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Fall/Winter 2011
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The History of the Bushnell Building
B u s h n e l l
I n v e s t m e n t
C o m p a n y ,
I n c
The Bushnell Building was designed by the celebrated Chicago and Boston
architectural firm of Shepley, Rutan and Coolidge. It was built in three
phases in 1893, 1903 and 1939. It was built in the Beaux Arts and Second
Renaissance Revival styles.
The building was built by Asa S. Bushnell (1834-1904), an industrial baron and leading citizen of Springfield, Ohio. He was president of the
Warder, Bushnell & Glessner Co., manufacturers of agricultural machinery. In 1902, the business
became part of the International Harvester Company, later known as the Navistar Corporation.
Bushnell was also the founder and first President of the First National Bank & U.S. Depository that
was located on the first floor on the east side. This bank later became the First National Bank and
Founder, Asa S. Bushnell
later BancOhio and later National City Bank and later PNC Bank. He later gained national recognition by being elected to two terms as governor of Ohio, serving from 1896 to 1900. The Governor
and his wife, Ellen Ludlow Bushnell, built their magnificent Richardsonian Romanesque residence at the present-day address of 838 East High Street. Their mansion was later converted for use as a funeral home. He was responsible for the
Masonic Home, International Order of Odd Fellows Home and Knights of Pythias Home all being located in Springfield,
Ohio.
The Bushnell Building was originally designed as an office building, which is the use to
which it is being restored at the present time. The 1st floor of this five-story building was utilized
by the First National Bank and U. S. Depository and Kinnane’s Dry Goods Store. The 2 nd, 3rd and
4th floors were used as office space. The 5th floor was used as the Masonic Temple. A large addition known as the “annex” was made to the west side of the building on North Fountain Avenue in
1903.
A number of law firms occupied the office space including that of Harry A. Toulmin (1859-1942).
Mr. Toulmin was a nationally known patent attorney. In 1904, aviation pioneer Wilbur Wright
came to Springfield to seek the counsel of patent attorney Harry A. Toulmin, who maintained an
office in the Bushnell Building. Toulmin was responsible for filing the Wright Brothers’ five paHarry A. Toulmin, Sr.
tents with 111 specifications for the control mechanisms of their airplane
and successfully defending them all the way the U.S. Supreme Court
over a nine-year period. Because of Toulmin’s work, Wilbur and Orville Wright were forever
acknowledged as the inventors of the first controllable , heavier-than-air flying machines. The
patents and website to download these are found on the “Timeline-Wright Brothers U.S. Patents page in this publication. Notable attorneys who were located in the Bushnell Building include Oscar T. Martin, Paul C. Martin and A. I. Zimmerman. Other office tenants included various doctors, insurance agents, collection agents, railroad companies and various business organizations.
In later years the building was converted to the Home Store, which was a department store. In 1914, local retailers Edward A. Tehan and H. J. Fahien, proprietors of the Home Store, took over the lease of Kinnane’s Dry Goods Store and relocated their business from the nearby Fairbanks Building into the Bushnell Building. In 1925, Tehan and Fahien were
able to purchase the Bushnell Building. Several years later, they converted the entire structure for use as their department
store. In anticipation of the grand re-opening on April 30, 1928, the local paper made the following
observation-”located on Main Street, a part of the National Highway over which an enormous volume of tourists traffic passes, The Home Store, with its wide marquee and its modern display windows, is expected to be one of the showplaces of the city.” The Home Store occupied the Bushnell
Building until 1939 at which time the Edward Wren Company acquired it and relocated their existing High Street retail store into the property. Known by locals as Wren’s, it became Springfield’s
largest and most successful upscale store and the shopping mecca of downtown Springfield for decades. In 1952, the Edward Wren Co., was bought out by the Allied Stores of New York City. The
Allied Stores eventually became part of the Federated Department Stores, which was later bought
out by Macy’s Department Stores which is
Edward Wren
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based in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Wren’s Department Store, as it was then known, was
merged with Block’s Department Store of Indianapolis, Indiana. Block’s Department Store operated for a number of years before closing in approximately 1987.
The building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 2,
1979, but by 1987 it stood empty. James H. and Nike D. Lagos purchased the Bushnell Building and undertook a painstaking restoration, returning the Bushnell Building to a multi-use commercial facility.
The Bushnell Today
The Bushnell Building is in the process of being painstakingly restored by James H.
and Nike D. Lagos. The primary contractor for the project is C & N Industrial Contractors,
Inc., which was also the primary contractor for the restoration of the Heritage Center in downtown Springfield.
