Cleveland Architect Database
The Cleveland Architects Database is a listing of architects and master builders that have worked in Cleveland, since the 1820s and the buildings they designed here and abroad up to and including the 1970s. Sources include City of Cleveland Building Permits, professional publications including American Architect and Builder News, Inland Architect, Interstate Architect, the Ohio Architect and Builder, the Annals of Cleveland, the Plain Dealer, the Leader, the Press, Material Facts, the Bystander, and Cleveland Town Topics. Additional source material reviewed at the Cleveland Public Library Fine Arts Department, various books on Cleveland architecture, the American Institute of Architects Guide to Cleveland Architecture and a catalogue of architectural drawings maintained by the Western Reserve Historical Society were consulted. The Cleveland Necrology file maintained by the Cleveland Public Library, the United States Census, and Cleveland City Directories were reviewed in compiling accompanying biographies.
For this database, an architect is defined as anyone that identified himself or herself as an architect. Generally, these people had an office in the city or designed multiple structures here or in the immediate surrounding cities. This project began as a hobby by Robert Keiser over several years. Craig Bobby has researched many of the entries and donated photographs of those buildings. This is an ongoing project and will be updated on a regular basis. PLEASE NOTE: All entries have not been fully researched and require citations. Please confirm any unsourced entry
Architects
Ockert & Teare (firm)
| Building Name | Address | Built | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| William E. Caldwell Residence | 2947 Brighton Road, Shaker Heights, OH | 1923-4 | Standing |
| Charles King Residence | 19100 Shelburne Road, Shaker Heights, OH | 1929 | Standing |
| Residence for Joseph Gottfried | 3005 Montgomery Road, Shaker Heights, OH | 1930 | Standing |
| E. W. Snyder Residence | 3321 Parkland Drive, Shaker Heights, OH | 1931 | Standing |
| Clark's Restaurant | East 55th and Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH | 1933 | Demolished |
| Clark's Restaurant | 1007 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH | 1937 | Standing |
Ockert, Paul (architect)
Biography
Ockert is listed as an architect beginning in the 1927 Cleveland City Directory. From 1932 until 1938 he and George W. Teare, were members of the firm of Ockert & Teare.
| Building Name | Address | Built | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Residence | 2947 Brighton Road, Shaker Heights, OH | 1923 | Standing |
| Residence | 3026 Warrington Road, Shaker Heights, OH | 1923 | Standing |
| Residence | 3040 Warrington Road, Shaker Heights, OH | 1923 | Standing |
| Residence | 2961 Manchester Road, Shaker Heights, OH | 1925 | Standing |
| Residence | 3000 Warrington Road, Shaker Heights, OH | 1925 | Standing |
Osborn Engineering Company (firm)
Biography
Osborn Engineering Company, Cleveland's oldest engineering firm, was founded on July 1, 1892, by Frank C. Osborn, formerly the chief engineer for Cleveland's King Bridge Co. Osborn's new company offered a wide range of services, including the designs, plans, estimates, and construction supervision for roofs, buildings bridges, railways, and highways. Such diversity enabled the Osborn Co.- Civil Engineers to survive the severe economic depression of the 1890s. It was incorporated on May 16, 1900, as the Osborn Engineering Company. During its first 4 decades, Osborn built its reputation as the "stadium designers for the Nation". By the time of its selection as the project engineer for Cleveland Municipal Stadium in 1928, the company had designed more than 75 sports facilities, including New York's Yankee Stadium, Boston's Fenway Park, and Chicago's Comiskey Park. Osborn has continued to design stadiums, working on projects for professional sports teams, major universities, racetracks, fairgrounds, high schools, and municipalities. As early as 1959, Osborn Engineering had completed a design for domed stadiums. In 1958, the company was looking for a broader market for its services, particularly as domestic industrial construction and plant expansion decreased. It turned its attention toward domestic firms that were expanding their operations into international markets. The company designed factories for locations in South Africa, France, Saudi Arabia, and South America. This expansion enabled Osborn to recover from a postwar decline; in 1963 it began hiring additional employees. Business remained strong throughout the 1960s. As engineering became more competitive in the 1970s, Osborn expanded its range of services by forming partnerships. In 1971 it created Osborn Engineers Architects & Planners, and in 1974 both Osborn Co. Architects-Engineers and Osborn Co. Consulting Engineers. The company remains based in Cleveland with offices in the Penton Media Building.
