Nomination for Variety Store Building and Theatre

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

United States Department of the Interior APR 1 1982 1. Name and/or common street & number - not for publication city, town - vicinity of 20 - Mary Rose Oakar - county - _ district _unoccupied - agriculture x building(s) X private _ commercial - structure .both work in progress - private residence * entertainment . religious _ object in process X yes: restricted - yes: unrestricted . industrial - military . other: 4. Owner of Property Ohio 44135 5. Location of Legal Description courthouse, registry of deeds, etc. has this property been determined elegible?

- yes _ federal x state - _ local 035 039 1976 museum transportation Accessible code government Columbus Category educational Cuyahoga date Ownership state site Cleveland park Ohio historic Status public scientific Inventory-Nomination Form Cuyahoga County Administration Building being considered congressional district Ohio Historic Inventory Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service date entered Russell Koz Public Acquisition 2. Location title Present Use Variety Store Building and Theatre Type all entries-complete applicable sections 6. Representation in Existing Surveys 3. Classification National Register of Historic Places 1219 Ontario See instructions in How to Complete National Register Forms For HCRS use only 1180l-ll825 Lorain Avenue FHR-8-300 (11-78) received .AR 3 1982 1078 Homewood Drive 7. Description - excellent .deteriorated X unaltered * original site _moved theater.

It is constructed of steel, concrete, and brick. The plan is an irregular trapezoid, with the facade measuring approx. 230 feet, the rear an arched ornamental plaster ceiling of three bays, framing a giant semi- is basically rectangular, measuring 81 feet by 102 feet. The main floor orchestra pit, which is intact. The stage measures 56 feet by 25 feet, date Condition ruins fair Check one in width and end in arched bays which have vestigial boxes containing ceiling is a flattened vault with seven transverse bays which meet the Describe the present and original (if known) physical appearance

Description of the property

are virtually unaltered.A forestage has been built over the original lobby; on the inner wall a semi-elliptical mirror of the same size reflects and the backstage area contains three dressing rooms. facade has plain rectangular double windows with double-hung sash.There has three aisles and seats 1550 persons; the balcony seats 350.The a large segmental-arched window. five rooms each.The facade and side elevations of the building are faced raised plaster ribbing in a diamond pattern.All of these interior spaces respectively.The facade opens into ten commercial spaces plus the theater wall in groined arches. The three bays nearest the proscenium diminish isa recessed central entrance to the second floor apartments.Above lobby.The second story contains twelve apartments with suites of two to set of entrance doors compensates for the awkward angle.

The lobby has The theater lobby is not perpendicular to the external facade;a curved the theater marquee the lobby wall has a curved parapet with urns and This is a two-story commercial and apartment building containing a 19o0-seat the window.The original cut-glass chandelier hangs from the ceiling. ceiling.There is a stairway from the foyer to the balcony.The auditorium indirect lighting.The ceiling of these three bays is ornamented with The lobby leads to a long rectangular foyer with a low coved plaster elevation 210 feet, and the east and west elevations 170 feet and 78 feet elliptical window on the front wall which fills the entire width of the unexposed 8.

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

Significance - prehistoric - archeology-prehistoric community planning -archeology-historic X architecture . music X commerce - philosophy _theater X 1900- - politics government -other (specify) commercial concentrations at frequent neighborhood nodes, before the theaters, including the Granada, the Lyric, and the Tivoli, have been distinguished, the theater is an excellent and well-preserved example style, in contrast to the "atmospheric" palaces and other exotic styles. Stecker, Meyer Fine and Abe Kramer. The architect was Nicola Petti, bakers, confectioners, a fruit merchant, a milliner, and apartment 1800-1899 1927 1500-1599 1700-1799 1600-1699 1400-1499 transportation education literature industry humanitarian agriculture engineering invention Period exploration/settlement art Builder/Architect science communications law military owner since 1976.

advent of the automobile made widely dispersed shopping centers possible. Nicola Petti sculpture Cleveland. Since the West Side has always been culturally distinct the famous motion picture syndicate whose origins began in a Youngstown, a Cleveland architect who designed at least four other Cleveland The Variety Building exemplifies the broad cultural pattern of placing The Variety Store Building and Theatre is one of the few remaining Specific dates The Variety Building was constructed in 1927 by entrepreneurs Sam multiple-use buildings containing a theater located on the West Side of Statement of Significance

Statement of significance

(in one paragraph) _conservation social/ At the time of its construction, the Variety Theatre was considered to theaters.The Variety Theatre was used for both films and vaudeville _economics residents.In 1929 the Variety Building was sold to Warner Brothers, Areas of Significance-Check and justify below Ohio, family.It was purchased by Wargo Realty in 1954 in one of the because of the topography of the Cuyahoga valley and the settlement rank among Cleveland's finest.A large number of similar West Side In this respect, it is one of only a handful remaining in Cleveland. of the more restrained classical aspect of the 1920s movie theater - religion demolished. While the commercial fronts are not architecturally patterns of the city, its historic places must be evaluated in that context.

landscape architecture largest real estate transactions involving theater property in Cleveland from its opening.Among the early tenants of the store building were Plain Dealer, various issues, December, 1927. Cleveland Press, June 22, 1954. _ state 11.

The rest of the file

Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.

