View source for LeVeque Tower

{{short description|Skyscraper in Columbus, Ohio}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2025}}
{{good article}}
{{Infobox building
| name                = LeVeque Tower
| logo                = 
| logo_size           = 
| logo_alt            = 
| logo_caption        = 
| image               = LeVeque Tower, Columbus, OH, US crop.jpg
| image_size          = 
| image_alt           = <!-- or | alt = -->
| image_caption       = <!-- or | caption = -->
| highest_prev        = [[8 East Broad Street|Capitol Trust Building]]
| highest_next        = [[Rhodes State Office Tower]]
| highest_start       = 1927
| highest_end         = 1974
| highest_region      = [[List of tallest buildings in Columbus, Ohio|Columbus]]
| mapframe            = no
| former_names        = American Insurance Union Citadel
| alternate_names     = 
| etymology           = 
| status              = 
| cancelled           = 
| topped_out          = 
| building_type       = Mixed-use
| architectural_style = [[Art Deco]]<ref name="SAH">{{cite web|last=Darbee|first=Jeffrey T.|title=LeVeque Tower|work=SAH Archipedia|date=17 July 2018 |publisher=University of Virginia Press|url=https://sah-archipedia.org/buildings/OH-01-049-0068|access-date=December 25, 2022}}</ref> or [[Art Moderne]]{{sfn|Darbee|Recchie|2008|p=43}}
| classification      = 
| location            = 
| address             = 50 W. [[Broad Street (Columbus, Ohio)|Broad St.]],<br />[[Columbus, Ohio]]
| location_city       = <!-- or | location_town       =  -->
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| coordinates         = <!-- {{coord|latitude|longitude|type:landmark|display=inline,title}} -->
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| namesake            = 
| groundbreaking_date = {{start date|1924|09|23}}
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| completion_date     = {{start date and age|1927|09|21}}
| opened_date         = 
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| cost                = $7.8 million
| ren_cost            = 
| client              = 
| owner               = 
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| height              = {{cvt|555|ft|5|in}}
| architectural       = 
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| diameter            = 
| circumference       = 
| weight              = 
| other_dimensions    = {{cvt|188|ft}} east-west and north-south
| structural_system   = 
| material            = 
| size                = 
| floor_count         = 47
| floor_area          = {{cvt|353,768|sqft}}
| elevator_count      = 
| grounds_area        = 
| architect           = [[C. Howard Crane]]{{sfn|Korom|2008|p=358}}
| architecture_firm   = 
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| rooms               = <!-- or | unit_count          = -->
| parking             = 
| website             = {{URL| https://columbuslofts.com/leveque-tower-residences}}<br> {{URL|https://www.hotellevequecolumbus.com/}}
| embed               = 
| embedded            = 
{{Infobox NRHP
| embed               = yes
| name                = American Insurance Union Citadel<!-- National Register-listed name-->
| nrhp_type           = 
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| caption             = 
| coordinates         = {{Wikidatacoord|Q6506496|display=inline,title}}
| district_map        = {{infobox mapframe|frame-width=250|stroke-width=3|type=point|zoom=14|marker=building-alt1|marker-color=#545454|shape=none}}
| map_caption         = Interactive map highlighting the building's location
| added               = March 21, 1975
| area                = {{convert|353,768|sqft}}{{sfn|Owen|1999|p=416}}
| refnum              = 75001398<ref name=nris>{{NRISref|2009a}}</ref>
| designated_other1   = Columbus
| designated_other1_abbr         = CRHP
| designated_other1_date         = July 12, 1982
| designated_other1_number       = CR-9
| designated_other1_num_position = bottom
}}
| references          = 
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}}
The '''LeVeque Tower''' is a 47-story [[skyscraper]] in [[Downtown Columbus, Ohio]]. At {{convert|555|ft|5|in}} it was the [[List of tallest buildings in Columbus, Ohio|tallest building in the city]] from its completion in 1927 to 1974, and remains the second-tallest today.

Designed by [[C. Howard Crane]], the {{convert|353,768|sqft|adj=on}} [[Art Deco]] skyscraper was opened as the '''American Insurance Union Citadel''' in 1927 and at the time was the fifth tallest building in the world. Built at a cost of $8.7 million, the tower's design incorporates ornate ornamentation and a [[terracotta]] facade, and it was designed with 600 hotel rooms in two wings as well as an attached performance venue, the [[Palace Theatre (Columbus, Ohio)|Palace Theatre]]. After the American Insurance Union went bankrupt in the [[Great Depression]], the tower was renamed the Lincoln-LeVeque Tower in 1946, and later the LeVeque Tower in 1977.

The tower's office space saw mixed success in attracting tenants during its early history, but it became home to a number of state agencies and law firms. As development of Downtown Columbus peaked beginning in the 1960s and several other high rise buildings were constructed, the tower faced increasing competition from other major office buildings and its vacancy rates rose. Over the course of its history, the tower changed hands several times before being sold to a group of real estate investors in 2011. The current owners subsequently converted it into a [[mixed-use development]], including a hotel, apartments, condominiums, offices and a restaurant, which opened in 2017.

