海角破解版

Opponents of a proposal to permanently close Shaker Boulevard through Shaker Square are holding a rally at 2 p.m. Saturday in the Square.

The closure would be part of a larger effort to redesign the space.

Closing Shaker Boulevard would mean losing parking spaces along the road. Some business owners worry that could cause fewer people to frequent shops in Shaker Square.

鈥淧eople want to get in and get out and when you don鈥檛 have that ability, they鈥檙e apt to go elsewhere,鈥� said Brandon Chrostowski, who owns Edwins Restaurant in the Square.

Parking and traffic are already a problem in the area, said resident John Lawson, with the group Stop the Closing of Shaker Boulevard.

鈥淧eople really love the charm of Shaker Square,鈥� Lawson said. 鈥淢y group doesn鈥檛 think it鈥檚 broken, they think improvements could be made, but they think it works the way it is without having to take out a major state route.鈥�

LAND studio is managing the redesign process and plans to reach a compromise with residents and business owners before moving forward with any changes to the Square, said Tara Turner, the firm鈥檚 director of development and communications.

鈥淚t is not written in stone. It is not something that鈥檚 going to be happening any time quickly. As everybody knows, public space projects take forever. In our line of work, you know, 10 years is 10 minutes,鈥� Turner said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e totally listening to what everyone has to say, merchants, residents, and we鈥檒l continue to do that.鈥�

The hope with closing Shaker Boulevard as part of the redevelopment plan would be to create a transformational design for the area on Cleveland鈥檚 East Side, she said.