Nomination for Park Building

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

RECEIVED This form is for use in nominating or requesting determinations of eligibility for individual properties or districts. See instructions in Guidelines for Completing National Register Forms (National Register Bulletin 16). Complete each item by marking "x" in the appropriate box or by entering (Form 10-900a). Type all entries. 1. Name of Property Location street & number Clevel and n/a_Vicinity State zip code 3. Classification Ownership of Property * private 4 building(s) _ sites Structure Name of related multiple property listing: Number of contributing resources previously listed in the National Register 0 4.

State/Federal Agency Certification As the designated authority under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended, I hereby certify that this Ohio Historic Preservation Office - OHSHPO Signature of commenting or other official National Park Service Certification hereby, certify that this property is: entered in the National Register. determined eligible for the National Register. See continuation sheet. determined not eligible for the other, (explain:) Date of Action 44115 Noncontributing public-local Date object district public-Federal public-State National Register. historic name Registration Form 140 Public Square Category of Property other names/site number removed from the National Register. See continuation sheet.

Number of Resources within Property National Park Service National Register of HistoricPlaces and meets the procedural and professional requirements set forth in 36 CFR Part 60. Signature of certifying official Park Building State or Federal agency and bureau and areas of significance,enter only the categories and subcategories listed in the instruct:ons.For additional space use continuation sheets Ohio ccie MAY 1 7 1996 NAT. REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES n/a_ not for publication In my opinion, the property In my opinion,the property X meets does not meet the National Register criteria. 035 National Register of Historic Place Total 6. Function or Use Historic Functions (enter categories from instructions) Current Functions (enter categories from instructions) 7. Description Materials (enter categories from instructions) foundation _ Describe present and historic physical appearance.

The Park Building is a nine-story rectangular office building with a flat roof which stands on the southeast (formerly Farnam Alley) on its eastern end. This narrow alley separates the building from its neighbor to of forty-two feet and extends south from Public Square to the Southworth Building, a four-story building Style architecture, with horizontal string courses and storefront entablature and pilasters that recall the Neo-Classical style and bay windows that recall Chicago style commercial buildings of the late nineteenth sloping off gradually to the north and south and being basically level from east to west.

The Park Building faces onto Cleveland's Public Square, a tract of land roughly ten acres in size, and which is southwest corner, the recently completed Society Center tower at the northeast corner of the square and Building, built in 1890 from designs by Burnham & Root and rebuilt in 1991. The Park Building is adjacent to the May Company Building, built in 1903 from designs by D. H. Burnham & Company and and Sailors Monument, completed in 1894 from designs by Levi Scofield. Standing across from the Park Building and facing onto Ontario Avenue is the former Higbee Company Building, now home to Dillards Department Store, built in 1931-32 from designs by Graham, Anderson, Probst and White, designers of a four-story Italianate style commercial block dating from 1889 whose facade was probably refaced as part of a 1936 renovation.

The Park Building has two principal elevations.Its front elevation faces onto Public Sg. and is one hundred sixteen feet long.Its west elevation faces onto Ontario Avenue and is forty-two feet long. The added sometime after the building was completed, plus window openings. The south elevation adjoins the brick and feature a series of regularly spaced double-hung windows with wire glass. Above the first floor, LX See continuation sheet other roof concrete asphalt brick Architectural Classification Commercial Style (enter categories from instructions) Southworth Building and only floors six through nine are exposed. These are also finished in common divided by Ontario and Superior avenues into four quadrants.Public Square marks the center of COMMERCE/business Public Square,such as Old Stone Church,dating from 1853-57 and designed by Heard & Porter and Sullivanesque architecture.

the east, the twelve story former May Company building. The building has a depth along Ontario Avenue The building's site is generally level, although it is located along a minor beach ridge, with the ground Cleveland and is bordered by three of the state's tallest buildings: The historic Terminal Tower at its whose interior was designed by Charles Schweinfurth after a fire in 1884, and the Society for Savings enlarged in 1912 and 1931. Located in the center of the southeast quadrant of the square is the Soldiers "Square, facing north, and extends from Ontario Avénue on the west to an alley known as East 1st Place brick with cast stone trim. Stylistically, the building is an example of turn of the century Commercial east elevation faces onto a narrow alley and is finished in common brick. It contains a metal fire escape, the Park Building has an irregular south elevation.