== Design and construction ==
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" by [[John J. Lentz]], who would later become a [[United States House of Representatives|U.S. Representative]], and who served as president of the organization. Originally named the American Insurance Union Citadel, the tower was to be the headquarters for the organization and would replace a smaller building it owned on the corner of [[Broad Street (Columbus, Ohio)|Broad Street]] and Front Street in [[Downtown Columbus, Ohio|Downtown Columbus]], a short distance from the [[Scioto River]].{{sfn|Korom|2008|p=356}} The tower was designed by [[Detroit, Michigan]]-based architect [[C. Howard Crane]], known for grandiose designs.{{sfn|Korom|2008|p=358}}{{sfn|Owen|1999|p=416}} Its construction took place during the first wave of modern skyscraper development in the United States.{{sfn|Korom|2008|p=323}}

[[File:The LeVeque Tower Upper Stories.jpg|left|thumb|upright=0.7|Detail of the [[Art Deco]] ornamentation on upper stories in September 2017]]

The original plan for the tower was to have three principal components: a 47-story tower flanked by a pair of 18-story wings, with a total rentable area of {{convert|353,768|sqft}};{{sfn|Owen|1999|p=416}} the 2,827-seat Keith-Albee Theater (later renamed the [[Palace Theatre (Columbus, Ohio)|Palace Theatre]]); and the 600-room [[Deshler-Wallick Hotel]]. It was to measure {{convert|188|ft}} along both Broad and Front streets,{{sfn|Korom|2008|p=356}} with 44 floors of occupied space,<ref name="SAH"/> and three additional floors helping it reach {{convert|555|ft|5|in}} in height.{{sfn|Korom|2008|p=356}}{{sfn|Owen|1999|p=416}} This intentionally set the building {{convert|5|in}} taller than the [[Washington Monument]].{{sfn|Betti|Uhas Sauer|2013|p=53}}{{sfn|Barrett|2007|p=51}}

Designed in the [[Art Deco]]<ref name="SAH"/> or [[Art Moderne]] style,{{sfn|Darbee|Recchie|2008|p=43}} the building took inspiration from [[Byzantine architecture]], particularly religious buildings constructed in the 4th through 13th centuries.{{sfn|Korom|2008|p=357}} Initially, Crane considered stone for the building's exterior but later decided on cream-colored [[terracotta]] despite concerns its blocks would be small and prone to warping.{{Sfn|Crane|1926|p=14}} The design featured a large number of figures situated {{convert|495|ft}} and higher along the building's façade and around its [[pinnacle]], including eagles with wingspans up to {{convert|22|ft}} and giants and angels up to {{convert|26|ft}} tall.{{sfn|Owen|1999|p=417}} Some of these were later removed after concerns about falling materials and to obtain unobstructed penthouse views.<ref name="GhoseBio">{{cite news|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2008/07/07/focus2.html |title=City's oldest, newest skyscrapers helped end construction droughts |last=Ghose |first=Carrie |newspaper=[[Columbus Business First]] |date=2008-07-07 |access-date=2018-02-07 |location=Columbus, Ohio}}</ref> An octagonal [[bartizan]] was designed at the top of the building with long, narrow loop windows, and it was topped by a dome with [[heraldic]] imagery. Inside, the building contained marble imported from [[List of types of marble|Italy and Belgium]], and public spaces were decorated with bronze and mosaics.{{sfn|Owen|1999|p=417}} The building lobby was designed with a marble floor with a bronze plaque containing the building's [[horoscope]] and which shows the positions of the planets at the time that the building's cornerstone was laid.{{sfn|Korom|2008|p=357}} Following completion, the building was lit at night to accentuate its architectural features, and its four turrets were also lit with floodlights to make a landmark for aviators, which at times made it visible for up to {{convert|20|mi}} as a navigational aide.{{sfn|Korom|2008|p=357}}{{sfn|Hunker|2000|p=73}} The top of the tower was also designed to accommodate mooring for [[zeppelins]].{{sfn|Betti|Uhas Sauer|2013|p=14}} Later, it housed radio antennae.{{sfn|Adams|2016|p=112}}

Elevators serving the building were a "micro self-leveling type," automatically controlled by push buttons and which could travel at {{convert|900|ft}} per minute, which rose to the 41st floor. A shuttle elevator ran from there to the observation deck.{{Sfn|Crane|1926|p=30}} Water tanks for fire protection and plumbing were placed on the 23rd and 43rd floors, and the building was also designed with duplicate mechanical systems for redundancy.{{Sfn|Crane|1926|p=31}} An executive dining room, termed the Mid-Air Club, was built on the 43rd floor, sponsored by local businessmen and aviation enthusiasts. The 44th floor served as an [[observation deck]] that would be open to the public for 25 cents. The floor featured 24 floor-to-ceiling windows as well as an observation balcony on the 46th floor, which would be reachable only by ladder. In all, 60 construction contractor companies were named to build the structure, which cost a total of $7.8 million. Northwestern Terra Cotta Co. of [[Chicago]] supplied the materials wrapping the building.{{sfn|Korom|2008|p=356}} The American Insurance Union had a five-story auditorium building at 50 W. Broad St. which was torn down in preparation for the new tower. Colonial Theatre, opened at 1909 at 40 W. Broad St., was also closed and demolished in 1924 to make way for the tower.{{sfn|Hunter|2012|p=92}}

[[File:Details of the LeVeque Tower in Columbus, OH, US (04).jpg|left|thumb|upright=0.7|Details]]

At the height of construction, about 650 men would work on the structure at a time.{{sfn|Owen|1999|p=417}} [[Groundbreaking]] for the tower took place on September 23, 1924. Excavation commenced after that, with 44 [[Deep foundation|caissons]] sunk {{convert|114|ft}} into the bedrock for a foundation,{{sfn|Korom|2008|p=356}}{{sfn|Hunker|2000|p=12}} through {{convert|80|ft}} of water using air pressure.{{Sfn|Crane|1926|p=30}} These tunnels were so deep that specialized crews of "[[sandhog]]s", who had gained experience building the [[Holland Tunnel]] in [[New York City]], were brought in and the construction site had an on-site hospital and [[decompression chamber]] for men suffering from [[decompression sickness]].{{sfn|Betti|Uhas Sauer|2013|p=26}} On January 26, 1925, an accident occurred underground that killed four workers when a toxic gas was accidentally released during the setting of the caissons, overwhelming them and causing them to fall into the foundation.{{sfn|Betti|Uhas Sauer|2013|p=26}}{{sfn|Hunter|2012|p=93}} A fifth construction worker was killed later in the building's construction after falling from its steel framing.{{sfn|Hunter|2012|p=93}} On February 13, 1926, the AIU Citadel's [[cornerstone]] was laid. The building's frame would consist of {{convert|10,000|t}} of steel, and would be wired with {{convert|100|mi}} of electrical wire, {{convert|137,000|ft}} of heating pipe for thousands of radiators, 67 electrical motors, 14,000 [[electrical outlet]]s, and 1,756 windows. Construction of the building took 19 months. It was dedicated on September 21, 1927. When complete, it was the [[List of tallest buildings in Columbus, Ohio|tallest building in Columbus]] and the fifth tallest building in the world, including being the tallest building between New York City and Chicago.{{sfn|Korom|2008|p=356}}{{sfn|Hunter|2012|p=93}} [[Albert Bushnell Hart]], who spoke at the building's dedication, likened the building to the French fortified city [[Carcassonne]].{{sfn|Korom|2008|p=357}}

{{Quote box|align=left|The word "Citadel" has a peculiar significance as the architectural culmination of a great humanitarian institution. In the old days of strong fortifications, such cities as [[Nuremberg]], [[Chester]] and [[Quebec]] were defended, first of all, by a surrounding wall, the foundations of which were protected by a moat. Within that wall was added, as a second line of defense, a Citadel, such as the lordly castle still standing inside the wall of that famous fortress, [[Carcassonne]], in southern [[France]]. There the garrison could hold on that inner line of endurance. The name of Citadel is especially appropriate as a watchword of a great insurance company; for millions of families in the United States protect themselves, from the "terror by night and the destruction that wasteth at noonday" through this defensive institution. —[[Albert Bushnell Hart]], speaking at the building's dedication, September 21, 1927.{{sfn|Korom|2008|p=357}} }}

Art and architecture critics spoke positively about the tower's design. Dudley Crafts Watson, director of [[Chicago Art Institute]], highlighted it as one of five great examples of artistic achievement to come out of Columbus in the 1920s, calling it "the most original and American of skyscrapers" and "just an honest piece of magnificent construction."{{sfn|Betti|Uhas Sauer|2013|p=15}} Writing in 1932 in the book ''Ohio Art and Artists'', Edna Clarke called the building "a milestone in the growth of the city ... it signalizes the transformation from a large overgrown country town into a city. It stands out against the skyline so sharply it can't be ignored."{{sfn|Hunker|2000|p=73}} ''[[Architectural Forum]]'' called it "splendid" and "impressive."<ref>{{citation|title=Architectural Forum: The Magazine of Building |journal=Architectural Forum |volume=50 |issue=2 |issn=0003-8539 |oclc=780888302 |year=1928 |page=188 |publisher=[[Time-Life]] Inc.}}</ref> The tower quickly became a symbol synonymous with Columbus and one of the city's most well-recognized landmarks.{{sfn|Adams|2016|p=123}}{{sfn|Darbee|Recchie|2008|p=43}} It was the first landmark that was easily visible from around the city.{{sfn|Hunker|2000|p=73}}

