Northeast Ohio Properties, September 2024

Ringing in Change

Former telephone company HQ reawakens as The Bell, offering downtown apartment living

October 8, 2024 - Columbus, Ohio October 9-10, 2024 - Cleveland, Ohio When you partner with Team ACP, we are

• 8 OCILB/PDH Course Credits • 25+ Manufacturers • Mobile Learning Centers • Food, Drinks, Prizes

The ACP 2024 Innovation Expo registration is now open! This year’s event promises exciting sessions and networking opportunities. Get ready to be inspired by the latest innovations in HVAC technology.

www.aircontrolproducts.com

to Register: Friday, September 20, 2024

info@propertiesmag.com www.propertiesmag.com

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

MEDIA CONSULTANTS

Matt Lehnert mlehnert@propertiesmag.com 216.251.6753

Larry Overbey loverbey@propertiesmag.com 216.251.6649

OWNER

Real Estate Publishing Corporation

Jeff Johnson, CEO jeff.johnson@rejournals.com

Cover photo: The Bell, by Doug Bardwell

FEATURES

by

8 Celebrating 15 Years of Impact ACE Mentor Program of Cleveland continues to engage, enlighten area students

Ringing in Change Former telephone company HQ reawakens as The Bell, offering downtown apartment living 29 Building on Faith Lutheran West expands campus to accommodate growing middle, high schools 49 All Together Now Cloverleaf Schools opens new high school + middle school building on reimagined campus 58 Special Section: Building Green 58 Decarbonizing Real Estate Via District Energy: A look at the environmental + energy efficiency benefits of district energy 60 Efficiency in the Air: Air-circulating fans can provide a simple, effective sustainable solution for thermal comfort

LEEDing to a Greener Future: Considering sustainable design/construction standards

NAIOP News: Positive Impact of a Green Workplace

Vantage Point: Unlocking Capital to Support Energy-Efficient Projects in Ohio

ACAR Corner: Sustainable Spaces – The Residential Garage

DEPARTMENTS

mortgage bankers, savings and loans, real estate agents, appraisers, servicers and suppliers in Northern Ohio by Properties, Inc., 8305 Chesterfield Ave., Parma, OH 44129-1813. Copyright © 2024 by Properties, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction or use, without written permission,

Photo

Mark Watt

PROPERTIES PEOPLE

The Cleveland chapter of Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association (SMACNA-Cleveland) recently hosted its 24th annual golf outing at The Country Club of Hudson, which is the home course of the association’s new president, Michael Steidel (Castle Heating & Air). The outing was sold out in just two weeks at 136 golfers and hosted the most sheet metal/HVAC contractors in its history. More than 165 people attended the entire event for lunch, dinner and participation in the putting contest.

ACP Hosts LAIOB Summer

Cohort at UA

Air Control Products (ACP) recently partnered with The University of Akron (UA) College of Business to host the LAIOB (Latin America Institute of Business) summer cohort. This collaboration provided an immersive learning experience for business professionals from Brazil, focusing on how businesses operate in the United States. This year’s event included a panel discussion featuring representatives from ACP.

Mike Skala (Franck & Fric, Inc.), Chad Hull (Franck & Fric, Inc.) and Matt Morgan (Franck & Fric, Inc.)

2 Dan Berman, J.P. Paulus, Craig Berman and Sam Dietrich (Geauga Mechanical)

3 Tony Belluardo (Halo Mechanical), Karl Kastl (Vent Heating & Cooling), Michael J. Gallagher (Halo Mechanical) and Bob Fiala (Halo Mechanical)

4 Nick Carson, Brian Carson, Justin Carson and Matt Bierdeman (Franck & Fric, Inc.)

5 Justin Genes, Ethan Cary, Jay Spry and Dan Fanzo (Ferguson Enterprises)

6 John Sindyla (SMACNA Cleveland) and Tim Frecker (Federated Insurance Co.)

Golf Classic

Ohio Landscaping Association (OLA) recently held its Annual Scholarship Golf Classic at Mallard Creek Golf Course in Columbia Station. With more than 220 golfers in attendance, the event helped generate funds to assist area students as they pursue careers within the industry.

Randal Kukral, Ryan Nash, Matt Petche and Kate Adams (The Grounds Guys) 2 Amy Gatoo (Sajovie Brothers Landscaping) with Gil Kupetz, Zach Wagner and Darrell Spell (Yardmaster)

3 Steve Safreed, Tim Barrett (Kurtz Bros.) with Matt Rabbitt and Bryan Beal (Rabbitt Landscaping)

4 Brandon Barker, Matt Mau, Bob Ungrady and Steve McElroy (J. Barker Landscaping Company)

5 Dave Hauser, Mike Farmwald, Brian Kaver and Joe Zeola (Hauser Services) with Cameron Maneri (Cleary Brothers Landscaping) and Brandon Barker (J. Barker Landscaping Company)

Lee Hodkey (Karpinski Engineering),

Celebrating 15 Years of Impact

ACE Mentor Program of Cleveland continues to engage, enlighten area students

By Rhonda Crowder | Photos by Alaina Battle

Through mentoring by industry professionals, the mission of the ACE Mentor Program of Cleveland – an affiliate of the ACE Mentor Program – is to engage and enlighten high school students as well as support their continued advancement in the architecture, construction and engineering (ACE) industries.

“I had been active in the affiliate in the Washington, D.C. area and felt that Cleveland was certainly deserving of one, so I rallied some of our friends and colleagues and got the program going,” says Tom Laird, executive chairman at Gilbane Building Company and former ACE Cleveland board chair.

And, as the non-profit Cleveland affiliate celebrates its 15th anniversary, its mission is achieved through the quality of services offered, output by participants and alumni entering the industry.

“We’ve taken a little different approach in Cleveland,” Laird continues. “It’s not just about the mentoring experience during high school. We also wanted to provide opportunities through scholarship support when our ACE students graduate. We provide ACE alumni mentoring support and internship opportunities while the students are in college. And lastly, we want to make certain that we stop what’s referred to as the ‘brain drain’ in Northeast Ohio

and provide career opportunities here for them in the Cleveland area.”

ACE Cleveland, since its inception, has worked with nearly 2,000 students and issued over $1.6 million in scholar-

“The growth of the program, not only from the number of students that are involved and the energy that they exhibit, but the number of schools and businesses we’ve been able to get involved, is remarkable.”

Tom Laird Gilbane Building Company

ships. Now in 11 Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD) buildings, with two teams at John Hay, in addition to Cleveland Central Catholic, Warrensville and Shaker Heights high schools, what started as an after-school program has grown to include initiatives such as ACE

Day, ACE Trade Day, ACE Design Days, StrengthsFinders (an assessment administered to all high seniors), The Summer Career Experience Program, The Career Pathways Committee and a unique partnership with Dale Carnegie Training.

“The growth of the program, not only from the number of students that are involved and the energy that they exhibit, but the number of schools and businesses we’ve been able to get involved, is remarkable,” Laird says.

How the program works

Students join ACE at their respective schools early in the school year. Then, at ACE Day, held in December, 200-plus students are introduced to skilled trades, academic and other professional organizations, employers and college opportunities. Also at ACE Day, they receive a Request for Proposals (RFP) that guides their project-based work for the remainder of the school year. Throughout the school year, they’ll

LEADING THE WAY Since its inception 15 years ago, the ACE Mentor Program of Cleveland has worked with nearly 2,000 students and issued over $1.6 million in scholarships, assisting young adults interested in architecture, construction and engineering.

participate in ACE Trade Day, where they are exposed to several hands-on union building trade programs and employers, and ACE Design Days, workshops that infuse creativity and explore design thinking, problem solving, design software as well as artistic prototyping.

In late April, the teams present their proposals for a chance to be one of the top three advancing to the Spring Celebration, the program’s annual culminating event where the winning proposal is determined, and scholarships and volunteer awards are given out. Proposals must take site conditions, potential for development, sustainability and budget into consideration. Over the years, proposals have ranged from reimagining an ACE space in their school building to the Burke Lakefront Airport site.

“The students’ presentations are more than slides and poster boards; they are the blueprint of their dreams,” says Akwasi Duah, an ACE Alum currently working at Turner Construction.

“I wasn’t expecting what I saw and what I saw was amazing,” says Dr. Warren Morgan, CEO of CMSD, of the 2024 final presentations. “The collaboration, the networking and the mentoring open [these students] up to a world of opportunities.”

Lillian A. Kuri, president/CEO of the Cleveland Foundation, a 2024 final presentation juror and an architect by training, says she was introduced to the profession through a program similar to ACE. “I understand the power of exposing [students] to different careers,” she says.

Cleveland Foundation has been a generous supporter of ACE Cleveland.

“ACE Mentor Program is removing barriers for Greater Cleveland students – especially those who have historically been underrepresented in [ACE] industries – to succeed in family-sustaining careers of the future,” Kuri adds. “In this way, ACE Mentor Program’s work is advancing the Cleveland Foundation’s vision for

a vibrant Northeast Ohio where no Clevelander is left behind.”

“We are grateful for the work ACE is doing, literally changing the lives of our scholars,” Morgan adds.

Summer Career Experience

Held for the last four years alongside strategic partners Turner Construction, Youth Opportunities Unlimited and Dale Carnegie Training and others, the Summer Career Experience has provided high school seniors and college students with an enriched, paid six-week, project-based experience that provides college credit, immersions into career development and shadowing opportunities with ACE companies. Similar to the after-school program, students present a project proposal.

Summer Experience students’ projects have included developing proposals for a mini park in MidTown (E. 71st St. and Chester Avenue), a former Cleveland Public Library building in Hough, the Veteran’s Memorial Bridge Streetcar Level and Cleveland’s Kerruish Park. The program has been supported by Youth Opportunities Unlimited, the State of Ohio, City of Cleveland (Built Environment/AEC community) and several other organizations.

Alaina L. Battle participated in ACE Cleveland as a student at John Hay and interned with The AKA Team while in college at Baldwin Wallace, majoring in communication. After graduation, she interned with ACE Cleveland in addition to launching a photography and marketing business. She now coordinates the Summer Career Experience and supports students during the academic year as a Youth Career Coach.

“Transitioning from a student to an adult involved with ACE has allowed me to witness firsthand the unwavering dedication and hard work that mentors, volunteers and partners pour into shaping the futures of young adults,” Battle says.

The Career Pathways Committee

ACE Cleveland’s Career Pathway Committee – created upon realizing a percentage of students were not interested in going on to traditional colleges – decided to make helping students enter the skilled trades unions more of a

priority. They work to connect students with opportunities in the trades, provide them with internships, stay close to them after high school graduation and offer guidance.

“We all work so closely,” says Cindy Leitson, Career Pathway Committee co-chair and vice president of capital,

“We’re most proud of the long list of ACE alumni who received scholarships, have graduated and are now actively working in the Northeast Ohio AEC community. Many have come full-circle and are actively serving as mentors to the next generation of ACE students.”

Matthew Danis Shook Construction

construction and supply management with Cuyahoga Community College. “The trades are so critical to our field. It just makes sense to build this pipeline.”

Glen Shumate, executive director and board chair of ACE Mentor Program Cleveland, notes that, through these different initiatives, ACE continues to advance its commitment and impacts. Post-COVID, ACE has increased its programing with support of funders and volunteers to provide impactful and career readiness programming.

“Working with these youth and young adults in education, career development and mentoring to have significant impacts in architecture, construction and engineering is being fulfilled,” he says. ACE Cleveland has aligned with the work of the Greater Cleveland Career Consortium and PACE to focus on building career pathway guides and experiences that will enhance students’ overall skill and competencies within Greater Cleveland’s built environment.

Impact on students & community

Angela Jones, a civil engineer, government affairs specialist at Northeast Ohio Regional District (NEORSD) and lead ACE mentor, says that the ACE Mentor Program has put students on the path to be successful and the program’s success is defined by them. She also speaks to ACE’s impact on the professional community.

“Each company [involved with ACE] feels the need to do that,” she says.

Judson Kline, an architect by profession and owner of Civitad Services, LLC, has been a lead mentor with ACE since the beginning. A staunch believer in building the next generation, he says the architecture community is small and growth happens slowly but that, through programs such as ACE, “the needle has a chance to move more rapidly.” He also says

LIFTING FUTURES ACE Cleveland’s Career Pathways Committee works to connect students with opportunities in the trades, provide them with internships, stay close to them after high school graduation and offer guidance.

BUILDING SUPPORT Through a variety of programs, ACE Mentor participants are introduced to the trades with hands-on training and educational opportunities, assisted by mentors from throughout Northeast Ohio’s AEC communities.

the students are “unabridged in their creativity” when approaching projects, which becomes a significant benefit to the professional community and supporting organizations.

