Huron-Superior Streets Warehouse-Produce Historic District
Also known as: Warehouse/Produce District; See Also:Berdan Building; Monroe S
Why it's listed
Just south of downtown Toledo, this 14-acre district groups 29 mostly brick warehouse and produce buildings along Huron, Superior, Washington and Market Streets. Built between 1870 and 1942, they are generally two to five stories tall, with stone lintels, arcaded round-arched windows, corbelled cornices and surviving storefronts and painted signs. The five-story Berdan Building of 1901-02, influenced by Richardson's Marshall Field Warehouse in Chicago, anchors the district, while the 1897 Spaghetti Warehouse restaurant marks its northeast corner. The area grew as a junction between Toledo's retail and warehouse districts, near the canals, Swan Creek and the Maumee River. It has long housed produce wholesalers and related businesses, and a 1924-25 municipal garage reflects the role of automobiles. The district was listed for its contribution to commercial and transportation history and for its representative commercial architecture. Twenty-five buildings contribute to its character, and several are still used much as originally intended.
Significance in brief: The district is argued to be a significant part of Toledo's business and commerce history, having housed produce suppliers and warehouses as a link between the retail and warehouse districts and as a vital link in commerce, trade and transportation. It also contains representative late nineteenth and early twentieth century commercial architecture, including Chicago School and Romanesque Revival examples.
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 93000153, listed March 24, 1993. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Roughly bounded by Erie, Monroe, Superior and Market Sts., Toledo |
|---|---|
| County | Lucas County |
| Listed | March 24, 1993 |
| Reference number | 93000153 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1870-1942 |
| Architectural style | Commercial, Chicago; Romanesque Revival, Classical Revival, Moderne |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Most buildings are still used for warehouse, business and professional purposes, with some domestic use; one former service station is vacant. Many buildings retain original upper stories and storefronts. |
| Acreage | 14 |
| Coordinates | 41.64828, -83.54059 (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 93000153.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.