Demolition of airport Sheraton marks beginning of ‘much more to come,’ says Hopkins director

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Cleveland Hopkins officials took a symbolic step toward a new airport with the swing of a hammer Wednesday in front of the abandoned Sheraton hotel.

The hotel, closed since 2022, is scheduled to come down this month, although actual demolition won’t get begin until next week.

Before that process gets started, city officials gathered at the front of the property and launched sledgehammers into a large rendering of the hotel.

“Today is about looking forward,” said airport director Bryant Francis, who called the demolition of the Sheraton the “first visual representation” of a multi-year, multi-phase process to rebuild Cleveland Hopkins.

“It is truly just the beginning, with much, much more to come,” he said.

What will likely be the first phase of that rebuilding process: More parking.

The Sheraton, built in 1959, will eventually be replaced by another parking area – although it’s probably too soon to reserve your spot just yet.

Dennis Kramer, commissioner of airport development, said the new spots likely won’t be available until 2026.

The demolition of the building and removal of debris by Baumann Enterprises is expected continue through early 2025.

Kramer said it hasn’t been determined yet how many new spaces will be located on the hotel site.

Airport officials are still discussing the possibility of locating a parking garage on the property.

Parking has been in short supply in recent years, as air travel has surged. Air traffic at Cleveland Hopkins in 2024 is expected to top more than 10 million passengers, the highest number since 2008.

And unlike in 2008, when Cleveland was a hub for Continental Airlines with many connecting passengers, almost all of the travelers in 2024 are starting or ending their trips in Cleveland, which increases demand for on-site parking.

But more parking is just the beginning of plans for the airport.

Francis said he continues to meet monthly with airline representatives, who are being asked to fund the bulk of the $3 billion terminal reconstruction plan. Earlier this year, the airlines agreed to pay $175 million to fund the first phase of the project, which includes demolition of the hotel.

Meanwhile, work continues on what Kramer calls the advanced planning phase of the project. Design work is expected to commence next year, and will likely be completed in phases, said Francis.

Francis said he expects to announce more details about plans both for more parking and other elements of the project before the end of the year.

“We are moving in the right direction,” Francis said, who hopes demolition of the Sheraton offers a promise of what’s to come.

“Seeing the site cleared will signify change,” he said. “This is a step forward. It signifies progress.”

Because of its proximity to the airport, the building will be brought down using a mechanical demolition process – that is, with excavators and other heavy equipment, as opposed to explosives.

The hotel sits on city-owned land adjacent to the terminal. Its condition has deteriorated in recent years, a result of a downturn in travel caused by the pandemic and other factors. In 2022, the city paid $12.15 million to terminate a lease with the private hospitality firm that was operating the hotel.