Northeast Ohio Properties, January 2025

CCPL’s new $18 million library blends modern design with community focus

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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Mark Watt mwatt@propertiesmag.com 216.251.2655

OFFICE MANAGER

Lisa Larissey llarissey@propertiesmag.com 440.429.6153

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Doug Bardwell, Scott Esterly, Dan Holland, Christopher Johnston, Alec Pacella

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Matt Lehnert mlehnert@propertiesmag.com 216.251.6753

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Real Estate Publishing Corporation

Jeff Johnson, CEO jeff.johnson@rejournals.com

Cover photo: Cuyahoga County Public Library Brooklyn Branch, by Doug Bardwell

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Photo by Scott Esterly

PROPERTIES PEOPLE

1 Akwasi Duah and Rysheen Hooks (Turner Construction)

2 Scott Wagner (Regency Construction) and Heather Baines (HRSAC)

3 Kofo Domingo (Bedrock Detroit)

4 Marvin Echols (Whiting Turner) and CAA Executive Director Glen Shumate

CAA Board Meeting &

Contractors Assistance Association (CAA) hosted is quarterly meeting recently at the Midtown Tech Hive, which included discussion of a planned February 2025 Black History Month Tribute, along with presentations from the Port Authority of Cleveland and Bedrock. The Annual Holiday Reception included owners, community members and public officials, interacting with CAA members.

IREM Annual Installation & Awards Ceremony

Members of the Northern Ohio chapter of IREM (Institute of Real Estate Management) gathered recently for the organization’s Annual Installation and Awards Ceremony. This year’s event took place at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse and featured hors d’oeuvres, drinks, mingling, dinner and the installation/awards presentation, plus tours of the FieldHouse that included shooting hoops on the Cavaliers’ practice court.

1 Sean Smoluk and Jason Nestor (Playhouse Square Management)

2 Zoe Nemeth (Gridiron Guys Construction), Laine Hendricks (Gridiron Guys Construction), Eric Turner (Millenia) and Jim Ritter (Ritter Elevator Consulting Company)

3 Jason Eichler (KONE) and Oliver Mahnke (RWK Services)

4 Kate Zurawski (Lubrizol), Erin Renee Griffith (Summit Building Services) and Ira Krumholz (Colliers International)

5 Michael Corcoran (Playhouse Square Real Estate Services) and Rick Zack (First National Realty Partners)

6 Robert Murray (One Stop Shop Commercial Services) and Kirsten Murray

BOMA Greater Cleveland Annual Business Meeting

Building Owners and Managers Association of Greater Cleveland (BOMA Greater Cleveland) recently held its 110th Annual Business Meeting at the Grand Ballroom of Sausalito Catering in Garfield Heights. Members came together to celebrate the association’s achievements over the past year, recognize partnership members and discuss plans for 2025. The event concluded with a cocktail reception.

1 Signature partners Will Wachs and Oliver Mahnke (RWK Services)

2 Executive committee members Laban Zurowski (Progressive Insurance), Brad Butler (KeyBank), Sondra Turek (BOMA Greater Cleveland), Diana Lis (Lee & Associates) and Kevin Ballish (NAI Pleasant Valley)

3 Leadership partners Doug Gerhard and Jeff Knittel (Western Specialty Contractors)

Photos provided by BOMA Greater Cleveland

Photos by Alaina Battle

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Design Distinction

AIA Cleveland honors top projects with annual awards program

Provided by AIA Cleveland

Each year, the Cleveland chapter of American Institute of Architects (AIA Cleveland) recognizes excellence in design by inviting Northeast Ohio-based architecture firms to submit their best work to be reviewed by nationally renowned juries from all over the country.

The 2024 design awards jury chair was Steve Dumez, FAIA. Dumez is a principal/ design director of Eskew Dumez Ripple, an architecture and design practice with offices in New Orleans and Washington, D.C. The firm has received more than 60 national awards for design excellence and over 180 additional awards at the local, state and regional levels.

AIA Cleveland held the annual Design Awards celebration, with 350 people in attendance, on Friday, November 22 at the newly renovated Hotel Cleveland.

There were six categories in this year’s program, including Architecture (21 total project entries), Interior Architecture (17 entries), Small Projects (two entries), Unbuilt Projects (five entries), Makers (four entries) and Student Projects (23 entries). The Architecture category celebrates the best contemporary architecture regardless of budget, size, style or type, while the Interior Architecture category honors innovative interior spaces. The Small Projects category recognizes projects less than 5,000 square feet. The Unbuilt Projects category highlights projects that are not expected to be constructed but demonstrate excellence in research, design theory and performance.

The Makers category spotlights unique materials, details or technologies in which the expression of architecture and the craft of making come together. Lastly, student design work is recognized by the Student Projects category.

Winning projects included:

ARCHITECTURE

Honor Award

SARTA Massillon Transit Center

Bowen

Client: Stark Area Regional Transit Authority (Massillon, OH)

Size: 5,000 sf / Cost: $5,100,000

The Stark Area Regional Transit Authority (SARTA) had a busy transit

center operating out of a hotel garage that lacked amenities and presented logistical problems for newer busses. The striking new Massillon Transit Center – a new 5,000-square-foot transit center on a 1.5-acre site – provides key access to approximately 500 riders a day. The center fosters a sense of openness and accessibility with glass-enclosed public spaces that reinforce the four-sided nature of the station’s operations. The transit center is a model of urban renewal – a place where people can connect, where transportation meets community and where sustainability meets style.

ARCHITECTURE

Honor Award

Slippery Rock University –Miller Auditorium

DLR Group

Client: Slippery Rock University (Slippery Rock, PA)

Size: 39,470 sf / Cost: $16,800,000

The design expands an existing 1960s auditorium within Slippery Rock University’s historic quad, transforming

it into a new performing arts center while maintaining the school’s historic feel. The project negotiates significant regional topography, accommodates new circulation and elevates the arts on campus. The addition façade is created in two layers that contribute to its character. A continuous inner layer of glass allows natural light and views to permeate deep into the building, with a layer of brick arches offset from its face that contribute to sun shading and help regulate thermal comfort inside. The addition creates visual connections between interior and exterior, adding vibrancy to the building and the performing arts program. Arches of varying position and scale break up

Miller Auditorium at Slippery Rock University

Photo by Kevin Reeves

SARTA Massillon Transit Center

Photo by Mark Bealer

the addition’s mass, providing curated views along the face of the building. The arches reinterpret and pay homage to the traditional archways found across campus.

ARCHITECTURE

Merit Award

Lozick Cancer Pavilion at Hillcrest Hospital

Cleveland Clinic Buildings + Design, in Partnership with Perspectus Architecture

Client: Cleveland Clinic (Mayfield Heights, OH)

Size: 29,840 sf / Cost: $15,255,000

The new Lozick Cancer Pavilion at Cleveland Clinic Hillcrest Hospital is a 10,000-square-foot, three-story addition designed with a focus on enhancing the patient experience. The pavilion features intuitive and comforting spaces, incorporating elements such as daylighting, biophilic design and views of nature. This project unifies the disparate elements of cancer care at Hillcrest, creating a comprehensive cancer center with a dedicated entrance. The first-floor addition now serves as the main entrance, establishing a central patient check-in, dedicated valet parking and patient drop-off. It also creates a direct connection between the lower level and second-floor spaces.

ARCHITECTURE

Merit Award

B Residence

Bialosky

Client: Private (Chagrin Falls, OH)

Size: 5,355 sf / Cost: Withheld

This modern residence near Chagrin Falls was designed for an empty-nester couple to support their love of entertaining, woodworking, music, art and family. The home’s clean lines and cantilevers play against the naturalized landscape.

The parti is formed by two intersecting bars. The main living space features a dramatic 13-foot ceiling with clerestory windows shaded by a cantilevered eyebrow. The second bar, housing garage and utilities, slides past the first to create dynamic overlaps marked by glass and metal slots. Interior materials are minimal: bamboo cabinetry, quartz countertops and concrete floors. An Ipe wood rainscreen wraps the exterior, folding to form the entry loggia. A breezeway connects to a separate woodshop, framing outdoor spaces front and back. Sustainable features include prioritized solar orientation, photovoltaic array, radiant floors, energy recovery systems and high efficiency glass and insulation.

ARCHITECTURE

Merit Award

2087 Random Road Apartments

Bucchieri Architects

Client: Random Road Apartments LLC

(Cleveland, OH)

Size: 18,000 sf / Cost: $5,200,000

2087 Random Road Apartments embody the meticulous process of intentional architecture. Located in Little Italy

and near University Circle, this quiet but bold complex blends in with the scale of this neighborhood beloved for its walkability, boutique shops, restaurants and century homes. All elements, from lighting to landscape, were carefully curated to create a welcoming place to call home. The apartments adhere to City of Cleveland Green Building Standards and Enterprise Green Community criteria, including Energy Star compliance. The building is constructed using natural, durable and sustainable materials. The exterior brick has a high recycled content, and the oak floors and cabinets are locally sourced. The design focus is limited to the timeless elegance of the essential. The use of natural light, a restrained but beautiful material palette and skilled craftsmanship were used to achieve a decisive and rich solution to this urban complex.

ARCHITECTURE

Honorable Mention

Mystic Creek Clubhouse

DLR Group

Client: Murphy USA (El Dorado, Arkansas)

Size: 10,100 sf / Cost: $4,300,000

Surrounded by the towering cathedral pines of El Dorado, Arkansas, the Mystic Creek Golf Club provides the nearby community with a place to gather, interact and play. Murphy USA, the area’s major employer, purchased the golf course with the intent to leverage the club to attract and retain staff in the small but growing town and to invest in the community. Drawing inspiration from the site’s natural elements, the design of a new clubhouse at Mystic Creek provides

Lozick Cancer Pavilion at Hillcrest Hospital

B Residence

2087 Random Road Apartments

Photo by Christian Phillips

Photo by Christian Phillips

the community with a multi-functional facility that creates appreciation for the surrounding environment while being minimally intrusive. The expressive roof element creates broad overhangs along the entire perimeter of the building to create shade from the intense southern sun while allowing the daylight and unobstructed views of nature in. The building features an all-exposed glue laminated mass timber structural system. Heavy timber was selected to decrease the building’s total embodied energy and the local nature of the material.

INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE

Merit Award

Good Karma Brands

Vocon

Client: Good Karma Brands, LLC (Milwaukee, WI)

Size: 21,307 sf / Cost: Confidential

The planning of Good Karma Brands’ new Milwaukee, Wisconsin space revolved strongly around the theme of bridging the Historic Matthews Building, Annex and Mall Atrium spaces into one cohesive office that uses unique architectural elements from each area to develop distinct atmospheres and adjacencies throughout. Large windows provide abundant natural light, and new wood flooring material that references original hardwood planks adds to the soft, clean and comfortable aesthetic for employees to enjoy. The

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Mystic Creek Clubhouse

Good Karma Brands

Photo by Kevin Reeves

Photo by Kyle Szef

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INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE

Honorable Mention Doner

Vocon

Client: Doner (Southfield, MI)

Size: 69,000 sf / Cost: Confidential

Doner is an agency based in Detroit, Michigan who “create audacious things for ambitious brands” throughout the world. To further their mission, the agency created a new destination for collaboration and engagement with its clients and colleagues. Faced with the challenge of creating a home for their newly blended in-person and virtual workforce, the design team collaborated with Doner to design with purpose around dynamic meeting settings and engagements. The space is designed for inspiration, innovation and flexibility, allowing for optimized creative thinking.

