Everyone Should See What’s Inside The Walls Of This Abandoned Telescope Factory Near Cleveland
By Nikki Rhoades|Published May 17, 2019
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Nikki Rhoades
Author
Nikki is a lifelong Ohioan with a love for literature. She holds a Bachelor's Degree from the University of Akron and has enjoyed publishing her written work since 2007. She has a love of travel and does so frequently, though she believes that home is where the heart is — she continues to work in and around Cleveland as a digital content specialist to this day, working on everything from commercial scripts and social media posts to grassroots marketing initiatives.
No matter who you ask, Clevelanders seem to have mixed feelings about the ways our city has transformed over the years. Many neighborhoods have become artist havens, while other districts benefited from renovations made in preparation for the 2016 Republican National Convention. Though the city is doubtlessly evolving and learning to cater to a diverse crowd, many cannot tear their eyes away from the crumbling remnants of an industry that hide within our Rust Belt city. Luckily, many once-abandoned structures are enjoying a new life, as is the case with Heinen’s Downtown location. This provides skeptical locals hope for buildings like our famous abandoned telescope factory, which is still in need of a bit of love.
The old Warner & Swasey complex is located in Cleveland's Midtown neighborhood.
Hiding in plain sight on Carnegie Avenue is a building that has become a relic of a fading industrial era. It once housed a bustling factory and employed thousands of Clevelanders, but it is quietly becoming a fading memory.
This factory closed its doors in 1985, and it looks rather different in this day and age.
Construction first began around 1904, though the group that became the Warner & Swasey Co. first became active in Cleveland in 1881. Dreamed up by two New England engineers, this company produced turret lathes and telescopes, but it became famous for the latter.
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Both astronomical and military instruments were once constructed at this site, and it employed thousands in the midst of World War II.
The government first networked with the Warner & Swasey Co. during the Spanish–American War, and their wartime interactions continued for years to come. During the conflicts, their factories became famous for producing parts like gun sights.
When the city acquired this building following the closing of the factory, it started searching for someone to restore and save the structure.
The Warner & Swasey Co. operated at this campus for eight long decades, and thousands of locals were employed at the factory throughout its lifespan. Though the building is a valuable piece of local history, it is but a rusty skeleton today.
While some have expressed interest in renovations over the years, others insist that the building should be torn down.
The factory closed its doors after the Warner & Swasey Co. was acquired by the Bendix Corporation, and the past few decades have been brutal on the structure's remains. Bricks and other debris are scattered throughout the site, and rust and peeling paint now decorate a once-energetic factory.
In the recent past, millions of dollars have been invested to remove asbestos from the property.
While the building is much more environmentally friendly now, it still stands in a state of dilapidation. It is likely that, whatever the future holds for this structure, parts of it will require razing.
Despite the efforts, the building and its surrounding five-acre campus remain vacant and crumbling.
While workers and the sounds of production once buzzed through the factory, it's now a ghost town. The eerie expanse still has a tone of hope about it, as the future may still include a renovation.
Though this factory no longer bustles with energy and life, it still hides the remnants of a bygone and illustrious era.
Please note: This factory, while incredible, is located on private property and is not open to the public. Trespassing is a crime, and the dilapidated state of this structure makes it unsafe to explore. Please respect the owners and do not attempt to enter.
This former factory is almost unrecognizable today. Did you once work in this building, or do you know someone that did? What do you think of its current condition? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
