From High Spirits to High Tech

Faced with having to move out to the suburbs to find space that meets their needs, a firm finds an old church building and calls it 'a godsend.'

1 minute read

September 17, 2003, 2:00 PM PDT

By Connie Chung


Nottingham-Spirk, a high-tech firm based in Cleveland, OH, will adaptively reuse a landmark church as commercial space. The church, which overlooks Little Italy on Cleveland's East Side, is "one of the most visible and beautiful landmarks in the city....The hope is that the church's soaring architecture will foster creativity and help the company design and market new products, win new patents, spin off new companies and give Nottingham-Spirk room to grow....The balcony above had plenty of space where the partners could house small, start-up companies to market new products created by the designers. A choir loft on the balcony looked perfect for audio-visual presentations. The church's Sunday school, two levels beneath the sanctuary, had plenty of space where engineers could create prototypes. Finally, a pair of rooms just off the main sanctuary could be used for focus groups."

Thanks to Connie Chung

Friday, September 12, 2003 in The Plain Dealer

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Wastewater pouring out from a pipe.

Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage

Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”

April 13, 2025 - Inside Climate News

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Black and white photos of camp made up of small 'earthquake shacks' in Dolores Park in 1906 after the San Francisco earthquake.

The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees

More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?

April 15, 2025 - Charles F. Bloszies

Ken Jennings stands in front of Snohomish County Community Transit bus.

Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series

The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.

2 hours ago - Streetsblog USA

Close-up on BLM sign on Continental Divide Trail in Rawlins, Wyoming.

BLM To Rescind Public Lands Rule

The change will downgrade conservation, once again putting federal land at risk for mining and other extractive uses.

4 hours ago - Public Domain

Calvary Street bridge over freeway in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Indy Neighborhood Group Builds Temporary Multi-Use Path

Community members, aided in part by funding from the city, repurposed a vehicle lane to create a protected bike and pedestrian path for the summer season.

6 hours ago - Smart Cities Dive