Realty Building
Why it's listed
Rising twelve stories on the east side of Central Square in Youngstown, the Realty Building at 47 Federal Plaza was completed in 1924 to designs by local architect Morris W. Scheibel. It was built for the Realty Guarantee and Trust Company and also housed a variety of commercial and professional offices. Its steel frame is clad in a way that emphasizes height, with pronounced brick piers running up the main shaft and horizontal bands of ornament on the lower stories. The top story carries lavish terra cotta decoration in the Beaux-Arts manner, including octagonal oculi, swags, dentils and anthemia. The combination of Sullivanesque design with Beaux-Arts detail is described as rare. It was judged the finest design among the early office buildings around Central Square and was listed as one of seven such buildings. It sits across Federal Plaza from the Stambaugh Building and remains an office building in excellent condition.
Significance in brief: The inventory form states the building has the finest architectural design among the early office buildings on Central Square. It is noted for a rare combination of Sullivanesque treatment with Beaux-Arts ornament. It is part of a thematic group of seven early office buildings.
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 80003150, listed February 8, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 47 Federal Plaza, Youngstown |
|---|---|
| County | Mahoning County |
| Listed | February 8, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80003150 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1924 |
| Architect / builder | Morris W. Scheibel (architect) |
| Architectural style | Sullivanesque-Beaux Arts |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed in excellent condition inside and outside; still used as an office building. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.09947, -80.64899 (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 80003150.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.