A National Engine Lubricant Company once called this site home

Lubal Manufacturing and Distributing Company, Columbus Ohio

Date added: May 14, 2024

Categories:
Ohio
Industrial

373 and 375 West Rich Street, south elevations (2015)

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The property consisting of 373 and 375 West Rich Street are among the few remaining structures that embody the growth and decline of the industrial Franklinton neighborhood on Columbus' west side. The buildings served as an incubator to several Columbus companies throughout the early 20^th century; most notably, the diesel engine lubricant manufacturer, Lubal Inc., and the Barnebey-Cheney Engineering Company.

373 West Rich Street

Based on the 1891 and 1901 Sanborn maps, 373 Rich Street was constructed c. 1900. The building is first noted on the 1901 Sanborn map, and did not appear in directories for several more years. The initial function of the building remains unknown. In 1914, a new company is listed at 373 West Rich Street: the Columbus Collar and Pad Company which occupied the building for one year. 373 West Rich Street would then remain vacant until 1919 when the Valley Coal and Supply Co. became its tenant, probably based on proximity to the railroad.

The building's first extended occupancy was by the Columbus Physicians & Druggists Supply Co. (1919-1927). The 1922 Sanborn map notes that the railroad tracks had been altered to sit atop "iron viaducts" to establish an overpass to the newly lowered road below. Alterations to the street level before documentation on the 1922 Sanborn help explain the two levels of storefronts that exist on the building. After the Columbus Physicians and Druggists Supply Co. closed in 1927, and until 1940, 373 West Rich Street was vacant with two exceptions. In 1933, the Columbus Bag and Burlap Co. occupied the building, and in 1938 the Columbus Spring and Specialty Co. was established there. Both of these operations left within a year.

Chronically economically depressed Franklinton could not maintain tenants during the 1920s economic boom, let alone the impending Great Depression. Local, State, and Federal programs during the 1920s and 1930s changed the river front; the channel was widened and dredged, and numerous buildings were demolished. Infrastructure improvements included new concrete arch bridges and a classically designed retaining wall along the eastern bank. These structures were part of the Columbus Civic Center of federal, state, and local public and governmental buildings constructed along the riverfront. However, because of the continued threat of flooding, the only Civic Center-related building constructed on the western bank was the former Central High School; the eastern bank received the most significant reconstruction. As a result, 373 and 375 West Rich Street are two of the oldest remaining structures on the western bank of the Scioto River in downtown Columbus.

In 1941 Drug Products Company (MFG Chemists) was established in the existing building. By 1942 it became Riverside Cut Rate Drug Company, later changing to Riverside Cut Rate General Merchandise. It was at this time that the large Riverside-Bradley public housing complex was under construction in the adjacent lots to the west (385-461 West Rich Street). The commercial occupancy of various drug stores and grocery entities in 373 Rich Street supported the neighborhood's residential development. In 1946, a section of the building was utilized as storage by the Salvation Army.

375 West Rich Street

According to the 1891 Sanborn map, the area of West Rich Street that includes the address of 375 is a mix of single-dwelling residences to the west and the large Columbus Rock Plaster Company to the east of the existing railroad tracks. The parcel of 375 contained small industrial structures that included coal bins, wagon sheds, and a small office related to stone-cutting functions. The site most likely functioned as a railroad yard until the turn of the 20^th century.

City directories reveal no information regarding ownership or use of this site until 1911, when The Columbus Marble and Tile Company is first listed at 375 Rich Street, and remained there until 1918. Physical evidence of the company's tenancy in the form of marble stairs and flooring leading to what would have been the main entrance remain at the site. The original 1-story portion of the building that fronted West Rich Street fell victim to "demolition by neglect" at an unknown date.

