Church, John, Company Building
Also known as: Lawton Building; Hunter Savings Building
Why it's listed
Built in 1885 at 14-16 East Fourth Street in downtown Cincinnati, this five-story commercial building was designed by Samuel Hannaford for the John Church Company, a leading dealer in pianos, organs and musical supplies. Its white Ohio freestone facade follows the Second Renaissance Revival style, with quoined piers, engaged Ionic columns, arcaded top-floor windows and a bracketed cornice. The company outgrew the space by 1893, and later occupants included publishers and booksellers, a women's apparel retailer and a savings association. A 1959 storefront and brick facing were removed during a 1990-1992 renovation that restored the original iron front on the second floor and cleaned the stone above. Listing rests on its architecture: Hannaford was Cincinnati's foremost nineteenth-century architect, and this is the only commercial building in his thematic group in this style. It also marks Fourth Street's growth into the city's main business corridor after the Civil War.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues significance under Criterion C as the work of a master, Samuel Hannaford, Cincinnati's foremost nineteenth-century architect. It is the only commercial building in the Hannaford thematic group designed in the Second Renaissance Revival style. It is also one of the earliest surviving reminders of Fourth Street's rise as the city's commercial center.
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 94000592, listed June 17, 1994. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 14--16 E. Fourth St., Cincinnati |
|---|---|
| County | Hamilton County |
| Listed | June 17, 1994 |
| Reference number | 94000592 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1885 |
| Architect / builder | Hannaford, Samuel |
| Architectural style | Renaissance (Second Renaissance Revival) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Exterior restored and interior rehabilitated in a renovation from 1990 to 1992; upper floors used as offices, with a new retail store planned for the first floor. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 39.10030, -84.51189 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Religious properties are listed for their architectural or historical significance, not their religious use. Listing is honorary and does not restrict the congregation's use of the building. The federal rehabilitation credit is generally unavailable unless part of the building is income-producing; some state programmes and preservation grants do cover religious buildings. Federal funding or permits trigger Section 106 review.
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 94000592.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6226111
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.