Standard Building

The Standard Building, (originally the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers Cooperative National Bank Building and later the Standard Bank Buildingcite book| last=Herrick| first=Clay| title=Cleveland Landmarks |date=1986 |publisher=Landmarks Publishing Company |pages=156-157] ), 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), [ [http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=standardbuilding-cleveland-oh-usa Standard Building] . Emporis. Retrieved on 2007-10-21.] 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. [cite book| last=Rose| first=William Ganson| title=Cleveland: The Making of a City| date=1950| publisher=World Publishing Company| pages=832] It is owned by the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen. [cite web
url=http://www.manta.com/coms2/dnbcompany_dwh3rq
title=Brotherhood Of Locomotive Engineers Building Association Inc (Standard Building)
publisher=Manta.com
accessdate=2007-10-20]

During the Great Depression, the 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. [cite web
url=http://ech.case.edu/ech-cgi/article.pl?id=ST
title=Standard Trust
work=Encyclopedia of Cleveland History
publisher=Case Western Reserve University
accessdate=2007-10-20] From World War II through the 1960s, the bank lobby served as an indoctrination center for draftees. In the 1940s the building housed [http://www.case.edu/its/archives/downtown/clevelandcollege.htm Cleveland College] , a downtown campus of Western Reserve University, and was the last building of that campus. [cite web
url=http://www.case.edu/its/archives/Buildings/stabui.htm
title=Standard Building
publisher=Case Western Reserve University
accessdate=2007-10-20]

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. [cite web
url=http://www.ble.org/pr/history/page5h.html
title=BLE History
publisher=Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen
accessdate=2007-10-20] 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. [cite web
url=http://planning.city.cleveland.oh.us/landmark/listDetail.php?identity=228
title=Standard Building
work=Cleveland Designated Landmarks
publisher=Cleveland Landmarks Commission
accessdate=2007-10-20] In 2007, the boundary [cite web |url=http://www.ohiohistory.org/about/pr/040307a.html |title=State Board Recommends Seven Ohio Nominations To The National Register Of Historic Places |date=April 3, 2007
publisher=Ohio Historical Society |accessdate=2007-10-20] of the Euclid Avenue Historic District was increased [cite web |url=http://www.nr.nps.gov/ |title=National Register Information System |accessdate=2008-09-24 |publisher=National Park Service] to include the building, among other structures.

ee also

*List of tallest buildings in Cleveland

References

External links

* [http://www.thestandardbuilding.com/ The Standard Building]