The restoration is being done to the exacting standards of the National Parks Service, the Ohio Historical Preservation Office and the Springfield Historic Landmarks Commission.
While being operated as a department store the windows which surround the building in all four directions were painted on both sides of the glass and sealed shut so that they were all totally inoperable. They were
hidden from view from the interior by partition walls. All of the original partitioning has been removed so that each floor is now flooded with light. All of the restoration work that is being done is focused on the replacement of the windows
with exact replicas. The new wood windows were custom built by Ted Bolle
Millwork, Inc. of Springfield, Ohio. These windows are made of pinewood as
were the original windows. They are accurate in terms of width and height and all
the intricate wood molding to within 100th of an inch of the original windows.
The new windows are constructed with double paned glass with argon gas in the
middle that serves as an insulator. The inside window panes are made of special E
glass which filter out the ultraviolet spectrums of light. This curtails the heat entering through the windows. The glass is cool to touch, even in bright sunlight.
On the outside, all of the original brick and decorative work was cleaned
by hand. No sand blasting, water blasting, chemical cleaning or even pressure
washing was used. The decorative work includes fantastic lion heads, floral
wreaths, cherubs, garlands of fruit and flowers, a Greek key design and fleur-deOwners, James H. and Nike D. Lagos
lis. The elaborate marble entranceway off Fountain Avenue has been fully restored including all of the elaborate plaster work in the ceiling. The marble
staircase extends all the way to the top of the 5th floor. The elaborate wrought iron work that was done for this
marble staircase was made in Springfield. Springfield was an internationally known center for this type of work.
One third of the wrought iron in New Orleans came from Springfield. Some of the original iron work was missing. This was exactly duplicated from castings made by Hays Fabricating and Welding, Inc. in Springfield, Ohio.
It is not possible to tell which of the wrought iron is original to 1903 which was made in 2011.
The up-to-date safety features and amenities which have been added include a sprinkler system that even
covers every closet from the basement to the attic. This sprinkler system includes very elaborate sensors. A new
ventilation system has been installed to met the latest ambient air quality standards. This includes two make-up
air units on the roof which bring in fresh air into the building. There are 36
heat pumps which have already been installed for maximum energy efficiency. There will be additional heat pumps which will be installed. There are
two brand new highly efficient cooling towers on the roof. These save both
electricity and water. There is an elaborate fire alarm system which includes strobe lights. All of the exterior walls have been insulated with soybean based fire retardant insulation. Very extensive Americans with Disabilities Act work has been done. The 3rd, 4th and 5th floors have been
extensively built out. There are four restrooms on each floor with tile floors
and walls.. There is a customized alcove with a glass wall by the entrance
from the elevators on each floor. There is also an attached 365 space parkThe Bushnell Parking Garage
ing garage which has been extensively renovated.
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The building is now served by three Eco-glide elevators manufactured by Kone. These elevators have the
motors
on
the side of the cars. There are no cables. The elevators go up and down on steel beams. These are the
.
most energy efficient elevators manufactured. All the floors on 3, 4 and 5 feature ardex floors which are self leveling cement and gypsum floors. These have a fire retardant in them and provide a soft floor for walking and standing. They also absorb sound. Carpet tiles are placed on top of this floor.
A storm water recovery system is being installed which will recycle the rainwater from the roof to flush
toilets and urinals and to provide make-up water for the cooling towers and for domestic uses such as mopping.
The special container refilling fountains installed are designed to minimize plastic bottles. They have already saved
tens of thousands of plastic bottles from the waste stream. An extensive recycling program is in place. The construction process involved very extensive recycling of any materials and reuse of materials that were already on
site.
The lighting system is designed so that the lights on the east, south and west walls power down and power
up depending on the amount of sunlight available on the space at any one given time. All of the high ceilings have
been preserved on floors 3, 4 and 5. Any interior office walls are required to have glass walls and glass doors so
that they will not interfere with the daylighting of the entire space. Floors 3, 4 and 5 provide daylighting to every
part of the floor. For instance, if someone is seated in a cubical in the middle of any particular floor there is daylight on at least two sides of them. Sound deadening panels in the ceilings reduce noise. Oregon Group Architects
of Dayton, Ohio, Kyle Zepernick and Ryan Traxel designed the 3rd, 4th and 5th floors and half of the 1st floor to
meet LEED certification requirements. McCall, Sharp Architects designed the entire lower level, half of the 1st
floor and most of the 2nd floor. The building is designed so as to provide smart office space which is Platinum
LEED Certified. The LEED certification is a voluntary program of the U.S. Green Buildings Council indicating the
quality of the space and energy efficiency of the space.
