Cleveland’s “New” Public Square – The View From The “Top”

Cleveland’s Public Square is being rededicated today. I visited the site yesterday to get a look at the revamped space. The square now seems much larger with the removal of one street that cut across the space. While there is still a street space in the center (which appears to be for temporary use, not for constant traffic), the space feels far more expansive. Grassy hills have been added and the view of the Terminal Tower and surrounding area has never been better.  Here are two photos from my personal collection.  (I apologize for any distortion from the wide angled panoramas.) 

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Downtown Cleveland Christmas Holiday Lights

Here’s a video of the Christmas and holiday displays in downtown Cleveland’s Public Square, in Tower City at Terminal Tower and at The Arcade. I hope everyone has a happy holiday season!




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Cleveland Skyline 20 Mile View

Here’s a view of the Cleveland Ohio skyline, from about 20 miles east, taken from a vantage point in the Chapin Forest. (Click on the image for a larger view.) The tallest building in the center is the Key Tower, with 200 Public Square , then The Terminal Tower , to the left.

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200 Public Square: Cleveland's Third Tallest Skyscraper

On the east side of Cleveland’s Public Square is 200 Public Square, overlooking the Soldiers and Sailors Monument, The Terminal Tower, and Old Stone Church, to name a few landmarks.

It was originally known as the Standard Oil or Sohio Building, then as the BP Tower, after British Petroleum acquired Standard Oil. The building was completed in 1985 and is 45 stories tall. In a move which shows that forward thinking is not always the strength of Cleveland’s city leaders, City Council refused to allow the building to pass The Terminal Tower (52 stories) in height. ( A few years later the city allowed the 57 story Key Tower to be constructed.)

An undated postcard showing the Public Square area long before

200 Public Square was built. The building with the flag on it and the one next to it were demolished to make way.

The tower, designed by Hellmuth, Obata and Kassabaum, was designed to maximize rentable space and still stay within the height restriction.

It was originally to be home to the sculpture ”Free Stamp” a giant rubber stamp designed by Claes Oldenburg and Coosje Van Bruggen. But new owners of the building at the time, British Petroleum, didn’t want such a modern work of art, much less one that said the word “Free,” right outside their door, and they eventually donated it to the city. Free Stamp has a home at Willard Park, but Free Stamp was placed so the word “Free” faces it’s original home of 200 Public Square. (Petroleum, of course, is far from free, and BP is no longer a tenant in the building.)

200 Public Square, in the center, is flanked by the Key Tower on the left and The Terminal Tower on the right

Despite the fact that few people seem to recognize the current name of the building as 200 Public Square, the building has become a well-known landmark. Having been inside the building in one of the upper floors, I can confirm that it has a great view of the city and of Public Square. (You can take a virtual tour of 200 Public Square here.)



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Cleveland’s “Fountain of Eternal Life”

Located in Cleveland’s Mall A , which is officially known as Veterans' Memorial Plaza, stands the “Fountain of Eternal Life”. It is also known as the “War Memorial Fountain” or “Peace Arising from the Flames of War”. It is a statue and fountain that serves as Cleveland’s memorial to those citizens who served in World War II and the Korean War. It was designed by Cleveland Institute of Art graduate Marshall Fredericks and dedicated on May 30, 1964.

According to Wikipedia:

The centerpiece is a 35-foot (10.7 m) bronze figure representing man escaping from the flames of war and reaching skyward for eternal peace. The bronze sphere from which the figure rises represents the superstitions and legends of mankind. Four granite carvings, representing the geographic civilizations of the world, are placed around the sphere. On the surface of the polished granite rim surrounding the fountain are bronze plates bearing the names of 4,177 Greater Clevelanders who perished in WWII and in the Korean War.


It is a beautiful sight to see, reaching into the sky with the city’s tall skyscrapers such as The Terminal Tower, Key Tower, and 200 Public Square rising nearby. Here are a few photographs that I just took yesterday – enjoy!

200 Public Square in background

Key Tower in background

200 Public Square in background

Terminal Tower in background, Key Tower on the right, 200 Public Square on the left

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Touring Cleveland With Lolly The Trolley

San Francisco has steep hills and their famous cable cars. Cleveland’s terrain is much flatter, and we have our own unique sightseeing transportation. If you’re visiting Cleveland, or even if you live in the area, you may see the bright red trolleys driving through the downtown area. That’s Lolly The Trolley, a City Sightseeing Tour. Each Lolly The Trolley vehicle holds less than 40 passengers, and offers one and two hour narrated tours, covering some of Cleveland’s most prominent places of interest, such as the Flats with the Cuyahoga River and port; the North Coast Harbor, which is home to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Museum and the Great Lake Science Center, the Downtown area, which includes the Terminal Tower and other landmark buildings and architecture, the West Side Market; Playhouse Square; University Circle and the Cultural Gardens, and many other sights along the way. The open trolleys allow passengers the ability to hear all the sounds of the city, and get some fresh air at the same time. (Yes, there IS fresh air in Cleveland.)

They also offer specialty tours of specific sights of interest, such as a Bridges Tour (there are lots of bridges in Cleveland) and Lakeview Cemetery, where famous people such as President James A Garfield,John D. Rockefeller, and Elliot Ness, among others, are buried. The trolleys can also be chartered for special trips for conventions, meetings, or just about any event.

Lolly The Trolley can be a lot of fun, and a very enjoyable way to learn about the city, either from a visitor’s, or an area resident’s, viewpoint. More information can be found on their web site, LollyTrolley.com

Here is a short video of someone’s trip on Lolly The Trolley.




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A Tour of Cleveland in Vintage Postcards

Here is a short video tour of the city of Cleveland, using vintage postcards from the 1930s-1950s. There are quite a few places of interest represented: the Terminal Tower, Public Square, Euclid Avenue, University Circle, some beautiful public parks, and a few of the city’s most notable bridges, monuments, and structures such as Public Auditorium and the Cuyahoga County Courthouse. It’s easy to see why the city attracted so many people to come live and work here.

A Tour of Cleveland in Vintage Postcards


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The Terminal Tower and Tower City

Nothing says Cleveland like the Terminal Tower. Located on Public Square, it opened in 1928 with a height 0f 708 feet – 52 stories. It was the tallest building in North America outside New York, until surpassed in 1964 by Boston's Prudential Tower. The architects were Graham, Anderson, Probst & White, and was built by brothers Mantis J. and Oris P. Van Sweringen. The building was constructed above Cleveland Union Terminal.

The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. Sadly, the city was in somewhat of a decline at the time, and the downtown area was showing its age. Extensive renovations and new construction surrounding the Terminal Tower, along with renovations in the Cleveland Union Terminal, created Tower City Center in 1991.

Here are some recent and some older photos. The Terminal Tower is currently undergoing a face lift. In addition, the Euclid Corridor project will help improve transportation from Public Square to the University Circle area, and eastward to East Cleveland.

The Terminal Tower - Public Square

(Soldiers and Sailors Monument in the foreground)

Photo by Christine Zimmer -used with permission

The Terminal and Cleveland Union Terminal, prior to "Tower City" (1987)

Photo by Christine Zimmer -used with permission

The Terminal with Tower City - photo courtesy WikiCommons

Tower City Interior Photo by Christine Zimmer -used with permission

View of Terminal Tower from Tower City Skylight Photo by Christine Zimmer -used with permission

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