Westinghouse Electric Corp

Originally owned by machinist John Walker, this massive factory located on what was once known as Waverly Ave in Cleveland, Ohio, housed the Walker Manufacturing Corporation.

The company manufactured a vast amount of heavy machinery varying from hydraulic shears and hydraulic riveters to cable railroad machinery and foundry equipment. In 1894, Walker was in the midst of a patent-infringement lawsuit, which was filed by the owner and founder of Westinghouse Electric, George Westinghouse.

Four years later, in 1898, Walker lost the court battle, forcing him to surrender his manufacturing plant, worth $1 million at the time, to Westinghouse. Westinghouse, a skilled engineer and entrepreneur, went on to become a pioneer of the electric industry.

Once he became the rightful owner of the plant, Westinghouse wasted no time establishing a thriving business in Cleveland producing aluminum and brass castings with production later expanding to a variety of lights, including those used at airports and along highways.

Cycling through a number of names, Westinghouse Electric had become Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company, which was later renamed and remained, Westinghouse Electric Corporation.

After World War II, the multipurpose engineering firm grew its service and sales departments. The large manufacturing facility on Waverly was closed as operations were relocated to the greater Cleveland area.

By 1994, Cleveland Westinghouse facilities were purchased by Eaton Corporation for $1.6 billion, with plans to convert the factory into other commercial enterprises. Nearly 30 years later, the factory still sits abandoned as it slowly falls apart with no plans of development in the foreseeable future.