Building Description Starr Piano Company, Richmond Indiana
This complex of buildings contains seven major buildings of brick and concrete construction, with some frame and metal dependencies. The first building of this complex was built in 1872 and this section was added to over several years, until Che complex includes over 40,000 sq. ft. of space under roof. Buildings were built, changed, and enlarged between 1872 and 1935. A major fire destroyed the buildings in 1894, except the warehouse. This warehouse was enlarged and is the two story section of the largest building. All existing buildings other than this date front 1894 to 1935. All but one of the structures are of load bearing brick construction on concrete foundations, with combination of frame beam and steel supports for the upper floors. Full 2 inch tongue and groove flooring, sometimes covered with concrete are used for the upper floors. Buildings range from 1 to 6 stories in height. Architecturally, the most interesting of the buildings is the Administration Building (#3). Fenestration for most buildings are paired double hung wood 6x6 light sash units. Window openings have arched brick lintels. A five story reinforced concrete structure is the newest of the existing buildings. The center section of building #2, is in the worst structural shape, but is built on the site of the original buildings. The boiler plant and the brick stack are still extant, but deteriorating. The brick stack rises to the height of the bluffs and is visible from most approaches during the winter months, the rest of the complex is difficult to see because of the steep valley walls. Some modem commercial buildings, a Pizza King and warehouses are located on the south side of Main Street, a gas station to the east of the Gas Company building is another intrusion. The block east of the Gas Company is the location of an 1850's industrial foundry, still in use "Swayne Robinson & Company".
The Richmond Gas Company was incorporated in 1854 and completed the building in 1855. Charles Collier was the builder. Robert Morrison, John T. Plummer, and Benjamin Starr, all familiar names to local historians, were the first shareholders. Pipes wore laid and gas supplied to several city streets in 1856. The building is still in the possession of the local Gas Company.
Richiond Gas Company Building is an early Victorian two story commercial building of brick. It was built in 1855 for the Richmond Gas Company. The original structure is an "I," shaped building of load bearing brick walls, with the west wing end with one angled wall, interior walls are stud, lath and plaster construction and much of the original trim remains intact, even though the building his been remodeled periodically. The major change to the exterior is the inclusion of an overhead garage door and the closing of throe windows. An unusual corbeled brick cornice and gable are distinctive features of this structure. Four round windows in the south wall of the west wing are surrounded with corbeled brick trim and the arched windows of die rest of the building have corbeled brick lintels. This building is situated at the east end of the Main Street Bridge and sits on the edge of the east bluff of the Whitewater River. It is a highly visible structure. There is a one story storage building in the courtyard of the "L", A similar two story rectangular warehouse with similar brick corbeling, built ca 1870 is separated from the main building by the elevated tracks off the C & O Railroad. The main building is well maintained, and later additions could be removed without damage to the fabric of the original section.