SMALL PROJECTS

Honorable Mention

Hauser Residence

Horton Harper Architects

Client: Laura Hauser (Cleveland Heights, OH)

Size: 1,700 sf / Cost: N/A

This simple two-story residence offers a contemporary counterpoint to its

Doner

Photo by John D’Angelo

abstract massing creates a hierarchy of spaces while reflecting the setbacks, visual cues and materials of the street. The horizontal pattern of lapped wood cladding is broken by inverted corners, lending a balance to the proportions of the composition. Inside, natural light pours in through large window openings in the vertical plane and light wells from above. Taken as a whole, the 1,700-square-foot, LEED Silver certified residence assumes a restrained palette inside and out, allowing one to focus on its varied geometry and everchanging surroundings.

UNBUILT PROJECTS

Honorable Mention

OnMain Digital Transformation Center

Moody Nolan

Client: City of Dayton Size: 12,500 sf

Located on the former Montgomery County fairgrounds, the Digital Transformation Center encapsulates Dayton’s innovative spirit through a dynamic exterior and pedestrian-focused

streetscape. As an integral part of Dayton’s onMain development – an upand-coming mixed-use district featuring multi-family housing, businesses, retail, and outdoor community spaces – the design prioritizes the public realm using an interconnected approach to site, landscaping and massing.

MAKERS

Honor Award Fragment

Firm: Adam Hirsh

“Fragment” is a minimalist display designed for a world traveler’s living room, using conventional and affordable materials. The name reflects the idea of capturing individual pieces of a larger story, with each artifact representing a unique moment from the owner’s travels. The design centers around three precise cuts that fold the wall outward to reveal a hidden niche for displaying artifacts. Subtle lighting enhances the interplay between exposure and concealment, while prefabricated cabinetry extends the display. The result is a

refined, cost-effective solution that transforms a standard wall into a sculptural art piece.

MAKERS

Honorable Mention

Arbor

KSU Students: Andrew Arunski & Cameron Hite Professor: William Willoughby

Arbor is an intricate play on how architects use common materials and transform them as modes to communicate their creative endeavors. Arbor creates an introspective philosophy on how the architect might look at a material’s intrinsic fabrication properties and creates something that abides by the physical limitations instilled by the material, but also literally bends those rules to their whim. The chair appears to be one solid sheet of wood. Upon closer inspection, the architect was able to visualize how this material could be fabricated. Each step of the process is transparently presented as-is, and the fabrication process is celebrated as interactive education, imploring the user to build an intuition on how the seemingly banal objects around them are fabricated.

STUDENT PROJECT Honor Award

The Interchange

KSU Student: Eleanor Huntley Professor: Greg Stroh

This project explores the variable relationships among tourism, nomadism and materialism in a post-industrial city of Pittsburgh, pushing the mainstream ideas and experiences of different groups in the city for a more holistic and authentic culture and identity. This interaction of people is encouraged by The Interchange. A series of paths and public areas allow various forms of movement and approach to the building. Spaces within the build-

Hauser Residence

OnMain Digital Transformation Center

Fragment

Arbor

Photo courtesy of Horton Harper Architects

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ing support recreation and relaxation for people of different durations of stay.

STUDENT PROJECT

Merit Award

Carson’s Living Community

KSU Student: Samantha Markiewicz Professor: Greg Stroh

The project focus is on the background work and reliance on infrastructure systems, both material systems such as buildings, roads and bridges, to the immaterial systems like data networks and information flow. Housing is an integral part of this complex system. This project explores housing as a support system. Thoughtfully designed public spaces serve as vital hubs where people congregate, connect and engage in shared activities.

STUDENT PROJECT

Merit Award

Vertical Horizon: Firestation with Commanding Towers

KSU Student: Jakeb Herreman Professor: Greg Stroh

The fire station design is inspired by the hovering infrastructural elements of bridges, highways and roadways. These influences shape the building’s form, creating a dynamic structure that serves as a beacon for the city. The urban towers anchor the building to the skyline, collective public spaces promote engagement, and a void within the design offers a reflective, open area for occupants,

reinforcing the connection between infrastructure and the community.

STUDENT PROJECT

Merit Award

Seongjang Village

KSU Student: Cameron Hite & Corri Lecian Professor: Taraneh Meshkani

People purchase lots and construct their own housing as they desire them. As people move upwards, the housing below becomes vacant and can be repurposed into production spaces. The city below has become a production city, working to supply the resources that are consumed by the city above, providing new and clean housing for people in a way that preserves the culture and embodied energy of the built environment

EMERGING PROFESSIONAL AWARD

PEOPLE’S CHOICE

HIGH HONORS Winning student projects included (1) The Interchange; (2) Carson’s Living Community; (3) Vertical Horizon; and (4) Seongjang Village

Clay with

INTRO TO ENGINEERING Dr. Richard Schoephoerster, dean of the Washkewicz College of Engineering at Cleveland State University, addresses attendees at the 2024 ACE Day event in mid-December.

Engaging New Generations

ACE Cleveland hosts annual December outreach event, announces project for 2025

By Rhonda Crowder | Photos by Alaina Battle

After wrapping up its 15th anniversary year, the ACE Mentor Program of Cleveland continues to develop unique experiences that pique interests and engage students in the fields of architecture, construction and engineering.

One ACE Cleveland initiative that helps achieve the mission is the annual ACE Day event held on the campus of Cleveland State University in December. During ACE Day, students are introduced to the skilled trades as well as other workforce and educational opportunities. Additionally, a professional provides an overview of the ACE Cleveland project for the school year.

This year, ACE teams will engage in a Cleveland Area Revitalization Project. The top teams will present their RFP solutions at the May 14 Spring Celebration Banquet where student scholarship awards and volunteer recognition are presented as well. In their proposals, teams are asked to focus on the neighborhoods and communities in which their schools are located, then create a framework and design solution to take steps to repairing their community.

“Each location provides a unique opportunity to redefine and rejuvenate key areas in Cleveland to foster economic growth, social cohesion and

environmental sustainability,” says TyJuan Swanson-Sawyer, an ACE alum now working at IKM Architecture as a project designer. Swanson-Sawyer wrote the Request For Projects (RFP) outlining the scope and deliverables for this year’s project. This is the first time an ACE alum has developed the RFP.

There are a number of objectives that must be considered, including collaboration, research, design solutions, design spaces and the development of metrics to assess the effectiveness of the solution.

Chris Urban, of AECOM, presented during ACE Day on December 12, 2024, informing students on how his firm approaches a project of this nature as well as providing tips for undergoing the planning process, such as advising them to understand the history of a site.

Dave Robar, AIA, Vocon, is a longtime ACE mentor. He’s currently working with students at Cleveland Central Catholic. He’s written the RFPs and judged the presentations in the past. When asked how this project stacks up

against others, in terms of difficulty, Robar says, “This one seems a bit more wide open in terms of what the students have to come up with and the mentors have to coach them toward.”

He says this project, unlike previous RFPs, lacks specifics such as telling students to work on, for example, a community center or a park. He interprets it as asking the teams to pick a community, then talk to the people within that community to determine the need – which is exactly what Urban says his firm does when working on a project like this.

“It’s going to be up to the mentor teams and how they coach in one way or another, depending on community needs,” Robar says, noting that he recommends that students talk to Community Development Corporations. He thinks working on this project will help students develop a new skill set: how to communicate with others. “It’s valuable for helping them develop interpersonal skills for sure, as well as observational skills, having curiosity. That’s the fun part.”

He also says, because it’s very collaborative and so many ideas will be applied, no one will remember who came up with the ideas when it’s all said and done.

Ben Kweller is a past team leader and mentor at Garrett Morgan School, the ACE Cleveland team with the first place presentation last year. He says they have started to approach the project by looking at multiple sites. They’ve drawn a radius and are examining what’s available in the area. Kweller finds the area interesting because

Garrett Morgan is situated between two neighborhoods, Detroit-Shoreway and Ohio City. “We’re looking at sites in both districts,” he says.

Isaiah Eseay, a freshman at Shaker Heights High, learned about the ACE Mentor Program in his building through teachers and other students who encouraged him to join. Growing up around a lot of tech, he said he wants to be an engineer. Actually, he’s very much interested in architecture and construction as well, with engineering being of most interest.

He enjoyed attending ACE Day, having an opportunity to speak to professional engineers and he seems up to taking on the task of this year’s project. He says the project seems hard but he believes putting in the hard work is good for his development.

“I find it interesting that we’re trying to find space in our community to make it better,” he says.

To learn more about the ACE Mentor Program of Cleveland, visit www.acecleveland.org and or contact Glen Shumate at glen@ceacisp.org.

FIRST LOOK During ACE Day, students are introduced to the skilled trades, as

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New Digs for Delve Underground Specialty tunnel/shaft engineering firm establishes new offices in Ohio City

Story by Scott Esterly | Photos by Scott Esterly and Inside the Eye Photography

Delve Underground specializes in heavy civil engineering, serving the transportation, water, wastewater and energy/mining industries. Concentrating on tunnel and shaft design, Delve aims to provide innovative solutions to the most challenging underground problems. Offering comprehensive design, construction management and dispute-resolution capabilities, its expertise includes civil, structural and geotechnical services.

Founded in 1954 as Jacobs Associates, Delve Underground is an employeeowned firm with 25 offices and 350 team members throughout the U.S, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The company has provided engineering consulting services to clients for over 65 years.

It was Delve’s extensive work with the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District (NEORSD) and Project Clean Lake that initially brought the firm to Cleveland. Since then, it has developed countless other relationships that have shaped its regional brand and reputation. The Cleveland office acts as Delve’s gateway to the Midwest.

The company was previously located in the suburbs of Mayfield but wanted to move closer to the heart of the city that it serves. Its new office is located at 1939 W. 25th St. in the bustling Ohio City neighborhood, steps away from the West Side

Market. In the words of Eric Westergren, Delve’s Cleveland office manager, “Delve is and has always been a design firm, so we wanted an office and location that reflects that spirit.”

It was the company’s close relationship with the local architecture firm, Meld Architects, that helped bring that desire into reality.

In the beginning

Several years ago, Delve began working with Meld, which is led by principals Edward Parker and Michael Wellman. Their first project together was to assist Delve with renderings for one of its project pursuits. That success led to even more complex projects, including drafting and 3D modeling services for a new underground freeway in Melbourne, Australia.

During this period, Delve was also hunting for a new property in downtown Cleveland. The company’s leadership

found one they liked and were working with the property owner to define the build-out scope. In 2022, the deal fell through, and Westergren relayed his frustrations about the architectural process to Meld. To which, Ed Parker jokingly responded, “Too bad you don’t have a good relationship with any architects that could help you.” A huge smile spread over Westergren’s face, wondering how he hadn’t made that connection earlier.

Delve renewed its search for the ideal space and found one in Ohio City. With the confidence they already had in Meld’s work and the collaborative nature of their relationship, Delve hired Meld to take over the project.

Two is better than one

The search led to 6,500 square feet of vacant, available office space on the second floor of a historic building on West 25th Street. The property checked

Photo

Scott Esterly

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MEETING NEEDS A key space in Delve Underground’s new Cleveland office is a break room with long high-top tables that can accommodate the company’s entire team. The area, which also includes a custom coffee station, a dart board and a shuffleboard table, is envisioned to double as an event space.

off all the boxes that Delve was seeking for their new location.

“It was a conscious choice,” says Westergren. “Most of our offices are located near mass transit because some of our clients are transit authorities, and we want to put our money where our mouth is.”

As Meld coordinated with Delve on its new office’s design needs, something became increasingly clear. The new space they’d selected was simply too big. During the initial real estate walkthrough, Westergren pointed to an area of the space, and said with a chuckle, “This could be Meld.” Parker and Wellman considered the implication, and immediately recognized the opportunity. When the floor plans worked and resulted in ample space for both firms, the direction was clear.

Design

Regarding the layout of the space, it was paramount to Westergren to replicate the “heartbeat” it had in the Mayfield office. He conveyed that the symbolic heartbeat of Delve’s office lies in the people on the floor.

