Old Armco/AK Offices
Printed From: MiddletownUSA.com
Category: Middletown Community
Forum Name: Fun Pictures and Video
Forum Description: Share your Middletown Area Fun Photos and Video
URL: http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3364
Printed Date: Apr 28 2024 at 8:40am
Topic: Old Armco/AK Offices
Posted By: SupportMiddletown
Subject: Old Armco/AK Offices
Date Posted: Oct 11 2010 at 10:56am
| I just heard that the former Armco/AK office building, constructed in 1917, is undergoing demolition starting this week. The power plant across the street will also come down. |
Replies:
Posted By: Hermes
Date Posted: Oct 11 2010 at 11:30am
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I really don't know what to make of all the demolition in this town.
I guess demolition beats paying for upkeep. ------------- No more democrats no more republicans,vote Constitution Party !! |
Posted By: LMAO
Date Posted: Oct 11 2010 at 12:07pm
Maybe next to be torn down will be the city building.
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Posted By: Rhodes
Date Posted: Oct 11 2010 at 12:28pm
| Does anyone have interior photos they can post of the interior of the main building? I've never been inside and someone was telling me how sharp the inside lobby is. |
Posted By: VietVet
Date Posted: Oct 11 2010 at 1:46pm
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Thank you for the nice pictures. Could randy take the compilation of all the pictures from 409, Support Midd. and others and create a folder for us "old-timers" to remember how it was? If so, thanks in advance for your effort and work.
Wonder if they will save the inscripted wall by the flagpole and over the door of the main entrance before they knock this down too. Maybe put them down by the Bicentennial Commons next to the AK Pavillion (that no one really goes to anymore) It is a part of the Midd. history. Where's the Midd. Historical Society wanting to preserve at least a few things from our past? While we're on the subject of preservation, wonder if they're going to save anything from Roosevelt before they knock it down too??? AK Research is another sad topic for the town. The once thriving research center had over 340 people at one time. Now, I am told, around 34 or so. A neighbor worked there for over 25 years. Been laid off for over a year and a half now with no work in sight for him. Sad epitaph for a once great town asset. Even if the remaining 34 or so locate to the east end, doesn't make a dent in the number of decent paying jobs this town needs. Also makes it easier for the 34 to hop on I-75 to go home at night in West Chester or Mason. Most, like the city leaders, probably live out of town taking their money with them. |
Posted By: Hermes
Date Posted: Oct 11 2010 at 2:05pm
Oh it will be in time as soon as they get the new & improved city building built out by the expressway.  ------------- No more democrats no more republicans,vote Constitution Party !! |
LMAO wrote:Posted By: viper771
Date Posted: Oct 11 2010 at 2:39pm
| Man that sucks. That is a nice looking building. I can understand not wanting to revamp the old downtown area right now, since the city needs attention elsewhere.. but I hope the area isn't completely forgotten about in the future. |
Posted By: Mike_Presta
Date Posted: Oct 11 2010 at 3:41pm
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I am SHOCKED...SHOCKED, I tell you!!!
Why hasn't the Historic Commission been doing their job on this and the Roosevelt Junior High buildings???
It certainly appears that the Historic Commission has been derelict in their duty regarding these two structures, as their duties are defined in City Ordinance 1210:
These two structures both obviously meet the definition of "Historic Structure" as defined in Middletown City Ordinance 1210:
The Historic commission should have demanded that the City undertake the cumbersome, expensive, and very lengthy process necessary to obtain a "CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS" prior to issuing a demolition permit!!! Someone in City hall should be paying huge fines ($750 per day) and should be imprisoned (90 days, with each day being a new offense) for these egregious violations of Middletown City Ordinances!!
Historic Commission, DO YOUR JOB!!! ------------- “Mulligan said he ... doesn’t believe they necessarily make the return on investment necessary to keep funding them.” …The Middletown Journal, January 30, 2012 |
Posted By: SupportMiddletown
Date Posted: Oct 11 2010 at 6:43pm
| You are too funny, Mike. |
Posted By: viper771
Date Posted: Oct 11 2010 at 7:18pm
| I would think that the Armco building would be of some historical interest... since Armco (AK) is what made Middletown really boom. It would still be doing a lot of good for Middletown if our production in the US didn't go overseas :( Hey, at least we are helping China's economy grow. |
Posted By: 409
Date Posted: Oct 11 2010 at 8:09pm
Wow....I didn't know demo had begun on GO.
  I found this plaque embedded in concrete next to the sidewalk on the west side of Curtis St. directly across the street from the GO main entrance. Had no clue it was there.
