103. Carew Tower

From its completion in 1930 until the completion of Queen City Square in 2010, Carew Tower was Cincinnati’s tallest building. The 574 feet tall, 49-story building was designed by architects Walter W. Ahlschlager & Associates and Richard Rauh & Associates. The building was named for Joseph T. Carew - founder of the Mabley & Carew department store which was one of the first occupants of the building. The building was conceived as a, “city within a city” with offices, shops, restaurants, and the Omni Netherland Plaza, now known as the Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza Hotel. The Carew Tower complex became part of Tower Place Mall when it was built in 1991.

The greatest feature of Carew Tower is not its height but the Art Deco style and the well preserved Art Deco details inside and out. There are iron railings, marble floors, rosewood paneling, murals on the wall and ceilings, Rookwood Pottery floral patterns surrounding the entry ways, and sculptures by Rene Paul Chambellen. An entire day could be spent just looking at all of the details.

Another one of the greatest features of Carew Tower is the observation deck. From the top of the building on a clear day you can see for miles upon miles, the entire city, and three states. The views from the observation deck are amazing and something that must be done when visiting downtown.

Carew Tower is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Carew Tower
441 Vine Street, Downtown