The building's construction coincided with a rebuilding of the Columbus riverfront and creation of the [[Columbus Civic Center (Ohio)|Columbus Civic Center]] along the [[Scioto River]] following the [[Great Flood of 1913 in Columbus, Ohio|Great Flood of 1913]].{{sfn|Barrett|2007|p=33}} In the 1920s and 1930s, the city saw a new [[Columbus City Hall (Ohio)|Columbus City Hall]] built across the street, along with a [[77 North Front Street|new headquarters]] for the [[Columbus Police Department]], a [[Joseph P. Kinneary United States Courthouse|federal building and courthouse]], and a [[Ohio Judicial Center|state office building]].{{sfn|Gold|2009|p=307}}

===Lighting===
{{multiple image|total_width=300|footer=Cycling [[Memorial Day]] lighting, 2020|image1=LeVeque Memorial Day 02.jpg|image2=LeVeque Memorial Day 01.jpg|image3=LeVeque Memorial Day 03.jpg}}
Floodlights were first installed on the LeVeque Tower in 1989, illuminating its top floors with white light from evening into the night. Later, the owners had theatrical gels installed to add colored lights as an option. During the building's 2012-17 restoration, the floodlights were replaced with computer-controlled LED lights to save on energy usage and allow for a wider array of color options. The new lights, ranging from 6-inch lights to 3-square-foot arrays, allow for 256 million color combinations. The building is now lit for events about six to eight times per year, including pink for the [[Susan G. Komen for the Cure]] breast cancer organization in April and May; rainbow colors during the [[Columbus Pride]] weekend in June; red, white, and blue for the [[Fourth of July]]; purple for [[Purple Heart]] recognition in August; teal for [[ovarian cancer]] awareness in September; and red and green during the [[Christmas and holiday season]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.columbusmonthly.com/lifestyle/20180529/city-quotient-colorful-leveque-tower|title=City Quotient: The Colorful LeVeque Tower|first=Jeff|last=Darbee|website=Columbus Monthly|access-date=2020-05-18|archive-date=2021-10-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211021175235/https://www.columbusmonthly.com/lifestyle/20180529/city-quotient-colorful-leveque-tower|url-status=dead}}</ref>
{{clear}}

<gallery caption="Interior" widths="125px" heights="125px" perrow=7 mode=packed>
File:Columbus - LeVeque Tower (OHPTC) - 32390686188.jpg|Hotel lobby
File:Columbus-LeVeque Tower (OHPTC) - 17508549179.jpg|Empty lobby following renovation
File:Columbus-LeVeque Tower (OHPTC) - 17694815935.jpg|Residential lobby artwork
File:Columbus - LeVeque Tower (OHPTC) - 45539004704.jpg|Restaurant
File:Columbus - LeVeque Tower (OHPTC) - 31323647197.jpg|Starbucks cafe
File:Columbus - LeVeque Tower (OHPTC) - 46212195332.jpg|Hotel bedroom
</gallery>

== History ==
===Changing function and ownership===
[[File:West Broad Street, The Site of the A.I.U. Building.jpg|thumb|Buildings on the site of the skyscraper before demolition and construction, 1920]]
[[File:Leveque Tower aerial.tif|thumb|The tower under construction, 1926]]
After the tower's completion, the American Insurance Union occupied floors 19 and 20, with the remainder of the space available for rent to other office users.{{sfn|Korom|2008|p=356}} The construction of the building saw several significant cost overruns, prompting the American Insurance Union to dip into its monetary reserves to pay for the tower.<ref name="Lentz97">{{cite news|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/1997/03/31/focus2.html |last=Lentz |first=Ed |newspaper=[[Columbus Business First]] |location=Columbus, Ohio |date=1997-03-31 |access-date=2018-02-07 |title=Towering tradition: City's 1930's skyscraper still classy address}}</ref> Financial problems soon arose for the company, as the tower cost $800,000 more than its budget allowed for, and not all of the office space in the building filled up quickly.<ref name="GhoseBio"/>

The tower immediately became important to [[radio broadcasting]] in the city, which was increasing in prominence in the late 1920s.{{sfn|Adams|2016|p=10}} The building was an ideal height for broadcasting and there were no mountains or other intervening structures around Central Ohio to disrupt radio signals broadcast from antennae at the tower's apex. The tower thus became home to a number of radio stations, including [[WAIU]]. Lentz had purchased WAIU in 1925 to serve as a platform for his progressive views.{{sfn|Adams|2016|p=28}} Moving into the tower allowed WAIU to increase its broadcasting power to 5,000 watts.{{sfn|Adams|2016|p=29}} By the 1980's, [[WCOL]] had a broadcast room atop the tower.{{sfn|Adams|2016|p=89}}

