Posted May 2, 200619 yr Toledo has the unique distinction of having its 2nd tallest skyscraper 100% vacant. The 400-foot Fiberglas Tower opened in 1970 to much fanfare and was the first skyscraper to utilize the "open floor" design. Today, it is abandoned, water damaged, and has asbestos fireproofing that will cost 2 to 3 million dollars to replace. It was vacated in 1996 by OC after their new Cesar Pelli "Carnival Cruise Ship" headquarters opened on the Middlegrounds area between the Maumee River and Swan Creek. Ironically, asbestos lawsuits made the Fortune 500 company declare bankruptcy shortly after. The Fiberglas Tower's future is up in the air. Toledo is in no hurry to tear it down and no private investors are in any hurry to renovate it. Some possible plans for it include condos, a mixed use apartment/office tower, etc. I'd say a residential renovation is the most likely scenario, but at the rate things have been moving in Toledo, that could take another 20 years... Some stats: Primary Type: Office Office Building Divisible To: 576 SF Maximum Contiguous: 16,570 SF Building Size: 437,500 SF Building Class: A Year Built: 1969 Date Last Verified: 4/26/2006 Property Description: Thirty-Story Office Building, magnificent views of the Maumee River, Lake Erie and CBD abound! Fantastic site for conversion to condominium, luxury apartment, mixed use development. Attached 519 +/- space parking garage. Building is linked to cities walk-way system. Former Owens Corning world headquarters, built in 1969. 11 passenger/1 freight high-speed 1,000' per minute elevators serve the building. (Building contains asbestos fireproofing/pipe wrapping, remediation estimated btwn 2-3 million, monies are available at state level to assist in removal) Location Description: Downtown Toledo CBD near new 39.2 million dollar Fifth Third Field, Maumee River, University of Toledo Medical School, Seagate Convention Center No. Stories: 30 Lot Size: 1.64 Acres It is owned by the Eyde Company of Michigan and is integral to Toledo's skyline. Their website has all the info on it, including floor plans. The black skyscraper is considered by some to be as much a signature of Toledo as One Seagate. In fact, many suburbanites confuse One Seagate with the Fiberglass Tower. http://www.loopnet.com/looplink/eyde/searchresults.aspx?SearchType=FL&VIEWSTATEID=13433896&PgCxtGuid=0a1a3fb9-234e-43f5-8d9a-edb38f21d2a0&PgCxtCurFLKey=LooplinkSearchPage&name=eyde&LooplinkRadioButton=FL&ForLeasePropertyType=All+Property+Types&ForLeaseIncludeFullyLeased_Hidden=Y&ForLeaseLooplinkSubmit=Begin+Search&ReturnTargetUrl=%2fxNet%2fLoopLink%2fLoopLinks%2feyde%2fqryradio.aspx&R_LL_RB=FL&R_FS_PT=All+Property+Types&R_FL_PT=All+Property+Types
May 4, 200619 yr I seem to recall that the Fiberglas Tower had a fancy restaurant at or near the top floor. It was called, of all things, the "Top of the Tower" restaurant. They used to advertise "...pie, high in the sky". Is that still around? Oh, and "Fiberglas" is not a typo; the trademark has only one S. Lots of cities have upscale restaurants on the uppermost floors of their tallest buildings. The Kettering Tower in Dayton (formerly the Winter's Tower) has one called the "Racquet Club". Any like that in the 3-C's? I know that the hotel (still a Quality Inn) across the river from Cincy in Covington, KY has a restaurant at the top that apparently revolves -- unusual in that the exterior structure is stationary. And of course, the late great World Trade Center had "Windows on the World" near the top of Tower 1.
May 4, 200619 yr Yes, on top of the Nationwide Tower in Cols there is "One Nation", which serves a Midwestern take on California Novelle Cuisine. I had dinner there once, during one of my CommFest vists, in the late afternoon as the sun was sinking. Spectacular...Columbus the city of the plain. I thought Dayton's Raquet Club was a private club w. restaurant...that it wasn't open to the public. Kettering Tower used to have a restaurant on the ground floor..no view at all...first it was the relocated King Kole, then when that closed it was Olivias (which had a similar cuisne as One Nation). The Fiberglas Tower looks so much like a r of other buildings in the region that opened around the same time....Erieview Tower in Cleveland, Kettering Tower in Dayton, First National Bank (renamed now) in Louisville
May 4, 200619 yr architects who designed the Fiberglass Tower ("Fiberglas" is indeed the trademark name, but most spell the building "Fiberglass") also designed Erieview in Cleveland. Who where they. It suprised me to find out, but a local firm, Lorenz & Williams, did the Kettering Tower. The First National in Louisville was designed by a well-known (at that time) NYC firm, Harrison and Abramowitz (one of the principles, Wallace Harrison, did the UN Secretariat tower). I think when I was in Toledo last I stayed in the hotel next to the Hotel Seagate.
