Western Reserve Building (Burnham and Root, 1891) 1462-1468 West 9th Street The Western Reserve Building was built for Samuel Mather, local iron and steel magnate and founder of Pickands, Mather and Company. One of the four major ore companies in the United States, Pickands Mather went on to become the second largest mining company on Lake Superior. Mather was involved in numerous philanthropic pursuits and many Cleveland educational and social organizations benefitted from his support. James Pickands made his fortune by selling goods to iron ore mining companies. Pickands, like Mather, was involved in many civic organizations including the Cleveland Chamber of Commerce, the Army-Navy Post of the Grand Army of the Republic and the Military Committee in charge of the dedication of the Soldiers and Sailors Monument.At eight stories, this brick, sandstone and terra cotta Chicago Style building is one of Cleveland's earliest skyscrapers. It is one of three buildings in Cleveland designed by the Chicago architectural team of Burnham and Root. The structure employs brick load bearing walls with wrought and cast iron members and utilizes a tile arch construction. In the 1970s, the Western Reserve Building underwent extensive rehabilitation by the Higbee Company as part of the Settler's Landing project. As a sign of the District's rebirth, an addition to the building was constructed in 1990. The Western Reserve Building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a Cleveland Landmark.
Hilliard Block (architect unknown, 1849) 1415 West 9th Street
The oldest existing building in the District, the three-story Hilliard Block is a seven-bay masonry building with stone lintels and a stepped parapet.
The block was built for Richard Hilliard, an entrepreneur, pioneer and president of the Village of Cleveland from 1830-1831. He founded a dry goods store and grocery business named Hilliard & Hayes with partner,William Hayes. Hilliard was also the great grandfather of Harriet Hilliard Nelson, the 50s/60s TV actress of Ozzie and Harriet.
Hilliard helped fund the Ohio Canal and founded the short-lived Cleveland University in 1850.
In the late 1980s, the building was renovated to serve modern office needs. The Hilliard Block is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a Cleveland Landmark.
Crittenden Block (architect unknown, 1854, 1868) 1382 West 9th Street
When constructed, the Crittenden Block consisted of two separate buildings, one constructed in 1854, the other in 1868. The 1854 structure is a four-story, six- bay, brick building with load bearing walls. It is notable for its 4-over-4 double hung sash windows, ornamented by decorative stone lintels. The much altered cast iron storefront can still be seen today. Although the 1868 structure is similar in massing to its earlier neighbor, it has a more ornate facade and is considered a fine example of High Victorian commercial architecture. This facade features 2-over-2 double hung sash windows with arched stone hood molds and stone coursing at each floor. Early tenants of the structures included wholesale boot and shoe companies, a millinery and a druggist. The Crittenden Block was renovated in 1990 to house modern offices and a 17-story apartment building was constructed adjacent to the historic structure. In the fall of 1994, an archaeological dig was undertaken to prepare for the construction of the new apartment building. Among the items uncovered were the foundations of two 1830s houses, pharmaceutical bottles, architectural elements from buildings that have been demolished and domestic goods such as tableware and flatware.
The Hart Building -- (1853) 1374 West 9th
These buildings were built by cabinet maker William Hart. They were altered in 1868 by filling in an alley with a tin-clad 9’ wide building of 4 stories. They now house condominiums converted from the Lorenzo Carter apartments done in 1987-88.
Otis Terminals, William Edwards Building (Bridgeview Apartments) (William Lougee, 1911) 1300-24 West Ninth Street
The Otis Terminal is four separate buildings interconnected and used by the William Edward Company, a wholesale grocer in business from 1853-1951 (Pick n Pay Foods). The structures were rehabilitated into loft-style apartments in 1999.
