Standard Building
Encyclopedia
The Standard Building, is a high-rise office tower located at the southwest corner of Ontario Street and St. Clair Avenue in downtown
Cleveland, Ohio
. Rising to a height of 282 feet (86 meters), the Standard Building was the second tallest building in Cleveland when it was completed in 1925. Three of its four sides are clad in cream-colored terra cotta
with a recurring starburst motif. The south face, which can be seen from Public Square
, is unadorned and windowless. It was designed by Knox and Elliot architects, and was built for $7 million. It is owned by the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen.
During the Great Depression
, Standard Bank ran into financial difficulties and was sold by the BLE. It merged with two other Cleveland banks in 1930, forming Standard Trust Bank. This bank subsequently failed in 1931 and its assets were liquidated. From World War II
through the 1960s, the bank lobby served as an indoctrination center for draftees. In the 1940s the building housed Cleveland College, a downtown campus of Western Reserve University
, and was the last building of that campus.
To the east, across Ontario Street, is the Marriott at Key Center
, built on the site of the landmark Engineers Building, which the BLE sold in 1988 for development, moving into the Standard Building. To the north, across St. Clair Avenue, is the Cuyahoga County Justice Center. The Old Stone Church abuts its south side.
Currently it is the 21st highest building in Cleveland. It was designated a Cleveland Landmark in 1979. In 2007, the boundary of the Euclid Avenue Historic District
was increased to include the building, among other structures.
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
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. Rising to a height of 282 feet (86 meters), the Standard Building was the second tallest building in Cleveland when it was completed in 1925. Three of its four sides are clad in cream-colored terra cotta
Glazed architectural terra-cotta
Glazed architectural terra-cotta is a ceramic masonry building material popular in the United States from the late 19th century until the 1930s, and still one of the most common building materials found in U.S. urban environments...
with a recurring starburst motif. The south face, which can be seen from Public Square
Public Square
Public Square is the central plaza in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It takes up four city blocks; Superior Avenue and Ontario Street cross through it. Cleveland's three tallest buildings, Key Tower, 200 Public Square and the Terminal Tower, face the square...
, is unadorned and windowless. It was designed by Knox and Elliot architects, and was built for $7 million. It is owned by the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen.
During the Great Depression
Great Depression in the United States
The Great Depression began with the Wall Street Crash of October, 1929 and rapidly spread worldwide. The market crash marked the beginning of a decade of high unemployment, poverty, low profits, deflation, plunging farm incomes, and lost opportunities for economic growth and personal advancement...
, Standard Bank ran into financial difficulties and was sold by the BLE. It merged with two other Cleveland banks in 1930, forming Standard Trust Bank. This bank subsequently failed in 1931 and its assets were liquidated. From World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
through the 1960s, the bank lobby served as an indoctrination center for draftees. In the 1940s the building housed Cleveland College, a downtown campus of Western Reserve University
Case Western Reserve University
Case Western Reserve University is a private research university located in Cleveland, Ohio, USA...
, and was the last building of that campus.
To the east, across Ontario Street, is the Marriott at Key Center
Marriott at Key Center
The Marriott at Key Center is a skyscraper hotel in Cleveland, Ohio. The building rises 320 feet . It contains 28 floors, and was completed in 1991. The Marriott at Key Center currently stands as the 15th-tallest building in the city. The architect who designed the building was César Pelli, who...
, built on the site of the landmark Engineers Building, which the BLE sold in 1988 for development, moving into the Standard Building. To the north, across St. Clair Avenue, is the Cuyahoga County Justice Center. The Old Stone Church abuts its south side.
Currently it is the 21st highest building in Cleveland. It was designated a Cleveland Landmark in 1979. In 2007, the boundary of the Euclid Avenue Historic District
Euclid Avenue Historic District (Cleveland, Ohio)
The Euclid Avenue Historic District is a historic district in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States. Established and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2002, it comprises along Euclid Avenue and parallel streets from Public Square to East 21st Street...
was increased to include the building, among other structures.