The Evangelical Building

Cleveland, Ohio

(c) Frank A. Mills / Urban Paradoxes, 2007

Built in Cleveland's (former) Garment District to be  the relocated home of  Wooltex Inc. ,a maker of women's coats.  Wooltex was founded in Toledo by Herman Black, a Hungarian immigrant.  When his son, Morris, took over Wooltex, he moved the works to Cleveland and soon after renamed the company, the H. Black Company. in honor of his father. 

Believing  that Cleveland was putting too much emphasis on industry and not enough on culture and education, Morris became one of the founding fathers of the Civic League (1903).  Wanting to use culture and design as the basis for his new building in Cleveland, Morris hired

New York architect, Robert D. Kohn.  The H. Black Building, the building's official name, became Cleveland's first industrial building to be constructed along this premise.

In 1928, the building was renamed the "Evangelical Building," housing one of North America's most successful Christian publishing houses, Evangelical Press, as well as the general offices of the Evangelical Church, making it a significant center in the life the Evangelical Church. 

In 1940 the Evangelical Church relocated its headquarters out of state, although the press remainded.  After the buildings abandonment in 1987, the building suffered severe structural damage.  Today the building has been adapted to house condos, artists' live/work spaces, galleries, and a coffee shop/gallery.  The most unusual living unit, the 5-floor "Tower Suite," is flocatedin the 130 ft water tower.