May 4, 200619 yr Yes, on top of the Nationwide Tower in Cols there is "One Nation", which serves a Midwestern take on California Novelle Cuisine. I had dinner there once, during one of my CommFest vists, in the late afternoon as the sun was sinking. Spectacular...Columbus the city of the plain. One Nation has been closed for atleast six years now. Columbus currently hasn't any "highrise" restaurants anylonger (Christophers also closed, in Vern-Riffe). "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
May 4, 200619 yr Yeah, but it's on the 16th floor, isn't it? I thought we were discussing the "top of the tower" type of restaurants. "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
May 4, 200619 yr That is surprising as Kettering is basically a shorter clone of National City in Louisville. I'm shocked the same architects didn't build them.p Yeah, I thought so too...that maybe Lorenz and Williams was the local architect of record., and H-A actually did the design. But then the National City in Louisville has a lot better detailing, more minimalist and cleaner, and is set off by a little plaza and fountain in front, which is sort of like the Fiberglass Tower (I think it also has a plaza and fountain). (National City also had a "Top of the Tower" restaurant when it first opened, also closed). Kettering Tower (or the Winters Bank Tower when it was built) is more clunky in design and detailing..particularly the lobby floor. And that annex facing Main Street...the less said the better. They also made Fifth Third Center in Nati That used to be called the Dubois Tower, I think. Fifth/Third sort of ruined the purity of the design by putting that big sign on the top.
August 15, 200816 yr From the Blade: Owners have new plan for landmark; $35M would revive ex-Fiberglas Tower The 30-story, former Fiberglas Tower has been vacant since 1996. The Lansing-based owners of Toledo's largest vacant building - the 30-story, former Fiberglas Tower - have a new plan to clean the asbestos-contaminated hulk of a structure and transform it into a collection of office space, condominiums, and a hotel, restaurant, and health club. Contact Ignazio Messina at: [email protected] or 419-724-6171. http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080814/NEWS16/808140362
August 15, 200816 yr "That is our skyline right there," Mr. Monroe said. "Right now, Nick Eyde is being extremely aggressive and I have been saying for four years that when the Fiberglas Tower is done, I believe downtown is back." Now that is a very bold statement. For a city the size of Toledo, I was kind of pulling for the demo a few years ago with the opportunity to build something more low-rise on the site. I jsut do not know if the demand is there...but I am sure C-Dawg and Lopsidedfrock can answer that better.
December 20, 200816 yr "The Eyde Co. had to commit $1 million to match the grant. The total investment in the project could be more than $35 million, Mr. Eyde said in August." Christ, $35M for a 1970s building? This is Toledo's second tallest. It would be like Cincinnati's 5/3rd having an asbestos problem lol
December 20, 200816 yr Today was a great day for one of Toledo’s great old buildings. Uhh...you're cleaning up asbestos from the second tallest tower in your city...which also happens to be vacant. I'm just not quite sure "great day" works well or "great old building."
December 21, 200816 yr A lot of buildings in the early 70s have asbestos fireproofing. The WTC was a major, major health hazard. Cleaning it all out would have costed roughly the same as what the building was worth. The ramifications of the towers collapsing may be biological time-bomb in NYC.
December 21, 200816 yr If asbesots ruin is the current condition, then this is one heck of an improvement.
December 21, 200816 yr I think the Clean Ohio Fund has 200 million set aside for brownfield sites alone. People who complain about Ohio not doing much for their cities probably aren't aware of that. The developers only have to match 25% of the cost.
July 6, 201014 yr It is ironic that Toledo and Youngstown may have the easiest time fixing their core, because their economies are so bad, that the pull of the suburbs has so weakened that the capital left in the region will have the greatest effect at the core again. If I was running Toledo, I'd put all my investment in a corridor stretching from downtown stretching out to Ottawa Hills. That could be a great mid-sized city w/ a heavy college town vibe.
July 7, 201014 yr yeah and i think it helps that they didnt have much in the way of suburbs to begin with. to their credit, toledo's particularly. makes it easier to focus on the city. this tower reno plan will work as long as they put a careful mix in there.