Projecting sections at the east and west ends span the walls the nearby Terminal Tower.Adjoining the Park Building on its southern side is the Southworth Building, Natlonal Park Service Natlonal Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Park Building, Cleveland, Ohio penthouse rises above the center of the south elevation and is finished off in painted stucco and has a storefronts along Public Square, corresponding to the bays of windows on the upper floors. The west for sign displays. Each storefront has a recessed entry, a transom area, display wiridows, and bulkheads at ground level. In the center of the north elevation is the main entrance to the building. It is a fairly broad doors, which are recessed. Its walls are lined with richly veined marble panels. The second and third floors feature a series of slightly projecting semi-octagonal bay windows, each windows.

Above the third floor, the floor heights decrease and the windows become smaller. Horizontal rows of evenly spaced double-bung windows take the place of the bay windows on these upper floors. The end bays project very slightly and feature pairs of windows on the north elevation. The west elevation has as a broad horizontal frieze by means of thin string and cap courses and a series of vertical elements extending up from the base of the top floor to form a series of small spires that correspond to the rhythm small windows whose upper sash arc circular. These and bay windows, as well as the other top floor openings, are trimmed in cast stone. The only other cast stone trim used on the principal elevations is to form sills beneath each window and to form stringcourses at the base of the sccond and fouth floors.

Alterations to the exterior include the loss of an arched pediment over the main entry that extended up more recent years with evenly divided double hung units. The top floor windows are aluminum casement over the years. The transom areas have become large sign areas and some entrances have been relocated The configuration of storefront entrances has apparently changed over the years, as the original plans P.01 The two principal elevations are finished in pressed brown brick with buff-colored cast stone trim.The elevation has two storefronts. These storefronts are capped by a bronze entablature that extends around these wings.In the center of the building is a broad wing that contains the elevators and restrooms and it height than the others and this is reflected by its small windows. The corner bays have groupings of three Corinthian capital.

The entablature's frieze contains glass panels over each storefront that were intended geometric form. The narrow west elevation has a single projecting bay window flanked by large single into the second floor and featured an ocular opening in its center. The drawings indicate this as a free- the second and third floors are faced with metal and fcature decorative rivet-like elements arranged in rows of evenly spaced windows on its upper floors. The windows throughout these elevations have oriel- small cornice at its top. northwest corner has been partially rebuilt in recent years,resulting in the loss of some of its trim units.what is indicated on the original drawings as terra colla trim on the top floor and which was building. The end bays fcature a pair of windows set flush with the wall surface.

Spandrel areas between extends back to the lot line.Thus, the building has the form of an E at its roof level.An elevator of the bays below.It forms a simple yet effective visual climax to the building.The top floor is lower in NPS Fom 10+B00~a Section number. full forty-two foot width of the lot, but then the building steps back to form air shafts on either side of entry, corresponding in width to the flanking storefronts, and featuring elaborate sets of brass-and-glass material. Some of the finial elements atop the building are missing. Storefronts have been rearranged type sash, with the bottom unit square in size and the upper unit rectangular. The top floor is articulated actually built with cast stone has apparently been replaced with cut limestone trim.

In addition, the Page the building's two principal elevations.Separating each bay is a thin bronze pilaster capped by a first floor is set at grade level and features a series of storefronts on these two elevations.There are eight featuring a broad center window flanked by narrower windows set at angles to the main lines of the standing element made from terra cotta. It was removed in 1929.The windows have been replaced in OME Approval No. 1024-0018 United States Department of the Interlor Park Building, Cleveland, Ohio show, for example, the storefront to the right of the main entrance having its access from the main hallway. It is possible that the bronze frieze and trim elements date from the 1929 entrance remodeling.