ACE Cleveland alum TyJuan SwansonSawyer, mentored by Kline, is a testament to ACE’s success. He currently works as an architect at IKM Architects. After graduating John Hay School of Architecture and Design, Swanson-Sawyer went on to Kent State University and earned a B.S. in architecture, M.A. in architecture and M.A. in urban design.

He describes his involvement with ACE as “absolutely the foundation, life changing and inspiring.” He says ACE showed him what an architect is. Prior to ACE, he only had a sense.

“I saw architects at every level,” Swanson-Sawyer says. “My mentors told me how to get into college, which to consider, what to look for, the pathway to licensure, the trials and tribulations.”

He credits mentoring, networking and scholarships as critical parts of his success.

Sustaining ACE Mentor Program

“We’re most proud of the long list of ACE alumni who received scholarships, have graduated and are now actively working in the Northeast Ohio AEC community. Many have come full-circle and are actively serving as mentors to the next generation of ACE students,” says former ACE Board Chair Matthew Danis, vice president with Shook Construction.

Danis also explains that funding for ACE Mentor program supports a set of primary functions: scholarship program and ACE operations, enhancing student outcomes, sustainability of operations and maximizing the significance of ACE in the local market.

According to Mark Rader, CPCU, AFSB, vice president/surety practice leader with Oswald Companies, and treasurer of ACE board, ACE Cleveland has been blessed by a committed core of industry participants who always give generously for events and fundraising efforts, allowing the organization to con-

tinually expand opportunities for those in the community who need it most.

This, Rader explains, has permitted ACE to build out additional programming as there is adequate funding to expand operations during the school year, and continuously provide generous college scholarships for many participating students.

“Most notably, the expansion of our operations has included our ability to provide higher levels of direct student engagement and guidance throughout the school year, hands-on industry experience, trade and internship opportunities, more student enrichment, and permanent jobs to those entering the ACE industry,” he says.

Rader notes says, in recent years, ACE Mentor Program of Cleveland received additional funding for the implementation of the Summer Experience program.

Summer Experience has received funding from NBA Foundation, City of Cleveland, State of Ohio - Governor’s Grant, Youth Opportunities Unlimited and Turner Construction.

“All of this success would not be possible without the generous donations of those within the ACE industry, and increasingly from institutional and corporate partners who are stepping up to make a true difference in our ability to expand opportunities for those who need it most,” he says.

“We need to develop more permanent scholarship funding in order to continue our generous college scholarship program on a long-term basis,” he adds.

To learn more about ACE Mentor Program of Cleveland, visit www.acecleveland.org or contact Glen Shumate (executive director and board chair) at ace@acecleveland.org.

The

Ringing in Change

Former telephone company HQ reawakens as The Bell, offering downtown apartment living

With arguably the best views in town, The Bell is located at 45 Erieview Plaza, on the corner of East Ninth and Lakeside Avenue in Cleveland. The 505,000-square-foot, 16-story mixed-use project will provide 367 apartments above three floors of commercial and amenity space. Leasing has already begun, and the first tenants moved in at the beginning of August.

Interestingly, while the building is only 41 years old, it is part of the Erieview Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places.

When built in 1983, this served as the headquarters of Ohio Bell Telephone. The large, open floor plans were ideal for the cubicle-heavy needs of Ohio Bell and later Ameritech/AT&T. After the telephone company moved out in 2019, and after several years of attempting to find an office tenant, the owners began to consider transforming the building into residential apartments. The challenge became designing a floor layout that worked while being twice the depth

of comparable apartment buildings in Cleveland.

When the owners began searching for architects to redo this project as apartments, none seemed able to design a financially feasible project.

“It proved challenging due to the existing historical stair configuration. Once you start adding the apartments instead of wide-open office space, egress was an issue,” says Randy Doi, project manager for Sandvick Architects. “While many previous architects had tried, they all determined that adding one or two stairs was necessary to comply with code.”

Since Sandvick’s work is 90% to 95% adaptive reuse, they knew what it would take to make the project work. By working with the latest revisions to the code and adding just the right components of life safety, they were able to gain approval for their plan.

Jonathan Sandvick, president of Sandvick Architects, devised a layout that created virtual distance between the adjacent staircases. This enabled them to comply with the code and significantly increase the unit count. It also helped them to add convenient tenant storage rooms outside the suites and increase the count even further to 367.

Story & photos by Doug Bardwell

Looking for more savings, Devon Zurcher, project designer with Sandvick, decided to standardize the kitchens. “We practically designed all the suites around the kitchens,” says Zurcher. “We had three basic layouts with a couple of mirrored ones. It’s a nice European style, really sleek for today’s aesthetic but in keeping with the building’s modern design.”

“We were very excited when we were asked to take a look at this project, in that it is a notable piece of architecture here in Cleveland,” says Doi. “It was designed quite appropriately to have a dramatic curvilinear form with a panoramic view of the lake.”

The idea of working on this renovation held a special place in Doi’s heart, as he worked here on the 13th floor earlier in his career, doing space planning for Ohio Bell in 1984.

During that time, Peter Ketter, Sandvick’s director of historic preservation, successfully listed the Erieview Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places.

“The district primarily extends from Lakeside Avenue to Chester Avenue and East 9th to East 12th Street,” says

“We were very excited when we were asked to take a look at this project, in that it is a notable piece of architecture here in Cleveland. It was designed quite appropriately to have a dramatic curvilinear form with a panoramic view of the lake.”

Randy Doi

Sandvick Architects

urban renewal project to focus on the city’s central business district.

Reflecting on the past – oh, the glass

One of the most challenging aspects of restoring the exterior of the building was properly cleaning the reflective coating on the outside surface of the windows.

According to Liz Crooks, Sandvick’s exterior envelope specialist and project manager, the exterior pane of the insulated windows was manufactured with a thin, metallic film of cobalt oxide. This film was sprayed onto the glass and fused at high temperatures to create a reflective pyrolytic coating designed to enhance both the thermal performance and appearance of the exterior envelope.

“Being a world headquarters, the materials for the building exterior were high-quality granite and glass curtainwall,” says Doi. “We began looking at the project in 2021 and had construction documents done by January 31, 2022.”

Rachel Pearce, historic preservation project manager for Sandvick. “It has 27 contributing resources, including The Bell, constructed between 1948 and 1983.”

The boundaries encompass the area of the Erieview Plan, Cleveland’s only

Karen Borland, head of Sandvick’s exterior envelope division, conducted extensive research and testing of the reflective coating on the glazing. This revealed existing damage that was most likely caused by past window cleaning efforts, making it particularly challenging to determine a cleaning treatment that would safely produce effective cleaning results. Fortunately, the vastly improved

TALL ORDER Transforming a former office building into an apartment complex presented a number of challenges. Possibly the most unique task at The Bell was adding a rooftop deck with a heated outdoor pool and hot tub on the 15th floor.

appearance of the reflective coating once the pollution was removed inspired the entire team, from the owners to the contractors, to extend the funds and physical effort to restore the original beauty of the building envelope.

“Leopardo worked very closely with the Sandvick team through a dozen mock-up trials to determine the most effective cleaning method while minimizing any additional project cost,” adds Michael Fitzpatrick, project manager for Leopardo Construction.

“We had to be exceptionally careful because once the coating was gone, you had to replace the entire window,” explains Crooks. ”We actually ended up polishing every square inch of vertical glass on the north, east and south elevations with rotating microfiber pads and a solution of cerium oxide suspended in water. Removing all that pollution not only improved the appearance of the windows but also increased the reflectivity and improved the thermal performance.”

Sturdy, but not sturdy enough

Leopardo Construction began looking at the project in the spring of 2022, assisting with value engineering over the summer, and was awarded the project based on a hard bid. By value engineering the HVAC system alone, they saved

$1 million. They began mobilizing in September 2022. Their biggest challenge was going to be the pool.

You want a pool on the 15th floor? Hmmm, let’s see. It looks like that’s almost 70 tons, which the original engineer didn’t anticipate.

“Our first step was to demo the entire roofing system on the 15th floor, fol-

lowed by the demolition of the structural steel beams and columns to reframe with new steel for the pool cradle with all associated new beams and columns on that floor,” Fitzpatrick says.

“To support the new pool roof deck load, we fully welded structural plates on the existing columns beneath the pool from the 14th floor all the way

TOP AMENITY Wrapping the rooftop pool area is a windscreen of six-foot-tall glazing with a planting area and promenade just outside the windscreen. Benches are inset along the northwest side, perfect for sitting and watching the sunset over Lake Erie.

AMPLE OPTIONS The 505,000-square-foot, 16-story mixed-use project includes three floors of commercial and amenity space with 367 apartments above. In all, there are approximately 60 different floor plans for residential units.

down, over 200 feet, into the basement garage,” adds Fitzpatrick.

“The pool and hot tub were prefabricated and pre-finished entirely in Indiana, and then when it arrived at the job site, we needed to close down Ninth Street [right before the Marathon] to hoist it into place with a mobile crane,” recalls Fitzpatrick.

“The team at 3L Real Estate and its relationships were brought into the project in late 2023 to assist in the final construction management through opening and lease-up,” adds Joseph Slezak, the owner’s representative. “Through a lot of hard work, critical thinking and catch-up among all parties, we were able to complete the turnaround and get the building open this summer.”

Welcoming new neighbors

cially on the third floor, for the fitness and dog play areas.

More seating and many trees soften the north-south corridor along East Ninth Street. The leasing office and fire command station are both off this corridor.

Three main areas are still available for lease on the first floor. A restaurant will likely take the 6,000-square-foot north-

Floor three is home to reportedly the largest fitness space in any apartment development downtown Cleveland.

“It’s certainly the largest fitness center we’ve done downtown, or any project really,” says Doi

“Through a lot of hard work, critical thinking and catch-up among all parties, we were able to complete the turnaround and get the building open this summer.”

Most residents will arrive in the southwest corner of the first floor from East Ninth Street. There, a large 24/7 reception desk will replace the former security desk. A lobby with seating areas will direct people to the two elevator banks – one serving lower floors and the other serving upper floors. Modifications are being made now, so there are multiple transfer floors, espe-

When entering the fitness area, a glass-walled group fitness area is immediately to your right. It has a mirrored wall on the right and ballet bars on the left and rear walls. Straight ahead is a 65-foot sprint track area, with a CrossFit training area at the other end. To the left is the door to the 1,100-square-foot outdoor fitness area.

Joseph Slezak

3L Real Estate

ern space. The second largest space in the southeastern corner offers 4,000 square feet. In between is a space looking south that would be ideal as a coffee shop.

Floor two boasts huge areas for future tenants. “It’s representative of typical historic conditions,” says Pearce, noting its original 5x5 acoustical grid ceiling and open floor plate still in place. “The historic preservation office let us maintain just this one floor instead of doing all floors on the old 5x5 module.”

Weights of every conceivable size and style line the west wall with benches, racks and machines for weightlifters. The southernmost end of this area is reserved for stretching.

The cardio area, equipped with True bikes, ellipticals, treadmills, steppers and more, commands the entire center of the fitness center, which exceeds 8,000 square feet overall.

Out the door and a short walk down the corridor are men’s and women’s locker rooms with large showers. Adjacent to the fitness center is a lounge area where people can gather before or after exercise.

Photo by Charles Wilkerson

INSIDE LOOK Kitchens in all units feature an expansive wall of high-end cabinetry (top). About half the units have bedrooms on exterior window walls, while others have interior bedrooms with large glass lites to let in outside illumination (middle, bottom).

Also on the third floor is an interior dog park that’s arguably the largest downtown as well at more than 2,000 square feet. A dog wash area includes two large stainless-steel sinks. Two fenced pens will be added to the room for the dogs after their baths. Further on, there are two half-walled areas for interior dog play. One is slightly smaller for small pups, while the rear one is for larger dogs. At the room’s north end is the ramp up to the outdoor dog walk area, complete with a portion of artificial turf.

Floors four through 14 are almost identical and house most of the apartment units. Each floor has 28 one-bedroom, one-bath units and three two-bedroom, two-bath units, except floor 14, under the pool. There are a total of eight ADA units between the fourth and ninth floors.

Each unit features an expansive wall of cabinetry in the kitchen. The total amount of cabinet space available in each unit far exceeds that in almost every other downtown apartment this writer has ever seen.

The linear kitchen unit comprises frameless Milania cabinets by Procraft with push-to-open doors and integrated, invisible, reverse-beveled-edge handles, all with soft-close hinges. Fullextension, soft-close under-mounts support all drawers.

The refrigerators in the single-bedroom units are slip-in stainless steel, while the refrigerators in the two-bedroom units are invisible. The door and drawer have matching wood panels that blend in with the rest of the cabinetry. All dishwashers are also concealed with similar wood front panels.

The countertops are quartz slabs by Corian with deep stainless-steel rectangular, single-bowl sinks and duranodic gooseneck faucets. The stove is a glasstop electric range. Undercabinet lighting illuminates the length of the countertop. A pull-out stove hood has additional built-in lighting over the cooktop.