Form Prepared By Eric Johannesen, Preservation Officer street & number 665), I hereby nominate this property for inclusion in the National Register and certify that it has been evaluated 216-721-5722 Northing county code Easting date Cleveland national name/title Zone telephone Ohio Cleveland City Building Department records. Cuyahoga County Recorder's Office records. Verbal boundary description and justification Attest: Chief of Registration Less than one city or town UMT References State Historic Preservation Officer signature 9. Major Bibliographical References which the building stands. The property consists of the lot known 10825 East Boulevard organization List all states and counties for properties overlapping state or county boundaries 12. State Historic Preservation Officer Certification Keeper of the National Register 10.

Geographical Data The evaluated significance of this property within the state is: Acreage of nominated property - as Cuyahoga County permanent parcel number 18-5-22,being the lot on National Register For HCRS use only As the designated State Historic Preservation Officer for the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966(Public Law 89- local GP O 938 Quadrangle scale * 1:24, 000 L 415/910/01210 August 1980 Western Reserve Historical Society date HPO United States Department of the Interior EVALUATION / RETURN SHEET Fed. Reg. Date: V ACCEPT_ - REJECT - photos 5 Recom. / Criteria - see, continuation sheet Name 1 3. Classification 4. Owner of Property 7. Description - original site boundary selection resubmission completeness maps clarity alterations/integrity Date Discipline RETURN Reviewer Action: Entered in the Working No. owner objection 6.

Representation in Existing Surveys appeal Federal Agency: 2.1.83 5. Location of Legal Description summery paragraph ruins State, County: NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES National Park Service Date Due: - technical corrections cited below _substantive reasons discussed below Condition - unatiered . unexposed - detenorated Substantive Review: nomination by person or local government Nominetion returned for: National Register Accessibie justification of exception 9. Major Bibliographical References 10. Geographical Data 11. Form Prepared By - stane - Date - context Signed Maps checked completeness clarity Photographs summary paragraph applicable criteria Other the resource 12. State Historic Preservation Officer Certificction C.

Significance UMT Reterences Comments for any item may be continued on an ettached sheet relating significance to justification of areas Questions concerning this nomination may be directed to relationship of integrity Spoclfic dates TAKE OUT RALIDT VHOME - BERTI WITT CHICKEN RADINE BROS PAPA VARIETY RIBS JOHN'S PIZZA THE LONG RIDERS PAPA JOHNS PIZZA ORDERS 1. North facade, looking SW. MAR 3 1982 Cleveland Cuyahoga Co. Ohio Variety Store Building/Theatre E. Johannesen SIZES TO FIT ALL SZABO Cleveland Cuyahoga Co. Ohio Variety Store Building/Theatre house above. 2. West and south elevations, E. Johannesen 1980 WRHS 3. Theater lobby, looking Variety Store Building/Theatre Cleveland Cuyahoga Co. Ohio 4. Theater auditorium, looking Variety Store Building/Theatre Cleveland Cuyahoga Co. Ohio E. Johannesen 1980 WRHS West toward stageMAR 3 1982 MAR 3 1982 East toward balcony. 5.

Theater auditorium, looking Variety Store Building/Theatre Cleveland Cuyahoga Co. Ohio E. Johannesen 1980 WRHS UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 7.5 MINUTE SERIES (TOPOGRAPHIC) GEOLOGICAL SURVEY LAKEWOOD QUADRANGLE and Theatre 4590/020 North Variety Store Building 17 435/640 East OHIO-CUYAHOGA CO. N4122.5w8145/7.5 CLEVELAND LAKEWOOD, OHIO GEORGE V. VOINOVICH, MAYOR CLEVELAND LANDMARKS COMMISSION ROOM 28, CLEVELAND CITY HALL JOHN D. CIMPERMAN, DIRECTOR 601 LAKESIDE AVENUE CLEVELAND, OHIO 44114 (216) 664-2531 December 14, 1981 Mr. Ray Luce, State Historic Preservation Osficer Ohio Historic Preservation Office Ohio Historical Society 1-71 & 17th Avenue Columbus, Ohio 43215 Dear Mr.

Luce: that the Variety Store Building & Theatre, 11801-11825 Lorain Avenue, The Commission reviewed the nomination and does not object to its If the Advisory Council desires additional comments from the Cleveland Landmarks Commission, please do not hesitate to notify John D. Cimperman MAR31982 RECEIVED NATIONAL REGISTER JDC/ ew Director Sincerely, of Historic Places. The Cleveland Landmarks Commission received notice from your office Preservation Advisory Board yor nomination to the National Register MAR ENTRIES IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES STATE OHIO St. Ladislaus Roman Catholic Church Shambaugh, George, House Schooley, Dr. Lindley, House Dr. W. Ray Luce Honorable Donald J.

Pease Columbus, Ohio 43211 Midwest Regional Office, NPS Lorain Notified Location Belmont Name Cleveland The Ohio Historical Society Cuyahoga County Belmont County Honorable Douglas Applegate Perrysville vicinity Richland County Honorable John Glenn and Theatre State Historic Preservation Officer Variety Store Building Honorable Howard M. Metzenbaum Lorain County For further information,please call the National Register at(202)272-3504 Honorable John M. Ashbrook Honorable Mary Rose Oakar Interstate 7l at 17th Avenue and office APRIL 1, 1982 Date Entered