Hotel Rieger
Why it's listed
Hotel Rieger, at 232 Jackson Street in downtown Sandusky, is a five-story masonry hotel with a steel and concrete supporting system. Built in 1912 for businessman John L. Rieger and designed by Henry Millott, it was enlarged in 1915-16 and again in 1926, growing from 60 rooms to 120. G. Wm. Doerzbach was the builder. The design combines Commercial style massing with Neo-classical details, including brick pilasters, a bracketed cornice and terra cotta elements embossed with the letter R. It was the first fireproof building in Sandusky and, by 1939, the city's largest hotel, offering dining, shops and a barber and beauty shop. It served as a hotel for decades before becoming a motor hotel, a nursing home and a short-lived bed and breakfast. It was listed as the last standing turn-of-the-century downtown hotel linked to Sandusky Bay's tourism trade, and for its architecture. The exterior remains largely intact, while the interior was altered, and the building has been vacant since the late 1990s.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the hotel is the last standing turn-of-the-century downtown hotel tied to Sandusky Bay's tourism industry (Criterion A). It is also a fine example of an early twentieth century Commercial style hotel with Neo-classical elements, and was the first fireproof building in Sandusky (Criterion C). It is the work of local architect Henry Millott and builder G. Wm. Doerzbach.
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 05000578, listed June 10, 2005. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 232 Jackson St., Sandusky |
|---|---|
| County | Erie County |
| Listed | June 10, 2005 |
| Reference number | 05000578 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1912-1954 |
| Architect / builder | Henry Millott, Architect; G. Wm. Doerzbach, Builder |
| Architectural style | Commercial Style; Classical Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed current function is vacant/not in use; the building has been vacant since the later part of the 1990s. The exterior is described as in excellent condition, with the interior altered by nursing home use. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Downtown Sandusky Commercial Historic District |
| Coordinates | 41.45540, -82.71301 (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.
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 05000578.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q137770898
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.