Cleveland, OH
‘Slap in the face’ to Cleveland: Congresswoman Brown confirms Celebrezze Federal Building to be sold
CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – Congresswoman Shontel Brown (OH-11) has confirmed the U.S. General Services Administration’s (GSA) plan to sell the Anthony J. Celebrezze Federal Building in Downtown Cleveland, calling the decision a “slap in the face” to Cleveland.
Rumors over the potential closure and sale of the AJC building have been swirling since its appearance on a GSA disposal list earlier this month. The building had been listed for sale, then removed days later with no explanation given by the GSA.
The building was on the “non-core property list”, which identifies buildings that the U.S. General Services Administration deems are not “core to government operations, or non-core properties”.
“The Trump Administration is delivering a slap in the face to the City of Cleveland by rushing to sell the Celebrezze building,” said Congresswoman Brown. “The Celebrezze building is a critical cornerstone for Cleveland’s federal operations and a vital anchor for the downtown economy. This reckless and short-sighted fire-sale will disrupt essential federal services and undermine the City’s critical investments in the downtown economy. What’s more, it will inflict further trauma on public servants, who have been relentlessly attacked by DOGE and this Administration with return-to-work orders and indiscriminate firings. Our city and our people deserve better than being treated as collateral damage in DOGE’s reckless cost-cutting schemes.”
Congresswoman Brown says the federal government will look to short term leases for the 4,000+ employees that use the building within multiple federal departments. She fears that it would leave to even greater uncertainty:
“There is no guarantee that suitable relocation options will even be secured. The likely outcome is therefore not merely disruption—it is a direct reduction in federal employment in Ohio, with serious consequences for the local economy.”
The AJC building would be sold within the next three years, with the Congresswoman’s office telling 19 News that the federal government would need to find leases for every agency in the building, ensuring there is enough space, and physically move all equipment.
Agencies in the building include: Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
19 News has reached out to the GSA for comment and have yet to hear back.
Last week, Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb and Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne called on the federal government to keep the building under federal ownership to keep these agencies downtown.
Copyright 2025 WOIO. All rights reserved.
Rachelle M. Hale, age 45, passed away on July 3, 2026. She was born on August 1, 1980, in Cleveland, Ohio, to her loving parents, Richard and Cheryl Hobbs.
Beloved wife of John Kevin Hale, Jr. Devoted mother of John Kevin Hale, III, Jacob Hale, Zackary Hale, and Hannah Hale. Cherished grandmother of John Hale, IV, Alivia Hale, Zayden Hale, Avianna Atwood, Aunika Hale, Jonnalynn Hale, Layla Hale, Ja’Von Atwood, Jr., and Jacob Hale, Jr. Dear sister of Kelly Hobbs, Rickie Hobbs, Donald Hobbs, and Shane Hobbs. Treasured aunt to a host of nieces and nephews.
Rachelle found her greatest joy in spending time with her family, especially her beloved grandchildren, who brought endless happiness to her life. She will be remembered for the love she shared, the memories she created, and the unwavering devotion she had for those she held dear. She will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved her.
Family and friends are welcome on Thursday, July 9, 2026, from 5 to 7 p.m., at Slone & Co. Life Celebration Center 3556 W. 130th St. Cleveland, OH 44111. A Graveside Service will be held on Friday, July 10, 2026, at 11:30 a.m., at West Park Cemetery 3942 Ridge Rd, Cleveland, OH 44144 (Please meet at cemetery gates by 11:15 a.m.).
CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – A man was found dead in the street early Monday, and three others were hospitalized after a shooting on Cleveland’s East Side early Monday morning.
According to a release from Cleveland Police, at around 3:18 a.m., officers in the Fourth District responded to a ShotSpotter alert in the area of East 102nd Street and Sophia Avenue.
While en route to the initial location, two 17-year-old girls approached the officers and told them they had been shot while driving in the area of East 116th Street and Buckeye Road.
When officers arrived at East 102nd Street and Sophia Avenue, they found two more victims with gunshot wounds, a 21-year-old man and a 30-year-old man.
The 30-year-old man, identified as Sharon Darius Walker, was pronounced dead in the roadway on the scene.
The three other victims were taken to the hospital and are stable.
Police said the investigation is still ongoing.
This is a developing story. Return to 19 News for updates.
Copyright 2026 WOIO. All rights reserved.
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