West Side Market Receives $5 Million in Historic Tax Credits from State of Ohio Department of Development

Tax credits will yield $4 million in funds towards the Market’s Transformation Project

The Ohio Department of Development has awarded West Side Market and its operator Cleveland Public Market Corporation (CPMC) $5 million in historic preservation tax credits. This funding will yield $4 million towards West Side Market’s Transformation Project, which began construction in May of this year.

“This is the first major contribution towards our final stages of fundraising and construction,” said CPMC executive director Rosemary Mudry. “We appreciate the State of Ohio’s generous commitment to West Side Market and our efforts to ensure its rich traditions and exciting possibilities will continue for the next 100 years and beyond.”

“These are spaces where stories are told and memories are made; where communities come together and connect through something larger than themselves,” said Ohio director of development Lydia Mihalik. “These projects don’t happen without the grit and determination of local champions who pour their heart and souls into making spaces like this and their communities a better place.”

Previously CPMC raised $52 million of the project’s total $70 million and kicked off construction on the first stages of the transformation, including a renovated Produce Arcade and the overhaul of the infrastructure supporting the landmark public market. Funding has come from a variety of sources, including city, county, and state government allocations, federal Historic and New Markets tax credits, as well as contributions from foundations, corporations, and individual supporters. CPMC expanded the fundraising campaign to welcome public support in November 2025.

”We are so grateful to the State of Ohio and the Department of Development for this award,” said CPMC board of trustees president David Abbott. “This is a huge step forward for this project. While it brings the finish-line into sight, we still have a lot of work to do. We hope this serves as an inspiration to those others who we need to join us in this effort.”

The transformation project seeks to preserve both West Side Market’s small business fresh food tradition and its iconic architecture and interior design. The plan also includes updating critical support systems for the Market and making use of existing, underutilized spaces to expand on the Market’s visitor experience and programming possibilities.

“It’s a unique but thrilling challenge: to preserve West Side Market as such a beloved institution in Cleveland for more than a century, while also balancing the changing and evolving needs and expectations for a public market in the 21st century,” said Mudry. “The Market’s masterplan and this project took a holistic approach to tapping into the Market’s potential while placing vital importance on ensuring the Market will continue to be “Cleveland’s grocery store” for generations to come. We look forward to engaging with the public and additional community partners so that we can reach our fundraising goal and bring this vision to life.”

“Our community’s support allows this market to serve the people of Cleveland and from way beyond Cleveland, in old ways and new,” said Abbott. “We will give this community and this state what they deserve, which is the best public market in America. We’re not going to stop until we get there.”

West Side Market is owned by the City of Cleveland. CPMC, a non-profit entity, took over operations of the Market in April of 2024.