1 hour ago, Enginerd said:

I’m definitely concerned with how the new buildings interact with the street and the city surrounding it...but man, if they build floors like this I can’t imagine it helps recruiting at all.

 

 

i know what you mean, but you might be surprized how nostalgic people are for those. the modern open office floor plan is an absolute disaster.

2 hours ago, Clefan98 said:

Apologies if this was already posted...SHW recently sent out notices that all employee's will be returning to the downtown HQ on 5/3.

 

 

i wonder if they are literally enforcing this for everyone? because that is not very modern thinking and will not help recruiting.

 

not everyone needs to be in the office every day these days, particularly those that have health issues and can continue to work at home for now. 

2 hours ago, Clefan98 said:

Apologies if this was already posted...SHW recently sent out notices that all employee's will be returning to the downtown HQ on 5/3.

Last summer I tried to tell the far right rural, suburban, NYC is dead, Cali is dead Trumpers that work from home is NOT going to be the new normal and they didn’t listen lol.

 

Goldman Sachs Boss:

“I do think for a business like ours, which is an innovative, collaborative apprenticeship culture, this is not ideal for us. And it’s not a new normal. It’s an aberration that we’re going to correct as soon as possible,”
 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.com/news/amp/business-56192048

58 minutes ago, mrnyc said:

 

 

i wonder if they are literally enforcing this for everyone? because that is not very modern thinking and will not help recruiting.

 

not everyone needs to be in the office every day these days, particularly those that have health issues and can continue to work at home for now. 

 

Yes, this will be for everyone. They already have ~700 or so that are coming in on staggered days.

14 minutes ago, 646empire said:

Last summer I tried to tell the far right rural, suburban, NYC is dead, Cali is dead Trumpers that work from home is NOT going to be the new normal and they didn’t listen lol.

 

Goldman Sachs Boss:

“I do think for a business like ours, which is an innovative, collaborative apprenticeship culture, this is not ideal for us. And it’s not a new normal. It’s an aberration that we’re going to correct as soon as possible,”
 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.com/news/amp/business-56192048

 

 

while thats true i think a little flexability this spring is prudent for now vs absolute mandates to return. 

 

until more people are fully vaccinated.

 

anyway, i think we are getting off topic  -- we do have a corona thread elsewhere -- we better get back to the sw development news and speculation!

40 minutes ago, mrnyc said:

while thats true i think a little flexability this spring is prudent for now vs absolute mandates to return. 

I agree early May is a bit much for bringing the entire team back, I think July-September would be much better for 100% occupancy.

1 hour ago, Clefan98 said:

 

Yes, this will be for everyone. They already have ~700 or so that are coming in on staggered days.

 

This is not true. They are not bringing back everyone back for all 5 days of the work week. It's going to be a rotational return to work and the office will not be back to 100% occupancy in the near future.

2 hours ago, mrnyc said:

 

 

i know what you mean, but you might be surprized how nostalgic people are for those. the modern open office floor plan is an absolute disaster.

 

 

It's not even about nostalgia when it comes to cubical style floor plan. It's about efficiency and productivity. Open office floor plan is exactly what you said a disaster and not a single one of my co-workers like it. Some floors in the main building have been updated with shorter cubicals where you can see the heads of everyone around you (or entire upper body if they have a standing desk), but still have your "designated" area to sit, and those office floors are despised and I can't find anyone that actually "enjoys" working in that environment.

Edited March 11, 20214 yr by Stang10

13 minutes ago, Stang10 said:

 

This is not true. They are not bringing back everyone back for all 5 days of the work week. It's going to be a rotational return to work and the office will not be back to 100% occupancy in the near future.

 

We shall see. May 3rd is the return date for all ee's right now, it could obviously change.

 

BTW - it's already rotational. Directors, VPs and other corporate staff are going into the office 2/3 days a week.

 

 

Edited March 11, 20214 yr by Clefan98

2 minutes ago, Clefan98 said:

 

We shall see!

 

I mean I can read company e-mails fine and it clearly states that the return to work is on the rotational schedule like it was originally planned, last fall. No more than 1/3 of employees will be at HQ at any given time during the work week, that sure doesn't seem like a 100% return to the office situation. Which started but then quickly switched back to 100% work from home for the vast majority of the employees in downtown. 

4 hours ago, Stang10 said:

 

I mean I can read company e-mails fine and it clearly states that the return to work is on the rotational schedule like it was originally planned, last fall. No more than 1/3 of employees will be at HQ at any given time during the work week, that sure doesn't seem like a 100% return to the office situation. Which started but then quickly switched back to 100% work from home for the vast majority of the employees in downtown. 

 

The 5/3 return date wasn't shared in a company-wide email.

 

There's already 400ee's coming in M/W/F and another 300ee's T/TH

Edited March 11, 20214 yr by Clefan98

4 minutes ago, Clefan98 said:

 

The 5/3 return date wasn't shared in a company-wide email. Notices were sent out to a few in HR. I'm leaving it at that.

