Our Work

Connector. Strategist. Accelerator.

Bringing industrial sites to life takes more than vision—it takes expertise.

Bridging the Gap from Vision to Execution

Revitalizing disinvested properties is hard, often thankless work. It requires the ability to see potential where others see problems, navigate layers of bureaucracy, bring unlikely partners together, and chart a path from concept to construction. The Site Readiness Fund (SRF) exists to do exactly that—bridging the gap from strategy to execution. We align stakeholders, secure funding, and manage complexity so good ideas can become real-world economic wins.

How We Help

One Point of Contact for Complex Projects

We serve as a single point of contact to help catalytic projects succeed in hard-to-develop places. Working closely with the City of Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, the Land Bank, community development corporations, employers and developers, we reduce risk, remove barriers and make revitalization possible.

By turning disinvested sites into development-ready land, we’re paving the way for a new era of industrial growth and neighborhood investment. Every dollar we deploy is meant to be recycled into future projects – fueling lasting economic opportunity and environmental justice until Cleveland’s legacy sites are working again – for everyone.

What We Do

Cleveland’s Industrial Land Concierge

The Site Readiness Fund is Cleveland’s industrial land concierge—the City’s industrial real estate redevelopment doing the early work so developers and employers can say yes to investing, building, and creating jobs here.

“We’re the Swiss Army knife of urban development. Site identification, aggregation, cleanup, infrastructure and community engagement—SRF handles the high-pain, low-return work up front so others can walk in and build the future. From concept to commercialization, we are turning industrial land into engines of economic growth.”

Brad Whitehead

Managing Director, Site Readiness for Good Jobs Fund

Core Services

The Site Readiness Fund performs multiple tasks to bring high potential
but disinvested sites to market.

Site Identification & Prioritization

We maintain a strategic inventory of potential sites and evaluate them using a systematic process—looking at market potential, neighborhood impact and development feasibility.

Site Aggregation

Most viable development sites in Cleveland must be assembled from many smaller parcels. We work to create contiguous, developable land—ideally 30–100 acres—through acquisitions, donations and land bank transfers. The Cuyahoga County Land Bank is a key partner in this work.

Remediation & Infrastructure

We secure funding and coordinate with local, state and federal partners to clean up contamination and improve basic infrastructure. Our work helps remove industrial eyesores and prepares sites for modern, clean industry.

Strategic Planning

We go beyond site remediation to pair meaningful community engagement with thoughtful site planning that ensures redevelopment aligns with local priorities and long-term visions.

Site Marketing

We don’t stop at cleanup—we bring sites to market. Working with JobsOhio, Team NEO, the city and others, we promote properties through direct outreach, RFPs and strategic partnerships with employers and developers.

Creative Financing

Site readiness is complex and capital-intensive. We blend public subsidies, philanthropic support and private capital—including grants, loans, equity investments and tax-advantaged tools. We also help facilitate property donations and unlock value for mission-aligned investors.

Case Studies

In Action: Real-World Impact

Turning 125 Parcels into One Transformative Site

On Cleveland’s East Side, SRF assembled over 125 parcels into a single 32-acre development opportunity. The project required coordination with the county sheriff, city Land Bank, corporate donors and strategic acquisitions. With state and federal funding, SRF is remediating the site and engaging the community to determine future use. Once ready, it will be marketed in partnership with Team NEO, JobsOhio and the City of Cleveland to attract a job-generating employer.

Creating Demand, Not Just Waiting for It

In partnership with Cleveland and Cuyahoga County, SRF issued a national RFP to modular home manufacturers nationally and internationally, seeking to bring a facility to Cleveland that will result in more than 100 good-paying jobs while producing affordable homes for local residents. It’s a model of mission-driven development: land reuse, workforce growth, neighborhood stability and housing solutions working together. Construction of the new facility is expected to begin in 2026. A preferred partner will be selected by the end of 2025.

Exploring What’s Next

With funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation, SRF engaged global real estate advisory firm Savills to assess where Cleveland can compete – and win. The analysis uncovered growth opportunities in expected sectors like advanced manufacturing and medical supply chain, and also in areas like food production where Cleveland has significant but unheralded competitive advantages.