Miles SmithCleveland State University has issued a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) seeking firms interested in redeveloping the site of its 34-year-old basketball arena, which is on the university’s campus in downtown Cleveland.
The RFQ, which is due by 2 p.m. on May 2, asks developers whether they would plan to reuse the existing Wolstein Center structure at East 18th Street and Carnegie Avenue or demolish and redevelop it.
The university’s vision for redevelopment of the site includes a modern, mixed-use development that strengthens opportunities to further academic research while gaining educational, residential and commercial spaces.
“With a mission to serve as Cleveland’s university offering infinite opportunity, CSU is eager to explore possibilities to best serve students and the community through a new vision for the Wolstein Center and the 10-acre site it sits on,” said Kristin Broka, associate vice president of marketing and communications at CSU.
The Wolstein Center serves as a venue for CSU athletic events, concerts and community gatherings and has access to public transportation, commercial areas and residential neighborhoods.
A campus-wide development master plan that CSU commissioned proposed demolishing the arena and redeveloping it as a “Partnership District” with up to 800,000 square feet of mixed-use development, part of the university’s $650 million master plan.
The master plan also proposed a new, smaller 5,000-seat arena on Chester Avenue at Interstate 90.
CSU solicited interest from development teams and began to narrow down the list of finalists when the process was abruptly halted last year due to a $40 million budget shortfall.
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