Meld worked through multiple design iterations to arrive at the right location and feel for this space. They chose the west end with near floor-to-ceiling historic windows that look out onto West 25th Street. The desks were arranged intentionally to maintain the team’s existing flow and are framed

“If you go into each of the offices, there’s a story there. There are penetrations, changes in brick coursing and so on. It just feels like there’s a lot of history here.”

Eric Westergren Delve Underground

by low walls with maple caps. A large writeable glass wall stands at the edge of the middle workspaces. This wall acts as a portal from the individual workspaces into the communal work area and is used for sketches and calculations. Accent walls were inspired by Delve’s brand colors, which add a vibrant energy to the “heartbeat.”

The other area of interest was the break room. Delve has a strong office

culture and didn’t want to lose the camaraderie that its current break room facilitated. However, they wanted it to be much more design-forward and usable as an event space, since being downtown meant more visitors. This became the second “node” of the space, with large windows facing the rear parking lot where Market Garden Brewery’s lit-up “BEER!” sign is visible. Other than long high-top tables which can accommodate the entire team, the one thing Westergren insisted be a part of this area was a featured dart board. Over time, the design expanded to include a custom coffee station, a butcherblock counter and bar stools at the window wall, plus a shuffleboard table.

To connect these two important nodes, both of which remain exposed to the existing wood structure, Meld designed a corridor ceiling that provides dynamic movement through the space and acoustic attenuation. About 1,000 slats of felt were installed by hand to create the desired effect. The felt pieces come in multiple lengths, depths and four different shades, creat-

Photo

Inside the Eye Photography

DELVE ON DISPLAY The Ontario Conference Room, with floor-to-ceiling glass walls and museum-style lighting, features photography from the company’s project portfolio.

ing an exciting thoroughfare down the long corridor.

“Every design decision has meaning,” Parker adds. “The whole point of the ceiling is that Delve and Meld are both verbs.”

He wants visitors to feel as though the ceiling is symbolically “delving” into Delve’s “heartbeat,” while simultaneously “melding” the two companies together.

In the main conference room, “the chandelier over the conference table represents Delve’s borings into the soil and where they hit different bedrock and soil and so on,” explains Parker.

The “Ontario Conference Room” was referred to as the “Blue Room” for most of the construction process due to the bright blue hue of the carpet. It serves as a showroom with linear lights interacting with the linearity of the felt ceiling and photography from Delve’s projects displayed on the center wall.

“In the bathrooms, the idea was for the materials to reflect being underground. The tile that we specified for the walls has an earthy, coppery look that reflects minerals found in the soil,” Parker says.

Westergren is fond of the hidden meanings and mysteries found throughout the space, particularly in the brick walls.

“If you go into each of the offices, there’s a story there. There are penetra-

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Photo by Scott Esterly

CUSTOMIZED CHARACTER During demolition in the area of Delve’s new conference room, an existing masonry pocket was revealed. The cut-out space now features a custom acrylic print of one of the iconic Guardian of Transportation statues, immediately recognizable by Clevelanders. However, instead of a covered wagon or automobile, he’s holding a tunnel boring machine cutterhead.

tions, changes in brick coursing and so on. It just feels like there’s a lot of history here,” he says.

Some of this character also came during construction. Windows were added to the south wall by the building owner. During demolition in the area of Delve’s new conference room, an existing masonry pocket was revealed. The team agreed that new brick infill

wouldn’t look right. Meld saw this as an opportunity to provide a unique piece of branded artwork. They filled in the pocket with a custom acrylic print of one of the iconic Guardian of Transportation statues, immediately recognizable by Clevelanders. However, instead of a covered wagon or automobile, he’s holding a tunnel boring machine cutterhead. Meld has

dubbed this figure the “Guardian of the Underground.”

Construction

The original second-floor tenant space had a raw, open floor plan with rough interior brick and a beautiful, exposed wood ceiling, beams and columns. Though the location and industrial quality was perfect for both Delve and

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Photo

Scott Esterly

OLD + NEW In the main work space, desks are arranged intentionally to maintain the team’s existing flow and are framed by low walls with maple caps (top). Here and throughout (middle, bottom), exposed brick is juxtaposed with modern light fixtures and other new design elements.

Meld, the bones of the space had some quirks to address, such as acoustic concerns and uneven floors. Lawler Construction was brought in early in the process to address the floors.

“The first snag was our realization that the floor was out of level,” says Westergren. “We made the decision to level it. Our first meeting was before mobilization, or so I thought. When I got here, Lawler’s team was already shimming. They said, ‘Yeah, we’ve got to get this going.’ That says a lot about the quality and commitment of Lawler.”

Jim Lawler, president of Lawler Construction, wears his steadfast and calm resolve on his sleeve and was

“I have found, over the years, to not get too up-in-arms over stuff. Usually, a job will just reveal a solution to most problems for site access and constructability, et cetera. And that was true here.”

Jim Lawler Lawler Construction

quick to find practical solutions to design problems. “I have found, over the years, to not get too up-in-arms over stuff,” he says. “Usually, a job will just reveal a solution to most problems for site access and constructability, et cetera. And that was true here.”

For example, logistics hampered some plans to bring materials up via staircases and elevators. In what became Meld’s conference room, a large existing window was removed to hoist materials up and into the office space. One item of particular importance for the communal break room was the shuffleboard table that came in one giant piece and required hoisting through the window as well.

“A job this size, it was a lot to pack in here,” explains Lawler. “A

Photos by Inside the Eye Photography

NEIGHBORS BY DESIGN As Meld Architects coordinated with Delve on its new office’s design needs (top), it became increasingly clear that the new space was larger than necessary. With Delve’s encouragement, Meld Architects seized the opportunity and relocated its own offices to the building as well (middle, bottom).

lot of custom design, custom finishes and custom fixtures. There were some restrictions with other tenants and when we could do some of the work. These are all normal things.”

The priority of the project was always centered around design over schedule. “I have to commend Delve. They always said design was going to take precedence over schedule and they were not sacrificing design when they knew it was the solution they wanted,” says Parker.

It means a lot

The teams worked together to ensure all parties were proud of the quality and satisfied with the final design.

“I was most impressed with Delve and Meld’s collective interest in working with us and bringing us on early,” says Lawler. “It made me feel good about things, and it’s proven to be worthwhile. Having this opportunity and having it work out, it’s very cool.”

Parker and his team are ecstatic with the firm’s new office, which occupies 950 square feet. They have an opendoor policy, and Delve and their team are always welcome to drop by and chat. The feeling is mutual for Delve, and Westergren often refers to Meld as family.

“One of our corporate missions is to help small businesses, so it brings me joy when I see Meld in their conference room with their clients enjoying the new space they helped create. Especially when I consider how much they have helped us with our projects and pursuits. It means a lot to us,” says Westergren.

On most days, during the lunch hour, members from both firms can be found in the break room, sitting around the long wooden tables and throwing darts or playing at the shuffleboard. There is an intentionality and energy in the office that is palpable. The space allows both firms room for future collaboration and growth, and the result exactly matched their vision.

Photo by Scott Esterly

Photo by Scott

Esterly

Photo courtesy of Meld Architects

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Scholarship Honors Erin Ryan’s Impact on CRE Community

Anew scholarship fund has been established to honor Erin Ryan, a beloved figure in the Northeast Ohio real estate community who passed away unexpectedly on October 6, 2024.

The Erin Ryan Memorial Scholarship Fund, managed by ACE Cleveland, will support women pursuing degrees in architecture, construction, engineering, geology and marketing – fields that Ryan passionately championed.

In mid-December, nearly 100 friends and family gathered at Stone Mad Pub in Cleveland for the inaugural St. Patrick’s Day in December Celebration. The initial donations, totaling more than $13,000 thanks to a significant donation from Ryan’s family plus the generosity of the real estate community, will allow multiple scholarships to future generations of women.

Ryan was a tireless advocate for women in the workplace, mentoring countless individuals and fostering professional growth across the community, according to Glen Shumate, executive director/board chair of ACE Cleveland.

“Erin’s infectious smile and laughter filled countless meetings and rooms across Northeast Ohio,” Shumate says. “She was a beloved fixture in many professional organizations, always the friend everyone could rely on. Erin touched the lives of so many, leaving a lasting impact on the Northeast Ohio community.” Though her passing is a profound loss, the scholarship fund serves as a meaningful way to carry forward her impact, he says. To contribute to the Erin Ryan Memorial Scholarship Fund, visit https://givebutter.com/ErinRyanTribute.

ACE Cleveland Announces New Leadership

The ACE Mentor Program of Cleveland recently announced Cindy Leitson, Cuyahoga Community College’s vice president of Capital, Construction & Facilities, as incoming board chair, succeeding Glen Shumate, ACE executive director and executive vice

president of Construction Employers Association. Shumate has been appointed to the ACE National Regional Advisory Board. Leitson will serve a two-year term.

“I am excited to lead this dynamic board and work with them to make an impact within our AEC industry,” Leitson says. “I look forward to working with our many students, volunteers and community

partners to deepen the commitment of the ACE Mentor program in Cleveland.”

In addition to Leitson as new board chair, ACE Mentor Program of Cleveland welcomes four new board members, including Tim Van Curen (senior director – national account sales, Commercial, Healthcare and Hospitality, The Sherwin Williams Company), Santiago

Chabrier (plant operations manager, JTM Products Inc.), Roger C. Newberry, P.E. (senior project engineer – land development, Partners Environmental Consultants, Inc.) and Dr. Monyka Spencer Price (senior director of Advising, Programs and Services, College NOW).

“I look forward to working with Cindy Leitson during her board chair term,” Shumate says. “ACE Cleveland is well positioned for more industry and community impact in 2025 and beyond.”

Since 2008, ACE Mentor Program of Cleveland has provided an industry-led career pathway model that engages professionals from the architecture, con -

Photo courtesy of ACE Cleveland

Erin Ryan Cindy Leitson

struction and engineering industries to inspire and mentor Greater Cleveland students, many of whom are in under-represented populations, to pursue higher education and be a positive influence in their lives.

Hahn Loeser Recognized with International M&A Award

Hahn Loeser & Parks was recently recognized among the M&A Advisor’s 15th Annual International M&A Award Winners for being part of the deal team that won Professional Services Deal of the Year (under $100 million). Winners were selected for deals that stood out among hundreds of entries evaluated by a panel of independent judges and peers in the international and cross-border transaction arena.

In the transaction, Hahn Loeser advised a confidential client and educational services provider on the sale of five of its facilities to an international educational facility operator of more than 700

educational centers across nine countries.

Led by Partner Christopher S.W. Blake, HLP’s team handled corporate, real estate, labor and employment, and intellectual property law matters, along with all other legal aspects of the transaction on behalf of the client. The team included Partners Tara J. Rose, Aaron S. Evenchik, Jeffrey M. Folkman, Ann E. Knuth and Christopher R. Butler, Associate Kelsey R. Holmberg and Paralegal Gretchen Nine-Bunnell. Winners were celebrated in September at the 2024 Leadership in

Dealmaking Summit, held at The New York Athletic Club in New York City.

Karpinski Appoints New President/CEO

Karpinski Engineering recently announced the appointment of Jeremy Bowers as its new president and chief executive officer, effective January 1, 2025. Bowers, who joined the firm in June 2000, established Karpinski Engineering’s Akron-Canton Office, which has experienced significant growth since its founding in 2006, forming a robust client base and revenue stream.

Jim Cicero will remain actively involved as a principal and chairman of the board of directors, providing guidance and support during this transitional period.

