The first home of the "Nation's Station," 700 WLW, and the one time symbol of the Crosley corporation stands as a watchtower looking out over the industrious Camp Washington neighborhood and Interstate 75.
Venkman and I were no strangers to the
radio production facility turned key chain factory, but we hadn't been back since
February of 2008.
Jeffrey was making the climb for his first time. Due to the darkness, we decided to just head for the stairs and climb, climb, climb till we reached the top. The eight stories of stairs lead to catwalks. Catwalks lead to a tower. The tower contained a ladder, a two story tall ladder.
The ladder lead to the "watchtower." The "watchtower" held the view:
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| - The building is often the victim of graffiti taggers and metal scrappers. |
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| - Looking East. |
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| - Just beyond the hill, emitting the strong concentration of light, is downtown. |
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| - Interstate 75 and Cincinnati State. |
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| - "ATOYOT" |
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| - The night shift. |
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| - Camp Washington. Covington, KY Radisson hotel in the far distance. |
Being ten stories up and merely inches from a hole in the wall where a window once was as you climbed the rusty, shaking ladder was not an easy feeling. Upon reaching the top, we breathed a sigh of relief as I checked to see why my leg was bleeding. That rusty ladder and the scar on my knee gave me a new appreciation for tetanus shots and taught me that I should probably wear pants when exploring from now on. The view was spectacular. The "watchtower" of the Crosley Building provides a commanding and calm glimpse at the city below you, with views as far south as Covington, KY and northward towards the suburbs.
Check out the
previous visit to the Crosley Building, which explains the building's past and explores its other floors.
Update | Oct. 7, 2017:
- Building still stands shuttered and abandoned. A failed plan to tie its renovation into the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act never came to fruition.
