"Carew Tower is the tallest building in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States. It
stands 49 stories tall in the heart of downtown, overlooking the Ohio River
waterfront, and is a national historic landmark. It contains the Netherland
Plaza Hotel (currently a Hilton, and formerly the Omni Netherland Plaza). Palm
Court, the former lobby of the hotel, and now the restaurant, is described by
the hotel as the "finest example of French Art Deco architecture in the world."
The building; however, will be eclipsed by the Great American Insurance Building
at Queen City Square in 2011 rising 86 feet (26 m) higher than the Carew Tower.
The building was designed by the architectural firm Shreve, Lamb and Harmon
Associates, the designers of the Empire State Building. The Carew Tower, built
before the Empire State Building was conceived, served as the basis for the
design of the larger Empire State Building, as evidenced by Shreve, Lamb &
Harmon Associates' ability to produce the building drawings for the Empire State
Building in just two weeks.
Construction began in September of 1929, just one month before the stock
market crash on October 24 that triggered the Great Depression. Because of this,
construction was continued on a modified plan. The grand details (architectural
motifs, friezes, and decorative metal) that are common on art deco buildings
were stopped at the third floor and plain bricks were used on the floors above.
Art deco themes can be found throughout the building, particularly in the
metalwork and grillwork of the elevators and lights. Rookwood Pottery floral
tiles add the "Cincy" touch to the building. Sculpture on the exterior and
interior of the building were executed by New York architectural sculptor Rene
Paul Chambellan. North side view from the observation deck. North side view from
the observation deck.
The total cost of the building was US$33 million, which at that time was an
enormous amount of money. It took crews only 13 months to complete the
construction, working 24 hours a day and 7 days a week.
Today the building is home to a mixed crowd of tenants, including a shopping
mall, the Netherland Plaza Hotel, and offices. Visitors can pay a small fee to
access the observation deck, which is located on the 49th floor. On a clear day,
visitors can see for several miles in all directions and three states (Kentucky,
Indiana, Ohio)." ~
Wikipedia
The building was listed as a National Historic Landmark in 1994. The
observation deck is open 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 9:30
a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday; and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. The cost is
$2.00.