Western Reserve Land Conservancy Opening Thurgood Marshall Green: A New Park in Cleveland’s Hough Neighborhood
On Friday, October 3, Western Reserve Land Conservancy will celebrate the grand opening of Thurgood Marshall Green—Cleveland’s newest park in the Hough neighborhood. The 2.6-acre community park, located adjacent to the existing Thurgood Marshall Recreation Center, will feature over 100 new trees, accessible pathways connecting different areas, a community pavilion for gatherings and events, a modern playground, and thoughtful landscaping designed for beauty and sustainability. The park will serve as an anchor for the neighborhood.
“The Thurgood Marshall Green is a manifestation of turning a 10-plus year blighted area into a beautiful community public park, which was led by the Western Reserve Land Conservancy team in partnership with Hough residents,” said Councilwoman Stephanie D. Howse-Jones, who represents Ward 7 on the Cleveland City Council. “Our new park is a testament of the great things we can do in our community when everyone is able to bring their skills together and work for the benefit of the people.
The City of Cleveland will own and maintain the park long-term, and local community organizations will use the space for programming and events. The Land Conservancy has also established a reserve fund for maintenance needs and a Friends of Thurgood Marshall Green volunteer group, which will help with ongoing stewardship and advocacy.
From its start, the project was guided by Hough residents; the Land Conservancy worked with trusted community partners, including Village Family Farms, Little Africa Food Co-op, Famicos Foundation, and Councilwoman Stephanie Howse, to engage residents and understand their vision for the park. Through door-to-door surveys, regular community meetings, and workshops, the goal of creating a welcoming intergenerational park became clear. Cornell University planning students produced four concept plans based on the community’s priorities, and City Architecture and Layer Cake created the final design through continued collaboration with residents.
“Throughout the design and construction process, we listened to and were guided by community voices in the creation of this park,” said Tim Dehm, Planning and Design Specialist at the Land Conservancy. “We take immense pride in knowing that residents feel a sense of ownership over the decisions that transformed this vacant lot into a one-of-a-kind park.”
The property was formerly the site of the John W. Raper Elementary School, which was demolished around 2013. The property sat vacant until 2021, when the Cleveland Metropolitan School District and the City of Cleveland issued a Request for Proposals to redevelop surplus school sites. The Land Conservancy identified the site as the ideal location for a new park, submitting a strong proposal for green space development. Thurgood Marshall Green was fully funded through government partners as well as public and private funding sources.
The Land Conservancy’s involvement in the Hough neighborhood will continue through an Office of Minority Health grant. The four-year initiative focuses on improving smaller vacant lots within a 10-minute walk of the new green space. The Land Conservancy’s Reforest Our City program will also monitor the new trees and gather informational site data for several years.
“Thurgood Marshall Green is a powerful testament to the resiliency of the Hough community,” said Matt Zone, Chief Advocacy Officer at the Land Conservancy. “This park pushes the boundaries of design and community engagement, and its impact will be felt throughout this historic neighborhood for generations to come.”