Derby, H. W., Building
Also known as: Market National Trust Bank; Fifth-Third Bank; See Also:West Fo
Why it's listed
Located at 300 West Fourth Street in Cincinnati, this three-story commercial building dates to 1887, when Samuel Hannaford and Sons remodeled it. It has a symmetrical six-bay facade of smooth sandstone over brick walls, with Italianate detailing. The upper stories keep their original character, with arched hoodmolds, keystones on the center windows, scored pilasters and a continuous lugsill between the second and third floors. A bracketed cornice and short end chimneys finish the building. It is named for H. W. Derby, a book publisher who came to Cincinnati in 1844 and died in 1892. Hannaford had earlier designed another building for Derby at Fourth and Elm Streets in 1884; it burned in 1889. The building sits in the West Fourth Street Historic District among some of the city's finest nineteenth century commercial architecture, and it was included in a group of properties representing Hannaford's work.
Significance in brief: It is included as part of a thematic group of works by Cincinnati architect Samuel Hannaford. It is a fine example of nineteenth century commercial architecture in the West Fourth Street Historic District, with Italianate detailing. It is also associated with book publisher H. W. Derby.
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 80003045, listed March 3, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 300 W. 4th St., Cincinnati |
|---|---|
| County | Hamilton County |
| Listed | March 3, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80003045 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Samuel Hannaford (remodeling); Samuel Hannaford and Sons; contractor unknown |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as commercial use; interior in good condition and exterior in fair condition. |
| Coordinates | 39.09934, -84.51747 (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 80003045.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5628640
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.