In 1958 Celebrezze was elected president of the American Municipal Association (now the National League of Cities) in 1958. That same year, he sought the Democratic nomination for Governor of Ohio, but lost to Michael DiSalle. In 1960, he launched the Erieview urban renewal plan, designed by architect I. M. Pei. The most prominent result of the plan was the Erieview Tower. He also spurred several building projects, most notably a federal office building (which was later named after him after his death), and the Garden Valley housing project.