Barnebey-Cheney Engineering Company and Activated Carbon Technology

The use of carbon dates back to ancient Egypt, but the material was not widely used until the modern era. In England in 1794, it was discovered that carbon could be used to de-color sugar and in the early 1800s, the practice spread to Europe. In the early 19th-century, carbon had become a common tool in medicine and was prescribed for poultices, ulcers and treating gangrenous sores. When activated carbon technology was initially developed in the 1820s, it became the treatment of choice for poison and intestinal problems. In 1862, Frederick Lipscombe discovered a new method of using activated carbon to purify water. The next major innovation came from Heinrich Kayser who studied carbon's ability to absorb gases.

The Barnebey-Cheney Engineering Company (BCEC) was founded by two former military officers who served during World War I. In response to the Germans' use of chlorine gas, Allied Forces worked to develop a defense against chemical attack and the U.S. Army created a combat-ready gas mask. The highest-ranking chemist in the chemical warfare division, Captain Oscar L. Barnebey and his assistant superintendent, Lieutenant Merritt B. Cheney, developed the technology critical to combating the chlorine gas attack. After leaving the military, Barnebey and Cheney went into business and in 1919, the Barnebey-Cheney Engineering Company (BCEC) became one of the most important tenants of 375 West Rich Street. BCEC occupied the building for six years while revolutionizing the production of activated carbon technology with a March 19, 1919 patent for the "Process for the Manufacture of Activated Material" (U.S. patent 1,541,099). This technology was used for gas masks during World War II, and ultimately had an impact on modern military equipment, globally. Activated carbon purifies liquids and gases and eliminates odors, contaminants and tastes. The growth of the activated carbon use grew exponentially as its unique properties found traction on the open market. The business flourished so quickly that by 1925 the founders established a second company and in this same year, BCEC left their initial facility on West Rich Street to meet growing production.

After BCEC moved on from 375 West Rich Street, the building experienced a series of short-term tenants between years of vacancy. After BCEC left, Roy Fry Sign Repair occupied the building for less than a year, before it returned to vacancy from 1927 to 1930. In 1931 White Star Bus Line Inc. took up residence only to vacate within one year as well.

The Lubal Manufacturing & Distributing Company

In 1932, The Lubal Manufacturing & Distributing Company began operations at 375 West Rich Street, and this small manufacturing venture would remain on the premises for the next three decades as it took over both buildings and grew to national recognition. Lubal Inc. went on to acquire ownership of 373 West Rich Street in 1947. It was at this time that the catwalks between the two buildings were constructed, allowing space in both buildings to function as the company's headquarters and manufacturing facility. Also referred to as Lubal Inc., this Columbus-based company manufactured lubricants for industrial and commercial diesel engines. With a focus in the marine and aviation industries, Lubal also produced lubricants for stationary engines used in the generation of electricity. Among the company's contributions to industrial innovation were the fuel oil additive products "Lubal D", "Lubal Super D", "Lubal A", and "Lubal K". Vintage (c. 1930s) packaging for "Aviation Lubal K" states the product was "Formulated to keep airplane engines internally clean of sludge, varnish and gum.". Details on the manufacturing processes of these products are unknown due to their patents and copyrights, but research shows that this is the only facility in which Lubal products were made and stored.

The need for effective additives in diesel engines became the primary goal of fuel additive manufacturers. During the 1930s-1960s marine engines, stationary engines, and semi-trucks favored diesel engines for the efficiency and safety purposes. Diesel fuel lacked components added to standard petrol, which may explain some of the issues that are much more prevalent in diesel fueled machinery. Such issues are directly related to the higher pressure and temperatures at which they are operated. The nemesis of a properly functioning diesel engine is a buildup of carbon that inhibits lubricant seals, leading to metal corrosion and deterioration of engines parts. Carbonaceous buildup quickly inhibits a diesel engine from operating smoothly and requires maintenance or overhauls, leaving vehicles and machinery out of service.

In 1932, Lubal Inc. introduced a product manufactured at 375 West Rich Street with the intention of mitigating carbon build up in engines. While general information on the corporation remains scarce, period trade journals are replete with testimonials and advertisements of the product Lubal "D" and to a lesser extent, the companion product Lubal "K". Research and development for Lubal "D" began around 1918, started by an "internationally known oil engineer" whose name is not identified in the company's product information. Lubal Inc. claimed its product increased efficiency and time between overhauls while staking a competitive edge in the lubrication oils market.

