Bauer Apartments
Why it's listed
Built around 1885 on Madison Road in Cincinnati's O'Bryonville neighborhood, this three-story brick building combines ground-floor shops with apartments above. It was constructed for Ulrick Bauer, who ran a grocery in an adjacent building, and it stayed in the Bauer family for sixty-two years. Its Queen Anne character shows in a bracketed metal cornice with dentils, corbel courses, sandstone belt and string courses, and large projecting bays on the upper floors. The storefront has cast iron columns with sunburst and leaf motifs, uncovered after later cladding was removed. Inside, the ten apartments keep paneled doors with transoms, bullseye surrounds, wainscoting, tile fireplaces and a decorative stair. The commercial space has been altered over the years, housing businesses from a milliner to a savings and loan. The building was listed as a good local example of Queen Anne design adapted to mixed use in a suburban setting.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is a good example of the Queen Anne style applied to a mixed-use building in suburban Cincinnati. It has distinctive metal cornice details, projecting bays, sandstone courses and cast iron storefront columns. It is lower and more massive than comparable downtown examples and is one of a small number of such variations in the city's eastern neighborhoods.
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 82001465, listed December 2, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 2015-2017 Madison Rd., Cincinnati |
|---|---|
| County | Hamilton County |
| Listed | December 2, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82001465 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied; ten residential units remain largely intact, while the first-floor commercial interior has been altered. The form says the residential/commercial use is to be retained. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 39.13194, -84.46219 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 82001465.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4873451
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.