Gwynne Building

Gwynne Building is a registered historic building in Cincinnati, Ohio, listed in the National Register on August 3, 1979.[1]

Gwynne Building
Location6th and Main Sts, Cincinnati, Ohio
Coordinates39°6′11″N 84°30′36″W
Built1913
ArchitectErnest Flagg
Architectural styleBeaux-Arts
NRHP reference No.79001856[1]
Added to NRHPAugust 3, 1979

History

The almost 125,000-square-foot twelve-story Gwynne Building was completed in 1914.[2] The building was designed by Ernest Flagg, who also designed the Singer Building in New York and the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, DC.[3]

The structure was commissioned by Flagg's cousin, Alice Gwynne Vanderbilt, who was the wife of Cornelius Vanderbilt II.[4] Alice and Ernest were first cousins as Alice's mother,[5] Rachel Moore Flagg, was the sister of Flagg's father, Jared Bradley Flagg.[6][7] Alice named the Gwynne Building in honor of her father, Abraham Evan Gwynne, a prominent Cincinnati lawyer and Judge.[5][8][9] Her paternal grandfather, Major David Gwynne, was a real estate broker in Cincinnati,[10] whose family was among the early settlers of Cincinnati,[11] and Alice was said to be a distant relative of the Longworth family.[5] She inherited the property at 6th and Main St. and her brother took the corner of 4th and Main St.[9]

The tallest section, the tower, is 13 stories. The Beaux-Arts style building is made of steel and concrete the exterior is rendered in Indiana limestone,[11] brick and granite.[8] Originally the building was considered fireproof as there was "no wood of any description being used,"[11] even the floors were buffed cement with the hall floors mosaics.[11] The corners of the building are adorned with ox heads.[10]

In addition to the 1913 building, the east building was built in 1916, and the north building was built in 1939.[8]

Tenants

From 1935 until 1956, the office building housed the headquarters of Procter & Gamble (P&G).[12][13] The P&G World Headquarters are now located in twin towers several blocks to the east.[8]

In 1992, the building was purchased by a group of tenants and investors from EQ Office, which was owned by Chicago billionaire real estate investor Sam Zell, founder and chairman of Equity International.[14] The purchase was followed by an about $1,000,000 in renovations.[14]

In July 2014, the building, which was then 88% occupied, was offered for sale.[8] The tenants included Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority, Sound Images (later renamed Gwynne Sound),[15] the Charles H. Dater Foundation and the Greater Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky Film Commission.[8] It was purchased by an investment group led by Patrick Gates.[16]

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References
  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. April 15, 2008.
  2. Demeropolis, Tom (December 16, 2014). "EXCLUSIVE: Former P&G headquarters building sold". Cincinnati Business Courier. Retrieved 18 June 2018.
  3. Tenkotte, Paul A. (July 20, 2015). "Our Rich History: Appreciating those fascinating skyscrapers, offering treasure trove of views, history". Northern Kentucky Tribune. Retrieved 18 June 2018.
  4. "Mrs. Vanderbilt Sr. Dies In Home At 89. Widow Of Financier, Long Ill. Was A Leader In Brilliant Era Of New York Society". New York Times. April 23, 1934.
  5. "Dowager Vanderbilt Dies; Alice Gwynne, Cincinnati, Wed to Cornelius In 1867". The Cincinnati Enquirer. April 23, 1934. p. 8. Retrieved 18 June 2018.
  6. Hannan, Caryn (2008). Connecticut Biographical Dictionary. State History Publications. p. 283. ISBN 9781878592590. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  7. Men and Women of America: A Biographical Dictionary of Contemporaries. L.R. Hamersly. 1909. p. 614. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  8. Tweh, Bowdeya (July 14, 2014). "Former P&G headquarters for sale". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved 18 June 2018.
  9. "LAWYERS Favor Gwynne Building | As the Most Desirable For Temporary Courthouse During Erection of Proposed Structure". The Cincinnati Enquirer. February 15, 1914. p. 16. Retrieved 18 June 2018.
  10. "Queen City Tour: 77. Gwynne Building". Queen City Tour. 15 November 2010. Retrieved 18 June 2018.
  11. "THE GWYNNE BUILDING". The Cincinnati Enquirer. May 29, 1913. p. 11. Retrieved 18 June 2018.
  12. Federal Writers' Project (1943). Cincinnati, a Guide to the Queen City and Its Neighbors. p. 182. Retrieved 2013-05-04.
  13. Giglierano, Geoffrey J., et al. The Bicentennial Guide to Greater Cincinnati: A Portrait of Two Hundred Years. Cincinnati, Ohio: Cincinnati Historical Society, 1988. p. 65.
  14. "Tenants take over the Gweynne | New owners get ready for challenges". The Cincinnati Enquirer. July 14, 1992. p. 12. Retrieved 18 June 2018.
  15. Cieslewicz, Bill (August 10, 2017). "Historic Cincinnati recording studio under new ownership". Cincinnati Business Courier. Retrieved 18 June 2018.
  16. Demeropolis, Tom (December 18, 2014). "EXCLUSIVE: Buying spree continues for new owner of Gwynne Building, here's the latest deal". Cincinnati Business Courier. Retrieved 18 June 2018.
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