FORM PREPARED BY NAME AND TITLE: The Ohio Historical Center STREET AND NUMBER: 1982 Velma Ave CITY OR TOWN: As the designated State Liaison Officer for the Na- I hereby certify that this property is included in the tional Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (Public Law Nationa 1 Register. 89-665), I hereby nominate this property for inclusion in the National Register and certify that it has been evaluated according to the c-iteria and procedures set level of significance of this nomination is: GPO 931.894 Degrees Seconds ORGANIZATION LATITUDE DATE Title Minutes LONGITUDE STATE REGISTER CORNER NATIONAL CODE ATTEST: RECEIVE MAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES Gretchen Klimoski Degrees Minutes Seconds NATIONAL REGISTER VERIFICATION Columbus STATE LIAISON OFFICER CERTIFICATION 10. GEOGRAPHICAL DATA 0.39 COUNT Album VIII, No. 7, The Standard Oil Company, 1965.
ILIST ALL STATES AND COUNTIES FOR PROPERTIES OVERLAPPING STATE OR forth by the National Park Service. The recommended Date 2 Bauch 1923 Name ARIES "The Grand Arcade", panel guide, Architecture In The Ohio Heritage, Ohio Form 10-300a UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE The Ohio NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY - NOMINATION FORM FOR NPS USE ONLY (Continuation Sheet) Cleveland Arcade 6. Existing Surveys Ohio Historic Survey, Phase I: "Ohio Historic Landmarks" 1982 Velma Ave Columbus, Ohio 8. Significance Vittorio Emanuele in Milan. Today, the first two floors are commercial stores, while the upper architecture and became a milestone of progress in northern Ohio.
MAR 6 GPO 901.082 039 Cuyahoga DATE STATE COUNTY REGISTER NATIONAL (Number all entries) February, 1967 The Ohio Historical Society levels serve as business offices.The fine old building has lost none of its sweeping grandeur.The Arcade opened a new era in WATCHES REAL ESTATE NPS Number - Superior PUE. ENTRANCE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Form No. 10-301a NATIONAL PARK SERVICE FOR NPS USE ONLY ENTRY NUMBER WAR 2 O 1973 NAME LOCA TION CITY OR TOWN: DATE OF PHOTO: NEGATIVE FILED AT: INT: 154-72 039 035 Cuyahoga Ohio Cleveland DATE COUNTY IDENTIFICATION REGISTER NATIONAL STATE CODE Cleveland Arcade PHOTO REFERENCE Ohio Historical Society (Type all entries -attach to or enclose with photograph) COMMON: PROPERTY PHOTOGRAPH FORM 401 Euclid Ave Jan.
1973 PHOTO CREDIT: Ohio Historical Center, Columbus, Ohio NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES (7/72) AND/OR HISTORIC: STREET AND NUMBER: MAR 6 DESCRIBE VIEW, DIRECTION, ETC. Title: Form No. 10-301a UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE (Type all entries - attach to or enclose with photograph) Cleveland Arcade AND/OR HISTORIC: LOCA TION 401 Euclid Ave CITY OR TOWN: PHOTO CREDIT: DATE OF PHOTO: NEGATIVE FILED AT: Ohio Historical Center, Columbus, Ohio DESCRIBE VIEW, DIRECTION, ETC. INT: 154-72 035 039 Interior Cuyahoga DATE Cleveland COUNTY Jan. Ohio NAME STATE NATIONAL PHOTO REFERENCE IDENTIFICATION REGISTER COMMON: umber COD MAR ENTRY NUMBER Ohio Historical Society NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES PROPERTY PHOTOGRAPH FORM (7/72) FOR NPS USE ONLY STREET AND NUMBER: Loc.
