The GSD remembers Hunter Morrison (MCP ’74), who passed away on December 16, 2025, at the age of 78. Hunter served on the GSD Alumni Council from 1997 to 2000. His generosity, expertise, and unwavering pursuit of design excellence shaped countless lives.
From 1980 to 2000, Hunter served as the Planning Director of Cleveland, Ohio, guiding the development of several acclaimed projects, including the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and the revival of Playhouse Square. Hunter also pioneered the construction of North Coast Harbor, a downtown district that connects to Lake Erie.
Following his tenure as Planning Director, Hunter served as Director of the Center for Urban and Regional Studies at Youngstown State University, Executive Director of the Northeast Ohio Sustainable Communities Consortium (NEOSCC), and as Senior Fellow in Urban Studies at Cleveland State University’s Levin College of Urban Affairs. In 2015, Hunter received an APA National Award for Vibrant NEO 2040 , a three-year initiative that tackled issues related to shrinking cities and digital engagement.
As the next generation inherits challenges that dwarf what we faced, Hunter’s legacy offers more than inspiration. It offers a path to more inclusive and sustainable futures. Hunter exemplified what it means to understand the responsibilities of privilege—to devote your gifts not to your own advantage, but to the cities and communities that need them most.
Ed Morrison, Hunter’s Brother
Read more about Hunter’s life and legacy .
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