During the course of this work, the entrance was apparently changed and the doors are now closer to the street into a former restaurant space that originally occupied the entire basement. railings. The walls of the lobby are polished marble with elaborate veining and trim elements. The doors are in polished brass. Except for the lobby, the first floor is divided into storefront spaces, whose interiors different color of marble surrounding the elevators in the lobby indicates this change. Hallways on the upper floors all feature original oak trim. Doors to the various office spaces are framed in oak, feature glass transoms above and have oak doors, some of which are still glazed, but others have had oak plywood inserts added, apparently for privacy. An unusual wood feature strip appears over the doorways and hall passes by the elevators and the open stairway to the right of the elevators.

There is also a restroom building and others continuing to the last bay. The second floor hallway is broader than that on the third thirteen foot ceiling, the second and third floors are twelve feet high and the upper floors are ten feet, except the top floor, which is nine feet high. This necessitates a different stairway arrangement at these levelsto provide space for additional or fewer steps. Offices are divided by partitions into spaces that correspond to the nine-bay rhythm established on the exterior. This also, according to the drawings, woodwork and feature plaster walls and ceilings. but corresponds to the roof above, which is sloped slightly to provide for drainage. It also has a series of fairly deep beams that are covered by plaster.

On the ninth floor are the offices of the building, occupying consists of an elaboratecorner office facing northwest which features oak wainscoting and woodwork The entry to the office area has a counter faced with elaborate marble panels. Behind the corner office is a board room which faces southwest and features leaded opaque glass panels and oak wainscoting. In this suite of offices are a number of framed historic photographs and plans of the building. the storefront interiors but the main entry has its historic appearance. The basement once contained an elaborate luncheonette/restaurant, but this has been removed. historic sand plaster finishes. There are few dropped ceilings present.

Lighting has been changed and have been adapted apparently many times to various retail uses.Elevators were originally three open relates to the column spacing in the fireproof structure of this steel frame building.Offices have oak extends along the hallways on each floor.This was used for electrical wiring and can be accessed by Continuation Sheet National Park Servica floor.The stairway also reconfigures itself as it extends up through the building.The first floor has a The ninth floor varies from the other floors in its ceiling height and window size.Its ceiling is not level stairway that extendsup to the top floor.It has ornate cast metal newel posts and metal strapwork unscrewing the oak facing.Hall floors are terrazzo, laid in a simple yet elegant pattern.Each upper floor National Register of Historic Places Section number . street than they were originally.

The initial deep recess allowed for a set of steps to lead directly from the The main entry leads to a broad hall that terminates before a pair of elevators. To the right is an open flanking the elevators on the left. The halls extend east and west, some stopping short of the ends of the The interior has a fairly high degree of integrity. Most ceilings are the original height and have the Page Statement of Significance

Statement of significance

Certifying official has considered the significance of this property in relation to other properties ] nationally Criteria Considerations (Exceptiono) Architect/Builder Barnum, Frank S. Barnum, Ee S. &_Company State significance of property, and justify criteria, criteria considerations, and areas and periods of significance noted above. The Park Building is eligible for National Register status under Criterion C as an example of turn of the century commercial architecture and for its association with the architectural career of Frank S. Barnum. brick with cast stone trim. Stylistically, the building has elements of Neoclassical and Tudor Revival forms that relate to Chicago skyscrapers of an earlier decade. Its restrained exterior is a sharp departure from the buildings of downtown Cleveland erected around this same time and reflects the desire of the display window area.

