Knuessl Building
Why it's listed
Built around 1868 at 215-217 W. Main Street in Ottawa, Illinois, this three-story red brick commercial building was erected by Maxmillion Knuessl, a German-born pharmacist who ran a drug store on the ground floor. It measures about 38 feet wide and 80 feet deep and sits on a double lot in the middle of a commercial block. Its design draws on Italian Renaissance city palaces, with round-arched limestone windows, cast iron columns at the central stair and a boldly projecting wood cornice. The third floor served as a meeting hall, used by a Presbyterian congregation and later a dance studio. Storefronts and upper floors were altered around 1912, when apartments were created. The building later declined and stood abandoned. It was listed for its local architectural significance as a rare surviving example of 1860s commercial design with an ornate wood cornice, and as the anchor of its block.
Significance in brief: The building is argued to be a locally significant example of mid-19th century commercial design under Criterion C. Its Italianate and Renaissance Revival character, round-arched windows and ornate wood cornice are among the best remaining in Ottawa. It also anchors its block and helps retain the historic character of Main Street.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 92000486, listed May 11, 1992. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 215--217 W. Main, Ottawa |
|---|---|
| County | LaSalle County |
| Listed | May 11, 1992 |
| Reference number | 92000486 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1868-1912 |
| Architect / builder | Maxmillion Knuessl (builder) |
| Architectural style | Mid-19th Century; Italianate; Other: Renaissance Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as abandoned for several years, with the ground-floor store space vacant since the early 1980s; a rehabilitation was planned to provide six low-income apartments, two offices and two ground-floor stores. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.34555, -88.84338 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 92000486.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6423828
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.