Body Block
Also known as: Old Smith Arcade; Robert L. Stolz Apartments
Why it's listed
Built in 1892-93 at the northwest corner of East 55th Street and Payne Avenue in Cleveland, this three-story brick building combined ground-floor shops with rental housing above. Its Queen Anne character shows in wood-paneled projecting bays, stepped stone-capped parapets and decorative corbeled brickwork. The standout feature is a two-story interior atrium under a segmented glass and steel skylight, with third-floor balconies and two freestanding T-shaped staircases. The atrium brought daylight and cross-ventilation to the surrounding apartments and gave residents a common meeting space. The nomination calls it an unusual use of the arcade idea, which Cleveland applied mostly to large commercial buildings, in a residential setting. The architect is uncertain; the permit names only Smith, and attribution is split between George H. Smith and Edward E. Smith. Once the area declined, the building emptied, and a 1973 demolition permit went unused. Rehabilitation in the 1990s converted the storefront level to housing and produced 39 apartments.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is a good, early and unusual small-scale Queen Anne commercial and multi-dwelling building that uses an arcade/atrium in a residential setting. The two-story atrium with skylights brought in light and ventilation and created a shared social space for tenants. It was also the earliest apartment building of its type in the Payne-East 55th neighborhood and helped spur later development.
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 98001178, listed September 18, 1998. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 4925-4955 Payne Ave.,1692-1696 E. 55th St., Cleveland |
|---|---|
| County | Cuyahoga County |
| Listed | September 18, 1998 |
| Reference number | 98001178 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1892-1948 |
| Architect / builder | George Smith or Edward Smith - architect; Schultz and Stien - builder |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian: Queen Anne |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Rehabilitated and in use as 39 apartments and one small office; the building was largely vacant from 1977 to 1993 and was saved from demolition. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.51282, -81.65235 (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.
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 98001178.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q30152363
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.