Groundbreaking Set for Peter B. Lewis Gateway Center

Oberlin College trustees, Oberlin city leaders, and Adam Lewis will be among the guests attending a public groundbreaking ceremony for the Peter B. Lewis Gateway Center.

The ceremony will take place at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, June 12, at the Oberlin Inn, 7 N. Main St. The Peter B. Lewis Gateway Center is a planned 100,000-square-foot, mixed-use development that will incorporate renewable energy systems, and is designed to meet the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED Platinum rating. In addition to a 70-room hotel and conference center, the complex will include commercial and office space, a culinary training facility, and a restaurant featuring locally grown and sourced fare.

Oberlin College has recognized Peter B. Lewis, the late philanthropist and chairman of Progressive Insurance Company, for his $5 million gift toward the project, which is part of Oberlin’s $250 million comprehensive campaign. His son, Adam Lewis, is a benefactor of Oberlin’s center for environmental studies.

The Gateway Center will become the cornerstone of Oberlin’s Green Arts District, an ongoing development encompassing the northeast corner of North Main Street and East College Street.