Fiberglass Tower
Encyclopedia
Fiberglas Tower is a skyscraper
located at 200 North Saint Clair Street in Toledo, Ohio
. Constructed in 1969, the building rises to a height of 400 feet (121.9 m). Until 1996, the tower served as the world headquarters for Owens Corning
, when the company moved to a different location within Downtown Toledo
along the Maumee River
.
The unusual spelling of its name (Fiberglas instead of Fiberglass
) comes from Owens-Corning's use of Fiberglas as the trademark
name of its glass fiber products, as the generic name fiberglass couldn't be restricted to use as a trademark.
Recently, the buildings new owners (Eyde Co.) are planning on undergoing a $44 million renovation after the 1960s asbestos fireproofing, often cited as the largest obstacle to renovation, has been removed and, since the new owners have been granted a $3 million Clean Ohio Revitalization Fund grant, this phase of the project should be underway now. The renovation is expected to include provisions for condos, office space, hotel rooms, and possibly a restaurant.
Skyscraper
A skyscraper is a tall, continuously habitable building of many stories, often designed for office and commercial use. There is no official definition or height above which a building may be classified as a skyscraper...
located at 200 North Saint Clair Street in Toledo, Ohio
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
. Constructed in 1969, the building rises to a height of 400 feet (121.9 m). Until 1996, the tower served as the world headquarters for Owens Corning
Owens Corning
Owens Corning Corporation is the world's largest manufacturer of fiberglass and related products. It was formed in 1935 as a partnership between two major American glassworks, Corning Glass Works and Owens-Illinois. The company was spun off as a separate entity on November 1, 1938...
, when the company moved to a different location within Downtown Toledo
Downtown Toledo
Downtown Toledo has seen a huge revival in the last few years with new retail, restaurants, entertainment venues, etc moving in to what had been, for many, considered a somewhat of a forgotten ghost town for years. Both the Warehouse District and the area surrounding the Lucas County Arena have...
along the Maumee River
Maumee River
The Maumee River is a river in northwestern Ohio and northeastern Indiana in the United States. It is formed at Fort Wayne, Indiana by the confluence of the St. Joseph and St. Marys rivers, and meanders northeastwardly for through an agricultural region of glacial moraines before flowing into the...
.
The unusual spelling of its name (Fiberglas instead of Fiberglass
Fiberglass
Glass fiber is a material consisting of numerous extremely fine fibers of glass.Glassmakers throughout history have experimented with glass fibers, but mass manufacture of glass fiber was only made possible with the invention of finer machine tooling...
) comes from Owens-Corning's use of Fiberglas as the trademark
Trademark
A trademark, trade mark, or trade-mark is a distinctive sign or indicator used by an individual, business organization, or other legal entity to identify that the products or services to consumers with which the trademark appears originate from a unique source, and to distinguish its products or...
name of its glass fiber products, as the generic name fiberglass couldn't be restricted to use as a trademark.
Recently, the buildings new owners (Eyde Co.) are planning on undergoing a $44 million renovation after the 1960s asbestos fireproofing, often cited as the largest obstacle to renovation, has been removed and, since the new owners have been granted a $3 million Clean Ohio Revitalization Fund grant, this phase of the project should be underway now. The renovation is expected to include provisions for condos, office space, hotel rooms, and possibly a restaurant.
Facts
- Finished: 1969
- No. of floors: 30
- Exterior materials: glass, concrete, aluminum
- Architect: Harrison & AbramovitzHarrison & AbramovitzHarrison & Abramovitz was an American architectural firm based in New York and active from 1941 through 1976, a partnership of Wallace Harrison and Max Abramovitz....