The firm has been proactively preparing for this transition, cultivating a leadership culture throughout its ranks. Karpinski’s formal leadership training program has empowered more than

50 staff members over the past decade, fostering a collaborative environment where every employee is encouraged to take on leadership responsibilities. In the last five years, Karpinski Engineering has added eight new principals to its leadership team, each with specific responsibilities across various departments and aspects of the business.

AMHigley Rebrands as Higley Construction in 100th Year

The Albert M. Higley Co., also known as AMHigley,

Jeremy Bowers

Christopher Blake

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recently unveiled a new brand and look as it celebrates its centennial year. As of January 2025, the company has a new name: Higley Construction.

Founded in 1925 by Albert Higley Sr., with its headquarters in Cleveland, the construction management and general contractor has expanded its reach with five regional offices and a portfolio that currently spans Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and West Virginia.

Under the leadership of Gareth Vaughan, who became president in 2010, the company has embraced growth while honoring its history.

“Higley Construction is excited about what the next century holds as we embrace

our new brand while still highlighting our 100 years of history,” Vaughan says. “I am proud to lead the company into the future and continue to make our mark on the construction industry.”

Throughout 2025, Higley Construction will be cel-

ebrating its centennial year with “100 Days of Service,” continuing a longstanding commitment to give back to the communities where its team members work and live.

Matt Malone Named President of Kurtz Bros.

Kurtz Bros., Inc. recently announced Matt Malone as its new president. Malone brings more than three decades of experience in the green industry and nearly 15 years of leadership at Kurtz Bros., Inc. He succeeds Rick Costello, who is steeping into a new opportunity as president of MKB Company.

Previously serving as vice president of operations, Malone has provided lead-

ership in key areas for the company, including sales, marketing and production. His roots in the green industry run deep, starting at his family-owned garden center, where he gained experience working alongside his father.

He serves as the incoming treasurer for the Ohio Landscape Association, sits on the board for the Ohio Contractors Association and also lends his expertise as a board member for the Parma Hospital Health Care Foundation.

Fortney & Weygandt Shares Leadership Changes

North Olmsted-based construction company Fortney

Gareth Vaughan

& Weygandt, Inc. recently announced multiple promotions as it builds its next generation of leadership.

John Monroe will be promoted to vice president of pre-construction services. Since joining the company 20 years ago, he has worked his way up through the estimating department, most recently serving as director of estimating.

John Krisanda, who has been with the company for a decade, was promoted to vice president of rollout and special projects. He has worked in several departments, most recently as the director of rollout.

Bard Fulton will be promoted to president. He will be responsible for continu-

ing to drive the growth of Fortney & Weygandt, Inc.’s general contracting service nationwide as he has done in various roles for the past 24 years. Fulton will work closely with Fortney & Weygandt’s board of directors, management team and

News about people, products, places & plans

all employees to serve clients and partners on all projects.

Lastly, Mitch Lapin will be promoted to CEO. Lapin has been with the company for over 30 years and has worked his way up through project manager and operations, serving as the president

most recently. He will continue to guide the new senior level employees to drive the growth of Fortney & Weygandt, Inc.’s business and internal leadership. He will focus on project development, operational efficiencies and streamlining internal business processes.

Fortney & Weygandt, Inc. was founded in 1978 and specializes in general contracting services and multi-site rollout programs for restaurants, retailers, hotels, senior living facilities and commercial projects nationwide.

WHAT’S NEW? For complimentary coverage in Billboard, send company news & project information to billboard@propertiesmag.com. P

Bard Fulton Mitch Lapin

Embracing Challenges & Overcoming Obstacles

As the incoming president of NAIOP Northern Ohio, I am honored to take on this leadership role during such an exciting time for our industry. This position provides a front-row seat to both witness and engage with the opportunities and challenges that are shaping the future of commercial real estate (CRE). I look forward to collaborating with our members and partners to drive innovation, overcome obstacles and contribute to the continued growth of our vibrant community.

Nationally, CRE accounts for $1.2 trillion in contributions to the economy, generating $416.5 billion in personal earnings and 6.2 million jobs. Ohio is a microcosm of national trends, with CRE contributing $47 billion to the economy and generating $17.4 billion in earnings and nearly 300,000 jobs for Ohioans.

As one of the largest markets in the country for overall contributions of real estate to state GDP, the importance of CRE in Ohio cannot be understated, but neither can its challenges. The commercial real estate industry has faced and will continue to face significant uncertainty, driven by evolving economic conditions, shifting workplace

dynamics and rapid advancements in technology. Market volatility – influenced by fluctuating interest rates, inflationary pressures and geopolitical tensions – continues to challenge traditional investment strategies and create an unpredictable investment climate. Evolving workplace dynamics, such as the continued adoption of hybrid and remote work models, continue to challenge the traditional demand for office spaces. Technological advancements, including the integration of AI and smart building systems, are reshaping operational practices but also necessitating significant adaptation from industry players. The growing emphasis on sustainability and adaptive reuse presents

Ed Schmidt, Owner

ed@cleveland-demo.com

Cell: 440-321-1500

9988 Kinsman Rd. Novelty, Ohio 44072

Office: 216-586-1500

both opportunities and complexities for stakeholders. Amid these challenges, stakeholders must navigate a complex and rapidly shifting landscape that demands flexibility, innovation and strategic foresight.

Our industry, particularly locally, has proven its resilience by adapting to shifts in consumer behavior, economic conditions and societal needs. In an industry defined by uncertainty and constant change, NAIOP has equipped its members with the tools needed to adapt and thrive, and I am immensely proud of the strides we have made through governmental advocacy, education and networking.

Advocacy may be our largest area of impact. Through sustained engagement with policymakers and regulatory agencies, we have influenced critical legislation and policies that impact commercial real estate and continued NAIOP’s legacy as a powerful and trusted voice for the industry. Our advocacy efforts have yielded tangible successes on critical policy issues that impact our members and the broader real estate market. Key victories include securing the continued availability and funding of the programs our members depend on to finance projects; achieving favorable outcomes in tax reform and local zoning policies; and making significant inroads to establish a developmentfriendly regulatory environment on the local level through permitting reform. These initiatives have strengthened our influence and reinforced NAIOP’s role as a trusted advocate for the industry, amplifying our members’ voices and promoting their business success by creating a more supportive environment for commercial real estate growth and innovation. Our coordinated efforts and the high level of engagement from our membership have had a tremendous impact in shaping a multitude of policies. Our efforts extend beyond lobbying, with the organization hosting legislative forums, roundtables and advocacy days that allow members to engage directly with decision-makers and legislators and contribute their perspectives. These programs amplify our collective voice in conveying our industry’s priorities and advancing in our mission. Our

achievements reflect our commitment to fostering a thriving and sustainable commercial real estate sector, while empowering our members to navigate regulatory challenges and seize opportunities in an ever-changing economic and political landscape.

Nationally, CRE accounts for $1.2 trillion in contributions to the economy, generating $416.5 billion in personal earnings and 6.2 million jobs. Ohio is a microcosm of national trends, with CRE contributing $47 billion to the economy and generating $17.4 billion in earnings and nearly 300,000 jobs for Ohioans.

Through comprehensive educational programs, timely market insights and access to cutting-edge resources, we ensure our members stay ahead of industry trends. Our programming provides members with cutting-edge insights and practical tools, equipping them with the resources necessary to navigate the

dynamic commercial real estate landscape. Our networking initiatives have also flourished, creating meaningful opportunities for collaboration and business growth. We’ve worked hard to expand opportunities through our mentorship and DEI initiatives. These achievements reflect the collective commitment of our members. I am excited for the opportunity to build on this legacy and continue our collective success. I am inspired by the passion and dedication of our members. Together, we will build on our industry’s legacy of resilience and growth to ensure that our industry continues to thrive for years to come. To my colleagues, partners and peers: Let’s make this an era of transformation, collaboration and success. I look forward to working with all of you to shape the future of CRE in Ohio.

Justin J. Eddy is a partner with Tucker Ellis LLP (www.tuckerellis.com). For more information, email him at justin.eddy@tuckerellis.com or call direct at 216.696.5676. Visit NAIOP Northern Ohio online at www.naiopnorthernohio.com.

Brooklyn’s Bold Beacon

CCPL’s new $18 million library blends modern design with community focus

Story & photos by Doug Bardwell

November 16 heralded the grand opening of the Brooklyn Branch of the Cuyahoga County Public Library at 7619 Memphis Ave. in Cleveland. This 25,000-square-foot, $18 million project is the newest jewel amongst 26 other libraries in the nationally recognized Cuyahoga County Public Library system.

The grand opening had more than 1,800 attendees excited to see and experience the library’s many offerings for children, teens and adults. Attendees heard remarks from city, county and state politicians, as well as Tracy Strobel, CEO of the Cuyahoga County Public Library (CCPL).

Part of the 2023–2032 Master Plan

“We completed a system-wide facilities master plan in 2022 that prioritized capital projects,” explains Strobel, “replacing the Brooklyn Branch was targeted as one of the highest priorities. Due to the smaller size and lack of flexibility in the old branch, we have struggled to accommodate all the services we wanted to offer to the community.”

Initial conversations with former Brooklyn Mayor Katie Gallagher resulted in her offering the then-existing City Hall location as they were planning their move across the street into a new location.

“We were limited in our meeting room spaces and limited in our youth spaces,” says Strobel, “so when the opportunity came up in conversation with the city to utilize this piece of property, it was a great chance to do exactly what we wanted to do – and here we are.”

“We do quite a bit of community programming, whether after-school tutoring, summer lunches or ESOL [English for Speakers of Other Languages] classes,” explains Strobel. “We were constantly juggling, trying to fit everything into the old branch because of the limitations in space.”

The former building was 10,000 square feet smaller, and that space was nowhere near as flexible as the new plan. Parking was adequate, but the location on Ridge Road was not adjacent to any other community gathering areas.

From vision to construction team

“With a potential site in mind, we solicited and interviewed for design archi-

tects, selecting Bialosky,” recalls Jeff Mori, CCPL’s chief operating officer. “After that, we advertised and interviewed for Construction Manager at Risk. Panzica was very familiar with the site because they were doing the work across the street for the city on the new city hall.”

“The city had just completed a master plan,” says Aaron Hill, principal, co-CEO with Bialosky, “and there was a lot of emphasis placed on this site and creating a civic campus with the new city hall, police station and rec center directly across the street, a senior center next door, as well as all the parks and rec here behind us. And so, you have a unique situation in that the civic campus is bridging a main street. That was one of the primary drivers in getting the library placed very close to the street, which at the time wasn’t even in compliance with the city zoning code. It required a variance at the time.”

“They were actually going through the process of rewriting that zoning

code specific to this development so that it could support that,” adds Ben Crabtree, associate principal/design director with Bialosky.

“We purposely placed all of the most active spaces, all the transparency, right along that street edge to activate Memphis Avenue and visually connect across to the rest of the civic campus,” explains Hill. “We used the space adjacent to the parking lot to locate the more opaque, back-of-house spaces.”

“Blending into the city campus was important to us for this project,” relates Mori. “The city wanted us to be a part of their campus here in the city center. That was important. The question became, ‘How can we blend in a building that not just fits in it architecturally, but functionally?’ It ideally needed to supplement or augment all the services that are part of this campus.”

Turning vision into vibrant spaces

“When we’re building a new branch like this, we do quite a bit of community engagement,” states Strobel. “We talk about what amenities people need, and people want, and that’s how we make choices. We also looked at what we had nearby. We want to make sure we are offering on the west side of Cuyahoga County what we have on the east side and vice versa. For example, we now have a Pearson Vue testing center here, similar

to the one on the east side at our Maple Heights Branch. So, it’s about equity across the county.”

“We did a survey that reaches out broadly to the entire community to get feedback on the kinds of services they would like to see here,” adds Crabtree. “That was followed by a series of open houses where we’d bring people into

“Blending into the city campus was important to us for this project.... The question became, ‘How can we blend in a building that not just fits in it architecturally, but functionally?’

