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85-416: Construction was plagued by issues with ground water, protests, strikes, and cost overruns. A major dispute broke out between civil rights activists and labor unions in the summer of 1963. Nevertheless, the convention center informally opened on May 11, 1964, almost three months ahead of schedule. A formal dedication on August 28, 1964, was followed an 11-day festival. The Cleveland Convention Center underwent

170-455: A $ 10 million ($ 102,992,126 in 2023 dollars) expenditure to build a 226,000-square-foot (21,000 m) convention center, with escalator connections to Public Auditorium's main arena and theater. The bill also called for nine meeting rooms to be built at the south end of the exhibition hall, and for the convention center's design to allow for extension northward over the railroad tracks. The Heart of Cleveland Development Committee agreed to review

255-517: A $ 10 million extension of the Cleveland Mall over the railroad tracks, with a new exhibition hall (rather than full convention center) below it. Others suggested an even smaller project, a 500-space parking garage under Mall B without any expansion of convention facilities. The Cleveland City Planning Commission tentatively approved the council's hotel plan, but also required that the city build new exhibition space for Public Auditorium and that

340-535: A bond levy for both structures on the November ballot. But with the onset of the Recession of 1958 , Celebrezze believed voters would turn down both proposals. To save the convention center, he suggested postponing the courthouse levy. Judges reacted with outrage, attacking the convention center bond levy as unnecessary. Council reaction was poor as well, with a majority of Cleveland City Council members agreeing that

425-559: A chance to compete for the project. One businessman, I. R. Mintz of Mintz Construction Co., offered to finance the construction of a $ 25 million ($ 271,208,531 in 2023 dollars), 1,000-room hotel if the city would cancel the Zeckendorf hotel. Zeckendorf threatened to pull out of the project if it were opened to competitive bidding, but the city council bowed to local pressure and voted to do so on August 30. Written proposals were demanded from all bidders. Zeckendorf (who did not withdraw from

510-417: A convention center, after being convinced by other council members that competing plans would hurt the bond issue vote. But the council declined to support the group promoting the bond issue. This angered John A. Green, chairman of Ohio Bell , whom Celebrezze had asked to lead the promotional group. Green announced he would not do so unless disputes over the convention center were resolved. Other approvals for

595-483: A feasibility study of the project. On April 19, 1957, Council President Jack P. Russell and Council member Wilson M. Latkovic introduced legislation to establish a 20-person committee to study a new site, bounded by E. 6th and 9th Streets, St. Clair Avenue, and Lakeside Avenue. Spurred by Russell, the city council also began considering Horwitz's bill in late April 1957. Two months later, The Plain Dealer estimated that

680-425: A five-page letter outlining why it could not. William S. Hunsel, a consultant to Outcalt, Guenther & Van Buren, advised Hunkin-Conkey to dewater in sections, laying the foundation in sections. But the company refused, as this would be much more expensive. Implementing a new drainage system was the only solution, company officials said, and it would take four more months to finish the foundation. Hunkin-Conkey's reply

765-465: A joint assessment of both plans. By August 1957, little public movement had occurred on the Celebrezze proposal. Zeckendorf sought a conference with the city council to get the project moving, and an advance team visited the city in mid-August to assess the real estate market, economic conditions, and other variables. The city council was concerned that Zeckendorf commit to specifics, and feared that

850-492: A later date. Outcalt also went public with a criticism, calling for a hotel 50 to 75 percent larger than Zeckendorf had agreed to. By August 26, Celebrezze had begun to mend his rift with the city council. This came about in part after he agreed to lease land for the downtown development projects to Zeckendorf rather than sell them outright. But other political problems occurred. Many Cleveland-area real estate developers and construction firm were angry that they had never been given

935-490: A local investment firm, proposed constructing the convention center atop Cleveland Union Terminal , the railroad and mass transit station linked to Terminal Tower . The investment company pledged to build the hotel and office building if the city bought the terminal for $ 20 million ($ 211,211,073 in 2023 dollars). The Heart of Cleveland Development Committee agreed to consider the proposal, although Celebrezze opposed it. Three weeks later, Cuyahoga County officials declined to put

