown transformation strategy to replace the failing 37 year old Front Street pedestrian mall. 

At the first downtown circulation plan meeting, a PowerPoint slide was displayed that simply stated “A dream is just a dream…A goal is a dream with a plan and a deadline.” 

The entire downtown transformation project, from master planning to the completion of public improvements took less than three years.

These words by Fred R. Guerra, Planning Director for the City of Cuyahoga Falls, were part of a nomination for 2020 American Planning Association-Ohio’s Great Places in Ohio Award.

On October 8th, Downtown Cuyahoga Falls was officially designated as a Great Place in Ohio. This prestigious award is something Cuyahoga Falls residents can be very proud of, now on to nationals!

And hats off to the Downtown Cuyahoga Falls Partnership, a non-profit organization established in May 2018, for keeping this Great Place thriving.

“Cuyahoga Falls has come a long way thanks to the Mayor, the city officials, awarded grants, and the support of the community, says Kaylee Piper, Executive Director of the Downtown Cuyahoga Falls Partnership. I am so grateful to be part of this journey and to keep the momentum going through the DTCF Partnership. We strive to support businesses through local shopping and bring vibrancy within our historic Downtown.” 

We can expect more to come with new development under way so be sure to follow DTCF Partnership on Facebook  or Instagram and sign up for their newsletter to stay up to date.