Abandoned factory in Ohio

McCormick Manufacturing Company Building, Dayton Ohio

Date added: March 30, 2023 Categories: Ohio Industrial

View of east and south side facades (2000)

The McCormick Manufacturing Company was founded in 1910 by Francis J. McCormick who also operated the Dayton Supply Company that was located across the street from this building at 439 E. First Street. The original location for the plumbing supply business was approximately several blocks to the east on First Street. The company used this building as a location to manufacture a variety of plumbing supplies that included water heaters and water sprayers. The plumbing supply business did not survive past Mr. McCormick's death in 1917. Thus, the use of this building for plumbing related activities lasted only four years.

In 1917, the McCormick Laboratories and McCormick Manufacturing Company moved into the building. These businesses were established by several of Francis J. McCormick's surviving family members. During the early part of the 20^th century, the city of Dayton became the location for numerous companies that were associated with the direct manufacture of automobiles, automobile related components, and associated automotive research. This was an early 20^th century growth industry for Dayton. The increase of automotive related activities resulted im the establishment of the McCormick Laboratories. This company undertook a variety of research and development on automotive related systems. The McCormick Manufacturing Company was established to produce automotive accessories for electrical and engine systems. In part, these two companies contributed to the development in Dayton of a variety of automobile related research and automotive accessories manufacturing.

Overall, automotive related research, development, and component production was advanced by the Dayton Engineering Laboratories Company (Delco) which had constructed a research and manufacturing facility one block to the west in 1915. Research conducted by Delco resulted in the invention of the electronic starter and anti-knock gasoline. With the growth of Delco, firms which included the two McCormick companies, were created to supplement and contribute to the automobile related activities. In addition, the city's automobile related industrial development witnessed the production of several different short lived automobiles such as the Stoddard-Dayton luxury touring car and the Maxwell.

The two McCormick related companies did not occupy the building very long and moved into the Schwind Building located downtown on Ludlow Street in 1918. In that same year, the Gem City Machine Company occupied a portion of the building. They manufactured tool and die machines, punches, and jigs. They also designed various machine tools. The other occupant was the Acme Carburetor Company, a firm that made carburetors for various automobiles.

Over time, the building evolved into one within which numerous small businesses rented space. For example, in 1928, the Darn E-Z Laboratories, Dayton Insulating Molding, and the W. H. Jones Transfer Company occupied the building. Over the course of its history, various industrial tenants, both short and long term utilized space. At the present, it is vacant.

Building Description

The McCormick Manufacturing Company Building is located at the southwest corner of East First Street and Sears Street, just east of Dayton's central business district. It is found in an area of predominantly industrial land use. The area, known today as the Webster Station area, is presently undergoing a transition from a neglected industrial built environment that experienced extensive demolitions into an area composed of adaptive reuse of older industrial buildings and diverse new construction that includes a new minor league baseball stadium. The building is in an area that originally developed as a residential neighborhood, but changed to industrial activities with the construction of several railroads that provided access into the area. Industrial land uses accelerated in construction during the late 19^th and early 20^th century. Industrial construction required the demolition of numerous residential buildings. Demolition of industrial buildings, during the later part of the 20^th century, left some vacant lots and some industrial buildings standing in isolation. The McCormick Manufacturing Company Building, because of its scale, materials of construction, period of construction, and location contributed to the physical development of the industrial transformation of the area.

This is a four story, brick, Commercial style building constructed in 1913. It is approximately 56 feet wide and extends back for 110 feet. Overall it contains approximately 24,640 gross square feet with 6,160 gross square feet at each floor. It was built as a free standing building and all four sides exhibit similar overall fenestration and wall details. The wall configuration of the main north and south facades exhibits six bays. The bay configuration of the east side has twelve bays while the west facade has eleven. The building rests atop a raised poured concrete foundation pierced by small rectangular window openings. Wall construction is bearing brick with piers and recessed spandrels at the exterior facades. Window bays are located above each recessed spandrel. Windows are mostly 6/6 wooden sash. The main north facade exhibits a raised decorative limestone frontispiece that enframes the large glass main entry door. The door, flanked by sidelights and surmounted with a lighted transom, is blocked up with plywood. Below the simple pedimented lintel is found a nameplate with the name "McCORMICK" incised into it. In front of the raised entry is a double sided stair which does not appear to be original to the building. At the back two bays of the first floor east side facade, several docks are incorporated into the building. A dock is also incorporated into the rear bay of the west side facade. The third floor is separated from the fourth floor by the use of a plain brick belt course that extends across all facades. The fourth floor terminates with a brick comice above which is located a low parapet and terra cotta coping. A flat membrane roof completes the roof treatment. The main north and south facades are capped by a low plain pediment that accentuates the parapet. At the northwest comer is found a brick exterior freight elevator addition constructed in ca. 1936. It is compatible in its brick construction with the main building.

The interior detail is functional in character with open floor space either side of a central rectangular core. This core contains a staircase, freight elevator, and toilets. At an unknown date, the core located at the first floor was modified to incorporate a concrete walled vault. Numerous square wood columns rise from wood floors to support a larger wood beam and wood floor joists from the floor above. Very plain window and door surrounds adds architectural interest: otherwise, there is very limited detail of any significance at the interior floors. Interior walls are mainly painted brick. The industrial volumetric sense is maintained at each floor. The first floor interior does exhibit several surviving wall partitions to suggest the location of office use at the front portion. Some interior decay has been experienced to wooden structural members due to neglect and water infiltration.