Historic Name

Shaw Piano Co./Cohen Bldg.

Address

1053 West 12th Street

Municipality

City of Erie

Tax Parcel

16030050010400

Historic District

Classification

Class 2 (Definitions of Classes)

State Key Number

68990

Historic Function

Industry - manufacturing facility

Style

Other

Built

1892

Architect

Builder

Barn Type on property

Last Entry Update

8/2/2016

This structure was built in 1892 by local enterprise, Shaw Piano Company. In 1890, Congressman Matthew Griswold, of the family who owned Griswold Manufacturing Company, organized Shaw Pianos. Griswold was president, while his son, Matthew Jr., was vice president. The company was originally located at 1124 Peach Street, but relocated to the factory at 12th and Raspberry streets in 1892 when this building was constructed. The Shaw Piano Company filed bankruptcy in 1901, and local cast-iron corporation, Griswold Manufacturing Company, moved into the building in 1903. However, the “Shaw Piano Company” name was not painted over, and is still visible on the 12th Street façade. Griswold Manufacturing Co. remained at this location until 1957, when it was purchased by the Cohen family.

Harold Cohen owned and operated his company, Cost Plus Office Furnishings, from this location until the mid-1990s. Cost Plus moved to a block of West 18th Street before the business was sold in 2001. A sign boasting the family name “Cohen” is visible from the 12th Street entrance. Carrara Steel purchased the building in 2003, yet the structure remained vacant. A decade later, developers from Crawford County, Greg Sutterlin and Steve Popovich, purchased the property with intentions to revamp the dilapidating structure. The partners operate under the company name, Horrifying Productions LLC, and have developed the property into a haunted house attraction. The exterior of the structure was repaired and graffiti was removed, yet looks untouched to maintain a “haunted house” appearance. In 2013, the haunted house opened as “Eeriebyss Factory of Terror.” Three years later, this attraction remains open to visitors from October 2 to November 1, and features a haunting maze that spans two floors of the four-story building.

Sources:

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Submitted information is reviewed by Preservation Erie prior to updating the database.

Photo courtesy, Erie County Assessment Office