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Effort underway to prevent King Records demolition

582 views · Published 17 January 2017 · 3:41 · Indexed 21 September 2026

Channel: LOCAL 12 · 2017 · News & Politics

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CINCINNATI (WKRC) - An important piece of music history in the Tri-State faces another demolition threat.

King Records helped put Cincinnati on par with places like Sun Studios in Memphis and Motown in Detroit. The issue had been in the courts before, but now it was going to the city's Historic Conservation Board January 30, for a demolition permit hearing. The mayor was hoping to head that off with city council action.

Although most drivers on I-71 probably don't know it, an iconic location in the history of American popular music was right there. When people hear King Records they may thing of James Brown, but so many came through; Jimi Hendrix went there and played. Hank Ballard, Little Willie John, Otis Williams were some of them. It's been abandoned for several years, but from 1943-71, the King Records studio on Brewster Avenue was where music history, and other history, was made by owner Syd Nathan and performers in country, R&B, rock n' roll, doo wopp, and funk.

There was even an historical marker in front, from the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame.

Mayor John Cranley (D) said, "Saving King Records is an imperative for civil rights in the history of this country. King Records was the first integrated record company in the United States, in the 1940s. It produced music of black and white artists, which was extremely rare in that time period."

But the building's owner filed a demolition permit request, saying there were holes in the roof, the second floor was falling down, there was serious deterioration, and the interior was unsafe. Company attorney Tim Burke said the building was so far gone that it would be incredibly expensive to save and not economically feasible to do so.

But Mayor Cranley will ask city council to declare a public purpose to save the building; making eminent domain at least a possibility if the owner will not sell to the city. The long term goal would be to rebuild King Records into a museum and community recording facility, run by the non profit King Studios Foundation.

Mayor Cranley said he'd rather see the owner sell the building to the city instead of going to court on eminent domain. But so far the owner was unwilling. Cranley said if eminent domain did happen, the city would pay fair market value for the property. The auditor's valuation was $130,000.

The mayor said turning the site into a museum would cost a million dollars or two. That money would be privately raised. 

The mayor will meet Thursday afternoon, January 12, with various groups trying to save King Records, to talk about the next steps.

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