Stacking stainless-steel oven and microwave built-ins flank the right side of the countertop. Abundant cabinetry wraps the entire counter area, with deep,

Photo by Charles Wilkerson

Photo courtesy of Sandvick Architects

Photo by Charles Wilkerson

COMMERCIAL & RESIDENTIAL MANUFACTURER

STRONG FIT Floor three is home to reportedly the largest fitness space in any apartment development in downtown Cleveland. The 8,000-square-foot facility includes a 65-foot sprint track, a weight training space and cardio area, plus a 1,100-square-foot outdoor fitness area.

wide drawers for large pans available under the countertop.

The bathroom flooring and shower walls use zinc-colored 12x24 porcelain tile with a matte finish in a staggered pattern. The shower floor is a matching colored 2x2 mosaic tile. A seven-foothigh, clear glass panel and a glass swinging door span the entire width of the generous-sized showers with waterfall showerheads. Cabinetry resembles those used in the kitchen, with an under-counter deep sink in a quartz top. Each apartment also features a stacked Bosch washer and dryer next to the unit’s heat pump. Depending on the unit layout, some are in the hallway, while others might be in the master closet.

The flooring throughout is light gray 9x48 luxury vinyl tile with a complementary darker gray three-inch rubber base. The walls are white, and the doors, jambs and internal window trim are a deeper brownish-gray tone.

Overall suite layouts run from square to rectangular, long and slender, fan-shaped, and a few that defy description. “All in all, there are about 60 different floor plans,” says Crooks.

About half the units have bedrooms on the exterior window walls, while others have interior bedrooms with large glass lites to let in outside illumination. The borrowed lites start about 24 inches above the floor and rise to about 96 inches, with the bottom 72 inches covered with a translucent but private film. Ceilings throughout the suites are nine feet tall with recessed LED lighting.

Exterior windows on the southern elevation are installed with a pronounced outward angle, enabling people to lean out and look almost straight down onto Erieview Plaza’s domed glass ceilings.

All the way up for the top amenities

The 15th floor is home to the crown gem of the building – the rooftop pool deck. Occupying more than 9,400 square feet on the northwestern corner of the building, guests will enjoy a 14- by

40-foot, 3.5-foot-deep pool and a 10-footdiameter Jacuzzi hot tub. ADA lifts are available for the pool and the Jacuzzi. Various deck furniture is available under a large trellis to the left of the pool area and open to the sun on the east side of the trellis. Sleek, slender bollard lighting occurs between the lounge chairs.

The flooring for the pool area is 24-inch-square TileTech Cemento porcelain pavers.

Wrapping the pool area is a Cielo windscreen of six-foot-tall glazing with a planting area and promenade just outside the windscreen. Benches are inset along the northwest side, perfect for sitting and watching the sunset over Lake Erie.

Another band of striped pavers sits just inside the 42-inch-high parapet

wall – completely encircling this curved northern section of the building.

Inside the rectangular portion of the building, an almost 90-foot-long pool lounge room looks out onto the pool deck with multiple spaces for TV viewing, dining and relaxing. Sixteen apartments take up the balance of the floor.

The 16th floor, which previously housed executive offices, combines residential apartments and multiple community areas. The former president’s office in the northwest corner is being converted into handsome, wood-paneled community areas. Eight apartments line the south wall, and five are along the north wall.

To preserve the historic character of the 16th floor, original dark stained wood wall paneling and

Proud to be project partner at The Bell

nine-foot-tall doors with a matching veneer were retained.

The outside corner space will be a large dining area. Along the north wall, the balance of the space will be a community lounge with a large wallmounted television. South of the dining area will be a sizeable in-house theater.

“Protecting all the historic surfaces through 18 months of construction was a challenge,” relates Fitzpatrick. “We were able to overcome with very close monitoring of the floors and working closely with the tradesmen and women to ensure these original large wood wall panels would not be damaged.”

A large co-working area and lounge occupy the interior space on the eastern side of the building. Multiple seating/ working/collaborating combinations, from tables to private nooks to serpentine sofas, are envisioned to complete

Ringing true: The Bell’s lasting impact

“Typically, a building must be 50 years or older to be designated as historic, but given that The Bell is within the Erieview Historic District, it enabled the owners to capitalize on state and federal historic tax credits. Our firm prides itself on facilitating the reuse of existing buildings,” concludes Pearce, “and with this project, we’re welcoming a new era of historic preservation in Cleveland by preserving a building built in the 1980s. We hope this project may inspire other building owners within the district to take advantage of historic tax credits.”

www.geaugamechanical.com OH 46426

Member of SMACNA Cleveland 1039 Rockside Road, Parma, OH 44134-2700 440-877-3500 www.smacnacle.org

Proud Member of SMACNA Cleveland 6060 Royalton Road, North Royalton, OH 44113 440-877-3500 www.smacnacle.org

Member of SMACNA Cleveland 1039 Rockside Road, Parma, OH 44134-2700 440-877-3500 www.smacnacle.org

Building on Faith Lutheran West expands campus to accommodate growing middle, high schools

By Scott Esterly | Photos courtesy of ThenDesign Architecture

Lutheran West is a Christian-based coed school in Rocky River with 75 years of history. Over the decades, the school on Linden Road has transformed itself several different times to accommodate growth. Most recently, the school has completed an academic expansion project that encompasses 36,000 square feet of new space, including classrooms, offices, meeting rooms and utility/storage spaces, along with a new courtyard.

This current expansion has been the most transformative, as it coincided with their rapidly growing middle school that is only in its third year. Previously, Lutheran West had always been a high school, encompassing grades nine through 12. Now, it covers grades six to 12.

“Ten years ago, we realized we needed some bigger spaces,” says John Ragland, vice principal of facilities for Lutheran West. “Some of the things we were looking at then didn’t quite pan out. We had gotten to a point where we outgrew the space. Not only were we hoping to add a middle school, but we had also outgrown our art space. We filled the middle school as soon as we opened it.”

Right out of the gate, they had 75 students in year one of the middle school. Last year, they had 115. This year, they will have 156. Combined with the high

school students, that makes over 700 students total at Lutheran West.

A brief expansion history

Jumping back in history, the original Cleveland Lutheran High School opened in 1948 as the first Protestantsponsored high school in Ohio. Just nine years later, that building was lost to eminent domain in 1957 and razed to make way for the newly built Innerbelt Freeway (Interstate 90).

In 1958, a pair of mirror-image buildings were constructed on each side of Cleveland to serve as replacement facilities – Lutheran East in Cleveland Heights and Lutheran West in Rocky River. Since then, Lutheran West has experienced several expansion projects, in the 1970s, 1980s and early 2000s. In 2012, a new auditorium was built and in 2019, its library and gymnasium were completely renovated.

Over the past five years, a fresh round of upgrades at both Lutheran East and Lutheran West were envisioned to better serve students. Renovations at Lutheran High School East (3565 Mayfield Rd., Cleveland Heights) were completed first, in the summer of 2023 and finished in time for the 2023-24 school year. (See full story in Properties, November 2023 issue, available at www.propertiesmag.com.) This summer, the Cleveland Lutheran High School Association (CLHSA) completed the Lutheran West expansion project in time for the start of school the week of August 19, 2024.

Lutheran West

Students of the 17-acre campus of Lutheran West come from all over Northeast Ohio. Head of School Joel Bahr describes an approximate 35-minute radius where students reside. To the west, students live as far as Amherst and

Oberlin, to the south as far as the Medina and Hinckley area and to the east as far as Euclid, Willoughby and Bedford.

“Even before we decided for sure to go down the middle school route, we did have the need to expand the building,” explains Jessica Miller, CLHSA’s director of communications and marketing. “This

the just-completed expansion added 36,244 square feet.

A jumpstart to the expansion plans happened when the property next door to the school went on the market. The Westgate Professional Building, which had been home to a handful of medical offices, was purchased by Lutheran

the course of action, which took place in October 2022, and the focus then turned to designing and constructing an expansion to the existing school building.

“An exciting project kickoff event, coordinated by the CLHSA, was held prior to a Lutheran West football game. It included students, faculty, parents, the community and live demolition,” says Daniel Audia, senior vice president for The Krill Co., Inc. “Part of the building that was being razed to create additional parking for the school was partially

WELCOME ADDITION Above the new main entrance at Lutheran West is an extended soffit featuring metal paneling with a wood-like appearance. The wood-look paneling is carried over into the interior, as is the brick façade. Inlaid lighting on the sidewalk and a cross made of LED lights attached to the façade provide striking nighttime accent lighting.

demolished for the spectators. It was truly an inspirational kickoff to the project!”

In January 2023, the construction team mobilized in earnest, led by The Krill Co., Inc., as construction manager at risk, and the design team of Then Design Architecture (TDA). Both teams have enjoyed a long partnership with Lutheran West and have worked on past expansions on the campus.

Construction

Joining two structures together is a significant undertaking and building heights became a central challenge for the construction team. “The new building has different requirements for floor-to-floor heights, and we had to meet the existing building. There’s a ramp on the second floor of the expansion, which added to the complexity,” says Robert Orovets, architect from TDA. Adam Parris served as the lead architect on the project.

The 1970s expansion consisted primarily of classrooms on the east side of the building. The new addition had to be carefully aligned to construct the new expansion.

“Last year, the challenge was to survive losing five classrooms while growing by 120 kids,” says Bahr. Sequencing all the work became crucial while juggling the students’, school’s and construction crew’s needs and timelines.

Another challenge at the onset of construction was the new electrical

service and maintaining power to the school during construction. Waiting until summer break was not an option due to schedule constraints. An existing electrical room would become the new location for a band room and re-connection to the existing facility. The service relocation was critical to get the new building energized and could not be reworked until power was shut down.

Temporary generators were utilized to keep critical food service equipment up and running in the school. The work included a scheduled power company shutdown, demolition of the existing equipment, new feeds routed to new equipment to re-connect the existing service and routing the new primary and secondary service from the pole to the building to energize the new transformer and equipment for the new addition.

“Coordination between CLHSA, Krill, the power company and the electrical contractor was paramount to accomplish all of this work in one week during CLHSA’s spring break,” says Jake Wilson, senior project superintendent from The Krill Co., Inc.

Thankfully, mild winters helped construction crews to meet the scheduled

building enclosure milestone, and construction progressed without any major delays. As the preconstruction phase of the project was occurring during the tail-end of the pandemic, the project was still feeling the impact to supply chains and fabrication lead times.

“The CLHSA assembled a talented and trusted team and allowed for sufficient time to plan. Armed with the

“One of the spaces that is going to be really nice for us, that we didn’t realize until we developed it, is the courtyard. It could almost be the jewel of the project.”

John Ragland

Lutheran West

ability to pre-purchase critical materials and equipment months in advance of construction mobilization ensured cost savings and enabled the team to meet scheduled milestones with guaranteed success,” says Audia.

“The Lutheran West expansion project goes much deeper than the construction,” he adds. “Its success is the

result of a long-standing partnership, and it represents CLHSA’s commitment to education and improving the neighborhood and community, and Krill was happy to be a part of that.”

Forward in faith

Lutheran West wrote of the project goals in their Case for Support document when seeking funding for this expansion: “To accomplish the vision set forth, we must capitalize on existing resources and seek out new ones. We’ll expand and enhance the school’s physical facilities, allowing Lutheran West to serve more students with more opportunities.”

Lutheran West entitled this campaign, “Forward in Faith.”

“Physical spaces had to expand in order to accommodate our expansion in programming. We’re doing that through Centers of Excellence,” explains Miller.

Lutheran West defines Centers of Excellence as “curricular areas in which students can choose to focus their educational experience according to their own emerging interests, talents and goals. This student experience, unique to Lutheran West, positions graduates

CREATING SPACE Joining the existing school building to the new addition created a 6,540-square-foot courtyard. A highlight of the project, the new area features a large cedar pergola with overhead lighting, heating elements and outdoor screens.

ADDING UP The expansion project added 14 new classrooms (top), 17 offices and two staff conference rooms, plus a new video broadcasting studio (middle) and music/ band room (bottom).

to become Christian leaders in growing and important fields.”

Lutheran West has identified five Centers of Excellence that they will use to set their goal into motion to eventually accommodate upwards of 900 students. The subject areas include fine arts, business/entrepreneurship, STEM, athletics and an honors academy.

New addition

Lutheran West expanded their existing building to the north and to the west and the way the two buildings were connected created a large courtyard that, to some, has become the centerpiece of the project.

“One of the spaces that is going to be really nice for us, that we didn’t realize until we developed it, is the courtyard. It could almost be the jewel of the project,” says Ragland.

The 6,540-square-foot courtyard features a large cedar pergola with overhead lighting, heating elements, outdoor screens and mixed heights of seating and tables. Environmental science classes will even use the courtyard for growing plants. It will also function as an outdoor classroom, event space and even as a convenient cut-through for students and teachers going from one side of the building to the other. Permeable pavers were used, which will aid in stormwater management in addition to elevating the aesthetic of the courtyard.