Jeff Mori

Cuyahoga County Public Library

the space in the former library, interact through a series of exercises to pull out what people would like to see.”

“We don’t like to make many design decisions until we get that community input,” explains Hill.

As the pre-construction phase proceeded, Panzica became more involved in the project. “As we got into construction documents,” says Dave Panzica, vice president of Panzica Construction, “we worked with Bialosky and figured out best options on how to utilize the funds

available to provide the best building solutions that fit within the budget.”

“We were able to develop the design and construction teams early on,” says Mori. “We work hard to do that so we’re not throwing a curve ball to the construction manager. They also have the opportunity to review constructability and difficulty. They recommended alternatives, and it was a good team that worked well together. Everybody focused on creating something iconic, which I feel we achieved.”

Taking root

With a groundbreaking in July of 2022, actual work began in August.

The former City Hall built on the site was a split-level building, partially buried into the property’s eastern edge.

“When we demolished City Hall, we had a big hole in the east end of the site, along with some less desirable soil,” says Hill. “We had to go somewhat deep to remove it. So, rather than filling a hole with more dirt, we took advantage of it and created a mechanical basement, which worked very well.

Although the north-facing glazing gets narrower toward the east end, everyone passing by gets a remarkable view inside, with all the action going on, especially in the children’s play area.

“All of this north-facing glazing creates that great transparency without

CAPTURING ATTENTION All of the library’s most active spaces were purposefully placed along the street edge “to activate Memphis Avenue and visually connect across to the rest of the civic campus,” according to Aaron Hill, principal/co-CEO with Bialosky.

having to deal with as much of the solar heat gain and glare as we would have otherwise,” Crabtree says. “And then, as a shift to the south side of the building, the façade is more opaque, punctuated by smaller windows. All the gestures of the building massing relate to folding paper or an opening book, which creates a dynamic form from all sides.”

“If you really pay attention, there are many unique details in this building,” says Erik Graff, superintendent for Panzica Construction. “On the south side, each brick-framed window has wide recessed panels on the left of the window, and to the right, there’s just a thin sliver of brick projecting out.”

“The glass façade has some interesting subliminal traits,” explains Hill. “While the curtain wall has a regular rhythm, there’s a lot of uniqueness in the façade. We utilized different mullion caps and with fin extrusions of various depths, so as you’re passing by the long glass façade, there’s a lot of movement. This was a very inexpensive solution which gives us unique play and variety in that façade that otherwise would just be completely regular.”

The basic building is supported by a structural steel frame with a combination of brick, glass curtain wall and GFRC panels. The roof is composed of steel joists, steel pan decking and a TPO membrane.

LIGHT + OPEN The north-facing glazing provides a great deal of transparency, inside and out, and allows natural light to reach deep into the building.

THOMAS BRICK COMPANY

The pitch of the roof also led to some interesting comments. Both sides of the building pitch down to a common height in the center of the building above the café patio.

“Once the building started to take shape,” says Graff, “everyone kept asking, ‘Is this library supposed to look like a book opening?’ Well, yes, I think it is.”

“You’re getting that open book form in both section and plan,” adds Hill. “The floor plan pinches in the center to create the café and exterior reading patio. We felt it was essential for the library to have these kinds of exterior spaces. As small as it is, we felt it was impactful.”

Another interesting feature the CCPL has been doing since 2012 is using a two-foot-deep access floor for electrical and heat distribution instead of having them in an overhead plenum. With a low-velocity heating and cooling system, the air rises from the floor, maximizing occupant comfort. The accessible floor also allows the library to easily relocate whole rooms as needs change over time.

Step inside

Most people will enter the library from the parking lot on the south side of the building. Directly ahead, they’ll see the café, with vending machines and comfortable seating. A north-facing patio off the café will undoubtedly get a lot of use come spring and warmer weather.

To the right is the circulation desk, with a passport station for taking passport photos. Behind the circulation desk, taking up the southeastern corner of the building, is the back-of-house area,

which includes the drive-up window and drop boxes.

Where young minds take flight

Continuing past the circulation desk and heading to the northeast corner, you’ll be greeted at the information desk in the Children and Teen areas.

Immediately, you’ll know you are in the right place when you see the huge, museum-quality, interactive play space for children.

“We worked with a group called Luci Creative, out of Chicago, which is a leader in the museum experience design industry,” says Crabtree.

You need to see it to appreciate it entirely, but it includes two slides, sets of steps to climb, a tunnel and a mini, kid-safe, rock-climbing wall. Supergraphics and infographics adorn the room and the play space.

The library system typically uses illustrations from a children’s book to decorate the children’s section in each library. For this installation, they recreated the graphics from “Just Ask!: Be Different, Be Brave, Be You,” written by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor and illustrated by Rafael Lopez.

“It worked out beautifully in this space,” says Crabtree, “and was one of the

drivers for the finish palette in the building. Everything grew from back there and drove everything from acoustics to layout to the look and feel of the building. And it has been a resounding success. As best I can tell, it’s extremely popular, pulling people from across the city.”

“For the last 12 years, we’ve been putting interactive play spaces focused on teaching early literacy skills in our

“Once the building started to take shape, everyone kept asking, ‘Is this library supposed to look like a book opening?’ Well, yes, I think it is.”

Erik Graff Panzica Construction

branches,” says Strobel, “but incorporating a ‘big body play space’ took it to a new level in this branch and included gross motor play – it’s a playground.”

“There is research to support the idea that a level of physical activity combined with learning helps the learning stick,” explains Strobel. “We’re excited to offer that experience because our weather doesn’t always allow us to take advantage of an outdoor playground.”

With all the little children climbing and sliding, you can imagine the noise level, and no doors separate this section from the rest of the library. But the design team planned for that. All the metal pan roof decking that is exposed in the children’s and the adult areas is intentionally perforated and covered above with soundabsorbing insulation. An acoustical consultant modeled the space to ensure minimal noise transferred to the adult section.

“People think about a traditional library as a very quiet place,” states Strobel, “so we made an effort to give them a place to enjoy and meet their expectations at the same time. And I have to say, more than any project we’ve done so far, these guys have nailed it in terms of the acoustics.”

“The test was ribbon-cutting day when there were hundreds of people in here at one time,” says Hill, “and I could very comfortably hold conversations with the people I was talking to without having to raise my voice.”

“When we were at the grand opening ceremony, and they brought all the kids in, they just flew in there,” recollects Panzica. “Seeing that kind of impact that it has on the community and how many

INSPIRING DESIGN Cuyahoga County Public Library typically uses illustrations from a children’s book to decorate the children’s section in each branch location. For the Brooklyn library installation, they recreated the graphics from “Just Ask!: Be Different, Be Brave, Be You,” written by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor and illustrated by Rafael Lopez.

PLAY, STUDY + CREATE Accessible from the children’s area (top) is a sizeable space for teens with computer stations and a TV for use with video game consoles (middle). Nearby is an Innovation Center (bottom) with equipment for 3-D printing, laser engraving and more.

people enjoyed it was the most exciting thing for me.”

From books to meals

Accessible from the children’s area is a sizeable dividable room where the library offers free homework help and study help each day after school. Approximately 40 to 60 students avail themselves of this help.

“The Cleveland Food Bank helps us with two programs; one is summer lunches,” explains Strobel, “which, of course, many kids get lunch free at school during the school year, but in the summertime, we then step in and offer that free lunch here at the library. Then, we have an after-school meal during the school year because so many kids come directly from school to the library and stay for a few hours. We all can remember being very hungry after school, so we provide for that with a meal. It’s not spaghetti and meatballs or anything like that; it’s a sandwich, fruit and a carton of milk. It’s very popular.”

For teens, there’s ample room with comfortable seating, a large wallmounted counter with computer stations, and a separate seating corner with a large screen TV for use with video game consoles.

Dream. Design. Do.

Just to the west of the entry area is the Innovation Center – a maker space with community-wide free access to computers and equipment for making, like laser engraving, wide format printing, dye-sub printing, t-shirt making and 3-D printing.

Classes are offered to teach the skills needed for each of the specialized pieces of equipment. Library patrons can then make their own creations for just the cost of the supplies.

Beyond the pages

Past a conference room and the restrooms is the Pearson Vue testing center. Eight computer stations are

GATHER ROUND A centerpiece of the library’s design is a tall, double-glass-walled, 360-degree fireplace in the building’s northwest corner. A series of self-illuminated, origami-style “birds” are suspended above and around the fireplace, providing additional visual interest.

monitored for people needing certification or licensing for various careers.

In the southwest corner of the building, a sizeable multifunction meeting room with a divider wall enables varied opportunities for social engagement as well as learning. There’s also a door to a concrete plaza right outside with fanciful musical creations for children to play.

“During warm weather months,” says Mori, “the Greater Cleveland Food Bank delivers pallets of food here, and we distribute it to qualified folks. During winter, we centralize the pick-up location to our Snow Road branch.”

“That service,” says Hill, “was one of the drivers of the design of the large meeting room. We created an internal/ external space through a large plaza adjacent to the meeting room, so that people coming for the food bank distribution could queue up with an easier flow at this end of the building.”

Heading to the northwest corner are four small group study rooms with glass walls.

The piéce de résistance is in the extreme northwest corner of the building – a tall, double-glass-walled, 360-degree fireplace. Surrounded by comfortable bench seating and swivel chairs, it’s the

perfect place to relax, read or watch the snow fall outside the floor-to-ceiling windows. With its double-walled glass construction, the allure of the flames can be enjoyed all year long without heating the immediate area.

“The fireplace is my favorite part of the building,” says Crabtree. “It’s this feature element right at the corner, which you notice as you’re driving up if it’s a

“The fireplace is my favorite part of the building.... I love seeing that warmth greet you as you come in, inviting the community to gather around the hearth and read a good book.”

Ben Crabtree Bialosky

little bit dark out, which it is awfully early this time of year in Cleveland. I love seeing that warmth greet you as you come in, inviting the community to gather around the hearth and read a good book.”

Panzica would agree. “What I like about the building is its location. It is not something tucked away; you are right in

the middle of everything in this area. And, when you drive by, even at night, you see people at the fireplace and the lights on in that corner, as close to the sidewalk as you can get.”

Above and around the fireplace are self-illuminated, suspended origamistyle birds.

“Looking at them, you’ll see three different forms of the birds that are kind of developing from a more abstract, origami inspired shape to something much more definitively bird-like,” explains Crabtree.

A warm wood-plank-look soffit runs the length of the space, appearing to continue outside under the roof overhang.

“We took some design cues for the façade from the new city hall across the street, says Hill. “That led to the use of the GFRC panels on the building and the colors of those. We also felt it was really important to warm this building up. So, we introduced wood wherever we could. As the building envelope wraps, wood panels are revealed on the underside going all the way around the building perimeter. That wood paneling soffit carries from the exterior to the interior, so that as you’re standing in the space, it’s

COMMUNITY NEEDS The library incorporates a variety of meeting spaces, including a classroom for adult use (top) and private meeting rooms (middle). Resources such as after-school homework help are available to patrons, as well as passport services (bottom).

like you’re in a pavilion, as the glass seems to go away with that interior/ exterior connection.”

Past the racks of books and across from the information desk are two long tables housing 16 adult computer stations with an adjacent printer/copier. Backing up to the café in the center of the building is another large classroom for adult use.

Closing the book on construction, opening the door to possibilities

“I would like to mention that the city was exceptional to work with, from the planning and design approval to construction oversight and the building inspections,” says Mori. “They were very reasonable, and that doesn’t always happen.”

“They were even willing to move their memorial,” recalls Hill. “If they hadn’t been able to arrange that, we would have been sitting here looking at two artillery cannons pointed at us.”

