Elyria approves shared stairway access and one‑year lease for Elyria Youth Sports Club at 338 Broad St.

The joint committee approved two related measures Oct. 27 to allow a youth mentorship and sports program to occupy second‑floor space above the Elyria Arts Council at 338 Broad Street.

Mayor Brubaker said city staff and the building and lands team prepared the space to accommodate the Elyria Youth Sports Club as a downtown tenant. The first action authorized a mutual easement / shared‑access agreement to allow use of a single stairwell that serves both 340 and 338 Broad Street; city counsel said the buildings are attached and the stairwell crosses both property lines, so the easement resolves prior competing claims to the door and provides a clear path for upstairs access.

The second action approved a one‑year lease for Elyria Youth Sports Club for the upstairs space at 338 Broad Street. The lease starts at $200 for the first year and converts to month‑to‑month thereafter; annual increases are set at 5% for renewals. Mr. Craig (city counsel) said the tenant will provide liability insurance; utilities for first and second floor are separately metered and water is provided by the city (the city does not charge the arts council for water). The committee requested the mayor sign the lease after council approval; an emergency clause was requested for both the access agreement and the lease so the tenant can begin occupancy as soon as inspections and approvals are completed (staff indicated a target occupancy date of Nov. 3 pending inspections and council action).

Committee members noted the space's limitations — there is no elevator and access is via stairwell — and emphasized appropriate evening use for a youth program so it will not conflict with arts council operations. Both the access agreement and the lease were approved by voice vote with emergency clauses requested.