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1020-467: A major $ 28 million renovation from 1983 to 1987. Substantially reconfigured, although not larger, it reopened on October 5, 1987. The convention center was demolished in 2011, and the larger Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland built in the same underground location. It opened on June 7, 2013. Some time in 1954, Cleveland Mayor Anthony J. Celebrezze asked local architect R. Franklin Outcalt of

1105-519: A new hotel, a now-34-story office building, and a now-3,800-space parking garage . The new 700,000-square-foot (65,000 m), single-level main exhibition hall would be built beneath Mall C. Outcalt also proposed a 320,000-square-foot (30,000 m) expansion of the exhibition space under Mall B and beneath Public Auditorium. The exhibit hall beneath Malls B and C would have moveable walls, to enable two large conventions to occur simultaneously, and meeting rooms capable of seating 8,000 people. Scaling back

1190-496: A plan—that a new convention center be built below Mall B. The existing exhibition space beneath the mall would be demolished, and replaced by a convention center which would link to the existing exhibition space below-ground north of Lakeside Avenue between City Hall and the Cuyahoga County Courthouse. A new structure would be built on the west side of Public Auditorium to serve as a reception and entry hall for

1275-572: A preliminary study of the plan. But no such request was made. In January 1956, New York City real estate developer William Zeckendorf ran into Celebrezze at the meeting of the American Municipal Association . Celebrezze invited Zeckendorf to his hotel room, where Celebrezze showed him plans for the "international center", hotel, and office building. Zeckendorf agreed to back the project financially and become its lead real estate developer if Celebrezze could win approval for

1360-399: A proposal. His plan, called "Garden Gateway", was much smaller in scale. He agreed to build a convention center under Malls B and C, the parking garage over the railroad tracks, and a 500-room hotel. However, the plan called for constructing a 34-story office building as well as the trade mart and restaurants he had earlier proposed. His proposal also included the moving sidewalks. Neither bid

1445-475: A report calling for a new convention center, one nearly 60 percent larger and with five times as much meeting room space. This plan set in motion 13 years of discussion, planning, and voter initiatives to build a new convention center. These efforts proved fruitful in 2009, when Cuyahoga County signed an agreement with the city of Cleveland on May 4 to purchase the existing convention center for $ 20 million. The deal called for cutting Public Auditorium off from

1530-630: A resolution in May to require the city to study the construction of a new convention center. In June, Mayor Celebrezze proposed that the "international center" be built as the new convention center. Celebrezze's proposal enlarged the scheme by having the building extend toward the Lake Erie shore, and extending an ell eastward over the space then occupied by stadium parking lots. This structure would be three stories tall, and have parking for 4,000 vehicles. Celebrezze used mayoral funds to hire Outcalt to conduct

1615-569: A riot, and blamed law enforcement for a " police riot ". After the incident, city officials pledged to find a different location for the fill. The new site chosen for the fill was the future site of Cleveland Burke Lakefront Airport . The new year began with no work at the convention center construction site. Mayor Celebrezze ordered city Law Director Ralph S. Locher to order Hunkin-Conkey to begin work in three days or be in default of its completion bond . These demands were communication on December 26 and 27, 1961. The construction company replied with

1700-487: A swimming pool with a restaurant overlooking it, a plaza surrounded by stores selling foreign goods, and a reflecting pool . The plan also called for moving sidewalks on E. 9th Street between Lakeside Avenue and Euclid Avenue , and another running down W. Mall Drive from Lakeside Avenue to Rockwell Avenue and Public Square . Celebrezze said he would ask the Cleveland City Council for funds to conduct

1785-563: A temporary retraining wall) on August 10, 1961, at a cost of $ 2,500 ($ 25,490 in 2023 dollars). Reinforcement pilings began to be emplaced the first week of September. These consisted of fifty 40-foot (12 m) high interlocking metal sheets sunk vertically into the ground. By August 10, 1961, excavation work was two weeks ahead of schedule, and 80 percent complete. All foundation work was expected to be finished by December 1. Engineers said that digging would stop when it reached 18 feet (5.5 m) below grade, at which point 1,100 wells would begin

