Fraternal Order of Eagles could return to Lorain, historic Broadway aerie

LORAIN — After almost 40 years, the Fraternal Order of Eagles could roost again in Lorain. Former City Councilman Dennis Flores hopes to bring a Fraternal Order of Eagles aerie back to the historic Eagles Building, 575 Broadway. But first, he has to get a chapter of the civic group reestablished in the city. From 1903 to the mid-1980s, the Eagles Lodge Aerie 343 operated on Broadway, with more than 3,500 members at its height. In 1918, they moved into the Eagles Building, which would go on to survive the 1923 tornado. After membership declined, the chapter was dissolved and its remaining members of the men's club and its women's auxiliary moved to neighboring chapters in Amherst and Elyria. "Most of those guys were World War II veterans," Flores said of the Lodge's original membership. "So we owe it to the heroes of the past that walked through the halls and doorways of the Eagles Building to honor them and remember our past." Flores received a letter from the international Grand Aerie in Grove City late last week, commissioning him to enlist new members for the chapter's rebirth. While it is yet to be seen if the Lorain aerie could get its same historic 343 number, first Flores must garner 50 new FOE members and 50 auxiliary members. Flores has until Dec. 2 to reach the minimum 100 members. Since getting the commission from Grand Aerie, he said he's been contacted by fellow Fraternal Order of Eagles members from chapters as far away as British Columbia for dual membership. While working to garner membership for the new club, Flores is also pushing forward with developer and Eagles Building owner Gary Davis to rehab the imposing structure. Davis bought the building in December 2019 for $50,000. Since then, the pair have moved forward with replacing the roof and applying for funding options, but more work needs done in the long-defunct space. Two elevators need replaced, along with repairs to the building's facade — some of which crumbled into the street below in early 2019 — along with additional masonry and tile work. While looking into grant options through the state's historic tax credit program and Property Assessed Clean Energy Financing, there is still upward of $6 million in work needed to get the entire building up and running, Flores said. The Eagles Building, along with several other properties along Broadway, occupy the National Register of Historic Places. The city plans to apply for the entire downtown to be included as a historic district. "If you look at the mission for the Fraternal Order of Eagles, it's people helping people," Flores said. "And then, here we are in the history of the Eagles, we're trying to rehab their club quarters, their old building … The city is talking about making the downtown a historic district. Well, I'm talking about making history." To join the new aerie, women's auxiliary or for more information on the rehabilitation of the Eagles Building, contact Flores at (440) 444-8139. Contact Carissa Woytach at (440) 329-7245 or cwoytach@chroniclet.com.