Bingham Building

 

Nestled in the heart of Cleveland's trendiest neighborhood, the Downtown Warehouse District, The Bingham Building was built in 1915 for one of the Midwest's largest hardware companies, the W. Bingham Company. Founded in 1840, when William Bingham and Henry Blossom purchased the Clark & Murfey, the company remained a prominent hardware company until the early 1960s. Many old-time hardware companies were started in this time period, and often manufactured tools with elaborately embossed logos such as the carefully restored bronze logo above the building's W. 9th Street entrance.

 

The Bingham Building was designed by one of Cleveland's most prominent architectural firms Walker & Weeks. Headed by Henry E. Weeks and Frank R. Walker, this firm was known for its many classical public buildings built in Cleveland throughout the 1920s and 1930s. Renowned Cleveland landmarks designed by Walker & Weeks include the Cleveland Public Library, Cleveland Municipal Stadium, the Cleveland Post Office and Severance Hall, home of the Cleveland Orchestra.

 

The Bingham Building is one of the largest warehouses on West Ninth, this landmark building has been carefully restored, maintaining its rich brick façade and oak floors, while incorporating the most modern conveniences.

 

Warehouse District

 

The Warehouse District has its roots as Cleveland's first neighborhood and downtown's oldest commercial center. Benefiting from recent public interest in renovation and historic preservation, the Warehouse District is comprised of the blocks between Superior Ave., Front St., W. 3rd and W. 10th, bordering the Flats, Lake Erie and the center of downtown Cleveland. The Warehouse District was originally home to the many immigrants who flowed to Cleveland and became the center of commercial industry for the city in the years after the Civil War.

 

With more than 70 original buildings showcasing classic Victorian architecture, the Warehouse District has emerged as Cleveland's trendiest neighborhood. The District was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1982. Over the past twenty-five years, the City of Cleveland and individual developers have renovated dozens of original buildings, maintaining the classic architecture, broad neighborly streets and pedestrian-friendly storefronts.

 

[Historic photos: Special Collections, Cleveland State University Library]