Olney, Charles, House and Gallery
Why it's listed
Two connected buildings on West 14th Street in Cleveland's Tremont neighborhood make up the Olney House and Gallery. The residence dates to about 1870 and was renovated around 1895, changing its exterior from Italianate to Colonial Revival. The gallery, built in 1893 for $20,000 and designed by Coburn and Barnum, is a Second Renaissance Revival building of Roman brick with stone ornament and a porch with paired Ionic columns. Charles Olney, a teacher and art devotee, opened the gallery to the public with over 200 paintings, statuary and porcelains; his collection went to Oberlin College after his death in 1907. He also supported the Group Plan for Cleveland's public buildings. In 1919 the Ukrainian American Center took over the complex, using it for cultural, social, fraternal, educational and religious activities, and the gallery later housed a Ukrainian little theater. The property is listed for architecture, art, ethnic heritage and community development.
Significance in brief: The complex is significant for its role in Cleveland's art community, its association with Charles F. Olney, and its later use as the Ukrainian American Center. The Olney Gallery is also a good local example of Second Renaissance Revival architecture, designed by Coburn and Barnum.
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 88000633, listed June 6, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 2241--2255 W. Fourteenth St., Cleveland |
|---|---|
| County | Cuyahoga County |
| Listed | June 6, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88000633 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1887-1907; 1919-1938 |
| Architect / builder | Coburn and Barnum (gallery) |
| Architectural style | Renaissance (Second Renaissance Revival gallery); Colonial Revival (residence) |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Art, European, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Current functions listed as social/civic and recreation and culture/museum; the gallery's first-story windows are glass blocked and the house has aluminum siding. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Tremont Historic District |
| Coordinates | 41.48148, -81.69096 (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 88000633.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q137708507
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.