Smart Building
Why it's listed
Standing at the five-cornered junction at the entrance to downtown Willoughby, Ohio, this two-story commercial block was built in 1885 by banker and merchant Samuel Welch Smart. It is faced in rust-red stretcher-bond brick, with a parapet, molded brick coping, dentil courses and tall arcaded windows on the west and south facades. The upper floor originally held offices and a Masonic Hall. The original storefront was lost in a 1978 remodeling, and a recent fire and vandalism left the building boarded up. Its owner has begun removing later additions and plans a restoration. The building housed the Bank of Willoughby and is the only commercial structure the Smart family built downtown. The Smart and Wilson families produced mayors, bankers, merchants and a county commissioner over four generations. Its position at the town's entry makes it important to the commercial district's revival.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is significant as a monument to the combination of commerce and public service in the Smart and Wilson families, who spanned four generations and 130 years of Lake County history. It housed the Bank of Willoughby for a generation. It also stands at a prominent entry point to the town's commercial district.
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 83001989, listed September 29, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 4143-4145 Erie St., Willoughby |
|---|---|
| County | Lake County |
| Listed | September 29, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83001989 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown (builder was Samuel Welch Smart per the narrative; form lists builder/architect as unknown) |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Politics/Government |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Boarded up temporarily after a recent fire and vandalism; the owner has begun reconstruction and plans interior rehabilitation and storefront restoration. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Downtown Willoughy Historic District |
| Coordinates | 41.63956, -81.40663 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 83001989.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q138457060
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.