The American Insurance Union failed during the [[Great Depression]], and it was reorganized as the American Insurance Union Inc. in 1931. The entity survived until 1934 when it went into [[receivership]], and then ceased to exist.{{sfn|Korom|2008|p=358}} During this time, the tower was known pejoratively as the "IOU Tower" given the financial difficulties of its owner.{{sfn|Hunker|2000|p=73}} After the company went bankrupt, the group marketed the building in order to pay off unpaid policies.{{sfn|Hunter|2012|p=93}} It ultimately sold to Leslie LeVeque and John Lincoln in 1945 and was renamed the LeVeque-Lincoln Tower.{{sfn|Korom|2008|p=358}} LeVeque was a local real estate investor, and after his death, his son Fred LeVeque and his wife, Katherine LeVeque, became prominent figures in the Columbus community.<ref name="Lentz97"/>

=== Competition ===
The tower dominated the Columbus skyline, which did not see significant high-rise construction until the 1960s,{{sfn|Hunker|2000|p=5}} though there was at least one major attempt to build another high-rise in the city in 1953.{{sfn|Betti|Uhas Sauer|2015|p=74}} The Lincoln-LeVeque Tower was the only building in Columbus taller than {{convert|300|ft}} until 1962.{{sfn|Barrett|2007|p=51}} As a number of other major commercial ventures like the [[Huntington National Bank]] and [[American Electric Power]] flourished in the city, its urban core saw construction of new high-rises to suit them.{{sfn|Hunker|2000|p=74}} The building remained the tallest structure in Columbus until the [[Rhodes State Office Tower]] was completed in 1974.{{sfn|Darbee|Recchie|2008|p=43}}{{sfn|Hunker|2000|p=94-95}} The Lincoln-LeVeque Tower was added to the [[National Register of Historic Places]] in 1975.{{sfn|Betti|Uhas Sauer|2013|p=53}} Around 1975, Fred LeVeque bought the Palace Theatre and was killed in an airplane crash in January of that year, leaving Katherine LeVeque president of the company's prominent Columbus real estate group, LeVeque Enterprises. Columbus' downtown office market saw some issues with high vacancy rates, but the tower itself retained higher-than-average occupancy rates.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2002/10/07/focus4.html |title=Skyline jewel marks milestone, continues to be successful investment |last=Lentz |first=Ed |newspaper=[[Columbus Business First]] |date=2002-10-07 |access-date=2018-02-07 |location=Columbus, Ohio}}</ref>

Katherine LeVeque took complete control of the building through a trust in 1977.<ref name="Trib04"/> That year, the name was officially changed to the LeVeque Tower.{{sfn|Betti|Uhas Sauer|2013|p=53}} It faced increasing competition from other office buildings being constructed in Downtown Columbus in the 1980s, and LeVeque put $18 million into renovations to keep the historic tower competitive with newer and more modern office space, including an entirely new [[HVAC]] system, energy efficiency upgrades, and updates to the bathrooms and public areas of the building.<ref name="Lentz97"/> In 1984, the opening of [[Huntington Center (Columbus, Ohio)|Huntington Center]], [[Capitol Square (skyscraper)|Capitol Square]] and [[One Columbus Center]] put {{convert|2,000,000|sqft}} of new office space on the market in Downtown Columbus.<ref name="Ghose2008">{{cite web|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2008/07/07/focus1.html |title=Will Columbus ever get another skyscraper? |last=Ghose |first=Carrie |date=2008-07-07 |website=[[Columbus Business First]] |location=Columbus, Ohio |access-date=2018-01-27}}</ref>

The State of Ohio was a major tenant in the building for a significant part of its history. The [[Ohio Department of Job and Family Services]] leased nearly 20 percent of the building until it moved in 2003,<ref name="KL"/> and the [[Ohio Department of Aging]] was a major tenant as well. Additionally, a number of law firms and private [[financial services]] entities leased space in the building. The loss of the major state organizations in the tower significantly hurt the building's ability to pay for its mortgage, and in 2004, an affiliate of Miami-based LNR Property Corp. took control of the tower, which was then valued at $22 million.<ref name="Trib04">{{cite news|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2004/02/08/skyscraper-in-columbus-valued-at-22m-is-sold/ |title=Skyscraper in Columbus valued at $22M is sold |last=Wolf |first=Barnet D. |newspaper=[[The Chicago Tribune]] |date=2004-02-08 |access-date=2018-02-07 |location=Columbus, Ohio}}</ref> LeVeque turned the building over to the new ownership group in lieu of a foreclosure on a $16.2 million mortgage on the building, and at this point it was about a third empty.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2004/02/16/tidbits1.html |title=Papers clarify LeVeque tower owner change |last=Lilly |first=Stephen |date=2004-02-16 |access-date=2018-02-07 |location=Columbus, Ohio |website=[[Columbus Business First]]}}</ref> She had previously engaged an architect on a proposal to convert part of the building to residential use, but it was deemed not financially feasible at the time.<ref name="T10"/>