“It’s a unique opportunity when you’re designing additions that you can incorporate the existing with the new,” says Nicole Monaco, interior designer with TDA.

Perhaps the best example of blending the existing with the new is that the brand-new courtyard utilizes the former main entrance of the building, which still proudly displays “Lutheran West” in its signature red color. The new main entrance is on the western side of the expansion. A major added benefit to the courtyard is that school officials will no longer need to book private space nearby for major events like the annual alumni homecoming gathering. They can host the events in the courtyard and in the new common areas inside the building.

In total, 14 new classrooms were added in the expansion, along with 17 offices and two staff conference rooms. One of the new classrooms is the Longhorn Room on the second floor, which is a large multi-purpose room that will be utilized for middle school chapel, staff meetings and other assemblies. The Longhorn Room can be divided into two rooms via a modular wall, which also makes one additional classroom if needed. CLHSA is also utilizing the new addition and will share the new staff office space with Lutheran West administrators and counselors. In total, there are 92 staff members in the Lutheran West building.

Above the new main entrance is an extended soffit with metal paneling with a wood-like appearance. The wood-look paneling is carried over into the interior,

as is the brick façade. Inlaid lighting on the sidewalk and a cross made of LED lights attached to the façade provide striking nighttime accent lighting.

Once inside the vestibule, a security desk is directly to the left. Once visitors and students pass through the vestibule into the main lobby, the reception desk is to the left. To the right, on the other side of the brick wall, are two major components to the new addition: the new music/ band room and video broadcasting studio.

The music/band room was purposely located in this area, which is central to the entire student body, while also separated from academic classrooms to help alleviate noise concerns. A separate entrance slightly south of the new main entrance is directly across from the new music/band room, which will allow the

marching band to easily make their way to the football stadium on the south end of the property. Audio recording equipment was installed to seamlessly record rehearsals so students can listen back to pieces they are learning.

The video broadcasting room features multiple cameras, audio equipment, professional lighting and green screens.

“Our students are going to record a fiveminute news segment every day. Instead of doing announcements at the end of the day over the PA system, the kids will produce them, and it will be pushed out to all the classrooms,” says Bahr.

Fiber lines run from the auditorium to the broadcasting room for recording and mixing of live performances.

Where the southern-most part of the expansion meets the existing building

are storage and mechanical rooms and a shipping and receiving dock. In this area, visitors can really start to see how carefully the design team worked tirelessly to match the orange brick façade and gray brick accent colors.

Once students enter the building via the new main entrance, they enter the

main common area. This space features porcelain tile, which is slip-resistant and easy to clean, and a carpeted lounge area with a variety of comfortable seating options on easily movable furniture. At the far end of the common area is courtyard access.

Progressing north along the corridor from the main common area is a stairwell with built-in bench seating around the bottom. The corridor ends at the side entrance, which is where CLHSA staff will enter and exit the building. On the northernmost edge of the expansion is another long corridor with restrooms and classrooms. A state-of-the-art STEM lab and two science laboratory rooms are three vital components of the expansion.

At the northwest corner of the expansion is where the transition from existing to new construction exists. This is where a fire separation was constructed. At the top of the new staircase and to the left is a corridor that leads students south to existing classrooms. Directly to the right at the top of the new staircase is the multi-purpose Longhorn Room.

Students walking straight after climbing the stairs will find middle school classrooms and a slight ramp as they walk past the glass façade overlooking the courtyard. The ramp was required to address slight differences in height between the addition and existing building.

Because this was such a transformative expansion, the design team and school officials worked on making it easy

for students and visitors to find where they need to go.

“One thing we focused on to get ready for this school year was the signage for wayfinding,” says Miller.

Following the theme of “new meets existing” was the relocation of a metal sculpture that hung in the existing building since its inception in 1958. It is now located in a corridor near the band room with a placard commemorating it as a “bridge between the old and the new.”

CLHSA officials are delighted

“We’re so grateful for our decades-long partnership with both Krill and TDA,” says Ashley Koza, director of development for CLHSA. “They are incredible partners who have a unique understanding of our past, present and future, and that level of familiarity really shows in the work they did for us on this project.”

“It’s incredible to see the physical expansion come to fruition after years of planning, prayers and building of community support for this initiative,” adds Chris Steinmann, superintendent/ CEO of CLHSA and a 2000 graduate of Lutheran West.

“For years, we’ve been offering courses in subject areas like video production, STEM, the arts, business and more, but now we have state-of-the-art spaces in which students can dive deeper into those areas and more. I’m so excited to see the student academic and extracurricular experience broaden as a result of this expansion.”

GATHERING SPACE One of the new classrooms is the Longhorn Room, which is a large multi-purpose space that will be utilized for middle school chapel, staff meetings and other assemblies. The space can be divided into two via a modular wall.

Smart use of fiscal planning & action

Get Out of Jail Free

The real estate world has been abuzz the last several weeks as a result of a change in the National Association of Realtors’ (NAR) policy related to disclosing agent compensation. This change was required to be implemented for Realtor multiple listing services (or MLS) by August 17, 2024.

Needless to say, it’s been a hot topic and seems as if everyone and their mother (or in my case, my mother-in-law) wants to discuss it and voice their opinion. I brought this topic to light in this very column last February and, although a lot has occurred since then, I’m going to withhold updating my thoughts for another month or so. Instead, I’m going to discuss a related topic that few outside of the commercial real estate brokerage sector may fully understand.

The focus of the lawsuit filed against, among others, the NAR was a requirement that, in order for a property to be listed on a MLS, the listing agent had to include the fee the seller was offering to a co-operating buyer’s agent. In a recent discussion with my mother-in-law about the recent changes, I explained that there was a disconnect in the commercial sector because there is not a MLS. Her next question was one that many of you likely have as well: how does an agent know which commercial properties are listed? I gave her the ‘CliffsNotes’ response but I know that my loyal readers demand, and deserve, more.

There are a variety of resources available to assist an agent in identifying commercial real estate opportunities. All of these involve some sort of database of properties, but this is where the similarities end. I’m going to categorize the most popular resources within three buckets – free services that have no associated cost, public listing services that have a cost to list properties and full listing services that have a cost both to list and to search properties.

Free services

One of the most popular property databases is maintained by county auditors. Many of these sites are very elaborate, built on geographic information systems (GIS), include building information, photos and diagrams and allow searches on a variety of variables. However, the most critical downside is the fact that these sites do not include information on the property’s availability, either for lease or for sale. And, while these sites will include sale history, including transfer price (if recorded), date and buying entity, county auditors maintain these sites to

ALEC J. PACELLA

What I C @ PVC

CHERRY ON TOP Cherry Village apartments, a 444unit complex in Strongsville, recently sold for $60 million or $135,000 per unit. The sale is a result of the former Forest City Realty Trust, now Brookfield, paring down its apartment holdings.–AP

assist in one of their primary duties, property appraisals and real estate assess ments, rather than helping find listed opportunities. Another popular resource are the databases maintained by the majority of real estate brokerage compa nies. These can be searched by a variety of characteristics, including location, size and type and, unlike the county auditor websites, these will include properties that are actively listed. But there is an important downside for these as well; the properties will only be listings offered by that specific brokerage. There are several other, more obscure services that fall into this category, including Biproxi, Digsy and Craigslist.

Public listing services

Things start to get interesting in this category, where searching is available to anyone for free but there generally is a cost to list it. These are led by three pop ular services. LoopNet is considered the OG of commercial internet listing sites, dating to 1995. It is also the largest, with listings hovering around one million properties. Although you technically can either search for property or list a property for free, you can’t do both. The only way for a free user to see an available property is if the listing agent paid to list it. LoopNet is owned by industry giant CoStar, who I’ll discuss in the next section. Commercial Exchange is also a part of a larger platform, Catalyst, who I’ll also discuss in the next section. But unlike LoopNet, which is a stand-alone service, Commercial Exchange is the public-facing side of Catalyst. The third, CREXi, was founded in 2015 and has quickly grown in popularity, with around 500,000 property listings. But there is an overall rub. While each of these services remain popular amongst people searching for commercial opportunities, if I’m listing a property, it can get expensive. If I want my listings to appear on all of them, then I need to pay for all of them. But wait, there’s more – online listing services, that is. The list including

SIGNAGE SOLUTIONS

How Bad is t H at Leak?

CommercialEdge, CommercialSearch, PropertyShark, 42 Floors, CityFeet, Commercial MLS, Total Commercial, RealNex and CIMLS, among others.

Full listing services

This category is considered a true subscription-based service – a user must subscribe to either search for a property or list a property. A primary advantage is data integrity, as these services have researchers that not only actively monitor listings to ensure accuracy but also

include data for all properties, not just those that are currently listed. These services also include items such as quarterly research studies, sale and lease comparables, the ability to analyze custom data sets and the option to generate a variety of reports. Needless to say, they are also the most expensive. There are two primary companies in this category, both of whom were previously mentioned. CoStar Group is a real estate industry giant. The company was the first to digitize and aggregate property data when it was

Space Comfort co.

founded in 1987. It has grown rapidly through a dizzying series of acquisitions, entering the Northeast Ohio market in the late 1990s by acquiring a regional data provider, Lease Trends. Subsequent acquisitions included LoopNet, BizBuySell, Apartments.com and Ten-X before jumping into the residential sector by acquiring Homes.com and most recently Matterport. The only other similar service on a national basis is Catalyst, which dates to 2001. It is much smaller but has the stout backing of financial industry giant Moody’s Corp, who acquired the company in 2021 to complement acquisitions across the risk analysis, financial modeling and data analytics sectors. While these are the only two companies to operate on a national platform, there are several metropolitan areas that maintain a

Commercial property listing services can be confusing and segmented, depending on the preferences of the person who is searching. If a listing agent for a commercial property wants a listing to be visible “on the internet,” it can be a time-consuming and expensive process.

n

Providing

commercial listing service. These include the Louisiana Commercial Database, St. Louis Commercial Data Systems and Minnesota Commercial Association of Realtors, among a handful of others.

Commercial property listing services can be confusing and segmented, depending on the preferences of the person who is searching. If a listing agent for a commercial property wants a listing to be visible “on the internet,” it can be a time-consuming and expensive process. And that is a critical distinction as compared to listing a residential property on the regional MLS where… oh, wait, I should stop now before sliding into a forthcoming article!

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.

Navigating property laws & regulations

Expanding Intrigue of AI in Construction

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has roared into the discourse of the new economy. While the construction industry has lagged behind in its implementation, there is no doubt that AI has become an inescapable reality. Opportunity for improvements in efficiency make the construction industry primed for a boom in the expansion of construction-related AI applications.

The Stanford Institute for HumanCentered Artificial Intelligence reports, in its seventh edition of the “AI Index Report,” that several studies suggest AI enables labor to operate faster and with improved outcomes. Inevitably, as AI expands into new industries and erupts in existing uses, the need to assess risk and prepare for the challenges that accompany AI cannot be ignored. Contractors, design professionals, owners and construction practitioners are wise to take stock of where AI applications have materialized in the industry and how to stay ahead of the curve.

Possible applications of AI in construction include:

Estimation + scheduling

Estimating project costs and optimizing schedules are key components of

measuring a project’s success, especially in the early stages of a project. AI modeling assists in computing millions of data points to enhance existing BIM (building information modeling) data. Assessing criteria of a project – while accounting for external factors, additional materials, resources and waste – enables managers to more accurately predict overruns and improve the utilization of existing resources.

Risk mitigation

Site safety is and will continue to be a priority for construction managers. AI applications have the ability to turn a job site into a smart site. Construction site analytics are collected through sensors, cameras and other digital technology capable of generating reports on predictive and

MALEK KHAWAM

AARON EVENCHIK

proactive safety management. For example, an existing application of AI software evaluates whether the use of personal protective equipment is properly implemented by processing images and videos of a site.

Robotics

Think 3D printing, drone mapping and highly specialized equipment that mimic physical human actions. Machine learning in automated equipment proposes to fill a gap in the shortage of skilled labor. The construction industry is witnessing developments in machines that are capable of bricklaying, welding, performing sitework, grading, excavation, demolition and paving.

Legal landscape + emerging trends

As new as AI is to the market, even more novel are the legal challenges related directly and indirectly to AI. Given the lack of a definite regulatory framework, construction professionals may look to comparisons in other industries where AI litigation grapples with unresolved questions of liability. As of yet, there is no known litigation related to the use or misuse of AI utilized in a construction project. The only known real estate specific AI litigation involves unfair competition challenges against a real estate software and data analytics company that is accused of artificially inflating the prices of residential real estate rents, creating a data-driven rental property cartel.

