Leis Block
Why it's listed
Located a short distance from downtown Saranac Lake, this three-story brick-fronted building on Bloomingdale Avenue was completed in 1902 as a wood frame structure with ground-floor storefronts and rooms above. Between 1910 and 1914, its upper floors were converted into apartments for tuberculosis patients, with central inset sleeping porches, doorways wide enough for a bed or cure chair, and a brick addition that brought the facade flush with the sidewalk. Henry Leis, who came to Saranac Lake in 1896 to cure his own tuberculosis, ran a piano and music store here, and a pharmacy occupied the other storefront. Cast iron pilasters from the George L. Mesker Iron Works frame the street-level openings, and classical touches include brick quoins and a bracketed cornice. The building was recognized as an intact example of a commercial structure adapted for the cure industry, valued for its preserved porches and detailing. Patients in such downtown apartments could watch street life from their beds.
Significance in brief: It is argued to be an intact example of a commercial building adapted specifically for tuberculosis curing, with sleeping porches and sitting-out balconies built into upper-floor apartments. Its storefronts, including a piano and music store and a pharmacy, also drew business from the curing industry. It retains a high degree of integrity of design, materials, setting and association.
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 92001449, listed November 6, 1992. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 3--5 Bloomingdale Ave., Saranac Lake |
|---|---|
| County | Franklin County |
| Listed | November 6, 1992 |
| Reference number | 92001449 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1910-c.1941 |
| Architectural style | Late 19th & 20th Century Revivals: Classical Revival |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Commerce, Health/Medicine, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Contains ten apartments and two commercial storefronts, only one of which is occupied; current uses include multiple dwelling and barbershop. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | New York Central Railroad Adirondack Division Historic District |
| Coordinates | 44.32893, -74.13270 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
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 92001449.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6520220
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.