Gould Block
Also known as: Kline's Department Store; Lor-526-16
Why it's listed
Located at 608-630 Broadway Avenue in downtown Lorain, Ohio, this commercial block was built in 1928 for Joseph Gould, with a brick addition added in the 1930s. Architect T. Ralph Ridley of Akron designed it, and L.A. Burgett of Lorain built it. Its Broadway and 6th Street fronts are covered in soft-white terra cotta, tinted in greens and blues, with pilasters, finials, cartouches and classical cornices. It replaced the Century Building, which burned in March 1928, at a time when the city was still recovering from the 1924 tornado. Kline's Department Store opened in the northern section in November 1928 and was the largest department store in Lorain County until the late 1970s. J.C. Penney occupied the southern section. The building was listed for its Renaissance Revival architecture and for its role in the city's commercial revival. Although the storefronts were altered in 1981, the terra cotta and upper windows remain.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is an important surviving example of Renaissance Revival commercial architecture in downtown Lorain, with ornate polychromatic terra cotta. It also symbolizes Lorain's commercial recovery after the 1924 tornado and a 1928 fire. It housed Kline's Department Store, long the largest retailer in Lorain County, and J.C. Penney.
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 05000031, listed February 9, 2005. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 608-630 Broadway Ave., Lorain |
|---|---|
| County | Lorain County |
| Listed | February 9, 2005 |
| Reference number | 05000031 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1928-1954 |
| Architect / builder | T. Ralph Ridley - Akron, Ohio, Architect; L.A. Burgett - Lorain, Ohio, Builder |
| Architectural style | Renaissance Revival Architecture |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Community Planning and Development, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Currently in commercial use as a specialty store (furniture) and warehouse, with offices on the second floor. The 1981 storefront alterations partly cover the terra cotta, which is intact and restorable. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Broadway Historic District |
| Coordinates | 41.46542, -82.17536 (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 05000031.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q138508632
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.