Prior to the Cole Eye Institute, Cesar Pelli was involved in the construction of two other buildings on the Cleveland Campus -- the Lerner Research Institute and the Crile Building. "The Cleveland Clinic Foundation approached us with a proposal for the Eye Institute because we have been working with them on the clinic since 1980," Kirby said.
The Crile Building, which houses many outpatient clinics, was first opened in 1985, and has become a flagship building of the Cleveland Clinic, according to the Cleveland Clinic Foundation. And the Lerner Research Center, which is comprised of three wings surrounding a courtyard, houses research offices, labs and seminar rooms. Both of these buildings, as well as the Cole Eye Institute, are finished in Stony Creek granite. This same stone was later used for the cancer center as well.