The Sherwin-Williams global headquarters project in downtown Cleveland celebrated an important construction milestone on Dec. 4 with a Topping Off ceremony.
 
Two weeks ahead of the scheduled ceremony date, Sherwin-Williams leaders were joined by elected officials, construction workers and others associated with the project to mark the installation of the final piece of structural steel on the 36-story tower (616 feet high), which when completed, will be the sixth tallest building in Ohio.
 
“It’s really a special day for us and for all of Northeast Ohio,” said Sherwin-Williams Chairman and CEO John Morikis. “We’ve been proud to be a part of Cleveland since 1866 and call this home.”
 
“This ceremony celebrates the safe, successful end of the structural steelwork,” said Heidi Petz, Sherwin-Williams President and COO. “It also celebrates the accomplishments of the entire construction crew. As Henry Sherwin said, ‘What is worth doing is worth doing well.’”
 
Cleveland Building and Construction Trades Council Business Manager/Executive Secretary Dave Wondolowski called it an important day as the ceremony celebrates a major accomplishment for the high-profile project.
 
By signing a Project Labor Agreement with the Cleveland Building and Construction Trades Council, Sherwin-Williams ensured the building will be constructed by highly skilled building trades members.
 
Thanks to the PLA, the project will ultimately create about 1,800 jobs for affiliated CBCTC members. An additional 1,800 building trades members working under the same PLA are also constructing the Sherwin-Williams R&D center in Brecksville.
 
“Safety and efficiency are staples of any PLA; they are important on projects this size,” Wondolowski said.
 
The hard work performed by the building trades members was not lost on Morikis.
 
“We’re proud of the work being done here and couldn’t be more grateful to our construction employees who are out here every day in these elements,” he said. “We appreciate that you do that and that you do it safely.”
 
“Thanks to all our trade partners for helping us reach this critical milestone,” said Tom Broad, CEO of Midwest Steel. “Also to Sherwin-William's commitment to the trades and their appreciation of the talent and quality we have provided you for this facility.”
 
Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb described the project as “an example of what good, inclusive economic growth should look like.”
 
“I’m proud to say that more than 100 minority firms, female firms and small businesses have been awarded contracts on this project,” added Morikis.
 
Wondolowski stressed the importance of the upcoming work to enclose the building from the elements.
 
“With any project in Cleveland, getting it closed in before the cold weather sets in is critical,” he said.
 
Prior to the installation of the final beam, more than 600 construction workers, supervisors, project architects, engineers, designers, local elected officials and leaders within the Sherwin-Williams company signed the beam.
 
During the ceremony, the beam, which held an evergreen tree, the American flag and a Sherwin-Williams flag, was hoisted into place and secured to the structure by members of Ironworkers Local 17.
 
Once complete, the new global headquarters will be approximately 1 million square feet in size and house about 4,000 employees. Located just west of Public Square between St. Clair Avenue and Superior Avenue, it will consist of three parts – an office tower, pavilion and parking garage.
 
The parking garage includes approximately 920 spaces with five levels above grade and one basement level. The pavilion will be the point of visitor entry and feature Sherwin-Williams' Center of Excellence and a place for learning and development.
 
The R&D Center in Brecksville will have about 900 employees working in the 600,000-square-foot structure.
 
According to the Sherwin-Williams website, work on both facilities is expected to wrap up by the end of 2024.