| Building Name | Address | Built | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania Portland Cement | New Castle, PA | 1904 | Unknown |
| Washington Carbon Company | Clarksburg, WV | 1904 | Unknown |
| Bay View Foundry | Sandusky, OH | 1907 | Unknown |
| Lincoln Stone Works | Lorain, OH | 1907 | Unknown |
| Powerhouse and Machine Shop for the Rauch & Lang Carriage Company | 2191-5 West 26th Street, Cleveland, OH | 1907 | Standing |
| White Company | St. Clair near Broad Avenue, Cleveland, OH | 1907 | Unknown |
| American Seeding Machine Compay | Richmond, IN | 1908 | Unknown |
| Addition for the Rauch & Lang Carriage Company | 2161-5 West 26th Street, Cleveland, OH | 1909 | Standing |
| Addition for the Rauch & Lang Carriage Company | 2181 West 26th Street, Cleveland, OH | 1909 | Standing |
| League Park | 6601 Lexington Avenue, Cleveland, OH | 1909 | Partially Demolished |
| Machine Shop Addition for the Rauch & Lang Carriage Company | 2203 West 26th Street, Cleveland, OH | 1909 | Standing |
| Wooster Brush Works Manufacturing Plant and Powerplant | Wooster, OH | 1909 | Unknown |
| Griffith Stadium | 2041 Georgia Avenue, Washington, DC | 1911 | Demolished |
| Polo Grounds | New York, NY | 1911 | Demolished |
| Fenway Park | 4 Yawkey Way, Boston, MA | 1912 | Standing |
| Tiger Stadium | 2121 Trumbull, Detroit, MI | 1912 | Demolished |
| Cleveland Akron Bag Company | 1860-86 East 40th Street, Cleveland, OH | 1914 | Standing |
| American Malleable Castings | Marion, OH | 1915 | Unknown |
| Ashland Tire and Rubber | Ashland, OH | 1915 | Unknown |
| Braves Field | 285 Babcock Street, Boston, MA | 1915 | Partially Demolished |
| Century Rubber Works | Chicago, IL | 1915 | Unknown |
| Fruitless Rubber Company | Ashland, OH | 1915 | Unknown |
| National Tool Company | 11200 Madison Avenue, Cleveland, OH | 1917 | Standing |
| National Tool Company Offices | West 112th Street and Madison Avenue, Cleveland, OH | 1918 | Standing |
| Kansas City Municipal Stadium | 2123 Brooklyn Avenue, Kansas City, MO | 1923 | Demolished |
| Yankee Stadium | New York, NY | 1923 | Demolished |
| Memorial Stadium | Minneapolis, MN | 1924 | Standing |
| Ross-Ade Stadium | 850 Steven Beering Drive, West Lafayette, IN | 1924 | Standing |
| University of Michigan Stadium | 1201 S. Main Street, Ann Arbor, MI | 1927 | Standing |
| Cleveland Municipal Stadium (demolished) | Cleveland, OH | 1928 | Demolished |
| Notre Dame Stadium | South Bend, IN | 1929 | Standing |
| St. Wendelin Parish Hall | 2275 Columbus Road, Cleveland, OH | 1936 | Standing |
Sources
Encyclopedia of Cleveland History
Wikipedia.com
Image Source(s): Craig Bobby
Otis, Calvin (architect)
Biography
Calvin N. Otis was born in Spafford, New York. He worked out of Geneva, New York, then Buffalo, and later moved to Cuba, New York. He was known mostly for churches. In Cleveland he designed Grace Church (demolished) at 1250 Bolivar Road. He served in the Civil War and was promoted to the rank of Brevet Brigadier General.
| Building Name | Address | Built | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trinity Episcopal Church | 518-30 South Main Street, Geneva, NY | 1841-4 | Standing |
| Grace Church | 848 Huron Road, Cleveland, OH | 1846-7 | Demolished |
| Mariner's Church | 170 East Jefferson Street, Detroit, MI | 1849 | Standing |
| St. Paul Episcopal Church | 309 South Jackson, Jackson, MI | 1852-3 | Standing |
| St. John Episcopal Church | Bull Street, Savannah, GA | 1874 | Standing |
Oviatt, Arthur (architect)
Biography
Arthur N. Oviatt was born in North Dover, Ohio. He was educated in North Dover and Lakewood schools, graduating from Lakewood High School. He studied architecture in several offices in Cleveland. He worked as a draftsman for the firm of Hardway & Williams from 1889-1891. He is listed in Cleveland as an architect with his own practice beginning with the 1891-2 City Directory. A longtime friend of the Cleveland Public Library, he completed a handwritten index of the Ohio Architect and Builder that is found in the Fine Arts Department of the Main Library. He retired to Hollywood, Florida in 1950 and is buried in Fort Lauderdale.
