Posted by Larry Bullis on November 13, 2001 at 21:11:47:In Reply to: Carew Tower posted by Lou Fuller on November 06, 2001 at 18:23:25:
I grew up in Cincinnati but have not lived there for more than thirty years. I never once thought of the Carew Tower as ugly. It is an unpretentious art deco building that reflects the time in which it was built.
Compare it to that silly little building to the south of the Carew Tower. The building I refer to used to be called the Union Central Life Building but I think now has a PNC Bank sign on its top. That stupid building has a Roman temple starting 20 floors above the ground and that is topped by an Aztec pyramid! Now that's ugly.
The Carew Tower lacks some of the ornateness of other art deco buildings, again reflecting its Depression-era construction date. The Empire State Building is a lot cooler because of the mooring mast (for Zeppelins) on top and nothing beats the Chrysler Building. Cincinnati's own Union Station is probably the finest art deco building anywhere, but it is hard to compare to a skyscraper.
No other high-rise building in Cincinnati has the character of the Carew Tower. Everything built since then is bland.
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