Ninth Street Historic District
Also known as: See Also:Friedlander,Abraham Building; Phoenix Club; Brittany
The pin is a point inside the NPS boundary polygon, not a surveyed location.
Why it's listed
Ninth Street between Vine and Plum Streets, at the northwest edge of downtown Cincinnati, holds about fifty masonry buildings that together form a compact nineteenth-century streetscape. Most rise two to eight stories on narrow lots, typically three bays wide, and the oldest are three- and four-story townhouses sharing common walls, with brick carriage houses behind. Larger buildings anchor the corners and house the main commercial activity, while the middle of each block holds houses, rooming houses and small offices. The styles are varied, with Greek Revival, Italianate and Queen Anne most common. Key buildings include the Phoenix Club of 1893, the Brittany and Saxony apartment buildings of 1881, Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church of 1859, and the Elks Lodge of 1923 later used by the Crosley Corporation for broadcasting. Stone fronts, polychromatic brickwork and classical detailing give the group its character. Spot demolitions have broken the continuity in places, but the district remains one of the best surviving nineteenth-century blocks in the city centre.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents the district as one of the finest nineteenth-century streetscapes remaining in downtown Cincinnati, a compact and cohesive group of masonry buildings. It shows a wide range of styles, especially Greek Revival, Italianate and Queen Anne, and has high-quality materials and craftsmanship. It also has links to figures such as Thomas Emery and the Crosley Corporation.
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 80003067, listed November 25, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 9th St. between Vine and Plum Sts., Cincinnati |
|---|---|
| County | Hamilton County |
| Listed | November 25, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80003067 |
| Resource type | District |
| Architect / builder | Samuel Hannaford and Sons; Walter and Wilson; Harry Hake; J.B. and J.G. Steinkamp; Thomas Emery's Sons (builder) |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival, Italianate, Queen Anne, Gothic Revival, Renaissance Revival, Eclectic |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Mostly occupied; the form notes minimal incompatible alterations but some spot demolitions and a few vacant lots and parking lots. |
| Acreage | 9 |
| Coordinates | 39.10512, -84.51608 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 80003067.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7039245
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.