An old womens bathroom inside the higbee's building.

 

The Silver Grille

 

 

 

Stripped down 10th floor ballroom

I could cry looking at those.  I just had a wave of emotion wash over me.  The Silver Grille was the place to be seen eating lunch.  All the boys would fall up in there.

At least your major department store building is still there.  I see so many things that could be done with that space.

they restored it pretty nice. They had the carpet custom made based off pictures and discriptions of people who remembered what the colors looked like

they restored it pretty nice. They had the carpet custom made based off pictures and discriptions of people who remembered what the colors looked like

Yes, the Ritz manages the Silver Grille and event space in the Higbee Building.

 

At least your major department store building is still there.  I see so many things that could be done with that space.

Luckily they cannot tear it down, but it's no consolation on what a fabulous store Higbee's was.

What are they using that building for now? It can't all be for "events." I think it was ten floors and must have had at least half a million sq. feet of space. And when did it fold? (I haven't lived in the Cleve area for decades, so I don't remember when Higbee's bit the dust)

Speaking of this building, I spoke with someone who does some management at the Halee Bldg....who found out from FC that there has been the intent to restore the flags on this building on the Ontario side...but the poles are made of teak and need to be restored because they cannot support the flapping and blowing around of flags. I believe it would cost thousands of dollars to restore each flag pole. I think flags on that avenue would provide a very classy look. Maybe flags with the old Higbees logo on them. Halees, by the way, intends to do their flags once they get the lift machine back. There is intent to have flags with the big green 'H" on them. Right now, however, with lower funds available, the city is down to duct tape.

What are they using that building for now? It can't all be for "events." I think it was ten floors and must have had at least half a million sq. feet of space. And when did it fold? (I haven't lived in the Cleve area for decades, so I don't remember when Higbee's bit the dust)

 

The R-C is only using the 10th floor for events, parties, ect.  We looked at the space for my niece Quinceanera.

What are they using that building for now? It can't all be for "events." I think it was ten floors and must have had at least half a million sq. feet of space. And when did it fold? (I haven't lived in the Cleve area for decades, so I don't remember when Higbee's bit the dust)

 

The R-C is only using the 10th floor for events, parties, ect.  We looked at the space for my niece Quinceanera.

so the rest of it is just sitting empty? That's prime real estate for downtown Cleveland. That can't be economically feasible. The old Lazarus building in downtown Columbus was refurbished and is occupied (well, at least I think so, for the most part).

^ I believe there are some offices that are going to be utilized in the space. Work is being done right now.

well key is moving into the 7th 8th and 9th floor i believe

There are other tenants moving into the building soon to use part of it.

What are they using that building for now? It can't all be for "events." I think it was ten floors and must have had at least half a million sq. feet of space. And when did it fold? (I haven't lived in the Cleve area for decades, so I don't remember when Higbee's bit the dust)

 

The R-C is only using the 10th floor for events, parties, ect.  We looked at the space for my niece Quinceanera.

so the rest of it is just sitting empty? That's prime real estate for downtown Cleveland. That can't be economically feasible. The old Lazarus building in downtown Columbus was refurbished and is occupied (well, at least I think so, for the most part).

 

That is correct.  If you look at some other threads you'll see lots of discussion on the building.

 

Cleveland plus is on the main floor. 

 

The death of that building was:

a) over built malls in the 80's

b) the purchase by that hick company

c) the closure of floors 6-9 and the reduction of high end/luxury items. (almost all the high end/luxury goods and employees were sent to beachwood)

d) the name change (the final nail in the coffin)

Once Higbee's was purchased by Dillards it was only a matter of time before they closed the downtown store.  As a company they have very little interest in downtown department stores.  If I recall correctly, at the time Cleveland's downtown store was closed, the only remaining downtown store they had (out 250-300 nationwide) was in downtown St. Louis.  I'm curious whether that store is still open.  Maybe this has changed since then with mergers and the like.

 

What was interesting was the way they slowly downsized what was a magnificant department store on 10 floors (with departments like furniture, appliances, high end china, a book store, toy department, even a pet shop at one time) to 5 floors of clothes and perfume.

^ I remember the pet shop. It was actually clean and higher quality too.

Dillard's treated the Downtown store as fire sale outlet instead of as a regional flagship.  It was a sad place in its final years.

I'm starting to think subsidizing a downtown department store in Cleveland is a statewide priority.

Problem is all the old department store buildings have been repurposed, so there isn't currently anywhere to put one...

Is Higbee completely repurposed? I thought there was potential for it to be involved in the Medical Mart project once.

Not completely... but there isn't nearly enough space left for a department store... same could be said for all the rest of the original dept stores downtown.

 

 

If there is enough room for a decent department store...  I would love to see one re-introduced into the place. What are the chances of this happening?

1. Define "a decent department store".

2. Check and see if they (or any major retailer) are in expansion mode at the moment.

 

Not shooting down a good idea, just saying that it might be a while.

At least your major department store building is still there.  I see so many things that could be done with that space.

 

The great thing is, is that this dept. store building is still here in addition to these others on Euclid:

 

The May Co

Taylor's , which will soon open up as residential/retail--- The 668 Bldg

Halle's

Bonwit-Teller (home to United Way Services now)

 

Only the Sterling-Lindner complex of bldgs are gone (and Bond Dept store too,  but it wasn't as historical as these other 6)

^ I believe there are some offices that are going to be utilized in the space. Work is being done right now.

