Gateway/Masonic Building: 5-11 Lisbon

Built in 1902, the present Gateway Building, which at one time was the Masonic Building, was designed by George Coombs and features elaborate Italianate details. The interior, including the handsome assembly hall, was gutted by a fire in 1977. With the exception of the copper roof, the building’s shell survived the fire but was for some time threatened with demolition. Happily the landmark has been saved; handsomely restored into shops, offices, and apartments. Its appearance has been changed somewhat by the addition of a fifth floor and mansard roof. In addition, this building has passed through the hands of many different owners. Many of those were ancestors of the Coe family.