By John Eckberg
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Longworth tenant Fran Dicari of Barefoot Advertising enjoys the soaring spaces and loft atmosphere. (Michael Snyder photo) | ZOOM |

QUEENSGATE - When Longworth Hall was built a century ago as a freight terminal, most U.S. commerce involved the railways, automobiles were amusing contraptions for the well-to-do, horses filled Cincinnati's streets and women could not vote.

Longworth Hall on Pete Rose Way, which marks its 100th anniversary today, has not only managed to change with the times, it's now thriving with tenants that want open loft-style offices. The only question about the building's future is what may happen to the neighboring Brent Spence Bridge.

"When we bought it, the building was just a shell," said Michael Schweitzer, building manager and son of the owner.

"There was water damage, a bad roof, broken windows. All the floors had to be sanded down and were covered with oil. It took some years."

The building was built on land originally owned by Nicholas Longworth, a former speaker of the House and son-in-law to President Theodore Roosevelt. The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad commissioned its construction as an inter-modal terminal, where trains could unload freight.

It was also a warehouse, with some storage incurred while customs officials levied tariffs, said Dan Finfrock, a train station historian who lives in Fairfield.

This was a complex building for its time, Finfrock found: the structure, which has Romanesque Revival influences, used 4.25 million bricks.

Nearly a quarter-mile in length, it is about twice as long as the Carew Tower is high. Its 300,000 square feet make it about the size of three Kroger superstores.

It was abandoned for about a decade, when Roy B. Schweitzer bought it from CSX Railroad for $1.5 million in 1985 and converted it to an office building.. It took $16 million to restore the building, a sister structure to the Camden Yards terminal where Baltimore later would build a baseball park.

About 80 small companies, including advertising, public relations and media production firms, as well as companies involved in finance, technology and even catering, employ about 500 people within its walls. Space leases for $12 a square foot.

The building faces a potential threat to its future. Area political and business leaders are pushing for a replacement to the Brent Spence, which soars over the former warehouse at the building's east edge.

Transportation officials on both sides of the Ohio River worry that a new bridge - likely to be built west of the Brent Spence - could create a conflict with the historic structure. No plans have been produced for the new bridge's alignment; officials have said they were doing everything they could to work around Longworth and an adjacent Cinergy power station.

Fran Dicari, partner at Barefoot Advertising, an agency that employs 30 people and was founded in 1995 in Longworth Hall, left the building in 1997 but returned in 2000 to lease 8,000 square feet.

"It gave us the space we needed. It's a very creative atmosphere and free parking doesn't hurt," Dicari said. "There's flexibility and room to grow. It's a neat building, a cool location and a cool interior."

Indeed, cool has been a boon for Longworth Hall's owners, as some companies leased space because they wanted soaring ceilings, exposed beams and hardwood floors. Targeting media companies as tenants, however, was not the owner's original strategy.

"I'd say it was more happy chance. Creative people tend to like the loft look," said Michael Schweitzer. "So we tended to get the more creative types. Accountants and lawyers want that white square room look."

Longworth Hall, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is about 90 percent occupied, Schweitzer said.

The building's western wing, called the Cincinnati Design Center at Longworth Hall, will be open to the public for the first time from noon to 5 p.m. today as part of the century celebration.

Interior designers will be on hand.

"At the time, my dad risked everything, and he risked it on this building," Schweitzer said.

E-mail jeckberg@enquirer.com