On Cleveland's convention center debate The Cleveland Restoration Society strongly urges that our community leaders coordinate their efforts to decide the locations of a new county administration building, a new convention center and other developments in downtown Cleveland. With the county leaving its current location on the Mall, we have a golden opportunity to finish the Mall Plan, link a hotel to the convention center and have county administration housed in one of Cleveland’s greatest historic landmarks: the Rotunda Building at East 9th and Euclid. New construction can be integrated with the old to create state-of-the-art facilities that capitalize on our region’s unique character. Historic preservation is a logical partner to Green Building techniques. Moreover, studies show that rehabilitation is more labor-intensive --more dollars are invested in local labor instead of in the purchase of building materials from outside the local economy. In rehabilitation, five to nine additional jobs are created per $1 million in construction expense. Cleveland’s Mall Plan, listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1975, constitutes one of the earliest and most complete civic center plans in the United States. It is an outstanding example of the City Beautiful Movement and Progressivism as it impacted early 20th century city planning in the United States. Other cities with group plans, such as Chicago, San Francisco, and Indianapolis, cannot claim the same level of completeness. Working within the plan guidelines, we can finish the plan, create a modern convention facility and promote Cleveland as a world-class destination. The Rotunda Building, originally the Cleveland Trust Company and later the Ameritrust Building, is listed individually in the National Register of Historic Places (1973) and is a contributing building within the Euclid Avenue Historic District (2001). It was designed by one of the most preeminent Neo-Classic eclectic architectural firms in the United States, George B. Post and Sons, and constructed in 1905-1908. The three-story, white granite building, designed in the Beaux Arts style, feels like a grand public building. Its artwork showcases our region’s history and presents a unique opportunity that would not be possible with today’s economic realities. The rehabilitation of this now vacant structure would send an important message of support for and pride in the cultural heritage of our region. We would be happy to further discuss these great opportunities with community leaders.from Cool Cleveland reader Kathleen H. Crowther, Executive Director, Cleveland Restoration Society kcrowther@clevelandrestoration.org (:divend:)