| Building Name | Address | Built | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Double Residence for Henry Cannon | 2648-50 East 93rd Street, Cleveland, OH | 1890-1 | Demolished |
| Assembly Hall for St. James Church | 5605 Whittier Avenue, Cleveland, OH | 1891 | Standing |
| Residence for Will P. Todd | 1933 East 69th Street, Cleveland, OH | 1891 | Demolished |
| W. H. Knowles Residence | 1831 East 63rd Street, Cleveland, OH | 1891 | Demolished |
| Emma Thompson Residence | 1886 East 71st Street, Cleveland, OH | 1892 | Standing |
| Henry Boesger Residence | 13334 Bellflower Road, Cleveland, OH | 1892 | Demolished |
| Howard Lee Residence | 1925 East 84th Street, Cleveland, OH | 1892 | Demolished |
| Arthur Garford Residence | 509 West Washington Street, Elyria, OH | 1893 | Standing |
| H. D. Burns Residence | 11601 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH | 1893 | Demolished |
| J. J. Purcell Residence | 2237 East 89th Street, Cleveland, OH | 1893 | Standing |
| Arthur N. Oviatt Residence | 1812 Crawford, Cleveland, OH | 1893-4 | Demolished |
| Bath House at Edgewater Park | 8000 Edgewater Parkway, Cleveland, OH | 1894 | Demolished |
| Edward W. Moore Residence | 11129 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH | 1894 | Demolished |
| Howard Gates Residence | 4248 West 35th Street, Cleveland, OH | 1894 | Standing |
| Residence for E. Jenkins | 11224 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH | 1894 | Demolished |
| Residence for John Smyth | 1428 East 84th Street, Cleveland, OH | 1894 | Standing |
| Addition to Bath House at Edgewater Park | 8000 Edgewater Parkway, Cleveland, OH | 1895 | Demolished |
| Frame Dwelling for Real Estate and Building Co. | 11440 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH | 1895 | Demolished |
| Frame Dwelling for Real Estate and Building Co. | 11452 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH | 1895 | Demolished |
| Residence for Arthur Oviatt | 1832 Crawford Road, Cleveland, OH | 1895 | Demolished |
| Residence for Arthur Oviatt | 1834 Crawford Road, Cleveland, OH | 1895 | Demolished |
| Residence for Harrison T. Chandler | 1866 East 97th Street, Cleveland, OH | 1895 | Demolished |
| Residence for Real Estate & Building Company | 11448 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH | 1895 | Demolished |
| Residence for W. H. Knowles | 1831 East 63rd Street, Cleveland, OH | 1895 | Demolished |
| St. Luke's Evangelical Lutheran Church | 2124 West 85th Street, Cleveland, OH | 1895 | Demolished |
| Store, Office and Apartments for Baker and Foster - Lorain, Ohio | 1812-8 East 28th Street, South Lorain, OH | 1895 | Demolished |
| Adams Residence | 8935 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH | 1896 | Demolished |
| Drawing Rooms for the Century Club in the New England Building | 601-35 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH | 1896 | Unknown |
| Methodist Episcopal Church | 4200 Pearl Road, Cleveland, OH | 1896 | Demolished |
| Music Hall and Dance Academy for G. E. Collins | 5107-11 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH | 1896 | Demolished |
| B. W. Haskins Residence | 2039 East 100th Street, Cleveland, OH | 1896-7 | Demolished |
| Henry Harlow Residence | 1898 East 105th Street, Cleveland, OH | 1897 | Demolished |
| Residence for Real Estate & Building Company | 11434 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH | 1897 | Demolished |
| Residence for Real Estate & Building Company | 11444 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH | 1897 | Demolished |
| Edward W. Moore Residence | 7960 Garfield Road, Mentor, OH | 1897-1900 | Standing |
| Henry Chandler Residence | 10007 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH | 1898 | Demolished |
| Residence for George Collings | 1851 Crawford Road, Cleveland, OH | 1898 | Demolished |