 I talked to one of the demo guys & he said only GO was coming down for now. Apparently the boiler (power)house will stay until the Research building comes down.
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Posted By: Rhodes
Date Posted: Oct 11 2010 at 10:43pm
| 409, great photos, but can you please post larger ones or a link to where larger ones can be viewed? |
Posted By: Rhodes
Date Posted: Oct 11 2010 at 10:44pm
| Why didn't they save the old Armco limestone design above the center front doors? |
Posted By: 409
Date Posted: Oct 11 2010 at 10:53pm
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Posted By: Rhodes
Date Posted: Oct 11 2010 at 10:58pm
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Good idea or maybe this site should have a flickr account to post photos from. Did you get any interior photos? I wonder if they stripped the place down. I've never been inside, but heard it was a pretty sharp looking corporate office building. At least the lobby.
I guess this is AK Steel's way of saying "we're never coming back". I guess anyone can't blame them, considering it was a horrible location and not getting any better. Their new office building looks boring, but great location. |
Posted By: 409
Date Posted: Oct 11 2010 at 11:05pm
| No, I don't have any inside photos. I was inside this building many years ago, but don't have any specific recollection of what it looked like. If I were to see some old photos, it could possibly ring some chimes. |
Posted By: Rhodes
Date Posted: Oct 11 2010 at 11:16pm
| I just saw the photos on Middletown Journal. Why didn't anybody at least remove the 2 lamp posts that have been there since it was built? Those could easily be re-used. Somebody should try to go get those in the morning before the rest of the building comes down. |
Posted By: Hermes
Date Posted: Oct 11 2010 at 11:19pm
Man !! I wish I owned a demolition company. I'd be rolling in mega bucks in this town !! 
------------- No more democrats no more republicans,vote Constitution Party !! |
Posted By: swohio75
Date Posted: Oct 11 2010 at 11:24pm
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I received a message late Sunday afternoon that there was activity down at the former AK HQ. I went down there this afternoon, and sure enough, the place was coming down. Took me by quite the surprise.
The ARMCO shield above the center door is removed, as wall as the AK Steel Corporation above the entrance. I'm not sure what happened with old George M. Verity statue stand with the inscriptions. The flag pole is still standing, but the rest of the area has been busted up. Here's a pic I took with my phone. I have a few more, which I'll post sometime tomorrow. 
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Posted By: swohio75
Date Posted: Oct 11 2010 at 11:39pm
I thought it was closer to 75. But I could be wrong. Regardless, the number of employees at research has less to do with Middletown and more to due with AK Steel's business model. When AK Steel broke off from Kawaski and ARMCO in the mid-90s, ARMCO retained the research facilities on Curtis while its HQ remained in the Pittsburgh area. It was only with the AK/ARMCO merger in 1999 that AK gained control of the research facilities. From what I'm told, AK is less product development-oriented than ARMCO was. I would look for an announcement later this year or 1stQtr 11 on a new research facility. It's been long-rumored for the east-end. Middletown has worked with both Neyer and Design Homes on Job-Ready site grants for both tracts of lands along Union Road, north of 122. The grants would go towards infrastructure improvements. However, the old research building, which is a good example of art deco-style, will likely need brownfield clean-up grant money. |
Posted By: SupportMiddletown
Date Posted: Oct 11 2010 at 11:39pm
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How did they remove the Armco shield? It looks like part of the stone, as if they would have to chisel it off.
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Posted By: SupportMiddletown
Date Posted: Oct 11 2010 at 11:48pm
Round 3 JRS grants have already been announced and Middletown did not receive an award. Here is the list of approved projects:
http://development.ohio.gov/Business/JRS/documents/FundedProjectList.pdf - http://development.ohio.gov/Business/JRS/documents/FundedProjectList.pdf
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Posted By: swohio75
Date Posted: Oct 12 2010 at 12:04am
I very well could be wrong. But I thought for sure I did not see it. And it looks like it is gone from my photo. |
Posted By: SupportMiddletown
Date Posted: Oct 12 2010 at 12:08am
| ^It does look like it is gone. I think they did chisel it off. Maybe they were afraid people would cry to have it saved, so they wanted to destroy it before people realized what was going on. |
Posted By: Rhodes
Date Posted: Oct 12 2010 at 4:39pm
| The Armco emblem is definitely gone. I was just there about an hour ago. It looks like it was scraped off. How strange. Those poor lamp posts are still there. Can anybody find out if it is possible to remove them before they end up in the pile? |
Posted By: 409
Date Posted: Oct 12 2010 at 11:41pm
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Easy way to empty a building:
Knock hole in side at each level.
Insert Bobcat.
Push out crap & debris!
