Big plans for one of Cleveland’s tallest buildings: Erieview Tower will be eerie no more

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - The Cleveland Port Authority has authorized $55 million of bonds to reimagine the Erieview Tower.

The 40-story building at East 12th Street and St. Clair Avenue is set to get a makeover as the project’s developer is putting the final pieces of financing together.

It’s Cleveland’s fourth tallest building and perhaps the most overlooked.

“It’s almost one million square feet, a critical component of downtown that’s been underutilized,” said Downtown Cleveland Councilman Kerry McCormack, serving Ward 3. “It’s a big chunk of downtown, it’s a huge city block, and I’m really looking forward to it being alive again.”

The almost $80-million project will bring the building back to life again, a project creating more than 1,000 jobs.

“Not only construction and temporary jobs but also the full-time jobs that will be at the hotel and retail,” said McCormack.

The Top of the Town Restaurant will return, open for more than 30 years on the 38th floor but a landmark that closed in 1995. That’s in addition the other tall plans for the other floors.

“A luxury (W) hotel as well as apartments, office, and revitalizing the Galleria into retail,” said McCormack. “The revitalization of the Galleria, you know, is such a major component of downtown Cleveland and it’s a beautiful space. It just needs new life breathed into it.”

Developer James Kassouf even has plans for the alley between the Galleria and the new apartment complex, The Bell, a recently in the former Ohio Bell Headquarters on East 9th Street and Lakeside Avenue.

“It’s just going to completely revitalize that part of downtown,” said McCormack of all the development in the block from East 9th to East 12th and Lakeside to St. Clair.

The project is scheduled to start in 2024 and finish in two years.