 

well key is moving into the 7th 8th and 9th floor i believe

 

Just to expand on this, glutmax pointed out an article in Random Cleveland Developments that says the Browns will be taking three floors in the Higbee Bldg. for offices:  http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php/topic,3594.msg451044.html#msg451044

 

So with the Browns and their three, Key and their three (6, 8, and 9,) the Silver Grille/event space on 10 and CLE+ on the ground floor, and the few tech firms on 7, that's a mostly-filled Higbee!  :clap:

 

Speaking of this building, I spoke with someone who does some management at the Halee Bldg....who found out from FC that there has been the intent to restore the flags on this building on the Ontario side...but the poles are made of teak and need to be restored because they cannot support the flapping and blowing around of flags. I believe it would cost thousands of dollars to restore each flag pole. I think flags on that avenue would provide a very classy look. Maybe flags with the old Higbees logo on them. Halees, by the way, intends to do their flags once they get the lift machine back. There is intent to have flags with the big green 'H" on them. Right now, however, with lower funds available, the city is down to duct tape.

 

I'm very happy to hear that FC is looking into this... I've often looked at those flag poles as I've walked or ridden the bus past on Ontario and thought how nice they would look with something up there!

I love this building, interesting to see pics on the inside.  So the 10th floor actually had "an interior?"  I've been inside a bunch of old department stores, and the upper levels were sometimes rarely used beyond storage.

I love this building, interesting to see pics on the inside.  So the 10th floor actually had "an interior?"  I've been inside a bunch of old department stores, and the upper levels were sometimes rarely used beyond storage.

 

Yeah, it used to be used as a ballroom and for fashion shows and other events. The company before forest city stipped it down for plans that never developed.

 

 

Detailed information about the Silver Grille's 10th floor facility is found [url= http://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/Properties/Cleveland/Meetings/RoomDetails/10thFlooroftheadjacentHigbeeBuildingatTowerCityCenter/TheSilverGrille.htm] Here

 

 

 

Only the Sterling-Lindner complex of bldgs are gone (and Bond Dept store too,  but it wasn't as historical as these other 6)

 

Is Sterling Linder the complex demolished for May's garage?

2. Check and see if they (or any major retailer) are in expansion mode at the moment.

 

Not shooting down a good idea, just saying that it might be a while.

 

Oh I know, this is why I'm thinking subsidy.

^^No. You're right though there was a dept. store there--- Bailey's.

And it was in an historic bldg, but it was on Prospect. I was narrowing my post to those places that were on Euclid Ave. and the one on Public Sq (Higbee's). I shouldn't have done that since several places had main, formal entrances on Euclid, but also auxiliary entrances on Prospect.

 

Bailey's was taken over by May Co and then torn down in the 60s for May's multi-level parking garage.

It was a way to compete with the new-fangled malls and car generation of the suburbs.

 

Sterling-Lindner, at E. 13th & Euclid, was unfortunately torn down for a surface parking lot and for the unremarkable Continental Buillding (now called the Sterling Building).

 

Actually, the Lindner-Davis Building...the one that abutted E. 13th St...of the Sterling-Lindner complex was the 1910 Higbee building before they moved to this Public Sq location in 1931

Here is a picture of the Bailey's demolition in 1963

 

 

 

 

Here is the 1910 Higbee Building at the corner of E. 13th & Euclid, later to be the Lindner-Davis store, then finally part of the Sterling-Lindner-Davis Department store. The Sterling Building is on the left. 

 

Okay one more,

Here is the Sterling on the L , and the Lindner-Davis (1910 Higbee's) on the R

 

(Just before demo in 1968)

1. Define "a decent department store".

 

I cannot claim a monopoly on the definition, but being a former smaller retailer myself and a one time shopper and visitor frequently to Higbee's...I would have to say something that could be similar to a Higbee's standard. Higher quality products, interesting unique stock, knowledgeable sales staff, excellent customer services thereafter point of sale if needed... delightful classier atmosphere; basically the opposite of the typical overdone  big box/clone zone "sprawl-mart" scene.

At least your major department store building is still there.  I see so many things that could be done with that space.

 

The great thing is, is that this dept. store building is still here in addition to these others on Euclid:

 

The May Co

Taylor's , which will soon open up as residential/retail--- The 668 Bldg

Halle's

Bonwit-Teller (home to United Way Services now)

 

Only the Sterling-Lindner complex of bldgs are gone (and Bond Dept store too,  but it wasn't as historical as these other 6)

 

Is Bonwit Teller on Euclid between east 9th abd Playhouse square?

 

 

Detailed information about the Silver Grille's 10th floor facility is found [url= http://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/Properties/Cleveland/Meetings/RoomDetails/10thFlooroftheadjacentHigbeeBuildingatTowerCityCenter/TheSilverGrille.htm] Here

 

This very exciting especially that they are restoring the original art deco interior..

 

Here is a picture of Euclid Ave looking east towards Playhouse Sq (ca. 1960)

You can see Bonwit-Teller. Today it is home to the corporate offices of The United Way...it is the really beautiful building next to the Idea Center.