S.G. Loewendick & Sons

S.G. Loewendick & Sons, also known as Loewendick Demolition Contractors, is a demolition company based in Grove City, Ohio, a suburb of Columbus. The company is the largest specializing in demolition in Central Ohio. It has torn down most of the landmark buildings in Columbus in recent decades, including Union Station, the Ohio Penitentiary, the Christopher Inn, the Deshler Hotel, and the Ohio State University Drake Performance and Event Center.

The company was founded in 1929 by Sylvester G. Loewendick. Its business expanded during a construction boom after World War II, and was involved in numerous large demolition contracts. By 1988, the company was making $5 million annually, and had 100 employees, including eight Loewendick family members. The company is looked upon unfavorably by historic preservationists for its landmark demolitions, although others favorably view its salvage work, recycling, and work during fires.

History

S.G. Loewendick & Sons was founded by Sylvester G. "Tedo" Loewendick. He was the son of a German immigrant who settled in Newark, Ohio. Tedo was employed as a shop foreman and then garage owner for years, though in 1929 moved to demolition, tearing down several houses for material to create his own new house. Tedo also did some construction work; several of his buildings still stood in Newark into the 1980s. The Loewendicks owned a 25-acre farm near Newark, which Tedo's wife ran until they moved to Columbus in the 1950s.[1]

Demolition projects

Loewendick has demolished Columbus landmarks Union Station, the Ohio Penitentiary, the Christopher Inn, and the Deshler Hotel.[1] The company also demolished the downtown Columbus City Center mall,[3] Franklinton's Veterans Memorial (since replaced by the National Veterans Memorial and Museum), a former location of the Columbus Africentric High School, and a Holiday Inn in the suburb of Worthington. The company also was involved in the demolition of the Beasley-Deshler Hotel, the Chittenden Hotel, Halle's, and the Hartman Theater in Columbus. They were also to demolish the Beggs Building, since renovated as part of the Fifth Third Center.[1] In 1961, the company razed the Virginia Hotel and Columbus Citizen building to make room for the currently-named Renaissance Columbus Downtown Hotel.[4]

The company has been involved in dangerous work, including during or after a fire. The Dunhill Clothiers burned down in 1974, and the company hauled aways pieces of the building as it burned. During a fire in February 1977, the company had difficulty tearing down the building, which was covered in 3- to 4-foot icicles. During a fire in the Short North in September 1988, Dave Loewendick helped a fireman out of debris, just before a four-story wall fell behind them.[1] The company won the "Highly Commended Award" in the World Demolition Awards in 2010 for its demolition of Columbus City Center.[3]

The company, originally involved in both construction and demolition, still focuses on reusing items, including salvaging architectural elements. In 2016, the company purchased equipment allowing it to begin crushing and recycling concrete.[1] Its work in the third phase of demolishing the Veteran's Memorial (removing its foundation) therefore involved a 100% recycling rate.[2] On average, the company gets 50-60 percent recyclable material out of their projects. Columbus mandates 25 percent, and the City Center demolition project mandated 50 percent. For that project, the company recycled 90 percent of the materials.[5]

industry	Demolition
founded	1929
founder	Sylvester G. Loewendick
hq location city	2877 Jackson Pike, Grove City, Ohio
key people	David Loewendick
website	https://loewendick.com/

S.G. Loewendick & Sons

History

Demolition projects

Reputation

Notable demolition projects

External links

References