October 26, 201113 yr From the Toledo Blade - Published: 9/8/2011 Fiberglas Tower to receive $2 million federal grant The vacant Fiberglas Tower on St. Clair Street in downtown Toledo received a major financial boost from the federal government Thursday with a $2 million grant and a possible $10 million loan for redevelopment of the property. The money, announced through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, will fund the $29.4 million project. According to HUD, the mixed-use project would create 140,371-square-feet of office space on 11 floors, a 96-room Marriott Courtyard on seven floors, and 81 apartments on nine floors, with retail and restaurants in the lobby area. MORE: http://www.toledoblade.com/Economy/2011/09/08/Fiberglas-Tower-to-receive-12-million-in-federal-money.html
October 26, 201113 yr Excerpt from a recent Blade article relating to the Fiberglas Tower renovation proposal: Developers make case to council for downtown projects BY CLAUDIA BOYD-BARRETT BLADE STAFF WRITER Published: 10/13/2011 Executives for Lansing-based Eyde Co. -- which owns the Fiberglas Tower on St. Clair Street -- and Landmark RE Management from Cleveland -- which seeks to renovate the Berdan Building at Washington and Huron streets -- addressed council and public concerns about their endeavors, which hinge on millions of dollars in government loans. Neither project has yet been approved by City Council. Both companies seek $10 million loans from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, amounts that have to be backed by the city of Toledo. Each would also receive a $2 million government grant, and developers hope to secure state and federal historic tax credits to help pay for their projects. Eyde Co., which has owned the Fiberglas Tower since 1998, hopes to turn the building into a mixed-use facility that would include office space, a hotel, a retail area, and apartments. The total cost of renovating the building, now renamed the "Tower on the Maumee," is estimated at $29.4 million, with about a third coming from the developer. Plans to build a 96-room Marriott Courtyard inside the building have been approved, the company's chief financial officer, Mark Clouse, said. The project is expected to create 368 permanent jobs. MORE: http://www.toledoblade.com/local/2011/10/13/Developers-make-case-to-council-for-downtown-projects.html
February 25, 201213 yr FIBERGLAS TOWER Landmark label sought for vacant skyscraper Developer wants historic tax credit BLADE STAFF - Published: 2/9/2012 The East Lansing, Mich., firm that owns and wants to redevelop the Fiberglas Tower downtown is asking the city of Toledo to grant the skyscraper a local "landmark designation" so it can pursue a state of Ohio historic tax credit. The request will come before the Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commission on Thursday, then before Toledo City Council for a vote on Wednesday. Nick Eyde, a partner of Eyde Co., said the company, which has owned the Fiberglas Tower since 1998, needs historic tax credits worth up to 25 percent of the project cost but not exceeding $5 million, as part of the financing plan to turn the vacant building into a mixed-use facility. The total cost of renovating the newly named "Tower on the Maumee" to include office space, a hotel, a retail area, and apartments, is estimated at $29.4 million, with about a third coming from the developer. Plans to build a 96-room Marriott Courtyard in the building have been approved. MORE: http://www.toledoblade.com/local/2012/02/09/Landmark-label-sought-for-vacant-skyscraper.html Update: Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commission approved the landmark status request: Fiberglas Tower closer to ‘landmark’ status
March 18, 201213 yr Not sure if this qualifies as an update - but it seems the Fiberglas Tower renovation project is, at the very least, not dead. City's multimillion dollar project will give new life to Fiberglas Tower Posted: Mar 13, 2012 - 4:25 PM EDT By Rob Wiercinski, WTOL-TV TOLEDO, OH (WTOL) – The building formerly known as the Fiberglas Tower in downtown Toledo is targeted for a multimillion dollar redevelopment effort and could be another step closer towards becoming a reality. It's referred to as Toledo's Vertical Brownfield Development Project, and it is expected to bring new life to downtown's former Fiberglas Tower, the tower on the Maumee River. Despite setbacks recently with the Berdan Building developer pulling out of the project, city leaders are confident this project will not fall through the cracks. With the city committing a $10 million federal loan to put the tower to use, the city is working towards putting its relationship with the building's owner in writing to spell out what needs to happen before that money can be used. ... The first phase of redevelopment is estimated at $25 million with a mix of retail, offices, and a Courtyard by Marriott hotel. This month, an application will be filed in hopes of securing $5 million worth of state historic tax credits. MORE: http://www.wtol.com/story/17149558/citys-multimillion-dollar-project-will-give-new-life-to-fiberglas-tower
April 21, 201213 yr Fiberglas Tower moves closer to historic-site list BLADE STAFF Published: 4/17/2012 A vacant skyscraper in Toledo's downtown is one step away from joining the National Register of Historic Places after a state board recommended the action late last week. Members of the Ohio Historic Site Preservation Advisory Board voted to forward nomination of the Fiberglas Tower on North St. Clair Street, along with an attached parking garage and the nearby Levis Square, to the National Park Service to be considered for placement on the register. Tom Wolf, Ohio Historical Society spokesman, said a decision by the agency on whether to add the property to the list is likely to take about 90 days. MORE: http://www.toledoblade.com/local/2012/04/17/Fiberglas-Tower-moves-closer-to-historic-site-list.html
June 17, 201212 yr I hope they get something going on this building soon. Its location is super important. Not a big fan of the name "Tower on the Maumee" (i think it sounds like the name of something strictly residential condos, like a high rise of condos along the lake shore in chicago or something, further out from downtown.....not a building right in the center of Downtown).....but i digress. I heard theres supposed to be a Marriot Courtyard hotel there. Im not sure how high rated they are, but there was just an story in The Blade recently about how Toledo lacks upscale hotels, that other similar mid-sized cities have and are capitalizing on. The best we have apparently is 3 stars. Maybe we could get a 4 star hotel in there? Simple differences like this might make the difference in whether somebody decides to do business, host a convention, or just host a client, in Toledo. Market rate apartments would be good too. The Standart Lofts are already sold out I believe, so something in their price range would probably be nice. Downtown has a low vacancy of apartments and could use some nice, but relatively affordable additions.
