Nomination for Park Flats

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

OMB NO. 1024-0018 EXP. 10/31/84 United States Department of the Interior received AUG - 9 1983 See instructions in How to Complete National Register Forms 1. Name and/or common 2. Location street & number city, town - vicinity of _ state 3. Classification - public - unoccupied - agriculture - structure .work in progress -X private residence _ in process X yes: restricted . scientific - yes: unrestricted _ military - other: 4. Owner of Property 5. Location of Legal Description courthouse, registry of deeds, etc.

depository for survey records Miami Purchase Association for Historic Preservation 039 county transportation Accessible both Category 061 government entertainment code Cincinnati Hamilton educational date commercial Ownership religious industrial site park Status district historic object being considered Public Acquisition Park Apartments Park Flats date entered Ohio Inventory-Nomination Form Hamilton County Courthouse 6. Representation in Existing Surveys museum For NPS use only Present Use Type all entries-complete applicable sections National Register of Historic Places not for publication National Park Service Court and Main Streets 2378-2384 Park Avenue NPS Form 10-900 - yesx no . federal - (7-81) Xbuilding(s) 7. Description X excellent _ deteriorated _ unaltered - good .

ruins X altered The west elevation, which faces Park Avenue, contains the four main entrances paneled stone round arches with keystones, which contain fanlights composed The foyers of these entrances are small, with stairways leading both up and tiled floors, marble walls, and simple oak woodwork. The east, or back, elevation has several recesses which serve as light courts. These recesses contain porches on each floor, which have a low brick wall, The building is located at a busy intersection, just east of Peebles Corner, unexposed fair tinguishing features of this front facade are the multi-story bay windows and which historically was the most important commercial area in Walnut Hills.

of large incised brackets which are punctuated by dentils and medallions Condition This four-story building has a basically rectangular plan with recessed sec- The north and south sides of the building are similar, with a multi-story now stuccoed, at the outside edge. Check one identical to those on the west elevation; the south side bay window is four story, which are located at the west end of the elevations. composes the ground story on all sides of the building except the east, or back, side.The upper stories sheathed in a buff-colored brick, with two On each story, between the bay windows, there is a small round-arched window with flower motifs in the frieze. roof line, are decorated simply with rectangular panels below the l/l windows. (interior) - original site - moved date Describe the present and original (if known) physical appearance

Description of the property

The eight three-story bay windows, which terminate at the Single family homes, many now multi-family, and large apartment buildings the entrances. no ornamentation. letter appearing on a shield motif in the fanlights.Above the paneled round paneled stone pilasters which flank the doors.T The doorways are capped with of opalescent glass. almost like a cornice, with moldings crowning it.l The upper beltcourse has The foyers have colored The building is crowned by a heavy entablature composed decorated with a keystone. arch of the doorways is a stone panel in which the word "Park" is inscribed. stories high.i Both elevations have three open paneled balconies, one per line Park Avenue to the west and south of the Park Apartments. down within approximately four feet of the door.

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

Significance _ archeology-historic - science - agriculture - sculpture - social/ X 1900- other (specify) elements of the Chicago Commercial style, combined with the subsequent work, and the simple lines and decoration which did not distract from the the Columbian Exposition, although incipient in buildings completed before Commercial style are particularly represented in the repetitive, multi-story The building is garbed, though in a simple interpretation of the Second Renaissance Revival, whose elements include the rusticated base, beltcourses The Apartments were built in 1904 by Charles Mayer, who had recently changed in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, Peebles Corner. a piano company.

(cont'd.) 1904 1400-1499 1700-1799 1500-1599 1800-1899 communications economics The engineering industry education invention conservation Period humanitarian music Specific dates literature critics appreciated its functional considerations, such as the allowance of military law and classical details. Builder/ArchitectCharles Mayer, developer panies downtown to merchants who had shops on McMillan to the president of Statement of Significance

Statement of significance

(in one paragraph) Mayer Realty and Building Co.,which primarily developed single-family houses ted close to the largest and most important commercial area in Walnut Hills streetcars on Gilbert Avenue, two blocks to their jobs downtown.The The design of the Park Apartments successfully combines the functional con- builaing's architectural design is a successful blend of the functional in Chicago which was the most visible cause, although not the only sidents of the apartments could either walk to work close by or board the Areas of Significance-Check and justify below and duplexes in the Walnut Hills and Avondale areas.Although the Park bay windows which reach to the top of the building and join with the cornice Ideals at the Turn of the 20th Century, William H. Jordy, 1976. in a manner similar to Holabird and Roche's Tacoma Building (l887-1889).

not known) -commerce - - prehistoric - art _archeology-prehistoric x architecture - exploration/settlement The Park Apartments is significant as an example of a local adaptation of classicism of the early 20th century, in a residential building. It was the Columbian Exposition of 1893 The "White City's" overwhelmingly classical Building. Apartments were an early project for Mayer, he was certainly aware of the in the city directory) bear out this statement. 1600-1699 transportation philosophy politics/government The residents comprised delineation of its construction. siderations of the Chicago Commercial style with the popular aesthetic of community planning in the demise of this style. Commercial style was at its height in the 1880's and l890's.Architectural 1.P.73, AMERICAN BUILDINGS AND THEIR ARCHITECTS:Progressive and Academic 9.

