A massive industrial site on the gateway to Cincinnati's West Side is now on the National Register of Historic Places.
From the late 19th century through the middle of the 20th century, the Lunkenheimer Valve Company employed thousands of people making parts for ships, steam locomotives and aircraft. Some of those parts made their way into the history books — including components of Charles Lindberg's Spirit of St. Louis airplane.
“Driving across the Western Hills Viaduct into the West Side, the Lunkenheimer Valve Company building stands as a massive presence,” Cincinnati Preservation Association Executive Director Beth Johnson said in a statement. “Its walls hold a unique history that shaped modern manufacturing and anchored the surrounding community. Listing this property in the National Register acknowledges both its past and its continued importance to Cincinnati’s industrial and cultural landscape. This designation is a strategic step towards its preservation, creating a new life for the building and for this vital gateway to the West Side.”
The buildings associated with Lunkenheimer have been empty for decades. But there are efforts to bring them back to life. Those play into other initiatives in South Fairmount, where the looming former factory and office buildings sit.
Those broader efforts include moves to bring a bike and walking path through the neighborhood and the coming replacement of the Western Hills Viaduct.
The Port of Greater Cincinnati Redevelopment Authority sponsored the national historic designation application. The Port's land bank holds ownership of the buildings and has poured thousands of dollars in federal grants into its stabilization and remediation. The Port says it envisions a kind of mixed-use site at the new historic district, which also includes the Midwest Textiles Building across Beekman Street from the Lunkenheimer site.
"Historic growth of the South Fairmount neighborhood was closely tied to companies like Lunkenheimer, whose factories provided jobs and helped shape the community throughout the 20th century," The Port said in a news release. "Listing the Lunkenheimer Valve Company Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places delivers another win toward preserving and rehabilitating these buildings, ensuring they remain a meaningful landmark and long-term anchor for the South Fairmount neighborhood."
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