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Birth / Established: 1879
Death / Dissolved: 1881

Biography

This architectural firm included Joseph Blackburn and Nevins Charlot. It was in existence between 1879 and 1881 with offices in the Perkins Building.

Building Name Address Built Status
J. J. Cartright Mausoleum in Riverside Cemetery 3607 Pearl Road, Cleveland, OH 1879 Standing
Chisholm Steel Shovel Building 1580 East 40th Street, Cleveland, OH 1880 Standing
Cleveland Baking Company 2035 Ontario Street (Rear), Cleveland, OH 1880 Demolished
Cleveland Provision Company 2130 East 4th Street, Cleveland, OH 1880 Demolished
Commercial Building for Marshall Shay Pearl Street, Cleveland, OH 1880 Demolished
Cummins Block 143-5 South Main Street, Marion, OH 1880 Demolished
Dwelling for Isaac Reynolds 3522 Cedar Avenue, Cleveland, OH 1880 Demolished
Garfield Residence Remodeling 8095 Mentor Avenue, Mentor, OH 1880 Standing
Norman Chamberlain Residence 1936 East 79th Street, Cleveland, OH 1880 Demolished
William Stanley Residence 4208 Clinton Avenue, Cleveland, OH 1880 Demolished
Brush Electric 1801 East 43rd Street, Cleveland, OH 1881 Standing
Stephen Howland Residence 5815 Longfellow Avenue, Cleveland, OH 1881 Demolished
W.P. Southworth Carriage House 3334 Prospect Avenue, Cleveland, OH 1881 Standing

Sources

Image Source(s): Craig Bobby

Birth / Established: February 3, 1857
Death / Dissolved: March 5, 1942

Biography

Clarence H. Blackall of Boston, Massachusetts was in partnership with local architect George M. Page from 1903 to 1908 in the firm Blackall & Page, but never lived in Cleveland. He was chairman of the Boston Chamber of Commerce. In Boston he was the architect of Bowdoin Square Theater, Scolley Square Theater, the Wilbur Theater, and the U.S. Trust Company. His firm also designed the Alpha Tau Omega house, the University of Illinois Auditorium, and completed the campus plan for the University of Illinois at Champaign -Urbana.

Sources

Cleveland Town Topics 12.2.1908 50:17; 12.19.1908 51:4
Cleveland Town Topics Dec 12, 1908, 50:7
Cleveland Town Topics Dec 19, 1908, 51:14

Birth / Established: 1902
Death / Dissolved: 1913

Biography

This firm was opened in 1902 with offices in the Scofield Building. It is listed in Cleveland City Directories until 1913. Clarence Blackall remained in Boston while George Page lived and worked in Cleveland.

Building Name Address Built Status
William A. Harshaw Residence 11440 Juniper Drive, Cleveland, OH 1902 Demolished
Second German Baptist Church 1643 East 55th Street, Cleveland, OH 1904 Standing
Two residences on Lincoln Avenue near Euclid East 83rd Street, Cleveland, OH 1904 Demolished
Antioch Baptist Church Central Ave & East 24th, Cleveland, OH 1905 Demolished
Commercial Building for German Baptist Publication Society 1706 East 38th Street, Cleveland, OH 1905 Standing
Keemar Terrace 10079-99 Keemar Court, Cleveland, OH 1905 Demolished
Office building for Ohio Ceramic Engineering Cleveland, OH 1905 Demolished
Terrace for C. E. Adams Republic Street, Cleveland, OH 1905 Demolished
Terrace for H. S. Janes East 83rd Street, Cleveland, OH 1905 Demolished
American Auto Club Store and Garage St. Clair & Ontario, Cleveland, OH 1907 Demolished
Ben T. Quilling Residence 1575 East 108th Street, Cleveland, OH 1908 Standing

Sources

Cleveland Town Topics 12.2.1908 50:17; 12.19.1908 51:4
Cleveland Town Topics Dec 12, 1908, 50:7
Cleveland Town Topics Dec 19, 1908, 51:14
Image Source(s): Craig Bobby

Birth / Established: April 19, 1862
Death / Dissolved: May 5, 1945

Biography

Riley Austin Bissell was raised in Medina County, Ohio. He was listed as a Cleveland architect in Cleveland City Directories from 1893 to 1901. In the 1910 census he was living in Tacoma, Washington where he was employed as a contractor. In 1920 he had moved to Oakland, California where he was employed at a shipyard. He died in Oakland in 1945.

