The embassy represents the interests of Croatia and Croatian citizens in the United States and conducts the majority of diplomatic work on such interests within the U.S.
The building was the Embassy of Austria, which vacated it for larger quarters, and sold the structure to Croatia in 1993. About half of the $2.5 million purchase price of the building was raised from within the Croatian-American community; another $700,000 was raised for renovations by the Croatian-American community of Cleveland. Some 400 volunteers donated time, materials and skills to aid in the renovation, too. In front of the embassy is a large sculpture of St. Jerome by Croatian sculptor Ivan Meštrović.[4]