Bingham Building - (Walker & Weeks, 1915) 1278-98 West Ninth Street
Built for one of the Midwest's largest hardware companies, the W. Bingham Company founded in 1841, relocated to this massive steel, concrete and brick structure in 1915. Walker & Weeks was one of Cleveland's most prominent firms designing landmark buildings throughout the country. (NR) (CLC)
Bloch Block - (1868) 1273 West Ninth Street
Located on the site of the Water Street Theater, the building has a lower level, below ground storefront covered over when the grade of West Ninth Street was raised in the middle 19th century. The exploration of this was part of the "Hidden City Revealed" project of the Committee for Public Action 1987.
George Worthington Building (Cuddell and Richardson, 1882) 820 St. Clair Avenue
Built by Cuddell and Richardson, the George Worthington Building is a highly decorative brick structure notable for its unusually wide window bays grouped in two multi-story arched ranks, a brick cornice, recessed spandrels and finials.
The George Worthington Company was once Cleveland's oldest company in existence under its original name and one of the country's leading hardware wholesalers and industrial distributors.
The founder, George Worthington, made his fortune selling tools to workers during the construction of the Erie and Ohio Canal. Worthington owned a total of 14 buildings in the Warehouse District. Actively involved in Cleveland's financial life, Worthington helped organize and served as president of the First National Bank of Cleveland, and as director of the Ohio Savings and Loan Bank and Hahneman Life. Besides his interest in financial matters, Worthington was involved in numerous iron manufacturing businesses. After a long history in Cleveland, the George Worthington Company filed for bankruptcy in 1986.
In 1996 the George Worthington Building, along with its neighbor, the Gilcrest Building, was rehabilitated and is home to 53 modern loft apartments. Both buildings comprise what is today Worthington Square. The George Worthington Building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a Cleveland Landmark.
The Gilcrest Building - (1873) 802 St. Clair Avenue
The building is named for an early tenant and housed spice, glass and clothing companies. Architecturally the building is noted for its three distinct window treatments. Along with the adjacent George Worthington Building, 53 loft apartments were constructed in a 1996 rehabilitation.
Joseph and Feiss Building (architect unknown, 1878-1879) 624-702 St. Clair Ave.
Built for John Hay and Amasa Stone, this structure was the home of the Joseph and Feiss Company, a major Cleveland clothier for over 40 years. Established in 1845 under the name Koch and Loeb, the Joseph and Feiss Company acquired its current name in 1907; it specialized in mens' and boys' clothing.
The Joseph and Feiss Building was rehabilitated in 1996 and now houses the offices of URS Greiner, Inc. , an architectural and engineering firm.
John Hay was a diplomat, statesman, U.S. Secretary of State, historian, author and poet. He served in the White House as a military aide during Lincoln's presidency and was the editorial writer for the New York Tribune. As Secretary of State during Teddy Roosevelt's presidency, Hay was instrumental in treaty negotiations for the construction of the Panama Canal. In 1870, he married Clara Louise Stone, the daughter of Amasa Stone. Hay was on the board of trustees for Western Reserve University and became Ambassador to Great Britain under President McKinley.
Amasa Stone was a prominent contractor, railroad manager, financier and philanthropist. He developed the Howe Truss, a wood and iron bridge designed to transport heavy loads over short spans. His philanthropic pursuits included donations to Western Reserve University.
Hoyt Atrium, Garretson's Building (architect unknown, 1875) 618-620 St. Clair Avenue
This four-story structure was built for Hiram Garretson, a wholesale grocer and industrialist. Along with partner Marcus Alonzo Hanna, Garretson founded Hanna, Garretson and Company, a wholesale grocery firm. This firm became the forerunner to the Hanna empire, an iron ore mining company.
When Garretson's was rehabilitated in 1987, it was converted into a passage way that links Hoyt Block and Joseph and Feiss. The building's name was also changed to Hoyt Atrium.
Hoyt Block (Walter Blythe, 1874-1875) 604-614 St. Clair Avenue
Designed as an upscale commercial building in the High Victorian, Italianate style, the Hoyt Block was constructed for a prominent Cleveland lawyer and land developer, James Madison Hoyt and his son, Colgate. Besides naming 100 Cleveland streets, Hoyt was also one of the founders of the Cleveland Female Seminary.