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1870-410: A two-week period of draining water from the site. Once drainage was complete, the site would be excavated another 20 feet (6.1 m). Excavation was expected to end in mid-October. Pumping began on August 25, 1961. Initially, drainage went well. The water table dropped by 10 feet (3.0 m) by September 9, and excavation work was expected to resume on September 13, 1961. However, heavy silt prevented

1955-475: A vote of 161,225 to 104,677 (60.6 to 39.4 percent). R. Franklin Outcalt of Outcalt, Guenther & Van Buren was hired as the convention center's chief architect. The firm designed a main exhibition hall with 208,000 square feet (19,300 m) of space, with 18 meeting rooms surrounding it on the south and west sides. City officials said they intended to break ground on the convention center in June 1961. In March,

2040-784: The Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company (a local electricity provider), to appoint and lead a committee to develop this plan. On April 28, 1956, the New York Coliseum opened in New York City . Prompted by the opening of the convention center, and by comments from leaders of the Cleveland Convention and Visitors Bureau (who indicated the city was losing convention business due to the small size of Public Auditorium), Cleveland City Council member Joseph Horwitz introduced

2125-603: The Cleveland Mall , it opened on June 7, 2013. The older Cleveland Convention Center , built in 1964, was demolished to make way for the new structure. By 1996, the Cleveland Convention Center was losing business to other cities. Potential users felt it was too dimly lit, the ceilings were too low, there were not enough meeting rooms, and the facility felt old. In September of that year, the Cleveland Convention and Visitors' Bureau (CCVB) issued

2210-543: The Leonard C. Hanna, Jr. Fund donated $ 2 million ($ 20,391,982 in 2023 dollars) to the city to landscape and add fountains to the surface of Mall B once construction of was complete. The fund hired New York City-based landscape architects Gilmore David Clarke and Michael Rapuano to design the site. Their proposal included a 100-by-300-foot (30 by 91 m) reflecting pool surrounded by 12 illuminated fountains . Clarke and Rapuano worked with R. Franklin Outcalt to integrate

2295-444: The 1956 plan, Outcalt proposed that only a small portion of the convention center bridge the railroad tracks, to permit convention exhibitors to ship their exhibits by rail to the site. Following Outcalt, William Zeckendorf told the council of his plans to finance the project and build much of it. Outcalt's proposal was criticized by architect Little, who argued it was cut off from the rest of downtown, mixed parking and exhibit space in

2380-472: The CCVB proposal in time for a May 19 council meeting. A three-story, 500-space parking garage would be built below the south end of Mall B to provide parking. The Heart of Cleveland Development Committee overwhelmingly approved of the plan, and on May 19 the council voted to send the plan to various council committees for review. By now, the proposal included not only $ 10 million ($ 102,992,126 in 2023 dollars) for

2465-552: The Celebrezze site, and $ 10,000 to be spent on making borings at the Russell site. Voter approval of the convention center bond levy was critical to winning investor participation in the rest of the Garden Gateway development. But political complications once more interfered with the ballot proposal. For years, municipal and county court judges had been pressing for a new courthouse and county jail. Cleveland had agreed to put

2550-506: The Cleveland City Council voted on November 25 to engage in a study of the proposed convention center site. The council gave preliminary approval (in a vote of 32-to-1) to seek a federal redevelopment loan which would pay for test borings, a financial feasibility study, a utility survey , the construction of an architectural model , and a structural engineering analysis, among other things. In May 1958, Otis & Co. ,

2635-417: The Cleveland City Council, which approved a bond levy for the November 1960 ballot. Mayor Celebrezze established another citizens' group to promote the bond issue, and advertisements in favor of the levy promised that the convention center would generate up to $ 30 million a year ($ 308,976,378 in 2023 dollars) in economic activity. On November 9, 1960, Cleveland voters approved the convention center bond levy by