A multilayer roof was installed to further conserve energy. During the construction it was found that the
extremely elaborate cornice which is on the top part of the building was starting to suffer from age, specifically the
iron rods that held the terra cotta cornice had corroded over the past 118 years. The cornice extends out 45 inches.
It features elaborate terra cotta lion heads and French fleur d’ leis and Greek key designs. The cornice extends vertically 9 or 10 feet. Elaborate scaffolding was installed and this cornice was disassembled very carefully. Each
piece was numbered, cleaned, repaired and reinstalled in its original place. A system of anchors was built by Hays
Fabricating & Welding, Inc. The cornice is anchored every 18 inches using special stainless steel number 316 alloy
rods. These include 12% nickel and 18% chromium that will not rust and should keep the cornice in place for the
next 300 years.
The present owner is committed to providing customized space for the most discriminating of tenants who
wishes to be in an authentically restored historic building with all of the modern
conveniences. The building is attached to a five-story parking garage, which is located on 19-21 North Limestone Street. Extensive work has also been completed on
the adjacent buildings to the north at 26 North Fountain Avenue, which are even
older than the Bushnell Building. The buildings were the Western Auto Store, a
hotel and the historic Erter’s Livery. When fully renovated, the Bushnell Building
will again be the crown jewel of downtown Springfield, Ohio.
The Bushnell Building is presently occupied
in part by the following tenants:
The Bushnell Banquet Center: is located on the Lower Level . There are
three rooms available the Asa Bushnell Room that seats 325 people for dinner, the Edward Wren Room which seats 150 people, The Cellar that is perfect for smaller groups of 60—70 guests. There is a state-of-the-art audio,
video, power point with giant screens and projection capabilities. The venue
is perfect for weddings and receptions, high school reunions, meetings and
seminars as well as birthday parties, baby and bridal showers. Most recently
we now have 3 state-of-the-art elevators. Call Lisa at 937-324-2006 for room
reservations
and
rates.
Be
sure
to
check
the
website:
www.bushnellbanquetcenter.com.
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The Fountain on Main a 50’s style Soda Shop, owned by Geoffrey Norman is located in the Main Street store front. The Fountain on Main is a trip
back into the 1950’s in downtown Springfield. The Fountain serves the
chopped olive & nut sandwich on grilled bread, a Springfield favorite made
famous way back when Jim’s Fountain Service served them. Patrons can also
enjoy real ice cream sodas and milkshakes made with Young’s Jersey Dairy
ice cream, as well as flavored fountain Cokes. The space features tin ceilings,
Coca Cola memorabilia, 1950’s automobiles and other collectibles of the era.
The Fountain itself is a completely rehabbed authentic stainless steel fountain
from Wren’s of the 1950’s. For a taste of nostalgia, The Fountain on Main is
the place to be. Call 937-327-0078
Real Estate II located in the Main Street store front of the Bushnell Building,
agents work with buyers and sellers throughout Springfield and the surrounding areas. They are also expert in the rental properties business and can help
with your corporate needs. For your real estate needs contact Chris McAllister at 937-390-3715 or visit their website www.themcallisterteam.com for
more details.
Dollar Days General Store located on the first floor of the Bushnell Building, boasts a “general store” array of merchandise with superb customer service. Dollar Days is a local, family-owned true “dollar store.” Its owners,
Scott Wiseman and Felicia McAffe realized the need to provide quality lowcost merchandise to residents, workers, and visitors in downtown Springfield.
Thus, Dollar Days General Store was born. While still a local, family-owned
business, the move to a larger space in downtown Springfield, provided the
ability to expand the inventory which now carries a larger balloon and party
line. Dollar Days General Store offers an exceptional variety of household
goods, school & office supplies, novelties, jewelry, reading & sun glasses,
toys, and seasonal merchandise. Snacks, coffee, drinks, candy, and groceries
make this your convenient one-stop shopping experience. Dollar Days General Store - fifth avenue treatment at a bargain price! Call 937-322-2552. Open 7:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday
through Friday; 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Saturday; Closed Sunday.
