If only modern shopping malls could be so attractive. The Superior Arcade in Cleveland was built in 1890 and was one of America's first indoor shopping malls. The arcade was designed by John Eisenmann and consisted of two 9-story towers connected by a 5-story atrium. We have reason to rejoice, because the arcade has been preserved. Today, it houses a Hyatt Regency Hotel and shops and restaurants. Here's what it looks like today.
Here are a few more shopping arcades in Cleveland:
Beautiful! So Parisian. Glad to hear this has been preserved within the hotel.
ReplyDeleteFabulous set of postcards. I assume the postcards themselves date from the very beginning of the twentieth century.
ReplyDeleteI've never seen anything like these--they're wonderful! thank you for sharing them!
ReplyDeleteThat first one reminds me so much of the beautiful Bradbury Building in Los Angeles.
ReplyDeleteAlan, I forgot to mention that these are from a postcard folder. It's full of lots of beautiful pictures of Cleveland...and circa 1905.
ReplyDeleteThe difference between these 'malls' and the new ones is location. The old ones were creating internal voids in dense urban areas to bring in light and create additional 'street front', in this case weather protected to make for a more pleasant shopping experience. The new malls are generally objects in the sprawl of suburbia, creating a pedestrian street front on the interior because there isn't one on the exterior, just parking lots and auto-centric services.
ReplyDeleteGood point, anonymouse.
ReplyDeleteI've just been looking at your Ohio postcards and am impressed with how much history you share in each post. I never knew about the shopping arcades in Cleveland, which is very interesting. Your blog is wonderful. Thanks for sharing your postcards with us.
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