200 Public Square facts for kids
Quick facts for kids 200 Public Square |
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| Former names | Sohio Building, BP Building |
| General information | |
| Type | Office |
| Location | 200 Public Square Cleveland, Ohio 44114 United States |
| Coordinates | 41°30′0.5″N 81°41′29.5″W / 41.500139°N 81.691528°W |
| Construction started | 1982 |
| Completed | 1985 |
| Height | |
| Roof | 201 m (659 ft) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 45 |
| Floor area | 1.2 million sq ft (office space) |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Hellmuth, Obata and Kassabaum |
200 Public Square is a very tall building, also known as a skyscraper, located in Cleveland, Ohio. This impressive building stands 45 stories high and reaches about 658 feet (201 meters) into the sky. It has 1.2 million square feet of office space inside.
The building is the third-tallest in Cleveland. It is also the fourth-tallest in the entire state of Ohio. It first opened in 1985. Back then, it was the main office for a company called Standard Oil of Ohio, or Sohio. Because of this, people called it the Sohio Building.
Later, a company named British Petroleum (BP) bought Sohio. In the 1990s, the building became known as the BP America Building or BP Tower. Even after BP moved its main North American office to Chicago in 1998, many people still used these names. In 2005, the building was officially renamed 200 Public Square. Since 2010, it has been the main office in Cleveland for Huntington Bancshares, a bank.
Contents
Building History: From Sohio to BP
Sohio's Big Idea
In November 1981, the Standard Oil of Ohio (Sohio) company announced exciting plans. They wanted to build a new skyscraper on Public Square. At first, they hoped it would be taller than the famous Terminal Tower. However, city officials wanted the Terminal Tower to remain Cleveland's tallest building. So, the plans were changed.
The building was designed by a company called Hellmuth, Obata and Kassabaum. They used a style called postmodern architecture. The building was angled to line up perfectly with Euclid Avenue and Superior Avenue.
Construction Begins
Building work started in 1982. To make space, two older Cleveland buildings were taken down. These were the Cuyahoga Building (built in 1892) and the Williamson Building (built in 1900). The new skyscraper was finished in 1985. It officially opened in 1987 as the BP America Tower. This happened after British Petroleum bought the rest of Sohio. They combined their North American businesses to form BP America, Inc., with its main office in this new building.
Life as the BP America Tower
The Free Stamp Sculpture
A famous artist named Claes Oldenburg created a sculpture called Free Stamp. It was meant to stand in front of the tower. However, BP officials did not like the sculpture. So, they gave it to the City of Cleveland. After some changes, the city placed it in Willard Park. This park is next to Cleveland City Hall.
Inside the Tower
Before the Key Tower was built, the BP Building was the second most important skyscraper in Cleveland. People often took pictures of it with the Terminal Tower. They looked like twin symbols of the city.
The building has many cool features inside. It has 36 elevators and 10 escalators to help people move around. There are also 3 fountains and 1 waterfall. You can find 1,500 plants and several pieces of art throughout the building.
New Owners and New Name
In 1998, BP bought another company called Amoco, which was based in Chicago. BP then decided to move its main office from Cleveland to Chicago.
The building was sold to a company called EQ Office in 1996 for $144 million. Then, in 2005, it was sold again to Harbor Group International for $141.25 million. Harbor Group worked with Electra Real Estate to buy the building. After this, the building was officially renamed 200 Public Square. Even today, many people in Cleveland still call it the BP Tower or even the Sohio Building.
Huntington Bank's New Home
In June 2011, Huntington Bank put its company logo at the very top of the building. The bank moved its main regional office to the tower in September of that year. Before this, their office was in another building called the Huntington Bank Building. Harbor Group International put the building up for sale again in June 2011.
Atrium Gallery
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See also
In Spanish: 200 Public Square para niños
