The Longaberger basket building located in Newark, Ohio has sat empty and abandoned for several years. We explored the building and property to see what it is like today.
I got to tour the inside back in the early 2000’s when the company still going strong. It’s beautiful. Everything was built with very high quality standards. It has a glass roof, and there are heaters built into those giant handles to prevent icicles from forming on them and shattering the roof if they dropped. If I had millions, I’d buy the place and turn it into a unique wedding and event venue. Can you imagine a bride coming down that beautiful winding staircase... Lots of guest parking, even a loading dock area for the vendors to deliver.
I didn’t know about the heaters up in the handles of the building. Cool fact and makes perfect sense! It would be a cool event venue for sure. The woodworking inside is incredible!
Or what a statement if it became a place of refuge for orphans, widows, immigrants, those who need shelter the Dave’s homestead & town. Also what a legacy that would be! 🙏📖🕯🩸✝️🩸🕯📖🙏
Great memories going on Bus Tours there with my family . I’ll never forget approaching the building the feeling and thoughts “What a great thing Dave Longaberger created for the community of Dresden and for people all over”. I’m born and raised Ohioan and saddened by this empty building. Someone get it back together for Dave and the community.
I went on a bus tour with a group of co-workers about 1999. It felt a little bit like Disney World for baskets Dave provided a lot of good jobs for a time.
Imagine opening a picnic style restaurant inside where you get traditional picnic food, and then you can go outside and have a picnic with a giant picnic basket. Maybe they serve your food in baskets that look like the building
That's very unfortunate that it was abandoned. And has sat empty for the past six years. Artistic buildings this unique don't come along everyday. It would be nice to see it in use again. with power washing & a fresh coat of paint. especially on the basket handles.
You are so right about that, buildings like this don’t come along everyday. Such a unique building with lots of potential. Will be interesting to see what happens in the near future with all the local development.
Did the Heritage tour there last year. Video didn't come out the best, but still beautiful in the inside. Sad to see renovations haven't started yet. The owner seemed pretty adamant about converting it to a hotel by the end of 2021.
I missed that tour last year... would have loved to videoed it. Still no signs of any sort of construction or any activity at all. Maybe next year. Thanks for watching!
I guess the great American outdoors act 2020 has funds for the counties for buying properties that can be converted to say, museums or memorials...one shouldn't let such a beautiful building be abandoned or wasted.
In this time I would think The Federal Government could purchase this for a place to process refugees or illegal immigrants . Plus it would be a great place for a ministry to serve in & Thru 🙏💞❣️ please keep up the maintenance do not let Dave’s Dream disintegrate into a eye sore. There is too much to gain to lose Longaberer’s 🙏
I pray a ministry or at the least the government would use it & Dave’s town for a place of refuge. 🙏share share share let the world know about it! Please
No, but the local police do patrol the parking lot often. They have had issues with people trying to enter the building. So they keep a good eye out on it.
Company went out of business. Founder died, Expensive baskets, and a recession all at the same time. However a developer now owns it and is making it into a Hotel.