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2720-689: The Cleveland Mall) over the Cleveland Memorial Shoreway and New York Central Railroad tracks and toward Cleveland Stadium . The center would be primarily exhibition space, although an underground parking garage would be included. The plan also called for an 18-story hotel on land east of E. 9th Street, a 30-story office building with space set aside for companies engaged in international trade and representatives of foreign governments, an above-ground hall with permanent exhibits about international trade, an outdoor amphitheater ,

2805-633: The Cleveland architectural firm of Outcalt Guenther & Associates to work with him on a place for revitalizing the Cleveland Mall and lakefront near it. Outcalt agreed to donate his services for free. On May 29, 1956, Celebrezze and Outcalt unveiled their preliminary plan before a local committee supporting the International Geophysical Year . The plan proposed an "international center" which would lead from Public Auditorium's exhibition space under Mall C (the northernmost part of

2890-714: The Garden Valley Neighborhood House. Trucks often ran until 2:00 AM. On August 1, 1961, 2-year-old Linnell M. Burns was killed by a dump truck carrying fill to the Kingsbury Run site when he dashed into the street. The following day, more than 500 protestors—most of them mothers—formed a picket line outside the main gate of the convention center construction site at 6:00 PM, preventing trucks from leaving for several hours. After an emergency meeting at city hall that night, city officials and construction company executives agreed to reroute trucks in

2975-461: The Hanna donation and the overall design of the convention center on April 6. The city set June 14, 1961, as the deadline for the receipt of bids for the $ 1.75 million ($ 17,842,984 in 2023 dollars) site preparation and excavation contract. The bid proposal required the contractor to dig to a depth of 40 to 53 feet (12 to 16 m), drive pilings 50 to 60 feet (15 to 18 m) into the earth, and lay

3060-463: The Heart of Cleveland Development Committee to study these and other proposals for improving the downtown area. On July 2, 1957, local civic promoter William Ganson Rose promoted his own convention center concept, a $ 15 million ($ 162,725,118 in 2023 dollars), 300,000-square-foot (28,000 m) structure on the Cleveland Mall with three below-ground floors. But his proposal was seen as a non-starter, as

3145-409: The Heart of Cleveland group, and Cuyahoga County officials. Russell and Flannery agreed that the bond proposal should go before all Cuyahoga County voters, not just city voters. Cuyahoga County officials asked that the city turn title Municipal Stadium and Public Auditorium over to the county in exchange for the county's support for the project. Russell suggested that Celebrezze scale back the size of

3230-475: The Kinsman area so they avoided residential blocks. They also agreed to stop running trucks at midnight, and to add more stop signs in the neighborhood to prevent trucks from speeding. On August 8, 1961, however, Cleveland police arrested five truck drivers for improperly passing, and two for having loads which spewed earth on city streets. When Hunkin-Conkey officials protested the arrest, Mayor Celebrezze backed

3315-438: The Russell bill had already been adopted by the city council. On July 16, the city council voted 25-to-4 (with another four council members not present) to put a $ 15 million ($ 162,725,118 in 2023 dollars) convention center bond issue on the November 1957 ballot. The vote was preceded by testimony from Outcalt, who presented the new convention center as part of his 1956 proposal for lakefront revitalization. The plan still included

3400-550: The agreement only forced them to stop departing the construction site at 2:00 AM, which meant that they might depart Kingsbury Run at 3:00 AM or 4:00 AM. They refused to begin their work day at 6:00 AM to make up for the lost hours. Forcing them to cut their work day by two hours would require overloading their trucks, leading to more speeding, dangerous driving, and spills. On August 12, 1961, more than 200 protestors blocked Kinsman Road, and Cleveland police arrested four local residents for rioting . Local residents scoffed at claims of

3485-412: The bond issue financing construction. In addition, Zeckendorf agreed to construct a 16-to-25 story apartment building with between 1,500 and 3,000 units east of the convention center once the other buildings were completed. Political complications began to interfere with the project. Celebrezze had not involved in the council in the negotiations, and the city council now threatened to balk at the approving

