Cleveland Arcade

The Cleveland Arcade opened in 1890, becoming the first indoor shopping mall in the country. Within walking distance of most Cleveland attractions, it now features a variety of shopping and dining options and houses the Hyatt Regency Hotel. The Arcade was designed by John Eisenmann and George Smith, who modeled it after a similar facility in Milan, Italy.

The Arcade was financed by a group of wealthy Cleveland businessmen and cost $875,000 to build. Because the design was so complicated, regular contractors could not handle the job; instead, the Detroit Bridge Company began construction began in 1888. The Arcade was built in the Romanesque style with rusticated sandstone and brick. It stands five stories tall and features iron balconies and an actual glass ceiling supported by steel trusses. The 300-feet long building also connects two streets, Superior and Euclid. Since they are at different levels, the building has ground-level entrances at two different heights.

The Arcade was the first building in Cleveland to be put on the National Register of Historic Places. It later underwent an expensive renovation, ending in 2001. Today, the Hyatt occupies the top three floors and two towers of the structure while the bottom two floors feature retail and dining. The Arcade is also the site of special events throughout the year.

Welcome to the Arcade Cleveland. The Cleveland Arcade. Accessed August 24, 2018. http://www.theclevelandarcade.com/.

National Register Digital Assets: Cleveland Arcade. National Park Service. Accessed August 24, 2018. http://npgallery.nps.gov/nrhp/AssetDetail?assetID=de5cf0bf-6278-4800-91f8-79a80886a39f.