Phoenix Building/Cincinnati Club
Also known as: Cincinnati Club Building and Annex; See Also:Phoenix Club,Sam
Why it's listed
Two linked buildings on Race Street and Garfield Place in downtown Cincinnati serve as the home of the Cincinnati Club. The four-story Phoenix Building, designed by Samuel Hannaford and Sons, was built in 1893 in brick and stone. The club acquired it in 1911. In 1924 the ten-story Cincinnati Club Building, designed by Garber and Woodward with Hannaford and Sons, was added as the first structure built specifically for the club. Both are in the Second Renaissance Revival style, the earlier building richly detailed and the later one more conservative. A three-story enclosed walkway and two tunnels join them. The newer building holds dining rooms, meeting rooms, lodging rooms and mechanical systems, while the older one holds athletic facilities. The club, founded in 1892 as the Young Businessmen's Club, drew prominent business and civic leaders. The buildings were listed for their architecture and their role in the club's long civic and social presence in Cincinnati.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues both buildings are architecturally significant examples of Second Renaissance Revival design, the earlier one highly decorative and the later one more restrained. They are also tied to the Cincinnati Club, founded in 1892, whose members included prominent business and civic leaders. The Phoenix Building is the work of Samuel Hannaford and Sons, and the Club Building was designed by Garber and Woodward.
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 85000068, listed January 11, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 30 Garfield Pl. and 812 Race St., Cincinnati |
|---|---|
| County | Hamilton County |
| Listed | January 11, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85000068 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1893/1924 |
| Architect / builder | Samuel Hannaford & Sons/Garber and Woodward |
| Architectural style | Second Renaissance Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and in active use by the Club; described as well maintained and essentially as built, with changes to the front doors, some decoration and the ninth-floor apartments. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Ninth Street Historic District |
| Coordinates | 39.10488, -84.51520 (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 85000068.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14716784
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.