CLEVELAND, Ohio — "Squeezed out" and even considering moving the parade route, as Clevelanders have come to know it, the future of the St. Patrick's Day Parade in Downtown has become a hot topic.
The upcoming Superior Midway Project has created a ripple effect of concerns and questions from parade officials, residents and some business owners.
While the large bike-way is set to make Cleveland a 15-minute travel city and safer for pedestrians and drivers, parade officials and some business owners are wondering about the long-term impacts on the area.
Before you ask, there are NO CHANGES to the parade route this year in 2025 or next year in 2026.
However, the Superior Midway/Cleveland Midway project could change the face of the parade and how we recognize it come 2027, according to parade officials.
Some business owners say there could be severe financial impacts if the parade moves off of Superior Avenue.
City officials say the project is about safety in the long term.
"Probably one of the best views on St. Patrick's Day. And then there's also people on the patio and the sidewalk. Completely crammed with people, there's just people bleeding into the bus lane," Mike Pelechaty, Head of Brewing Operations/Co-Founder of Masthead Brewing Company, said.
But that coveted front row seat on Masthead Brewing Company's patio and at neighboring businesses for the St. Patrick's Day Parade could change forever when construction on Superior Avenue begins in 2027.
"It would definitely not be good. I mean it would definitely be a hit to us and a hit to our patrons, our guests and our staff," Pelechaty said.
The upcoming Superior Midway Project falls smack dab in the middle of the parade route along Superior Avenue.
The $25 million raised, landscaped median with a sidewalk bike path down the middle of the road will run from Public Square to East 55th Street.
But due to the volume of people, floats, security and vehicles, parade officials previously told News 5 they simply cannot fit everyone through the roadway under the city's current plan.
"This really puts us in jeopardy because if you're gonna do this, put this 28-foot raised platform in the middle of the roadway, you're gonna squeeze us to a point where we're not gonna survive on Superior," Patrick Murphy, Director Emeritus The Saint Patrick's Day Parade Committee, Inc. said.
While Pelechaty is an overall avid supporter of the project, a cyclist, and eager for the safety upgrades and new landscaping, he doesn't know how the parade can still happen logistically.
"The two biggest questions we had were: is the parade going to be able to exist on Superior anymore and how is construction going to sort of affect our operations," Pelechaty said.
News 5 took his concerns to the City of Cleveland.
They told us they were unable to accommodate interviews.
However, in a statement, City of Cleveland spokesperson Jorge Ramos Pantoja said:
"The story of Irish Americans in Cleveland is one of resiliency, vibrancy, and a deep commitment to sustaining cultural ties, with the St. Patrick’s Day parade as a foundational cornerstone. While we embrace, value, and support the St. Patrick’s Day parade by providing more than $245,000 of in-kind security and event logistics every year, the City is also responsible for making our streets as safe and welcoming as possible for daily use. In 2024, over 300 people experienced life-changing injury or death as a result of traffic crashes within our city. Based on feedback from residents — and data — solutions like the Cleveland Midway Project have proven to increase road safety for everyone, by narrowing lanes, slowing speeds, and reducing crash severity. As part of a detailed community engagement process to inform the Superior Midway design, City staff has met with community stakeholders over a dozen times to create a sustainable plan that meets the best interests of our communities. However, the St. Patrick's Parade Committee ultimately decided the roadway space remaining on Superior Avenue after the Midway project is completed will be too constrained for their needs. The City of Cleveland is still open and willing to work with parade organizers to determine a new Downtown Cleveland route for the parade beginning in 2027. It is possible to both have safer streets and continue the legacy of the Downtown Cleveland St. Patrick’s Day parade, and we look forward to evolving together for the next chapter of this great Cleveland tradition."
In the meantime, Pelechaty hopes for a compromise that will serve everyone.
But he is also wondering how the construction process would play out in the months and years ahead.
"At the time, the city said we'll do the construction at night which you know I'm not sure how noise ordinances are gonna work with that. That's what they told me they're gonna do. And they said they were gonna figure it out with the parade and make sure everything worked for everybody," Pelechaty said.
"The parade details are up to the parade organizers. The City of Cleveland is a big supporter and partner of keeping the parade downtown as it has been for decades," Calley Mersmann, Senior Strategist for Transit and Mobility with City of Cleveland, previously told News 5.
The City of Cleveland says it is still open and willing to work with parade organizers to determine a new Downtown Cleveland route for the parade beginning in 2027.
Parade officials told News 5 that the city had asked them to meet with them to discuss a new route.
However, parade officials said now is not the time.
They do not want to move, and they say the options posted by the city are unworkable.
City officials say a St. Clair Avenue route is a potential option for a new parade.
But Murphy says that wouldn't work for a number of reasons.
Murphy previously told News 5 all he needs is six feet of landscaping to be removed from the design and they can keep the parade route as it currently stands in Downtown Cleveland.
