MidTown, AsiaTown, and Hough are a diverse grouping of neighborhoods each with their own storied past and promising future. On this page, you'll learn more about where our neighborhoods have been and where they are going.
Our work began in Midtown in 1982, when MidTown Corridor (now MidTown Cleveland) was founded by Mort Mandel, Tom Roulston, and a group of local business leaders to lead the revitalization of the neighborhood.
When the Euclid Healthline began operation in 2008, MidTown attracted hundreds of businesses to the Health-Tech Corridor, leveraging the neighborhood’s proximity to Cleveland’s Eds & Meds. Our work has always been centered on transforming MidTown from a place to pass through, to a vibrant mixed-use, mixed-income neighborhood. Today, MidTown is one of Cleveland’s largest employment centers and fastest growing residential neighborhoods.
Pictured : Students from Breakthrough schools' Midtown campus view a demonstration at magnet headquarters.
Currently, AsiaTown is a vibrant community bustling with life, boasting approximately 70 small businesses, many of which are charming restaurants and retail shops, that contribute to the area's reputation as a culinary and cultural hub.
This diverse array of eateries, shops, art covered buildings and public areas, are conveniently located within walking distance of one another, making it an enticing destination for food lovers and anyone seeking to better explore Asian cultures and cuisine. Icons such as Asia Plaza, Wonton Gourmet, LJ Shanghai and many others have become a destination for people near and far to come gather and experience what Cleveland’s AsiaTown has to offer. Moreover, around 70% of the business owners are first-generation immigrants, adding to the authenticity of this dynamic area. Midtown Cleveland strives to strike a balance between preserving and respecting the area's rich culture while driving sustainable economic development that benefits long-time residents as well as newcomers.
Pictured : Asiatown is home to many public art installations, including contributions from jordan wong (bottom image).
Known nationally for the Hough Uprising in 1966, the Hough community has long demonstrated a deep commitment to civic engagement and equitable community development.
Between 1980 and 2008, Councilwoman Fannie M. Lewis led milestone investments in affordable and market-rate housing developments as well as the renovation of significant cultural institutions like League Park. More recent investments like Henrietta Homes (led by Famicos Foundation), the E 66th Streetscape plan (led by the City of Cleveland), and the new Cleveland Foundation headquarters are creating the conditions for a new day in Hough to emerge. The Hough Cultural Preservation Project is an initiative launched in 2025 facilitated by MidTown Cleveland that aims to place Black cultural legacy at the center of community transformation. In other words, the next phase of investment in Hough will be guided and informed by the very people who call it home.
Hough Cultural Preservation Project
Pictured : Hough has a history of activism and advocacy, from councilwoman Fannie Lewis (top) to the protests of the 1960s.