“The most rewarding part is getting to this point where the public is now using the building,” adds Hill. “This is the reason we got into the field of architecture: to make these positive impacts on our community. And so, seeing the community now using what you created is just so incredibly rewarding. To see the look on the kids’ faces when they walk in here and start playing and to see how people are enjoying all of the different aspects of the library, that’s what it’s all about.”

“I think the biggest theme is exceeding expectations,” concludes Strobel. “People come in, and they had an okay space before, but I think they’re surprised how wonderful a library can be and are just blown away by what we offer here. It exceeds everybody’s needs, and how the space layout makes it work for people who expect that quiet library experience while it knocks the socks off people who enjoy the children’s area without causing a conflict.”

Looking Forward in 2025

Survey

of NE Ohio building & real estate professionals reveals outlook on new year

By Roger Gingerich CBIZ

As we look ahead in 2025, Northeast Ohio’s construction and real estate industries present a landscape of both optimism and challenges. This perspective is highlighted by the 2024 Northeast Ohio Construction Survey, published by Marcum LLP (now part of CBIZ, Inc.). Conducted each year from February through March, the annual survey sheds light on the varying sentiments within the industry, driven by regional trends and the broader national economic environment.

It also serves as a valuable tool for anticipating and navigating the trends of the coming year and beyond.

Divergent growth sectors

In 2025, the construction market in Northeast Ohio is witnessing a notable split, with growth potentials distributed unevenly across different sectors. The healthcare and public project sectors are booming, painting a promising picture for industry leaders. In stark contrast, the office and retail sectors are facing stagnation or decline, casting a shadow on the industry’s future. This sharp contrast highlights the necessity for companies to deeply understand the specific markets they operate within.

Challenges & financial woes in the office sector

The office sector faced significant challenges in 2024. Earlier in the year, the landmark Class-A 200 Public Square building sold for $65 million, a drastic decrease from its $187 million valuation in 2018. This decline exemplified the shifting paradigms in the postpandemic corporate world, where hybrid and remote work models had become prevalent.

Adding to these challenges were soaring interest rates and difficulties in securing financing for new projects. The 2024 Northeast Ohio Construction Survey respondents underscored these difficulties. One noted, “Securing loans and managing high-interest rates for new projects is extremely tough, alongside rising labor and material costs!” In Northeast Ohio, 64% of respondents

foresaw project delays due to financing problems, compared to a national average of 55%.

Although recent Federal Reserve rate cuts – totaling one percentage point

In 2025, the construction market in Northeast Ohio is witnessing a notable split, with growth potentials distributed unevenly across different sectors.

since September 2024 – have breathed new life into the investment real estate sector, these cuts may be short-lived. The Federal Reserve has hinted at fewer cuts for 2025. Lenders remain cautious, especially regarding older office buildings. High renovation costs and outdated

common areas make these properties less appealing to the limited number of buyers seeking low to moderate-risk investments in the region.

Resilience through adaptability

Cleveland’s resilience shines through in the transformation of Public Square, exemplified by the new Sherwin-Williams headquarters, which has significantly altered the city’s skyline and countered the national trend of rising office vacancies.

Despite high vacancy rates, Greater Cleveland stands out by successfully converting outdated office spaces into residential units. In 2024, Cleveland experienced a significant year for office space conversions, propelled by recordhigh vacancy rates and decreasing asset values. Public-private partnerships

facilitated these projects, making them financially viable through state and federal historic tax credits and local government incentives.

With a history of successful conversions dating back to the 1970s, Northeast Ohio demonstrates its adaptability and offers hope for the struggling office sector. Looking ahead, the ability to repurpose existing spaces will be crucial in meeting the evolving needs of our market.

Labor shortages & opportunities

The construction industry in Northeast Ohio faces a persistent challenge with the shortage of skilled labor, a national concern that remains the top threat to business growth according to the 2024 survey. One respondent emphasized, “Growth will be dependent on available skilled labor,” while another

With

a history of successful conversions dating back to the 1970s, Northeast Ohio demonstrates its adaptability and offers hope for the struggling office sector. Looking ahead, the ability to repurpose existing spaces will be crucial in meeting the evolving needs of our market.

noted the decline in young people entering the trades and the reduction of trade-related activities in schools.

Despite these challenges, there are numerous opportunities for those willing to navigate the industry’s complexities. The survey also points out the underutilization of tax credits in Northeast Ohio, suggesting that local companies could benefit from these incentives and tax breaks, providing financial relief and supporting growth.

Looking ahead

As we navigate the complexities of 2025, insights from the Marcum (now CBIZ) Northeast Ohio Construction Survey serve as both a diagnostic tool

and a strategic guide. Understanding sector-specific trends, addressing the skilled labor shortage and capitalizing on available resources will be crucial for industry stakeholders.

In closing, while the construction and real estate industries in Northeast Ohio face significant challenges, particularly in the office sector, there are

also areas of robust growth and opportunity. The ability to adapt to changing market dynamics and leverage available resources will determine the region’s trajectory in 2025.

Roger Gingerich, CPA, ABV, CVA, CCA is managing director and regional construction leader with CBIZ. For more info, visit www.cbiz.com.

National Construction Outlook 2025 Dodge

tempers enthusiasm for a strong rebound despite positive impact of interest rates

Provided by Dodge Data & Analytics

As 2025 begins, the natural question is how the construction industry will respond to changing political and economic conditions. Politically, Dodge Construction Network holds that changes at the federal level typically don’t result in significant changes to funding for construction projects. Instead, state and local elections matter much more to the starts forecast through tax incentives, zoning changes and bond issuances for construction projects. For the coming year at least, the change in administration is unlikely to have a considerable impact on the construction forecast.

On the economic side, the U.S. economy posted healthy growth in 2024 and is expected to continue in 2025. Consumer spending is anticipated to accelerate as job growth continues unabated. While government spending under the new Trump administration is expected to downshift over time, the outlook for business investment may now be brighter if the new administration passes promised legislation to considerably lower taxes for the business sector.

Perhaps most significant for the construction outlook is the Federal Reserve’s changing stance on interest rates. In September, it initiated an aggressive 50 bps cut in its policy rate, and further cuts were expected before the end of 2024. This rate change will begin to positively impact the economy, particularly in interest-rate-sensitive industries such as construction, during 2025.

At the same time, the positive impact of interest rate cuts may not be enough to significantly counter other existing

market conditions, such as labor shortages and the high cost of labor, land and materials. These limiting factors mean more may be needed to move most construction projects forward. Even with

further rate cuts in 2025, enthusiasm for a strong rebound in starts may need to be tempered.

Following is a fact-based and grounded national outlook for the

construction industry, based upon proprietary data, econometric modeling and experienced insights from Dodge Construction Network.

Residential construction

In the first nine months of 2024, mort gage rates tumbled in advance of the Federal Reserve’s decision to cut interest rates. This provided support for housing starts, at least on the single-family side of the market. The number of single-family housing unit starts gained 18% through nine months, although multifamily starts were down 14%. Notably, twofamily starts (which Dodge includes as part of the broader multifamily market) were up 43%, while apartment starts were down 16%.

Given the stronger single-family market, residential construction has been strongest away from dense urban cores. Total residential units were up 4% through the first nine months of 2024. But in large central metros (the most population-dense zip codes), resi dential starts were down 3% through September. In medium-sized (popula tion 250,000 up to 1 million) and smaller metros, housing starts were up 3% and 17%, respectively. Even stronger growth has been occurring in nonmetropolitan zip codes. This migration into more sparsely populated areas will not only result in increases in residential starts but will also create more nonresidential building as demand for stores, schools and healthcare facilities increases accordingly.

Despite the recent strength, housing affordability and lack of supply (especially entry-level homes) remain the main issues facing the residential market. Even as mortgage rates have fallen, home prices have risen by more than enough to offset any improvement in overall affordability. The last time the housing market was this unaffordable was at its peak in early 2006, just before the Great Recession.

Market fundamentals are very different now. In 2006, the housing market was oversupplied, and housing prices were rising due to rampant speculation. At present, the housing market is under-

Mike Hicks President

supplied by nearly 1.5 million units, while a strong labor market is bringing buyers back into the market. On the upside, new home sales, which are a key demand driver for new construction, were up 3% on a year-to-date basis through September.

Starts will decelerate in 2025, growing just 5% in units. The single-family market is far more exposed to a lack of labor, restrictive zoning laws and high land costs. These issues will mean the continuation of a new construction market that tilts to high-end homes, further perpetuating affordability issues and curtailing new home purchases by younger buyers.

If there is a positive in this outlook, it is the increased likelihood of a more synchronous recovery between single and multifamily construction as economies of scale favor multifamily units over single. Fear surrounding the fate of the multifamily market is unfounded. While multifamily starts were solid in 2021 and 2022, the Dodge building stock database indicates the market is now past peak completions. Yet, the average vacancy rate for rental units remains very low by historical standards. If there is an oversupply of multifamily housing, it is concentrated in dense urban cores that saw strong high-end and high-rise construction during 2021–22.

Now, developers appear to be ready to jump back into the fray. Planning reports for multifamily projects hit the lowest level in November 2023 and have been slowly but steadily improving. Dodge planning data indicates that it takes roughly 15 to 17 months for multifamily projects to move to start, which would suggest a cyclical trough in multifamily construction in early 2025.

Nonresidential construction

The Federal Reserve’s reduction in interest rates during late 2024 will help nonresidential construction starts in 2025, but only at the margin. More than the expected 100 bps will be needed to grease the wheels and move a significant number of projects in planning forward to start. Even as rates head lower, the industry faces significant headwinds —

such as the previously mentioned lack of skilled labor and still-high materials costs. Nonresidential construction also has a significant lag in demand for certain building types (such as traditional

The Federal Reserve’s reduction in interest rates during late 2024 will help nonresidential construction starts in 2025, but only at the margin. More than the expected 100 bps will be needed to grease the wheels

and move a significant number of projects in planning forward to start.

office projects). Nonresidential markets will likely need at least 125 bps in cuts to offset these issues, which places the inflection point for construction starts during the second quarter of 2025.

The good news is that developers and owners plan for such a recovery. The Dodge Momentum Index, which tracks nonresidential projects under $500 million (excluding manufacturing and transportation building) when they first enter planning has been very steady over the last year, indicating a certain level of confidence that conditions for construction will improve. While projects have been moving very slowly through planning, that will likely change as more rate cuts materialize. As interest rate cuts continue into 2025, nonresidential starts will grow 6% to reach $467 billion.

Within nonresidential construction, the commercial sector continues to be a tale of two markets. Weakness caused by Amazon’s exit from the warehouse market and much weaker demand for traditional office space has held back growth. However, burgeoning strength in hotel and data center starts has somewhat countered that weakness. In 2025, com-

mercial starts will rise 7% in dollar value to $170 billion.

Retail starts have the closest link to the residential recovery and will benefit from demand for new grocery stores and quick-service food outlets. Warehouse starts will begin to see a rebound as Amazon starts a new construction phase (albeit much smaller than in 2021-2022). Hotel starts will continue to benefit from increased leisure and business travel. While starts have been focused on alterations, this will shift to new construction in the second half of 2025. Office starts will be a mixed bag. Traditional office starts will be 30% to 40% lower than in 2019 and show little improvement. However, data centers, included within the office forecast but tracked separately, will make significant gains as AI drives demand. Manufacturing

starts have been underwhelming as project delays mount.

Most of this pullback has been centered around slowing electric vehicle (EV)

reshoring should keep manufacturing starts well above their long-term historical average in 2025 and will even encourage a modest rebound of 9% to $66 billion.