A 1931 Library of Congress Catalog of Copyright Entries lists the product and states "Double the life of your motor with Lubal." By the mid-1930s, Lubal Inc. was conducting business at a national scale as clients were noted to include large transportation users such as Mississippi riverboats and tractor companies. A partial client list of just New England patrons shows Lubal Inc. conducting business throughout the northern half of the eastern seaboard, at the very least. Letters and business correspondence archived at The Smithsonian note that companies in Montreal and Long Beach, California were testing and using the Lubal products as well. Research by Sandvick Architects, Inc. shows a presence of Lubal on the west coast extending all the way to Alaska, as noted in a March 28^th, 1936 article of The Marine Digest. The article begins by reprising that until recently Lubal was not a known product in the region. However, the regional distributor Reginald B. Parsons of the corporation shares an anecdotal tale of Lubal's uses. Parsons explains there was a vessel owned by the Puget Sound Bridge and Dredge Co. which was having difficulties with carbon build up. The vessel had its diesel engine running under extreme duress and a bet was made that Lubal could fix the issues. After 17 hours of running the engine with the Columbus-based additive, rings were completely cleared of carbon and a cylinder that was previously unable to fire was now fully functional. The article states the results created a stir among nautical diesel operators and enhanced Lubal's prestige in the region.

In 1941, Lubal Inc. acquired a new temporary tenant: the Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA), which established an office at 375 West Rich Street during construction of the large Riverside-Bradley public housing complex to the immediate west (385-461 West Rich Street). This temporary CMHA office remained at 375 West Rich Street until 1942 when construction was finished. The neighboring publicly subsidized housing development remained until its demolition nearly seventy years later in 2011.

By 1949, the commercial business at the storefront level of the 373 building became Riverside Supermarket, a name that would be retained until at least 1960. Columbus city directories note that Lubal Inc. continued to function into the 1960s. By this time, competition pressure from large corporate manufacturers such as Standard Oil is believed to have driven Lubal Inc. toward a slow degeneration. In 1963, Lubal Inc. sold the dual property to E.C. Harriman in 1963, former president of Lubal Inc. Harriman then transferred the property to John J. Harriman in 1966. Joint ownership of the 373-375 property was sold to Gilbert Plating and Bumper Exchange Inc. in 1978. This appears to be the last major commercial operation to have existed in the building.

Details of Lubal's demise remain unknown; however, it is clear that the company served as a long-standing manufacturer and significant local employer in Franklinton), as evident in a review of historic Sanborn Fire Insurance maps of the time that reflect an increase in residential development and the construction of schools in the neighborhood. This history emphasizes the significance of the two buildings in the industrial landscape of Franklinton, defined by many small entities contributing to the city-wide efforts of the state's capitol.

During the post-World War II period, Lubal's growth parallels local manufacturing trends as Columbus experienced its largest expansion of industrial facilities in the city's history. Unlike industrial cities of the Midwest and Northeast, Columbus weathered the Great Depression better due to its diversified economy. Because major industrial cities grew more rapidly, they had farther to fall during the economic downturn, whereas Columbus's economy was more evenly distributed among industrial, commercial, government, and service sectors. Review of historic Sanborn Fire Insurance maps illustrates the growth and eventual decline of the industrial west side. In 1901, within about a dozen blocks of the Lubal property, there were approximately ten other industrial/manufacturing businesses and warehouses, mostly related to construction, that no longer exist. Fifty years later, within the same general area, there were over twenty such facilities that today do not exist. By 1951, the character of the area remained devoted to industry and manufacturing but had diversified beyond the construction trades to include auto mechanics, steam works, fuel, foundries, and even clothing. These buildings that came to define the character of the neighborhood typically were built with concrete, steel, and wood structural elements; rectangular in plan, and 1, 2 or 3 stories in height. While other industrial buildings surrounding Lubal Inc. remain intact today, those identified in the 1901 and 1951 Sanborn maps are now gone. Such a loss of the industrial fabric in the immediate area of the Lubal Inc. buildings makes their survival a significant artifact of Franklinton's built heritage. Furthermore, the Lubal Inc. buildings are both typical of the area's industrial character in terms of scale and construction techniques, but also unique in their unusual trapezoidal or non-rectangular footprints.