Building Name Address Built Status
Christ Koblenzer Residence 1905 Brainard Avenue, Cleveland, OH 1894 Standing
Lillian Towslee Residence 8118 Carnegie Avenue, Cleveland, OH 1895 Demolished
L. Barger Residence 8514 Wade Park Ave, Cleveland, OH 1896 Demolished
Residence for Lillian Towslee 1431 East 85th Street, Cleveland, OH 1899 Demolished
Residence for Lillian Towslee 7417 Carnegie Avenue, Cleveland, OH 1899 Demolished
Charles Miller Residence 1449 East 24th Street, Cleveland, OH 1901 Demolished

Sources

1910 Census - Washington - Pierce County - Tacoma - Supervisors District 2, Enumeration District 265, Sheet 4B
1920 Census - California - Alameda County - Oakland - Supervisors District 5, Enumeration District 114, Sheet 6A, Visitation 134
California Death Index

Birth / Established: March 1, 1871
Death / Dissolved: December 10, 1930

Biography

Frederic H. Betz was appointed as the City's first architect. He had worked for Hubbell & Benes for twenty years, where he worked on the design of the West Side Market. As City Architect, he designed the original plans for Public Hall and later additions. He resigned because of poor health before Public Hall was completed. He lived in Bay Village and is buried in Riverside Cemetery.

Building Name Address Built Status
Woodland Hills Park Comfort Station Woodland Hills, Cleveland, OH 1913 Demolished
Cottage Ward Sunny Acres Hospital, Warrensville, OH 1917 Demolished
Central Avenue Public Bath House 2522 Central Avenue, Cleveland, OH 1919-20 Standing
St. Clair Avenue Bath House 6250 St. Clair Avenue, Cleveland, OH 1919-21 Standing
Cleveland Public Auditorium 500 Lakeside Avenue, Cleveland, OH 1920-29 Standing
Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church 2325 Forestdale Avenue, Cleveland, OH 1925-6 Standing
Edgewater Bathhouse Cleveland, OH n.d. Demolished
Recreation Hall and Bath House at Gordon Park Cleveland, OH n.d. Unbuilt
Wade Park Boat House Cleveland, OH n.d. Demolished

Sources

Obituary - News December 10, 1930
Obituary - Plain Dealer December 11, 1930

Birth / Established: October 13, 1893
Death / Dissolved: August 28, 1969

Biography

Fred Betker was Polish-born. He was identified as both architect and general contractor in Cleveland City Directories. He lived at 907 Cambridge in Cleveland Heights.

Building Name Address Built Status
Residence 1024 Nelaview Road, Cleveland Heights, OH 1924 Standing
Residence 2590 Shaker Road, Cleveland Heights, OH 1926 Standing
Residence 917 Cambridge Road, Cleveland Heights, OH 1927 Standing
Residence 923 Cambridge Road, Cleveland Heights, OH 1927 Standing
Residence 911 Cambridge Road, Cleveland Heights, OH 1928 Standing
Residence 915  Cambridge Road, Cleveland Heights, OH 1928 Standing
Residence 911 Cambridge Road, Cleveland Heights, OH 1929 Unbuilt
Residence 907 Cambridge Road, Cleveland Heights, OH 1931 Standing
Residence 13427 Cedar Road, Cleveland Heights, OH 1947 Standing

Sources

Cleveland City Directories
Cleveland Necrology file
Kara Hamley O'Donnell, City of Cleveland Heights

Birth / Established: April 10, 1879
Death / Dissolved: August 18, 1945

Biography

Karl Best was listed in Cleveland City Directories beginning in 1919. He was a member of the firm of Best & Hoefler from 1920 until 1929. He died in Mount Dora, Florida.

Building Name Address Built Status
Residence 17929 Sherrington Road, Shaker Heights, OH 1928 Standing
Dunk Donuts 11600 Detroit Avenue, Cleveland, OH 1935 Standing
Machine Shop and Boiler Room Addition for the Star Machine and Tool Co. 9320 Woodland Avenue, Cleveland, OH 1937 Standing

Sources

Cleveland City Directories
Image Source(s): Craig Bobby

Birth / Established: 1920
Death / Dissolved: 1927

Biography

Cleveland architectural firm with Karl Best and Edward G. Hoefler as its principals. They had offices in the Keith Building.