Its design by Cleveland architect Frank S. Barnum is sophisticated, yet largely devoid of historical imagery that helped to shape the exteriors of his other commercial buildings, such as the Caxton Building, built just one year earlier, which features a massive cornice and robust yet intricate entrance portal. It is the tallest and most prominent commercial building designed by this important draftsman for Cleveland architect Joseph Ireland, designer of some of the finest late nineteenth century residences along Euclid Avenue's famed Millionaires' Row. While in the office he met Forrest A. Coburn and the two went into practice together under the name Coburn & Barnum in 1878.

During their twenty year practice together, ending with Coburn's death in 1897, the firm planned some of the city's most distinguished buildings, including the Furniture Block and the Blackstone Block, the latter an example of churches, including Euclid Avenue Congregational, and residences for George Howe, William J. Morgan and the Washington Lawrence House in Bay Village, since transformed into condominiums. They also designed the Olney Art Gallery on West 14th Street and the former home of the Western Reserve Historical Society. During its final year, the firm became known as Coburn, Barnum, Hubbell & Benes, in recognition of two talented younger members of the firm who, after Coburn's death went on to form their own highly successful practice which included the design of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

In 1895 Barnum was appointed consulting architect to the Cleveland Board of Education, a post he held designed, according to Cleveland Landmarks Commission Executive Secretary Robert D. Keiser. These include Collinwood School, Doan School, Gilbert School, Fruitland School and many others. In 1899 Barnum designed a six story building on West 6th Street for Hart & Company, a building recently 1904 1929 fire-resistant mill construction that featured a four-story interior light court.The firm designed numerous Significant Person Culturai Affiliation the century.The building utilizes steel frame construction and features a symmetrical exterior clad in Cleveland architect.

Suniticant Dates until his retirement in 19i5.Under Barnum's leadership, the finest schools in the city's history were Applicable National Register Critena It is a large, prominently sited and highly intact example of the style and form of commercial buildings that were being erected in the larger cities of the United States in the years shortly following the turn of Frank Seymour Barnum (1851-1927) was a prominent Cleveland architect who began his career as a Architecture OMB Approval No. 1024-0018 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service Park Building, Cleveland, Ohio Ambrose Swasey. It is an eight-story building located on Huron Road and which was completed in 1903 It was also said to be one of the first buildings in Cleveland to utilize reinforced concrete for floors. The system was known as Roebling steel cable system of floor reinforcing.

Previously, hollow tile had been laid up with formwork to form flooring for fireproof office construction. The concrete allowed thinner as a trim material. The motif of thin vertical elements at the top floor of the Park Building was also used by Barnum to accent wings on Harvard and Hodge public schools in Cleveland. This period marked the height of Barnum's career in his independent practice, when he received his most prestigious commissions and a time when he also took part in the discussions leading to the development of Cleveland's renowned Group Plan. Barnum retired from the firm in 1915 and moved to Florida, where he died in 1927. He was a talented professional architect who played an important role in shaping the city's future. He is in the ranks of local firms such as Hubbell & Benes, Lehman & Schmidt, J.

Milton Dyer, Knox & Elliott and careers were just beginning to bloom at the turn of the century, Barnum was at the high point of his career and, with the exception of some notable school commissions, was not to design buildings of this The Park Building is also significant as representing a period in American architecture when commercial and by the desire to create ever taller buildings. It also came as a result of a period of reflection feature elaborate facades with various horizontal divisions that seem designed to break up their relatively Elliott).

Each of these buildings has a classic three part facade, consisting of an elaborate set of storefronts which incorporates the second floor as well into a grandly scaled base, a shaft composed of identical vertically grouped windows in the upper floors, and a capital, consisting of an elaborate cornice that incorporates the top floor or floors in its design. The Williamson Building, in particular, had a very predecessor skyscrapers. The second and third floors are articulated differently from the upper floors but floor will be used entirely by a commercial concern, while much of the remainder of the offices will be commercial use of the spaces. Earlier news reports had indicated that the entire building may be devoted importance again.

