Scoping out the Old Arcade

Located between Superior and Euclid Avenues downtown the Old Arcade was built in 1890 and stands both as one of this country's first indoor shopping malls and first "skyscrapers" in Northeast Ohio. The breathtaking structure, said to be modeled after the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele in Milan, Italy, consists of two nine-story towers connected by a glorious, five-story glass and iron atrium.

The Old Arcade was designed by noted Cleveland architects George H. Smith and John Eisenmann, the latter of whom designed Southwest General Hospital and the first of many buildings that would comprise Case Western Reserve University. It was erected by the Detroit Bridge Company.

With a gorgeous, 100-foot skylight ceiling, the atrium is adorned with extensive metalwork, oak and striking masonry facades. The top floor also features a row of intricate gargoyle statues that look down upon the entire Arcade's center floorplan. The great arched entrance on the Superior Avenue (dubbed "Richardsonian" in style after Henry Hobson Richardson) is original to the structure.

The Euclid Avenue frontage, on the other hand, was remodeled in 1939. The level of the Superior entrance is some 12 feet lower than the Euclid entrance; this provides the effect of there being two main floors, which are connected by staircases at either end of the Old Arcade.

The structure was the very first Cleveland building to be added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975 and, some three years after the designation, was purchased by commercial Harvey G. Oppmann. The real estate owner/ manager and developer rehabilitated the Arcade, along with many other structures in the Midwest – including the the Dearborn (Polk) Street Station and the Reliance Building, both in Chicago. Oppmann, a member of the Cleveland Institute of Art’s Board of Trustees and one-time Chairman, restored the Old Arcade to its original glory in 1978.

After a second lengthy renovation, the Old Arcade reopened in the summer of 2001 as the Hyatt Regency Cleveland at the Arcade. Fortunately for the city and its residents, the Hyatt organization was judicious enough to maintain all of the Old Arcade's unique architectural features and elegance, while restoring its sophistication. The world-class hotel occupies both towers and the two top floors of the atrium. The two lower floors of the Arcade remain home to a host of retail shops, restaurants, and a popular food court for downtown employees and traveling guests alike.

Attention to historic detail has made the Hyatt Regency Cleveland Hotel one of the city's most unique and celebrated accommodations. The hotel features vaulted ceilings and views of the intricate atrium skylight. There are 293 rooms at the Hyatt, many of which have been created from remodeled offices and storefronts.

The Hyatt is centrally located and within walking distance for many attractions, including the Avenue at Tower City, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame + Museum, concerts at the House of Blues, the East 4th Street District, Indians Baseball at Jacobs Field and Cavaliers Basketball at the Quicken Loans Arena.

For more information, please visit http://www.thearcade-cleveland.com and http://www.cleveland.hyatt.com.

From Cool Cleveland Managing Editor Peter Chakerian peterATcoolcleveland.com
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