The Cleveland City Council now must decide whether to take up the designation, which adds layers of scrutiny to any request to alter or raze a structure.
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View full sizeThe Cleveland Landmarks Commission voted unanimously Thursday to recommend landmark status for the Stanley Block building.CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Stanley Block, one of downtown Cleveland's oldest buildings, could be the last man standing on a downtown block near the site of the city's $350 million casino.
The Cleveland Landmarks Commission voted unanimously Thursday to recommend landmark status for the building, in the path of a potential casino welcome center and parking garage.
The Cleveland City Council now must decide whether to take up the designation, which adds layers of scrutiny to any request to alter or raze a structure.
Teri Maloof Kratus told the commission that her family wants the Stanley Block at 2121 Ontario St. designated as a historic site. The Maloofs, who have owned the building for decades, recently sent a letter to state and federal preservation officials asking that the property be added to the National Register of Historic Places -- a move that would qualify it for tax credits and other assistance with redevelopment costs.
The building has long been considered historic, but George Maloof, a member of the family, objected years ago to it being placed on the registry.
Built in the 1870s, the Stanley Block is a rare stone-faced commercial building in the center city. Even after years of neglect, it remains a favorite of preservationists, who cite its history as a gathering place for labor unions, a former department store annex and a onetime F.W. Woolworth five-and-dime store. Samuel Gompers, the founder of the American Federation of Labor, spoke there in 1891.
The Stanley Block is one of two longtime buildings left in the block bounded by Prospect and High avenues and Ontario and East Second streets. The other, the Columbia Building at 112 Prospect, already is a city landmark and has a spot on the National Register of Historic Places.
Since November, companies tied to parking-lot owner Lou Frangos have acquired most of that downtown block. A company managed by Frangos bought a stake in the Stanley Block's ownership in January.
Those purchases fueled speculation that historic buildings could be demolished for a parking garage to capture traffic from the casino. On Thursday, Rock Gaming confirmed that Frangos was acting as its agent in the transactions.
Entities tied to Frangos paid more than $9 million for the properties near the casino site. Yet his many companies are plagued with financial troubles, including more than $450,000 in overdue property taxes in Cuyahoga County and defaults on two county loans, totaling more than $1.5 million.
Frangos has declined to comment about the Stanley Block. In a letter sent last month to the Landmarks Commission, he argued that "this problem building should be razed immediately." He did not appear at the commission's meeting Thursday.
It's unclear whether the Cleveland City Council will act on the landmark designation for the Stanley Block. Councilman Joe Cimperman, whose ward includes downtown, said in an interview that he needs to review the information from the Landmarks Commission and talk to the property owners and people who support the designation.
"I appreciate the attention that everyone's giving this," he said, adding, "We're going to give this matter the full attention that this deserves."
Neither the Landmarks Commission nor the Cleveland City Council has received any requests related to changing the landmark status of the Columbia Building or demolishing it, officials said Thursday.