CLEVELAND — Thursday marked a milestone in the history of downtown Cleveland.
Playhouse Square announced the completion of The Lumen, the largest residential project undertaken in downtown Cleveland in 40 years. It's also the tallest residential building in the state of Ohio.
"To have The Lumen, rise so magnificently right here from the entertainment district, it's a testament to the arts in this community and how the arts in this community really shoots to the stars in so many ways," says Gina Vernaci, Playhouse Square President and CEO.
Standing 396 feet tall on a one-acre site at the corner of Euclid Avenue and East 17th Street, the newly-constructed Lumen apartment tower offers residents commanding views of the city and Lake Erie.
Residents of the building’s 318 apartments (86 of which are leased to date) will enjoy 22,000 square feet of amenities including an outdoor terrace with gas grilling stations, fireside lounge and heated lap pool; fitness center with on-demand classes and yoga studio; business center and workstations; rooftop deck and lounge with warming kitchen; pet spa and dog run; first-class, 24-hour concierge service and more.
Attached to the building is a parking garage with a private entrance for residents.
“While we could not have anticipated the circumstances in which we all find ourselves today, The Lumen was designed with working from home in mind,” said Playhouse Square Senior Advisor Art Falco in a statement. “There are floor-to-ceiling windows for plenty of light, solid wood apartment doors for noise control, building-wide private Wi-Fi and plenty of community space for a change of scenery. Plus, the building features a leading-edge fresh air system and open-latch windows in every home for air circulation, as well as in-suite washers and dryers to help maintain social distancing.”
Apartments start at around 600 square foot for about $1450 a month to over 1900 square foot penthouses for more than $7000 a month. Each apartment has a certain, "Lumen" feel. It’s a name chosen with a little nod to all the lights, from the chandelier to the marquees and what they’re hoping residents will soon be able to see a lot of, the bright lights on the stage.
"When the theatres are back, and we well be back," says Vernaci. "The largest performing arts center outside of New York City is right at your front door. This was very specifically designed with Playhouse Square in mind."
The Lumen has been welcoming residents since mid-July while the top floors of the building remained under construction; the building is now fully complete. Aside from a $15 million gift from the Richard J. Fasenmyer Foundation specifically designated for a residential project, funds raised to support the not-for-profit mission of Playhouse Square were not used for The Lumen.
Those interested in scheduling a tour or learning more about becoming residents at The Lumen are invited to visit TheLumenCleveland.com or to call 216-508-7161.
3News' Will Ujek will speak with Playhouse Square President and CEO Gina Vernaci on Thursday. Check back to this story for more.
You can watch the virtural ribbon cutting of The Lumen below: