Ely Block
Also known as: Ely's Block and Merthe's; Commercial Block
Why it's listed
Ely Block is a three-story Italianate commercial building constructed in 1873 on the north side of Broad Street in Elyria, between Lodi Street and Washington Avenue. Built of brick on a stone foundation with a flat roof, it has fifteen bays across the front and occupies its entire lot facing the public square. A bold cornice and heavy rounded windows give it a distinctive character. It replaced an earlier block put up by Herman Ely, the founder of Elyria, and was originally owned by the Ely family. Over time the building held museum space, lodge meeting halls and the public library, all of which have since moved elsewhere. The ground floor of the Merthe's space has been remodeled in a harmonious way, while the neighboring Harry's storefront has been modernized. An aluminum-clad building next door once had a facade identical to this one. The building is regarded as one of the city's major visual landmarks.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it a highly significant Italianate commercial block and one of the city's major visual landmarks. It replaced an earlier block built by Herman Ely, founder of Elyria, and once housed a museum, lodge halls and the public library. It also holds a prominent location facing the public square.
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 79002717, listed August 13, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | N side of Broad St. between Washington and East Ave., Elyria |
|---|---|
| County | Lorain County |
| Listed | August 13, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79002717 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Exterior condition very good and interior fair; in commercial use. The ground floor at Merthe's has been harmoniously remodeled, while the Harry's facade has been modernized. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Elyria Downtown-West Avenue Historic District |
| Coordinates | 41.36788, -82.10706 (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 79002717.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q138497470
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.