Fenn Tower, Cleveland

Fenn Tower is a 22-story skyscraper located in Cleveland and currently serves as student housing for Cleveland State University. Originally constructed for the National Town and Country Club, the building was meant to be a hub for the city’s social elite, offering a central location for meetings and events. However, following the stock market crash of 1929, the club became financially insolvent and hosted just a single event before shutting down.

In 1937, Fenn College acquired the building to accommodate its growing academic programs. This acquisition made Fenn College one of only three colleges in the United States to have a skyscraper on its campus, alongside the University of Pittsburgh and Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. The tower was named after Sereno Peck Fenn, a key founder of Sherwin-Williams and the namesake of Fenn College, which initially focused on providing low-cost night classes in engineering and business.

The structure, originally known as the National Town and Country Club Building, was designed with interiors furnished by the prestigious Rorimer-Brooks Studios, Inc. It was later listed on the National Register of Historic Places, reflecting its architectural significance and storied history. During the 2005 renovation, many of the building’s original amenities, such as the Fenn Gym and the Ellwood H. Fisher Swimming Pool, were removed, transforming it into a modern residential facility.

Today, Fenn Tower stands as the second tallest building on the Cleveland State campus, surpassed only by the Rhodes Tower. Its history as a social club turned academic skyscraper highlights its role in the transformation of Euclid Avenue into a vibrant center for education and student life in downtown Cleveland.