In 2005, the building was sold again to Finsilver/Friedman Management Corp. for $8.5 million. At the time of the sale, the building remained about a third empty. The new building owner committed to substantial upgrades to the tower to keep it competitive. The renovations helped it land some smaller tenants in the office space.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2005/07/11/tidbits1.html |title=Spinnaker's sets sail out of City Center |last=Buchanan |first=Doug |date=2005-07-11 |access-date=2018-02-07 |location=Columbus, Ohio |newspaper=[[Columbus Business First]]}}</ref> Leasing there, though, remained poor and by 2009 its office space was still about a third empty, in spite of the change of leasing teams several times.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2009/05/11/newscolumn2.html |title=Snug Harbor Village ready to start marketing in earnest next month |last=Ball |first=Brian R. |website=[[Columbus Business First]] |date=2009-05-11 |access-date=2018-02-07 |location=Columbus, Ohio}}</ref>

===2012 renovation===
In 2011, the tower was purchased by Tower 10 LLC, a joint venture of Columbus real estate investors including Bob Meyers, Don Casto and Michael Schiff, for $4 million. By that point, the office building's vacancy rate had risen to 43 percent.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/print-edition/2011/03/11/leveque-tower-bought-for-bargain.html |title=LeVeque Tower bought for bargain; Casto to lead renovation |website=[[Columbus Business First]] |location=Columbus, Ohio |date=2011-03-11 |access-date=2018-02-07 |last=Ball |first=Brian}}</ref> The partners planned a $22 million project to fix cracked terracotta on the tower and convert it from an office building to a hotel and residential structure.<ref name="T10">{{cite web|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/print-edition/2012/03/16/investors-see-renewed-life-for-leveque.html |title=LeVeque seeing new life as owners invest millions |website=[[Columbus Business First]] |location=Columbus, Ohio |date=2012-03-16 |access-date=2018-02-08}}</ref> In 2012, the owners announced the renovation would cost $26.7 million,<ref name=biz>{{cite news| title=LeVeque Tower renovations in line for city incentives| url=https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2012/07/06/leveque-tower-renovations-in-line-for.html| date=July 6, 2012| last=Ball| first=Brian R.| work=[[American City Business Journals|Columbus Business First]] |access-date=2018-02-07 |location=Columbus, Ohio}}</ref> including $5 million in tax credits from the State of Ohio for the renovation.<ref name=Dispatch20120707>{{cite news| title=LeVeque Facelift| url=http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/editorials/2012/07/07/leveque-facelift.html| newspaper=[[The Columbus Dispatch]]| date=2012-07-07| access-date=2018-02-08| location=Columbus, Ohio| archive-date=2021-10-17| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211017085811/https://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/editorials/2012/07/07/leveque-facelift.html| url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| title=LeVeque Tower hotel plans to open next year| first=Steve| last=Wartenberg| newspaper=The Columbus Dispatch |location=Columbus, Ohio | url=http://www.dispatch.com/article/20150327/NEWS/303279581| access-date=August 4, 2017| date=March 27, 2015}}</ref>

The renovation project, completed in 2017, saw extensive work to repair the building's terracotta facade and modernize its interior. LeVeque Tower was redesigned as a [[mixed use development]], with floors 5 to 10 of the building converted into a 150-room [[boutique hotel]], the Hotel LeVeque under [[Marriott International]]'s [[Autograph Collection]] brand, and with some event space. Floors 3, 4, and 11-18 were renovated as 160,000 square feet of office space, while the remaining 19 floors were converted into upscale residential units, a mix of 68 apartments and 12 condominiums, with two [[penthouse apartment|penthouse]] units on the top floors.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2016/10/27/wanna-work-in-the-leveque-offices-now-available.html |title=Wanna work in the LeVeque? Offices now available for lease |last=Weese |first=Evan |website=[[Columbus Business First]] |location=Columbus, Ohio |date=2016-10-27 |access-date=2018-02-07}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/business/2016/08/28/1-leveque-tower-showing-fruits-of-27-million-restoration.html |title=LeVeque Tower showing fruits of $27 million restoration |last=Matzer Rose |first=Marla |website=[[The Columbus Dispatch]] |date=2016-08-28 |access-date=2016-08-07 |location=Columbus, Ohio |archive-date=2021-10-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211028125249/https://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/business/2016/08/28/1-leveque-tower-showing-fruits-of-27-million-restoration.html |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://radio.wosu.org/post/columbus-leveque-tower-shines-anew-after-renovation#stream/0 |title=Columbus' LeVeque Tower Shines Anew After Renovation |last=Hendren |first=Sam |website=[[WOSU-FM|WOSU]] |location=Columbus, Ohio |date=2017-01-16 |access-date=2018-02-08}}</ref> A restaurant, The Keep, was opened by Illinois-based First Hospitality Group Inc. on the second floor.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2017/08/25/new-restaurant-bringing-playful-french-cooking.html |title=New restaurant opens today, bringing 'playful' French cooking and bourbon to downtown |last=Eaton |first=Dan |website=[[Columbus Business First]] |location=Columbus, Ohio |date=2017-08-25 |access-date=2018-02-07}}</ref>