Establishment of Franklinton

The properties at 373 and 375 West Rich Street are located in central Ohio's oldest community of Franklinton. The settlement was established in 1797 by Lucas Sullivant who was paid in land for services rendered as a surveyor in the United States military during the American Revolution. In 1812 the City of Columbus was established across the river from Franklinton. Despite being the oldest settlement in central Ohio, Franklinton would soon be eclipsed by its new neighbor. By 1820 the population of Columbus had reached 1,450, an increase of over 100% since the city's incorporation. The growth rates during this period were mainly fueled by innovations in transportation, consisting of the Erie Canal system (feeder canal located south of downtown Columbus), the establishment of the National Road, and the introduction of railroads.

In 1870, Columbus annexed Franklinton and several other surrounding communities. From this point forward Franklinton would exist only as a subsection of greater Columbus. During the rise of Ohio's capital, its predecessor on the opposite bank struggled to gain prosperity and remained a small community, periodically affected by detrimental flooding. Rapid industrial growth coupled with large population increases in the greater Columbus region led to substantial construction, especially along the river banks. Both banks of the Scioto became home to industrial efforts of the 19^th century, providing Franklinton with a growing building stock that reflected local commerce and trade. With the surge of industrial growth since annexation in 1870, Franklinton shifted from being a small village in the Capital's shadow to a supporting west side neighborhood within a growing industrial city.

Between 1900 and 1914 the city experienced a minor depression due to lack of natural resources available to be developed. The First World War brought little manufacturing activity to the city, but a post-war boom soon fueled industrial expansion. By 1920, Columbus is noted as having nearly 900 manufacturing plants. After the Great Depression, Columbus once again saw a period of economic growth. After World War II, a significant shift in manufacturing occurred, bringing anew concept of high-wage, unionized labor to the city. Throughout these periods, Columbus reflects an industrial maturation in its urban core that was paralleled by the neighboring west bank area of Franklinton, which was to remain isolated from the growing downtown and face serious natural and economic adversity.

On March 25^th, 1913, the state of Ohio faced one of its worst natural disasters in recorded history when the levees on the Scioto River broke giving way to swollen rivers. The ensuing flood that Columbus suffered caused massive physical damage and significant loss of life. In the low-lying area of Franklinton, streets were covered by up to twenty feet of water. Relief for Franklinton was initially delayed because only the Rich Street Bridge remained intact in the flood's aftermath. While Columbus recovered and continued rapid growth through much of the 20^th century, Franklinton would languish and become steadily more poverty-stricken never fully recovering from this severe natural disaster.

Decline of Franklinton

Another major flood in 1959 and the completion of Interstate 70 in the early 1970s proved to be detrimental to any hopeful progress in Franklinton. Means of economic stability pulled out of the flood-ridden area as real estate values plummeted. Construction of the interstate had the dual effect of destroying local thoroughfares while increasingly isolating the neighborhood from the surrounding city. Franklinton as a whole continued in steady decline receiving no flood control and little to no federal infrastructure funding. The flood in 1959 triggered an additional wave of flight from the region and may have led to the end of tenancy in 373 and 375 West Rich Street. Despite later tenants, the 1983 F.E.M.A. designation as a 1% flood zone was quite damning, essentially halting any construction in the neighborhood. With rehabilitation code compliance prohibitively expensive under these regulations, the majority of the existing building stock was left to deteriorate. Only in 2004 with the completion of the Franklinton Flood Wall were these regulations rescinded. By this time much of the commercial and manufacturing building stock had either been lost to years of neglect, demolition, or intentional redevelopment since the 1960s. What was once the west bank of Columbus' industrial landscape had little remaining physical evidence of its former commercial and manufacturing history.