CIEUElAND ARCADE RECEIVE Zn 17 MAR 6 CLEVELAND SOUTH QUADRANGLE 7.5 MINUTE SERIES (TOPOGRAPHIC) UNITED STATES Cleveland Arcade DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR CLEVELAND SOUTH, OHIO PROPERTY MAP FORM 401 Euclid Ave Cleveland Arcade NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES Longitude: 81° 41' 28" DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CLEVELAND NORTH, OHIO CLEVELAND NORTH QUADRANGLE OHIO-CUYAHOGA CO UNITED STATES Cleveland Arcade MAR 2 O 1973 Seneca County / Cevelana Arcade Ir. Daniel R. Porter, Director Director, Northeast Region NRowland:Imp Location STATE Name 3-29-73 PHR Date Entered ENTRIES IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER Clinton County College) Aehtabula County Cuyahogn County Frankliaton Post Office Sullivant (Lucae) Building Ashtabula Warren Publie Library Vicinity of Clarkeviile Franklin County Xenia Painosville Administration Building (lake Erie Hon. Chainera P.
Wylio Hone Dolbert Le Tatta Panay Mothodist Church and Hon.William B.lao Notified John Allen House) Meveland Foundern Ball,Heidelberg College Greene County Lake County MAR 6 the summer of 1886 was a wide and bustling fessor of Engineering at Case School of Applied who was a prominent real estate broker. On this shops. Horse-drawn streetcars lumbered past particular day he represented some of the most the stately monument to President James A. influential businessmen and industrialists in the Garfield, jangled their bells, and stopped in the city. As Curtiss talked, Eisenmann became more and more excited. He was listening to details the west was the Cuyahoga Valley, booming with of a bold experiment which, if successful, would the sounds of foundries and rolling mills. Cleve- surely bring national attention to Cleveland.
On a trip to Toronto, Canada, Curtiss had seen an arcade, a simple enclosed passageway either side. There was nothing new about the OHIO ARCADE NATIONAL HERITAGE REGISTER GRAND ARCHITECTURE two stories high, with a collection of shops on land, with a population of well over 250,000, Superintendent of Cleveland Parks, and Pro- Sciences, was listening intently to J. M. Curtiss, UPERIOR STREET in Cleveland during thoroughfare that invited sightseers to leave Number 7 centers of the nation. Copyright 1965 The Standard Oil Company (Ohio) Panel Guide their carriages and browse along the rows of Album VIII center of the street to pick up passengers.To was growing into one of the great industrial Jn THE In his office, John Eisenmann, the Acting idea. Arcades had been constructed in Europe lowed, the outline of a truly remarkable struc- and the New World for a hundred years. The ture took form.
The building would be shaped Victor Emmanuel Arcade in Milan, Italy, was around a grand esplanade, or court, several probably the most famous and beautiful; the hundred feet long, surrounded by five tiers of city of London could boast of half a dozen; and galleries, and crowned with a huge, arched, glass the Emory Arcade, with its rows of small mar- and steel skylight. kets, was as close as Cincinnati. But most of them followed the model of the oriental bazaar, An Unconventional Design where a group of small businessmen pooled their An arch of any type exerts a powerful thrust resources to raise a cover over their shops for the outward. Conventional designs called for a convenience and protection of their customers.
system of strong horizontal tie rods to compen- sate for the lateral thrust; but Eisenmann knew A Show Place For Cleveland that this would destroy the openness and soar- Curtiss and the other men who had helped ing height of his arcade. He tried another idea. industrialize Northern Ohio had more ambi- He transmitted the thrust horizontally -out- tious plans. They wanted Eisenmann to design ward -through the main floor beams to stiff, a structure larger and more elaborate than any masonry bearing walls. in the country, a show place that would bring together under one roof Cleveland's growing involved, Eisenmann was sure his revolutionary enterprises. Eisenmann could not wait to begin. idea would work. His word was good enough for "Can I count on financial backing?" Eisen- Curtiss and Herrick, and by December, 1886, mann asked as his visitor got up to leave.
Cur- the search for a site could begin. tiss turned and casually listed a few of the Location is of prime importance to an arcade Clevelanders who had expressed keen interest building. It must connect two major thorough- in the project: Charles Brush, the inventor of fares and provide a convenient passageway and the are light; Myron T. Herrick of the Society short cut. It has to be spacious and attractive, for Savings Bank; the Severance family; and an inviting refuge in bad weather, and an inter- John D. Rockefeller. esting place to stop and browse. John Eisenmann was thirty-five years old at Curtiss was studying a parcel of land connect- this time. He had had experience as a govern- ing busy Superior Street, a short walk from the ment engineer in Detroit.
