CSU To Give Fenn Tower and Fenn Hall a $100M Glow-up

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Cleveland State University announced the renovation of two of its most historic buildings. Fenn Tower, one of the campus’s most recognizable landmarks, and Fenn Hall, home to many of CSU’s STEM-related teaching and research labs are the focus of more than $100 million of planned investment.

The projects are part of Cleveland State United, CSU’s multi-year strategic plan to advance academic offerings, foster student success, and expand talent development for the region. 

“CSU is one of the most important institutions we have in Cleveland,” said CSU Board of Trustees Chair Tim Cosgrove in a written statement. “This university changed my life, and it is a privilege to help enrich the lives of current and future students – the renovations of Fenn Hall and Fenn Tower will do that for years to come.”

Fenn Hall

The Fenn Hall renovation represents Phase I of creating CSU’s new $50 million Biomedical Discovery Complex, designed to offer state-of-the-art facilities for students and faculty researchers pursuing scholarship in STEM-related fields that help fuel the economy of Northeast Ohio.

Phase I will include facility renovations that will result in the creation of over 20,000 square feet of research lab space, specifically focused on biomedical science and engineering. It is next to the Science Building, 2399 Euclid Ave.

About $32 million was secured through state capital funding with the remainder to be secured through philanthropic contributions. Phase II of the Biomedical Discovery Complex, still in the planning phase, is expected to enhance the new labs with high-tech classrooms, plus presentation and collaboration facilities.  

“The labs that will be completed in Phase I are central to our extensive STEM academic and research program at CSU,” said Nigamanth Sridhar, CSU senior vice president and provost.

“We are designing the labs to be future-focused interdisciplinary community spaces where researchers, both students and faculty, from across disciplines can collaborate, teach and explore innovations in science, medicine and engineering,” he said.

Phase I design and site preparation is underway. Construction is scheduled to begin in Summer 2026, with a completion date anticipated for early 2028. 

Fenn Tower

Built in 1930 in the Art Deco style, Fenn Tower, 2401 Euclid, once served as not only a residence hall, but home for the entirety of CSU’s predecessor, Fenn College. Closed in summer of 2024 for repairs, Fenn Tower will reopen in August 2026 as a first-year residence hall.

It will feature a newly updated façade, renovated student rooms, strengthened infrastructure, redesigned secure resident-only entrances, as well as multiple spaces for students to gather, study and relax. The $50.4 million renovation will provide more than just student housing.

“Fenn Tower holds a special place in the history of Cleveland State, and the City of Cleveland. Its renovation represents both respect for our history and excitement for our future,” said CSU President Laura Bloomberg.

“We are preserving the past while also creating a refreshed living environment where our students feel a sense of connection, support and belonging,” she said. “We are creating an environment where everyone can thrive.”

The residence hall rooms have been reimagined to provide sustainable and energy-efficient modern spaces for 400 students in 177 residential rooms. Improvements include new bathrooms, updated sleeping and living areas.

Plus, there will be expanded community spaces on each floor to support academic and social engagement. Enhanced security and privacy will be provided through a residents-only entrance. 

Public spaces will also receive significant upgrades, including a restored first floor lobby, student lounges, study areas, a movie theatre, and a third-floor game room and ballroom to support residential programming and community-building initiatives. 

“I remember going to history class on the fourth floor of Fenn Tower with Dr. Holmes, an experience that remains unforgettable. We are fortunate to be able to steward this iconic building so future generations can be inspired by its historic significance as well as its beautiful views of the city and Lake Erie,” added Chair Cosgrove. 

Fenn Tower was originally built for the National Town and Country Club before being sold to Fenn College, CSU’s predecessor. Fenn Tower is named for Sereno Peck Fenn, a former president of the Cleveland YMCA and co-founder of Sherwin-Williams.

Fenn Tower originally provided classroom and office spaces, a library, gymnasium, swimming pool, student lounges and other amenities which earned it the nickname “the campus in the clouds.”

As for Fenn Hall, it was built as the Ohio Motors Building. It was a car showroom and service building, which sold and serviced Buick automobiles and, later, Lincoln-Mercury automobiles. Fenn College acquired it in the 1950s, briefly calling it Stilwell Hall, according to Jim Dubelko at the Center for Public History and Digital Humanities.

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