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Posted By: 409
Date Posted: Oct 13 2010 at 5:18pm
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Posted By: SupportMiddletown
Date Posted: Oct 13 2010 at 9:48pm
| Wow, this is slow going. |
Posted By: OhioLimos
Date Posted: Oct 14 2010 at 2:11pm
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Both nice looking buildings. Such a shame. ------------- http://www.viplimoohio.com - VIP Limo Ohio limousine rental |
Posted By: 409
Date Posted: Oct 15 2010 at 3:03pm
If the asbestos situation is not resolved by the first of the week, they may start on the original brick building.
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Posted By: Bill
Date Posted: Oct 15 2010 at 3:15pm
| is AK paying for this? |
Posted By: 409
Date Posted: Oct 15 2010 at 3:23pm
| Yes, AK is paying to demo these buildings. They tried to sell it after the demo of other buildings on their surrounding properties with no success. |
Posted By: swohio75
Date Posted: Oct 15 2010 at 4:21pm
Really? I never saw it listed. Never saw a sign in front of the place either.
They did try to donate it to the city. They said no thanks.
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Posted By: 409
Date Posted: Oct 15 2010 at 4:40pm
| You are correct....Should have said tried to find a use for it after the demo......... |
Posted By: SupportMiddletown
Date Posted: Oct 16 2010 at 12:23pm
|
Poor "try." |
Posted By: SupportMiddletown
Date Posted: Oct 16 2010 at 10:47pm
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The Middletown Journal still has not had a story, almost a week after MUSA picked it up. MJ is slipping! |
Posted By: foxpoint
Date Posted: Oct 18 2010 at 3:32pm
| Has there been anything in the Middletown Journal about the ARMCO office building being torn down. Live out of town and have not seen anyting on their web site. |
Posted By: swohio75
Date Posted: Oct 18 2010 at 4:50pm
They posted photos but no story and no quotes from city or AK Steel officials. |
Posted By: viper771
Date Posted: Oct 18 2010 at 6:54pm
| Man that kind of sucks considering that ARMCO is a big part of Middletown history. The MJ could have at least did some kind of story. |
Posted By: SupportMiddletown
Date Posted: Oct 21 2010 at 10:49pm
| Any new project info? |
Posted By: swohio75
Date Posted: Oct 21 2010 at 10:56pm
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^^^
They've started on the back side of the old building. |
Posted By: Eleven
Date Posted: Oct 22 2010 at 3:07pm
Thanks for all of the pictures! I drove by here thursday about 2 pm and there was a bus parked in front near the flagpole. I think the side of the bus said Executive Tours. Probably just the name of the bus company but thought it might be sad/funny to wait around and see if a group of men walked outta the building dusting off their nice suits and piled into the bus.
 |
Posted By: SupportMiddletown
Date Posted: Oct 31 2010 at 11:38am
| We need some new pics. |
Posted By: 409
Date Posted: Nov 01 2010 at 5:41pm
Here is how it stands as of today. There hasn't been a lot happening since they found more asbestos. Notice the white skirt around the north building lower level. This is to contain the abatement of the newly found asbestos. I was out of town when the north rear of the original brick building was taken down.
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Posted By: viper771
Date Posted: Nov 01 2010 at 7:45pm
| Man those lamp posts are stil there :( |
Posted By: SupportMiddletown
Date Posted: Nov 01 2010 at 8:38pm
| Wow, thanks for the update! |
Posted By: swohio75
Date Posted: Nov 01 2010 at 8:41pm
| I hope they find the legendary time capsule in all that mess. |
Posted By: 409
Date Posted: Nov 01 2010 at 11:14pm
It would also be interesting to know what shape the underground tunnel system is in. I would guess by now it is mostly back filled.
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Posted By: viper771
Date Posted: Nov 01 2010 at 11:48pm
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Yeah I figured that they wouldn't be light... but I don't see the point in just putting them in the scrap yard. Those things, repro wise, are pretty expensive.
There is a time capsule? Why didn't they dig that up before they started to demo the place???!??!?
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Posted By: swohio75
Date Posted: Nov 03 2010 at 9:52pm
They have tried to find it before without my success. The thought was that it was in the cornerstone. |
Posted By: viper771
Date Posted: Nov 03 2010 at 10:04pm
| Well I hope they do find it eveuntually. That would be pretty cool to see. |
Posted By: swohio75
Date Posted: Nov 03 2010 at 10:15pm
| You weren't around for the 100 Year Celebration of ARMCO/AK were you? Back in 2000? Now that was a party. Say what you will about ole Dickie Wardrop. He knew how throw a party. And he generally seemed to care about the Middletown community. |