PNC Tower, Cincinnati

Rising 151 meters (495 feet) above the streets of Cincinnati, the 4th & Vine Tower is one of the city’s most iconic skyscrapers-thanks not only to its height but also to its striking Hellenic-inspired crown, modeled after the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus. Completed in 1913 as the headquarters of The Union Central Life Insurance Company, the Cass Gilbert-designed structure was, at the time, the fifth-tallest building in the world and the tallest office building outside New York City.

Originally known as the Union Central Tower, the building remained Cincinnati’s tallest until the Carew Tower surpassed it in 1930. Though Union Central moved out in 1964, the building remained prominent, with “Central Trust” signage lighting up the skyline until PNC acquired the bank in 1988. The Central Trust name lingered until February 1993, when the lights were finally dimmed and replaced with red neon “PNC Bank” lettering. A nesting peregrine falcon even delayed the illumination of the east-facing sign until July 26, 1993.

Historically, the site was once home to the U.S. Post Office and Customs House, followed by the Chamber of Commerce Building. Beyond its architectural pedigree and corporate history, the 4th & Vine Tower has enjoyed some pop culture fame: it appeared in the opening and closing scenes of The Edge of Night (1967–1980), where Cincinnati stood in for the fictional Monticello, and it also showed up in credits for the sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati.