City of Lorain Waterfront Redevelopment Project

The City of Lorain, with its partner the Lorain Port Authority, is working toward the transformation of 50-acres of long-vacant shipbuilding, steel, and manufacturing sites at the confluence of the Black River and Lake Erie in downtown Lorain. With funding already secured for full brownfield cleanup and transportation infrastructure, the Lorain Waterfront is now planned for robust, mixed-use revitalization with a commitment to ensuring safe and equitable recreational access to our waterfront and water resources. The Waterfront Redevelopment Project is a broad and innovative plan to improve commercial, mixed-use, and recreational access and includes three components.

Sunset Pier Park

The Sunset Pier Park Project will redevelop a prominent area on the lakefront known as the “finger piers”.  Park amenities are anticipated to include a community amphitheater, trails, and fishing areas within a natural setting on the prominent finger piers.

Hot Waters Boating Access

The “Hot Waters” Boat Launch access is the only free public boat launch in our region and is currently heavily used by the boating public. This launch provides equitable recreational opportunities in a disadvantaged community and will replace the concrete launch ramp, the deteriorated floating docks, and the failed bulkhead. Additional boating and fishing centered amenities are planned for the park.

Pellet Terminal Remediation and Redevelopment Project

Lorain recently received a $4,026,000 grant from the Ohio Department of Development and contributed an additional $1,700,000 in City funding toward access, restroom, and lighting improvements. The project will remediate contaminated soil from 20+ acres of waterfront property that previously served as an iron ore pellet terminal, preparing the site for mixed-use development. The project will also extend Broadway to the pellet terminal site, provide utilities critical to the long-term development of this area, revamp and repave the entrance to the “Hot Waters” boat launch, and improve traffic flow. 

With an eye toward future redevelopment, the City ultimately seeks to make the Pellet Terminal site an accessible public destination with venues offering open space and a range of uses that may include, but are not limited to recreation, entertainment, cultural programs, business and conferencing, retail, tourism, and hospitality. The City and our project partners are committed to working with local organizations and state and federal agencies to ensure the successful funding and implementation of these critical projects. 

For more information on the Waterfront Redevelopment RFP currently available, please visit https://www.lorainport.com/rfp/