His architectural Public Square, and Euclid Avenue to the south, training had come from schools in Munich and which showed signs of developing into another Stuttgart, Germany. In 1881 he had been ap- important commercial street. There was a major pointed to the faculty of Case School of Applied problem. The site was once the bed of a pre- Sciences (now Case Institute of Technology) as historic lake, and Euclid Avenue was at a higher level than Superior Street. A million years before, Lake Warren, as the when the school moved from Rockwell to Euclid Avenue, he drew the plans for the new Main is now downtown Cleveland. The southern shore Building. In the same year he designed Adelbert was the ledge on which Euclid Avenue sat. The Hall for Western Reserve University.
bed dropped sharply a distance of twelve feet Eisenmann's specialty was architectural engi- and extended north across Superior and beyond. neering - the physics of weights, materials and The Cleveland Arcade, the largest and tallest stresses -and his ideas were original and imag- building of its type ever attempted in the United inative. He sought the help of George H. Smith, States, would have to span a steep incline, and an authority on architectural design, who be- stand on soil-which promised to be sandy and came the co-architect of the proposed arcade Eisenmann, in characteristic fashion, turned Slowly, in the weeks and months that fol- these difficulties into advantages. He revised building. treacherous. ARCHITECTU mann organized the engineering program, and geologists called it, washed over most of what its first professor of civil engineering.
Eisen- After computing the weights and stresses Panel Guide his design to suit the ancient topography of the The officers of the newly formed Arcade Com- land, creating two main street levels instead of pany could not waste time listening to those one, and connecting them with a wide, graceful who predieted disaster. They went to the Detroit staircase. To support his massive structure, he Bridge Company, one of the few firms experi- chose a unique system of piers and foundation enced in designing iron bridge trusses. Their walls. The interior columns rested on large offer was quickly accepted. spread footings, slabs of stone that distributed In May, 1888, the first footing stone for the the load over a wide area of quicksand. Heavy Arcade foundation was placed at the southeast "load bearing" walls supported the exterior of the building.
The modern building with its frame adventures in Ohio architecture had begun. of structural steel was still years off, but Eisen- Up from the sturdy foundation, column rose mann's daring innovations made his structure upon column, tier upon tier. The interior frame- every bit as stable as its lighter successors. In work of the building - the vertical columns and fact, in the space of seventy-five years,the horizontal beams - were made of cast iron. The building was to settle less than one-half inch. railings around each gallery were wrought iron. Beautiful Roman mosaic floors were laid. The Can It Be Done? finest marbles, sandstones, woods and brasses Yet, the architect was not done with trouble. were incorporated in the structure. Huge stone Contractors looked at the architect's drawings arches at the Superior and Euclid Avenue en- and frowned.
trances proclaimed the majesty of the building. The Glass Roof In answer, Eisenmann pointed to his system Above it all, John Eisenmann's skylight took shape. Sixty feet wide, 290 feet long, 104 feet "It won't work," they said. "The walls will above the ground, it was the largest glass-roofed push out, and that fancy skylight will come structure in the Midwest. The system of sup- porting trusses arched across the skylight like "It certainly will work," Eisenmann insisted. an iron web. "I've considered every possibility" One contractor after another reviewed the foundation stone was laid, the Arcade was com- plans and refused even to bid on the project. pleted. Cleveland business and professional men The trussed arches lead directly to strong iron support columns, which are connected, through vertical roof skylight, and does not interfere with the lines or the light.
The thrust is transmitted through the roof beams to the cross walls, or shear walls, and then to the foundation. corner, facing Euclid. One of the great building crashing down around our ears." "What's holding up the arches?" they asked. of trusses. There was a great shaking of heads. On May 30,1890,two years after the first "Where's the cross-bracing?" and foor beams, to the massive exterior walls. The support for the skylight then follows the shape of the rushed for a place in the more than three hun- dred office units. Architects, engineers, builders, and doctors opened offices in the Arcade. It was the most imposing setting to be found anywhere in the city. The finest clothiers, jewelers, sta- tionery and leathergoods stores, restaurants, and flower shops were located in the building.
