CLEVELAND, Ohio – In an open letter, three leaders of the Black community in Cleveland have demanded that public assistance granted to the Sherwin-Williams Co. for construction of its new headquarters and research center be rescinded.
In the letter, the trio protests the lack of minority inclusion in the key partners Sherwin-Williams announced Tuesday as the team that will manage the construction projects. The company, though, expressed a commitment to minority participation as it made its announcement.
The letter, dated Tuesday, is signed by Norm Edwards, president of the Black Contractors Group, and two leaders the Cleveland Clergy Coalition, Rev. E. Theophilus Caviness, the group’s chairman, and Pastor Aaron Phillips, the group’s president.
“We are putting everyone on notice that once again our tax dollars are being used to assist with the financing of the $600 million dollar Sherwin-Williams World Headquarters project and we have no inclusion of black and/or minority partners listed,” the letter states.
The company was awarded a broad package of development incentives from the state and its development arm, JobsOhio; the city of Cleveland; Brecksville; and Cuyahoga County. The Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority agreed to finance the project.
Cleveland’s package alone amounted to about $100 million in grants and tax incentives. In exchange, Cleveland would retain more than 3,100 jobs with the potential for more. The city has said those jobs generate more than $8.7 million annually in income taxes.
The letter from the three Black leaders states that Gov. Mike DeWine, Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson, Cleveland City Council, Cuyahoga County Executive Armond Budish and the County Council should stop providing tax incentives for construction projects that do not have diversity and inclusion “from the very start.
“If black and minority architects, engineers, attorneys, owner’s representatives, construction managers, project managers, consultants, economic development advisors, contractors and construction workers are going to be excluded from the Sherwin-Williams project then don’t build it here.”
Sherwin-Williams on Tuesday announced the architectural and construction team it will use to build a new headquarters in Cleveland and a research complex in Brecksville, reaffirming its plan to invest more than $600 million into the sites.
The team consists of 10 established companies, none of which are minority-owned. They are:
- Pickard Chilton Architects, Inc. – Design architect for the global headquarters.
- HGA Architects and Engineers – Base building architect for the global headquarters and design, base building and interior architect for the research center.
- Vocon Partners – Interior architect for the global headquarters.
- Welty/Gilbane JV, a joint venture involving Welty Buidling Co. and Gilbane Building Co. – Construction manager.
- Mark G. Anderson Consultants, Inc. – Project manager, project controls and owner’s representative.
- CBRE Inc. – Real estate and economic development advisor
- Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP – Legal and economic development counsel.
- Hanson Bridgett LLP – Legal counsel.
- inSITE Advisory Group – Economic development advisor.
But in its announcement, Sherwin-Williams also stated a commitment toward hiring women and minorities for the projects. The company noted it was named by Forbes magazine as one of the top employers for diversity, new graduates and women.
“The company is extending this commitment to the construction of these facilities,” it said in a news release. “Sherwin-Williams will work proactively with the cities, community leaders and trade partners to positively impact the local economy by providing workforce opportunities for the community, including awarding contracts to minority-owned and female-owned businesses, as well as small businesses.”
In February, the Fortune 500 company announced its plan to spend at least $600 million on the two sites to house more than 3,500 employees, with job growth expected.
The downtown headquarters, to be built at the west end of Public Square, would be a 1 million-square-foot building. In March, the company paid $49.4 million to buy the downtown property.
The research and development complex on 119 acres at Miller Road and Brecksville Road near Interstate 77 would have about 500,000 square feet of space.
Sherwin-Williams acknowledged Tuesday that the coronavirus pandemic had caused delays in the projects, but it recommitted to building at the scale announced in February.
Sherwin-Williams said Tuesday it estimates it will add a minimum of 400 jobs at the two facilities over time, an increase of 11 percent to the company’s current local workforce.