| Residence for Knight & Richardson | 11318 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH | 1898 | Demolished |
| William Janders Residence | 1899 East 84th Street, Cleveland, OH | 1898 | Standing |
| Residence for Fulton Building Company | 2034 East 88th Street, Cleveland, OH | 1899 | Demolished |
| Residence for Fulton Building Company | 8706 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH | 1899 | Demolished |
| Addition to Howard Lee Residence | 1925 East 84th Street, Cleveland, OH | 1900 | Demolished |
| Henry Boesger Residence | 11338 Bellflower Road, Cleveland, OH | 1900 | Demolished |
| Residence for Frank H. Granger | 1786 East 89th Street, Cleveland, OH | 1900 | Standing |
| Samuel Grossman Residence | 25900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH | 1900 | Demolished |
| O. P. Clay Residence | 12401 Coit Avenue, Cleveland, OH | 1901 | Standing |
| J. B. Roberts Residence | 17863 Lake Avenue, Lakewood, OH | 1902 | Standing |
| Edward Rogers Stables | 1883 East 84th Street, Cleveland, OH | 1903 | Standing |
| George P. McKay Residence | 17880 Lake Avenue, Lakewood, OH | 1904 | Standing |
| Residence | 2025 Chestnut Hills, Cleveland, OH | 1904 | Demolished |
| Residence for E. B. Browne | Euclid Heights, Cleveland Heights, OH | 1905 | Demolished |
| F. A. Glidden Residence | 17840 Lake Road, Lakewood, OH | 1906 | Standing |
| Residence for C. V. Brown | University Road, Cleveland, OH | 1907 | Demolished |
| Protestant Episcopal Church of the Incarnation | 616 East 105th Street, Cleveland, OH | 1908-9 | Standing |
| Residence | 11418 Ashbury Avenue, Cleveland, OH | 1909 | Standing |
| Augusta and Edna Wooley Residence | 15222 Grovewood Avenue, Cleveland, OH | 1916 | Standing |
| Dellhurst | Mentor, OH | n.d. | Demolished |
| Devereaux Place | Mentor, OH | n.d. | Demolished |
| H. B. Van Cleve Residence | Mentor, OH | n.d. | Demolished |
| Henry Everett Residence | Mentor, OH | n.d. | Demolished |
| Horace Andrews Summer Home "Primrose Hill" | Mentor, OH | n.d. | Demolished |
| Newel Place | Mentor, OH | n.d. | Demolished |
Sources
"Architect A. N. Oviatt Dies at 93 in Florida." The Plain Dealer, January 3, 1960.
Cleveland City Directory
Cleveland Public Library Digital Gallery
Lake County Historical Society Quarterly September 1977 v. 19 no. 3
Progressive Men of Northern Ohio, p. 221
Owen, William (architect)
Biography
William C. Owen was born in East Liverpool, Ohio. He became president of Owen Tire and Rubber. The engineering company designed several factories for rubber companies in the late teens. He resided at 2177 Chatfield Road in Cleveland Heights in the 1930 US Census and in Portage County, Ohio at the time of his death.
| Building Name | Address | Built | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adamson Residence | East Palestine, OH | 1917 | Demolished |
| ALA Tire Company | 59 East Elizabeth Street, Detroit, MI | 1917 | Demolished |
| Boone Tire Company Addition | Sycamore, IL | 1917 | Demolished |
| East Palestine Rubber Company | East Palestine, OH | 1917 | Demolished |
| First Christian Church | East Palestine, OH | 1917 | Demolished |
| George Blackburn Residence | LaGrange Avenue, Cleveland, OH | 1917 | Demolished |
| George R. Blackburn Residence | La Grange Avenue, Cleveland, OH | 1917 | Demolished |
| Mason Tire and Rubber Company | Kent, OH | 1917 | Demolished |
| Pearce Tire and Rubber Company | Ashtabula, OH | 1917 | Demolished |
| Residence for G. B. Babcock | 14921 Shore Acres, Cleveland, OH | 1917 | Demolished |
| Commercial - Residential Building for A.D. Smith | Akron, OH | 1918 | Demolished |
| Owen Tire Company | Bedford, OH | 1918 | Demolished |
| Howard Courts | Taylor Road, Cleveland, OH | 1929 | Demolished |
| Residence | 18111 Lomard, Cleveland, OH | 1929 | Standing |
Sources
Cleveland City Directories
Death Certificate