Park Building
Why it's listed
Rising nine stories at the southeast corner of Ontario Avenue and Public Square in downtown Cleveland, this steel-frame office building was designed by Frank S. Barnum and completed about 1904. Its two main fronts are clad in pressed brown brick with cast stone trim, with bronze-trimmed storefronts at street level, bay windows on the second and third floors, and a top floor marked by small spires. Inside, the lobby has polished marble and brass, and the upper halls keep their oak trim and terrazzo floors. The building is recognized for its architecture. It is a well-preserved example of early twentieth-century Commercial Style design, plainer and more functional than Cleveland's earlier, heavily ornamented skyscrapers. It is also the tallest and most prominent downtown commercial work by Barnum, a leading Cleveland architect who also designed schools and other commercial buildings. It was reportedly among the first in the city to use reinforced concrete floors. Later changes include a removed entrance pediment and rearranged storefronts.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is a large, prominent and highly intact example of turn-of-the-century Commercial Style architecture. It is also tied to the career of Cleveland architect Frank S. Barnum, and it is the tallest and most prominent commercial building he designed. Its restrained, functional design departed from the more ornate downtown skyscrapers that came before it, and it was reportedly among the first Cleveland buildings to use reinforced concrete floors.
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 96000674, listed July 1, 1996. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 140 Public Sq., Cleveland |
|---|---|
| County | Cuyahoga County |
| Listed | July 1, 1996 |
| Reference number | 96000674 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1904-1929 |
| Architect / builder | Barnum, Frank S.; Barnum, F. S. & Company |
| Architectural style | Commercial Style |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in commercial use with ground-floor storefronts and offices; the interior retains a fairly high degree of integrity despite alterations. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.48999, -81.68326 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
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 96000674.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7137655
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.