Litigation involving AI has been heavily characterized by privacy, copyright and trademark claims, although there is sure to be an increase of legal theories involving the use or misuse of AI in tort, breach of contract, defective design, product liability and negligence.

Despite having reached the market several years ago, there is little guidance from courts regarding liability in the context of self-driving cars. A number of suits brought against car manufacturer, Tesla, highlight the uncertainty of outcomes in AI litigation. In at least two instances, Tesla was found not responsible following jury trials in California state courts. Tesla recently settled a case involving the death of an Apple engineer, and several other cases are set for trial this year. Outcomes of these cases

and cases with similar machine learning applications appear to hinge on whom to attribute liability for mistakes

involving AI systems: the user, the developer, or the AI by and of itself?

Modeling the future

Construction professionals are encouraged to be considerate of mechanisms to mitigate risk in the immediate future: 1) continue to follow how the courts

resolve questions of liability involving AI, and how that might translate in the construction industry; 2) evaluate how insurance coverage might be leveraged to mitigate risk (although AI-specific coverage is limited, property insurance, general commercial liability, and errors and omissions coverage can play an essential role in protecting against loss); and 3) consider inclusion of contract language that contemplates the risks of AI (subject to a future article).

Malek Khawam is an associate in Hahn Loeser’s Cleveland office and a member of the firm’s construction and business practice areas. Aaron Evenchik is an attorney specializing in construction and real estate law, where he represents clients in both transactional and litigation matters. For more information, visit www.hahnlaw.com.

BILLBOARD

Medina Seeks Proposals for Development Opportunity

The Medina City Development Corporation (MCDC) recently announced it has issued a request for proposals (RFP)/request for qualifications (RFQ) for a development opportunity within its historic downtown area.

The 0.443-acre site, which is currently a city parking lot, is bordered on the east by Sully’s Irish Pub and to the west by the Donald J. Pease Federal Building, with south-facing frontage on high traffic West Liberty Street (SR-18). It is one block west of the Medina Square, with the Medina City Hall Parking Deck and City Hall located to the north. The parking deck, which has four EV charging stations and is open for public use, will also be available free of change to tenants and customers using the new building. This downtown development site is approximately 140 feet wide and 238 feet deep and will be ground-leased to the developer for an initial period of 50 years, followed by five renewals of five years each for an additional 25 years. All environmental testing has been completed. For more information, contact the MCDC assistant board secretary by phone at 330.722.9029 or email at bdzur@medinaoh.org.

Roetzel & Andress Expands with Addition of Brouse McDowell Attorneys

Roetzel & Andress and Brouse McDowell, two of Akron’s oldest law firms, recently announced they’ve reached an agreement for a strategic expansion through

Roetzel’s hiring of 43 attorneys from Brouse McDowell, effective on October 1. The move will bolster Roetzel’s corporate and transactional, real estate, health care, bankruptcy and restructuring, employment and litigation practice groups.

Roetzel was founded in 1876,

while Brouse McDowell was established in 1918.

PREP Welcomes Salata,

Brandt as Partners

Provider Real Estate Partners, LLC (PREP), a dedicated real estate fund management and advisory

firm, recently announced the appointments of Chris Salata and Keith Brandt as partners and co-presidents of its newly created industrial vertical.

Both 20-plus-year real estate development veterans most recently served as senior executives at Industrial Commercial Properties LLC (ICP) in Cleveland. At ICP, they played key roles in growing and optimizing the company’s real estate assets into one of the largest privately held industrial and commercial portfolios in the Midwest, which includes over 150 properties. Salata served

Photo provided by MCDC

Aerial view of development area

Chris Salata

as ICP’s chief operating officer since 2018, and Brandt served as executive vice president, spearheading a national initiative to identify and repurpose former regional malls and retail properties.

Founded in 2020 by Joe Boehm III (CEO/co-founder) and Bob O’Brien (CFO),

PREP launched its first investment fund in 2021 focused on acquiring healthcare real estate, and since then has purchased or served as an advisor on over $100 million of stabilized medical outpatient building and ambulatory surgery center acquisitions across the U.S.

AIA Cleveland Announces Design Awards Call for Entries

The Cleveland chapter of American Association of Architects (AIA Cleveland) recently announced it is accepting submissions for its upcoming 2024 Design Awards. This year’s awards event will take place at the recently renovated Hotel Cleveland (24 Public

Square, Cleveland) on Friday, November 22. This year’s celebration will feature Steve Dumez, FAIA, principal/director of design with Eskew Dumez Ripple+, as keynote speaker.

The Cleveland Design Awards program recognizes excellence in design by invit-

ing local firms to submit their best work to be reviewed by nationally renowned juries. The deadline for submissions is Friday, October 4. Visit www.aiacleveland.com/designawards for details.

Emerald Built Environments Partners with Crete United

Cleveland-based building consulting company

Emerald Built Environments recently announced it has partnered with Crete United and will now be known as a “Crete United company.” Crete United is a provider of energy efficiency, HVAC, electrical and other mechanical services.

As part of the nationwide Crete United network,

COMMERCIAL & INDUSTRIAL ELECTRICAL

Keith Brandt

Steve Dumez

Emerald Built Environments

“now can offer multi-service solutions to increase sustainable performance including renewable energy design, HVAC design and maintenance, building automation and electric supply,” per a press announcement last month. With the transition, Laura Steinbrink will remain as CEO of Emerald Built Environments but will also serve as president of sustainability at Crete United.

Norris Brothers Announces Leadership Changes

Norris Brothers Company announced recently that Joseph B. Michael has retired from the position as president and CEO of the company.

Courtney Norris has assumed the role of CEO/COO, effective August 1.

Norris is part of the fifth generation of the Norris family to lead the company, which provides a wide range of industrial contracting services including heavy machinery moving and

rigging, machinery maintenance, repair and overhaul, and a variety of specialized construction services. He becomes the CEO/COO after serving most recently as the COO.

ACP to Host Innovation Expo in October

Air Control Products (ACP) recently shared details about its 2024 Innovation Expo, an annual, multi-day educational and networking event that takes place in both Cleveland and Columbus. This year’s expo kicks off on October 8 at WatersEdge Event & Conference Center in the Columbus suburb of Hilliard. The event continues on October 9 and 10 at ACP Headquarters (3800 Towpath Rd., Broadview Heights). The Innovation Expo will feature more than 25 manufacturers who will showcase the latest technologies available within the HVAC industry, while a variety of OCILB-certified and PDH classes will be offered as well, totaling eight course credits overall. The event will also feature mobile learning centers, food, drinks and prizes. To register, visit www.aircontrolproducts.com.

Courtney Norris

All Together Now Cloverleaf Schools opens new high school + middle school building on reimagined campus

By Dan Holland | Photos by Mark Watt

Late last month, Cloverleaf Local School District kicked off its 2024/2025 school year by welcoming students to its brand-new combined high school/middle school building, located at 7540 Buffham Rd. in Westfield Township. The new state-of-the-art 230,000-square-foot, three-story building is situated just south of the site of the former middle school, opened in 1970, which was demolished this summer.

The $69.5 million project, which was funded solely by NEXUS natural gas pipeline tax revenues and the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission, as part of the OFCC Expedited Local Partnership Program, is part of a larger campus makeover that began in 2015 with phased construction of new bleacher stands, concessions stand, field turf, all-weather track, restrooms and an electronic scoreboard at Gene Clark Stadium, located just west of the new school building. The stadium project was completed in fall 2021.

The new school facility is the final phase in a complete remaking of the entire school campus, which began with construction of a centralized 128,000-square-foot elementary school (pre-K through 5th grade) that opened in January 2012 just north of the new high school/middle school. The district

serves approximately 2,400 students within five townships and five villages.

Assembling a team

In 2020, the school district brought together the design team of GPD Group, of Akron, and C.T. Taylor, of Hudson, as construction manager at risk for the project. Westfield Consulting Group was hired to act as owner’s representative. Groundbreaking for the new school building – constructed on the site of a former baseball field – took place in fall 2021.

News that the planned NEXUS pipeline would run through the district in 2016 was the first step in beginning the process of redevelopment, according to Superintendent Daryl Kubilus.

“I wanted to get the feel of our communities in how our residents would like us to spend the proceeds from

the NEXUS pipeline,” explains Kubilus. “And so, we contracted with a company that did a survey of all 10 of our communities to ask residents how they would like to see the revenue utilized, and overwhelmingly, people said they would like us to use that money for new school buildings.”

Initial plans called for a new, standalone high school to be constructed, with middle schoolers being relocated to the existing high school building, explains Kubilus.

“We began the process of working through the OFCC to construct a high school; our original thought at the time was to renovate the original [1960] high school to act as the middle school,” he says. “But then we found out through the OFCC that we could actually add a middle school portion to this project, and some

by

Photo

John Gladden

• 75,000 square feet of Precast Hollowcore Plank was shipped and installed by Mack Industries, Inc.

• Plank was produced and shipped from Valley City, Ohio and Vienna, Ohio

• Approximately 100 yards of concrete grout mix between the planks was shipped from Valley City, Ohio

• More than 100 precast sanitary/storm structures were installed

• Mack built the precast base then coordinated and installed the school’s mascot horse statue

• Cloverleaf graduate Dylan Varga led the erecting crews on both the High School and Middle School

• Both projects were delivered on time and finished ahead of schedule

things had also worked out with our pipeline revenue.”

It was decided that a two-story middle school would be added on to the south side of the high school building, with design plans calling for groupings of similar-use spaces within the facility. The middle school addition delayed opening of the new facility by one year.

“Our vision always included a middle school, but now we have one sixth through 12th grade building,” says Kubilus. “There’s a lot of excitement building in this community for this project, and as educators, we’re really excited about it as well.”

User input

the floorplans and looking at the actual teaching environment that the students would be in,” explains Aaron Rodebaugh, project manager for GPD Group.

“Our initial presentation wowed the district in some ways, but the current building doesn’t look anything like the building we showed in that first presentation,” he adds. “The final design and layout were really informed by the

tions and settlements that were taking place. As a result, we shifted focus to start the athletic facilities first and engage in extensive site master planning. Despite the challenges, we made significant progress in laying out a solid plan for the entire campus.”

“There’s a lot of excitement building in this community for this project, and as educators, we’re really excited about it as well.”

The school district and design team sought community input early on in the process. “The thing that stood out with GPD was that, in their presentation, they showed a rendering of what Cloverleaf High School could look like,” says Kubilus. “But they tempered that by telling us that they wanted to hear from us and our constituents on how the building would best define Cloverleaf.”

“From a design standpoint, we started with educational visioning, where we invited community members, staff members, safety forces and others to talk about the concept for the building, going beyond

“There was a lot of site master planning and how everything was going to go during that time in 2020 during COVID, but we got a lot done at that time to set the right roadmap for the rest of the campus,” he adds. The resequencing allowed for early ordering of certain materials for the school building.

Daryl Kubilus Cloverleaf Local School District

stakeholders, school staff, community members and everyone we spoke with.”

Early sequencing + strategy

Work on the stadium site, performed by the same design/construction team, was initially planned to follow completion of a new school building.

“We began collaborating with the district in 2020, just as COVID-19 was emerging,” explains Rodebaugh. “This timing presented some challenges along with NEXUS pipeline funding negotia-

“We were going to start with the high school, but once COVID hit, we just called timeout and began work on the stadium first –that was probably more complex than the work at the high school due to the availability of products in 2021,” explains Dave Hamm, project manager for C.T. Taylor. ”We struggled with a lot of raw materials, lead times and vulnerability of cost. But that gave us some breathing room to sequence the school project and talk with vendors. In strategizing, we had to put a roof package out – due to roof membranes and insulation being in short supply – while we were doing

WIDE OPEN The newly completed Cloverleaf High School and Middle School building incorporates a number of distinctive design features, such as a secondary student dining area and kitchen with interior windows looking down into the gym.

earth work for the school to get roofing materials procured.”

Overcoming hurdles during construction of the high school allowed a smooth process when adding on the middle school, according to Hamm.

“By adding the middle school, it actually helped us get a good head start on the high school, as a lot of those components that were in the high school came into the middle school; so, there was a learning curve,” explains Hamm. “Rather than trying to complete one large building at one time, we began with the high school and then added the middle school, which allowed us to work

in one clockwise rotation to get things done. The timing worked out well, as we were able to work through the vulnerabilities of the market.”

Exteriors

Exterior block, brick and panels used in the elementary school and stadium project helped inform material selections for the new school building.

“Going back to the concessions stand, we started to match up the red brick and buff brick from the elementary school to start aligning the whole campus with similar materials and exteriors,” explains Rodebaugh. “There’s a

darker burnished block that has a little reflectance to it that looks a little bit like stone. The last main material was a green-glazed brick that is only in a few highlighted areas to set it off, along with use of metal panels.”

