Brooklyn Bank Building
Also known as: Farnsworth Building
Why it's listed
Built in 1904 at the corner of West 25th Street and Archwood Avenue in Cleveland, this two-story brick bank building originally housed the Brooklyn Savings and Loan Association, with offices for realtors, lawyers and physicians upstairs. Gray brick piers divide the bays, each topped by a segmental arch, and a bracketed cornice and sculpted parapet crown the walls. The overall effect is classical, yet the heavy brackets and deep-set arches recall the work of Frank Furness. It was designed by J. Milton Dyer, a Beaux-Arts-trained architect who worked in many styles and never repeated himself, so each of his buildings helps explain his overall body of work. Harry M. Farnsworth, long an officer of the association and a Cleveland planning and park commissioner, gave the building its later name. A serious fire in 1983 destroyed the roof and interior partitions, but the exterior walls remain largely intact and the building was listed on that basis.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is a work of master architect J. Milton Dyer, described as arguably the most innovative Cleveland architect of the century's first decade. Its design mixes classical symmetry with deliberately crude brackets and deep segmental arches reminiscent of Frank Furness. It also has ties to Harry M. Farnsworth, a savings and loan officer and early city planning and park commissioner.
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 84002912, listed July 19, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 3764 W. 25th St., Cleveland |
|---|---|
| County | Cuyahoga County |
| Listed | July 19, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84002912 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900- |
| Architect / builder | J. Milton Dyer |
| Architectural style | Classic Revival (Ohio Historic Inventory); combines Italianate bracket and classical elements |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Seriously damaged by fire in June 1983, which destroyed the roof and second-floor wooden partitions; exterior walls, concrete floors and remaining interior walls and columns were judged structurally sound. Listed in fair condition and described as vacant. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Brooklyn Centre Historic District |
| Coordinates | 41.45241, -81.70167 (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 84002912.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q30625410
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.