Isaac Robb and Annie Pease: America Has Only Three Cities — New York, San Francisco, and New Orleans. Everything else is Cleveland.
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image / DJ Johnson on Unsplash
Abstract
"America has only three cities: New York, San Francisco, and New Orleans. Everywhere else is Cleveland." — Tennessee Williams.
Cleveland is a quintessential American city. For millennia, Indigenous peoples cared for the land and waterways of Ohio before the Western Reserve brought the promise of prosperity, later shaped by industrial might, suburban flight, and reinvention. Its story mirrors the nation's arc — an early hub of commerce via the Erie Canal, a place of resource extraction and refinement, and later a site of innovation in planning when Mayor Carl Stokes, the first Black mayor of a major US city, hired CRP alumnus Norm Krumholz (M.R.P. '65) to lead the city's planning department.
Today, after decades of population loss, Cleveland has stabilized. Yet its median household income lags behind the national average, and deep inequalities remain across a patchwork of neighborhoods. Maps of race and income reveal stark divides, even as civic leaders work toward a more equitable future.
In this lecture, two alumni return to share how Cleveland's complex urban fabric shapes their work in vacant land reutilization and urban mobility. They will explore how a city can transform its landscapes into healthier environments, productive uses, and equitable opportunities. They will also discuss how transportation and mobility influence not only economic access but also Clevelanders' daily lived experience.
Come learn about Cleveland, and keep an open mind — you never know, you might find yourself moving there too.
Biography
Annie Pease (M.R.P. '16) is Senior Advisor on Transportation at Cuyahoga County. Her responsibilities include advising County leadership on transportation policy and coordinating cross-departmental transportation and mobility initiatives. She previously worked on advancing major infrastructure projects for the City of Cleveland, including the 2022 Complete & Green Streets ordinance and waterfront access. Prior to her role with the City of Cleveland, she was Transportation Director for University Circle Inc., a non-profit community organization on the east side of Cleveland. A Cornell MRP graduate, an AICP planner, and a former Peace Corps volunteer, she is also a certified bicycle instructor and advocate for inclusive mobility.
Isaac Robb (M.R.P. '16) serves as Chief Urban Program Officer at Western Reserve Land Conservancy, where he guides efforts to revitalize cities through data-driven planning and deep community empowerment. He leads the Reforest Our City and Property Inventory programs, and has overseen more than $25 million in green space acquisition and redevelopment. A graduate of Cornell's MRP program and Board Chair of the Near West Community Land Trust, Isaac is passionate about connecting urban and rural communities, believing that shared relationships with the land can foster common understanding and stronger collective futures.