 

There's already 400ee's coming in M/W/F and another 300ee's T/TH

 

I'm mean, I'm not going to go tit for tat with you on what I received as a FT employee, but it clearly states that the company will be re-introducing their return to work rotational program they put in place last fall and no more than 1/3 of the downtown employees will be in the building at any given time. But what do I know ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

Don't worry everyone, I'm fixing to solve our transparency and design problems... who wants a board seat?  That's how stonks work, right?   

Yellow iron action today on the site of the future parking deck. As far as I could tell they’d dug a big hole and filled it in again. Independence Excavating was the contractor. 
 

Cross-posted in the CPD HQ thread

 

 

In this article, towards the end, K&D Group CEO Doug Price basically confirms that the SHW Center For Excellence or whatever they are calling it will be two stories tall. Sounds like, from his quote, that he has seen renderings too?

 

https://www.news5cleveland.com/news/local-news/cleveland-metro/work-already-starting-on-project-to-turn-55-public-square-into-one-of-the-most-exciting-buildings-in-the-city
 

 

3 hours ago, GREGinPARMA said:

In this article, towards the end, K&D Group CEO Doug Price basically confirms that the SHW Center For Excellence or whatever they are calling it will be two stories tall. Sounds like, from his quote, that he has seen renderings too?

 

https://www.news5cleveland.com/news/local-news/cleveland-metro/work-already-starting-on-project-to-turn-55-public-square-into-one-of-the-most-exciting-buildings-in-the-city
 

 

Or maybe Mr. Price lurks here on UO 👀

With 50 million+ watching, and SW as a key partner of the Cleveland Browns; I'm considering that it may be a timely, unique and positive PR opportunity for an HQ press release - during NFL Draft Week in Clevo at the end of April.

 

There should be no shortage of foreign and domestic media outlets in town, with reporters seeking interesting local angles for peripheral interest pieces.

Edited April 11, 20214 yr by ExPatClevGuy

I don't think they're ready for any design releases yet.

Let’s just hope that when it is released, we have a building that can transform  that NFL Cleveland banner from a “Big 3” to a “Big 4”  Hoping for a rendering of something with some unique personality and over 500 feet high. 

If SHW hopes to break ground by the end of this year of early 2022, perhaps we'll see definitive renderings by mid to late summer. I'm also hoping for a structure that approaches or exceeds 500 feet! 

6 hours ago, Cleveland Rising said:

If SHW hopes to break ground by the end of this year of early 2022, perhaps we'll see definitive renderings by mid to late summer. I'm also hoping for a structure that approaches or exceeds 500 feet! 

 

Sooner

17 minutes ago, KJP said:

 

Sooner

And just like that, the UO community’s typically peaceful sleep was replaced with the furious clacking of F5 keys.

Yeah, I should probably write an article about it. But I don't have a whole lot of info right now. Maybe tomorrow....

As promised....

 

 

TUESDAY, APRIL 13, 2021

Sherwin-Williams HQ design sheds box, may boost height

 

As one part of Sherwin-Williams' (SHW) global headquarters design team works its way outward from the new office tower's elevator/stairwell core, other designers are already contemplating what the exterior of the building might look like.

 

And there is good news on that front -- the basic box that's been used merely for massing purposes up this point is going bye-bye. But the glass curtainwall continues to be the building's exterior material favored by SHW's C-Suite executives on the Building Our Future Committee.

 

MORE:

https://neo-trans.blogspot.com/2021/04/sherwin-williams-hq-design-sheds-box.html

@KJPThanks as always for the update and excellent reporting! Sounds like there is a lot we don't know!

So glad to hear Frankfurt will not be a total loss. I was thinking that it would be a fairly lifeless corridor. 

Awesome to know groundbreaking is in June 2021!

 

lol I kid, thanks for the insights as always.

20 minutes ago, surfohio said:

So glad to hear Frankfurt will not be a total loss. I was thinking that it would be a fairly lifeless corridor. 

 

It may still be a total loss. Depends on what happens at the West 6th end. But given how the east end will be developed, it doesn't provide much incentive to put some public spaces west of it.

Hearing they are no longer looking at just a big ole rectangle is sure nice, but I think I'm more excited they are looking to add a floor to the CoE. That will help bring it closer in massing to the courthouse across the square. Having some angles/steps back on the upper floors will also help tie it in with the other towers on the square. 

I'd rather have a block building. Those Aria building are hideous. 

And I'd rather have a building with an interesting roof line, particularly one that can complement the slender spire-topped Key and Terminal Towers.  The Atria buildings have  a "whole lot going on" - they definitely work very hard to take "the box" out of "box-shape" - with messy results.  But if SW can create something with interesting lines that's not too busy - something  that doesn't create a harsh juxtaposition against the elegant Big 3 - from an aesthetic standpoint,  it should create a much more satisfying and harmonious skyline.  We probably won't get a spire - but we may get that affect from a slant up or step-up to the highest floor.