Springfield Health & Fitness Center, LLC Now located on the 1st Floor, Pat
Frock, owner and personal trainer has combined her body building center
with the fitness center into one amazing facility. Still offering innovative
services that requires no contracts and are designed for people “who want to
turn back the clock one workout at a time”. They have an array of aerobic
and fitness classes to suit everyone. Pat extends her knowledge to offer free
weights, boxing and martial arts. This part of the facility is a little more old
school for the hard core body builders. Pat offers spinning classes, sport and
martial arts training. With a staff boasting over 50 plus years of experience
they can accommodate beginners all the way to competitive athletes and
body builders. Open M – F 7 am to 11 pm and Saturday 10 – 2 Sunday
hours now available. Call 937-325-9770
website: www.springfieldhealthandfitness.com
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Gourmet Gift Baskets owned by Paul and Nicole DeButy, is located on the
first level of the Bushnell Building at 20 North Fountain Avenue. Parking
is available on Fountain Avenue or the Bushnell Parking Garage. Gourmet
Gift Baskets has a large selection of specialty baskets with various themes
or they can customize something for every budget. Corporations can use
promotional products with their company logos. Gourmet Gift Baskets
can deliver to Dayton, including Wright Patterson Air Force Base and Columbus. They offer shipping anywhere in the United States. Xpand Your
Brand is co-owned with Lynette Evans. It offers a full line of corporate
promotional items.
Call 937-324-9774 or check them out at
www.thebestgourmetgiftbaskets.com and see all the gift possibilities.
Gary Geis School of Dance and the Gary Geis Dance Company located
on the second floor has a regional following and teaches and performs ballet, tap, jazz, modern dance and yoga. The dancers now have four state of
the art dance studios, all with sprung floors, which provide the same opportunities for dancing as are found in any major city in the country. To
contact Gary Geis, Mark Cummings and Lori Weaver-Common or any of
the
instructors
for
classes
call
937-322-6229
website:
www.garygeisdance.com
Yoga Springs Studio is proud to be a part of downtown Springfield's revitalization. Our doors opened in February 2012 on the Second Floor of the Bushnell Building. Yoga Springs Studio has experienced instructors offering a variety of yoga and movement classes for all levels. The newly renovated space
is an inspiring place for health, wellness and community. Natural light from
large windows with a stunning view of the fountains and sycamore trees on
the City Center connect practitioners to the urban beauty of downtown; radiant
heat from the hardwood floors provide a fresh foundation for renewal and rejuvenation; glass walls transfer light and allow for an open and expansive feeling; the serenely decorated office and lounge enhance and enlighten the mood
for all who enter. Visit Yoga Springs Studio for a fresh and welcoming experience in the heart of downtown Springfield. Yoga Springs has been serving
the Miami Valley region since 2004 with 11 highly trained yoga teachers and is a Registered Yoga School by the
National Yoga Alliance. Monica Hasek, RYT, owner, offers a yearly 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training Course. For
more information please call 323-9642 or visit www.yogasprings.com
Oasis at Center City Salon & Medi-Spa located on the second floor is
owned and operated by Kelly Markwell and Linda Thompson, is an upscale
Salon and Springfield’s only Medi-Spa located in the heart of downtown
Springfield! The Salon features Master Stylists and Nail Technicians offering all forms of hair care including advanced coloring techniques and spa
level manicure, pedicure and acrylic nail services. The Medi-Spa features a
clinical staff including a Dermatologist, an Esthetician and Medical Massage
Therapists offering clinical level facials, skin treatments, body treatments and
massage services and botox. Call 937-325-6711.
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Far North Computer is owned and operated by Charles Baumgardner and is located on the 2nd Floor of the Bushnell Building. Far North Computers has extensive
experience with assisting small businesses with leveraging technology. We understand that each business is different and has different needs. Sometimes you need a
solution that requires “thinking outside the box”. We have come up with unique
and innovative solutions for our clients while still maintaining an affordable price.
We believe in long-term, ongoing relationships with our clients. If you are looking
for just another vendor or just another computer repair company then Far North
Computers is not for you. We work with clients who understand that technology
can help them grow their business and want a partner to help them. Whether you
have 2 employees or 200 Far North Computers can help your business. Call us at
888-476-1112 or visit us online at: www.farnorthcomputers.com
JP MOHLER, LLC is located on the 2nd floor of the Bushnell Building and owned and operated by Justin P. Mohler,
CPA who is the managing member of JP Mohler, LLC. With over fifteen
years of specialization in state and local tax consulting, he has extensive experience in all areas of state and local taxation, including, but not limited to,
Ohio’s commercial activity tax, multi-state income and franchise tax, sales
and use tax, real and personal property tax, site selection and business credits/incentives, and unclaimed funds. Justin is a frequent speaker on various
state and local tax matters. He has given presentations for The Ohio Society
of Certified Public Accountants, Lorman Education Services, The Ohio Automobile Dealers Association, The Annual
Bank Tax Institute, The Ohio Veterinary Medical Association, The Ohio Ambulance and Medical Transportation Association and The Ohio Land Improvement Contractors Association. Call Justin at 937-717-4519 or visit him online
at: www.jpmohler.com and www.ohiousetax.com
HGS CodeBlue: Paul Gross is the President and CEO of Code Blue. We provide
expert, end-to-end claims management outsourcing solutions that yield the best cost
and service outcome, using innovation, active management to the highest standards,
process design and technology. We focus on solutions for high-volume, low to midvalue claims which require urgent, detailed response. CodeBlue provides water mitigation, contents and salvage solutions. All our property claims solutions reduce
claim response time, lower severity costs, minimize adjuster time and deliver unprecedented service to the policyholder. CodeBlue is located on the 4th floor and
presently employs 175 workers. It is expanding to the 3rd floor and will employ
300 workers soon.
