Fenn Tower Renovations

 

RFQ for design services and scope:

https://dam.assets.ohio.gov/image/upload/ofcc.ohio.gov/Portals/0/Documents/Opportunities/RFQ/2025/RFQ-202301474-AE.pdf

CSU considers re-developing Wolstein Center. https://fox8.com/news/cleveland-state-considers-redeveloping-wolstein-center/

https://www.news5cleveland.com/news/local-news/what-should-happen-to-csus-wolstein-center-redevelop-or-demolish-university-asks-for-ideas

It will be sad to see it demolished.  It seems to fill a niche for events that need a venue larger than one of the auditoriums but not as large as Rocket Arena.  And Rocket Arena is a busy place with not very many open dates.  I suppose men's basketball could move back to Woodling Gym or Public Hall.  I assume the new, smaller arena proposed by CSU a couple years ago is no longer feasible due to their financial situation.    

 

Edited March 7Mar 7 by LibertyBlvd

Meh...

 

 

CSU seeks to redevelop Wolstein Center site
By Ken Prendergast / March 7, 2025

 

Cleveland State University is seeking to redevelop the Wolstein Center arena site in Downtown Cleveland and today issued a request for developers to submit their qualifications to do the job. But the request for qualifications leaves it to developers to decide whether the 34-year-old arena, 2000 Prospect Ave., should stay or go.

 

MORE:

https://neo-trans.blog/2025/03/07/csu-seeks-to-redevelop-wolstein-center-site/

^I second the meh.  Looks like CSU doesn't have a clue what it wants.  Only thing that is clear is that it has no money.

Is ANYONE lobbying the state to get CSU more funding? Or is that not how it works. A recent Crain's piece talked about how OSU and UC get a disparate majority of the state's funding to our detriment. Imagine what our downtown could look like if it got a boost from funding and a student population twice as large.

46 minutes ago, Geowizical said:

Is ANYONE lobbying the state to get CSU more funding? Or is that not how it works. A recent Crain's piece talked about how OSU and UC get a disparate majority of the state's funding to our detriment. Imagine what our downtown could look like if it got a boost from funding and a student population twice as large.

Don’t count on it with the people running this state. They don’t exactly put education as a priority.

I third the meh.   But for other reasons, mainly, this is another "big city item" that  Cleveland has that sets it self apart from other similar sized markets (a secondary arena downtown).   First it was loss of the the hotel at the airport terminal, and soon it will be the downtown airport.   Meh is right. 

2 hours ago, Geowizical said:

Is ANYONE lobbying the state to get CSU more funding? Or is that not how it works. A recent Crain's piece talked about how OSU and UC get a disparate majority of the state's funding to our detriment. Imagine what our downtown could look like if it got a boost from funding and a student population twice as large.

I worked in administration at Kent State for almost 10 years until retiring almost 3 years ago.   It’s a common refrain in higher ed in Ohio that there’s Ohio State and then there’s all the other schools.  Ohio state is in a class by itself, and they pretty much get funding to afford whatever they need.  The other schools, not so much.

11 hours ago, JohnSummit said:

I worked in administration at Kent State for almost 10 years until retiring almost 3 years ago.   It’s a common refrain in higher ed in Ohio that there’s Ohio State and then there’s all the other schools.  Ohio state is in a class by itself, and they pretty much get funding to afford whatever they need.  The other schools, not so much.

I'm sure if you're a Yankee school north of the turnpike, even less... 

 

This is obviously not the appropriate thread for political discussion.

Idk if this means Fenn Tower renovations have started but it looks like something's going on...