Shaker Square Neighborhood Guide – Cleveland
The Neighborhoods of Shaker Square are rich in diversity- racially, economic, and socially. This diversity makes the area special. With a well-established reputation as a walkable community with close proximity to downtown Cleveland by RTA rapid transit and dynamic shopping areas on Larchmere Boulevard and Shaker Square, the one-square-mile area is home to more than 11,000 residents, many of whom live in the 4,000 apartment and condominium units. There are also approximately 1,500 one- and two-family homes. The area consists of the Shaker Square/Ludlow Historic District, the Larchmere and CHALK neighborhoods and the apartment and condo corridors.
Shaker Square is the oldest planned shopping district in Ohio and the second oldest in the nation. Since 1976, it has been listed in the National Register of Historic Places and also made the list as a Cleveland Landmark District. Plans for the Tudor-style shopping center were originally conceived in 1923 as part of an adjacent upscale apartment complex. When the original plans failed, the Van Sweringen brothers decided to build Shaker Square. They designed the town center after European center markets – specifically Amalienborg Square in Copenhagen. For nearly 80 years, it has been a popular location for award-winning restaurants, unique stores and special services. Shaker Square offers a full schedule of events throughout the year. In addition to the North Union Farmers Market every Saturday, there are weekly concerts in the summer and the annual Holiday Lighting Ceremony in December. Shaker Square is an interesting urban center that continues to attract visitors from throughout the city and beyond.
North Union Farmers Market
Since its inception more than 15 years ago, the North Union Farmers Market has become a Saturday-morning tradition for residents and visitors to the neighborhoods of Shaker Square. On a weekly basis, local farmers set up tables on the east- and west-bound lanes of Shaker Boulevard to sell fresh produce and homemade items. In addition, local artists and craftsmen sell their unique designs at the market. As more and more restaurants adapt the “buy-and-eat-local” food movement, a number of top local chefs consider the farmers markets the perfect place to purchase fresh vegetables and ingredients that can be featured on their menus. The outdoor market is open every Saturday morning from April through mid-December. During the winter months, the farmers market has an indoor location on Shaker Square.
Local Residents
“I love my community, what’s known as the Larchmere Community. I have lived here for 23 years, and there’s really no otherr place I would want to live. I’m invested. I have shops, restaurants, a diverse population who care about me and mine. There’s a duty for me, and that’s to show young children how to live in the city and have pride of who you are and where you live.” -Tee S.
“Ludlow continues to be a gracious and inclusive village community.” -Chris B.
Larchmere Boulevard
This summer public streetscape improvements are planned along Larchmere Boulevard, including a mural on a highly visible building located near the western entrance to the Commercial District. Working in partnership with Shaker Square Area Development Corp., a committee composed of Larchmere neighborhood residents and local merchants selected the location for the mural and will oversee the selection of an artist. Neighborhood youth will assist the artist. In addition to the mural project, beautiful flowering trees will be planted in the tree lawns along Larchmere from East 121st Street to Martin Luther King Boulevard.
Learn More
Use these resources to learn more about Shaker Square:
- shad.org-The neighborhood CDC
- larchmere.com-Website of the Larchmere Merchants Assn.
- shakersquare.net-community website
- visitshakersquare.com-Promotion site from the Coral Company
- ludlowcommunity.org-website of Ludlow Community Assn.