Nowak, Dr. John J., House
Also known as: St. Elizabeth's Home
Why it's listed
Dr. John J. Nowak, a Buffalo-born ear, nose and throat specialist, began building this house at 5539 Broadway in Lancaster in August 1929, and his family moved in during July 1930. He lived there until his death in 1950. The two-and-one-half-story residence is faced in yellow brick and has a symmetrical three-bay facade, a gabled portico with fluted columns, brick quoins, and a roof of red barrel-form ceramic tile with elongated consoles under the eaves. Inside are eighteen rooms with oak floors and woodwork, including a dining room with walnut paneled walls and a gold leaf ceiling. The property later became a nursing home, and low one-story institutional additions extend from the south end, joined to the original tile-roofed garage. The house is recognized for its architecture as an intact, distinctive local example of Spanish Revival design, and as the only Spanish Revival building from the 1920s in the Village of Lancaster. The additions do not seriously compromise its overall character.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is significant under Criterion C for architecture as an intact, distinctive local example of Spanish Revival residential design, and the village's only Spanish Revival building from the 1920s. It keeps its period characteristics and a high degree of integrity despite additions on the south side and paving of the front yard.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 99001414, listed November 30, 1999. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 5539 Broadway, Lancaster |
|---|---|
| County | Erie County |
| Listed | November 30, 1999 |
| Reference number | 99001414 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1929-1949 |
| Architect / builder | unknown |
| Architectural style | Late 19th & 20th Century Revivals/Spanish Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Currently used as a nursing home (health care/sanatarium), with mid-1950s and later institutional additions. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.89769, -78.66349 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 99001414.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5304199
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.