Cleveland Arcade

Cleveland Arcade, commonly called The Arcade, is a historic covered commercial passage in downtown Cleveland, Ohio. Opened on May 30, 1890, it is among the earliest surviving indoor shopping arcades in the United States and remains one of the city’s most recognizable architectural landmarks. The complex occupies the block between Euclid Avenue and Superior Avenue and combines two nine-story office towers with a five-story, iron-and-glass-enclosed commercial court. The central arcade extends for roughly 300 feet and is covered by a large skylight assembled from approximately 1,800 panes of glass. Four levels of balconies overlook the passage, while the structural columns rise nearly 100 feet toward the roof, giving the interior the character of a monumental light court as well as a retail street. Because the two avenues are not parallel and sit at different elevations, the building incorporates angled circulation and stair connections between its entrances and lower levels. The Superior Avenue entrance retains its original Richardsonian arched treatment in Hummelstown brownstone, while the Euclid Avenue entrance was substantially remodeled in 1939 by the Cleveland architectural firm Walker and Weeks. The project was designed by John Eisenmann and George H. Smith and constructed by the Detroit Bridge Company, which was operated by Stephen V. Harkness. Financing came from a group of prominent Cleveland investors, including John D. Rockefeller, Stephen V. Harkness, Marcus Hanna, and Charles F. Brush. The design drew inspiration from Milan’s Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, adapting the European arcade concept to Cleveland’s growing commercial center. Its combination of offices, shops, balconies, and a weather-protected public passage made it both a commercial development and an important piece of urban infrastructure. The Arcade was altered in 1939, when the Euclid Avenue frontage was redesigned and additional structural support was introduced. In 1975, the building was designated a National Historic Landmark, recognizing its architectural significance and its role in the development of American commercial architecture. The building’s design also influenced later projects, including Atlanta’s Peachtree Arcade, built in the 1910s. A major adaptive-reuse project took place in 2001, when Hyatt redeveloped the two towers and the upper portion of the atrium as Cleveland’s first Hyatt Regency hotel. The hotel occupies the towers and the top three levels of the atrium area, while the lower two atrium levels remain accessible to the public and continue to accommodate retail merchants and a food court. The hotel lobby and offices are situated near the Superior Avenue entrance. The skylight was replaced during the same year, helping preserve the building’s defining interior feature while supporting its continued commercial use. The Arcade functions today as a hybrid historic landmark, hotel environment, public interior passage, and retail destination rather than as a conventional standalone retail brand. Its cultural visibility has also extended into film production. In 2024, DC Studios filmed a scene for Superman inside the building, depicting Superman and Lois kissing while flying through the Arcade. This use reflects the structure’s continuing value as both an architectural setting and a symbol of downtown Cleveland.

The Cleveland Arcade was conceived during the late nineteenth-century expansion of downtown Cleveland, when enclosed commercial passages were being developed as elegant alternatives to open-air shopping streets. Its designers, John Eisenmann and George H. Smith, looked to European precedents, particularly Milan’s Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, but created a building adapted to Cleveland’s street pattern, topography, and commercial needs. Construction was undertaken in 1890 by the Detroit Bridge Company, operated by Stephen V. Harkness. The development was financed by a consortium of wealthy Clevelanders that included John D. Rockefeller, Stephen V. Harkness, Marcus Hanna, and Charles F. Brush. The building opened on Memorial Day, May 30, 1890. Its cost was reported as $867,000 at the time, although that figure is not used here as a current-value financial claim. Architecturally, the complex consists of two nine-story office buildings facing Euclid and Superior avenues, joined by a five-story enclosed arcade. The central passage is approximately 300 feet long and is topped by a glass skylight made from about 1,800 panes. Four balcony levels overlook the lower circulation areas, and the columns supporting the roof rise nearly 100 feet. The result is a structure that operates simultaneously as an indoor shopping street, a public light court, and a connection between two major downtown avenues. The site’s unusual geometry required several circulation solutions. Euclid and Superior avenues are not parallel, and the Superior Avenue entrance lies approximately 12 feet below the Euclid Avenue entrance. An angled passage connects the Euclid entrance to a rotunda at the southern end, while staircases link the lower arcade levels. The Superior Avenue entrance retains its original Hummelstown brownstone arch, whereas the Euclid Avenue entrance was remodeled in 1939 by Walker and Weeks. The 1939 work also added structural support. The building became an important example of American iron-and-glass commercial architecture and influenced subsequent arcade developments. One cited example is Atlanta’s Peachtree Arcade, constructed during the 1910s. Cleveland Arcade was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1975, confirming its national architectural and historical importance. In 2001, the building underwent a major adaptive-reuse conversion led by Hyatt. The two towers and the upper three atrium levels became part of Cleveland’s first Hyatt Regency hotel. The lower two levels of the atrium remained publicly accessible and continued to support shops and a food court. The hotel lobby and offices were placed near the Superior Avenue entrance. The skylight was also replaced in 2001, allowing the defining roof structure to continue serving the building while the complex took on its modern hospitality role. The Arcade remains a mixed-use historic property rather than a purely retail facility. Its public interior, commercial tenants, hotel functions, architectural character, and downtown location all contribute to its identity. Its appearance in a 2024 Superman filming sequence further demonstrated its continuing relevance as a recognizable Cleveland setting and a cinematic architectural backdrop.