June 27, 201212 yr Some good news for the Fiberglas Tower renovation (aka the Tower on the Maumee). The project received an historic preservation tax credit award from the state. Below is the news reported by the Toledo Blade and an excerpt of the press release from the Ohio Department of Development: Toledo Blade: City project gets $5M tax credit - Ohio issues award to Fiberglas Tower for historic preservation From the press release: The Ohio Department of Development Announces Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credit Awards Fiberglas Tower (Toledo, Lucas County) · Total Project Cost: $47,149,758 · Total Tax Credit: $5 million · Address: 200 North St. Clair Street, 43604 Erected in 1969 by the Owens-Corning Corporation, the Fiberglas Tower is a 28-story Mid-Century Modern office tower constructed as part of the Riverview Urban Renewal Project in Downtown Toledo. The building was vacated in 1996 and has been completely vacant since. Now planned for redevelopment as the Tower on the Maumee, the rehabilitated skyscraper will include a Courtyard by Mariott hotel, office space, and 70 residential apartments. The project will create 376 permanent jobs.
August 7, 20168 yr http://www.toledoblade.com/Real-Estate/2016/08/07/Future-finally-looking-up-at-vacant-Fiberglas-Tower.html Future finally looking up at vacant Fiberglas Tower
October 7, 20168 yr http://www.toledoblade.com/Real-Estate/2016/10/07/Apartments-planed-for-top-10-floors-of-Fiberglas-Tower.html Apartments planned for top 10 floors of Fiberglas tower
January 7, 20178 yr http://m.wtol.com/toledonewsnow/db/347256/content/cthLuhHH Construction continues in towering Toledo building
January 7, 20178 yr Great news! "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
January 12, 20178 yr http://www.toledoblade.com/Real-Estate/2016/10/07/Apartments-planed-for-top-10-floors-of-Fiberglas-Tower.html Apartments planned for top 10 floors of Fiberglas tower I saw the construction on my last trip to Toledo, and this is a very encouraging sign of Toledo's turnaround. That building had been vacant for 20 years.
January 27, 20178 yr Video of the construction at the new "Tower on the Maumee": Floor plans for apartments: http://eyde.com/commercial-properties/apartments/tower-on-the-maumee
January 30, 20178 yr Nice find! Was wondering when something would pop up about the tower... wish the quality was a little better
January 31, 20178 yr 'tower on the maumee.' nice. i'm sure this project will be a big hit. and it's very encouraging for downtown as the long mothballed state of that building has been such a worry.
February 24, 20178 yr http://www.toledoblade.com/Real-Estate/2017/02/23/Directions-Credit-Union-moving-into-downtown-Toledo.html Directions credit union moving into downtown Toledo Will occupy 3 floors of the Fiberglas tower
February 25, 20178 yr http://www.13abc.com/content/news/Directions-Tower-on-the-Maumee-River-414765443.html Directions Tower on the Maumee River
March 14, 20178 yr http://www.toledoblade.com/local/2017/03/14/Tower-on-Maumee-praised-by-architect.html Tower on Maumee praised by architect
April 21, 20187 yr More retail, restaurants coming to downtown Toledo ByJon Chavez | BLADE BUSINESS WRITER Published on April 19, 2018 | Updated 11:23 a. m. '...When completed, the arcade space will have a restaurant, an aquaponics farm for growing vegetables, a credit union, and a fitness gym. But negotiations also may result in a coffee shop and a donut shop being added. A hair salon was expected to be the sixth retailer, “but it now looks as if that won’t proceed,” Mr. Clouse said. The retailer closest to opening is Balance Pan-Asian Grille restaurant, part of a fast-casual restaurant chain owned by Toledoans Prakash Karamchandani and HoChan Jang." Continued: http://www.toledoblade.com/Retail/2018/04/19/More-retail-restaurants-coming-to-downtown-Toledo.html
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