Cleveland Convention Center & Civic Core

Location

Cleveland, Ohio

Owner

Merchandise Mart Properties, Inc

Collaborators +

Project Size

1,600,000 square feet

Project Status

Completed

Certifications

Certified LEED New Construction Gold

Services

Architecture, Interior Design, Planning, Renovation + Adaptive Reuse, Urban Design

Cleveland’s civic center, a hallmark of the City Beautiful movement, was envisioned in 1903 by Daniel Burnham as the Cleveland Mall—a grand public park bordered by civic and government buildings atop a bluff overlooking Lake Erie. Today, this vision endures with a modern convention center complex that integrates two public assembly facilities and revitalizes downtown with expansive civic green space.

The 600,000-square-foot Mall, lined with neoclassical architecture, connects to the Lake Erie waterfront and is adjacent to major cultural landmarks like the Cleveland Browns Stadium and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Burnham’s original plan established a network of parks and green spaces that link various urban districts. Enhancing this legacy, the Global Center for Health Innovation—integrated with the convention center—serves as a permanent showcase for Cleveland’s medical research industry, providing a year-round anchor and driving economic growth for Northeast Ohio through expanded convention opportunities.