The King Brothers Preserving the Past

Former Reeves building finding new life as law office

By Brenda Showalter
bshowalter@therepublic.com

An historic Columbus building that once housed one of the city's first major manufacturers is being renovated by a local family determined to preserve its heritage.
Attorneys Peter and Kevin King purchased the Reeves building on Seventh Street last year from a Huntsville developer.
Although an antique mall occupied a portion of the building for about a year, the Kings feared the out-of-town owner could not appreciate the building's history and value.
"We didn't want it to become another Golden Foundry situation," said Peter, referring to the plant on 10th Street that is being demolished after closing in 2003.
"We're proud of this project. This place reflects the heart and soul of Columbus."
The brothers envision the 200,000-square-foot building having a variety of uses, including office suites and warehouse space.
They also see the near-downtown area, close to the new Central Middle School and Cummins Plant 1, poised for growth and redevelopment.
With the help of family, friends and co-workers, the brothers spent more than a year renovating offices for their law practice, Cline, King & King, in one corner of the building.
Now they are eyeing the rest of the massive structure and considering possibilities.
They see their decision to preserve the building as a continuation of their family's commitment to the community.
Peter and Kevin's father, Arthur, began practicing law in Columbus in 1952. Peter joined in 1979, Kevin in 1988.

Proud history

Over the years, thousands of county residents worked at the Seventh Street factory that at one point employed 900.
The business was founded in 1888 by the Reeves family and served as a place where inventions and ideas came to life.
Among its products were industrial wooden pulleys, steam engines, sawmills, thrashing machines and a couple of early automobile models.
"A lot of creative thinking occurred on this block," Kevin said.
In later years, the plant's owners included Reliance Electric Co. and Rockwell International Corp. before it was shut down in 2001.
When the Kings and others spent evenings and weekends renovating the office area, former Reeves and Reliance employees sometimes stopped by and asked to see the places where they once worked.
"One person told me, ‘This building has good bones,'" Peter said with a smile.
Kevin, who likes the idea of recycling and reusing building materials, agreed that the building has a good foundation.
The brothers' painstaking renovation included refinishing hardwood floors, cleaning old light fixtures, lots of painting, adding new carpet and laying intricate tiles on the floors.
New additions include a handicapped accessible entrance ramp and restrooms.
"This place is a fortress," Kevin said as he looked around the building. "It was built very well."
Former workers who have toured the new law office found many familiar surroundings.
Some things couldn't change, including the large, walk-in vault that once housed Reeves' patents and an old elevator the Kings said is the oldest working elevator in Indiana.
Plenty of work remains to be done on other portions, but the Kings have leased part of the building to Dorel Juvenile Group for storage.
Bartholomew County Republican Party's headquarters occupy a first-floor space.

New law offices

The brothers first got the idea for leasing space in the building when they were looking for new offices for their law practice.
They had moved out of their office on Third Street and had a temporary space in a small building on Washington Street.
Someone suggested they consider the Reeves building, and they leased space for a while before purchasing the building in April.
With nearly 20,000 feet of office space, the Kings created a functional space that matched their needs.
Large rooms offer spacious areas for a library, conference rooms, offices, file and storage rooms and what they call a "trial room" that has tables and a 28-foot white board to serve as a work area when preparing for trials.
They also are putting finishing touches on a room set up like a courtroom, with tables for the attorneys, a jury box, audience area and judge's bench.
The brothers figure the room could be used for their trial preparation and for other community functions, including Teen Court.
Their father's office was put in a spot he specifically requested.
"He wanted the office closest to Shorty's," said Peter, referring to the restaurant that has been a neighbor of the Reeves building for more than 60 years.
"I'm thrilled to death. They've really cleaned the place up," said Shorty's Lunch owner Shorty Prather, whose restaurant served many of the Reeves and Reliance workers over the years.
Mayor Fred Armstrong, who grew up on Werner Street not far from the Reeves building, also is glad to see the building being restored.
"I think it will be great for this community," Armstrong said. "I'm glad someone stepped up to the plate to do this."

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