In recent years, the building's third floor has held a [[U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement]] (ICE) office and detention center. The center has been the subject of numerous protests against unfair treatment of undocumented immigrants.<ref>{{cite news|first=Danae|last=King|title=Volunteers help migrants with ICE|newspaper=The Columbus Dispatch|url=https://www.dispatch.com/story/lifestyle/faith/2019/08/01/volunteers-help-migrants-with-ice/4562913007/|date=August 1, 2019|access-date=December 25, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.wosu.org/news/2018-07-09/ice-protest-blocks-street-in-downtown-columbus-12-arrested|title=ICE Protest Blocks Street In Downtown Columbus, 12 Arrested|date=July 9, 2018|website=WOSU News}}</ref>

== Associated amenities ==
=== Deshler Hotel ===
[[File:Deshler Wallick Hotel and A. I. U. Citadel, Columbus, Ohio (73705).jpg|thumb|Early postcard of the new skyscraper beside the Deshler-Wallick Hotel]]
{{main|Deshler Hotel}}
The building's two wings were used as an extra 600 rooms for the Deshler Hotel, which had been built at the northwest corner of Broad and [[High Street (Columbus, Ohio)|High]] streets. Announced in 1912 and opened in 1916, the hotel already had 400 rooms, intended to rival the other luxury hotels of the world.{{sfn|Hunter|2012|p=38}} The hotel was later leased by Lew and Adrian Wallick, hoteliers from Ohio and New York. Called the Deshler-Wallick Hotel by the time the LeVeque tower opened, the 600 rooms were accessible by a "[[skyway|venetian bridge]]" linking the two buildings on the second floor. [[New York Mayor]] [[Jimmy Walker]], who attended the opening, tried and nearly succeeded in having a ceremonial sip of wine in each of the 600 hotel rooms. The hotel would later host [[President of the United States|President]] [[Harry S. Truman]] in 1946 during a meeting of the [[Federal Council of Churches of Christ]]. He and [[Bess Truman]] would later stay at the hotel again in 1953.{{sfn|Hunter|2012|p=39}} In 1947 the hotel sold to Julius Epstein of Chicago, apparently for $2 million,{{sfn|Betti|Uhas Sauer|2015|p=116}} who again sold it five years later to the [[Hilton Hotels]] chain, which renamed the hotel the Deshler-Hilton. In 1964 it was sold to a company owned by Charles Cole who renamed it the Deshler-Cole. Cole eliminated the 600 rooms located inside LeVeque Tower and invested $2 million to remodel the hotel. The hotel rooms in the building's wings having been eliminated, the "venetian bridge" was demolished.{{sfn|Betti|Uhas Sauer|2015|p=117}} The building was sold a final time to Fred Beasley in 1966 and renamed the Deshler-Beasley before being closed in 1968 and demolished in 1969.{{sfn|Hunter|2012|p=39}}{{sfn|Betti|Uhas Sauer|2015|p=119-120}} Today the site is the home of the One Columbus Center, a tower developed in part by LeVeque Enterprises.<ref name="KL"/>

=== Palace Theatre ===
{{main|Palace Theatre (Columbus, Ohio)}}
[[File:Palace Theater.jpg|thumb|The Palace Theatre entrance and marquee on the south facade of the LeVeque Tower]]
Palace Theatre, at 34 W. Broad St., opened November 8, 1926 as a [[vaudeville]] house under the Keith-Albee name.{{sfn|Hunter|2012|p=91}} A number of famous performers would appear there, some before their careers took off. Among them were [[Bing Crosby]], [[George Burns]], [[Gracie Allen]], [[Gypsy Rose Lee]], [[Jack Benny]], [[Tom Mix]], [[Jackie Gleason]], [[The Three Stooges]], [[Eddie Cantor]] and [[Mae West]], who performed in March 1938 and broke all its previous attendance records.{{sfn|Hunter|2012|p=91}} It hosted a number of bands in the 1940s, including [[Duke Ellington]], [[Tommy Dorsey]], [[Glenn Miller]], [[Louis Armstrong]], [[Count Basie]], [[Guy Lombardo]], [[Benny Goodman]] and [[Lionel Hampton]]. The theatre hosted the world premiere of ''[[The Male Animal]]'' on March 12, 1942, which was attended by [[Henry Fonda]], [[Olivia de Havilland]], [[James Thurber]] and [[Joan Leslie]].{{sfn|Hunter|2012|p=91}}

