Cleveland Browns’ Berea Training & Administrative Complex $5 million renovation creates modern space respectful of tradition

Westlake Reed Leskosky of Cleveland created a forward-thinking design scheme that allows the staff and visitors direct visual access to the Browns outdoor practice fields, indoor practice field, broadcast studio, and executive offices. Photography by Kevin G. Reeves.

CLEVELAND, OHIO – The Cleveland Browns’ $5 million, four-month renovation project vastly improves its Training and Administrative Complex in Berea, Ohio. The renovations are designed by the nationally recognized, integrated architecture, engineering, and technology design firm Westlake Reed Leskosky of Cleveland, Ohio, and recently recognized with an AIA Ohio 2014 Honor Award.

This project ’s design generates an environment of teamwork and energy, and has allowed the club to bring as many employees as possible to one location, facilitating communication and collaboration in a first-class facility.

Paul E. Westlake, Jr., FAIA, Managing Principal of Westlake Reed Leskosky, notes, “This has been a tremendous opportunity for our firm to team with the Cleveland Browns to radically rethink their office environment. The renovations have been designed to score big in terms of interaction and the dynamic vitality that inspires people to perform at their best.”

The new space possesses 60 hard-wall office and 90 workstations, all right-sized and technologically endowed for modern efficiency and collaboration.

The Cleveland Browns Training and Administrative Complex is located on 13 acres of land in Berea, Ohio. The building originally opened in August 1991, and was previously renovated in 1999 and 2009. Adjacent to the building are a field house and four regulation-size natural grass practice fields ideal for year-round football operations, including the club’s training camps.

The project involved the complete renovation of the second level of the facility and select re-imaging of several first floor areas, including the Players’ Corridor and Weight Room, which represent approximately 37,000 square feet.  Aside from maintaining an existing IT room, Phone room, and Game Video Editing Suite, in addition to stair and elevator cores, the entire floor was demolished down to the shell and structural frame.

The new work environment houses approximately 160 staff on two floors, including executives, financial and legal staff, coaches, player personnel staff and scouts, corporate sales, ticket sales, marketing, content production, creative services, community outreach, and information technology support staff.  The new space possesses 60 hard-wall office and 90 workstations, all right-sized and technologically endowed for modern efficiency and collaboration. Also included are service and support cores with conference rooms, copy areas, coatrooms, restrooms, and general storage. Unique spaces include a new Draft Room, Call Center, and the Radio + Video Broadcast Studio for digital-content creation.

The forward-thinking design scheme allows the staff and visitors direct visual access to the Browns outdoor practice fields, indoor practice field, broadcast studio, and executive offices. Westlake Reed Leskosky has designed for the Browns a new open and collaborative work environment, filled with daylight, democratic, and transparent, reflective of the new integrated football and business approach.  The new workplace is a thoroughly modern space, respectful of the history and tradition of the Cleveland Browns yet forging a progressive identity for the team, via bold imagery, messaging, team branding and colors.

Unique spaces include a new Draft Room, Call Center, and the Radio + Video Broadcast Studio for digital-content creation.

Westlake Reed Leskosky, one of the largest design firms in Northeast Ohio, is also one of the most deeply integrated design practices in the United States, with specialized services under one roof. For the Cleveland Browns’ project, the firm provided architectural design, interior design, mechanical engineering, plumbing engineering, electrical engineering, structural engineering, lighting design, audio-visual design, information technology design, security design and graphics design.

Westlake Reed Leskosky also served as architect, engineer, and technology designer for the Future 50 Project major expansion and renovation of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, which was celebrated in June 2013.

Westlake Reed Leskosky implemented the planning and design of the fast tracked project for the Browns, starting construction in March 2013 for completion by mid-July 2013.