Applause
What It Was: The Idea Center in Cleveland
Clip: Season 28 | 1m 7sVideo has Closed Captions
The building that houses Ideastream Public Media in Downtown Cleveland held many tenants since 1912.
Ever walk by a cool old building and say to yourself, "I wonder what that used to be?" Follow us around Northeast Ohio to learn what buildings were before, well, what they are now. The Idea Center at Playhouse Square first opened in 1912 as the home furnishings store, Kinney & Levan Co. It housed several more occupants over the last century before becoming the home of Ideastream Public Media.
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Applause is a local public television program presented by Ideastream
Applause
What It Was: The Idea Center in Cleveland
Clip: Season 28 | 1m 7sVideo has Closed Captions
Ever walk by a cool old building and say to yourself, "I wonder what that used to be?" Follow us around Northeast Ohio to learn what buildings were before, well, what they are now. The Idea Center at Playhouse Square first opened in 1912 as the home furnishings store, Kinney & Levan Co. It housed several more occupants over the last century before becoming the home of Ideastream Public Media.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
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Providing Support for PBS.org
Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorshipThis building here, what it was was a bunch of things.
It's been a furniture emporium.
It was offices for Stouffer's.
The Cleveland Public Library was here at one point.
And that's actually appropriate because this building was designed by Walker and Weeks.
They also designed the main branch library that's just a few blocks away.
But for me, the most exciting tenant was WJW Radio.
That's where Alan Freed mentioned the immortal words rock n’ roll.
And because of that, that's why we have the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame built right here in Cleveland.
So after Alan Freed left town, he was replaced by a young guy who would eventually become the great Casey Kasem.
And then, it took 60 more years before they got a replacement: The great me.
That's because this building is our home, the Idea Center, home of Ideastream Public Media.
Now PlayingWhat It Was: The Idea Center in Cleveland
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Clip: S28 | 1m 7s | The building that houses Ideastream Public Media in Downtown Cleveland held many tenants since 1912. (1m 7s)
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Applause is a local public television program presented by Ideastream