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3570-458: The business organization said it could not support the hotel project without it being part of a wider plan to redevelop downtown. Nearly 10 months passed before the Cleveland City Council again took action on a new convention center. Some time in late 1959 or early 1960, Plain Dealer reporter John A. Crawford suggested to Cleveland Convention and Visitors Bureau convention center planning group—which had been meeting for four years without approving

3655-582: The city estimated that the convention center would be complete in January 1964. As work progressed, Cuyahoga County demanded that additional pilings and bracing be placed against the County Administration Building (1219 Ontario Street). County engineers argued that excavation was so close and so deep next to the new building that it was endangering its foundation. The city agreed to make the changes (which also involved construction of

3740-462: The city finance all construction through a bond levy rather than current operating funds or an agreement with a developer. The planning commission recommended, but did not require, that the council issue $ 900,000 ($ 9,406,849 in 2023 dollars) in councilmanic bonds to study the council bill, engage in planning, analyze how Mall B would be redesigned to accommodate the hotel, determine whether to underground pedestrian access tunnels should be built as part of

3825-486: The city for the added expense. The city said it would go to court to prevent payment. The first section of foundation was ready for pouring on January 15 in the southwest corner of the site. Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland The Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland is a convention center located in downtown Cleveland , Ohio , in the United States. Built by Cuyahoga County, Ohio , beneath

3910-557: The city or the architect pay for a new means of dewatering the site. But the city argued that the contract required Hunkin-Conkey to incur the cost, and that the company could have added more wellpoints or contracted out the dewatering but chose neither. Mayor Celebrezze suggested that Hunkin-Conkey merely install 200 more wellpoints, a relatively inexpensive solution that would cost between $ 4,000 and $ 6,000. But Hunkin-Conkey now claimed they had 1,100 wells in operation, and additional wellpoints would not matter. Hunkin-Conkey declined to install

3995-495: The city wanted. Despite his criticisms, a week later the Cleveland investment banking firm of Ball, Burge & Kraus said it would issue bonds or stock or a combination in order to finance construction of the hotel and office building. Both Outcalt and Little called for additional studies, and the Cleveland City Planning Commission hired consultants John T. Howard and Walter H. Blucher to provide

4080-436: The convention bond proposal on their ballot. On June 20, Celebrezze submitted legislation to the city council requesting that a $ 15 million ($ 158,408,304 in 2023 dollars) convention center bond levy be placed on the November ballot. He also asked voters to approval an amendment to the city charter to permit the city to lease land for longer than 35 years. Celebrezze told the council that the city had six consultants working on both

4165-592: The convention center and Public Auditorium renovation: Consultants Blucher and Howard; Edmund N. Bacon, planning director for the city of Philadelphia ; Dr. Harold Mayer, a consultant on transportation and port development at the University of Chicago ; Arnold Vey, a traffic consultant with the Philadelphia firm of Simpson & Curtin; and John Ducey, an official with Real Estate Research Corp. (a Chicago firm). The council threatened to withhold final approval for

4250-501: The convention center below. The CCVB group proposed the idea to Mayor Celebrezze and the Cleveland City Council, who both strongly embraced it. On February 29, 1960, the council voted 31-to-1 to approve a resolution setting in motion planning studies for the Cleveland Mall. On May 10, at Celebrezze's behest, Council member Wilson Latkovic agreed to introduce legislation approving the Crawford/CCVB plan. The legislation provided for

4335-569: The convention center bond issue was now dead because of the recession. On August 4, 1958, the city council gave final approval to put the convention center bond issue on the November ballot. A new group, the Committee for Civic Progress, was formed to help promote the bond levy. Its members included 150 business, labor, real estate leaders. The group asked the City Council to send personal letters to their constituents, asking them to support

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4420-486: The convention center proceeded. On August 23, City Planning Director Eric Grubb approved of the convention center plan and recommended its adoption by the City Planning Commission. Grubb warned the city that further studies of studies of traffic congestion and revenue projections from the parking garages were needed, and that mass transit 's role in the project had not been spelled out. He also felt that

4505-557: The convention center, so it would stand on its own again. Plans for the new convention center were approved by city planning officials in October 2010, and demolition of the old convention center began on January 13, 2011. The new convention center opened on June 7, 2013. Ell (architecture) Too Many Requests If you report this error to the Wikimedia System Administrators, please include

