Perk Park

Located on East 12th Street between Chester and Walnut Avenues, Perk Park serves a growing and diverse population in an area of downtown that had been lacking in well-functioning green space.

The idea to redevelop Perk Park at Chester Commons first arose in 2003. A broad goal was set by civic leaders to double the residential population of downtown Cleveland and Perk Park was one of several strategic public spaces that LAND studio identified as priority parks aligned with growing a residential base. LAND studio led all aspects of the project including the design, public art, fundraising, and construction management. 

The park’s rebuilding in 2012 has returned it to a vital gathering place that now offers unique seating, a forest of light wands, poetry, greenspace and an eye-catching red trellis, that now all help to define this beloved public space.

This urban oasis supports adjacent restaurants, encourages street-level retail, and provides an important amenity to serve nearby neighborhood residents, workers, and visitors. The site is also now well known for its programming, including Walnut Wednesdays, downtown Cleveland's biggest food truck event happening each Wedensday in the summer.