Motorists traveling along U.S. Route 224, which runs east-west just south of the site, will notice an asymmetric pattern on the middle school south wall consisting of metal panels and green, dark and clearglass windows that highlight the district’s school colors. Exterior windows consist of argon-filled low-E glass.

Separate but together

Although the high school and middle school are considered separate entities, with each having its own main entrance, a number of same-type use amenities –particularly athletics and fine arts – were grouped together.

“Early in the schematic design phase, we made a key decision on how the middle school would connect with the high school,” explains Rodebaugh. “We did extensive planning to accommodate this integration from the start. The kitchen was designed to serve both the high school and middle school from day one and was planned

FEATURED SPACES

The new facility includes a two-story athletics lobby, featuring an extended-height trophy case (top), while a new arts wing includes a state-of-the-art, 650-seat auditorium (bottom).

to be built during the high school phase of the project.”

“We also decided to group all the athletics spaces together rather than being separate, to house all of those departmental pieces together,” Rodebaugh continues. “The same goes for the art rooms and music rooms. That gives the benefit for an advanced middle school student to easily utilize the high school facilities. That was a philosophy that was decided early on in the project.”

Additionally, a centralized outdoor courtyard is accessible from both school sections.

High school layout

The main high school entrance, along the north parking lot, leads into the athletics wing. The main high school gym, to the right, is separated from the middle school gym at the rear by a moveable partition. To the left of the main lobby sit the administrative and staff offices.

The open two-story athletics lobby features an extended-height trophy case. Just opposite is an open second-floor balcony with a photo mural that pays homage to the 10 communities in the district that features iconic images from Chatham, Guildford, Harrisville, Lafayette and Westfield townships, along with the villages of Chippewa Lake, Gloria Glens, Lodi, Seville and Westfield Center.

“We’re 119 square miles in our Cloverleaf School District with five townships and five villages,” Kubilus says. “We wanted to pay homage to all of our communities right here in a common area. We think we’ve captured that.”

The Cloverleaf Colts’ name and logo, emblazoned at center court in the high school gym, was created using color stains on the maple athletic flooring, along with other shadings and graphics on the court.

The high school and middle school gyms contain a total of 12 basketball goal systems. Both gyms feature retractable bleacher seating, sound attenuation wall tiles and LED scoreboards. An auxiliary gym with rubberized athletic flooring, used for physical education classes and other activities, sits just behind the middle school gym.

An athletics hallway, which features photo murals that highlight Cloverleaf student-athletes and differing themes, leads to six locker rooms, a weight room, PE offices and restrooms.

A separate corridor to the rear of the locker rooms provides access to the science rooms, which incorporates 1,100-square-foot labs.

The east wing is centered around a 650-seat auditorium, complete with sound attenuation panels, a catwalk and fly space above the stage. Dressing rooms, tech rooms, restrooms and storage spaces wrap around the auditorium. The wing also contains music and art rooms for both schools, a modular tech lab and custodial spaces.

Academic wings are situated on the second and third floors, with the second floor containing the secondary student dining area and kitchen. A

second-floor area near the front of the school contains the media center and rooms for multimedia production, film production, podcasts, computer and business training, plus a STEM Lab. Certain classrooms feature a moveable partition with dry-erase surfaces between rooms.

Middle school layout

The main middle school entrance along the south face opens into a wide corridor that provides access to the performance arts wing. Administrative offices and a media center are located on the first floor, adjacent to the wing. Grades six through eight are contained within distinct wings of the middle school, each with its own color palette. Each grade level is divided into two teams within eight classrooms. The 810-squarefoot classrooms feature overhead garage

FLEXIBLE LEARNING SPACES Classrooms throughout the school feature roll-up overhead garage doors (top), which allow easy, open access to shared extended learning areas (middle) when desired. The school also includes a STEM Lab (bottom).

doors that open into the drop ceilings. Extended learning areas (ELAs) situated in wide corridor spaces provide an array of seating options for collaboration.

Classrooms feature erasable white boards, a moveable display monitor, storage cabinet space and multi-tiered seating and desk options. Locker banks in select sections of the ELAs are available for student use.

Interior design considerations

Although the interior color palette includes the school colors, Kubilus did not want “Cloverleaf green” throughout the entirety of the two schools.

“We wanted our athletic areas –mainly the gymnasium, the first-floor hallway and the athletic hallway with all the locker rooms to scream Cloverleaf green,” says Kubilus. “But the aesthetic we wanted for the schools was to have a college atmosphere in the high school. We left the colors up to the interior designer.”

“The challenge was to provide a link between the elementary school color scheme and the college color scheme of the high school,” he continues. “The most compliments we’ve received are on the colors in the middle school. I think the interior designer really captured that essence, with each grade unit having a different palette and all of them complementing each other.”

An effort to bring outdoor elements indoors, such as large exterior windows throughout and wood veneer panels in specific areas, was purposeful in the design.

“Studies have shown that students work better when they have a lot of natural light,” adds Rodebaugh. “Bringing in natural light was an element our interior designer, Jen Snyder, kept in mind when working with the color schemes.”

Building systems

A decision to use precast planks, in addition to load-bearing masonry block and steel frame, was key in allowing construction to stay on schedule, according to Hamm. “Precast plank was a recommendation we worked with GPD on,” he says. “The market was vulnerable with

joist and decking when we first started this project, so we tried to minimize that piece into the roof structure and not integrate it with floor-to-floor. That was where we promoted precast planks, which worked out well.”

Flooring surfaces throughout the building consist of terrazzo, luxury vinyl tile, ceramic tile, carpet tile, polished concrete, epoxy floors in science rooms and a maple athletic floor in the main gym and middle school gym. Interior walls consist of CMU and drywall. LED lighting is featured throughout.

Exterior walls are 16 inches thick and include air barriers and insulation, while a TPO roofing system tops the building. The facility is in the process of pursuing LEED Silver certification.

Community effort

Cooperation from Medina County and local municipalities aided in moving the project forward, says Kubilus. “Medina County is very close knit,” he says. “Members of the local police department were just here talking to our principal about parking, for instance. They want to help us navigate some of those challenges. And the fire chief has been here continually, because he views the Cloverleaf kids as his kids from his community.”

“In working with the Medina County traffic engineers, I always had the feeling that they were trying to help us with the project, as a new traffic signal had to be installed at Friendsville and Buffham

BLENDING MATERIALS

roads,” Kubilus adds. “It just felt like everyone was pro-Cloverleaf.”

Team effort

Having Westfield Consulting Group as owner’s representative helped streamline the construction process, says Kubilus. “They bring a deep understanding of school construction, as they were the liaison between the school district, the architects and construction team,” he says. “Oftentimes, the construction team would bring up a term that I’m not familiar with, but they [Westfield] understand the nomenclature and were able to translate things to

me that made them meaningful to me as an educator.”

“We’ve been together for four years, and we’ve had an open line of communication throughout where we talked with the team, set expectations of what we needed, and it has all worked out great,” says Hamm. “Probably the best thing that happened on this project was putting the middle school addition in place when they did. It flowed a lot better from a contractor’s perspective. Everything came together once they made the decision to move forward with the middle school.”

“This team set a nice path forward, and there were some big challenges we talked through, as there were lots of small dayto-day challenges, but Dave Hamm was on top of those 100%,” says Rodebaugh. “As far as the superintendent and the school district, they were always available, always ready whenever we had a question about which direction they wanted to go. We were here all the way through construction, and that’s the part where we were making decisions and choices.”

“It was great every step of the way with this team,” adds Kubilus. “Early on in the project, I saw workers here on weekends, as they made our projected opening date a priority. Dave Hamm never showed any stress about being able to open our building on time. He tends to under-promise and overdeliver, and I appreciate that.”

“I think this project raises the esteem of the entire school district and the community,” he adds. “People are seeing what’s happening in Cloverleaf and they’re excited about it.”

by John Gladden

Photo

BUILDING GREEN

Decarbonizing Real Estate Via District Energy

A look at the environmental + energy efficiency benefits of district energy

By Alexis Omilion Corix | Cleveland Thermal

Making a business case for decarbonizing real estate in Ohio can be challenging. With the exception of an alternative energy portfolio standard that requires 8.5% of the state’s electricity supply to come from renewable and alternative energy sources by 2026, Ohio does not have any statewide polices that support carbon emissions reduction.

The need to decarbonize real estate in Ohio comes from businesses and organizations with decarbonization goals, as well as pressure from local municipalities, tenants and consumers who wish to minimize their carbon footprint. However, forward-thinking companies and individuals understand that it is only a matter of time before Ohio’s climate policy catches up with other regions of the country. Twenty-four states and the District of Columbia have set specific greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction targets, 33 states have developed a climate action plan, and 14 states have carbon pricing in place through cap-and-trade programs. While most of these cap-andtrade programs are specific to the power

sector, California’s and Washington’s programs are much broader, covering approximately 80% and 75% of statewide greenhouse gas emissions, respectively.

While many view building electrification as the solution to decarbonizing real estate, care must be taken to understand the cost of an electric conversion, as well as the emissions factor associated with the electricity generation.

With energy for commercial and residential properties accounting for 31% of all U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, imple-

mentation of low-carbon heating and cooling solutions has become a necessity in these states. As climate policy in Ohio evolves, significant modifications will need to be made to building HVAC systems in order to meet future greenhouse gas reduction targets.

Building emissions

The environmental impact of heating and cooling buildings, in terms of CO2 emissions, depends on two variables – the efficiency of the system and the source of energy. The simplest method of reducing a building’s emissions factor is to maximize the building’s efficiency. Conventional heating and cooling systems in commercial buildings include equipment like boilers, chillers, cooling towers, heat pumps and air conditioners, which are powered by either natural gas or electricity. As this equipment ages and degrades, system efficiency decreases significantly, which proportionately increases energy consumption and CO2 emissions.

While many view building electrification as the solution to decarbonizing real estate, care must be taken to understand the cost of an electric conversion, as well as the emissions factor associated with the electricity generation. Replacing natural gas boilers with electric boilers or heat pumps can be a very powerful decarbonization technique in regions with a relatively clean electrical grid. However, converting an existing building from natural gas to electric heating is often not economically feasible. Furthermore, in regions like Ohio, where grid electricity has an average GHG footprint of 1,000 lbs/MWh,

extremely high system efficiencies would need to be achieved to generate lower emissions than a high-efficiency natural gas boiler system. Such efficiencies can only be achieved by using a waste heat source or geothermal heat source. Without adequate system efficiency, electrification will result in a higher building GHG footprint until Ohio’s electrical grid decarbonizes.

Future-proofing your real estate investment with district energy

Connecting a building to a district energy system helps to maximize the thermal energy efficiency of the building while also providing the flexible platform needed to adapt to changing environmental requirements and incentives. District energy systems supply steam, hot water and chilled water from a central plant to multiple buildings in a district through a network of underground piping (see Figure 1). The thermal energy generation equipment inside each building is replaced with a simple heat exchanger that transfers the thermal energy to the building’s HVAC system.

Aggregation of load and industrialgrade, high-efficiency equipment leads to efficiencies unachievable with conventional in-building systems. As the environmental needs of the community change, low-carbon technologies such as geothermal, biomass, waste heat recovery or solar-thermal can be implemented at the central plant. With the distribu-

tion system already in place, there is no need to replace, modify or upgrade the equipment at individual buildings.

A district energy approach to heating and cooling provides an economical means of reducing building CO2 emissions in the near-term, while ensuring that the building is set up for

a simple conversion to lower-carbon heating and cooling as Ohio’s climate policy evolves.

Alexis Omilion is director, business development with Corix | Cleveland Thermal. She can be reached by phone at 216.894.2873 or email at alexis.omilion@clevelandthermal.com.

District energy delivers heating and cooling with

99.9%

clevelandthermal.com reliability

BUILDING GREEN

Efficiency in the Air Air-circulating fans can provide a simple, effective sustainable solution for thermal comfort

By Dave Tarpey Big Ass Fans

In today’s new construction market, the role of air-circulating fans in sustainable building construction cannot be overstated. Not only can these fans increase occupant comfort levels in buildings, but they also support an overarching sustainable approach to addressing the challenges in the built environment posed by climate change.

Northeastern Ohio has experienced significant warming over the past decades. Research from GLISA (glisa.umich.edu/division/northeastern-ohio) indicates that the annual average temperature in the region has increased by approximately 3.2°F from 1953 to 2023, a warming trend that is faster than both the national and global averages.