4590-424: The cost of purchasing land and demolishing the existing buildings to implement the Russell plan would cost close to $ 2.5 million ($ 28,017,136 in 2023 dollars), which the newspaper characterized as exorbitant. Undeterred, Russell introduced legislation to authorize construction of a $ 16 million ($ 179,309,670 in 2023 dollars) convention center designed by local architect Robert A. Little. Little's proposed exhibition hall

4675-399: The deal. At a meeting on March 9, 1956, the board Cleveland Convention and Visitors Bureau (CCVB) approved a resolution asking the city to fund the construction of a new convention center to replace or augment Public Auditorium. Mayor Celebrezze responded by challenging the CCVB to come up with a plan. Dan B. Wiles, CCVB president, appointed Lee C. Howley, Vice President and General Counsel of

4760-480: The developer would agree to build but then scale back his plans in ways that would fail to achieve the hoped-for redevelopment goals. Zeckendorf's mounting interest brought an agreement on these issues on August 15. He signed a contract with Mayor Celebrezze in which he agreed to build a 1,000-to-1,500 room hotel, a 750,000-square-foot (70,000 m) office building, and a "trade mart" at a total cost of $ 45 million ($ 488,175,355 in 2023 dollars)—but only if voters approved

4845-453: The federal loan application. To ease council dissatisfaction, Celebrezze agreed to use leftover funds to make test borings for his preferred site. He also agreed to make test borings at the site preferred by Russell. The Cleveland City Council voted 27-to-4 (with two abstentions) to give preliminary approval to the bond levy proposal on June 30. It also agreed to approve solicitation of the federal loan, with $ 25,000 to be spent making borings at

4930-633: The foundation while continuously draining water from the site. The foundation slab was specified to be 2.5 to 4.5 feet (0.76 to 1.37 m) thick (depending on location), and the site rimmed by a retaining wall 12 feet (3.7 m) high. Groundbreaking for the convention center occurred on July 17, 1961, and the following day the Hunkin-Conkey Construction Co. was awarded the excavation contract after bidding more than $ 200,000 ($ 2,039,198 in 2023 dollars) lower than its nearest competitor. Site preparation began on July 19. At that time,

5015-432: The head of the local IBEW union, but their initial talks were unfruitful. The electricians remained on strike. As the city attempted to mediate the dispute, Hunkin-Conkey officials accused the union of featherbedding . The city proposed that since flipping a light switch was not a professional skill, that the late-night worker should only be barred from completing work begun during the day. This solution proved acceptable to

5100-413: The long side of the structure a glass curtain wall . With the pavilion's design approved, the city anticipated issuing construction bids for the $ 9.3 million ($ 94,822,717 in 2023 dollars) structure in October. On October 20, 1961, the site had its first serious industrial accident after 19-year-old Kenneth Kornaker was injured during a cave-in. He was listed fair condition . A union dispute broke out at

5185-450: The new reception pavilion, the 300-foot (91 m) long reflecting pool, and 10 fountains for the mall. Anemometers would be placed on the mall to monitor wind speed, and a computer would automatically lower the water level (or even turn off the fountains) during periods of high wind so that people nearby would not be doused with spray. The fountains would be heated in winter to prevent freezing, and colored lights would be used to illuminate

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5270-432: The non-convention center structures (collectively known as the "Seaway Center") might make for too much density, and warned the city against concluding that additional parking alone would solve downtown's ills. The same day that Grubb issued his approval, consultants John T. Howard and Walter H. Blucher issued their reports, which called for an exhibition hall design beneath Mall B which would provide for southward expansion at

5355-483: The police department. The arrests outraged Kinsman residents, who saw them as evidence that the construction company had violated the terms of the August 3 agreement. A group of 65 Kinsman residents blocked Kinsman Road on August 11, refusing to allow any dump trucks through their neighborhood. The residents also accused the company of continuing to send truck through their neighborhood until 4:00 AM. Truckers complained that

