Shawn Hoefler, Webmaster
 Thank you for visiting. clevelandskyscrapers.com is a non-profit site dedicated to providing images and information about high-rise architecture in Cleveland and northeast Ohio.
Why has this site been created?
The inspiration for this site came from a lack of available online information. There are several wonderful sites dealing with new construction and historical buildings, but nothing dealt specifically with existing high-rise buildings in downtown Cleveland, much less other northeast Ohio cities. This site also hopes to raise awareness of the outstanding architecture in Cleveland as well as promote architecture and design resources in the Cleveland area.
What is the source of the photos?
Photos are listed with their corresponding locations (i.e. "view from East 9th Street"). Unless otherwise noted, the webmaster has taken all of the photos, which are protected by federal copyright laws. Please see below for further information regarding images.
How is the site organized?
Buildings are listed from tallest to shortest; when possible, the architect, date of construction, location and additional information are provided. Thumbnail images are provided for faster viewing - click them to view larger images.

Cleveland buildings are grouped into four height groups:
500 feet and above
350 feet and above
200 feet and above
Low Rise Buildings - This section contains buildings under 200 feet high, as well as buildings under 10 stories. In some cases, actual height may not be available.

The Skyline Views section offers several views of the Cleveland skyline. The Streetscapes section offers views of Cleveland buildings at street level.

The Height List and Age List provide a database listing buildings by height and age, respectively.

Suggested Reading provides links to interesting and worthwhile articles about Cleveland and northeast Ohio architecture.

The cities of Akron, Canton and Youngstown have been given separate pages.

The Bonus sections provide images and information of non-highrise architectural gems.
What qualifies as a "skyscraper"?
This site deals with buildings of no less than 10 stories. In the future, shorter structures may be considered. This site focuses primarily on commercial buildings; significant residential highrises are also included.
Why doesn’t Cleveland have more tall buildings?
One major reason is that downtown Cleveland rests upon a large area of glacial sediment. The glacial sediment was deposited in the area of downtown Cleveland when Lake Erie was carved out by the glaciers. In some cities like New York, the bedrock is around 25 to 50 feet beneath the street level. In Cleveland, the bedrock is anywhere from 200 to 250 feet below the surface, which makes for more expensive excavation. Nevertheless, several Cleveland buildings have been built with their foundation “piers” reaching down to the bedrock.

Some Cleveland buildings have been constructed using the “floating pad” technique, which means the building rests upon a thick “pad” of concrete. Using this technique limits building heights to around 350-400 feet.
Where are the best places to view northeast Ohio skylines?

For standstill viewing, the area in Edgewater Park near the West Blvd. entrance and Voinovich Park at the end of the East 9th St. pier are recommended. Please note, due to security concerns, the Terminal Tower observation deck is closed until further notice.

The Cleveland skyline is best viewed from a vehicle (as a passenger, of course!), from I-77 north into town as well as the Shoreway (Rt. 2) from the west. Another nice view can be had from I490, south of downtown. If you happen to be in a vehicle on the turnpike (again, as a passenger) you can see downtown (on a clear day/night) from the bridge over Boston Heights.

Akron's skyline is best seen from the Interbelt (Rt. 59) from Howard Street to I-77/I-76. Another good viewing spot is from the "Y" Bridge.

Youngstown‘s skyline is best viewed from I-680 near Wick Avenue and from the Route 193 bridge over the Mahoning River.
There’s a building listed with incorrect information, who do I contact?
Please contact the webmaster. This site is continuously updated, and keeping the information accurate and current takes quite an effort. When sending information, please provide as much detail as possible.
What happened with the plans to build the Ameritrust Center?

In the early 1990s, plans were drawn up for a tower to be built for Cleveland-based banking company, Ameritrust. The plans called for a 60-story tower to be built on the block west of Public Square's northwest quadrant. The height was rumored to be as high as 1198 feet, which would have been one of the tallest buildings in the United States. The tower was designed by Kohn, Pedersen, Fox and the Jacobs Group was the developer behind the project.

The tower project was cancelled when Society Bank acquired Ameritrust. Society Bank had merged with KeyBank shortly after, thus Society Center is now known as Key Tower. It is hopeful that a major project will one day occupy the "Ameritrust" site but it is very unlikely that the Ameritrust design would be used.
I have taken a photo, can I submit it to clevelandskyscrapers.com?
Absolutely, please remember there is no compensation beyond credit/appropriation and that images on clevelandskyscrapers.com are made available for public viewing. Your photo will be marked as protected by copyright.

By submitting photos, you agree to the terms above and indemnify clevelandskyscrapers.com of any liability. The webmaster of clevelandskyscrapers.com reserves all rights to decline submissions. 
I would like to use a photo from clevelandskyscrapers.com?
If your intent is non-commercial use (such as a school project or personal research), please provide appropriate credit.

If you would like to use an image for a commercial intent, please visit the Photo Usage section of this site. All images on clevelandskyscrapers.com are protected by copyright, and violation of copyright will result in legal ramifications.