For employment opportunities visit their website at:
www.hsgcodeblue.com
CLS Graphics located at 26 North Fountain Avenue next to the Bushnell building.
The building was built in 1850’s and still has the Tin-tile ceilings. CLS Graphics is
owned by Larry Schneider and offers customers embroidery and graphic services as
well as screen print and traditional print shop services as well as wedding announcements and various other printing services . Call Larry at 937-215-6282 for more
information or online at: www.clsgraphics.biz
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Rose City Fine Jewelry & Loan located at 26 North Fountain Avenue Founded in November 2004, Rose City Fine Jewelry & Loan, LLC, is a pawnbrokerage and full-service jewelry store. We pawn, buy, trade, and sell all manner of jewelry and other merchandise such as tools, electronics, musical instruments, outdoor items, sporting goods, and firearms. As a full-service jewelry
store, we offer estate and new jewelry. We also appraise, repair, and design jewelry as well as watch repair and battery replacement. We have an on-site artisan
bench-jeweler on our staff. Call Sam Beloff at 937-323-5626
LEASE SPACE AVAILABLE located on the 1st floor, Ste. 104 of the Bushnell
Building . The Physician’s office is complete with 3 exam rooms, doctor’s office,
waiting room, two restrooms and reception/office area. Just blocks from the new
Springfield Regional Hospital. This 1,459 square foot office is available for immediate occupancy. Your patients can park free in the covered Bushnell Parking Garage that is handicap accessible; great for your disabled and older patients. Call Mr.
Lagos today for a tour!! 937-323-5555.
LEASE SPACE AVAILABLE We have over 25,000 square feet of space located
on the 5th floor, as well as space available on the 2nd floor. We also have two
very large attics with wood beamed ceilings may be converted to artist lofts or
loft apartments. Bushnell Investment Company, Inc. is committed to providing
customized space for the most discriminating of tenants who wish to be in an authentically restored historic building with all of the modern conveniences. We
can custom make office or retail space. Please be sure to talk to Mr. James H.
Lagos at 937-323-5555 or Lisa Behr at 937-271-6432 for additional information.
Being in a LEED certified Historic building such as the Bushnell Building is the
place for space in downtown Springfield Ohio. Visit our new website at: www.lagoscentral.com
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Timeline—Wright Brothers U.S. Patents
US Patent #821,393:
Applied Mar. 23, 1903, Granted May 22, 1906.
Three axis of control Flying Machine
US Patent #1,075,533: Applied Feb. 10, 1908.
Granted Oct. 14, 1913.
Automatic stabilizer: Pendulum operated roll and vane operated pitch
US Patent #98,7662: Applied Feb. 17, 1908.
Granted Mar. 21, 1911. Pair of mid-mounted vertical vanes, when deflected, created
drag with resultant yaw of aircraft.
US Patent #1,122,348: Applied Feb. 17, 1908.
Granted Dec. 29, 1914. Pair of rudders, when deflected, resulted in the yaw of the
aircraft.
US Patent#908,929: Applied July 15, 1908.
Granted Jan. 5, 1909.
Mechanism for flexing the rudder
Sketch of Orville and Wilbur Wright
Harry A. Toulmin, Sr statue stands across
from the Bushnell Building, 14 East Main
Street, Springfield, Ohio
http://www.libraries.wright.edu/special/wright_brothers/patents/
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Bushnell Investment Company Inc.
James H. Lagos, President
Bushnell Investment Company Inc.
One South Limestone Street, Suite 1000
Springfield, Ohio 45502-1294
Phone (937) 323-5555 Facsimile (937) 323-6564
Email: [email protected]
Visit us online at: www.lagoscentral.com and
www.bushnellbanquetcenter.com
James H. Lagos and the newly installed lions
heads at the top of the Bushnell Building, 2012
President of the Bushnell Building, James H. Lagos
inspects of the cornice work in August 2011.
Some images courtesy of the Clark County Historical Society, The Road That Helped Build The Nation
The Ohio National Road Association, Inc., Sponsored by: James H. and Nike D. Lagos