Building Name Address Built Status
Blue Valley Creamery Office 1802-06 East 47th Street, Cleveland, OH 1920 Standing
Garage 65X130 Orange Ave, Cleveland, OH 1920 Demolished
Templar Farrell Motor Sales 3134 Prospect Avenue, Cleveland, OH 1921 Standing
Residence for S.M. Schulz 2665 Endicott Road, Shaker Heights, OH 1921 Standing
E.M. Kaufmann Residence 2646 Endicott Road, Shaker Heights, OH 1922 Standing
Joseph A. Kysela Residence 2720 Wicklow Road, Shaker Heights, OH 1922 Standing
Residence for Albert Metzger 2573 Coventry Road, Shaker Heights, OH 1922 Standing
Gray's Armory addition 1234  Bolivar Road, Cleveland, OH 1922-3 Standing
Residence for Albert Metzger 2555 Coventry Road, Shaker Heights, OH 1923 Standing
Residence for Albert Metzger 2561 Coventry Road, Shaker Heights, OH 1923 Standing
Mrs. Ardis Skusa Residence 3675 Rawnsdale Road, Shaker Heights, OH 1928 Standing
Birth / Established: June 14, 1857
Death / Dissolved: May 15, 1935

Biography

W. Dominick Benes was born in Prague, Austrian Empire and was ethnically Bohemian. His family immigrated to America in 1866, first settling in Chicago and then moving to Cleveland. He was educated in the public schools of Prague and Cleveland. He went to work for his uncle, architect Jon V. Benes of Chicago. After returning to Cleveland he worked for Andrew Mitermiler from 1873 to 1876. He went on to work for the firm of Coburn and Barnum. He later became a partner in the firm of Coburn, Barnum & Benes that eventually became Coburn, Barnum, Benes & Hubbell. After Forrest Coburn's death, Hubbell and Benes formed their own partnership. He was Jeptha H. Wade III's personal architect. He designed the interior of the Wade yacht, and the music room of the Wade home at Euclid and East 40th Street. That relationship eventually led to the commissions for the Wade Memorial Chapel at Lakeview Cemetery, the Wade Residences in the Wade Allotment and Gates Mills, and the Cleveland Museum of Art. He retired to an estate on North Miles Road overlooking the Chagrin River Valley where he devoted himself to his hobby of flower culture. He died in the Cleveland Clinic and was cremated.

Building Name Address Built Status
James Cole Residence 2221 East 40th Street, Cleveland, OH 1894 Demolished
Residence for James Cole Case Avenue, Cleveland, OH 1894 Demolished
Residence for Mrs. M. Karda 4919 Broadway, Cleveland, OH 1894 Demolished
Residence remodelling for Mary Farnam 7302 Herman Avenue, Cleveland, OH 1894 Standing
Two frame residences Grace Avenue, Lakewood, OH 1894 Unknown
Philip Ziska Residence 1674 East 82nd Street, Cleveland, OH 1894-5 Demolished
Dr. Michael A. Albl 5074 Broadway, Cleveland, OH 1895 Standing

Sources

"W.D. Benes Retired Architect is Dead"; Plain Dealer May 16, 1935
Cleveland City Directories
The Critic CPL Vertical File - Fine Arts

Birth / Established: March 22, 1871
Death / Dissolved: January 16, 1917

Biography

Edward Beier was initially a draftsman in the office of Bernard Van Develde in the 1890-97 Cleveland City Directories. He worked as the City Park Department architect. The 1909-1916 Cleveland City Directory identifies him as an architect. He lived at 3017 Chatham in Ohio City with his sister and brother-in-law. In 1905, he was a City of Cleveland architect working in the Parks Department.

Building Name Address Built Status
Residence for Michael Regan 1441 West 81st Street, Cleveland, OH 1899 Standing
Commercial-Residential Building for Frederick Geiger 2699 West 25th Street, Cleveland, OH 1901 Demolished
Two story frame dwelling for Clara and Fred Eyers 7016 West Clinton Street, Cleveland, OH 1901 Standing
Administrative Building for Cooley Farm Hudson, OH 1903 Unknown

Sources

Cleveland City Directories
Cleveland Necrology file January 18, 1917

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