The architect, Walter Blythe, was in partnership with his father-in-law, Charles W. Heard, one of Cleveland's preeminent architects at the time. The two went on to design the First United Presbyterian Church of Erie Street (East 9th) and the Case Block (Superior and Wood Streets).
One of the few remaining stone buildings in the city, the Hoyt Block also has, at street level, cast iron columns capped with carved stone capitals. The structure's windows are deeply recessed and are framed with segmented or rounded arches. When constructed, the building was significant because it employed one of the first hydraulic elevators in Cleveland.
The structure's first occupant was the E.M. McGillan Company which sold suits and cloaks, carpets, notions, draperies and other such items. The names of the building owner and his son can be seen in relief just below the cornice. Renovated in 1987, the Hoyt Block now houses modern offices. The Hoyt Block is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a Cleveland Landmark.
Ace Shoe Company, Klein-Marks Building (architect unknown, 1881) 1313-1317 West 6th Street
Constructed in 1881, this building is unusually ornate for a commercial structure. The prominent piers, interrupted corbeled cornice and heavy lintels are of architectural interest. Other embellishments include the finials at the roof line and the scrolls and decorative plaques.
The Ace Shoe Building was home to many prominent businesses, the first of which was Klein, Marks & Co. Later known as Klein, Lichtenstader & Co., this company manufactured mens' clothing and was considered a pioneer in the industry.
In 1901, Frank C. White founded the White Tool Company and opened his offices in this building. The White Tool Company remained at this location until 1941; it then moved down the street to the Hart and Company Building. (See the Hat Factory.)
From the mid-1960s until the early 1980s, Ace Shoe was located in the building. The Ace Shoe Company Building has recently been rehabilitated and now contains stores on the first floor and apartments above.
Howland Building - (1868) 1276 West Sixth Street
Originally an undertaker's establishment, the building housed the Hotel Vanker in the 1890's and guests entered through the Johnson Court annex. It is now three interconnected buildings resulting from a 1933 renovation and currently houses the Velvet Dog and Sushi Rock.
New York Coach Building, Mill Distributors (architect unknown, 1872) 1266-1272 West 6th Street
This three-story structure housed the New York Coach Manufacturing Company, which was a prominent coach manufacturer and eventually the city's largest. Reportedly, the owner, William O. DeMars, opened the first carriage showcase in the downtown area.
From 1875, the building was host to a variety of manufacturing firms, mostly those involved in the clothing industry.
In 1930, Mill Distributors, a wholesale dry goods firm that specialized in draperies, linens, domestics and tablecloths, located its offices in this building. Until Mill Distributors left the building in 1985, the company was a rare reminder of wholesale companies that were prevalent in the District.
In the late 1980s, the building's storefront was renovated and the once removed Victorian style window hoods and elaborate cornice have been restored; the upper floors now house modern office space.
Hat Factory, Hart and Co. Building (architect unknown, 1888) 1235-1239 West 6th Street
For most of this century, this building was occupied by the White Tool and Supply Company (See Ace Shoe.)
Although the building was originally built for E.I. Baldwin, the first occupant was Hart and Company, a distributor of ladies' fine hats. The company's founder had worked for Morgan, Root and Company, later known as Root-McBride.
It was one of the earliest buildings in the District to be converted to residential use (1987.) The Hat Factory is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a Cleveland Landmark.
Root-McBride and Bradley Buildings (Cuddell and Richardson, 1884, addition, 1887) 1220 West 6th Street
Appearing to be one building, this block, is in reality three separate buildings: the Root-McBride Building (6 bays, 1884), Cobb's Building (2 bays, 1884), and the Bradley Building (5 bays, 1887.)
The left half of this complex was built for the Root -McBride Company, at one time one of the pioneer wholesale dry-goods firms in the Midwest (1849-1954.) The building, vacant for many years, was purchased and rehabilitated in 1997 by the Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (R.T.A.) and houses their administrative offices.
