Mexican War Streets Historic District (Boundary Increase II)
Why it's listed
Ten buildings of two to four stories line one block in Pittsburgh's Mexican War Streets neighborhood, bounded by West North Avenue, Reddour Street, Eloise Street and Federal Street. Built roughly between 1870 and 1915, they mix shops on the ground floor with apartments, a boarding house, a Masonic Hall and a movie theater. The Garden Theater at 10-14 West North Avenue, designed in 1915 by Thomas H. Scott, has white and green glazed terra cotta and Doric pilasters. The 1893 Masonic Hall at 16-20 West North Avenue, by the Pittsburgh firm Bartberger and East, is the largest building on the block and has foliated limestone piers. The Bradberry Apartments at 1112-1116 Reddour Street, designed around 1905 by Frederick J. Osterling, are of tan and red brick with limestone detailing. The buildings show four styles: Italianate, Second Empire, Richardsonian Romanesque and Classical Revival. Most retain original features such as cornices, window heads and stone piers, and two buildings are noncontributing because of major alterations.
Significance in brief: The block was left out of the earlier boundary increase by mistake and shares the original district's character of mixed commercial and residential buildings. Its buildings display four architectural styles from the late 19th to early 20th century, and most retain their original form and features. Two buildings and two vacant lots are noncontributing because of major alterations or loss of original fabric.
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 11001066, listed January 30, 2012. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Bounded by W. North Ave. & Reddour, Eloise & Federal Sts., Pittsburgh |
|---|---|
| County | Allegheny County |
| Listed | January 30, 2012 |
| Reference number | 11001066 |
| Resource type | District |
| Architect / builder | Bartberger & East (16-20 West North Avenue); Frederick J. Osterling (1112-1116 Reddour Street); Thomas H. Scott (10-14 West North Avenue) |
| Architectural style | Italianate, Second Empire, Richardsonian Romanesque, Classical Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Several buildings were vacated or closed in the late 20th century; most retain original fabric, and some storefronts have been altered or covered with plywood. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.45791, -80.03508 (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 11001066.
- 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.