THE LEVEQUE TOWER

Columbus, OH

What would become the LeVeque Tower was commissioned by the American Insurance Union, a group formed in 1894 as a fraternal insurance company, secret society and social club. The tower was designed by Detroitbased architect C. Howard Crane, known for his grandiose designs. Its construction took place during the first wave of modern skyscraper development in the United States. The tower is 47-story / 555 feet tall. When the skyscraper opened, it was the fifth tallest building in the world, just 5” taller than the Washington Monument. Built at a cost of $8.7 million (or $24.50/sf), the tower's design incorporates a terracotta façade and ornate ornamentation. It was designed with 600 hotel rooms in two wings, as well as an attached performance venue, the Palace Theatre. The insurance company went bankrupt in the 1929 Great Depression, the tower was renamed the Lincoln-LeVeque Tower in 1946, and later the LeVeque Tower in 1977.

Designed in the Art Deco or Art Moderne style, the building took inspiration from Byzantine architecture, particularly religious buildings constructed in the 4th through 13th centuries. Initially, Crane considered stone for the building's exterior but later decided on cream colored terra cotta, despite concerns its blocks would be small and prone to warping. The design featured a large number of figures situated 495 feet and higher along the building's façade and around its pinnacle. It included stone eagles with wingspans up to 22 feet, as well as giants and angels up to 26 feet tall.

The occasion was the Ohio Star Ball, where I won the Best-of-the-Best men’s event.