• 2024

  Filming location for Superman

  [1]Cleveland Arcadeen.wikipedia.org

  DC Studios filmed a Superman scene inside the Arcade, using its landmark interior as a cinematic setting.

• 2001

  Conversion into a Hyatt Regency hotel complex

  [1]Cleveland Arcadeen.wikipedia.org

  Hyatt redeveloped the towers and upper atrium levels as Cleveland’s first Hyatt Regency hotel, while the lower atrium remained publicly accessible for retail and food uses.

• 2001

  Skylight replacement

  [1]Cleveland Arcadeen.wikipedia.org

  The Arcade’s historic skylight was replaced during the adaptive-reuse project.

• 1975

  National Historic Landmark designation

  [1]Cleveland Arcadeen.wikipedia.org

  Cleveland Arcade was designated a National Historic Landmark in recognition of its architectural and historical significance.

• 1939

  Euclid Avenue entrance remodeled

  [1]Cleveland Arcadeen.wikipedia.org

  Walker and Weeks redesigned the Euclid Avenue frontage, and structural support was added to the building.

• 1890

  Opening of Cleveland Arcade

  [1]Cleveland Arcadeen.wikipedia.org

  The Arcade opened on May 30, 1890, as an enclosed commercial passage linking Euclid and Superior avenues in downtown Cleveland.

A landmark adaptive-reuse property combining Victorian commercial architecture, public retail space, hospitality, and downtown Cleveland heritage.

• Historic commercial architecture · 1890

  Covered shopping arcade

  The core offering of Cleveland Arcade is its enclosed, glass-roofed commercial passage. Approximately 300 feet long, it contains multiple levels of balconies, public circulation areas, retail units, and food-related businesses. Its iron-and-glass construction, tall vertical columns, and distinctive skylight create the building’s defining visitor experience.

• Hotel · 2001

  Hyatt Regency Cleveland at The Arcade

  The hotel component occupies the two nine-story towers and the upper three levels of the atrium area. Developed in 2001, it transformed the historic structure into a mixed-use hospitality property while retaining the public character of the lower arcade levels and preserving the building’s architectural identity.

• Commercial tenant space · 1890

  Retail and food court spaces

  The lower two levels of the atrium remain open to the public and accommodate retail merchants and a food court. These spaces preserve the Arcade’s original commercial purpose within the building’s later hotel and landmark functions.

• 2001

  Adaptive reuse as a Hyatt Regency hotelStrategy

  Background

  The historic commercial complex was redeveloped to support a modern hospitality use while retaining public access to part of the atrium.

  Action taken

  Hyatt converted the two towers and upper three atrium floors into a hotel, leaving the lower two atrium levels for public retail and food uses.

  Aftermath

  The Arcade became a mixed-use landmark combining hotel accommodation, public interior space, retail, food service, and historic architecture.

  Source

• 2001

  Replacement of the historic skylightOther

  Background

  The skylight is essential to the Arcade’s architectural character and required renewal during the broader redevelopment.

  Action taken

  The skylight was replaced as part of the 2001 project.

  Aftermath

  The building retained its defining glass-roofed interior while adapting its infrastructure for continued commercial and hotel use.

  Source

• 1939

  Modernization of the Euclid Avenue frontageStrategy

  Background

  The historic building required changes to its street-facing presentation and structural system several decades after its opening.

  Action taken

  Walker and Weeks remodeled the Euclid Avenue entrance and additional structural support was installed.

  Aftermath

  The intervention altered one of the Arcade’s principal entrances while leaving the original Superior Avenue entrance substantially intact.

  Source

• 2024

  Cleveland Arcade used as a filming location for Superman[1]Cleveland Arcadeen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  DC Studios filmed a scene for Superman inside Cleveland Arcade, showing Superman and Lois kissing while flying through the historic interior.

1. 1Cleveland Arcadeen.wikipedia.org