Sherwin-William HQ+R&D project restarts; development team announced

 

This is only a massing of the potential Sherwin-Williams global
headquarters in downtown Cleveland. With the team of architects
announced and development work restarting after a months-long
pause, the public could learn in a few months a more refined
design of the new HQ complex (WKYC).

UPDATED WITH PRESS RELEASE INFO

Reports are coming out today that Sherwin-Williams (SHW) has restarted the development of its global headquarters plus research and development facilities (HQ+R&D). But the months-long pause has pushed back the project's completion from 2023 to 2024. The reason is the global pandemic and the economic disruption that it is causing.

The information came in an e-mail sent to company employees today, with a formal public announcement posted later at SHW's HQ+R&D website. Additional information is also being publicized, including the names of the HQ+R&D development team, some of whom NEOtrans reported nearly a year ago.

SHW announced earlier this year that the new HQ will be located on the west side of Public Square in downtown Cleveland on a 7-acre swath of parking lots it later acquired for $49 million, public records show. The R&D facility will be located on the city-owned site of the former Veterans Administration Hospital at Interstate 77 and Miller Road Brecksville, now being redeveloped by DiGeronimo Companies.

In its e-mail, SHW executives reminded employees that most of the project's planning had been paused since March. Only the most critical HQ+R&D planning activities were allowed to continue.

This is the site where Sherwin-Williams plans to build its global
headquarters. The global coatings firm acquired this 7-acre swath
of parking lots earlier this year for $49 million, demonstrating its
commitment to the project and to downtown Cleveland (Google).

"We are now beginning to move forward again with the project," SHW Chairman John Morikis said in his internal e-mail. "I am pleased to share with you that we have selected our key external project partners. They will play a critical role in supporting our goal of creating a next generation workplace designed to serve our customers at the highest level, retaining and attracting top talent, and igniting creativity, collaboration and industry-leading innovation."

The design architect for the global headquarters is Pickard Chilton Architects, Inc., an international firm known for designing signature buildings. Meanwhile the base building architect for the global headquarters and the design, base and interior architect for the R&D facility is HGA Architects and Engineers, LLC of Minneapolis -- home of Valspar Co. which SHW acquired in 2017. Vocon Partners, LLC of Cleveland is the interior architect for the global headquarters.

SHW's construction manager is a new partnership, Welty Gilbane, formed last year by Welty-Testa Builders, LLC of Akron and the Gilbane Building Co., a global firm with offices in Cleveland. Mark G. Anderson Consultants, Inc. of Washington DC is the project manager, responsible for project controls and will be the owner's representative.

CBRE Inc., a global firm with Cleveland offices, is the real estate and economic development advisor while Columbus-based Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP is the project's legal and economic development counsel. Vorys has an office in Cleveland. Another law firm brought on to assist is San Francisco-based Hanson Bridgett LLP. Rounding out the team is inSITE Advisory Group which serves as the project's economic development advisor. It has an office in the Akron suburb of Fairlawn.

Sites for Sherwin-Williams' new global headquarters
plus research and development facilities (SHW).

If there were any concerns about SHW scaling back its headquarters component because of pandemic-induced interest in remotely working from home, Morikis put those concerns to rest.

"We recognize that the development, engagement and sense of community our employees share has been essential to our success for more than 150 years and would be difficult to sustain over the long-term with a remote-based workforce," he said in newly released press statement.

The HQ will measure about 1 million square feet (not including structured parking), with insiders estimating the main building will tower 45-55 stories high, rivaling the height of the three other Public Square skyscraper -- Key Tower (57 stories), Terminal Tower (52 stories) and 200 Public Square (46 stories). Those three are the city's tallest. Key Tower is the tallest building in the USA between Chicago and the East Coast.

The R&D facility will measure about 500,000 square feet and be part of a mixed-use development called Valor Acres in Brecksville. The R&D facility's construction is estimated to generate about 3,000 jobs while the HQ is projected to create 4,000 construction jobs, SHW says. Permanent jobs are estimated to be more than 3,500 jobs at the HQ with about 500 at the R&D center with room to accommodate future growth, the SHW e-mail reads.

END