The Dodge Momentum Index, which tracks nonresidential projects under $500 million (excluding manufacturing and transportation building) when they first enter planning has been very steady over the last year, indicating a certain level of confidence that conditions for construction will improve.

demand, which has led to a rethinking of strategy. This slowdown has been intensified by the lack of skilled labor needed to build this new generation of manufacturing buildings. On the upside, semiconductors, petrochemicals and

Institutional starts will prove much more robust in 2025. This is due to two main factors: the sector’s direct connection to residential activity and the fact that high interest rates do not affect institutional starts as much as the commercial and manufacturing sectors. Education and healthcare starts will improve, and like retail, they will follow the residential sector in its growth cycle. Total institutional starts will gain 4% in 2025 to $232 billion.

Dodge is North America’s leading provider of data and analytics for the construction industry. For more insights on the construction industry and access to customized forecasting and analytics products, visit Dodge Data & Analytics online at www.construction.com.

At Freeman Building Systems, we foster a culture that celebrates every milestone. By focusing on our “Gains” as much as our “Gaps,” we enhance our work and strengthen our client relationships. Reshape your approach to setting and achieving goals with our Guiding Insight.

FINANCIAL STRATEGIES

Smart use of fiscal planning & action

Pieces of Chocolate

Another year has come and gone and just like that infamous box of chocolates, there was a mixed bag of trends in our market. This month, we will review some of the things that I saw having the largest impact on the commercial real estate sector.

If you want to see the prized pieces from the forgettable ones, read on.

Role reversal

When I first entered the commercial real estate world over 30 years ago, the standard rule of thumb was for office buildings to sell for around $100 a square foot and industrial buildings to sell for around $30 per square foot. My, how times have changed. Some of the highlights of the industrial sales market last year included 8745 Chamberlin Rd., Twinsburg, a 195,000-square-foot warehouse that sold for $21.7 million or $111 per square foot; 21705 Royalton Rd., Strongsville, a 310,000-square-foot warehouse that sold for $31.4 million or $104 per square foot; and 7501 Performance Ln., North Ridgeville, a 347,000-square-

foot warehouse that sold for $36.5 million or $105 per square foot.

Meanwhile, the office sector saw sales that included 28500 Clemens Rd., Westlake, a 205,000-square-foot office campus that sold for $6.25 million or $30 per square foot, 50 S. Main St., Akron, a 195,000-square-foot downtown office tower that sold for $4.5 million or $23 per square foot and 24650 Center Ridge Rd., Westlake, a 64,000-square-foot suburban office building that sold for $1.4 million or $22 per square foot.

Piling on

The problems in the office sector are much deeper than the $30 per square foot pricing may suggest. This was underscored last year with several high-profile office properties joining the ranks of being clas-

One Ca l l S ol ves i t A ll

ALEC J. PACELLA

sified as distressed assets. North Pointe Tower I & II, a 873,000-square-foot office complex, had its loan assigned to special servicing last October as a result of a maturity default. IMG Center, a 235,000-square-foot office building, has been the subject of an extended legal dispute, with the lender foreclosing on the property late last year as a result of a payment default. And US Bank Centre, a 255,000-square-foot office building, was transferred to special servicing last June for imminent monetary default, although the borrower and special servicer continue to negotiate an agreement. They join a growing list of troubled CBD (central business district) office towers that include Fifth Third Center, a 570,000-square-foot property that entered special servicing in late 2023, and 1100 Superior Avenue, a 625,000-square-foot property that entered special servicing in early 2023.

Turn out the lights

Retail headlines were splashed with several big-name chains declaring bankruptcy over the course of 2024. These include Party City, Big Lots, Joann, Lumber Liquidators, American Freight and the Container Store, all of which had been a part of the Northeast Ohio retail landscape. And the stories went beyond bankruptcy announcements. Family Dollar had the largest number of store closures, nearly 700 locations nationwide, as the chain struggles to right-size in the wake of merging with Dollar Tree. Additionally, 7-Eleven closed 450 locations, attributing poor performance as the result of increased use of food delivery services and a decline in tobacco usage. But it was the drug store sector that was the largest contributor, with CVS closing nearly 600 locations, Walgreens closing 250 locations and Rite Aid closing over 400 locations. In total, the number of store closures increased nearly 70% last year as compared to 2023.

Drop the hammer

Construction activity in the industrial sector had been brisk over the last few years, with nearly 12 million square feet having been completed. However,

What I C @ PVC

GRADING TIME Last year, in these very pages, I proudly proclaimed an investment sales volume of $550 million for 2024. The actual volume came in at $336 million, marking the lowest level in over a dozen years. The good news is that we can only go up – or at least, I hope! –AP

the combination of rising interest rates and lower demand, against the backdrop of ever-increasing material and labor costs, have dramatically dampened new

Stow and a 100,000-square-foot facility in North Olmsted. But the slowdown in construction activity didn’t translate to a slowdown of big deals. Among the largest lease deals in the region was a 300,000-square-foot lease completed with B’laster Products in a facility completed in 2023 at the intersection of I-76 and I-71 in Lodi and Schaeffler taking 310,000 square feet in a warehouse built in 2022 in Strongsville. In Stow, Refrigeration Sales occupied 213,000 square feet while on the other side of the region in Avon, Automotive supplier Piston signed a lease for 175,000 square feet.

A look ahead

development. At year-end, only three projects of scale were under construction – a 185,000-square-foot facility in Avon, a 115,000-square-foot project in

After a few aggressive moves by the Federal Reserve last year, including a rare 50-basis point rate cut, 2025 looks to be tamer. At the December meeting, the Fed indicated the potential of only two rate adjustments in 2025. As a result, the 10-year Treasury is expected to remain in the low to mid-4% range, which should equate to mortgage rates hovering around 6%. With tariffs on foreign goods looking to be a reality, expect a double-edged sword. On one hand, goods and services will likely see

How Bad is t H at Leak?

an increase in costs. But on the other hand, there should be an increase in onshore manufacturing coupled with an increased demand for regional warehousing and logistics space. The office sector is expected to bottom out in 2025 and stabilize, with a slow recovery anticipated to begin later in the year. This will be bolstered by companies finding a long-term balance between working from home versus returning to the office. Finally, data centers will continue to be the darling of the commercial real estate sector. Fueled by exponential growth

With tariffs on foreign goods looking to be a reality, expect a double-edged sword. On one hand, goods and services will likely see an increase in costs. But on the other hand, there should be an increase in onshore manufacturing coupled with an increased demand for regional warehousing and logistics space.

in cloud-based computing services and artificial intelligence, the demand for data centers will outstrip supply. Sites that feature large tracts of developable land and access to significant power supplies will be at a huge advantage to land these users.

Everyone has their favorite chocolates and also know which ones they will steer clear of. And while last year seemed to have more of the bad pieces mixed in with only a few of the good ones, hopefully the coming year will bring you lots of the good pieces and not too many bad ones.

Alec Pacella, CCIM, president at NAI Pleasant Valley, can be reached by phone at 216-4550925 or by email at apacella@naipvc.com. You can connect with him at www.linkedin.com/in/ alecpacellaccim or subscribe to his youtube channel; What I C at PVC.

CONSTRUCTION PROGRESS REPORT

Updated info on important projects in the region, provided courtesy of ConstructionWire (www.constructionwire.com)

Project: #3722107

EAST STOKES BLOCK

PROJECT TYPE/SIZE: Multifamily (269 units), Office (13,680 sq-ft), Retail (17,100 sq-ft), Parking Structures

CONSTRUCTION TYPE: New ESTIMATED VALUE: $24 million

SECTOR: Private

LOCATION: NW of Chester Ave. & Stokes Blvd. Cleveland, OH 44106

DETAILS: Plans call for the construction of a 269unit, 24-story multifamily building, a 17,100-square-foot retail building, a 13,680-square-foot office building and the construction of a five-level parking structure building.

Estimated Schedule (as of 11/26/2024)

STAGE: Starts in 4-12 months

CONSTRUCTION START: 8/2025

CONSTRUCTION END: Q3/2026

BID DUE DATE: N/A

ARCHITECT: Solomon Cordwell Buenz & Associates, Inc. (SCB)

Contact: Nolan Sit, Associate Principal nolan.sit@scb.com 1326 5th Ave., 300

Seattle, WA 98101

Phone: 206-299-0085

DEVELOPER, OWNER: Midwest Development Partners

Contact: Steve Rubin, Partner srubin@rubincos.com

2191 Murray Hill Rd., 2610 Cleveland, OH 44106

Phone: 216-310-1766

Project: #3722611

12550 EUCLID AVE BIOMEDICAL HUB

PROJECT TYPE/SIZE: Office/Research/Technology (25,000-49,999 sq-ft), Medical

CONSTRUCTION TYPE: Renovation

ESTIMATED VALUE: $12 million

SECTOR: Private

LOCATION: 12550 Euclid Ave. East Cleveland, OH 44112

DETAILS: Plans call for the conversion of an existing space to create a biomedical hub/ workspace for scientists and researchers.

Estimated Schedule (as of 12/2/2024)

STAGE: Groundbreaking

CONSTRUCTION START: 12/2024

CONSTRUCTION END: Q3/2025

BID DUE DATE: N/A

OWNER: Verdynt

Contact: Doug Medvetz, Principal 45 W. 3rd St., #313 Boston, MA 02127

Phone: 617-420-3374

ARCHITECT: RDL Architects, Inc. 21111 Chagrin Blvd., 110 Beachwood, OH 44122 Phone: 216-752-4300

Project: #3726503

JCU GATEWAY MIXED-USE

PROJECT TYPE/SIZE: Multifamily (251-350 units), Retail (14,125 sq-ft)

CONSTRUCTION TYPE: New

ESTIMATED VALUE: $30 million

SECTOR: Private LOCATION: 2639 Warrensville Center Rd. University Heights, OH 44118

DETAILS: Plans call for the construction of a mixeduse building on 2.6 acres with four stories of residential and student housing and 27,630 square feet of planned retail space, including a 13,505-squarefoot specialty grocery store and 14,125 square feet of retail tenant space across a 4,000-square-foot, 7,025-square-foot and a 3,100-square-foot retail tenant space. There will be 186 retail parking spaces.

Estimated Schedule (as of 12/11/2024)

STAGE: Starts in 1-3 months

CONSTRUCTION START: 2/2025

CONSTRUCTION END: Q3/2027

BID DUE DATE: N/A

OWNER: The Fairpark Co. 20759 N. Park Blvd. Shaker Heights, OH 44122

OWNER: John Carroll University 1 John Carroll Blvd. University Heights, OH 44118 Phone: 216-397-1886

DEVELOPER: Goodman Real Estate

Contact: Seth Marks, Senior Director seth@goodmanrealestate.com 25333 Cedar Rd., 305 Cleveland, OH 44124 Phone: 216-381-8200

Project: #3721925

WYNDHAM WATERWALK

PROJECT TYPE/SIZE: Hotels (124 rooms), Retail/ Restaurants (10,000-24,999 sq-ft)

CONSTRUCTION TYPE: New ESTIMATED VALUE: $7 million

SECTOR: Private

LOCATION: Near 5300 Riverside Dr. and NASA Glenn Research Center Cleveland, OH 44135

DETAILS: Plans call for the construction of a 124-room Wyndham WaterWalk hotel building near Cleveland Hopkins Airport. It will include restaurants.

Estimated Schedule (as of 11/26/2024)

STAGE: Starts in 4-12 months

CONSTRUCTION START: 7/2025

CONSTRUCTION END: Q4/2026

BID DUE DATE: N/A

OWNER: Ceres Enterprises 835 Sharon Dr., Ste. 400 Westlake, OH 44145 Phone: 440-617-9385

Project: #3671011

300 PROSPECT AVENUE MIXED-USE

PROJECT TYPE/SIZE: Multifamily (50-100 units), Retail (< 10,000 sq-ft), Office (< 10,000 sq-ft)

CONSTRUCTION TYPE: Renovation, Backfill

ESTIMATED VALUE: $1-$5 million

SECTOR: Private

LOCATION: 300 Prospect Ave. Cleveland, OH 44115

DETAILS: Plans call for the repurpose and renovation of an existing four-story building to construct a dispensary on the first floor. The tenant would be Klutch Cannabis. Offices would be on the second floor and four apartments on the third and fourth floors.

