Goodall Building
Why it's listed
Rising seven stories at 324 West Ninth Street in Cincinnati, this commercial building was constructed in 1893-94 to designs by architect George W. Rapp. It faces the city's then-new City Hall. William Goodall, a dealer in monuments, marble and granite, built it but never occupied it, renting space for banking, offices and later residential and light industrial uses. Rapp's original plan called for a symmetrical seven-bay building, but only half was built, leaving an asymmetrical four-bay structure. Its smooth sandstone facade, cast iron storefront and second floor, three-story oriel, arched windows and carved floral stonework are cited as an excellent example of Second Renaissance Revival design adapted to commercial use. The tripartite vertical division and paired windows reflect the commercial trends of the 1890s. Interiors are largely altered and functional. The building has stood vacant for years and shows structural deterioration, which the nomination describes as a threat to its survival.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is an excellent example of Second Renaissance Revival architecture applied to a commercial building. It cites the artistic quality of its decorative stone carving, including interlacing floral motifs, and its tripartite vertical facade division. It also notes that this style is very limited in distribution among Cincinnati commercial buildings.
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 84003710, listed February 9, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 324 W. 9th St., Cincinnati |
|---|---|
| County | Hamilton County |
| Listed | February 9, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84003710 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 (specific dates 1893-94) |
| Architect / builder | George W. Rapp |
| Architectural style | Second Renaissance Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Vacant for a number of years, with major structural deterioration at the rear, including collapsed brick lintels and severe mortar deterioration. Considered threatened and endangered by neglect. Owned by the City of Cincinnati. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 39.10471, -84.51983 (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 84003710.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14716426
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.