National Acme to be transformed into one of Cleveland’s most promising job sites
Once a symbol of decline and disinvestment, the former National Acme property is now being reborn as a hub for jobs, innovation, and neighborhood revitalization.
Located at East 131st Street and Kirby Avenue in the East Glenville and South Collinwood neighborhoods, this 37-acre site is poised to become the city’s largest clean, developable industrial property—thanks to strategic land acquisition, environmental remediation, and an unprecedented public-private push.
What was once a hazardous, crumbling complex is now on a path to powering Cleveland’s economic future.
With support from the State of Ohio and the City of Cleveland, demolition and environmental cleanup of the 13.3-acre National Acme site are underway. That effort is being paired with the Site Readiness Fund’s acquisition of the adjacent 22-acre former Republic Steel site—already shovel-ready and EPA-certified—creating a massive 37-acre industrial zone ready for modern manufacturing or other job-intensive uses.
The property is one of the largest job-ready sites in the city, with freeway and rail access, utilities, and workforce proximity. Up to 250 new jobs are expected, in communities that have been locked out of opportunity for decades
With 100,000 workers living within a 30-minute commute and critical infrastructure already in place, this site is uniquely positioned to deliver economic impact—and hope.
The project is a team effort. Led by the Site Readiness Fund and the Cuyahoga Land Bank, with support from Team NEO, JobsOhio, and the industrial broker community, this coordinated effort is turning hazard into hope—making Cleveland competitive in a new era of advanced manufacturing and economic growth.
National Acme Site Readiness Fund Update November 2025:
42,272 cubic yards of asbestos-laden trash removed from the building interior
10,327 tons of debris removed from the site's exterior, primarily from the former railroad right-of-way alongside the former 3‑story manufacturing building
1,334 truckloads of waste removed
5 buildings totaling 377,000 square feet demolished
Currently bringing in 15,000 cubic yards of fill dirt to level the site — requiring 833 truckloads
On track to have the site completed and ready for redevelopment by the end of December!