Estimated Schedule (as of 12/4/2024)

STAGE: Groundbreaking

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CONSTRUCTION START: 12/2024

CONSTRUCTION END: Q4/2025

BID DUE DATE: N/A

ARCHITECT: Mann Parsons Gray Architects (MPG)

Contact: Ian Jones, Director ian@mpg-architects.com

3660 Embassy Pkwy. Akron, OH 44333

Phone: 330-666-5770

OWNER: Weston Inc.

4760 Richmond Rd., Ste. 200 Cleveland, OH 44128

Phone: 440-349-9000

TENANT: Klutch Cannabis 1055 Home Ave. Akron, OH 44310

Phone: 330-813-0268

GC: Thomarios

Contact: George Brkich, Project Manager 1 Thomarios Way Akron, OH 44321

Phone: 330-670-9900

Project: #3711679

GATES MILLS VILLA APARTMENTS RENOVATION

PROJECT TYPE/SIZE: Multifamily (191 units)

CONSTRUCTION TYPE: Renovation

ESTIMATED VALUE: $48 million

SECTOR: Private

LOCATION: 6755 Mayfield Rd. Mayfield Heights, OH 44124

DETAILS: Plans call for the renovation of the 191-unit Gates Mills Villa Apartments. The scope of work includes modernization of all units, significant upgrades to common spaces, mechanical repairs and replacements, new free WIFI, new windows, new roofs, landscaping and other site improvements.

Estimated Schedule (as of 10/23/2024)

STAGE: Construction

CONSTRUCTION START: 7/2024

CONSTRUCTION END: Q3/2025

BID DUE DATE: N/A

DEVELOPER: The Related Companies 210 N. Main St. Dayton, OH 45402 Biltmore Towers Phone: 937-226-9484

Project: #3366975

ARTCRAFT BUILDING CONVERSION

PROJECT TYPE/SIZE: Government Buildings (250,000 sq-ft)

CONSTRUCTION TYPE: Renovation

ESTIMATED VALUE: $5-$25 million

SECTOR: Public

LOCATION: 2530 Superior Ave. Cleveland, OH 44114

DETAILS: Plans call for conversion of the historic 250,000-square-foot ArtCraft Building in to the new Cleveland Division of Police Headquarters.

Estimated Schedule (as of 11/4/2024)

STAGE: Construction

CONSTRUCTION START: 3/2024

CONSTRUCTION END: Q2/2025

BID DUE DATE: N/A

DEVELOPER, OWNER: City of Cleveland (OH)

500 Lakeside Ave. Cleveland, OH 44114

Dept. of Parks, Recreation, and Properties

Phone: 216-664-2485

DEVELOPER: TurnDev Development

3900 Park East Dr., Ste. 200 Beachwood, OH 44122

Project: #3727956

AVON HIGH SCHOOL WEIGHT ROOM AND LOCKER RENOVATION

PROJECT TYPE/SIZE: Schools (K-12) (10,000-24,999 sq-ft)

CONSTRUCTION TYPE: New ESTIMATED VALUE: $1-$5 million

SECTOR: Public

LOCATION: 37665 Detroit Rd. Avon, OH 44011

DETAILS: Plans call for the construction of a new fitness center with classrooms, a wrestling room and locker rooms.

Estimated Schedule (as of 12/17/2024)

STAGE: Starts in 1-3 months

CONSTRUCTION START: 1/2025

CONSTRUCTION END: Q3/2025

BID DUE DATE: 12/27/2024 1:00 PM

ARCHITECT: Architectural Vision Group, LTD. 23850 Sperry Dr. Westlake, OH 44145

Phone: 440-808-8520

OWNER: Avon Local Schools

36000 Detroit Rd. Avon, OH 44011

Phone: 440-937-4680

Project: #3726506

JCU GATEWAY DEVELOPMENT - GROCERY

PROJECT TYPE/SIZE: Retail/Grocery (13,505 sq-ft)

CONSTRUCTION TYPE: New

ESTIMATED VALUE: $5.199 million

SECTOR: Private

LOCATION: 2639 Warrensville Center Rd. University Heights, OH 44118

DETAILS: Plans call for the construction of a 13,505-square-foot specialty grocery store as part of a mixed-use development.

Estimated Schedule (as of 12/11/2024)

STAGE: Starts in 4-12 months

CONSTRUCTION START: 4/2025

CONSTRUCTION END: 10/2026

BID DUE DATE: N/A

DEVELOPER: Goodman Real Estate

Contact: Zack Sogoloff, Senior VP zack@goodmanrealestate.com

2801 Alaskan Way, 310 Seattle, WA 98121

Phone: 216-381-8200

OWNER: The Fairpark Co. 20759 N. Park Blvd.

Shaker Heights, OH 44122

OWNER: John Carroll University 1 John Carroll Blvd.

University Heights, OH 44118

Phone: 216-397-1886

Project: #3265196

SAINT VINCENT CHARITY HEALTH CAMPUS

PROJECT TYPE/SIZE: Office/Cultural (100,000249,999 sq-ft), Medical

CONSTRUCTION TYPE: New

ESTIMATED VALUE: $9 million

SECTOR: Private

LOCATION: E. 22nd St. on the Saint Vincent Medical Center campus

Cleveland, OH 44115

DETAILS: Plans call for construction of a health campus around Saint Vincent Medical Center on 17 acres of property owned by the Sisters of Charity foundation. Plans include medical and social services on the campus. The new campus will offer outpatient care, a pharmacy, behavioral health services, addiction treatment services, urgent care, and mental health and addiction crisis continuum care.

Estimated Schedule (as of 11/25/2024)

STAGE: Starts in 1-3 months

CONSTRUCTION START: 3/2025

CONSTRUCTION END: Q4/2026

BID DUE DATE: N/A

DEVELOPER, OWNER: Sisters of Charity Health System

Contact: Bradley Rauh, President bradley.rauh@stvincentcharity.com

2351 E. 22nd St. Cleveland, OH

Phone: 216-861-6200

ARCHITECT: Mass Design Group

Contact: Chris Kroner, Principal ckroner@mass-group.org

289 Main St., Ste. 101 Poughkeepsie, NY 12601

Phone: 845-473-4003

ARCHITECT: Clark Patterson Lee (CPL)

Contact: Don Rerko, VP/Architect drerko@cplteam.com 6302 Fairview Rd., Ste. 102 Charlotte, NC 28210 P: 440-891-8910

Project: #3712431

URBAN COMMUNITY SCHOOL ATHLETIC FACILITY

PROJECT TYPE/SIZE: Schools (K-12)/Athletic Facilities (30,636 sq-ft)

CONSTRUCTION TYPE: New ESTIMATED VALUE: $5-$25 million

SECTOR: Public

LOCATION: W. 47th Place, south of Lorain Court Cleveland, OH 44102

DETAILS: Plans call for the construction of a 30,636-square-foot athletic facility for Urban Community School.

Estimated Schedule (as of 11/27/2024)

STAGE: Planning

CONSTRUCTION END: N/A

BID DUE DATE: N/A

OWNER: Urban Community School 4909 Lorain Ave. Cleveland, OH 44102

Phone: 216-238-0008

ARCHITECT: Kaczmar Architects Inc. 1468 W. 9th St., Ste. 400 Cleveland, OH 44113

Phone: 216-687-1555

Project: #3723233

AMAZON ONE MEDICAL CLEVELAND

PROJECT TYPE/SIZE: Office (< 10,000 sq-ft), Medical

CONSTRUCTION TYPE: New ESTIMATED VALUE: $7 million

SECTOR: Private

LOCATION: Cleveland, OH 44101

DETAILS: Plans call for the construction of a new office location in Cleveland for Amazon One Medical. The facility will offer virtual and in-person primary care.

Estimated Schedule (as of 11/28/2024)

STAGE: Starts in 4-12 months

CONSTRUCTION START: 7/2025

CONSTRUCTION END: Q4/2025

BID DUE DATE: N/A

TENANT: The Cleveland Clinic 9500 Euclid Avenue Cleveland, OH 44195

Phone: 216-444-2200

OWNER, TENANT: Amazon One Medical One Embarcadero Ctr., Floor 19 San Francisco, CA 94111

West Coast Headquarters Phone: 415-578-3100

Project: #3305908

CLEVELAND CLINIC FAIRVIEW HOSPITAL RENOVATION

PROJECT TYPE/SIZE: Medical

CONSTRUCTION TYPE: Renovation ESTIMATED VALUE: $35 million

SECTOR: Private

LOCATION: 18101 Lorain Ave. Cleveland, OH 44111

DETAILS: Plans call for the renovation of Fairview Hospital.

Estimated Schedule (as of 10/1/2024)

STAGE: Planning

CONSTRUCTION END: N/A

BID DUE DATE: N/A

OWNER: The Cleveland Clinic

Contact: Pat Rios, Director of Construction riosp@ccf.org 18101 Lorain Ave. Cleveland, OH 44111

P: 216-476-7000

SECTOR: Public

LOCATION: 3838 Cascades Blvd. Kent, OH 44240

DETAILS: Plans call for the construction of a 23,600-square-foot diagnostic and cancer imaging center for the US Department of Veterans Affairs.

Estimated Schedule (as of 11/20/2024)

STAGE: Groundbreaking

CONSTRUCTION START: 11/2024

CONSTRUCTION END: Q4/2025

BID DUE DATE: N/A

OWNER: WD Schorsch, LLC

Contact: Josh Hausman, Senior Principal 694 Grandview Ln. Lake Forest, IL 60045 Phone: 847-772-4835

OWNER: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs 10701 East Blvd. Cleveland, OH 44106

Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center Phone: 216-791-3800

GC: Ryan Companies

Contact: James Wright, Project Manager 50 S. 10th St., Ste. 300 Minneapolis, MN 44503 Phone: 918-812-1340

Project: #3722515

SPRINGHILL SUITES

PROJECT TYPE/SIZE: Hotels (50-100 rooms)

CONSTRUCTION TYPE: New

ESTIMATED VALUE: $7 million

SECTOR: Private

LOCATION: Near 5300 Riverside Dr. and NASA Glenn Research Center Cleveland, OH 44135

DETAILS: Plans call for the construction of a second hotel that could be part of the Marriott brand, perhaps a SpringHill Suites extended-stay hotel building near Cleveland Hopkins Airport.

Estimated Schedule (as of 12/2/2024)

STAGE: Starts in 4-12 months

CONSTRUCTION START: 9/2025

CONSTRUCTION END: Q4/2026

BID DUE DATE: N/A

OWNER: Ceres Enterprises

835 Sharon Dr., Ste. 400 Westlake, OH 44145

Phone: 440-617-9385

Project: #3695541

VA DIAGNOSTIC AND CANCER IMAGING CENTER

PROJECT TYPE/SIZE: Office (< 10,000 sq-ft), Medical

CONSTRUCTION TYPE: New ESTIMATED VALUE: $14.8 million

Construction project reports are provided with permission through ConstructionWire, courtesy of BuildCentral (www.buildcentral.com). BuildCentral specializes in planned construction project leads and location analytics for CRE, hotel, multi-family/single-family, medical, mining & energy, and retail construction spaces. Properties Magazine makes no warranty of any kind for this information, express or implied, and is not responsible for any omissions or inaccuracies. To notify Properties of any reporting errors, we encourage you to email cpr@propertiesmag.com.

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