Columbus Road in the Flats is about to gain another Cuyahoga River-oriented feature with “The Foundry,” a $9 million plan to recast a dozen old buildings as a collegiate and youth boathouse, fitness center and park.

The project by MCPc Family Charities and Mike Trebilcock — the CEO of Cleveland-based MCPc, a seller of computer equipment and provider of tech services — and his wife, Gina, will provide additional facilities for young rowers and green space in the Flats. It's near the new Rivergate Park and the existing home of the Cleveland Rowing Association. The plan is the latest form of support that MCPc Family Charities and the Trebilcocks have offered to the Cleveland Youth Rowing Association and the Midwest Scholastic Rowing Association in the Flats. The Foundry is scheduled to open this fall. It will convert a group of buildings at 1831 Columbus Road to a year-round training center for rowers with an indoor rowing tank, a fitness center, boathouse and banquet center. The plan calls for using about 500 feet of riverfront for docks for launching boats and green space available for public use. Mike Trebilcock said the plan will provide competitive rowing and sailing environments for all of Cleveland's youth. “Youth fitness is more important now than ever, and rowing and sailing happen to be amazing ways for kids to stay fit, learn discipline, and structure their lives,” Trebilcock said. “These kids need a place to develop, advance, and grow with the vehicles of rowing and sailing, and The Foundry is a purpose-built facility. It's our responsibility to the young people of Cleveland to empower them to take up these amazing sports.” Andy Jones, MCPc's president and chairman of MCPc Family Charities, said, “Part of our mission is to invest in our youth, and the inherent discipline, life skills, teamwork, mental toughness. All of these things allow them to see beyond their classroom, and may afford future opportunities in education. The elements taught in these sports should be made accessible as much as possible.” Matt Previts, director of rowing for the Cleveland Youth Rowing Association, said the boathouse and park will be “transformational” for the program. “This facility will enable young men and women from all backgrounds to experience the challenges, joys, and growth that are trademark outcomes of rowing,” Previts said. Cleveland Youth Rowing has partnered with CMSD Rows, a nonprofit that gives students in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District an opportunity to row. The program mixes students from within the city of Cleveland and its surrounding suburbs on a daily basis. Through Columbus Foundry LLC, the MCPc-led nonprofit recently purchased the complex of buildings at 1831 Columbus Road from Pipeline Development Co. for $3 million, according to Cuyahoga County land records. The property is occupied by multiple tenants but also has substantial vacancy. The purchase included several buildings at 1776 Columbus Road that will serve as the group's administrative headquarters, according to architectural drawings. Occupying part of the south end of the riverfront Columbus Peninsula, the Foundry property is on the east side of Columbus Road. It is opposite the entrance to Rivergate Park on the west side of Columbus. Rivergate Park includes the Cleveland Rowing Association's boathouse and the Cleveland Metroparks Merwin's Wharf restaurant, which is an effort to provide public, active use of the river. Some 1,500 high school, collegiate and adult rowers already ply the Cuyahoga during the summer rowing season. Brian Zimmerman, CEO of Cleveland Metroparks, said the Foundry will be a catalyst for expanded green space and recreation activities in the Flats. It aligns with other initiatives adding recreation use to the Flats, he said. “It represents the exact kind of strong public/private partnerships that will continue to bolster redevelopment in the city's urban core,” Zimmerman said. Moreover, the Foundry fits in with other efforts that are revitalizing Columbus Road with new housing, entertainment venues and the city's new skate park. Gina Trebilcock said the recent activity in the Flats is a reflection of Cleveland's potential. “There is an undercurrent of energy in this booming community that we are proud to be a part of - and that includes the fusion of longtime establishments and new neighbors,” she said.