Closing in 1975, the property fell vacant and was proposed for demolition in order for a parking lot to be constructed.<ref name="KL">{{cite news|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/print-edition/2012/11/02/shaping-columbus-katherine-leveque.html |title=Shaping Columbus: Katherine LeVeque |last=Lovelace |first=Craig |newspaper=[[Columbus Business First]] |date=2012-11-02 |access-date=2018-02-07 |location=Columbus, Ohio}}</ref> In 1980, the theatre was renovated and restored by Katherine LeVeque using her personal funds, and began hosting a new set of acts.{{sfn|Betti|Uhas Sauer|2015|p=158}} Among these, it brought in [[Red Skelton]], [[Sammy Davis Jr.]], [[Mickey Rooney]], [[Tom Jones (singer)|Tom Jones]], [[Natalie Cole]], [[Judy Collins]] and [[Tony Bennett]]. The venue has come to host [[Broadway theatre]] acts.{{sfn|Hunter|2012|p=91}} Palace Theatre remains in operation with a main 2,827-seat auditorium, designed as a vaudeville house and movie theater. It was acquired by the [[Columbus Association for the Performing Arts]] in 1989.{{sfn|Darbee|Recchie|2008|p=43}}

While the LeVeque Tower was designed by Detroit architect C. Howard Crane, who was noted for designing over 250 theatres across North America, the Palace Theatre within the LeVeque Tower was  designed by another leading theatre architect, [[Thomas W. Lamb]]. Lamb was the preferred architect of the Keith Albee theatre chain.

==See also==
* [[List of Art Deco architecture in the United States]]
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Columbus, Ohio]]
{{Portal bar|Architecture|Hotels|NRHP|Ohio}}

==References==
=== Citations ===
{{reflist}}

=== Bibliography ===
{{sfn whitelist |CITEREFDarbeeRecchie2008}}
*{{citation|title=Columbus Radio |last=Adams |first=Mike |publisher=Arcadia Publishing |year=2016 |location=Charleston, South Carolina |isbn=978-1540201744}}
* {{citation|title=Columbus 1910-1970 |last=Barrett |first=Richard |year=2007 |publisher=[[Arcadia Publishing]] |location=Mount Pleasant, South Carolina |isbn=978-1531624354}}
*{{citation|title=On This Day in Columbus, Ohio History |last1=Betti |first1=Tom |last2=Uhas Sauer |first2=Doreen |year=2013 |publisher=The History Press |isbn=978-1609496685 |location=Charleston, South Carolina}}
*{{citation|title=Historic Hotels of Columbus, Ohio |last1=Betti |first1=Tom |last2=Uhas Sauer |first2=Doreen |year=2015 |publisher=The History Press |isbn=978-1540213235 |location=Charleston, South Carolina}}
*{{citation|title=The Michigan Technic, Volumes 40-41 |last=Crane |first=C. Howard |volume=40 |number=1 |year=1926 |oclc=7294160 |location=Ann Arbor, Michigan}}
*{{cite AIA Columbus}}
*{{citation|title=Democracy in Session: A History of the Ohio General Assembly |last=Gold |first=David |publisher=[[Ohio University Press]] |location=Athens, Ohio |year=2009 |isbn=978-0821418444}}
*{{citation |title=Columbus, Ohio: A Personal Geography |last=Hunker |first=Henry |publisher=Ohio State University Press |location=Columbus, Ohio |year=2000 |isbn=978-0814208571 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/columbusohiopers0000hunk }}
*{{Cite HGOC}}
*{{citation|title=The American Skyscraper, 1850-1940: A Celebration of Height |last=Korom |first=Joseph Jr. |year=2008 |publisher=Branden Books |isbn=978-0828321884 |location=Boston, Massachusetts}}
*{{citation|title=Ohio Historic Places Dictionary, Volume 2 |publisher=Somerset Publishers Inc. |location=St. Clair Shores, Michigan |year=1999 |isbn=978-0403033942 |editor-last=Owen |editor-first=Lorrie K.}}
*{{cite book|last=Perkins|first=Michael A.|title=Leveque: The First Complete Story of Columbus' Greatest Skyscraper|publisher=AuthorHouse|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=olQvU5uuw7YC|date=2005|isbn=9781468518962|access-date=May 24, 2020}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|LeVeque Tower}}
*[https://www.hotellevequecolumbus.com/ Hotel LeVeque official website]
*[https://lvq.prospectportal.com/ LVQ Apartments official website]
*[https://www.capa.com/venues/detail/palace-theatre Palace Theatre official website]
*[http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2004/02/16/tidbits1.html Columbus ''Business First'': “Papers clarify LeVeque Tower owner change”]

{{Buildings in Columbus, Ohio timeline}}
{{Buildings in Ohio timeline}}
{{NRHP in Ohio}}
{{Columbus Register of Historic Properties}}

[[Category:Art Deco architecture in Ohio]]
[[Category:Art Deco skyscrapers]]
[[Category:Commercial buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Ohio]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Downtown Columbus, Ohio]]
[[Category:National Register of Historic Places in Columbus, Ohio]]
[[Category:Office buildings completed in 1927]]
[[Category:Skyscraper office buildings in Columbus, Ohio]]
[[Category:Columbus Register properties]]
[[Category:U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement]]
[[Category:Hotels in Columbus, Ohio]]
[[Category:Broad Street (Columbus, Ohio)]]