Society for Savings Building
Also known as: Society National Bank Building
Why it's listed
Rising ten stories on Public Square in Cleveland, this stone bank and office building dates to about 1890. It was designed by John Root of the Chicago firm Burnham and Root for a savings bank founded in 1849 that had occupied the site since the 1880s and needed larger banking and office space. The square, roughly 100-foot plan has round turrets at its corners, a ground-floor arcade, and a main entrance set in a large cast iron arch. Its walls are load-bearing stone, and it may be the only large stone building in Cleveland built that way. The design shows the influence of H. H. Richardson's Marshall Field Warehouse and blends Gothic, Romanesque and Renaissance revival elements. Inside, English artist Walter Crane designed the decorative scheme, including murals, marble columns with gold Corinthian capitals and stained glass ceiling panels. Considered one of Cleveland's first skyscrapers, it remains among the city's most significant 19th-century commercial buildings, and one of Root's last works.
Significance in brief: It is one of the last works of architect John Root and possibly the only remaining large stone building in Cleveland with load-bearing walls. It is one of Cleveland's first skyscrapers and among its most significant 19th-century commercial buildings, combining Gothic, Romanesque and Renaissance revival elements.
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 76001401, listed November 7, 1976. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Public Sq., Cleveland |
|---|---|
| County | Cuyahoga County |
| Listed | November 7, 1976 |
| Reference number | 76001401 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1890 |
| Architect / builder | Burnham & Root, John Root |
| Architectural style | Commercial Style with Richardsonian Romanesque elements; combines Gothic, Romanesque and Renaissance revival elements |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and in commercial use; the interior is well preserved and little altered, though the original skylight over the central open well has been altered. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Euclid Avenue Historic District |
| Coordinates | 41.50055, -81.69416 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
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 76001401.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7552239
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.