Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C) operates a multi-campus college district in Northeast Ohio with Cuyahoga County as its primary service area, Tri-C serves Cleveland and the surrounding communities. The new Campus Center provides amenities to students, including: a Barnes & Noble bookstore with a coffeehouse, a food court and dining area, an outdoor courtyard, classrooms, offices, as well as a new conference hall for public use.
The $38 million complete renovation includes an addition project to transform the existing building inside and out. The exist building cladding, finishes, and mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems were removed down to the bare concrete structure. Around the remaining structure, the building was expanded from a rectangular shell, to a form with sweeping curves, clad in metal and glass curtain walls. The design eliminated the lower-level outdoor pathways that cut around the building on its north, east and south sides by covering them with new plaza areas, thereby eliminating the separation from the surrounding plazas. This will be most notable on the East 30th Street side of the building, which is completely opened up and has a direct connection to the surrounding Central neighborhood.
The new architecture for the Campus Center transformed perceptions for the Metro campus.