National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet asa steel-framed building housing commercial printing and graphic arts trades.This building,with its Building has this same treatment. The next generation of skyscrapers in Cleveland are represented by the elaborate, almost top-heavy cap to it.While following the basic principles of this base-shaft-capital plan yet powerful expression of the Commercial Style.In 1901 Barnum designed the Caxton Building for Eisenman)and the Perry-Payne & Richardson) both date from the late 1880's and NPS Form 10-900-c Section nuinber _ converted to loft apartments and known today as the Hat Factory. Like the Park Building, it is a simple Walker & Weeks in terms of his impact on the city's built environment. While these other architects' concerning the exterior treatment of such buildings.

Prior to the Park Building's design, Cleveland's commercial buildings tended to be much more elaborate in their exterior treatment. The Arcade (Smith & The Park Building is one of two large commercial buildings in the downtown area designed by Barnum. of skyscraper design, the Park Building's design appears to be more functional and less ornate than its to retail use. This early concept was evidently revised before the design was finalized Page devoted to insurance offices."The taller ceilings and bay windows were evidently designed to facilitate Williamson B.Post)and the Rockefeller & Natlonal Park Service Park Bullding, Cleveland, Oh1o innovation was perhaps facilitated by the use of reinforced concrete for the structure, eliminating the need for wood trusses that would have interfered with space inside the top floor.

An elaborate cornice atop the Park Building would also have interfered with lighting the interior, as large windows would have been usable floor space complete with adequately sized windows. The building was erected for the Park Investment Company, formed by Truman M. Swetland, manager of 1912 they erected the Swetland Building, a tall commercial block at 1010 Euclid Avenue, just east of East 9th Street. Next door, to the east, the family erected the Truman Building in 1921, named for Truman M. standing in downtown Cleveland and are in good condition. The Park Building remains under the ownership of the Swetland intcrests, who maintain offices for the building in their original location, in the example, in the mid 1920's the following had local headquarters in the building: The Minneapolis and St.

Louis, the Lehigh Valley, the Missouri Pacific, the Wabash, the Mlinois Central and the Delaware Lackawanna and Western. Later railroad offices included Central of New Jersey, the Pullman Company and the Reading Railroad unusual for an office building, with most of its interior spaces in largely original condition. It is also unusual in that the original architcctural, mcchanical and steel drawings, together with the specifications, are preserved in its files. site and took a prominent storefront space when the building was completed. He was joined in the the Swculand Candy Company. His company had previously operated out of a cramped storefront on this difficult to work into the design. By simplifying the cornice, the architects were able to gain additional means of a low ninth floor ceiling that slopes inward toward its center to provide for roof drainage. This Swetland.

Thcy also crected the Frederick Building on East 4th Street in 1912. These buildings are all century commercial block would have several main stories and then an attic space formed by a slightly Section nutber The building survives in a fine state of preservation, with its exterior almost completely intact and, most P.02 western end of the ninth floor.Its office tenancy featured transportation companies for many years. For The Swetland family were prominent in developing downtown Cleveland after the tum of the century.In enterprise of erecting this building by R.H.& A.H. Swetland,J.G.W. Cowles and Hector Pennington. sloping roof draining toward the rear. The Park Building makes use of the"attic level for offices by ..

The rest of the file

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

Major Bibliographical References Cleveland, Case Western Reserve University, 1987. Ohio Historic Inventory form #CUY-3180-1 prepared by Frantz/Keiser Sanborn Map & Publishing Co., various dates Rose, William G., Cleveland: The Making of aCity- ] See continuation sheet Previous documentation on file (NPS): N/A -preliminary determination of individual listing (36 CFR 67) Primary location of additional data: previously listed in the National Register 3Other State agency J Federal agency designated a National Historic Landmark recorded by Historic American Buildings Record # 10. Geographical Data less than one 11. Form Prepared By Robert C. Gaede, FAIA, and Steven McQuillin name/title - organization - __ date. 820 Superior Ave., N.

