Society for Savings Building
The Society for Savings Building, also known as the Society Corp. Building, is a high-rise building on Public Square in Downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States. The building was constructed in 1889,[3] and stood as the tallest building in Cleveland until 1896, when it was surpassed by the 221-foot (67 m) Guardian Bank Building. The building stands 152 feet (46 m) tall, with 10 floors.[1] The Society for Savings Building is often considered to be the first modern skyscraper in Cleveland and the state of Ohio.[1] It was designed by John Wellborn Root of the Chicago-based architectural firm Burnham & Root.[4]
| Society for Savings Building | |
|---|---|
 | |
| General information | |
| Location | 127 Public Square Cleveland, Ohio |
| Construction started | 1889 |
| Completed | 1890 |
| Opening | 1890 |
| Height | |
| Roof | 152 ft (46 m)[1] |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 10 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | John Wellborn Root |
| Developer | Society for Savings |
Society for Savings Building | |
    | |
| Location | Cleveland, Ohio |
| Coordinates | 41°30′2″N 81°41′40″W |
| Built | 1890 |
| Architect | Burnham & Root |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian |
| NRHP reference No. | 76001401 [2] |
| Added to NRHP | November 07, 1976 |
Design
The Society for Savings Building was designed with a combination of Gothic, Romanesque, and Renaissance architectural styles. It contains elements of each in its granite pillars, arched window frames and red sandstone facade.[4]
History
The Society for Savings Building was constructed to serve as office space[3] for Cleveland's Society for Savings. Though structurally complete in late 1889, the building did not officially open until June 23, 1890.[5] The building was at the time dubbed "Ohio's skyscraper" by locals, as it was the first modern high-rise building to be constructed in the city and the state.[6] It went on to serve as the headquarters of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, or BLE, from 1896 until 1910.[7] The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 7, 1976.[8]
In modern times, the building is one of several structures located at Key Center.[1] Key Tower (formerly known as the Society Center), the tallest building in Cleveland and in the state of Ohio, was built adjacent to the Society for Savings Building by Society Bank 100 years after it; the lobbies of the two buildings were integrated, and in the process the Society for Savings Building underwent an extensive restoration and renovation project headed by the architectural firm of van Dijk, Pace, Westlake & Partners.[4] The building contains 147,089 square feet (13,665 m2) of office space.[3]
References
- "Society for Savings Building". Emporis.com. Archived from the original on September 8, 2004. Retrieved 2007-12-27.
- "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. April 15, 2008.
- "Society for Savings Building". SkyscraperPage.com. Retrieved 2007-12-27.
- "Society Corp. Building". Encyclopedia of Cleveland History. Case Western Reserve University. Retrieved 2007-12-27.
- "Cleveland: A Bicentennial Timeline". Case Western Reserve University. Retrieved 2007-12-27.
- Gerlak, Frank. "History of Cleveland's skyscrapers". Cleveland skyscrapers. Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2007-12-27.
- "BLE History". Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers. Retrieved 2007-12-27.
- "Society for Savings Building". HelloMetro. Retrieved 2007-12-27.