Based on historical maximum temperatures, an extremely hot day in Ohio is currently about 91 degrees Fahrenheit. While Ohio experienced about 30 days where the temperature exceeded 91 degrees in 2020, the annual number of extremely hot days is predicted to grow to 43 by 2050 (“Ohio Top Climate Change Risks: Precipitation, Heat, Flood; Climate Check,” available at https://climatecheck.com/ohio).

predicted to rise (Ohio Climate Change

This puts pressure on employers to tions and mitigate heat stress, a matter

In light of these changes, there is a compelling need to adapt building designs to accommodate harsher environmental conditions and enhance resiliency. Air-circulating fans, with their costeffective and energy-efficient attributes, offer a compelling solution to maintain comfortable indoor temperatures while minimizing reliance on energy-intensive air conditioning systems. By enhancing air circulation, fans can reduce cooling demand in conditioned buildings and alleviate heat strain in unconditioned spaces. This cooling effect is particularly beneficial in large spaces where installing traditional air conditioning systems might be impractical or cost-prohibitive.

For instance, in environments where temperatures reach up to 102 degrees, air-circulating fans can provide a cooling

Experts In Exterior Masonry Repair & Restoration

McMahon Masonry Restoration

effect equivalent to a reduction of more than nine degrees in perceived temperature (“Application of Gagge’s energy balance model to determine humiditydependenttemperature thresholds for healthy adults using electric fans during heatwaves,” Tartarini, et al; https:// tinyurl.com/2v9dpxs7).

In conditioned spaces, such as offices and retail environments, fans can complement existing HVAC systems by improving air distribution and reducing the overall cooling load.

Studies have shown that incorporating fans into HVAC systems can lead to significant increase in a building’s energy efficiency. For example, by increasing the thermostat setpoint from 72 degrees to 80 degrees while using fans, buildings can achieve similar levels of occupant comfort with reduced energy use (“Optimizing Energy Conservation Measures in a Grocery Store,” Center for the Built Environment, University of California, Berkeley; https://tinyurl.com/2awf6tbc). This approach not only enhances the resilience of HVAC systems against rising outdoor temperatures but also contributes to lower peak cooling loads and reduced electricity consumption.

Air-circulating fans can help bridge the gap between current building standards and future climatic realities. As building codes and standards evolve to address new environmental conditions, fans provide an immediate and effective means to enhance building performance and occupant comfort. The adaptability and scalability of air-circulating fans makes them an essential tool in the ongoing effort to create more sustainable and resilient built environments.

Embracing such innovative solutions can foster a more sustainable and resilient new construction industry. As society continues to confront the challenges posed by rising temperatures, the role of fans in sustainable construction will undoubtedly become more critical, offering a simple yet powerful solution to an increasingly complex problem.

Dave Tarpey, director of sales/distribution with Big Ass Fans, can be reached at 859.397.5881 or email at Dave.Tarpey@bigassfans.com.

LEEDing to a Greener Future Considering sustainable design/construction standards

By Oliver Mahnke RWK Services, Inc.

According to Archiroots, a green education company focused primarily on the AEC community, “a green building, also known as a sustainable or eco-friendly building, is a structure designed and constructed with a focus on minimizing its environmental impact throughout its lifecycle” (Archiroots, 2024).

The introduction to green buildings came around the 1960s but was not taken seriously until the 1970s energy crisis. The crisis fueled the development of energy renewable resources, such as solar and wind energy, as well as more efficient building design and construction. Fast forward to the present, “buildings in the U.S. account for 40% of our energy use, 65% of waste output and 12% of our water use” (Green Building Alliance, 2024).

With numbers like this, it’s clear that our earth cannot continue at this rate. Green, healthy high performing buildings offer a beneficial solution.

Cost vs. benefit

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), there are three benefits to building green. The first benefit is environmental. Green buildings assist in improving air and water quality, enhancing and protecting biodiversity and ecosystems, as well as conserving and restoring natural resources. Second, there are economic benefits. These include reductions in operation costs, shaping markets for green products/services and improving occupant productivity.

The last benefit is social. This includes enhanced occupant comfort and health, larger aesthetic qualities and an overall improved quality of life. Statistically speaking, green, healthy, high performing buildings are shown to “reduce energy by up to 50%, reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 33%, reduce solid waste by up to 70% and reduce water use by 40%” (Green Building Alliance, 2024).

The real question is if green buildings cost more than traditional buildings. Per a report in Columbia Climate School’s “State of the Planet,” “While a green building has been found to cost about 2% more than a non-green building, energy savings alone help recoup the extra cost of the building in about six years” (“The How and Why of Green Building,” Renée Cho, 2016). In the short term, green buildings may cost more. Long term, however, they are designed to benefit the environment, economy and society and in time they will begin to save facilities money rather than owe in the future.

Green rating systems

The world’s first green building standard was introduced in the United Kingdom

BUILDING GREEN

in 1990, followed by the establishment of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) in 1993. A couple years later, the USGBC developed the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building rating system. The rating systems include LEED for Building Design & Construction; LEED for Interior Design & Construction;

LEED for Building Operations & Maintenance; LEED for Neighborhood Development; LEED for Homes; and LEED for Cities & Communities.

Within each of the rating systems, projects must satisfy prerequisites and earn points. The number of points a project earns determines its certification. Certifications can range from

YOUR INDUSTRY

IS OUR BUSINESS.

At Hahn Loeser, our Construction Team was listed for the fifth year in a row in Construction Executive Magazine’s Top 50 Construction Law Firms. Further, we are ranked as a National Tier 1 practice for Litigation – Construction in the 2024 “Best Law Firms” report by U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers® and our attorneys are recognized as industry leaders by Chambers USA®, Best Lawyers® and Super Lawyers®

We offer our clients exceptional strength, leadership and industry knowledge. Our responsive team of hardworking professionals is committed to seeking outstanding results for our clients around the corner and across the country.

For the latest legal developments impacting your business, subscribe to our blog at constructionlawinsights.com.

certified all the way to platinum. Green Building Alliance shares the main credit categories are integrative process, location/transportation, sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy/atmosphere, materials/resources and indoor environmental quality. LEED provides a robust framework for facility and property managers to maintain green practices. There is a LEED for all building types and all building phases.

As mentioned, there are requirements facilities must follow to be LEED Certified. These can include using energy-efficient technology, such as automated lights, high-perfor-

In the short term, green buildings may cost more. Long term, however, they are designed to benefit the environment, economy and society and in time they will begin to save facilities money rather than owe in the future.

mance HVAC systems and efficient water fixtures. Green cleaning, which has also become an integral component for LEED certification, avoids the use of toxic chemicals to assist in indoor air quality and decrease exposure to harsh chemicals. It’s also a long-term solution for the environment and saving money.

Green buildings are the next step in environmental sustainability. This practice benefits the environment, the economy and our society. With green buildings, being backed by certification requirements such as LEED, they ensure a greener tomorrow.

This article was written by Oliver Mahnke, Sales Associate at RWK Services, Inc. RWK Services has served Northeast Ohio commercial property managers for 40 years and is a BOMA Greater Cleveland Signature Partner. Mahnke can be reached by phone at 440-346-6791 or email at oliver.mahnke@rwkservices.com.

Ready for a smarter approach to building maintenance?

Gardiner Does It.

Building owners are finding that traditional preventive maintenance isn’t enough. In fact, 80% of modern HVAC equipment fails before the end of its rated useful life.

But it doesn’t have to. Gardiner Data Services is a new, data-driven approach to maintenance. Our team leverages the world’s most powerful building analytics engine to diagnose, prioritize, and act on issues impacting system performance before they become problems - many of which can be corrected remotely.

Ready to see the future of HVAC maintenance? Gardiner Does It.

BUILDING GREEN

Commercial real estate happenings

Positive Impact of a Green Workplace

In today’s world, environmental consciousness is not merely an optional corporate responsibility, but a necessity. Green initiatives, or sustainability efforts, are increasingly influencing the employee work experience, enhancing productivity, creativity and overall job satisfaction. These initiatives range from increased attention on indoor air quality (IAQ), increased natural light and access to outdoor space.

One of the most significant benefits of green initiatives is improved health and well-being. Companies that emphasize green initiatives often provide cleaner work environments, reducing employees’ exposure to harmful pollutants. This can lead to fewer health issues, fewer sick days and increased productivity. Moreover, green initiatives can also boost employee morale. When companies show a commitment to sustainability, it demonstrates a concern not only for the environment, but also for the welfare of their employees. This can make employ-

ees feel more valued, leading to increased job satisfaction and retention. Green initiatives can foster creativity and innovation as well. When businesses challenge their employees to develop sustainable solutions, it stimulates creative thinking and problem-solving skills. This not only leads to novel ideas for the company, but it also enhances employees’ personal and professional growth. Furthermore, green initiatives can enhance a company’s reputation, making it more appealing to prospective employees.

EXPERTS

YOU ARE WHAT YOU BREATHE

AT THE READY WHEN YOU’RE SHORT ON STAFF.

The indoor air quality of any facility is critical to the health of its occupants.

When you need to supplement your maintenance staff, the on-call experts from the GEM Service facility management team have you covered—whatever the reason:

• Short-staffed

• Sick leave

• Retirement

• Staff vacations

• Special projects

Count on our indoor air quality assessment and remediation team to inspect and detect areas of concern and make necessary repairs—all without disrupting business operations.

Put our team to work for yours today.

WARREN BLAZY III

What are some of the initiatives we have seen and how are companies and landlord adopting to this? According to the “2023 Office Occupier Sentiment Survey: Global Summary,” performed by CBRE, wellness remains one of the most important building amenities for occupiers, with increased attention on IAQ, access to outdoor space and fitness facilities.

Per the CBRE survey, here are some of the amenities that are most desirable in the workplace, many of which are directly or indirectly related to green initiatives and an improved employee experience.

Wellness

• Fitness facilities

• Indoor air quality/MERV-13 rated equipment

• Outdoor amenities/rooftop terraces

Sustainability

• Green building features/operations

• Electric vehicle charging stations

Building services

• Shared building meeting space

• Tenant community space

• Connected and touchless technologies (doors, elevators, etc.)

Convenience

• Onsite café/food & beverage

• Access to retail amenities and shopping centers

• Daycare

Commuting

• Public transportation access

• Car parking facilities

• Bicycle/scooter storage

In downtown Cleveland, we see the increased focus that landlords are applying as they compete to provide best-in-class amenities, including rooftop terraces, multifunctional fitness facilities, healthy grab-and-go food options, outdoor meeting and gathering places, touchless elevators and enhanced technology throughout.

Further, we see companies seeking to improve employees’ work experiences with wellness rooms, quality filtered drinking water throughout the space and increased access to natural light.

Why are companies and owners across Northeast Ohio investing so much into these platforms? It’s because prioritizing eco-friendly initiatives and wellness is an

investment in both the employees’ and the company’s future. It enhances the employee experience, creates a healthier workplace and boosts productivity.

Warren Blazy III is senior vice president in CBRE’s Cleveland office. For more information, visit www.cbre.com. Visit NAIOP Northern Ohio online at www.naiopnorthernohio.com. P

Your Commercial Snow & Ice Management Experts

RELIABLE & READY WHEN YOU NEED US!

J. Barker Landscaping Company adheres to a zero tolerance policy for snow and ice management, meaning our clients can depend on safe and continuous removal of snow and ice from parking lots, driveways and walkways. Our large snow removal fleet of trucks and equipment provide us the capabilities to properly maintain even the most challenging of facilities.

BUILDING GREEN

VANTAGE POINT

Experts weigh in on industry issues

Unlocking Capital to Support Energy-Efficient Projects in Ohio

By Christina O’Keeffe Ohio Air Quality Development Authority

Aforward-thinking statewide effort is underway to incentivize clean technology that will have lasting positive economic impacts throughout Ohio. Over the past two years, the Ohio Air Quality Development Authority (OAQDA) has been working alongside state and local entities to apply for federal funding to help finance projects that promise to provide financial relief for Ohioans and enhance their health and safety, while strengthening the economy.

Through OAQDA, Ohio has been awarded federal funding to mobilize financing and private capital for clean energy projects that promote economic competitiveness of local communities, while delivering lower energy costs for businesses and residents. OAQDA will utilize this funding through its existing programs to issue loans at or below marketrate interest terms that support more clean air projects to be deployed across the state. Eligible technologies include energy efficiency, onsite renewable energy and cleaner alternative fueling infrastructure.

and industrial sector partners, helping businesses maximize their competitive advantage while supporting their efforts to implement clean energy solutions.

supporting qualified projects. The focus for these investments will be in targeted industries, such as advanced manufacturing, small businesses, large vehicle fleets, multi-family housing and local governments.

OAQDA has a strong year track record of success over the past 50-plus years. In 2023, OAQDA issued over $431 million in air quality revenue bonds, creating or preserving 1,800 jobs, reducing annual energy bills for businesses by $256,000 and cutting medical costs by at least $4.9 million. This year’s performance is part of an active portfolio of $3 billion in projects financed by OAQDA.

Residential solar program

Another federal award will enable a new residential solar program to reduce household costs for Ohio families. OAQDA is using $156 million from the U.S. EPA to expand renewable solar energy in traditionally underserved Ohio communities. The financing will increase access to solar technologies for multi-family housing properties and single-family homes. The results for homeowners and renters are reduced high energy bills by a minimum 20%, making more money available for other necessary household needs. The funds will be prioritized to support underserved communities like

Mike Hicks President

distressed urban neighborhoods and the Appalachian region.