W., Suite 100 (216) 241-3339 city or town -_ State _ zip code University Other Gaede Serne Architects UTM References Boundary Justification Local government Verbal Boundary Description Cleveland City Building Permit files The boundaries of the nomianted property are based on the parcels historically assoicated The nominated property consists of the lot at the southeast corner of Public Square and Specify repository: Acreage of property Northing September 1994 recorded by Historic American Engineering has been requested Survey # with the property. original blueprints of the building inthe possession of the owner Zone Easting Grabowski, John and Van Tassell, David, eds., Encyclopedia of Cleveland History- Sanborn Map & Publishing Company, Insurance Maps of Cleveland, Ohio. New York: previousiy determined eligible by the National Register Ontarior Avenue in the city of Cleveland, Ohio.

_ telephone Zone 44113 Cleveland newspaper clippings and historical photographs in the possession of the owner street & number Ohio NPS Form 10-900-a OMB Approval No. 1024-0018 Section number - subject to the following exceptions, exclusions, or amendments, Page Continuation Sheet DISTRIBUTION: in the nomination documentation. Park Building Nominating Authority (without nomination attachment) Amended Items in Nomination: notwithstanding the National Park Service certification included SUPPLEMENTARY LISTING RECORD Places in accordance with the attached nomination documentation Property Name: Signature of the Keeper In Section 8 of the form under Significant Person a name has been Multiple Name changes and the form is officially amended.

United States Department of the Interior This property is listed in the National Register of Historic National Register property file National Park Service National Register of Historic Places County: entered;the property is not being nominated under Criterion entered; since this is outside of the defined Period of Date of Action State: Significance, it will be deleted. The SHPO agrees with these (8-86) Cuyahoga so this name will be deleted.Under Significant Dates,1929 is Park Building, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio SOUTHWORTH BLDG HISTORIC DISTRICT (N.R.) Cleveland, Ohio 1986 Library Hotel BLDG May Federal HIGH ST. PARK EUCLID AVE. BP America Dillards PROSPECT AVE. THE MALL showing location of the 4TH ST. SUPERIOR AVE. ROCKWELL AVE. Park and Southworth Bldgs. Map of Public Square Area courtesy Commercial Survey Co. Sailors Mon.

Tower City Center A-Society Bank (N.R.) Soldiers and North Court House Map #7382-C Society Center EVALUATION/RETURN SHEET NAME : DATE OF 16TH DAY: DATE OF 45TH DAY: NOMINATOR: STATE REASONS FOR REVIEW: N PDIL: N PROGRAM UNAPPROVED: COMMENT WAIVER: N ABSTRACT/SUMMARY COMMENTS : DATE REJECT TELEPHONE 6/14/96 5/17/96 RETURN MULTIPLE 7/01/96 ACCEPT PERIOD: OTHER: NATIONAL PARK SERVICE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR see attached SLR NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES DATE RECEIVED: DATE OF WEEKLY LIST: DOCUMENTATION see attached comments Y/N STATE & COUNTY: OHIO, Cuyahoga REQUESTED ACTION: NOMINATION CHOPSTIOKS 2025 Augwe 1994 OHPO PB-1 OHPO PB-4 OHPO Park blds. NATURALIZER Cleveland, Ohoo PB-5 Soun DHPO Park Blds. PB.7 1994. Park Blds. ear end of sowh 1999. OHPO PB-9 OHPO PARK BUILDING OHPO PB-10 1994. Stun Me Quillin I ph. OHPO PB-12 MeQmillis, ph. PB-13 OHPO Park Blds.

1994 nonh Clvelad Park Blds.owit Park Blds. Park Blds. PARTMENTS THE MAY CO. Augur 1999 PB-17 PARK BUILDING P B-18 CLEVELAND SOUTH QUADRANGLE UNITED STATES CLEVELAND SOUTH, OHIO DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR COMMERCIAL SURVEY CO. OHIO-CUYAHOGA CO 77-3995 75 MINUTE SERIES (TOPOGRAPHIC) 4593160 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 17-442150-