According to reports published by the Bureau of Business Research in the late 1950s, few companies in downtown and Franklinton occupied buildings that were specifically constructed for their purposes. Modest, light-industrial buildings allowed for functional flexibility of various local establishments and helps explain shifting tenancy since the late 19^th century. By the middle of the 20^th Century, an estimated 75% of Columbus manufacturing plants moved out of the area in which they were originally established, shifting towards areas east and north of the city. Both small and large plants were historically found in every region of the city, but the commercial character of Franklinton was defined by a collection of smaller manufacturing facilities such as Lubal Inc. and the other businesses that occupied 373 and 375 West Rich Street.

Plan for Franklinton Music Venue Could Mean Demolition of Historic Building

Site Description

The property consists of two early-20th-century industrial buildings in the Franklinton neighborhood of Columbus, on the west side of the Scioto River. The buildings are located at 373 and 375 West Rich Street at the intersection of Cherry Drive. 373 West Rich Street was built c. 1900 and was originally 3 stories with a basement, but the basement level is now at grade on the north (main) elevation. The main facade features a wood storefront at the first two levels and rusticated stone above. Simple stone banding, stone parapet, and a single flush entry at grade define the primary facade. 373 West Rich Street maintains a large number of historic wood windows, storefront bulkheads, and original massing. Its interior includes original wood details including trim, stairs, floors, and ceilings. 375 West Rich Street was constructed c. 1911 as a 3-story, masonry and concrete structure that 1s recessed from the street. The north elevation originally contained a single-story mass that extended to the sidewalk (no longer existing) and now consists of a single window bay facade with exposed interior openings at ground level (currently obscured by plant growth and fencing). The building maintains a large number of original industrial windows; utilitarian finishes; original stairs; exposed concrete columns and beams, and exposed brick walls. Both 373 and 375 West Rich Street retain historic integrity and their overall character remains largely intact. The two buildings were joined by unenclosed catwalks connecting their 2^nd and 3^rd floors around 1950, under a single owner.

373 West Rich Street

The 4-story polygonal building was constructed c. 1900. The primary facade faces north, parallel to West Rich Street, and is defined by a red brick surrounding a wood and glass storefront at the 1^st and 2^nd levels. The top two floors of the north elevation consist of rusticated stone. The ground level contains four bays, with two larger bays flanking a pair of narrower bays at the center. A single entry with sidelights remains in the 3^rd bay, with wood trim and panels intact. The remaining bays of this storefront were in-filled with concrete block at an unknown date. The second level contains the more prominent storefront system, and appears to be the original at-grade level before the street heights were altered c. 1922 to accommodate a railroad bridge or viaduct. This second-level storefront matches the 4-bay pattern of the first level and contains large, industrial wood sash with divided lites and wood paneling below the sills. Smooth pilasters extend from existing grade to the top of the second level to define each bay. Contemporary red brick surrounds the two levels of the storefront, stopping at the horizontal stone beltcourse of the third-floor window sills. Above the two-story storefront, the primary facade is comprised of dark rusticated stone. The second floor consists of seven window bays with original stone sills and wood jambs. The windows have been in-filled with wood paneling. The third floor is also defined by stone beltcoursing and consists of six bays of 1 over 1 double-hung wood sash.

The west elevation is constructed of red brick, which has been painted with an asphalt coating at an unknown date. Change in grade exposes only floors 1-3 at the west and south elevations. The west elevation has an inconsistent fenestration pattern with varying sizes of window openings, each with a stone sill. The majority of windows remain on the second level, with typical units of 6 over 6 double-hung wood windows. Where windows remain, a significant number of panes have been damaged. A single door provides direct access to an elevator from grade at the south end of the west elevation, and two c. 1950 catwalks connect 373 with 375 West Rich Street. A small chimney rises above the low-slope roof at the north end of the west elevation. The roof slopes from north to south.

