ArtMasterCLE

Great photos, ASPhotoman! I've always felt good black and white photography has its own unique aesthetic quality. Thanks for the fresh look.

Makes a future Lumen Phase II a very real possibility in the not too distant future. I would be surprised if phase 2 is not already in the planning process. PHSF is very deliberate and quality oriented.

I had the opportunity to see The Lumen at full height this afternoon as I merged with I-90 East off 77 North... Impressive! It really does pull the skyline eastward and connects well with Rhodes Tower at CSU. I love the contextual fit and anticipate it getting even better when completed and the surrounding buildings and sky are reflected in the glass curtain wall

Nicely done, marty15! Your great photos really do bring back great memories of Christmas shopping at May company and Higbees.

Great photo, MayDay! The Lumen really is a beautiful building- even at this early stage. Thanks

This selected location presents the opportunity for a truly impactful design, both on the skyline level and most especially the street level... Imagine a design that incorporates a spectacular tower and a series of smaller buildings built around a public green space that extends the highly successful Public Square redesign. This, along with strategically placed retail at the street level could activate the entire campus and connect it beautifully to the warehouse district.

I just came in from the studio and saw this post! KJP, you are an absolute master of suspense! I can't wait to read your blog later!!!

Awesome photos by Paul and urbanetics! Lumen has a great impact at both the street level and the skyline view. It continues the standard of excellence set by the theaters and the classic architecture surrounding it, while saying to future developers "Seconnd rate proposals need not apply".

I agree. This building and the Hilton-and even the Beacon are high quality additions to the Cleveland skyline. Rumor has it that the new Sherwin-Williams HQ/R&D complex may set a new bar.

mu2010, this may be the wrong thread, but that's certainly not a bad idea.

I totally agree. I can't imagine the city, or county standing in the way of SHW building where ever they want. Even if there were preliminary plans to build a courthouse tower on public square, they would step aside in favor of the far more appropriate SHW Headquarters in this high profile location.

I am not surprised. Truly informed people are always looking for real information, not sensationalized entertainment when the subject is as important as retaining a major global company, along with the economic and community impact that retention- or loss implies. I have family and friends at SHW who will be very interested in your article. 1600 views will be a distant memory before the end of the day.

Thank you for the great article, KJP. Your articles are always much more fact-based and informative than those offered by Cleveland's mainstream media, who always tend to skew their reporting toward the negative. Again, thank you for reporting real information gathered from knowledgeable sources rather than falling prey to negative sensationalism that drives most of the mainstream media in this region.

Great photo and massing illustration, Pleco! This photo would be great to use as a basis to add all of the new buildings that are either under construction or planned, as it would be interesting to see what the enhanced skyline will look like from this eastern vantage point.

Interestingly, I did it almost the opposite of you. I grew up in Florida, also mid 50's- mid 70's, and came to CLE to go to art school. I agree the two great cities you mentioned can boast many iconic architectural marvels. The Beacon, I have to conclude, was intended to be a fill-in structure with personality. Robert Stark's iconic architectural offering was to be the original design for nuCLEus. I'm guessing the long-rumored Sherwin-Williams corporate headquarters, and a few others on the drawing board may present us with something that's a lot more architecturally imaginative. In my opinion, even fill-in architecture has an opportunity to make a visual statement, which Beacon attempts to do with its graduated panels. I'm guessing budget, dictated by a need to meet certain price restrictions for the apartments, limited what the architects could do aesthetically.