Eagles Building
Why it's listed
Rising above the middle of Lorain's Broadway commercial corridor, this tall brick and glazed terra cotta building was constructed in 1918 as a one-story lodge for the Fraternal Order of Eagles, Aerie 343. Architect Paul A. Rissmann used reinforced concrete for the frame because wartime steel was scarce, making it the first commercial building in the Lorain area built that way. A planned ten-story design was reduced to a three-story addition in 1924, which gave the building its landmark height and a richly ornamented arcade with Corinthian pilasters and Roman arches. The frame survived the 1924 tornado that wrecked much of downtown. Inside, the lodge room has marble floors and ceramic tile walls, and a third-floor ballroom has a stage and cherry woodwork. The Eagles, once over 3,500 members strong, took part in civic and wartime activities. The lodge disbanded in 1984 and sold the building.
Significance in brief: The building was home to Lorain Eagles Lodge, Aerie 343, for decades and was the city's largest fraternal organization. It survived the 1924 tornado that destroyed or badly damaged most of downtown Lorain. It was designed by Paul A. Rissmann and is the first commercial building in the Lorain area with a reinforced concrete frame. It is a landmark example of classical design.
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 86000850, listed April 24, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 575 Broadway, Lorain |
|---|---|
| County | Lorain County |
| Listed | April 24, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86000850 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900- |
| Architect / builder | Architect - Paul A. Rissmann; Builder - T.J. Hume |
| Architectural style | Second Renaissance Revival (Neoclassical) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Social History, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Vacant except for two first-floor stores; the Eagles Lodge sold the property and left in late 1984. Condition is listed as good and altered. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Broadway Historic District |
| Coordinates | 41.46601, -82.17525 (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 86000850.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5325349
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.