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.

Photo © allthingsclevelandohio.blogspot.com

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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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Tallest in Cleveland: The Key Tower

The granite-faced Key Tower sits impressively on Cleveland's Public Square. At 57 stories and 947 feet tall, it is the tallest building in Cleveland, the tallest in Ohio, and the 16th tallest in the United States. It was originally called the Society Center (for Society Bank, the original owners), and was renamed after Key Bank acquired the company. It was designed by Cesar Pelli & Associates. On a clear day - yes, we do have those in Cleveland - the building is viewable for many miles.

At the time of its completion in 1991, it was the tallest building between New York City and Chicago. It has since been eclipsed by the Comcast Center in Philadelphia, PA (57 stories, 974 feet tall).

The complex also includes a separate building for the Marriott Hotel. The old terra-cotta Engineer's Building, which was the first major office building in the United States built and owned by a labor union, was razed to make way for the hotel.

In December it was reported that the top floor of the Key Tower was finally getting its first tenant. A law firm signed a 10 year lease for the 57th floor, which had been sitting unfinished since the building's completion in 1991.

The Key Tower is the only skyscraper in Cleveland that I haven't had the pleasure to visit above ground floor. I've been told the view is fantastic; I hope one day to be able to see it for myself.

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