Bryant Building
National Register of Historic Places

Bryant Building

Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio
Listed
December 11, 2014
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
14001051

About this property

The Bryant Building is a historic retail building located in Cleveland, Ohio, in the United States. The building, designed by the prominent local architectural firm of Christian, Schwarzenburg and Gaede, was constructed by Mall Motor Co. as their new salesroom and service center, and was completed in 1921. The structure was purchased by Bryant Motor Co. in 1922. The structure was added to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) on December 11, 2014. The Mall Motor Co. was an automobile dealership located in Cleveland, Ohio. In the fall of 1920, Mall Motor Co. purchased a long on the north side of Superior Avenue between E. 12th and E. 13th Streets. Located at what is now 1261 Superior Avenue, the lot had a frontage of 120 feet (37 m) on Superior Avenue, and extended 160 feet (49 m) into the heart of the block. By December, Mall Motor Co. had hired the locally prominent architectural firm of Christian, Schwarzenburg and Gaede to design a $250,000 ($4,000,000 in 2025 dollars) structure consisting of a basement and two above-ground stories. Construction would include a brick foundation, steel frame, reinforced concrete walls and floors, and brick interior walls. The structure would also have steam heat. The $250,000 ($4,500,000 in 2025 dollars) contract for the building was let in April 1921. Local building firm Lundoff Bicknell & Co. was the general contractor, and provided brick, carpentry, and masonry work as well. The heating system was designed, manufactured, and installed by Warden & Lease; the plumbing system by Euclid Avenue Plumbing Co.; and the cooling system by Lee H. Gould. At some point between December 1920 and July 1921, another lot about 140 feet (43 m) deep and about 60 feet (18 m) wide was purchased at the rear of the 1261 Superior. The building rose swiftly, and was completed by the end of April 1921. The finished building extended from Superior Avenue to Rockwell Avenue. it featured a 3,780-square-foot (351 m2) salesroom with 16-foot (4.9 m) high ceilings and six glass-paneled garage doors on the Superior Avenue side of the building. A mezzanine with offices overlooked the sales room. The sales area also featured restrooms specifically set aside for female patrons. Behind the salesroom was a 46,000-square-foot (4,300 m2) service area and garage. This area featured a lounge and showers for employee use. Mall Motor Co. formally opened the structure on July 24, 1921. Mall Motor Co. sold the building to the Bryant Motor Co. in September 1922. At some point in the 20th century, 17,700 square feet (1,640 m2) of garage at the rear of the building was demolished.

Location

1261 Superior Ave.
Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio
41.50211, -81.68564

Categories

COMMERCE
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Bryant Building

This page lists Bryant Building. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Bryant Building report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Euclid Avenue Historic District
Civil War
0.1 mi
Hotel Statler
Industrial
0.1 mi
Union Club
Civil War
0.1 mi
East Ohio Building, The
Industrial
0.1 mi
Medical Centre Building
Industrial
0.1 mi

Questions about this property

When was Bryant Building listed on the National Register?

Bryant Building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 11, 2014.

What type of historic resource is Bryant Building?

Bryant Building is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Bryant Building?

The period of significance for Bryant Building is recorded as the industrial era, specifically around 1921.

Can I research the history near Bryant Building?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Bryant Building will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Cuyahoga County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Cuyahoga County.

Explore CuyahogaCounty ›

More historic places in Ohio

Browse all historic places in Ohio.

View Ohiohistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Ohio history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Ohiohistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Bryant Building will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report