Ohio City Preservation District (Boundary Increase)
Also known as: See Also:Ohio City Preservation District
Why it's listed
This boundary increase enlarges the Ohio City Preservation District on Cleveland's west side, adding about 244 contributing buildings west, east and north of the original 1974 boundaries. Most are modest residences built between the end of the Civil War and the turn of the twentieth century, many small vernacular houses with late Greek Revival or Italianate details. Queen Anne, Stick Style and Carpenter Gothic houses appear as well, along with Neo-Classical commercial and apartment buildings, two Gothic Revival churches, a Second Renaissance Revival Chamber of Industry Building on Franklin Avenue and two 1930s schools. The street pattern shifts from the old Ohio City grid to a compass-oriented grid near West 44th Street, which created unusual angled intersections. Siding changes and conversions to multi-family use are common, but the houses keep recognizable period detail. The added area was judged to relate closely to the original district, and most of its buildings survive with few intrusions.
Significance in brief: The added area contains historic buildings that relate closely to those in the original district and contribute to its architectural and historical character. It has a varied stock of Greek Revival, Italianate, Stick, Queen Anne and Neo-Classical buildings, and most of its buildings are remarkably intact. The nomination also notes that the Kentucky School site held the first multi-room school on Cleveland's west side, built in 1855.
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 89000435, listed May 25, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Roughly Franklin Blvd. NW., W. 38th St., Bridge Ave. NW., & W. 44th St., & Stone, W. 25th, Bridge Ave. NW., & W. 28th, Cleveland |
|---|---|
| County | Cuyahoga County |
| Listed | May 25, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89000435 |
| Resource type | District |
| Architectural style | Italianate, Queen Anne, Greek Revival, Stick/Eastlake |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Most buildings are in residential use with some commercial uses. Many have been restored or rehabilitated, and the neighborhood is described as undergoing reinvestment. Three buildings are noted as non-contributing: the West Side Multi-Service Center, an ice cream stand and the altered West Side United Church of Christ. |
| Acreage | 45 |
| Within district | Ohio City Preservation District |
| Coordinates | 41.48198, -81.70971 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 89000435.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7080770
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.