A Victorian structure erected in 1885,[1] it is a seven-story building with a metal-covered Mansard roof,[2] built with brick walls and a stone foundation.

[3] Constructed by the firm of Thomas Emery's Sons,[4]: 7  Cincinnati's leading real estate developers during the 1880s, it was one of the earliest large apartment buildings erected in the city.

[2] Both the Lombardy and the Brittany were built in 1885 according to designs by Samuel Hannaford;[4]: 7  at that time, his independent architectural practice was gaining great prominence in the Cincinnati metropolitan area.

[4]: 11 Among the distinctive elements of the Lombardy's architecture are plentiful pilasters with Corinthian-style capitals, an elaborate cornice and brackets, and multiple balconies of wrought iron.

[2] Although the walls are primarily brick,[3] they are decorated with elements of sandstone,[4]: 7  along with limestone details and projections.