St. Luke's Hospital
Why it's listed
St. Luke's Hospital is a large U-shaped Georgian Revival building on Shaker Boulevard on Cleveland's east side. Its central Dudley Allen Memorial Building, west wing, part of the east wing and Prentiss Auditorium date from 1927-1929, with later additions through the 1970s. Red brick walls laid in Flemish bond, limestone trim, slate roofs and a six-column Ionic portico define the exterior, and a 154-foot central tower makes it a neighborhood landmark. Inside, the main lobby details, the auditorium lobby and Prentiss Auditorium remain largely intact. The hospital descended from Cleveland General Hospital, founded in 1894, and moved to this site in 1927 as its third and final location. Philanthropy, especially from board president Francis F. Prentiss, financed construction. It was known for its nursing school, obstetrics work and public lectures in the auditorium. Hubbel & Benes designed the original building and first major addition. The hospital closed in 1999 and the property is now vacant, while its architecture and role as a teaching hospital support its listing.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is significant under Criterion A as one of Cleveland's major teaching hospitals, built as a modern facility and funded largely by prominent local philanthropists. Under Criterion C it is an excellent large-scale example of early 20th century institutional Georgian Revival architecture and a major surviving work of Hubbel & Benes.
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 05000579, listed June 10, 2005. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 11311 Shaker Blvd., Cleveland |
|---|---|
| County | Cuyahoga County |
| Listed | June 10, 2005 |
| Reference number | 05000579 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1927-1955 |
| Architect / builder | Hubbel & Benes, Cleveland, Ohio |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals: Georgian Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Health/Medicine, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Current function listed as vacant; the hospital closed in 1999. The 1948 nurses residence has been demolished and its site is a vacant lot. |
| Acreage | 8.2 |
| Coordinates | 41.48504, -81.60567 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 05000579.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7589804
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.