Note: Ohio has not yet selected solar partner(s) for the residential solar program. Residents should proceed with caution when engaging a solar company who claims to be working with the state of Ohio.

Building a brighter future

These funding opportunities secured by OAQDA can be a catalyst to ease the financial burden of energy costs for Ohioans, creating jobs and promoting long-term economic growth. It is currently working through the U.S. EPA’s

Through OAQDA, Ohio has been awarded federal funding to mobilize financing and private capital for clean energy projects that promote economic competitiveness of local communities, while delivering lower energy costs for businesses and residents.

process for finalizing agreements before funding can be available. The target is to begin rolling out program funding by the end of 2024.

In the meantime, OAQDA wants to hear from you. If you have a project that may benefit from the new federal funding opportunities, please visit ohioairquality.ohio.gov/federalfunding to complete the project survey and join the mailing list to stay informed.

Christina O’Keeffe, executive director of the Ohio Air Quality Development Authority, is an energy and air quality expert with 20 years of leadership experience. O’Keeffe provides the strategic direction and focus in fulfilling the mission of the OAQDA to improve air quality by supporting businesses, creating jobs and improving communities, while enhancing the health and safety of all Ohioans.

For your projects that are pursuing LEED certification, EA Group has the experience and capabilities to assist your project team in successfully obtaining the required credits. Whether the project is new construction, core and shell, or a renovation to an existing building, we can provide environmental consulting, sampling and analysis services to support the sustainable design goals. We are proud to have provided environmental assessment, documentation of remediation, air quality plans and air quality testing on well over 60 LEED registered projects at various k-12 schools, universities, healthcare facilities and commercial projects.

Sustainable Sites Prerequisites and Credits:

• Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) Phase I and Phase II for LEED credit and Funding Requirements

• Brownfield Redevelopment

Indoor Environmental Quality:

• Indoor Air Quality Management Plan

During Construction (for IEQ 3.1)

• Baseline Air Quality Testing Prior to Occupancy (IEQ 3.2)

• Mold Prevention

BUILDING GREEN

ACAR CORNER

Issues in the real estate industry

Sustainable Spaces – The Residential Garage

As those in the residential real estate business know, the more eco-friendly the home, the easier it is to sell. That’s because today’s home buyers are increasingly interested in sustainability. And it’s not just a lifestyle or ethical stance, either. Green features help homeowners save on utility bills.

Real estate professionals who understand a home’s sustainability quotient can boost the property’s appeal to buyer clients and help seller clients understand how to maximize their home’s value.

Sustainable housing solutions usually focus on saving water in the bathroom and kitchen or using solar panels to power living spaces. But garages and outbuildings can also be green.

Smart choices in the garage can boost value in several ways. First, sustainable garages may need less electricity and climate control, which leads to lower utility bills. Secondly, an eco-friendly garage is a well-insulated garage that stabilizes temperature and humidity, which

is better for the vehicles and other items stored inside. Additionally, well-insulated garages can also extend a home’s comfortable living space.

If you or a client is interested in a green garage makeover, it’s best to go back to the basics. Start with insulation and weatherstripping before moving onto eco-friendly bells and whistles like solar panels and electric vehicle chargers.

Focus on insulation

Good insulation keeps out cold air, heat and moisture, reducing energy costs in climate-controlled garages. But a well-insulated garage can also act as

Ed Schmidt, Owner ed@cleveland-demo.com Cell: 440-321-1500

9988 Kinsman Rd. Novelty, Ohio 44072 Office: 216-586-1500

MARK VITTARDI

a temperature barrier between nature and the side of the house. Insulating the walls between the garage and the rest of the house, including the garage’s door to the interior, can lower the cost of climate control inside the residence. And don’t forget to apply weatherstripping. Caulking and spray insulation foam can help fill any drafty gaps.

Replace the garage door

Even the most well-insulated, pas sively heated or cooled room won’t stay comfortable if gaps and cracks allow cold air and moisture in. Replacing the garage door is one of the smartest and fastest ways to boost a garage’s energy efficiency.

A 2023 cost-versus-value report by Remodeling compared the average costs of remodeling projects with the value those projects retained at resale in 150 U.S. markets. Garage door replacement was one of only four remodeling proj ects with a higher resale value than the job cost.

So, which garage door to choose? Both wood and steel garage doors are available in models made from recycled materials. If a homeowner opts for wood, aluminum capping can protect and weather-seal the door.

Consider an EV charger

local retailers or construction companies that have a focus on sustainable materials and practices. Sustainable garage flooring may include concrete; rubber tiles from recycled tires; or plastic or glass tiles from recycled waste.

organic compounds reduce the effects of harmful chemicals on occupants’ health and the environment.

Mark Vittardi is 2024 president of Akron Cleveland Association of REALTORS (ACAR).

For homeowners who want to capitalize on sustainability, an EV charger can boost home appeal – and, of course, be a practical addition for new vehicle purchases. And there’s good news for homeowners who want to jump on the bandwagon between now and 2033; the federal government is offering a tax credit of up to $1,000 for 30% off the purchase and installation of at-home EV chargers.

Opt for sustainable flooring

Steer clear of epoxy floors in garages. Off-gassing from epoxy resins is harmful to human health, and once epoxy is disposed of, it is also harmful to local ecosystems. There are several garage flooring options for homeowners interested in sustainability. The best way to find out what’s available is to contact

CONSTRUCTION PROGRESS REPORT

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

Project: #3683665

CLEVELAND WEST VETERANS HOUSING

PROJECT TYPE/SIZE: Multifamily (66 units), Office/ Athletic Facilities/Social (10,000-24,999 sq-ft)

CONSTRUCTION TYPE: New

ESTIMATED VALUE: $20.2 million

SECTOR: Private

LOCATION: 3311 W. 73rd St. Cleveland, OH 44102

DETAILS: Plans call for the construction of 62 onebedroom affordable apartments totaling 37,620 square feet in a three-story building. Amenities include on-site property management, community room, pantry/ kitchen, laundry room, lobby/lounge, outdoor patio, exercise room and mailbox area.

Estimated Schedule (as of 8/8/2024)

STAGE: Planning

CONSTRUCTION END: N/A

BID DUE DATE: N/A

ARCHITECT: HDS Architecture

3418, 1939 W. 25th St., Ste. 300 Cleveland, OH 44113 P: 216-696-3460

DEVELOPER, PROPERTY MANAGER: CHN Housing Partners

2999 Payne Ave. Cleveland, OH 44114 P: 216-574-7100

IDLEWOOD COURT MULTIFAMILY

Project: #3681900

PROJECT TYPE/SIZE: Multifamily (72 units)

CONSTRUCTION TYPE: New

ESTIMATED VALUE: $7 million

SECTOR: Private

LOCATION: Idlewood Dr. between I-480 and Northcliff Ave. Brooklyn, OH 44144

DETAILS: Plans call for the construction of a fourstory, 72-unit, 78,399-square-foot, low-income, affordable housing unit for seniors.

Estimated Schedule (as of 8/1/2024)

STAGE: Planning

CONSTRUCTION END: N/A

BID DUE DATE: N/A

DEVELOPER: Jonesboro Investments Corp. 7160 Chagrin Rd., Ste. 250 Chagrin Falls, OH 44023

P: 440-247-3900

ARCHITECT: RDL Architects, Inc. 16102 Chagrin Blvd. Shaker Heights, OH 44120 P: 216-752-4300

Project: #3285320

STOKES WEST

PROJECT TYPE/SIZE: Multifamily (261 units), Office (< 10,000 sq-ft), Athletic Facilities (< 10,000 sq-ft)

CONSTRUCTION TYPE: New

ESTIMATED VALUE: $23 million

SECTOR: Private

LOCATION: 10723 Cedar Ave. Cleveland, OH 44106

DETAILS: Plans call for a mixed-use development on 2.2 acres. The project will include the construction of a seven-story, 150,000-square-foot building with 261 affordable apartments including oneand two-bedroom units and furnished studios, and with a fitness center, pool deck, and co-working space.

Estimated Schedule (as of 7/22/2024)

STAGE: Construction

CONSTRUCTION START: 3/2024

CONSTRUCTION END: Q1/2025

BID DUE DATE: N/A

OWNER: University Circle Inc. (UCI)

Contact: Elise Yablonsky, Senior Director of Communications

Elise.Yablonsky@universitycircle.org 10831 Magnolia Dr. Cleveland, OH 44106

P: 216-791-3900

ARCHITECT: LDA Architecture & Interiors

Contact: Steve Jennings, Senior Principal 222 3rd St., Ste. 3212 Cambridge, MA 02142

P: 617-621-1455

F: 617-621-1477

DEVELOPER: Brent Zimmerman

Contact: Brent Zimmerman, Owner 1481 Lindazzo Ave. Cleveland, OH 44114

P: 419-483-5113

OWNER, PROPERTY MANAGER: ACRE

Contact: Jeff Goldstein, Development Manager

jeff@acremgt.com

670 Dekalb Ave., 100 Atlanta, GA 30312

Atlanta Office

GC: Geis Companies

Contact: Brandon Kline, Vice President of Design

brandon@geisco.net

10020 Aurora Hudson Rd.

Freeman Building Systems has been a part of your community for 32 years. Our dedication to our

and performance for

Some of our notable buildings/projects in Northeast Ohio include Hinkley Lighting Distribution Center (Avon Lake), Baker Properties Distribution Center Complex (Wooster), Battle Motors Company (New Philadelphia), Wooster Brush (Wooster) and Schaeffler (Wooster).

Streetsboro, OH 44241

P: 330-528-3500

THE PENINSULA APARTMENTS

Project: #3146100

PROJECT TYPE/SIZE: Multifamily (330 units)

CONSTRUCTION TYPE: New ESTIMATED VALUE: $29 million

SECTOR: Private

LOCATION: NE of Carter Rd. and Columbus Rd. Cleveland, OH 44102

DETAILS: Plans call for construction of two five-story buildings with 315 apartments. Plans also call for construction of 15 townhomes.

Estimated Schedule (as of 8/13/2024)

STAGE: Construction

CONSTRUCTION START: 6/2023

CONSTRUCTION END: Q2/2025

BID DUE DATE: N/A

DEVELOPER: NRP Group

Contact: Aaron Pechota, Project Manager apechota@nrpgroup.com

5309 Transportation Blvd. Cleveland, OH 44125

Main Office

P: 216-475-8900

F: 216-475-9300

ARCHITECT: BKV Group

Contact: Mark Harris, Project Architect mharris@bkvgroup.com

222 N. Second St., 101

Minneapolis, MN 55401

Minneapolis Office

P: 612-339-3752

GC: Marous Brothers Construction

36933 Vine St. Willoughby, OH 44094

P: 440-951-3904

ARCHITECT: Newman Garrison + Partners

3100 Bristol St., Ste. 400 Costa Mesa, CA 92626

P: 949-756-0818

F: 949-756-0817

Project: #3679361

VITALIA SENIOR RESIDENCES AT STOW INDEPENDENT LIVING EXPANSION

PROJECT TYPE/SIZE: Multifamily (60 units)

CONSTRUCTION TYPE: New

ESTIMATED VALUE: $9 million

SECTOR: Private LOCATION: 4316 Hudson Dr. Stow, OH 44224

DETAILS: Plans call for the construction of 33 independent living units in one six-unit building and nine three-unit buildings as expansion to the existing senior living community.

Estimated Schedule (as of 7/29/2024)

STAGE: Starts in 1-3 months

CONSTRUCTION START: 10/2024

CONSTRUCTION END: Q4/2025

BID DUE DATE: N/A

DEVELOPER, GC: Pride One Construction

Contact: Amanda Dick, Development

Operations Manager

amandad@prideone.cc

2211 Medina Rd., 100 Medina, OH 44256

P: 216-970-8743

ARCHITECT: Mann Parsons Gray Architects (MPG)

3660 Embassy Pkwy. Akron, OH 44333

P: 330-666-5770

OWNER: Omni Senior Living

Contact: Gary Biales, VP of Development gbiales@omniseniorliving.com 4291 Allen Rd. Stow, OH 44224 P: 330-403-8160

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.

Sited in the landmark Gordon Square Arts District and standing shoulder-to-shoulder with historic structures, the Welleon Luxury Apartment project’s flat commercial roofing system presented a real logistics challenge. Campo Roof met it. This new, eight-story complex showcases the vision of developer Bond Street Group... while the very congested, boxedin site highlights the true value of Campo Roof’s experience.

Since 2005, Campo Roof has come through for small business owners, multi-family properties, major retailers, industrial installations, colleges & universities and general contractors across the region. Perhaps 2024 is your year to keep it simple... with one call to Campo Roof.