Van Rooy Coffee Company Building
Why it's listed
Built in 1895 at the corner of Detroit Avenue and West 29th Street in Cleveland, this three-story brick factory was designed by the short-lived firm of French and LaChance in a simple Romanesque style. Round-arched windows and entrance, sandstone trim and corbelled brickwork mark its street fronts, while heavy exposed timber posts and beams and large open floors survive inside. The building was first home to the Cleveland Steel Range Company, later Imperial Steel Range, which made stoves here until 1926. From 1929 to 1935 Thompson Products, later TRW, produced automobile pistons and airplane engine valves, including pistons for the Ford Tri-Motor aircraft. The Van Rooy Coffee Company then bought the building and processed coffee and spices there until 2003. Its long run of industrial tenants, on a stretch of Detroit Avenue that shifted from houses to factories and shops, illustrates Cleveland's varied industrial economy and led to its listing.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building reflects Cleveland's diverse industrial base through continuous industrial use from 1895 to 2003. It housed the Cleveland Steel Range Company, later Imperial Steel Range, then Thompson Products, which made pistons for the Ford Tri-Motor airplane, and finally the Van Rooy Coffee Company. It is also described as a significant, well-preserved example of a Romanesque industrial building.
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 04000608, listed June 16, 2004. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 2900 Detroit Ave., Cleveland |
|---|---|
| County | Cuyahoga County |
| Listed | June 16, 2004 |
| Reference number | 04000608 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1895-1953 |
| Architect / builder | French and LaChance (Architects) |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian: Romanesque |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Commerce |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as being in excellent condition; Van Rooy Coffee left the building in March 2003, and the form lists its current function as work in progress. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Coordinates | 41.48989, -81.71132 (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 04000608.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q137649879
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.