The south (rear) elevation is painted with an asphalt coating to match the west elevation described above. An even fenestration pattern defines four bays across this facade. The first bay contains a short 6 over 6 double hung wood window on each level, while bays 2-4 contain a taller 6 over 6 double-hung wood windows at the 2^nd and 3^rd floors. A double door and loading dock occupy the second bay at the 1^st floor. The basement is accessed by concrete steps and an exterior door at the south (rear) elevation. The east elevation is concealed by the raised freight railroad lines that pass close to the building. 373 West Rich Street is within a foot of the railroad bridge foundation piers.

The interior retains a significant level of architectural integrity and reflects alterations to spatial configuration after it was connected to the 375 building. The exposed timber structure at the central party wall largely remains visible at each floor, with openings at the south end of the building to allow access between spaces. Large tapered concrete columns were added in the center of the building at an unknown date. A wood stair is located at the center of the building at the north end. The stairwell is exposed between the first and second floors, and is partially enclosed between the second and third floors. Wood floors, window trim, door trim, and wood lath ceilings remain throughout the building. The original freight elevator also remains at the west side of the building.

While the building is small in scale, with few decorative elements, 373 West Rich Street reflects the vernacular Commercial style of early 20th-century Franklinton. Many original windows remain in the building, and the storefronts and bulkheads are intact despite modifications due to street-level alterations.

375 West Rich Street

375 West Rich Street is an industrial building built c. 1911, located on the west bank of the Scioto River at the southeast corner of West Rich Street and Cherry Drive. The building is located directly to the west of the 373 building. 375 West Rich Street is one of the few remaining early 20th-century buildings in Franklinton. Other historic buildings in Franklinton include the Franklinton Apartments at State and May Streets, and the Franklin Post Office on South Gift Street. The 1890s Toledo and Ohio Central Railroad Depot on W. Broad Street, is another survivor of the 1913 Flood.

The building footprint follows Cherry Drive and West Rich Street, forming an irregular polygonal shape on a wedge-shaped parcel. The primary facade faces north, defined by three stories of red brick with a tall parapet of matching masonry (currently obscured by plant growth and fencing. Single wood doors mark the center of the north elevation on the second and third floors while the first floor retains physical remnants of a single-story slant roof structure no longer existing. At the ground level, two window openings and a single door at the east end remain are visible.

The west elevation is defined by six bays of varying size industrial windows with stone sills and brick headers. The 9 over 9 windows remain largely intact behind wood panels. 375 West Rich Street displays minimal decorative brickwork with the exception of the shallow corbelling above the third-floor windows, topped by a stepped parapet wall.

The south elevation contains a fenestration pattern of three regular bays. Original 2 over 2 double hung wood windows remain at the second floor. The third floor windows consist of 1 over 1 wood sash in the three bays. The east end of the south elevation is defined by an elevator shaft that extends above the parapet roof line.

The east elevation contains seven bays of varying-sized window openings. Masonry openings typically consist of 1 over 1 double hung wood windows with a stone sill. An overhead service door opening is located at the south end of the east elevation at grade. Unenclosed catwalks at the second and third levels connect to 373 West Rich Street. Each elevation has a brick corbel beltcourse above the third floor. The stepped parapet is capped with stone coping.

The interior of 375 West Rich Street is defined by an open floor plan with concrete columns and beams. An original masonry shaft containing a cast-in-place concrete stair and elevator exist in the southeast corner. Brick walls are painted and the third floor has exposed wood joists and rafters.

Despite the loss of the single-story section at the north elevation, 375 West Rich Street retains a significant degree of historic integrity. While the exact date of loss remains unknown, it was in existence in 1942 according to a historic photograph, and the 1951 Sanborn Map identifies a l-story structure in this location. Remnants of marble stairs, tiles, and wood flooring remain in this area. Due to vacancy and lack of maintenance, the structure is believed to have been lost due to "demolition by neglect". Original to the building, this single story served as a support space to the main manufacturing space and does not significantly alter the primary form or diminish its association with historic functions.

With many original materials and spatial configurations intact, 373 and 375 West Rich Street retain the historic appearance of small-scale, vernacular, early 20th-century commercial buildings that embody the significance of Franklinton's industrial history.