The Erie Maennerchor building in the 1600 block of State Street was a longtime social club and its construction dates back to 1889.
It once was home to a signing society spawned by the migration of German immigrants to Erie in the mid-1800s.
The building, an example of late 19th century Rundbogenstil architecture, also sustained substantial damage during the 1915 Mill Creek Flood.
The former Erie Maennerchor Club, shown on June 18, 2021, in Erie, has been purchased by Julio Reyes. Reyes plans to gradually open sections of the club after cleaning and renovating inside and out.
The city of Erie is now considering the property for historic status.
Erie City Council on May 6 hosted a public hearing on a possible historic designation for the former Maennerchor building, 1607 State St.
The property is now owned by Erie businessman Julio Reyes. He purchased the 33,400-square-foot building for $335,000 at a sheriff’s sale in September 2018.
Previous coverage: Julio Reyes’ latest investment? The Erie Maennerchor
Matthew Falcone, the city’s cultural resource manager, told City Council at the hearing that Reyes requested the historic designation.
The city’s Historic Review Commission and its Planning Commission endorse the building receiving historic designation status under city zoning laws, Falcone said.
“My recommendation to you is that this be listed as a city historic landmark,” Falcone said.
Erie City Council took no action on the nomination; the panel could vote on the historic designation as soon as its next meeting, scheduled for May 20.
Maennerchor history
According to city documents detailing the Maennerchor building’s nomination, it is being considered for historic status for various reasons, including but not limited to:
The property has a deep association with Erie’s German immigrant community.
Designed by Erie architect Joseph Frank, the Maennerchor building is an example of late 19th century Rundbogenstil, a German-influenced architecture style that features rounded arches, “eyebrows” over the windows and inverted crenelation under the eaves.
The building “is a prominent visual feature in Downtown’s State Street corridor because of its use of high architectural style and because of its size, scale, and massing in relation to its surroundings.”
There is a “relatively high degree of integrity” regarding materials at the Erie Maennerchor building, including the brick and stone of its exterior and the unique finished woodwork inside.
Public support
Reyes addressed City Council during the hearing, saying he wants to continue to improve the unique property. He also said he appreciate the city’s support.
Julio Reyes inside the former Erie Maennerchor Club, which he purchased in 2018.
Harborcreek resident Doris Cipolla spoke in favor of the historic designation.
Cipolla said she knows Reyes personally and called the Maennerchor building “extraordinary…. I have been in few buildings that have the remarkable markings inside with handwork, things that just aren’t done today. It’s beautiful.”
North East resident Anna McCartney added: “This should be a given… If we don’t preserve it, we’re making a huge, huge mistake.”
Erie resident Abdullah Washington called the historic designation “a necessary action… We need to make sure this building is marked as a historical landmark for our city and for future generations.”
Contact Kevin Flowers at kflowers@timesnews.com. Follow him on X at@ETNflowers.
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Historic status requested for Erie Maennerchor property