The Cleveland Arcade of 1890 became the fore- colored brass, and the elaborately railed walk- center of the city. On Sunday afternoons, men On an evening in June, 1895, Cleveland's Ar- cade was the site of one of the grandest events of Republican Clubs held a banquet in the Arcade. Streamers hung from the arches; bunt- of the building for the records of the Library ing and flowers decorated the railings. Senator Even today a visit to Cleveland's Arcade is a nor of Ohio and future President, were seated rewarding adventure. The first two floors are on the speakers' platform. Thousands of Cleve- commercial stores, while the upper levels serve landers crowded the galleries, proud beyond as business offices. The fine old building has lost description of their new Arcade and the national none of its sweeping grandeur.
The mosaic floors, are as impressive now as the day the Arcade milestone of progress in the Ohio Heritage. For Eisenmann, the years ahead brought more success. He was the author of Cleveland's first building code, the model for other cities across the country; he helped plan University Circle on Cleveland's East Side; he invented a 1. Describe Cleveland at the time John Eisenmann 2. Do you think the design was appropriate for the times? Why? 3. How was the Arcade to be used? 4. What was the most striking feature of Eisen- land had become the ninth largest city in the mann's Arcade? land, and its Arcade was renowned around the 5. What is the Arcade remembered for today? world as having but one rival, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele in Milan. In 1961, the National Park Service included THE CLEVELAND ARCADE, Hand, Ellwood S.
the Arcade in its list of Historic American CLEVELAND, MAKING OF A CITY, Rose, William G. Buildings. For months afterward, students of "APPLAUSE FOR THE ARCADE." Cleveland Plain Dealer, January 24, 1961. the superb ironwork, the great glass skylight Bibliography and Further Reference architecture were busy copying every detail Suggestions for Discussion of Congress. new hollow building tile for use in skyscrapers, in cutaway coats and ladies in shoulder capes For the Arcade there was continued fame, A Building Code and a State Flag city it had helped distinguish. By 1900, Cleve- proposed the Arcade. in the city's history. The National Convention strolled along the 300-foot esplanade, listening runner of the modern shopping center. Marcus Hanna and William McKinley, Gover- ways of the Arcade soon became the social and he was the designer of the Ohio state flag.
to band music and greeting their friends. prominence it brought to their city. prosperity, and growth, right along with the The Superior Street entrance of the Grand Arcade opened anew era in architecture and became a The promenade stairway in marble and gold- use in downtown renewal as the Cleveland's No. 1 architec- Jects. ment for the Arts, requires the owner, Albert A. List of ington as part of a $20,000 management Euclid Ave. to Superior Ave. NE. ton, has been hired to determine the best professor, designed the building that was so suggestions how it could be upgraded, ac- cording to Nina Gibans, council executive director come the focal point for downtown renewal. bring new life to the Arcade, built in 1890 Will spark new ideas on how the building owners, the Albert A. List family of New landers miss its grace and beauty, accord- ing to Lester G. Glick, council president.
It high rent place to be, but in Cleveland it is rence echoed Gibans. Mrs. recommendations for down- The Arcade has a system of supporting rentable space in the building. of the arts group. and considered an architectural prize. assuring a formal study of recognized as a focal point study on use of Arcade suburban shopping mall. The Cleveland Area Arts Council yes- Clevelanders and more profitable for the $10,000 arts grant aids The major problem is trying to rent an national historic building. New York. The Arcade will be carefully studied to determine how best it can be used in tions advanced by Architec in downtown result of a federal grant could be made more interesting to Greater trusses arched across its skylight like an was the forerunner of the modern enclosed 290-foot indoor street that runs from 401 and dramas at noon on Wednesdays. The council has tried to revive interest Mrs.
Gibans said it is hoped the study the building's needs and The Arcade is unique and most Cleve- ignored, said a downtown realtor. National Endowment for the Arts of Wash- Glick believes the Arcade could be- It has been a project of the council to might become a key factor terday received a $10,000 grant from the iron web. The five floors wrap around the By JULIAN KRAWCHECK perintendent of the Cleveland parks and a an effort to revive the historic building. town to find a contractor to build it. The grant, By William F. Miller estimated 30,000 square feet of office space "If this building were in San Francisco radical for its time that he had togo out of "Barkis is willin'" said The tural treasure, the Arcade. cipient. the Cleveland Area New York.
