Cozad, Justus L., House
Why it's listed
Built in 1853, this two-story brick house at 11508 Mayfield Road in Cleveland is an Italian Villa residence facing north across a large lawn. Its square main block has a hipped roof topped by a low cupola with a pyramidal roof and spear-shaped finial, wide eaves on paired brackets, and round-arched windows with stone keystones. A wooden veranda runs across the front, and a long wing extends to the south. The curved bay windows are unusual for the style and may reflect a late carryover from the Federal style. Later changes include large segmental-arched windows added around 1900 and an interior divided into apartments, though the entrance hall woodwork and stair survive. The house was built by Andrew Cozad for his son Justus L. Cozad, a civil engineer and real estate dealer, who moved in around 1863. The Cozad family were early settlers of east Cleveland, and the house is the only relatively early structure in the University Circle area that belonged to them.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it a notable example of Italianate architecture, with unusual curved bay windows. It is also tied to the Cozad family, early settlers of east Cleveland. It is described as the only relatively early structure left in the University Circle area that belonged to the family.
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 74001435, listed January 18, 1974. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1508 Mayfield Rd., Cleveland |
|---|---|
| County | Cuyahoga County |
| Listed | January 18, 1974 |
| Reference number | 74001435 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century (specific date 1853) |
| Architect / builder | Builder unknown; owner Andrew Cozad built it for his son Justus L. Cozad |
| Architectural style | Italian Villa / Italianate |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as good and altered; the interior is divided into apartments, and the form marks it as occupied with preservation work in progress. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.50819, -81.60281 (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 74001435.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5180117
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.