Stoddart Block
Also known as: Fra-156-18
Why it's listed
Located on a corner at 260 South Fourth Street in downtown Columbus, this five-story commercial building was completed in 1911 to house a large furniture store. Architects David Riebel and Sons designed it with a steel-reinforced concrete frame, red brick walls, stone beltcourses and a bracketed galvanized iron cornice, with "Stoddart 1911" carved in the parapet. Lawyer John J. Stoddart built it in the city's German-influenced south end. Frohock Furniture Company occupied it from 1911 until 1938, followed by Hadley's Furniture until 1962 and then a hospital thrift shop until 1990. Only the ground-floor storefront has been changed. Its significance rests on architecture: it is a rare surviving small-scale commercial building in a downtown where many similar structures have been demolished, and it shows the shift from late nineteenth century eclectic styles toward modern construction. It was among the few commercial blocks Riebel designed in Columbus.
Significance in brief: It is argued to be an excellent and increasingly rare example of small-scale early 20th century commercial architecture in downtown Columbus. It was built as a single-purpose commercial structure and was never significantly altered inside or out. Its tri-partite design and decorative brickwork represent commercial buildings of the period.
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 94000237, listed March 17, 1994. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 260 S. Fourth St., Columbus |
|---|---|
| County | Franklin County |
| Listed | March 17, 1994 |
| Reference number | 94000237 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1911 |
| Architect / builder | Riebel, David, and Sons |
| Architectural style | Commercial style |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Vacant since 1990, when the hospital thrift shop that occupied it left; only the storefront was altered, probably in the 1960s. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Market-Mohawk Historic District |
| Coordinates | 39.95760, -82.99492 (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 94000237.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q104521078
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.