The rest of the file

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

Major Bibliographical References Deed search, tax duplicates - Hamilton County Courthouse Williams' Cincinnati City Directories Quadrangle scale 1:24,000 - state se county 11. Form Prepared By Rita Walsh, Architectural Historian street & number 812 Dayton Street Ohio 45214 12. State Historic Preservation Officer Certification As the designated State Historic Preservation Officer for the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (Public Law 89 State Historic Preservation Officer signature I hereby certify that this property is included in the National Register Northing code date Easting organization Zone Cincinnati Attest: national name/title Miami Purchase Association UMT References Quadrangle name Cincinnati East List all states and counties for properties overlapping state or county boundaries Chief of Registration Xlocal HPO 10.

Geographical Data The evaluated significance of this property within the state is: St. and Park Ave.;thence running along the south side of McMillan St.,in an city or town Acreage of nominated property Less than one acre February 1983 easterly direction sixty (6o) ft.; thence southwardly at right angles to said Keeper of the National Register For NPs use only 190o census telephone (513) 721-4506 413|31 35 1010 Verbal boundary description and justification Beginning at the southeast corner of McMillan AMERICAN BUILDINGS AND THEIR ARCHITECTS:Progressive and Academic Ideals 665), I hereby nominate this property for inclusion in the National Register and certify that it has been evaluated National Begiater Entered Ih OMB No. 1024-0018 Exp.

10-31-84 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service For NPS use only Park Flats, Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio Item number 8 Although the Park Apartments is simple stylistically, its multi-story bay windows are a striking visual element in the streetscape. Not only do they function as a source that distinguishes the building from others nearby, a quality which was notable in the early Chicago Conmercial style skyscrapers. Page received Inventory-Nomination Form Continuation sheet (3-82) National Register of Historic Places date entered NPS Form 10-900-a There are many other apartment buildings in the city which were built in approximately elements.

Although some of these buildings have bay windows, they are not a continuous for much more light and ventilation, but the repetition of the bays creates a rhythm United States Department of the Interior Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service Park Flats, Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio Continuation sheet Item number feet, more or less, to the north line of lands formerly owned by Joseph B. Foraker and Elizabeth Appleton; thence along the said line in a westerly direction and parallel to McMillan Street sixty(60) feet, to the east line of Park Avenue; thence along the east line of Park Avenue in a northerly direction one hundred forty(140) Page received Inventory-Nomination Form entire site described.

date entered National Register of Historic Places For HCRS use only FHR-8-300(11-78) Park Flats, Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio PARK APARTMENTS CINCINNATI, OHIO -PARKL AVENUE PHOTO NUMBERS WASO Form - 177 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR ("R" June 1984) NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES EVALUATION/RETURN SHEET Park Flats Fed. Reg. Date: nomination by person or local government - owner objection Federal Agency: - - appeal L sample -request - NR decision Reviewer's comments: Discipline _ see continuation sheet Nomination returned for: _technical corrections cited below _substantive reasons discussed below 1. Name 2. Location 3. Classification Present Use Public Acquisition 4. Owner of Property 5. Location of Legal Description 6. Representation in Existing Surveys Has this property been determined eligible? 7.

Description Check one -excellent Ideteriorated -unaltered -original site -moved Describe the present and original (if known) physical appearance summary paragraph AUG resubmission Status Ownership fair completeness Category REJECT Date Reviewer Recom./Criteria alterations/integrity ruins unexposed Action: RETURN clarity OHIO Working No. ACCEPT boundary selection Hamilton County Condition Substantive Review: Accessible Date Due: 9/8/83 yes 8. Significance Areas of Significance-Check and justify below Statement of Significance (in one paragraph) Jjustification of areas checked relating significance to the resource l context relationship of integrity to significance J justification of exception LJ Other 9. Major Bibliographical References 10. Geographical Data Acreage of nominated property UTM References 11.

Form Prepared By The evaluated significance of this property within the state is: _national State Historic Preservation Officer signature L Photographs Questions concerning this nomination may be directed to _ Phone: _ clarity Builder/Architect completeness Date Period Signed title _state Maps local summary paragraph 12.

State Historic Preservation Officer Certification Verbal boundary description and justification Quadrangle name Specific dates applicable criteria Comments for any item maybe continued on an attached sheet 2378-2384 Park Avenue Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio PHOTO #I Facing southeast from the intersection Park Apartments Rita Walsh, photographer of Park Avenue and McMillan February 1, 1983 2378-2384 Park Avenue Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio Rita Walsh, photographer February 1, 1983 Facing southeast from McMillan Street showing the north and west sides Park Apartments PHOTO#2 Rita Walsh, photographer building Park Apartments Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio Facing west, showing the east side 2378-2384 Park Avenue and part of the north side of the February 1, 1983 PHOTO #3 2378-2384 Park Avenue February 1, 1983 Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio Facing northeast from Park Avenue, showing the west and south sides Rita Walsh, photographer Park Apartments PHOTO#4 OPEN Rita Walsh, photographer Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio Facing southeast East side of Park Avenue from the in- tersection with McMillan Ave.

February 1, 1983 PHOTO#5 February 1, 1983 Avenue, facing northeast Park Apartments Rita Walsh, photographer South side of the building from Park 2378-2384 Park Avenue Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio PHOTO#6 Cross Lane February 1, 1983 of Park Avenue and Cross Lane, showing Rita Walsh, photographer Facing northeast from the intersection Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio Park Avenue between McMillan and Park Apts. in background PHOO#7 2378-2384 Park Avenue side of the building Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio Multi-story bay windows on the west Park Apartments Rita Walsh, photographer February 1, 1983 2378 - 2384 Park Avenue Rita Walsh, photographer Park Apartments Cincinnati, Hamilton, County, Ohio February 1, 1983 PHOTO #9 7.5 MINUTE SERIES (TOPOGRAPHIC DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CINCINNATI EAST, OHIO CINCINNATI EAST QUADRANGLE N3907.5 - W8422.5/7.5