Cedar Glen Apartments
Also known as: Cuy-4320-5
Why it's listed
Perched on a bluff above Cedar Road in Cleveland's University Circle, Cedar Glen Apartments is a six-story, E-shaped Georgian Revival building completed in 1925-26. Architect and entrepreneur Samuel H. White designed and built it and lived there himself in its early years. The facade combines buff brick in Flemish bond with Bedford limestone and terra cotta trim, quoins, bay windows, a balustrade topped with urns, and a long decorative retaining wall. Inside are thirty large suites with fireplaces, formal dining rooms, maid's rooms and a two-story penthouse, along with indoor parking for forty cars. The building was listed for its architecture. It represents the grand New York-style luxury apartment house of the 1920s and was meant to suit the cultural character of University Circle. It also forms part of the landscaped hillside along the former Cedar Glen gorge. Threatened with demolition in the late 1980s, it gained local landmark status in 1989 and remained largely unaltered.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is a distinctive, well-designed example of Georgian Revival architecture in the New York-style luxury apartment house tradition of the 1920s. It is described as one of Cleveland's most innovative and ornate apartment buildings of its period and one of the last of its kind. Its design and siting also complemented the University Circle neighborhood and the Cedar Glen hillside.
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 94000594, listed June 17, 1994. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 11424--11432 Cedar Glen Pkwy., Cleveland |
|---|---|
| County | Cuyahoga County |
| Listed | June 17, 1994 |
| Reference number | 94000594 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1925-26 |
| Architect / builder | White, Samuel H. |
| Architectural style | Georgian Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in remarkably sound structural condition and about two-thirds occupied at the time of nomination; it had been threatened with demolition, received local landmark designation in 1989, and a developer planned rehabilitation and condominium conversion. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Ambler Heights Historic District |
| Coordinates | 41.49944, -81.60417 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 94000594.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q38250674
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.