Like the Perry-Payne Building, the Bradley Building is unique because it represents a transitional phase in American architectural technology. The width of the windows in relation to the narrow brick piers is an attempt to create lightness in the structure, which is load-bearing masonry with metal posts. Although not truly Italianate in style, it has some Italianate features such as broad expanses of plate glass windows that are framed by piers with ornate capitals. It is also notable for its elaborate horizontal coursing.
Originally six stories, two additional stories were added to the Bradley Building around the turn of the century. In 1985, it was the first building between SoHo in New York City and Printers Row in Chicago to be adapted for mixed use occupancy.
Once in danger of being demolished to make room for a parking lot, the Bradley Building is now a testament to the benefits of preservation and was the flagship of the revitalization movement in the District. The building now houses loft apartments, a restaurant, and an improvisational theater.
The Root-McBride and Bradley Buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places and are Cleveland Landmarks.
425 Lakeside, Stone Block (architect unknown, 1902) 1216-1230 West 6th Street
The oldest American manufacturer of womens' clothing was located in this building. The owner, Morris Printz, worked for his brother-in-law, David Black, before opening his own company with his son-in-law. The Printz-Biederman Company was at this location from 1903-1934. It expanded rapidly and by 1931, it had sales offices not only in Cleveland but in New York City, Boston, and Chicago as well. In 1954, the firm was purchased by Max Reiter, co-founder of Ritmore Sportswear Company which is known today as Bobbie Brooks. By the late 1970s, hard times fell on the company and it was forced to close its doors in 1978. After undergoing renovations in 1994, the Stone Block was converted into apartments.
National Terminals Warehouse (Albert A. Allen & Co., 1916) 1200 West 9th Street
This structure was originally built for the West 9th Terminals Company. From the mid-1920s to the early 1980s, the building was home to the National Terminals Company. The site was originally the home of William Gordon, a Clevelander who donated property to the city now known as Gordon Park. Besides operating a wholesale grocery business, Gordon was a pioneer in opening the iron ore regions around Lake Superior. Adjacent to the site was the location of Cleveland's main lighthouse in the 19th century. In summer 1997, National Terminals Building were rehabilited, adding an additional 250 residential units to the district.
Wohl's, Lawyer's Building (architect unknown, 1903) 1280 West 3rd Street
With its stepped gable roof and ogee gable on the two-story entrance bay, Wohl's is an interesting example of Dutch eclectic architecture.
Founded in 1882, Julius and Alexander Wohl operated Wohl's Hungarian restaurant in this unique building between 1903 and 1935. At the height of its popularity, Wohl's offered Clevelanders the opportunity to enjoy fine Hungarian cuisine. Wohl's was the first restaurant in Cleveland to provide its diners with music and it employed John Faust from the Opera House Orchestra to entertain its guests. Cleveland's elite and guests of the city, including President Taft, often dined here.
The restaurant closed when the brothers committed suicide in 1935. Lasting effects of prohibition, the Depression and the exodus of clothing manufacturers from the District contributed to the fateful decision in May, 1935.
After Wohl's closed its doors, the building became home to several trade unions. The building was rehabbed into offices in 1986.
Lakeside Place, L. N. Gross Company -(1919) 1200-20 West Third Street
L. N. Gross Company, a specialty manufacturer, occupied the building when completed. It later housed NEA and Superman Comics. The building was rehabbed in 1989 into office space, while maintaining a unique skylit center stairwell.
Courthouse Square, Crown Building - (Forest City Engineering Company, 1915) 304-320 Lakeside Avenue
Constructed for the owners of Bailey's Department Store, the Crown Building is noted for its ornamental cornice and the entablature above the door. It was renamed upon rehab in 1990 to Courthouse Square.
Grand Arcade, City Mission (architect unknown, 1883) 408 St. Clair Avenue
Once the city's tallest structure in 1883, the Grand Arcade headquartered numerous iron ore and oil companies, as well as railroad lines and a manufacturer of industrial cleaners.
