Mall Site Information

Mall Site Alternatives

In May 2005, the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Convention Facilities Authority (CFA) reviewed two alternative layouts
for a contemporary downtown convention center under the Mall overlooking North Coast Harbor.

Mall Lakefront Alternative

Mall West Block Alternative

Building plans and cross sections were prepared to
accommodate a new convention center with:

300,000 square feet of exhibition space;
100,000 square feet of meeting rooms, and
35,000 square feet of ballrooms.

The layouts include appropriate support spaces necessary for holding events at contemporary convention centers such as registration lobbies, circulation corridors, loading docks and other areas for storage, kitchens and administrative offices.

An area for a 600-room headquarters hotel with direct indoor access to the convention center’s main registration lobby
also had to be included in the building layouts.

To create contemporary convention facilities at the Mall, the existing site must be expanded. The alternative layouts accomplish
this either by demolishing existing buildings and constructing new facilities on the west side of the Mall – the West Block Alternative
– or bridging the railroad tracks north of the Mall to create new convention space overlooking North Coast Harbor
– the Lakefront Alternative.

Both alternatives use the site of the existing downtown convention center in similar ways by demolishing and rebuilding exhibit halls
and loading docks under the between St. Clair Avenue and the NS railroad tracks.

The Mall – parkland first proposed in The Group Plan of 1903 – would be redesigned to create a contemporary green space
for the enjoyment of convention goers and the entire greater Cleveland community.

The two layouts also propose the continued community use of the historic Public Hall.