 

 Lately, in many of the great pics on the forum from places like Duck Island and Ohio City, I've been imagining how a new 500 foot (hopefully, 500+) tower will look in the skyline - and I think it will greatly improve the Cleveland skyline.   Key Tower in particular so dominates at its 950' height level with the most density to the east - a new significant height presence to the west will do a lot to balance the skyline and complement the NY-sized Big 3.   Today's NEOTRANS was, for us skyline watchers - some extremely good news.  Now, I feel certain that we're seeing that SW is truly moving through a design process.  The OKC building was not an exact exemplar - it was more of a placeholder representing square footage.  I'm hopeful that, as we have been previously on this story, we'll end up being surprised - positively so, by the eventual official rendering for the HQ. 

 

 SW knows full well their importance in the city and on public square.  Prediction - They won't miss the chance to have the 4th tallest building in the city. In the end, the tower will surpass Erieview Tower in height.  

I wouldn't mind seeing Pickard Chilton incorporate some conceptual elements similar to the extended roofline on 1180 Peachtree in Atlanta.

I can't wait to see what Pickard Chilton creates especially since I will be seeing it in the skyline from the west side 😀.

I have high expectations don't let me down.

If we are picking towers from Pickard Chilton's portfolio.  The Northwestern Mutual tower is right in SHW's 30-35 story range and has a somewhat varied roof.  The tower is 550 ft and is a fairly conservative design for a conservative company like SHW.

 

You know, I probably should've gone with that first view in my blog. It's a more modern version of Atria's roofline and comes from PC's portfolio. But one of the design team members specifically mentioned Atria III as something to look at.

"If it's ugly, just build two and they'll think you're a genius." 😆
         A little too "Uncle Fester" for me, but I'm sure S.W. will do better.... right?

Edited April 14, 20214 yr by ExPatClevGuy

I would love to see the Northwestern Mutual Tower replicated here.  

13 minutes ago, ExPatClevGuy said:

A little too "Uncle Fester" for me, but I'm sure S.W. will do better.... right?

 

This building is from the 1990s. Glass used in modern buildings has a very different and much cleaner look. That change alone would make a big difference.

@LlamaLawyer  No worries, I get that. 😆 Once I got a look at these twins though, I couldn't help myself.  - I'll be glad we're not likely to go backwards in design here.

(Those cut-outs tho are so strangely familiar.  Hmmm, now where in Cleveland have I seen a shape like that...) 

Edited April 14, 20214 yr by ExPatClevGuy

If it aint got a spire, I want aint not that.

From the SW site...

Q12. Are design renderings available? [New]

We are still working through the site development process and design planning for both facilities. That said, we are excited to share proposed site development plans that provide a high-level footprint of buildings, parking and green spaces for each site. Over the coming months, these plans will be refined and reviewed by the City of Cleveland and the City of Brecksville as required by their respective planning and design organizations. You can view the site plans here.

Based upon the work completed to date, we expect to submit design plans to each city during the second half of 2021.

 

Q17. When does Sherwin-Williams expect to break ground? [Updated]

The Company expects to break ground at both sites no later than fourth quarter 2021. Overall, the transition to the new facilities is expected to occur by the end of 2024.

BTW, a source passed along a screen of SHW's work-from-home digital workplace. The source said it looked like the new SHW HQ including a 3-story Center of Excellence on Public Square. Not too sure about that... I think the source is using some creative license here. What do you think? BTW, I close-cropped the photo, wiped out the sides to remove any source-identifying features from the background, erased the computer brand's name from the bottom, and did a printscreen of it so the digital signature stops with me. Just some of the extra steps we take here at NEOtrans to protect sources.... 😎

 

 

55 minutes ago, KJP said:

BTW, a source passed along a screen of SHW's work-from-home digital workplace. The source said it looked like the new SHW HQ including a 3-story Center of Excellence on Public Square. Not too sure about that... I think the source is using some creative license here. What do you think? BTW, I close-cropped the photo, wiped out the sides to remove any source-identifying features from the background, erased the computer brand's name from the bottom, and did a printscreen of it so the digital signature stops with me. Just some of the extra steps we take here at NEOtrans to protect sources.... 😎

 

 

I think that terminal-tower-esque spire is pretty dope. I also think (unless you're going to tell me otherwise) that it's highly likely that whatever marketing/design person created this graphic has never seen a real rendering of the hq.

 

Finally, in my legal practice, I'm surprised at how often people produce "redacted" documents that have some of the redacted information hidden in metadata.

6 minutes ago, LlamaLawyer said:

... it's highly likely that whatever marketing/design person created this graphic has never seen a real rendering of the hq.

 

 

I concur. But ya never know!  😜

I thought you were possibly referring to the dome-top shadow at center screen.

We need a little “Mission Impossible” theme music to go with that screen grab from KJP. 

I'm a little concerned with KJP's screen shot, it looks like the SW HQ is only going to be about 10 floors...bummer! :)

20 minutes ago, ExPatClevGuy said:

I thought you were possibly referring to the dome-top shadow at center screen.

Looks like a nuclear reactor containment building. The NIMBY's aren't gonna like this. 

Based on the city planning meeting it looks like there will be a joint review from City Planning & Landmarks for the project.   They are looking to schedule the session so I think designs are coming soon.   I hope its recorded and on you tube like all the other sessions.