Piano Factory Demolition Man

This six-story, reinforced concrete building for Starr Piano company was completed in 1920, abandoned in the 1960s, and subjected to neglect and deterioration into the 1990s. Local campaigns to save the building were unsuccessful, and it was demolished in Summer 2001. In the 1990s it was a painting spot and playground for urban explorers. The pictures here are from the Indiana State Historic Architectural and Archaeological Research Database (SHAARD) of a county survey completed in 2001, right before demolition began. You can see the heavy equipment in the background. The Kwiz piece and character were still visible on the left corner of the front face of the building. If you look closely on the side view you can see a Mize piece from the late 1990s, which was silver if I recall correctly, and part or a SUFR fill-in with a tag above it. The SUFR was black with a yellow outline, again, if I recall correctly, and it was painted late winter/early spring of 2000. [Photos: 1-5: from DNR SHAARD database online (in.gov/dnr/historic-preservation/county-survey-program/shaard-database), 4: Detail, with Mize piece, 5: Detail w/ SUFR fill-in, 6: Pal-Item article, 5/30/2001, pg A3, from Newpapers.com 7: The Richmond Palladium and Sun-Telegram, Saturday June 21st, 1919, pg 3, from Newspapers.com]