5440-399: The pool into the convention center, so that it helped cool the air inside the hall. The Hanna Fund's donation included $ 1.5 million ($ 15,293,987 in 2023 dollars) for design, landscaping, and construction of the pool and fountains, and $ 500,000 ($ 5,097,996 in 2023 dollars) as part of a maintenance endowment . The Fine Arts Advisory Committee of the City Planning Commission unanimously approved

5525-438: The press that he would push for a revised bond proposal to be placed on the November 1958 ballot, and that he might ask Cuyahoga County voters to approve the proposal as well. Celebrezze suggested that the revised proposal would cover not only the convention center but the hotel, office building, and plaza as well. To build support for the new push, Celebrezze met the following day with Council member Russell, Joseph E. Flannery of

5610-428: The project) proposed construction a 30-story office building and 500-room hotel, and to build these simultaneously with the convention center. He pledged to put up $ 100,000 ($ 1,084,834 in 2023 dollars) of his own funds as earnest money , but demanded in turn that the city council must approve his plans, and that voters must approve not only the bond issue but a 99-year lease. Outcalt was the only other individual to submit

5695-461: The project, and to study whether extension of the mall northward over the railroad tracks was appropriate. The Cleveland Chamber of Commerce now came out in opposition to the council proposal. The council had been working with the Chamber of Commerce to raise $ 6 million ($ 62,712,329 in 2023 dollars) in cash financing for the project before the council would agree to put a bond levy before voters. But

5780-485: The project. Celebrezze wanted to establish a group of businessmen and civic leaders to promote the bond issue to voters (who had a habit of defeating such referendums ), but had to hold off until the council acted. This placed passage of the bond issue in jeopardy. Moreover, the two consultants hired earlier that summer had yet to issue their report. The city council appeared supportive of the project, but this soon changed. Councilman Russell withdrew his competing proposal for

5865-435: The proposal. Despite these efforts, on November 5, Cleveland voters turned down the bond levy by a vote of 109,395 to 103,925 (51.3 to 48.7 percent). Voters approved the charter amendment, however, by a vote of 113,460 to 93,962 (56.3 to 43.7 percent). The day after the 1958 bond levy failed, Celebrezze said he would not back a new bond issue in 1959 until further study of the convention center and other downtown redevelopment

5950-459: The proposal. All but three council members agreed to do so. The Greater Cleveland Convention and Visitors Bureau also helped. It issued a study in which it claimed that the convention center would generate $ 24 million a year in new economic activity, and printed 300,000 leaflets to get the word out about the study's conclusions. Local radio and television stations donated time to the Committee for Civic Progress so it could run advertisements supporting

6035-401: The redevelopment, and Flannery agreed with his idea. Celebrezze was also told by others present at the meeting that the city should come up with a master plan for redeveloping downtown and for beginning a citywide urban renewal effort to show voters that the convention center would fit with this wider effort. To allay voter concerns that the convention center would be more costly than estimated,

6120-489: The same building, used open space rather than demolishing old and decrepit buildings, was too hemmed in by its proposed hotel and office towers, did not provide for the expansion of City Hall or the Cuyahoga County Courthouse , failed to give the city a visual symbol of its progress (by being buried beneath the mall), and was both too big to be built swiftly and too little to provide the economic stimulus

6205-485: The site on July 31, 1961. Excavation continued past midnight most nights, and floodlights were needed to provide light for the trucks, workers, pump operators, and security purposes. Workers belonging to the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) went out on strike after a non-union worker was given the job of turning the floodlights on and off. Mayor Celebrezze personally spoke with

6290-489: The site, but it would need written city approval to use the excavator for the remaining foundation work. On January 14, 1962, Outcalt, Guenther & Van Buren ordered Hunkin-Conkey to proceed with the excavation using the dragline excavator. The company was to dig out 90-by-150-foot (27 by 46 m) sections at a time, lay the foundation, and proceed to the next section. Hunkin-Conkey protested that this would be much more expensive, and announced it would seek reimbursement from

