Bryant Building facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Bryant Building
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 Location in Cleveland
Location in Ohio
Location in the United States
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| Location | 1261 Superior Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. |
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| Built | 1921 |
| Architect | Christian, Schwarzenburg and Gaede |
| NRHP reference No. | 14001051 |
| Added to NRHP | December 11, 2014 |
The Bryant Building is a historic building in Cleveland, Ohio. It was built in 1921 by the Mall Motor Co. to be their new car showroom and service center. A well-known local architecture firm, Christian, Schwarzenburg and Gaede, designed the building. In 1922, the Bryant Motor Co. bought the building.
This important building was added to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) on December 11, 2014. This means it is officially recognized as a place worth preserving because of its history.
Building the Bryant Building
The Mall Motor Co. was a car dealership in Cleveland, Ohio. In late 1920, they bought a large piece of land on Superior Avenue. This land was about 120 feet (37 meters) wide and 160 feet (49 meters) deep. It is now located at 1261 Superior Avenue.
By December 1920, Mall Motor Co. hired Christian, Schwarzenburg and Gaede to design their new building. They planned a two-story building with a basement. The cost was estimated at $250,000, which would be about $3.7 million today. The building would have a strong brick foundation and a steel frame. Its walls and floors would be made of reinforced concrete. Inside, the walls would be brick, and it would have a steam heating system.
Construction Details
The contract for building the structure was given out in April 1921. Lundoff Bicknell & Co., a local company, was the main builder. They also did the brick, carpentry, and masonry work. Other companies installed the heating, plumbing, and cooling systems. At some point, Mall Motor Co. bought more land behind the first lot. The building was built quickly and finished by the end of April 1921.
The completed building stretched from Superior Avenue to Rockwell Avenue. It had a large salesroom, about 3,780 square feet (351 square meters). This room had tall 16-foot (4.9-meter) ceilings. It also featured six glass-paneled garage doors facing Superior Avenue. A small upper floor, called a mezzanine, held offices overlooking the sales area. The salesroom even had special restrooms for women customers. Behind the salesroom was a huge service area and garage, about 46,000 square feet (4,274 square meters). This area included a lounge and showers for employees.
Mall Motor Co. officially opened the new building on July 24, 1921.
Life of the Building
Mall Motor Co. sold the building to the Bryant Motor Co. in September 1922. The building continued to be used for many years.
At some point in the 20th century, a part of the garage at the back of the building was taken down. This part was about 17,700 square feet (1,644 square meters).
New Owners and Uses
Before 1990, Cuyahoga County bought the building. They used it as the main office for their property title agency.
Around 2012, Cuyahoga County started trying to sell the building. It was about 32,000 square feet (2,973 square meters) in size. In 2016, a company called Masthead Brewing bought the building. They are a brew pub, which is a place that makes and sells its own beer, often with a restaurant.
The new owners renovated about 16,000 square feet (1,486 square meters) of the front of the building. They turned it into a restaurant space. They removed the false ceiling to show the original high ceilings. They also added seating for 250 customers. A sidewalk cafe was added outside on the Superior Avenue side. The original garage doors were kept. When these doors are open, the inside of the restaurant feels connected to the street. Masthead Brewing opened its doors in January 2017.
