55 Public Square
| Company type | Office building |
|---|---|
| Industry | Real estate |
| Founded | 1958 |
| Headquarters | Cleveland , United States |
Area served | Cleveland, Ohio |
Key people | Chaim Schochet (Optima International LLC), The K & D Group (owner as of 2018) |
| Products | Office and residential space |
| Owner | The K & D Group |
55 Public Square—previously known as the Illuminating Building due to its main occupant, the Illuminating Company—is a 22-story skyscraper situated at 55 Public Square in downtown Cleveland, Ohio. Completed in 1958 and designed by Carson & Lundin, the structure rises to a height of 300 feet (91 m). It marked Cleveland's first new high-rise since the Terminal Tower complex's completion in 1930, representing the city's inaugural tall example of International Style architecture and pioneering the use of a reinforced concrete structural frame.
Design and history
The building’s design, reminiscent of other modernist towers from the era such as the Seagram Building, features a setback from the street with a pedestrian plaza that is only interrupted by a single-story restaurant. While initial plans called for a steel frame, shortages led to reinforced concrete being employed for the top 12 floors. Adjacent to its north side is a seven-level parking garage. Constructed at an expenditure of $17 million, ownership originally belonged to Vincent Astor and New York’s Brooks-Harvey Co. In 2003, Willett Properties LLC from Rye, New York acquired the property and later sold it in 2008 for $34 million to Optima International LLC, a Miami-based real estate company managed by Chaim Schochet and predominantly owned by Ukraine’s Privat Group. The building is designated as class B office space.
Architecturally, 55 Public Square bears a strong resemblance to Gordon Bunshaft’s Lever House in New York City, sharing comparable proportions and curtain wall design; however, it offers significantly more space with 430,000 sq ft compared to Lever House’s 250,000 sq ft.
Historically, the site was home to Charles F. Brush's inaugural arc lamp—the world’s first electric street light installed in 1879—and subsequently hosted the third and fourth Cuyahoga County courthouses before their demolition.
A minor fire occurred on the 18th floor in 2005 causing limited damage; repairs were swiftly completed.
In 2013, First National Bank of Pennsylvania acquired Parkview Federal and moved its headquarters into 55 Public Square, updating signage and refreshing the building’s branding.
The property changed hands again in 2018 when The K & D Group, a prominent Cleveland real estate firm, purchased it. At that time, some spaces were vacant while First National Bank and Law Offices of Cleveland remained principal tenants. K&D undertook conversions of much of the office space into residential apartments while relocating remaining offices to upper floors.
From 1959 until 2013, John Q's Steakhouse operated adjacent to the building’s base with outdoor seating on the plaza. Initially owned by Stouffer's and retaining its name after changing ownership in the 1980s, it was a well-known local dining establishment before closing. In July 2023, acclaimed chef Rocco Whalen launched his restaurant Fahrenheit in this location.