Central Tower Building
Also known as: Metropolitan Tower
Why it's listed
Central Tower, also known as Metropolitan Tower, is an 18-story office building on the west side of Central Square in Youngstown, Ohio. Completed in 1929, it has a steel frame, a concrete foundation and stone-faced walls. Youngstown architect Morris W. Scheibel designed it in the Modernistic style, with a setback form and Art Deco ornament. Strong vertical emphasis comes from wall piers and recessed spandrels, while geometric ornament decorates the upper stories and roof cornice. The main lobby has a geometric Art Deco ceiling, frieze and elevator doors. It was built for the Central Savings and Loan Company, which failed during the Depression. It is the last and tallest of the early skyscraper group around Central Square, complementing the earlier towers and serving as a gateway to Federal Plaza West. It is recognized as an excellent example of Modernistic architecture and remains in office use, with interior and exterior in excellent condition.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it the last and tallest of the early skyscraper group on Central Square and an excellent example of Modernistic architecture by Scheibel. It was built for the Central Savings and Loan Company, which failed in the Depression. It is part of a thematic group of seven early office buildings at Central 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 80003146, listed February 8, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1 Federal Plaza West, Youngstown |
|---|---|
| County | Mahoning County |
| Listed | February 8, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80003146 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Morris W. Scheibel (architect); builder not stated (refers to a continuation sheet) |
| Architectural style | Modernistic (Art Deco ornament) |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as an office building; interior and exterior condition listed as excellent. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.09992, -80.65006 (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 80003146.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6825279
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.