ROOTED IN HISTORY, READY FOR RENEWAL

Though born in New York, John D. Rockefeller built his fortune — and his legacy — in Cleveland.

His first refinery, Excelsior Works, was just over a mile from our site.

He gave more to this city than anyone in its history — yet today, few landmarks bear his name.

Enjoy some beautiful drone footage from June 2025, just a month away from Occupancy.

Take a sneak peek at the latest video tour of the 25 acre - $60M revival of Irish Town Bend Park

Surrounded by some of Cleveland’s most exciting civic investments:

North: Irishtown Bend Park – a 25-acre green space under construction, linking trails, river, and lake.

How It All Connects

South: West Side Market – a beloved food landmark undergoing a $68M masterplan revival.

East: Trailheads for the Towpath Trail and Red Line Greenway, reconnecting city to canal and nature.

West: Ohio City Farm – one of the largest urban farms in the U.S., now building year-round CSA infrastructure.

Plus: ~1,500 new residential units in a half-mile radius.

After nearly two decades in New York and Florida, we’ve returned home to Cleveland — not just to live, but to invest in its future. My wife is a kidney and liver transplant nurse; I’m an affordable housing developer. Together, we share a deep commitment to people, place, and purpose.

We’re just months away from completing construction on West 22nd Place, a boutique hotel in a rare and powerful location:

• Perched atop a 100-foot bluff above the Cuyahoga River

• Unobstructed views of Cleveland’s skyline

• Overlooking the very Flats where Standard Oil once refined its crude

A tangible link between Cleveland’s industrial past and its reimagined future.

This river and this neighborhood, once scarred by pollution and decline, are now symbols of resilience. What was once a burned and buried waterway is now lined with restaurants, homes, and thriving recreation spaces — from sculling teams and rowing clubs to public parks and trails.

West 22nd Place stands at the heart of this transformation. It’s more than a hotel. It’s a story of return, renewal, and re-rooting — for us, and for Cleveland.

Who We Are

ROCKEFELLER GREENWAY & GARDENS

We're proposing a $2M transformation:

West 22nd Greenway

Convert a quiet, city-owned street into a pedestrian path linking Irishtown Bend Park, Ohio City Farm, and the West Side Market. Engineered plans are already in motion.

Rockefeller Gardens

Turn our hillside — now overgrown — into a stunning, terraced green space visible from the park, trails, and river. A living tribute to Cleveland’s rebirth.

Email Us

Although Cleveland grew up on industry, such as oil and gas, and steel, the City is well into its post-industrial chapter and is investing in its waterfront/trails and resident/tourist experiences. Similarly, while Mr. Rockefeller built his business empire in oil, my understanding is that the Rockefeller Foundation has divested its interests in fossil fuels and is well into its post-industrial chapter, focusing on people, connections, and climate change. This hotel and Irishtown Bend Park are at the center of Cleveland’s next chapter and show how a once blighted industrial area can be reborn.

We hope the Rockefeller Foundation will consider joining us in this next chapter.

Thank you for your consideration.