Program areas at UCI
Parking - as the second largest employment district in northeastern Ohio and a destination for three million annual visitors, University Circle Incorporated's parking program is critical to the daily influx and egress of motor vehicles. University Circle Incorporated owns and leases parking facilities comprising approximately 5,860 parking spaces for public use. The program is operated through a partnership with a local provider of professional parking, ground transportation, facility maintenance, security and event logistics services.
Property management - University Circle Incorporated is an implementing agent of the land bank concept whereby real estate situated within University Circle and its surrounding neighborhoods may be acquired and held until its reuse or development occurs. Real estate is used or held for various purposes, including income production and sale to member institutions and other businesses and organizations operating in the greater University Circle area in a manner which further charitable purposes, urban renewal, combats community deterioration, fosters economic development or dedication, with its use and disposition determined within the context of University Circle Incorporated's charitable mission. In this capacity, University Circle Incorporated undertakes economic development initiatives and provides property operations, including commercial and residential rental, and infrastructure improvements in the greater University Circle area.
Public safety - the University Circle police department (ucpd) is a private police force consisting of approximately twenty-five commissioned law officers which serves the public in the University Circle area pursuant to law enforcement authority granted by state law. Ucpd works closely with the cleveland police department, the case western reserve University police department, University hospitals police department, and other University Circle institutional security forces to provide for public safety and security. In addition to the work of the ucpd, University Circle hosts project yield, a community-driven pedestrian safety initiative that includes enhanced data collection, increased public awareness, and infrastructure improvements. University Circle also hosts periodic pedestrian safety advisory meetings to discuss road safety issues and to provide the community with a forum to share their thoughts on pedestrian safety. Thanks to these collaborative efforts, University Circle is statistically one of safest neighborhoods in the city of cleveland.
Education - our community education department collaborates with more than twenty institutional partners to bring learning to life for twenty thousand pre-k to senior adult learners through four respected, arts-enriched community education programs: early learning initiative, linking education and discovery, future connections, Circle scholars, yay! Saturdays and University Circle interactive cleveland. These programs positively impact the lives of children and adults throughout the region.
Advocacy - University Circle Incorporated is the central advocacy organization for University Circle. As a catalyst and a convener, University Circle Incorporated partners with its member institutions to create greater public awareness and promote University Circle as a destination through marketing programs, strategic communications, and the production of community arts, cultural, and entertainment events in University Circle throughout the year, including summer arts fest: dance with giants, wow! Wade oval wednesdays, spirits of the Circle: a spooky walk through University Circle, holiday circlefest, and the rink at wade oval.
Other program services fall within the context of three subcategories: community development; marketing, communications & events; and programming specified by donors. Our community development team facilitates the processes by which local stakeholders and outside developers plan and physically develop space in University Circle. Our marketing, communications & events team oversees the neighborhood's annual community events, hosts small business networking (through the greater Circle business alliance) and education programs (financial literacy classes) and fosters relationships among the organizations of University Circle to reduce spending by harnessing their collective purchasing power. Donor purpose programming is wide-ranging and can be further sub-categorized into development, district services, and destination marketing. Development included the completed renovation of the cozad-bates house, which opened to the public in the fall of 2021 as an underground railroad interpretive center. District services included transportation planning and a mass vaccination site mobilzation. A summertime destination marketing campaign, seize the Circle, encouraged local visitation of the neighborhood through digital, radio, and printed communications.