“Originally located at the Williamson Building on Public Square in Cleveland, Ohio, since 1914, the Fourth District Federal Reserve Bank soon outgrew its space. Starting in 1919, the architectural firm of Walker and Weeks, in consultation with bank officials, began drawing up plans for a new stand-alone building to be sited at the corner of Superior Avenue and East Sixth Street. In following the early twentieth century American Renaissance style, the building mimicked the architectural design of the adjacent Group Plan(1903), which is comprised of the city’s major public edifices.
“In 1921, the firm of John Gill & Sons, contractors, began work on the building. Sitting on a foundation of pink granite, and clad in pinkish Georgia marble, the thirteen-story, 203-foot tall structure is reflective of the Art Deco sensibilities of the renowned sculptors and decorators who worked on its exteriors and interiors. Designed to reflect both safety and security, the building was also constructed to hold the world’s largest bank vault door, which weighs one hundred short tons. Dedicated on August 23, 1923, the bank has since been accorded a designation on the National Register of Historic Places.
“These photographs document the construction of the building from the excavation of the site in 1921 to the completion of the structure in 1923; the pictures also provide intriguing snapshots of life in Cleveland in the early 1920s.”
Building is completely finished, blinds are evident in several windowslevels.Cars are shown parked in front of the site on Superior Avenue.Close-up of the work on the bank vault enclosure. Beginnings of the third-level construction.Construction of one side of the bank vault enclosure. The enclosure runs from the SW corner and partway towards the NW corner of the site.Facade of Georgia marble covers the lowest level of the building on the Rockwell Avenue side and is partially finished on the East 6th Street side.Panoramic view of the building site. Metal framing is being installed on the far side of the site, along with other sub-floor materials.Partial view of marble facade on the eastern side of the building, and full view of the marble facade on the northern side of the building.Picture bears the inscription fireproofing. Several workers shown installing fireproofing panels in the sub-floor.Shows the walled temporary construction area between the Federal Reserve Bank Building and the commercial building to the east.The walkways around the site are quite visible, and reveal how machines and personnel are able to enter and move around the site.Transport of bank vault – View from the western side of East 6th Street of the bank vault and its conveyance, in front of the main entrance of the bank. Insignia on conveyance indicates that it belongs to the Norris Brothers Co., and the vault itself as belonging to the York Safe and Lock Co. of York, PA. The facade of the main entrance is shown behind the conveyance. The door is obscured, but the windows with their metalwork exteriors are visible. On the left, the corner of the East Ohio Gas Co. building is visible.View from NW perspective of East 6th Street towards Superior Avenue of the installation of the Rose Iron Works metalwork window insets.View from inside the building site, and from the SE perspective of Superior Avenue, shows a large collection of building materials, primarily steel reinforcement panels, awaiting installation on the second level of the building. At the left, the start of the second level enclosure can be seen. In the background, the Cleveland Plain Dealer building is visible.View from within the building site shows the excavation of the plumbing connections that are associated with the building next to the site on its eastern side.View of the eastern side of the building site from the perspective of Superior Avenue in an elevated position.View of the facade frontage of the building on East 6th Street. Workmen are shown lifting the Security statue into place on the right of the entrance door.View of the original site where the Federal Reserve Building is situated. Site previously occupied by the Cleveland Masonic Temple, from 1883-1919. The subsequent occupants of the building were comprised of a variety of shops and businesses. including the Rauch and Lang Carriage Company, whose Auto and Livery sign is clearly visible on the side of the building fronting 6th Street. The business sign of the Cleveland House Wrecking Company on the SE corner of the building. Feb. 7, 1921View showing that the prior building on the site has been almost completely demolished.View taken from SW corner of opposite side of Superior Avenue. Comprehensive view of the building site.View taken inside the building site from the perspective of Superior Avenue.Wooden planks and joists are stacked up at the front of the building site next to the site barrier. Workers are shown standing next to vehicles.Workers in the access path are unloading sod, while a truck carrying wooden joists waits to be unloaded.Workers installing marble facade on southern and eastern sides of building.
