Erieview Tower
Encyclopedia
The Erieview Tower is a skyscraper
located in downtown
Cleveland, Ohio
, USA. The building has 40 stories, rises to a height of 529 ft (161 m), and has 703000 square feet (65,310.8 m²) of office space. It was built at a cost of $24,100,000.
The tower was the first and most significant structure of the Erieview urban renewal
plan initiated by Mayor Anthony J. Celebrezze
in late 1960. The project was conceived as a 163 acre (66 hectare) urban renewal area spanning from East 6th to East 17th Streets between Chester Avenue and Lake Erie
. Architect I. M. Pei
authored a master plan with extensive park
s and greens subdivided by lengthy low-rise structures and a few stark high-rise buildings. The 40-story tower was to be the hub of the Pei plan.
Developers John Galbreath and Peter Ruffin broke ground on Harrison and Abramovitz
's modernist
skyscraper in early 1963. Construction went swiftly on the dark-green-and-black wall structure and a massive tree-lined plaza with combined fountain/reflecting pool/ice rink, linking it to East 9th Street. While Erieview was under construction, a high wind pushed a power bar into construction worker Lauwrence Hussey of Garfield Heights
knocking him from the 37th floor to his death 500 feet below.
It also contained an underground 450 car parking garage
. The tower was completed in 1964 but the rest of the Erieview plan did not fare as well. When Erieview opened, many of Cleveland's architectural experts called it a "block of tin", and New York's "hatred" of Cleveland. At the same time of Erieview Tower's construction and opening, New York City
's MetLife Building
was erected, both buildings were derided by their city's architectural communities.
Although much of the area was cleared for redevelopment, few other buildings were constructed, and a large amount of land was relegated to surface parking
. Into the late 1970s the area became a somewhat cold and foreboding place to be, with the East 9th Street corridor a limit to downtown's growth. In 2007, the Avenue District began construction, which will eventually become an entire neighborhood, bordering the east side of the tower. Additionally, this project will sit on the space formerly zoned for the Erieview masterplan.
This changed somewhat under the mayoral administration of George Voinovich
in the early 1980s when several new structures were built flanking the tower along East 9th Street. In 1987, The Galleria at Erieview
, a two-level shopping mall
was built on the former Plaza by the Richard E. Jacobs Group. The structure stretches from the tower's lobby to its arched entrance at East 9th Street. From 1964 until it closed in 1995, the tower's 38th floor was home to the Top of the Town restaurant, which offered diners a view of Cleveland's skyline.
In 2002, Minshall-Stewart Properties acquired Erieview Tower and the Galleria.
In 2007, The Tackle the Tower race which is held yearly at the Terminal Tower
was moved to Erieview Tower due to renovations at the Terminal Tower. Erieview Tower has 646-steps. On February 9, 2008, the Tackle The Tower was again held at Erieview Tower.
Skyscraper
A skyscraper is a tall, continuously habitable building of many stories, often designed for office and commercial use. There is no official definition or height above which a building may be classified as a skyscraper...
located in downtown
Downtown Cleveland
Downtown Cleveland is the central business district of the City of Cleveland and Northeast Ohio. Reinvestment in the area in the mid-1990s spurred a rebirth that continues to this day, with over $2 billion in residential and commercial developments slated for the area over the next few years...
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, USA. The building has 40 stories, rises to a height of 529 ft (161 m), and has 703000 square feet (65,310.8 m²) of office space. It was built at a cost of $24,100,000.
The tower was the first and most significant structure of the Erieview urban renewal
Urban renewal
Urban renewal is a program of land redevelopment in areas of moderate to high density urban land use. Renewal has had both successes and failures. Its modern incarnation began in the late 19th century in developed nations and experienced an intense phase in the late 1940s – under the rubric of...
plan initiated by Mayor Anthony J. Celebrezze
Anthony J. Celebrezze
Anthony Joseph Celebrezze Sr. was an Italian American politician of the Democratic Party, who served as the 49th mayor of Cleveland, Ohio, as a cabinet member in the Kennedy and Johnson administrations, and as a U.S. appeals court judge....
in late 1960. The project was conceived as a 163 acre (66 hectare) urban renewal area spanning from East 6th to East 17th Streets between Chester Avenue and Lake Erie
Lake Erie
Lake Erie is the fourth largest lake of the five Great Lakes in North America, and the tenth largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has the shortest average water residence time. It is bounded on the north by the...
