Kelly House
Why it's listed
Kelly Residence is a two-and-one-half-story brick, stucco and half-timbered house at 2205 East Genesee Street in Syracuse. Ward Wellington Ward designed it in 1923 for John Kelly, a restaurateur. Kelly sold it in 1925 to Dr. Herman Weiskotten, dean of the College of Medicine at Syracuse University, whose family built the brick garage in 1926. The front-gabled house has a cross gable, casement windows, a brick-piered front porch and an English Cottage character. Inside, the original plan survives, including a large tiled foyer with stained glass, a living room fireplace with Mercer tiles depicting eight trades, and built-in bookcases with leaded glass doors. Changes since the 1920s are minor, such as a replaced stained glass door panel and sliding glass doors on the porch. The property was listed for its architecture as an intact, representative work among Ward's Syracuse houses, and both the house and garage contribute.
Significance in brief: The house is significant under Criterion C as an intact and representative example of Ward Wellington Ward's residential architecture in Syracuse. It keeps its original plan, English Cottage exterior and distinctive interior features such as a Mercer tile fireplace and leaded and stained glass. The 1926 garage is compatible in style and counts as a contributing building.
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 97000077, listed February 14, 1997. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 2205 E. Genesee St., Syracuse |
|---|---|
| County | Onondaga County |
| Listed | February 14, 1997 |
| Reference number | 97000077 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1923-1926 |
| Architect / builder | Ward, Ward Wellington |
| Architectural style | Arts and Crafts (English Cottage exterior) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Remains a single dwelling in good exterior and interior condition, with few changes since the period of significance. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 43.04577, -76.11603 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
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 97000077.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6386087
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.