Note the balance of the horizontal and vertical elements on the main facade. This balance is achieved through the use of piers and stringcourse walls. Originally the Grand Arcade had an iron skylight that allowed natural light to reach most parts of the building's interior.
The building's owner, William C. Scofield, founded Scofield, Sherman, and Teagle, a pioneer firm in the oil industry and prominent competitor to John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil. By the 1890s, tenants included Pickands, Mather & Company (see Perry-Payne Building), Western Union Telegraph and the Phoenix Oil Company, a manufacturer of industrial and home cleaners, including Murphy's Oil Soap.
In the early 1930s, the building was occupied by the Standard Drug Company. By the 1940s, Standard Drug had become Cleveland's largest drug store chain. It vacated the Grand Arcade in 1961 when the company was purchased by Regal Drug Stores, which later became part of the Revco chain. Rehabilitated in the early 1990s, the Grand Arcade now houses apartments.
Waring Block (architect unknown, 1855) 508 St. Clair Avenue
Constructed between 1855 and 1856, the Waring Block is one of the oldest structures in the District. Sadly, many of its early decorative features have been removed, thus drastically altering the building from its original appearance. The structure's significance, however, lies in the fact that the building was one of the first to be constructed during an era of commercial expansion onto the streets north of Superior Avenue. Until this time, commercial structures were concentrated along Superior Avenue west of Public Square.
The building was home to several important businesses including the Cleveland and Toledo Railroad (it later merged to become the New York Central); the Cleveland Chess Club, headed by Leonard Case, Jr.; the Atlantic and Great Western Railroad, which became part of the Erie network; and finally Kinney and Levan, one of the country's largest dealers in crockery, glassware and home furnishings before it closed its doors during the Depression. Waring Block was rehabilitated during the 1990s and has storefront space on the ground floor with apartments above. Waring Block is now considered part of the Grand Arcade complex.
Johnson Block (various architects, 1851-1854) 1352-1400 West 6th Street
This block, the oldest and most intact block in the District, consists of a series of three buildings, Jobber's, Johnson and Chamberlain. The three buildings that are part of Johnson Block exhibit a great deal of uniformity. Notice the even cornice line and the regular space between the windows.
Jobber's Building is the only existing 19th century building that once housed the offices of Cleveland's daily newspaper, The Plain Dealer. U.S. and American Express Companies along with the Soldier's Aid Society were among the additional organizations that had offices in this building. Jobber's Building is one of the few stone-clad buildings remaining in the District.
Johnson Building was constructed by Levi Johnson who was the builder of Cleveland's first lighthouse and Cuyahoga County's first courthouse and jail. Chamberlain Building housed the banking offices of Wick, Otis and Brownwell. Otis was a merchant, banker and civic leader. All three buildings that comprise the Johnson Block were rehabilitated in the late 1980s and now provide commercial and retail space.
The Johnson Block is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
L.F. & S. Burgess Grocers (architect unknown, 1874) 1406 West 6th Street
This building was constructed for Leonard Franklin Burgess and his brother Solon for the Burgess wholesale grocery business. The company, founded in 1848, was one of the city's earliest wholesale grocers.
As a member of the most intact block in the District, this Victorian Italianate structure has high arched windows, keystones and an iron cornice that is interrupted by an unadorned pediment.
In the late 1980s, the building was rehabilitated and converted into offices. The structure also has commercial space at the ground level. L.F. and S. Burgess Grocers Building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a Cleveland Landmark.
Rockefeller Building (Knox and Elliott, 1903; addition, 1910) 614 Superior Avenue
Cleveland architects William Knox and John H. Elliott, products of the renowned Chicago firm Burnham and Root, designed the 17- story Rockefeller Building bringing the Chicago Style and the Sullivanesque to Cleveland. It is considered to be their masterpiece.
Originally, the building had seven bays; four additional bays were added in 1910. The Rockefeller Building was the first large scale building in Cleveland to utilize a structural steel skeleton, and therefore, also one of the first to use curtain wall construction. Inspired by the famous Louis Sullivan's 1895 Guaranty Building in Buffalo, New York, the first three floors feature a decorative cast iron relief design much like those of Sullivan.
