Industrial evolution continues on Athens Avenue in Lakewood, Ohio as the Lake Erie Building begins its 98^th year of continuous operation. The legacy began in 1917 as the building was constructed to be the automobile manufacturing plant for the Templar Motors Company. Today the building remains as a vital business center and incubator for companies and entrepreneurs on the west side of Cleveland.

In addition to housing an automobile manufacturer and Bramley Storage (the company which succeeded Templar from 1926 through 1941), the Lake Erie Building has also been associated with the fastener industry for over 87 years! Starting in 1926 with Wasmer Fasteners and, including such companies as Lake Erie Screw and Telefast, this heritage survives today with Hawthorne Wire and Ferry Cap & Screw.

For the current owners, Omni Lakewood, repurposing the building to fit the tenants’ needs has been a big success. Citing current examples like Rad-Con, University Tees, 717 Ink, The Wrestling Factory, Textbook Painting, Defense Soap, Birdtown CrossFit, and Humble Bee Vineyards shows the wide variety of small business tenants. Not to mention the large studio arts community engaged in ceramics, painting, glass, jewelry, sculpture, photography, printmaking and more.

The Lake Erie Building shines bright as a beacon of support for the arts community with three annual art events: the Spring and Fall Open Studio on April 11 and November 1, 2014, and the Last Minute Market on December 20, 2014.

Photo courtesy of the Templar Motors Factory Display.

Screw Factory Artists

Lake Erie Building

13000 Athens Avenue

Lakewood, Ohio 44107

Spring Open Studio April 11, 2014