6375-585: The steam coming of the warm water. In addition, the maintenance trust established by the Hanna Fund agreed to place lights under all the trees on the mall, pay for lit and decorated cut Christmas trees to be put on the mall each December, and to constantly renew and replace the plantings during the nine-month growing season. For the reception pavilion, the Fine Arts Committee approved an exterior of dark-coated aluminum and light grey granite, with

6460-406: The underground convention center for $ 15 million ($ 154,488,189 in 2023 dollars) for a restaurant and veterans' memorial building on Mall C and the parking garage. The council and Celebrezze agreed to pay R. Franklin Outcalt to draft preliminary architectural plans for the convention center. Approval for the Crawford/CCVB plan was swift. On June 6, the council committees all favorably reported back to

6545-473: The union, and workers returned to the site on August 5, 1961. Fill removed from the convention center excavation site was trucked south across the city into the Kinsman neighborhood. There, it was used to fill in a portion of the valley of Kingsbury Run , a long-drained creek famous as the site of the first Standard Oil refinery. The area was poor and African American , with extensive public housing such as

6630-414: The water table had been lowered 28 feet (8.5 m). Another 7 feet (2.1 m) remained, but only 7 US quarts (6.6 L) per minute were coming out of the wells, rather than the required 250 US gallons (950 L) per minute. The excavation was now six weeks behind schedule, incurring a $ 2,000-a-day loss ($ 20,392 per day in 2023 dollars). Hunkin-Conkey refused to incur additional costs, and demanded that

6715-485: The wellpoints, and sarcastically asked the mayor to specify exactly where the wells should be installed. By December 2, 1961, there was still no movement on the drainage issue, and the project was two months behind. Even as construction stalled, other aspects of the convention center project moved ahead. In mid-September, the Fine Arts Advisory Committee approved the landscape redesign of Mall B,

6800-443: The wells from functioning correctly, and by October 10 excavation had still not resumed. A protracted dispute between Hunkin-Conkey and the city broke out. Hunkin-Conkey claimed that it knew the contractually-specified method of dewatering the site would not work, but the city was insistent. The firm also expressed concern that the drainage system specified for below the foundation would not work, either. With 850 wellpoints in operation,

6885-451: Was complete. Council member Russell countered by saying that the convention center's site should be chosen before going to voters again, and he once more pushed for his preferred site to be selected. The Cleveland City Planning Commission also weighed in on the issue, and said it would also recommend a site soon. Despite Celebrezze's opposition, the Cleveland City Council pressed forward on a new convention center. On March 1, 1959, legislation

6970-519: Was considered by the city council. On November 5, 1957, Cleveland voters rejected the bond proposal by a vote of 75,231 to 69,453 (51.5 to 48.5 percent). A majority vote of 55 percent was needed for approval. On November 6, 1957, the day after voters rejected the proposed bond issue, Mayor Celebrezze met with officers of the Equitable Life Insurance Co. to assess its interest in financing the new convention center. Celebrezze told

7055-416: Was introduced in council to permit leasing of Mall A for a 20-story, $ 20 million ($ 209,041,096 in 2023 dollars) hotel. As a starting point for discussion, the legislation proposed that the hotel have 1,000 rooms, a 2,500-seat ballroom, 10 below-ground levels, and a 300-car parking garage. The Plain Dealer noted that the council had also received proposals from local civic boosters and businesspeople advocating

7140-434: Was two stories high, had rooftop parking for 500 cars, and contained 627,000 square feet (58,300 m) of space (which would have made it the largest convention center in the world.) Russell's bill proposed a $ 5 million ($ 54,241,706 in 2023 dollars) bond issue, to go before voters in November 1957, to begin construction on the hall. Russell's study commission bill passed the council, and on May 14 Mayor Celebrezze established

7225-414: Was unacceptable to the city, so on January 11 Cleveland Properties Director Harold Lausche sent the bonding firm, Federal Insurance Co., noticed of failure to perform. Defending itself to the insurer, Hunkin-Conkey said its contract required all pumping to be complete before additional excavation could proceed. The company admitted that it had successfully tested a dragline excavator to remove watery soil at

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