The Rockefeller Building housed coal, lake-shipping and iron industries as well as the offices of John D. Rockefeller's oil empire. Standard Oil, chartered in 1870, was headquartered in Cleveland until 1896. Disillusioned with the onslaught of federal anti-trust laws and run-ins with local tax officials, Rockefeller decided to leave Cleveland for a more accommodating New York City. Previous to the construction of the Rockefeller Building, the site was occupied by the Weddell House, Cleveland's preeminent hotel. Five stories tall with two hundred rooms, the 1847 structure housed Cleveland's most distinguished guests among them then President-elect Abraham Lincoln, en route to his inauguration in Washington, D.C. He gave a speech to a sizable crowd from the second floor balcony on February 15, 1861. Other notable guests included Jenny Lind and Henry Clay. The Rockefeller Building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a Cleveland Landmark.
Perry-Payne Building (Cuddell and Richardson, 1888) 730-750 Superior Avenue
Built for political and civic leader Henry Payne, this Cuddell and Richardson building is architecturally unique.
Constructed during a pivotal phase in American architecture when the curtain wall was being introduced and the load bearing wall was losing its practicality, each of its eight stories bears a skeleton of interior iron columns that holds the structure's weight.
Because of Perry-Payne's architectural and engineering innovations, it attracted nationwide attention. The ninth floor features a monitor window to allow light into the central well; a skylight on the eighth floor once illuminated the great inner court where English artist and illustrator Walter Crane had painted murals.
The Perry-Payne Building has recently undergone rehabilitation and has been converted into modern apartments.
Leaders in Cleveland architecture in the late 19th century, Cuddell and Richardson were both innovative and prolific. They designed three other buildings in the Warehouse District: the George Worthington Building and the Root-McBride and Bradley Buildings. Shortly after the construction of the Perry-Payne Building, the firm dissolved.
Wealthy railroad executive Henry Payne named the building for himself and his wife Mary Perry. During his political career, Payne assisted Stephen Douglas in his campaign against Abraham Lincoln. In 1874, he was elected to Congress and later served as a one- term United States Senator. The building housed various coal, iron ore and railroad industries. Among the prominent local firms that occupied the space were Pickands, Mather and Company, a chief supplier of raw materials to the steel industry, and M.A. Hanna Company, a company that mines, processes and distributes minerals.
In 1996 rehabilitation of the building was completed and the building now houses loft-style apartments with ground floor retail. Perry-Payne is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a Cleveland Landmark.
820 Building, Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen (Charles Schneider, 1921) 820 Superior Avenue
So as not to be upstaged by the rival Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers Building at Ontario and St. Clair, the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen, a large and influential trade union, had this classically inspired structure built to house union headquarters.
The building is a brick, curtain wall structure faced in Indiana limestone with a tile and concrete interior. Although appearing to only have nine stories, it is, in fact, a ten- story building. The semi-hidden tenth floor is accessible from the ninth floor and was constructed to house the executive offices. The main lobby's restored frescoed ceiling is of particular note as is the sculpted frieze above the main entrance. In 1985, the 820 Building was rehabilitated and now houses modern offices.
Architect and native Clevelander Charles Schneider studied architecture in Paris at the famous Ecole des Beaux-Arts. After completing his studies in Paris, Schneider, in conjunction with nationally known New York architect George B. Post, designed many buildings in and around Cleveland. Together they designed the Hotel Statler (now the Statler Office Building), Stan Hywet Hall in Akron and Wade Park Manor (Judson Manor) in University Circle. Later, in his own office, he designed the Plymouth Church and the City Hall in Shaker Heights.
Organized in September, 1883 with 1,780 members, the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen moved to Cleveland from Peoria, Illinois in 1899. By World War II, the union had 215,000 members. It stayed at this location from 1921 until the early 1940's.
The 820 Building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a Cleveland Landmark.
