Decrepit Eagles Building survives demolition, but time is running out

The historic Eagles Building in downtown Lorain has avoided the wrecking ball but the owners must decide soon what to do with the aging structure.

For too long, the once beautiful edifice has sat dormant while other parts of downtown Lorain are thriving.

It’s time for the renovation of the five-floor Eagles Building, which is located at 573-575 Broadway.

If it doesn’t get a new lease on life, it must come down to make room for another venture.

On Dec. 15, the city of Lorain Demolition Board of Appeals made a good decision to grant Eagles Revitalization LLC, the owner of the building, more time to provide information on repairs made to the building. Lorain businessman Gary Davis owns Eagles Revitalization.

The building was on the demolition list and removed.

Structures that are cited by the city’s fire, health or building inspectors can be declared a nuisance and placed on the demolition list.

The Eagles Building certainly qualified. But, the Eagles Building still has curb appeal.

Just look at what Cleveland businesswoman Radhika Reddy and her partners did with the former Spitzer Hotel, now the Ariel Broadway Hotel, 301 Broadway.

They renovated a building that sat unused for decades and transformed it to another downtown attraction. In April, it was inducted into Historic Hotels of America, the official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

The hotel was recognized for its contribution to the preservation of one of Lake Erie’s finest historic buildings.

So, the Eagles Building has a chance for a rebirth. But it has to happen soon.

No more lip service.

If not, the space can become a parking lot or maybe a new location for City Hall.

A couple of years ago, concrete fell from the top of the building forcing the need for repairs.

A spokeswoman for the Eagles who attended the demo board meeting indicated repairs had been done to the tuckpointing on the building.

The demo board told the Eagles’ owner to provide a letter from an architect that it’s working to certify the tuck point repairs. This letter also will carry an architectural seal of Lorain architect Gary Fischer, who is helping the owners of the Eagles Building with the structure.

Lorain Chief Building Official Dave Facianda told the demo board that with the letter, Fischer is certifying that any loose brick, or falling concrete on the building, was corrected and will meet requirement for code.

The demo board voted the Eagles Building’s case be held abeyance for a month.

This will allow Facianda to review the history of the building with the city and the Building, Housing and Planning Department.

Davis did start the process to have the building removed from the city’s demo list.

As part of that process, he was supposed to keep the city updated on a laundry list of issues with the building that needed to be addressed.

Davis further was advised to submit documents from the repair work to the city’s Design Review Board, a point Lorain Assistant Law Director Don Zaleski indicated must be followed through on.

Davis purchased the building in 2019 for $50,000. His renovation plans called for it to house a restaurant, retail and a theater company on the building’s third floor, which is a home to ballroom and stage.

A bar called the Boat House was the last tenant.

In March 24 of this year, Davis still vowed to rehabilitate the famous Eagles Building and convert it into a mix-use facility.

He also visions a large farmer’s market. But, very little work has been done.

But all around the Eagles Building, good things are happening.

Save-A-Lot opened a store at Downtown Commons Plaza, Domino’s opened at 445 Broadway, in the former Driscol Music Co. building which closed in 2014.

The Eagles Building is registered in the National Register of Historic Places, and the potential development of a restaurant on the roof will need to be handled with care.

Structural integrity of the building came under fire in February 2019 when debris fell from the building and crews placed safety barriers around it.

The Lorain Fire Department closed off a portion of Broadway because officials felt the facade of the Eagles Building was collapsing.

And in August 2021, the demo board ruled the building needed protective netting on its front to avoid creating a hazard to walkers on Broadway.

Enough is enough

It’s time for the Eagles Building to join the rebirth of downtown Lorain.

If not, the building must be razed to allow other development.