Krippendorf-Dittman Company
Also known as: Krippendorf Building
Why it's listed
Rising seven stories at 628 Sycamore Street in downtown Cincinnati, this brick building was constructed in 1888 as a shoe factory and commercial space for the Krippendorf Company. Charles Krippendorf, born in Prussia in 1836, had started making ladies' and children's shoes in Cincinnati by 1872 and took full control of the firm in 1885. The design is credited to Hannaford & Son, with Louis Picket commissioned later for an addition. Romanesque and Queen Anne details appear throughout, including an arcaded top floor, heavy cast iron on the first floor, corbeled brick, ashlar lintels and sills, and the monograms "A.D. K.D. Co. 1888." A north wing was added around 1900. At completion the plant held 150 to 200 sewing machines, employed 500 people and made 10,000 pairs of shoes weekly. The firm later partnered with Dittman and employed 700 in 1938. It is included among works by architect Samuel Hannaford and is now used for offices and storage.
Significance in brief: The building was designed by Hannaford & Son and is part of a thematic group of works by Cincinnati architect Samuel Hannaford. It combines Romanesque and Queen Anne detailing. It also housed a large shoe factory founded by Charles Krippendorf, later the Krippendorf-Dittman Company.
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 80003061, listed March 3, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 628 Sycamore St., Cincinnati |
|---|---|
| County | Hamilton County |
| Listed | March 3, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80003061 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1888 |
| Architect / builder | Hannaford & Son / Louis Picket (architect or engineer); builder unknown |
| Architectural style | Commercial; Romanesque and Queen Anne detailing |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is office/storage; interior and exterior condition listed as good. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 39.10392, -84.50818 (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 80003061.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6437116
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.