Barr Hotel
Why it's listed
Barr Hotel is a seven-story, F-shaped brick building at the corner of East High and North Union Streets in downtown Lima, Ohio. Built in 1922, it incorporated a 1914 building to the south. Ortha O. Barr, a local attorney who also served as a state legislator and prosecuting attorney, developed the complex. The Neo-Classical design includes a cut stone watertable, large display windows, glazed brick pilasters with stylized Ionic capitals, and a roofline with brackets, wide eaves and dentiles. A small 1930 two-story building at the southeast corner, originally the Ohio Electric Passenger Terminal, became the Rainbow Room nightclub in 1939. The hotel was one of four built in Lima between 1910 and 1925 for travellers drawn by locomotive manufacturing and the oil pipeline industry. Sitting 1-1/2 blocks from the railroad depot, it was the first choice of rail passengers. The Barr family kept it through the 1950s. It is now vacant, with reuse for elderly housing planned.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents the hotel as a little-altered early 20th-century hotel that represents the fourth and most recent era of prosperity in Lima's economic history. It was one of four hotels built in Lima between 1910 and 1925 to house the influx of travellers. Its location 1-1/2 blocks from the rail depot made it the first choice for rail passengers.
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 86001053, listed May 15, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 201--209 E. High and 200--218 N. Union Sts., Lima |
|---|---|
| County | Allen County |
| Listed | May 15, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86001053 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect and builder unknown; complex developed by Ortha O. Barr |
| Architectural style | Neo-Classical Style or Design |
| Areas of significance | Commerce |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as vacant, in fair condition inside and out, with plans to develop it as a senior citizens center and housing for the elderly. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.73779, -84.10304 (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 86001053.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4863104
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.