. Architect I. M. Pei
I. M. Pei
Ieoh Ming Pei , commonly known as I. M. Pei, is a Chinese American architect, often called a master of modern architecture. Born in Canton, China and raised in Hong Kong and Shanghai, Pei drew inspiration at an early age from the gardens at Suzhou...
authored a master plan with extensive park
Park
A park is a protected area, in its natural or semi-natural state, or planted, and set aside for human recreation and enjoyment, or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. It may consist of rocks, soil, water, flora and fauna and grass areas. Many parks are legally protected by...
s and greens subdivided by lengthy low-rise structures and a few stark high-rise buildings. The 40-story tower was to be the hub of the Pei plan.
Developers John Galbreath and Peter Ruffin broke ground on Harrison and Abramovitz
Wallace Harrison
Wallace Kirkman Harrison , was an American architect.-Career:Harrison started his professional career with the firm of Corbett, Harrison & MacMurray, participating in the construction of Rockefeller Center...
's modernist
Modern architecture
Modern architecture is generally characterized by simplification of form and creation of ornament from the structure and theme of the building. It is a term applied to an overarching movement, with its exact definition and scope varying widely...
skyscraper in early 1963. Construction went swiftly on the dark-green-and-black wall structure and a massive tree-lined plaza with combined fountain/reflecting pool/ice rink, linking it to East 9th Street. While Erieview was under construction, a high wind pushed a power bar into construction worker Lauwrence Hussey of Garfield Heights
Garfield Heights, Ohio
Garfield Heights is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. The population was 28,849 at the time of the 2010 census.-Geography:Garfield Heights is located at ....
knocking him from the 37th floor to his death 500 feet below.
It also contained an underground 450 car parking garage
Multi-storey car park
A multi-storey car-park is a building designed specifically to be for car parking and where there are a number of floors or levels on which parking takes place...
. The tower was completed in 1964 but the rest of the Erieview plan did not fare as well. When Erieview opened, many of Cleveland's architectural experts called it a "block of tin", and New York's "hatred" of Cleveland. At the same time of Erieview Tower's construction and opening, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
's MetLife Building
MetLife Building
The MetLife Building, originally called the Pan Am Building, is a skyscraper located at 200 Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, New York City.-History:...
was erected, both buildings were derided by their city's architectural communities.
Although much of the area was cleared for redevelopment, few other buildings were constructed, and a large amount of land was relegated to surface parking
Parking lot
A parking lot , also known as car lot, is a cleared area that is intended for parking vehicles. Usually, the term refers to a dedicated area that has been provided with a durable or semi-durable surface....
. Into the late 1970s the area became a somewhat cold and foreboding place to be, with the East 9th Street corridor a limit to downtown's growth. In 2007, the Avenue District began construction, which will eventually become an entire neighborhood, bordering the east side of the tower. Additionally, this project will sit on the space formerly zoned for the Erieview masterplan.
This changed somewhat under the mayoral administration of George Voinovich
George Voinovich
George Victor Voinovich is a former United States Senator from the state of Ohio, and a member of the Republican Party. Previously, he served as the 65th Governor of Ohio from 1991 to 1998, and as the 54th mayor of Cleveland from 1980 to 1989.-Personal life:Born in Cleveland, Ohio, his father was...
in the early 1980s when several new structures were built flanking the tower along East 9th Street. In 1987, The Galleria at Erieview
The Galleria at Erieview
The Galleria at Erieview is a two floor shopping mall that opened in 1987 in Cleveland, Ohio, USA, on the east side of the city's downtown. It is adjacent to the Erieview Tower, a 40-story office building. The Galleria is a few blocks away from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.- History :The concept...
, a two-level shopping mall
Shopping mall
A shopping mall, shopping centre, shopping arcade, shopping precinct or simply mall is one or more buildings forming a complex of shops representing merchandisers, with interconnecting walkways enabling visitors to easily walk from unit to unit, along with a parking area — a modern, indoor version...
was built on the former Plaza by the Richard E. Jacobs Group. The structure stretches from the tower's lobby to its arched entrance at East 9th Street. From 1964 until it closed in 1995, the tower's 38th floor was home to the Top of the Town restaurant, which offered diners a view of Cleveland's skyline.
In 2002, Minshall-Stewart Properties acquired Erieview Tower and the Galleria.
In 2007, The Tackle the Tower race which is held yearly at the Terminal Tower
Terminal Tower
The Terminal Tower is a landmark skyscraper located on Public Square in downtown Cleveland, Ohio. It was built during the skyscraper boom of the 1920s and 1930s, and was the second-tallest building in the world when it was completed. The Terminal Tower stood as the tallest building in North America...
was moved to Erieview Tower due to renovations at the Terminal Tower. Erieview Tower has 646-steps. On February 9, 2008, the Tackle The Tower was again held at Erieview Tower.