List was consult- of the Arcade, speaking for Ellick Wasserman, manager Halprin S federal the Arcade study, but said 1 as owner, is not bound to study on how to improve the Arcade, a Architectural Heritage, Inc., of Bos- ed before the pending in any renewal plans for Boston, which will conduct main isolated as an island support for council pro- both Wasserman and Nina would go along. toric building has long been Arcade may Wasserman said. "This his- in the building by providing music, dance arts group Arts Council. This is virtu- ally assured because of past John Eisenmann, the late acting su- She pointed out that List, a matching sum from its re- A key tie-in with Law- THE PLAIN DEALER, SUNDAY. OCTOBER 7. 197: president, is in charge of blue bunting. The balloons dinner arrangements will float from the ceiling. Also, tenants have been During cocktails, guests $16 per person. Chester R.
Reserve Historical grants from the U.S. De- partment of the Interior. 1890s when the Arcade was Edwards, Higbee's vice new. The Karamu Gospel together, it seems. Reguests for polish have At any rate, the Arcade, can building in 1961, is ex- -appiy elbow grease to the pécted to look fabulous for planade, the gal'eries with the building a reputation of one of the finest structures of its type in.Europe or rick, who probably saw Wally Gbur, Higbee's ai bassador to France. dent Ellick B. Wasserman cension balloons with tiny was one of the investors in sued $1.million in stock to ¡erect the Arcade. in 18 months and the build- 1, 1890. Republican Clubs gave a banquet there. Among the Hanna then was for" the full dinner ard while the Democrats wanted Free Silver and you, that meant 16 grams grand old building have been few and far between funded America. Society. entertainment.
polishing in the Arcade. ing opened to tenants Jan. The Trust is a Congres- building office. architectural triumphs of The cry of Republicans serman advised. many similar buildings. Europe during his travels Trust for Historic Preser- butions and matching National Convention of sionally chartered founda- must be given the brass been streaming into the Superior levels in anticipa- Tenants received a mes- additional strings of lights last month requesting the declared a historic Ameri- biennial Symphony Ball of silver to one of gold. headquarters in the West- and glittering formal din- ing the danceable music. But social affairs in the The job was completed ning of the annual meeting here for the meeting. Arcade office as tenants came from Myron T. Her- their railings and the in its 83-year history so urday night.
such as the Galleria in Mi- Along with all the work that has gone into the plan- chamber music of the pected to attract a goodly The Arcade is one of the this week of the National first used for a gala dinner Five and a half years then governor of Ohio and In recent memory. the Singers will provide dinner domed skylight have given members of the National the week's meeting on Sat- dinner has been the talk of events of the decade. the ble will be cleaned, Was- brass cleaning. After the later president of the U.s..
tion.of one of the social number of the 800 to 1.000 Tickets for the affair are Jan.13,1960,with Lester lan,gaining popularity in * Arcade brass polished for dinner Saturday night's formal TRASH OUT (sic) after 1 the dinner, which is ex- display manager of special brass is polished, the mar- and faded red, white and tion lights inside and trailing notabies in attendance Trust mcetings here the corporation which is- Trust and observers due open Wednesday with your history has escaped brass on the Euclid and Lanin's orchestra provid- the town as well as the ners somehow do not go events, will use large as- was held in the Arcade By Mary Strassmeyer. later, the building was The idea for an arcade pai and the gold stand. sage from Arcade presi Henderson, R 1. MISSING - 2. REMOVED/ 6. OVER- 7. NPS - 8. DOE - 9.
RESTRICTED Available on: Microfiche P ); Optical Disk (X) (NHL Name, if different than NRHP Name) (Where found, or source of replacement) NATIONAL PARK SERVICE - National Register of Historic Places WASO 21 JAN. 1986 (State) DEMOLISHED UNDOCUMENTED (County) COMMENTS: STATUS: (Date Removed) EXPLANATION: (Date Designated) Locator Card SIZED OWNER OBJECTION (Location of oversize file) (Resource Name) (Date Found/Replaced) (Current source of partial documentation) (Target Date) (Completed by) (Date form completed) (Cause for removal) (lf multi-state/county MRA, state/county where filed and location) (Reference Number[s]) CUYAHOGA or MRA Name) 73. 00 1 408 28 1MAR186 15 IMAY 11975 Missing Status:Entire Folder
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