Ireland, Joseph, House
Also known as: Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity
Why it's listed
This two-story brick house at 2074 East 36th Street in Cleveland was built about 1874 in the Italianate style. It has a rectangular plan, a hipped roof, a stone foundation and bay windows on both sides. Distinctive features include oversized double brackets at the cornice and a frieze with small eyelet windows. The original double-door entrance is on the front, though a side entrance now serves as the main one. The house is attributed to Joseph Ireland, a New York-born architect who practiced in Cleveland from 1865 to 1885 and then returned to New York. He is credited with Adelbert Hall, the Geauga County Courthouse in Chardon and the Perkins House in Warren. The house matters both for its connection to him and as one of the important post-Civil War residences in the Upper Prospect area. It is also regarded locally as a significant example of residential Italianate design. It has since become a fraternity house.
Significance in brief: The house is significant as the home of a noted local architect and as one of the important post-Civil War residences in the Upper Prospect area. It is also a notable local example of residential Italianate architecture, because of its brick construction, bracketed cornice and window treatment.
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 84000229, listed November 1, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 2074 E. 36th St., Cleveland |
|---|---|
| County | Cuyahoga County |
| Listed | November 1, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84000229 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Attributed to Joseph Ireland (architect); builder unknown |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as a fraternity house; exterior condition listed as fair, interior unknown. Side entrance now serves as the main entrance. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Midtown Historic District |
| Coordinates | 41.50083, -81.66265 (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 84000229.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.